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New Starting Time
Just letting everyone know that our service time is moving from 10.30 to 10.00 am so that our host Claude is able to attend the whole service before he has to head off to work. Looking forward to seeing you earlier and finishing earlier!
GPS 1: Greg's Practical Stuff no1
Habitual Sin – How to break the bonds (with God’s help)
Habitual Sin = Drugs and alcohol, cigarettes, junk food, physical laziness (there’s plenty more)
• Christ can set you free
Jesus answered them “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed”. John 8 v 34-36 (NKJV)
• You must be willing
When Jesus is at the Pool of Bethseda, He encounters a man with an infirmity he has had for thirty eight years. The first thing Jesus asks him is:
…….“Do you want to be made well? John 5 v 6
You must first be willing to be healed. Some people don’t want to be healed. They prefer to hold on to their vices/infirmities.
• You must take the first step
Jesus heals a man with a withered hand. Jesus asks the man to make the first step:
Then He said to the man “Stretch out your hand”.
This is recorded in three of the gospels. Matt 12:v13 / Mark 3:v5 / Luke 6: v8-11 This is a recurring theme in the passages that record Jesus healing people.
He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed and go to your house”.
Matt: 9:v6-7
The passage referred to in the dot point above “You must be willing” goes on to say:Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk”.John 5 v 8
• What do you do if you blow it?
The book of proverbs makes the following claim:
For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity.Proverbs 24 v 16
If you give in. Don’t beat yourself up (that will make things worse). Ask for forgiveness and get back to it. You may fall, but you can always get back up if you are willing. God will help you if you are genuine. Be comforted by this piece of scripture:
For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16 v 7
• Concluding Remarks
You WILL be tempted. You can make it easy on yourself or very difficult. If your problem is alcohol stop going to clubs and pubs until you are strong enough to resist. If your problem is drugs, avoid driving past your dealer’s house.
Blessed is the man that endures temptation: for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. James 1 v 12
Christ was himself tempted. You are not alone !!!! Many people before you have been through similar problems. There are many self-help groups who use similar principles to those above. God wants you to be the best you can be. I hope those of you who are struggling with addictions/sin want to reach your potential. May God bless you if you are willing and prepared to take the first step.
GPS 2: Greg's Practical Stuff no 2
(all references in GPS are from the NKJV translation)
Grace: Definition 4 in the Oxford dictionary states: 4 (in Christian belief) the free and unearned favour of God.
Firstly, we have to accept from the definition above that grace is not earned and it is free. Here is an opportunity to put one of my favourite verses in.
For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16 v 7
How do we find God’s favour (GRACE) ? You have to be a good man to start with (or woman/ non-gender specific)
[Side Note: For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you were baptised into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal 3 v 26-28 (emphasis added)]
Back to the topic:
A good man obtains favour from the Lord, but a man of wicked devices He will condemn. Proverbs 12 v 2 (emphasis added)
What is desired in a man is kindness, and a poor man is better than a liar.
Proverbs 19 v 22 (emphasis added)
So, we know that how rich or how much status you have means nothing to God. We know he desires kindness in us and we know he doesn’t like liars.
However, being a good person is not enough on its own. God makes us better people as we grow in Him.
Back to grace.
• Humility
Humble: (Collins Australian Dictionary) 1 conscious of one’s own failings.
This word has a number of meanings in a number of dictionaries.
Humble: (Oxforddictionary) 1 having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance.
The second definition above is important in regards to what God wants from us. The first definition above is the one I want to focus on here.
God opposes the proud and gives graceto the humble.
But he gives more grace. Therefore it is written:
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble”.
James 4 v 6
The quote above in James comes from Proverbs 3 v 34. (Proverbs is my favourite book in the Bible and Jesus quoted it a lot).
So, how do we become conscious of our own failings?
1. Read the Bible to know what God’s standard is for us.
2. Go to Church and open your heart to the leaders who can guide you.
3. Have quiet time with God each day so He can speak to you.
Regarding point 2 above: Please read 2Samuel chapters 11 and 12.
King David did not even know he had sinned against God until Nathan pointed it out.
