Sunday Re Cap (21st June 2009)

How does the Father See Us? Why Are God's Children Not Possessing Their Inheritance?

Nehemiah (The type of The Holy Spirit) asks for 3 things and HE reminds believers to keep 3 things in perspective to possess our inheritance. Neh 2:6-8

1. Time- Now is the time to possess
   
2. Letters-Bible, will and the testament of our LORD JESUS CHRIST!
   
3. Timber-keep in perspective the cross! This is the focus of the Holy Spirit.
   

On This Father's Day; what is it that will please our Daddy God the most? That we possess our inheritance.

Gal 3:29 We are heirs! Not heir apparent.

Gal 4:1
Many times misinterpreted saying we need to mature, grow up spiritually to possess. Many times we are taught that; we don't possess because we are a child and need to grow spiritually.

Gal 4:2-3 This term of "children" does not refer to immature, imperfect believers and Christians who are born again at all; but refers to the Jews, including Paul, who were held under the law. The law was the guardian until a specific time!

Gal 4:4-7

• Paul uses another term here. "Hwee-os"
  
• The placing as a son, that is, adoption (figuratively Christian sonship in respect to God): - adoption (of children, of sons).
  
• mature full grown son.
  

• So if we are "hwee-os'" why are we not inheriting?
  
  • V6-the spirit of sonship operates by this spontaneous cry of ABBA, FATHER!
    
  • Cultivate the spirit of sonship and this spirit will cast out that very spirit of fear!
    
• Elisha cried out "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" 2 King 2:12
  
• This is picture of the church when Jesus was taken up and the double portion of the mantle of the Holy Spirit fell upon us!
  
• Elisha perform double (16) the miracles of Elijah (8).
  
• What was the key that released this? The cry "My Father, My Father".
  
• Jesus said the things that I do you will do and greater things because I go to My Father! The same picture as Elijah and Elisha! Double portion! John 14:12
  
• Christians are still looking for the mercy of God from the outside when God has said that out of your belly shall flow "rivers"! John 7:38
  
• Our healing is within us and the more we cultivate the spirit of sonship, the more we will receive the spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will quicken our mortal bodies. Rom 8:11
  
• How do we stir it up? The right frequency, when we say "ABBA FATHER".
  
• It's RIVERS of LIVING WATERS.
  

Let's tune in to the right frequency!

© Ps. Samuel Hari (GROW BM)

Sunday Re-Cap (14th June 2009)

The Presence of the Living God
By Ps. Abel Phillips

Ex 33:13-15
13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” 14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.

God wants to give His presence to each and every one of us as we proceed in the highway towards our promise and purpose that God has for each one of us.

Four Aspects of the Presence of God
1. The Common /General Presence – for everyone Act 17:28 the apostle says: In Him we move, live and have our being - Omnipresent.

2. The Relational Presence of God
This relational presence is what all of us should seek for that the reason why Jesus Christ came for 2000 years ago– relational presence of God to be restored. Relational presence is where our impurity is taken away by God not by ourselves

John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (Mt 7:21-23; 1 John 1:5-7 & 1 John 3:3-6)


3. The Working Presence of God (Active)
2 Chronicles 20 – King Jehoshaphat and Israel was invaded by the neighbouring nation, and they hear the WORD of the Lord saying: Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.

As a result of Jehoshaphat’s obedience and the songs of God’s people, Israel was delivered from the hands of the invaders. That’s the active presence of God; and Israel did not do anything to win that war.

4. THE TRANSCENDENT PRESENCE
The Lord wants us to have the presence that goes beyond the earthly; goes beyond our dimension. God wants to do that for every single one of us, church. Not just for some selected Christians, He wants to do it for everybody.

Peter who denied Jesus before the servant girl, now on the Day of Pentecost was able to preach to thousands with no intimidation because of the change through the Transcending Presence of God.

Without the Presence of the Living God:
Ø WE HAVE NO SUSTAINABILITY – If we allow His presence; He sustains us because He is the author & finisher of our purpose in life. Israel in the desert for 40 years was sustained by God.

Ø WE CAN’T FULLY BE PROTECTED -When people abandoned God’ presence they have no protection and Moses understood that concept. He couldn’t move into the next dimension and everything that God has for him. E.g. Daniel’s friends saved by God from the furnace of fire.

Ø WE CAN’T DISCOVER GOD’S ANSWERS - He wants us to have His presence so that he will help us discover His answer for a situation.

Ø WE LACK GOD’S COMPANIONSHIP - Without His presence, we don’t have companionship that produces peace.

