1 John 2:13… I write to you, fathers (Spiritual Adults), because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men (Spiritual Teens), because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children (Spiritual Babies), because you have known the Father.

• Our Spiritual Life is not just a onetime decision – it is a JOURNEY. It is an exciting journey with Jesus. There is such a thing as Spiritual Growth in our Spiritual Life. When a person is born again, one becomes a Spiritual Baby then grows into a Spiritual Teenager and finally becomes a Spiritual Adult. We are called to move and progress in our Spiritual Journey. Real Christians are not supposed to stay stagnant/the same.

• John 3:7… You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

• The Spiritual Journey begins with being born again of which a human –being becomes a Spiritual Baby.

• 1 Corinthians 15:22…For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

• When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we get born-again. And we are born-again, we become spiritually alive!  

• John 4:24… God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.

• Unless we are spiritually alive –
  • We are not connected to God
  • We will not be able to worship God
  • We will not be able to communicate with God
  • We will not experience God

True worshipers worship in spirit (being spiritually alive) and in truth (not just believing in any god but the God that Jesus came to proclaim about).  Unless we are spiritually alive, we will not be able to grow up from a Spiritual Baby to a Spiritual Teenager and ultimately to a Spiritual Adult.

• Psalm 8:5… You made him (Adam) a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
• When God made Adam, he was made spiritually alive, he was connected to God, he communicated with God, he experienced God and he was crowned with God’s glory and honor. The word here “crowned” means “to surround”. Adam was surrounded with God’s Glory and Honor! God’s Glory and Honor – became Adam’s clothing.
• Romans 3:23… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
• When Adam sinned against God, he lost the glory of God. Just like Adam, none of us have the glory of God before we accepted Jesus into our lives!

• Philippians 3:9…and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.

• Adam’s righteousness depended on self and he eventually fell into sin and lost God’s glory. God’s standard is so high – that even ONE sin disqualifies us from being righteous! Today we do not depend on self / following the law to remain righteous. Today we depend on Jesus who is infallible. Born Again Christians depend on Jesus’ righteousness – and Jesus WILL NEVER ever fall. Today God’s glory is in our lives!

• John 17:22… I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.
  • God’s glory which Adam lost – is given back to us because of Jesus. The Greek word for glory is Doxa. Doxa means “having a good opinion concerning one that result in glory and honor”. Jesus wants us to know, believe and meditate that as children of God, we are glorious and honorable in God’s eyes / God’s standard!

• 1 Corinthians 3:2… I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.

• As we continue to mature spiritually from being a Spiritual Baby to becoming a Spiritual Teenager and ultimately being a Spiritual Adult we will begin to experience more and more the glory of God in our lives that was made available for us some 2000 years ago.

Luke 11:3…Give us (ask) each day our daily (one day at a time) bread (needs).

• Two precious truths that we are to receive from this one simple verse;
  • Ask: Just because there is a need – it does not mean Jesus will supernaturally naturally fulfill it. Jesus fulfills our needs ONLY when we turn to Jesus to ask Him in Faith. If Jesus is moved by our needs then all the needs of the world would have been met already – but that is not the case. There are so many unmet needs in the world today.
  • One day at a time: Jesus seeks an intimate relationship with God’s Children. Jesus wants us to DAILY trust him and not trusting him once for all or whenever we like. Jesus wants to interact with us DAILY. Jesus wants to be intimate with us daily.

• Matthew 7:7… “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

• It is obvious that God’s Children are to take time to ask, to seek and to knock on Jesus’ door. Yet the very sad thing about Christians today – is that many are too busy, too lazy, too tired or too self dependent to ask, to seek and to knock on Jesus’ door.

