living heavenly-minded in tough times
10 September 2023
Pastor Lawrence
"Lord, because of Your sacrifice on the cross, today I stand righteous, Holy, blameless, above reproach, a child of most High God"
Christ and Him crucified, He is the power
In His goodness, He provides atonement of my sin
Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
I have the forgiveness of my sin, because of what Jesus have done, I can say I am forgiven
At any point, I must be able to say, I am forgiven for all my sins, Holy, blameless, above reproach
My feelings and experience must be subjected to authority of God's word, not what I feel but what Jesus have done at the cross
Believe in Him, I am forgiven
Romans 8:33-34
33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
I am forgiven, no more sinner but Saint
Come with boldness in my heart, God will never hold my sins against me
God no longer condemn sinful man like me
Matthew 26:6–13 Woman came to Jesus with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume and anointed Jesus' head
Disciples ask: why this waste? World won't understand why we tithe. I am not giving to any man or organisation, I am giving to God for it is God who have saved me, it is God who have blessed me, it is God who have healed me, it is God who provided for me.
He have been faithful, God have saved me, My God is Jesus
Psalm 133:1
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
For brethren to dwell together in unity!
God commands His blessings
Matthew 25:40 (video of mission at Cambodia)
And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you,inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did itto Me.’
Pastor Prince
Sometimes we forget those who are lost and suffering
Greatest gift to do in mission is not just feed them, give them water to drink, provide them with clothings, it is to save them from inside out
Our greatest commission is to win the lost and remember the poor
Paul in Galatians 2:10 reminds them that they are not under law, but under grace
They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.
First egg that their chicken have laid, they earn one dollar the whole week, what little they have, they insist that God get the 10%
They want to serve the Lord with whatever they have
Every blessings that I have, is so that I can be channel of blessings to the lost and the blind
Mark 16:15
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Gospel is the gospel of grace and peace
Go in various ways to preach the world but go physically
Romans 10:14
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
Acts 19:2
he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
Apostle laid hands on them
Holy Spirit resides in my life, diving into swimming pool, that's living water
Disciples and Apostles got filled and refilled
Ephesians 5:18
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
Be constantly fill with Holy Spirit
Acts 2:4
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Holy Spirit is perfect gentleman
God's way is always pull out great
God's way is always cooperate
God will never invade my free will, He will not move my hands, I have to consent
Matthew 7:9-11
9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
"Lord Father, I ask for Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus, baptised me with Holy Spirit right now."
I am building myself up, Spirit, Soul and Body
I am faithful in this field, God will give me more
Holy Spirit just like Jesus
See His likeness in me
Jesus is altogether lovely, such perfect symmetry in all His characteristic
Jesus come in control, loving with authority to heal, Jesus is perfect goodness, peace, power, gentleness, authority in the glorified man at Father's right hand
Linger and stay always in His presence day by day
Manifested presence in the Lord, exalt, glorify Him at Father's right hand. Manifesting His presence
Philippians 2:5-1-11
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
cancer will bow
Mark 5:19
However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”
Testify and glorify the Lord
"Rebuke pain in body. Go! Be thou heal! Be thou make whole, in the name of Jesus Christ"
God healed hearing lost, deafness
Lord can reverse the condition, my age and body
The world out there is looking for supernatural, their hunger of knowledge, false wisdom that cannot be satisfied
All the while there's our wonderful God, He have all the wisdom and knowledge in the world
Jeremiah 2:13
“For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters,
And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.
they are thirsty out there
*Christ did not come to give us religion, He came to make dead people live
I am citizen of Heaven
I am send to this world, I live according to His riches in glory. God is good
1 Peter 1:5-10
5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
8 whom having not [b]seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
10 Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,
"Salvation" => Bodily salvation
He wants men to be save because of Adam's sin, the fall of man and God have accomplished that power and redemption for men
Spirit man, born again, I have brand new Spirit
created for righteousness and true holiness
Process of renewing my soul
Salvation of soul => Salvation inside out
Soul is where feelings are, struggling in sin
My soul saved => soulish ground
Realm of Soul => Emotion, mind
I am tripartite
God is triune => 1 God, 3 divine person in God
God wants to save my body too
3 John 2:1
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
It is link
Soulish ground, under stress, affects body
chronic stress => cause cardio problem, sickness, disease, all kinds of condition
God wants my soul save
Bodily redemption 1 Corinthians 15:51-52
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Atomic => in a twinkling of an eye, mortal will put on immortally
I am young, strong and healthy in body
Romans 14:10
"......For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ."
