(15 November 2015)

Pastor Joseph Prince (1st service on playback of 7 Nov Lakewood church sermon)

Expect the miracle to happen as the Word goes forth. You don't need to wait to apply the Word in your life.

Romans 10:17

Miracles start by hearing & speaking

By the foolishness of preaching (1 Cor 1:21)
Just by talking, people are saved. But make sure you're talking about Jesus

Once saved, always saved

As sinners, we cannot undo our sins even by doing right because it's a work of Adam.

No amount of good deeds can change the fact you're a sinner. Except by being born again.

In the same manner, as the righteousness of God, we cannot undo our righteousness which is a work of Jesus!

Even more powerful & secured & sure.

What do you believe when you sin? That your act makes you unrighteous? Then Adam's act is more powerful than Jesus' act.

Devil is most subtle when he comes as an angel of light. Like, mixing religiosity into the word.
Eg. You have to read the Bible more.
Eg. Grace causes you to sin more.

We're in the ark. And like Noah, we fall in the ark but never out of the ark. Our salvation in Christ is sure and secured.

Sermon proper

Jer 23:3-8

3 things happen when we're under good shepherding

1) Fear no more
2) Nor be dismayed
3) Nor be lacking

1st that go into hell are the fearful and unbelieving (Rev 1:28)

V6 the message that will feed the people under good shepherding = the Lord my righteousness! = Jehovah Tsidkenu

You are not your own vindication. Jesus is the measure of your vindication.

V8 north country = Russia
All countries = France etc

When it will happen (when God brings all His people back to Israel, even more than when He brought them back from Egypt in the past) & what will be the results to the flock (above 3) & what's the message preached (the Lord my righteousness)

Grace message is not an accident but the plan of God.

Gal 1:6-9
Different gospel = any other gosepl that isn't the grace of Christ
Not the other way round

V8 there's a curse for those who preach a different non-grace gospel 

V9 in fact, there's a double curse

Why so severe? Bcos God loves us (sheep) so much. Any other gosepl will hinder us from receiving God's love for us.

Acts 13

When Elymas decided people with sorcery, nothing happened to him. Although sorcery is evil.

But the moment he tried to hinder the gospel / Paul's ministry, he was blinded for a season.

That's how much God protects the gospel. And even then, there's God's mercy bcos the blinding was only for a season

Acts 20

Repentance towards God & faith to Jesus Christ

Repentance = metanoia = change your mind towards God; change your mind about what God thinks about you; change from thinking that God is against you to God is for you

Ultimate act of self righteousness = wanting to pay for your sins yourself

By hanging self (Eg. Judas) 

But can also come in other forms of punishing self

Matt 11:21-23

Mighty works = miracles

V23 Capernaum = town of Jesus where Jesus performed many miracles

Exalted to heaven bcos Jesus lived there
But brought down to hell bcos sin of rejection against grace is worse than sin of Sodom

This tells us two things:

1) Sin of rejection against grace is worse than sin of Sodom

2) How to reach out to those in Sodom? Not by condemning them but by mighty works. Prayer requests and miracles.

Paul's eyes were closed for 3 days and only opened when Ananias (= Hananiah = grace of God) prayed for him

He who knew no sin, did no sin, received my sin.

The most honourable thing I can do now is to receive His righteousness

In the same manner, apart from my deeds, but by one Man's obedience only

Every time we claim Jesus our righteousness, we bring glory to Him

Jesus on the cross, made payment to God for our sins so that God's grace can be unleashed upon us