Grosey's Messages

In the Old Testament, and today, modern Jews greet one another the same way: with the word shalom. And that word means "peace." When you meet somebody and you say to them, "Shalom," that doesn't mean, "May you get out of war." It infers there is something good, something wonderful, something positive, that is happening. The Greek word for "peace" is the word eirene. We get our beautiful name Irene from that. If your name is Irene, that means "peace." Eirene: that's the word he is using here. It is a positive word.

"Will and Ariel Durant, in their book The Lessons of History, begin the chapter on "History and War" with these words: "War is one of the constants of history, and has not diminished with civilization and democracy. In the last 3,421 years of recorded history only 268 have seen no war."1 That is a chilling statement. And it would, no doubt, be even more so if the facts of unrecorded history could be known. War is the constant reality of life. Today anyone old enough to understand what is being said on television knows that multiple wars are being fought at this very moment. " Kent Hughes.

Peace is not appeasement. Peace is not truce making. Peace is not even merely the absence of war. What is peace? Peace is a right relationship.  It is Shalom, with God.

The word peace is the Hebrew word shalom. Often used as a greeting word or a departing word in much the same way we would utter "hello" or "goodbye," it is a broad term related to health, prosperity, harmony, and wholeness. It means perfect welfare, serenity, fulfillment, freedom from trouble, and liberation from anything which hinders contentment. When a Jew said "Shalom" they were wishing on another the full presence, peace, and prosperity of all the blessedness of God.

Numbers 6:24-26  The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Jesus , God the Son said John 14: 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid

Shalom comes from God.  Shalom, peace comes from Jesus Christ.

It is a uniquely amazing peace that only Christians can have. And it begins with a right relationship with God.

Some 700 years ago a remarkable man was born. Although he was the son of an Italian cloth merchant and destined to be a knight, he forsook the path of wealth and fame, choosing instead to wear a ragged cloak tied with a rope borrowed from a scarecrow. He spent his days preaching and giving to others. He chose to live in utter poverty.

 The conversion of Francis occurred five hundred years before Dr. Watts wrote his hymn, 'When I survey the wondrous Cross'; yet, without knowing the words, Francis sang that song in his heart over and over and over again.  With an empty and a hungry heart he kneeled before the cross. 'O Lord Jesus,' he cried, 'shed Thy light upon the darkness of my mind!' And then an extraordinary thing happened. The Saviour to whom he prayed was no longer an inanimate image; but a living Person! Canon Adderley wrote: 'Jesus heard his cry, and Francis accepted the dear Lord as his Saviour and Master. A real spiritual union took place between him and his Divine Lord. He took Him for better for worse, for richer for poorer, till death and after death, for ever.'  'Francis looked to the Crucified,' says his biographer. 'It was a look of faith; a look of love; a look that had all his soul in it; a look which did not attempt to analyze, but which was content to receive. He looked, and, looking, entered into life.' 

Francis never forgot that moment. His whole soul overflowed with the intensity of his affection for his Saviour. To the end of his days he could never think of the Cross without tears.  When he arose and left the little sanctuary, he felt, as Bunyan's pilgrim felt, that he had lost his load, and lost it for ever.  But he felt that he had assumed another. He had taken up the Cross. He had devoted himself to its service. 'God forbid,' he cried, 'that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.' When, five centuries later, Isaac Watts surveyed the wondrous Cross on which the Prince of Glory died, his contemplation led to the same resolve:

         Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,            Save in the death of Christ my God!
         All the vain things that charm me most,            I sacrifice them to His blood.

'I looked and looked and looked again!' say Francis. 'It was very surprising to me that the sight of the Cross should thus ease me of my burden!'  And he took that message everywhere, speaking of the Saviour and His great love. A prayer of his was later turned into song:

"Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace Where there is hatred, let me sow love Where there is injury, pardon, Where there is doubt, faith Where there is despair, hope Where there is darkness, light Where there is sadness, joy.  O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled as to console To be understood as to understand To be loved as to love.  For it is in giving that we receive It is in pardoning that we are pardoned It is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen."

