The Gospel According to Romans

I. The Promise of the Gospel

Given through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures
- It was a Spoken Promise – Communicated
- It was a Written Promise – Encoded, Recorded

Promise of the Gospel: “That God will save…”
Promises of the Gospel. “Salvation, life, adoption….”

Rom.15:8; Gal.3:16, 22

Why the Promise of the Gospel Was Made
1. Because man by his righteousness could not fulfill the righteousness of God.
The Law can’t save. It can only condemn.
Israel is the greatest example.
- Sinned despite of miracles
- Sinned despite of Tabernacle
- Sinned despite of Shekinah
- Sinned despite of prophets, priests… (Jer.5:31)
Education can’t transform
Religion can’t transform
2. Because God loved us and wants us to be saved. (1Jn.4:19)
- Cross: Greatest symbol of human rejection of God and God’s embrace of man
3. Because the Gospel is the only way for man to be saved.
That is why it is the GOSPEL

II. The Person of the Gospel

Not an ordinary man.
Mediator: Real. High Priest.

According to the Flesh: Son of David
According to the Spirit of Holiness: Son of God

Jn.3:16

Gospel of the Son of David
Gospel of the Son of God

a. Humanity and Divinity. Perfect Mediator. (Heb.2)
b. Royal Lineage. King
c. Embodiment of Promise. In Him all promise are “Yes” and “Amen”
Declared: “It is finished”. His Name is “Amen”
He finished the work of righteousness
He sanctified us by His sacrifice.
Holiness: Not in degrees. But, a position. We don’t become holy. We are made holy in Him. New man.

III. The Propagation of the Gospel

Grace and Apostleship
Grace given to all; but Apostleship only to a few

Work of the Ministry- Ministry of the Gospel
Rom.12:6: Everyone gets gifts of grace
1Pet.4:10-11: Stewards of grace

120 saints in the Upper Room. Not all were apostles but all received grace to bear witness (Acts 1:8)

Matt.25:15: Parable of Talents

1. Grace is a Free Gift.
Received freely – freely give (Matt.10:8)
Everything received, nothing to boast (1Cor.4:7)
1Cor.9:18 – Gospel without charge
2Cor.11:7-9
1Tim.6:5 – Not for gain: Don’t be like the man with one talent who: “Why labor for someone else’ profit?” “What do I get?” This attitude is nothing but wickedness

The greatest reward: 1Cor.9:17-18; Phil.4:1

2. Grace is Privilege
1Cor.9:16-17. Woe if I don’t preach..
1Cor.15:10,11. By grace I am what I am…
Grace works… Grace in action.. Effective Grace
You can reach friends that I can’t; likewise, friends reach friends…

SEE THE PRIVILEGE
- 1Pet.1:10-12; Heb.1:1-2. Fathers, Prophets longed for
- Eph. 3:8-10; 1Pet.12. Angels desire to look into
Angels can’t preach the Gospel (e.g. Cornelius’ Story); but you can.

We know Christ. The Fullness of Grace.
New Birth- Spirit
New Law- Love
New Hope – Resurrection
New Ministry – Reconciliation
New Order – All Priests
New Position – Sons
New Relationship – Bride/Bridegroom

Not as OT, New Order

3. Grace is a Responsibility
1Pet.4:10,11. Stewards
Man of one talent – irresponsible, wicked

Esther 4:14. Grace positioned her. Grace demands from her.
Recognize your grace – Rom.12:6
Remember your grace
Witness – Work

Recognize Your Gift
1. Measure of faith. What do you have faith for? (Rom.12:3)
2. Laying on of hands – delegation, authority (2Tim.1:6)
3. Manifestation of Spirit – Gifts (1Cor.12)

10 Secrets of Stability (Psalm 26)

1. No Compromise – Integrity
2. Absolute Trust (unwavering)
3. Constant Testing (Psa.26:2)
4. Constant Vision of His Love (Psa.26:3)
5. Pursuit of Truth (Psa.26:3)
6. Reserved Association (Psa.26:4-5)
7. Pure Conscience (Psa.26:6)
8. Holy Sacrifice (Psa.26:6; Rom.12:2)
9. Voice of Thanksgiving and Praise (Psa.26:7)
-Gratitude Vs Grumbling
-Praise Vs Provocation
-Positivity Vs Pessimism
10. Desire for the Heavenly City (Psa.26:8)

Made, Destined, and Perfected for WORSHIP

We are
1. Made for Worship (Rev.4:11; Ps.139:13-18; Job 10:10,11; Jn.9:3)
2. Destined for Worship (Rev.4:10,11)
- The Absolute Acknowledgement of the Source – “You Have”
- The Joyous Consideration of Our Purpose – “For Your Pleasure”
Col.1:16; Eph.1:10; 2:7
3. Meant to Worship (Acts 17:25-29) –To seek Him
4. Perfected for Worship (Ps.29:2; Heb 9:9,14; 10:19-22; Isa.61:3; Rev.15:4)

"When I look into the heavens, the moon and all the stars, Iwonder "What is man that you are mindful of him?" (Psalm 8)

~"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you have established;
what are human beings that you are mindful of them,
mortals that you care for them?" (Psalm 8:3,4)~

There are about 400 billion stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way. Now, there are 500 billion such galaxies in the universe. Imagine the number of all the stars if we multiply the 400 billion with the 500 billion; it would be 200000 billion stars. Yet, God knows each of the stars by its name - how much more precious is the life of a human created in the very image and likeness of God. And, then we are only about 7 billion people on this planet. We are precious!

1. THE VALUE OF LIFE

Jesus said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matthew 10:29,30).

God cares for the sparrows; how much more He cares for us. He says that even the hairs of our head are numbered.

How precious are we to God?

We can try, perhaps just come close, to understand that if we look at the Lord Jesus Christ. He said that He came into the world to seek and save those who were lost. We are so precious that He doesn't want any of us to be lost in our sins.

Jesus said that He came to serve and give His life a ransom for many. He death on the cross, the ultimate sacrifice, was the price He paid to save us from the consequences of sin - that was eternal separation from God and all His goodness. Now, we need to only turn to God and He is there with His arms outspread to take us in because the stains of sin have all been washed away by the love of Jesus Christ.

