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*No Russian translation available for this sermon* In the first rest principle we addressed those who want to serve God, but struggle with guilt, shame, and condemnation because of their past sins or present failures.  The second rest principle deals with Christians who are troubled by fear and anxiety because of the problems and struggles of life. The third rest principle deals with Christians who are spiritually dry.   Today we are going to study the fourth rest principle. This rest principle deals with Christians who have discord in their relationships with others. These Christians seem to have frequent conflicts with others. The weaknesses of others may irritate them.  They lack the patience needed to work with others. They may tend to isolate themselves from others and become loners.   The solution for these people is that they must learn harmony through body ministry.  To learn how to function in harmony with other believers and as a Body there are a number of truths we must understand, embrace, and put into practice in our lives. First, we must recognize the importance and value of each fellow believer in the Body of Christ.     Philemon 1:6, NKJV 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. “that the sharing of your faith may become effective”   The Greek word translated here as “sharing” is kοινωνία (koinōnia) and it means “partnership, joint participation, the sharing with one another, a gift jointly contributed.”  Our faith becomes “effective” or activated when we are in fellowship with other believers and work together, combining each of our unique gifts to fulfil God’s purposes.     “by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”   The way we partner or fellowship together is by acknowledging, recognizing, and valuing the gifts, and all the good qualities Christ has placed in each believer.  Once we recognize the treasure in each believer, we will not only value one another but we will honour one another, and encourage one another to develop and exercise their gifts and talents. Second, we must recognize our limitations and that we need the Body of Christ to live a victorious life and fulfil God’s will.     Romans 12:3, NKJV 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.   We need to honestly evaluate ourselves so we recognize our strengths and weaknesses, and our gifts as well as our needs.     Proverbs‬ 11:14,‬ NKJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ 14 “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”   When we are seeking direction we need the input of those in the Body of Christ who God has put in our lives so we can be sure we are hearing clearly from God and properly evaluating the situations we face. “Where there is no counsel, the people fall” — It is dangerous when we fail to seek counsel from others when making important decisions. The Hebrew word “fall” can also be translated as “waste away.” Not seeking or accepting godly counsel can lead to our downfall and failure. We can fail to recognize opportunities God has presented to us and if we waste those opportunities we will end up living unfulfilled or even fruitless lives. “But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” — Making decisions devoid of any counsel leads to loss. The better course is to have a multitude of counselors to protect us from making bad decisions and falling into traps in which the enemy would want to ensnare us. The Hebrew word translated here as “safety” can also be translated as “victory.” When we seek counsel from those God has placed around us it results in much more than protection—it results in living victorious and overcoming lives.

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In the first rest principle we addressed those who want to serve God, but struggle with guilt, shame, and condemnation because of their past sins or present failures.  The symptoms of this first type of unrest include a sense of being under a cloud of shame, guilt, or condemnation resulting in a general sense of unworthiness. Their shame hinders them from praying and reading the Bible, and prevents them from being able to rejoice in the salvation they received through Jesus Christ.   The solution to being set free from this sense of condemnation is faith in God’s Word.    As believers, we must develop the discipline that every time we fail, fall short of God’s standard, or simply sin, we need to immediately repent by turning to God, confessing our sins, and by faith accepting His forgiveness and cleansing. (1 John 1:9). Once we have repented and confessed our sins our hearts should be filled with thanksgiving and joy because our heavenly Father has completely forgiven us. Any impediment to our fellowship with God has been removed The second rest principle builds on the first, so we can more fully enter into God’s rest. As we build a solid foundation, we can learn to be led by the Spirit and live fruitful lives. The second rest principle deals with Christians who are troubled by fear and anxiety because of the problems and struggles of life. The problems that cause anxiety and fear may take the form of work, family, health, relationships, finances, or any number of problems that confront us each day. These people become weary with the responsibilities of family, work, church, and life in general. At times they may feel overwhelmed just trying to put one foot in front of the other. Life may seem fruitless and unsatisfying. Every effort to make headway feels laborious and hopeless. The joy and peace of the Lord may seem like a concept that is totally unattainable. The solution to this type of unrest and anxiety is to learn to cease from self-effort. We must learn to put our problems into God’s hands.     1 Peter 5:7 NASB 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.   When we learn to cease from self-effort we can stop doing our own works and begin to be engaged in doing what God wants us to do. The third rest principle deals with Christians who are spiritually dry. These Christians may feel spiritually frustrated. They desire to experience a touch from the Lord.  However, no matter what they try to do, they still feel dry.   These people may be very active in the church and may be involved in various church functions.  Outwardly, they may appear to others as though they are moving in the Spirit. However, inwardly they feel dry and lack the vitality that comes from an intimate relationship with Christ. They know something is missing, but are unable to define what that “something” is.      The solution to those who are spiritually dry is “Life in the Spirit.” What does “Life in the Spirit” look like? Simply put “Life in the Spirit” is doing those things that please God.     John 8:29 NKJV 29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”   Jesus had unbroken fellowship with His Father because He always did those things that pleased His Father. — “for I always do those things that please Him.” What a wonderful picture of fellowshipping with God—always being aware of God’s presence. — “The Father has not left Me alone.” Many people have a wrong concept of the Gospel and think it is a list of “don’ts.” However, if we simply seek to do those things that please God we will never even think about those things we shouldn’t do.     Galatians 5:16 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.    When we are walking in the Spirit and our hearts are focused on pleasing God, then it will not even enter our minds to fulfil the lusts of the flesh—to engage in sinful and destructive behaviours.

