This Particular LIFE (Part 3)

Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. (Acts 5:20)

This Altered Life Can BE Validated! (A)
(Guilty until proven innocent)

All men should be seen as guilty of rebellion to the authority of King Jesus, and in need of being permanently conquered and made subject to Him, until otherwise proven innocent of this common and most natural sin.

All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We understand, according to the Scriptures, that humanity left to itself is fallen, and in and of its self has no eternal value. Eternally speaking, apart from God's favor and providential touch, natural man is divinely good for nothing. God calls natural humans "children of disobedience" and "children of wrath". Why does He refer to them as evil and therefore; wicked? He does so because they're what I call “products of the fall”. Mankind inherited a fallen nature through the rebellion and transgression of Adam’s original sin. The result of his sin has been passed down through the ages to all his descendants. We, all humanity, are descendants of Adam and Eve. This original sin has left its mark, a clearly identifiable trait of deception and self-centered living, upon the hearts of everyone. We were born into this world a sinner. Today, we're positioned in one of two places: (1) we're either “products of the fall” (separated from the Lord and His redeeming grace therefore; perishing in our sin) or (2) we are the "workmanship of God" because we've been rescued from ourselves and the eternal consequences of our sin through the life of Jesus Christ. If we've been rescued there was a time in our lives that we lived a self-seeking lifestyle. We lived this way until we were interrupted by the Lord. God used Paul to describe these two different lifestyle in Romans 2:7-8. These two ways of living are the only two lifestyles presently operating in the world today.

“To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: [8] But unto them that are contentious (self-stimulated/provoked; meaning self-seeking), and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath…” (Romans 2:7-8)

Every human being alive today is living in one of these verses. Their lives can be characterized as either in a position of: (1) submission to the truth therefore; a seeker of righteousness and the kingdom agenda of God, or (2) as a one who is rebellious to the truth and this rebellion is manifested through a lifestyle that seeks its own agenda. No one can live in both verses. But no matter who we are, at some point in our lifetime, we all have lived in verse eight. For others they are currently living in it, and this verse can be used to best describe their lives. Each of the two positions also come with their own eternal consequences; life everlasting given to us through the life of Jesus Christ or indignation and wrath and forever separated from the life and love of a relentlessly loving God. Every disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, at one time in their life, lived in verse eight. It was only when the Greatest Interrupter that ever lived interrupted their self-seeking agenda, and reconciled their life to be in harmony with God’s kingdom purpose. Prior to this JESUS INVASION they lived for themselves. Once we’re in verse seven there’s no going back to verse eight as a way of living. Yes, we’ll do things with the wrong motives. Yes, we’ll disobey the truth at times and be in need of grace repentance. But our lives will never be characterized as being in verse eight. Why not? The Interruption and Invasion of Jesus is PERMANENT! Will we be tempted to live for ourselves. Yes, but we are “more than conquerors in Christ Jesus” and we will not be continually overcome and conquered by our flesh to fulfill its lust. Keep in mind that temptation is not sin. It’s when we act on our temptation that it becomes sin. Can we make provisions for our flesh? Yes, we can exercise our minds toward, and think in advance how to feed our fleshly cravings. But we don't have to and we shouldn't desire to live this way any longer.

We're going to stop here and pick up with this thought tomorrow. Come back and we'll look at how God describes the “products of the fall” to establish our theme for all missionaries living to rescue the perishing:
“All men are guilty of living a life of rebellion toward King Jesus until otherwise proven innocent by His unmistakable marks of grace upon their life.”

We will also be introduce to the eternal marks of God’s grace.

Until then God bless!

Proverbs 14:25
A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

Win the lost at His cost, and it will be According to Grace!

If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready (stumbling) to be slain (slaughtered); [12] If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? and He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? and shall not He render to every man according to his works? (Proverbs 24:11-12)

Why do THEY Come? (Part 3)

*This series is used in our Pre-Revival Conference material called

The Saul Syndrome: Sixteen Indicators of a Wayward Heart

Seven different and distinct groups of people that USUALLY attend or belong to a local church. Part 3

6. Community Minded Group: (They are a group of people who have a civic mindset about attending the house of God. A sense of community is at the core of their desire to fellowship. They want to belong to a place that has good morals and feels like everyone should be one big community no matter what you believe in. Their standard is measured by the peace of those who are gathered and not the plumb line of God’s Word. Jesus is a major part of their conversations and social life, but this is the problem. Why is this a problem? He’s not their Life as with the Christ Magnifiers. These serve well as long as everything goes their way) (i.e.. Martha, Luke 10:40-41)