He allowed humanity to hate Him to the core by allowing them to crucify Him. On the cross, He embraced us despite our rebellion with His infinite love; He put an end to all enmity; He removed every writ of condemnation. He gave Himself in the Ultimate Sacrifice.

Why?

Because, we are the Pearl of Great Price that God doesn't want to lose. We are precious in His sight.

Yet, we devalue ourselves by separating ourselves from our Source. Our value is not intrinsic in ourselves; it is derived from who we are in Him, because of Him.

The Psalmist talks about our God-given value in Psalm 8:5:
"You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor."

2. THE VISION OF LIFE

The Psalmist also mentions the original purpose of God for humanity:

"You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
you put everything under their feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the animals of the wild,
the birds in the sky,
and the fish in the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas." (Psalm 8:6-8)

God created us to be winners, to be victorious, to be wise rulers of His world. But, sadly, how humanity has turned the earth into ruins. We may have excelled in material civilization; but, the earth lies polluted and poisoned under our hands.

The Bible says that the creation now groans in agony, waiting for its redemption, i.e. the manifestation of the sons of God, the ones who will bear the scepter in the world to come. (Romans 8)

In this life now, the vision glows warmly in the lives of those who have turned their hearts to God and have received the earnest of the Holy Spirit. He groans within us to bring forth in us what He wants us to be.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:26-30).

3. THE VANTAGE OF LIFE

Therefore, the Bible reminds us to remember God in the days of our youth (Eccl.12:1), to make the best use of time for the days are evil (Eph.5:16), and to listen to the voice of the Spirit today when He talks to us (Heb.3:7,8).

We have been given only one life; it is our vantage point. What we decide today determines our destiny tomorrow. Let us not waste it; let us seek Him, His will, and glorify His name by fulfilling His desire for each one of us.

There is no limit to what we can do if we trust in the Lord. God has ordained strength even out of the mouth of babes and infants.

The Psalmist could say:
"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength..." (Psalm 8:1,2)

Waiting on the Lord - Sermon Outline

1. STRENGTH THROUGH WAITING. PSALM 27:14; ISAIAH 40:31
Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! (Psa 27:14 NKJ)
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. (Isa 40:31 NKJ)

• If you're growing weaker; it means you have not been waiting.
• If you're afraid; it means you have not been waiting.
• If you're becoming weary; it means you have not been waiting.

2. SALVATION THROUGH WAITING. PRO 20:22; LAM 3:25-26
Do not say, "I will recompense evil"; Wait for the LORD, and He will save you. (Pro 20:22 NKJ)
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the LORD. (Lam 3:25-26 NKJ)

• If we try to hurry things; we end up aborting things.
• If we are not experiencing the goodness of God, we have not been seeking Him.
• If we are not quietly resting and hoping in Him, He can't save us.

3. INHERITANCE THROUGH WAITING. PSALM 37:9, 34
For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth. (Psa 37:9 NKJ)
Wait on the LORD, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. (Psa 37:34 NKJ)

• Those who wait on the Lord walk in the path of righteousness.
• Those who wait on the Lord inherit the earth.
• Those who wait on the Lord hold on to God's way and to His word. They are exalted.

Reasons to Rejoice

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"Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice!" (Phil.4:4)

We are called to rejoice IN THE LORD, not in circumstances. Happiness depends on happenings; but, we can rejoice in the Lord.

We'll look at 3 reasons, among many many more, to rejoice in the Lord.

We can rejoice because of DIVINE

1. FAVOR
When Gabriel met Mary in Luke 1:28, he greeted her saying, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Because of God's favor, Mary could say, "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name." (46-49).

The favor of God protected, positioned, and promoted Joseph. God's favor in Christ Jesus is the reason why we can rejoice, because He doesn't treat us as we deserve but treats us as highly favored.

We can rejoice everyday again and again because of His favor every moment.

2. FRUITFULNESS
Jesus said in John 15 that if we abide in Him then we'll be fruitful. Right connection and communion brings fruitfulness. Barrenness brings sadness and sorrow; but, fruitfulness brings rejoicing. We can be joyful because God has plans of success and fruitfulness for us.

3. FREEDOM
Back to Philippians 4, the Bible calls us to cast all our burdens on Christ and experience the freedom of truth and absolute reliance. Those who cast all their burdens on the Lord can be carefree, because He has promised to take care of us!

Seven Reasons Why I Tithe (by Dr. David Jeremiah)

Outline of a Message on Turning Point. The message is no longer available at Oneplace.com

Intro
To not speak about finances is like taking a pen knife and cutting out the heart of scriptures.
The word "baptism" is mentioned 40 times in the Bible
The word "prayer" 275 times
The word "faith" 350 times
The word "love" 650 times
But there are 2350 verses that talk about finances, offerings, tithes, and material blessings.

7 REASONS WHY I TITHE (MALACHI 3)
1. Tithing is a matter of PRIORITY with God
2. Tithing is a means of PROVING God
3. Tithing is a means of PROVISION by God
4. Tithing is a method of PARTICIPATING in the work of God
5. Tithing is a means of PUTTING God first
6. Tithing is a method of PROTECTING your investment
7. Tithing is a means of PRACTICING your faith.

The Wheat & the Weed (Matt.13:24-43)

Itarsi, 30 August, 2008.

TEXT: Matthew.13:24-43
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
"but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
"But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
"So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'
"He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'
"But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
'Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' "
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,
"which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."
Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."
All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."
He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
"The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked [one.]
"The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
"Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
"The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
"and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
"Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Parables are windows to truth.

1. The World Belongs to God

The field is of God. The devil is just an infiltrator. The world is God's field.

