Living Worthy of the Kingdom pt 4

Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is

designed to uplift and strengthen you in your

walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until

the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive

right in. Hallelujah. If what you think is making

you right with God is your works, then you will

not understand the joy that is in the Lord. Which

is from the law but that which is through faith

in Christ. The righteousness which is from God

by faith. And I may know him and the power of

his resurrection that in the fellowship of his

sufferings being conformed to his death. If by

any means I may attain to the resurrection from

the death. Not that I have already attained or

I'm already perfected. But I praise him that

I may lay hold of that of which Christ Jesus

has also laid. uphold for me. Hallelujah. And

we sang a song about a man that is blessed. And

that is the reality of every single man that

has believed in Jesus Christ. You are a blessed

man. You are a blessed woman. You are a blessed

man. You are a blessed woman. Tell your neighbor,

say, I'm a blessed man. I'm a blessed man. I'm

a blessed man. And that should be the reason

for rejoicing. Amen? We are rejoicing because

we are blessed in Christ. The psalmist said that

blessed is that man to whom God does not what?

Does not impute to your account iniquities. And

pastor made us to read in Romans. Hallelujah.

In Romans chapter 4. It's amazing. Let's go back

Romans 4 · chapter mention

to read and see. In Romans chapter 4. He read

Romans 4 · chapter mention

from verse 1. And then he was giving us a context

of Abraham. Remember the person that wrote this

was. Paul, right? He says, what then shall we

say that Abraham, our father, has found according

to the flesh? That means the blessedness or the

blessings of Abraham wasn't according to the

flesh. The flesh here refers to works. Hallelujah.

For if Abraham was justified by works, he has

something to boast about. Amen? If his justification

was because he did something right, Or he did

something good. Then he will have something to

hold on to. To boast. To be proudful of. But

not before God. Verse 3. For what does the scripture

say? Abraham believed God. And what? And it was

counted to him for what? For righteousness. So

Abraham believed in God. And he was made righteous

by God. Now to him who works. The wages. Are

not counted as grace but death. So all of us

are partakers of this grace. For we believe as

Abraham believed. We are partakers of the blessedness

of Abraham. Because Abraham believed and it was

according to him as righteousness. Verse 5. But

to him who doesn't walk. Believes on him who

justifies the ungodly. Amen. This is where we

are. God justifies us. We were ungodly. We were

not worthy of coming to him. We were not accepted.

The pastors say that we were cursed. It means

that we were cut off. We were disengaged from

the family of God. But then we see in Christ

we are blessed. We are united in him. But to

him who does not walk. but believes on him who

justifies the ungodly. His faith is accounted

for righteousness. Just as David also described

the blessedness of the man, say the blessedness

of I, put your name, the blessedness of Fred,

if you are blessed, you put your name there.

Just as David also described the blessedness

of that man, and that man, I am that man. To

whom God imputes righteousness apart from works.

Imagine that you have to work for righteousness.

I'm telling you, you'll be living with a lot

of burden that you cannot bear. Hallelujah. Blessed

are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven. And

I'm that man. And whose sins are covered. Blessed

is a man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.

And that is the reality of the believer. So,

with this context in mind, in Philippians chapter

Philippians 3 · chapter mention

3, we see Paul will tell the Philippian church,

do what? Rejoice in the Lord. For me to tell

you this thing over and over and over again is

for your safety. For me to tell you to keep rejoicing

is for your safety. It's for your preservation.

It's for your protection. It's to your advantage.

Hallelujah. That is the reason for rejoicing.

That we are blessed. That is the reason for rejoicing.

That we are blessed men. Now one of the most

important virtues of the kingdom of God is joy

in the Holy Ghost. Amen. It's what? It's joy

in the Holy Ghost. And let's look at Romans.

