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Saints, do you know who you are? Through Christ Jesus, you have been given the power to BE God's child. Do you understand what that means? Let's delve into that in this new series of messages called "The Believer's Identity". If this message blessed you, please consider supporting this ministry. For Card and MPESA, please follow this link https://checkout.mookhpay.com/link/adullamOr use MPESA till number 5379741
October 06 2024 Sunday Week 23 / Your Place In Him / T. Stacy Hayes #findoutwhoyouare My Vision My vision is to teach the world Who They Are In Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! To Teach them what the Bible says about them and who they have been made to be in the promises of God's Word. This changed my life years ago and completely transformed me from a person full of doubt, fear and unbelief to a strong confident Christian that knows I can do anything through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. And I'm determined to teach the world what God has taught and commissioned me to teach and that is His Word. That commission takes me to jails and detention centers weekly along with other open doors at many churches and ministries that are wanting to teach these important truths to the world. My podcast goes out 6 days a week to help the people I am ministering to grow in the truths that God has taught me for many years now. This podcast is free to all that want to listen and grow strong in who God has made them to be in Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior. Isaiah 53:5 Healing… Matthew 18:19 Agree with God's Word… Mark 10:29-30 100 Fold Return… Acts 10:34 God is no respecter of persons… “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 KJV “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NLT “For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 AMPC “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 KJV “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:37 KJV “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Romans 8:37 NLT “Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.” Romans 8:37 AMPC “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 KJV “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT “But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 AMPC “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14 KJV “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14 NLT “Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified); [Deut. 21:23.] To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit.” Galatians 3:13-14 AMPC “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Galatians 4:7 KJV “Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.” Galatians 4:7 NLT “Therefore, you are no longer a slave (bond servant) but a son; and if a son, then [it follows that you are] an heir by the aid of God, through Christ.” Galatians 4:7 AMPC Romans 10:9-10 Salvation… Romans 10:17 Faith in God comes from hearing His Word… Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus'Yoke is Easy… John 3:16 God gave Jesus to pay for our Salvation… God Loves The abortion dr As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Philippians 12:2 Work out your own Salvation… Romans 8:1 No condemnation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Luke Chapter 15 The Story Of The Prodigal Son… Philippians 4:19 God will supply all your needs let Him… Romans 4:20 Don't Stagger at What God Is Saying In His Word… John 15:5 We can't do anything aside from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:17 We are new creatures in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:21 We are The Righteousness of God In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Mark 10:29-30 100 Fold Return… Ephesians 2:8 We are Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Believe God's Word Above All Opinions God Loves The abortion dr's As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Mark 10:29-30 100 Fold Return… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media… Website https://the-prodigalson.com Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com YouVersion Bible App https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 … Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured
JULY 14, 2024 - EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST REV. KENDRA BALLIET JAMES ROSS, ORGANIST Prelude - Prayerful Meditation-Bach/Earl Hazelle Welcome *Call to Worship LEADER: When we witness our work bear good fruit and rejoice in all God has done among us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When misunderstanding and misinformation threaten to divide instead of unite us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we dance together in the joy of knowing we belong to God and one another… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we stumble and bumble our way forward as God’s grace guides us into greater love and deeper communion… ALL: we gather for worship. Thanks be to God. Amen. *Opening Hymn - “O Worship the King” #73 *Opening Prayer God of secret purposes and extravagant blessings, we come to praise you. We come because we want to, we sing our songs because we are glad to, we pray for your grace because we need to, and we ask for the love of Christ in our hearts because without it we are a dead loss. Please lift every shutter within our mind, and open every door within our soul, that you, the Lord of glory, the God of countless hosts, may come in. Through Christ Jesus, the joy of loving hearts. Amen! Confession of Faith: Apostles’ Creed #881 Gloria Patri Children's Chat Music Ministry and Offertory - Korean Melody-Michael Burkhardt Doxology and Prayer of Gratitude Scripture - 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Sermon Series - “Worship with Rejoicing” Sermon - “Come and Worship” Joys/Concerns Hymn - "Praise Ye the Lord" #2010 Pastoral Prayer/Lord's Prayer Closing Hymn - “All Glory Laud and Honor” #280 Action Steps & Benediction Postlude - Praise, My Soul the King of Heaven-Anna Laura Page The flowers on the altar today are given to the glory of God and with love in honor of our grandchildren, Reghan and Kaleb, by Bill & Barb Baker. Thank you for sharing in this worship service. Please continue to stay in touch through our website (stoneumc.org) and/or by following us on Facebook (Stone UMC). If you have joys or concerns that you would like lifted up in prayer, please fill out the Prayer Card in the pew, on the website, share them by contacting us at 814-724-6736 or churchoffice@stoneumc.org
JULY 14, 2024 - EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST REV. KENDRA BALLIET JAMES ROSS, ORGANIST Prelude - Prayerful Meditation-Bach/Earl Hazelle Welcome *Call to Worship LEADER: When we witness our work bear good fruit and rejoice in all God has done among us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When misunderstanding and misinformation threaten to divide instead of unite us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we dance together in the joy of knowing we belong to God and one another… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we stumble and bumble our way forward as God’s grace guides us into greater love and deeper communion… ALL: we gather for worship. Thanks be to God. Amen. *Opening Hymn - “O Worship the King” #73 *Opening Prayer God of secret purposes and extravagant blessings, we come to praise you. We come because we want to, we sing our songs because we are glad to, we pray for your grace because we need to, and we ask for the love of Christ in our hearts because without it we are a dead loss. Please lift every shutter within our mind, and open every door within our soul, that you, the Lord of glory, the God of countless hosts, may come in. Through Christ Jesus, the joy of loving hearts. Amen! Confession of Faith: Apostles’ Creed #881 Gloria Patri Children's Chat Music Ministry and Offertory - Korean Melody-Michael Burkhardt Doxology and Prayer of Gratitude Scripture - 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Sermon Series - “Worship with Rejoicing” Sermon - “Come and Worship” Joys/Concerns Hymn - "Praise Ye the Lord" #2010 Pastoral Prayer/Lord's Prayer Closing Hymn - “All Glory Laud and Honor” #280 Action Steps & Benediction Postlude - Praise, My Soul the King of Heaven-Anna Laura Page The flowers on the altar today are given to the glory of God and with love in honor of our grandchildren, Reghan and Kaleb, by Bill & Barb Baker. Thank you for sharing in this worship service. Please continue to stay in touch through our website (stoneumc.org) and/or by following us on Facebook (Stone UMC). If you have joys or concerns that you would like lifted up in prayer, please fill out the Prayer Card in the pew, on the website, share them by contacting us at 814-724-6736 or churchoffice@stoneumc.org
JULY 14, 2024 - EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST REV. KENDRA BALLIET JAMES ROSS, ORGANIST Prelude - Prayerful Meditation-Bach/Earl Hazelle Welcome *Call to Worship LEADER: When we witness our work bear good fruit and rejoice in all God has done among us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When misunderstanding and misinformation threaten to divide instead of unite us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we dance together in the joy of knowing we belong to God and one another… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we stumble and bumble our way forward as God’s grace guides us into greater love and deeper communion… ALL: we gather for worship. Thanks be to God. Amen. *Opening Hymn - “O Worship the King” #73 *Opening Prayer God of secret purposes and extravagant blessings, we come to praise you. We come because we want to, we sing our songs because we are glad to, we pray for your grace because we need to, and we ask for the love of Christ in our hearts because without it we are a dead loss. Please lift every shutter within our mind, and open every door within our soul, that you, the Lord of glory, the God of countless hosts, may come in. Through Christ Jesus, the joy of loving hearts. Amen! Confession of Faith: Apostles’ Creed #881 Gloria Patri Children's Chat Music Ministry and Offertory - Korean Melody-Michael Burkhardt Doxology and Prayer of Gratitude Scripture - 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Sermon Series - “Worship with Rejoicing” Sermon - “Come and Worship” Joys/Concerns Hymn - "Praise Ye the Lord" #2010 Pastoral Prayer/Lord's Prayer Closing Hymn - “All Glory Laud and Honor” #280 Action Steps & Benediction Postlude - Praise, My Soul the King of Heaven-Anna Laura Page The flowers on the altar today are given to the glory of God and with love in honor of our grandchildren, Reghan and Kaleb, by Bill & Barb Baker. Thank you for sharing in this worship service. Please continue to stay in touch through our website (stoneumc.org) and/or by following us on Facebook (Stone UMC). If you have joys or concerns that you would like lifted up in prayer, please fill out the Prayer Card in the pew, on the website, share them by contacting us at 814-724-6736 or churchoffice@stoneumc.org
JULY 14, 2024 - EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST REV. KENDRA BALLIET JAMES ROSS, ORGANIST Prelude - Prayerful Meditation-Bach/Earl Hazelle Welcome *Call to Worship LEADER: When we witness our work bear good fruit and rejoice in all God has done among us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When misunderstanding and misinformation threaten to divide instead of unite us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we dance together in the joy of knowing we belong to God and one another… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we stumble and bumble our way forward as God’s grace guides us into greater love and deeper communion… ALL: we gather for worship. Thanks be to God. Amen. *Opening Hymn - “O Worship the King” #73 *Opening Prayer God of secret purposes and extravagant blessings, we come to praise you. We come because we want to, we sing our songs because we are glad to, we pray for your grace because we need to, and we ask for the love of Christ in our hearts because without it we are a dead loss. Please lift every shutter within our mind, and open every door within our soul, that you, the Lord of glory, the God of countless hosts, may come in. Through Christ Jesus, the joy of loving hearts. Amen! Confession of Faith: Apostles’ Creed #881 Gloria Patri Children's Chat Music Ministry and Offertory - Korean Melody-Michael Burkhardt Doxology and Prayer of Gratitude Scripture - 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Sermon Series - “Worship with Rejoicing” Sermon - “Come and Worship” Joys/Concerns Hymn - "Praise Ye the Lord" #2010 Pastoral Prayer/Lord's Prayer Closing Hymn - “All Glory Laud and Honor” #280 Action Steps & Benediction Postlude - Praise, My Soul the King of Heaven-Anna Laura Page The flowers on the altar today are given to the glory of God and with love in honor of our grandchildren, Reghan and Kaleb, by Bill & Barb Baker. Thank you for sharing in this worship service. Please continue to stay in touch through our website (stoneumc.org) and/or by following us on Facebook (Stone UMC). If you have joys or concerns that you would like lifted up in prayer, please fill out the Prayer Card in the pew, on the website, share them by contacting us at 814-724-6736 or churchoffice@stoneumc.org
JULY 14, 2024 - EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST REV. KENDRA BALLIET JAMES ROSS, ORGANIST Prelude - Prayerful Meditation-Bach/Earl Hazelle Welcome *Call to Worship LEADER: When we witness our work bear good fruit and rejoice in all God has done among us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When misunderstanding and misinformation threaten to divide instead of unite us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we dance together in the joy of knowing we belong to God and one another… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we stumble and bumble our way forward as God’s grace guides us into greater love and deeper communion… ALL: we gather for worship. Thanks be to God. Amen. *Opening Hymn - “O Worship the King” #73 *Opening Prayer God of secret purposes and extravagant blessings, we come to praise you. We come because we want to, we sing our songs because we are glad to, we pray for your grace because we need to, and we ask for the love of Christ in our hearts because without it we are a dead loss. Please lift every shutter within our mind, and open every door within our soul, that you, the Lord of glory, the God of countless hosts, may come in. Through Christ Jesus, the joy of loving hearts. Amen! Confession of Faith: Apostles’ Creed #881 Gloria Patri Children's Chat Music Ministry and Offertory - Korean Melody-Michael Burkhardt Doxology and Prayer of Gratitude Scripture - 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Sermon Series - “Worship with Rejoicing” Sermon - “Come and Worship” Joys/Concerns Hymn - "Praise Ye the Lord" #2010 Pastoral Prayer/Lord's Prayer Closing Hymn - “All Glory Laud and Honor” #280 Action Steps & Benediction Postlude - Praise, My Soul the King of Heaven-Anna Laura Page The flowers on the altar today are given to the glory of God and with love in honor of our grandchildren, Reghan and Kaleb, by Bill & Barb Baker. Thank you for sharing in this worship service. Please continue to stay in touch through our website (stoneumc.org) and/or by following us on Facebook (Stone UMC). If you have joys or concerns that you would like lifted up in prayer, please fill out the Prayer Card in the pew, on the website, share them by contacting us at 814-724-6736 or churchoffice@stoneumc.org
JULY 14, 2024 - EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST REV. KENDRA BALLIET JAMES ROSS, ORGANIST Prelude - Prayerful Meditation-Bach/Earl Hazelle Welcome *Call to Worship LEADER: When we witness our work bear good fruit and rejoice in all God has done among us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When misunderstanding and misinformation threaten to divide instead of unite us… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we dance together in the joy of knowing we belong to God and one another… ALL: we gather for worship. LEADER: When we stumble and bumble our way forward as God’s grace guides us into greater love and deeper communion… ALL: we gather for worship. Thanks be to God. Amen. *Opening Hymn - “O Worship the King” #73 *Opening Prayer God of secret purposes and extravagant blessings, we come to praise you. We come because we want to, we sing our songs because we are glad to, we pray for your grace because we need to, and we ask for the love of Christ in our hearts because without it we are a dead loss. Please lift every shutter within our mind, and open every door within our soul, that you, the Lord of glory, the God of countless hosts, may come in. Through Christ Jesus, the joy of loving hearts. Amen! Confession of Faith: Apostles’ Creed #881 Gloria Patri Children's Chat Music Ministry and Offertory - Korean Melody-Michael Burkhardt Doxology and Prayer of Gratitude Scripture - 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 Sermon Series - “Worship with Rejoicing” Sermon - “Come and Worship” Joys/Concerns Hymn - "Praise Ye the Lord" #2010 Pastoral Prayer/Lord's Prayer Closing Hymn - “All Glory Laud and Honor” #280 Action Steps & Benediction Postlude - Praise, My Soul the King of Heaven-Anna Laura Page The flowers on the altar today are given to the glory of God and with love in honor of our grandchildren, Reghan and Kaleb, by Bill & Barb Baker. Thank you for sharing in this worship service. Please continue to stay in touch through our website (stoneumc.org) and/or by following us on Facebook (Stone UMC). If you have joys or concerns that you would like lifted up in prayer, please fill out the Prayer Card in the pew, on the website, share them by contacting us at 814-724-6736 or churchoffice@stoneumc.org
Lisa 6:3 - " Walk in Your Newness!" 2 Cor. 5:17. Through Jesus Christ, all things have become new. Don't allow the enemy to remind you of who you were in 2023. Through Christ Jesus, 2024 brought on a newness in you. Old things are passed away. Walk in it. Be Blessed. ❤
Through Christ Jesus we are more than conquers --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fernando-montes-de-oca/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fernando-montes-de-oca/support
July 16 2023 Sunday T. Stacy Hayes Week 27 / Rejoicing In Our Friendship With Our Father #findoutwhoyouare My Vision My vision is to teach the world Who They Are In Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior! To Teach them what the Bible says about them and who they have been made to be in the promises of God's Word. This changed my life years ago and completely transformed me from a person full of doubt, fear and unbelief to a strong confident Christian that knows I can do anything through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. And I'm determined to teach the world what God has taught and commissioned me to teach and that is His Word. That commission takes me to jails and detention centers weekly along with other open doors at many churches and ministries that are wanting to teach these important truths to the world. My podcast goes out 6 days a week to help the people I am ministering to grow in the truths that God has taught me for many years now. This podcast is free to all that want to listen and grow strong in who God has made them to be in Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior. This In Him Scripture Study Started On June 21 2021 Go Back And Listen From The Beginning… The Study In Romans Started on March 30 2022 Go Back And Listen To This Study From The Beginning… Isaiah 53:5 Healing… Matthew 18:19 Agree with God's Word… Mark 10:29-30 100 Fold Return… Acts 10:34 God is no respecter of persons… “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” Romans 5:11 KJV “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” Romans 5:11 NLT “Not only so, but we also rejoice and exultingly glory in God [in His love and perfection] through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received and enjoy [our] reconciliation. [Jer. 9:24.]” Romans 5:11 AMPC “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11 KJV “So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11 NLT “Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11 AMPC “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 KJV “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NLT “For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 AMPC “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 KJV “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT https: “But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57 AMPC “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14 KJV “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14 NLT “Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified); [Deut. 21:23.] To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit.” Galatians 3:13-14 AMPC Romans 10:9-10 Salvation… Romans 10:17 Faith in God comes from hearing His Word… Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus'Yoke is Easy… John 3:16 God gave Jesus to pay for our Salvation… God Loves The abortion dr As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Philippians 12:2 Work out your own Salvation… Romans 8:1 No condemnation in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Luke Chapter 15 The Story Of The Prodigal Son… Philippians 4:19 God will supply all your needs let Him… Romans 4:20 Don't Stagger at What God Is Saying In His Word… John 15:5 We can't do anything aside from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:17 We are new creatures in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… 2 Corinthians 5:21 We are The Righteousness of God In Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Mark 10:29-30 100 Fold Return… Ephesians 2:8 We are Saved by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior… Believe God's Word Above All Opinions God Loves The abortion dr's As Much As He Loves The Babies They Are Killing… Mark 10:29-30 100 Fold Return… Share This Podcast On Your Social Media… Website https://the-prodigalson.com Email tstacyhayes@gmail.com YouVersion Bible App https://my.bible.comi iOS App https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prodigal-son/id1450529518?mt=8 … Android App https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tv.wizzard.android.prodical Social Media https://www.facebook.com/The-Prodigal-SON-209069136315959/ https://www.facebook.com/noreligion1511/ https://twitter.com/noreligion1511 https://www.instagram.com/noreligion1511/ https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCPx4s1CLkSYef6mp4dSuU4w/featured
Conselor Christ has sent, lead us in the path of your commandments and in the ancient way of your will. Through Christ Jesus, our Savior, we pray, Amen. Selection from numbers 15, this is the word of the Lord. The Lord spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, when you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, and you offer to the Lord from the herd or
Conselor Christ has sent, lead us in the path of your commandments and in the ancient way of your will. Through Christ Jesus, our Savior, we pray, Amen. Selection from numbers 15, this is the word of the Lord. The Lord spoke to Moses saying, Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, when you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, and you offer to the Lord from the herd or
Jesus has conquered death, hell and the grave. Through Christ Jesus we have the VICTORY!!! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-veney0/support
Through Christ Jesus we who are born again are now apart of the family of God. We are a royal people and priesthood ordained by Christ. We are a new creation although in appearance in the flesh we remain the same. Understand our citizenship is not of this physical world that will soon pass away. We have become citizens of a kingdom that will never, ever end. Only the King of a Kingdom can grant citizenship to his kingdom. This has come about through his personal sacrifice on the cross and his redemption of our soul. It is time for us to come into greater knowledge of who we are and Whose we are in order for his kingdom to come on Earth and his perfect and divine will be done in our lives and in the lives, we are destined to touch.
