Friday, December 28, 2012

Wkly Bible Study for Dial-Up/Broadband, 12-31-2012

The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age. Part 61.
The Doctrine of Supergrace (spiritual maturity). Lesson 2.

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PLEASE READ FIRST

Scripture References, Word & Phrase descriptions: If available on the website you're viewing this on, a few links (i.e., those without an already written scripture quote or brief explanation) are hover pop-up active, meaning the scripture reference will just pop-up if you hover your cursor over it (don’t click on the link, just hover your cursor over it), they work best using the Firefox browser – pop-ups in Internet Explorer, Chrome & other browsers only appear for a few seconds at best. If you don’t have Firefox (or hover pop-ups aren’t available on the website you’re viewing this on), that’s OK, move your cursor off and on the link until it is read; or left click the link which will open the verse at the online bible; or you can always use your Bible to look up the verses.

Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is; you have believed [trusted] in Him for His promised gift of eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to learn God's Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge (confess) your sins privately to God (i.e.; with your thoughts directed only to God the Father).

1 John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (known sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [unknown or forgotten sins]." NKJV (New King James Version) [italics added]

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is to have faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life:

John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]

Notice again what Jesus said in John 6:47: "…he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." It doesn't say, "will have"; it says, "has." Therefore, the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ for His promise of everlasting life, you have it (it's really just that simple; nothing more and nothing less), and it can never be taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift (Ephesians 2:8c) of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: "14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God's Word. If there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:


Study to show yourself approved to God!

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Grace Bible Church
Robert R. McLaughlin Bible Ministries


The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings

STUDY TITLE:


The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age. Part 61.
The Doctrine of Supergrace (spiritual maturity). Lesson 2



OPTION: If you would prefer to go directly to the Grace Bible Church website to read this study message, all verse reference links are active there (but not hover active) and Enlarged Text is also an available option – right click the above link then left click “Open Link in New Window” or “New Tab”


Terms & Abbreviations used:

PPOG = Predesigned Plan of God
Human Good = Evil + Good Deeds while not in fellowship with God
OSN = Old Sin Nature
TLJC = The Lord Jesus Christ
SSE = Spiritual Self Esteem
PVTD = Positive Volition Towards Doctrine
+H - The Happiness of God
NVTD = Negative Volition Towards Doctrine
Doctrine = Bible Truth

To look up other “terms”, go to:

Alphabetical Listing


BEGIN BIBLE STUDY

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes and references
are from the NASB – New American Standard Bible



We continue our study of the Doctrine of Supergrace. Let’s review the different categories of the blessings of Supergrace.

Category one: Spiritual blessings. Sharing the perfect happiness of God, occupation with Christ is maximum category one love which is intensified in Supergrace and ultra-Supergrace. There are many kinds of blessings because of your maximum love for the Lord Jesus Christ. The Supergrace believer has great capacity for life, love, happiness, blessing, and total appreciation for grace; all of these are intensified in Supergrace. Also, there is the tremendous ability to face undeserved suffering in life without complaining. For the Supergrace believer, the intensification of spiritual blessings comes while wearing that shroud of maximum suffering, unremitting suffering that never seems to terminate and does not terminate until departure from this life. Remember the corrected translation of PHI 1:29 “Because to you it has been graciously given with reference concerning Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on behalf of Him,” This is for the Supergrace believer and the ultra-Supergrace believer. Under spiritual blessings, the Supergrace believer also has the ability to correctly interpret history, to evaluate current events in the light of the Word of God. He is not a slave to the circumstances of life and has adaptability to changing circumstances. The mature believer is a great innovator in time of historical disaster because he has grace orientation, freedom orientation, authority orientation, common sense; a total sense of security, whether in prosperity or disaster.

Category two: Temporal blessings. This includes wealth, either received or acquired. You can be wealthy and enshrouded in the great suffering mantle. You can have professional prosperity which means having a great influence on others, leadership dynamics, success, promotion, recognition in one's sphere of life. When God promotes you, that’s when you are qualified for the job. Under Supergrace, you will have the ability to assume responsibility and authority without emotional inspiration or pseudo motivation. You will also have great social prosperity, great friends, and you will also have sexual prosperity with your right one of the opposite sex. There's also technical prosperity or mental prosperity which is the ability to think and concentrate. This will give you a greater capacity for life, a greater interest in life where every day is meaningful. You will have cultural and establishment prosperity which includes enjoyment of freedom, privacy, and protection of life and property from criminals and reprisal. There is also prosperity in the area of health.

Category three: Blessings by association. Those around a mature believer are blessed by their association or relationship with that person. They are blessed either directly by God or indirectly from the Supergrace believer as a result of the overflow of blessings. The Supergrace believer shares his blessings with others and is very gracious. There are peripheral areas of blessing by association such as loved ones, business, and social life, and to those in a local church. There are also geographical blessings to the Supergrace believer's city, state, and nation.

Category four: Historical blessings (2TI 1:5). This is the doctrinal principle that the mature believer stabilizes his generation, and becomes a stabilizer for future generations. The ebb and flow of history does not disturb the tranquility or impact of the mature believer. He is the MAT 5:13-14 individual, the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The Supergrace believer is on the right side of history, while the reversionist is on the wrong side. The reversionist is caught up in the disasters of history and swept along with them, living as EPH 4:14 says, “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;” The Supergrace believer rides on the crests of the waves of blessings. He rises above historical disaster and is not tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming.

Category five: Undeserved suffering. Only in time does God have the opportunity to give us pressure, disaster, and undeserved suffering in order to prove to Satan and the fallen angels that Bible doctrine can handle any situation. God gives us the ability to handle suffering and turn it into blessing (ROM 8:28, DEU 23:5). A mature believer knows when he is under divine discipline or undeserved suffering. The former is unbearable suffering, while the latter is bearable. The Supergrace believer's ability to handle undeserved suffering glorifies God and becomes evidence against Satan in his appeal trial. Undeserved suffering is also used by God to help you keep your eyes on God and your focus on eternity (REV 2:10; 2CO 12:9-10). Undeserved suffering also teaches us the value of Bible doctrine PSA 119:67-71, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Thy word. Thou art good and doest good; Teach me Thy statutes. The arrogant have forged a lie against me; With all {my} heart I will observe Thy precepts. Their heart is covered with fat, {But} I delight in Thy law. It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Thy statutes. The law of Thy mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver {pieces}. Thy hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments. May those who fear Thee see me and be glad, Because I wait for Thy word. I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me.”

