This morning we are going to do something different. I am currently in Georgia. I was here ministering over the weekend. I preached two messages while I was here. One of them was entitled, “Embrace Grace, In order to Live by Faith.” Instead of giving you a “Today’s Word” like I normally do, this morning I feel led to share a portion of my notes from that message. Here they are. I trust they will bless you.
God does what He does for you because He loves you:
(John 3:16 KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(Romans 5:8 NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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What did we do to cause the Father to send Jesus to die for us? Nothing!
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What did we do to cause Jesus to want to die for us on the cross? Nothing!
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God did it because He loves us!
(Gen 12:1-3 KJV) Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
(v.2) And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
(v.3) And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
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What did Abraham do to deserve this? NOTHING!
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Abraham was an idol worshipper!
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God did it because He loved Abraham!
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God did it because He had made plans for Abraham before the foundations of the world!
(Exodus 3:10 KJV) Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
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What did Moses do to deserve this? NOTHING!
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Moses was a murderer!
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God did it because He loved Moses!
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God did it because He had made plans for Moses before the foundations of the world!
(Acts 9:3,4 KJV) And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
(v.4) And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
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What did Paul do to deserve this? NOTHING!
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Paul was a terrorist!
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God did it because He loved Paul!
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God did it because He had made plans for Paul before the foundations of the world!
*** We have thought that God has blessed us because of our faith.
But He actually planned to bless us, before the foundations of the world, because He loves us!
Grace takes the spotlight OFF of you and puts it on God:
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The Law was about man working for God.
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Grace is about God working for man.
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God blesses us because He loves us!
Faith accesses the Grace of God:
What Faith is NOT:
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Faith is NOT telling God what to do!
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Faith is NOT trying to get God to put a “Yes” on your plan!
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Fatih is NOT you commanding God!
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Who are you to tell God what to do?
What Faith IS:
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Faith IS God trying to get you to put a “Yes” on His plan!
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Faith IS you making an alignment with God’s assignment for your life!
Faith requires revelation: (You must hear from God FIRST!)
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Abraham did not come up with the plan!
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Moses did not come up with the plan!
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Paul did not come up with the plan!
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*** And you can’t come up with the plan either!
The Plan is given by Grace, it was birthed before the foundations of the world by God’s love, and once it is revealed to you, you then pursue it by faith!
Until it is revealed to you, that it’s already yours, you are not even authorized to operate in faith for it!
To the level that you are able to receive revelation of God’s grace towards you, is the level that you will be authorized to operate in Faith towards Him!
Finally:
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If you come up with it, it will be too small for God!
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When God comes up with it, it will be too big for you!
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God’s plans always require God’s supernatural involvement.
Closing Confession: Father, I thank You for loving me enough to make plans for me before the foundations of the world. You sent Your Son Jesus to die for me because You love me. Jesus willingly took the assignment, and He bore the pain of the cross because He loves me. Now the Holy Spirit willingly lives in me, and He is committed to me — even though I sometimes ignore Him and do things that grieve Him — because He loves me. I am convinced that You love me and it is because of Your love for me, and Your tireless dedication to me, that I am able to walk in confidence towards You. I have unshakable confidence, because my confidence is NOT in me. If my confidence were in me and my ability, it would be low. But since my confidence is in You, in Your ability, and Your love, my confidence is fearless and steadfast. I live by faith. This means that I willingly accept everything You reveal to me about the plans You made for me before the world began. And I simply say “YES” to Your plans and purposes for my life. I receive Your plans by Grace, I pursue them by faith, and I do it because I am convinced You love me! In Jesus’ name. Amen.