The model peacemaker

Peacemaking is a divine work. God is the author of peace. And, Jesus is the supreme Peacemaker. Jesus came to establish peace; his message explained peace; his death purchased peace; and his resurrected presence enables peace. The messianic predictions were that he would be the "Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6). The angels announced his birth by singing, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth (B) to people He favours!" (Luke 2:14). Jesus' persistent word of absolution to sinners was, "Go in peace!" Just before he was crucified, Jesus' last will and testament was, "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful" (John 14:27). When the Lord returned after the resurrection, his first word to the disciples was "Shalom." "Peace to you!" (Luke 24:36).

The life of Jesus was saturated with his mission to bring the peace of God and to initiate the healing relationships of peace with God. He paid an enormous price for us to experience peace. In fact, the very same word, peacemakers, which is used of us in this Beatitude, is applied by the apostle Paul to what God has done through Christ so that we could be at peace with God. Through Christ God was pleased ". . . to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross" (Col. 1:20). Furthermore, the apostle Paul informed us that Jesus ". . . might create in Himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace" (Eph. 2:15). Jesus saw the gravity of our problem and he refused to sweep it under the rug or stick his head in the sand. Only a drastic solution would suffice, so he "made peace" by shedding his blood on the cross. Christ is our supreme example in bringing peace in our hearts, our relationships, our church, our nation, and our world.

 

The manner of the peacemaker

 "Blessed are the peacemakers," we smile blandly and say, "Oh, that's nice." But peacemaking is not nice. Peacemaking is messy and wrenching work. It takes time and a lot of emotional energy.

It doesn't always work straight away.

 "If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone" (Rom. 12:18). We are to live at peace with everyone. That is a pretty clear command. But Paul adds that all important phrase, "If it is possible." Sometimes peace isn't possible. There are those cantankerous types who just go through life picking fights with everyone they meet.

Paul declared, "God has called you to peace" (1 Cor. 7:15). Does that mean we agree with everything others say or do? No. Sometimes we agree to disagree, agreeably. God wants his children to be bridge builders.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hate, may I bring love;

Where offense, may I bring pardon;   May I bring union in place of discord.

He should never be thoughtless or pugnacious. Rather his personality must be permeated with the shalom of God. He is gentle. James wrote, "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (3:17, 18).

What can you and I do to build those bridges of peace? What steps, what methods, can we employ to actively reconcile people to God and to one another?

A. Talk to God

I find it crucial to talk to the Lord about what I've done or what people have done to me before I talk to them. It gives me perspective and tenderness. The Lord helps me see the deeper needs in the relationship and what has caused the problem. He, also, shows me my part, and often, my wrong words, behaviour, or attitude that is hindering the reconciliation. Even if the other person is 95 percent in the wrong and I am only 5 percent in the wrong, I still have to confess my error. Then, I surrender the conflict to the Lord.

My daughter often reminds me not to be reactive emotionally when dealing with cantankerous people.  Take time out to calm down and pray it out.

Often I am too wound up in the situation to deal with it logically and appropriately.

Philippians 4:4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Lloyd-Jones  "First and foremost it means that you learn not to speak…That, I say, is one of the best ways of being a peacemaker, that you just learn not to speak.  When, for example, something is said to you, and the temptation is to reply, do not do it.  Not only that, do not repeat things when you know they are going to do harm.  You are not a true friend when you tell your friend something unkind that was said about him by somebody else.  It does not help; it is a false friendship .. Unworthy and unkind things are not worth repeating…The peacemaker is a man who does not say things.  He often feels like saying them, but for the sake of peace he does not."

B. Take the first step

Jesus said, "So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift" (Matt. 5:23-24). This, I believe, is the most ignored verse in the Bible. Later, Jesus said, ""If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him in private. If he listens to you, you have won your brother" (Matt. 18:15). You are to make the first move. Peacemakers take the initiative. "But," you say, "Why should I go to the person when they are the one that hurt me." Do you want the biblical answer? Because Jesus says so. Conflict is never resolved accidentally. That first step may be a letter, a phone call, or a visit. If someone has wronged you or you have wronged someone else, take action today. Your peace of mind and your Christian witness depends on your taking the first step. Happiness awaits action.

C. Tell the other person how you feel

When you take the first step and speak to the other person, before you speak, remember "A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath" (Prov. 15:1). Paul wrote, "No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear" (Eph. 4:29). Empathize with their feelings. Consider their situation. Attack the problem not the person. Clarify don't confront. Cooperate as much as possible. Emphasize reconciliation not resolution. Reconciliation is more crucial than being right.