Through Christ Jesus all of our sins have been forgiven. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-veney0/support
Christ Jesus is on His way coming!!! You can reach out to us on gospel2020project@gmail.com Visit the following links to subscribe and connect with us! Telegram link https://t.me/PastorChris_teachings Google Podcast link https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9yaGFwc29keS5yZWN Apple Podcast link https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/word-of-life-podcast/id1507564447 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27). I would to God that everyone in the world would understand the magnitude and import of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ! Prior to His vicarious sacrifice on our behalf, the Bible says we were, “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). We were enemies of God. But blessed be God! Romans 5:10 says He reconciled us to Himself by the death of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:13-18 says, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Hallelujah! Jesus paid the price and brought us into peace and union with the Father. No wonder Paul declares in Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The word “peace” is from the Greek, “eirene.” It describes an end to hostilities. It means to be set at one. Through Christ Jesus, you've been set at one with God; you've come home in Him! There's no need to live in fear of judgment; Jesus has already taken the punishment for your sins. Isaiah 53:5 says, “…the chastisement of our peace was upon him…” (Isaiah 53:5). Hallelujah! Prayer Dear Father, I thank you for the message of reconciliation that has been committed to my trust. Through me, many in my world and in the regions beyond are coming to the knowledge of God, and into their inheritance in Christ; they're coming into the life of peace and union with the Father, free from condemnation, in Jesus' Name. Amen. Further Study: 1 Corinthians 4:1 Ephesians 3:8-9 To give towards sponsoring free copies please kindly click the below link https://buy.stripe.com/bIYcOj8vQepC3eM6op
Through Christ Jesus, we have complete forgiveness. God holds nothing against you.You can also watch Pastor Jeremy's Evening Encouragements on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3oKr4FWWant to keep in touch with Pastor Jeremy? Sign up to receive his periodic emails. https://timeofgrace.org/evening-encouragements-email/
God's Rest – is a teaching about how the world keeps turning, we keep running, and when do we get a chance to rest? Through Christ Jesus, we are offered many things from God. Some we desire such as riches, possessions, and houses on a hill. Others we only think about as an afterthought, such as peace, love, freedom, and rest. But if we don't have the latter, we will not enjoy the former. In what God offers us, it all comes down to getting to a place in the Lord, where our lives are at peace, and our bodies can be at rest. After doing all we can do in serving the Lord, what we long for in the end is plenty of peace, love, and rest for our souls. A time will come when our labor will no longer feel like work, but a part of who we are in Christ Jesus. At some point, we will rest from our labor, and go to rest with the Lord. God's rest is not just about this life, it's about our present life, and the life to come. God's rest will forever cover us. Our life will be at peace, our souls will be at rest in Christ, and we will be raised to eternal life.
Through Christ Jesus we have eternal life and fellowship God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit and the saints of God. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-veney0/support
There is only one way to worship God. Through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-veney0/support
God wants our best when we worship and praise Him. Through Christ Jesus we can. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-veney0/support
Through Christ Jesus, we can be restored after brokenness.
I hope that it will be interesting to you to share 14 verses that rang a bell for me this year. In collecting these verses, until recently I didn't plan on sharing these with you. Rather, this is more like letting you see verses I wanted to use to preach to myself. Stay tuned at the end. I would like YOU to share your favorites with me! Random:GW'20 Proverbs 29:2 2 When righteous people increase, the people ⌞of God⌟ rejoice, but when a wicked person rules, everybody groans. I've heard many groans this year. Remember, by the way, that when the nations of Israel and Judah sinned, one way that the Lord repeatedly punished them was by giving them bad kings. GW'20 2 Chronicles 26:16 16 But when he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. … My thought here is that some things have gone well in my life and ministry this year. But I pray that I can avoid pride, because it is such a trap and so dangerous. How King Uzziah must have regretted going into the temple to burn his own incense during all the remaining years of his life, excluded from visiting the temple, living in a separate house, and receiving reports of how his son was ruling in his place! PCF Ecclesiastes 10:1 1 One dead fly can make a whole bottle of perfume stink. Even so, a little foolishness can outweigh great wisdom and honor. I am at the place in my life where I want to finish well. I want to leave behind a good smell (so to speak) when people remember me. The word ‘foolishness' in Proverbs refers to bone-headed refusal to obey God. The last thing I want to do is to mess up at the finish line. A little stupidity at the end can leave a stench that obliterates a God-honoring testimony. GW'20 Proverbs 14:14 14 A heart that turns ⌞from God⌟ becomes bored with its own ways, but a good person is satisfied with God's ways. When I struggle with impure thoughts, it helps me to think that if I gave myself up to follow the cravings of my lower nature, my joy in that kind of a lifestyle would last about 10 minutes. Boredom would come so quickly, and eventually I am sure I would repent. But the resulting wound of remorse in my heart would never totally heal. Faith: PCF/GW Proverbs 23:17-18 17 Do not envy sinners in your heart. Instead, continue to fear the LORD.18 There is indeed a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed. I picked this verse to use in preaching to myself. I don't often envy sinners, but just the good fortunes of others. A powerful thing to remember when tempted to envy or lust is that I have a really fantastic future promised by God. The hoped for outcomes there are safe, in that place where moths and rust don't ruin things. Don't look back. Keep looking forward! The next verse tells us what we are gazing at. PCF/NLT 1 Peter 1:8-9 8 You love him,even though you have never seen Him.And even though you do not see Him,you believe in Himand celebrate with glorious joythat goes beyond anything words can say, 9 since you are receiving the proper goal of your faith,namely, the rescue of your lives. Love Him. Don't forget your rescue, and the privilege you have in knowing Jesus through all of God's Word. Keep hold of joy! PCF/GW Matthew 12:39 39A He responded, “The people of an evil and unfaithful era demand miraculous signs. … There is a reason why the Lord gives miracles sparingly. Miracles may help give someone's belief an initial nudge, but miracles never grow mature faith. People who seek to go from one miracle to another (if the Lord permits that to happen) continue to need to be spoon-fed. Most of the heroes of faith in chapter 11 of Hebrews did not receive what they trusted God for. They developed a faith that could stand any test Planning: NET Luke 14:28 28 Which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't sit down first and compute the cost? … This verse is leading up to Jesus' teaching about counting the cost of being his disciple. However, let me make a tangential point: Some people have gotten the idea that Christians shouldn't plan anything, but just be led by God without planning. I believe that this is totally false. A parent doesn't want to always have to tell his child to take a bath or to go to bed. God wants his children launched into this world prayerfully making their plans and moving ahead to complete them. GW'20 Proverbs 16:3 3 Entrust your efforts to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. Read that several times. So I ask you: What will happen if you don't make any plans? It's a good idea to pray! NET/PCF Matthew 7:11 11 If you then, though you are so sinful, know how to give good gifts to your children, just think how much more your Father in heaven will give good gifts to those who ask him! So I ask again: What will happen if you don't ask God for good gifts? (And by ‘gifts' I mean the answer to prayers about plans you have made for glorifying God in your life.) This is like NET Matthew 7:7 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. I'll pause in order for you to answer out loud. So what happens if you don't knock, don't seek, and don't ask?! ESV Hebrews 11:6 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. This is the foundation for receiving what you ask God for in prayer. GW'20 Matthew 6:6 6 Whenever you pray, go to your room and close the door. Pray privately to your Father who is with you. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you. After those other verses, I might as well follow the same pattern and ask: What will happen if you DON'T go into your private place and pray? There is a big promise there that I don't want to fail to cash in on! Consider: We are going before the Almighty King of the Universe. Through Christ Jesus, we have the wonderful privilege to be able to appear before God the Father and make our requests. I take this verse literally and urge you to do so also. That is, actually go into a private room, actually close the door. Realizing that you are entering the throne room of God, do what people did throughout the pages of the Bible: Humble yourself and be reverent! Get down at least on your knees (if you are physically able to do this) or even bow down lower. Pray. Then rejoice in that promise. ESV/PCF Psalms 145:18 18 The LORD is near to all who cry out to Him, to all who cry out sincerely. The ESV says, ‘to all who cry out in truth.' To me this means that we will not be just going through the motions, saying the right words, but not really meaning them. This is why I translate ‘in truth' as ‘sincerely'. Sincere prayer is also believing prayer, like James 1 tells us. I wrap up all that I have shared with this verse, Eccl 12:11. The ‘wise advisor' in this verse is Solomon, and definitely not me. However we can extend the idea to the Lord being the wisest advisor. The translation of this verse is my translation of how this verse comes out in the Plain Indonesian Translation. PET Eccl. 12:11 The teaching of a wise advisor is like a shepherd's stickthat is used to guide and direct his sheep.May every saying given by this advisor and shepherd be nailed into the mind of every learner and guide them in living rightly. Please pray for my visa to Indonesia to be granted, so that I can go there on November 2. If it is granted, I will need to quarantine for eight days in a hotel before being released to live like I normally do in Jakarta. Exciting things are happening there with the use of the Plain Indonesian New Testament. Sometime before the end of the year I want to publish a podcast with YOU reading your favorite verse from this year. Here's what to do: Use a voice recording app on your phone to record your favorite verse. Then say something about why that verse spoke to you. Try to limit your explanation to 3-5 sentences. I recommend going into an echo-free room, like maybe your clothes closet, and hold the phone away from where it will catch explosions of air when you say some words. Send the audio file to me at phil.fields@pbti.org. May the Lord bless you ‘real good'. Phil
I hope that it will be interesting to you to share 14 verses that rang a bell for me this year. In collecting these verses, until recently I didn't plan on sharing these with you. Rather, this is more like letting you see verses I wanted to use to preach to myself. Stay tuned at the end. I would like YOU to share your favorites with me! Random:GW'20 Proverbs 29:2 2 When righteous people increase, the people ⌞of God⌟ rejoice, but when a wicked person rules, everybody groans. I've heard many groans this year. Remember, by the way, that when the nations of Israel and Judah sinned, one way that the Lord repeatedly punished them was by giving them bad kings. GW'20 2 Chronicles 26:16 16 But when he became powerful, his pride destroyed him. … My thought here is that some things have gone well in my life and ministry this year. But I pray that I can avoid pride, because it is such a trap and so dangerous. How King Uzziah must have regretted going into the temple to burn his own incense during all the remaining years of his life, excluded from visiting the temple, living in a separate house, and receiving reports of how his son was ruling in his place! PCF Ecclesiastes 10:1 1 One dead fly can make a whole bottle of perfume stink. Even so, a little foolishness can outweigh great wisdom and honor. I am at the place in my life where I want to finish well. I want to leave behind a good smell (so to speak) when people remember me. The word ‘foolishness' in Proverbs refers to bone-headed refusal to obey God. The last thing I want to do is to mess up at the finish line. A little stupidity at the end can leave a stench that obliterates a God-honoring testimony. GW'20 Proverbs 14:14 14 A heart that turns ⌞from God⌟ becomes bored with its own ways, but a good person is satisfied with God's ways. When I struggle with impure thoughts, it helps me to think that if I gave myself up to follow the cravings of my lower nature, my joy in that kind of a lifestyle would last about 10 minutes. Boredom would come so quickly, and eventually I am sure I would repent. But the resulting wound of remorse in my heart would never totally heal. Faith: PCF/GW Proverbs 23:17-18 17 Do not envy sinners in your heart. Instead, continue to fear the LORD.18 There is indeed a future for you, and your hope will not be crushed. I picked this verse to use in preaching to myself. I don't often envy sinners, but just the good fortunes of others. A powerful thing to remember when tempted to envy or lust is that I have a really fantastic future promised by God. The hoped for outcomes there are safe, in that place where moths and rust don't ruin things. Don't look back. Keep looking forward! The next verse tells us what we are gazing at. PCF/NLT 1 Peter 1:8-9 8 You love him,even though you have never seen Him.And even though you do not see Him,you believe in Himand celebrate with glorious joythat goes beyond anything words can say, 9 since you are receiving the proper goal of your faith,namely, the rescue of your lives. Love Him. Don't forget your rescue, and the privilege you have in knowing Jesus through all of God's Word. Keep hold of joy! PCF/GW Matthew 12:39 39A He responded, “The people of an evil and unfaithful era demand miraculous signs. … There is a reason why the Lord gives miracles sparingly. Miracles may help give someone's belief an initial nudge, but miracles never grow mature faith. People who seek to go from one miracle to another (if the Lord permits that to happen) continue to need to be spoon-fed. Most of the heroes of faith in chapter 11 of Hebrews did not receive what they trusted God for. They developed a faith that could stand any test Planning: NET Luke 14:28 28 Which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn't sit down first and compute the cost? … This verse is leading up to Jesus' teaching about counting the cost of being his disciple. However, let me make a tangential point: Some people have gotten the idea that Christians shouldn't plan anything, but just be led by God without planning. I believe that this is totally false. A parent doesn't want to always have to tell his child to take a bath or to go to bed. God wants his children launched into this world prayerfully making their plans and moving ahead to complete them. GW'20 Proverbs 16:3 3 Entrust your efforts to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. Read that several times. So I ask you: What will happen if you don't make any plans? It's a good idea to pray! NET/PCF Matthew 7:11 11 If you then, though you are so sinful, know how to give good gifts to your children, just think how much more your Father in heaven will give good gifts to those who ask him! So I ask again: What will happen if you don't ask God for good gifts? (And by ‘gifts' I mean the answer to prayers about plans you have made for glorifying God in your life.) This is like NET Matthew 7:7 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. I'll pause in order for you to answer out loud. So what happens if you don't knock, don't seek, and don't ask?! ESV Hebrews 11:6 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. This is the foundation for receiving what you ask God for in prayer. GW'20 Matthew 6:6 6 Whenever you pray, go to your room and close the door. Pray privately to your Father who is with you. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you. After those other verses, I might as well follow the same pattern and ask: What will happen if you DON'T go into your private place and pray? There is a big promise there that I don't want to fail to cash in on! Consider: We are going before the Almighty King of the Universe. Through Christ Jesus, we have the wonderful privilege to be able to appear before God the Father and make our requests. I take this verse literally and urge you to do so also. That is, actually go into a private room, actually close the door. Realizing that you are entering the throne room of God, do what people did throughout the pages of the Bible: Humble yourself and be reverent! Get down at least on your knees (if you are physically able to do this) or even bow down lower. Pray. Then rejoice in that promise. ESV/PCF Psalms 145:18 18 The LORD is near to all who cry out to Him, to all who cry out sincerely. The ESV says, ‘to all who cry out in truth.' To me this means that we will not be just going through the motions, saying the right words, but not really meaning them. This is why I translate ‘in truth' as ‘sincerely'. Sincere prayer is also believing prayer, like James 1 tells us. I wrap up all that I have shared with this verse, Eccl 12:11. The ‘wise advisor' in this verse is Solomon, and definitely not me. However we can extend the idea to the Lord being the wisest advisor. The translation of this verse is my translation of how this verse comes out in the Plain Indonesian Translation. PET Eccl. 12:11 The teaching of a wise advisor is like a shepherd's stickthat is used to guide and direct his sheep.May every saying given by this advisor and shepherd be nailed into the mind of every learner and guide them in living rightly. Please pray for my visa to Indonesia to be granted, so that I can go there on November 2. If it is granted, I will need to quarantine for eight days in a hotel before being released to live like I normally do in Jakarta. Exciting things are happening there with the use of the Plain Indonesian New Testament. Sometime before the end of the year I want to publish a podcast with YOU reading your favorite verse from this year. Here's what to do: Use a voice recording app on your phone to record your favorite verse. Then say something about why that verse spoke to you. Try to limit your explanation to 3-5 sentences. I recommend going into an echo-free room, like maybe your clothes closet, and hold the phone away from where it will catch explosions of air when you say some words. Send the audio file to me at phil.fields@pbti.org. May the Lord bless you ‘real good'. Phil
