Last week, we took a look at Psalm 32 and the importance of repentance in the life of the believer in Jesus Christ. We must acknowledge the sin that is in our life and repent or turn away from it and ask God for forgiveness. Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. God will forgive our sin when we have repented of the sin and have asked for forgiveness. Simply saying, “I’m sorry” without meaning it is not sufficient in God’s eyes. Quite a few years ago, Governor Neff of the State of Texas received an invitation to speak at one of the penitentiaries in that state. He spoke to the assembled prisoners, and afterward said that he would be around for a while to listen to anything any of the convicts might wish to tell him. He would take as much time as they wanted, and anything they would tell him would be kept in confidence. The convicts began to come, one at a time. One after another told him a story of how they had been unjustly sentenced, were innocent, and wished to get out. Finally one man came through who said to him, “Governor Neff, I do not want to take much of your time. I only want to say that I really did what they convicted me of. But I have been here a number of years. I believe I have paid my debt to society, and that, if I were to be released, I would be able to live an upright life and show myself worthy of your mercy.” This was the man whom Governor Neff pardoned.

Repentance must be a daily part of the believer’s life. Why? Sadly, because we sin daily. Charles Spurgeon said: A Christian must never leave off repenting, for I fear he never leaves off sinning. The sin in our lives should leave us broken-hearted about the sin. Sin never just affects the sinner alone – my sin affects my wife, my children, and most of all, it affects God. We must be broken-hearted about our sin because it was our sin that caused Jesus Christ to be nailed to the cross of Calvary. It was my sin that caused Him to suffer humiliation, beatings, and then death on the cross. Sin never affects me alone, because my sin cost my Saviour His life. The act of hating sin on my part is not enough, because that is not repentance. If I hate sin because of what God may do to me, that is not repentance. That is only a dislike of God’s justice. Instead, I must view my sin as offensive to God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and realize that I must be broken-hearted about the sin because of what Jesus Christ had to do for me on the rugged cross.

Repentance is to leave

The sin we loved before,

And show that we in earnest grieve

By doing so no more.

Psalm 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

What an interesting verse and so powerful! “For this shall everyone…” What is the “this?” The subject of verse 5: David’s sin and the need for repentance on David’s part. Note that it is the godly that will pray to God, why? Because the wicked do not realize their need for repentance and the godly do not view themselves as being godly. A godly man is like God, he hath the same judgment with God! he thinks of things as God doth; he hath a God-like disposition; he partakes of the divine nature. A godly man doth bear God’s name and image: godliness is Godlikeness (Thomas Watson). We can partake of the nature of God: 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. We need to be sure we are not puffed up and think more of ourselves than is really there. We may think we can never be tempted by a particular sin, but that will be the sin that will be our downfall. Our pride will be our downfall every time. Proverb 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. Proverb 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. We need to be humble in our heart and realize that it is not our strengths that God will use best to His glory, but it is our weaknesses that God uses to His greatest glory.

Psalm 32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.

Those that are godly do not see themselves that way and they are quicker to humble themselves before God and pray to Him in repentance. Sadly, the Pharisees, who had access to God’s Word and to Jesus Christ, refused to humble themselves realize their sinful condition. They declared that they could see and that only showed their blindness. in a time when thou mayest be found – praise God that He may still be found! In other words, people can still come to Him for salvation, but a time is coming when He will not save. Let us look at the rest of the verse. in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. What event is David referring to? The worldwide flood and Noah’s Ark. J. Vernon McGee wrote: Noah was in the ark when the Flood came, and that flood which destroyed others simply lifted him up because he was in the ark. The waters of judgment could not reach Noah. There is going to be another time of great judgment coming upon the earth, but it will not be a flood of water: it will be fire. If people reject Jesus Christ enough times, then God will give them their desire and leave them alone.

Psalm 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Noah and his family and the animals entered the ark, God shut the door, and then seven days later the rains fells and the springs of the earth flowed. God is the shield for the believer in Jesus Christ. God will take the believer and protect the believer when times of trouble occur.

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

God will lead those that are willing to be led. God will also allow those that are determined to go their own way go. If that person is a child of His, then, like a loving Father, He will chasten them to bring them back. Look at verse 8 again and consider that in order to guided by God’s eye, you would have to be pretty close to Him. God will reveal things to us as we are ready for it and if we are willing to humble ourselves to be taught.

Psalm 32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

Some Christians are not willing to be obedient or follow God. God is comparing them to a horse or a mule which needs a bit and a bridle in order to be led in the direction God wants them. Think about Jonah for a moment – the whale was Jonah’s bit and bridle. People may have truly come to Jesus Christ for salvation but still insist on doing things their way without verifying it through the Bible. God will give them some slack, but if they persist, He will bridle them and draw them in.

Psalm 32:10-11 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. (11) Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

What a wonderful closing to this psalm! The believer – those that have trusted in Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection, shall have mercy all around them! Believers should be the happiest people on earth. We should always be glad in the Lord, even in the darkest of moments. And believers should rejoice as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: 1Th 5:16 Rejoice evermore.

In Christ I have believed,

And through the spotless Lamb

Grace and salvation have received:

In Him complete I am.

My sins, my crimson stains,

Are blotted out each one;

No condemnation now remains!

God views in me His Son.

Psalm 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Verse 2 leads off with the word “blessed” meaning “happy.” The first phrase of this verse means that happy is the man that the LORD does not charge iniquity to. The word iniquity means “perverseness” or “moral evil.” How can verse two happen? Again, because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. When David wrote this psalm, under Holy Spirit inspiration, animal sacrifices were taking place to temporarily cover sin, but it is only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ that sins are truly washed away. The word “impute” means to “charge or put on one’s account.” Believers in Jesus Christ should be very happy because our sin debt is paid by Jesus Christ! 2Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Romans 4:24-25 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; (25) Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification. This does not mean that believers have license to sin, because there is still a judgment coming over our obedience to Jesus Christ, but we do know that we will spend eternity with Jesus Christ. But I do not look forward to that Judgment Seat of Christ, for I will see the opportunities that I neglected and the times that I chose to go my way rather than God’s way. Just because I have that security of knowing I am saved, does not mean I should relish sin! Even though I am saved, that does not mean that I no longer sin, but I need to ask forgiveness and look to do the sin no more.

Further, Psalm 32:2 states: Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. In other words, just confessing sin with out meaning it, does nothing for our sin – it is still imputed to us.

