One of the 'surprises' about God is that He is way more generous and gracious than we can ever imagine. He never delivers 'shortfall' although we may think that is all we deserve. He responds to the person who dares to come before Him and especially when it seems that both circumstances and cultural settings are against them.
A great example of this is seen in the account of the five daughters of Zelophehad who was a direct descendant of Manasseh, the son of Joseph.(Numbers 27) These five sisters had no male to represent them or to cover for them. Their father had died in the wilderness and they had no brother to speak for them. They were very vulnerable because they had what seemed like no natural claim to any inheritance yet they dared to approach Moses, the 'keeper of the law', to plead their case. They asked for the right to possess their inheritance just as if it would have been granted without question, if they had been their father's sons.
Though Moses could have made a judgement based on the inheritance laws at the time, he spoke to the Lord about the case and received a clear direction that the sisters were entitled to receive possession of their inheritance. A new precedent was established. It was as if grace over ruled the laws of men. God delights when believers plead for possession of their inheritance in Christ. He delights to bless with all of the heavenly blessings that are in Christ. He delights when we dare to ask by faith for our inheritance. A great example of this is seen in Matthew 15:22 when the Canaanite woman cried out to Jesus for mercy toward her demon possessed daughter.. Even Jesus would not resist her pleading as a Gentile when she said to Him, "Yes Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from the master's table." Jesus admired her great faith and healed her daughter.
How hungry are we for our inheritance in Christ? Father God responds to the faith cry of a hungry heart. Grace will always over ride laws and restrictions. Faith will over ride the law just as grace will over ride sin. He delights when we are hungry for all that Christ has done by way of His finished work. He delights when we identify as products of His finished work. He responds to faith in His finished work.
The wonderful thing about receiving our inheritance in Christ is that it will enrich the live of those around us including the generations that will follow. His will is that "you prosper in all things and be in good health just as your soul prospers". (3 John2) You are designed to be the receiver of blessings in Christ as well as the giver of those same blessings to others!
This blog is based on a message spoken by Diane Smith on 28/12/14 at The Vine Church , Logan City, Queensland Australia. The full message can be accessed by podcast from www.thevine.org.au/teaching
Sunday, 28 December 2014
Monday, 22 December 2014
Unwrapping the gift
The Christmas season is associated with giving gifts. There is something inherently good and noble about the act of giving - especially giving to those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Giving however only has value if the gift is received. No doubt thousands of Christmas gifts will be traded in or forgotten about or re packaged to pass on to somebody else. Put simply, many gifts will not be received in the way that the giver originally intended.
The gift of God, His Son, was given for humanity to receive. John 1:11-12 says, "He came to His own and His own did not receive Him. But to as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name..." The value of the gift is only realised when the gift is received. The gift of God needs to be unwrapped. Only when it is unwrapped will we realise its immense value. John 1:16 says "And of His fullness we have all received and grace for grace." This gift contains the fullness of God Himself. The fullness of God is expressed and appreciated because of the grace of God. His fullness is equated to His grace. Grace is unmerited favour. This gift of God is the very essence of His favour toward broken people.
This gift, His Son, is freely given to us. It costs us nothing but it cost Father God everything. This gift has been fully paid for. It cannot be earned or merited through human effort or human goodness. The 'santa' clause doesn't apply to the gift of God. The 'santa' clause says that you only receive a gift if you have been good. This clause relating to human goodness has been removed so that all people can receive heaven's gift. In other words the giver doesn't demand or even expect that the receiver has been 'good'. The truth is that "all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23) but God has met His own conditions pertaining to His holiness and His righteousness by imputing righteousness to all who receive the Son. "For He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him".(2 Cor.5:21) When we unwrap heaven's gift we will discover that we actually receive right standing before God Himself !
The more we unwrap the gift of heaven, the more we will discover His mercy, His grace, His love, His kindness, His forbearance, His truth, His forgiveness, His intimacy, His friendship, His Presence, His faithfulness, His promises, His life and His Spirit. All of this and more is in the Son. He is heaven's gift for us. All we have to do is receive Him. You can Him now by asking Jesus Christ into your life - to be your Lord and Saviour. Here is a prayer that you can say: "Dear Jesus, I believe that you took all of my sin - past, present and future - upon yourself. Thank you for giving me your righteousness in exchange for my unrighteousness. I receive you as my Lord and Saviour. I believe that I am now empowered to live by your grace. Help me by your Holy spirit to make a difference in my world and to pass forward your grace to others. Amen"
This blog is adapted from a message called 'Unwrapping the gift' spoken by Pastor Ross Smith at The Vine church, Logan City, Queensland ,Australia on 21/12/14. The full message can be accessed by podcast www.thevine.org.au/teaching
The gift of God, His Son, was given for humanity to receive. John 1:11-12 says, "He came to His own and His own did not receive Him. But to as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name..." The value of the gift is only realised when the gift is received. The gift of God needs to be unwrapped. Only when it is unwrapped will we realise its immense value. John 1:16 says "And of His fullness we have all received and grace for grace." This gift contains the fullness of God Himself. The fullness of God is expressed and appreciated because of the grace of God. His fullness is equated to His grace. Grace is unmerited favour. This gift of God is the very essence of His favour toward broken people.
