Don't Go There
Notes
Transcript
There is nobody more miserable, than a Child of God living outside the will of God.
Some of y’all know what I’m talking about because, if you were honest, you would say, “That’s me.”
We’ve all heard that “God has a wonderful plan for your life” and that’s true, but He is not the only one making plans for you — so is Satan. Satan has two basic plans:
For the unsaved, it’s to keep them distracted and to keep them from turning to God.
For the saved, it’s to draw them away from God. To isolate them. To trap them in the pleasures of sin.
It is said of Moses that he, Hebrews 11:25
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
If sin wasn’t pleasurable, it wouldn’t be a problem. Sin is a liar. It promises us that we can have what we want, as soon as we want it and we don’t have to wait. But here is the scary part, sin isn’t just a liar, its a killer…Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Sin will kill you. It will destroy your body, it will destroy your mind, it will alienate your loved ones, and it will take you away from God.
Some of you are on that pathway this morning, I know it. “How can you know what I’m dealing with MR Nance?” Because I’ve been there.
You look at me and you see a husband and a father, a pastor and a teacher. Some of y’all just see an old man. When I look in the mirror, I see a man who doesn’t deserve any of those titles. A see a man who should be, dead. I see a man who once lived for himself, loved the world, and nearly lost his own soul. When I look in the mirror, I see the grace of God.
God says in His Word, 1 John 2:15-17
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
All those things He said not to do, I made sure I did them. I know that sitting before me today, there are some of you that are right where I was. My advice, as one with experience, is this — Don’t go there. This is my story.
Saved
Saved
9 year old, Sunday evening following communion.
Felt a load lifted, never been happier
Thought everything was going to be easy from here on out, I’m going to heaven now right? I’m saved now right?
I wasn’t prepared for failure.
Struggle
Struggle
The moment we trust Jesus as Savior, our sins are forgiven. So why do I still sin?
You guys have no idea how fortunate you are to be in a Christian school. When I was saved that Sunday night, on Monday, I got up and went to my public school. You guys get to come to Bible class, I had to hear foul language and dirty jokes — I know we have some of that here too, but, thank God, its only a handful of you guys, and if the rest of y’all would stand up to them, tell them to change it, and stop encouraging them, you could put an end to it.
Here were some of the struggles I had, and I guarantee, some of you had the same struggles:
No discipleship
You have no idea how fortunate you are to be in a Christian school where you learn about the Word of God every day.
I was told, “Read your Bible”
A brand new baby Christian told to read the Bible. I did, I tried. I went home began reading in Genesis and never made it passed Deuteronomy. I was so confused I didn’t understand a thing!
Why didn’t someone come to me and tell me to read the gospel of John or the book of Romans? Why didn’t we have someone in our church that would disciple me?
Another struggle...
Home life
My parents were saved. My parents were involved in church. We were at church for every service.
Dad taught the adult SS class, was the choir leader
Mom held several offices in the church and they both took turns in cleaning the church
They were also part of a gospel group and on Sunday nights if we weren’t at our church, we were at other churches and they were singing.
But, and please understand my parents were great, but like your’s, they weren’t perfect.
My parents were one way at church, but another at home.
My dad was a mechanic, and with the same mouth that he used to sing God’s praises, he also used some very bad language.
With the same mouth he would teach the Word of God with he would also use on me… “Lazy. Stupid. Dummy.”
I found out at an early age, that if you tell a child those things long enough, they begin to believe it.
My mom had a temper
She never laid a hand on me - unless I deserved it.
She was not a kind and gentle mother that when you fell and skinned your knee would ‘kiss it and make it better’ - no, it was more like “If you weren’t being stupid you wouldn’t have fallen and gotten hurt.”
My parents never opened a Bible at home. We never had family devotions. We never prayed together, not even before meals. We went to church and that was the extent of it…but that’s OK, right? Becasue at church I would find good examples!
Church life
You can imagine my struggle. How many of you have ever doubted your salvation?
So did I. I struggled so bad because I could feel the conflict within me - “I know I shouldn’t cuss, I know it’s wrong, but my parents do it? My brother, who is a Christian does it. I’m confused!” I didn’t understand that conflict was conviction
The moment you are saved the Holy Spirit lives within you.
If the Holy Spirit is within you then you will not sin without feeling how grieved He is.
Church! That is where I’ll find examples.
I would talk our youth leaders at church and tell them about my struggles and here is their counsel:
“You know Todd, if you are saved, then NOTHING you do can EVER take that away.”
That is true. You can’t lose your salvation, but their advice was tainted. It turned into “I can do whatever I want, and still go to heaven.”
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Salvation = forgiveness of sin, not license to sin.
Young men, Satan used this terrible advice to warp my understanding of God’s grace and he convinced me that I could live as I please, do as I please, and that I could still PLEASE GOD!
I am here today to tell you that you cannot please yourself AND please God. 1 John 2:15 “15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
You name it, I did it.
Surrender
Surrender