Romans 14, verse 17. Romans 14, verse 17. Romans

Romans 14:17 Romans 14:17 Romans 14:17

14, verse 17. It says, for the kingdom of God

is not what? It's not eating and drinking, but

it's righteousness. And this righteousness is

not out of the works you do, but it's the righteousness

that is imputed to our account. And what? And

peace. And then we see what? We see joy in the

Holy Spirit. And when we're asking ourselves

to rejoice, I see some people standing. And I

can assure you that if you're not rejoicing,

it's only a reflection of your knowledge of what

we're talking about. Amen. It's a litmus test

to your understanding of what Christ has done.

Because as Pastor said, they were on their way

to Emmaus and then suddenly there's a revelation.

Their journey changed. They came back rejoicing.

Hallelujah. That should be what will happen to

us daily as we come across the revelation of

Christ. Our mentality about living and about

life changes totally. We have joy in us. Joy

is not something that will come from somewhere

else as a believer. You already have joy in you.

Galatians 5 verse 22. Give me an amplified. Galatians

Galatians 5:22 Galatians 5:22

5 verse 22. Galatians 5 verse 22. It says, but

Galatians 5:22

the fruit of the spirit that is a result of his

presence within us. If you are born again, you

have the spirit in you. He lives in you. When

he became born again. So the fruit or the result

of his presence within us is what? Is love. Unselfish

concern for others. And we see joy. This joy

is inner joy, inner peace. Patience, not ability

to wait, but how we act while waiting. Kindness,

godliness, goodness, faithfulness. Let's look

at this text in the TPT, the Passion Translation.

It says, but the fruit produced. By the Holy

Spirit within you is what? Is divine love. And

this is how love expresses itself. In all its

various expression, joy that overflows. Hallelujah.

So when you are a believer, you have the Spirit

of God in you. And what we see in the Spirit

of God that is within you is an expression of

joy. Always we see the expression of joy. Regardless

of situations, we see joy. The varied expression,

joy that overflows. Not just being happy. Amen?

You know, you can be happy because of a moment.

You can be happy because of something that has

happened momentarily. But this joy is an eternal

joy. It's an inner joy that is within us, that

is imputed in us. It's a work of the Holy Spirit.

So we see Paul kept emphasizing to the church.

About rejoicing or joy in this letter in Philippians.

For example, in Philippians 1 verse 4. We see

Philippians 1:4

enumerated in a text. Chapter 1 verse 4. Let

me read from verse 3. It says, I thank my God

upon every remembrance of you. Always in every

prayer of mine. Making requests for you all with

joy. It's his lifestyle. And his prayer is full

of joy. Alright? Verse 18. Even when people were

saying bad things about him. Even when people

were criticizing him. Even when people were preaching

the gospel in order to haunt him. Let's see what

it says. What then? Only that in every way, whether

in pretense or in truth, Christ is what? Is preached.

So even when they are blackmailing him, Even

when what they were preaching was meant to do

what? To hurt him. He says, and in this I what?

I rejoice. Yes. And I will what? I will rejoice.

And his rejoicing is because of his position

in Christ. Because of his eternal reality. Because

of his eternal what? Blessings that he has in

Christ Jesus. Chapter 2, verse 2. He says, fulfill

my joy by being like -minded, having the same

love, being of one accord, of one mind. We see

also in verse 17. It says, yes, and if I am being

poured out as a dream offering on the sacrifice

and service of your faith, I'm glad and rejoice

with you all. For the same reason, you also be

glad and rejoice with me. Chapter 3, verse 1

that we read, of course. And later on, we'll

go to chapter 4. We'll see him making emphasis

again. Chapter 4, verse 1. It says, therefore,

my beloved and longed for brethren, my joy and

crown. So stand fast in the beloved. Verse 4.

It says, rejoice in the Lord. Always again, I

will say what? Rejoice. Always I say rejoice.

Why the emphasis on rejoicing? Joy is not a result

of an external situation. Either good or bad.