Every day we have opportunity to learn more about God. How? Through Christ Jesus the Savior of mankind. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-veney0/support
It is possible to have God in our lives all of the time. Through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit it is possible --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-veney0/support
Through Christ Jesus our Lord we as His children are forever blessed because of His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Thank you Jesus!!! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-veney0/support
Psalm 91:14-16 MSG and NLT Don't Give Up but hold on the unchanging hand of God. Don't let people hinder you with their unbelief and negative words. but trust the living word of God and you will see the answer manifest it self right before your eyes. Through Christ Jesus.
Psalm 91:14-16 MSG and NLT Don't Give Up but hold on the unchanging hand of God. Don't let people hinder you with their unbelief and negative words. but trust the living word of God and you will see the answer manifest it self right before your eyes. Through Christ Jesus.
As God's children, we are confident that He loves us, watches, protects, and defends us. God is a strong tower, a place of defense for His children, so we can find true security in God. Many people go through life without enjoying this type of security. People pay a lot of money for security, but only God can make us secure and make us feel free from fear and anxiety. We find security in knowing we belong to God. We are married to God, so we don't walk alone. He is with us, and He is for us. He uses His divine power to provide all the security we need in life. Through Christ Jesus, we have everything we need, we are safe in His arms in His true Security!
As God's children, we are confident that He loves us, watches, protects, and defends us. God is a strong tower, a place of defense for His children, so we can find true security in God. Many people go through life without enjoying this type of security. People pay a lot of money for security, but only God can make us secure and make us feel free from fear and anxiety. We find security in knowing we belong to God. We are married to God, so we don't walk alone. He is with us, and He is for us. He uses His divine power to provide all the security we need in life. Through Christ Jesus, we have everything we need, we are safe in His arms in His true Security!
Galations 3 NLT read aloud by Simon MacFarlane. 1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ's death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. 3 How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? 4 Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it? 5 I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. 6 In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” 7 The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God. 8 What's more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. 10 But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God's Book of the Law.” 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” 12 This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.” 13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. 15 Dear brothers and sisters, here's an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. 16 God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn't say “to his children, ” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ. 17 This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise. 18 For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting God's promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise. 19 Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. 20 Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. [...]
Praising God is a critical part of receiving an answer to our prayers. Praise also demonstrate that we know that God is the Almighty Creator and supplier of all our needs. Through Christ Jesus. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/john-veney0/support
"Through Christ Jesus our High Priest, we have received a new covenant that gives us access to all God has for us" Enjoy JEZREEL Studio along with phenomenal worship music on TruthFM on Mondays from 8am - 9am PST at truthfmlive.com
Through Christ Jesus we have authority. "It's About Him Ministries" broadcast was given permission by Dr. Leonard Scott to use the song "Not About Us," for its intro and outro. This is a rerelease of a radio broadcast from 10/5/2017. Season 3 Episode 29
You don't have to play the role of victim in your life. God has already cast you as the hero of the story. Through Christ Jesus you are an overcomer and you are well able to conquer the storms of life. The victory starts with a Word. There is power in the spoken word of God. This is part 3 of the series - The God Life. Visit our site today: kingdomrock.org
You don't have to play the role of victim in your life. God has already cast you as the hero of the story. Through Christ Jesus you are an overcomer and you are well able to conquer the storms of life. The victory starts with a Word. There is power in the spoken word of God. This is part 3 of the series - The God Life. Visit our site today: kingdomrock.org
You don't have to play the role of victim in your life. God has already cast you as the hero of the story. Through Christ Jesus you are an overcomer and you are well able to conquer the storms of life. The victory starts with a Word. There is power in the spoken word of God. This is part 3 of the series - The God Life. Visit our site today: kingdomrock.org
Message By Pastor Paul Earle. We have victory wherever we go but the enemy is trying to coax us into accepting losing in our lives. Through Christ Jesus we have victory over anything the enemy would throw at us. Rest in the fact that GOD is for you so no one can stand against you and win.
Message By Pastor Paul Earle. We have victory wherever we go but the enemy is trying to coax us into accepting losing in our lives. Through Christ Jesus we have victory over anything the enemy would throw at us. Rest in the fact that GOD is for you so no one can stand against you and win.
It's About God – is teaching about making it about God and not self. I remember when I gave my life to the Lord. I thought it was all about me, the things I wanted, and how God would bless all my plans. In seeking God, I became a religious-minded person, because I focused on giving a little, to receive a lot from God. I made it about me, and not God. Then the Lord opened my eyes, we are like grass in the field, here today, gone tomorrow, so how can this be about us? The Lord changed my focus from what I can receive, to what I can do and give to please the Lord, for it all comes from him. Through Christ Jesus each one of us has been purchased for a price, we could not pay. We are not our own, we belong to God, to do as he please. In applying God's Word, we can see this is about pleasing God, and not about pleasing self. It's all about God, it's all about his Son Christ Jesus. We must find ourselves in Christ Jesus because that is how we become something important to God. It's not within ourselves, but us being in the Son. This understanding will change everything. It changes our thoughts, our desires, our hopes, our dreams, and motives to pleasing God more and more, so we can partake of the Lord, and receive what God is offering in through Christ Jesus.
As it is in Heaven III In the Book of Acts there is a record of the encounter of Saul of Tarsus with the Lord from Heaven. Here was where Paul lost his sight. He physically lost his sight, and later his eyes were opened. To me this is speaking of Saul losing his earthly sight and seeing from the Lord from Heaven. He saw a Light from Heaven who was brighter than the sun. This speaks volumes to me. From here Saul would change his name to Paul, speaking of a new creation. This is what Paul saw in the Light from Heaven, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. He saw a New Creation. Jesus said to Paul, “Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?” Who art thou LORD. I am Jesus whom thou persecutes.” Saul was carrying orders regarding the Church. He was persecuting the Church. He was persecuting the Lord’s Body. The Lord’s Body, the Church is a Heavenly Vision. That is seeing from Heaven. Seeing that the Church is not an institution, not simply a gathering, a building or meeting, but the divine Body of the Lord Jesus Himself is seeing from Heaven. If we saw this, we would nourish one another in the knowledge of the Lord. There would be great unity, because we see through Him. We would not see Baptist and Pentecostal, Lutheran or Episcopal. We would see the Body of the Lord. Hear this. The Church, His Body is a Heavenly position. You were not the Body of Christ by natural birth. You are His Body by the Spirit. Everything of the Spirit is Heavenly. Through Christ Jesus you and I who are His are living in the Heavenly Realm, above principalities and powers. We are living through Christ. We are to be the exhibiting of Christ in the earth. We are His Body. Glory to God!
An introduction to the five-fold gifts as identified in Ephesians 4:11. To be formed by Christ as a mature body that can serve, speak, and most importantly listen for God's will, presence, and guidance, we have been given by Jesus Himself five gifts. These have been well studied but not well utilized by the church body - and thus unity seems more and more impossible today. Through Christ Jesus as our primary instructor, though, along with some help from theologians like Alan Hirsch (5Q) and Mark Sayers (Reappearing Church) we can begin to learn, recurve, and equip ourselves to be one as the Father, Son, and Spirit are One. This is the beginning of an exploratory series of the 5Q... the APEST.Intro Music: Bethel, Without Words, "Angels." 2013
God has committed Himself to guide those who follow Him. Through Christ Jesus we have a wonderful purpose and destiny to be fulfilled step by step. All who truly desire and seek His guidance will certainly have it, even in the most difficult circumstances"Because There Is A War For Your Soul"
JUDGES 6-7:Yesterday we heard the story of Deborah and Barak. (Say, that name sounds familiar!) Barak doesn't get the glory for his notable defeat of Israel's enemy, Sisera. Instead the crowning glory goes to a woman named Jael, who happened to see a new use for a tent peg. The poem in chapter 5 includes taunts to Israel's tribes who ‘sat on their hands’ and didn't get involved in the war. PSALM 81:This poem has a mysterious part in verse 5, where an unknown voice (or perhaps ‘language’) speaks to us. But immediately afterward the unknown voice clearly belongs God, who speaks in the first person to us. GALATIANS 3:Review 2:17-21 in the PET: 17 But there are Jews who believe in Christ who still don’t understand the way we are made right in God’s sight— which is only through union with Christ. For them, if we no longer depend on the Law to become right in God’s sight, we’ve become ‘sinners’. That’s definitely wrong! Becoming a follower of Christ definitely doesn’t mean that we’ve become ‘sinners’! 18 For we in the past taught, “Let’s become right in God’s sight by depending on Christ.” If we now teach, “Turn away from Christ and depend on the Law again,” it becomes very evident that we really are ‘sinners’! 19 And this is what I’ve experienced: When I tried in my own strength to obey the whole Law, I finally realized that I’m not able to do it, and would die in my sin. But it was in that despair that I realized the gift of God through Christ— which is eternal life. Now I consider that I’ve been crucified with Christ. 20 That means that I no longer control my life, but Christ is the One who is living in and through me. Now I live my whole life in this worldly body only through believing in the Son of God, who loved me so much that He gave Himself to redeem me. 21 So I reject turning away from the kindness of God which we receive through our union with Christ in order to go back to working to be made right in God's sight based on the Law. For if we suppose that mankind can be made right by obeying the Law, then it was useless for Christ to die for us! GNT Translation notes:[I have explained before that faith and believe are the same thing in Greek, just the noun and verb form of the same root (pistis). Faith has taken on all kinds of fuzzy and wrong meaning in modern English usage. To maintain Paul’s persistent use of the same term, in the reading today, I will read all instances of ‘faith’ as ‘believing’ or ‘belief’. The verses where I have read with this substitution in chapter 3 are 6-8, 11-12, 14, and 22-26.]Gal. 3:7 GNT You should realize, then, that the real [sons//descendants] of Abraham are the people who [believe like he did//have faith].[We will see in chapter 4 that Paul uses the legal Roman law term for the adoption of sons. Even women get adopted and have rights equal to sons.]Gal. 3:20 [PET However, in the case of God acting alone in giving his promise to Abraham, God Himself gave it directly without an intermediary.//GNT But a go-between is not needed when only one person is involved; and God is one.]22 [PET Moreover the Scripture says that sin has control over the lives of all men.* So the only way to be saved is by fully believing in Christ Jesus, and through believing, we receive the blessing that God promised to Abraham.//GNT But the scripture says that the whole world is under the power of sin; and so the gift which is promised on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ is given to those who believe.*Ps. 14:3, 53:4; Rom. 3:9-19] 26 It is through [believing in Christ Jesus//faith] that all of you are God's [sons//children] [and united to Him// in union with Christ Jesus]. NLT Translation notes:Gal. 3:1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast [this/an] evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. 3 How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives [with the power of//in] the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?6 In the same way, “Abraham [fully] believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his [believing/faith].”[Here is a good example showing the reason for why I change NLT’s noun ‘faith’ to the verb ‘fully believe’. Faith has come to have too many un-biblical meanings in our culture! One could easily think— given the text before, that ‘faith’ was something different (or mystical) than the verb ‘believe’ just above in the same sentence. They are NOT different. In Greek the two are simply the verb and noun form of the same verb. Compare verse 14.]7 The real [sons//children] of Abraham, then, are those who [fully believe//put their faith] in God.[Similarly for ‘faith’ in 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 23, 24, and 26. We will see in chapter 4 that Paul uses the legal Roman law term for the adoption of sons. Even women get adopted and have rights equal to sons.]14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through [fully believing//faith].[Here is another place where both the verb and noun form (believe/faith) occur in the same verse. We don’t receive the Holy Spirit by some vague and mystical faith, but by believing in clear content.] 26 For you are all [sons//children] of God through [believing//faith] in Christ Jesus.27 And all who have been [joined/united] with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.
