need to conduct a self-examination. / Find Joy in God's Word

 need to conduct a self-examination. 

Apostle Paul said it this way, examine yourselves whether you be in a faith. 

 The prophet Isaiah in the same chapter I read to you from declares him a sick patient walking around with open wounds and soores. 

      Before he closes this chapter in verse 18, he says this. Come now. It's not a little come now. It's come now. Don't delay. 

 Swallow your pride. Put it aside because it's a matter of life and death. Come now and let us reason together. Come on, let's talk this out. Let's talk about this. 

 Think about my Word. Come on now. I'm reasonable.  Don't you understand it? It's  reasonable for you to  give your life to me when I gave my life for you.

Therefore, beloved brethren, hallelujah, tells us to choose holiness in him. 

 Come now, let us reason together, say the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. 

 Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. In the midst of their sin, 

God says, "You know what? I'm willing to make you clean. I will forgive you. I will cleanse you. I know your sin, your sins will be so red as scarlet. I make you white as wool. You'"lI be clean. l'II forget everything you have ever done. It'll be a clean slate, a clean start. 

You'll be brand new. Come on. How about it? 

And that's what God is saying to this congregation today. In order for us to do that, we need to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.  We look to Calvary and we look back at what God has done for us and understand that that is part of his plan. He planned that propitiation for our sin. 

 That sacrifice that takes care of God's demands for holiness and that justifies his justice and punishment of sin. If by faith we look back and we accept that and we accept his burial and resurrection and we come and we repent say God forgive me. I'm speaking now not just to non-Christians or somebody who's who's never gave his life to God. I'm talking to all of us today looking back and understanding that forever the cross is something that we're called to bear till the day we die. 

 We need to keep looking back to the cross to deal with the sins that we struggle with day in, day out. And by faith, we become overcomers. If we repent, if we're baptized, if we're filled with His Spirit, enjoy that new birth, the renewing of the mind. Not only that, either to begin or to continue in our transformation process. Because where sin brings you down low, God brings you up. 

 We're on our way up, folks. We're on a way up. And what trumpet sound? 

Oh, hallelujah. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the dead in Christ shall rise first. And we which are alive and remain shall be caught up, not cast down. Caught up to be with the Lord, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

Would you bow your head with me for a moment? Hallelujah.

🙏🏽 🗣️ Lord God, I pray for each and every one of this congregation right now. I pray that as your Word went forth that it would continue to penetrate and germinate in the heart and mind and soul of each and every one. Lord, I pray I pray, oh Lord God, for each and every heart, each and every soul. Lord, you know their trials. you know their sins. 

You know their faults, their shortcomings. 

Help them, dear, oh Lord, to bring their sins to you. Oh God, we're all sinners safe by grace. Help us, oh Lord, to get clean and to stay clean. Help us, Jesus. We need your help. We need your help. Oh, let your Spirit, Lord, touch each and every one of you today. Help us to get that victory that we need in Jesus mighty name. 

We just Find Joy in God's Word.

It is the Word of God that leads us in the sure paths the Lord has prepared for us. 

 As Christians, we must be lovers of God's Word and people who delight in his truth. 

We must learn to find joy in God's Word every day. Psalm 16:1 says, "You make known to me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forever more." 

Let's take a moment to dwell on these words today before we pray together. 

 Let's meditate on them and carry them with us throughout the day. 

The particular line that speaks to me today is the first line of this scripture. It says, You make known to me the path of life." 

 It is through His Word that the Lord makes the path of life known to us. And when we learn to delight in his word, we 

1:13 will always find wisdom, guidance, and strength for every season of our lives. 

1:19 Without the word of God within us as Christians, we are empty. 1:24 Prayer cannot make up for the absence of the word. Church services can't make up for it. And beautiful conversations with 1:32 friends in the faith can't make up for it either. 

1:36 The word of God has its place and it stands unchallenged. We must be a people of the word. 

1:44 Joshua made a statement in the Bible that I want all of us to remember today. 

He says in Joshua, l"Keep this book of the law always on your lips. Meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." 

Another very profound scripture about the Word is found in Psalm 1:3 which tell us about what happens to the