Life in the In-Between

The Gift of the Prince of Peace at Christmas

Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his
shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.

Peace is the experience of present rest and the sense that all will somehow
be well tomorrow because of Who goes with me

1. Real peace is established in our hearts when we know beyond doubt
that a powerful, good, kind Father is always with us wherever we go

2. Come and receive the Prince of Peace this Christmas and receive His
rest

Hebrews 4:6, 10 -11, 16 (NLT)
So God's rest is there for people to enter...For all who have entered into God's rest
have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our
best to enter that rest...So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we
will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on
you!

Peace deepens when we learn to rest and wait on our good and powerful
father, while looking honestly at our unrepentant attitudes and motivations

1 Cor. 1:3 (NLT)
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

3. Dwell and gaze at our Servant Savior and once we fully understand
what has been give to us, the gift begins to grow from within us

Ephesians 3:12, 18-19 (NLT)
Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently
into God’s presence…And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people
should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience
the love of Christ, through it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made
complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Habitually built on the Rock of Grace

Grace and the Narrow Gate

A Different Kind of God

A Different Kind of God

Relationships before and After Grace

Why – Do Not Worry?

Sermon on the Mount – God of the Details

Applying Grace to Anxieties and Worries

Grace and Generosity

2011 Anniversary Sermon – New Wine in Old Wineskins

Matthew 9:9-17 (NIV)
Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. 2 Some men brought to him
a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart,
son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5
Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you
to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed
man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the
crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority
to man.
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s
booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and
ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why
does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners (NLT – scum)?”
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and
learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous,
but sinners.”
Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but
your disciples do not fast?” 15 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn
while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then
they will fast.
16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from
the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If
they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they
pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Matthew 9:16-17 (NIV)
“No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from
the garment, making the tear worse. 17 Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If
they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they
pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

1. There’s a new reality that is so radical that the old way of thinking is
just too small to understand it – grace is too radical for a religious mind to
understand!

Some characteristics between old thinking and new radical grace:

Fasting versus celebration

Matthew 9:14-15 (NIV)

“How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?”
answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?

The religiously acceptable versus sinners

Matthew 9:13 (NIV)
…”For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Billionaire’s Vinegar

2. In God’s radical grace, Jesus offers us divine forgiveness prior to our
request for repentance and confession to move our hearts towards Him

3. Spiritually, God knows that there is something more important than
receiving healing or even forgiveness, it is receiving Jesus and His Love!

Luke 5:24-26 (NLT)
…Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
And immediately, as everyone watched, the man jumped up, picked up his mat, and went
home praising God. Everyone was gripped with great wonder and awe, and they praised God,
exclaiming, “We have seen amazing things today!”

How Does Gradual Maturity Under Grace Look Like?

Expressions of Perfection

Outside-In Religion

Comparison

Result in Pride or Condemnation

The Need to be Externally Noticed and Recognized

Unrest and anxiety

Inside-Out Grace

Instead of comparison, there is humble evaluation

Instead of pride or condemnation, there is thankfulness and generosity

Instead of needing external recognition, there is already inner satisfaction

Instead of unrest and anxiety, there is deep security, peace and energy

1 Cor. 15:10 (NIV)
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I
worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Matt. 6:1-2 (NASB)
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you
have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the poor, do not
sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they
may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

Matt. 5:16 (NASB)
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify
your Father who is in heaven.

1. Religion does good works so that we will be validated and
acknowledged; grace produces works as a grateful response and points to
God’s blessings

Matt. 6: 3 (NASB)

But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

Matthew 6:4 (GWT)
Give your contributions privately. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward
you.

Matthew 6:6 (GWT)
When you pray, go to your room and close the door. Pray privately to your Father who is with
you. Your Father sees what you do in private. He will reward you.

Matthew 6:17-18 (GWT)
When you fast, wash your face and comb your hair. 18Then your fasting won’t be obvious.
Instead, it will be obvious to your Father who is with you in private. Your Father sees what you
do in private. He will reward you.

2. When we meet with God in the privacy of a grace relationship, there
is such inner satisfaction that no other demand for outside recognition is
necessary

Matthew 6:33 (GWT)
But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things
will be provided for you.

3. When we accept God's invitation to meet with Him in private, He satisfies
both our known and unknown internal as well as external needs.

A New Kind of Freedom

Matthew 5:38-39 (NIV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not
resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

Exodus 21:22-24 (NIV)
“If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely[a] but there
is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the
court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for
tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot…

Leviticus 24.17-201
“‘Anyone who takes the life of a human being is to be put to death. 18 Anyone who takes
the life of someone’s animal must make restitution—life for life. 19 Anyone who injures their
neighbor is to be injured in the same manner: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.
The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury.