Becoming a Violent Christian — Overcoming Passivity Daniel 11:32 (NKJV) 32Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. The Book of Daniel is filled with many prophecies which provide insights about the end times. This prophecy found in Daniel does not paint a picture of God’s people being downtrodden. Instead, it paints a picture of people filled with faith and able to rise above the persecution and difficult circumstances of the end times to do great things for God! However, the one condition for believers to be able to do great exploits is to have a vibrant relationship with God and a deep understanding of His Word. “but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” 2 Chronicles 16:9a (NKJV) 9For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” God is eagerly looking and searching for those among His people who are willing to be totally yielded to Him, so He can manifest His power and glory through them. “whose heart is loyal to Him.” The problem with many of God’s people is that their half-hearted relationship with Him and their service to Him is reflected in their lives. Rather than their lives reflecting the fruit of the spirit, selfishness and self-centeredness permeate their lives to such an extent that they live mediocre and defeated lives at best. This mediocre living reinforces in the minds of many believers not to expect much from God and that being sold out for Christ carries no benefit. Matthew 6:10 (NKJV) 10Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Praying this part of the Lord’s Prayer should fill us with expectation and embolden us to believe great things from God. It is a faith-filled and joyful prayer! There are four things we can learn from Matthew 6:10: God’s will is already being fully done in Heaven. God’s will is not yet being fully done on earth. We can agree with God in prayer to see His will done on earth. His kingdom is coming and His perfect will is going to be ultimately manifest on the earth. Hallelujah! Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. God has called us to place His priorities ahead of our own priorities. This is the only way to live an overcoming life. “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4, ESV). When we put God’s priorities ahead of our priorities we will be delighted to find that it will result in all our heart’s desires ultimately being fulfilled. God has called us to see His will done on earth as it is done in Heaven. In other words, to see His kingdom and His righteousness manifested in this world starting in our lives and then affecting the lives of those around us. At Jesus’ birth He was declared the King of the Jews. King Jesus has already come and once He set His foot on the earth, His Kingdom began and continues to be established. Matthew 2:2 NKJV 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” As we engage in the sanctification process, God is setting up His Kingdom within us. Jesus was born a King and He died a King! Matthew 27:37 NKJV 37 And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Jesus was resurrected from the dead as proof that He is the King of Kings! Revelation 1:5 NKJV 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, Jesus will return as the conquering King to establish His eternal Kingdom! Revelation 19:16 NKJV 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Understanding Faith Part Three — Persevering Faith The Greek word “little faith” (ὀλιγόπιστος – oligopistos) is used five times in the New Testament and four of those occurrences are found in the Gospel of Matthew. In each occurrence Christ showed His disciples areas where their faith still lacked the depth and maturity necessary to withstand the rigors, challenges, and trials of life. Our faith may be stronger in specific areas, but Jesus wants our faith to grow and mature in every area of our lives. Each time Jesus confronted them with their weak faith He included the rebuke, “O you of little faith.” Jesus’ motivation for revealing their “little faith” was not to humiliate or discourage them, but to help them to recognize aspects of their faith that needed strengthening. He wanted them to develop an unshakeable faith, enabling them to stand strong in the face of whatever trials, hardships, or uncertainties life would bring. From the four times when Jesus said, “O you of little faith” in the Gospel of Matthew, we can identify four things that attack our faith and God’s strategy to overcome them. There are four aspects to faith and each one releases God’s Glory: Creative Faith – This is the power of faith – the Glory of His Name Doctrinal Faith – This is the truth of faith – the Glory of His Word Persevering Faith – This is the strength of faith – the Glory of His Life God Conscious Faith – This is the reality of faith – the Glory of His Presence The first time Jesus rebuked His disciples with the words, “O you of little faith” is found in Matthew 6:30 and it relates to Creative Faith. 30Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Through Creative Faith, God’s provision is released in our lives whether through miracles, healings, or His divine supply for those areas where we are experiencing lack. Creative Faith releases the Glory of His Name. As we testify to God’s faithfulness and miraculous provision to those around, God’s Name is glorified in the sight of both believers and unbelievers. The opposition that comes against Creative Faith is error of vision. Error of vision occurs when we turn our eyes away from God and His divine provision and focus on our lack or the apparent impossibility of the circumstances we face. It is evident from reading the context of the reproof “O you of little faith” in Matthew, Chapter six, that it contains a warning against worrying. Of the six times the Greek word for worry is used in the Gospel of Matthew, five of those occurrences are found in Matthew, Chapter 6, in relationship to “O you of little faith.” Worry is the enemy that attacks us so we are unable to operate in creative faith. Worry causes us to forget God’s faithfulness and to focus on our lack. Worry paralyzes us so we are unable to step out in faith and trust God for His provision. The second aspect of faith is Doctrinal Faith. The opposition that comes against doctrinal faith is error of doctrine. Doctrinal Faith releases the Glory of His Word. When we understand and correctly apply God’s Word to our lives, we demonstrate the glory of His Word so the entire world can witness the life changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ at work within us. Wrong doctrine always brings confusion and disgrace to God’s Word. In Matthew, Chapter 16, Jesus warned His disciples of the wrong doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees with the words, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” (Verse 6). However, His disciples misunderstood Jesus’ warning and thought He was speaking about bread. Then Jesus rebuked His disciples with the words “O you of little faith.” (Verse 8). Finally, Jesus’ disciples understood that He wasn’t warning them about bread, but the error of doctrine which had corrupted the Jewish religious leaders. “Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of b...