They will stand before God, Spirit, soul and body
2 Corinthians 4:16
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
Cooperate with God +> "renewed", restored, renovated, repaired day by day
*Romans 8:11 can feed me for months to come
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
He gives me brand new body
"Lord, as I sleep, let Holy Spirit quicken my body in resurrection life"
quicken mortal body is happening now
Triune God in 1 verse appear twice
Understand Romans 8:11, triune God mentioned twice
It starts with Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
I can't believe wrong and ask Holy Spirit to do what is right
2 mountains God talks about: Mount Zion and Mount Sinai
As a child of God, I have not come to night, dark, lightning thunder
Holy Spirit came at 9am
at Mount Sinai, best of them is Moses, but Moses was fearing and trembling at Mount Sinai
Hebrews 12:18
For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest,
Hebrews 12:18-24
18 For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest,
19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.”
21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
no-one can keep the law
God gave this men 10 commandments, they are under curse of the law
Christ took my curse and He died on the cross, curse in the one who hung at the tree
Hebrews 12:18, I don't find God here
Hebrews 12:22, City of living God, I have come to Mount Zion
Old Testament => depleting Jesus Christ, His person and His work
Leviticus 1, burnt offering => only offering that they say "they flay the victim (ox)"
Isaiah 53:5 "By His stripes, I am healed"
offerings: burnt offering, meal offering, peace offering, sin offering, trespass offering
God start with greater than the smaller
Trepass offering => what I do that is sinful
God put it last
sin offering => who I am
I start with trespass but God put it last, God put the highest first because Jesus came is to glorify the Father , glorify the righteousness and Holy for me
His blood is fully met, sprinkling of blood around the altar
The blood of His Son (blood offering) fully met
All His claims on me, God is fully delighting in me, I am all unto God sweet flavour, sweet fragrance in Christ
Imagine a prince staying in a large palace with his servants. All servants abide in rules and regulations. Young servant girl came to serve, prince fell in love with her. King gave his blessings. first week of marriage have status change, young servant girl became wife ( who am I is God's daughter). Wife went down and look at the rules and regulations and say sorry she woke up late today, please she didn't mean it. The spirit of the wife, does it please the prince? No!
The wife is living under the standard of servant
I am in one accord
Romans 8:15
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
I do it out of love
2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.
he is worse than infidel
I want to serve in excellence because I love Him
Even I fail to serve or I dot serve well, I have no condemnation because it is not about me, it is about Him
Grace makes me love my spouse and makes me a giver
Grace makes me give, give and give
Rich young ruler, he could hardly give
when no law given, Zacchaeus => grace
Luke 19:8
Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.”
Spontaneously of love, that's what happen when I am under grace
My body is God's interest as well
God have moved mountain
Mount Zion => picture of Church
I am registered in Heaven
Nehemiah 7:65
And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim.
Those who are registered can eat the most Holy Things
Hebrews 12:24 => Jesus is at Mount Zion
Mount Zion is a place, habitation, location back than in Jerusalem, Mount Moriah, City of David, place of temple
Whole are is Mount Zion
Spiritually God is more into Spiritual meaning
Read Old Testament => literally (have truth in it) pertaining to Christ
My interest in Christ is important to me because I am in Him
Whatever He is, He is to me
Whatever He have, I have, as join heir
That's how I get communion with God
Heart connection => heart communion with people
Both are communion, fellowshipping over a common object
How to communion with God? Fellowship, enjoy my enjoyment with His Son Jesus Christ, share with Him how delightful I am with His Son
God delighted in His Son, whole Bible is portrait of His Son
God wants me to appropriate every work of Jesus
Old Testament => details
New Testament => Truth
Leviticus => unveil Jesus Christ finished work
Listen more, many people talk but a few listen. The few listen are the one have success in marriage, career
We are very distracted today because of phone
One study says no such thing as multi tasking. Once into the phone, got distracted, come back to work, need 20-30 minutes to get the flow on what you are doing
Sustain reading, read for a long time, get into the people of the book,
reading is one of the greatest form
Reading brings down stress level, faster than any of that
Entire Bible is about Jesus
Story of Joseph, he reconciled with his brothers and forgive them
Psalm 118:26
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
he use his power to forgive them, Joseph said to his brothers, 2 messages:
Genesis 45:13
So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here.”
