"SEVEN WORDS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE"

September 8  Seven Words that Will Change Your Life!  Romans 1:16

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16)
There is a story told, of a lady that was out hitting all the local yard sales, when she came across an old needlepoint picture that read, “Prayer Changes Lives.” She bought it, took it home and began to look for just the right place to hang the new picture. Finally, she decided that it went well in the dining room over the dining room table. With great pride she admired her garage sale discovery and could hardly wait to show it to her husband. That evening when her husband arrived home from work, she showed the picture to him but he made no indication one way or another of his likes or dislikes of the new picture. The next day as the lady was cleaning the house, she discovered that the new picture was gone. As she continued to clean the house, she discovered the picture behind a bookcase. She thought, “That’s strange,” and rehung the picture in its original location. The next day, to her dismay, she discovers the picture gone again and again discovers it behind the bookcase. When the husband arrives home, she confronts her husband and asks him if he is displeased with the art of the needlepoint, to which he responds, no, not at all, it is a great work of art. She continues, is it the place? Do you not like the place it is hung? He says, no, not at all, it is in a great location. She concludes that it must be the message and asks him if it’s the message that he doesn’t like. He says, no, not at all, the message is great. Finally, she says; then what’s the problem? He says, “I just don’t like change.” I believe that the story reveals more of a truth about us all than we might be willing to admit. But the reality is, you cannot become OR be a Christian without change. From the moment we accept Christ, we begin a process of change – we become new creatures in Christ. The good news is that it is Christ that gives us the ability to change. We are his workmanship, his creation, created for his purpose. This morning I want to share with you an avenue of change. Simply said, I want to share with you Seven Words that will Change your Life. They are in our scripture, for this morning! They are found in Romans 1:16.  Did you see them? They are: “I am not ashamed of the Gospel.” Our world is rapidly becoming so Evil and the anti-God, anti-Christian attitudes are growing every day.  If we are to survive, and thrive, we have to have the mindset and the commitment and the determination to represent Christ in every area of our lives!  Just so that you know, it is impossible to please God with a personal belief in God, that is practiced only when convenient and a public, political belief that is contrary to God’s word.  We MUST be consistent, and we MUST be committed, and we MUST be Bold, and we MUST be surrendered, and we MUST be the same in private as we are in public!!!  “Surely your sins will find you out,” Mama used to tell me, and she was correct.  Our goal, our desire, our vision, our lives MUST be focused on serving God, through His Son, Jesus, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and being BOLD in our witness and to be STRONG in our proclamation of His GOOD NEWS to this Evil and Depraved world.  Paul declared that he was “NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL!”  How about you?  Does your life, all of it, reflect the attitude of total commitment?  Do your public actions match your private thoughts?  Are you consistent in your public and private actions?  Are you 20% or 50% or fluctuate between 15% and 70 %, depending on the circumstances.  WE MUST 100% SOLD OUT, COMMITTED TO GOD, AND THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE HAVE THE ATTITUDE AND CONVICTION OF… “I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL!!!! It is up to you… Stay Strong, Stay Focused…Remember, THE BEST IS YET TO BE!