False Notions
False View # 1. The World Belongs to Man - Anthropocentric View.
Psalm 115:16 means that the heavens are solely governed by God, but the earth is given to man. Yet, the earth is not given over to man as an independent sovereign domain. Daniel 4:25 tells us that the Sovereign God rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever He wills. If the earth were a separated domain, then God would have no authority over it. He could not legally interfere with its affairs. He could not judge or condemn anyone since it would be the matter of a separate kingdom and unrelated to Him. Sin, then would be an internal problem of man - something that man would have to settle. It would not be sin against God. The only law that would be recognized in the kingdom of man would be the law of man. But the fact that sin is a violation of God's law is itself proof that the the world is under the domain of God. This is God's world.

The false view that the world is man's world leads to irresponsible usage of the earth's resources, exploitation of nature, and an independent spirit that doesn't honor God.

Even the very life of man belongs to God. Man is not an independent creature. There is difference between freedom and independence. Freedom means that one is free to choose any action. Independence means that one needs to give an account to nobody since he is under no one's rule. He is sovereign, self-governing, and self-dependent. (e.g. India is free and independent; it is a sovereign nation not under a foreign rule).

Man is not independent and his freedom involves responsibility.

2. False View # 2. The World Belongs to the Devil - The Evil-Centered View.
It's extremity is docetism that looks at all matter as inherently evil
(Lk.4:6; 1Jn.5:19; 2Cor.4:4; Eph.2:2).

It is falsely believed by some that the kingdom was handed over to the devil's hands by Adam. This is false since Adam had no right of transfer. He never had the absolute authority to transfer ownership of the world because the world never belonged to him as an inheritance. Man is not sovereign. Only God is sovereign.

The devil spoke a lie by appeal to appearance.

Things appear as if the devil is in control everywhere, but just because he has sown weeds in God's field by stealth doesn't mean this field now belongs to him. The word "world" has several meanings: "universe", "earth", "terrestrial", "humanity in general" (John 3:16), "sinful humanity" (2Cor.4; 1Jn.5). Sinful humanity with its worldly wisdom is in the condemnation of the devil, believing his lies, and walking after the doctrines of demons. The devil and his angels will be judged for their rebellion.

False View #3. The World Belongs to Life - Eco-centric View.Man is part of the eco-system of balance and must live in conformity with the laws of nature so that the earth will always be conducive to life. We are in danger of losing the earth as the only habitat of life by deforestation, depletion of ozone layer, rise of seal level, global warming, etc. Since man is the only rational being, it is his responsibility to conserve nature. Nature becomes a goal in the sense that life is the purpose of this world. Some modern scientists have gone to the extent of saying that "Mother Earth", nature is alive (GAIA Hypothesis). There are other versions such as Tao and Yoga (attunement with nature).

The Biblical View: Christocentric View
Colossians 1:19ff, Psalm 89:11.

The world belongs to God.
Dan.4:25: God rules over the kingdom of men.

Why does God rule? Because it belongs to Him. It is sinful man who questions the authority of God.

Do you acknowledge the Sovereignty & Lordship of God over your life?

The Son of man is the Sower of the Good Seed.

2. The Wheat are the Children of the Kingdom

This means that they are the original heirs of the Kingdom. The ones who really belong to God and to His Kingdom. They are children of God.

2Tim.2:9: The Lord knows those that are His.

They are originally intended to live and grow in the world. But the enemy comes and pollutes it with evil seed, poisonous weeds.

Few Things to Note
Don't over allegorize the parable.
Proceed from facts to parable; not from parable to facts.

e.g. The wheat in sower's hand must not be interpreted as saying that man has no choice, etc.
--Unlike wheat grain, humans have freewill, personality, moral choice...
--It is by choice that one aligns himself with the will of God.
--The wheat is the original intention of the sower. The child of God is the original intention of God.
--The wheat is that which is ultimately useful. All the act of the weed is only hurtful and useless at the end to be burnt in fire.
-- Understand your purpose -- your destiny.
--Your identity is determined by your choice.

It is not that God created the good ones and the devil created the evil ones - as some people think about Cain that he was born out of Eve & Satan's relationship. The devil can create nothing.

God created men alike but all those who respond by faith in His word are the wheat of God. The rest are devil's seed.

Your character is determined by your choices.

False Views About Man As Wheat

1. Essentialist View. That men are essentially good or evil. Some Indian schools of philosophy talked about Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. That some are born as rational, some as passionate, and some as lazy. Calvin emphasized or pre-election and quoted "Vessels of honor" versus Vessels of dishonor.

When the Bible says that the wicked are by nature the children of wrath, it doesn't mean that they have such nature but that the natural consequences are punishment.

People are not born as wheat or weed; they become wheat or weed by choice.

2. Situationist View. Man is a slave of circumstances and man becomes what circumstances make of him. This may have some truth but not ultimately true.

Determinism is assumed much in psychology. Man is regarded as a bunch of chemical reations, genetically determined and evolving in response to his environment.

If man was determined and had no free choice, then sin cannot exist as willful rebellion. It would only exit as mechanical response and would not be rebellious but malfunction.You don't judge mechanics in law courts, and you don't put computer in prison.

It's one's moral choice that determines one's character. Your willingness or unwillingness to believe God makes you what you become.

God can't hold you responsible if you can blame it all on someone else. The blame finally ends in you. You are the sole decider of your fate. It is your determination of what is meaningful to you that determines the meaning of your life.

Are you a Wheat or a Weed?

The Weed are the Children of the Wicked One

They are the trouble-makers, the fast-growers, the seemingly successful. dominant, notorious, and false occupiers of God's world.

They are the weed. They belong to the devil and his wicked rebellious group. Cain joined hands with the devil against God.

Something to note about weeds
1. Simulator: Weed looks like wheat. Look is alike. The devil is a good simulator.
2. Persecutors: Poisonous Weed. They are scoffers, mockers, violent.
3. Occupies: Not encroachment, but application. Psalm 73.
4. Day of Judgement: Final decision - It is God's barn.
Sovereignty, Ownership, and Choice of destiny.

