Is God at the center? | Sunith N

This message was preached  by Sunith Nallala at Word of Grace Church on May 22nd, 2016. To listen/download the audio please click here. 

Today we will look at the passage in Judges 6 and 7 depicting the life of Israelites and their leader Gideon.

Looking back at Judges 5, we see that the land was in peace for 40 years. In a time of peace, we tend to become self-centered. So, again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of God.

Judges 6: 1-7

In the Old Testament we see that God is an angry God. He subjected the Israelites to oppression and fear from the Midianites. They could not remember God and his miracles. They were relying on their own self. When we go through difficult times we try to depend on ourselves and not on God who loves us. We need to be God-centered.

Heb 12:7- “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?”

That’s what a loving father does. He disciplines us through the hardships we face. 

Judges 6:7-10

Even when we take a long time to turn to him, God always responds. He reminds us of himself. He calls us to turn away from our idols. This is what God tells us to do - Col 4:2- “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Judges 6: 11- 16

Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress out of fear that the Midianites may take it away from him. At that time God sends an angel who calls him ‘mighty warrior’. Gideon wonders if he is being sarcastic. God sees something great in us. Gideon saw himself as a weak person, but God strengthened him.

Q. How does God encourage us? What does he see in us?

John 12:1 – children of God

John 15:15- I have called you friends

Romans 5:1- justified by faith

Romans 8:1- No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Philippians 3:20- we are citizens of heaven.

Romans 8:35-39- Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? We are more than conquerors

This is our true identity. Gideon under the cloud of oppression and fear could not see his true identity. But God reminds him.

Judges 6: 22-24- when we encounter God, we are filled with peace and find encouragement to continue on.

v. 25- 32- Ask yourselves this : 

Q. Is there anything that you have been holding on to? 

If you are, it is time to knock down your idol. Confess your sin and deal with it. Then God blesses you.

v. 34- let’s understand that when we put God in the centered, we can’t forget about him. 

                                       

 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.

Fire or Ice ? | Colin DCruz

This message was preached by  Colin D cruz at Word of Grace Church  Pune, on the 29th of June 2014 . You can listen/download to the audio by clicking here

The monsoons have been delayed and people are beginning to panic. If the rains get delayed further, what do you think will happen? What if it is delayed for 1 month, 3 months, 6 months , 1 year?

In Israel they had no rain for 3.5 years. The King went around looking for water. It was desperate. We’ll look at an Old Testament Story. (Rom15:4) They were written for a purpose. What happened in 900BC was written so that we will be encouraged and have hope.

1Kings 17

Elijah is introduced out of the blue. Elijah prophecies that there will be no rain till he says o. Ahab realized that as the rain didn’t come after 2 years and he is very upset.

The background to this story is this – During the rule of King David there was peace in the land. Then King Solomon came on the throne and things were still ok. It’s after Solomon that the kingdom split into Israel and Judah. They were on the decline. Ahab was king of the north (1Kings 16:31). He worshipped Baal. He married Jezebel who brought all her idols along with her and the whole nation is affected. The Bible records him as the most evil man that ever lived.

1Kings 18:2

Obadiah and Ahab are looking for water. Elijah is hiding by a brook (the irony) and was being fed by ravens. When the brook dries up God send him to this widows house that has nothing but a little flour and oil. An amazing miracle happens- the jar of oil and flour never runs out till the rain comes.

Elijah now wants to meet Ahab (18:16).

Verse 18 Elijah speaks up to the King who worshipped Baal and Ashtoreth – the Gods of immorality, of lightening, thunder and rain!!!

Elijah challenges Ahab and Jezebel 400 prophets of Baal. Be careful whom you marry. Ahab brings the 400 prophets to Mt Carmel and the people come too.

V21 the people are expectant. Elijah rebukes the people for wavering in their faith but they said nothing! Israel’s started off well but now they were indifferent to Elijah’s rebuke.

You can’t have your legs in tow boats. It will destroy you.

V25 So the sacrifice is prepared and they called on the name of Baal the whole day. They danced in frenzy. Elijah taunts them. Evening came and nothing happened.

Elijah showed the people that these idols could do nothing.

 V32  In the evening Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord. /he put 12 stones on them. He reminded them who they are. They forgot their identity and destiny. God called them Israel i.e. Prince with God.

Then he digs a trench around the altar big enough to hold 15 liters of water. He puts water on the wooed and sacrifices. They did this 3 times and the trench was full (imagine doing that in a time of severe drought!) Elijah is making sure that when the fire comes it has to be a super natural event.

