Saturday, September 21, 2024

 

Belonging at Hope Slide New Members Classes 3 Classes

Belonging at Hope                What Makes Hope Tick?
First of all, we are Christians.
Second, we are Evangelicals.
Third, we follow the Protestant, Reformed view of God and Salvation.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Jesus gives Pardon       "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."
Jesus gives Peace   "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them."  John 3:36
I am the Door John 10 So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep…. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
 The Only Door
Not by Birthright                  Not by Baptism      Not by Church Membership
How To Be Sure Of Your Salvation
1John 5: 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.
"I am the way and  the truth and the life.    No one comes to the  Father except through me." John 14:6
Christianity is distinct from all other religions – Every other religion = DO   Christianity = DONE
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst….37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out          John 6:35-37
"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3).
THE MEANS OF THE NEW BIRTH
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,6 whom He poured out upon us richly
J. I. Packer defines "Regeneration, or new birth, is an inner re-creating of fallen human nature by the gracious sovereign action of the Holy Spirit"
Joyfully following Jesus and sharing his love
WIN …..  EVANGELISE
BUILD….. ESTABLISH
SEND….. EQUIP AND EXTEND
Christian Reformed Churches of Australia
 Contemporary Reformed – we are confessional and contextual.
Word Based –
Gospel Focused –
Local Church Empowering –
Prayerful Urgency 
Our Vision & Mission
Matthew 28:18–20: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Colossians 1:28:  He [Christ] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
Ephesians 4:16:  From Him [Christ] the whole body  [the church], joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Joyfully following Jesus and sharing his love
WIN …..  EVANGELISE
BUILD….. ESTABLISH
SEND….. EQUIP AND EXTEND
What is Reformed?
Scripture Alone
Christ Alone
Grace Alone
Faith Alone
To God Alone Be the Glory
Ephesians 1:3-14 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 2: 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience---3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ---by grace you have been saved---6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Martin Luther 1517 95 Theses
  1. Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")
  2. Sola fide ("by faith alone")
  3. Sola gratia ("by grace alone")
  4. Solus Christus or Solo Christo ("Christ alone" or "through Christ alone")
  5. Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")
 
John Calvin  The five "points" of Calvinism     TULIP
T – Total Depravity.  This doesn't mean people are as bad as they can be.  It means that sin is in every part of one's being, including the mind and will, so that a person cannot save himself.
T – Total Depravity.
U – Unconditional Election.
L – Limited Atonement.
I – Irresistable Grace.  When God has chosen someone, he opens their eyes to the wonders of who He is.  Then, out of their own free will, they always chose to accept Christ as Savior and follow him.
P – Perseverence of the saints. 
 
 
HOW WE FUNCTION      LEADERSHIP & STRUCTURES
Local church members annually elect the Session (elders and deacons)  for three years meeting monthly.
Committee of Management look after the issues of building and maintenance.
Other committees are answerable to Session.
Who Led the Synagogue?
1 Timothy 3: 1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?  6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
Pastoral Leadership of an Elder:
(a)          Elders teach:
  1. "Shepherd the flock" (Acts 20:28)
  2. "Able to teach" (1 Tim. 3:2)
  3. Scriptural foundation (Tit. 1:9a)
  4. Instruct (1 Thess. 5:12)
  5. Teach God's plan (Acts 20:20, 27)
  6. Get paid for teaching (1 Tim. 5:17)
 
1 Timothy 3:8-13 (NIV)
8Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.  11In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
CONFESSIONS AFFIRM BELIEFS
The Belgic Confession  1561
The Heidelberg Catechism  1563
The Canons of Dort  1618
 
Acts 2
Acts 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."  1. The right response to the Sent One
2. The right response to the Saviour
Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
 