Hallelujah. We rejoice not because our week has

been good. We rejoice not because our enemies,

you know some people, what makes them happy is

to see others. When they see others failing,

that's a sign of witchcraft. What gives you joy

is to see the downfall of others. Listen, even

if the failure of your enemy makes you happy,

makes you joyful, and there's a problem, it's

a question mark on where your heart is. Hallelujah.

So what does it mean to rejoice? What does it

mean to rejoice? That word rejoice in chapter

3, verse 2, verse 1 rather, is a verb, is a word,

kairo, a verb which means to be glad. It means

to express joy. Let me spell it, it's C -H -A

-I -R -O in the Greek. It means what? To be glad,

to express joy is something that is not just

a feeling inside, but is an expression. It's

an expression, and we do rejoice, and we rejoice.

We express joy from outside. And we see in the

Bible also, Jesus Christ himself rejoiced. Amen?

Luke chapter 10, verse 17. Luke chapter 10, verse

Luke 10:17 Luke 10:17

17, briefly. We see Jesus himself rejoicing.

Luke chapter 10. Verse 17. Very important that

Luke 10 · chapter mention

we open our Bibles. We participate. Then the

servant returned with joy. And this joy is a

noun, right? It's a noun. They returned with

joy saying, Lord, even the demons are subject

to us in your name. Verse 18, quickly. And he

said to them, I saw Satan fall like lightning

from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority

to trample upon serpents and scorpions and over

all the power of the enemy and nothing shall

by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice

in this. Do not rejoice in what? Do not rejoice

in the downfall of the demonic forces. Do not

so much be filled with... What should motivate

you is not the demons and what has happened to

them. Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits

are subject to you, but rather rejoice because

of your heavenly reality. Amen? What should prompt

joy from us is what? Is that our names are written

in heaven. And in verse 20, We see Jesus himself

rejoicing. He says in that very hour, verse 21,

in that hour, Jesus rejoiced in the spirit and

said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and

earth, that you have hidden these things from

them, wise and prudent, and revealed them to

babes. See, revelation, right, will birth rejoicing.

Amen? Revelation. In what God has done for us.

We give back through rejoicing. Even so father.

So it is seem good in your sight. So Jesus asked

his disciples. To rejoice not because of the

miracles. But rather because of their heavenly

reality. And this should be the reason we rejoice

always. Not for anything but else. Our spiritual

reality. That we are forgiven of our sins. Hallelujah.

That in our account is not sin imputed. That

we are members of God's household. We are members

of God's family. That we are sons in the kingdom.

We rejoice because God is our inheritance. God

is our heritage. God doesn't just give us an

inheritance. But he becomes our inheritance.

And we lack no good thing. We rejoice because

we are eternally united with him. We are not

cursed, but we are what? We are blessed. We are

united with God, and this unity is an eternal

unity. Nothing shall separate us from the love

of God. Not even sin has the ability to separate

the believer from the love of God because Christ

has died. Hallelujah. Because Jesus has died

for us. Because Jesus has died for you. So we

what? So we rejoice. We rejoice always. Of course,

the word here that Jesus, we see another word

for rejoicing, agaleo, which means to rejoice

greatly. It means to leap for joy. To exalt,

to leap for joy. So we rejoice always in what?

In the Lord. In the Lord simply means in the

understanding of what he has done for us. And

the second part of Philippians 3 verse 1. It

Philippians 3:1

says, for to write the same thing to you is not

tedious. But for you it is saved. It is saved.

Probably in his meeting with them he always tells

them to rejoice. Been telling them the same thing.

Their reality, what God has done for them in

Christ Jesus. And his emphasis always for them

is to express joy. He says, for me to write the

same things to you is not tedious. It's not burdensome

for me. But it's for your own safety. So even

for us as a church, to keep emphasizing a certain

truth is for our safety. To write the same thing

is repetition. So when Paul was in Philippi,

He has disclosed many of the same points as he

has subsequently recorded in his letters to them.