D. Stop talking about the people who have hurt you to other people

Nothing disqualifies us in being peacemakers more than talking about people rather than talking to them. The old Spanish proverb is correct: "Whoever gossips to you will gossip of you." A peacemaker never says anything about another person that she or he has not first said to that person directly. After that, why tell anyone else?

 

The Means of Shalom of peacemaking

When you put the above steps into practice, you earn a recognition that far exceeds anything that you can imagine. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God" (Matt. 5:9). The word called means to be officially designated as holding a particular rank or office.

Jesus says that those who are peacemakers will be known and recognized as what they really are - the sons of God. You may assume at first glance that "sons of God" means the same as "children of God." But the terms are not quite identical. A "child of God" is one who is a part of the family. It is a statement of position. A "son of God" is one who is like the family. It is a statement of character. A son of God is one who not only carries on the family name but bears the family resemblance and reputation. Jesus is saying that as his followers become known as peacemakers, they will be recognized as the sons of God who share his name and share his mission.

Do the people in your life recognize the family resemblance based on your efforts of peacemaking?

You may be a child of God because you accepted Christ, but you are a Son of God because you pursue peace.

Kent Hughes: "If we are not peacemakers, but instead are troublemakers, there is every likelihood that we are not true children of God."

If our character is such that we spread rumours and gossip about others; if we are constantly fomenting discontent; if we find joy in the report of trouble and scandal; if it is about our own positions and power and control, then we may not actually be born again.

The issue may really be we do not know the peace of God in our own souls.

True children of God are not troublemakers!"

The 'must' of peacemaking

No one can become a peacemaker until he has found peace himself. We cannot give what is not real to us. Peacemaking begins with an experience of peace in our own hearts.

The salutation of the Apostle Paul's letters almost always begin "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:2). Reading his letters, you never find the order reversed to "peace and grace." Grace always comes before peace. We have to experience the grace of God before we can experience the peace of God. We have to come into relationship with God through his son Jesus Christ before we can be purveyors of peace to others. We have to know peace ourselves before we can make peace in our relationships. In other words, we can't make peace if we don't have peace

Jesus said, "My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, but My peace."

Col. 3:15 "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts."

And so, two thousand years ago, the Peacemaker entered the world.  The heavenly host heralded His arrival, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests (Luke 2:14)."   Hear His invitation in Matthew 11:28–29, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

1.  We must know the Peacemaker.  Only those who know Him personally can be what He is.  Galatians 5:22 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness."  Only the Holy Spirit can produce peace, so to be an agent of peace we must possess the Holy Spirit, which means we must possess Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you."

2.  We must work hard at being like the Peacemaker in every situation.  Oh, what a price He paid to secure our peace.  And so we're told… "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Eph 4:3)."  And "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace (Col 3:15)."  And "Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other (1 Thes 5:13)."

Leviticus 19:17 warns, "Do not hate your brother in your heart."

What does "pure in heart" mean? It means unmixed motives. You are a person of integrity.

You don't say one thing and act another way. Your motives are true.

The word that is translated pure has two basic meanings: "clean" and "unmixed." Our English word cathartic comes from this Greek word. A cathartic is an agent a doctor uses to cleanse the physical system. A psychiatrist also uses catharsis on the emotional level to "cleanse" the patient of hostilities and other destructive attitudes. There is also a spiritual catharsis, a cleansing of the inner person. "He purifies their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:9) is one example. "The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7) is another.

But the word as it is used in this Beatitude takes the second meaning, for being "pure in heart" involves being unmixed as well as being clean. God is concerned with why we do things as much as He's concerned with what we do. He's concerned with our motives. Matthew 6:1 "Be careful not to parade your good deeds before others to attract their notice or you will lose all your reward from your Father in heaven." Jesus spent a whole chapter talking about this subject – Matthew 6!

The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.

 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:9–10)

The Disease of the Heart

My wound is incurable, it refuses to be healed." (Jeremiah 15:18)  "And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him.21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." (Mark 7:20–23)

The Deceitfulness of the Heart

What is the most deceitful thing in the world today? The most deceitful thing in all of the world is the human heart. "It is deceitful" "above all things." (Jeremiah 17:9)

"He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool." (Proverbs 28:26) "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." (Jeremiah 17:9) Sometimes somebody will ask you a question, and you'll say, "Well, if I know my heart…" Well, the problem is you don't know your heart.