Category six: Dying blessings or dying grace. Every believer has a choice in time between being positive to Bible doctrine and receiving dying grace, or being negative to doctrine and dying the sin unto death. For the Supergrace believer, the curse of death, with its pain and fear, is removed (HEB 2:15). It is the greatest experience in life; it is the antithesis of the sin unto death. The mature believer has the best of life, the best in dying, and better than the best for all eternity. That's why PSA 116:15 says “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.” Dying grace is taught in 2TI 4:6-8, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure [death] has come. I have fought the good fight [glorification of TLJC in the angelic conflict], I have finished the course [PPOG for his life], I have kept with doctrine; in the future [the Judgment Seat of Christ] there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” This crown is awarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ to the Church-age believer who fulfills the PPOG and advances to spiritual maturity.

Category seven: The blessings of surpassing grace at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Surpassing grace is the optimum in spiritual achievement. It is the maximum place of blessing and reward, and the ultimate in glorifying Jesus Christ. Surpassing connotes something beyond Supergrace and beyond time. Surpassing grace is the status of special blessings and rewards in eternity for the believer who breaks the maturity barrier. JAM 1:25 “But one who looks intently at the perfect law [Bible doctrine], the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer [perception, metabolization, and application of Bible doctrine], this man shall be blessed [have +H] in what he does.” There are no surpassing grace blessings without the attainment of Supergrace blessings (1CO 3:11-16). The Judgment Seat of Christ is the time of distribution of surpassing grace blessings.

Retaining the Objective of Supergrace and Moving on to Ultra-Supergrace. Getting to Supergrace is one thing; retaining the objective is another. In PHI 3:12-14, we not only have the concept of retaining the objective, but its implication in the field of the ultra-Supergrace status. PHI 3:12-14, “Not that I have already obtained it [received ultra-Supergrace status; he was in prison at this time in Supergrace but not ultra-Supergrace], or have already become perfect [the objective for the apostle Paul is ultra-Supergrace], but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that [ultra-Supergrace] for which [ultra-Supergrace] also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet [ultra-supergrace]; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind [reversionism in Jerusalem] and reaching forward to what lies ahead [ultra-Supergrace], I press on toward the goal [I keep advancing toward that objective] for the prize of the upward call [the upward call is ultra-Supergrace] of God in Christ Jesus.” The objective of Supergrace must be held to reach the further objective of ultra-Supergrace, enter into the blessings of dying grace, and receive surpassing grace at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

The Promotion Principle of Supergrace (Psa 84). Always remember that very simple, but profound, principle that if God doesn't promote you, you aren't promoted. Even more important, if God doesn't provide it, it isn't worth having. Psa 84 deals with the promotion of the Supergrace believer and the ultra-Supergrace believer. Here is the attitude of anyone who reaches Supergrace or ultra-Supergrace. PSA 84:1 (For the choir director; on the Gittith [harp]. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.) “How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts!” The phrase O Lord of the hosts means O Lord of the armies, a title for the Lord Jesus Christ as a defender of those with PVTD. PSA 84:2 “My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.” David's soul longs for the place where Bible doctrine was being taught. The word for longed is the Hebrew verb kacaph which means to desire, to yearn for, to long for deeply. The Hebrew word for yearned is kalah which means to be consumed by something, to be so determined that you'll do anything to get it. The Supergrace attitude longs for the communication of the Word of God, Bible doctrine. The Supergrace believer needs it more than his daily food, JOB 23:12 “I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth [doctrine] more than my necessary food.” The Supergrace believer is willing to be like the Queen of Sheba who went over 1,000 miles to come to Bible class. When you get to the place where you are rejoicing over the living God, it is because you are very close to, or have attained, the goal of Supergrace. Singing for joy over the living God is an expression of your love and gratefulness and gratitude to God (Act 16). The Bible teaches that singing is one of the methods of praise. God's people have always been a singing people, and God's deliverance has inspired many songs. When the Jews left Egypt and were freed from slavery, Moses and the Israelites broke out in a song of praise (EXE 15:1). COL 3:16 says, “Let the doctrines of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed [such as singing], do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Hymns are expressions of praise to God; Psa 136 is an example in which God is praised for His past actions. Every verse in Psa 136 ends with the phrase that the grace of God endures forever. The words of the songs we sing should reflect the words and teaching of Scripture. The more doctrinal our songs are the more glorifying will our singing be to God.

In PSA 84:3, we have an illustration, “The bird also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even Thine altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God.” The Hebrew word for bird is tsippowr which is a sparrow, one of the lowest birds in the bird family. In fact, when grace is portrayed, the sparrow is used. MAT 10:29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” The point is that if the Father takes care of the sparrows, which is the lowest bird of all, how much more will he take care of you? So, this represents the fact that David had such an attitude of humility that he realized that he was a nothing. However, a nothing can reach Supergrace; a nobody can enter into Supergrace capacity and be blessed by God. 1CO 1:26-29, “For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God.” A man can cause himself to be a courageous spiritual man not by dressing up the outward appearance, but by dressing up his soul. Of course the same thing is true for the woman. She can cause herself to be a beautiful woman not by dressing up the outward, but by dressing up the inner soul with the result that her character and integrity will reveal what's inside. That's why Paul said in 1TI 2:9-10, “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; but rather by means of good works, as is fitting for women making a claim to living the spiritual life.” So PSA 84:3 “The sparrow also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even Thine altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God.” If the sparrow is taken care of by God, and if the sparrow has found a house in Supergrace, how much more can you develop that Supergrace capacity to receive from God? That's what God wants you to do. He wants you to have within your soul a Supergrace capacity to be blessed by Him. The sparrows and the swallows are the two most helpless of all the birds, and they have found a nest, and the word nest means a resting place. The resting place is the courts of the Lord; this is where the Word of God is being communicated, and this is the place that your soul should long for; it is the words that are coming forth from the pulpit that give you life. That's the place that's giving you a capacity to reach Supergrace so that God can give you what He desires to give to you. You must get it communicated to you in the place that God has ordained for the communication of Bible doctrine. You may wander around until you find your right pastor and then that becomes your home. PSA 84:3 tells us that even the children benefit by the communication of doctrine. PSA 84:4How blessed or happiness's to those who dwell in Thy house! They are ever praising Thee. Selah.” They will be at peace, at rest, and they will continually be praising and giving thanks to the Lord. You praise God when you set aside time to perceive, metabolize, and apply Bible doctrine. If you have the privilege of having a local doctrinal ministry, you should live in the light of HEB 10:25 “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.” In PSA 84:4 the Hebrew word `ashreey is the plural of happiness, used because there are seven categories of happiness's: Spiritual, temporal, association, historical impact, undeserved suffering, dying blessings, and blessings at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

