Sermon Notes 24/7/16 Ps Prince

Good works is evidence of salvation. Not condition of salvation. Condition is grace through faith. No works. If you do good works it shows inward grace. 

“The grace of God on me was not in vain… but I laboured more…” –> I labour coz of grace in me and it results in works 

God takes men on his level. “I know your works. You’ve done this well.” 

In life you are rewarded based on works

We work with a smile on our face. Not begrudgingly. We know we have the grace of God in us. 

Grace – past, present, future. Become visible in the person of Jesus. The grace of God has appeared to all men= past. The grace of God is teaching us= present. Grace is an amazing teacher. Teaches from within. You’ll see the futility of what you’ve been doing. Realised wasted years, days, nights. Being zealous of good works. Live holy life taught by grace. Any good work u do to obtain righteousness is dead work. Faith in Christ is only criteria. 

Matthew Henry 1600s- used rapture. Catching away of the believes. The world is getting worse. Time will come u can’t even discipline your kids. Kids will be taught evil things. 

There will be judgment- but not on us but on the world. Jesus come back as Judge not saviour

We shall not all sleep but will change in a twinkling of an eye. Body will be transformed. Our bodies will go up with us. Can’t decay. No longer will age. Young forever. Never tired. 

Some say must be obedient then will rapture. Not true. Paul said we shall not all sleep but we shall ALL (believers)…. Word of the LORD that we who are alive and remain, we shall be caught up to meet Jesus in the air. But the dead in Christ will meet Him first and we will meet in in an atomic second. Even those who have been burnt into ashes. God loses not a single atom. 

When Adam fell, the beasts became carnivorous. The lion and lamb will sit together and the lion will eat straw- it’s in the bible. Restoration. No one will be hurt.

It matters to preach rapture. Looking forward to the coming of Jesus Christ. Scripture is not to look back to death but to look forward to Christ. 

A sister wrote – She first watched Ps Prince in 2011. Spiritually dried. Struggled to attend and serve church. Experienced fear condemnation bondage. Read Pastor’s books and listened to his messages every day. Relationship and Financial blessings. Confessing righteousness in Christ was freed from 25y of porn addiction. 

Pastor Prince’s ministry has seen many people freed from addictions and porn addiction. Receiving testimonies every week. Many who are freed of long standing addiction, became free from confessing righteousness of God in Christ. Also have a testimony of someone freed of 12y addiction to cocaine. We can say sorry to God and we should, but the forgiveness happened at the cross and saying sorry doesn’t help us overcome the sin. The answer not in found in sorry but in faith. When we declare in the righteousness of God in Christ= faith. Confess sin is fine, Pastor believes in saying sorry to God, but must know that our salvation doesn’t hinge on that. 

God’s way is way of faith. You do wrong. You thank God the sin is settled 2000 years ago. And know that the victory happened then. 
Had asthma for 20 over years also and was healed of it. 

—
March 2010, Texas. Person fell down stairs at home and shattered leg so badly had rods, screws and steel claws installed in leg. Out of work for a year. Rehabilitation. Became
Alcoholic and was in self denial. Wife left him. Became more alcoholic. Escape in alcohol. Flipping TV Channels in 2011 and came across Pastor’s sermon and it was centred on Jesus and Grace. Awestruck. Even without knowing he repented. Unconscious of his repentance from old thoughts and ways. 

Old covenant repent then see results. New covenant see results then repent. It is the goodness of God that leads u to repentance. It is not your repentance that makes God good to u. 

He realised so much more to life. Said salvation prayer, realised he is a child of God and learned the way out is through the cross not self efforts. 

Pastor was overseas years ago when they saw on telly a preacher preaching your sin will find you out and pointing to the camera. “How come people like this are on TV?” “Because despite what I’ve shown you, you aren’t on it.” “If this is you LORD, open the doors and supply.” He did both. 

Broadcast in the States are supported by the Americans themselves. Not our church 🙂 Provision! 🙂

Flow of blessings of prosperity and favour. No one can stop if God unleashes them. 

Back to the Texan guy. It was also during this time, he was taken off meds and painkillers. Started changing. His healing and turnaround was not coz of what he did but what Jesus did at the Cross. 

The next life changing event happened- rekindled relationship with high school sweetheart. Got married. Freed of alcohol addiction in first year of marriage. 🙂 All praise to God. 