Matthew 5:38-42 (NIV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not
resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone
forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not
turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

1. We move from undisciplined chaos to the first half of life of religion and
then to the second half of life of grace and freedom

i. Unlimited revenge is the law of the jungle in a lawless society
ii. Religion provides for limited revenge or the law of karma
iii. The freedom to receive and give unlimited love is the power of grace

Matthew 5:42 (NIV)
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from
you.

"I did once seriously think of embracing the Christian faith," Gandhi told Millie Polak,
the wife of one of his earliest disciples. "The gentle figure of Christ, so patient, so kind,
so loving, so full of forgiveness that he taught his followers not to retailate when abused
or struck, but to turn the other cheek, I thought it was a beautiful example of the perfect
man..." (Mahatma Gandhi)

1

See also Deuteronomy 19.15-21

"Of all the things I have read what remained with me forever was that Jesus came
almost to give a new law - not an eye for an eye but to receive two blows when only
one was given, and to go two miles when they were asked to go one. I came to see that
the Sermon on the Mount was the whole of Christianity for him who wanted to live a
Christian life. It is that sermon that has endeared Jesus to me." ('Gandhi and Christianity'
edited by Robert Ellsberg and published by Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York 10545.)

“For many of them contend that the Sermon on the Mount does not apply to mundane
things, and that it was only meant for the twelve disciples. Well I do not believe this. I
think the Sermon on the Mount has no meaning if it is not of vital use in everyday life to
everyone.” (Mahatma Gandhi)

When the protest [in Montgomery] began, my mind, consciously or unconsciously, was
driven back to the Sermon on the Mount, with its sublime teachings on love, and to the
Gandhian method of nonviolent resistance. (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

"But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I
continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from
the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: 'Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you.'" (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

To our most bitter opponents we say: “We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering
by our capacity to endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force.
Do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you. We cannot in all good
conscience obey your unjust laws, because non-cooperation with evil is as much a moral
obligation as is cooperation with good. Throw us in jail, and we shall still love you. Send
your hooded perpetrators of violence into our communities at the midnight hour and
beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still love you. But be ye assured that we will
wear you down by our capacity to suffer. One day we shall win freedom, but not only for
ourselves. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the
process, and our victory will be a double victory.” (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

2. Respond proactively without retaliation to our perceived enemies after
encountering God’s forgiving grace and then offer what we have received

3. How does grace help us?

a. Understand that if we harbor hate and bitterness, we are not free
because our perceived opponents still control our reactions and
responses
b. But just like our perceived opponents, we need forgiveness for we
don’t know what we are doing, neither do they
c. But we cannot offer a gracious, unconditional forgiveness that we
ourselves have not enjoyed or fully understand – we cannot give what
we don’t have
d. Admit to God that we have no strength to forgive and love while

beginning to under the fullness of the forgiveness and grace we
continue to receive

Grace is at the Heart of the Law

How to be Salt and Light to the World by God's Grace

What Kind of a Heart is Jesus Drawn Towards? The Beatitudes - Part II

What Kind of a Heart is Jesus Drawn Towards? The Beatitudes - Part I

The Sermon on the Mount – Perfecting through Grace - Part II

The Sermon on the Mount – Perfecting through Grace

Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life V – Jesus the Risk Taker Part II

Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life V – Jesus the Risk Taker Part I

Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life IV

Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life III

Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life II

Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life part 1

Grace and the Confusion of Guilt

Did We Miss Jesus’ Second Coming and Why this World Matters!

Nurturing the Life of Grace

Passion Week 2011 – How God Transforms Suffering

1. The crucifixion is a reminder that Jesus who was and is present with us
experienced and understands all our highest joys and deepest pains

2. God can unilaterally (one-sidedly) forgive us but God wants more than
that – He wants to be united with us as His Beloved only through the cross

Ephesians 1:4-6 (NLT)
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without
fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to
himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

Ephesians 1:4-6 (Msg)
Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the
focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us
into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to
enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

3. God’s love and forgiveness comes running towards us even before we
repent in order that we will be moved and amazed to easily respond to Him

Spirituality in the Material World – Work through Grace

“Therefore I advise no one to enter any religious order or the priesthood, indeed, I advise
everyone against it – unless he is forearmed with this knowledge and understands that the
works of monks and priests, however holy and arduous they may be, do not differ one bit
in the sight of God from the works of the rustic laborer in the field or the woman going
about her household tasks, but that all works are measured before God by faith alone.”

