Sunday Re Cap (20th Sept 2009)

Where Sin Abounded Grace Abounded Much More!

Where does Self consciousness and Sin consciousness originate from? For this we need to go to the very first book of the Bible.

Gen 2:9; 2:17; 3:6-11

In The Garden of Eden when Adam partook of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil instead of the tree of LIFE, Adam and Eve became conscious of their nakedness, conscious of their sins (they hid behind the bushes and behind fig leaves and eventually from GOD). The AGE OF SELF CONSCIOUSNESS BEGAN!

Rom 7:8 The LAW makes us conscious to SIN; but GRACE makes us conscious to the SON. We can only choose one; Law or Grace. Either Sin or Son Consciousness. One produces death and the other produces LIFE and LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY!

So what are we saying? Isn't the law holy? Isn't it good?

Rom 7:12 ¹² Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

The LAW is simply like a mirror. It's great! But can it clean us up?

Many well meaning Christians believe that God forgave our sins only up to the point of the cross. They recognize the quality of the sacrifice but somehow have doubts about the quantity of that grace that is available. This one of the most erroneous teaching in the body of Christ and it insults everything that Jesus has done and completed on the cross. It also robs God's people from receiving His blessings, healing and abundant life!

Let's look scripture to determine the quantity of GRACE. Rom 5:17 (the ABUNDANCE of GRACE).

Rom 5:20: ….where^G3757 sin^G266
abounded,^G4121 grace^G5485 did much more abound:^G5248

G4121-pleonazō-increase ; G5248-huperperisseuō-abound much more, exceeding.

What did God do? He did the unthinkable!

Rom 6:11-14 He REMOVED SIN out of the EQUATION! THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY MAN COULD COME BACK INTO RELATIONSHIP WITH A HOLY GOD. HOW?
Through the shedding of the perfect and sinless blood of His Son.

Jesus sacrifice on the cross was an overpayment for our sins. Jesus 'sacrifice was not just an act of grace, it was the very manifestation of GRACE! John 1:17

How can we respond to this truth?

1. If we don't hear about it, we remain under condemnation. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the words of Christ. Rom 10:17. The unveiling of the finished works of the cross. Luke 24:27
   
2. We can say "I don't believe it!".
   
3. We can remain doubtful and continues to find ways to justify ourself.
   
4. We can be overjoyed and grateful.
   
5. We are no longer conscious of our sin. Initially, we may be self conscious but then day by day our confidence grows. Has the debt been paid, yes! It doesn't matter how we feel, it's not there anymore! The TRUTH is the debt has been paid!
   

Jesus' gift of righteousness and the abundance of grace will cause us to reign in life! Rom 5:17.

It takes FAITH to believe that we have been made righteous by God. John 3:30: Self consciousness must decrease that Jesus may increase. 1 Jn 3:2 When there is a revelation of Jesus (instead of self); we shall be like Him! Let there be more and more revelation of Jesus in our worship, communion, preaching that we shall be like Him!

Samuel Hari © GROW BM

Sunday Re Cap (13th Sept 2009)

Why does Jesus say "Do not worry?"

• Because by default we always fall back to worry! When we worry we take control and God loses all control to bless us! We feel miserable but at least we are now in control! Remember, to worry is to respond and return to our flesh and works instead of resting in what Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross.
  
• Because we are choosing to trust in our own efforts, we are on shaky ground. Uncertain about God's blessings and provision.
  
• It is an indication of pride. We no longer depend on His grace. James 4:6-7. It takes humility not to worry. 1 Pet 5:6-7
  
• When we worry, we are saying God cannot be trusted. We have made Him unworthy.
  

The antidote to worry is PEACE!

Mat 11:28-30

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. When He says "Come to Me…" He's saying come to the Prince of Peace.

Labour and Heavy Laden-worried to the point of being wearied. Why? Everyone is yoked to something. If we are yoked to something that is not synchronized with us then we get tired. Ex: Ballroom Dancing with the wrong partner makes us tired.

Maybe some of us are synchronized with the wrong partner? When we are synchronized, then there's less effort and more effectiveness. Jesus is the best partner! Perfectly synchronized. That's how Jesus intends for it to be. When we're yoked with him our yoke is easy and our burden is light! We're supposed to be dancing through life, work, family, business, and ministry! Are we yoked to the right partner? He takes the lead and we follow.

How is this connected to the Holy Communion? It comes back to BELIEVING the main clause of the New Covenant.

• Every time we partake of the Holy Communion, we put ourselves back on solid ground. The New Covenant is not uncertain (based on our own efforts, works, performance) but it is on solid ground (based on Christ Character and goodness).
  
• Jesus and Paul reminds us that "this is the blood of the New Covenant" in Matt 26:27,28 and Mark 14:24 and 1 Cor 11:25
  
• 1 Cor 11:28 "Let a man examine himself" is obviously not about confessing our sins because the 4^th clause of the New Covenant says "our sins and iniquities are remembered no more" Heb 8:12. It is examining our hearts to see if we remember that it is all about what Jesus has already done for us! "Do this often in remembrance of ME" and not YOU and your sins and weaknesses. Jesus remembers it no more; why should we?
  

