2011-10-02 FRESH GRACE FOR EVERY TRIAL [Ncc- 1st and 2nd svc - my review (raw)]

2011-10-02 Ncc – 1st and 2nd svc : review (raw)

FRESH GRACE FOR EVERY TRIAL

When faced with a trial , for the Believer , there is something redemptive for it, if we look for it.

All things work together for good.

A delay may be God ‘s provision for you to avoid an accident . Choose to believe that a disappointment will turn into God’s appointment

It may not seem good now but be patient and not be short sighted and know that good is coming

Example : Joseph – he was patient and went through trials as slave in Egypt, but eventually saved his family in the future as Viceroy of Egypt

Heaven and Hell are both very real places

Why talk about devil when you can talk about Jesus?

Switch on the light and focus on Jesus, not devil

Let God arise and enemies scatter

But just because you focus on Jesus but it does not mean there is no darkness

Hell is no a parabolic place . It is not merely spiritual

Switch on the Light and the darkness will flee

John 1

In beginning was Word — there was no definitive Greek article in the original Text : “the “

This is important because Jesus coexisted with Father . He did not have to brought in at “the ” beginning . Jesus was always pre existing . There was no definite point in past when Jesus came into existence , therefore no “the” in the expression “in beginning was the Word “

John 1:14-17

“full of grace and truth “

Truth came after grace

Nicodemus – wrong approach – when you look for grace you will find truth

Nicodemus came looking for truth .

But praise God , nicodemus did come to Jesus although at night and eventually received

Jesus essentially told nicodemus that flesh cannot be helped at all, you have to born again in the spirit

No matter how you educate , sublimate (?) , etc flesh — it is still flesh . Abraham Maslow – triangle of needs – the top is still flesh !

Make sure you encounter Jesus who is full of grace and truth ! Not the Jesus depicted by religious folks.

John 1:16. Grace for grace – grace for (Gk – anti: meaning, in place of) grace

Idea is : grace heaped upon grace upon grace

The moment you use that grace, there emerges yet another grace , virtuous cycle of grace

There is a grace for every need in your life

Never will grace run out

Pastor shares story of how his kid never ran out of coins to play the arcade game becaue he constantly supplied to her (coin upon coin – grace upon grace)

Kid never realized that coins never ran out until many years later when father and daughter talked and he shared (word of the father) that he always replenished the supply.

Same like us, we never realize how much God loves us until when we grow up , and we realize this love through the Word of God

pastor was happy that his daughter was happy

Parents happy to part with money if they see some toy which they know will really make them happy

Same with God

Truth comes after Grace

The Law is not the truth that sets you free

The Jews knew the law , yet Jesus told them , you shall know the truth and set you free

Truth is on the Side of Grace

The truth is the truth of Grace which sets you free

V 17 : 2 objects in sentence – grace and truth – but in Greek , SINGULR verb – “comes” in Greek

In Greek , the 2 objects are so one and united , that it is grace and truth — comes , not come

True grace came through Jesus Christ : that is what v 17 is saying

Anti – can also be — ” in place of ” – v 16

So we can understand that v17 “for ” means that the grace in OT time was a shadow grace that was mixture and caused confusion

Now grace FOR grace

True Grace comes from Jesus in NT

What you need is not more counsel from folks in world but a greater revelation from Jesus

Don’t fight using fleshly means – big names, influence , etc use Heavenly means: grace and wisdom of God

Every trial is opportunity for fresh revelation of Jesus

1 pet 1:10 – 13

(KJV) 1 Peter 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you:

Saved – salvation – soeteria (Gk) – rich word – save , made whole , prosperous

Soeteria is from sozoe – saved

“your faith has made you whole (sozoe or soeteria ) ” – Jesus to woman who touched his hem

V11 glories came from suffering of Jesus

(KJV) 1 Peter 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

The prophets were searching and waiting for Jesus

(KJV) 1 Peter 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

(KJV) 1 Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

“loins” – gird up thoughts of mind . Loins reproduce . So what you think in mind reproduces . What you see outside, will reproduce inside

So be careful what you watch . Pregnant women eg . Should not watch horror stories

9-11 — People remark that that seems like what happens in movie ! The terrorists perhaps led to do these acts but what they watched in movies ?