God has committed Himself to guide those who follow Him. Through Christ Jesus we have a wonderful purpose and destiny to be fulfilled step by step. All who truly desire and seek His guidance will certainly have it, even in the most difficult circumstances"Because There Is A War For Your Soul"
Through Christ Jesus, the Great Creator is our Faithful Father.--1. The Great Creator.-2. Our Faithful Father.
Willing Vessel – is a teaching about what it means to become a willing vessel of Christ Jesus. We all come out of the world, which has shaped us into an unwilling vessel, unusable by God. We chased our own ways, plans, and beliefs. The Lord through his power, strength, and authority calls us and then he breaks and mold us into a new creation, like clay, into a useful vessel for God. Through Christ Jesus you and I can be made into a willing and holy vessel of God, established in the Lord. If we remain an unwilling vessel, though the Lord has called us, we will be unchangeable, disobedient, and prideful and we teach others to be the same. But if we allow the Lord to examine us, to see reveal what makes us so unwilling to obey, unwilling to be led by the Lord, unwilling to give our lives to God. Then through the loving, kind, and sturdy hand of God, we are transformed from an unwilling vessel to a willing vessel. This process will take time, patience, and endurance on our part to receive all the Lord wants to change about us. It takes time to prepare and reshape us, time to remove the old, the bad, and replace it with the good God intended. We need to be made over, shaped and molded into a useful vessel for God, useful for his purpose and will.
"Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." - Romans 8:2-4.Scripture Reading - Acts 15:1-11.Sunday morning message by pastor Danny Groening. Part 5 of series "Every Wind of Doctrine".
The LORD'S Promise of Increase More and More.May the LORD give you increase more and more, You and your children.Psalms 115:14 This promise of a great increase was in accordance with what God revealed to His People, which He repeated the Promise made to the Fathers Beginning with Abraham: God brought Abram outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And you are Abraham's heir, if you Belong to Christ. Genesis 15:5 Galatians 3:29. (Genesis 15:5; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12)Thus Abraham believed in and trusted in and relied on God, and it was counted and placed to his account and credited as righteousness as conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action. (Genesis 15:6, Galatians 3:6)Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.For you belong to Christ, so you too are Abraham's seed, and an heir according to the promise God made to Abraham. Galatians 3:29 The blessing shall be not only on you, but it shall go down to future generations, You and your children.Yes, you have be blessed of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth! Psalm 115:15 1. You Are the Blessed with increase more and more because you are a Child of God through Faith IN CHRIST Jesus.Yes, Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed us with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.Galatians 3:14 Christ purchased your freedom, He Redeemed you; so that through your receiving Christ Jesus, God has blessed you with the same blessing He promised to Abraham which has now come upon you, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:14 2. You Are the Blessed with increase more and more because you really are God's child, God has sent the Holy Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, Abba (Father)! Father! Galatians 4:6 Your Heavenly Father has given the Holy Spirit to you. Jesus asked the Father, to give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), and that He may remain with you forever– “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you know him, because He lives with you now and in you.Luke 11:13, John 14:16-17The Spirit Himself Who testifies together with our own spirit, assuring us that we are children of God. (Romans 8:16)SEE WHAT an incredible quality of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him. 1 John 3:1 Most assuredly, God has Blessed You with Every Spiritual Blessing in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:3) In Christ Jesus whom you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.Ephesians 1:13-14 3. You Are the Blessed with increase more and more because God makes all grace - every favor and earthly blessing - come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient, possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. 2 Corinthians 9:8 The LORD Increases you more more to be a Blessing to Others to Bring Him Glory. For God provides and increases your resources more and more, to produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Thus, He enriches you in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and your generosity as it is administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:11)And when They receive the increase and gifts Need to buy them, they will thank God. 4. You Are the Blessed with increase more and more because you know God is behind the increase. You are a fellow workmen (joint promoters, laborers together) with and for God;1 Corinthians 3:9 God is Who giving you the increase more and more calm He is Who is making it grow and He gave the increase. So, is not by the works of your hand; but God only Who makes the increase grow and become greater. (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)He who did not withhold or spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, He also with Him freely and graciously give us all things. Romans 8:32 Thus, We are assured and know that God being a partner in our labor all things work together and are fitting into a plan for good to and for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
"The Worst of Sinners” Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28 & I Timothy 1:12-17 What if God through Christ had given grace to Usama Bin Laden. How would you respond? Today is September 11, commonly referred to as nine-eleven or 911. Because of the events that took place on this day 18 years ago, Bin Laden was certainly considered by many the worst of sinners. But can the worst of sinners be given God’s grace? Our lectionary reading takes us to the scripture where the worst of sinners, Paul the Apostle, tells us how Christ treated him, the worst of sinners. In this message we will learn what God does for the worst of sinners and why he does it. It is a hopeful message for those who are fools, people who don’t know God (Jer. 4:22), to be encouraged to believe. We have all been fools through our ignorance and unbelief. Yet God offers us hope by not destroying us completely in his wrath, but appointing us to salvation in Jesus Christ. Christ takes the unrelenting wrath of God in all of its scorching heat, wind, and darkness, upon himself. Christ suffers the destruction of God’s wrath so that we are not destroyed. Through Christ Jesus, the forgiveness given to the worst of sinners shows every child of God the unlimited patience of Christ is with them in their battle against sin. This is the good news of the gospel, that is able to save a terrorist.
This Is The New You 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.” You Are Free From Your Past Romans 8:1 “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” You Have Power 1 John 4:4 “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Luke 10:19-20 “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” You Are Blessed Galatians 3:13-14 “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing…Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham.”
Jehovah-Jireh – Hearing God’s Provision Hearing God’s voice has been part of the focus within our local fellowship the last few weeks. In the story of Abraham and Isaac, God’s purpose for mankind is set forth. Isaac is a promised Son. Israel becomes God’s holy nation coming out of the promised Son. In type and shadow this nation was brought forth through Isaac’s resurrection from the dead, which is declared in Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11:17-19 “By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he did also in a figure receive him back.” We who are in Christ are not in figure, but in reality. Our new birth is in and through His resurrection. Through Christ Jesus we are raised out from the dead (dead in Adam) and brought forth to be a people unto God. Peter calls us a chosen generation, a royal priesthood. The priesthood that we are is of the Lord Jesus Christ. We minister Him, His death, burial and resurrection. Our living in the earth is to be unto God in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have life. Our new life is Christ Himself. This is the glorious relationship we have come to. Now when I look back at Genesis and the story of Abraham and Isaac, I want us to consider that Abraham heard God. Now he did not just hear God within the confines of Abrahams wants and wishes, but Abraham heard God according to His purpose, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” I believe many believers struggle to hear God because they are simply trying to hear Him only as it relates to themselves. For example, generally when we pray “thy will be done,” we are still praying about something concerning us. We are not necessarily asking God what His will is, His will period. What we are usually asking is God’s will for our situations, circumstances, etc. Once we turn our hearts to hear God’s will and purpose, I believe it opens the door to a continuous hearing and seeing of the Spirit of God. What is God’s will and purpose is where we must turn our hearts, minds, and focus to. Notice I did not say what is His will and purpose for our lives. I mean what is His will and purpose period! This is exciting folks, because it is here that I believe God wants to speak within the core of or being. Ephesians 1 declares that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Here, I believe is where we find His will and purpose, in His Only Son Jesus Christ. Here is where we must be found, just as Paul wrote to the Philippians, “that I may be found in Him.” I believe when God made the earth, and ultimately mankind He was looking into Christ and what He was going to do in and through Him. All of God’s movement and declarations upon the earth were according to Christ, from the time He said, “Let there be light,” to the birth of Jesus Christ in the manger. God was moving and speaking toward His purpose. Jesus profoundly declared that the scripture speaks of Him. Now God is revealing the very light he was speaking of, in our hearts as He reveals Christ in us. Christ who is the light. Even the natural light that gave light to mankind upon the earth was speaking and declaring the coming light of the Lord Jesus Christ. We who are in Him, can now walk in God’s glorious light. We can walk and see by Him, and no longer be in the shadows, but declare the Eternal Light to the earth. We can make known God’s purposes as we see Jesus in the Light of understanding given of God! Blessing to all!
This Is Part 3, in a series on “Studying The Bible” in which we explore the critical need for Christians to know and understand doctrine for themselves instead of relying on someone else’s knowledge. In this segment we show how victory over sin comes from both the Holy Spirit AND meditating on God’s Word. YES! Lasting victory IS possible! You are an overcomer THROUGH Christ Jesus our Lord! ALL things are possible through Christ Jesus who strengthen you! In John 15, Jesus spoke of the need to abide in His Word, in order to be fruitful and the Psalmist David declares, “I have hidden Thy Word in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” There is life giving power in the Word of God!
Archives Listen to the Prayer Audio: Heavenly Father, It is an honor to serve You in this Army of Prayer Warriors. We are Yours and we look to You for all that we need and have as only source. We trust and believe that You will fulfill in us all that You have planned for us to be a part of in our day. That Your Kingdom come here in America and on the earth as it is in heaven. We come to You, Father in a spirit of repentance to make sure that there is not defilement in us or sinful tendency that would hinder our prayers and give the enemy a foothold to stop us in our march to victory that You have planned for us. We know Lord that when we place all of our past and any stain of sin at the foot of You Son's Cross we are cleansed and made new by His Sacred Blood! So we can before You without guilt, shame, embarrassment or condemnation, free to worship You in spirit and truth. Thank You for loving us and doing so in this present moment! We are Yours and we are so grateful. Keep us alert and aware to always do all for Your Glory so that the Kingdom come now on the land here in America and all nations who turn to You for their source! Father at this time shield us from all the plots, schemes and trickery that the enemy attempts to bring against us. May all confusion, resistance, anxiety and disunity remain in his camp and may all those who are aligned with him be exposed and bring their shame before us so we know that there is a separation of those who are Yours from those who are his and no one sits on the fence but is truly committed to being Yours! Father we now intercede first of all for those whom You have anointed to lead usin this time! All those who stand for righteousness and truth and are committed to serve us here in America as the Christian nation we were established to be by our fore fathers and mothers through their sacrifice and blood, sweat and tears! So Father, we place before You our President Donald Trump, his family and all those in his administration and office holders in our government that they will truly bring forth the Plan You have for America as it has been revealed through Your prophets of our day! Bless them with Wisdom from Your Holy Spirit so that they may discern and act properly to bring Justice to the land and that those systems that are corrupt and condemned by You be destroyed and abolished like the 501 c 3 and all the evil tax codes and rules and regulations that hinder our freedom and especially rule over our assemblies of worship. Lord we are a free people and we have a Constitution and a Declaration that is based on Your Scriptures and we are here to live under it and want no other laws like Sharia or any other foreign rules or laws to interfere with our way of life! May all of our leaders especially our judges from the Supreme Court to any court in the land be ruled by our laws and not the whims or bribes that make us slaves. Father we repent of all the division and resistance that pervades in our America from all those who lead us into one world order, one world religion and all other forms that bring us under the Luciferian influence of the globalists and those who hate what America truly is a Light shining on a Hill to help and rescue all those who hunger to be free and live lives under Justice and truth not tyrrany, and all the evil isms that enslave people! Through Christ Jesus we strike at the snake who squeezes the life out of people and set them free to live under the Good News of Your Kingdom come! Let the Hammer of Justice smash those who will not repent and turn from their evil ways! Give us Liberty in Christ now throughout the earth! Father, You build strong character in us through our repentance and turning from ways that lead us away from You! We recognize because of the convicting power of the Holy Spirit any sin or defilement that hinders us and repent of it by fa...
11-11-18 - Faith Over Fear - That Your Hand Would Be With Me - Scotty Gibbons 1 Chron 4:9-10 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. (NKJV) Galatians 3:9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. (NLT) Galatians 3:14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. (NLT) Genesis 12:1–3 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (NLT) 1. Supernatural guidance Genesis 12:1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. (NIV) 2. Supernatural blessings Genesis 12:2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (NIV) 3. Supernatural intervention a. Fully surrendered people listen to God’s voice. Genesis 12:1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. (NIV) b. Fully surrendered people go when God says go. Genesis 12:4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. (NIV) c. Fully surrendered people go where God says go. d. Fully surrendered people give when God says give.
11-11-18 - Faith Over Fear - That Your Hand Would Be With Me - Scotty Gibbons 1 Chron 4:9-10 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. (NKJV) Galatians 3:9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. (NLT) Galatians 3:14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. (NLT) Genesis 12:1–3 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (NLT) 1. Supernatural guidance Genesis 12:1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. (NIV) 2. Supernatural blessings Genesis 12:2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (NIV) 3. Supernatural intervention a. Fully surrendered people listen to God’s voice. Genesis 12:1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. (NIV) b. Fully surrendered people go when God says go. Genesis 12:4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. (NIV) c. Fully surrendered people go where God says go. d. Fully surrendered people give when God says give.