V36 Elijah prayer “ God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel” ( not Jacob). He was in tune with God – he was doing God’s bidding. And fire fell from heaven and it burnt the wood, offering, trench and stones.

V39 the people whose hearts were luke-warm we now warmed again. The prophets of Baal were killed. This is a true story. No matter how technologically advanced we are we still need God to send the rain. He is almighty.

God was showing his people you need to depend on me. God will do what he wants to do to get his people in line ( Heb 12:7)He loves his people.

Elijah placed a challenge before the people i.e God or Baal.

Joshua placed the same challenge. God is sovereign over our lives. We can become luke-warm. God hates it. Rev 3:17

We need to check ourselves – are we on fire like ?Elijah or have we gone cold as ice like Israel who were distracted with other things and  think that all is well because we have  material prosperity?

That is dangerous. Are we passionate about the kingdom? Let the Holy Spirit examine our hearts. We can miss out on what God has for us.

James 5:17-18 tells us that Elijah was a man just like us. Our prayers can be powerful and effective. If we pray God can do amazing things.

Our hope is in God. We need to test our hearts and there is power in prayer. As we do this we will see the power of God poured out on our nation.

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.

     Please check google maps for directions!

God or Idol?

This is a summary of the sermon preached on the 11th of September by Colin D Cruz the pastor of Word of Grace Church .

John1 :1-2

Who is God? What is He like? Different people have a different understanding of who He is. Our belief must correspond with truth.

Eg) 5 Blind men feeling an elephant – One feels the tails and says the elephant is like a rope, the other feels the trunk and says the Elephant is like a tree, the other feels the ears  and says the elephant is like a fan and so on. Which one is right? You may say all of them. They are all right when put together but not in isolation.

In the same way there are many facets to God and we need to try and understand Him in all His glory.

When we have just one pet idea about God, we no longer worship God we worship an image of Him and  it becomes idolatry. Some people believe that God is too kind and loving to send people to hell. Does this image of God correspond with the truth?  Even as Christians we can be in the danger of having a partial understanding or selective understanding of who God is. We must worship God in spirit and in truth.

In the Bible we are introduced to many facets of God. Viz:

2Thes 1:8 – “He will punish...” The Judge

Jn14 – He calls us friends

Rev1:17 -John was the disciple closest to Jesus and the one Jesus loved yet here what is John’s response? He feel face down as though dead when he encountered the glorified Jesus.

•          One of the qualities of God is that he is Eternal – without beginning and end. “In the beginning ...” The same words are used in Genesis 1:1. Jesus the Word of God existed before matter, time and space.

John 17:5 – with the glory I had with you before the world began”

Some people think that Jesus came into existence only 2000yrs ago. They are in error.

Jn 1:14 “The word became flesh and made his dwelling amongst us

The difference between us and the creator is the difference between the sun and a candle. The essential nature of God is that he is infinite but we are finite.

THE WORD – why is He called the word?  Everything God wants to communicate is through His Son.

Jn14:6- “the way, the truth and the life”

Heb1:1-2 in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son. The recorded word is the Bible

This is of extreme importance but man does not live by bread alone but by every WORD

If you want to be built up spiritually feed on the Word. That is why we have introduced the “Getting started “series of daily devotionals to strengthen you in the Word.

•      John1:2 “And the word was with God”.They were close, there was unity. The word and God were one. It speaks of a close relationship and fellowship. These are attributes of the Godhead.

What does this imply for us?

God wants to have fellowship with us not because He needs us. We need him. Set aside a time to communicate with God.  Stay in fellowship with him. Brother Lawrence used to wash dishes in the monastery and he used that time to fellowship with God.

When we become Christians God becomes our father and other Christians become our brothers and sisters. There was mutual submission and partnership in the Trinity. In the same way it is vital to build a relationship with one another. This is vital for the growth of the church. Invite people to your home and have a meal with them – make new friends.

Our salvation is personal but not private.

•       John1:2 And the Word was with God

He is co equal with God – not a little lower. Jesus is Coequal. Submitting does not mean being inferior. It’s a different role.

Col1:15 Image of the invisible God

Heb1:3 Jesus is the exact representation of his being

Heb1:3b Jesus is the radiance of Go’s glory

Jn1:3 through Jesus all things were made

Jn1:10 the world was made through Him.

Here are some more attributes of God – He is Eternal, omnipresent (Matt18:20), omniscient, omnipotent, sinless, unchanging ( Heb15:5), Sovereign (Matt28:18-20).

As you study the Bible you will discover many more attributes of God and grow in your understanding of Him and this will  deepen your worship of Him.