PSA 84:5 “How blessed [or happiness's] to those whose strength [Supergrace status] is in You; In whose right lobe are the highways to Zion.” Happiness's belong to those whose strength or power comes from God. The Word of God is alive and powerful! They're receiving power, and they are receiving capacity to become Supergrace believers and to be blessed by God. PSA 84:6 “Passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a spring, The early rain also covers it with blessings.” Here is ultra-Supergrace. Ultra-Supergrace believers go through the valley of Baca, or a place of tears and sorrows. The valley of Baca is the place of suffering and of pressure. Notice that these Supergrace men and women pass through the valley of tears and pressure because happiness's belong to them. When they go through those times, ultimately, they don't let the pressure get to them. They may fail momentarily, but they rebound and move forward! They overcome the situation through Supergrace. That's why the Bible says in MAT 5:10 “Happiness's to those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.” This means that happiness can belong to you when you go through times of being persecuted because you have Supergrace capacity to receive from God. The problem is that many people don't even have the capacity. It doesn't matter how much knowledge you get; if you don't have a capacity to enter into Supergrace and to enjoy the rest and the happiness's, you will never ever become a mature Christian. Many people reach a point in Christianity where they think they've got it all down pat; they think they have arrived and they no longer need to be taught anything. Perhaps they think because they have more knowledge than someone else that they can't receive anything from them. They don't have a capacity to be blessed by God because their springs are filled with water from yesterday; it's yesterday's manna, instead of a fresh new relationship with God today.

PSA 84:7-9, “They go from strength [Supergrace] to strength [ultra-Supergrace], Every one of them appears before God or is seen by God in Zion [Supergrace status]. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah. Behold our shield, O God, And look upon the face of Thine anointed.” The shield represents the Word of God that's in your life. The Word of God commands a blessing; it commands a healing. Notice the confidence that this type of Supergrace believer is to have; he says, look at my shield, and look at my face, I'm Your anointed. Only a Supergrace believer will be able to have confidence like this. Only a Supergrace believer will be able to have what 1JO 4:17 says, “confidence in the day of judgment;”

PSA 84:10 “For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” This verse brings out the principle that it takes a day at a time; therefore, one day in Bible class is better than a thousand days in reversionism; that's what it means! One day in Bible class is worth more than all the activities and pleasures that life can ever give you; you could go out there and chalk up a thousand days of pleasures and activities, but if you don't have a capacity to receive blessing, what good is it when you get them? You'll only want more because you won't be able to appreciate what you have today. God wants every one of us to live one day at a time. You live one day at a time, enjoying the Christian life, because you don't even know what tomorrow will bring. What's the use of worrying about what you're going to do next week, next month and next year and not enjoying today?

PSA 84:11 “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” The Lord's going to give you more grace and more promotion. God desires to promote us and if you're not promoted, it's because God hasn't done it yet, and unless you are rightly related to the grace of God, you're not going to get promoted. God will not hold back any divine good from any of those who walk uprightly, and that means to walk in honor, and to walk in grace. God will not withhold any good thing. It is the Supergrace and the ultra-Supergrace believers that walk with honor. The conclusion is in PSA 84:12 “O Lord of the armies, How happy or happiness's to the one who depends on You!” This means to depend upon God Who has so many blessings for all of us, the only thing that holds us back is not having the capacity to receive what is rightfully ours that was given to us before the foundation of the world. However, for many different reasons, most believers are not on that highway where those blessings are. God desires for each of us to get back on that highway of Supergrace and to receive what is rightfully ours.


The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Internet Church Service, Sunday, Dec 30, 2012

This week’s sermon title:
The Fruit of the Spirit manifested by the Salvation Ministry
of God the Holy Spirit at the moment of Salvation. Part 2.

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Today’s Sermon Message:

“The Fruit of the Spirit manifested by the Salvation Ministry
of God the Holy Spirit at the moment of Salvation. Part 2.”

Video & Audio


Please join us as we fellowship in the Word of God, listen to
Christian Music, Pray in Christ’s Name and Praise the Lord
in our Hearts and Minds.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!

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from - Romans 8:38-39


Thank you for joining us for today’s worship service. Please enjoy the music before you watch and|or listen to today’s message.

TIP to enlarge the print hold down the “Ctrl” key on your key board, while it is being held down, move your mouse forward until the desired print size is just right for you. To return to normal screen size, reverse the process (some will see a % in the lower right corner of your screen, normal is 100%)

The lyrics have been provided so you can sing along with the artist in your mind and soul; imagine that the artist’s voice is your voice. I’m not a very good singer myself so I often get the lyrics for some of my favorites and sing along in my mind and soul, this way it’s as if I’m doing the singing to the Lord; try it.

Hymn #1

How Great Thou Art – No Lyrics in video, listen and enjoy.
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)



Hymn #2

Holy Holy Holy - Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)




Preparing yourself for the study of God’s Word

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is— you have trusted in Him for eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to take-in God’s Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge your sins privately to God the Father.

1 John 1:9 says—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” NKJV (New King James Version)

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is faith alone in Jesus Christ alone:

John 6:47 says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” NKJV

Notice again what John 6:47 says, “he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” It doesn’t say, “will have”; it says, “has.” Therefore, the very moment you believe Jesus Christ’s promise of everlasting life, you have it (it’s really just that simple), and it can never be lost or taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God’s Word, if there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:

Lectionary

The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) GNB-UK

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) GNB-UK

Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth. (2 Tim. 2:15) GNB-UK

Study to show yourself approved to God!

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Opening Prayer
(Do your best to make it your own – below is a sample prayer)

Heavenly Father, we pray that we will all be richly edified by Your Word today and that You will make what we study today clear to us. We pray that all participants in this service as well as those who review it at a later date will be edified and blessed by today’s message. We pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

Our guest Pastor-Teacher is:



This ministry is non-denominational and is dedicated to teaching the Word of God from the original languages and making it available at no charge throughout the world.

Today's Sermon

(To view the sermon right click the above link then click on open in “new window” or “new tab” and 3 windows will open – 1) audio or video player which should start automatically, 2) slide show, 3) note pad. When finished return to previous window or tab to finish the service with Hymn and Prayer.)



If you wish to use it, right click the link and in the drop-down box, left click the "Open Link in New Window"; when the new window opens, reduce the window size of both the on-line bible and the slideshow and configure them to be side-by-side. Also, the window opens to John 3:16, click the word “more” below the verse, you will then see two online bible columns, Use the column on the left as it is set for the NASB95, at the top of the column where you see John 3:16 in the search box, type the book and verse the Pastor asks you to go to a particular Bible verse, e.g., 1tim 5:21, or eph 3:10, etc., then click “Enter” on your key board. You can use the “right column” if you wish for a different bible version but you’ll need to type in the verse you want each time as I directed you for the column on the left side.

