The Bible warns us to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. Have you examined yourself lately? Do you have any doubts of whether you have truly been born again of God's Spirit, saved from the wrath of God to come? Today is an opportunity to see if you are in the faith! Pastor Jay Dennis from City Central Church in Lakeland stopped by this morning and presented the Gospel for first time hearers, as well as for those who have heard before and have walked away from the faith!
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Mornings, not just on the radio. It's a podcast.
Too.
Always wonderful when we have the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ and we we want to make sure we follow the Spirit's leading on this. We want to make sure that everything we do on mornings is always gospel centered, not just in word, but in deed.
Yes, and one of our favorite people, and I'm sure your favorite people too, Pastor Jay Dennis, he joined us. And you know, when Jay talks, we know he loves us.
You could tell.
Yeah, he really does.
It cares. Yeah, he does. And that's why he's with us and he gives us his time. But during this Christmas season, I just kind of felt impressed upon my heart that maybe there might be those listening who really don't understand what the gospel is. Or maybe they think they do, but they don't. And maybe there are those folks who can't really say with any degree of certainty, if I were to die today, I know I would go to heaven. Yeah. And so we had an opportunity to share the good news. It doesn't get much better than this. City central church, Lakeland last Sunday.
Now, let me fast forward to Christmas Eve. So important. I'm going to be bringing a message, a short message that night on how to know you will have a first Christmas in Heaven.
Okay, tell us more about your Christmas Eve message.
Yeah, I'm really, really excited about this because we're going to look we're going to take the basic Christmas story, but we're also going to talk about how do you know that one day you're going to have a first Christmas in heaven? And there are three things we're going to look at about that to make sure that there is no doubt that when you die, you're going to heaven and you will have a first Christmas in heaven. There are many people whose loved ones or friends this is their first Christmas in heaven, if we can even imagine how wonderful that's going to be. But also to to begin to warn those people who are not ready, who are not fully sure that they're saved, that they know Jesus as their Savior to prepare for that. So it's the traditional story of Christmas, but yet it is an evangelistic appeal.
Yeah, I love that. That's great. The people that we have, the folks that God has listening today, joining us today. Uh, we don't know. Obviously, that's in the hands of the Lord who is listening on any given day, at any given moment. But we're so passionate about the gospel. This is the whole reason why we are here at Moody Radio is to to share the good news of Jesus with those who don't know him yet, and to encourage those who have made a decision to follow Christ. And it can be a tough life sometimes, you know? I mean, it can be. There are seasons that we all face, difficult seasons. When you follow Jesus, you're never alone. But we need encouragement, and we also need to grow in our relationship with the Lord. And we do that together the best we can here on the radio. It's discipleship, right? It's it's growing in grace. It's it's learning from each other. It's one step forward, two steps back. But God's grace catches us when we fall. That's what we do here on a daily basis. And so that being said, I think there might be some folks here this morning, Jay, who have never really heard the gospel presented in a way that they can understand. They're a bit confused by what it is, or they kind of know, but they don't know completely. And our heartbeat is for no one to not know. We want to make sure folks know what the gospel is. And a lot of times people maybe listen to Christian radio during Christmas, the Christmas season, who don't normally listen. Maybe this morning you were just kind of punching around a little bit. You heard the conversation or some music and you're still with us and you don't know Jesus yet, and you're like, okay, well, I really don't understand. God has an appointment for you, and I don't want to forget that you're there. And so, Jay, for those who for those who are listening in that boat and for all of us to be reminded of what the gospel is anew, to refresh our minds and spirits and to reignite the passion we have for Jesus. We just share the gospel message, which is the Christmas story, the Easter story. It's all one story, isn't it?
It really is. And I and I love that word gospel. Kurt and Kate. Because it means good news. I mean, in the midst of a lot of negativity that we see on, on media, uh, in the midst of just the difficulties people may be facing, there is good news. And the good news is that Jesus Christ came to earth. He came from the womb of a virgin. And but yet he lived a perfect life. And one day he went to the cross, and on the cross he took your sins. He took my sins. And they were put upon him. And he died in our place so that we wouldn't have to. He shed his blood. He died. And then they put him in a grave. And three days later he rose from the dead. Which was God's way of saying, I accept the payment for salvation that my son Jesus made. And one question that I ask every Sunday without fail is this do you know that you know that you know, if you died right now, you would go to heaven because 99% certainty is not good enough. You need to be 100% certain that if you died right now, you would go to heaven. And the good news is, you can know that you can receive Jesus Christ and based not upon your feelings, but based upon Scripture. Jesus said, I will save you. It doesn't matter what you've done, doesn't matter where you've been. Jesus Christ will save you. And rather than saying, I'm going to straighten my life out, life out first, I'm going to stop doing this and start doing that, and then I'll come to church, or then I'll come to Jesus. It doesn't work that way. You come to Jesus as you are as a sinner, and you repent and you ask him to forgive you. And when you do that, he wipes the slate clean. He makes you whiter than snow. Who wouldn't want to receive Jesus Christ and experience that? And then you not only have a home in heaven, but you have a life worth living. Does that mean that troubles are going to be gone? Difficulties will disappear. Not at all. In fact, I think there are troubles added. Jesus said, in this world you will have tribulation, you will have trouble. But here's the advantage. We have the Holy Spirit living within us, the resurrection power of Jesus living within us so that we can say yes to Jesus, yes to his will, and no to temptation. Are we always going to get it right? Absolutely not. But we keep coming back to the cross, and Jesus Christ forgives us and we have that fellowship with him. I think Kurt and Kate, we have made this so complicated when Jesus says that even a child could understand this. So those who are listening, if you don't know that, you know that you know, if you're not 100% certain if you died, you'd go to heaven, then I would invite you right now, no matter where you are, to receive Jesus Christ. It's that simple. And give your heart to him.