=> essence of worship
Worship => telling the Father about His Son
I am in this world, its not about me, its all about Jesus
Genesis 45:24
So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, “See that you do not become troubled along the way.”
John 13:35
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Every time self-occupied till in pain
Occupied in Jesus and His glory => no perfect goodness I can find in this person, Jesus
I want to have joy, unspeakable and full of glory
1 Peter 1:5-10
I am seal => "earnest" => downpayment
He is with me, I am saved completely
Holy Spirit is in me
John 16:7
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
Just like Jesus, His person, His essence
payment made full in the cross
He will come back and my body is saved
I am save but not of this world, I am of Heavenly world. I have Holy Spirit to help me
Holy Spirit quicken my body
What I do not know, I cannot cooperate it with God
1 Peter 1:5
who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
kept => passive voice in greek
I am being kept, not my keeping myself
God is keeping me with all His Almighty power, He keeps me
1 Peter 1:6
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
Joy can make me success, level of thinking, give me grace and charisma
Joy is gonna direct me, just like peace also
I live in 2 worlds
World of various trials => in circumstances/ event
on earth, everything dead
Heavenly => In my heart and mind, in Spirit, seated with Christ at Father's right hand
I am in a realm of everything living
In Heaven, everything is living
Holy Spirit => living water living inside me (that's alive)
AI, chatgpt, a machine is undeviating, they are dead, it can't go beyond the knowledge
Living => I have a revelation I don't even know, I have a knowing, Holy Spirit living water inside me
I am citizen of Heaven
world lifts you up and drop you, drop so depress
Ecclesiastes 1:2
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
=> what life is like under the Son. natural life
Song of Songs => life above the Son.
Heart and mind, I see perfect goodness, everything living, nothing depress mw
Colossians 3:1
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Be heavenly minded, God's word perspective, wisdom, with living water, come back with wisdom of God
not crush by circumstances
I have God's word perspective, not crush under the world
Heart and mind under vanity line, not above
Subject to depress, emotions like roller coaster, affect me in natural circumstances and life, irritation, short tempered
This is not God's way for me
God have better ways, God wants me to live with joy, unspeakable rejoice
Come to God with fragrance of Christ
2 Corinthians 2:15
For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
I am sweet perfume, See myself like sweet perfume coming to the Saviour
God made me in His image
See the fault with sweet perfume, it will melt away
Shows my livingness of faith => in the world that's dying, resurrection power of Jesus from Heaven releasing to me
Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead, death left behind => Stepping into realm of perfect goodness, perfect joy, full of glory, nothing can go wrong anymore, perfect beauty, perfection all around, accurate symmetry
=> On world, I have to have this thoughts
God's well-being, God's shalom, wholeness and God of peace shall be with me
Guard my thoughts
waking up at night, can't sleep, meditate on him, He will give me the strength and don't let my thoughts go dark
Joy inexpressible, full of glory
=> By looking at Jesus, by loving Jesus because He first love me
My mind on Jesus that I abound with unspeakable joy and full of glory
Let my heart and mind be at Heaven
Everything I see, perfect beauty, absolute goodness, righteousness
Revelation 2:27
‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron;....
"rod of iron" => absolute rule
rule from the heart of love and compassion
no heart is as kind of heart of Jesus
No-one will touch the leper, He chose to come to the leper and touch him.
Matthew 8:2-3
2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
3 Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Jesus is God's man, He rule as a man, God form of man
God came Himself as human flesh
He knows what human feels like, He was tested in all points, yet He did no sin and without sin
and He will come back
Put my trust in Christ
I am a citizen in Heaven walking in this world
Believe God loves me so much, died for me at the cross
Believe God borne my sin with His own body at the tree
He make sin with my sin, give me His righteousness, it is a gift. I who know no righteousness
Thank you Jesus!
Amen!