BEYOND SUNDAY: Heart

Read John 4: 4-24.

“Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” John 4:21-24.

We are created for worship. Our very system points us to worshiping God. If we would just follow the sign, we will live fulfilling lives. But what does it mean to worship God? We have different ways of defining worship but it does not always mean that we are right about it as Abraham Lincoln once said, “If you call a tail a leg, how many legs has a dog? Five? No, calling a tail a leg don’t make it a leg”. Calling something “worship” does not make it worship.

DEFINITION OF WORSHIP.

What is the heart of Worship? Jesus wanted to talk to the woman at the well about true worship but he first drew out the woman’s misconceptions on it.
To understand worship, we must first know what worship is NOT.

*Worship is NOT traditions. The woman at the well referred to their ancestors when she talked about worship. She had the “this is how we do it” mentality. Many people do not want to let go of what they have been used to that they miss out on what God is doing.
*Worship is NOT a place. The woman at the well referred to the mountain as a place of worship. Many people think that worship begins and ends when they go to church. But majority of the time that we worship God happens outside the church facility.
*Worship is NOT an object. Many times worship becomes how we feel or what we do. But worship is NOT about us.

Worship then, is directed to God. Worship is to honor God.
For who He is and for what He has done. We worship Him for who He is in our lives. He has touched our lives in a great and mighty way – we worship in response to this revelation.

“Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘do you believe in the Son of Man?’ ‘Who is he, sir?” the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in him.’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him” John 9:35-38.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good” Psalm 34:8.

WORSHIP IS NOT ABOUT WHAT WE GET. IT’S WHAT WE GIVE

How do we worship? Jesus said that true worship is to worship in Spirit and in Truth (John 3:3-8; John 9:38). The heart of worship is to worship God with all our hearts. God is not affected by our past or our circumstances. All we need to do is lay it all down at the feet of Jesus and worship Him just like the woman at the well – shamed by her past, considered an outcast by the Samaritans (who themselves are outcast by the Jews), she did not know what to do but decided to worship Jesus because He is in control.

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” John 4:23.

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” John 17:17.

Jesus speaks about worshiping God in Spirit. The only way we can worship God is if we are born in the spirit. Repentance and faith in God, believing in Him is being born in the Spirit. Being born with God is a relationship and it’s the starting point. For us to be able to worship, we must also be able to worship in truth. The word of God is the only way we will know God more and experience Him each day. And the more we know God, the more we will see His worth and our response will be to worship him.

ABC Series: Resurrection and Eternal Judgment

“Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment” Hebrews 6:1-2.

It is in the nature of man to have an idea of Eternity, but what is Eternity? There are competing views on eternity: Those who believe in Annihilation do not prepare for eternity because they believe that there is no life after death. People who believe in Reincarnation are careful not to hurt other creatures, including cockroaches in fear that these might be one of their reincarnated ancestors or loved ones. They believe that they can come back in another life-form if they did not perform well in their current life. Those who hold on to the view of Resurrection believe that eternal life is a given, but it is where we will spend eternal life that truly matters – either we live it with God in heaven or be eternally condemned. It is important that we have the right view of eternity because how we view eternity dictates how we live our lives now.

“my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” Hosea 4:6.

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:31-32.

The book of Revelations state that those who trust in Christ will live (Revelations 20:4-6). The resurrection of Christ is at the center of the Christian faith!

BIBLICAL TRUTHS ABOUT FAITH & ETERNITY:

1. Life is short.
“The length of our days is seventy years— or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away” Psalm 90:10..

What are we living for? Many people prepare only for the temporal future. We need to fix our eyes on the eternal things of God.

2. Death is certain.

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him” Hebrews 9:27-28.
We are all destined to die. How we treat Christ in our lifetime will determine what will happen to us on judgment day. It is our sin that separates us from a holy God. The good news is that Jesus died to pay the penalty of our sins. He rose up again to save us and if we call upon the Lord, we will be saved. If we ask him, he will forgive us of our sins. The names of those he saved will be written in the Lamb’s book of life and nothing can blot it out from it.

3. We will all face judgment.

“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” John 5:28-29.