10 Principles of Power Living from the Book of Haggai

1. Tomorrow never comes while you are looking forward to it. Hag.1:2
YOUR POWER MOMENT = "NOW"
Eccl.11:4,5,6 - He who observes the wind will not sow.
The First Step taken is Half the Journey Done

2. If you care for God's house, God will care for your house. Hag.1:3-9
YOUR POWER ATTITUDE= "CARE" "ZEAL" "PASSION"

3. There is no fruitfulness without the blessing of the Lord. Hag.1:11
YOUR POWER ENVIRONMENT= "FAVOR OF GOD"
Esth.4:14. Favor Positions you Promotes you Protects you

 4. There is no revival without a message of revival. Hag.1:12
YOUR POWER ACTION= "OBEDIENCE"

5. The Word is what stirs one to action. Hag.1:14
YOUR POWER EXPERIENCE= "STIRRED"

6. The ministry of the Word and the ministry of the House go together. Hag.2:2,10
Keep a record of the date and word..
YOUR POWER VISION/EXPECTATION = "BETTER IS YET TO COME"
Keep moving...There's reason to move ahead

7. When God gives a Vision, He also gives Provision. Hag.2:8,9
YOUR POWER ASSURANCE = "ALL NEEDS MET" "THE MASTER TAKES CARE"

8. Holiness is personal; sin is extensional. Hag.2:12-14
YOUR POWER POSTURE= "HOLINESS" "CLEANLINESS"

9. Blessing begins from the House of God. Hag.2:18
YOUR POWER HOUSE = "BODY OF CHRIST"

10. Your labor for the Lord is highly prized. Hag.2:22-23
YOUR POWER RETURNS= "POWER & AUTHORITY"

"He will be called Wonderful" (Isaiah 9:6)

"He will be called Wonderful" (Isaiah 9:6)

1. His NAME is Wonderful (Judges 13:18)
2. His WORKS are Wonderful (Psalm 111:2-4)
3. His WORDS are Wonderful (Psalm 119:129)
4. He HIMSELF is Wonderful (Isaiah 28:29)
He is Wonderful in Wisdom and Counsel

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उसका नाम अद्भुत...रखा जाएगा (यशायाह 9:6)
1. उसका नाम अद्भुत है (न्‍यायियों 13:18)
2. उसके काम अद्भुत है (भजन 111:2-4)
3. उसके वचन अद्भुत है (भजन 119:129)
4. वह स्‍वयं अद्भुत है (यशायाह 28:29)
वह बुद्धि और युक्ति में अद्भुत है।

5 Principles of Moving Ahead (Philippians 3:13-15)

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.... Only let us live up to what we have already attained. (Php 3:13-16)

1. CONSECRATION. "To take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (v13)
2. CONCENTRATION. "One thing I do..." (v14)
3. CONFRONTATION. "I press on.... I press on." (vv13,14). Move against the current.
4. CONTINUATION. "I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.... Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on..." (v14)
5. CONSERVATION. "let us live up to what we have already attained..." (v 16)

"The Just Shall Live By Faith" - Homily

Year: 1998-1999
Class: MDiv (Previous)
Class Instructor: Dr. Daryl Merrill, Sr.
Homily: “A Justified Man’s Life by Faith in God”
Homily by: Domenic Marbaniang
Text: Romans 1:17: “The Just Shall Live by Faith”

State Track/Angle: Analogical view-point of life-process
WHY?
• The subject is a very broad one; comprehends, runs through, the whole Bible. Exhaustive talk impossible.
• Not just a theological or philosophical enterprise; a call to a meaningful experience of life eternal; a relationship.

Define Terms for a Clear Perspective of Thinking
• The Just: The righteous one – one who stands and lives his life in conformity to God’s Just Standard of Living
• Live: The entire life process consummating in eternity.
• By: Out-from/of; by; because of or by reason of.
• Faith: Faithful, living, loving faith, obedient to truth, based on the Being of God, based on His Revealed Truth. The means by which we respond and relate to Him.

PART I: COMMENCEMENT: THE START OF THE LIFE
ORIGIN BY FAITH “OUT OF”
V17: “The Just shall live by faith”
A. Syntax (form)
1. The just by faith, shall live.
2. The just, by faith shall live.
B. Meaning
1. The man justified by faith shall live.
2. The justified man shall live by faith.
C. Implications
1. Grace: Unmerited Favor of God
Unmerited: Man’s Position – Sinner, Doomed
Favor: God’s Provision - Christ, Cross, Gospel.
Rom.3:24: “By grace you are justified freely.”
2. Faith: Man’s Response. “Faith without deeds of the Law”
Rom.3:28: “…justified by faith.”
D. Conclusion
1. Justification: Righteousness of Christ imputed. Declared (not made) as righteous. A right standing with God.
2. Eternal Life: A right standing before God in everlasting relationship.

The Standing: What he is, the result of faith (begins by)
The Life: The result of responding to God’s grace in faith.

PART II: CONTINUITY: THE PROCESS, CONTINUITY OF THE LIFE (BY FAITH)
ILLUSTRATION: Difference between living man and dying man

A. PERCEPTION (CONTINUOUS)
Rene Descartes: Certainty of knowledge depends on the certainty of the existence of God; on the certainty of His Truthfulness.
If that is true of the secular world, how much more to a justified man of God!
1. Relating to God Empirically by Faith.
Ill. Relating to world by 5 senses. Relating to the Unseen God (world) by Faith (sense).
The righteous by faith is SENSITIVE to God’s PRESENCE and God’s POWER.
2. Relating to God Cognizantly by Faith.
Ill. One of the basic requirements of knowledge is Belief.
Ill. Observation, Note, Research.
The just SCRUTINIZES, SEARCHES the SCRIPTURES (REVELATION) to UNDERSTAND and KNOW the PERSONALITY and PROMISES of God by Faith.
3. Relating to God Meaningfully by Faith
Ill. What is the advantage of knowing the world, if it is of no significance to me?
It must help and benefit my life.
The just SUBMITS to the Will (Plan, Revelation) of God, having understood its SIGNIFICANCE for his life by Faith (1Cor.2:10-14; Convicted by God’s Spirit). He thus APPROPRIATES the Promises of God by his faith (Heb 6:12).

