O God of Salvation

1 LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. 2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. 3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.

6 times we are told that God is the author of salvation.

Hebrews 12:2 AV

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Problem of Sin

Psalm 85:4–5 AV

4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. 5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

As you can see sin creates a very big probelm - it angers God.

God’s anger at sin is called indignation. Its something we all feel.

If i were to shjow you footage of a young child being hit or beaten, that part of you made in God’s image would have an immediate reaction - you would feel angry.

What is amazing is that even sinner feel this anger. If we go doen to westville prison and showed such a video to a bunch of perry criminals, maybe even murders - and ask what they would do if it was their own child - they would get angry.

Now the probelm is that God is not aman. God is perfect, and holy.

And God from his throne sees everything. He sees every murder, every abortion, he sees every molestation, every rape, every beating, every abused amd starving child.

Psalm 7:11 AV

11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

But of course, because God is perfect he is not just angery at murders and rapests, but at fornicators, cowards and liars.

Revelation 21:8 AV

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Our sin has totally cut us off from our creator.

Isaiah 59:1–2 AV

1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

And it is in this pit of absolute dispare that the Psalmest cried out to God, asking what can be done to satisfy God’s wrath.

He cries:

Psalm 85:6–7 AV

6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? 7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

It is a desperate cry for Mercy. It is a calling on God for grace.

Romans 10:13 AV

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God Responds

If God did not speak “let there be light” there would be no light. If God did not speak “let us make man” there would be no man. And if God does not speak salvation, there would be no salvation.

So what does God speak?

Psalm 85:8 AV

8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

What is this verse? It is nothing short of the Gospel Message.

God will provide the peace, not you, but you will need to turn (repent) and put your faithin God.

It is the exact same word spoken by Jesus.

Mark 1:15 AV

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

The time has come -

The kingdom of God - the kindom of peace.

Repent - turn from foolishmess.

and put your faith in the Jesus.

Jesus said:

Luke 13:3 AV

3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Repentance is the fruit of salvation. It is how false convert can be differantiated from a true convert.

A true convert of genuly sorrow for breaking God commands.

A false convert is genuenly sorrow they got CAUGHT breaking God’s commans.

2 Corinthians 7:10 AV

10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Godly sorrow - sorry to God leads to repentance, but wordly sorrow - sorrow you got caught (not for what you did) leads to death.

Turning from wickness.

Did you know sin has inertia? Inertia is a bodies desire to stay moving in a straight direction - you feel it around every corner in car - you lead to one side, becsude your body actually wants to keep goiung straight.

And the heavier an object in, the more inertia it has.

Sin has inertia, it fights to keep on, you will struggle to turn your life from sin, as it fights to keep you on the broad path.

do you fight?

Ephesians 6:12 AV

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

1 Timothy 6:12 AV

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

People who turn from their sin, are those willing to fight for holines. Weak minded want it to be easy. But its never easy. Its never easy giving up sin, its a fight and a struggle, its a wrestleing match, its tears and frustration.

The weak, say - I cant. The faithful say - I cant, but i can do all things who christ who gives me strenth.

The weak say - its to hard. But the faithful say, is anything to hard to God?

The weak say - its impossible. The faithful say - with man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Lets us see the goodness of God:

Psalm 85:9–12 AV

9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. 10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. 12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

Salvation, glory, Mercy, Truth, Righteousness, peace - all yours by the grace of God.

That phrase Righteousness and peace have kissed each other - its a wonderful truth about Jesus Christ and what he has done.

God’s righteousness is the reason we could not have peace.

We are sinful - God is righteous. There can be no peace betwwen what is right and what is wrong.

But by the grace of God and the work of Jesus. We have peace with God.

Romans 5:1 AV

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Conclusion:

Psalm 85:13 AV

13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

In light of this gift of mercy and grace - nothing less can be offerd but to walk in the paths of righteousness for his names sake - noty for your name, but His Name.