Faith Over Fear: God, Bless Me Indeed, 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. (NKJV) 1. God wants to bless your life Galatians 3:9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. (NLT) Galatians 3:14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. (NLT) Genesis 12:1–3 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (NLT) 1. I will make you into a great nation Proverbs 20:7 The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them. (NIV) 2. I will bless you Genesis 13:2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. (NIV) 3. Make your name great 4. You will be a blessing to others 5. I will bless those who bless you 6. I will curse those who curse you 7. All families on earth will be blessed through you 3 Keys to Being Blessed Indeed 1. You must believe God wants to bless you Romans 4:3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (NIV) Galatians 3:5–7 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. (NIV) Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (NIV) Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (NKJV) Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV) 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (NIV) Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (NIV) 2. You need to ask God to bless you James 4:2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (NIV) Matt 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (NIV) 3. You must have the right motives when you ask God to bless you James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (NIV) Proverbs 16:2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. (NIV) 1. When you ask God to bless you, so you can bless others 1 Timothy 6:17–18 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. (NLT) 2. When you ask God to bless you, so you can advance his kingdom 1 Timothy 2:3–4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (NIV) 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. (NKJV) 1. God wants to bless your life Galatians 3:9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. (NLT) Galatians 3:14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. (NLT) Genesis 12:1–3 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (NLT) 1. I will make you into a great nation Proverbs 20:7 The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them. (NIV) 2. I will bless you Genesis 13:2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. (NIV) 3. Make your name great 4. You will be a blessing to others 5. I will bless those who bless you 6. I will curse those who curse you 7. All families on earth will be blessed through you 3 Keys to Being Blessed Indeed 1. You must believe God wants to bless you Romans 4:3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (NIV) Galatians 3:5–7 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. (NIV) Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (NIV) Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (NKJV) Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV) 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (NIV) Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (NIV) 2. You need to ask God to bless you James 4:2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (NIV) Matt 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (NIV) 3. You must have the right motives when you ask God to bless you James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (NIV) Proverbs 16:2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. (NIV) 1. When you ask God to bless you, so you can bless others 1 Timothy 6:17–18 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. (NLT) 2. When you ask God to bless you, so you can advance his kingdom 1 Timothy 2:3–4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (NIV)
Faith Over Fear: God, Bless Me Indeed, 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. (NKJV) 1. God wants to bless your life Galatians 3:9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. (NLT) Galatians 3:14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. (NLT) Genesis 12:1–3 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (NLT) 1. I will make you into a great nation Proverbs 20:7 The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them. (NIV) 2. I will bless you Genesis 13:2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. (NIV) 3. Make your name great 4. You will be a blessing to others 5. I will bless those who bless you 6. I will curse those who curse you 7. All families on earth will be blessed through you 3 Keys to Being Blessed Indeed 1. You must believe God wants to bless you Romans 4:3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (NIV) Galatians 3:5–7 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. (NIV) Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (NIV) Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (NKJV) Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV) 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (NIV) Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (NIV) 2. You need to ask God to bless you James 4:2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (NIV) Matt 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (NIV) 3. You must have the right motives when you ask God to bless you James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (NIV) Proverbs 16:2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. (NIV) 1. When you ask God to bless you, so you can bless others 1 Timothy 6:17–18 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. (NLT) 2. When you ask God to bless you, so you can advance his kingdom 1 Timothy 2:3–4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (NIV) 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain." 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested. (NKJV) 1. God wants to bless your life Galatians 3:9 So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith. (NLT) Galatians 3:14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. (NLT) Genesis 12:1–3 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (NLT) 1. I will make you into a great nation Proverbs 20:7 The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them. (NIV) 2. I will bless you Genesis 13:2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. (NIV) 3. Make your name great 4. You will be a blessing to others 5. I will bless those who bless you 6. I will curse those who curse you 7. All families on earth will be blessed through you 3 Keys to Being Blessed Indeed 1. You must believe God wants to bless you Romans 4:3 What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (NIV) Galatians 3:5–7 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. (NIV) Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (NIV) Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (NKJV) Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV) 2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (NIV) Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (NIV) 2. You need to ask God to bless you James 4:2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (NIV) Matt 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (NIV) 3. You must have the right motives when you ask God to bless you James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (NIV) Proverbs 16:2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. (NIV) 1. When you ask God to bless you, so you can bless others 1 Timothy 6:17–18 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. (NLT) 2. When you ask God to bless you, so you can advance his kingdom 1 Timothy 2:3–4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (NIV)
Everyone struggles with doubt and sin at various times. We experience the war within: the conflict between the good we want to do and the evil we do. Paul identifies with our struggle when he cries, “Who will rescue me?” But he concludes with–God has! Through Christ Jesus we can have hope as we humbly […]
Genesis 12:2 (NLT) 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others Genesis 17:4,7-9 (NLT) 4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! 7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.” 9 Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant... Galatians 3:13-14 (NLT) 13 But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith. Genesis 24:1 (NKJV) Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the Lord ha d blessed Abraham in all things Jesus didn’t die so you can kind of be blessed, or mostly be blessed, but blessed in all things Deuteronomy 28:12-13 (NCV) 12 The Lord will open up his heavenly storehouse so tha t the skie s send rain on your la nd at the right time, and he will bless everything you do. You will lend to other nations, but you will not need to borrow from them. 13 The Lord will make you like the head and not like the tail; you will be on top an d not on bottom. But you must obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, being careful to keep them. Points: ● Say Yes to the Call ● Lifestyle of Sacrifice ● Dedicated to a Life of Character Isaiah 61:7 (NIV) 7 Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
Be Strong on the LORD and be Empowered through your Union with Him; draw your strength from Him that strength which His boundless might provides. And be not grieved and depressed, for the JOY of the LORD your strength and stronghold. (Ephesians 6:10, Nehemiah 8:10)Yes, be courageous, and firm; fear not nor be in terror before them, for it is the Lord your God Who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you.It is the Lord Who goes before you; He will [march] with you; He will not fail you or let you go or forsake you; [let there be no cowardice or flinching, but] fear not, neither become broken [in spirit–depressed, dismayed, and unnerved with alarm. (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8)Nevertheless I am continually with You; You do hold my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to honor and glory. (Psalm 73:23-24)Through Christ Jesus, thervefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. (Hebrews 13:15, Lev 7:12; Isa 57:19; Hos 14:2)“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11,Acts 2:25-28, 31)Offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving and rehearse God's deeds with shouts of joy and singing! (Psalm 107:22)God tells you in Psalms 103:1-4 to:Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: (Psalms 103:1-2)Who forgives [every one of ALL your iniquities, Who heals each one of all your diseases, Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption and death, Who iiiibeautifies, dignifies, and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy; Who satisfies your mouth your necessity and desire at your personal age and situation with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle's, so yiu are strong, overcoming, soaring! (Psalm 103:3-5, Isa 40:31)NUTURE well your Thankfulness and Forget Not ALL the Wonderful Benefits and Help the LORD gives to you. In fact, the Lords Wondrous Help is your source of Joy.Joy comes as a result of being aware of and recognizing God's Grace, His Extended Favor Leaning toward you to share His Benefit. God freely extending Himself, His Grace and Favor; because He is dispose to Bless (Be Near) You, His child.GOD'S GRACE, HIS UNEARNED, UNDESERVED FAVOR and SPIRITUAL BLESSING and TRUTH came through Jesus Christ. For Out His Abundance you share and were supplied with one GRACE after another and SPIRITUAL BLESSING upon SPIRITUAL BLESSING, even FAVOR upon Favor and GIFT upon Gift.-Jn 1:16-17Joy has its source in gratitude and thankfulness of heart together. For God provides your joy as His Fruit, so you know the Great Gladness Of His Joy that can only be brought about by Him.It's good to express gratitude and thanks to God from whom you've received all blessings wisdom and understanding. Who gives you the Grace to help in your time of need. Gives you mercy for your failures.Remember that God is the source from whom all blessings flow. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.Ken, Thomas, D.D. 1674Praise and Thank him frequently throughout the day. This will nurture your soul and your spirit and complete your job. It also enhances your relationship with him, providing you an easy way to draw near to him just as it says in Psalms 100:MAKE A joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing! Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. (Eph. 2:10) Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations. (Psalm 100:1-5)As a child of God you have received his gift of grace, unheard, undeserved favor. And no one and no set of circumstances strip you have the lavish gifts of grace he has bestowed upon you. You belong to God for ever ask complexion Mark nothing and all creation can separate you from his great love for you. (Romans 8:38-39)When you AWAKEN EACH MORNING say,Thank You, Jesus, for a NEW Day of Life and Being with me ALWAYS. Then be on the LOOKOUT for His BLESSINGS throughout your Day, that He Prepared for you, to Encourage with His Presence and Overflowing Grace, His Indescribable Gift to you.-2 Cor 9:14-15I pray this day brings you great comfort in believing that God has great things in store for you today, and that he is with you and he is your helper and everything that you do.
Praise the LORD! Great is the LORD and Great is His Power; For the Kingdom of God is not Based on Mere Talk but Power!-Ps 147:3, 1 Cor 4:20Praise to the Lord – is what you offer to acknowledge God's greatness, power, might, the menu, grace, strength, power, salvation, redemption, as well as all his attributes, fruits and gifts. You praise God for everything, and all things great and small.Praise always exalts the very being of God and his attributes. Just as David said so what is and you:The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower.I will call upon the Lord, Who is to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. (Psalm 18:2-3)You call to the LORD, Who is worthy of All Praise. Who formed you for Himself, to set forth His Praise and that is what you shall do. (Isaiah 43:21) But How do you Praise?Through Christ Jesus, literally, "successfully" across to the other side on account of Christ, by virtue of you being in Christ Jesus, Christ carries your praises before the Father as thank offering.Therefore, no matter the situation or circumstance we are to continue and constantly and it all Times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of our lips thankfully technology and confessing and Glorifying His Name. (Hebrews 13:15) Praise originates from the love of God being shed abroad in your heart. Because God first loved you, you love him and praise him for his unconditional, unfeeling, never ending sacrificial love for you.As a born again believer you having God living in you are loved by God, so you love God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your strength and all that is within. (Deuteronomy 6:5)Love born from your relationship with God through Jesus Christ, is the origination of your praise.God is your Help! Praise Him for what He has Promised! Praise His Word; Confidently Lean and a Rely on God, He is Faithful.-Ps 56:4,119:68When the World is Getting you Down, Rest in the LORD and the Power of His Might. Tell Him what is on your mind, He will Help you.-Heb 13:6Blessed are you Who Takes Time to Rest in God's Presence and Worship Him; Singing His Praises all the day long. Selah!-Ps 84:4 #PraiseGodGod is Continually with me; He Holds my Right Hand, He Guides me by His Spirit. God is the Rock and Strength off my Heart.-Ps 73:23-26It is Good for me to Draw Near to God; for I have Put my Trust in the Lord God, He is my Refuge, I Telling All the Works He Does.-Ps 73:28MAKE A Joyful Noise to the LORD, All His children! Serve the LORD with Gladness! Come into His Presence with singing! He is God!-Ps 100:1-3PRAISE THE Lord! It is Good to Sing Praises to my God, for He is Gracious and Lovely. Praising God Directs my Attention to Him.-Ps 147:1Honor God, Ascribe Glory and Strength to His Holy Name Visible and Invisible, Give Him the Glory Due to His Name. Worship Holy God.-Ps 29:2 Your Praise to God expresses outwardly what God is doing inwardly and through you in your thoughts, and everyday actions. Praise is an act of holy worship unto God. The easiest way to begin is to praise God for who He is to you, personally. He is your Lord and Savior and Father, who never leaves you nor for sexual. He is always with you and helping and God and all the affairs of life.Proclaim that God is Good without measure; abundant in mercy and overflowing with grace for you in every situation and circumstance of life.
As of publishing, this coming Sunday is Pentecost, so we thought it would be great to have a conversation about Pentecost, and the role of the Holy Spirit in Evangelism. You can listen to the podcast and follow the notes below.What is Pentecost?In the Jewish calendar (see Leviticus 23), Pentecost is the “Feast of Weeks”. It's held 50 days after “Firstfruits.” At “Firstfruits” you have tasted the goodness of the coming crop. At “Pentecost” the harvest comes in.In the New Testament, Jesus rose on the day of “Firstfruits”. He was the Seed who went into the ground (on Good Friday) and came up again (on Easter Sunday). His new life guarantees a rich harvest of resurrection.The first ever Pentecost happened in Exodus – 50 days after the Israelites came out of Egypt. On that day Moses came down from the mountain with the law and he judged idolatrous Israel. 3000 people died on that first Pentecost. In Acts 2, the Spirit comes down from on high and brings life – on that day 3000 people are reborn!What does Acts 2 teach us about the Spirit?The Spirit comes through the Word – especially preached. (v14ff)The Spirit is associated with the last days (v17).The Spirit is the triune life of God poured out (v33).The Spirit is a gift for the unworthy (v38).What does the rest of the Bible teach about the Holy Spirit?The Spirit is the LIFE of God.The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4)The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you – they are full of the Spirit and life. (John 6:63)Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)If Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10)And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:11) What does the Spirit do in the life of God?1. He joyfully declares the Father's overflowing love:You are my Son who I love, with you I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:16-17)2. He joyfully declares the Son's glad dependence:At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. (Luke 10:21)3. He gives life to the SonThrough the Spirit of holiness [Jesus] was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead (Romans 1:4). What does the Spirit do in our life?1. He joyfully declares the Father's overflowing love to us:God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5)2. He joyfully declares our love as sons back to the Father:The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.' (Romans 8:15)3. He gives life to us If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:11) Everything that the Spirit is in God's life, He becomes in our life! The Spirit sweeps us up into the Son's communion with the Father. By Him we “participate in the divine nature”! (2 Peter 1:4)Support the show
Diving into faith Brent Phillips – Encounter Houston Galatians 3:14 "Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith." Faith is the currency of the kingdom of God. Faith makes the exchanges possible. If we come to God with doubt and disbelief we will not see the kingdom of God coming forth. We must come to Him with faith. Faith is what allows us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. What is faith? Sometimes we may feel that God is too good to be true. We might get discouraged when our efforts in God’s work fail. Faith is the belief that it really is possible. Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." We cannot define faith by our own experience and what is happening around us. We cannot measure faith by the world’s standards, we must measure it by God’s standard. If we truly want to be who God created us to be we need him to have faith in him. Hebrews 11:6 "And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him." Do you believe that the God that you are serving will reward you? Our faith cannot be based on our own works. It is based on the nature of God. Your faith is not based on how much you love God but on how much he loves you. Sometimes we make excuses for our spiritual laziness. We say that it is God’s will not to heal when we don’t have the faith to be healed. Instead of defending our faith we defend our doubts. Let’s stop trying to find reasons why God can’t, and press in to promises where he said he will. The failures of yesterday do not determine the possibilities of today and tomorrow. Mark 9:23 …Anything is possible if a person believes. Expect miracles! The video of this podcast @ http://www.neverjustexist.org/diving-into-faith/
Through Christ Jesus, God shows His love for us by making us children of God. Children bear a close resemblance to those in their family. If both the Father and Christ Jesus are marked by love and a hatred for sin (i.e., everything that is opposite of love), children of God also evidence these family features.