SUBMISSION: (1) in Loving Faith (love)
(2) in Obedient Faith (obedience)

B. PROTECTION (CONTINUOUS)
What is to be preserved?
1. The FOUNDATION of the Justified Life
Ill. Body Genetic Code (Cell)
1Cor.3:11. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Gal.1:8 – Preacher of any other Gospel accursed.
Jesus Christ: the Son of God Incarnate, Crucified, Risen, and Living. The Gospel communicated through His Apostles and Prophets.
1Cor.5:21. “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
2. The BUILDING of the Justified Life (The Man)
Ill. The Body/Building in conformity to foundation/no leaping overs
Life in CONFORMITY to the righteousness of Christ imparted to us. No Extra-foundations-laws.

Philippians 1:27: Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ… Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel.

The Negative: Shipwreck (1Tim.1:19); Slip (Heb.2:1); Err from (1Tim.6:10).

Conclusion: YOU LOSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE SUPERSTRUCTURE, NO MATTER HOW INTRICATE, FALLS/COLLAPSES.

Gal.2:20: Christ Lives in Me, I Live by Faith in Him.
Jn.15:4,5: Abide in Me, and I in you. Without me ye can do nothing (Severed from me ye are good for nothing).

The Process of Preservation/Protection
1. Resistance (Defense & Offense Mechanism).
Ill. Immunity, Stamina. Fighting sickness and disease away.
By Faith in Christ the Just FIGHTS the FOREIGN FOES away.
Eph.6:16 – Shield of Faith (Defense)
1John 5:4 – Overcome by Faith (Offense)

Rom 8:37: “Nay, in all these things we are more than Conquerors through Him that loved us.”
Rom 8:31: “If God be for us, who can be against us?”

It is totally the work of God’s grace in your life as a result of your response to it in humility and obedience of faith.

You can’t do it by yourself. Failure (falling down) comes when man tries to trust in his own strength, talents, and abilities rather than trusting in Christ.
If you depend on your strength, you are defeated.
But, IN HIM you more than conquerors.
You need to acknowledge and submit to the help of the Holy Spirit/the Paraclete (Helper) and adhere and abide in Christ and His word by the Spirit.

Wearing the label of a Christian doesn’t keep you protected. You need to stay in the vicinity of protection. In Christ’s Zone.

James 4:7 – Submit to God, resist the devil.
• SUBMIT. You get out of the arena of His will and you lose His protection. Abide in Him.
• RESIST in accordance to the Rule (the Word of God) mixed with faith and confidence in Him; by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Authority of His Name.

2. Recharge (Energy to Keep Going)
a. We derive our strength by abiding in Him and He in us by faith (John 15:5; Eph.3:16 – Inner man; Ps. 84:5-7).
b. We derive the strength daily by faith in His promises, and do not faint (2Cor.4:14-18 – renewed day by day; Col.1:11).
Conclusion: When Christ dwells in you by loving faith and you in Him by obedient faith, you have Authority, Power, Strength, Might, and Victory.

C. PROGRESSION (GROWTH-MOTION)
1. Improvement
a. By RECTIFICATION (of wounds, faults)
Prov. 24:16; Eccl.7:20 – Not one just who sins not
1Jn.1:9 – Confess and forsake
Paul says: “STOP DOING” lying, stealing, fornicating, strife, etc.
b. By DEVELOPMENT (of parts, areas)
Rom.12:3 – God has dealt to everyone… measure of faith.
Rom.14:22 – Have faith to thyself before God…

2. Increment/Increase
a. INTENSITY (Pr.4:18)
Your faith influences others.
b. PROXIMITY (Heb.12:1,2)
More focus, more patience.

Purpose: Maturity
• Dominate (Matt 28:18; Mk 16:15-19)
Will judge angels; act like kings and not like babes.

• Reproduce
- Make Disciples
- Baptize
- Teach to Observe

Prayer: Read Col.1:9-11: For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.

PART III. CONSUMMATION (BECAUSE OF FAITH)
A. PRIMARY CONSUMMATION
More data for faith.
REST – Learning (Matt.11:28-30)
TEST – Greater mountains to solve. Rest leads to Test leads to Rest….

B. FINAL CONSUMMATION
1. Eternal Kingdom (Matt.25:34 – to believers)
2. Eternal Reward – to overcomers, those faithful to the end; fruitful, responsible. (Rev. 17:14; 2:10; Matt.25:14)

APPLICATION
1. Don’t lose hold of His Grace
Prayer: 2Thess 1:11,12; 1Thess 5:23-25
2. Don’t lose hold of your Faith
Work: Phil.2:12,13; Heb.12:1,2

Story: The origin of the song “I have decided to follow Jesus”

THIRST-TRUST-THRUST: 3 Pre-requisites to a Saving Miracle (John 5:1-9)- Sermon

Evening Service, SNGR. Oct 14, 2012.


The impotent man, suffering for 38 years, was healed in an instant. That's the miracle working power of God. How can I see a miracle in my life? Three things to consider:

1. Willingness to be healed [THIRST]
Jesus asked him, "Do you want to be healed?" Of course he did, or else he wouldn't be there.
Awareness of our need for healing and salvation is very important. Where there is no thirst, water has no value. Jesus said that only the sick need a physician. Those who think they are all fine can't appreciate, (Forget about desiring!) the power of God. Jesus said, Let him who is thirsty come unto me and I will give him water to drink. The deeper our thirst, the richer our experience of Him will be.

2. Absolute Reliance in God (Throwing Away All Crutches) [TRUST]
The man replied that he had no one else to help him. He had no alternative but God. Many times we fail to fully experience God because we have so many other options still in hold; and so we cannot commit ourselves 100% to God. We cannot trust Him absolutely. Jesus said that no man can serve two masters. The rich young man could not follow Jesus because he was not willing to let go off the crutch of worldly riches. He finally returned to them and forwent the treasures of heaven. As long as we have other things to still turn to, our heart cannot follow fully after God. To seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness is the primary object of our life; other things are only meant to follow.

