The Package Called Grace Part 4
Grace is frustrated when God's purpose is not realized in a person, in a people, in a place and at a particular time.
God’s Ultimate Purpose in Giving Grace is to Express His Glory Throughout All of Creation.
The Presence is Glory at its lightest, (Glory-lite). Glory is Presence at its fullest, (Glory-max.).
God's real intention is to glorify us. To settle for His Presence is to frustrate grace.
The Presence satisfies, but Glory transforms.
The Package Called Grace Part 2
Grace is given, not for man’s benefit, but for God’s glory.
Grace is given to enable ordinary men to accomplish the impossible so that God can get glory in uncommon ways.
Everywhere grace is seen at work, the kingdom of God is in full display.
The Package Called Grace Part 1
Grace is God’s Complete Package that enables man to Be, to Have and to Do.
We can access Grace only by Faith in Jesus
Relinquishing The Rights To Your Life
Jesus told us that those who truly give up and let go of their lives will be His true disciples.
Everyday we are presented with a choice: thy will be done Lord or MY will be done.
The mind can be a battlefield, but we can surrender our thoughts to the One who has never lost a battle.
The Other Prodigal Son
The prodigal son wasted a finite amount of money. The older prodigal brother wasted time which is even more precious than money.
The younger prodigal was moved by the lust. The older prodigal was bound by ignorance.
The greater prodigal lives like a slave, even though he is a son.
A Golden Opportunity To Glorify God
To glorify God is simply to represent Him accurately.
In order to glorify God, we need to grow up…fast.
True spiritual growth is demonstrated by the cultivation of the fruit of the Spirit.
The fruit of the Spirit is evident only in relationships.
The Amazing Grace of Generosity
Generosity has less to do with the size of your purse, but more to do with the size of your heart.
What God does in us is for His glory.
What God does through us is for the benefit of others.
What God does for us is for our own benefit. This should always come last.
In God’s kingdom, if you want to last long, put yourself last.
Single Vision Part 2… Love
To have a single vision means we are not distracted by non-essentials. It means we do not miss the point.
Sound doctrine is non-negotiable, but if it is the only thing we have as the body of Christ, we would have missed the point of our calling.
The church, the body of Christ, is the light of the world. The church can never die. It will simply be relocated.
Single Vision Part 1… Seduction
Every seduction is an attempt to lure us away from a single vision. Don’t be a wandering-eyed Christian.
The mind is the battleground but the heart is the target.
When we move away from the simplicity of the gospel, we run the risk of thinking that Jesus is not enough.
Part 3 Why Christians Ask Why
Christians are in the world, but we are not of the world. We are at the same time citizens, and immigrants.
The world is our external environment.
The world tries to conform us to itself, by enticement and by persecution.
We have a problem when we allow worldliness to become our inner condition.
Part 2 Why Christians Ask Why
According to the world. freedom means “I can do whatever I like.” “I obey myself.”
According to God, freedom means, “I can now fully obey God, doing what pleases Him.”
“Freedom is the ability to obey God without constraints.”
Part 1 Why Christians Ask Why
We are disappointed not because God failed to keep His promise, but because…
We misunderstand the promise
We do not know God as well as we should
We expect God to fulfill promises He never made.
Being A True Disciple Part 3
A true disciple is marked by a teachable spirit. The teacher can teach, but the student has to do the learning.
Selfishness is the most unChristlike quality.
True disciples are humble. No task is beneath them.
Being A True Disciple Part 2
A disciple is not one who has been trained until he can do. A disciple is one who has been disciplined until he becomes like His Master.
Jesus is not impressed with followers. He is interested in disciples.
Good Christian leaders are disciple-makers because disciples are never self-made.
Being A True Disciple Part 1
The great need of today is not for better leaders. It is rather for better followers.
Jesus was a good follower, imitator of the Father.
Those who follow Jesus most faithfully make the best leaders. They will often have to swim against cultural currents.
The Heart of A Servant
The way in which you serve does not diminish the magnitude of the glory you bring to God.