We see the consistency of his communication,

revealing to the believer, even when we read

in Romans, to the church, the Roman church, we

saw him emphasizing what? The blessedness that

we have received, which is a function of faith

and not of works. Repetition is very important

in mastery of biblical truth. And applying them

in our lives. You know, one popular theologian,

a preacher, Charles Swindon, said something,

and I caught it. He says, I preach the grace

message every week because my people forget it

every week. That's the reason for the emphasis.

And sometimes you hear him saying something over

and over and over again throughout the year.

Listen, there is no message apart from the message

that we've preached. There is no new message.

And then a pastor says something. He says, when

I first began to preach, I was so afraid to repeat

myself. Now I am afraid I won't. He says he's

afraid that he wouldn't repeat himself. How much

of a message do people understand? How much do

they retain? Will they recognize if they heard

it in a slightly different form? So the emphasis

of the truth concerning the grace of God can

never be overemphasized to the believer. And

when we are filled with this understanding, it

changes the way we live daily. It seems as though

we walk through the week and we forget that we

are saved by grace. And we want to manipulate

our way to pleasing God. And when we come back

to church, if we are not reminded that we are

saved by grace, we will maintain our stability

there. And that takes away our joy. That takes

away the blessings that we have. That takes away

the enjoyment, the flow of what God has done

in us. It limits us from enjoying the blessedness

that we have in Christ Jesus. So I say we have

no new truth, but one truth. No new message,

but the same message. No fresh revelation, but

the revelation that is in the scriptures. We

only have a better understanding of what has

been taught in the scriptures. To some, it may

be boring. But that's where our safety lies.

Hallelujah. It's told them rejoice. To repeat

the same thing to you again is not tedious for

me. But it is to your advantage. And we see Paul

enter another admonition in verse 2. He warns

the church about a certain group of people. He

warns the church about a certain group of people.

He says, beware of dogs. This is popular. I don't

know. How do they write it in Turkish? Here,

you see houses? They put decat, right? Copec,

var. Caution. That's beware of dogs. And when

I saw this word in the scripture, I went on to

make research, and I discovered, actually, that

this sentence, beware of dogs, came into prominence

in the first century. During the Roman Empire.

So since from then they used to write beware

of dogs in their houses up to today. People still

write beware of dogs. He went on to say beware

of dogs. Beware of what? Of evil walkers. Beware

of the mutilation. These are heavy words. These

are heavy words. Who are these dogs? Or what

does it mean to be? Is it literal ducks? That

he doesn't want them to be bitten by a duck?

Here, a duck is a metaphor for people. I read

together. Duck is a metaphor for people. The

ducks in the first part of this verse are similar

to evil workers. He's talking about the same

set of people. Ducks are not different from evil

workers. The ducks are the evil workers. The

evil workers are what? Are the mutilation. Or

I would say the mutilators. These three categories

are all the same people. So what does it mean

ducks, evil workers, and mutilation? Now mutilation

is in reference to circumcision. Amen? Mutilation

is in reference to circumcision. And when we

talk about circumcision, we are talking about

works. We are talking about, you know, the establishment.

Of the law. In the Jewish nation. The word mutilation

comes from two words. To cut and down. It means

to cut off. Of course we know what circumcision

is. This probably means the removal of the foreskin.

Now Paul was using this phrase. contemptuously

for the Jewish circumcision in contrast to what?

To spiritual circumstance of their heart. In

verse 3, he will say, for we are the circumcision

who worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ

Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. So,

these dogs, this mutilation or these evildoers

are those who Put their trust in works of the

law for their justification. Those who put their

trust in efforts of men to make themselves right

with God. So Paul is warning them after saying

rejoice in the Lord. Be careful because these

dogs are capable of taking away your joy. These

evil doers are capable of cutting away your joy.

This mutilation is capable of taking away your

joy. Beware. And we see Paul explain circumcision

in the Bible and subsequent scriptures. Paul

would stress that true circumcision is a spiritual

thing, is an inward thing, an act of the heart

by the spirit, not merely an external ritual.