Come to church and put God ‘s thoughts in your mind

Garbage in , garbage out

So put in God’s Word

V 13 : no other place can give you revelation except when you are in church and receive Jesus revealed – ” rest your hope fully upon the grace “

Every time we have problem it is opportunity to see Jesus in a fresh way

Martha and Mary already knew Jesus for a number of years when Lazarus died . Jesus had to have them see him in a fresh way for Lazarus to be raised — a fresh revelation — I AM (present tense ) the resurrection AND the life

Jesus gave his disciples fresh revelation that HE is light of the world and blind man received sight

Marcus who was chosen to built the MBS sky park pool was his first assignment to built sky pool – when you spend time with them you realize that Marcus and his wife are folks who depend completely on Jesus favor

Unmerited favor — Senior pastor will be preaching in largest church in USA – John Osteen’s Lakewood

When you spend time with Jesus, you get caught up in the sweeping aroma of favor which overshadows you — parallel when you leave a smoke filled room you smell like smoke or smell like perfume if you are in presence of folks with strong perfume

“Remember me, O LORD, with the favour [that thou bearest unto] thy people: O visit me with thy salvation [Hebrew : yeshua ]  …” — King David says in Psalm 106:4

Jer 9:23 – 24

Let him boast that I AM the lord …

Boast that you know the Lord

The more Jesus you see , the more favor you see in your life

2 Pet 1:1-3 – grace multiplied through knowledge of Jesus And and thus pertains to us for ALL things — on earth and not just heaven

(KJV) 2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

(KJV) 2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Even bible scholars etc we need fresh revelation of Jesus always . Jesus wants to reveal himself to you in a new way today

Jesus will always reveal Himself before miracle happens .

See something fresh and new about Jesus and the miracle will happen– message for those facing trials

Worse thing to cause lost of favor : PRIDE !

When we are humble , grace seeks us .

It is a place where we are – water seeks the lowest place

When you become famous , usually become untouchable , cold , the way they talk changes — usually that is what happens to dignitaries

But Jesus never changes ! He still moves amonst the people

Message to 7 churches is talking to the pastors ! God is telling to where the pastor fell in order for him to find his way back. Different message for each pastor

“Grace and peace be multiplied in the knowledge ” in Jesus and 2 Pet 3 manifests

God has given to us all things that pertains to this life

Health , finances etc all pertain to this life – God has given us all things

“.. Through the knowledge ” of Jesus

Luke 7:39 – 43

Jesus was in Simon the Pharisee house and prostitute poured out worship by breaking the bottle and pouring the expensive perfume out

God forgives FREELY – charizomai – the word “grace” is there – gratuitously

Sometimes as humans the style that we give can spoil the gift Eg you give treat for dinner but are grumpy throughout dinner

Don’t let style spoil the deed

Jesus gave and did so in style

When Jesus found lost lamb – Luke 15:5: Jesus rejoices

Jesus did not complain about the arduous search for the lamb, also he did not tie a string on sheep to bring it back – Jesus style was excellent ! He rejoiced and lay lamb on strong shoulders . He did not berate lamb and say lamb was heavy .

For the lack of peace, people are in hospitals etc . Return to the peace in Jesus

Jesus is careful to find us — Woman searching lost coin parable — Luke 15:8 : pix of holy spirit sweeping earth to find you

(KJV) Luke 15:8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find [it]?

Nobody calls for party when lost lamb or lost coin found, except Jesus

Lost coin is lost image of God in humanity

Now we found the lost image of God !

Now we have Shalom ! For the lack of peace etc people are in hospital — lack of meditation on God’s love

Luke 15:20 – father had compassion and he ran

He did not simply forgive the prodigal son. He forgave in style . Not just ask son to come in back door

Rev 1:20 – angels – Angelos ; here is pastor

Jesus is correcting the pastors not the churches

It is cool — Jesus calls the pastors: Stars

Holds the 7 stars – Jesus holds all the pastors in right hand

Rev 2: 4-5

Talks specifically of “you ” the pastor , not church

Jesus reminded this fact to pastor of Ephesus because this pastor forgot the fact that Jesus holds pastors in right hand

Left first love (Protos agape) is left the sense Jesus loves him. So Jesus need to remind that he holds them

Lamp stand is not salvation

Lamp stand is church

He lost his first love — sense of Jesus love for him

Jesus is telling him that if you don’t care about you not caring ,your church will shut down

Like many churches in England which pioneered great revivals in past now places of other uses . Believers did not lose salvation , they merely left the church to another where there is life ! The old church then shuts down

Philadelphia – like New Creation Church

3:8 — open door , no one can shut, when Jesus open , vice versa when Jesus shut, no one can force open

Jesus hold the key of David

For church, we have open door

In valley of achor – trouble , there is open door

With trial , God will make way of escape

It is like story of Narnia, open door a new world

Jesus died to open door to new world of healing prosperity etc and he shut door to death disease etc

Invite God to open door for financial break through or open a new door if place you are in seems stagnant

If you have fallen, you are not cast down , beneath are the everlasting arms of Jesus

Return to your first love which is God’s love for you — he is pleased when you return to His Love !

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