21 July 2013

Pastor Gabriel shares a testimony of a sister in our church who was involved in an accident last week while heading to Kuala Lumpur. She was seated at the left rear and before the truck rammed into her vehicle, she was actually asleep. The impact woke her up and while the car spun out of control , she uttered "grace grace". Subsequently she was sent to the hospital and was discharged few days later.
Pictures of the accident were shown onscreen and what we all saw was a wreaked vehicle. The rear was so damaged that anyone who saw the photo would assume the passenger seated behind would barely make it alive. It was indeed grace that preserved her life.

Topic: Speak Grace to Your Situation

The church warmly welcomes Pastor Prince on stage.
In the book of Mark Chapter 14, Jesus said, "smite the shepherd and all the sheep will scatter" on the night before He was betrayed. Today, this is still the technique employed by evil forces. Therefore, it's always good to pray for all the Pastors.

God never gave the law to justify men but to show man their guilty self. Jesus said, the servant does not abide forever but the son abides forever.

Zachariah and Elizabeth brought forth John.
Zacha is defined as "God remembers His promise and sends Grace (John)". Man is still standing before God as a judge. Man is self righteous. God doesn't want you to stand before Him as a judge but as a justifier.

So what was it that Job greatly feared? Job did something continually everyday.
Read Job 1:5. Job wasn't resting in the finished work and he was so conscious of his self righteousness. Actually, all forms of fear originates from condemnation. If you are condemned in your heart, it is due to your self righteousness before fear actually came.

Is God a judge? Yes, He is but He doesn't want to judge. That is the reason He sent His son Jesus. God has found a ransom for your sins.

God sent His son to die and pay for our redemption. Today, God's redemption is on your side.
God is not pitiful in making you righteous. God is righteous making you righteous. Stand before Him as a righteous man.

It's not a question of who you are but who Jesus is. It's never all about you but about Jesus.

Numbers 5:1-3
Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse.

Verse 2: "Leper" is passive uncleanliness and "discharge" is active uncleanliness. "Corpse" is association with both.

Galatians 5:4
This is a horrible thing to happen to you and we don't want that. Regardless of the disease, He did not qualify the sick. The only thing that can stop God's grace from flowing in your life is self-righteousness. When you have self righteousness, you are telling God you are self righteous. Jesus calls these people fallen from grace.  Self righteousness produces condemnation which kills.

When you focus on just yourself, the devil has gotten you.

Long before poverty came into Adam and Eve's lives, they were in condemnation. Pastor shows a picture of a huge fig tree for illustration purposes.

When marriages break down, it's usually when both cannot see eye to eye. But if you were to dig deeper, it could be because the husband is worried about not providing enough for his family. Then the husband goes into fear/stress mode and this subsequently leads to condemnation.

PICTURE OF FIG TREE:
Leaves:
Destructive habits
Sickness
Financial lack
Roots:
Stress
Fear
Condemnation

On one account, Jesus went to one of these fig tree and cursed it. During that time, the time of fig wasn't yet. But a fig tree is designed to have first fruits before the time of fig. So when Jesus walked by and didn't see the first fruits, He cursed it. He did that as He doesn't want His people to be deceived because fig tree is a representation of self righteousness.

The righteousness of faith speaks. It is, "I believe, I speak".

Jesus spoke what He wanted to see. In today's context, the word of "die" is programmed in our language. You need to curse self righteousness in order for faith to operate. God cursed the fig tree so that faith can operate. The leaves of God's righteousness means life and health.

Mark 11:1-23
Verse 23: The word "doubt" is "diakrino". You have doubt because there's condemnation in your heart. doubt.

In God's economy, the bigger the problem, the easier and better for him.

Romans 14:22-23
Verse 22: Paul asks if you have faith? Happy is he who does not condemn (krino) himself in what he approves.

Pastor asks, when you were a sinner, did you have to believe for sickness? No, it all came as a sinner-package. But now that you are not a sinner, look to God and all these things will be added unto you.

Verse 23: "But he who doubts (diakrino) is condemned if he eats.."

These words are the same as Mark 11:23.

Ezra 3:8
Verse 8: Zerubbabel is the prince of the house of Judah.

Joshua became the high priest. Both represents Jesus - Kingly line and priesthood. When both persons are combined together, it becomes Kingly priesthood.

Ezra 4:4-6
Verse 4-6: When you build a temple for the Lord, there are troubles.

To be murmuring and complaining is a manifestation of self righteousness. Pastor points out that it is good place to start a family in Singapore. In fact, many people want to stay here.

In closing,

Zechariah 4:4-7
Verse 7: Shout "Grace, grace to it!" Shout to your problem and it will no more be a problem. When you are sick, feeling depressed, listen your way out of depression.