3. The right response to Salvation  42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
W           Worship         I     Instruction         F              Fellowship      E   Evangelism
46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Nine Reasons for Developing Your Personal Ministry
1. We have been created for ministry:
2. We have been saved for ministry:
3. We have been called into ministry:
4. We have been individually and uniquely gifted for ministry:
5. We have been authorized for ministry:
6. We have been commanded to minister:
7. We are accountable for our ministry:
8. We will be rewarded for our ministry:
9. The Body of Christ needs our ministry: 
"All of you together are the one body of Christ and each of you is a separate and necessary part of it." 1Corinthians 12:27 (LB)
"Now the body is not made up of one part, but many" (1 Cor. 12:14)
Speaking and serving Gifts
Five Steps to Discovering Your Personal Ministry   Romans 12:1-11
Dedicate your body
Eliminate worldly distractions
Evaluate your strengths & weaknesses
Cooperate with other believers
Activate your gifts – now!
"Now the body is not made up of one part, but many" (1 Cor. 12:14)
5 Factors Determining Your SHAPE
Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experiences
 
Profession of Faith
During a church service
Profession of faith by baptism and testimony
   Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent to redeem the world, do you love and trust him as the one who saves you from your sin, and do you with repentance and joy embrace him as Lord of your life? I Do
   Do you acknowledge and  believe that the Bible is the Word of God revealing Christ and his redemption, summarized in the Apostle's Creed and our Confessions, and taught in this Christian church faithfully reflect this revelation and is the true and complete doctrine of salvation?  I Do
   Do you accept the gracious promises of God sealed to you in your baptism and do you affirm your union with Christ and his church which your baptism signifies? I Do
   Do you promise to do all you can, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to strengthen your love and commitment to Christ by sharing faithfully in the life of the church and its means of grace, honouring and submitting to its supervision and discipline; and do you join with the people of God in doing the work of the Lord wherever you are?
I profess that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour and I want to follow and serve Him as His disciple. So with all my heart, by the grace of God, I say 'Yes!' to these questions.
 Congregational Welcome  (all stand)
 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we now welcome you to full participation in the life of the church, the privileges of communion, the responsibility of exercising your gifts, the fellowship of its joys and sufferings.
 


# posted by Groseys messages @ 8:13 PM

Friday, September 20, 2024

 

They Shall Receive Mercy


The Lord Jesus clearly chose these Beatitudes carefully. He did not speak haphazardly. There is a definite progression in the thought; there is a logical sequence. This particular Beatitude comes out of all the others, and especially is it to be noted that it is in a very sharp and well defined logical connection with the immediately preceding one, `Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.'
`Blessed are the merciful.' What a searching statement that is! What a test of each one of us, of our whole standing and of our profession of the Christian faith! Those are the happy people, says Christ, those are the people to be congratulated. That is what man should be like-merciful.
Our Lord is depicting and delineating the Christian man and the Christian character. He is obviously searching us and testing us, and it is good that we should realize that, if we take the Beatitudes as a whole, it is a kind of general test to which we are being subjected.
The Source of Mercy
I have seen hundreds of rivers in my time, but there is one that fills  my mind when I think of the mercy of God. In the Blue Mountains at various spots the  soft and silvery plash of water falling into water.  A thickly wooded natural grotto, over which the ferns climbed luxuriantly,  thick green mosses covered every stone. The song of the birds on all the branches about us blended harmoniously with the music of the mountain spring. A natural spring gurgles down a channel that it had worn for itself in the solid rock, to pour itself into the shining pool. It all flows down through the mountains to the fresh water Grose River which meets the mighty and salty Hawkesbury river below which then flows into the immensities of the blue Pacific Ocean. Out of God's mercies that flow toward us as His created beings, flows His mercy to us in the redemption that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.  The cross speaks to us of the mercy of God in the greatest way.   Christ died for our sins, and we have freeness of forgiveness and pardon through His shed blood at the cross.   
One said it was like a spring in the mountains.  The spring pours forth beautiful fresh water which flows down from stream to pool to pool, making fertile and lush the land around it.
In the same way God's mercy in His character is that which pours down into our lives, then out from our lives into others lives. And that mercy has the repercussion back of changing the society.
O give thanks unto the LORD: for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever" (Psa 136:1)
For this perfection of the Divine character God is greatly to be praised. Three times over in as many verses does the Psalmist here call upon the saints to give thanks unto the Lord for this adorable attribute. And surely this is the least that can be asked for from those who have been recipients of such bounty. When we contemplate the characteristics of this Divine excellency, we cannot do otherwise than bless God for it. His mercy is "great" (1 Kings 3:6), "plenteous" (Psa 86:5), "tender" (Luke 1:78), "abundant" (1 Pet 1:3); it is "from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him" (Psa 103:17). Well may we say with the Psalmist, "I will sing aloud of Thy mercy" (59:16).
"I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy" (Exo 33:19). Wherein differs the mercy of God from His grace? The mercy of God has its spring in the Divine goodness. The first issue of God's goodness is his benignity or bounty, by which He gives liberally to His creatures as creatures; thus has He given being and life to all things. The second issue of God's goodness is His mercy, which denotes the ready inclination of God to relieve the misery of fallen creatures. Thus, "mercy" presupposes sin.
Lamentations 3: 21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. 26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
 