When we repent of our sin, we need to mean it. Listen to this illustration: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child,” says William Shakespeare’s King Lear. Well, then, how about a thankless jailbird? If you want an answer to that one, ask a judge in Seattle. Recently, a young man appeared before the judge on charges of car theft. The judge saw no reason to keep him locked up while he awaited court action. He released him on his own recognizance. A short time later, that judge’s own car disappeared. Police quickly found the stolen car, and the one who stole it. Now the judge was in court in a new role, not as a judge, but as a witness, against the same young man he had released, who stood accused of stealing the magistrate’s wheels. A Japanese proverb reminds us that forgiving the unrepentant is like drawing pictures on the water. Ignoring sin may gain the sinner’s temporary gratitude, but makes no lasting impression. A forgiven car thief is still a car thief if no change of character takes place.

How about you? Do you seek to escape justice or to be justified by God’s grace and Christ’s mercy? God offers you liberty, not license, in the cleansing blood of Christ.

Psalm 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

King David is telling us what happened to him when he tried to keep silent about his sin. Nobody around him knew about his sin, but God knew. David may have put up a facade, but inside his conscience was bothering him. The sin was affecting his health as he continued to try and hide the sin. He may have been silent on the outside, but inside him the sin was roaring as he dealt with the conviction by the Holy Spirit about the sin.

Psalm 32:4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer.

Charles Spurgeon wrote: God’s finger can crush us – what must his hand be, and that pressing heavily and continuously! Under terrors of conscience, men have little rest by night, for the grim thoughts of the day dog them to their chambers and haunt their dreams, or else they lie awake in a cold sweat of dread. God’s hand is very helpful when it uplifts, but it is awful when it presses down. …my moisture is turned into the drought of summer David is physically affected by his sin and he is drying up! If only we were as sensitive to our sin as David was! How often do we suppress the thought of our sin and the more we do that, the less effect our sin has on ourselves. We need to pray to God that we see our sin as He does. Even the Apostle Paul struggled with sin: Romans 7:22-25 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: (23) But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Sin deadens us and the longer we waddle in sin, the deader we are to the sin. Sin is not a laughing matter and needs to be taken seriously by believers today. We are seeing how David reacted to his sin. We need to see who God is and recognize His Holiness and strive toward His Holiness. There is a new song out that seems to be the attitude of professing Christians toward God. The title of the song: I Think I’m Gonna Throw Up. Here are the lyrics: I Think I’m Gonna Throw Up, I Think I’m Gonna Throw Up, I Think I’m Gonna Throw Up, My Hands To The Lord. (Repeat) Throw Up, Throw Up, Throw Up, My Hands To The Lord. (Repeat) NEXT VERSE: I Think I’m Gonna Hurl, I Think I’m Gonna Hurl, I Think I’m Gonna Hurl, My Sins Out The Door (Repeat) Hurl, Hurl, Hurl My Sins Out The Door. (Repeat) The song is sung by an man with children singing behind him. At the end, the children laugh and make retching sounds. Does that really glorify the King of Kings? Does this song honor the Lord of Lords? What are these children going to remember about this song? Praising God or getting to sing euphemisms about vomiting? Whenever vomiting is discussed in the Bible it is never good.

Psalm 32 shows us that David did not consider his sin to be a laughing matter. It weighed very heavily on him. Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

David gave in to the the conviction of the Holy Spirit and repented of his sin. Look at how David mentions his sin, his iniquity, and his transgression. Note that David says that not only he sinned but that he acknowledges that his sin was against God and that his iniquity is not hid from God. God sees everything we do, knows everything we think, and hears everything we say. The first steps toward forgiveness by God is to acknowledge our sin and realize how it affects us and our relationship with God. We then need to confess that sin to God – not to man. Confess to God first and then if your sin affected another person, then confess to them. Francis Fuller very wisely said, “To repent is to accuse and condemn ourselves; to charge upon ourselves the desert of hell; to take part with God against ourselves, and to justify Him in all that He does against us; to be ashamed and confounded for our sins; to have them ever in our eyes and at all times upon our hearts that we may be in daily sorrow for them; to part with our right hands and eyes, that is, with those pleasurable sins which have been as dear to us as our lives, so as never to have more to do with them, and to hate them, so as to destroy them as things which by nature we are wholly disinclined to. For we naturally love and think well of ourselves, hide our deformities, lessen and excuse our faults, indulge ourselves in the things that please us, are mad upon our lusts, and follow them, though to our own destruction.”

Psalm 32 shows us the importance of recognizing our sin and repenting of it. Thank God that He is merciful and patient with us. 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

In John chapter 9, the apostles of Jesus Christ come across a man that was born blind. They ask Jesus Christ, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind.” Jesus Christ declares to the disciples that the man was born blind, not because of any sin, but because Jesus Christ was there to heal that man and bring glory to God by doing the works God commanded Jesus. Jesus Christ combined dirt and His spittle and applied the mud to the man’s eyes. He then told the man to go and wash it off at the pool of Siloam. The man did as Jesus Christ directed and could now see. When the Pharisees heard about the healing, they got upset because Jesus Christ healed the blind man on the Sabbath, rather than rejoicing that the man could now see. The Pharisees questioned if the man had even been blind and they declared that Jesus Christ was a sinner and not from God.

John 9:27-34 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? (28) Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. (29) We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. (30) The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. (31) Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (32) Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. (33) If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. (34) They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

The Pharisees were willfully blind to what Jesus Christ said and to what Jesus Christ was doing. The man that had been born blind was wiser than the Pharisees and he understood that Jesus Christ was at least of God, but had not realized yet that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. After the Pharisees cast out the man, Jesus Christ came to him and the man realized that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he worshiped Him.

John 9:39-41 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. (40) And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words and said unto him, Are we blind also? (41) Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Jesus Christ came to this world the first time to reach out to God’s people, the Israelites. He preached to them about repentance and the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, but the Jews rejected Him. The Israelites considered themselves to be godly, but they were blind to who Jesus Christ really is. They thought that they could clearly see the things of God, but they were blind to who Jesus Christ is. The apostle Paul, when he was Saul, described himself this way in 1Timothy 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. This did not excuse Paul/Saul’s sin, because in verse 15 he calls himself the chiefest of sinners, and he points out the Jesus Christ came to save sinners. Ignorance is not an excuse for sinning, especially when there are ways to get knowledge – such as the Bible, and the preaching and teaching of God Word – but if the methods of obtaining knowledge are ignored, the penalty for the sin is still there. God’s Will for mankind is revealed in His Word, and the Bible records at least five times in the Bible that Word of God had spread around the entire world. But a person can look at the world around him and see what God has done in creation and God will reach out to that person that may not have access to a Bible if they are seeking Him first. God raises up missionaries to reach the world for Jesus Christ and sends them to where there is a desire somewhere among an indigenous people to know God. No where in the Bible does God promise to send a missionary to a people that is not seeking God first.

