Joy from Christ, not your performance

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Names of God's Children

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If you are a child of the living God, you are no longer called a sinner; "For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls" 1Peter 2:25. We are still a sinners but God looks at us not as sinners, but as His precious children. Why? Because of what Jesus did on the Cross for you and me, sinners saved by sovereign grace. Jesus, is the Overseer and Lover of our souls, as the Good Shepherd. Jesus said in John's Gospel "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." John 10:14-15. The Bible has many names for God's children, sinners who are saved by His wondrous grace and mercy. You are the: Beloved of God (Rom 1:7) Beloved Brethren (James 2:5) Children of God (John 1:12) Sons of the Living God (Rom 9:26) Sons of the Most High (Luke 6:35) Children of the Promise (Rom 9:8) Dear Children ( Eph 5:1...
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DESPAIR IS SATAN’S MASTERPIECE

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Job 6:1-30 I titled my sermon after a statement that the late great reformer Thomas Brooks said “Despair is Satan's masterpiece; it carries men headlong to hell as the devils did the herd of swine into the deep.”  I also came across a fictitious story that Steve Lawson mentions in a commentary, which speaks about, this word despair.  “One day the devil decided to have a garage sale. Taking all his finest tools of destruction: hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit, lust, lying, and pride. He priced each one according to its value and placed them on the driveway. But the most worn tool was set apart from the other instruments. A curious customer saw and picked up the worn tool, looked it over, and noted that it carried the highest price. He asked , “Why is this tool higher than the others?”  The devil laughed and said , “That’s the tool called ‘discouragement.’ It is more powerful than any other tool I have. When I use this tool on a person’s heart, I can pry it open ...
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TRUE JOY IS ONLY FOUND IN CHRIST

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INTRODUCTION How relevant is this letter to the Philippian Church? Let me ask this question before you answer that one!  Is it easy to be a Christian in today’s world?  The answer is no, it’s the opposite; it’s hard and feels sometimes like an uphill battle.  This letter should encourage you to live for Christ despite the opposition with a joy that nothing can steal that joy away.  Where are you going to find true joy?  Because Paul in this letter radiates a infectious joy, though he writes this letter from a Roman’s prison cell.  In this letter Paul helps us to understand that joy isn’t resulting from comfortable circumstances, but from a living, vibrant communion with Christ.  I say that because look what Paul says in chapter two “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me .” Phil 2:17-18....
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