Secure in God’s Love

by Rick Warren

“I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love ….” Rom 8:38-39 (NLT)

Everyone has experienced the pain of  rejection at one time or another. Maybe you were rejected by your parents. Or maybe you were rejected by a boyfriend or girlfriend. You might have been rejected by kids when you were in school. But the one person who will never reject you is Jesus.

The Bible says, “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:38-39 NLT).

Rejection can leave you feeling insecure. And insecurity can cause you to do foolish things. When you feel insecure and you try to appear confident, you say things you really shouldn’t say and you do things you really shouldn’t do.

But anyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior has no reason to be insecure. God will never stop loving you; he will never reject you. You may lose the things you have in this world, but you will never lose the salvation God has given to you.

Changing

Past. Melody VD Merwe

24 July 2011 (am)

2 Cor 5:1-21

Intro: We have seen that as children of God, disciples of Christ, we are to change, grow, daily. The constant, consistent and evident thing in our life must be that we are changing.

This is continuous present tense.

2 Cor 3:18 (AMP)… and all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendour and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [who is] the Spirit.

2 Cor 4:16 (AMP)… therefore we do not become discouraged [utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear]. Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day…

Read 2 Cor 4:16-18 (AMP) temporary, light affliction – achieving producing preparing for us everlasting weight of glory.

VISIBLE is subject to change – Heads, Lagoon mist

INVISIBLE Word of God stands firm.

Read 2 Cor 4:16-18 (NKJV) + (AMP)

Tent – temporary  – destroyed, dissolved.

Building – strong, permanent (live forever), perfect.

Groan in tent

Given Holy Spirit as guarantee – down payment.

(v7-AMP) Walk by faith not by sight.

We live according to the truth of God’s Word and the testimony of His Spirit – no decisions according to senses – Who do you believe? God or feelings?

Awfully slow sometimes

Wait – expectancy on the Lord.

Change from telling God your problems to telling your problems who your God is.

(v8) Absent from body, present with Lord

-         see Him as He is – in fullness

(v9) Well pleasing – fell last time, this time do better, change / grow.

(v10+11) 1 Cor 15:58 (AMP + Note)

LB…for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted.

What you do does not make you acceptable to God!

It’s because you are accepted in Christ that you do.

This in not talking about salvation, but reward.

(v14-16) more than meets the eye.

Compels – leaves us no choice except to live our lives for Him.

(v17) Unused, fresh, new, novel

(v18) We are to reconcile others to Him.

(v20) Ambassadors for Christ – represent Him.

(v21) NKJV + Liv Bib!!!

CHANGE!!!

(Audio CD available on order from the Church Office)

Are You Changing? II

Past. Melody vd Merwe

17 July 2011 (am)

2 Cor 4:1-18

We saw that the consistent thing in the child of God’s life is change.

We are to change continually, to become more and more Christ-Like, until we reach the full stature of Christ.

The reason Christ gave the gift of the fivefold ministry to the body of Christ (the church) was/is so that we can grow in Maturity, Stability, and Integrity. (Eph 4)

Maturity – no longer babes (1 Pet 2:2)

Stability – no longer tossed about by every wind of doctrine (Eph 4:14)

Integrity – be always the same (faithful), yes – yes.. say what we’ll do and do what we say. (Heb 13:8)…same yesterday, today, forever.

Growth – change (change resisted) is painful – stretched, moulded, purified.

2 Cor 3:18 …as we behold the Glory (splendour, radiance and majesty) of the Lord, we are being transformed into His image from glory to glory…

2 Cor 4:1-18 We have received mercy (Christ removed the cause of our distress). We do not lose heart

WW Rom 9:15

v1…because we are being transformed, through grace (mercy) we do not lose heart.

Rom 12:1+2 – you present your body (something you must do – a living sacrifice. (not always easy, but we are able).

We must not be conformed to this age (world) but be transformed (metamorphosis – caterpillar to butterfly, tadpole to frog) by the renewing (changing our way of thinking to God’s way of thinking) of our mind.

The only true means of transforming the human heart is by the Holy Spirit illuminating the Word of God (revelation knowledge of the word.) not of self!

Salvation was a once-off power-encounter with God.

Renewing (continuous present tense –be filled Eph 5) of the mind by the Word of God is continuing process. (Day by day 2 Cor 4:16)

As Disciples of Christ we should devour (eat with unsatisfiable (insatiable) hunger) God’s word because it is the key to growing our relationship with the Lord. (1 Pet 2:2 + AMP James 1:21 +AMP)

It’s all about God – 2 Cor 4:7

Even in our circumstances God’s glory can be revealed.

