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November 6, 2009
Man's Deceitful, Desperately Wicked heart
That leads me to the promises concerning Hope and Change given to our
nation in last years Presidential election, and at the beginning of the
new administration. Although there has been change (and even the
threat of change), there has not really been any hope. We are supposed
to have hope, we have been told we will have hope, yet, there seems to
be more hopelessness, and frustration with each passing day.
administration…Oh no, it is bigger than that. You see, I have read and
studied the history of the this nation, and other nations, and have found
that all through the history of man, there have been bright promises
given with the intent of giving the one’s promised, Hope! Yet, no hope-
no change! Why? I will simply tell you it is because there is no capacity
within man to change anything to produce hope, and the reason is
revealed in a scripture verse that I have been pondering over for some
time: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:
who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
Man is a sinner. He has a deceitful and desperately wicked heart!
Therefore, he is incapable of producing hope for himself, or anyone else
for that matter! Everything he does which may seem good, and
worthwhile, and hopeful, ends up sooner or later in chaos! It results in
failure, and the need for someone else to come along and promise more
hope and more change….Which results in the same cycle repeating
itself, again, and again, and again……
I am sure you were as shocked as I was at the shooting at Fort Hood
this week by Army Major Hassan, who went on a rampage and 13 were
killed and 30+ were wounded. Everyone wants to know why?
Well, it is not because he was a Muslim, or because of terrorism, or
because of Obama being in the White House, or a thousand other
reasons we could think of. No, it because of a deceitfully desperately
wicked heart, that did not just develop over time-No, this man, like all
men (you included) was born in sin. We were all born with a sin nature
that we inherited from Adam, and because of that sin nature we are
deceitful and desperately wicked! The Bible tells us that “All have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God!” (Romans 3:23) Sin does
not, and cannot ever produce hope! There is no Hope for fallen man
except for a risen Savior! Jesus came to die for our sins, to be buried
and rise again on the third day from the grave! According to 1
Corinthians 15:1-3 this is the Gospel!
The Gospel message is desperately needed to be heard in this nation!
We do not need churches to spend their time entertaining people,
having bake sales, digging wells, curing AIDS, being purpose driven,
emerging, or all the other things we find churches doing as a substitute
for proclaiming Christ and Him crucified!
Face it, we are failing as a nation! It is not because of economics, or
politics! It is a spiritual problem! Man is dead in his trespasses and sins!
He is hell-bound without God, and without hope! If the church you
attend, does not preach repentance of sin, and living a holy life-then
find one that will! If your church does not focus on the Gospel
exclusively, then find one that will!
WAKE UP! It is not only about America ! It is about a Holy God who is
offended 24/7 with the sinfulness of man! But, He has provided a
Savior; Christ the Lord! He, and He alone, can bring Hope! Why? Because
He alone can change mans deceitful, desperately wicked Heart, and
make it brand new! This is the FOCUS WE NEED!
Man's Deceitful, Desperately Wicked heart
- I have been having computer issues this
week……You know, it can become very frustrating
when something that is supposed to work, and has
worked, and I am told should work…doesn’t work!
That leads me to the promises concerning Hope and Change given to our
nation in last years Presidential election, and at the beginning of the
new administration. Although there has been change (and even the
threat of change), there has not really been any hope. We are supposed
to have hope, we have been told we will have hope, yet, there seems to
be more hopelessness, and frustration with each passing day.
administration…Oh no, it is bigger than that. You see, I have read and
studied the history of the this nation, and other nations, and have found
that all through the history of man, there have been bright promises
given with the intent of giving the one’s promised, Hope! Yet, no hope-
no change! Why? I will simply tell you it is because there is no capacity
within man to change anything to produce hope, and the reason is
revealed in a scripture verse that I have been pondering over for some
time: The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:
who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
Man is a sinner. He has a deceitful and desperately wicked heart!
Therefore, he is incapable of producing hope for himself, or anyone else
for that matter! Everything he does which may seem good, and
worthwhile, and hopeful, ends up sooner or later in chaos! It results in
failure, and the need for someone else to come along and promise more
hope and more change….Which results in the same cycle repeating
itself, again, and again, and again……
I am sure you were as shocked as I was at the shooting at Fort Hood
this week by Army Major Hassan, who went on a rampage and 13 were
killed and 30+ were wounded. Everyone wants to know why?
Well, it is not because he was a Muslim, or because of terrorism, or
because of Obama being in the White House, or a thousand other
reasons we could think of. No, it because of a deceitfully desperately
wicked heart, that did not just develop over time-No, this man, like all
men (you included) was born in sin. We were all born with a sin nature
that we inherited from Adam, and because of that sin nature we are
deceitful and desperately wicked! The Bible tells us that “All have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God!” (Romans 3:23) Sin does
not, and cannot ever produce hope! There is no Hope for fallen man
except for a risen Savior! Jesus came to die for our sins, to be buried
and rise again on the third day from the grave! According to 1
Corinthians 15:1-3 this is the Gospel!
The Gospel message is desperately needed to be heard in this nation!
We do not need churches to spend their time entertaining people,
having bake sales, digging wells, curing AIDS, being purpose driven,
emerging, or all the other things we find churches doing as a substitute
for proclaiming Christ and Him crucified!
Face it, we are failing as a nation! It is not because of economics, or
politics! It is a spiritual problem! Man is dead in his trespasses and sins!
He is hell-bound without God, and without hope! If the church you
attend, does not preach repentance of sin, and living a holy life-then
find one that will! If your church does not focus on the Gospel
exclusively, then find one that will!
WAKE UP! It is not only about America ! It is about a Holy God who is
offended 24/7 with the sinfulness of man! But, He has provided a
Savior; Christ the Lord! He, and He alone, can bring Hope! Why? Because
He alone can change mans deceitful, desperately wicked Heart, and
make it brand new! This is the FOCUS WE NEED!