Um, Jay, would you. I'll tell you what. Why don't you go ahead and lead us in prayer? Uh, and if you're listening, and you want to make that decision for Jesus, follow along with Jay's prayer. Now, I'll say this. It's not getting all of the words exactly right. God is looking for your heart, But you need to put the right pieces in place and understand the decision that you're making. That's the key. That's what Jay was just explaining. So that you know that you know that, you know, I like the way he put that. So just pause if you need to pull off to the side of the road, uh, then please do that. Um, there is no other decision that you will ever make in your life that is more important than this one. It is the most important decision you will ever make, and we do not want you to listen to the lie of a very real enemy, Satan, who wants you to put it off. Don't put it off. This is the moment of salvation for you. All right, Jay, um, go ahead and lead us in prayer. And if you'd like to just follow along, wherever you may be this morning, please do.
I'd be honored. And it all begins with admitting that we've sinned, that we've broken God's commandments. That's why we need to be saved. So I would love to lead you in this sinner's prayer, and you pray it in your heart and believe it in your heart, and Jesus Christ will save you. So let's pray together. Dear God, thank you so much for who you are and Lord, I commit to you today my confession that I am a sinner. I have broken your commandments and I cannot save myself. I cannot be good enough to go to heaven. I cannot work my way to heaven. Jesus. That's why you came. You lived a perfect life. You went to the cross. You took my sin upon you. You shed your blood. You died. You rose from the dead for me. Thank you. Jesus. Right now I not only confess my sin, I turn from my sin, I repent. I ask you to forgive me. And in faith I turn to you, Jesus, and I receive you, Son of God, as my Savior and my Lord, and the only way to heaven. Please write my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. In Jesus name. Amen.
Amen. Amen.
Thank you, Jay, for doing that. It's so, so important. And maybe you prayed that prayer. The angels are rejoicing in heaven when you make your decision to come to Jesus. That's what the Bible tells us. We have some materials here. Maybe you're wondering. Okay, well, what do I do next? Well, first of all, we're celebrating with you. We're going to have perma grin. The rest of the day. For what? God? For what God's doing in your life. But if you prayed along with Jay, if you've made that decision to follow Jesus, we'd like to send you some encouragement. So just text the words saved, saved. That's it to the credit card hotline, and we'll send you out a link to some resources that will really be helpful for you. That's saved to 888777 6810.
Thank you for taking some time to listen to this episode of the Curtain Cape Mornings podcast. We always welcome a review with your thoughts and comments, and please feel free to subscribe and follow us as well.
There's no better time than right now to come back home. Maybe you are the lost sheep or you feel lost. You've walked away from the Lord after following him. You're thinking to yourself, I know intellectually what the gospel is. I know Jesus blood is powerful enough to forgive me of my sin, but I've been so willful about this. I've been so deliberate. I've rejected him. I've walked away from him. Well, remember the story of the prodigal Son, the Jesus, the Jesus told that son deliberately, intentionally walked away from his father. And Jesus shared that story to emphasize that the Lord is waiting for you to come back home. That doesn't mean he overlooks your sin. It means he took your sins on his shoulders. But there is hope. When the prodigal son woke up in the pigsty after wine, women and song for who knows how long, I'm just going to go back to my father. Maybe he'll make me one of his hired men. Instead, the father received him back home as he repented because he knew what he did. He confessed it and his father welcomed him and celebrated his return. That's you. We're all prodigal sons and daughters at one extent or another. If you want to come back home here this morning. Jay, before we get to our questions, could you, uh, could you pray with. And for those who are sick and tired of being sick and tired. They are at the end of themselves, which is a good place to be, because standing in front of you, when you get to the point where you're at the end of yourself is the Lord Jesus. And I know the enemy will tell you you've out sinned the grace of God. You are the one exception to the rule. But that's a lie, and he's a liar. If you want to come back home to the Lord, you can do so right now. And so, J, if you would lead us in prayer. And for those who are listening, who are in that boat, um, they can pray along with you.
Absolutely. Father, I want to thank you so much for those people who are listening right now. And God, maybe through difficulties, maybe through circumstances, family issues, maybe a divorce. it may be a physical issue. God and discouragement is strong, and depression has taken a strong hold and their joy is gone and peace is left their soul. Oh God, thank you. Thank you that you know exactly where they are right now. And I am asking in Jesus name that they would, with all their hearts, turn back to you and receive your grace, and not only receive your grace and your forgiveness, but that God they would forgive themselves once you have forgiven them. Because, Heavenly father, if you forgive us for the sins we've committed and you said you would, when we repent, then God, who are we not to forgive ourselves? So I pray for that person listening. Those people listening right now who are at the end of their rope, that you would send them divine appointments. Even today, I pray that you would have divine orchestration in their life that they would run right into the people they need to run into to hear the things they need to hear. Even on Moody Radio and that God that they would be encountered with people and with situations to remind them that you love them so very much and you're a God of grace and you're a God with open arms. Lord, I pray they would come back to you today and know that you are forgiving and forgiving and graceful. God, thank you that your word says, if we confess our sins to you, you're faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
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