Salvation is by Grace.  Grace is getting what we don't deserve.   Mercy is not getting what we do deserve.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Titus 3: 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
His mercy flows even to you and I the moment we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2: 1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience---3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ---by grace you have been saved
As the mountain spring is the source of the pools and the river, so God's mercy is the source of His rich Redemption and Salvation for us.  His grace reaches down to us and applies it to us as individuals. Have you received this gift of grace and mercy personally? It is for you to receive.
And it all flows into the ocean of God's goodness where in eternity we are always the objects of His mercy and grace.
Oh the love that drew salvation's plan     Oh the grace  That brought it down to man
Oh the mighty gulf that God did span  At Calvary
Mercy there was great  And grace was free
Pardon there was multiplied to me There my burdened soul found liberty  At Calvary
The Streams Of Mercy
The Christian gospel places all its primary emphasis upon being, rather than doing. The gospel puts a greater weight upon our attitude than upon our actions.
Being Before Doing         Attitudes of Gratitude         Recipients of grace overflow with grace
Matthew 18 :33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses
Ephesians 4  31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.
Mercifulness is essentially a Christian grace.
Nobody can travel far without being impressed by the gulf that yawns, at this point, between the sentiments that prevail in a Christian country on the one hand and in heathen lands on the other. You may, of course, see the most revolting cruelty under the shadow of a church spire, and you may be treated with the most wonderful kindness amid pagan temples, but the general trend of things is in the opposite direction.
The world would have been a pitiless place if Jesus had never entered it. It is, of course, true that millions of men and women who make no profession of Christianity perform deeds of mercy every day. That pleasing circumstance in no way affects the issue. It simply proves that as a result of fifty generations of Christianity, something of the spirit of Jesus has become ingrained. Ideas of mercy and justice in Western culture are the result of Christ's sermon on the mount and His highlighting of these values. The idea of showing consideration or pity to a stranger or a foe never entered the world until Christianity emphasized the obligation; and it has only been found in the track of Christian apostles and teachers ever since. We can never forget that the neglect, exposure, and murder of new-born babies was a common practice throughout the world—even in cultured Rome or Greece. There is no trace of such an institution as a hospital prior to the dawn of the Christian era. And not one has ever been established since save under the direct or indirect influence of Christian teaching. Christless-ness in any society means mercilessness. Rome, in the pomp of her glory, and in the climax of her culture, had for her chief amusement and delight the blood thirsty combat in the Colosseum.
The Lord will later show how being merciful works itself out in actions:
38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
But the Christian faith is not something on the surface of a man's life, it is not merely a kind of coating or veneer. No, it is something that has been happening in the very centre of his personality. That is why the New Testament talks about rebirth and being born again, about a new creation and about receiving a new nature. It is something that happens in the very centre of your being; it controls all your thoughts, all your outlook,  and, as a result, all your actions as well. All our activities, therefore, are the result of this new nature, this new disposition which we have received from God through the Holy Spirit.
By the way we react we manifest what is really going on within us.   Are we really Christians in the core of our being?
I am often challenged by the illustration of a spilled cup.  When you shake the cup, what spills out? Only what's inside the cup!  Water, poison or what?