Hymn #3

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us – Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)



CLOSING PRAYER:
(Again, below is a sample prayer, do your best to make it your own)

Heavenly Father, we pray that the Holy Spirit will make what I’ve learned today clear to me, for I pray this in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s name. Amen

If you have any questions that are pertinent about today’s message, please don’t hesitate to ask, you are welcome to ask them via a private message or by a reply in today’s post. However, sometimes questions can be real short but require a much longer answer in order to give an adequate answer. If I don’t think that the question is able to be answered quickly I’ll reply back telling you that I’ll research it and get to you with the answer (it may even be a few days as I’m a little slower than I used to be). Please don’t let what I’ve just said make you hesitate to ask questions.

I want to thank all of you who have attended this Sunday service as well as those who will view it at a later time or date.

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can instantly receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

The First Christmas Eve in Heaven - Open to Read

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The First Christmas Eve in Heaven


For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17)

On this Christmas Eve, in the year of our Lord 2012, believe it or not, this Christmas Eve has a lot in common with the first Christmas when our Lord was born into the world. On the very first Christmas Eve, earth was unaware as to what was happening around them. Unaware, inattentive, oblivious, and unobservant!

The earliest reference to Christmas being celebrated in December comes from the second century after the birth of Jesus.

It is considered likely the first Christmas celebrations were in reaction to the Roman Saturnalia, a harvest festival that marked the winter return of the sun and honored Saturn, the god of sowing. Saturnalia was a rowdy time, much opposed by the more austere leaders among the still-minority Christian sect.

Christmas developed as a means of replacing worship of the sun with worship of the Son. By 529 A.D., after Christianity had become the official state religion of the Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian made Christmas a civic holiday. However, the world, back then, was absorbed with that which was not important. They were engrossed in their own lives and preoccupied with vanity and emptiness. However, Heaven wasn’t!

The innumerable Holy and Elect angels were waiting in anticipation. They were waiting to break forth in praise and worship and adoration to the birth of a new born child, the Son of God. A birth that meant that God had fulfilled His word and sent forth His child for salvation. A fulfillment of Isaiah 9:6, For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and on that first Christmas Eve there was also a farewell going on in heaven, the Son said goodbye to the Father. In fact, a part of that conversation is recorded for us in the tenth chapter of Hebrews.

On that first Christmas Eve, the Lord is speaking to the Father and this is what He said:

Therefore, when He comes into the world [this is the first Christmas], He says, “Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, But a [human] body Thou hast prepared for Me;” (Hebrews 10:5)

Note that the physical body of the humanity of Christ was prepared for Him beforehand by God the Father.

“In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the roll of the book it is written of Me) To do Thy will, O God.’” (Hebrews 10:6-7)

He said in effect, Father I realize that You have not been satisfied with the blood of animals and therefore you have prepared a body for me so that I could be the ultimate sacrifice. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ bid farewell to His Father and began a journey that was to end 33 years later on the Cross.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

The physical body of Christ was divinely prepared by God the Father and God the Holy Spirit as the vehicle to bring God to mankind and to be the perfect sacrifice for sin. In addition, while this was going on, earth was oblivious to it! People on earth had no idea that for the first time ever, God was going to become a man. God was coming in the flesh, Heaven was well aware of the event, earth was not.

There are so many things about Christmas that the majority of people today know nothing about. The Holy Spirit had taken nine months to fashion inside of Mary, a physical body which would be perfectly prepared for our Lord. A human body that would be like no other human body because it was the only human body to be born into this world without a sin nature. A body that was to be inhabited by the second person of the Trinity (that is, God the Son).

The fullness of time had come when God would send forth His very own Son. Galatians 4:4 teaches this, But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, and every Christmas time we stop and rather mindlessly acknowledge the birth of Christ. Some say He was God, others say He was just a man. The real issue is not that He came, the issue is why He came.

Many people stop and think about Christmas just as the fact that He came...but they never bother to find out why He came. Why did He come? Why was He born? To present God?...YES. To teach truth?...YES. To fulfill the Law?...YES. To reveal love?...YES.

These are all secondary reasons why He came. There is really only one primary reason. One primary plan.

One primary person. And that is that Jesus Christ, who came into the world on that first Christmas for one major reason...to suffer and to die for you.

Therefore, the biggest question in this life for any person who is not confident of their eternal future is: “What must one do to be eternally saved and go to heaven?” The book of Acts 16:30-31 tells us that Paul & Silas were asked the following question by the Jailer. "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? So they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." Jesus Himself said in John 6:47 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life." Did you notice the word “has”…, it doesn’t say “will” have, it says “has” everlasting life, which means the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ, you have eternal life. John 20:30-31 tells us what we must believe about Jesus, that is, one must simply believe …that He is the Christ (the promised Messiah), the Son of God; and that believing you may have life (eternal life) in His Name; nothing more and nothing less.

Have you believed in Christ as your eternal savior? If not, what are you waiting for? Tomorrow is promised to no one!

Merry Christmas

Mark & Lottie

Authored by: Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries, Bible references are from the NASB
Ending gospel message by: Mark W. Miller, Bible references are from the NKJV

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Internet Church Service, Sunday, Dec 23, 2012

This week’s sermon title:
The Fruit of the Spirit manifested by the Salvation Ministry
of God the Holy Spirit at the moment of Salvation. Part 1.

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Today’s Sermon Message:

“The Fruit of the Spirit manifested by the Salvation Ministry
of God the Holy Spirit at the moment of Salvation. Part 1.”

Video & Audio


Please join us as we fellowship in the Word of God, listen to
Christian Music, Pray in Christ’s Name and Praise the Lord
in our Hearts and Minds.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!

# # # # # # # #

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from - Romans 8:38-39


Thank you for joining us for today’s worship service. Please enjoy the music before you watch and|or listen to today’s message.

TIP to enlarge the print hold down the “Ctrl” key on your key board, while it is being held down, move your mouse forward until the desired print size is just right for you. To return to normal screen size, reverse the process (some will see a % in the lower right corner of your screen, normal is 100%)

The lyrics have been provided so you can sing along with the artist in your mind and soul; imagine that the artist’s voice is your voice. I’m not a very good singer myself so I often get the lyrics for some of my favorites and sing along in my mind and soul, this way it’s as if I’m doing the singing to the Lord; try it.

Hymn #1

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)



Hymn #2

What Child is This - Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)




Preparing yourself for the study of God’s Word

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is— you have trusted in Him for eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to take-in God’s Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge your sins privately to God the Father.

