Connect Group Feb 2020 - Knowing God Through Love

1 JOHN 4

Knowing God Through Love

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Everyone who loves is born of God. 

He who does not love does not know God.

It does not say about not just hating, but go and love.

In the old covenant, we talk about do not steal, do not murder, do not covet.

But when it comes to new covenant, it talks about the alternative.

Not only it says do not sin, but rather live in joy, righteousness, peace.

Even to the Children, most of the times, we stop at saying DONTS.

but we dont show the alternatives, the other sides.

Peter:

Luke 5:5-8

5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

The Love of God was great not to condemn, but the repentance was brought out by showing love.

The abundance of Love brought Peter to repentance.

John 8: 7 -11

7 So when they continued asking Him, He [g]raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being[h] convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up [i]and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers [j]of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go [k]and sin no more.”

Jesus did not judge, but gave the best sermon,

First God Loved -   God did not wait for man to love first.

We many times we wait someone to come and show the love of Christ.

But you love.

Grow - vision

GROW / Discipleship

Grow - We are a church where people are equipped, disciples are built, and mentors are raised through the word.

Vision - Honor God, Reveal Life, Share Hope

Celebration of where we are:

We are blessed to have a Church where  people of all walks of life are discipled through many ministries like Sunday school , Kingdom kids, youth group and Young adults, Bible studies, mens meeting, women's meeting, annual retreat, 21 days fasting prayer etc.

Many people's lives  are built and transformed by counseling through the Word of God.

Traditional beliefs are overcome by the Truth of God.

Broken lives are mended.

Lonely have found a family here.

Many young girls and boys are mentored and have become mature in the faith.

Breakthroughs , wonders , miracles  are experienced and witnessed through fasting and prayer.

Why we can’t stay here:

The foundation of the believers have to be strong to face rapdily changing world and it's challenges.The Harvest is plenty and we need to raise disciples

Where we want to be:

Every day walk and choices of the believers should be driven by the Word of God. An uncompromised and holy life should be the lifestyle of the believers.

We want to raise mentors who can disciple others.

Practically how will we do that this year: 

Apart from existing ministries that we have for Discipleship, this year we will be begin some new initiatives.

Growth track is a program  designed to lay the foundation for  new believers.

Online foundational classes to build the Youngsters in their faith walk.

(Look at Act 2 Presentation 2 year plan)

Psalm 52

The Story is found in 1st Samuel 22.
Saul was chasing David to kill him.
And David was running away and ended up in a place called Nob.
And he came to a priest called Ahimelech.
And Ahimelech gave David the bread to eat and gave the sword of goliath.
And while this was happening, there was a man called doeg, an edomite.
This man doeg goes to Saul and tells him what has happened at Nob.
then Saul calls Ahimelech the priest and all his household.
and on that day 85 men were killed , and not only that all the city of the Nob was attacked both men and women belonging to the priests.

Just because of an evil tongue.

V2
Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
3 You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah

This man doeg was an edommite. who was an edomite, the descandant of EdomEsau. Esau destroyed himself by his own words when he despised his birthright. and his descandent doeg destroyed the family of priests with his words.


Whole household of priests were killed because of the words of an evil man.
A Wicked person is known by his/her tongue.

V 5 God shall likewise destroy you forever;
Whatever words you sow to speak against a brother or sister, that will come upon you.  

Sowing and Reaping is a principle.
Whatever words you sow in other peoples lives. Even a single word you speak against other brother or sister, you will reap it.


V 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
Be Established  in the house of God.
You might be someone who is coming regularly, But expand your faith in every area of your life and be established in the house of God.


 3 things - Use your tongue to change the direction.

1) Change your direction
If you are going through tough times, you can change the direction of your destination by using your tongue with faith. 
Rudder of the Ship.
Remember, when everyone was heading to hell, our confession of faith in Lord Jesus through our tongue has changed our direction to God.

2) Tongue has power to destroy. -  your tongue can destroy the works of the enemy.
Too often we are involved in gossipping and talking about others. but the Gospel of Christ is so powerful to destroy the works of the enemy. So use this tongue to spread this gospel.We have gospel track distribution. Get Ready to spread this gospel.

3) Tongue builds fellow bretheren : Build your brethren with your tongue. Speak to those who are discouraged in life. Go to an youngster and mentor their lives.



Today, check for yourselves,  is My tongue brings out Worship to my God.

Tongues 2 main responsibilities - 

To Worship God. 
To Build Others

Foundation - Righteousness

God - no one can stand before God in their sinful state.