On the Day of Judgment, the righteous will be separated from the sinners.

1. Great White Throne judgment (Judgment of the Unbelievers).

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” Revelations 20:12.
“If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” Revelations 20:15.
Those whose names are not found in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire. This is the final judgment. We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), our works cannot save us.

2. Judgment seat of Christ (Judgment of the believers’ works).

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” 2 Corinthians 5:10.
The judgment for our destination is no longer about our salvation. Our salvation has been given when we put our faith in Christ while we were still here on earth. It is our good works that will be tested. Any way we serve God will go through fire to test if it is built on sticks or if it will stand. Our words, actions and motives as Christians will be judged. Will you receive a reward?

YOUR VIEW OF ETERNITY WILL DETERMINE HOW YOU LIVE
“If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” 1 Corinthians 3:12-15.

ABC Series: Baptism & laying on of hands

Read Hebrews 5: 11-Hebrews 6: 2.
“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment” Hebrews 6:1-2.

The basic of Christianity is faith in the finished work of Christ. According to the author of Hebrews, we need to move on from the basic teachings of Christianity and move on to maturity.
But what do the Jews believe about baptism? Baptism in the Old Testament means “washing”. Levitical laws required women who just had their monthly discharge to wash themselves as the “unclean” cannot enter the sanctuary to worship. This was what Bathsheba was doing when King David first saw her from his palace. This was done, not only for the hygiene but for ceremonial purposes.

WHAT BAPTISM IS NOT.

1. Baptism is NOT pouring. It means “to immerse.” Christian baptism involves the immersion of the whole body into the water. Pouring is done only when water is not available.

“People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River” Matthew 3:5.

2. Baptism does NOT cleanse sin. It is the perfect blood of Jesus Christ that cleansed us from our sins. Jesus went through baptism as proof of his righteousness. He identified with our sins and became our substitute.

“Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented” Matthew 3:15.

3. Baptism is NOT a formula. Some people think of baptism as something with a right process of doing. Some think they need to be baptized in the “name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”, while some think that it has to be done “in Jesus’ name”.

WHAT IS BAPTISM?

1. Baptism of Repentance.

“And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” Mark 1:4.

Repentance has to precede baptism. Baptism is a public declaration of the Lordship of Christ. An infant cannot choose his eternal destiny. You need to have adequate understanding to decide on this.

2. Baptism celebrates the newness of life.

“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” Romans 6:3.

Baptism is not a manner of cleansing. For the Jews, it was an acknowledgement of a change of status.
When we go through baptism, we are baptized into the death of Jesus Christ. We identify with his death, burial and resurrection. We bury our “old self”. And when we are dead, there should be no more reaction to the “old sin”. We rise up to a new life.

3. Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to the infilling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us power. He gives us spiritual gifts so that we can be a blessing to others.

“On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about” Acts 1:4.

We were in a life of sin. God arrested us, changed us and convicted us to turn away from sins. When we receive baptism, we make a public declaration that we are now serving Jesus Christ.

SINCE WE BELONG TO CHRIST, WE MUST BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS

LAYING ON OF HANDS. We lay hands on other people so that we can be a conduit of the blessings of God. There is power transferred from the one who laid hands to the other person. Some of the reasons we lay hands on other people are:
a. To Ordain or Commission pastors. Laying on of hands is a sign or a stamp of approval for the ministry of men.
b. To minister the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Only Jesus can fill us with the Spirit.
c. To impart spiritual blessings. As Moses transferred the anointing to Joshua (Deuteronomy 34:9) and the elders laid hands on 7 reliable men (Acts 6).
d. To impart family blessings. Fathers have the power to bless their children and their spouses. Jacob blessed his sons (Genesis 49). Our hands are used to nurture and protect our children, not to hurt them. Even in discipline, we use a rod not our own hands.
e. To minister healing. When we pray for the sick people, we lay our hands on them and believe that God will heal them.

Baptism is a celebration of belongingness to the Lord. We no longer belong to the world, we belong to Christ. And our special purpose is to be a blessing to others.

