Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Psalm 51

A Journey of Confession and Repentance
Planning and Packing
Psalm 51

Lent is a deliberate, specific time of readying ourselves to remember and celebrate both the death of Christ, and more importantly the resurrection of Christ.

We have to begin at a different starting point–that God’s hatred of sin is a direct manifestation of His love for us.

So, then, how do we deal with this problem of sin in our lives. We know; it is through confession and repentance.

And scratching the surface of confession and ignoring repentance almost completely is a dangerous way to live as a child of God.

I’m not going to dive right in to the Psalm today, I do want to lay the foundation for next week by introducing the background.

As we study the Psalm, and allow it to lead us to the cross and empty tomb, my goal and my prayer is that it would take us deep below the surface.

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 6:11-18

Galatians
Freedom’s Cross
Galatians 6:11-18

We can be free from worrying about what others think.

So, when Christians began to proclaim that Christ had to die on a cross for our sins, many people were offended.

They were trying to avoid persecution, but that put them in bondage to the need to impress.

We may not yet be killed for following Christ, but we are ridiculed sometimes, and we are at times considered “narrow minded bigots” by some.

They themselves don’t keep the law, but they want you to keep it just so they can boast.

The cross sets us free! It sets us free from self (Galatians 2:20). It sets us free from the flesh (Galatians 5:24). And it sets us free from the world (Galatians 6:14).

So, boast about what God is doing inside you, not about what you are doing on the outside.

If you want true peace and freedom, stop boasting about yourself and your own achievements, and start boasting about the cross.

But only as we boast about the cross, do we find real peace and mercy in our lives.

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 6:1-10

Galatians
Freedom’s Harvest
Galatians 6:1-10

How does my spirituality affect what I do with my money?

We share because we want to out of love.

Those who are free give as much as they can, and they do it gratefully.

As believers in Christ, we are free to spend our money any way we want.

If I invest time and money in things of the Holy Spirit, I will grow spiritually.

Continue to invest your time and money in spiritual things, and you will eventually see lasting, spiritual results.

Good things happen to those who persevere, so don’t quit. Don’t be discouraged by set-backs and failures.

As free people in Christ, let’s share and reap and share some more, so that the Kingdom of God can be expanded in this place and around the world.

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 6:1-5

Galatians
Freedom’s Restoration
Galatians 6:1-5

How can any Church become a place where people caught in sin get set free?

God calls us to restore the sinner, not blame him.

As we climb the summit to be all that God created us to be, sometimes we fall.

Only the Spirit of God has that ability, and we need to let Him oversee the care of spiritually broken and wounded people.

If we want to become a place of healing for broken people, then we must restore the sinner spiritually.

If we’re going to be a place of healing for broken people, then we must restore the sinner gently.

When we restore a sinning believer there is no room for comparison. There is only room for humility and self-examination.

If we’re going to be a place of healing for broken people, then, we must restore the sinner humbly.

Legalists only add to people’s burdens. On the other hand, love lifts and bears the burden.

May we be known as a place of healing for broken people, because we restore them spiritually, gently, humbly, and lovingly.

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 5:16-26

Galatians
Freedom’s Fruit
Galatians 5:16-26

How do we conquer this sinful nature that resides in each and every one of us?

The sinful nature and the Holy Spirit are at war in our hearts.

But as long as we depend on the Holy Spirit to hold us up, then our sinful nature cannot pull us down.

If we want to win the battle against our compulsion to sin, then we must live by the Spirit and so conquer the desires of the flesh.

When we, in our own self effort, try to better ourselves, we only make ourselves worse. That’s because the flesh knows no law.

So, it is when we let the Holy Spirit live His life through us. We begin to exhibit the beautiful fruit of the Spirit.

Be led by the Spirit and defeat the deeds of the flesh.

So, cater to him. Seek to please Christ by keeping in step with His Spirit.

Walk with the Spirit and so enjoy the death of the flesh.

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 5:1-12

Galatians
Free To Serve
Galatians 5:1-12

Do you want to find a little heaven in all your relationships? Then learn to serve. It’s the reason why Christ set us free.

There is a particular kind of love here that sets us free to serve, and that’s the unconditional love of God demonstrated on the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Rather than being in bondage to the Law or to the sinful nature, [we are now free] to be in bondage to one another.

It’s His love for us, as we respond to His unconditional love.

We don’t need to bite and devour each other, because God loves us.

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 5:1-12

Galatians
Freedom’s Enemies
Galatians 5:1-12

It’s time to take a stand because there are those who would try to enslave us all over again to their religious rituals and legalistic systems.

Even though Christ has set them free, they want to go back to prison; they want to put themselves in bondage again;

The law is not a buffet or smorgasbord. You cannot pick and choose the parts you like and leave the rest.

If we insist on living the Christian life ourselves, if we insist on earning our way, then we get nowhere.

The law leaves us feeling helpless of ever reaching perfection. Faith gives us the hope of future righteousness.

Instead, live your life in dependence upon the Lord and be enriched with hope for the future and love in the present.

It only takes a little bit of their teaching, and before long it permeates the whole church.

If we’re going to enjoy our freedom, we must stay free from the law, and we must stay free from the legalist.

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 4:21-31

Galatians
Freedom’s Children
Galatians 4:21-31

Mothers are very important people (VIP’s). You don’t want to offend them, because they wield so much influence.

The first book of the Law, the book of Genesis, makes it very clear that Abraham had two children with two different mothers. One was a slave.

When we seek to secure God’s promised blessings through our own human efforts, we don’t get blessed; we get trouble.

There is a relationship with God based on adherence to the rules. The law said, “Obey and God will bless you; disobey and God will curse you.”

That’s what the covenant of law does to us. It makes us slaves to sin.

We relate to God on the basis of a promise with its unconditional blessings.

That’s because, as believers, we don’t relate to God on the basis of law; we relate to God on the basis of promise–the promise of His unfailing love.

So, get to know your mother, and throw out the other. Believe the promise, and stop trying to earn your way.