Of course, there was instruction for circumcision.

And what was given in the Old Testament was a

foreshadowing, right? We've talked this several

times in church. Of what will happen in Christ.

Was a mode of communicating what God will do

in Christ. Circumcision itself is not what make

a man right with God. Because Abraham, who we

saw around on Passover Galatians 3, he was made

right with God even before circumcision. Hallelujah.

Even before the instruction for circumcision,

Abraham was declared righteous before God. So

what makes a man righteous is not anything physical

and ceremonial. So we see Paul explaining in

scriptures about circumcision. That is something

spiritual, not merely an external ritual. Romans

Romans 2:28

2, verse 28 and 29, quickly. Romans 2, 28. Romans

2, 28. Talking about who a Jew is. It says, for

he is not a Jew who is one outwardly. So being

a Jew is not about physical appearance, nor a

circumcision, that which is outward in the flesh.

Verse 29. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly.

And circumcision is that of what? of the heart,

in the spirit, not in the letter, whose praise

is not from men, but from God. So there are two

types of circumcision. There's a physical circumcision,

which is of the law, which is physical, which

is outward, and there's a circumcision that is

of the heart, which is spiritual, which is of

God. Now, that which is of men is a foreshadowing

of what is spiritual. It's Moses' mode of communication.

Give me this same text in NLT. Romans 2, 28,

29 in NLT. It says, no. It says, for you are

not a true Jew just because you were born of

Jewish parents or because you have gone through

the ceremony of circumcision. No. A true Jew

is one whose heart is right with God. He was

communicating to the Jewish people. Because some

of them were bragging of their identity. They

were bragging of their nationality. They were

bragging of their inclusion in the plan of God.

And what are they bragging about? Their ceremonial

activities that they do that makes them right

in their own eyes. And true circumcision is not

merely obeying the letter of the law. Rather,

it is a change of heart. Now, this is what is

circumcision. It's a change of heart. Produced

by God's spirit. So circumcision is a separation

of man from what? From works. From dead works.

By the spirit of God. Through faith. And a person

with a changed heart seeks praise from God. Not

from people. Hallelujah. Paul argues that physical

circumcision has no value in Christ. What matters

is faith expressed itself through love. Galatians

Galatians 5:6

chapter 5 verse 6. Galatians 5 verse 6. NLT,

Galatians 5:6

Galatians 5 verse 6. For when we place our faith

Galatians 5:6

in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being

circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important

is faith expressed itself in love. John chapter

John 6:11–15

6 verse 11 to 15. Galatians 6, 11. Yes. To 15.

He says, notice that large letters I use as I

write these words in my own handwriting. Those

who are trying to force you to be circumcised

want to look good to others. They don't want

to be persecuted for teaching that the cross

of Christ alone can save. So they tell them you

can believe but be circumcised. That's what makes

God accept you. Adding some little works here

and there. Verse 18. And even those who advocate

circumcision don't keep the whole law themselves.

They only want you to be circumcised so they

can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.

As for me, may I never boast about anything except

what? Except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Because of that cross, my interest in this world

has been crucified. And the world's interest

in me has also died. Verse 15. It doesn't matter

whether we have been circumcised or not. What

counts is whether we have been transformed. What?

Into a new creation. Hallelujah. It's a transformation.

Of the heart is the circumcision of the spirit.

And that happens when a man believes. When a

man believes. 2 Colossians 6. Colossians 2 verse

Colossians 2:6

6. Colossians 2 verse 6. And now just as you

Colossians 2:6

accepted Christ as your Lord. You must continue

to follow him. Because in Galatians chapter 5,

Galatians 5 · chapter mention

the apostle read and he was saying, oh foolish

Galatians, who bewitched you? Who cast a spell?