Righteousness - Stand before God just as a right person.

Self Righteous

Self Righteous
I think I can attain union with God 

Comparing with others

Luke 18:11
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 


The most merciful person is the holiest person - Almighty God


Romans 5:23
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.


2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Romans 5:17
17 For if by the one man’s [g]offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.


Wear the wedding garment

1 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, [b]take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Romans 8:4

4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.


New Creation is life of God

Have this attitude of Jesus Christ

God

Alignment of movements

Jehoshapat asks Ahab asks to enquire.

Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the Lord today.”
I Kings 22:5 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1ki.22.5.NKJV

400 prophets  say Go
But Jehoshapat can recognize that it sounds good but it is not from. God

Many times we think man's ways of goodness is God.

But we cannot contain God in the box of man's goodness.

The problem in Church today is we want to hear good things and say that's the Word of God. but  God's goodness is different from man's goodness.

Ahab says still there is one man

That means Ahab knows what it is from God. But still refuse to call him for the meeting.

How many times we refuse to call the true man or God during our testing times, but we only call who can please our ears.

But Ahab,refused to call him because he cannot take a rebuke, because he gave a free hand to Jezebel.

Ratio is 400:1

Jehoshapat really knows the Prophet of God.

And he says don't say such things.

Judgement starts first from House of God

Foundation Teachings - New Creation

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he  is  a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

When a person becomes  born again , believer. what actually happens.

What changes? What Matters? What does it mean.

You are not saved by those just words. But you realized that you needed a savior. In your current state, you had no hope and you have heard how Jesus died for the sins of the whole world. and you took a decision that you need to be born again.

John 20:20

And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
John 20:22 NKJV

The disciples  had become born again.

New creation begins when Holy Spirit comes into heart.

When a person believes in Jesus Christ and confess the Lordship of the Jesus Christ in their lives.  The Holy Spirit comes and lives in them.

Not only you are saved, you are also sealed.

Ephesians 1:13

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who[d] is the [e]guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Born - new baby is born.
Born again - new creation.

The new creation begins with Holy Spirit coming into heart.

Promise of sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Old things have passed -

When  a  child is born, do you know any of the past of that child. - NO

When you come to Christ - God sees you as a small child with Old things passed.

Your sins are forgiven and forgotten.

your curses are broken.

your destination has changed. Earlier you were destined to hell, but now you are destined to Gods presence.

Behold all things have become new.

New is not the body or mind but the New Spirit.

New Creation is Life of the Spirit

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV

Where the HolySpirit comes, newness comes into your heart.

Newness: there is someone to guide you.

In the Past, to tell a lie does not mean anything. Earlier, you might be someone who complains about everything.

2 Factors:  HolySpirit , WORD of God

But the newness is that HolySpirit inside you and the Word that comes to you will guide you.

Instead of complaining ,you will wait for God's ways to be revealed in your situations.

New Creation is life of Love - 

The New Life - starts with Love.

New Creation life - has love.
Many people asks question after I take baptism , can I do this or not.
Can I watch movies, can I drink.

Is this right or wrong.

But that is for religious people.

When you are born again, you become Spiritual being not religious being.

Spiritual works in freedom not rules.

Spiritual - the freedom to Love God.

You know who is the first person who saw Resurrected Jesus Christ.

Mary the Magdalene.

Your Love for God grows more.
You start living with gratitude.

And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
Luke 7:37‭-‬38 NKJV

You love God so much you hate anything that hurts God.

Eternal Life.

And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I John 5:11‭-‬12 NKJV

Knowing the Father and His Son is eternal life.

Yes Eternal life beyond the life after this world.

But Eternal life can be experienced ( Gods life can be experienced ) on this Earth.

Stephen was a man who stoned by religious people and he could reveal Gods life even in the face of death.

Part takers of divine nature.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that  is in the world through lust.
II Peter 1:2‭-‬4 NKJV

Slaves of sin cannot take part of the divine nature.

But when you are under Grace, sin cannot master over you.

Divine Nature - Nature of God

Nature of God - Purity, Holiness, Righteousness,Mercy,Compassion, Love,- this all will flow because you are under Grace.

You cannot be a recipient of grace without dispensing it.

In New creation there is victory over sin.

Many say this anger , you cannot overcome , this particular sin, its impossible to overcome. But those who are under Grace they can overcome.

Romans 6:14

14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Set Mind  and prove Will of God.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/rom.12.2.NKJV