3 John 1:2

Prosper in ALL things… 

There are arm chair critics out there who criticise churches and ministries for health wealth prosperity. Many of them live in nice houses and drive big cars & are Christians. 

No health wealth gospel. Gospel of Grace and Peace. The gospel produces Health. Jesus cleansed the leper, heal the sick, raised the dead. If gospel doesn’t produce health, then where is the account of Jesus imparting death and illness on anyone in bible? 

We are blessed to be a blessing. Inlet outlet. Not blessed to be a Dead Sea. 

Look at the lilies in the field- provision. Clothes us better than Solomon’s rainment. 

Paul talks about giving to churches of Macedonia to give to poor Saints in Rome. Challenges faced by Macedonian church yet have to help. Context is money here. Leading to Paul talking about how Jesus became poor so that we can become rich. Rich doesn’t mean multimillionaire but provided for more than sufficiently by God. 

3John 1:2- ALL things include finances, parenting, marriage. All here means different types of blessings and prosperity. BE IN HEALTH- physical health. As your soul prospers- soul health. Be clear. 

God wants u healthy, prosperous  in proportion to your soul prosperity. Unequivocal. 

Stop looking from self to Christ. Soul starts to prosper. Soul prosperity starts from Jesus. 

Soul prosperity- 

There are those who say it is about emotions and thoughts related. Mental capability. Peaceful not angry. Loving not hateful. — these are all good but are the effects. 

Look at the cause. 

3 John 1:1-8 
Gaius mentioned 
V1- the truth – keep this in mind 

Don’t look at wealthy people and say they have answered prayers. Money just one area. Could be wealthy in money but poor other areas. 

V3, v4- the truth. 

Why was he prospering in his soul? Gaius knew the truth. Walked in the truth. 

No greater joy than my children walk in the truth— many of us read this and think “don’t tel lies”. 

John has 3 epistles and one gospel. The truth in his writing always refers to our LORD Jesus Christ. “I AM THE TRUTH” 

V3- brethren testified about Gaius. He didn’t promote himself. 

Being generous is not the truth. Result of the truth. Believe right become generous. 

The moment people get the truth, they become generous. 

Luke 18 and Luke 19- didn’t happen side by side but arranged side by side. Rich young ruler asks good teacher what can I do to become good? He flattered Jesus and Jesus gave him the law. Jesus didn’t tell everyone to sell all they have and give to the poor- told him. Gave him opportunity to be a disciple. Walked away sad. Had great possessions. Possessions had him. God is not against money but is against money having u. 

Zacchaeus name is Zakai= acquitted. Jesus called out his name. Zacchaeus was a tax collector. Jesus acquitted him before he came to repentance. Scandal of grace. Jesus had dinner with him. 

Jesus = kingly and kindly. Majestic like cedar tree. 

Jesus ate with them. To eat with a tax collector = like saying im with this guy. Taught grace without words. At the end of the day? 
Zacchaeus said he will give half his money to poor and return four fold what he has stolen. Today, Jesus said, salvation has come to this house. Today, Yeshua has come to this home. Said Zacchaeus is a son of Abraham and not son of Rome. Didn’t tell Zacchaeus to sell away his possessions. Compared to prev chapt. The rich young ruler. Kept things outwardly and boasting in the law. Jesus showed him his one fault- is money or God your focus of worship? Money was the rich young ruler’s God. 

Every time u boast in the law, always one thing u lack. When u are a sinner at the mercy of grace, He has to come to your house. 🙂 The rich young ruler under law and gave noting. Zacchaeus under grace and opened up his wallet. Rich young ruler seems like repent then can be blessed. Zacchaeus, bless first then repent. 

When we pray for people, it is the healer that heals. He does the difficult part. Lay your hands on the sick. He heals. What if I lay hands and they aren’t healed? That’s not you problem. That’s Him. Some say God sometimes heal and sometimes don’t heal so don’t dare to lay hands. That’s not your problem. Just lay hands. God heals. 

He told disciples to cast nets down. Had they argued, eh same lake la and fish so long don’t have what, they wouldn’t have enjoyed the  result of their obedience. They obeyed and cast net down. Boat sinking net breaking load of fishes. 

