Our Convictions: Our Defense - Part 2

Welcome to the intensified Catholic child standing for Friday, March 11 important to be sure of your belief before you face temptation stay with and learn how to build a strong defense system. You have a belief system belief system that you have developed over a period of time about things that you listen to things that you have observed and things that you've experienced another's belief system is governing and guarding your life everyday you make decisions your behavior all affected by what you believe what we all have beliefs. The issue is how strongly do we hold these beliefs whether these beliefs come from a result of other people's opinions. Is it because of what we desire that we believe these things all can we say that our beliefs are the result of looking into studying the word of God. What I want to talk about in this message is this.

I want to talk about our convictions in the title of this message is simply this, our convictions add defense that's interesting to me. I'll listen to the talk shows listen to them, not because I believe 99% of what I hear, but I like to listen to what other people believe is what you find. All we won't hear your opinions and so as long as you give an opinion that some of the weak and wavy, that's fine.

When you start talking about absolute truth. You bring up the Bible bring up Jesus Christ and you got a fight on your hands and often times when you bring up absolute truth we live in a day when absolute truths out and I want to believe that because it's too confining to convicting, and it doesn't fit and not think about how often times people want to redefine the truth and so here's what people say and this is this is a major issue is the philosophical idea is an idea that is permeating our society and that is simply this truth is what truth is. To me, not what is absolute truth.

The truth is what is truth to me.

Now if truth is only what is truth to me than I can leave most anything is true, that is, if it's convenient. If you get me what I want where I want to be achieving accomplishing what I want to know is if truth is only truth to what truth is.

To me, and let me ask a question what Congress decided that we had what kind of assembling a raise your children who are taught that truth is whatever truth is to you, but that's the world's way. When you write your believing this to me that's what you say you see the issues this I want to send out read this verse of Scripture. This person Scripture says, for by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. What does that mean we here's the response of the preference people well now what it means to me is that's not the question. The question is what does it mean when that to me. It made no what did it say it says you savor the grace of God, the goodness of God, not by works. Same person says what is reliably I believe my get to heaven I think about all the good things are done. God knows all the good things are done. He's gone take Nando's like is no take everybody else and he just got away the good against the bed at more than like dragons going out where bad. I'm a good person does the illogic, commit adultery, payment, income tax, all these things go to church and once in a while there was why is God going to accept me. I mean after all, I'll tell you why because you have a sinful nature's sins have separated you from God and only by the cross. Can you be forgiven that may be what you believe it may be what you feel. But the question is where is absolute truth. The absolute truth is in the word of God. This is the absolute truth. This is the truth of the living God, the issue is how you live your life that you limited by courage of your convictions. You can be loving and gentle and kind. You just stand you walk away with dirty stuff goes on, you give it a full day's work because you have a conviction in the conviction that somebody hired you and they said five days a week, 40 hours a week, give it your best give a conviction that as long as you're working there. They deserve your best somebody else as well you know what I work five days written for as we would you know what they got plenty of money they making money hand over fist to make it so much money and look what I make now. I agreed to it. But so therefore I don't feel like I have to give him all of my time for good is that you know I'm just been in my life and they get rich and I'm just working you agreed five days a week for Dallas, 40 hours a week and eight hours a day and you do your best than what changed you living by feelings, what, what's true to you what's right what's right.

According to the living word of God. Now that in mind this as the question how do we build a defense is think about a problem biblically based convictions of the most powerful defense we have against the subtle very deceptive and very destructive. Listen drift away from the absolute truth of our convictions. Our greatest defense. So you say will how to build this defense will only give you some things. Let me just say two things right up front number one. You can't build it quickly and you can build it without effort. So here's the first thing you do to build a defense.

So would you jot them down 11 dissidents for a start. If you're a parent you have a responsibility to teach your children instruct them in the principles of Scripture, the building of their life basic unalterable unchangeable convictions in their life, so that when they leave home. They will live by the absolute truth of the word of God, not by what some professor says and convince the because they got for 5° behind in a Best Buy the issue. The issue is, what is the word of God say it is your responsibility. So here's the first thing you do number one you make a list of those areas of your life that require a moral conviction on your part. You make a list of those is not to give you a list you make a list of those areas of your life that require a conviction about how you live about. So let me give you some you can just jot them down. Number one the first one is this the first area in which you need to have a basic conviction about is this what is this book, the Bible. The Bible is the inerrant and infallible divine revelation of the living God, which is to be listed as a guidebook for conduct real behavior for our life in every aspect of your life. What is the word of God.

That's the first thing you have a conviction about if you conviction as well. The Bible has some good things and I believe most of it than the amateurs got errors and say what you believe about the Bible so number one you need decide one of those years of my life ever generated conviction personal is the word of God is number one. Secondly is your theology writing Danny Serra's theology was there. Watch this what you believe about God. What you believe about Jesus. Was he the son of God is he God or is he just a man what you believe about the Holy Spirit what you believe about salvation, what you believe about forgiveness. What you believe about the resurrection of Christ in your resurrection what you believe about the second coming of Jesus Christ. What you believe about how you to live daily so does it have to make some decisions. The third thing is this and that his marriage what you believe about marriage is that of trial and error matter. Maybe it works maybe wanted to where you go into it.

You go into the life which are convictions about marriage, what you convictions about your children there a trust from God or they just came along that your responsibility to train them in a godly fashion what you conviction about your children. What is your conviction. For example, about relationships of the people, honest, loyal, devoted, while relationships otherwise. What are your convictions about sex is an open game to anybody and everybody at any age in every age. Is it confined to that which God is required, which you conviction about that.