In John 9, the Pharisees thought they were godly and that they saw things clearly and declared that the man that had been blind was still blind – spiritually blind. The truth is that the Pharisees were blind – willfully blind to Jesus Christ and His teachings. John 9:40, 41 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words and said unto him, Are we blind also? (41) Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. The Pharisees decided that they saw things clearly, but truly they did not and chose to remain that way. The truth, Jesus Christ stood in front of them and they denied Him. Their sin remained on them because they chose to remain blind even as they thought they could spiritually see. Jesus said: If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: – if the Pharisees had realized that they were blind to what Jesus Christ taught and desired to learn from Jesus Christ and ultimately repent and believe, then the penalty for sin would no longer be imputed upon them. Instead, the Pharisees determined that they were strong. Instead the Pharisees determined that they were godly. Instead, the Pharisees determined that they were righteous.

Luke 5:30-32 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? (31) And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician: but they that are sick (32) I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. If the Pharisees had been willing to humble themselves and follow Jesus Christ and His Word, then they would have understood their sinful condition and their weakness and their blindness and ultimately their need for Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

Psalm 32:1-11 A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. (2) Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. (3) When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. (4) For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. (5) I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. (6) For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. (7) Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. (8) I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. (9) Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. (10) Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about. (11) Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

What a wonderful psalm this about the love of God and His forgiveness of repented sin. This psalm was written by David as seen in the opening of the psalm. Then the next word is interesting: Maschil, which means “to give instruction” or “to understand.” The psalm is called a didactic psalm which means that it gives instruction and teaches doctrine. The idea was that Israel needed to be taught about God and Who He is and what is Israel’s future. The word Maschil is used elsewhere in the Bible and points to the fact that Israel has not been abandoned by God despite their many sins.

Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. The word “wise” in both of these verses is the same root Hebrew word that Maschil is. Daniel 12 shows what the nation of Israel’s future is like after the Tribulation. The nation of Israel will be fully restored and the Israelites that have accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour will remain in the New Jerusalem. Psalm 32 is a teaching psalm for the future and has many applications for today.

Psalm 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

The word “blessed” here means “happy” much like it does in the Beatitudes. Truly, how can a man or woman be anything but happy when their transgression is forgiven? But the transgression can only be forgiven when it has been confessed and repented of. Psalm 32 is a psalm about confession, and God’s wonderful mercy toward the repentant sinner. The word “transgression” means “revolt”, which is what sin is – a revolt against God and His Word. Note that the word “sin” is used too – sin means offense – something that is done against God’s wishes. There is an additional blessing here in verse 1 with the last phrase: whose sin is covered. Our sin against God requires a payment to God. Now, some decide that they can do enough good works to pay God back. Others try to live a good life. Others go to church regularly. But none of those will be enough to pay the penalty for our sin. Each of us would still come up short in our payment for our sin. That is why Jesus Christ paid that penalty on the cross. It is only through His shed blood on the cross of Calvary that truly compensates for our sin debt. My sin is covered because Jesus Christ paid the price and I trusted in Him for my payment. I cannot pay the price on my own, I must go to the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn to Proverb 28:13:

Proverb 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

I cannot cover my own sins. Adam and Eve tried to cover their sin in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:7 tells us that when Adam and Eve realized their sin, they tried to cover themselves with aprons made of fig leaves. An apron does not succeed in covering your nakedness and fig leaves do not make very durable aprons. I can try to justify my sin or I can try to explain it away or I can try to cover it, but before the All-Holy Lord God, I may as well be wearing an apron, because I cannot make my sin go away. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper – I cannot do well in life if I never repent and confess my sins to God, for He is the only one that can make the penalty for my sin go away. In Genesis 3:21, we read that God covered them in a coat of skins, which is a lot more effective covering us than an apron of leaves. Proverb 28:13 shows the believer that when they confess their sin and forsake the sin, they will have mercy from God. Because of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, we can go to Him and Him alone for forgiveness of our sins.

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. When we have sinned against someone else, then we must go to that person and ask for forgiveness. What we really must remember is that when we have sinned against other people, we have also sinned against God and we must go to Him in repentance and ask forgiveness. James is not referring to confessing to another person in an effort to receive God’s forgiveness, but we should seek that person’s forgiveness.

Jonah 1:3  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish:

When Jonah went down to flee unto Tarshish, he found a ship going there. Was not that a remarkable providence? Perhaps he said to himself,

“I felt some doubt about whether I was right in going there, but when I got down to the seashore, there was a ship, and there was just room for me to go as a passenger, and the fare was just the amount I ossessed, and so I felt that it must be of the LORD.”

Nonsense, Jonah! It is of the LORD for you to do right.

There is nothing so deluding as feelings. Christians cannot live by feelings. Let me further tell you that these feelings are the work of Satan, for they are not right feelings. What right have you to set up your feelings against the word of Christ?

–Charles Spurgeon

Before you decide to do something, does that something line up with what the Bible says? Just because it “feels” right, does not make it right. If that something puts you into situations that are contrary to God’s Word, then it was not of God.

Taken from  wayoflife.org
New Evangelicals have long divided doctrine into “cardinal” and “secondary” categories, and the “secondary,” we are told, can be overlooked for the sake of unity.

In Grace Awaking, Chuck Swindoll says, “My encouragement for you today is that each one of us pursue what unites us with others rather than the few things that separate us. … There was a time in my life when I had answers to questions no one was asking. I had a position that life was so rigid I would fight for every jot and tittle. I mean, I couldn’t list enough things that I’d die for. The older I get, the shorter that list gets, frankly” (Grace Awakening, p. 189).

Even the most conservative evangelicals, such as Iain Murray, fall into this trap. Condemning fundamentalism in America Murray stated, “In its tendency to add stipulations not foundational to Christian believing, fundamentalism was prone to make the boundaries of Christ’s kingdom too small” (Iain Murray, Evangelicalism Divided, p. 298).

This is the working philosophy of Southern Baptists. Consider the book Building Bridges (Convention Press, 2007). It was written by David Dockery and Timothy George and prefaced by Thom Rainer, three prominent Southern Baptist leaders.

“Though I may disagree with some on secondary and tertiary issues, I will not let those points of disagreement tear down bridges of relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ. … We need a new spirit of mutual respect and humility to serve together with those with whom we have differences of conviction and opinion. It is possible to hold hands with brothers and sisters who disagree on secondary and tertiary matters of theology…”  (pp. 11, 34).

