The Transformative Power of the Cross in Faith

Devotional

Day 1: The Heart's Renewal and Responsibility

The transformation of the heart at salvation is a profound act of grace, where God replaces the deceitful heart of the unbeliever with a renewed heart. This new heart is free from the burden of past sins, as God chooses to forget our iniquities. However, the responsibility to maintain the purity of this heart lies with the believer. This ongoing process requires a deep engagement with the Word of God, as understanding and internalizing scripture is crucial for spiritual growth and maturity. By immersing oneself in the teachings of the Bible, believers can nurture their new heart and ensure it remains aligned with God's will. [36:10]

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV): "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to engage more deeply with the Word of God and nurture the new heart God has given you?

Day 2: Embracing Divine Amnesia

God's choice to forget our sins is a liberating act of divine amnesia that frees us from the guilt of our past. This should inspire believers to also let go of their past mistakes and live in the freedom and joy of salvation. By focusing on the new life we have in Christ, we can embrace the grace that God offers and move forward without the weight of past iniquities. This freedom allows us to live fully in the present, experiencing the joy and peace that comes from being in right relationship with God. [40:11]

Isaiah 43:25 (ESV): "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins."

Reflection: Is there a past mistake or sin that you are holding onto? How can you release it today and embrace the freedom of God's forgiveness?

Day 3: The Necessity of Sound Doctrine

In a world filled with false teachings, the believer's defense is a deep understanding of sound doctrine. This requires dedication to studying the Bible and being part of a community that values and teaches the truth of God's Word. By grounding oneself in sound doctrine, believers can discern truth from falsehood and remain steadfast in their faith. This commitment to truth is essential for spiritual growth and protection against the deceptive teachings that can lead one astray. [45:07]

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (ESV): "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."

Reflection: What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of sound doctrine and protect yourself from false teachings?

Day 4: The Cross as the Fulfillment of Prophecy

The cross is the pivotal point in scripture, connecting the Old and New Testaments. It signifies the fulfillment of prophecies and the establishment of a new covenant through Jesus Christ. Through the cross, believers understand the depth of God's love and the hope of eternal life. This understanding calls believers to live out the truth of the cross, allowing it to shape their lives and their understanding of God's purpose. By embracing the significance of the cross, believers can experience the transformative power of salvation and the hope of eternal life. [01:11:01]

Hebrews 9:15 (ESV): "Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant."

Reflection: How does the understanding of the cross as the fulfillment of prophecy impact your view of God's love and your hope for eternal life?

Day 5: Living Out the Truth of the Cross

As believers, we are called to live out the truth of the cross, allowing it to shape our lives and understanding of God's purpose. This involves a commitment to sound teaching, spiritual growth, and a life that reflects the love and grace of God. By embodying the truth of the cross, believers can be a testament to God's transformative power and share the hope of salvation with others. This calling requires dedication to spiritual disciplines and a willingness to let the cross guide one's actions and decisions. [01:14:03]

Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Reflection: In what ways can you allow the truth of the cross to shape your daily actions and decisions, reflecting God's love and grace to those around you?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound significance of the cross and its central role in the Christian faith. The cross is not merely a symbol of suffering but a testament to God's immense love and the transformative power of salvation. At the heart of our discussion was the understanding that while God initiates the change of heart at salvation, it is the believer's responsibility to maintain the state of their heart. This ongoing process requires a deep engagement with the Word of God, as understanding and internalizing scripture is crucial for spiritual growth and maturity.

We delved into the nature of the human heart, contrasting the deceitful heart of the unbeliever with the renewed heart given to believers. This new heart is a gift from God, free from the burden of past sins, as God chooses to forget our iniquities. This divine amnesia should inspire us to also let go of our past and live in the freedom of grace. The believer's journey involves a continuous renewal of the mind through sound teaching and a commitment to understanding the Word deeply.

Furthermore, we emphasized the importance of sound doctrine and the dangers of false teachings that can lead believers astray. The defense against such falsehoods is not merely prayer or spiritual manifestations but a solid foundation in the teachings of the Bible. This requires dedication to studying scripture, engaging in Bible studies, and being part of a community that values sound teaching.

The cross, as the central divider of scripture, connects the Old and New Testaments, pointing to the fulfillment of prophecies and the establishment of a new covenant through Jesus Christ. It is through the cross that we understand the depth of God's love and the hope of eternal life. As believers, we are called to live out this truth, allowing the cross to shape our lives and our understanding of God's purpose for us.

