Converted But Not Changed!

Converted But Not Changed!

Pastor Glenn Newton March 17, 2002

Acts 1:4-5; 7-9; 2:1-4

This morning’s message is an important one, I’ve been wrestling with it for a while

and I Need God’s help this morning to help me deliver it effectively.

Let me tell you why it’s important for us today.

It’s important for you in your Personal Relationship......

It’s important for us as a Church body.....

What is it?

This morning I’ve read to you the passages where God Pours out His Promised Gift, the

Holy Spirit, first in Jerusalem on his faithful disciples, and now we believe that God still

pours out the Holy Spirit in power on those who will put their trust and Faith in God. We

do believe this don’t we?

Can I tell you this morning that I’m excited because I believe that God wants to do a

miracle in our lives. God Word teaches us that God the Father wants, desires to pour out

His Spirit, the Holy Spirit upon all flesh, He would have every believer be Spirit filled!

Do you believe that this morning?

More important even than the question of Do You believe it, is the Question, ARE YOU

SPIRIT FILLED THIS MORNING?

This morning I want to talk to you about our Spiritual Lives and a Normal, healthy

progression, or maturity that we should seek to have.

This morning I am going to share with you four different stops that we can identify along

our Spiritual Journey.

1. Pre-Christian ( unsaved, unchurched, sinner) - I liked the term pre-christian

because it’s a positive way to look at your neighbor, or your children, or whoever it is that

your praying for, they are a pre-christian, they may not be there yet, but it won’t be long.

Do you remember that time before you asked Jesus into your Heart, and to forgive

you of your sins?

Can you remember how the Holy Spirit was working in your life even before you

trusted in Jesus?

Did the Holy Spirit put people into your life that helped lead you to the Lord? Or

maybe it was the prayers of your Grandma, or your parents that the Holy Spirit used to

bring conviction upon your heart and life. Who was praying for you? Aren’t you glad

they did?

Friends, do you have pre-Christians that you are praying for? The number one

thing you can do for them, is Pray for them, Pray for them in earnest, don’t quit, don’t

give up. Moms and Dads it doesn’t matter how far off your kids may seem, God the Holy

Spirit can reach them through your prayers..... Do you believe that this morning?

Friend, if you hear this morning, and you are a Pre-Christian, you haven’t accepted

Jesus as your Lord and Savior yet, let me tell you something, if you have someone praying

for you, you might as well give it up and let God forgive you, because your going to be

miserable until you do. Amen?

If your here this morning and you don’t Know Jesus as your Savior, and your not

sure if anyone is praying for you, let me tell you, you might as well give it up now because

you will have this whole church praying for you when you walk out the church today, so

you won’t really stand a chance.

At the end of our service today I will give you an opportunity to invite Jesus into

you heart, and of coarse we will all be cheering you on and praying for you.

Pre-Christian....... Friends, I challenge you to see your neighbors through this lense, see

your friends at work, your family members as folks who just need more prayer and a

invitation.

2. Born Again - (Saved, Converted) -

This is that first stop, that time in your life when you made a choice, a descision to ask

Jesus Christ, the Son of God to come into you life, to forgive your past sins, and you put

your trust and faith in Him.

Why the term born again?

The Bible teaches us that without Jesus in our lives we are spiritually dead, we are in

darkness unable to save ourselves. But when we ask Jesus into our lives, because of the

Blood that was shed on Calvary for us, we move to Life and are Born Again, this time

with a clean slate, a pure standing before God.

JN 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the

Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are

a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs

you are doing if God were not with him."

“In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God