ABC SERIES: Repentance and Faith in God

Read Hebrews 5:11-Hebrews 6:1.

“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God” Hebrews 6:1.

The bible says that as we continue in our walk with God, we are being changed from glory to glory, strength to strength (Psalm 84:7). Change is inevitable. God wants us to change – to grow. But if we are not aware of the foundations of God, our change will not be for the best.

We always want to do something to gain favor from God especially when we do wrong. But the bible says that we can’t earn our salvation.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-Ephesians 2:9.

Grace means unmerited favor. Something we do not deserve. The bible says that our salvation is a gift from God. It is something we received that we did not earn. We cannot do anything to earn our salvation. We do not deserve it but God, out of His love for us, freely gave us the freedom from our sins.

It is one thing to grow old and another to grow up. One of the signs of a growing Christian is having the discernment of what is good or evil.

“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God” Hebrews 6:1.

Repentance is a change of one’s mind, direction and ways. When we are fully committed to growing up in our relationship with Jesus Christ, we need to adjust our perspective.

Dead works are any works or useless rituals that have no bearing in God’s eyes. Men have the tendency to start from faith and go back to dead works, thinking that we need to add up to our faith to remain saved. This false burden is lifted off from us when we realize that despite our imperfections and our failures, God sees Jesus in us.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9.

WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE ARE DOING?
We do what we do out of the overflow of our love for God. It is our response to His love for us. Anything that we do outside of love will bear us down.

Regardless of how we feel and what we do, we are still God’s children. His love for us is the same. He still sent us His only begotten son.

NO AMOUNT OF WORK CAN EARN YOUR WORTH

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8.

ABC SERIES: The Basics of Christianity

“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment” Hebrews 5:11-Hebrews 6:2.

Foundations are very important. Landslides occur and buildings crash because of faulty foundations. Foundations are important in all areas of life. An Accountant must at least have an appreciation for numbers and Musicians need to distinguish the difference in Do-Re-Mi. Life is temporary by we go through so much training. How much more must we train in the eternal things in life?

“We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn” Hebrews 5:11.

2 MYTHS ON SPIRITUAL MATURITY:

1. Myth of Time Element.
Many Christians base their spiritual maturity is based on the length of time they have been with the church. They think that years of attendance make them more mature than others who have only been in church for a shorter time.

2. Myth of Association.
Some Christians gauge their spiritual maturity based on who they hang out with. They treat their friendships with the pastors and staff as they would an elite club or an inner circle.

PRINCIPLES OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY:

Principle #1: Spiritually mature Christians know the elementary truths of God’s word.
“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” Hebrews 5:12.

We live in a time when people are into “Consumer Christianity”. We expect to be amazed, entertained and served. We have so many criticisms, finding fault in the church. So-called Christians have been attending church for so long but never take part in the purposes of God for the church. They are there for the religious purpose of attending the weekly worship services only.

Principle #2: Spiritually mature Christians are acquainted with the teachings about righteousness.

“Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness” Hebrews 5:13.

Are we acting like babies? Whining about the smallest of things? There is no distinction between worldly Christians and the worldly people except that the Christians go to church every Sunday. The worldly Christians are as unfamiliar with the teachings of righteousness.

Principle #3: Spiritually mature Christians can distinguish between good and evil.
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” Hebrews 5:14.

How does a Christian train? We read the bible and put into practice what we have learned. We learn the basics and train ourselves with it. Do we really know the standards of integrity? Can we distinguish between good and evil?

Principle #4: Spiritually mature Christians can move on from the basic tenets of Christianity.

“Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment” Hebrews 6:1-2.

Repentance, faith in God, baptism, laying on of hands, resurrection and eternal judgement these are the basic tenets of our faith. In order for us to understand the more advanced teachings, we must first have a solid foundation of the basics of our faith.

IT’S TIME TO GROW

Growing old is not the same as growing up. We all need the grace of God to grow up in our faith in Him. Which areas of our lives is the grace of God evident in? Which areas in our lives do we need more knowledge of Him?

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen” 2 Peter 3:18.

“For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” 1 Corinthians 3:11.

