This message was preached by Colin D Cruz at Word of Grace Church on July 19th 2015. To listen/download the audio please click here
How many have been happy? How do you feel when the flipkart
guy is at our door?
Happiness is related
to the happenings. Its event based. So when the event passes so does the
happy feeling.
Joy is something different.
Phil3:1 Rejoice in the Lord. We are commanded to rejoice.
What does that mean?
Joy is not an
emotion. We rejoice based on our relationship with Jesus. Paul is full of
joy. But what were the circumstances in which he was rejoicing or writing this
letter? It was in the midst of very unhappy events. He was in prison chained to a Roman guard. He
could rejoice as it was not based on external circumstances.
You may be happy/sad this morning but you can have joy in
your life that is unconnected with the current circumstance of life.
When we, reflect on the fact that we are chosen by Jesus,
when we reflect on His words; that He will never leave us nor forsake us; what
security that gives us. Nothing we do,
nothing someone else does can affect our relationship with Jesus.
So will you rejoice in the Lord?
Here is a picture that shows you a glimpse of what it is
like to be with Jesus. A baby can’t speak, walk or help in any other way. They
just eat, cry and lot and poop. But the mother still oves the baby and has joy
in the baby.
Rom 8:28-2928 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those
who love him, who[i]have been
called according
to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also
predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he
might be the firstbornamong many brothers and sisters.
No matter what
happens in our lives, God’s working it for our good. So rejoice!!
Why am I reading
these promises? Because we can change
the way we feel when we change the way we think! Imagine a man stamps your
feet while you are waiting at the bus stop. Will it not upset you? But what
would you feel once you realize that that man is blind? Your feels will alter because of the facts before you.
Rom 8:32 What, then, shall we say in response to these
things? If God is
for us, who can
be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave
him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all
things?
As we go through life
we sin. Driving in Pune is a fertile bed for sin. Every day is a wonderful
opportunity to practice self control.
The devil will often remind
you of your past. Well! You just remind him of his future!
It’s God who justifies. Rom8:32 Jesus is at the right hand
of the father interceding for you.
Rom2:26-37
38-397 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through
him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor
demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be
able to separate us from the love of God that is
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus
All of us have come to know Jesus by
A Acknowledging
that we are sinners
B Belive He is
the only God who died on the cross for the sins of the world
C Confess that you are a sinner and repent of them
D do something about
it. Decide to obey His commands. Be baptized.
So no matter what the circumstance we can rejoice.
GRACE -In school we
have all encountered this phenomenon of “grace marks”. In the school of life we
have all failed the exam. The passing before a Holy God is 100%. So Jesus took our sins on the cross. Only He
was perfect and could pay the price.
We might think that we are good. Imagine if I gave you a
glass of water to drink on a hot summers day and I put one tiny drop of cyanide
in it. Can you drink it? NO! All the water has been contaminated. So it is with
our lives. Our”little sins” have contaminated our lives and it is unacceptable before
a holy God. But Jesus made a way.
Grace is accepting the sacrifice that Jesus made for you and
me. Today you have come here as one person and you can walk away a different
person.
Word of Grace is an Evangelical (Born Again), Spirit filled (Charismatic), Reformed, English speaking church in Pune that upholds the Bible as God's inspired Word for life. We are a church community that have people from every part of India and parts of the world. We are here to put the Great Command and the Great Commission into practice by equipping and releasing every member into works of service. To know more about us please log onto www.wordofgracechurch.org.
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