1 John 1:9 says—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” NKJV (New King James Version)

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is faith alone in Jesus Christ alone:

John 6:47 says: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” NKJV

Notice again what John 6:47 says, “he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life.” It doesn’t say, “will have”; it says, “has.” Therefore, the very moment you believe Jesus Christ’s promise of everlasting life, you have it (it’s really just that simple), and it can never be lost or taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God’s Word, if there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:

Lectionary

The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) GNB-UK

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) GNB-UK

Do your best to win full approval in God's sight, as a worker who is not ashamed of his work, one who correctly teaches the message of God's truth. (2 Tim. 2:15) GNB-UK

Study to show yourself approved to God!

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Opening Prayer
(Do your best to make it your own – below is a sample prayer)

Heavenly Father, we pray that we will all be richly edified by Your Word today and that You will make what we study today clear to us. We pray that all participants in this service as well as those who review it at a later date will be edified and blessed by today’s message. We pray this in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

Our guest Pastor-Teacher is:



This ministry is non-denominational and is dedicated to teaching the Word of God from the original languages and making it available at no charge throughout the world.

Today's Sermon

The Fruit of the Spirit manifested by the Salvation Ministry
of God the Holy Spirit at the moment of Salvation. Part 1.


(To view the sermon right click the above link then click on open in “new window” or “new tab” and 3 windows will open – 1) audio or video player which should start automatically, 2) slide show, 3) note pad. When finished return to previous window or tab to finish the service with Hymn and Prayer.)


If you wish to use it, right click the link and in the drop-down box, left click the "Open Link in New Window"; when the new window opens, reduce the window size of both the on-line bible and the slideshow and configure them to be side-by-side. Also, the window opens to John 3:16, click the word “more” below the verse, you will then see two online bible columns, Use the column on the left as it is set for the NASB95, at the top of the column where you see John 3:16 in the search box, type the book and verse the Pastor asks you to go to a particular Bible verse, e.g., 1tim 5:21, or eph 3:10, etc., then click “Enter” on your key board. You can use the “right column” if you wish for a different bible version but you’ll need to type in the verse you want each time as I directed you for the column on the left side.

Hymn #3

Silent Night (The Temptations) – Lyrics in video
(You can skip the commercial if there is one)



CLOSING PRAYER:
(Again, below is a sample prayer, do your best to make it your own)

Heavenly Father, we pray that the Holy Spirit will make what I’ve learned today clear to me, for I pray this in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s name. Amen

If you have any questions that are pertinent about today’s message, please don’t hesitate to ask, you are welcome to ask them via a private message or by a reply in today’s post. However, sometimes questions can be real short but require a much longer answer in order to give an adequate answer. If I don’t think that the question is able to be answered quickly I’ll reply back telling you that I’ll research it and get to you with the answer (it may even be a few days as I’m a little slower than I used to be). Please don’t let what I’ve just said make you hesitate to ask questions.

I want to thank all of you who have attended this Sunday service as well as those who will view it at a later time or date.

The following link is to a good news message describing how one can instantly receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.

Weekly Bible Study - Christmas Eve in Heaven - Special

merry-christmas-wallpaper-christmas-tree--1 Pictures, Images and Photos

Beautiful glittery Christmas Tree. Pictures, Images and Photos




Christmas Eve in Heaven


For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17)

On this Christmas Eve, in the year of our Lord 2012, believe it or not, this Christmas Eve has a lot in common with the first Christmas when our Lord was born into the world. On the very first Christmas Eve, earth was unaware as to what was happening around them. Unaware, inattentive, oblivious, and unobservant!

The earliest reference to Christmas being celebrated in December comes from the second century after the birth of Jesus.

It is considered likely the first Christmas celebrations were in reaction to the Roman Saturnalia, a harvest festival that marked the winter return of the sun and honored Saturn, the god of sowing. Saturnalia was a rowdy time, much opposed by the more austere leaders among the still-minority Christian sect.

Christmas developed as a means of replacing worship of the sun with worship of the Son. By 529 A.D., after Christianity had become the official state religion of the Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian made Christmas a civic holiday. However, the world, back then, was absorbed with that which was not important. They were engrossed in their own lives and preoccupied with vanity and emptiness. However, Heaven wasn’t!

The innumerable Holy and Elect angels were waiting in anticipation. They were waiting to break forth in praise and worship and adoration to the birth of a new born child, the Son of God. A birth that meant that God had fulfilled His word and sent forth His child for salvation. A fulfillment of Isaiah 9:6, For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and on that first Christmas Eve there was also a farewell going on in heaven, the Son said goodbye to the Father. In fact, a part of that conversation is recorded for us in the tenth chapter of Hebrews.

On that first Christmas Eve, the Lord is speaking to the Father and this is what He said:

Therefore, when He comes into the world [this is the first Christmas], He says, “Sacrifice and offering Thou hast not desired, But a [human] body Thou hast prepared for Me;” (Hebrews 10:5)

Note that the physical body of the humanity of Christ was prepared for Him beforehand by God the Father.

“In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the roll of the book it is written of Me) To do Thy will, O God.’” (Hebrews 10:6-7)

He said in effect, Father I realize that You have not been satisfied with the blood of animals and therefore you have prepared a body for me so that I could be the ultimate sacrifice. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ bid farewell to His Father and began a journey that was to end 33 years later on the Cross.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)

The physical body of Christ was divinely prepared by God the Father and God the Holy Spirit as the vehicle to bring God to mankind and to be the perfect sacrifice for sin. In addition, while this was going on, earth was oblivious to it! People on earth had no idea that for the first time ever, God was going to become a man. God was coming in the flesh, Heaven was well aware of the event, earth was not.

There are so many things about Christmas that the majority of people today know nothing about. The Holy Spirit had taken nine months to fashion inside of Mary, a physical body which would be perfectly prepared for our Lord. A human body that would be like no other human body because it was the only human body to be born into this world without a sin nature. A body that was to be inhabited by the second person of the Trinity (that is, God the Son).

The fullness of time had come when God would send forth His very own Son. Galatians 4:4 teaches this, But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, and every Christmas time we stop and rather mindlessly acknowledge the birth of Christ. Some say He was God, others say He was just a man. The real issue is not that He came, the issue is why He came.


Many people stop and think about Christmas just as the fact that He came...but they never bother to find out why He came. Why did He come? Why was He born? To present God?...YES. To teach truth?...YES. To fulfill the Law?...YES. To reveal love?...YES.

These are all secondary reasons why He came. There is really only one primary reason. One primary plan.

One primary person. And that is that Jesus Christ, who came into the world on that first Christmas for one major reason...to suffer and to die for you.