This gift, His Son, is freely given to us. It costs us nothing but it cost Father God everything. This gift has been fully paid for. It cannot be earned or merited through human effort or human goodness. The 'santa' clause doesn't apply to the gift of God. The 'santa' clause says that you only receive a gift if you have been good. This clause relating to human goodness has been removed so that all people can receive heaven's gift. In other words the giver doesn't demand or even expect that the receiver has been 'good'. The truth is that "all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23) but God has met His own conditions pertaining to His holiness and His righteousness by imputing righteousness to all who receive the Son. "For He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him".(2 Cor.5:21) When we unwrap heaven's gift we will discover that we actually receive right standing before God Himself !
The more we unwrap the gift of heaven, the more we will discover His mercy, His grace, His love, His kindness, His forbearance, His truth, His forgiveness, His intimacy, His friendship, His Presence, His faithfulness, His promises, His life and His Spirit. All of this and more is in the Son. He is heaven's gift for us. All we have to do is receive Him. You can Him now by asking Jesus Christ into your life - to be your Lord and Saviour. Here is a prayer that you can say: "Dear Jesus, I believe that you took all of my sin - past, present and future - upon yourself. Thank you for giving me your righteousness in exchange for my unrighteousness. I receive you as my Lord and Saviour. I believe that I am now empowered to live by your grace. Help me by your Holy spirit to make a difference in my world and to pass forward your grace to others. Amen"
This blog is adapted from a message called 'Unwrapping the gift' spoken by Pastor Ross Smith at The Vine church, Logan City, Queensland ,Australia on 21/12/14. The full message can be accessed by podcast www.thevine.org.au/teaching
Sunday, 14 December 2014
GROWING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
The character of Father God is to be generous even when humanity rejects His will to bless. Romans 2:4 says "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" God never had to 'cut his losses' after Adam and Eve sinned. He didn't have a plan B. He still doesn't have a plan B and He never will have a plan B. His plan, expressed through the cross, is the only plan that redeems humanity. It is the only plan that works for the sinner. His plan was to not spare His Son but to spend His Son so that sinners could be redeemed.
When someone has been redeemed, their freedom has been paid for. We live in a world that demands rights and freedoms but has forgotten to return to the One who paid for that freedom. Psalm 103:2 says "Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits..." This verse is reminding us to express gratitude toward the One who secured our freedom - freedom from unforgiveness, freedom from sickness and disease and freedom from condemnation, guilt and shame. How grateful ought we be to the One who took the fall for us? How grateful ought we be for the opportunities to start afresh? How grateful ought we be, given that He receives us as His children, saved by grace and kept by grace? How grateful ought we be knowing that He will never abandon us or forsake us?
Perhaps the best expression of gratitude is worship. David worshipped the Lord because the size of His God was greater than the size of his sins. David coveted the presence of the Lord and he pleaded that he be upheld by "His generous Spirit". (Ps.51:12) He was grateful for the mercies of the Lord. How much more grateful ought the believer be knowing that he is totally forgiven so much so that He (God) chooses to remember our sin no more. Realisation of these promises will cause us to have an attitude of gratitude toward God Himself and toward people around us. His benevolence will activate an attitude of gratitude.
Gratitude is often learned through the difficult passages of life. Often people who have lost someone or something of great value such as good health, learn to express gratitude because they are more aware of what they now have as opposed to what they have lost or don't have.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says "...in everything give thanks..." Gratitude is best practised by acknowledging the small things around us. One way to do this is to write down a list of six things that you can give God thanks for each day for at least one month. As you do this don't be surprised when your own state of health improves. You are designed to "prosper in all things and be in good health just as your soul prospers". (3 John 2) An attitude of gratitude will cause you to prosper!
This blog is based on a message by Pastor Ross Smith, Senior Pastor of The Vine Church, Logan City, Queensland, Australia, called "Growing an Attitude of Gratitude" (14/12/14) The full message can be accessed by podcast from www.thevine.org.au/teaching.