I. “Heaven on Earth” Would you take your Bibles and open to Romans Chapter 8. This morning, we're going to deviate a little from our ordinary procedure. We're going to look over the entire chapter to get an overview of this majestic chapter, Scripture in Romans, Romans Chapter 8. And the question that we ask as we come to this chapter is, is it possible for a sinner on earth to have a full assurance that when they die they're going to go to heaven? Is it possible to know for sure that you're going to heaven? That is a weighty matter, is it not? Is it possible that you can have a full assurance that you can know today that when you die, you're going to be with God forever in heaven? I think it is and I think it's more than just possible. I think it's a birthright of a Christian. It is the logical extension of our faith in Jesus Christ, that that very thing he came to do in our lives, he will complete right to its end. God does not speak a word from heaven to earth and have it come back empty. That is true of the written word, it is true of the spoken word through the prophets and it is all the more true of the incarnate Word Jesus Christ. He sent him to earth for a purpose and he will accomplish that purpose, salvation. And so we come to Romans 8, for me personally, with great expectation, what a chapter, what an incredible chapter of Scripture and what a joy it's going to be to just look over this chapter today. I hope you look on it like a feast the way I do. Is it possible to know that we have eternal life? Thomas Brooks wrote a book called "Heaven on Earth." He was a Puritan pastor and he wrote a book called "Heaven on Earth" and it's about assurance of salvation. This is what he said, he's talking about salvation itself, he said, "To be in a state of true grace" (that is to be saved), "to be in a state of true grace, is to be miserable no more. It is to be happy forever. A soul in this state is a soul near and dear to God. It is a soul much beloved and very highly valued by God. It is a soul housed in God. It is a soul safe in everlasting arms. It is a soul fully and imminently interested in all the highest and noblest privileges. The being in a state of grace makes a man's condition happy, safe and secure, but the seeing and knowing of himself to be in such a state, as that, is what renders his life sweet and comfortable." What is he saying? It's possible to be saved and not have a full assurance, but when you have a full assurance of salvation, then is your life sweet and comfortable. "The being in a state of grace will yield a man a heaven hereafter, but seeing and knowing of himself in this state will yield him both a heaven here and a heaven hereafter. It will render him therefore doubly blessed, blessed in heaven and blessed in his own conscience." Full assurance of salvation, therefore, is an enjoyment of heaven on earth. It is the birthrights of every child of God to enjoy this assurance of salvation. And that's the purpose of Romans Chapter 8. Brooks wrote this: "It is the very drift and design of Scripture first to bring you to an acquaintance with Christ, then to an acceptance of Christ, and then to a full assurance in Chris." Acquaintance, acceptance, assurance, that's the purpose of Scripture and so I think it's the purpose of Romans Chapter 8. For this reason Luther said, "I would not trade for all the riches and treasures of the world one page of Holy Writ." That's the value of the promises that we have in Jesus Christ. And many of them are right here in Romans Chapter 8. Now, a life without assurance is a bleak and difficult life, you can be saved and not have assurance. But I want to ask you this, what good would it be for you to know that there is a promised land, if you did not have an inherited share in that promised land? What good would it be for you to know that there was a remedy to your disease, if you did not or were not able to partake in that remedy? What good would it be for you to know that there are mines of gold, mountains of pearls, a land of milk and honey, and to not know that you could share in those? What good would it be for you to smell the rich aroma coming from a lavish banquet if you're not permitted to sit at the feast and partake of its delicacies? No good at all and actually the knowledge of all those things would be more of a torment than anything. To know that they were out here and you could not partake, you had no share, they were not yours. It would really be a form of torment. I think it's the assurance therefore that I have a place at the table. The confidence that I have a share in the inheritance, that I can partake in the remedy, that I have a piece of the promised land that makes my life sweet and secure and from that base I do all of my ministry, and that's the purpose I believe of Romans Chapter 8, to give you a full assurance of salvation. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." no condemnation. We're going to plumb the depths of that today. In 1987, as I've mentioned before, I was a missionary in Pakistan, I had a summer there, and I had the privilege of going to one of the most beautiful parts of the world. It's right around where the war is being fought right now, northwest frontier province of Pakistan. And we were supposed to fly in there and so we were on a small plane and we flew over the Karakoram mountains to get into Gilgit, this little town in the northwest frontier province. And as we're flying over the Karakorams, we flew over Mount Godwin-Austen also known as K2, the second highest mountain in the world. And what a majestic scene it was, this mountain just towers over all of the other surrounding mountains. It's over 28,000 feet high. And to see it from the air, to see all of its majesty, to see how it towers, to see the austerity of it. The fact that it's so far from everything, you have to climb three or four mountains just to get to that mountain, and it's majestic. And that's about what we're going to do with Romans 8, today, we're going to fly over it and we are just going to look at it and see just the promises and the majesty of this chapter. II. Basic Proposition: No Condemnation by God! (8:1) I believe what Paul is doing here is he's making a basic proposition right from the start, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." And then he gives a series, manifold proofs, of why this is true, and how you can know for sure that this is true of you personally. I think really in the flow, in context, he's reverting to his argument of Romans Chapter 5. Some have said that Romans 8 is the greatest chapter in the whole Bible. I think the greatest chapter in the whole Bible is whatever one I'm reading at that present time, but I think Romans 8 is a great chapter. I don't know that it is the greatest chapter of the Bible, but it is certainly maybe one of the most assuring and one of the most comforting. Context: Reverting to Romans 5 And I actually don't think that there's anything doctrinally that's brought up in Romans 8 that the foundation wasn't already laid in Romans 5. It really is just an extension of the things that we have already covered in Romans Chapter 5. There's a relationship therefore between Romans 5 and Romans 8, but what does that make Romans 6 and 7? I think it's a little bit of a parenthesis in which in Romans 6 and 7, he's dealing with an issue he must deal with. He has been talking about salvation by grace through faith alone. Grace, the certainty of grace, the fact that where sin abounds, grace is going to abound all the more. Gives you total assurance, a total sense of security. But it (grace) brings up a question, doesn't it? If salvation is all by grace, if it's a work of God, and if nothing that we contribute to our salvation other than the sin that makes it necessary, then can't we just sin to beat the band? Aren't we totally secure? Can't we live whatever way we want? He's dealing with the relationship between sin and the justified Christian in Romans 6 and 7. But having completed that, I think that therefore connects back to that theme that he was dealing with earlier. We're back now to understanding salvation or justification by grace alone, and the certainty of our salvation. He goes back to Romans 5:1. Flip back with me if you will, look at Romans 5:1, and there's a connection between Romans 5:1 and Romans 8:1. Romans 5:1 says, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." You see the word "now" there, isn't that strong? In Romans 5:2, there's this grace in which we now stand, we're standing in grace. It's the thing that Brooks was talking about, a state of grace, it's like a nation of grace that we live in now. It's a kingdom of grace, the place where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more, a place of security, a place where we're at peace with God. We're justified. We've been declared not guilty. And I think he's just saying the same thing in slightly different words. There is in Romans 8:1, "Therefore," because of justification by faith, "therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Greater Context: Judgement Day So that's the context in Romans, but there is a greater context. To go back to Romans 8, there is a greater context overall, and that's the entire biblical issue of the relationship between sinful man and a holy God. The real context of Romans 8:1 is Judgment Day, is it not? Condemnation is a strong word, and it brings up the image of Judgment Day. You remember when we were studying in the Book of Daniel, Daniel Chapter 7, Daniel said this, he saw a vision, "As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow, the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him. Ten thousands times the thousand stood before him. The court was seated and books were opened." What an awesome picture. The court was seated and the books were opened. And what are in those books? The record of everything that we've ever said, everything we've ever done, everything we ever thought. Jesus said, "I tell you, that men will have to give an account on Judgment Day for every careless word they have spoken." Judgment Day is the backdrop, the context here. Paul had already alluded to this in Romans 2:5 and 6, it says, "There because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God will give to each person according to what he has done." What is this day of wrath in Romans 2? It is Judgment Day. And what is this recompense, this paying back for every careless word, everything we've ever done? It is judgment, it is condemnation, it is the pouring out of wrath on sinners that deserve it. Full Atonement Provided by Jesus Christ But there's a deeper context here, isn't there? And that is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, the finished work of Jesus Christ in our place. In Romans Chapter 3, Paul talks about that. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, a propitiation through faith in his blood." God presented him, that's a Christmas verse, isn't it? God sent him into the world to be our atoning sacrifice, he presented him on the cross in our place. He stood in our place at the cross and took the wrath that we deserve, the condemnation. He took the judgment that we deserve. He drank it down like a cup full of bitter wine until it was gone, to the dregs he drank that cup. And he extinguished the wrath of God on our behalf. Justification by Faith And so therefore, in Romans 4, if we simply have faith, the faith of Abraham, the faith to just look at a promise and believe it, that anyone that believes in Jesus Christ will have eternal life. Just a simple promise from God. And then in the heart of God's people, springs faith, to believe the promise they respond, they repent, they come and simply believe and trust. And at that moment, they're declared not guilty. And as a result of that, there is no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus. That is the context of this statement. And as a result of that, we have total and complete forgiveness. How sweet is that? Now, what is condemnation? Well, we have to understand there's both a present condemnation and there is a yet future condemnation. Original Sin: Guilt and Judgement “In Adam” According to Romans Chapter 5, We are born into a present condemnation in Adam. We're born in Adam, aren't we? Naturally. We are the natural man, the natural woman, and that person, Adam sinned for the whole human race. And so we're born into condemnation. And unless we come into the kingdom of Christ through faith, we will continue in that condemnation the rest of our lives. John put it this way in John 3:18, "Whoever believes in Christ is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of God's only begotten son." Already condemned. Condemn now, condemn today. I'm speaking now to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Do you realize that you're walking around people all the time that are under the condemnation of God, because they've not come to faith in Christ. What is your responsibility to them? Have you spoken the Gospel message? It's the only message of salvation. There is no other salvation. There's no other hope. But the people that we're living with they look so healthy, they're busy about their lives, but they're walking under condemnation if they've not come to faith in Christ. They're dead even while they live. Ephesians 2, calls them "dead in their transgressions and sins" and therefore they're under the wrath of God. Romans 1:18, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness." The wrath of God's already on them. That's condemnation now. What is condemnation in the future? Well, Revelation 20:15 talks about the lake of fire, which is the second death. It says, "If anyone's name is not found written in the Book of Life, is thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 14:10 and following, "He too," it says, "Will drink the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the lamb and the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever, there is no rest day or night from the wrath of God." Grace, Life, and no Condemnation “In Christ” How sweet therefore is this promise, in Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." We were liable and subject to this. We deserved it. And if you don't think so, I've great fear for your soul, because the work of the Holy Spirit and conviction hasn't happened to you yet. But if you know I deserve this and Jesus took my place, and I'm free, free forever from condemnation. That's what no condemnation means. I'm not going to suffer hell. I'm not going to be condemned on Judgment Day and not because of any works I've done, but because of the work that Jesus did in my place. A future, no condemnation. And presently, now we walk in it, don't we? The record of our sins has been thrown into the depths of the sea. Micah 7 talks about that, "who is a God like you who pardons sin and forgives the transgressions of the remnant of his inheritance. You do not stay angry forever, but delight to show mercy. Our God is a God who delights in showing mercy." It brings him great pleasure to give us the kingdom. It brings him great joy to declare to us today there is therefore now no condemnation for you, if you're in Christ Jesus. So that brings him joy. It brought Jesus joy, didn't it? For the joy set before him to bring this message, he endured the cross despising its shame. And so now he stands and proclaims to you with joy. There's no condemnation for you, because of what I did in your place. No condemnation, no condemnation now, and no condemnation in the future. Look at verses 33-34 of Romans 8, "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?" We'll get to that later. February, I'm guessing. "Who is he that condemns?" I would almost want to say, "Who cares who condemns when God justifies?" Does it really matter? If Satan's there accusing you on Judgment Day. Does it matter if your conscience would stand and accuse you of wrongdoing? God has justified you through the blood of his son. Who cares who's left to condemn? And so we're free, we're free from condemnation. We're free from the wrath of God. We're free from it all. We're free now, and we'll be free forever. And why? Because we believe the Gospel, that's all. We simply heard a message and believed it. Jesus said this, John 5:24, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." You've moved from death to life. That was a great moving day, the day that you came to faith in Christ. You moved it all over into eternal life. That's the weight of the word now, there is now no condemnation. There's been a great change in you, a change in your state from death to life through faith in Jesus Christ. Does this not get you excited? What a joy! I feel like I just want to shout, because I feel myself, I feel the weight of my sins. And if I have to give an account on Judgment Day for every careless word, who can stand under that? But Jesus stood and took my punishment for me and there's no condemnation for me. Praise God. III. Manifold Proofs (8:2-34) But he doesn't stop there. He wants you to understand it, doesn't he? And so he gives you the rest of Romans 8. He gives you the whole chapter to prove it to you. He unfolds proof after proof after proof of why you can be fully assured as a Christian. He's laboring in your soul. He wants you to be assured. And so he brings out these proofs. Proof #1: Union with Christ (8:2-4) First proof in Verse 2-4 is union with Christ. He's speaking of those who are in Christ Jesus. Let's be very clear now. There is condemnation for a world of people who are not in Christ Jesus. We know that. We're not universalists. We're not saying that everybody gets saved. There will be some people in the lake of fire. But not those who are in Christ Jesus. That's for whom we can say this to be true. There's no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus. And so therefore, we're talking about union in Jesus Christ, right? Those that are one with Christ spiritually. Now, the union with Christ, we've already talked about in Romans 5. Remember, we were one spiritually with Adam, and now we are one spiritually with Christ. He is our head now. He is our representative. That person we were in Adam is dead forever. We'll never go back there again. And we're not under Adam's condemnation. But then, it's taught more explicitly in Romans 6:4, look at that, turn back just one page, probably in Romans 6:4. "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may walk in newness of life." So, there's this union. We died with Christ and now we're alive with Christ. Dead with Christ spiritually at the cross, alive when he rose from the dead. That's us. Union with Christ. And so he's talking about that. Now, he dealt with it in Romans 7:6, he says, "We serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code." He picks it up here in Verse 2, Romans 8:2, it says, "Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death." You're free from condemnation because you have a new principle in you. The law of the spirit of life. We'll talk about that God willing next time. And so therefore, union with Christ gives you a certain guarantee and assurance. Nobody who is one with Christ will be condemned. It's impossible. The payment cannot be paid twice. He already paid once and it's sufficient. Proof #2: Holy Spirit’s Sanctifying Work in Us (8:5-13) The second proof in verses 5-13, is the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work in you, if you're a Christian. Romans 8:5-13. The Holy Spirit comes into the moment you come to faith in Christ. He gives you a new mind, not the mind of the flesh or the sinful nature, but the mind of the spirit. And so your mind is changed so also your heart. You'll love what you used to hate. And you hate what you used to love. And thus begins the war against sin. And the Holy Spirit is the general in that war and he's leading you to put sin to death. And step by step by step, you will slay sin. You will put it to death. The Holy Spirit moving powerfully in you. Put it to death, I hate it. You hate it, too. You put it to death. And so the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit is what it means to be a son or a daughter of God. We keep in step with the Spirit. We follow the leadership of the spirit. Look at verse 9, Romans 8:9, "You, however," in contrast to the people we just talked about, "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature, [the flesh], but by the Spirit, if the Spirit lives in you." In other words, if you have the indwelling Holy Spirit in you, he's not going to take a backseat to the flesh. He's not a loser, let's put it that way. He's a winner. He's more than a conqueror. And so if the Spirit's in you, he is going to win in the battle with sin. "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature." Who's in charge of you now? The Holy Spirit, if the Spirit lives in you. Look what he says in Verse 13, "If, by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live." The sanctifying work of the Spirit in you is a great assurance. You see yourself putting sin to death, resisting temptation, growing in holiness. And this is a great assurance, this is the very work that the Holy Spirit was given to do. Proof #3: Holy Spirit’s testimony of our adoption (8:14-17) The third proof is in verses 14-17. The