Jesus is the main foundation of our faith.

PASSION SERIES: Our Part.

The ultimate purpose of the church is to disciple the nations. But World Missions is not just about going. There is a purpose that comes with it. When we miss the purpose, we miss the blessings that come with obeying and fulfilling the great commission.

“The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." ”
Genesis 12:1.

It all starts with understanding that it is the will of God to bless us abundantly. We need to embrace the blessings of God in our lives as individuals, as a ministry and as a nation before we can begin to be a blessing to the nations. We cannot be a blessing to somebody else if we have nothing.

GOD’S BLESSINGS = SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS + MATERIAL BLESSINGS
“Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold” Genesis 13:2.

GOD’S BLESSINGS EXTEND FROM ABRAHAM TO US.
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise” Galatians 3:29.

We are co-inheritors of God’s promise to Abraham. God sealed His promise with a covenant that cannot be broken. The proper response to the promise of God is to believe, receive, thank the LORD and be a blessing to others.

GOD’S PURPOSE FOR THE CHURCH IS TO DISCIPLE ALL NATIONS.

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, Selah that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you”
Psalm 67:1-3.

Chairman Mao Tse Tung of China is the 20th century’s greatest evangelist next to Billy Graham. He didn’t have to be a Christian. In the 1950s, he kicked out every single missionary in China. In those days, it would take 7 months of traveling on a mule to get to places in China. Mao Tse Tung had a road system built for trams and buses to travel on, making it easier for our missionaries to travel from one place to another. What took 7 months before became only 7 days of travel! Mao Tse Tung issued a decree that required businesses to use only one dialect in their transactions, Mandarin. He also reduced more than 4,000 Chinese characters to 1,500 making the bible easier to translate using only one dialect that is understood by every single Chinese, and with only 1,500 characters to use. Mao Tse Tung’s greatest contribution was when he pulled out the high achieving scholarly Christians from the universities and sent them to the most remote islands of China. Unwittingly, Mao Tse Tung sent off an army of intelligent, young Christians to places that was difficult for missionaries to reach, allowing the gospel to be preached in the farthest corners of China! The greatest revival is now happening in the rural areas that these students were sent to. Mao Tse Tung was very instrumental in spreading the faith that he sought to destroy 60 years ago.

OUR PART.

1.GO.
9 out of 10 people still need to hear the gospel and 4 out of those 9 people have not even heard of the name of Jesus Christ.

2. SEND.
We are called to pray individually and corporately for the nations and for the safety of our missionaries.

“And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” Mark 11:17.

3. GIVE.
In the early beginnings of Victory Church in the Philippines, it decided to raise a mission fund from among the few, unwealthy student members of the congregation. It was able to raise a staggering amount (at that time) of Php10,000 a month and was able to send out their first missionary. Victory Church has not looked back since then and it has never been in lack. Thus is the principle of sowing and reaping. It is in the going and the sending that the local church becomes a global church.

“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands” Revelations 7:9.

Revelations 7:9 is our assurance that God commissioned us because He knew precisely that we can do it and that we will not fail. It is our assurance that His promise to Abraham will come to pass. He has already given the provisions and the victory to us through the blood of Jesus Christ. All we need to do is to respond and to obey to make disciples of all nations.

Once every people is represented in heaven, Jesus Christ will have received the full reward for his suffering, bringing glory and honor to His Name.

PASSION SERIES: God’s Heart.

“and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” Revelations 5:9b.

What is Passion? Passion is defined as a strong, barely uncontrollable emotion or an intense desire for something. All of us have our own passions. We may discover people’s passions by the words that they speak, from the overflow of their hearts (Luke 6:45b). But what is God passionate about? What moves His heart?

WHAT IS THE PASSION OF GOD?

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” 1 Corinthians 10:26.

Everything is God’s and because He owns us, He is passionate that His plans and purposes are fulfilled. He is committed to take care of us.

WHAT IS THE PASSION OF GOD?

“and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” Revelations 5:9b.

Jesus purchased us with His blood. He died for the unbelievers of the world. God sacrificed His Son to gain us whom He loves. God is so passionate that He wants to reveal His plans and purpose for our lives.