When you get all shook up what do your reactions reveal about you?  
What are the marks of a gracious heart?
1.Are you a gracious hearted person who considers the poor
Psalm 41: 1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; 2 the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.
Dionysius' the former bishop of Alexandria sent into desert exile, wrote to Eusebius of the plague in Alexandria.
After these things war and famine followed, which we endured in common with the heathen. But we bore alone those things with which they afflicted us, and at the same time we experienced also the effects of what they inflicted upon and suffered from one another; and again, we rejoiced in the peace of Christ, which he gave to us alone. "But after both we and they had enjoyed a very brief season of rest this pestilence assailed us; to them more dreadful than any dread, and more intolerable than any other calamity; and, as one of their own writers has said, the only thing which prevails over all hope. But to us this was not so, but no less than the other things was it an exercise and probation. For it did not keep aloof even from us, but the heathen it assailed more severely."
Farther on he adds: "The most of our brethren were unsparing in their exceeding love and brotherly kindness. They held fast to each other and visited the sick fearlessly, and ministered to them continually, serving them in Christ. And they died with them most joyfully, taking the affliction of others, and drawing the sickness from their neighbors to themselves and willingly receiving their pains. And many who cared for the sick and gave strength to others died themselves having transferred to themselves their death… "But with the heathen everything was quite otherwise. They deserted those who began to be sick, and fled from their dearest friends. And they cast them out into the streets when they were half dead, and left the dead like refuse, unburied. They shunned any participation or fellowship with death; which yet, with all their precautions, it was not easy for them to escape."
Eusebius, recorded in "The Church History" that during the plague, All day long some of them [the Christians] tended to the dying and to their burial, countless numbers with no one to care for them.  Others gathered together from all parts of the city a multitude of those withered from famine and distributed bread to them all. Eusebius goes on to state that because of their compassion in the midst of the plague, the Christians' "deeds were on everyone's lips, and they glorified the God of the Christians.  Such actions convinced them that they alone were pious and truly reverent to God."  A few decades after Eusebius, the last pagan emperor, Julian the Apostate, recognized that the Christian practice of compassion was one cause behind the transformation of the faith from a small movement on the edge of the empire, to cultural ascendancy.  Writing to a pagan priest he said: "when it came about that the poor were neglected and overlooked by the [pagan] priests, then I think the impious Galilaeans [i.e., Christians] observed this fact and devoted themselves to philanthropy." * "[They] support not only their poor, but ours as well, all men see that our people lack aid from us."
"There was a man, and some did count him mad,  The more he gave away the more he had."
2.Are you a gracious hearted person who DEMONSTRATES LOVE TO YOUR ENEMIES?
Injured? Don't retaliate (your cheek)
Insulted? Don't resent (your cloak)
3. Are you a gracious hearted person who LENDS TO OTHERS WITHOUT EXPECTING A RETURN?
Like the others, these verses have been greatly misinterpreted. In verse 34 Jesus asks, "And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit (grace) is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners' expecting to be repaid in full." Then in verse 35 He repeats how to show kindness, "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back."
4.Are you a gracious hearted person who SHOWS MERCY TO THOSE WHO DON'T DESERVE IT?
Look again at the last part of verse 35. Jesus says categorically we should show kindness "because He (the Father) is kind to (notice the two groups) the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful just as your Father is merciful."
 