7. Christ Magnifiers Group: (They are a group of sanctified, surrendered, submissive, and serving stewards. These disciples honestly desire for Jesus to set their daily agenda and sanctify all their actions. Why do they want Him to do so? He is their Life and He satisfies their deepest affections. They love the Author of the Word of God. They long for His Authority over their life. They lean on the Authenticity of God's Word and live for the Advancement of His kingdom agenda. They are a living sacrifice that has come to the house of God to worship the God they fear and to give of themselves to serve His people. They consistently glean truth from the presence of God through His people and for His glory. They abide in the Vine and stir others on to love and good works. These are true soul-winning/disciple-makers living in the beauty of simplicity. They are single minded in their pursuit to seek first the King of Glory and His righteousness; therefore they believe in lifestyle worship, repentance, fellowship, and discipleship (the ministry of reconciliation) while progressively growing in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.) (i.e.. Mary, Luke 10:39,41 i.e.. John, John 19:25-27)


What Group Do YOU Fit IN? (Prayerfully, if you're not living in number seven you will lay your life down to Jesus and the demand of His Gospel. (Mark 8:34-28) If you are lost (ie... perishing because from an eternal perspective you're in a vast wilderness with no means to survive its desolate conditions as a result of sin's destruction, and with no hope of escape; therefore being lost in this place of sin you are as sure as dead unless you are found). The problem is not with what you do but it is what you are: You are SIN! It's YOU not what YOU do that's the problem. What you do is a result of who you are. Yet Jesus knows YOU are the problem and He still gave His life to rescue you from yourself. Jesus looks past what you have done or goes beyond the sins you have committed in order to deal with the iniquity/wickedness of your fallen and sinful nature. (Micah 7:18-20) We, natural men and women, are normally overcome with the actions of men more than the issues of their heart. Jesus is not deterred by your sinful actions. He took your sin upon the cross so He could deal with the root of your sinful acts. Why? The Father couldn't look past your sin so He gave His Son to satisfy His wrath that you deserve. Your sin condition had you separated from God and condemned to death. Yet God the Father established a very important and eternal truth when He gave us His Son. He established and settled it for all eternity that He loves us with an everlasting love. And because of such a great love He gave to us His Son, Jesus Christ, even though we were hostile enemies to His purpose and pleasure. Salvation is always about God and will forever be about Him and His grace. Because Jesus was without sin when He took upon the fullness of God's wrath, He also supplies the favor necessary to be forgiven and reconciled to a Just and Holy God. To do this He has to change us from the inside. He gets to the root of our sin problem; US! Have you heard Him call you to follow Him? Have you answered His demand of repentance? Have you turned to trust and follow Jesus? Has He delivered you from yourself and darkness? If He has this would mean that you have turned from your sin and self-centered living in order to place your life at the mercy of the Lord. Jesus gave His life for your life! If He's interrupted you and invaded you by His grace surrender to His call today and set your life at His disposal. Give yourself to Him today and forever! I'm not asking you if you placed your faith in a decision you made, or plan you trusted or even a prayer you prayed but have you been set free from everything and everyone to follow the Greatest Interrupter that has ever lived, Jesus Christ? Can you believe the right plan and not be saved? Yes! Many have believed the plan of salvation but do not have a personal relationship with the Person of salvation, The Lord Jesus Christ. Plans, prayers, and decisions are not what saves. It's Jesus who saves! And if anyone is ever saved it is by the grace of God the Father and the gift of grace by Jesus Himself. Salvation is for God's glory and our good both now and forever.

(2 Cor. 5:14-21 ; Luke 14:26-33)

“What I know to be True!”
The lifestyle witness of Nick Holden (Titus 3:3-8 ; 2 Cor. 5:14-21)

How God the Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and the regenerating and renewing work of the Holy Spirit, interrupted me, a destitute deceiver, by invading my life with the conquering power of His grace for one distinct purpose. To make me His own personal vessel of mercy for Christ sake. Rom. 9:23

Five things I know to be true and pray that through this message, when I’m done sharing with you the witness that God has established in me, you also will come to know that each one of these can be true for you:

1. God’s grace toward me was not in vain
2. The call and conquest of the Lord Jesus Christ over my life
3. My passion for the authority and authenticity of God’s Word
4. I’m compelled by the love of Christ
5. God’s committed to me a ministry and message of reconciliation

