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WHY DO WE NEEDLESSLY SUFFER?
A) Ezekiel 33:10 Today I will be preaching about a subject that many of us are familiar with. - The subject is clearly seen in our text, the subject is conviction or guilt. - The reason I say conviction or guilt is very simple. - If you feel conviction it’s because you’re guilty. - But that’s not the purpose of this sermon. - This sermon is about choices; it’s about choosing REPENTANCE OVER GUILT. - So often Christians and the lost alike are in a miserable state because of the wrong choices. B) Ezekiel 33:10 The word “pine” actually means to “rot and fester”. - We actually choose to rot away in our guilt. - We do this and the whole time repentance is freely available. - Before I continue let me explain what repentance is and is not. - Repentance is not an emotion it’s an attitude that leads to an action. - It’s an attitude that chooses to confront failure rather than to ignore it. - Repentance isn’t only a one-time action that leads to salvation. - Repentance should daily exist in our life concerning our faults and failures. - Repentance isn’t popular today because it REQUIRES us to HONESTLY confront sin. C) Both the saved and lost have the option of choosing either repentance or guilt. - Guilt is a powerful emotion that can devastate our lives. - Lets face it we all hate the feeling of guilt. - Guilt affects us physically, emotionally, and mentally. - Psalms 32:3-4 This is what it is to “pine away”. - Notice exactly what David says, “When I kept silence” then came the depression and physical discomfort. - Psychiatrists know that the knowledge of wrongdoing, which is sin, produces these types of results. - People are rotting away in guilt. D) More people commit suicide today than ever before and the reason is as clear as can be. - Open sin is proclaimed as an acceptable activity while in the hearts of people they know it’s wrong. - God created man with a sense of morals and we know early on what’s right and wrong. - People feel as if there is no other way to deal with these feelings of guilt and conviction. - We have become a people who would rather suffer than to repent. - I titled this sermon “Why do we needlessly suffer?” - All we need to do is to choose repentance over guilt. - We must face the fact now, God convicts the lost of there condition and convicts the saved of sin. #2) Don’t avoid God. A) Unfortunately conviction and guilt lead many of Gods children to avoid HIM. - 2 Corinthians 7:10 I have never regretted submitting to the conviction God laid upon my heart concerning my lost state. - Contrary to popular belief conviction and guilt from God isn’t designed to keep us from having fun. - It isn’t designed to depress us. - Its purpose is to restore us. - To put us in a right standing with God. B) Adam and Eve tried to hide and avoid God. - Just imagine what the consequences would have been had they been successful. - Rather than hide from God we should root out the rot and cancer of sin in our lives. - Psalms 139:23-24 This could be our relationship with God if we would allow Him free reign in our lives. - We like David should ask God to reveal anything in our life that hinders our relationship with Him. - This means we might have to sacrifice some things from our life. - But that’s ok; God guarantees that we wont regret it. C) This attitude of repentance is something we must choose to do, it doesn’t come naturally. - We easily seen in Adam and Eve that the natural response is to hide. - But who wants to live their life hiding away with a guilty conscience? - We don’t have to hide or have a guilty conscience; God isn’t our enemy. #3) Covered in Christ. A) Psalms 32:1-2 We all have the ability to be freely and completely forgiven of any sin ever committed. - The Devil will try and convince us that God cannot forgive the wrongs we’ve committed. - But God’s word says just the opposite. - As a matter of fact Gods put no restrictions on what we can or cant seek forgiveness for. - Psalms 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He ROMOVED our transgressions from us.” - Psalms 32:2 “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” - It’s not only forgiven and covered it’s removed. - This means that there is no reason that you or I should ever have to suffer emotionally or spiritually. - We should never have to feel guilt or shame. - All we have to do is seek repentance from God and He removes ALL sin and guilt. B) 1 John 1:9 God couldn’t have made repentance any easier than He has. - All we have to do is accept His forgiveness. - One of our biggest problems is that even though God’s forgiven us we wont accept the cleansing of repentance. - If God removes our sin don’t try and hold on to it, let it go once and for all. - Psalms 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart. O God; and renew a right spirit within me” - You see David didn’t only ask for forgiveness He also ask for an clean renewed spirit. - God will do the same for us if we ask. C) We all struggle with guilt from time to time but rather than choose guilt choose repentance. - Choose Gods abundant forgiveness. - Psalms 32:5 God’s forgiveness is unconditional. - If you struggle in your relationship with God please realize your suffering is unnecessary. - Through the simple act of acknowledgment and repentance all your guilt can be instantly removed. - We don’t need to needlessly suffer; it isn’t God’s will for our lives. - Do the will of God and choose repentance over guilt.
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