WHAT IS THE PASSION OF GOD?

“that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nation”
Psalm 67:2.

“for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations”
Isaiah 56:7.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”
Matthew 24:14.

“and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” Luke 24:47.

“but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him”
Romans 16:26.

“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands”
Revelations 7:9.

God is passionate about seeing every person in every tribe serving Him. His heart is for every people group to be represented in heaven. He wants every nation to be saved.

THE GREAT COMMISSION
(Also read Genesis 1:28; Genesis 9:7; Matthew 28:19).

“I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" Genesis 12:3.

“I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham" Genesis 26:24.

“Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring” Genesis 28:14.

God’s covenant with Abraham extends to us. God wants to bless us so that we can be a blessing to others. The brand Coca Cola is known throughout the world, even in the remotest of villages, but many nations have not heard of the Name of Jesus Christ. By the year 2010, the world is estimated to have 7 Billion in population. Only 2.1 Billion are considered “Christians” and only .7 are bible-believing Christians. God has envisioned the earth to be filled with His own people. 2.8 billion people are beyond reach, belonging to hostile nations.
GOD’S ULTIMATE PASSION IS TO DISCIPLE THE NATIONS.

The Great Commission to go out and make disciples of all nations is for all of us, not just for full time ministers. There are 3 ways to participate in the world missions:

1.Go.
Join short-term or long-term mission trips and church planting.
2. Pray.
We are called to pray for the nations of the world. God has different ways of reminding us to
pray for the other nations.
3. Give.
We can support missions and church planting through pledges and financial support.

GENUINE: Perseverance in Suffering

“As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy” James 5:11.

Why do bad things happen to good people? There are two extreme views on suffering. On one hand, there are Christians who have misperceived that when you have accepted Christ, there will be no more suffering. On the other, suffering becomes a goal because they have misunderstood suffering as something that brings people closer to God. Suffering is part of life. It is a reality of life and our faith plays an important part in our victory over our suffering.

3 REASONS WHY PEOPLE SUFFER:

1.Because of Sin and wrongdoing (Self-inflicted).
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A mean reaps what he sows” Galatians 6:7.

Every sin has its consequences and every wrong decision we have in the past also result in suffering. A man who carelessly spends his money can find himself going through lack. Young women who got themselves pregnant early in life may find themselves working out difficult family lives. Men who have gotten into illegal means may have a hard time gaining trust from people and even find work. A person who does not take care of his body can get sick.

2. We live in a fallen world (Mysterious).

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” Galatians 6:7.

“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” Genesis 3:10.


“Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” Romans 5:12.

We experience suffering as part of the consequence of an even greater sin – the sin committed by Adam. Examples of these are illnesses rooting from genes.

3. Because of Righteousness (Undeserved).
“It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” 1 Peter 3:17.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time” Ecclesiastes 3:11.

Suffering produces patience and perseverance (Romans 5:3).

Patience is the ability to wait on God’s timing. Perseverance is standing firm on the faithfulness of God in the midst of trials and difficulties.

3 PICTURES OF SUFFERING:

1.The Farmer.
“Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the
land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains” James 5:7.

The Farmers are confident, based on their past experiences, that what they had planted, they will reap in season. Our circumstances do not change God. He is not made powerless by our suffering. He has provided for us in the past and will continue to provide for us. We have the tendency to “help God” by taking control, making wrong decisions and end up suffering more.

2. The Prophet.
“Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord” James 5:10.

The prophets suffered because of righteousness. They suffered because they preached the Word of the Lord and they eagerly awaited the fulfillment of the words spoken by God through them.

3. Job.
Job suffered greatly, but despite his suffering, he did not sin. He guarded his heart and when rebuked by God, he humbled himself and accepted God’s correction.
It is impossible for the devil to touch us because of the hedge of protection around us. In the beginning of the book, God proudly spoke of Job’s faithfulness that the enemy questioned because of the protection God has surrounded his servant with. It’s easy to praise God when everything is going well with us. Would you still praise God if you go through suffering?

