A Change of Heart

Hosea 10:12 - Tonight we ask “is it time to seek the Lord?” I believe to seek Him is going to take a change of heart.

Person type 1 - Herod (to understand Herod type; look at the way John preached)
Matthew 3:1-2 - What does it mean to repent? v5-6 - to agree with God about the definition of sin and then confess your sins to Him, asking for
forgiveness.
Matthew 3:7 - Why repent? Because there is a coming wrath. All who refuse to humble themselves and repent before God force the wrath of God
upon them. This isn’t God’s desire - “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9)...but
“unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:3).
Matthew 3:8 - deeds must back up repentance as proof of true repentance.
Matthew 3:9 - as a Christian don’t think you can just come with the attitude of “oh well, Jesus’ blood covers yet another sin” because God will take
the kingdom away from any who do not produce fruit (Matthew 21:43-44) REPENT!
Matthew 3:10-12 - If you won’t repent, if you won’t produce good fruit after repenting (no longer repeating sins) then be warned: you will be cut
down and thrown into the unquenchable fire.

Mark 6:17-20
The Herod type: “That was a good message” but it has no effect on you at all - no change in your heart.
(Mat 7:21) - Salvation isn’t a mental agreement with God, but a change of heart.
Acts 26:20 - True repentance produces good deeds.

Is it time to seek the Lord?

Person type 2 - Felix: Acts 24:24-26

“That message was too harsh” and you push it away instead of embracing its truth. “Stop, stop, I can’t take it. I don’t want to change.”

“Offer me a bribe, there must be another way. Let me see that the message is not as uncompromising as it sounds.”

This person feels the weight of the Word but isn’t ready to make the change.

What do you say in your heart when I ask you “Is it time to seek the Lord?”

Person type 3 - David: Confronted with his sins

Psalm 32:1-5
“God, forgive me and change me now that I’ve heard Your words” - a change of heart.

End with this little sermonette

Is it time to seek the Lord? At 5 a.m. when the first gleams of the morning appear, you ask, ‘Is it time to seek the Lord?’ A voice from heaven
whispers, ‘They that seek Me early shall find Me.’ At 7 a.m. again you ask, ‘Is it now time to seek the Lord?’ A voice from the throne replies:
‘Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth.’ Oh, what a beautiful joy within the character of that child of God who has early learned to
lisp the name of Jesus! Again at 9 a.m. the bell calls and you ask, ‘Is it time to seek the Lord?’ Conscience trembles and says, ‘I have passed many
an open door of grace already and the sins of my youth are multiplied.’ As you listen to the voice you hear it saying, ‘Now is the accepted time: now
is the day of salvation.’ High noon has now come to many a soul here. The most important period of life has already past or is now upon you. The
golden opportunities of childhood and youth will return to you no more. Yet you say with an indifferent air, ‘Is it time for me to seek the Lord?’
Satan now begins to whisper, ‘Your heart is hard, you cannot easily repent with all your cares upon you.’

"Turn your eyes upward and listen, as you say, ‘what must I do to be saved?’ Everything within you has been saying, ‘Repent, repent.’ Now the echo
comes back from heaven: "Repent and believe the gospel. Come to Jesus and He will give you rest. In the day that you seek Him with all your heart
He will be found by you.’

"Consider your situation as it is in God’s sight. Think of the littleness of time that is left you for so great a preparation. Think of your accountability
to God. You will soon stand before Him, and render an impartial account of your life. Think of your reply to Him who sits upon the throne when He
says, ‘Friend, how come you haven’t prepared to meet me?’ Oh, think of your feelings when you will look this way and that, to find yourself so
confounded that you are speechless, as you call back the days when God called you to repentance and your heart yielded no fruit of righteousness in
return. Think of the barren fig tree that stood so many years in the vineyard, having been dug about and watered so long without any fruit; that when
mercy cries, ‘cut it down,’ anticipate your sorrow and think what your feelings will be.

"Think deeply of the weeds which have been growing in your heart so long and scattering their seed in other soil around you. Think of the ripening
harvest from your sowing, and remember that "whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.’ Think of all the people before you who have rejected
the Lord and now agonize in torment, knowing it would have been otherwise with their souls had they only repented and accepted Jesus Christ.

"As these considerations are before you, haste with all speed to Him who alone is able to save you. Oh, do not live longer as if there were neither a
bed of death nor a bar of judgment. Be wise; look your danger in the face. Anticipate the day when you will behold God in judgment and the world
in flames; and flee to God from the wrath to come."

John 13:17 - now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.