Facing God's Wrath: The Choice Between Two Paths

James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

God is the only one deserving of Thanksgiving because He is the only one who gives good gifts

If you have something good in your life it is because God gave it to you

you didn’t earn it

you didn’t produce it

you were not responsible for it

God gave it to you, scripture just said so

As we have seen throughout Romans we are to be dead to our past lives before Christ and live in and from Him and Him alone

that means worldly holidays mean nothing to us because we are dead to the world

is it wrong to gather and eat turkey and be thankful and enjoy family and friends

absolutely not as long as your focus is on Jesus Christ alone and not on the world

Melody and I are looking forward to the gatherings we will be a part of this week but our focus must be on Jesus not people

that is hard for us as humans because we always want to focus on the wrong things due to our sinful nature

take some time this week in your secret place and ask God to give you His perspective this week as we gather and give Thanks to Him for all He has done

is doing

and will do in your life!

Let’s Pray

Today we will continue on with Romans 2 and will look at verses 5-11

Romans thus far has been heavy but also encouraging as it presents a choice....two ways to live....one that honors God and one that rejects God

the choice is always yours

Romans 2:5-6

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Romans 2:5–6 “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:”

God’s wrath is real

a real day of wrath is coming

are you prepared for God’s wrath

you cannot face God’s wrath on your own and survive

Melody and I like to watch the tv show Eye of the storm

it is a show that pieces together video footage from cell phones etc during natural disasters

in a recent episode it showed Hurricane Ian

There were multiple warnings issued

even mandatory evacuations issued

however

some people ignored the warnings and mandatory evacuations

one older couple decided to stay and the husband was video taping the flooding and said this was a mistake.......he actually lost his life when his roof collapsed

that is very sad but illustrates that when warnings are issued we must take them seriously

God is issuing you a warning......His wrath is coming and if you are not heeding His warning and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and walk in that newness of life in faith and obedience you will be destroyed by His wrath

The only way to truly prepare for a category 4 or 5 hurricane is to leave

The only way to prepare for God’s Wrath is Jesus

accept Jesus

confess and repent of your sins

make Jesus your Lord and Savior

Walking in newness of life

You have been warned

wrath is coming

God will destroy all who have rejected Jesus and therefore hate God

satan understands this and works hard to get you to harden your heart

Your heart naturally wants to harden

your flesh craves sin

your flesh craves your sinful lusts and desires

when you give into those cravings and sin

your heart hardens

the harder your heart the more impenitent it becomes

impenitent means unforgiving

every time you sin....your heart hardens

every time your heart hardens it becomes more unforgiving and you are storing up God’s Wrath

If you are struggling with forgiveness it is because you are struggling with a hard heart

if you are struggling with a hard heart it is because you are struggling with obedience

if you are struggling with obedience it is probably because you are not in your secret place seeking God each and every day

if you are not in your secret place seeking God each and every day you are struggling with the sin of pride

you can do it

you are enough

you know what is best

you may never say those things but your fruit says differently

if you were truly dependent upon God and God alone it would be hard to go to work and do anything other than be in the secret place each and every day

why

He is your driving force

He is what sustains you

He is your focus

Church stand on scripture

there is not getting away from God’s wrath

you can’t pay your way out of it

you can’t lie your way out of it

you can’t work your way out of it

you can’t blame your way out of it

God’s wrath must be faced

the only way for you to survive God’s wrath is to apply Jesus’ blood to your life....Jesus took God’s wrath in your place and offers you protection

nothing good

nothing bad goes unnoticed by God!!!!!!!

I want to spend just a minute or so here because as Christians we miss this truth

God sees everything

As we saw earlier God gives all good gifts.....if it is good and in your life it came from God Himself

God also has control over all things

when bad things happen God knows

sometimes it is His conviction or even punishment......chastisement a loving God trying to move you away from sin

sometimes it is a trial or tribulation

sometimes it is a result of an evil, sinful, broken, fallen world

none of it is outside of God

with that said

Heaven will be awesome!!!!

each man and woman however will have a different experience in heaven

Matthew 6:19-21

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Matthew 6:19–21 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

your service to God

doing the works He created for you to do

does not save you but it does store up treasures in heaven

each person will be rewarded for their deeds

each person’s heaven will be different but because we will all be perfect there will be no jealousy only love and admiration

where is your heart focused

here on earth with treasure that will fade

treasure that will be corrupted

treasure that will be stolen

or heaven where your treasure is perfect!

