Pastor Joe Sugrue - Grace and Truth Podcast

Tuesday November 19, 2019

So soon after the birth of their church, already the Corinthians were accepting that pernicious conception of Christianity that looks upon it as merely a new luxury, that they who are already comfortable in all outward respects may be comforted in spirit as well and purge their minds from all anxieties, questionings, and strivings. They recognized how happy a thing it is to be forgiven, to be a peace with God, to have a sure hope of eternal life - all of which are the wonderful experience of all Christians. But for them the battle was over, the conquest won, the throne ascended. As yet they had not caught a glimpse of what involved in becoming holy as Christ is holy, nor had steadily conceived in their minds the profound inward change which must pass upon them.

A view of life on par with the life of Christ had not dawned upon...

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2140

Sunday, November 17, 2019

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2139

Thursday November 14, 2019

Charles Murray an American political scientist, sociologist and writer, comments on his book Coming Apart, that the problem of a 35-year-old man sitting at home unemployed, when there are plenty of jobs around him to be had, is explained differently by the right and the left. The right may blame feminism or government programs, the left may blame a decline in labor unions, but Mr. Murray says, whatever the reason, the man is still not getting a job. What does the explanation matter when the man does not physically look for and get a job? The problem is industriousness.

A Christian may find some satisfying explanation for why he is not living his life in a Christ-like manner, but all explanations mean nothing. All Christians are equally blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. All are equally equipped to run the race that is set...

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2138

Wednesday, Novermber 13, 2019

"If change is going to take place, I must visualize clearly the kind of person God wants me to become, and then determine by an act of the will, by a commitment, to become that kind of person. It involves presenting myself to Him as an instrument for righteousness (Rom 6:13), as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1), and a vessel for honor (2Ti 2:21). If we aim at nothing we will hit it every time. We become what we conceive ourselves to be. Beauty comes from discovering God's blueprint for our lives, and making a commitment to pursue it with total dedication." [Joe Aldrich, Secrets to Inner Beauty]

We have been set free and are then no longer under law, but under the way of intrinsic goodness. Would we say that Christ was good because of the law? Would He have been bad if there was no law? He was good because He is good, and...

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2137

Tuesday November 12, 2019

Human power, which is minus God's power, inevitably has self as its ultimate goal, and so results in sin.

Freedom is the use of God's power in everything.

Freedom is the ability to do good in every situation, especially the very unexpected ones.

Gal 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Gal 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word [utterance], in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Jesus is the One who fulfilled the Law, and He did it on the cross by applying "You shall love your neighbor as...

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2136

Sunday November 10, 2019

Human power, which is minus God's power, inevitably has self as its ultimate goal, and so results in sin.

Freedom is the use of God's power in everything. Freedom is the ability to do good in every situation, especially the very unexpected ones.

Gal 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Gal 5:14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word [utterance], in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Jesus is the One who fulfilled the Law, and He did it on the cross by applying "You shall love your neighbor as...

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2135

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Title: Ephesians- overview of 3:1-9; tapping into the power of God, part 12.

Human power, which is minus God's power, inevitably has self as its ultimate goal, and so results in sin.

One cannot do the will of God without God's power. Obey His will in all things and you will be empowered by God.

Hence, God has made it quite simple for us. Though we may struggle with obeying God's commands, obedience is simple in concept and it excludes all excuses.

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2134

Wednesday November 6, 2019

Col 1:9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

Col 1:10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Col 1:11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously

Col 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Paul prays that we would know the surpassing greatness of God's power toward us who...

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2133

Tuesday November 5, 2019

Eph 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Eph 1:19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

The prayer is that we would know the surpassing greatness of His power (preposition eis: toward, in, into) toward us who are believers. Do we know the super-abounding greatness of His power that we are free to use? If you did, you would put your faith in it and strive to use it to its fullest extent.

The power to God - wisdom/understanding, obedience, and the Holy Spirit within.

The scripture reveals to us that Jesus depended upon the power of the Holy...

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2132

Sunday November 3,2019

The power to God - wisdom/understanding, obedience, and the Holy Spirit within.

Last time we documented in Luk 4 and Act 10 that Jesus depended upon the power of the Holy Spirit during the first advent. He grew in wisdom and knowledge, He obeyed all the Father's will, and He was empowered to complete fully every aspect of the mission for which He was sent to earth.

Power is by the Spirit, but we have to participate in its use by obedience to truth through faith.

We cannot use our own efforts. But how do we know we are using our own efforts?

The easy answer is that our own efforts always ultimately have as their target things outside of the will of God; simply put -...

for full notes: http://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2131