Holy Spirit's internal testimony to you that you are a child of God. Have you ever felt that? The Spirit testifying with your spirit? That you are a child of God? The spirit within you crying out, "Abba Father." "Daddy?" There's a sense in which God is your father. And he never was before. That sense was never there before you came to Christ. But now, you have an internal beacon, like a homing beacon, pulling you back to God, crying out, "Abba Father." Speaking to you of your adoption, your changed state. And adoption, what a sweet word. How could a child of God be condemned? Is it even possible? We are children of God, we're adopted into his own family. There's one first born son, Jesus Christ, and then he will be first born among many brethren. And so we are children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. How sweet is that? And so "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirits that we are children of God." Isn't that sweet? Romans 8:16. He talks to you. He testifies to you. He speaks to you within. And he says, "You're a child of God and you always will be. I will never leave you and I will never forsake you." Proof #4: Groaning, yet hopeful of glory (8:18-25) Proof number four, verses 18-25. Is the plane moving too fast over the mountain? I can't wait to go through each one of these. They're so precious, every one of them. But this is the jet tour. Actually, it was a propeller driven plane I took, so I had a little bit of a chance to look at the mountain as we flew over. But we don't get the depths of it. You have to meditate on each one of these sections. Proof number four, the fact that we are groaning under burdens and yet hopeful of final victory. Groaning under a weight. We feel the groaning. Do you feel it? Some of you groaning more than others. I'm groaning now, more than I used to. Groaning, why? Because this physical world is in bondage to decay. And we have suffering in our life. We have struggles, outwardly we're wasting away. And yet, inwardly, we're renewed day by day, and that gives us assurance, doesn't it? The fact is, our hope is stronger and surer now than when we first began. We have a growing hope, a sense of confidence that God is working in us, and that someday we will lose these mortal bodies, these bodies of decay, and we will have a resurrection body that will be so glorious. There's a sense of hope, a building hope, and that hope is a strong form of assurance. Look at verses 23-25. It says, "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit…" What a great phrase that is. Firstfruits implies a later harvest of the Spirit. We'll talk about that in due time. "Firstfruits of the Spirit, we groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." And so, there's this sense of building hope and confidence. Perseverance. Endurance. And that gives us a greater assurance as well. We already dealt with this in Romans 5:5. It says, "Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Context is of suffering. It's of trial. And yet, despite the trials, persecution, outward persecution, temptations within, the decay of our bodies, weakening, despite all of that, we have this hope that no one can steal from us. And it's a sure and certain hope. Proof #5: Holy Spirit’s intercession with us and for us (8:26-27) Proof number five, the Holy Spirit's intercession with us and for us. The Holy Spirit prays with us, and he prays for us. Verse 26-27, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." The spirit's powerful help extends to our prayer life. He cries out, "Abba, Father," within us. We cry with him, but he motivates us to pray. He moves us to pray. It wasn't long after I became a Christian, just a few weeks, I think, I was on the road, and I was in a darkened hotel room, and suddenly I woke. I don't know what time it was, but I felt a presence in my life that I had never felt before. And I had already come to Christ, but there was something there. And that presence moved me to get out of bed and get down on my knees and just pray. I literally didn't know where I was. I remembered once I was up and a little more alert that I was in a hotel room. But I knew whose I was. That I belonged to Jesus Christ. And the Spirit of Christ within me got me out of bed and down on my knees, praying. The spirit was helping me in my weakness. What weakness? I don't want to pray at that hour. There's nothing in me that wants to do that, but then the Spirit moves and we pray. The Spirit commands and we respond. And he helps us in our weakness. And not only that, but he tells us here in this verse that he's praying for us, on our behalf. He's interceding for us constantly with groans that words cannot express. The Spirit's prayer life in us and for us is a great form of assurance. Proof #6: God’s character invested in His eternal plan (8:28-34) And then finally, proof number six. God's character invested in his eternal plan to get each and every one of you saved. All of you who are children of God, he's invested his name. He's linked his very promises to the fact that not one of you will be lost if you're a child of God. God has an eternal plan. Our God is a planning God. He's a meticulous planner, we saw that in the Book of Daniel. And that plan extends to salvation. As a matter of fact, it's centered on salvation. Our God is a planning God. Look at verses 28-30. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." That's a key phrase, his purpose. Well, what is his purpose? His purpose is salvation. That's his purpose. Those who have been called according to his purpose. "For those whom God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified." Now, I hope you were reading that in your Bible open on your lap. I want you to see that word, predestined. It's not something your pastor made up. It's something I delight in and rejoice in, but it's printed on the page. If your grandmother gave you a Bible, the day that you were baptized, it's in there. Open it up and look. Romans 8:28-30. And it's sweet. Why is it sweet? Well, think of it this way. When you get on a train, the train has a destination, doesn't it? A destination. Now, you'll pass many stops along the way, but you're not at your destination until the train stops and you're urged to get off. What is the destination that God has worked out ahead of time for the children of God? Well, look at it. "Those he predestined, he also called." These are stops along the way. "Those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." That's the terminal stop. That's where you're going to get off. You're going to get off in glory. And I would take this phrase, "those he" and put instead the words "everyone he". Let's just try that. Even though it's not biblical, but try it out. It says, "Those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son," that's glory by the way, "that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified." Isn't this sweet? Jesus put it this way. John 6:38 and 39, "For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." We'll talk more about that in due time. But God has staked his reputation through this. The Son has staked his reputation to being sure that none gets lost. And that gives us great assurance. Look at verse 31 and follow. "What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" That's the message of Christmas too, isn't it? God for us. He's on our side. He's put the whole weight of his person and all of his power, and his regal authority and majesty on the side of getting you saved. Who cares who's fighting against that? "If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?" Oh, I hate to go over everyone of these phrases. We'll get to them in due time. They're so sweet. "If God is for us, who can be against us? Who will bring any charge against us? Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus who died more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." Do you have a sense of just a lavish, like an extra double helping? It's Jesus lavishing assurance on us. One verse after another. The Holy Spirit interceding for us. Jesus interceding for us. God himself planned that we have eternal life. He's not adversarial to the intercessions of the Son and the Spirit. He's eager to hear them. IV. Triumphant Assurance: No Separation from God! (8:35-39) You're going to heaven if you're a child of God. That's the point. We get nothing else, that's the point. If you're a child of God, you're going to heaven. And nothing can stop it. Look at how he finishes here in verses 35-39. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Do you get Paul's point? Is he not searching for language at the end to say, you should be assured of your salvation. I'm putting it mildly. We go from no condemnation to no separation without a break. If you're a child of God, you cannot be separated from the love of God. And why do we need all that? Because you know something, you are considered sheep to be slaughtered. He's going to put you out in the middle of wolves. He's going to surround you by world that hates your faith. And he's going to try to tear you down and attack you, day after day, after day. He's going to put you out there and then he's going to display his power in you. In your weakness, in your frailty, in your death, the way he did in the Son. The way he did in so many martyrs, the way he did in the apostle Paul and Peter, and so many others. He's going to display his glory in you as you die. And out of that will come a harvest of more people who love Jesus Christ. And the cycle continues until it's all finished. How glorious is it? So in the context of conflict and suffering and trouble, you are more than a conqueror and nothing can stop you. V. Applications Well, what applications can we take from this? If you're a Christian, first, just rejoice in God's forgiveness. You're forgiven. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses you from every sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. And be assured by God's sovereignty. He works everything for your good. He's a ruler over all things. And the weight of his scepter is thrown toward your salvation. His sovereignty is moving in your salvation. Be humbled by God's grace. What do you contribute to this? Those whom he foreknew, he predestined. Those whom he predestined, he called. Those whom he called, he justified. Those whom he justified, he glorified. You get the point there too? He is the actor. He is the mover. Salvation is from the Lord, be humbled by that. Be humbled by it. Be assured, be comforted but also be humbled. And fourthly, be realistic about the world you live in. This is not a gravy train up to heaven. It's not some party, one day after other. We are considered sheep to be slaughtered and we have a job to do. We have a mission. Lottie Moon and sacrificial giving is only part of it. We're supposed to be missionaries day after day for Jesus. That's point seven but let's get to it. Zealous to proclaim God's salvation. We have a job to do. We have to proclaim the gospel. Now when you go out to you neighbors, you're standing at the... I was at a checkout line the other day and I started talking about the gospel, and other people started to come and I started to feel that tendency toward that shame reaction. You know what I'm talking about? Are we willing to pay the price in a situation like that? Go on and speak the gospel. Be zealous to proclaim this gospel message because it's the only one there is in the world for salvation. Be hungry for Christ's holiness, follow the leadership of the Spirit today. When he tells you to put sin to death, do it. Be hungry for his holiness. Be reliant in God's Spirit. Realize when you do put sin to death, you can't boast, the Spirit did it in you. He's powerful and strong. For the unbeliever, if you've never come to faith in Christ, do you see what you're missing? I want you to be hungry for it. I want you to feel an attraction, a pull. I want you to hear his voice. I want you to hear the Spirit calling you, "Come." "The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’" And let him who hears come, come to Christ today. Come to faith in Christ. Christ's blood is sufficient to cover all your sins. His invitation is wide enough for people from every tribe and language, and people and nation. His power is sufficient enough to transform you from a lost sinner, to a righteous child of God. And his Holy Spirit is ready to come in your life right now, and today. Let today be the day of salvation for you.
I. The Mystery of Life Please if you would take your Bibles and look with me. This morning, we're going to consider just one verse. That's unusual. We usually go through more, but Romans 6:23 is such a remarkable verse. And typical of the apostle Paul, as frequently we go through Romans, we come to these verses that sum up his teachings, that sum up what he's been saying in a remarkable way. You've heard this verse before, Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." The Home Mission Board has printed thousands, even millions of these cards that just have this one verse on them. These little cards about the size of a business card. And we can use these verses to begin explaining the gospel. It's a very famous verse, it's on the four spiritual laws that the crusade uses. It's on the steps to life that Billy Graham uses, and many others as well. You've heard this verse before. But I want to share with you that I've come to understand it in a new way, as I've studied it in context in Romans 6. Not radically new, but I think in context, it's going to come alive for us in a powerful way, and so I hope. As we look at this verse, we see mentioned prominently this phrase, eternal life. And I think that's what I want to zero in on, namely the mystery of life. What is life? Now, if you were to come and look at our garden, you would not see any evidence of life except weeds, I think. The deer got all the best parts, and every year, we're very gracious to the deer in our neighborhood, and we plant tomatoes, and we plant squash, and we plant… What else? Watermelon. This year, and they grew up to a certain point, and then they just mysteriously disappeared. And so I ran my lawnmower over it a few weeks ago, and we're done with it. We are not good at growing things. And a while ago, we bought a Crepe Myrtle tree. You've seen this beautiful trees all around, and I'm so jealous of them. When I look at other people's yards, I see these beautiful tall flowering trees, and I have a vision of something like that happening in my soil too. And so we bought a potted Crepe Myrtle plant and let it sit there for about a week or something like that, and it started to shrivel. You're not supposed to do that. You're supposed to plant it right away and get some water on it. So, we un-potted it, and I dug the hole, and I finally got around to planting it. We ran the water, too little too late, I guess in some respects. And then we waited. And we looked every day at that Crepe Myrtle tree. And then finally, these shiny little green leaves started poking out. Oh, what a day. What a day. How exciting that was. Those little green leaves, you know what it meant? The roots were alive. The tree is alive. That was so exciting for us. Are you alive in Jesus Christ today? Is there any evidence of life in your life? I mean spiritual life, not just physical existence, but is there evidence that Jesus Christ is alive in you? That's what this passage is about. Now, what is life? Biologists tell us very technically, that the difference between a chunk of granite or some of that soil or whatever, and those green leaves or any other living thing comes down to two basic functions, metabolism and reproduction. What does that mean? Nourishment, the ability to eat and take in nourishment, and the ability to produce fruit. Taking in nourishment resulting in fruit, that is life, so the biologists tell us. Now, Jesus Christ gave us a spiritual definition. "Now, this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." Putting it all together, it's in knowing God, in being in Jesus Christ, that we receive nourishment, and we bear fruit for eternal life. That's my understanding of this verse. The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. It’s All About the Fruit Are you alive today? Is there evidence? Is there fruit of life in you? God created this world, this planet, and filled it with life, didn't he? Vegetative life, created seed-bearing plants each with its own kind, and they reproduce. He created animal life, and they each reproduce after their kinds. He created man and woman, in the image of God, and blessed them, and said, "Be fruitful and multiply." And they were fruitful and multiplied biologically. But God also called out a people for himself, for his own glory. Israel. Isaiah Chapter 5 spoke the verdict on their fruitfulness, in which Isaiah said, "I will sing for the one I love." That's God. "I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He watered it and cared for it. Then he looked for good grapes, but received only bad." "What more could have been done for my vineyard than I did for it," he said. Why is it then that "when I looked for good grapes, I saw only bad fruit?" And so it was that one day Jesus walking into Jerusalem saw a fig tree and went over to get fruit from it. You remember the story? And he saw that fig tree, and on it was only leaves. And he cursed that fig tree, and he said, "May you never bear fruit again." And instantly the leaves withered. And then he told shortly thereafter a parable about the vineyard and they did not produce fruit. Instead, they stoned the messengers that were sent one after another, and finally the verdict came down. The vineyard will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. The issue is fruit. We are that people. We are the Gentiles. We must bear fruit for God. We'll get to that in Romans 11, but we're grafted in to this wild... We're like wild olives which was grafted into this Jewish olive tree and we are to bear fruit. We must show something, there must be life, there must be fruit. And so it says in our passage here, As we're leading up to Romans 6:23 and erse 21, look down with me, 6:21, it says, "What benefit," in the NIV, it says, "What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!" Not a good translation. The word is literally fruit. In verse 21, "What fruit did you get from your old life in sin? What harvest of fruit came to you when you were a slave to sin?" That you are ashamed of those things now. What fruit was there at that time from those things you're now ashamed of? Those things result in death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit again, NIV. The fruit is the word, the fruit that you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." It's all about fruit. Now in the past, I've understood this verse a little more statically. This is how it works. When you see it on the track, you say, you've got to get this thing called "eternal life." And if you pray the prayer, the sinner's prayer, if you sign the card, if you walk the aisle, if you do all these things, you get this thing that you call "eternal life" and you put it up on your shelf like a trophy. It's kind of a static thing that you have and you're going to need it later, it's going to come in real handy on this thing called Judgment Day. But you've got to get it and have it there. And then you go on living however you live, maybe you're a super special Christian and do extra things in the church. But there's that thing that you've got and you remember when you got it, you were 12 years old and you got that thing called "eternal life" or you were 18 or you were 16 at that youth camp or something. You got that thing called "eternal life" and you look back at that moment when you obtained it, you see. Is that what this verse is talking about? Is it not rather talking about a life that we receive in Jesus Christ? What Paul is dealing with in Romans 6 is the relationship between sin and the life of a justified person. We've gone through justification by faith alone, we've learned that we are declared not guilty before the judgment seed of God based only on our faith in Jesus Christ, apart from works. And it's all coming to us by grace and therefore the question seems to come out of the text. Well, if it's all by grace, if it's just a gift, if it's not by works, and if you can't sin your way out of it, if it's true that where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more, then why don't we just sin to beat the band? Romans 6: Shall we continue to sin? Why don't we sin all we want? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? And that's what he's dealing with here. How are you living now is the question? You see, what's going on in your life now? And he's teaching you that you have been united with Christ if you're a Christian. You're dead to that old way of life, you're dead to sin forever. Jesus died once for all for sin and you also died with him, and you've been raised to newness of life. Romans 6:4 says that, "We've been united with him so that we may walk in newness of life, buried with him, and then united with him, raised with him." So you've got a new life if you're a Christian, so therefore you should think of yourself as dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus, and therefore as a result of that, you should not offer the individual parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, your new self, this new created being you are in Christ as those who have been brought from death to life, you're like a resurrected person. You're a new person, offer yourself to God and offer the individual members of your body to righteousness and to an ever increasing holiness. