This past weekend I ventured to a little town called Kent, Alabama. It is right next door to Fleahop (because it is about as big as a flea hop) and Slapout (because it is slap out in the middle of nowhere). I met Brother Faron and his wife, Sister Nancy and was treated with the utmost Southern Hospitality. The church on Sunday Morning was packed. I think all 100 of the townspeople were there and I was able to preach. I spoke from 2 Corinthians chapters 4 and 5 and used war stories to illustrate the point that God does not count our sins against us once we come to faith.
What does that mean? God does not count your sins against you. Once you come to faith in Christ, God does not count your sins against you. Past, present or future sins. This makes some uncomfortable and some ask the question, does that mean I can do anything I want and then get away with it?
Yes it does! Although, I don’t think that you can get away with, because those that have the Spirit cannot go on sinning without being driven to repentence 1 John tells us. We will face consequences and a feeling of separation from God, but the fact is once I am in Christ, nothing can separate me from the love of God.
After explaining that, we had a traditional old school Baptist alter call. Several came up for prayer, one was a man who had his wife leave him and was left with two children, one a special needs child. I prayed over him and he went and sat down. Then as we were about to close the service an 18 year old kid walked up and after a hard swallow said, “I don’t think God can forgive me. You don’t know what I’ve done.”
I then grabbed his shoulder and told him about an inmate I had led to Christ in prison. I told him that prisoner had felt so much shame over the fact that he had murdered several people. I told that prisoner that the Bible says that it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us. There was no amount of cleaning up prior to becoming a Christian required and that after he came to faith that God would finish the work of making him more like His Son Jesus.
I asked Zach, the 18 year old came down, if he wanted forgiveness. He whispered, “Yes sir.”
We then prayed the sinner’s prayer together and I reminded him it was not the prayer that saved him, but the attitude of his heart. He smiled through tears and went to sit down.
In the evening service I preached from Philippians 4 about how we should rejoice in all circumstances and bring everything to God in prayer. After the alter call, I saw another young man trying to avert his eyes from me, but he couldn’t help but look. After the service, I grabbed him and asked him if he knew for sure he was going to heaven. He just burst out in tears and said that he wasn’t sure. I took him into another room and asked him if he believed that Jesus died on the cross for his sin and rose from the dead. He said yes, he believed and he wanted it be his own faith.
We prayed the sinner’s prayer and I rejoiced over the fact another entered in the Lamb’s book of life!
I am prepping for Africa. So that is the latest on this front.
Continue to pray for L and T as they are both still battling!
In Him
Chris