“My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” Job 42:5. Faith proven strong when tested will remain.

GENUINE FAITH SEES GOD IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING.

GENUINE: Submission to God

Read James 4:1-10.
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” James 4:7.

There are battles within us. Most often, they are rooted in our personal desires. The devil is a strategist who entices our flesh by tempting us. He wants us to fall into the temptations he presents to us.

"Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak" Matthew 26:41.

Temptation is not yet sin, it is in the split-second decision that we can sin if we give in. Our desires are not sin either, it is when we cannot detach ourselves from it and see it as our source of fulfillment that it becomes a sin. It hinders our relationship from God. Sin is an illegitimate means to our legitimate needs. What do we do when we are faced with temptation?

WHAT TO DO WHEN FACING TEMPTATION:
1. Submit to God.
2. Resist the Devil.

WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN FACING TEMPTATION: Resist first.
Resisting is not the first step. Resisting first makes us fail. We need the grace of God when we resist. When we resist first, we focus more on “resisting” and in the things that we’re missing out on. The devil is an expert in this area. It is not our battle!

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” Ephesians 6:12 .

“So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty” Zechariah 4:6.

The grace of God comes to us as we resist when we humble ourselves and submit ourselves to God.

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” James 4:6.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5.

SUBMISSION TO GOD STARTS WITH A DECISION.
The world offers temptation as an instant solution to our needs, but in the long run, it will not be good for us. When we decide to submit to God, we face Him and turn our backs on the things that we seem to be “missing out” on.

SUBMISSION TO GOD IS LIVING A LIFE OF SURRENDER.
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” James 4:8.

Living a life of surrender to God is allowing God to take the driver’s seat.

LIVE A SURRENDERED LIFE
Are we living a life of surrender? What do we do when temptation hits us?

GENUINE: Small yet Powerful

Read James 3:1-12.

“Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark” James 3:5.

There is power in the spoken word. Someone once referred to our tongue as a “concealed weapon” that each of us has. All we need to do is open our mouths and it can do damage.

A good gauge to measure the spiritual maturity of a person is by how he uses his tongue.

The words of a person can give you a clue of what kind of individual he is.

James says that the one who can control his tongue is considered perfect.

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. James 3:2.

The bible says that the tongue cannot be tamed (James 3:8). It is the most exercised and least controlled muscle in our body. With it, we can either build people up or tear them down.

“When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise”
Proverbs 10:19.

There is a direct relationship between the heart and the tongue.

“But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart,
and these make a man ‘unclean’”
Matthew 15:18.

“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality,
theft, false testimony, slander”
Matthew 15:19.

NATURE OF THE TONGUE:

Sets Direction of your Life.

“When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn
the whole animal” James 3:3.

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit” Proverbs 18:21.

Even the smallest of words set big directions. When we accepted Jesus into our lives, we declared that “He is LORD.” When we get married, we say “I do.” What we speak to our children also sets them to a direction. The words that we speak become reality. Words set a direction in the heart.


Can bring Destruction.
“Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark” James 3:5.

“The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts” Proverbs 26:22.

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be” James 3: 9-10.

What are our motives when we open our mouths to speak? A few, seemingly insignificant words can destroy friendships, marriages, ministries or the church.

3. It needs Dependence on God.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be” James 3:7-10.

No man can tame the tongue, but it does not mean that it is untamable. Only the Spirit of God can tame the tongue. In order for our tongue to be tamed, the spiritual heart must be changed. A changed heart leads to a changed language. A new heart produces a new tongue. Only God can change a person’s heart.

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” Luke 6:45.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” Proverbs 4:23.

Our salvation does not automatically change the way we live. Discipleship and dependence on the Holy Spirit is needed. When we depend on the Holy Spirit on our Christian walk, we bear the fruit of the Spirit.

GODLY SPEECH REVEALS GENUINE FAITH.
“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” Luke 6:45.

GENUINE: Evidence of Faith

Read James 2: 14-26.

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” James 2:26.