This is even becoming the working philosophy of many Independent Baptists. In the book Thinking Outside the Book, Charles Keen says,

“I’m a slow learner, but I finally realized that not all truth is of equal value. Some truths I differ from others and divide over even die for (as least I should). With others, I might be uncomfortable with how they are handled by my brethren, but I can still fellowship with them either personally or in some cases, ecclesiastically. We need to develop some ‘ecumenicalism within the parameters of fundamentalism.’ … Let’s decide who the enemies of the cross are and divide from them. Then let’s decide who the friends of grace are and tolerate them. We don’t have to unite but we do need unity” (p. 81).

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

First, this philosophy is refuted by Christ’s teaching.

It is refuted in Matthew 23:23, where Christ taught that while not everything in the Bible is of equal importance everything has some importance and nothing is to be despised or neglected. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

It is also refuted in Matthew 28:20, where Christ taught that the churches are to teach the believers to observe ALL THINGS whatsoever He has commanded.

Second, this philosophy is refuted by Paul’s example and teaching.

He declared the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).

He taught Timothy to value all doctrine and not to allow ANY false doctrine (1 Tim. 1:3).

He further taught Timothy to keep the New Testament commandment “without spot” (1 Tim. 6:13-14). A spot refers to something that is small, seemingly insignificant. The context of Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy 6:14 is an epistle that has as its theme church truth (1 Tim. 3:15). In this epistle, we find instruction about such things as pastoral standards (1 Tim. 3), deacons (1 Tim. 3), the divine restriction upon the woman’s work in the church (1 Tim. 2); care for widows (1 Tim. 5), and discipline (1 Tim. 5). These are the very kinds of things that are typically considered of secondary importance today.

While we know that Bible doctrines are not equal in importance (e.g., John 3:16 is more important than 1 Corinthians 11:14-15), every teaching of Scripture has some importance and nowhere are we taught to despise anything God has said,  not for the sake of an Independent Baptist unity or world missions or for any other reason.

I believe that Romans 12:2 (“be not conformed to this world”) and James 4:4 (“friendship with the world is enmity with God”) and 1 John 2:15-17 (“love not the world”) are very essential teachings, and this doctrine condemns the contemporary philosophy that is spreading quickly among Independent Baptist churches. The same is true for what God’s Word says about the sacred music or modest attire or ecclesiology or repentance or the preservation of Scripture or any other thing.

We should stand for all of the truth of God’s Word, and we should defend any truth that happens to be under attack in our day.

Third, we must understand that not all heresies are of equal weight as far as destructiveness, but all heresies are to be opposed.

A heresy is a doctrinal error. The word describes the self-will that characterizes such sin. A “heretic” is one who exercises his own will over the Word of God and chooses an error over the truth. The error can be as serious as denying the deity of Christ or as seemingly slight as allowing a woman to usurp authority over men.

There are “damnable heresies” (2 Pet. 2:1), which are heresies that affect eternal salvation. To accept a damnable heresy is to bring upon oneself eternal damnation. The damnable heresy described by Peter was that of denying the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle John also described the doctrine of Christ as a crucial doctrine (2 John 9). We see in other passages that damnable heresies are particularly related to the person of Christ, to the gospel, and to the Holy Spirit and thus to the person and nature of God, including such doctrines as the Trinity (2 Cor. 11:4).

There are also less destructive heresies. “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken” (1 Cor. 11:19-21). In this passage Paul was referring to errors in the church at Corinth, and in the immediate context, he describes errors relating to the Lord’s Supper.

That not all heresies have the same consequence does not mean that some heresies are to be ignored. Every wind of false doctrine is to be refused (Eph. 4:14).

David Nettleton refuted the New Evangelical philosophy in “A Limited Message or a Limited Fellowship,” which describes his experiences in an interdenominational youth ministry in the 1950s. Consider an excerpt from this message:

This message, like many, is born out of an experience. It may be some others are going through similar experiences. Therefore, let me recount the one which brought this message to light. I was brought up as a Presbyterian. I was saved at a college which was interdenominational in student body, but was managed by the Church of the Brethren. From there I went to a seminary which was not a denominational school, and from there to another seminary which was United Presbyterian. I entered the Baptist pastorate with no Baptist training except that which came from reading of the Scriptures.

A few years later I was drawn into an interdenominational youth movement and was given the leadership of a local Saturday night rally. I cooperated with any who were evangelical, regardless of their associations. I was advised by top leaders in the movement to seek the names of outstanding modernists for my advisory committee. I didn’t do that. But I did follow advice which led me to send to all converts back to the churches of their choice, churches I knew to be liberal in some cases. This greatly troubled my conscience and I prayed and thought about it.

Another problem connected with this work was the failure on my part to instruct any converts on the matter of Christian baptism, which in the Scriptures is the first test of obedience. I felt that I should do this inasmuch as Peter and Paul did it. But how could it be done when on the committee of the work there were close friends who did not believe it? By such an association I had definitely stripped my message and my ministry of important Bible truths which many called ‘nonessentials.’

In the follow-up work it was not convenient to speak of eternal security in the presence of Christian workers who hated the name of the doctrine. Thus the ministry was pared down to the gospel, just as if there was nothing in the Great Commission about baptizing converts and indoctrinating them. I had found the least common denominator and I was staying by it. But my conscience had no rest.

Then it was that Acts 20:27 came to mean something to me. The great apostle had never allowed himself to be drawn into anything which would limit his message. He could say with a clean conscience, ‘I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.’ Why cannot many say that today? In my case, and in many other cases, it was due to a desire to teach a larger audience and to work with a larger group of Christians.

Many have been carried away from full obedience by a noble-sounding motto which has been applied to Christian work. ‘In essentials unity, in nonessentials liberty, and in all things charity.’ Some things are not essential to salvation but they are essential to full obedience, and the Christian has no liberty under God to sort out the Scriptures into essentials and nonessentials! It is our duty to declare the whole counsel of God, and to do it wherever we are.

Today we are choosing between two alternatives. A LIMITED MESSAGE OR A LIMITED FELLOWSHIP. If we preach all of the Bible truths, there are many places where we will never be invited. If we join hands with the crowds, there will be limiting of the message of the Bible. Bear this in mind–it is the Baptist who lays aside the most! It is the fundamental Baptist who makes the concessions! Think this through and you will find it to be true. We believe in believer’s baptism. We believe in separation. We preach eternal security. We believe in the imminent coming of Christ. We consider it an act of obedience to reprove unbelief in religious circles. The Sadducee and the Pharisee are to be labeled. But according to a present philosophy we must lay these things aside for the sake of a larger sphere of service.