When someone has been redeemed, their freedom has been paid for. We live in a world that demands rights and freedoms but has forgotten to return to the One who paid for that freedom. Psalm 103:2 says "Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all His benefits..." This verse is reminding us to express gratitude toward the One who secured our freedom - freedom from unforgiveness, freedom from sickness and disease and freedom from condemnation, guilt and shame. How grateful ought we be to the One who took the fall for us? How grateful ought we be for the opportunities to start afresh? How grateful ought we be, given that He receives us as His children, saved by grace and kept by grace? How grateful ought we be knowing that He will never abandon us or forsake us?
Perhaps the best expression of gratitude is worship. David worshipped the Lord because the size of His God was greater than the size of his sins. David coveted the presence of the Lord and he pleaded that he be upheld by "His generous Spirit". (Ps.51:12) He was grateful for the mercies of the Lord. How much more grateful ought the believer be knowing that he is totally forgiven so much so that He (God) chooses to remember our sin no more. Realisation of these promises will cause us to have an attitude of gratitude toward God Himself and toward people around us. His benevolence will activate an attitude of gratitude.
Gratitude is often learned through the difficult passages of life. Often people who have lost someone or something of great value such as good health, learn to express gratitude because they are more aware of what they now have as opposed to what they have lost or don't have.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says "...in everything give thanks..." Gratitude is best practised by acknowledging the small things around us. One way to do this is to write down a list of six things that you can give God thanks for each day for at least one month. As you do this don't be surprised when your own state of health improves. You are designed to "prosper in all things and be in good health just as your soul prospers". (3 John 2) An attitude of gratitude will cause you to prosper!
This blog is based on a message by Pastor Ross Smith, Senior Pastor of The Vine Church, Logan City, Queensland, Australia, called "Growing an Attitude of Gratitude" (14/12/14) The full message can be accessed by podcast from www.thevine.org.au/teaching.
Sunday, 7 December 2014
The generosity of God
Perhaps the most well known verse of the Bible is "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...' (John 3:16). At the core of this verse is the generosity of God. His generosity however is unlike our generosity in so far as His nature is to give even to those who are ungrateful and to those who reject Him. Human generosity is generally expressed between people of like values and similarity of societal norms. I would venture to state that the generosity of God however, is the most transformative agent on the planet. It is potent because it is counterculture. It is potent because it cuts across what we would consider 'fair and just'.
Luke 6:35 says "...He is kind to the unthankful and evil..." God gives His best for the worst. He gives to those who are ingrates of His generosity. We can feel aggrieved when we receive rejection from people that we have helped or to whom we have offered relief. God's heart however extends to those whom He knows will mishandle and even abuse His generosity. His heart is seen in the story of the prodigal son which could easily be called the story of the father who never gives up loving his children. The whole point of the story is to provoke us to think upon the amazing generosity of heart of our heavenly Father. What sort of God continues to pour out His love on people who fail and fall short, people like you and I?
When we sense and receive His generosity, we are empowered to be generous to those who may be ungrateful and even to those who may abuse His generosity. I once felt aggrieved when I helped a family in need with a food parcel only to be told that what I had delivered was not good enough. I felt aggrieved because I thought that the parcel could have gone to someone who might have appreciated it and who was at least grateful. As I left that home, I sensed the Holy spirit tell me that that the food parcel was not mine. It was His. Therefore He could dispense it however and to whomever he wanted. I was to be the carrier of His generosity, no more, no less. It was not up to me to judge the worthiness of the recipient. It was up to me to be the carrier of His generosity.
It is "the goodness (loving kindness) of God that leads to repentance." (Rom.2:4) It is His goodness or generosity of heart, that leads to a change of both mind and heart. "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink, for in so doing you heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.' (Rom.12:20-21) Generosity will change hearts and minds for good!
This blog is based on a message by Pastor Ross Smith, The Vine Church, Logan City, Queensland, Australia, entitled "The generosity of God" (07/12/14) and can be assessed by podcast from www.thevine.org.au/teaching.
Luke 6:35 says "...He is kind to the unthankful and evil..." God gives His best for the worst. He gives to those who are ingrates of His generosity. We can feel aggrieved when we receive rejection from people that we have helped or to whom we have offered relief. God's heart however extends to those whom He knows will mishandle and even abuse His generosity. His heart is seen in the story of the prodigal son which could easily be called the story of the father who never gives up loving his children. The whole point of the story is to provoke us to think upon the amazing generosity of heart of our heavenly Father. What sort of God continues to pour out His love on people who fail and fall short, people like you and I?
When we sense and receive His generosity, we are empowered to be generous to those who may be ungrateful and even to those who may abuse His generosity. I once felt aggrieved when I helped a family in need with a food parcel only to be told that what I had delivered was not good enough. I felt aggrieved because I thought that the parcel could have gone to someone who might have appreciated it and who was at least grateful. As I left that home, I sensed the Holy spirit tell me that that the food parcel was not mine. It was His. Therefore He could dispense it however and to whomever he wanted. I was to be the carrier of His generosity, no more, no less. It was not up to me to judge the worthiness of the recipient. It was up to me to be the carrier of His generosity.