A genuine Christian can be recognized, not by how much of the Bible he knows, but by how much of the Word of God he applies in his life. Faith and works are meant to go together.
The apostle Paul wrote that the righteous will live by faith (Hebrews 10:38). He made it clear, once and for all, that salvation is by the grace of God and that we have done absolutely nothing to gain it.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” Hebrews 11:6.

But what kind of faith pleases God?
Paul’s letters complement the epistles of James in stating that evidence of faith must be shown in our actions.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” Ephesians 2:10.

3 KINDS OF FAITH:

Dead Faith.
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:20 (KJV).
People with dead faith are those without any lifestyle change. If there is no lifestyle change, there is probably no heart change. We need to be able to express our faith in what we do.

Head Faith.

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that –and shudder”
James 2:19.

Demons believe that there is only one God. They believe in the Trinity. They believe in the deity of Jesus Christ. They believe that Jesus Christ died and was risen from the dead and through which we are saved. But Demons are NOT saved! Coming to church and knowing the bible does not make one a Christian. There must be internal change that lead to external change.

Genuine & Saving Faith.

“You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made by what he did” James 2:22.

“You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone” James 2:24.

Are we really working out our faith? Is being a Christian a statement or a reality in your life? Our faith must be seen in the way we treat our spouses and in the way we lead our homes. Our faith must be able to withstand temptations and our tongues must be used to glorify God.

The moment we declare that we are Christians, we put ourselves under the scrutiny of other people. Are we living the Word? Do we use our lives to make an impact on people and our community?

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” Matthew 5:16.

FOR GOD’S GLORY, NOT OUR GLORY.

GENUINE: Hearing and Doing

Evidence of Faith – “How we live.”

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at this face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does” James 1:22-25.

Nowadays, buying fake items is prevalent for different reasons. For some, they have been deceived into buying them while others choose to do so because they don’t want to spend for the original which usually costs so much more.
Some people can immediately tell the real from the fake. Bank tellers can immediately identify fake bills because they are so used to handling real bills.
Only God can tell if our faith is genuine or not. It is impossible for anyone to be saved apart from God, this is why we must show others that we are saved in the way we live our lives so that we can lead them to Jesus Christ.

FAITH IS PROVEN BY OUR RESPONSE TO THE WORD

BENEFITS OF THE WORD OF GOD:

1.The Word saves us.

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you”
James 1:21.

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” Romans 10:17.

It is important that we fill our minds with the Word of God because what we fill our minds with is what we will live by. It takes a while to fill our reserves that’s why we must make it a habit to get into the Word. The Word of God is effective in getting rid of all the filth and temptation.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”
Psalm 119:11.

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word”
Psalm 119:9.

Faith is more than just knowing the Word. Faith is how much of the Word has been applied in our lives.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says”
James 1:22.

2. The Word gives freedom.

“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does”
James 1:25.

Many people are trapped in the cycle of sin such as drug addiction, drunkenness, lying, gambling, stealing and immorality. Knowing the Truth of God’s Word frees us from the bondages of these sins.

“I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts”
Psalm 119:45.

“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”
John 8:31a-32.

3. The Word gives blessings.

“But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does”
James 1:25.

“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” Joshua 1:8.

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers”
Psalm 1:3.

It is important that we meditate on the Word of God and apply it in our lives because the bible says that it is through obedience that we prosper. Prosperity is not limited to finances. It also pertains to family, church, friends and health. Prosperity is the ability to enjoy life to the fullest and the key to living an abundant life is when we let the Word of God affect our lives.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”
John 1:1.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” John 1:14.

WWW.VICTORY SERIES: Multi-generational

“…what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us, we will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands”
Psalm 78:3-7.

We honor God when we obey his command to go and make disciples. But who are we supposed to reach out to? The bible tells us that we are to reach the multi-generation. Not just one generation but thousands of generations before us.

“This is my name forever. The name you shall call me from generation to generation”
Exodus 15b.

Illustration:
Our forefathers ->Their children->Next Generation ->Children yet to be born->their children->so forth.

Read Joshua 2:7-12.

“After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel”
Joshua 2:10.