- Martin Luther, The Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520)
There has been a fiction by which the Pope, bishops, priests, and monks are [doing
spiritual work] while princes, lords, artisans, and peasants are [doing worldly work]. This
is an artful lie and hypocritical invention, but let no one be made afraid by it, and that for
this reason: that all Christians are truly of the spiritual estate, and there is no difference
among them…As St Paul says (1 Cor. 12), we are all one body, though each member
does its own work so as to serve the others. This is because we have one baptism, one
Gospel, one faith, and are all Christians alike; for baptism, Gospel, and faith, these alone
make spiritual and Christian people.

-

Martin Luther, Address to the Christian Nobility (1520), Paraphrased

All our work in the field, in the garden, in the city, in the home, in struggle, in
government--to what does it all amount before God…These are the masks of our Lord
God, behind which he wants to be hidden and to do all things.

-

1. The purpose of our work and vocation is an important way to love and
serve our neighbor - “God does not need our good works. But our neighbor
does.”

2. Work is the gracious expression of creative energy in the service of

others

1 Thess. 4:9-12 (NLT)
But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself
has taught you to love one another. 10 Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers
throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even
more. 11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your
hands, just as we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not Christians will respect the
way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.

Work in a way that makes us somehow useful by helping people for the common
good

Move towards finding a sense of restfulness and quiet as we come to terms with
our work – by changing attitudes, priorities or as we prepare for other work

Martin Luther, "Exposition of Psalm 147"

3. Our jobs in the world are not our source of life, but we who have been
transformed by God’s grace give life to our work

Ephesians 6:7-8 (NIV)
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that
the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.

We are God’s Beloved sent to the world and loved even before we do any work

I am grateful to Tim Keller, from whom much of this sermon comes from

The Spiritual in the Material World - In the World but Not of the World

The Problem of Evil and Suffering and Grace

Genesis 3:17 (NLT)
And to Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate the fruit I told you not to eat,
I have placed a curse on the ground…

Romans 8:21-22 (NIV)
… that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the
freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning
as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Application: Our Response and God’s Response

Acts 11:27-30 (NIV)
During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them,
named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over
the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29 The disciples, as each
one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30 This they
did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Luke 13:4-5 (NIV)
Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were
more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no!

Genesis 41:30-31 (NLT)
But afterward there will be seven years of famine so great that all
the prosperity will be forgotten in Egypt. Famine will destroy the land. This famine will be so
severe that even the memory of the good years will be erased.

1. When others are suffering or are victims of disasters, love them and
meet their needs graciously and unconditionally until they perhaps ask why

Job 2:11-13 (NLT)
When three of Job’s friends heard of the tragedy he had suffered, they got together and
traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite,
Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. 12 When they saw Job from a distance, they
scarcely recognized him. Wailing loudly, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air over
their heads to show their grief. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and
nights. No one said a word to Job, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.

Job 6:8-13 (NLT)
“Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant my desire. 9 I wish he would crush
me. I wish he would reach out his hand and kill me. 10 At least I can take comfort in this: Despite
the pain, I have not denied the words of the Holy One. 11 But I don’t have the strength to
endure. I have nothing to live for. 12 Do I have the strength of a stone? Is my body made of

bronze? 13 No, I am utterly helpless, without any chance of success.

Job 6:26 (NASB)
… the words of one in despair belong to the wind…

Job 38:1-3 (NIV)
Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said: 2 “Who is this that obscures my plans
with words without knowledge? 3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall
answer me.

2. In the midst of suffering, what we need more than philosophical answers
is the very comforting presence of God who understands the depth of pain

Genesis 22:6-8 (NIV)
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself
carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to
his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here,"
Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham answered, "God himself will
provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.

Genesis 22:14 (NIV)
…So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the
mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

3. When problems are so complex and hopeless, choose the conviction
that the Lord will provide, even if we not know how He will provide

Punishment, Discipline or Brokenness in Need of Radical Grace

The Problem of Punishment

A False Sense of Security that Others Deserve Punishment and We do Not

It is Difficult to Love those We Feel Superior To

We Harm Those We Feel Superior To

Many Christians have an OT view of punishment as if Jesus has not yet come

Romans 3:10-12, 22-23 (GW)
“Not one person has God’s approval. 11No one has understanding…Everyone has turned
away. Together they have become rotten to the core. No one does anything good…There is no
difference between people. 23Because all people have sinned, they have fallen short of God’s
glory.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT)
“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really
knows how bad it is?

Jeremiah 17:9 (Msg)
"The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God,
search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things.
I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be."