It is "the goodness (loving kindness) of God that leads to repentance." (Rom.2:4) It is His goodness or generosity of heart, that leads to a change of both mind and heart. "If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink, for in so doing you heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.' (Rom.12:20-21) Generosity will change hearts and minds for good!
This blog is based on a message by Pastor Ross Smith, The Vine Church, Logan City, Queensland, Australia, entitled "The generosity of God" (07/12/14) and can be assessed by podcast from www.thevine.org.au/teaching.
Tuesday, 2 December 2014
Honour at work
Just as there are natural laws such as the law of gravity, so there are spiritual laws. If a law, such as gravity, is respected, people will be unharmed. When we obey spiritual laws, people will live in a secure community. For example when we honour those who are in positions of authority, we will attract God's favour. Unfortunately we live in an age where we have all but lost all sense of the meaning of honour. Sometimes we are stepping off the 'balcony of honour' and wonder why we are experiencing hard landings in life!
Dishonour or treating people without a sense of value and esteem closes doors of opportunity. Even Jesus could not do any miracles in His own hometown because the inhabitants of His town treated Him with dishonour. They said "Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary...? And are not His sisters here with us? So they were offended at Him....Now He could do no mighty work there..." (Mark 6:3-5) The opportunity for miracles passed them by because they expressed dishonour toward the very One who wanted to bless them.
We can learn to honour authorities when we see how God Himself who is the authority over all earthly authorities, chooses to clothe the repentant sinner with honour. He first honours us. He first loved us. He first esteems us. He chooses to "remember our sins no more." He honours the finished work of His Son. Because He honours, we are empowered to honour. Honour is to exercised toward all peoples including those who govern over us - whether we like those in authority or not. Our preferences have nothing to do with the law of honour. Romans 13:1-2 says '
"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities...the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves." It can become a pastime ridiculing and bad mouthing authority figures (as is often done in Australia) but all that leads to the erosion of blessing and favour.
The same law of honour applies to family life.The Bible promises that "it will go well for you and you will live long on the earth" (Eph.6:2-3) when children honour their parents. If you want favour in your life begin to honour your parents instead of judging them.
Similarly, believers are instructed "to esteem" or honour their church leaders. (1 Thess.5:13) Sometimes believers can experience frustration because they sense that they are 'being held back from expressing their ministry'. Perhaps this frustration happens because they are not honouring their oversight. You may not agree with every decision that is made but learn to speak honour and blessing to those above you. Then you will experience both the peace and the favour of God.
This blog is adapted from a message called "Honours Reward" by Tarun Stevenson (30/11/14). Tarun Stevenson is Assistant Pastor at The Vine church in Logan City, Queensland, Australia.
Dishonour or treating people without a sense of value and esteem closes doors of opportunity. Even Jesus could not do any miracles in His own hometown because the inhabitants of His town treated Him with dishonour. They said "Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary...? And are not His sisters here with us? So they were offended at Him....Now He could do no mighty work there..." (Mark 6:3-5) The opportunity for miracles passed them by because they expressed dishonour toward the very One who wanted to bless them.
We can learn to honour authorities when we see how God Himself who is the authority over all earthly authorities, chooses to clothe the repentant sinner with honour. He first honours us. He first loved us. He first esteems us. He chooses to "remember our sins no more." He honours the finished work of His Son. Because He honours, we are empowered to honour. Honour is to exercised toward all peoples including those who govern over us - whether we like those in authority or not. Our preferences have nothing to do with the law of honour. Romans 13:1-2 says '
"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities...the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves." It can become a pastime ridiculing and bad mouthing authority figures (as is often done in Australia) but all that leads to the erosion of blessing and favour.
The same law of honour applies to family life.The Bible promises that "it will go well for you and you will live long on the earth" (Eph.6:2-3) when children honour their parents. If you want favour in your life begin to honour your parents instead of judging them.
Similarly, believers are instructed "to esteem" or honour their church leaders. (1 Thess.5:13) Sometimes believers can experience frustration because they sense that they are 'being held back from expressing their ministry'. Perhaps this frustration happens because they are not honouring their oversight. You may not agree with every decision that is made but learn to speak honour and blessing to those above you. Then you will experience both the peace and the favour of God.
This blog is adapted from a message called "Honours Reward" by Tarun Stevenson (30/11/14). Tarun Stevenson is Assistant Pastor at The Vine church in Logan City, Queensland, Australia.
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