Broken Then Used

This morning beloved I declare that Jesus Christ has risen! This morning I am urged in truth to preach a sermon that I pray will stir you and challenge you to grow not only in faith of the gospel of Jesus Christ but also in heart for souls. This morning I want to express to you how I am sorrowed in my spirit and troubled in my soul as I see how Christians as what they have become today. Throughout history we have understood that trials and tribulations have been involved with human living. Trials and tribulations have been recorded throughout history, many have overcame but many have decided to give up and as we are here this morning I want to ask you how would you have stood if someone were to start a history report on you? Many times than not history will only record the victory of the one who withstood the trial that has stood on the faith in which they believed and the one who was not victorious they ignore and do not mention or if they do they mention very slightly because of their lack of perseverance, their lack of tenacity and their lack of character.

This morning beloved as we sit here in the house of God many have or are still in the state of trial and tribulation and need the hand of God to move on their behalf. If you are saved here this morning we are a living testimony and are being recorded as the book of Acts has no ending. As we are living out our last chapter of the book of Acts I want to declare to you that the only way we will be victorious is by faith in our Savior. If you are not saved this morning you have the opportunity to be part of history and receive the greatest gift and that is salvation. Beloved Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh is in to His people.

Romans 5:1-5 (New International Version, ©2010)

Peace and Hope

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Beloved as we read our scripture we have many attributes that come with our Christian life and this beloved is what I want to minister on this morning. Beloved this morning it is sin that quarrels between us and God. Many try to justify their sin thus ironing their guilt that gives them a false peace not allowing them to understand conviction thus not knowing who God really is or who God can be in a life worth dying for. Many people have a hard time finding and/or obtaining peace. This beloved is a struggle for many, maybe even someone here this morning; peace has never been a part of your life even as a Christian. Lack of peace can enhance trials and magnify situations in your life thus making you issues bigger than God.

Gaining access by faith into God’s saving grace. This beloved is a privilege, having access to God almighty, this beloved is a saint’s happy state, it is the state of grace, God’s loving kindness to us and our conformity to God. We have not been born in this state but by the blood and the power and grace of our Jesus Christ we were and can be brought into this state of grace. Being brought to this state has a lot to do with your heart toward God and the reflection of your life as a saint and the repentance needed as a sinner, yes God accepts you the way you are but won’t accept your sinful state. God loves the sinner but hate’s the sin, and sin cannot and will not be accepted in God’s sight, for God is holy. This is hard for us to understand and can also be a struggle for many this morning, which is troublesome.

Trials take away our happiness. As non-believers I could see this as truth but not as a Christian, it bothers me to see a situation take away the joy God has given to us as Christians. The world makes a mockery out of how Christians portray Christian living as boring, dull, and joyless. Beloved before salvation I never wanted to become a Christian after seeing how some Christians have lived. I was told to be a Christian you must be poor; I beg to differ, if I’m going to walk on streets of Gold how can I be poor? My bible says that whatever I loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, and I’m not poor, I’m rich in and by faith. Trails reminds me that I still live on earth, and that my bible is accurate when it says it rains on the just and the unjust. Your trial was tailor made for you to grow closer to God and grow larger in faith and will produce a character pleasing to God.