That even in our lives, God’s glory may be evident (radiance, splendour, majesty)

Go through trials and tribulations – circumstances we know it’s only temporary.

2 Cor 4:8-16 we do not lose heart (this too shall pass)

Faith chooses to believe God’s word above the evidence of the senses (see, hear, feel, touch, taste, smell), knowing that circumstances are to be kept subject to the word of God. Rom 10:17…faith comes by hearing (continuous present tense) and hearing by the Word of God… (Eating bodybuilder stop eating – loose muscle)

NB!! Faith is not denying the circumstances (I’m not in pain…); rather it is believing God’s word and living in agreement with it. (Acting as if it is so!!).

Phil 4:13…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…

AMP…I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me, I am ready for anything and equal o anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency…

v16 we are to be renewed (changed) day by day.

Rom 8:4…we do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit…

Rom 8:24…and we know that ALL THINGS work together for the good to those who love God…

Rom 8:31 …what shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us…

Rome 8:37+38…Yet in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us,… I am persuaded that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord….

Who is Paul to say this 2 Cor 11:22-28 we always thing we have hardships (most difficult)

2 Cor 4:17+18 Affliction, trial, circumstances but for a moment…

FOCUS on the unseen and eternal, think and meditate on the glory that follows this life, KNOW that the inward man is being renewed.

1 Pet 1:6+7 +AMP …value your faith more than gold…

Keep changing by the renewing of your mind through the Word of God to live the way God wants you to live and be all that God has made you to be.

A chosen generation – to show forth His praises. (1 Pet 2:9+10)

Are You Changing? I

Past. Melody vd Merwe

10 July 2011 (am)

2 Cor 3 – 2 Cor 5:21

Intro: Change is imperative as a child of God. As we grow in the Lord we are to change to be more like Him. Until we reach the full stature of Christ.

We are to grow (progress) in maturity, stability and integrity. This is the reason Christ gave the five-forld ministry – the equipping of the saints – to the body (Eph 4).

We are expected to change continually!!

How do you tell when a tree is growing / a child is growing? CHANGE!!

NO CHANGE – NO JESUS.

Read 2 Cor 3:1 – 2 Cor 5:21

We must be determined to grow spiritually. (Look at children – always excited about getting big) Such growth is painful, because we undergo stretching, moulding, and refining (purifying) by the Holy Spirit.

As spiritual people we must deal ruthlessly with any carnal thoughts – 1 Cor 10:5 – anything opposing God’s will.

2 Cor 3:1-3 We are letters written, known and read by ALL men.

We must be shaped by the Word and Holy Spirit, so that people can come to know Jesus by what they see in us. v4-6 We are not to trust ourselves in this but consciously put our trust in God who makes us able through the Spirit.

Talking here about relationship and not religion (letter kills – Spirit gives life)

Spirit enables us to do things God’s way.

We must depend on the Spirit as our only true source of ability. (I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me) (Phil 4:13)

We must depend entirely on Him for direction and empowerment.

v7-10 Old testament – the law engraved on stone tablets and not on hearts – the law brought condemnation. See how far we fall short.

Moses shone with glory because the Word (covenant) was anointed.

Only in comparison to the new covenant can the old covenant be said to have no glory (9+10) v11 That covenant which we have, the new covenant is much more glorious.

v12+13 The glory (splendour, radiance, and majesty) of Moses passed away, thus he wore a veil to hide this.

v14-17 With the old covenant to this day there is a veil – Christ removes that veil and we can see!!

In the presence of the Lord, Moses’ veil was removed.

When we turn to the Lord we can see.

v17+18 In the presence of the Lord we have liberty (freedom of access) free from religious bondage.

We are free to serve the Lord in all the ways that are consistent with His word, His will, His nature, and His holiness.

v18 we see in the mirror the image of Christ, as well as our reflection. As we behold the Glory of the Lord.

(Glory – splendour, radiance and majesty centred in Jesus. The majestic, absolute perfection residing in Christ). We are continually transformed into the same image by the Spirit of the Lord.

Then we must with ever-increasing Glory, reflect what we behold.

We are to spend time in “God’s presence” expecting to be transformed into Christ’s image.

Rom 12:2 … be transformed by the renewing of your mind…. (Transformers – change)

• Changed to be more and more like HIM.

James 1:25 …we are to look into the perfect law of liberty and continue in it, and not be forgetful hearers, but doers of the work, then we will be blessed in what we do…