Romans 3:23-28 (GW)
Because all people have sinned, they have fallen short of God’s glory. 24They receive God’s
approval freely by an act of his kindness through the price Christ Jesus paid to set us free from
sin. 25God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God’s approval is given through faith
in Christ’s blood. In his patience God waited to deal with sins committed in the past. 26He waited
so that he could display his approval at the present time. This shows that he is a God of justice, a
God who approves of people who believe in Jesus.
27So, do we have anything to brag about? Bragging has been eliminated. On what basis was it
eliminated? On the basis of our own efforts? No, indeed! Rather, it is eliminated on the basis of
faith. 28We conclude that a person has God’s approval because of faith, not because of his own
efforts.

2. We are all guilty but Jesus took the full punishment that all of us deserve!
We have lost all rights to pronounce punishment on anyone else!

Isaiah 53:2 (Msg)
But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He
took the punishment, and that made us whole.

1 John 4:17-19 (NIV)
This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of

judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out
fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19
We love because he first loved us.

2. The new reality in the New Testament is that God uses unconditional
grace and love to transform and motivate us and not punishment

Ephesians 1:7-12 (Msg)
Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're
a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just
barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could
possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before
us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in
him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.
11-12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first
heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living,
part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

Hebrews 12:4-6 (Msg)
Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his
children? My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either. It's
the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating
you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're
in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents
leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our
own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly
live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what
is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always
feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-
trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.

3. Focus on discipline, not punishment – discipline is motivated by the
future and love while punishment focuses on the past and pay-back
(retribution)

Parenting

Proverbs 13:24 (NIV)
Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to
discipline them.

Christian and Church Discipline

James 5:20 (NIV)
…remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from
death and cover over a multitude of sins.

Obedience that Comes from Faith II

Obedience that Comes from Faith

Establishing Our Lives as the Beloved part 4

Becoming Disciples of the Beloved

Becoming The Beloved

The Beloved part 1

Interpreting the Old Testament

Interpreting the Old Testament

Prayer and Devotions Under Grace

The Eyes through Which We See II

The Eyes through Which We See

New Year Sermon 2011

2010 End of Year Sermon – Weight of God’s Glory with Us

Christmas and the Meaning of Life

Loneliness and Grace II part B

Loneliness and Grace II part A

Loneliness and Grace I

Fruit of the Spirit - Love III

Fruit of the Spirit - Self Control

Fruit of the Spirit - Gentleness

Fruit of the Spirit - Goodness Part 2

Fruit of the Spirit - Goodness Part 1

The Fruit of the Spirit – Kindness Part II

The Fruit of the Spirit – Kindness Part I

Fruit of the Spirit - Patience part 2

Fruit of the Spirit - Patience part 1

Grace through Wisdom – A Sword above Our Treasures

Encountering the Gift of Grace through the Holy Spirit

The Gospel of Grace According to David III 2 Sam. 12:13-25

How the Cross Changes Our Lives

Covenant of Grace – The Heartbeat behind Grace

How Grace Circumcises Our Hearts

Easter – The Eunuch Isaiah 53:3-10; Acts 8:26-38

Prodigal Grace: Luke 15:11-32

The Threat of the Gift of Grace

Obedience, the Day before Victory *Daylight saving is on March 9. Time will move forward one hour.

Deciding What Really Matters

How Obedience Leads to More Grace - Genesis 6:13-22

Sowing and Reaping Generously

When God Makes It Difficult to Run Away – Choose Faith

Wise Closure

Christmas Grace II: The Deeply Personal Gospel of Grace

Righteousness Inside Out

Spiritual Priorities in Complex Situations John 12:1-8

Ahab – How to Finish the Race

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Audio is not available.

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Dealing with the Uncomfortable

What Controls Our Lives – Persuasion or Conviction?

Attitudes that Lead to Character, Promotion and Influence

Trusting God in the Midst of Uncertainty

Easter 2007 – How Much Are We Worth?

Peter – Encountering a God Who Knows

Psalm 23 – Our Shepherd Guide

Practicing Worship and the Presence of God

Wisdom over Temptations

Paul – Signs of Maturity

Unwrapping Christmas – The Gift of Genuine Freedom

Why We Commit Wholeheartedly to God?

How am I a Blessing?

Ezra – Our Background Environment

The Life Stages of a Promise – Ezra

Rahab – Making Changes in the Middle of the Journey

A Beautiful Palace Does Not Make a Great King

The Mind of Christ – Thinking Takes Practice

We sent off our elder, Mike today. God bless him in Thailand.

When Life Catches Us Off-Guard

Hosea 2 – Responding to the Love of God

Audio is not available. Sermon note is post.