Which is more important, full obedience or a larger sphere of service? And yet I do not fully believe these are the only two alternatives. It is our first duty to be fully obedient to God in all things, and then to wait upon Him for the places of service. It may be that we will be limited, and it may be that we will not. Charles Haddon Spurgeon did not travel as widely as some men of his day, but his sermons have traveled as far as the sermons of most men (David Nettleton, “A Limited Message or a Limited Fellowship,” GARBC).

The necessity of discipling and pastoring God’s people requires that we protect them from “small” compromises and “non-essential” errors.

“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28).

I would rather err on the side of being too strict and too separated from Independent Baptist compromise than to be soft and not separated enough.

Judges 10:6-16 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. (7) And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon. (8) And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. (9) Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was sore distressed. (10) And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim. (11) And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines? (12) The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. (13) Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. (14) Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. (15) And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. (16) And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

To me, the Book of Judges is one of the saddest books of the Bible. The Israelites have come out of the wilderness into the land promised to them and we see in the Book of Joshua the wonderful victories that God has given them as they possess the land. Then we come to the Book of Judges.

Judges 2:10-13 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. (11) And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: (12) And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. (13) And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

Within two generations, the Israelites had turned away from God and began to serve other gods. It says in verse 12 that the Israelites forsook the Lord God – that means they abandoned God, they turned away from Him. There is a two-fold problem here in chapter 2: first – in verse 10 we see that the older Israelites must have failed to teach the younger Israelites about God and what He had done for them. They must have neglected their duty to pass on to the next generation the things of God. Second: because the Israelites had not been taught, they turned away from God and went chasing after the false gods of the people around them. How about you: are you teaching your children, grandchildren and loved ones about Jesus Christ? Please do not depend on Sunday School classes and church services to be the only time your children and grandchildren hear about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. That is only four hours a week – please be sure to teach your children and grandchildren about salvation and Jesus Christ.

As you read the Book of Judges, you will see this is a constant pattern with the Israelites: they would turn away from God and sin, they would suffer, then they would supplicate themselves before God and then God would bring them salvation. How much better their lives would have been if they just kept their focus on God rather than on themselves. How much better our lives would be if we today would just keep our focus on God rather than on ourselves. That brings us to Judges 10.

Judges 10:6, 7 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and served not him. (7) And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the children of Ammon.

The Israelites have had two judges in a row to guide them and after the second died, the Israelites quickly did evil again in the sight of the Lord. It is so sad how quickly they began to worship the false gods of the people around them. In verses 7-9, we see that the Israelites were oppressed and vexed for at least 18 years. The nations around them – whose gods they were worshiping – were making war with them.

Judges 10:10 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.

The Israelites begin to come to their senses and realize they need to repent and turn back to God. They cry out to God, but had they really repented? Was it repentance or is it recognition of their sin? It appears that they have not really repented of their sin and just recognize that they have sinned. There is a big difference between the two. Look at verses 11-14. The Lord reminds the Israelites what He has done for them in the past and points out that the Israelites have forsaken Him again. God tells them: (v14) Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation. Personally, I would not be surprised if the Israelites had already cried out to Baalim, Ashtaroth, and the other false gods and found that they did not help. How often do we try everything else before we turn to God? How often do we try to accomplish something under our own strength rather than pray to God for help? Look at verse 15 and see how the Israelites cry out the second time – this time there is true repentance.

Judges 10:15, 16 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. (16) And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

The first time they cried out to God, they admitted that they had sinned, but that was it! This time The Israelites cried out and put some feet to their words: their repentance led them to action. The first time they are saying: “O God, we have sinned because we followed Baalim.” The second time they cry out: “O God, we have sinned and we deserve whatever you do to us. Please save us.” Then they put away the idols and the strange gods and began to obediently serve the Lord God. There is a big difference between the two occasions. They began to fear the Lord God again and chose to follow Him. God began to move in their lives when they moved back toward Him. God was working in their lives while they were unrepentant, because He was drawing the pagan nations to afflict the Israelites – God used the pagan nations to chasten the Israelites because a loving Father knows that He has to chasten His children when they go astray. Repentance became real in their lives and they acted upon it. The first time their repentance was just lip service.

God does not want false repentance and He does not to worshiped for the wrong reasons. What is your motivation? Ask God this question: “Why do I do what I do in my service to you?” The answer may dismay you. God does not want your service if your motivation is wrong. Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: Repent if your service to God is poorly motivated! In Isaiah 29:13, we see that the Israelites’ worship of God was self-centered! They worshiped Him in the manner that made them feel good, not God. Their fear and reverence of God came from what men taught them – it was not in the way that God showed them. God does not want you to just go through the motions of service and obedience to Him. He wants you heart to be right with Him God wants to you to do anything that you do because you love Him and desire to serve Him. God wants your worship of Him to please Him not yourself! That means that not all music pleases Him! Look at what the All Holy God told the Israelites in the Book of Amos: Amos 5:21-23 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. (22) Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. (23) Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. Look at verse 23 again – there is some music that God rejects and we should reject it too. Not all music is appropriate in the believer’s life. Rock ‘n roll does not belong in the believer’s life. Country music does not belong in the believer’s life. Is a musician truly honoring God if he or she sing about God in one song and on the next song they are singing about drinking and partying? Christian rock is not “Christian.” If the music you listen to now as a saved believer in Jesus Christ sounds the same as the music you use to listen to – but with “cleaner” lyrics – then it is not God-honoring music. You are in need of revival when the music you listen to does not honor God.

Revival will come when repentance comes into the believer’s life. In the Book of Joel, God urged the Israelites to truly fully repent. Joel 2:12-13 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: (13) And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. The Bible shows that when Israelites were in mourning they would put on sackcloth and place ashes upon their head and weep and wail. Look at verse 13 again: God wants them (and us) to not just put on a show of repentance but to truly repent! Rend your heart, not your garments, and turn to the LORD your God. God wants us to repent and be sincere about it and He will show us His grace and His mercy. I thank God that He is slow to anger and that He is very long suffering with me. I try His patience too often. God wants you and me to turn to Him with all of our hearts and when we do that, we will have a proper fear of the Lord God.

Today there is a distinct lack of the fear of the Lord among people, including Christians. What is meant by the phrase “fear of the Lord?” In the Bible it does not mean that the believer should be scared of God, but they should reverence Him. The Webster’s 1858 dictionary says: In scripture, fear is used to express a filial or a slavish passion. In good men, the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun every thing that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience. This is filial fear. Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever. People do not fear the Lord God like they should. We need revival when we do not fear the Lord. We need revival when do not feel conviction about the sin in our life. We need revival when we do not love God like we should. Read through the Book of Proverbs – at least 12 times it discusses what the fear of the Lord is in the life of the believer. Proverb 16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Pro 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. Pro 23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.