Ø WE CAN’T MAKE THE NECESSARY RE-ADJUSTMENT TO OUR SITUATION - God helped Joshua to re-adjust and win in Ai; which they lost before. We all need to allow God’s presence to make re-adjustment to our situation.

Sunday Re Cap (7th June 2009)

Citizens of the Kingdom: Getting REAL with GOD

Text: Matt 6:33

Introduction

We are citizens of the kingdom and are supposed to be enjoying ALL THINGS added to us each and every day of our lives. However, why aren't we enjoying these benefits every day? We live in a world with real challenges. There are sometimes sicknesses, pain, suffering and we receive them as part and parcel of life. However, is this the real world? Is God real? How can we get REAL with GOD?

(2Co 4:18) we not considering the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are not lasting, but the things which are not seen are everlasting.

What we see, the pain, the sickness, the suffering are not lasting. They are temporary. Not just in the next world, but here and now. These are facts and facts are SUBJECT to CHANGE. God is the author and finisher of our faith and if we will allow HIM to, HE writes our stories. Let HIM write your story. The TRUTH, JESUS, never changes. HE is the same yesterday, today and forever. The things which are not seen, the promises of God, the TRUTH never changes and are everlasting. THIS IS THE REAL WORLD.

(2Co 5:7) for we walk by faith, not by sight;

Again, we do not walk by sight in what we see, feel, and hear by our natural senses. These are facts. We are a NEW CREATION (2 Cor 5:17) created in Christ Jesus and we have different senses i.e. spiritual senses. However, these need to be developed over time. How? Through the renewing of our mind with the Word of God. (Eph 4:22-24; Rom 12:2).

Rom 3:23-28 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, (24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; (25) whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness through the passing by of the sins that had taken place before, in the forbearance of God;

Many a times, we quote Rom 3:23 but do not see the following verses. We have been justified freely by GRACE (the unmerited, unearned, undeserved favour of GOD) through Christ. It is appropriated by FAITH in His blood; not by works. God has forgiven us completely. God the Father honours the finished works of His Son; so must we. This is REAL. It is not just a matter of head knowledge, but God offers us a direct, personal intimate relationship with us through the finished works of His Son. Healing is REAL! Prosperity is REAL! Whatever, state we live in, we do not have to remain in it. It is temporary. SUBJECT TO CHANGE!

Luk 15:21-24 And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before you, and am no more worthy to be called your son. (22) But the father said to his servants, Bring the best robe and put it on him. And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. (23) And bring the fattened calf here and kill it. And let us eat and be merry, (24) for this my son was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.

We sometimes see the graciousness of God in this story of the prodigal son and sometimes may even think that this is an exception where the sins of the son goes unpunished and the younger son is lavishly blessed! This was even the perspective of the older brother.(Lk 15:28-30). However, this is REALITY! We are forgiven and we are blessed lavishly by our father in Heaven. Is this fair? Why no punishment? No repentance? No consequence of our sins? This was what the older brother was asking.

Was there really no punishment and no consequence? The father says in v23, "And bring the fattened calf here and kill it. And let us eat and be merry". The fatted calf was not sacrificed somewhere else. It was sacrificed right in front of the younger son. The son was unclean; but the sinless, fattened calf was pure and undefiled. There was an exchange made. All of the sins of the son, the punishment, consequences were put of the calf and it was killed. All of the perfection of the animal was put on the son. The younger son SAW this as the perfect sacrifice and was therefore able to enjoy the blessings of the father!

GOD is a FAIR GOD! Jesus, the perfect sacrifice took all of our sins, punishment and the consequences thereof and made us perfect in the Father's sight. We are now sinless and spotless like the son. As he is, so are we in this world (1 Jn 4:17). When we see the perfect sacrifice of the SON of God, we too can enjoy the lavish blessings of our Heavenly Father!

1 Pet 3:6 6.like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.

Women, you are not called the daughters of Sarah by any chance. Sarah was the only one in the Bible that received the gift of renewed youth. It was very real. The king wanted her for his harem!

How do we receive this REAL blessing? By doing what is right i.e. believe in the finished work of His Son and do not give way to fear! Fear of the FACTS! What we feel in our natural bodies, joint pains, wrinkles, and what the world says about old age! Keep believing that you are daughters of Sarah. Confess JESUS and do not give in to FEAR!

Conclusion

Jesus is REAL. Allow the Father to write the story of our lives by believing in the finished work of His Son on the cross. Everything is subject to change i.e. our pain, suffering, calamities. Let us continue to develop a deep and personal relationship with our Father in Heaven. Do not receive the FACTS. Receive the TRUTH! Jesus and HIS FINISHED WORKS are the TRUTH!