C. The Diagnosis of the Heart

"I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins." (Jeremiah 17:10)

God searches your Heart   1 Samuel 16:7 says the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Chronicles 28:9 says, "The Lord searches every heart." Psalm 44:21 says the Lord "knows the secrets of the heart."

"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God." (1 Corinthians 4:5)

D. The Doctor of the Heart

MacLaren writes "How hearts can be made pure. Now, the key which has unlocked for us, in previous sermons, the treasures of meaning in these Beatitudes, is especially necessary here. For, as I have said, if you take this to be a mere isolated saying, it becomes a mockery and a pain. But if you connect it, as our Lord would have us connect it, with all the preceding links of this wreathed chain describing the characteristics of a devout soul, then it assumes an altogether different appearance. 'The pure in heart' are they who have exercised and received the previous qualifications and bestowments from God."

"Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed, save me, and I shall be saved." (Jeremiah 17:14)

"And I will give them a heart to know me." (Jeremiah 24:7)

There's a heart transplant. That's how God does it. God just gives you a new heart.

When He saves you, He gives you a new heart. And friend, you cannot be pure in heart without a new heart.

First of all, you see yourself as a bankrupt sinner: "Blessed are the poor in spirit." (Matthew 5:3)

Secondly, you are broken over that: "Blessed are they that mourn." (Matthew 5:4)

Thirdly, you yield yourself to Him: "Blessed are the meek." (Matthew 5:5) You say, "Here, God, I want your will." God puts a hunger in you. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness." (Matthew 5:6) That's Jesus. You have a hunger and a thirst for the Lord Jesus Christ. And then, by mercy, He gives you mercy: "Blessed are the merciful." (Matthew 5:7) That's what you need today: that you might have mercy. Then, my dear friend, there's a pure heart. It's a work of God.

"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4)

1. Remember that God sees everything.

The key phrase in Matthew 6 is "your Father sees what is done in secret."

Nothing is a secret from God. Nothing is ever a surprise to Him. Does it bother you in knowing that you have no secrets from God? It bothers me sometimes. There's a lot of secrets I would like to have from God. But God says He knows everything about us. A lot of people think they're fooling God. Have you ever had the devil tell you, "Go ahead, nobody will ever find out."

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." 1 Samuel 16:7 says the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Chronicles 28:9 says, "The Lord searches every heart." Psalm 44:21 says the Lord "knows the secrets of the heart."

If God already knows everything I might as well have a pure heart than try to fake it.

2. Review your motives.

I do an honest evaluation of why do I do what I do.

Proverbs 24:21 "God knows and judges your motives. He keeps watch over you; He knows. He rewards you according to what you do."

God says that our reward is based on not just what we do, but why we do it. In Matthew 6, Jesus gives three examples: He uses giving, prayer and fasting - 3 good things you can do, but you can also do them in the wrong way.

1) Giving. Matthew 6:2 "So when you give to the needy do not announce it with trumpets as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and on the streets to be honored by men. I tell you the truth. they have received their reward in full." "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret, then your Father who sees what is done in secret rewards you." Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Don't even talk to yourself when you give!

2) Praying. Matthew 6:5 "When you pray don't be like the hypocrites. They love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you they've received their full reward."

Have you ever heard anybody pray to the galleries, pray to other people? They pray a real flowery prayer, and when they're finished you want to say, "Wow!" and you feel like clapping. God says, they have their reward.

Have you ever heard anybody pray reminding God of something He already knows to tell the other people who are listening?

3) Fasting. v. 16 When you fast you don't go around looking as the hypocrite with a sad face so someone will ask if you are fasting. "Wash your face, put oil on your head, [so it won't be obvious to men that you're fasting]" What is the point of all these things? Jesus is saying, the point of pure in heart is you keep it a secret when you do good. If you can't, maybe your motives are mixed. Maybe you want the praise of men more than you want the praise of God. The test of pure in heart is can I keep it a secret? Or do I have to blab every time?

If you spent a night in prayer, could you keep that a secret? Don't be a hypocrite he says three times.

Opposite of pure in heart is being a hypocrite.

Jesus said John 12:43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

1Thessalonians 2:4 "We do not aim to please others, but to please God who knows us through and through."

D M Lloyd Jones , "You can start trying to clean your heart, but at the end of your long life it will be as it was at the beginning, perhaps blacker. No! it is God alone who can do it, and, thank God, He has promised to do it. The only way in which we can have a clean heart is for the Holy Spirit to enter into us and to cleanse it for us."

