Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days

Praise (1) brings us into God’s Presence and His Presence into us, (2) causes us to triumph, bringing us into the spirit of victory (3) releases God's Glory in our lives (4) delivers us from a spirit of heaviness (5) beautifies us in our personality, (6) releases strength into our hearts, empowering us to do His will.

Thanksgiving brings us into God’s Presence, so that we can receive the supply of His Grace. Through thanksgiving, we acknowledge God as the Source of every blessing, and activate the flow of His Grace in us. Thus by thanksgiving we unlock and release the supernatural miracle working Power of God.

Why Praise? (1) We were created to glorify God, so we are fulfilling the purpose of our being. (2) Our Praise blesses God. (3) Praise and Thanksgiving (hallowing His Name) is the ordained way into God's Presence (the holy of holies), where we can enter into Worship (direct, intimate communion with God).

We become like the One we worship, for it is a surrender. Our highest calling is to worship God, in intimate spirit to Spirit communion. We love God by our (1) worship, and (2) works. Worship adds to us value (holiness), as God fills us with His life, activating our souls. Our true life flows out of our worship.

“Seek your HAPPINESS in the Lord, and He will give you your hearts desire" (Psalm 37:4). God has no needs, but He does have a strong desire for you, for intimacy with you! Our love and worship gives Him great pleasure! Don't deprive God of your love, for Jesus died so that God might receive your love

A great picture of our Covenant with God through Christ is the story of Mephibosheth. Saul's family is a type of mankind in Adam. David (a type of God) made a covenant with Jonathan, Saul’s son (a type of Christ). As Mephiboshesh (a type of us) was in Jonathan he qualified to receive David's covenant love.

Unity is a state of harmony or peace created by love. Unity (between us and God and with others) is the key to multiplication of power and effectiveness. What we can achieve together is far greater than from working alone. The multiplication factor (up to x100) depends on the degree of unity (Mark 4:20).

The essence of love is spiritual, coming from God's Presence in us, for God is love, and love is of God, and the fruit of the Spirit is love. Love exists in 4 dimensions - the length, height, depth and width. We must (1) receive His love into our heart by faith, so we are filled with His love (Ephesians 3:14-19), then (2) release His love by our words and actions.

Derek shares God's vision and purpose for sex and why it is sacred. God gave us a strong sex drive, so we can form a deep intimate union with one person of the opposite sex within the covenant of marriage. But since sex is sacred, when we misuse it for selfish ends, we are defiled and feel shame.

Psalm 40 is a Messianic Prophecy describing Jesus as He was about to step through the Door from Heaven to earth (Hebrews 10:4-10). When He dedicated Himself to God as His bondservant to do His will, God opened His ears to hear and anointed Him to do His will. We see how this applies to us (Romans 12:1-8).