Learn more about how much that God loves us and use it to encourage yourself to keep going.
Enjoy the video!
Sermon Notes: https://www.heartofgraceministries.com/blog/after-the-fact/gods-love/
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God’s Love Toward Us
God loves us so much that He loved us even before we realized who He was
1 John 4:19
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
- It is by this kind of love we realize that we must love others to help them realize how much that God loves them. By this love it opens the eyes of a person that does not know God to realize God has sent people into their life so they know God greater.
God loves us so much that even when we are on the fence about trusting in His love that He continues to love us while we decide
Romans 2:4
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
2 Peter 3:15
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
- It is by His loving patience toward us that while we are into things that we should face punishment and exposure for that we receive mercy even when we have not apologized and confessed our sins to God.
God loves us so much that once we are Christians and we stumble that He gives us another chance rather than giving up on us.
Job 33:27-30
27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;
28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
- God knows that as we fail and move forward that we have the chance to learn from our failures to be stronger people. Thank God for another chance for growth!
God loves us enough that even when we suffer that it is never more than we could stand.
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Matthew 11:29
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
- What would be too much on our own without God we know that through Christ we can do all things. It may not always be how we wanted it or as easy as we wished it could be, but through Christ we can make it!
God loves us enough that while we are on earth that we have everything that we need in order to sustain a happy and Godly life. Materially, physically, literally, mentally and spiritually.
2 Peter 1:3
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Hebrews 13:5
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Psalm 37:25
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
God loves us enough that irregardless of what we have done prior to this moment that if we come to him and ask forgiveness of our mistakes and accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that by accepting Christ as Lord of our life that we can be forgiven from our past and have a eternal future in Heaven.
Romans 10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
– Not only forgiveness and freedom of our past is rewarded but we also receive power by the Holy Spirit to have a present authority to write a new chapter of a bright and marvelous future!
Who’s In The Bottom Of Your Boat
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Mark 4:35-41
[35] And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
[36] And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
[37] And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
[38] And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
[39] And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
[40] And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
[41] And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Here we begin at our lord’s long day of preaching.
The crowd was so great he had to teach from a boat
Topics were:
- the parable of the sower
- the candle under a bushel
- the coming harvest
- the mustard seed
He closes the day’s end with his disciples in an adventure they would never forget
The promise at evening 35 – let us pass over to the other side
- speaks of a journey with Jesus
- speaks of his fellowship on the other side
- speaks of safe passage from the journey
The Christian life is like this journey
- we may be weary when he calls us
- we decide to travel with him
- he goes with us through the entire journey
- we are not only helped through the storm but are unto heaven eternal
The Peril of the storm (v. 37)
- There arose a great storm of wind
- The waves were beating upon the ship
Lessons we can learn from the disciples:
- they were obeying yet the storm came
- they were traveling with Jesus, yet the storm came
- they were in the center of his will, yet the storm came
Storms come to us all!
The purpose of the storm (v. 38-41)
- Jesus knew the storm would come
- He was equipped to send the storm away
- Rather than send it away he chose to go through the storm with his disciples
The storm enabled them to measure their faith
- They learned that Christ was with them in the storm
- They learned that he is up to any occasion
There are different storms for different purposes
- Jonah’s storm was to bring him back to the lord
- Paul’s storm was to provide a witnessing opportunity
This storm was to build their faith
Don’t judge the purpose of another’s storm
Sometimes You Have To Lose To Win The Bigger Prize
When I think about all of the times that I have ever felt defeated in my life there was something within me that I could not realize at the time. Day by day after the bad times I felt so awful, longing to go back and change what had happened, making the statements like “I should have never went to begin with” or “Why do I even bother”.
Ultimately when we get stuck on the whys and whats of a problem we tend to lose the confidence that we possess within ourselves to succeed. In his walk on earth Jesus opened up something that totally went against the grain of our discouragement from not seeing or getting what we expect. Jesus began to teach with references to moving mountains speaking to peoples lack of faith from discouragement of not seeing it and boldly stated that through faith renewed in hope that you could ask and receive.