• Conclusion
How do you get more of God’s free unearned favour? Be good, be kind, read your Bible, fellowship and pray. I encourage all of you to do these things. As you faith increases so will God’s grace. However, REMEMBER, you cannot earn grace, but, if you do these things and earnestly desire to follow God in the best way you can, grace will flow as a consequence not as an earned “right”. Peace and grace to you all.
JUST LIKE JESUS
A young Korean girl was born during the Korean War of the fifties because her mother met an American soldier, who packed up and went home when he heard she was pregnant. The girl was given the Korean name for "Alien devil" and she grew with a complete sense of rejection, until finally she found herself in an orphanage.
When she was nine years of age, the orphanage learned that an American Christian couple were coming to select a baby boy for adoption. The girl was excited to think that someone would be getting a new life. When the couple arrived however, they approached the girl herself, and the husband placed his hand lovingly on the young girl's cheek. Here she was with lice in her hair, and a body covered with scars and boils. But the man, just like Jesus, looked beneath the surface of the girl's life and appearance, and expressed love for her as she was. Not knowing how to respond to love, she spat in his face and ran away.
The next day, the couple returned and the man declared (as Jesus does for each one of us), "This is the child that I want!" The girl was adopted by the Christian couple and she in turn became a follower of Jesus. Now, many years later, she is married with a family of her own - a living testimony of the love of Jesus and His true followers!
Also a number of years ago, a young American man was addicted to drugs and alcohol and easy money. On hearing that an old man living nearby had a special cache of money set aside in his home, the young man, whose name was Billy Moore, broke into his home and shot him dead - leaving with a booty of $5000 of ill-gotten gain.
Billy Moore was quickly tracked down by the police and taken to court. He confessed his crime and was sentenced to Death Row - to await his execution. But sixteen years went by until the appointed time of his death - 22nd August, 1990. In the meantime however, Billy had written a letter of apology to the old man's family and they, as Christians wrote back - forgiving him for what he had done, and encouraging him to accept Jesus for himself.
Billy Moore became a model prisoner. He conducted Bible studies in the prison and led many of the toughest Death Row prisoners to accept Jesus before they died. Eventually his time to die arrived. On 21st August - the night before his execution, an emergency parole board meeting was held, at the instigation of the murdered man's family - a busload of whom arrived at the prison to insist that he be pardoned. For the first time in American criminal history, a prisoner was not only released from the death penalty, but was released from prison totally! Billy Moore had been sentenced to death, but someone had intervened (just like Jesus for us) to save him from the death penalty and give him an entirely fresh start!
Billy Moore became a church pastor and now ministers to others of the saving love of Jesus!
Jesus said “ And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly I say to you they have their reward.
But you, when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your father who is in the secret place; and your father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
But when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Therefore do not be like them. For your father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
In this manner, therefore pray:
(the bracketed stuff below are my comments)
Our father in heaven,
(we pray to God the Father, in Jesus name, not to Jesus Himself)
Hallowed be your name, (hallowed means “greatly revered”)
Your Kingdom come,
Your will be done, (In Luke 22 v 42 Jesus prays: “Father, if it is your will, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.)
(We may ask God for anything, but the answer will be according to His will. When you ask for something or pray for someone, acknowledge to God that it is His will that you desire for whomever you pray for.)
On Earth as it is in Heaven, (this is an acknowledgment that God is in control of all things)
Give us this day our daily bread ( ask for the basics to sustain you, not for a daily BMW)
And forgive us our debts ( many translations use the word sins instead of debt)
As we forgive our debtors (again, many translations say those who sin against us- this is important – more on this one below)
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one,
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen
Immediately after saying/praying this, Jesus goes on to say:
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
(Here comes the crunch line)
BUT if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6 v5-15
If there are things that people have done to you that you cannot forgive, your own sins will not be forgiven. If you have issues in your past (and these things may be very painful and embarrassing to you), you MUST let them go. You MUST forgive those who have sinned against you for your own sins to be forgiven and your prayer to be effective.
If you get stuck as to what to pray, then use the model prayer in Matthew 6.
God hears your prayers (if you are righteous.)For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4 v 6-7
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