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Freedom From Fear

Randy Skeete

Remember, Repent, Return

I just want to tell you very quickly in case I forget, the reason the church exists is to do the work of the gospel.

The reason the church exists, finish it for me, is to do the work of the gospel.

The church is not a social club where you come to kill time.

The church is not a place that encourage you to develop a routine that really has no roots in your heart.

It just reflects, you know, muscles can learn certain movements and they do them without the brain having to really think.

But evangelism, which is the life of the church, is a conscious, deliberate, purposeful, intentional lifestyle.

No aspect of a Christian life should be automatic.

We were given a capacity to choose and to develop a moral character.

That requires purposeful, deliberate, and intentional living.

The moment we go on autopilot, we're in trouble.

I believe it is desire of ages page 3 twenty-four, 3 twenty-three L0I says, without a vital connection with God, through surrender of ourselves to him, moment by moment.

You can't surrender to God automatically.

What I'm saying to you before I forget, are you making conscious decisions to advance the cause of the gospel?

Holy Father, we're grateful Lord that we are alive at this precise moment.

Many people died between the morning service and now.

Father, you've given us life not for our sake but for your sake.

And You've made it clear in the book of John 15, verse 8, that we bring you glory when we produce fruit.

So I ask you dear God as the message is delivered and your people listen and your spirit convicts, please bring us to the place of decision that regardless of how busy we are with secular activities, which may be good, let us find time for the primary reason for our existence and that is the advancement of the kingdom of God.

Father, hear this humble prayer, grant me utterance.

Remember the promise you made to Moses in Exodus chapter 4 verse 12 and you said to him now therefore go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shall say teach me please I pray in Jesus name amen it's now quarter to 4 you should be done by we're not going past 430 We'll probably be finished before that because it's hot and I prefer you to say I wish she had preached longer.

Do you remember, ladies, mothers, you have children, Remember your years before you had children, when you were free and gay and by the way the word gay used to mean happy.

We've taken a good poetic word and just ruined it.

Remember those days when you took pride in your figure.

Fathers, remember when you could look down and see your toes?

Although there's something you can do to change that.

These experiences that you wish you could bring back.

Aren't they events in your life you wish you could bring back?

By the way, I promised some of my Indo-Angels, I'll mail them, I'll send them my email, a picture when I had an afro the size of this church.

Because no 1 believes me, and I haven't forgotten, I just lost your emails.

You remember those days in college when everything was fine, you had no bills, your parents paid for everything.

But those days now are gone and sometimes we sit as we reminisce and we wish we can go back to those days.

There is a situation in the Bible just like that.

And I believe It is appropriate that we examine that situation in light of freedom from fear.

And not just freedom from fear 206, but in light of our responsibility as a church and as individuals to do the work of God.

Go with me to the book of Revelation, chapter 2, reading from verse 1.

Revelation 2, reading from verse 1, and we'll be reading from the King James Version of the Bible.

Verse 1, we shall read down to about verse 7.

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write, these things saith he that holdeth the 7 stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the 7 golden candlesticks.

I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience.

And how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not and has found them liars and has borne and has patience and for my name's sake has labored and has not fainted.

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works.

And do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent.

But this thou hast that thou hatest the deeds of Nicoletans which I also hate.

He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is where?

What does this message to the Ephesus Church have to do with you and me?

Now Jesus says a lot of nice things about Ephesus.

He says nice things about all 7 churches.

And I'm sure he'd have some nice things to say about Fontana.

It'd be a long list but I believe Jesus would come to the place where he would end that list and he would say, nevertheless, I have a few things against Fontana.

Now, you cannot go through life with God having a few things against you.

Even if the list of commendations is a mile long and God has 1 thing against you, that's where your concern ought to be.

Because a little leaven, finish it, finish it, finish it.

Somewhere, LOI said, the smallest sin, persistently cherished, will eventually neutralize what?

I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience.

And how thou canst not be them which are evil, they had an aversion to hypocrites, and sinners, who refused to repent.

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Remember, Repent, Return

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