3. Obedient Faith [THRUST]
Jesus told the man to take up his bed and walk, and he did. The servants at Cana obeyed Jesus and they saw there a miracle through their hands. The disciples distributed the bread that Jesus blessed and gave, and a miracle happened in their hands. Unless we take the bold step of faith and obey whatever the Lord tells us, we can never walk. When Jesus told the man to arise, he had two choices; either to laugh at Jesus' statement and keep lying there forever, or believe His word and rise up and walk. He did the latter and so we read of his faith in the Gospel, the Good News.

Our Thirst for God, Our Trust in God, and Our Thrust towards God is the Sum of our Experience of God.

BEING STRONG IN THE LORD

1. To be strong is a command (Deut 31:6, 7, 23, Josh.1:6,7; 1Kgs 2:2; Dan.10:19). It begins primarily with mental strength, which is good courage.
2. To be strong means to not let hands be weak (2Chr.15:7).
3. Strength is spiritual in nature (Luke 1:80, 2:40).
4. Strength is in the power of God's might (Eph. 6:10).
5. Strength is holding on the word of God (1Jn.2:14).

1. When you're strong, you must utterly drive away the Canaanites. You can't just employ them.
2. Strength is also a place to be in (Tower, Ps.71:7).
3. In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence (Pro.14:26).
4. The name of the Lord is a strong tower (Pro.18:10).
5. Wisdom is strength (Prov.24:5)
6. Love is as strong as death (Song.8:6)
7. Strength by confession (Joel 3:10)

The Benefits of Drawing Close to God

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

He is not far from any of us, but unless one turns towards God one is still far from Him.

1. The Only Way to Be Able To See God Better is To Get Closer To Him.

We never get any good view of anything from far.

Though God is close to each one of us, unless we turn our hearts to get closer to Him, we won't be able to see Him in our lives. But, the moment we turn to Him the veil is removed and we get into the Spirit and become free, reflecting His very glory (2 Corinthians 3:16-18).

Walking in the light is like the choice of turning the lights on or off. One moment we can be in the fullness of light, the very next moment in pitch darkness. Remember Peter, how for a moment he was praised because he spoke by divine revelation that Jesus was the Son of God, but the very next moment he had to be rebuked with the words "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." (Matthew 16:23). It is drawing near to God that makes all the difference.

Psalm 73: The story of how Asaph experienced bitterness and frustration when he turned his eyes towards the world, despite the fact that he lived in the Temple of God. He confessed "I was near You, and yet became a beast" (Psalm 73:22, acc. the Hindi Version). However, he found the answer when he entered the sanctuary of the Lord and determined "it is good for me to draw near to God" (73:28).

When it seems He is nowhere around, remember it's time to get closer to God.

2. In His Presence is Fullness of Joy (Psalm 16:11).

When we're in God's presence, there will not be any reason to be joyless. Lack of joy is sign of something missing in our lives. Is something blocking our getting closer to Him? When life is not productive, it becomes joyless. King Solomon was successful in every way the world might think a man could be successful. He had wealth, wisdom, riches, and honor. He was more intelligent than any one on earth. He was the best ruler on earth. He did great works of construction, unparalleled in history, and wrote books. However, at the end of all he found his life and works to be a total emptiness. "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity" he cried out in the book of Ecclesiastes. Worldly success didn't give him joy. Finally, he found the answer in drawing closer to God and finding true fulfillment in the worship and service of Him. Unless our lives are useful for God, we have only labored in vain.

Jesus said that the Father wants us to be fruitful, and fruitfulness and the fullness of joy go together (John 15:8,11). A woman experiences such great joy when she gives birth to a baby, that she forgets all her pain. However, there cannot be any fruitfulness unless we abide in the Vine, i.e. stay closer and connected with Him. Remember, unless our all belongs to Him, His all cannot belong to us. That is the beauty of connection. When we draw near to Him, He draws near to us.

3. There is Perfect Rest in the Presence of the Lord.

Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28).

Many times people make religion so complicated and filled with things that it all becomes a big burden. However, Jesus taught us that religion is not what God is all about. Jesus didn't come to create a new world religion; He came to bring back God's children back to the Father. It's as simple as that. Christianity is just one single fact: God's relationship with man and His call to draw closer to Him.

Let me quote a few confessions by Bear Grylls (well known for his adventurous series called "Man Vs Wild"). I take the following quotes from his blog:

As a young kid, I had always found that a faith in God was so natural. It was a simple comfort to me: unquestioning and personal.

But once I went to school and was forced to sit through somewhere in the region of nine hundred dry, Latin-liturgical, chapel services, listening to stereotypical churchy people droning on, I just thought that I had got the whole faith deal wrong.

Maybe God wasn’t intimate and personal but was much more like chapel was … tedious, judgemental, boring and irrelevant.

The irony was that if chapel was all of those things, a real faith is the opposite. But somehow, and without much thought, I had thrown the beautiful out with the boring. If church stinks, then faith must do, too.

The precious, natural, instinctive faith I had known when I was younger was tossed out with this newly found delusion that because I was growing up, it was time to ‘believe’ like a grown-up.

I mean, what does a child know about faith?

It took a low point at school, when my godfather, Stephen, died, to shake me into searching a bit harder to re-find this faith I had once known.

Life is like that. Sometimes it takes a jolt to make us sit and remember who and what we are really about.

Stephen had been my father’s best friend in the world. And he was like a second father to me. He came on all our family holidays, and spent almost every weekend down with us in the Isle of Wight in the summer, sailing with Dad and me. He died very suddenly and without warning, of a heart attack in Johannesburg.

I was devastated.

I remember sitting up a tree one night at school on my own, and praying the simplest, most heartfelt prayer of my life.

‘Please, God, comfort me.’

Blow me down … He did.

..............

To me, my Christian faith is all about being held, comforted, forgiven, strengthened and loved – yet somehow that message gets lost on most of us, and we tend only to remember the religious nutters or the God of endless school assemblies.

...............

Faith in Christ has been the great empowering presence in my life, helping me walk strong when so often I feel so weak. It is no wonder I felt I had stumbled on something remarkable that night up that tree.

I had found a calling for my life.