3. Realign Your Priorities

Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before Me."

Matt 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

How do I know what my priorities are? Three tests:

1) I must look at my Activities. Where do I invest my time and my money? The Bible says, "Don't pile up treasures on earth ... but keep your treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, your heart will be there too!" Circle "your heart". Wherever you put your investment that's where you put your heart. I can ask "What is the first in your life?" And you will answer "The Lord has first place!"

Regardless of what we say is first place, where we spend our time and money determines what is first place. The first part of the day, the first part of my money, the first of every week goes to God.

God is first.

2) I must look at my anxieties. What do I worry about the most? You can tell a lot about a person by what they worry about. Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, don't worry about your life..."

If you'll go through all of Matthew 6, the five most common worries are in this passage.

v. 24 -- finances; v. 25 -- food; v. 27 -- fitness; v. 28 -- fashion; v. 34 -- future.

If you're worrying about any of these things, it means God is not number one in your life. You have a misplaced priority. You need to check out your activities and check out your anxieties.

Worry indicates there is a wrong priority.

Worry says, "God, I think I'm in charge here." Do you worry about your finances instead of trusting God? Do you worry about fashion? The Bible says, don't worry about clothes. God says "Check out these things to see if your motives are right."

3) I must look at my ambitions. What are my goals? My goals reveal the direction of my heart.

Whatever is the number one goal in my life, ambition of my life, what's important to me, that is what is my god.  Matthew 6:31-33 (Phillips) "... Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  The little word "seek" means "always looking for" - that's ambition. Don't be "always looking for" "seeking" what everybody else is looking for. The problem with a lot of Christians, many believers have the exact same ambitions as unbelievers. No difference. They've bought into the culture, into the system. So as a result, they have the same tension. Same stress. Same headaches. Same problems. God says, set your heart first on doing what God wants you to do and all these other things will be brought in as a matter of choice. Who do you want to please most? That's the condition of your heart. If you want the praise of other people, that's what you'll get. But that's all you're going to get.

James 4: What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"?6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Are you conscious of God's presence?

A pure in heart person is conscious of the presence of God all the time. That is the mark of maturity. The more mature you are the more you're conscious that God is with you all the time and the less conscious you are of other people around you when you're doing good.

An immature person, when he prays, is more worried about the people around him than he is about God.

Happiness boils down to simply, Who you want to please in life?

God says, You want to please other people? Fine. Try it. You can't please everybody. As soon as you get one crowd pleased, another crowd gets angry with you. You can't please everybody. But you can please God. You say, "God, I want to do what you want me to do." Doesn't that simplify life?

Are you content with God's praise?

He says, I want the reward of God, not the reward of man. The people who are the biggest givers are not the most show offey. It's the people who hardly ever give. The word "reward" in those two verses are different words. The word "reward" for when you're showing off means a temporary reward. The word "reward" for when God rewards you means a permanent investment. You won't get the reward immediately but it's coming.

Are you controlled by God's priorities. He or she has his heart set on what God says is important.

What is the result? If I start trying to be an honest, transparent person of integrity with unmixed motives, what is the result?

The Puritan Thomas Watson,1620 -1686,  "This sight of God will be a satisfying sight. Cast three worlds into the heart, and they will not fill it; but the sight of God satisfies! "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness" (Psa 17:15). Solomon says, "The eye is not satisfied with seeing" (Ecc 1:8). But there the eye will be satisfied with seeing. God, and nothing but God, can satisfy. The saints shall have their heads so full of knowledge and their hearts so full of joy that they shall have no lack.

 Jonathan Edwards,  "If men should hear of some vast estate, or some rich hidden treasure, and at the same time should hear of some very feasible way in which they might make it all their own; how ready would they be to hear, with what eagerness would they listen to those who should bring such news and give them such directions, provided they had reason to believe that what was told them was true! We are here told of a much truer and greater blessedness than any treasure of silver, and gold, and pearls can yield; and we are also told of the way whereby we may assuredly become the possessors of it, by him who certainly knows.

So how do I get a clean heart? How can I clean up my heart so I can be happy?

The answer is you can't. You cannot clean up your heart on your own. Otherwise Jesus wouldn't have needed to come to earth. I would like to recommend to you a heart specialist. His name is Dr. Jesus. He makes house calls. He doesn't cost a thing. He has never lost a patient. He is a pro in heart transplants. He wants to give you a new life.