We are encouraged to partake of it often! The more we partake of it, the more we are reminded that we are in the New Covenant and therefore solid ground instead of the shaky and uncertain ground of being worried. Our flesh easily goes back to works and performance. We partake of it to remember that Jesus has done it all! Now we can really say, "no worries!"

Sunday Recap (6th Sept 2009)

How To Overcome Worry

Mat 6:30-34 "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers--most of which are never even seen--don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? (31) What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. (32) People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. (33) Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (34) "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (The Message Bible)

The wonderful thing about the Holy Spirit is that He not only instructs us "Not To Worry" but also tells us how to do it.

The Message Bible defines worrying as fussing. Best example, children of Israel in the wilderness. If we fuss it's a sign that we're in the wilderness. Fussing is an external manifestation of an internal issue-WORRY. A person who fusses constantly is one who has a stronghold of worry. V32 says people who fuss, don't know God and don't know how HE works.

Definition-Worry-Merimnao (Gk)

• to be anxious about (YLT): - (be, have) care (-ful), take thought (KJV).
  
• a distraction, a preoccupation with things causing anxiety, stress and pressure. (Spirit Filled Life Bible).
  

This same word is used in the parable of the sower. However the word used there is cares. Mark 4: 18-19

So when we worry:

1. We don't reach our destination. The children of Israel were not able to reach the Promised Land and experience the land flowing with milk and honey.
   
2. We live in anxiety, stress and pressure. This also affects those around us.
   
3. It causes the seed of God's word to become unfruitful in our lives. It's no wonder that sometimes we can be in church and experience barrenness.
   

How Do We Overcome Worry?

There are 5 keys found in the same passage:

1. By resting in knowing that our Heavenly Father attends to us, takes pride in us and will do His best for us. (v30).
   
2. By letting go of our preoccupation with getting so that we can respond to His giving. (v31).
   
3. By knowing our Heavenly Father and how He works. (v32).
   
4. By giving attention to God reality, God provision and God initiative instead of our own. (v33).
   
5. By giving attention and celebrating
   TODAY what our Heavenly Father is doing instead of waiting for the manifestation of His promises sometime in the future. Celebrate and Rejoice Now! (v34).
   

Remember, to worry is to respond and return to our flesh and works instead of resting in the accomplished work of Jesus on the cross. The key to overcoming worry and to live a burden free life is to focus and receive from our Heavenly Father through the atoning work of His Son.

Samuel Hari © GROW BM

Sunday Re Cap (30th Aug 2009)

Do Not Worry

Text: Mat 6:25-34

In this portion of scripture, Jesus himself gives us a very important principle to receiving ALL things.

If you notice, there is a recurring word or phrase that is used in the above portion of scripture. "DO NOT WORRY!"

When we worry, we cannot receive the unmerited favour of God. We are relying on our own strength and abilities.

What are the areas we are NOT TO WORRY so that we can receive GREAT FAVOUR? Picture it this way to see it better. There is a GOLDEN pipeline from heaven flowing into our lives with "ALL THINGS ADDED". However, every time we worry, we are squeezing that line and the blessings cannot flow.

The 1^st area: Our LIFE! This speaks about our health. We need to REST on the truth that God desires GOOD HEALTH for us. The key to receiving healing is DO NOT WORRY! Good health is part and parcel of God's covenant with us through the finished work of Jesus on the cross!

"Griefs" and "Sorrows" in Is 53:4 are interpreted as "Infirmities and "Diseases" in Matt 8:17.

Rom 10:9 that if^G1437 you confess^G3670 with your mouth^G4750 Jesus^G2424
as Lord^G2962, and believe^G4100 in your heart^G2588 that God^G2316 raised^G1453 Him from the dead^G3498, you will be saved^G4982;

sōzō G4982: to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.

"So why am I not getting well?" Don't give up! Keep believing. We are not meditating and resting enough on God's promises; human nature!

2^nd area: Jesus not only tells us not to worry about our life but the QUALITY of our life. "LIFE more than FOOD and BODY more than clothing". He not only wants to bless you but the blessing comes from the inside out!

3^rd Area: area Jesus speaks about is WORK!

IF we want to have creativity, be productive in any job, it's important first of all not be stressed out. Stress confuses, clouds the mind. Stress kills, brings diseases. Jesus already knows that no one can perform to their full potential under stress. When we get rid of the stress and worry, then we perform even better!

4^th Area: Do not worry about "tomorrow". Give us this day our daily bread. Our future in is in God's hands. Instead dwell on the promise that God's plans are good plans to give us a future and a hope. No matter how difficult today may seem, He will cause ALL THINGS to work together for good for those who love God. What is our part to simply love God!

DO NOT WORRY and RECEIVE FAVOUR!

Ps Samuel Hari © GROW BM