Therefore, the biggest question in this life for any person who is not confident of their eternal future is: “What must one do to be eternally saved and go to heaven?” The book of Acts 16:30-31 tells us that Paul & Silas were asked the following question by the Jailer. "Sirs, what must I do to be saved? So they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." Jesus Himself said in John 6:47 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life." Did you notice the word “has”…, it doesn’t say “will” have, it says “has” everlasting life, which means the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ, you have eternal life. John 20:30-31 tells us what we must believe about Jesus, that is, one must simply believe …that He is the Christ (the promised Messiah), the Son of God; and that believing you may have life (eternal life) in His Name; nothing more and nothing less.

Have you believed in Christ as your eternal savior? If not, what are you waiting for? Tomorrow is promised to no one!

Merry Christmas

Mark & Lottie


Authored by: Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries, Bible references are from the NASB
Ending gospel message by: Mark W. Miller, Bible references are from the NKJV

Monday, December 17, 2012

Wkly Bible Study for Dial-Up/Broadband, 12-17-2012

The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age. Part 60.
The Doctrine of Supergrace (spiritual maturity).

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PLEASE READ FIRST

Scripture References, Word & Phrase descriptions: If available on the website you're viewing this on, a few links (i.e., those without an already written scripture quote or brief explanation) are hover pop-up active, meaning the scripture reference will just pop-up if you hover your cursor over it (don’t click on the link, just hover your cursor over it), they work best using the Firefox browser – pop-ups in Internet Explorer, Chrome & other browsers only appear for a few seconds at best. If you don’t have Firefox (or hover pop-ups aren’t available on the website you’re viewing this on), that’s OK, move your cursor off and on the link until it is read; or left click the link which will open the verse at the online bible; or you can always use your Bible to look up the verses.

Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!

Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is; you have believed [trusted] in Him for His promised gift of eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to learn God's Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge (confess) your sins privately to God (i.e.; with your thoughts directed only to God the Father).

1 John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (known sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [unknown or forgotten sins]." NKJV (New King James Version) [italics added]

If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is to have faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life:

John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]

Notice again what Jesus said in John 6:47: "…he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." It doesn't say, "will have"; it says, "has." Therefore, the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ for His promise of everlasting life, you have it (it's really just that simple; nothing more and nothing less), and it can never be taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift (Ephesians 2:8c) of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.

John 3:14-18 says: "14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." NKJV

Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God's Word. If there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:


Study to show yourself approved to God!

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Grace Bible Church
Robert R. McLaughlin Bible Ministries


The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings

STUDY TITLE:


The Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age. Part 60.
The Doctrine of Supergrace (spiritual maturity).



OPTION: If you would prefer to go directly to the Grace Bible Church website to read this study message, all verse reference links are active there (but not hover active) and Enlarged Text is also an available option – right click the above link then left click “Open Link in New Window” or “New Tab”


Terms & Abbreviations used:

PPOG = Predesigned Plan of God
Human Good = Evil + Good Deeds while not in fellowship with God
OSN = Old Sin Nature
TLJC = The Lord Jesus Christ
SSE = Spiritual Self Esteem
PVTD = Positive Volition Towards Doctrine
+H - The Happiness of God
NVTD = Negative Volition Towards Doctrine
Doctrine = Bible Truth

To look up other “terms”, go to:

Alphabetical Listing


BEGIN BIBLE STUDY

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotes and references
are from the NASB – New American Standard Bible



PHI 4:9-13, “These things [doctrinal principles] also you have learned [manthano - learned from a teacher under strict academic discipline] and received [accepted through metabolization of doctrine] and having heard and have understood by means of me [Paul's teaching ministry]. Be putting these into action and the God of prosperity shall be with you, all of you [Supergrace believers]. Not because I am speaking with reference to poverty or lack; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I have come to know how to be humbled and I have come to know how to live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret [I have been initiated into the mystery] of how to be filled, how to be hungry, how to be prosperous, and how to suffer need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” This last statement is only true for a special kind of believer called the Supergrace believer. The level of contentment Paul describes in this chapter is exclusively for those believers who have reached Supergrace. Paul identifies that fact in verse 5 when he instructs the Philippian believers to let their Supergrace mental attitude be known to all men; these are the type of believers who can do all things through Him who strengthens them.

PHI 4:14-15, “Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;” Believers who have reached Supergrace have phenomenal mental attitude, know the secret of remaining content in all circumstances, and have confidence in Him to provide what is needed to be victorious in all situations. They focus not on their own real problems, but rather on the needs of others, and give graciously and sacrificially. This is NOT done by bragging about how advanced they are in the Christian way of life, nor lecturing others about where they fall short, or flaunting blessings. Grace pours into their laps, and flows out to others.

As we continue our study of Philippians, remember that chapter four is divided into four paragraphs. 1) The perspective of the Supergrace life, verses 1-7. 2) The subject of grace orientation, verses 8-11. 3) A dissertation on the next objective after Supergrace, ultra-Supergrace, verses 12-19. 4) The final objective of the spiritual life on earth, surpassing grace, verses 20-21. This is the stage of the greatest tests and pressures for the individual believer, because this is the ultimate goal to be attained by the intake of doctrine. Dying grace is actually the reward for advancing through all the other stages (PHI 1:29). PHI 4:1-7 reveals the beginning of no-mans land, between Supergrace and ultra-Supergrace, where we finally experience what living in the minority is all about. The chapter starts out with a command to advance to ultra-Supergrace and not retreat. PHI 4:1 “Therefore, my beloved brethren [members of the Royal Family of God] whom I desire to see [or be with], my source of happiness and wreath of glory, so stand firm [be advancing not retreating] in the Lord, my beloved.” This is an encouragement to advance in the spiritual life and never quit; it is the most rewarding and the most difficult advance in all of the spiritual life for the believer.

We are now ready to continue in this chapter which deals with the subject of the objective in Supergrace leading to ultra-Supergrace. JAM 4:6 says, “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The word for greater grace is where we get the phrase Supergrace.