Matthew 17:20
[20] And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Matthew 21:21-22
[21] Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
[22] And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
The bigger picture is even when you lose through hope you can still have the bigger prize. Even when I do not see the blessing with hope within I still have strength to believe in faith regardless of the conditions of the situation. This can be seen in its simplest form when you see amazing people fighting cancer within their body yet they still have the mind power of a perfectly healthy human being. The power of hope renews the hope of faith. And with faith comes the renewing of the mind. And with a renewed mind comes the sanctification of the body through temperance (self-control) to not only keep you at peace but to be disciplined to continue and believe based on what you have knew of God to have done for you in the past!
So you know what? I will gladly take a loss in this life to hope and realize the strength of the spirit and long for Heaven’s gain! As I have said many times in the past, I strive for the mark, the prize of the high calling of God. Do we know what that prize really is? It is faith through hope and belief in Jesus Christ! When you reach the prize you win the race!
Keep On Fighting The Good Fight
There may be some of you have been praying for strength in tough situations because you may have felt or feel like you are defeated. I know this sounds silly when it is being said, but sometimes one of the best things we can do is to keep on fighting through the confidence of faith in God. There is a lot to be said about people that still have the willpower to fight even when they are being knocked down. I like to call these sorts of folks “scrappers”. Scrappers may get beat up or overwhelmed from time to time but never lose the confidence to believe that if they keep fighting that they will win. Some of the most successful athletes in sports today were not the most talented or athletic but possessed the ability to keep fighting. I would take a scrapper any day over anyone who is not used to staying strong in the fight!
Though we may have moments where we feel like we are down for the count, I speak to your weariness and tell you to get back up and keep on ‘scrappin’. The devil can only go so far into your life before (through your faith) you take a stand and declare defeat unto the enemy! Paul, towards the end of his life, acknowledged his perseverance through his life and ministry by stating that he had fought the good faith and reiterated the same analogy to his real thought that he had kept the faith! As we are faithful to God when our human nature attempts to decline in confidence God will move in kind (through the holy spirit) to bless you in that right-now time. The bible identifies this by stating that God is a present help in a time of trouble. So when you are in the middle of the fight you can expect the second wind of the spirit to come! You are not alone in this fight. Do not let the struggle of the fight keep you from still believing that through Christ that you can still win.
Do not be discouraged. Stay confident in God. And as Paul encouraged his people I encourage you today with this same exhortation that God placed within my heart for you: Keep on fighting the good fight.
If You Hold Your Peace, You Will Find It
There is no height or depth of a distance that I would go to find peace sometimes, especially the kind that will help me to stand still in the presence of God! It is when we have true peace over things that we are able to hold our words when we are angered, right? I praise the God that I serve because I know of the experiences that I have had to know this first hand. Just remember to allow God to guide you in your conversation and you will not find yourself in a place where you are confused and feel like you are slipping in your confidence.
When it comes to being a powerful witness, it’s important to carry your confidence with not just words, but in the peace in your mind and heart by the spirit you carry within. Sometimes it’s not how much we can give or how much we can say but simply how we can be there by being a Godly comfort to one another. And as we learn to do that for one another, it becomes easier for ourselves (and vice versa). Some of the greatest influences I have ever been encouraged by never said a word to me; they were simply there and gave me a hug.
The greatest thing that I could say today is that when you want to give something in abundance that you must possess it. To give great wisdom and powerful moving encouragement you must first receive that word of the Lord and apply it! As you grow and begin to build up your life you can begin to let your words speak to others in a way you have never seen before!
Replacing Old Things With God’s Brand New
I thank God for the many blessings I have been given. There is no doubt that I have been blessed beyond measure, even when one would beg to differ in comparison to worldly possessions. All the great things of the wonderful God that we serve do not always necessarily come as things in monetary value. If you consider this concept with me, you would also know that some of the best gifts that God has given are to replace things that you have lost.
I have lost many possessions, but nothing compared to the day when I came to the truth in my mind and realized that I would lose my soul without a relationship to Christ. God gave me the gift of salvation to replace my hopelessness of feeling so lost and is by far my single greatest possession.
You have to understand something today: the decision to replace it was not hard. The part that proved difficult was dealing with the part of me that was intimidated by what others thought about me. After I realized that beginning to believe in Christ was what I needed, the feelings grew stronger. I had fear, plain and simple. God was wonderful in replacing my fears with confidence. How? Through the work of other children of God, of course!