Who did you do on your mind? But after you've

studied in faith, you've believed God, you trust

God, you trust the finished work of God on the

cross, of Christ on the cross, then you drift

into ceremonies, activities to make yourself

accepted. Are you not foolish? Are you not? I

am not dumb. And now, just as you have accepted

Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue

to follow him. Quickly, please. Verse 7. Let

your roots grow down into him and let your lives

be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong

in the truth you were taught. And what were you

taught? You were taught about faith. And you

will overflow with what? With thankfulness. That

is rejoicing there. You overflow with thankfulness.

Verse 8. Don't let anyone capture you with empty

philosophies and high sounding nonsense that

comes from human thinking and from spiritual

powers of this world rather than from Christ.

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in

a human body. So you also. Are complete. How

are you complete? You are complete through your

union with Christ. Who is a head over every ruler

and authority. When you came to Christ. You were

circumcised. Hallelujah. When you came to Christ.

What happened to you? You were circumcised. But

not by fiscal procedure. Christ performed a spiritual

circumcision. This is a spiritual circumcision.

The cutting away of your sinful nature. The separation

of man from sin is circumcision. It's a separation

of the flesh. It's a picture of what Christ has

done in a man that believes through the works

of the Spirit. Verse 12. For you were buried

with Christ when you were baptized and with him

you were raised to new life because you trusted

the mighty power of God who raised Christ from

the dead. You were dead because of your sins

and because your sinful nature was not yet cut

away. Then God made you alive with Christ for

he forgave all our sins. Verse 14. He canceled

the record of the charges against us and took

it away. That is circumcision. Took away by nailing

it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed spiritual

rulers. Amen. Authorities. He shamed them publicly.

By his victory over them, where? In your works,

in your fasting and prayers, on the cross. Hallelujah.

So the dogs in Philippians 3 verse 2 were religious

Philippians 3:2

workers. They were those who believe in the flesh.

They believe in upholding rituals for righteousness

rather than faith. Their religion involves deceitful

works. It is deceitful because it distorts the

true gospel and the Christian life. That is why

it is called evil works. It's called evil works

because it distorts the true gospel which is

focused on what Christ has done. So, if you are

a believer, And you are believing in something

other than what Christ has done. You are in evil

works. You are doing evil works. If any preacher

who comes to give you a formula to pleasing God,

A, B, C, D, on how to be accepted, on how to

make heaven rather than faith, it's evil works.

It's an attack, just like the way a dog attacks

a man. It's an attack on the truth of the gospel.

That is why he used the metaphor of a duck. He

used and described that as what? As evil works.

Those who believe in the mutilation. Paul again

calls religious works, deceptive works, 2 Corinthians

11, 13. And later on, yes, he says, these people

are what? They are false apostles. They are deceitful

workers. who disguise themselves as apostles

of Christ. And we'll see later, he will call

them, he will name them enemies of the cross.

Chapter 3, Philippians 3, verse 17 and 19. You

Philippians 3:17

see later, he will call them what? Enemies of

the cross. Philippians 3, 17 to 19. It says,

dear brothers and sisters, pattern your life

after mine and learn from those who follow our

example. For I have told you often before and

I say again with tears in my eyes that there

are many whose conduct shows they are really

enemies of the cross of Christ. How are they

enemies of the cross of Christ? Because they

believe in something else than the finished work

of Christ. They are enemies of the cross. Verse

3. It says, for we are the circumcision who worship

God in spirit. Rejoice in Christ Jesus and have

no confidence in the flesh. For we who worship

by the spirit of God are the ones who are truly

circumcised. Are we truly circumcised? Are we

truly circumcised? Circumcised from what? From

sin. Hallelujah. We are disconnected from sin.

We rely on what? What Christ Jesus has done for

us. We put no confidence in the flesh. The flesh

here means human efforts. Any efforts you put

your confidence in is evil works. It's anti the

cross. It's against the gospel, the message of

the gospel. We rely on what Christ Jesus has

done for us. So in contrast to verse 2, Paul

mentions four fundamental things about the believer,

about our reality. He says we are the circumcision.

Hallelujah. We are the cut off from sin. Paul

accepted circumcision, but only a certain kind.