The fear of the Lord, the reverence for Him should happen each and every day of our lives. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. If we do not properly fear God and respect Him, then we will not be obedient to Him. When we do not properly fear God, then we will not feel conviction for our sin. When we do not properly fear God, we will not feel conviction over that cigarette that was just lit up, or conviction for that glass of beer or wine that was just poured, or conviction about that TV show you just watched that had only “a few” bad words in it and “only” a couple scenes of immoral behavior. If there is one, then that is too many!

When we do have the proper fear of the Lord, then we will look to lift Him up and glorify Him, rather than ourselves. When we do have the proper fear of the Lord, then we will throw away those horror novels and romance stories about vampires. When we do have the proper fear of the Lord, we will focus on Him and His Word. When we do have the proper fear of the Lord, we will regularly pray to Him. We need revival when if we spend more time justifying our sin than repenting of the sin. The first steps to revival is regular prayer and reading of God’s Word.

Prayer is all important in the believer’s life. Jude 20-21 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, (21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Praying to God builds up our faith in God. Praying to God connects us to Him. Praying to God builds our love for Him. Praying to God gives us a greater fear and reverence for God. To be more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29), we need to daily pray to God and daily read our Bibles. Leonard Ravenhill wrote: No man is greater than his prayer life. The two prerequisites to successful Christian living are vision and passion, both of which are born in and maintained by prayer. The ministry of preaching is open to few; the ministry of prayer – the highest ministry of all human offices – is open to all. Spiritual adolescents say, “I’ll not go tonight, it’s only the prayer meeting.” It may be that Satan has little cause to fear most preaching. Yet past experiences sting him to rally all his infernal army to fight against God’s people praying. A sinning man will stop praying and a praying man will stop sinning. James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Prayer is all important in the believer’s life. Make the time to pray each and every day. Each of us needs revival if we can identify with any of the following statements:

We need revival when we are not daily praying and daily reading God’s Word. We need revival when church dinners are better attended than Wednesday night prayer meeting. We need revival when we do not love God as we once did. We need revival when we would rather watch TV rather than read the Bible or pray. We need revival when we make little or no effort to win the lost. We need revival when we have time for sports or amusements, but do not have time for church, Bible study, or prayer. We need revival when our Christianity is joyless and dry. We need revival when the only person you can hear sing in church is the song leader. We need revival when our hearts are cold and our eyes are dry. We need revival when we are bored with going to church. We need revival when going to church becomes our duty and not out of the love for God. We need revival when our worship is halfhearted, lifeless and becomes mere duty. We need revival when people have to be begged to serve God. We need revival when we know Biblical truth in our heads, but we are not practicing it in our lives. We need revival when we would rather make money rather than give money. We need revival when people have to be entertained in order to come to church. We need revival when we are unmoved by the fact that people are dying and going to hell. We need revival when we are not seeing the regular evidence of the supernatural power of God in our lives regularly. We need revival when we are more concerned about our children’s secular school education and activities rather than then condition of their souls. We need revival when we do not long for fellowship with God and His people. We need revival when our priorities are not spiritual first. If you identify with anything on this list, please do not hesitate to go to God in prayer and repentance! Go to Romans 12.

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God does not want you to die for Him – He wants you to be a living sacrifice. Live for Him each day! Look at verse 2 again: we are not suppose to be conformed to this world – we are suppose to be different from this world!The lost should look at believers and see that there is something different about believers in Jesus Christ – because we are suppose to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. This can only happen when we are spending time with God through His Word and through prayer. Have you noticed sometimes how a husband and wife after they have been married together for 30, 40, 50 years – that they start to look alike? They show the same mannerisms. They finish each other’s sentences and seem to know exactly what the other is thinking. That is how our relationship should be with God. How did that married couple get that way? Because they spent time together and built a relationship. We need to do the same with our relationship with God – spend time with Him by reading His Word to us and getting down on our knees in prayer to Him. That way when people look at us – they do not see us, they see Jesus Christ. We are in need of revival when people look at us and do not see Jesus Christ. When believers are willing to say, “Yes, God” then God will revive them. Are you willing to say “Yes, God” tonight?

Psa 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

Deuteronomy 30:9-14 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: (10) If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. (11) For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. (12) It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? (13) Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? (14) But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

What is revival? We are calling these two nights revival meetings, but exactly are we looking to accomplish? We often pray for revival to come to our area and to the United States of America, but what are we looking for? And what are we willing to do?

Revival is nothing more than a renewed obedience to the Word of God and love for the Word of God. If we would just follow what God’s Word says, what a difference there would be in our lives. Leonard Ravenhill wrote: It has been well said that there are only three classes of people in the world today: those who are afraid, those who do not know enough to be afraid, and those who know their Bibles. Sodom, which had no Bible, no preachers, no tracts, no prayer meetings, no churches, perished. How then will America be spared from the wrath of the Almighty, think you? We have millions of Bibles, scores of thousands of churches, endless preachers – and yet what sin! Revival is a renewed obedience to and love for the Word of God. Real revival is Heaven sent, not born by man. Real revival is brought by God when His people repent of the self-centeredness and turn back to God-centeredness. Real revival is not about you and me – it is about God. Real revival in our lives will bring glory and honor to God and we will demonstrate that revival each and every day to everyone.

What has happened? Believers in Jesus Christ should not need revival! We have His Book right here! Hopefully, everyone came here tonight with a Bible in their hand and they have opened it up. That is your responsibility, to open the Bible in front of you and double check what I am reading to you and preaching to you is true to what the Bible says! My responsibility is to preach what God has given me, but please double check me! Is Sunday the only day of the week you open your Bible? Does your Bible collect dust the rest of the week? This Book is what God has given to us to tell us about Himself and His Son, Jesus Christ. We have no further revelations today despite what the cults may tell you and we do not need further revelations (see John 20:30, 31)! This Bible is the Word of God, as Paul wrote to Timothy: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. How else are we going to come closer to God except through His Word and prayer to Him. This Bible comes directly from God and gives us doctrine – the teachings of and about God; reproof – the chastisement every believer needs when they begin to stray from God; correction – showing the believer the way back to the right path; instruction in righteousness – to live lives glorifying and honoring to God. Charles Spurgeon said: I would rather speak five words out of this book than 50,000 words of the philosophers. If we want revivals, we must revive our reverence for the Word of God. If we want conversions, we must put more of God’s Word into our sermons.