Key Takeaways

1. The Heart's Transformation: At salvation, God gives us a new heart, free from the deceit and wickedness of the old. This new heart is a testament to God's grace, and it is our responsibility to maintain its purity through constant engagement with the Word of God. Understanding scripture is key to nurturing this heart. [36:10]
2. God's Amnesia of Sin: God chooses to forget our sins, a divine amnesia that liberates us from the guilt of our past. This should encourage us to also let go of our past mistakes and live in the freedom and joy of salvation, focusing on the new life we have in Christ. [40:11]
3. The Importance of Sound Doctrine: In a world filled with false teachings, the believer's defense is a deep understanding of sound doctrine. This requires dedication to studying the Bible and being part of a community that values and teaches the truth of God's Word. [45:07]
4. The Cross as the Central Divider: The cross is the pivotal point in scripture, connecting the Old and New Testaments. It signifies the fulfillment of prophecies and the establishment of a new covenant, highlighting the depth of God's love and the hope of eternal life. [71:01]
5. Living Out the Truth of the Cross: As believers, we are called to live out the truth of the cross, allowing it to shape our lives and understanding of God's purpose. This involves a commitment to sound teaching, spiritual growth, and a life that reflects the love and grace of God. [01:14:03]
** [74:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[34:13] - Singing Hallelujah
[34:59] - Reading of Genesis 48
[35:34] - 1 Corinthians 1:18
[36:10] - The Cross Part One
[37:20] - A Clean Heart
[39:06] - Heart vs. Body
[40:11] - God's Amnesia of Sin
[41:16] - Entering the Holiest
[42:18] - Feeding on the Word
[44:02] - Attention to the Word
[45:07] - Sound Doctrine
[46:09] - Teaching Depth
[47:46] - Emphasis on Knowledge
[49:34] - Discernment and Growth

Sermon Clips

At salvation, God is responsible for the change of heart at salvation, but the believer is responsible for the state of heart per time. Take what I'm saying, write it down. I'm sure you have your note here. At salvation, God is responsible for the change of heart. Are you listening to me here? But the believer is responsible for what? The state of his heart per time. Are you listening to me? Are you listening to me? [00:36:08]

The believer does not have a clean heart problem because when he came into us, he gave us a clean heart. So you don't sing and say, "Create in me a clean." No, don't. You don't sing that. All right, we say, "You've made in me a clean heart. You've purified me, purified me. You've made in me a clean heart." [00:37:13]

No matter how many parts of your body you cut out, are you following me here? The real thing that brings adultery from what Jesus was teaching was not the hand or the leg or the eye. It was the heart. Are you listening to what I'm saying here? Why could they not keep the commands of God? It was not the hand or the leg. It was what? The heart. [00:39:00]

God remembers all things, but in respect to the new heart he has given the believer, he chooses to have amnesia about your sins. Are you following me here? So if God is not remembering, why are you remembering? Are you listening to what I'm saying here? Somebody saying, "Pastor, you don't know how bad it is." No sir, God is saying part of the construct of the new heart is that I will not remember your sins. [00:40:06]

We must feed on the ministry of the word. Matthew 13:23, the Bible tells us clearly. Matthew 13:23, it is replete in scripture. It says, "But he who receives seed on the good ground," what is the seed? The word of God on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it. Take note, babe. The real problem is not hearing the word. It is hearing the word and what? Understanding it. [00:42:23]

The way God designed us to grow is that we are designed to grow by what? The word of his grace. The word of his grace. This is why every believer must be exposed to sound teaching. The only way, are you following me here, to clean error in the body of Christ is to expose believers to sound teachings. No matter how many times we manifest the gifts of God, that's not our defense against falsehood. [00:45:57]

The believer's major problem in the New Testament, brother, is a knowledge problem. Knowledge problem. Knowledge problem. Philippians 3:10. Look at what was Paul's prayer. He said, Peter's, that I may know him. Knowledge problem. Look at this now. Ephesians 1:18. I may know. Knowledge problem. Ephesians 1:18. Look at his prayer. That the eyes of your understanding might be enlightened, that you may know. [00:48:02]

The believer is responsible for what? His state of heart. What? Somebody say, I guard my heart. Shout, I guard my heart. This is why any desire to preach or teach youth that is not in consonance with a commate desire to study is simply performance. Any desire to teach or preach that doesn't, are you following me? I must share something. [00:54:41]

There is no way you people can read the word without studying it, but there's no way you can study the word without reading it. Are you following me? And when it comes to the matters of scripture, there is something called autotomo, rightly dividing the word of truth. Look at first Timothy 2:15. There's autotomo. Somebodyoto, I'm teaching you wellto. [00:55:13]

The cross is the central divider in scripture. Are you listening to what I'm saying here? Are you listening to me? Are you listening to me? So you look from scripture, all the prophets prophesied what they spoke about was the coming of the cross. And guess what? When they finished the operation, all of the apostles that came after that period, guess what they were talking about? [01:11:35]

The cross is what is proof of both the immense love of God and the profound wickedness of sin. Next one now, please, quickly. Quickly. This is Mother Teresa. What did she say? Look at the cross and you will know what one's soul means to what next one. Now quickly, quickly, quickly. Billy Graham, God proved his love on the cross when Christ hung and bled and died. [01:12:25]

The soul of man must be anchored on this topic. The subject of the cross. Look at CS Lewis. We believe that the death of Jesus Christ is just that point in history at which something absolutely unimaginable from our outside shows through into what everything changed after the cross. Let's talk about the subject of healing. Isaiah 53:5-6. [01:13:58]

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