(http://www.beargrylls.com/index.php/blog/chapter-25/)

The Three Invisible Constants - A Sermon

Place: Living Word Chapel, Sanjaynagar
Date: Sunday, April 29, 2012.
The Written Form is Adapted from the Sermon and includes a few extra verses withing the [].

"We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Cor.4:18).

The Bible makes a very paradoxical statement here. It tells us that we can see the unseen and calls us to fix our eyes not on the visible transients of this world but on the invisible constants of divine reality.

Our human eye is an amazing member. It is something like a very advanced camera, equipped with lenses, a capturing wall called retina, and wires called optic nerves to a processing and storage system called the brain. However, the human eye sees only a very small range of the wider spectrum of light. Our visibility is confined to only the light range between the infrared and the ultraviolet. We only see a very small percent of even light; and, our sight is limited to what light reflects from bodies out there.

We understand by all this that the visible is not all the reality that is out there. Our eyes can't hear sound waves nor smell odors; the ears and the nose bring that part of reality to our experience. However, there are many things that are not perceptible to even our physical senses. The Bible tells us that the physically visible are temporary. The face that we see on the mirror today will not look the same after some 30 years. Change is characteristic of the visible world around us. However, the Bible talks of some invisible constants that are immutable through eternity, that is unchangeable regardless of everything else. The Bible calls us to fix our eyes on these invisible constants and let these lead our life.

I must ask the question here: What are the things that control our life? Are they the visible things or the invisible things? Are are reacting to what we can only see around in the very present or do we conform to the eternal things that are simply invisible to the natural eyes.

The Bible tells us that the invisible things of God are perceived by faith and revealed in our hearts by the Spirit of God.

"We live by faith, not by sight." (2Cor.5:7)
"God has revealed it to us by his Spirit." (1Cor.2:10)

Today, we'll look at three important invisible constants that must govern our lives.

THE INVISIBLE CONSTANT GOD

"he King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God" (1Tim.1:17)

I remember some scientists, philosophers, and Christian theologians once engaged in a debate. The scientists and philosophers were contending that God's existence cannot be believed in because He is never visible. The atheists asked the theist if there was something which is invisible but so real that one can't deny its existence. The theist answered, "Yes, the laws of logic." Isn't it amazing that scientists believe in microscopic particles like the electron without ever having seen it.

A missionary was once travelling in a ship. The captain of the vessel was an atheist and was very intolerant about the missionary's work. He said that he didn't believe in God. The missionary asked, "Why?" "For the simple reason that I've never seen him," the captain replied. The missionary remarked, "You are a mindless being!" To which the captain, stunned, retorted, "Why do you say so?" The missionary replied, "Because I've never seen your mind!"

God is invisible, but He is the Reality that holds the universe together. Acts 17:28 says "For in him we live and move and have our being." The Psalmist cries out in Psalm 139,

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
(Psa 139:7-12)

This invisible God is timeless and eternal. This universe will one day pass away, but God will remain forever:

["They will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe;
like a garment they will be changed.
But you remain the same,
and your years will never end." (Heb 1:11-12)]

GOD'S INVISIBLE CONSTANT PLANS FOR HIS PEOPLE

"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him" (1Cor. 2:9)

God has a plan for every person born in this world, because they are born not by human will, but the "fruit of the womb is a reward" from God. (Psalm 127:3). Recently, I saw a very interesting cartoon work in which a man angrily raises his fist to heaven and asks: "If you are a loving and merciful God, WHY didn't you send someone to cure cancer, or true leaders to govern US? What's your problem GOD???" God answers from the clouds, "I DID!!! You ABORTED Them."

We might not be able to see what plans God has for us, but those plans of God are real and constant though invisible. However, when we fail to be able to perceive them in the spirit by faith, because we are still carnal in our thinking, we can end up falling away from His good plans for us. So, no matter what the circumstances and people around us are trying to say, we must fix our eyes on the invisible constant of divine plans. Wonderfully, God has revealed them to us in His Word in the form of His divine promises. These help us to escape the death-process active in the world and attach ourselves to the eternal constants of God.

["by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2Pet 1:4)]

THE INVISIBLE CONSTANT CITY OF GOD

We live in an age where people are continuously buying and selling land. The Bible talks about a man in the Old Testament, Abraham, who became the Father of Faith because though God had told him that he would give him a land, and he arrived in Palestine, he never fixed his eyes on this perishing parcels of land. He knew that one day he will have to leave this world, so all the acres of land wouldn't go with him. He fixed his eyes on the invisible and imperishable heavenly city of God.

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. " (Heb 11:8-10)

Abraham lived all his life in tents and never owned a parcel of land except the grave that he bought for Sarah, his wife. He was the citizen of heaven. [Jesus portrays heaven as the bosom of Abraham in His Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus].

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Heb 11:13-16)

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is a Sacred Truth of the Scriptures. We must preach it and believe it because our eyes must not be fixed on the immediate things of the world. Jesus told the rich young man to sell all his possessions, give them to the poor, and follow Him, and he would have treasures in heaven; but the rich young man turned back sorrowful for he was controlled and governed by the visible treasures of this world. He couldn't see the invisible. God wants us to be able to look at, gaze at, and fix our eyes on the invisible treasures of God, on the heavenly city.

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:20-21)

May our lives not be a reaction to the physically visible, but let our lives be founded and controlled by the Invisible Constant of God, His Purposes for us, and the Blessed Hope.

What Manner of Spirit Are You Of? (Luke 9:51-56) - Sermon

Text: Luke 9:51-56
Living Word Chapel, SNGR
Sunday, October 09, 2011.

Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?" But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village.(Luke 9:51-56)

Every day, from morning till evening, we go through a number of experiences that excite our emotions, that compel our reactions, and that inspire our decisions. However, every time, we are reacting to something, we need to be asking this question "What manner of spirit is it that is compelling this reaction?" James and John needed to know that after 3.5 years of training at the feet of Jesus. How much more do we?

Proverbs 16:2 says, "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits." We usually think that our actions are right until we submit ourselves to the discernment of the Lord. We need to examine ourselves in His light.

