Announcements:
- Sign Up for Thursday Night Bible Study at 7p, (Bible Study theme: Hungry to Grow In My Christian Journey)
- Prayer Meeting Sunday October 1, 2023 at 6pm
- Women’s Meeting October 21, 2023 at 9:30am
- Sign up to help serve Missions outreach team (need cooks or construction help)
- Spanish Translation for the sermon is now available at HCC. Feel free to invite Spanish speaking people to church.
- Youth meet every Saturday at 6:30pm.
- Pray for HCC and Open Hands Community Charitable Services as we prepare to expand our service to the community.
Sermon Notes:
Main Point: Those who have a secret place with God will not look back and desire to return to the bondage of sin.
Story of Sodom and Gomorrah
Genesis 19:15-26.
V15. The iniquity of the city brought destruction to the city. God is righteous and has judged sin and unrighteousness.
- It is God’s mercy that delays the consequences of sin in our lives/city/nation.
Romans 9:14-16. God deserves the right to show mercy on some and not on others. He is God.
What can we do to obtain Mercy (or favor) from God according to scripture?
Matthew 5:7. Show mercy to others and God will show mercy to you.
Luke 1:5. God’s mercy extends to those who fear him.
Proverbs 28:13. Those who confess their sins will find mercy.
Pastor’s Thoughts:
- God is not looking around the earth looking to punish people.
- Sin has consequences.
- God does not do evil or unrighteousness to hurt you.
- It is sin that brings results of pain and hurt not God.
- Note on God’s Mercy. God’s mercy is his to deliver as he wills.
- We are here today because of the mercy of God on our lives.
- When we first sin we are destined for death.
- The bible says the wages of sin is death.
- But because of God’s mercy we did not die during our first sin.
Genesis 19:26. But Lots wife looked back and she became a pillar of salt.
Pastor’s Thoughts:
- Lot’s wife was not ready to let go of the old life in that sinful place
- Those who have a secrete place with God will not look back and desire to be in sin.
- As we analyze our own hearts are we ready to let go of anything that is not pleasing to our righteous loving God
- If Lot’s wife knew God and his love and mercy she would not have looked back
- If Lots wife had a secret place where she encountered and knew God she would not have looked back.
The secret Place:
Psalm 91: 1-16. Those who dwell in the secret place have many promises from God in His Word.
- Make sure you have a secret place/time with God and you can claim all these promises
Matthew 6:6. Jesus talks about the secret place of prayer and fasting.
Pastor’s Thoughts:
- The more you know God and draw closer to him, the more mercy we obtain from our loving heavenly father.
- If you can say you have a ‘secret place with God’ you are destined for greatness in God’s Kingdom.
- Those who have a secrete place with God will not look back and desire to be in sin.
- The Key is to find the secret place where you get to know God and God calls you friend.