Asa – How to Finish Well

The Skill of Teach-ability - 1 Sam. 15

Learning How to Wait Expectantly

Of Lasting Value

Deciphering the Da Vinci Code

Have you ever jealous of your friends who are successful? Today, Pastor Andre is going to talk about jealousy and how to respond to it. Let's hear it. (Sorry, the audio file quality is not the best.)

Have you ever felt that you want to do more and grow more in your Christian life, but somehow you just don't feel like doing anything, or feel so painful to do any change. Emotion could be one of the biggest obstacles in our journey seeking God's best for us. Today, pastor Andre is going to share with us how to overcome these unhealthy emotion. Let's listen to it.

Do you have the experience of feeling uncomfortable with Jesus and His teaching? Today, pastor Andre is going to share with us what to do about this situation.

Even though non-believers do not know God personally, but they are still regulated by the Lord. Today, let's hear what pastor Andre talk about "From the perspective of the non-believer".

Do you have fears? Let's hear pastor Andre teach what is unhealthy fear and how do we conguer fears. Bonus: today Andre present his great art work. Let's take a look. (coming soon)

Everybody has habits. Bad habits will stop us from moving toward God's best for us. Today, pastor Andre is going to talk about "Habits".

What have you been learning from school? I bet most likely it is not life skills. Communication skill is one of the most important life skills that we need to learn. Today, pastor Andre is going to show us how to communicate with a new language and how God communicate with us.

Today, pastor Andre is going to talk about Jacob's Christian life. Let's hear it.

Do you have trouble adjusting or balancing your life? Today, pastor Andre is going to talk about how to adjust in God's way.

   

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Expecting More from God than from Ourselves by Andre

Attaining Spiritual Completion by Andre

Authentic Spirituality - How God Meets Our Needs by Andre

Authentic Spirituality - Friendship with God by Andre

Authentic Spirituality - A Change of Heart
Ezekiel 36: 24-27 by Andre

Father's Day 2004 by Andre

Romans 2 by Andre

Romans 1 by Andre

Five purposes for a Fruitful Life: Part IV & V -- Evangelism & Worship by Andre

Five purposes for a Fruitful Life: Part III -- Fellowship by Andre

Five Purposes for a Fruitful Life: Part II -- Worship by Andre ( Due to some technical difficulties, this audio sermon is not available. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

Mother's Day 2004 by Andre

Five Purposes for a Fruitful Life: Part I -- Maturity and Character by Andre ( Due to some technical difficulties, this audio sermon is not available. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

Being God's Spokesperson Part I by Andre

The Suffering by Andre

The Ressurection by Andre

Philippians 4:10-23 by Andre

Philippians 4:1-9 by Andre

Philippians 3:12-21 by Andre

Philippians 3:1-11 by Andre

Christmas 2003 - Preparation II by Andre

Christmas 2003 - Preparation I by Andre

Life Skills IV—Investing Wisely in Relationships that Matter

Deep down, we all desire to have good, intimate and satisfying relationships, no matter what culture you are from. It is because God said from the beginning that it is not good for man and woman to be alone.

But in spite that universal longing in each of us to have satisfying relationships—we discover that it is not easy. We see broken relationships everywhere.

Today is the 4th in a series called Life Skills. And the reason it is a skill is because there are many qualities that are needed in this life that we do not naturally possess or you may not have had the opportunity to develop growing up. Today, we are going to talk about the skills necessary to cultivate the intimate relationships that matter in our lives. It could be your husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, or even your close family members. Now some of you will immediately ask—but I don’t have someone special in my life now—this topic is not relevant to me. I cannot disagree more—because when problems in marriage or relationship occur at the very end, it is often difficult to change; the time to change is at the beginning end, when things are preventable.

The best time to learn about such things are when you are younger so that you can save yourself from as much frustrations as possible. Don’t you think so?

There is no such thing as a problem marriage, only problem people who get married.

We live in a world where people have lost value in marriages
Matthew 19:5-6 (NLT)
And he said, 'This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.' [6] Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together."

Ruth 1:9 (Living)
And may he bless you with another happy marriage."

Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

When two people get married, they bring together with them all their past hurts, emotional baggage, unrealistic expectations and unresolved issues into the relationship. In marriages and relationships are often the best places to grow in character—but it would be better if we grow in character before that. Often, when things don’t work out in a relationship—we tend to blame the other person. We have to recognize that we all need to work hard to build a good, solid, God-centered and satisfying relationship by refining your own character and building each other up.

