TEXT: PSALM 51:17, 3 MATT. 26:69-75, 1 TIM.

1:15,
HOSEA 10:12
BIBLE COLLEGEfirst learned of Christian
Perfection
COUNTERING POSITIONa sense of sin is
necessary
for any real Christian
growth
NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE
FROM OUR HYMNBOOK: I WANT A PRINCIPLE
WITHIN
I want a principle within of watchful, godly fear,
A sensibility to sin, a pain to feel it near.
ILL.-----I became convinced after returning to the
church
that I had somehow committed the
unpardonable sin mentioned in the Bible

--and as Ive been looking at Peter lately, Ive

been
struck by one detail in his denial that never
occurred to
me beforenone of the details we have of the
girl by
the fire, the rooster crowingPeter would have
paid it
little attention at all, had it not been for Jesus
words
IN FACT, PETER MIGHT HAVE EVEN BEEN ON A
PATH THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY TAKE HIM FAR
AWAY FROM FAITH, AND PERHAPS EVEN ON A
SIMILAR PATH TO JUDAS
--Jesus had planted a seed that wound up being
the key
factor in determining what would happen at that
pivotal point
I WAS REMINDEDof the place in Revelation
where
Jesus addresses the churches, and
tells
the church at Laodicea:

WALKING ON AIRBACKSLIDEDEEP DESPAIR

I wish you were either hot or cold
NO AMOUNT OF COUNSELINGwould convince
me
otherwise
UNLESS YOUVE BEEN THERE OR IN A SIMILAR
SITUATION, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT THAT
FEELS LIKE
I FIND MYSELF IDENTIFYING WITH PETER MORE
THAN I EVER USED TO

GOD HAS NO PROBLEM WITH HOT OR COLD

--either way, hot or cold ppl are committed, all He
has to
do is get them pointed the right way (like Paul)
ITS WHEN WERE LUKEWARM THAT THE TROUBLE
STARTS

--take a hotplate and drop an ice cube on it

and watch what happens
MAYBE A GOOD PRAYER FOCUS FOR LENT WOULD
BE LORD, MAKE US HOTPLATE CHRISTIANS
WHETHER WE CALL IT a sense of sin, a
sensitivity to
sin, a tender conscience, or
whatever
LETS OPEN OUR HEARTS DURING THESE 40 DAYS
FOR GOD TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US A RENEWED
SENSE OF WHICH THINGS ARE THAT ARE
PLEASING TO HIM, AND WHICH ARE NOT