some of you think your good works is showing up on a Sunday morning about 10:43 am just in time for service......setting through the service....humming along with the songs......shaking a hand or two at greeting time.....maybe putting a little something in the plate......taking communion......nodding when someone says amen during the sermon and then leaving 30 seconds after the service is over and not thinking about God again until next Sunday

that aint it folks

you need to be plugged in

you need to be doing works

you need to be doing the things that this church is invested in

you need to be in Bible studies

you need to be allowing the Bible to penetrate your hard heart and change you from the inside out and as a result of that you are seeking out works to be done for God......

this goes far beyond physical works

some of you have fake it till you make it down pat

but you are failing to fake out God

Jeremiah 17:10

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Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.”

again in

Jeremiah 32:19

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Jeremiah 32:19 “Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:”

God is not only watching and judging your fruit but He is also trying your heart

intentions matter far more important than works and actions

Your why is more important than what

when your why is serving and worshipping God for who He is and what He has done the what will take care of itself

our blessing box has nothing to do with the things inside the box but the hearts of those behind it

action was taken because God moved in hearts

I was hungry and you fed me

we arent feeding people we are feeding Jesus!

I am going to chase a rabbit for just a minute again here

I understand for some of you the blessing box is a big deal

you are struggling with this box

what do I mean

some of you see what is happening and think

oh my.....we put something....maybe even a lot of something and it is gone in a day

why not put out one or two things a day to not run out

what if a family who is in need

maybe living in their car

and this family has 5 or 6 or more people......what if they took it all

Praise the Lord!

Some of you get so focused looking at things from your perspective

trying to filter things through your thinking

that you miss God altogether

God sees good and bad

He will take care of anyone taking advantage of it

but He will also bless those feeding Jesus!

He will bless those allowing Jesus to brush His teeth and have deodorant

God’s mind is infinitely superior and above ours

stop looking at the world through your eyes and mind and get in His Word and ask Holy Spirit to show you God’s eyes and His mind

Back to this morning

Romans 2:7

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Romans 2:7 “To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”

Does this mean you are saved by works?

absolutely not

saved by faith in Jesus and Jesus alone

so what is God through Paul is saying here is

you must love God and love others shown by how you treat them

John 14:15

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John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

Very clear

if you love Jesus you must keep His commandments

what commandments

Matthew 22:37-40

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Matthew 22:37–40 “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. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Love equals action

action equals obedience

obedience equals love

loving God with all that you have and all that you are

loving others with all that you have and all that you are

That is Jesus commandments that you must keep if you love Him

what is your fruit?

where is your action

where is your obedience

where is your love

Romans 2:8

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Romans 2:8 “But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,”

Here is something you must understand as a Christian and actually as a human

you will obey someone or something

vs 7 says Obey God with patient continuance or

vs 8 obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath

whose character do you have

God’s

Yours

The fruit of God’s character is

love

joy

peace

longsuffering

gentleness

goodness

faith

meekness

temperance or self-control

fruit of unrighteousness

reprobate mind

fornication

wickedness

covetousness

maliciousness,

full of envy

murder

debate

deceit

malignity

whisperers

backbiters

haters of God

despiteful

proud

boasters

inventors of evil things

disobedient to parents

without understanding

covenant breakers

without natural affection

implacable which is unforgiving

unmerciful

what is your fruit

it is one or the other

when you obey God you see the fruit of the Spirit

when you obey unrighteousness you see fleshly

evil

sinful

fruit

what is your fruit?

notice also obeying God is also seeking glory and honor and immortality...eternal life

you don’t gain eternal life by obeying but obey because you have eternal life

here is what you will receive when you refuse to obey truth and obey unrighteousness

Romans 2:9-10

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Romans 2:9–10 “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:”

What is your soul

tribulation and anguish or

glory, honour, peace

not your circumstances but your soul

are you at peace

if not you are obeying the wrong thing

you are obeying unrighteousness

satan brings chaos and tribulation and anguish and indignation and wrath

God brings peace and security and love and longsuffering

where is your soul?

what is your fruit?