1 Thes. 5:11 (NLT)
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

1. Purpose in your heart to prioritize your relationship with God above any other relationship.
What has this got to do with any relationship or marriage? None of us have all the strength and wisdom needed to grow a strong and satisfying relationship. Everyone of us has limited love. “Every relationship – even good ones – have conflict. If you don't know how to deal with it, how to resolve it, how to manage it, you can kill your relationship.” A person who already has a relationship with God naturally knows how to connect to an endless source of strength and love. But without God—when things go wrong—you go to books and seminars—books, seminars and counseling, very good as they are cannot give you more love and more strength. A person who does not know God is helpless when prolonged conflict comes. So for example—if you love someone without God—all you have is your limited love; but with God, its you + God’s endless and supernatural love.

Psalm 46:1 (NIV)
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

2. Cultivate Communication Skills
The lack of communication skills is one of the biggest killers in relationships and marriages. Talking is not necessarily communication.

a. Taking an active, proactive interest in the other person’s interest.
Philip. 2:4 (NLT)
Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.

b. Learn to Listen Carefully
Proverbs 18:13 (Msg)
Answering before listening is both stupid and rude.

Proverbs 18:15 (Msg)
Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights.

3. Cultivate friendship within the marriage or relationship

Song 5:16 (NIV)
His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my lover, this my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Do you know that our relationship with God is partially a friendship? In John 15:15, He says—I call you friends; this is seen when Jesus asks Peter this question—Peter, do you love me, then feed my sheep; Peter, do you like me. In the same way, learn to be friends with in your significant relationships.

4. Have a life outside each other
Sometimes when couples get together, they end up only living for each other. They live and breathe only for each other—and this is so unhealthy.
Your wife or husband will never be able to meet the needs of your total person. That is why God gave all of us friends, family and wonderful distractions…

a. Friends
Friends are a gift from God. They are wonderful resources and a source of joy. Even the best marriages and relationships have conflicts and sometimes, the relationship cannot handle any more pressure—friends are a blessing especially at this point.

Proverbs 27:10 (NLT)
Never abandon a friend—either yours or your father's. Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance. It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away.

Also, having regular friendships give you perspective about life that you cannot see in your relationship. Not only that but when one person has joy in friendship, that strength and energy in brought back into the relationship as a blessing to both persons.

b. Hobbies and interests.
While you first priority is your responsibility to the other person, remember that God has also made you a unique individual with gifts and talents to cultivate and enjoy. Develop and use them to the glory of God…

5. Seek out and listen to Godly counsel and accept discipline
There will be times when difficulties come and you have no answers. Just be humble and get help—rather than holding on to pride and living with a broken relationship. Get counseling or seek people with wisdom and experience in this area. And then do what you need to do. Remember that we all have sin and unresolved areas in our lives

Psalm 37:30 (NLT)
The godly offer good counsel; they know what is right from wrong.

Proverbs 19:20 (Msg)
Take good counsel and accept correction—that's the way to live wisely and well.

Psalm 119:40 (Msg)
See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways!

Learning from the Master

We all have different eating habits. Some of you have two meals a day; others have 1 or 3 meals a day; some like snacking throughout the day—chips, peanuts, candy etc. Some like Karen Carpenter and others are starving herself with her anorexia. What if you don’t eat? What happens when you just eat once a week and snack the rest of the time? You become unhealthy, gaunt, emaciated and terribly ugly with sunken cheeks. “Yet many of us eat spiritual food by going to church just once a week and then snack on tidbits the rest of the time. The Barna research tells us that 80% of American Christians read their Bibles less than once a week.

There is an old proverb that says that if you give a fish to a hungry man, he will live for a day; but if you teach him to fish, you will feed for life.” The American Journal of Medicine says, “The health of America will not be determined by what people can get doctors to do for them, but what the doctors can get the people to do for themselves.” The same is true spiritually, we need to come to a point where are able to feed ourselves, because the health of the church is founded upon this. It is okay to be fed all the time if you are a child. But if a 20 or 30 person needs to be fed, something is seriously wrong. Learning to feed yourself is a sign of maturity.

1 John 2:26-27 (NLT)
I have written these things to you because you need to be aware of those who want to lead you astray. [27] But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ.

One of my favorite pianist during my time was Richard Clayderman. He could play both classical and popular songs without any difficulty. It was by listening to his music that set my heart on fire for playing the piano. Just imagine one day if he would say to me—Monsieur Andre, would you like me to teach you how to play the piano? I would wake up early in the morning if I have to. After a while, 6 months later, when I play the piano, people who know Clayderman’s music will say—I know that playing, where have I heard it before. I know, I know—they style, the intonation, the cadence, is the sound of the master himself. You sound just like the master.

Can you imagine if the master of the universe himself, teaches you everyday, giving you the wisdom of the ages. What would you say to that?

