Glen Bond Oct. 1, 2006 Picayune, MS Our late pastor (Bro. Shelton) preached "look to the Lord", and so did bro. Gueho, bro. Messer, and bro. Cowles, right on up to our current pastor. This same message is still being preached. Our pastor continues to call on sinners to "look to the Lord". This is what Gods word tells us to do. Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. We have always said that salvation is not of works, but of faith. Some will say that we contradict ourselves by saying you MUST forsake your sins. And that you must do something before God will save you. Some say that we are preaching, "do this or that", and if not you will miss salvation. I just want to explain what we preach: There are many idols that a person sets up in the heart, and these idols must be forsaken before the Lord will save us. Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. This is the first commandment. It must be the most significant. An idol of the heart is an idol none the less. To refuse to part with this idol is to put it before, ahead of, or in God's place, and that is the same as to reject God. Lets look at some examples of idols: Some are more significant than others. But all must be forsaken. Some are as simple as preferring a short skirt in clothing. If a person refuses to give up the dress style in order to be saved, then this person, in essence, is refusing to give up an idol. Some are living together with a boyfriend or girlfriend, and refuse to marry or separate. These people will never be saved while they have this idol set up in the heart. The bible tells us that we MUST forsake ALL. I think that the bible is referring to all things that are of greater importance than salvation in Christ. If you won't give it up for salvation, then you have made it of greater importance than Christ. Some will refuse to give up their sports, fishing, leisure time, or whatever, that they may spend some time seeking the Lord. Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. So, there are things that we must do before we will ever be saved. Doing these things will not save us, but they must be done. These things (our idols, if you will) are the wicked ways spoken of in 2 Chronicles: 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? God will not save a person while they are living a wicked life, you must turn from your wickedness and turn to Christ. You must forsake all. You are not going to be saved while worshipping an idol. Then when the Lord has saved us, we are no longer under the law. I believe that this means we will not be judged by the law. Yet the law is still here for us to keep. Romans 6:14,15 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Christ said that he didn't come to put away the law. Matt. 5:17. The law is still for us, and we must still keep his commandments. ********************************************************************************* ******************************************************************************* I want to show that if you are seeking Christ, it is not you who started the process. He takes the first step. John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. If the Lord never draws you, you will never come. ---------------------- John 4:5-29 Look at the woman by the well. She was living in adultery, going on with her life, not seeking the Lord. Then one day the Lord came by the well where He knew she would be. ---------------------- Look at the syrophenecian woman. Mark 7:25 She came because her child was sick and dying. She would not come until the Lord caused her daughter to be sick. If her daughter had never became ill, this woman would have never came seeking for Christ. You never know what the Lord will use to cause you to turn to him. ---------------------- The list goes on.. Mark 10:46 Blind Bartamaeus. The Lord passed by. Bartamaeus was not out seeking the Lord. He was at his begging place when the Lord came by. The Lord comes seeking for each of us. If you are crying after the Lord, it is Him that caused you to have a desire after him. He is already beginning to quicken you!!! If you want to be saved, beg the Lord to save you. keep on begging, or you might forget what you are doing. Yes, you will have to beg. All of our examples show a person begging Christ.