Joshua and his generation succeeded in everything during their lifetime but failed to teach the next generation about the LORD, whereas, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul stressed the importance of passing on sincere faith to multi-generation in his letter to his disciple, Timothy as he reminded him of the faith that his grandmother had passed on to his mother and then to him.

“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also”
2 Timothy 1:5.

Paul referred to grandmother Eunice’s sincere faith. What is sincere faith? Sincere faith is having a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul, then, urged Timothy to continue to pass on the faith to the generations after him. If your faith is not sincere, you cannot pass it on.

“and the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others”
2 Timothy 2:2.

ESTABLISHED GENERATION or the NOW-GEN.
The NOW-GEN refers to the present generation of Christians who know, love and obey God. There are three types of people in the NOW-GEN: The Spectators, the Commentators and the Coaches. The Spectators watch the action happen, the Commentators express their opinions on the action happening in front of them and the coaches are the ones who pass on the baton to the EMERGING GENERATION or the NEXT-GEN.

EMERGING GENERATION or the NEXT-GEN.
These are the people who will remember God’s deeds.

“so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children”
Psalm 78:6.

LET GOD BE HONORED IN EVERY GENERATION IN EVERY NATION

“Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands” Psalm 78:7.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me . Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age”
Matthew 28:18-20.

WWW.VICTORY SERIES: Make Disciples

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always,
to the very end of the age”
Matthew 28:19-20.

A person’s final words are the most important words that he will say. Jesus’ last words before he joined the Father were to go and make disciples and baptizing them. Jesus came to bring salvation to all those who believe. This gift is not just for us; It is meant to be shared. Everywhere, people are searching for the truth and the world offers so many cures to what people are going through. As Christians, we know the real Truth. We must rise up and tell the world the real gospel because the only way that people can be cured is to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO:

1. Follow God.

“Come, follow me, “ Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men”
Matthew 4:19.

“And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple”
Luke 14:27.

Before we can make disciples, we must first have a relationship with God. We cannot give what we do not have. Following Christ means that there will be difficulties ahead. Do you still want to follow Christ?

“But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it”
Matthew 7:14.

2. Fellowship with fellow Believers.
Fellowship means “life shared.” God wants us to have genuine relationship with the people of God. This can happen in small groups where we can be more intimate and personal with each other. Our gifts can operate within small group settings where we can pray for one another and encourage each other (Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:25). In small groups, we will encounter people who are as imperfect as we are. Jesus started his small group of 12 imperfect men who later on made a difference in the world.

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid”
Proverbs 12:1.

3. Fish for men.
Jesus’ heart is for the lost. We must obey when God says go. We honor God whenever we follow His great commission.

FOLLOW JESUS AND HELP OTHERS TO FOLLOW HIM.

WWW.VICTORY SERIES: Honor God

Values dictate our behavior. Every family has a set of values they live by. Every church have their own set of values. Where do we get these values?

“Jesus replied: `Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and commandments hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-40.

(Also read Colossians 1:9-10).

Most Christian churches, including Victory Church Philippines base their values on this verse found in the book of Matthew. To “honor God” is the fundamental value of our church.
Why do we honor God? We honor God because He is worthy.

“Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom”
Psalm 145:3.

“Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy”
Psalm 99:5

What does it mean to honor God?

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”
Matthew 15:8.

To honor God is more than just a lip service, it is more than just coming to church and doing religious routines. Honoring God is a heart issue. We make a decision to honor God in everything that we do beforehand.

“`If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor my name, says the LORD Almighty, I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your heart to honor me’”
Malachi 2:2.

HOW TO HONOR GOD:

1.Honor God in church.

We value honoring God even above our relationships.

2. Honor God in the Family

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word” Ephesians 5:25-26.

3. Honor God in work.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” Colossians 3:23.

4. Honor God in our finances/wealth.

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops”
Proverbs 3:9.

We honor God with our wealth through giving and in stewardship.

“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous” Proverbs 13:22.

5. Honor God by honoring our parents.

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you”
Exodus 20:12.

WE HONOR GOD IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
We are all called by God to honor him. He is pleased when our only desire is to honor Him.

Holiday Message from Pastor Ariel