Grace to Turn Your Back on Ungodliness

Bringing a week of Shiloh fasting and prayer to a close, this message begins by thanking God for His faithfulness and declaring that, as He answered Hannah at Shiloh, He will answer His people. Its theme is grace to turn our backs on ungodliness. From Titus 2:11-12, the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and live soberly and righteously; God’s readiness to give and forgive is now public. Salvation is a package, not merely a moment: it begins the day we give our lives to Jesus, as Paul says, ‘I have been crucified with Christ… Christ lives in me’ (Galatians 2:20). Believers are asked whether God could point to them, as He did to Job, and say ‘this is my son, my daughter’. Peter assures that His divine power has given us all things for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:2-3), and 1 Timothy 3:14-16 sets out the mystery of godliness. Four points follow: godliness means making Jesus Master, it is the only thing that lasts, it costs something because someone paid for it, and it starts with daily decisions. It closes with prophetic prayers of repentance and commitment.