The Doctrine of Supergrace. Grace is all that God is free to do for man on the basis of the Cross. If God is going to give man blessing, He must not in anyway jeopardize or compromise any characteristic of His essence; because of the complexity of divine essence, God must be consistent. Look at JOH 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,” God would not give mankind anything if it in any way becomes incompatible with or compromises His essence. God's freedom to give His only begotten Son is based on the principle that God found a way to bless mankind in eternity past. REV 13:8 tells us that He was the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (KJV). God had to be propitiated or satisfied completely; so the work of Christ on the cross frees God to bless man under the plan of grace. Therefore God is free to bless mankind because the work for salvation has been accomplished and completed perfectly by our Lord (JOH 19:30). Grace is God's freedom and consistency to express His love through grace to mankind without compromise of His essence. Under the principle of grace, God provides a series of blessings for man totally apart from man's merit, ability, planning, or energy. Under the policy of grace, God gives and man receives. Under the concept of grace everything depends on God's essence. Grace is what God can do for man and still be consistent with His own essence. HAB 1:13 says, “Thine eyes are too pure to approve evil, And Thou canst not look on wickedness with favor.” How can a God who cannot look upon sin have fellowship with us? The answer is that He had to do something about our sin, and then He treated us with grace. Under the mechanics of grace, man has a relationship with God in two categories: Before and after the Fall. The first category is based on creation; man was created an adult. Therefore, God provided everything man would ever need in the Garden, and we have an illustration of that grace with the trees. GEN 2:7-9, “Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. And the Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

There were trees which were for the stimulation of the soul, or the eyes, and that were good for food, or provisions for the body. Then the tree that was related to the human spirit and spiritual sustenance was the tree of lives (plural), and that tree was capacity to appreciate what God provided in grace. Man had immediate capacity to appreciate God's grace provision. Then, the tree of knowledge of good and evil which was a test. This tree was forbidden because good and evil result in spiritual death. However, man in his creation relationship with God was under grace, and there were two things he did not need in that relationship. One was good and the other was evil. Evil is the thinking of Satan whereas good is the application of that policy to history. Evil is the thinking policy of Satan and good is the application of that policy to experience in history.

So, the grace relationship before the fall was based on creation. Everything was provided, and one thing was forbidden as an extension of the angelic conflict into human history: Eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After the fall, the relationship is based on regeneration. At the time of the Fall, man ate of the forbidden tree; this first sin was a sin of negative volition toward the plan of God. A sin that the majority of humans, including believers, are still committing. Man immediately understood good and evil, and was immediately under the rulership of Satan, and immediately performed human good: Operation fig leaves. The original parents had a choice to choose God's plan or Satan's plan, and they chose Satan's. Therefore the salvation plan of God came into effect. Under God's plan, grace is all that God can do for man, and grace is the genius of God, and doctrine is the revelation and manifestation of that genius.

We have looked at our definition of grace; we are now ready to see the different categories of grace that exist in God’s plan. 1) Saving grace, EPH 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” This is the work of the Trinity: The Father planned it in eternity past, the Son executed it on the cross, and the Spirit reveals it in time. 2) Logistical grace (MAT 6:25-33). This is all that the Trinity provides by way of power, security, and provision to keep the believer alive in the devil's world. This includes both spiritual provisions such as the Bible, the local church and the pastor-teacher as the communicator. Temporal provisions include food, shelter, clothing, and money. 3) Supergrace is the tactical victory of the angelic conflict, or spiritual maturity (JAM 4:6). This is experiential sanctification or the balance of residency between the filling of the Spirit and Bible doctrine resident in the soul. 4) Ultra-Supergrace is the sphere of the angelic conflict between the unfairness of the devil's world and the total fairness of God to mature believers, whom God places under maximum testing and pressure (2TI 2:10; 3:11-12). The blessings of Supergrace are intensified and protected by God even under intense pressure, persecution, and attack from Satan. Beyond Supergrace is an even a higher plane whereby you still have all of the blessings, but they are completely surrounded by suffering, pressure, and adversity which intensifies these blessings. It doesn't remove them, it only makes them better, and that's ultra-Supergrace. It's the fairness of God versus the unfairness of Satan. 2TI 2:10-14, “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen [or the elect], that they also may obtain [or acquire not the salvation but] the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory [escrow blessings in the eternal state]. It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; If we endure [in suffering for blessing], we shall rule with Him [as mature believers]. If we deny Him [in time by rejecting the PPOG] He will deny us [rewards, escrow blessings]. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the hearers.”

Moses and Paul are two illustrations of ultra-Supergrace. Both were geniuses and reached ultra-Supergrace where their lives were enshrouded with continual pressure and suffering, 2TI 3:8-11, “And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men [the reversionistic believers and unbelievers at the time Paul wrote this] also oppose the truth [Bible doctrine], men of depraved mind [corrupted mentality], rejected as regards the faith. But they will not make further progress; for their folly [their own lack of sense, which is their madness from reversionism] will be obvious to all, as also that of those two came to be. But you followed my teaching [doctrine], conduct [his self-discipline], purpose [his teaching and building up the body of Christ], faith [faithfulness], patience [his steadfastness], love, perseverance [endurance], persecutions, and sufferings [there is the shroud that wraps itself around the ultra-supergrace believer], such as happened to me at Antioch [pressure from legalism], at Iconium [there was a conspiracy to stone him] and at Lystra [legalism and he was actually stoned to death and God brought him back from the dead]; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me!” This is the highest honor that God can give to a believer in time. These men wear the highest honor and dignity and even though they are in a shroud of pressure and disaster they're in that total blessing. It is the demonstration of the power of doctrine. 2TI 3:12 “And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus [the spiritual life] will be persecuted.” So it goes on in every generation. Ultra-Supergrace provides everything found in the blessings of Supergrace plus the intensification of these blessings completely enshrouded in maximum pressure and persecution from the satanic forces of evil.

5) Dying grace is the blessing provided when passing from time to eternity (PHI 1:21). This blessing is even greater than the greatest blessings of time. It means leaving behind great blessings by association to friends, loved ones, and family members. 6) Surpassing grace: The blessing, awards, and decorations for the mature believer for all eternity, EPH 2:7 “in order that in the ages to come [the eternal future] He might show the surpassing riches of His grace [surpassing grace riches] in generosity toward us in Christ Jesus.” This is referring to Supergrace and ultra-Supergrace believers. Supergrace and ultra-Supergrace are described as pursuing grace in PSA 23:5-6; EPH 1:6. David was a Supergrace believer, ACT 13:22 “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.” When David reached Supergrace, the first thing that God gave him was wealth. There's a difference between being carnal and being reversionistic. David in operation Bathsheba tells us about his discipline in Psa 38 and Psa 51, and he had instant recovery when he rebounded. The discipline on a Supergrace believer when he's carnal is there and obviously strong, but when a person continues in reversionism his life is an intensified state of misery piled upon misery until he dies the sin unto death. David never lost his Supergrace. This doesn't mean he was perfect; Supergrace and ultra-Supergrace believers sin (1JO 1:8;10). Paul describes Supergrace in EPH 1:6 “to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” The blessings of Supergrace and ultra-Supergrace are beyond human imagination, EPH 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly [infinitely more] beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works [effectively] within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

By definition, therefore, Supergrace is the highest adult stage of the spiritual life in the Royal Family of God. It is the place where you are qualified to increase the grace to ultra-Supergrace. Supergrace is maximum glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ complementing His strategic victory of the angelic conflict with the believer's tactical victory. Supergrace is the status of spiritual maturity while ultra-Supergrace is maximum growth and blessing attended by maximum suffering, which intensifies the blessing. Supergrace is where the normal function of the royal priesthood and the production of divine good begins.

