Sunday Re Cap (7th Aug 2011)

We Are Favored

It's hard to say that when some of us face sicknesses, challenges in our families, trials in our homes, working places or even mounting debts? The last thing we feel like is that WE ARE FAVORED. It’s important that in this day and season, we focus on God and what He has said in HIS Word.

Just as God called Abraham out from his own land, family and people, God has called us out as a people from our old life, comfort zones and in the bigger picture he is still calling us out to step out and walk by faith. Walking by faith involves stepping out.

Gen 12:1 -3 The Abrahamic Covenant outlines God’s redemptive purposes for the world through God’s people; “and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Gen 12:3b

What RIGHT do we have to this COVENANT?

Gal 3:6-9 ⁹ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

1.      God told Abraham wherever you go, I will make you into a great nation. Today, wherever you and I go, God wants to establish a great nation, HIS KINGDOM, Through US! How?

2.      By blessing us…what is THE BLESSING? It’s not just favor, influence or prosperity which Abraham had…we have a blessing that is far greater than anything that Abraham had; we have JESUS who is THE BLESSING. Abraham experienced BLESSINGS but we have THE BLESSER! Today THE BLESSING is not just material things or health or influence; We are THE BLESSING of GOD to the dying world around us. This means that irrespective of the circumstances we find ourselves in, we are still God’s BLESSING to the world in CHRIST JESUS simply because we are BLESSED by THE BLESSER to be a BLESSING!

3.      Why isn’t it happening? We are ignorant, don’t believe, think we are too small, don’t care. God is waiting. WHO WAS ABRAM?? A shepherd in the desert! Some of us want the blessing and don’t get it because we want it for ourselves… let’s be honest…James 4:1-6

4.      I WILL…NOT you will…He wants to expand our spheres of influence…and make us a BLESSING…some are tapping into it but get overwhelmed and forget why they are blessed.

5.      Whoever curses, we need not curse! He will curse…what are we to do? To bless…NOT CURSE! ALL will be blessed through us! Matt 5:44-48

6.      What do we need to do? It’s all GOD! Abraham believed God and it was accounted to Him as righteousness…accounting was not based on Abraham’s reputation, talent, wealth, good deeds; but simply based on obedience!

It is so important that we recognize God’s favor over our lives in these challenging days. The only way we can make an impact is by constantly being aware of God’s presence and promises through Christ.. Christ is the link between the Abrahamic Covenant and us. To ABIDE in HIM is TO ABIDE in THE BLESSING!

Rev. Samuel Hari @ GROW BM

Sunday Re Cap (11th Jan 2009)

The Year Of Great Favor-Living Radically II

Isa 60:1-2 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. (2) For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

Introduction

As we begin the New Year, we want to move on in the New Things that God has prepared for us. We need to desire to move into the next level of grace and anointing over our lives. We cannot carry on as we have done in the past. The old ways of thinking and the old ways of doing things. Something must change within us. It cannot be business as usual anymore. We need to begin to arise and shine. How do we ARISE & SHINE?

Chap 59:19-21 gives us the keys:

Isa 59:19-21 19 So shall they fear The name of the Lord from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. 20 "The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says the Lord. 21 "As for Me," says the Lord, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the Lord, "from this time and forevermore." NKJV

The LORD lays out a foundation for us to ARISE & SHINE.

1. Remember HIS Covenant. Many times, the prophets speak about the New Covenant in the OT. See Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:6-13 (See PPT).

2. Cultivate our walk with HIS SPIRIT

3. A commitment to HIS WORD.

4. Don't let the WORD depart from our mouth. JOSH 1:8

5. Teach it to our children and our children's children (grandchildren).

It is a common temptation of Satan to make us give up the reading of the Word and prayer when our enjoyment is gone; as if it were of no use to read the Scriptures when we do not enjoy them, and as if it were no use to pray when we have no spirit of prayer. The truth is that in order to enjoy the Word, we ought to continue to read it, and the way to obtain a spirit of prayer is to continue praying. The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray.

George Muller