 
 
 


# posted by Groseys messages @ 10:28 PM

Friday, September 13, 2024

 

The Keys to happiness Hunger and thirst for righteousness

The Keys to happiness
Blessed-or happy-are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.' They are the only truly happy people. Now the whole world is seeking for happiness; there is no question about that. Everybody wants to be happy. That is the great motive behind every act and ambition, behind all work and all striving and effort. Everything is designed for happiness. But the great tragedy of the world is that, though it gives itself to seek for happiness, it never seems to be able to find it. The present state of the world reminds us of that very forcibly.  We are not to hunger and thirst after blessedness; we are not to hunger and thirst after happiness. But that is what most people are doing. We put happiness and blessedness as the one thing that we desire, and thus we always miss it; it always eludes us. According to the Scriptures happiness is never something that should be sought directly; it is always something that results from seeking something else.  The world is seeking for happiness. That is the meaning of its pleasure mania, that is the meaning of everything men and women do, not only in their work but still more in their pleasures. They are trying to find happiness, they are making it their goal, their one objective. But they do not find it because, whenever you put happiness before righteousness, you will be doomed to misery.
This is equally true, however, of many within the Church. There are large numbers of people in the Christian Church who seem to spend the whole of their life seeking something which they can never find, seeking for some kind of happiness and blessedness. They go round from meeting to meeting, and convention to convention, always hoping they are going to get this wonderful thing, this experience that is going to fill them with joy, and flood them with some ecstasy.
the desire for righteousness, the act of hungering and thirsting for it, means ultimately the desire to be free from sin in all its forms and in its every manifestation.
It means a desire to be free from sin, because sin separates us from God. Therefore, positively, it means a desire to be right with God; and that, after all, is the fundamental thing. All the trouble in the world today is due to the fact that man is not right with God, for it is because he is not right with God that he has gone wrong everywhere else. That is the teaching of the Bible everywhere. So the desire for righteousness is a desire to be right with God, a desire to get rid of sin, because sin is that which comes between us and God, keeping us from a knowledge of God, and all that is possible to us and for us with God and from God. So I must put that first. The man who hungers and thirsts after righteousness is the man who sees that sin and rebellion have separated him from the face of God, and longs to get back into that old relationship, the original relationship of righteousness in the presence of God.
The Diet Plan That Is Sure To Succeed
Matthew 5:18-20: For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 23:26 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every impurity. In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Seek Jesus Preeminently
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Matt 6:33  
Psalm 42:1-2 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Seek Jesus Passionately
John 4:13,14 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 
Seek Him Deliberately
John 7: 37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"
Seek Him Determinedly
Jeremiah 29: 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Isaiah 55: 6 "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD,
Seek Him Desperately  "hunger and thirst after righteousness."
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise,  Thou mine inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.
Seek Jesus Perpetually
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6)
When you've got a healthy spiritual appetite, you have this desire, this hunger, and this thirst that every thought you think is pure. Every word you say is laced with grace. You want to be everything that God wants you to be and do everything that God wants you to do, the way God wants you to do it, and you do not want to fall one inch or one pound light of God's very best for you. You just have this hunger and thirst that in every situation you live right, that you are right, and you do right regardless of the cost. In other words, you're not famished for happiness; you're famished for holiness.
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6)
We Will be Fulfilled With Righteousness One thing you can count on when you hunger and thirst for God and His righteousness is that you won't go away hungry and you won't go away thirsty. Jesus says plainly, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" (Matthew 5:6). When you hunger for God, God will fill you.
1 Peter 2: 1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation---3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
This thing of being satisfied is not a once-­for-­all thing any more than eating a meal is a once-­for-­all thing. You see, you have a continual hunger, not because that food didn't satisfy you;; you have a continual hunger because that food did satisfy you. And, your appetite is increased because of the goodness of the food, and the satisfaction that it brought once—it continues to bring day after day.
"…the 'rivers of living water' mentioned by Jesus represent by contrast an inexhaustible supply of the Spirit that flows from him to the believer in constant renewal and refreshing. Normal Christian living is a life continually sustained by the Spirit." ~ Carl F. H. Henry (1913-2003)