Let's look at four categories of spirit under which people usually operate and also see what the Lord desires us to have:

1. Rebellious Versus Obedient Spirit

Regarding the Israelites, God tells to Ezekiel that they are a rebellious house (Ezek.2:5). It was their hardened heart and rebellious nature that brought destruction into their lives. Psalm 68:6 says "God sets the solitary in families; He brings out those who are bound into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land." A rebellious person will never experience prosperity and blessing, but only experience dryness and barrenness. He rebels against parents, teachers, leaders, authorities, and therefore ends up in solitariness. A rebellious spirit is blocked to the will of God.

Therefore, God says:
"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword"; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 1:19-20)

2. Haughty Versus Broken Spirit

The Bible says that Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Prov.16:18). It was a haughty spirit that turned an angel called Lucifer into the devil. Pride can begin like a grain of mustard, but will grow to become a cancer and turn a good person into a wicked man. Therefore, one must guard one's heart against pride.

The Bible tells us that "the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit" and that the Lord will never despise "a broken and a contrite heart" (Psalm 51:17).

We all remember the story of the pharisee and the publican. They both went to pray but the pharisee could not pray because he was filled with religious pride. However, the publican was justified because he confessed his sins and begged for mercy. The Lord resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

3. Angry Versus Patient Spirit

Let's look at a few scriptures here:

Pro 14:17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly.
Pro 21:19 Better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and angry woman.
Pro 22:24,25 Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.

The 70s and 80s are remembered as the era of the "angry young man" movies. History tells us that these were also the era of high violence among students, workers, and people everywhere. Bad company spoils good manners. Quick-tempered anger is a sin that the Bible prohibits. See what the Bible says:

"The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools." (Eccl 7:8-9)
"Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil." (Eph 4:26-27)

Patience builds character, the Bible says (Rom.5:4), and the test of our faith is the extent to which we can allow patience to work in our lives (James 1:4).

4. Distressing Versus Excellent Spirit

We are told in 1 Samuel 16:14 that a distressing spirit came and distressed Saul. This was a spirit that produced restlessness and robbed Saul of peace. However, when David used to play the instrument, that spirit used to leave Saul. Yet, not for long; for soon one day, Saul took a spear and hurled at David to pin him to death while he was playing the instrument. David escaped, but then that was the end of Saul's days of any peacefulness. Saul gave in to the distressing spirit.

But, let's look at the testimony of Daniel in the midst of foreign rule, enemies all around, and while in exile:

"Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm." (Daniel 6:3)

Daniel had an excellent spirit; and therefore, he experienced favor and promotion in his life. People are attracted to those who have an excellent and noble spirit; who don't give in to circumstances, who live by principle, who are trustworthy, and who have the favor of God upon them.

Do we have such excellent spirit?

Rebellion, pride, anger, and distress are evils that drive away people and promotion away from us. They are carnal, unspiritual, and sinful. The Lord still asks us today what manner of spirit is it that is influencing our lives.

Let's have an obedient, humble, patient, and an excellent spirit that brings glory to our Lord. We need to have a Holy Spirit controlled temperament.

Finally, this prayer:

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)

What is Life? - Sermon

Text: John 10:10
Mon. Sept. 12, 2011.
Sanjaynagar

1. Life is a Gift

It is a gift of God.
What we do with a gift shows how much we regard the Giver. Some keep old letters as a treasure, because it was written by a special one whom they love. Some treasure autographs. God has given us the gift of life. Let's live it in honor of Him. Never despise any fellow being or life-form, for God has created them all. Jesus said if we call our brother a fool or Raca, we will be in danger of hell fire. Never forget that all life is a gift from God and must be received as such.

2. Life is a Mission

We are not here just out of nowhere, thrown in, without any purpose, meaning, or destiny. God has created us with a purpose, and this life is all about fulfilling that purpose, to know Him and glorify Him. We must not look at life as complete and rounded in itself. It is not the end, but only a means for the fulfillment of a mission, which is the Kingdom of God in our lives. Are we living with God's mission mandate in perspective and with eternity in mind? Let's follow our Shepherd and not the world in knowing what to do and where to go in this world we live in.

3. Life is an Opportunity

There is only this one life given to us, and it is the only opportunity for us to do what can be done before the Judgment. The Bible commands us to make the best use of every moment. "Redeem the time," it says "for the days are evil". Do we buy each opportunity in order to do good and glorify the Name of our Lord? If not, it is the right time to repent and surrender ourselves into God's hand, so that our times will really be in His hand and life will be fully lived only for Him, for Whom all things are made.

God bless!

10-Fold Power of Faith

Sunday, Sept 4, 2011
Pentecostal Church, Sanjaynagar

Jesus said that if you had faith like a mustard seed, you would tell a mountain to be removed and cast into the sea and it would obey. Faith has tremendous power; but, faith unrelated to truth is blind and false. At the same time, truth that is not believed in is ineffective. Faith also must be obeyed through works, or else it is dead. Faith combined with truth and works has great power.

1. Faith has SAVING power (Acts 16:31; Rom.1:16)
2. Faith has PURIFYING power (Acts 15:9)
3. Faith gives power for LIVING (Gal.2:20; Rom.1:17)
4. Faith has PRAYING power (Mt.21:22; Jas.5:15)
5. Faith has OVERCOMING power (1Jn.4:4,5)
6. Faith has HEALING & MIRACLE-WORKING power (Jas.5:15; Matt.9:28)
7. Faith has PROTECTING power (Eph.6:16)
8. Faith has PRESERVING power (1Pet.1:5)
9. Faith has UPBUILDING power (Jude 20)
10. Faith has UNITING power (Ep.4:13)

"Follow Me!" - Bible Study

NGORA, Shillong
August 2011

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F  O  L  L  O  W

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F - Fixed-mindedness
Ps.57:7; Jas.1:5-7

O - Orientation of Life
Col. 1:16-21; Eph.1:10

L - Listening Ears
Jn. 8:43; 10:35ff

L - Learning Heart
Jas.3:13-18

O - Obedient Will
1Jn.1:3-6; 5:3; Jn.14:23,24

W - Witness of Christ
Acts.1:8; Lk.9:26; Ro.1:16