Please return to Deuteronomy 30.

What is Moses (under Holy Spirit inspiration) telling the Israelites in verses 1-8? When you read the previous chapters, the Israelites are on the verge of entering into the land promised to them and they have read off the blessings that they will receive if they obey God and they have read off the curses that will happen if they disobey God. Chapter 30 verses 1-8 discuss what will happen if the Israelites repent of their sins and turn back to God. Moses is talking about revival here – Revival will happen for the Israelites when they turn back to God and turn away from their sin.

Deuteronomy 30:9-10 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: And here is the definition of revival right here in the Word of God in verse 10:(10) If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

It is so simple and yet, we make it so difficult. We get comfortable in our sin. We know we should read our Bible… BUT, there is this TV show I really want to see. I know I should read my Bible… BUT I want to go see this movie. I know I should read my Bible… BUT baseball, football, basketball, NASCAR is on right now. I know I should read my Bible… BUT it is too hard to read. That is why we are suppose to study the Bible, so we can understand it better. I know I should read my Bible… BUT it is too long to read. And yet, people are willing to sit down and read the Harry Potter books or the Twilight series of books or Stephen King books or romance novels. I know I should read my Bible… BUT… fill in your own excuse!

The worst words that a man can say is BUT… GOD. And yet, if we would open our Bibles and study them, we would see that two of the greatest words are But God – as in Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. AND Romans 6:16-17 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. AND Ephesians 2:3-5 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;) If the dust on your Bible is thick enough to write the word “foolish” on it: then that is what you should do because that is exactly how you are acting: foolish.

Deuteronomy 30:10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

Look at what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 22: Mat 22:35-38 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, (36) Master, which is the great commandment in the law? (37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. The question I ask you is: If the first and great commandment is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, then would the greatest sin be the failure to follow that commandment? How are you at loving God? When you sin, how quick are you to repent of the sin? And do you truly repent or do you go right back to that sin the first chance you get? If we are truly loving and obeying God, then we should show it. If you want revival in your life, then you must get back to the Word of God. If you want to glorify God in your life, then you must get back to the Word of God. If you want peace and contentment in your life, you must get back to the Word of God. Charles Spurgeon stated: Yet, above all, we want a revival, if we would promote the glory of God. The proper object of a Christian’s life is God’s glory. The Church was made on purpose to glorify God; but it is only a revived Church that brings glory to His Name.

Something that has been impressed upon me by God lately is a better realization of Him as Father. Go to Galatians 4:

Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

The problem today is that too many professing Christians look at God the Father as a kindly grandfatherly old man. They want to view Him as sitting among the clouds in Heaven in a rocking chair. They read the Galatians 4:6 and view the word “Abba” as “papa” or “daddy.” God is so much more than that, and people have lost sight of who He truly is. Read the next verses Galatians 4:7-9 (7) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (8) Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. (9) But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? The believer in Jesus Christ is a son of God upon the moment of salvation and any good son of God should look to please his Father and obey his Father and Love his Father. When you sin, there should be a sense of conviction about committing that sin. And with that conviction should come repentance. If the repentance is not forthcoming, then if you are a child of God, God’s chastening, as the loving Father, will come upon you. Proverbs 3:11-13 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: (12) For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. (13) Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

We must be sure to have the proper view of God: He IS the most loving Father any believer could ever know, however, with that love requires God to chasten the unrepentant child of God. You are in need of revival if there is little or no repentance for the sin in your life. You are in need of revival if you enjoy your sin more than you enjoy your time with God and His people. You are in need of revival if the Word of God does not move you and convict you. Real revival produces judgment of sin and brings you to the point of falling down on your face before the Lord and crying out in repentance.

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. (12) It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? (13) Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? (14) But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

God’s Word is not hidden from us today. God’s Will for us is not hidden from us today. We do not have to look up to the sky for God’s Word and we do not have to plunge to the lowest part of the ocean to find God’s Word. Moses is telling the Israelites that God’s Word was with them and the same is true today! Especially here in America – I have knocked on a lot of doors in this area and most people admit that they own a Bible. They own a Bible, but they rarely ever open it.

Let’s say you own a brand new Ford Mustang: it is bright cherry red, shiny mag wheels, high performance tires, black leather interior, tinted windows, and an excellent sound system… sounds great doesn’t it? But if you never take it out for a drive, what good is it? All you really have is a very large paperweight. The same is true with the Bible: you could have a leather bound, Cambridge made, King James version Bible, but if you never open it and read it and study it, then all you have is a very large paperweight.

Do you want revival in your life? I hope if I asked everyone in this room tonight if they wanted revival, everyone would shout, “Yes!” If you want revival, are you willing to do what it takes for God to bring revival in your life? That is a whole other story, isn’t it?

What does it take for God to bring revival into your life? It starts with the basics: read your Bible and pray to God. Start small and work your way up. When a person decides to become a body builder, do they immediately start with the two hundred pound weights? No! They start with smaller weights and, as they progress, they add more and more weights. Start by reading two chapters a day of the Bible: read one chapter of the Book of Proverbs and read one chapter of another book of the Bible, like the Gospel of Luke. Day one: read chapter 1 of Proverbs and chapter 1 of Luke. Day two: read chapter 2 of Proverbs and chapter 2 of Luke. And keep going until you finish Luke. Read one of the Books in the morning and the other in the evening – the point is that you need to read and you should do it with the goal of completing each book of the Bible. Pray a short prayer before each reading asking God for wisdom and guidance. Over time, add more chapters. If you read four chapters a day, you will finish the Bible in one year.

Deuteronomy 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. God’s Word is right here. But you must make time for it. I know you are busy, but two chapters a day may take up twenty minutes of time, surely you can spare twenty minutes. God’s Word is a lot more satisfying than a television show.

Some folks do not read the Bible because, they say, there are so many things in the Book that they cannot understand. It is said that these things which cannot be understood trouble them. Of course these are excuses. What does one do when he sits down to a Southern-fried chicken dinner, and finds there are bones in the chicken which he is unable to chew? Does he excuse himself, and say, “I can’t chew the bony parts of the chicken, therefore I won’t try to eat any of it?” Hardly. He merely puts the bones to one side and enjoys the edible part of the chicken. Why not put at least this much effort into Bible reading?