Church you must take scripture seriously

So many today say they are Christians but walk around gloomy

the walk around depressed

they walk around anxious

they walk around full of worry

they are the opposite of peace

you soul will tell you where you stand

that doesn't mean you circumstances will change

in fact they will get worse in most cases

those who have been baptized recently I am sure spiritual warfare has followed

why because satan lost and knows you belong to God now but

John 10:10

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John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

That is why

he can’t touch you spiritually any longer but he can sure try to steal from you.....steal you peace and joy

he can sure try to kill you.....he starts with killing your peace and joy

he can sure try to destroy your peace and joy

how

by helping you focus on situations

circumstances

people

by encouraging you to be

gloomy

depressed

anxious

and filled with worry

it is all spiritual warfare and unless you see it as that and run to God the Father for your protection and to fight the battle

you will lose

you are no match for satan and His demons on your own

With Jesus satan and his demons are no match for you!!!!!!

I want to give you a few scriptures to call upon when you are in the midst of a battle

Joshua 1:9

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Joshua 1:9 “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Isaiah 41:10

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Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Do you see it

If you are saved God is with you

He goes before you

He goes with you

He goes behind you

There is no where you can’t go that God is not there

Not only is He there but He is who upholds you

He is who strengthens you

He is who gives you what you need

Without Him you are doomed

Jesus also speaks to this

Matthew 10:28

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Matthew 10:28 “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

satan and his demons and followers can for sure kill your body but because of the blood of Jesus applied to your sin debt they cannot touch you spiritually

you are in God’s hand and nothing can take you out of it

that is why Jesus can say in

John 14:27

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John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

I pray you see this

I pray that if you are

gloomy

depressed

anxious

full of worry

That God’s perfect love and protection and provision is driving those feelings out right now

you don’t have to stay there.....in fact if you are a Christian it is a sin to stay there because you are standing against scripture

be a doer of the Word not a hearer only

Romans 2:11

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Romans 2:11 “For there is no respect of persons with God.”

God does not respect persons

what does that mean

at first it sounds bad

God doesn’t respect me

i don't ever ever accept disrespect

That is not what it means

if that is you then you have a major pride problem

God sees your heart

all that matters is saved or unsaved

your title

your money

your church membership

your position

none of that matters at all to God

God cannot be bribed or influenced

Deuteronomy 10:17

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Deuteronomy 10:17 “For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:”

Nor taketh reward

you can’t bribe God

If you do this God.....then I will do this

It doesn’t work that way

I will be faithful to you God only if you cure me or my mom or wife or whomever

you are looking for the healing not the healer

you are trying to bribe God

We miss this as humans

we want to label and elevate and promote and demote people

Most of the time based on what that person can do for you

that is not what Jesus did

that is not what God expects for you

Wednesday I was reading my morning devotional and it refocused me

God loves the whole world because God loves individuals

Jesus preached and taught the masses Himself on occasion but poured into individuals daily

all individuals

Jesus had time for everyone

Jesus loved....loves everyone

especially those rejected by society

especially the sick

especially the lost

especially the broken

However He also loved Caesar

Jesus spoke Truth to Caesar no differently than He did to the leper

God doesn’t respect persons like satan and humans do

Money talks

If someone is rich and powerful and to be close to them means you must leave friends and family behind most people....maybe even you....will almost always choose money and power

why

because you respect persons

the rich

the powerful

they can do so much for me so my family and friends surely wont mind being left behind

what about churches

one thing I love about CCC is this that I believe we are atypical here...we don’t do what most churches do here

most churches when someone walks in wearing a three piece suit most people flock to them....someone runs and gets the pastor and elders to meet them

why

they believe that person is rich and they must win them over because then they will have access to their money

they would have access to their wealth

that is so sad and using someone not loving someone

the opposite is also true

someone down on their luck

broken

hurting

lost

maybe dirty

maybe smelling of alcohol or weed walks into the church and the are shown to the back in hopes they will just leave

They need Jesus and we are so worried about their appearance we run them out of the very place they need to be

this can’t be church

I don’t know hearts and we can’t really know fruits to give a glimpse of saved or not saved without getting to know them

not by their appearance or position but them as an individual

all God cares about is saved or not saved

if they are saved are they maturing in Christ

That must be our focus

Save the lost and grow the saved

that is only done by truly not being a respecter of persons and loving each and every individual as an individual

standing on God’s truth alone

dying to self allowing us to truly love God with all that we have and all that we are and loving others with all that we have and all that we are

Where are you this morning?

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