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus." Now as we look at that issue, we're dealing with this counterfeit gospel. We don't want a static understanding of this thing that you get and you have it on your shelf, and then you pull it out at Judgment Day, God isn't that way, God is looking at the twigs of your life the way I was looking at that Crepe Myrtle tree. Where is the fruit? Where is the life? And if there is no life, there is no justification. Justification brings life through Jesus Christ. And if there's no fruit, there's no life, if there's no life, there's no justification, if there's no justification, you're still in your sins, fear Judgment Day, fear it, if there is no fruit in your life. III. Death: The Wages of Sin And so that's what he's getting at, what kind of life are you living? And so he brings out a kind of a summary here in which he's persuading us as justified people that we should not live in or walk in sin any longer, and he does it as he's been doing it through this chapter, negatively and positively. First, he discusses the wages of sin, the wages of sin is death. And then he looks at it positively, but the gift of God, the free gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Let's look first at the negative portion, death, the wages of sin. From Fruit to Wages Now the first thing that I want to say about is, that death is the deserved wages of sin. The word "wage" literally means the thing that you get because of your labor, because of your effort. If you were to come to your employer on a payday and he were to say, "Well, it's payday, I want you to know that I'm giving you this check, your wages, just as an example of my free generosity to you. I'm a very generous person, and I just want you to know that this is an example of my generosity to you." Will that be right? Wouldn't you rather say, "I worked for that, I earned it. That was our agreement, that I would work for a certain amount, and I deserve this, so therefore, give it to me." And that's the same sense here. He's shifted the idea from fruits to now the idea of wages. And he's talking about that which we deserve. This is really a military term in terms of the rations, the income that a soldier gets for serving in an army. In 1815, Napoleon, having been exiled to the little island of Elba by the European powers (he was a dangerous man, powerful military commander), managed his escape and started coming inland in France. Well, they sent a French army to meet him and capture him. He met them. And immediately persuaded them to join him in going to Paris. And he did so by promising them immediate wages for service. But then ultimate booty down the line. Treasure because he was such a skillful military commander. He went to Paris. Did the same thing again. Persuaded more people to join his army. Immediate wages, ultimate reward down the road. Sin is the same way. Sin comes to us like a commanding general. And says, "Join my army. Join my army." And we did. We joined the army of rebels against God. And what daily wages does this general pay? Death. And what ultimate wage will he pay? Death. It's the same thing. And that's what Paul is saying here. "You want to serve in sin's army, the wages you get is death." That's what you get. And the saddest, and perhaps the bitterest part of all, the ultimate death, as we'll mention in a moment, is hell. That those in hell understand that they deserve to be there. That they are getting what they truly deserve. Just like the thief on the cross said to the other thief, "Why are you reviling this man? We are getting the just desserts for our actions. But this man's done nothing wrong." And so it says in Romans 3:19, "So that every mouth may be silenced before God and the whole world held accountable to God" at Judgment Day. We will have nothing we can say. We will own and say, "I deserved this." Because the wages of sin is death, we deserve it. And so it's deserved wages. It's also the decreed wages. Right from the very beginning of the world, Genesis 2:16-17 says, "The Lord God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day you eat of it you will surely die.'" So there at the very beginning, the Creator God, the Commander God, the King, united sin and death. We've already had this in Romans 5. Through the sin of one man death entered the world. So there's a marriage, a decreed union between sin and death. Therefore, every sin deserves the death penalty before God. The ultimate question of your life is simply this, "who is paying your death penalty?" Scripture gives two options, and only two. You can pay it forever in hell or Jesus can pay it in your place through your faith in him. Those are the only two choices for who pays that death penalty. But there is a decreed penalty. And that is death. Death is also the universal wages of sin. Ezekiel put it this way, "The soul who sins will die." It's just that simple. This is not just for Adam. This wasn't just Adam's decreed penalty. It's for all of us in Adam. All of us have this decreed penalty. It's universal. And since all have sinned and lacked the glory of God, all of us are sinners. Every last one. We are all under this just sentence. All nations are included. All people included. All nations. Every tribe and language and people and nation, the same wages. "The wages of sin is death." Everybody has the same. And it's not just a matter of big sinners and then little sinners. You've got the folks that are strung out on coke or some other thing. And you can just see it. "Look at that. The wages of sin. It's so obvious isn't it?" Well, the wages of complaining and arguing and irritability and all that, that's death too. All sin deserves the death penalty before God. It's not just for big sinners. But also for the little sinners. Are there any little sinners? Not when you consider the holiness of God. So for everybody. It's universal wages. Is it for Christians too? Well, that's an interesting question. Now Jesus has paid the ultimate death penalty hasn't he? Let me ask you question in the Book of Proverbs. "Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man's wife. No one who touches her will go unpunished." Let's just extend that out. Can a Christian sin with impunity? Or do you also eat the harvest that you sow? If you sow to the flesh will you reap from the flesh? Yes. Praise be to God we don't pay the ultimate penalty. But the warning here is given to Christians. "The wages of sin is death." Turn away from it." What has sin ever done for you except make you ashamed and wish you'd never done it? And so for all, universally. And what do I mean by that? I've thought about this. Every single day has its own special good deeds that God intends for a Christian to do. Isn't that true? "For we are his workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God laid out in advance for us to do." What happens if you begin that day in sin? Don't have your quiet time. You don't pray. You have problems. Get in an accident with somebody and then let slip some words you should never say and all kinds of things. What's going to happen to the good deeds laid out in front of you the rest of the day. You've lived it. Is there not a principle of death that day? Now God is gracious. And he can at any moment, through confession of sin, rectify it. But there's still a principle of death. The fruitfulness that God intended for that day dies. Praise be to God though we don't have to face that ultimate death penalty through Jesus Christ. So death is the universal wage and is given to all sin. Death is also the daily wages of sin. In the day you eat of it, you will surely die. This is for non-Christians. Understand this, those who have not come to faith in Christ are spiritually dead. And they receive that spiritual death day after day. They are dead in their transgressions and sins in which they used to live. There's an ongoing sense of death, a spiritual death, a separation from God. First John 3:14 put it this way, "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers." Because we love our brothers. "Anyone who does not love remains in death." That's a daily experience of death, is what it is. Death is the daily wages of sin. Death is also the growing wages of sin. Sin is relentless, you know. It grows and grows. Verse 19, "You used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness." It doesn't stay put, it's dynamic, it's moving, it's growing like a tumor. I was talking to Jack recently about prison ministry, and he said that they have a saying in prison in reference to this, that sin takes you farther than you wanted to go, keeps you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost more than you wanted to pay. Have you all experienced that? "Whoa, how did this happen?" "Well, you stepped off early on and now here you are." "Oh, that I had not done that." And the regret comes in. But there's an increasing cost, increasingly hardened in sin, people become. There's a hardening effect in sin. Doctors and nurses involved in abortion will testify to the fact that early on it was shocking and difficult, but as they progressed it becomes easier and easier to do. So, also, people addicted to certain things testify that had a greater impact, the drug had a greater impact early on. Later on, less and less. There's a hardening effect of sin, it's the way it is. So the drug addict has a decreasing pleasure in the drug, the adulterer decreasing pleasure in adultery, the materialist decreasing pleasure in possessions, the glutton decreasing pleasure in food, the Gen X thrill-seeker always has to push the envelope a little bit more trying to hit that same high. It's a decreasing effect, the wages of sin is death. Marie Antoinette, the woman who lived a life of debauchery as a consort of the King of France, said at the end her life, "Nothing tastes." Nothing tastes, nothing moves me anymore, I don't care about anything. It's the deadening effects of sin. And then finally, death is the ultimate and eternal wages of sin. We have a spiritual death now presently if we're not Christians. We are dead in our transgressions and sins if we're not Christians. Physical death is promised to all of us at the end of our life. The Lord does not return in our generation. Hebrews 9:27, "Is appointed unto men to die once and then to face judgment." But none of that compares to the final death, and that is hell. Revelation 21:8 says this, "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." I want you to feel the terror of understanding what that second death is if you're not in Christ today. I pray that you would understand it now. I pray that God would move in your hearts and you would understand the seriousness of this death, that it is eternal, there is no escape. And so therefore we must have Jesus pay that penalty for us. We must have him stand in our place and pay our wage for us. Thanks be to God that this verse does not end here. The wages of sin is death, period. IV. Eternal Life: The Free Gift of God in Christ Jesus But there's a "but" isn't there? "But the free gift of God is eternal life in our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen? A free gift of eternal life. Why would anyone not take it? Why would anyone not receive it given the stakes? Jesus said, "What would it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul" to that second death? "Or what [on the brink of that second death] would a man give in exchange for his soul?" God has a gift to give and that gift is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Life is the free gift of God in crisis. The NASB puts the word "free" in there. It's not necessary, it's really redundant isn't it? Aren't all gifts free? If you charge for it, is it still a gift? Of course not. Of course it's free. And as a matter of fact, as Jesus reaches out to you with a gift of eternal life and you dig into your pockets for your good works and try to pay for it, away with your good works, you cannot pay for this. You must be humble and receive it simply as a free gift. Whereas the wages of sin is deserved, this is a free gift. It's not deserved, it's simple grace. Grace, and it's only in and through Jesus Christ, can we say that too much? All of these things are in and through Christ alone. Only in him and through him and through faith in him, because he died on the cross, because he shed his blood and paid the penalty for our sins. Because of that, we have this free gift. Life is also the promised gift of God in Christ Jesus. Do you realize that all the Old Testament was pointing forward to this free gift? All of it. It was promised in the garden to the woman and to the seed of the woman that her seed would crush the serpent's head. It was promised when Noah and his family got on the ark and they were rescued and saved and delivered from the judgment. It was promised when Abraham was called out and it was said, "Through your offspring, all peoples on earth will be blessed." It was promised then as well. This free gift has been a long expected free gift. It was promised every time an Israelite brought a sacrifice. A sinful Israelite brought a sacrifice, and that sacrifice died. And the sinful Israelite went home. Looking ahead to Jesus, the day that we would come and bring our sins, and he would pay the penalty and give us his righteousness. We walk home free. It's the promised gift of God in Christ Jesus. It's also the particular gift of God in Christ Jesus. Whereas the wage of sin goes universally, this gift is particular to all who believe in Christ and to only those who believe in Christ. There is no exception. You must believe in this gospel message. You must receive it. In John 20:31, it says, "By believing, you may have life in his name." First John 5:13, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God in order that you may know that you have eternal life." Eternal life is given to the believers, not to everyone. But to those who believe. And it's given to those who submit in obedience to Christ. Through Christ Jesus, our what? Lord. Do you realize you're being saved out of rebellion to God, into submission to his lordship? There's no separation between the two. He is your Lord if he's your savior. It's to those particular folks that this free gift is given. Life is also the daily gift of God in Christ Jesus. You're supposed to walk in this newness of life, day after day. You're supposed to be bearing fruit to God. When God comes and checks you as a Crepe Myrtle tree, he's going to see leaves coming out and growth and little flowers and buds. He's going to see growth and holiness. He's going to see an increasing yearning for the word of God. He's going to see a hatred for sin. He's going to see actual temptations resisted and refuted by the power of the Spirit. He's going to see a growing fruitfulness in your life. He's going to see these things in you, if you're a Christian. And so very much as Jesus said, he is the vine and you are the branches. And if you remain in him, you will bear much fruit. Apart from him, you can do nothing. And so remember what life was, the biologist tell us? It's a matter of nourishment and fruitfulness. And so, you are grafted in Jesus and the nourishing sap flows from him into you out into fruitfulness. That is Christianity, folks. That is true Christianity. Anything else, counterfeit. Static. Dead. But this is the life. Are you grafted into Christ? Do you feel that life-giving sap flowing through you? Are you bearing fruit for God? Life is the daily, the now fruitfulness of God. But the gift of God… And then life is the growing gift of God in Christ Jesus. That's apostle Paul's point here. You're supposed to be growing. This is supposed to be a principle of dynamic, of progress. You're more like Jesus now than you were 10 years ago. You're growing in holiness, walking with Jesus, learning more and more about God. There's a growing gift of holiness, a growing gift of life in Christ Jesus. Look at Verse 22 again, "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life." The end of that is eternal life. What is he saying? You want to get to heaven? You want eternal life? You must live this kind of life now. And it's not by works, not at all. It's by being grafted in where that life is flowing through you. It's just going to happen. John 1:4, "In him was life and that life is a light of men." In Jesus's life, you're going to have life in you. There's going to be fruit, the growing gift of God. Are you growing in holiness? Are you putting sin to death in your life? Are you yearning more for the word of God now than a year ago? Or is sin growing in your life? Which? Are you advancing in sinful habits? Which is it? The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our lord. And then finally, life is the ultimate and the eternal gift of God in Christ Jesus. And now we can speak openly about heaven. Oh, what a thing it is! That we will be given life forever and ever and ever in heaven. Listen to these words from Revelation and think of the images of life. Think of nourishment, think of fruitfulness in this picture. Revelation 22:1-4, it says, "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. And on each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing 12 crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads." You've got the river of life flowing down. You've got the tree of life bearing 12 crops of fruit for the healing of the nations all the time. Such a picture of life, of nourishment, of fruitfulness eternally. And it's focused on oneness with God. They will be his people and he will be their God. Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God in Jesus Christ whom you have sent. What is static about that? What is put up on a shelf like about that? Nothing. This is an ongoing living, breathing, spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. Do you have that today? Does that characterize you? The wages of sin is death. It is deserved, it is decreed, it is universal, it is daily, it is growing, and ultimate and eternal in hell for those that do not receive the free gift. But the free gift is free, it's given by grace through Jesus Christ our Lord. It was promised in the Old Testament, it is given only to those who repent and trust Christ. It is given to us daily. For in him we live and move and have our being. Apart from him, we're dead, but in him, we're constantly alive and it is growing more and more, and ultimate, ultimate eternal life in heaven. Face-to-face fellowship with God forever. V. Review & Application What application? Well, if you don't know Christ, if you look at your life, if you look at your Crepe Myrtle branches, and there's nothing but deadness, are the roots alive? If you've been looking for months for something from that Crepe Myrtle tree and nothing's coming, is that tree really alive? If you don't know Jesus Christ, come to Christ today. Oh, I beg you that you might follow him, that you might believe in him, to understand that his death was in our place, paying the wages that we deserve, that we might get a free gift. Come to Christ today. And if you're already in Christ, and you see the principle of growth in life in you, don't veer off into sin, because the wages of sin is always death; it always kills fruitfulness. But walk with Jesus, abide in him, stay close to him. I like to begin every day, getting up out of bed and kneeling down and saying, "God, I'm yours. You bought me with the price, you are my master, you are my Lord. My hands, my feet, my mind, all of it is yours today to command. Help me to put sin to death today, help me to love your word and walk with you today, deal with me today." Consecrate yourself to him, present yourself to him daily and grow in holiness. Won't you close with me in prayer? Lord Jesus, what can we say, other than thank you for the incredible gift of God that you have given us. This incredible gift of eternal life in your name. Oh Lord, I pray for those who do not know you as Lord and savior in our midst, or those that these people who love you will take this message too. Those who are out there who are still dead in their transgressions and sins, that they might hear this gospel message, that they might repent and believe. That they would understand that today is the day of salvation, that tomorrow is not guaranteed. And that the ultimate, ultimate death in hell forever is too terrifying to even consider, oh that they might flee to Christ and find safety in him the way that Noah and his family found safety in the ark. Oh heavenly Father, for those who are Christians, that they might grow and be evermore fruitful. Prune us, Oh Lord, that we might be evermore fruitful for you. That we might grow in holiness, hating sin and loving you, oh Lord, and submitting ourselves to you. We pray in Jesus' name, amen.
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