So this is my simple thought today: we must allow God to be the strength in our weakness, regardless of what it is. You could be in bondage to addiction, or having problems at home or at work; however I assure you that there is nothing too hard for God. Simply believe and submit to the call that He places in your life and do not fear. Be established and help others in their time of need!
Having True Spiritual Warfare
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2 Corinthians 10:1-5
[1] Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
[2] But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
[3] For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
[4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
[5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
We have to remember that though we are going to definitely face things each and every day that there is a right and wrong way to go about it! When we war against things in life of ourselves (the flesh) we can never succeed. Only through winning by doing things in spiritual obedience will we find ourselves not only in a good place but also in victory!
Matthew 13:44-58
[44] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
[45] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
[46] Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
[47] Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
[48] Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
[49] So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
[50] And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
[51] Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
[52] Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
[53] And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
[54] And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
[55] Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
[56] And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
[57] And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
[58] And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Unbelief can be a direct hindrance to anyone, as it was to even Jesus Christ, and we have to learn to become a Godly family through the love and fellowship of the spirit of God. The love of God will look beyond all things and allow you to break familiarity; for this will allow the spirit to perform the mighty power and miracles that NEED to happen today!
Who Are We Serving? Wait, Why Do You Ask?
I love going to church. I love it for the fellowship, the unity that it brings through God, and the multiplied powers and abilities of your reaching out that can happen when done. The church to me has always been such a great place of refuge; in other words a place where I associate “a place where God dwells” With that said, I want to bring out a point that has been on my heart lately. Since we have started singing and working in the ministry (even before Heart of Grace years ago), we have been in a multitude of churches with many wonderful bodies of people. Sadly, I would be lying if I said that every place that we went had that “right at home” feeling, but it reminds me of a very important thing that we must remember to apply in our lives.
When we are at church, we are there to help each other and to serve God. One of the biggest mistakes that you see is when people begin to serve people rather than God. We’ll worry about each and every thing that we do with the fear of upsetting someone or ruffling their feathers. I know that when we preach or sing oftentimes that I know for a fact that people probably don’t like half or more of what I’m saying, but I know when I am doing it that I’m doing it to help them and to serve God. When we serve God in love, God fights the battles and goes before you with people by the spiritual warfare. That way, when you obey God in confidence, you will leave the work sowed in confidence. Don’t doubt the work that you do for God!
Most importantly, don’t get caught up in the opinions of people. It’s perfectly okay to seek Godly advice from someone you have confidence in, but remember to not be in bondage to one another by what you would think they think (and what the other person’s friend thinks lol). As we become more dependent on people, we forget all the others around us that God is showing us that need help! Get out from under the veil of fear and step out and perform the will of God FOR God! He is more than able to equip you with the ability to endure all persecution that you will face! So I ask you today, who is it that we serve? Do we need to adjust how we take our approach to how we are a spiritual Godly help in and out of service?
Trust me, the more you commit to God, the more that you will find the desire to keep serving Him with joy!
Just In The Nick Of Time, Always On Time!
When it comes to our prayers and what we have before God, I can say on my (and perhaps anyone’s) behalf that it may not always be when we think it should occur. In fact, I have found many times that rather than being thankful for what I do have that my focus is what I do not. Our human nature is very keen nowadays on picking up on the lack thereof!
I write today such a blessed person. I have came so far in my life, and I have came so far in my own family (and extended family). When I truly consider all the blessings that have came thus far, it is exceptionally hard for me to even have the nerve to ask “why” or “when” from God. In fact, it begins to bring out the spirit of thanksgiving and praise within, as it should within all of us. It should remind us that God never leaves us or forsakes us in our time of need. We should remember each day where we were in the prior days and how far that we have come. If we were to not forget the manner of person we are, we would remember the person we use to be as well.
I know how far I have came personally, and I know (just in the people I have come into contact with) how far so many have came through God. We are all so blessed and have so much to give God praise for this day. Let’s be excited about the blessings of God! Let’s shoot out some thanksgiving praise, and then that faith praise and the faith prayers in the future will be with assurance and confidence!
Be lifted up to know that what God performs is done on God’s time, and when it is done it is for your good! It is to strengthen you and to mold you into that true man and woman of God that was always intended from the very beginning! So take a few minutes today to simply reflect on the good things God has done. Trust me, you will surprise yourself. You might even have a few tears and praises come out of you (and that’s okay)!