...4 things...

"There are four things that will establish a move of the Spirit at a deeper level in our churches:

1. We need to preach the gospel of grace that Paul preached – it liberates God’s people.

2. We must have a desperate hunger for more of God’s glory Presence.

3. We mustn’t be afraid of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

4. We must not be afraid of what man says – especially religious men! We must not be afraid of the rejection!"


Rob Rufus - Glory and Grace conference -Holland 2009

a natural aversion to grace...

“Man has a natural aversion to grace. A persistent turning away from grace is demonstrated biblically and historically….The unconditional free grace of God that brings us to the cross of Christ for all and any merit before God keeps us humble, which allows us to experience more grace: “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’ James 4:6. The slave woman of legalism and her son will always persecute the free woman of grace and her son Gal. 4:29. The two cannot co-exist or mix. Paul’s advice is to throw out the slave woman and her son Gal. 4:30. Watch carefully for the natural drift away from grace. Don’t try to compromise with legalism or anything that threatens the absolute free nature of grace. Rather, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage”

Charlie Bing

www.gracelife.co.za

Hi all....

For those of you who are interested...our church website has gone live (finally!)....

Feel free to browse...you can download audios (nothing but grace) on the "Resources" pg.

www.gracelife.co.za

Blessings
Craig

Preach grace and faith follows...

Titus 2:11-12"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. ¹²It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age"

Here's a thought...would an increase in my faith help me to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age"...answer YES.

So why didn't Paul say this..."Build your faith, because increased faith levels help us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age"

i believe the reason he didn't say that is because when we "know" and "understand" grace (the gospel of grace) it will increase our faith and thus help us to say NO...

Acts 20:32...³²"Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

What will build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified? The word of His grace obviously...because he says "which"...if he said "who" then we would have said he's referring to God, but he says which, which tells us he's referring to "the word of his grace"...

the word of his grace builds us up and gives us an inheritance...but some will say, surely faith is needed for that...of course its needed...BUT...then why didn't Paul say that...why say the word of his grace...because... grace comes before faith...grace was there long before i believed!

When i understand (see through my spiritual eye's) grace, i respond in faith....How did i get saved?...the same way, someone preach the gospel to me, i started to see "grace", i.e. Jesus on the cross, what he had done for me, the lengths he went for me...and a response was faith on my part and salvation followed...

Preach grace and faith follows....simple

Rebel?

"A Pastor of mine used to say to me often, “Stan, there are not many like you”. “Stan, the church needs more men like you.” Until, my hunger caused me to push against some set boundaries. Then the church needed less of me, not more."


Stan Tyra

...some preaching material...

"The gospel (good news) is a result of God's grace (Gal. 1: 6-9). Grace is presented as sufficient and Christians are called by grace (2 Cor. 12: 7-10, Gal. 1: 15). Man is saved by grace, the heart is established by grace, and we are justified by grace (Eph. 2: 5, 8, Heb. 13: 9, Tit. 3: 7). Moreover, we render acceptable service by grace and grace imparts everlasting consolation (Heb. 12: 28, 29, 2 Thes. 2: 16). God's grace also makes us better people and helps us in time of need (I Cor. 15: 9, 10, Heb. 4: 16)."

our total helplessness...

"If you can begin to understand that there isn't anything anyone can do to help God in any way, then you have begun to get a glimpse of grace. Because it is only in our total helplessness, not only in salvation, but in living the Christian life, that God is able to "make all grace abound to you" (II Cor 9:8)."

...its the truth!

I looooove preaching the message of grace. Not because its contentious but because its the gospel truth!

a critical point...

"Tim Keller makes a critical point. Too often as preachers we preach a gospel that moves people from rebel to legalist. We so easily preach so that younger sons become older sons, but somehow miss the glory of the father’s prodigious grace in humiliating himself for the sake of both sons.

Let us be careful to distinguish rebellious sin and moralistic self-righteousness (still sin), from true grace. We cannot overstate the danger of preaching that turns worldly rebels into pew-filling moralists, but fails to preach the unique distinctive of grace that only the Christian gospel has to offer."

Peter Mead

Always obedient? Yeah right...

"I promised in the second place to show you that we have no righteousness of our own—and therefore by ourselves we cannot be saved. I trust I need not dwell upon this point long, and therefore I shall only say a few words to enforce it on your notice.