The insights that you will get will be different than if you were to be taught by some other Christian or pastor. Many of us come to church of ICF, and we hear tidbits of truth here and there. And when we talk about our faith, bits and piece of the tidbits come to mind. I see this all the time in Bible studies—I know I know I know, the pastor the other day said this or that. I think the Bible says something like…; what’s happening here? There is no confidence or first hand experience with the word of God. But if God teaches you directly, if you know something, you know something because God taught you that himself. You meet some people and they speak the word of God with confidence, why? Because God has directly deposited His truth in their hearts. Jesus said to Peter in Matthew: flesh and blood did not reveal that truth to you—in response to who do you say that I am.

Jesus says, I will personally mentor you, everyday. I will speak my truth directly into your heart. So that if you have been with me long enough, people who hear you will say: I know that style—that is something Jesus would say. You are just like the master. That is what happens when we allow God to speak to us through the Bible every day.

SO WHY IS THE BIBLE SO IMPORTANT?
Because we don’t have enough wisdom to become the husband, wife, Christian, friend, minister that God wants us to be on our own. You don’t have enough wisdom to live a victorious life, or even a successful Christian life on your own.

So how do you get wisdom?
There are a couple of ways. One of them is the most popular one: it is called experience. You put your hand into the fire. Ouch, fire hot, hand soft, hand in fire painful! After that you will put your hand into the fire again. Or I have met people who have been in prison for crime and they say—I learned a lesson—I will never steal again; I will never drink when I drive again; those are great lessons, and if it takes 5 years to learn that wisdom; you can only learn about 10 lessons in this life; Life is too short to become wise in this way. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just go around trick or treating from each person’s experience and put that gem and wisdom into our heart.

That is why we read the Bible.
Jeremiah 15:16 (NIV)
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight…

Doing Daily Devotions…
1. GIVES US WISDOM BEYOND HUMAN YEARS.
Psalm 119:100 (Msg)
I've become wiser than the wise old sages simply by doing what you tell me.

But there is a better way. Learn from other people’s mistakes, but don’t suffer their pain.
It is full of testimonies. We learn from:
David:
Absalom:
Peter:
Asa: Start well, and end badly…
And other lessons:

Reading the Bible helps us to grow deep and to understand the things that we wouldn’t have been able to understand before. These include not just the acts of God, but the ways of God. By reading, we begin to see and understand God’s heart behind His actions.
We’ll learn and understand that sometimes God hides His blessings from us because our character is not ready to receive it. He’ll hide His promises until our maturity is greater and until we can hear, understand and accept it. It could be that we’re filled with pride or, even worse, be filled with fear so that we forfeit our God-given assignment.

2. GIVES YOU MATURITY.
Romans 12:2 (Msg)
Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Devotions and knowing the word of God gives you a strong anchor when the winds of life comes. People will say an do things that will go against your current. OR when circumstances go opposite of your expectations. Will you collapse? Only Biblical maturity will keep you standing.

If I am easily discouraged or easily offended. I know that my spirit is in shallow ground. I know that I have not done by devotions and spent my time with God sufficiently.

The first two eternal benefits of daily devotions is that it will give you wisdom beyond your years and it will also give you spiritual maturity. The final benefit has to do with prayer. What is prayer? Do you think that a holy person is one who is able to pray the hardest by talking the loudest? Of course not! It’s actually hearing from God, not just hearing myself complain or talk the whole time.

3. LISTENING IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF PRAYER.
2 Tim. 3:16-17 (NLT)
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. [17] It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.

When I returned to Singapore a few years ago, I sought out an old pastor friend of mine who I really respected. I talked about less than 10% of the conversation; I asked questions and clarified and took down notes so that I would forget. In fact, I honored him by taking down notes. Why? So that I could remember them and recall them—as well as to indicate how important the lessons were.

Learn to journal
Jeremiah 30:2 (NLT)
"This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write down for the record everything I have said to you, Jeremiah.

God tells you to write down, or journal, what He is telling you. This will help you more than I can ever say. Just remember that your journal is not a diary; it is God is speaking to you when you put aside an hour a day for devotions.

We are starting something new at ICCSD. We call it the 20/20/20 Vision.

We used an acrostic, SOAP:
Scripture - finding a scripture out of passages we read for that day and writing it down.
Observation - taking a couple of paragraphs and observing just what it says.
Application – writing about how we may apply what we’ve just learned (the revealed truth) to our lives.
Prayer - writing out a prayer asking the Lord to help us apply it to our lives. We also write how thankful we are for the power of His Word.