Synonyms for Supergrace. We looked at nomenclature that the Bible uses to describe the Supergrace believer. 1) The theological synonym is greater grace, [meizona charin] (JAM 4:6). 2) The Hebrew word chakmah means wisdom; this is maximum Bible doctrine in the soul, in the Greek it is epignosis. 3) The priestly synonym: The altar of the soul, HEB 13:10 “We [the royal priesthood] have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no authorization to eat.” So when the altar in the soul is constructed the believer reaches Supergrace and maturity. 4) Building: the edification complex of the soul, (EPH 4:12,16). Once the edification complex is completed, the believer is said to be in maturity or Supergrace. 5) The sanctification synonym: Eusebeia translated godliness, meaning to live the spiritual life. The corrected translation of 1TI 6:3-6 says, “If anyone advocates or teaches a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound doctrines, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, even with the doctrines pertaining to spiritual life, he has received blind arrogance and understands nothing [of doctrine]; but he has a morbid obsession about controversies and verbal conflicts, out of which arise jealousy, discord, evil speculations [or presumptuous sins], and constant friction between people of a distorted mind and devoid of doctrine, constantly presuming that gain is godliness or living the spiritual life. But living the spiritual life keeps on being a great means of prosperity, when accompanied by contentment [capacity for life].” 6) The chemical synonym: salt (MAT 5:13). The salt of the earth or the salt of the land is the Supergrace believer or the ultra-Supergrace believer being a blessing to his nation and to others by association. 7) The crucifixion synonym: Take up your cross... (MAT 10:38; MAR 8:34; LUK 9:23; LUK 14:27). This is the consistent function of perception, metabolization, and application of Bible doctrine. Following Christ is the result of Supergrace. 8) There are three military synonyms: Put on the full armor of God, (EPH 6:11-18). Running the race with endurance, (HEB 12:1-2). Establishing a command post of the soul, (COL 2:5-8). All three of these are military synonyms for the Supergrace status. 9) There's a central control system called inner strength: The inner rule or dictator of the soul, EPH 6:10 “From now on, keep on becoming strong by means of the Lord, and in the strength of His might [or inner rule].”

Blessings of Supergrace. Category one: Spiritual blessings. Sharing the perfect happiness of God, occupation with Christ is maximum category one love which is intensified in Supergrace and ultra-Supergrace. There are many blessings because of your maximum love for the Lord Jesus Christ. The Supergrace believer also has great capacity for life, love, happiness, blessing, and total appreciation for grace. Also, there is the tremendous ability to face undeserved suffering in life without complaining. For the Supergrace believer, the intensification of spiritual blessings comes when you wear that shroud of maximum suffering that never seems to terminate, in fact, will not terminate until departure from this life. Remember the corrected translation of PHI 1:29 “Because to you it has been graciously given with reference concerning Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on behalf of Him,” Under spiritual blessings, the Supergrace believer also has the ability to correctly interpret contemporary history in the light of the Word of God. He has freedom from the circumstances in life and adaptability to changing circumstances, and has a total sense of security, whether in prosperity or disaster. Category two: Temporal blessings. Wealth, either received or acquired. You can be wealthy and enshrouded in the great suffering mantle. You can have professional prosperity which means having a great influence on others, leadership dynamics, success, promotion, recognition in different areas of life. Moses was a ruler and advanced as a ruler. Paul was the greatest communicator of all time, and advanced in his communication. Jeremiah was the greatest prophet of all time. So, it is when God promotes you that you are truly qualified for the job. Under Supergrace, you will have the ability to assume responsibility and authority without emotional inspiration or pseudo motivation. You will also have great social prosperity, and sexual prosperity with one's right man or right woman. Moses got his right woman the second time around, and she was both the source of social and sexual prosperity. There's also technical prosperity or mental prosperity which is the ability to think and concentrate which will give you a greater capacity for life. You will have cultural prosperity which is maximum enjoyment of drama, art, literature, music, history. Establishment prosperity includes enjoyment of freedom, privacy, protection of life and property from criminals and reprisal. Category three: Blessings by association. Those around a mature believer are blessed by their relationship with that person. They are blessed either directly by God or indirectly from the Supergrace believer as a result of the overflow of his blessings. Being gracious, the Supergrace believer shares his blessings with others. There are peripheral areas of blessing by association such as loved ones, in business life, in social life, and to those in a local church. There are also geographical blessings to the Supergrace believer's city, state, and nation. Category four: Historical blessings (2TI 1:5). This is the doctrinal principle that the mature believer carries his generation. He stabilizes his generation, and becomes a stabilizer for future historical generations. The ebb and flow of history does not disturb the tranquility of the mature believer. The Supergrace believer is on the right side of history, while the reversionist is on the wrong side, being caught up in the disasters of history and swept along with them. EPH 4:14 “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;” Category five: Undeserved suffering. Only in time does God have the opportunity to give us pressure, disaster, and undeserved suffering to prove to Satan and the fallen angels that Bible doctrine can handle any situation. God gives us the ability to handle suffering and turn suffering into blessing (ROM 8:28; DEU 23:5). A mature believer knows when he is under divine discipline or undeserved suffering. The first is unbearable suffering; the second is bearable. The Supergrace believer's ability to handle undeserved suffering glorifies God and becomes evidence against Satan in his appeal trial. Undeserved suffering is also used by God to help you keep your eyes on God and your focus on eternity. REV 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” 2CO 12:9-10, “And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Undeserved suffering also teaches us the value of Bible doctrine. PSA 119:67 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Thy word.” In this Psalm, the Psalmist is under pressure, and he says under pressure and disastrous conditions, I keep Your word. God in wisdom deals with us as perfectly as only He can. He allows the suffering, heartache, disaster, and sorrows to afflict us to draw us closer to Him. God will allow people and circumstances to handle us roughly at times. PSA 119:68-75, “Thou art good and doest good; Teach me Thy statutes. The arrogant have forged a lie against me; With all {my} heart I will observe Thy precepts. Their heart is covered with fat, {But} I delight in Thy law. It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Thy statutes. The law of Thy mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver {pieces}. Thy hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments. May those who fear Thee see me and be glad, Because I wait for Thy word. I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me.”


The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.