If You Turn!

IF YOU TURN

By Pastor Daniel Cruz

Preached on Sunday April 19th 2015

Through out the bible God has repeatedly used two opposing contrasts in order to bring us, (his church) to a place where we examine ourselves and our lives in the light of those sharp contrasts.

God speaks in his word of being either:

Cold or Hot -

Light or Darkness -

Sheep or Goats

Wheat or Tares

And so on...

Notice how God uses extremes - He says, be Hot or Cold....either be Light or Darkness - There's yet another thing God speaks of in contrast - and that is when he says you are either,

ASLEEP or AWAKE! - (awake you that sleepest)

Being awakened to something can mean the difference between Loss or Gain, Winning or Losing, Living or Dying

Being Awake carries with it the idea of SELF AWARENESS.

How many of you have ever been AWAKENED to something. At one point you were living your life a certain way until one day you AWOKE to a truth or to a reality. An understanding you didn't have before - and it changed the course of your life as you know it.

Through out your life and at different points in your life, you will be faced with the choice to either WAKE UP (where everything changes) or to continue SLEEPING! (Where everything remains the same) AND THE CHOICE - WILL ONLY BE YOURS TO MAKE!

TO AWAKEN (means) to become aware, to arrive at a realization, to have a revelation of SELF that brings about change. To become fully aware of the move of God

When you allow Jesus, He will always bring you to a place where you are confronted with your own HEART - AND ONLY WHEN YOU'RE ABLE SEE YOURSELF Is when true change can happen.

In the bible the Men that God used, THEY had to SEE THEIR CONDITION FIRST!

ISAIAH - cried out Isaiah 6:5

Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the king the Lord of host.

PETER said - Luke 5:8

"Oh, Lord, please leave me--I'm too much of a sinner to be around you." LT.

PAUL said - Romans 7

Oh wretched man that I am....

Remaining ASLEEP- will rob you of your KAIROS - a seasonable time, the right time, a limited period of time

Luke 19:44

They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time (KAIROS) of God's coming to you."

TO SLEEP - not to be aware, your eyes are closed,

Back in the mid eighties I went through a period that I lost my zeal for The things of God. I no longer prayed fervently as I once did. I no longer separated time to fast. I no longer had a desire to serve in Gods House. During that time I was still showing up to church but I never spoke to anyone about my faith in Christ.

I didn't talk about Gods word and I became critical of everyone.

I HAD FALLEN ASLEEP!

One day in the midst of all my carnality - I stood still long enough to hear God speak to me.

God spoke to me loud and clear from Revelations 2:4-5

4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; OR else I am coming to you and will REMOVE your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent

THE LAMPSTAND. - is a source of light!

God said to me if you don't TURN I will leave you in the dark! I will remove your light. (In other words - I will give permission for darkness to take over. And I will remove understanding and I will remove my tangible presence.

When ever you Refuse to turn! - you will ALWAYS lose something

I was not married then but my - family life began to unravel, my mother was backsliding in her heart, financially I began to see everything fall apart. My relationships were a mess, I felt empty and I also realized I was unable to weep in the presence on God the way I use to, my heart had grown cold.

PROVERBS 1:23. English Standard Version

"If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you."

God says - IF YOU TURN at my REPROOF

Reproof = correct, admonish, point out the wrong - when I say Stop this, Don't go there, do this,

God says IF YOU TURN at my Reproof BEHOLD - (Watch and see) I WILL POUR MY SPIRIT - my presence will accompany you and I will give you revelation on my word