I must let you in on a secret. It may surprise you when you hear this. But I have not always known these marvelous truths. That’s right, for twenty-six years I lived, ate, breathed and fought for myself. I was consumed with Nick Holden and his pleasures. Why? I was lost and perishing and had no clue of the freedom of being forgiven in Christ Jesus. I was full of deception, pride, lust, anger and wrath (Titus 3:1-3). I was selfish and did everything for my own profit. Even when I helped or commended others for doing a good job it was for my own personal benefit. Basically, I lived for my own glory and praise. I do know now what was wrong with me, but back then I didn’t. I was dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1-5). I was blind to truth and there was a veil over my heart and I could not believe the message of the gospel of Jesus (2 Cor. 4:1-6). I was a product of the fall. I was conceived and born in iniquity with a nature that had a natural bend toward sin. I was depraved and so tainted with sin that everything I did was unacceptable to a holy and righteous God. I truly do know what it means to be reconciled to God the Father through the saving work of Jesus Christ (Col. 1:19-23).
I had been brought up in a ungodly home. I say ungodly because the presence of God and His ways were not supreme or final authority. My dad was catholic and my mom had no religious background. We thought being good was the way to earn passage and points with God. There was always an awareness about the Lord but not an awe centered desire to be well pleasing to Him. Sports, hunting and a good education were our gods. We gave everything we had to play ball and to be the best at what we did. My dad and mom invested their livelihood into us and the equipment we would use so we could be the best. My dad coached us all the way up until High School and then would come to every practice and travel to all our games. I was good at both baseball and football. My senior year I was voted male athlete of the year for Covington High Fighting Lions . Not only was I the male athlete of the year but also voted the best dad by my daughter. That’s correct, my little girl Elizabeth. My wife Stephanie and I started dating during our sophomore year and she become pregnant during our junior year. We were sweethearts all through school, even named by our peers to be “Junior Sweethearts” at the Sweetheart dance that year. What no one knew was that Stephanie was pregnant at the time. The summer before our senior year we were married, and have been now for over 19 years. We have three daughters (arrows), Elizabeth, Lydia & Lauren (Ps. 127). All this was a reality and even factual events that were going on in our life but they were all a lie. Outside of Christ it is impossible to discern the difference between what is real and what is truth. Our lifestyle was filled with facts and real events but it was one big lie (John 18:37).

I eventually joined the Navy and spent close to ten years with them. We traveled and lived in some nice places. We both told everyone we had been saved by Jesus. But we lived how we wanted. We went were we wanted. We watched what we wanted. We drank what we wanted. We talked how we wanted. We listened to what we wanted to listen to and we acted like any other average person. Though we claimed to have a supernatural salvation through Jesus, we had very little to no regard for God‘s way. We were claiming Jesus saves while living for ourselves and on our way to hell. We truly deserved HELL. We were monstrous sinners, who rightfully should be separated from such a just and holy God. BUT because of His mercy and the gift of Christ we have been delivered. God set both of us free from ourselves in 1997and delivered us from sin’s grip so we could know and follow Him.
Today, what I know to be true, is that it all started on a Sunday morning in July of 1997. It was at Northcrest Baptist Church in Meridian, Ms., while Bro. Malcolm Lewis was preaching and teaching from Mat. 16:26 “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” It was on this day that Jesus Christ INTERRUPTED my life and called me to be His disciple forever. It was on this day that God made me a new creation and He begin to teach me His truth by granting me repentance and gracing me with the faith to believe. Paul reminds Titus of his interruption in Titus 3:3-6, "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior." I know what it means to be sin, and to live life for myself, pretending that everything is good. Today, by the grace of God, I‘m free. I am free to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to make us His very own disciples that would be known as Christians (graced followers of the Anointed One), by a world around us. Are you a Follower of the Anointed One? Are you Jesus’ very own disciple? Are you known as one who is obedient to the gospel of Jesus Christ? Jesus reveals to us in Mark 8:35 that we must lose our life for His sake and the gospel’s. This is why Paul told the church in 2 Thes. 1:8 that God’s wrath will come upon everyone who does not know God the Father and have not obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ which demands our life entirely and completely. Jesus is a life-giver and life-changer.

How was I delivered and made a disciple of Jesus?

1. By a Permanent Interruption (My life was interrupted by Jesus) Titus 3:3-7
2. By a Powerful Invasion (My life was invaded by God’s grace) Titus 2:11-14
3. By a Profound Influence (My life has been influenced by Christ’s love) 2 Cor.5:14-21
4. By a Progressive Interest (My lifelong interest in knowing the Lord and His purpose) Phil. 3:7-21
5. By a Purposeful Involvement (My lifelong involvement in God’s cause) Mark 8:34-38
6. By a Personal Investment (My lifelong investment in God’s kingdom) John 18:37
7. By a Providential Identity (My lifestyle being identified as a disciple of Jesus Christ) 2 Cor. 4:7-15