It was a circumcision of the heart. It was spiritual

rather than physical. But the Judaizers believed

in the physical ritual. They made a virtue of

the rituals. Their religious practices was physical

act of circumcision. And he makes another emphasis

in verse 2. Verse 3 rather. He says we worship

God in the spirit. So worship is not something

physical. Worship is what? It's spiritual because

we are spirits. We are spirituals. We are spiritual.

Jesus will mention in John chapter 4 verse 24.

John 4:24

He says God is spirit and those who worship him.

Must worship him in spirit and truth. Spirit

which is truth. Spirit which is the right way

of worship. And he says we rejoice in Christ

Jesus. So our rejoicing has its focal point on

Christ. In him. Not in our ability to live up

to God's expectations. But we rejoice in what?

In what God has done. In what Christ has done.

Hallelujah. Is this not relieving? Is this not

relieving in the heart? Is this not taking away

your burden? Is this not a good news? Is this

not the good news? Our bursting is not in ourselves.

It is in Jesus Christ and his works. We do not

brag about ourselves. We brag about Jesus Christ.

See. We don't brag about knowledge. You see,

there's a temptation to feel that you are so

important because you know how to interpret Greek

and Hebrew. It's possible for you to brag and

you look at your prayer life and you look at

how you've been consistent. Just one week of

consistency. Just one week of consistency that

we've been... trying and trusting God to help

you, just did one week of consistency, you see

every other person has a sinner. It's very possible

because you just made an attempt to go out for

evangelism, and you spoke to one person in three

months, in four months, in five months, then

you see everybody is not doing the work of ministry.

Everybody is not passionate for souls. And you

quit God's goodness. In your life because of

your good conducts. Because you've been in order.

You've been doing what is right. God is happy

with you. Oh you know. My life I've not. I've

not seen. So that's why I'm. I'm enjoying the

blessings of God. We do not glory in ourselves.

We glory in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah. He says

we have no confidence in the flesh. We have no

confidence in human effort. We have no confidence

in the good news. Translation would say external

ceremonies, activities. Activities. Your blessing

shouldn't be that you're always in church every

week. You don't miss activities every, you know,

you attend church here, you go online, there

are meetings you attend from your country, everywhere,

you are all over. And that's where your bursting

is. Those things are good. Alright? We're not

condemning any of those things. But we are saying

that you are a product of God's grace. Hallelujah.

We are all a product of God's grace. And our

bursting must be in Christ. Amen? Those who live

by grace not have one ounce, one true plate.

Of confidence in the flesh. Paul was not persuaded.

That the flesh could earn any credit. In God's

eyes. But both his salvation. And his Christian

walk. Were dependent upon the grace of God. Hallelujah.

You came in by faith. And you live by faith.

You cannot start by faith. And continue in works.

So every day you wake up. From bed. You must

remind yourself that I'm a blessed person. I'm

a blessed child of God because God has blessed

me. I'm a blessed child of God because I enjoy

the blessings of God. So later on, we'll see

in verse 4 to 6, we'll look at that subsequently.

Paul showcases his credentials in the flesh.

What those people are busting about, he shows

his credentials. And then in verse 7 to 11, we'll

see Paul will count all that he had in the flesh

as rubbish for the sake. of God's way of righteousness,

which is by faith. So what are you rejoicing

in? Are you holding to evil works? Or holding

on to the finished work of Christ? Paul showcases

his credentials in the flesh. What those people

are bossing about, he shows his credentials.

And then in verse 7 to 11, we see Paul will count

all that he had in the flesh as rubbish for the

sake of God's way of righteousness, which is

by faith. So what are you rejoicing in? Are you

holding to evil works or holding on to the finished

work of Christ? Hallelujah. I just want to close

our eyes and just thank God. We appreciate you

being here today. We hope you carry this word

with you throughout your week. Don't forget to

check the show notes for additional insights.

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Until next time, stay blessed.