Look at the law of God, and measure its requirements. Does it not ask of every man a perfect, unsinning obedience from first to last, in thought and word and deed, without one single failure in the slightest jot or tittle? And where is the son or daughter of Adam who can say, "All this I have performed"? Who is not conscious of a daily falling short in everything he does? I do not speak so much of thieves and liars and adulterers and drunkards and the like—for these are walking towards hell, leaning on Satan's arm. I speak rather of those who do not live in gross vices. I would even take the case of the best Christian among ourselves, and ask him if he can name a single day on which he has not sinned in many things. Oh, how much he would tell you of wandering in his prayers, of defilement in his thoughts, of coldness toward God, of lack of love, of pride, of evil tempers, of vanity, of worldly-mindedness! And all, remember, in the heart of one of those few who are traveling in the narrow way which leads unto life. And how shall we then believe, though all the world persuade us to the contrary, that man can ever purchase his acceptance in the sight of God? So true are the words of that clear-sighted witness the apostle Paul, "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh living be justified."

George Whitfield

Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ !

"Jesus Christ cannot be separated from his teachings. Aristotle says to his disciples, “Follow my teachings.” Socrates says to his disciples, “Follow my teachings.” Buddha says to his disciples, “Follow my meditations.” Confucius says to his disciples, “Follow my sayings.” Muhammad says to his disciples, “Follow my noble pillars.” Jesus says to his disciples, “Follow me.” In all other religions, a follower can follow the teachings of its founder without having a relationship with that founder. Not so with Jesus Christ. The teachings of Jesus cannot be separated from Jesus himself. Jesus Christ is still alive and he embodies his teachings. It is a profound mistake, therefore, to treat Christ as simply the founder of a set of moral, ethical, or social teaching. The Lord Jesus and his teaching are one. The Medium and the Message are One. Christ is the incarnation of the Kingdom of God and the Sermon on the Mount."

I like this...the bible says the Law was given though Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Jesus' message was grace and truth, truth being that he was full of grace, inseparable from grace...the church has so often taken grace OUT of Jesus' teachings, when in fact his teachings were grace...because He is grace.

The law WAS our schoolmaster...but no more

"The Mosaic Law was the teacher in the past. It taught the Jews the plan of God through object lessons. It taught them what the work of Jesus Christ would involve. It was actually designed to bring them to Christ. Gal 3:24-25, "The law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ so that we might be justified (made righteous) by faith. Now that faith has come, we no longer need the schoolmaster." Rom 2:20 tells us that it was "through the law that we become aware of sin." In other words, it was the law that taught people what was right and wrong. The law was a teacher. But it is very important to know and understand that the law was only a teacher, it could not save anyone. It was designed to show the total depravity of mankind and cause man to look toward the Savior, Jesus Christ."

a comment

a comment i had for someone's blog

....that's why its so important that the leaders in the church first get a revelation of this truth (the gospel of grace) and then preach it continuously. Grace is not a series to casually breeze over and go onto the next thing. No, grace Is the thing. Its the only thing...nothing but the gospel of grace has the miracle-working mind-transforming renewing power that is needed to awaken the sleeping beauty called the Bride of Christ and by Gods doing its beginning to happen. Grace is being preached everywhere with more and more power and people are coming into it. Its a revolution that is taking place, a theological reformation on what the gospel is. A returning to the Pauline gospel. Many are being persecuted and disowned for doing so, but its OK, because God is with them, He is doing it...and it is awesome...

YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD'S PERSPECTIVE

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:17

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

… that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…
Philippians 3:8–10

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
Romans 4:5–6

For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Romans 4:13

... so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:21

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Romans 4:3

For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield.
Psalm 5:12

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Psalm 34:19

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Matthew 6:33

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death. The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, but He casts away the desire of the wicked.
Proverbs 10:2–3

Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.
Proverbs 10:6–7

The labour of the righteous leads to life, the wages of the wicked to sin.
Proverbs 10:16

The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted.
Proverbs 10:24

The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.
Proverbs 10:28

The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not inhabit the earth.
Proverbs 10:30

In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.
Proverbs 12:28

Evil pursues sinners, but to the righteous, good shall be repaid. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
Proverbs 13:21–22

The righteous eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the stomach of the wicked shall be in want.
Proverbs 13:25

The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead.
Proverbs 11:8

Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; but the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.
Proverbs 11:21

FAQ's on grace, answered !

ANSWERS TO YOUR MOST ASKED QUESTIONS ON SCRIPTURES THAT"SEEM" TO CONTRADICT THE GRACE MESSAGE....

http://www.citychurchinternational.com/Common_Questions/Common_Questions.html


Have Fun!!