You know the whole Armor of God as described in Ephesians chapter 6? Turn there now. The Word of God is the only weapon we have. Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: If you are fighting a war and every believer in Jesus Christ should be ready for battle, as the Bible says in Ephesians 6:11-13 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The Word of God is the only weapon we have! You cannot win a war by only defending yourself. Wars are won by going on the offensive and the Bible is our only weapon, you need to be ready to use it. The US Army does not send it’s troops to a battle with first preparing them otherwise, they will not know what to do in battle and they will run and hide. You need to be reading your Bible and studying it so you will be ready when someone comes up to you and asks you the question you did not expect. You must be ready to stand.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The evil day is upon us, are you ready to stand? This country needs revival, are you ready to stand? This state needs revival, are you ready to stand? The towns of Colosse, Parish, Pulaski, Fernwood, Mexico, need revival, are you ready to stand? Are you in need of revival today and are you willing to do what it takes for revival?

Zephaniah 2:4-5 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. (5) Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

These are the opening verses of the judgments against the nations and people of the world. They continued to deny God, they railed against God, and they wanted nothing to do with God. Ultimately, God will give them their desire and they will spend eternity separated from Him. Look at the middle phrase of verse 5: the word of the LORD is against you. Consider what that means: the word of the LORD is against you. We know that the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), and we know from the Book of Revelation that Jesus Christ will speak and His enemies will fall down before Him. It was also the Word of God that spoke all of creation into being. It is by the Word of God that all things continue to exist today. It is the Word of God that says: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

But the Word of God does not stop at verse 16: John 3:17-18 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. We cannot only focus telling about the Love of God without also declaring the Wrath of God. Both are real and everyone will fall under one or the other! Jesus Christ Himself spoke about the Wrath of God as well as the Love of God. It is the Word of God that will change people’s hearts. It is the Word of God that will transform lives to be more like Jesus Christ. The one thing we do not want to have happen is for the Word of God to be against us. But the Word of the Lord convicts us when we study it. The Word of the Lord shows us God’s Love and shows us why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to be our Saviour. The Word of the Lord also shows us the Wrath of God and why judgment is coming. And the Word of Lord shows us how we can escape God’s Wrath through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Charles Spurgeon wrote: You will soon be dead, and you will pass into another world. You will come to the seat of judgment. You will want witnesses in your favour, and this book will be called to give its testimony. If the book could speak, it would say, “Great God, he never read me. I bear witness to his neglect of thee, for he never read me.” And many a text of Scripture would rise up in that last day and say, “I was preached to him. His mother quoted me to him. His sister wrote this in a letter. A friend sent him this verse and pleaded with him to take it to heart, but he heeded none of it.” If “the Word of the Lord is against you,” the law will say, “He knew me and he broke me.” The gospel will say, “He knew me and he refused me.” The Bible itself will say, “He understood something of me, but he ridiculed me.”

The Word of the Lord is used by the Holy Spirit to direct us. We cannot go by feelings when deciding to do something. Our heart will deceive us and sometimes we want to do something so badly that we do not wait upon God and we end up doing that thing badly. It is the Word of the Lord that is used to direct us because it speaks to us through the Holy Spirit. How often have we heard a missionary say that they read a particular Bible passage and that was when they knew where they were to go or what they were suppose to do? Personally, it was a passage from the Book of Ezra that told me to move back to New York State. It took a passage from Matthew that told us both to move back to New York State. How often has that happened in your life? If it does not happen, then maybe you are not waiting long enough on the Lord. Maybe the task is not suppose to be started at all. The Word of the Lord will speak to you, but let it talk, do not force it to talk – do not look for meaning that is not there.

A businessman had a framed photograph of the Leaning Tower of Pisa on his wall. For a long time he noticed that it persisted in hanging crooked despite the fact that he straightened it every morning. At last he asked the housekeeper if she was responsible for its lopsided position each morning that he came to his office. “Why, yes,” she said, “I have to hang it crooked to make the tower hang straight.” Does that sound strange? That is exactly how a lot of people read the Bible. Many people twist the Word of God in order to justify their own opinions or actions, or doctrine to make them all appear right. Let us not twist the Scriptures to suit our own fancy. Let us be sure to hang the picture right!

Please do not let the Word of the Lord be against you. Follow it and read it daily. I will close with this quote by Charles Spurgeon: Never be afraid of your Bibles. If there is a text of Scripture you dare not meet, humble yourself till you can. If your creed and Scripture do not agree, cut your creed to pieces, but make it agree with this book. If there be anything in the church to which you belong which is contrary to the inspired Word, leave that church. He that reads his Bible to find fault with it will soon discover that the Bible finds fault with him.

From Zephaniah 2:4 through chapter 3, verse 8, we see the judgments of God upon the nations of the world. His judgments are worldwide, which only makes sense because He is the Creator of the universe and of this world and of mankind. Thankfully, He is also the Redeemer of mankind. Because of Who He is, Holy, Just, and Righteous, God will judge the nations and the people for their sin and rejection of His Son, Jesus Christ. J. Vernon McGee wrote: God has put up certain standards that have become worldwide. They have been written into the Ten Commandments, which God gave to Moses. All nations have a sense of right and wrong, although they may vary on what is right and what is wrong. A missionary was telling me about a tribe he had worked with in the South Seas. They were head-hunters; they were cannibals. But he said that they had a high sense of honesty. He told me that you could take your pocketbook with your money in it and put it down in the center of where the tribe dwelt and leave it there for a week, and nobody would touch it. But, of course, they did not mind eating their mother-in-law for dinner. They did have a high sense of honesty.

People have a sense of standards, because God has put that into them. Paul wrote: Romans 2:12-16 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (13) (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. (14) For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: (15) Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) (16) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

The Gentiles – non-believers – have not been given the Law that was given to Moses. However, when they live their day to day lives, they may end up keeping certain aspects of the Law – for example: they could be setting aside the Sabbath day as a day of rest, or they may be not be thieves or killers. Their actions may be correct, but the motivation for the actions will not be the same as a believer in Jesus Christ. The believer in Jesus Christ will obey God’s commandments because they love Him and want to bring glory to Him. The non-believer may have certain standards, but if they are not God’s standards, then those standards will not help the non-believer no matter how sincerely they hold to those standards. Those head-hunters had a high standard of honesty, but they violated God’s standards by killing and eating people. Your sincerity will not be a deciding factor on the Day of Judgment. A man wrote: Returning home from school one day, my little boy came to me with the evidence of what he had had for lunch smeared all over his mouth. I told him to go wash his face and come back to show me the results. He returned in a hurry, saying, “I am all clean now, Daddy.” “Are you?” I asked. “Sure. I washed just like you told me to.” From his point of view he was clean, but from where I stood he still looked dirty. It is not what we think of ourselves that counts, but what God our Creator thinks of us.