What is your conviction about finances is your conviction well care as much debt as you can always you conviction standard that is your conviction that the 10th belongs to God. What you conviction about your finances which you conviction about your church. It's a place you go once in a while was in place that you worship is Sunday by Sunday by Sunday receiving truth building up the truth in your life which you conviction about your church or supporting the church a prayer for your church and your staff which you conviction about your purpose in life what your purpose in life was God purpose for your life, what you conviction about your goals of the goals that you set for your life. God given goals of these things you came up with what is your conviction about your government is you get what an organization is to provide your needs and take care of you no matter what always is to protect your freedom and your liberty.

What's your conviction about. For example, that social issues which you conviction about capital punishment homosexuality what you conviction about abortion, racism, and all the rest which you conviction about about crime which you conviction about these things. What is your conviction about your work is a God-given are you responsible. You can make it your best. That's just a few.

The truth is you and I should have a conviction about every single one of those things because if you don't a violation of any of them can get you in all kind of trouble so first of all, you make a list. Second, Matthew make your list is what you do and what I said it would be fashion would be without effort. You get the word of God and you find some verses of Scripture that relate to those areas you say when I don't think about was got older County. Every single issue that deals with life. The answers right is or how to do that. Get your concordance and for example you said okay what about labeling network and find labor in the concordance and read those Scriptures and oftentimes one Scripture will lead you to another to you upon and then what you do is you ask yourself this question. I watch this carefully, not what is this mean to me. But what does this mean what is God saying in this passage Scripture.

He says that I am to labor for those who are overseers over me as if I am laboring for the Lord I'm to do my work is if Jesus is my boss, that's what it said. Well, maybe you meant you don't man you don't know my boss that's not the issue. The issue is, what's the absolute truth, the word of God says on the work, as unto the Lord so you can take any one of those subjects.

Finances six marriage, children, and you know what is a passive script to their verse of Scripture that give you direction. Regards of what what is God's viewpoint about these things, then having done that. The third thing you do is you decide to do. I believe on the basis of what I read what I believe. Do I believe exactly what he said and the next thing is this.

If you believe that you make a commitment. That's the way I'm going to live. That is my conviction.

You accept that is a conviction a strong belief about what you are committed to having examined targeted out in your own mind and heart and looked at the evidence, that is my conclusion.

You commit yourself to that and then what you do. Having made the prayerful commitment you asked the Lord in prayer for the Holy Spirit to enable you to live by the absolute truth of his word in each area of your life. Now therefore requirements are believed listen. Once you've done that, therefore, requirements that I want you to jot down if you going to live a life by conviction. Therefore, things that are absolute necessary, and number one nearly confidence that you know what you believe this is the problem with some of the people they don't know what they believe. That's why I'm sending you you you need to develop some conviction. Number one confidence that you know what you believe is number one. Secondly, the coverage to stand in the midst of conflict and no matter what you no matter what they say about your beliefs about how they criticize you what's demanded that you don't give him you don't give up.

You don't walk out, you stand firm and strong.

This is what I believe no matter what changing confidence, courage, consistency, and living out those convictions are convictions won't be worth much in the eyes of the world.

If we don't live on consistency in living them out the things that you say you believe in with all of your heart and then the fourth one is this consideration the people who do not agree with you. What's our responsibility with gentleness and kindness and understanding. We don't blare back. We don't fight, we stand poised, confident, absolutely assured. No matter what the consequences. Our sovereign God will take care of us know matter what God is looking for people have conviction that preferences and nation needs people in the world needs people who are men and women of conviction, not preferences. They know what we believe why we believe it where we stand.

While we stand, and don't expect us to move all of that absolute truth which is come to mean a conviction to us now.

One of those conviction that is very very important. Listen carefully. This is not my opinion, is not my opinion, this is the teaching of the absolute truth of the word of God is what Jesus said, except a man or woman be born again. They will not see no end of the kingdom of heaven. What is it mean to be born again someone similar NO no to be born again means a new life.

While new life because the old life is not adequate. You see, every single one of us came in elsewhere with a sinful nature that sinful nature has separated us from God and that separation can only be bridged not by my good works.

He makes it very clear he says not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.

That's the law of God. That's the word of God. That's the absolute truth on my opinion is the absolute truth and what is that mercy that mercy is God's forgiveness of our sin, which came about by the death of his son at Calvary God the father sent his only begotten son, Jesus placed upon him all of your sin and mine.

Jesus died and bore the sin debt that you and I owe he took our penalty. He paid it in full in the moment we willing to accept him as our personal savior as sins are forgiven, we become new creations born again children of the living God, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and names written in the Lamb's book of life forever and ever and ever a child of God, enabled by the Holy Spirit to live a godly life that is in my opinion, that is the absolute truth of the word of God that we live and live. I'm simply saying that God loves you and he loves you more than you'll ever be able to understand and he loves you so much that you may have lived the wicked while gone this life in those last moments of your life if you recognize and genuinely sincerely your sinfulness and you genuinely repent of your sins before the living God.

Is he willing to forgive you. Yes, should you wait that late forever.

No, why because you don't know that you got a live another 30 minutes is a loving heavenly father is forget who is willing to forgive you of your sins, change your life if you let that is the absolute, undeniable and irritable, unchangeable, unalterable, eternal, true living God. And if you're wise you accepted as truth. Thank you for listening to, particularly convictions are defense if you'd like to know more about child family are in touch ministries entrance.org podcast is the presentation of in touch ministries