2 Jn 1:1-9

Truth that abides in us -v2
Holy Spirit = Spirit of Truth

And will be with us forever = Jesus 

Grace, mercy, peace— when he writes to indiv 
Grace, peace— when he writes to church

The truth of Jesus was attacked during time of John 

Deut 8:17-18
Why would anyone say my power and might got me this wealth? 

If the wealth came in such a spectacular way- everyone will know it is God. But sometimes it happens so supernaturally natural that we forget it is God. But remember the LORD, it is He who gives us power to get wealth to establish His covenant – all about Jesus

Jesus is our Aleph Tav- first and the last. Alpha and Omega in the Greek. But in Hebrew= Aleph and Tav. (See Pic 1 and Pic 2) 

Orig= Ox head and the Cross

Gen 1:1 (See Pic 3)

Seven branch menorah. Centre lamp lights the other Six. 

Middle ” ‘eet ” – not translated. Ox head and the Cross.

Pastor asked Jewish guy why not translated. He said don’t know. It’s a sign of something. 

It is Jesus’ signature. He has the first word and final word in our life! 

Deu 8:18 again not translated but it is Aleph Tav! (See Pic 4) 

Prosper us to establish His covenant in us 

Desire to exalt Him and God will put us in the path of blessings. Not so we have money to go Disneyland and go holidays.

God’s heart is all about his son. 

What was being sacrificed? If Jesus is not God, then his blood shed = mere martyrdom.

Many believers distracted by the Gnostics. John wrote to combat gnostism

Pastor heard recently someone preach Jesus and Christ are two diff things= that the Christ came on Jesus when he was baptised then when he hung on the cross, the Christ left him. = this is Gnostism. Terrible lies. M

Chapt 1 of 1John- u don’t find him say all the saints or my little children. We saw him and we handled him and talked to him and looked upon him- we declare to you —> persuading the Gnostics. 

Park your car on the road where the blessing of heaven is steamrolling. How u treat His Son is how he will treat u. 

When Ps was younger and church was 200 then. Felt God encourage him to preach Christ centred message unlike the books guiding people to preach practical stuff like how to parent, how to become wealthy, how to live… He thought church will grow smaller but felt led so even if church would grow smaller, he decided to obey regardless. The church grew.  

1 John 4:1-4

The problem today is not Anti-God but Anti-Christ

Some churches preach God but not Jesus

You cannot separate Jesus and the Christ also. Jesus IS The Christ. 

Jesus called His name out in full in His prayer to God. 

Pastor as a youth read many occultic books And many of them had the word “the Christ” in them. Written in those books that the Christ is in everyone = gnostic teachings. 

V2 and 3- teaches u how to discern what is of God 

V2 – come in the flesh =means he had a pre-existence. He existed before. He is deity.

John 1:1-4, 10-18

In the Greek there is masculine, feminine and neuter. 

V11- He came to His Own (neuter gender). Came to His creations, His domain. 

Second own (masculine gender)= people. 

He came to His Universe (owned Him as the creator- even the Devils bow down before Him, the beasts of the earth and fish of the sea recognised him, the wind and waves kowtow to Him; even death and the grave opened up and bowed down before Him; all proclaimed the creator), but His people did not receive Him. 

Jesus veiled Himself (see Philippians) – took form of the servant. But once in a while, someone would see through that veil. The Roman Centurion, for eg. 

The elements obeyed him. The water blushed when he walked by and became wine. The sea obeyed so He could walk on it. 

But humans did not receive Him 

V15- Jesus is younger than John by 6m but in terms of eternity, He is before John. 

Jesus is the ROOT and offspring of David. Made David (diety) but born of David (manhood). 

V18- who is (Greek present tense). He is always in the heart of the Father. 

Jesus gives u now His bosom as He rests in the  bosom of the Father. You rest in Jesus’ love 

His love for me is the focus- vigorous, strong and unending. My love for me is meagre. 

John 21:20 – John depend on Jesus’ love. Never forsook Jesus. Compare to Peter. Depended on his love for Jesus. Betrayed Jesus. 

John 21:21,22 Peter must be told to follow Jesus. John didn’t need to be told. Already following. 

We must unconsciously follow the LORD 

HS always come to attest the glory of His Son. 

Times are bad… We aren’t looking at times, we look to Jesus. Nothing catches him by surprise. 

As human He can empathise and as God He has the power to save the situation. 

Our journey with Christ is to see Jesus more. Seeing Christ will change our lives. Our life is not to live like we are living out some self help book.