# posted by Groseys messages @ 6:20 PM

Saturday, September 07, 2024

 

The Perils Of Pornography outline

The Perils Of Pornography
Matthew 5 Proverbs 5 Psalm 119
The Bible:   Ruin, Redemption
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Ruin, Redemption & Restoration
5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Matt 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Matthew 6: 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5:27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Porn Is Psychological Poison
5.2 billion users 42 billion visits per month 2 hrs/ month/user
Distorts sexuality ruins relationships
Anna Lembke The Social Dilemma  Dopamine Nation
Anastasia Hronis  Dopamine Brain
More than 100  Neurotransmitters excitatory or inhibitory
Adrenaline  -EpiPens
Serotonin   -sleep cycles, depression, anxiety
Acetylcholine  -lack Alzheimers
Dopamine  -addictions
Endorphins   -chocolate
The Cycle addiction; escalation; desensitization; acting out
Porn Brings Domestic Damage
Matt 5: 31 "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Dishonour, Disease, Disgrace
Prov 5: 8 Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house,   9 lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless, 10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner,   11 and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed,
Dominion and Death
14 I am at the brink of utter ruin in the assembled congregation." 21 For a man's ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths. 22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. 23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.
God Intends Something Better
A Lasting Marriage   18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
A Loving Marriage  be intoxicated always in her love.  20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
How Can You Break The Addiction
Admit Your Problem 1John 1:9
Affirm Your Purpose to Stay Clean
Psalm 119: 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
Apply Your Protection to Keep Clean
Memorise  11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Personalise  12 Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!
Verbalize  13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth
Vitalize and Internalize God's Word 
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.  Delight yourself in the Lord…. Psalm 37:4

# posted by Groseys messages @ 7:46 AM

Thursday, September 05, 2024

 

The Perils Of Pornography

The Perils Of Pornography
Matthew 5 Proverbs 5 Psalm 119
The Bible:   Ruin, Redemption
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Ruin, Redemption & Restoration
5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Matt 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Matthew 6: 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5:27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Porn Is Psychological Poison
5.2 billion users 42 billion visits per month 2 hrs/ month/user
Distorts sexuality ruins relationships
Anna Lembke The Social Dilemma  Dopamine Nation
Anastasia Hronis  Dopamine Brain
The Cycle addiction; escalation; desensitization; acting out
Porn Brings Domestic Damage
Matt 5: 31 "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.'  32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Dishonour, Disease, Disgrace
Prov 5: 8 Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house,   9 lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless, 10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner,   11 and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed,
Dominion and Death
14 I am at the brink of utter ruin in the assembled congregation." 21 For a man's ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths. 22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. 23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.
God Intends Something Better
A Lasting Marriage   18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
A Loving Marriage  be intoxicated always in her love.  20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
How Can You Break The Addiction
Admit Your Problem 1John 1:9
Affirm Your Purpose to Stay Clean
Psalm 119: 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
Apply Your Protection to Keep Clean
Memorise  11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Personalise  12 Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!
Verbalize  13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth
Vitalize and Internalize God's Word 
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.  Delight yourself in the Lord…. Psalm 37:4

# posted by Groseys messages @ 6:06 PM

Sunday, September 01, 2024

 

The Huntsman Spider

Although scary looking it is a very timid spider. It grows to about the size of your open hand.
Often you find them in your house where they eat cockroaches and other spiders.
They can be much scarier when they crawl across the inside of your windscreen in your car in front of you as you drive down the freeway. It is worse when it then crawled on the roof and dropped onto my head and crawled under the seat.
In PNG one crawled up the leg of an MAF pilot as he was taking off from the Baiyer River air strip north of Mt Hagan. You should have seen the Cessna rock and roll. Several friends on the flight said it was the scariest moment of their lives.

# posted by Groseys messages @ 7:47 AM

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