The last thing that I would do is flip to the table of contents and title the entry of the scripture with the date and the page. Manuscript notation (writing out full sentences) is preferred rather than heading notation because a year from now when I go back and read it, everything God taught me will come flooding back, including the very heart of the lesson… even the prayer.

When doing devotions you are hearing God’s Word, writing it down and applying it to your life. Even if you miss a day, keep coming back to it because there’s victory when you’ve filled out an entire Bible bookmark. By journaling everyday you’ll have fertile soil in your heart and when God plants a seed, a tree starts to grown and fruit beings to be born.

Joshua 1:8 (NLT)
Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.

- This sermon is inspired from Pastor Wayne Cordeiro, pastor of New Hope in Hawaii.

Practicing God-Confidence

Hebrew 12: 1-2

Fear weakens a person.
FEAR : False Evidence Appearing Real.
Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is—German Proverb
It is difficult to have faith in God if we have low-confidence. We saw some of the results of having a lack of confidence: we always think about what others think about us and lose our true selves in the process; it reduces our ability to make deep quality relationships with other people; it is the source of laziness because we fear failure, so we are frozen with fear, doing nothing; it is the source of pride because we need to overcompensate and cover up for our insecurities.

There is fear of growing old, fear of failure at work at relationships, fear of rejection by others, fear of the unknown, fear of insufficient finances for the future, fear of losing your freedom, conflict with others, rejection by opposite sex or in a love relationship, fear of criticism, losing people’s respect etc. Any of these apply to you?
_ Living in fear means living with a constant underlying tension that leads to broken health.
_ When we have fear, we seldom feel the confidence to try something new; we tend to stick to old habits and familiar ways.
_ In addition, fear leads to condemnation and destroys your sense of self over time.
_ In my own personal observation, when Christians fear, it comes out in the most frightening way: you see it in the form of religious fanaticism or Phariseeism. It also happens to parents, when parents sense that they are losing the child, they tighten the rules—they become more dogmatic and fall back on rules and laws. Often when Christians become insecure or fearful of losing control, they become Pharisees where everything is simply black and white. I believe that Pharisee thinking is a result of fear.

Many of us live our lives out of fear. We fall back on the security of our fears, so we live only by Pharisical rules and laws.
What I want to do now is quickly revisit and review what we were talking about last week on God-confidence and extend ways for us to practice God-confidence.

1 Cor. 10:12 (Msg)
Don't be so naive and self-confident. You're not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it's useless. Cultivate God-confidence.

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)
What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.
Or Faith is the bird that sings, when the dawn is still dark.

Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)
So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens. Tolkien
Leap into God’s promises by faith and you will see a new road that you never saw before. Remember that it is not having faith in faith, but it is faith in the promises of God. If God promises something to you in the Bible and there are over 7000 of them, you can take a leap of faith that He will answer you. The second component is that we need the God-confidence to keep our faith on fire. But having been a Christian for a long time now, reality tells me that it is easy to have God-confidence while we are excited, inspired with chicken skin. But our God-confidence begins to erode away over time. How to we realistically, practically, and Biblically keep our God-confidence alive in the long term? Especially when things are not working out the way we expect?
Now if you study the book of Hebrews carefully, Paul defines faith in chapter 11, and then he gives examples of people who demonstrate a life of faith, like Abraham who has so much God-confidence that he was willing to kill his son Isaac; and Moses and other heroes. Now he comes to chapter 12

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. [2] We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish...
Look at v. 1b: “And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.”
We are in a race. In every race, it is easy to start well. It is easy to have faith after listening to a sermon. It is easy to say then that you really trust God.

So how do we keep your God-confidence from backsliding away from God in our race? Look at v.2: “We do this by keeping (focusing) our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish...”
Our God-confidence can only stay strong if we keep our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.
What has been consuming you lately with fear? Your finances, your future, your career, your uncertain plans, your past? I want you to practice this today: focus on Jesus, and then look at your fears and say—Jesus, I know you will help me sort out my career, my relationship etc.…I know I will be victorious…

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Practice choosing your daily actions to reflect the God-confidence you have in Jesus.
Let your God-confidence show up in your lifestyle. Remember that without faith, it is impossible to please God. God is not impressed with how well you can talk or how much you know. The question is…are you going to practice what you know? God does not want you to be a good talker only. Let your God-confidence come out in your actions.
What issues are you facing in your life today? Some of you know that you need to get your life in order—you have been delaying when you know God has spoken in your spirit—some of you need to repent and come back to Jesus; some of you have been paralyzed and by fear and you want to face your future with God-confidence…It is time to stop living by fear…

Isaiah 8:13 (NLT)
Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear him, you need fear nothing else.