DMLJ "The fact that I know that I cannot ultimately cleanse my heart in an absolute sense, does not mean that I should walk in the gutters of life waiting for God to cleanse me. I must do everything I can and still know it is not enough, and that He must do it finally."

Do what David did in Psalm 51. He had had the most shattering experience of his life. He had committed adultery with another man's wife and then had him killed. He was a murderer and an adulterer. He felt bad. "Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires."

ADMIT your need for a pure heart

Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Thomas Watson said "Purity of heart is heaven begun in a man."

Psalm 51:7Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you crushed be happy again.

Psalm 51: 9,10 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

BARE yourself and be open to God's working

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

COMMIT yourself to Christ fully

Psalm 51:1,2 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

Jeremiah 32:39 "I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them."

Ezekiel 11:19 "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh." (also 36:26) Ezekiel 18:31 "Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit."

And of course, the gospel of Jesus is all about the heart.

Romans 10:9-10 "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."

1John 1:7 the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

To get a clean heart you just ask God.  God wants to give you a brand new heart. He wants you to put your trust in Him. It's simple, you ask Him for a clean heart and He'll give you a new heart, a new outlook, a new life, a new start. Spiritual heart checkup. What's the condition of your heart? Some of you have a broken heart. And it's hurting. Some of you have a hard heart. You've had so much bitterness and resentment in your life for so long, you've let it pile up and you have a stony, hard heart and nothing can break through. Your husband can't get close to you or your wife can't get close to you. Nobody can get close to you. You've allowed your heart to be hardened. Some of you have a divided heart. You're trying to serve God one way on Sunday and the devil on Monday. You're trying to please many different people. You act one way with one group of people, other ways with other groups of people. It's divided and no wonder you're not happy. Let God give you a new heart.

Isn't it time you stopped pretending? Isn't it time you stopped pretending that you're really happy and you're not? Isn't it time you stopped pretending that you're following Christ when you're only doing it half heartedly if at all? Would you come to God and say, "OK, God, I need a new heart." Happiness is from the inside out. Happiness is a heart condition.

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:23) If you are going to be pure, my dear friend, you must be pure in heart before you can be pure any other way. And, that brings us to a real problem.

Matthew 5:1-8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

The heart  Pure? Integrity!

Jeremiah 17:9-10 The Heart:  Diseased      Deceitful

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:9–10)

"For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." (Mark 7:20–23)

You need a Doctor
Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise. Jere 17:14

"And I will give them a heart to know me." (Jeremiah 24:7) "Blessed are the poor in spirit."
"Blessed are they that mourn."   "Blessed are the meek."
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness." Mercy.
"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4)

1. Remember that God sees everything.

Matthew 6:4,6,18 And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"Thou God seest me" Gen 16:13
"Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God."  1 Corinthians 4:5

Isaiah 29:13  The Lord says: "These people say they love me; they show honor to me with words, but their hearts are far from me. The honor they show me is nothing but human rules."

2. Review your motives.

1)Giving. Matthew 6:2 So when you give to the needy do not announce it with trumpets as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and on the streets to be honored by men.

2)Praying. Matthew 6:5 "When you pray don't be like the hypocrites.

3)Fasting. 16 "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others.

3. Realign Your Priorities
Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before Me."
Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Matt 6:19 -21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
I must look at my Activities.

I must look at my Anxieties.
Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, don't worry about your life..."
I must look at my Ambitions.
this is what pagans are always looking for;  But seek first the kingdom of God

James 4:1-3, 7-8

Do you know where your fights and arguments come from? They come from the selfish desires that war within you. 2You want things, but you do not have them. . . .

So you argue and fight. You do not get what you want, because you do not ask God. 3Or when you ask, you do not receive because the reason you ask is wrong. You want things so you can use them for your own pleasures.

James 4: 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Are you conscious of God's presence?
Are you content with God's praise?
Are you controlled by God's priorities?

ADMIT your need for a pure heart

Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Psalm 51:7Take away my sin, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8Make me hear sounds of joy and gladness; let the bones you crushed be happy again.

Psalm 51: 9,10 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

BARE yourself and be open to God's working

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

COMMIT yourself to Christ fully

Psalm 51:1,2 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

1John 1:7 the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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 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.