• Matthew 6:34… Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
• Jesus is calling us to seriously live one day at a time depending on Him DAILY! Jesus does not want us to worry about tomorrow. Jesus wants us to know that He will give us all the help we need for today and when tomorrow comes, Jesus will pour fresh new help into our lives. We are to make the decision to be a “Today Person” enjoying TODAY even when we are tempted to worry about tomorrow. Jesus does not want you worrying about;
  • Your child’s school fees that you have to pay tomorrow
  • The business deal that you have to close tomorrow
  • What you going to put on the table for your family to eat tomorrow
  • Tomorrow’s job interview
  • Where you going to stay tomorrow
  • Your medical test results which will be out tomorrow
  • How your boss is going to treat you tomorrow
  • Galatians 3:5… Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
  • We must believe that Jesus and real miracles go hand in hand. Jesus is about miracles and miracles are about Jesus. There is nothing that Jesus cannot do. We are only required to believe in this truth and we WILL SEE the miracles that Jesus has promised.
  • Exodus 16:13–16… That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer (3.64 litres) for each person you have in your tent.’ “
  • Many Christians are not experiencing Jesus’ miracles and blessing which He wants to give TODAY because they are caught up with tomorrow’s challenges. God is the same yesterday, today and forever more… right from the Old Testament, when the children of Israel were in the desert, God gave them fresh manna from heaven every morning. They did not have to worry about tomorrow because when tomorrow came, there was fresh manna again. God was their provision every day.
  • 2 Corinthians 9:8… And God is able to make all grace abound (plentiful) to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
  • Today, Jesus’ manna for God’s Children is the grace Jesus gives us every day. We don’t have to worry about tomorrow. We need to know, believe and meditate that there will be plentiful grace for tomorrow when tomorrow comes. Jesus wants us rest in His love and power to bless, to heal, to protect and to provide for us every day.
  • 2 Chronicles 20:15–17… He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. ¹⁷ You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’ “
  • When King Jehoshaphat’s enemies were coming against him tomorrow, God told the worried king not to be afraid because God will take over the battle tomorrow! When the next morning came, King Jehoshaphat saw how God did a miracle right in front of his eyes. God’s people watch God fight the battle for them just as He had promised.
  • Hebrews 12:2… Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
  • Sometimes when we know that a problem or challenge is coming our way tomorrow, we find it nearly impossible to have faith. This is when we must choose to just look to Jesus, call up Jesus’ name, worship Jesus – and His joy will supernaturally fill us up! Jesus wants us to live a stress-free life. Jesus does not what us to have a life that is filled with worries about tomorrow’s problems and challenges. When tomorrow comes, Jesus’ grace will be there for us as our help, protection and favor!

John 1:17… For the law was given through Moses; grace (undeserving and unearned blessings) and truth came through Jesus Christ.

• Often when a Christian falls into a “big” sin such as Sexual sin, other Christians will label him / her as “a Christian who has fallen from grace” meaning the grace of God had left that person.
• Romans 5:20… The law was added so that the trespass (sin) might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more.

• There is a place for the law in the Kingdom of God. The role of God’s law is to show us… the perfect standard of God and how sinful we are. Without the law – we are blinded from seeing our sins.
• Yet Jesus wants us to know that when God’s child falls into sin, he does not fall from grace — he actually falls into grace! Praise Jesus for His grace has the power to pick us up and put us back on our feet to carry on our spiritual journey.
• John 8:11… “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
• There were adulteress, prostitutes and corrupted tax collectors who fell into Jesus’ grace.  And because they feel into Jesus’ grace, they were able to get back on their feet. Nothing (not even sin) will stop Jesus’ grace from entering into our lives! If the sin in our lives could stop Jesus’ grace, then the “sinners’ in the bible would never receive Jesus’ grace in the form of love, healing, help and power to push them into righteous living.
• Romans 6:14… For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
• It is so important for every Christian to understand that Jesus hates sin because it destroys our lives, our homes, our relationships, our health, our reputation and so much more. Sin is evil! But the fact is that – we will not overcome sin by us talking about it to other people or by relying on our willpower. The only way we will overcome sin is when we know, believe and meditate the truth that we are under Jesus’ grace!
• Philippians 3:9… and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
• Only the grace of Jesus can destroy sin. When we are under Jesus’ grace, sin has no authority over us. The child of God needs to know, believe and meditate that Jesus’ grace is able to put away our sins and make us eternally righteous that sin will not control us.
• 1 Corinthians 1:30… It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
• Satan will lie to us and tell us that God cannot bless us because of our sin.  That is when we need to meditate on the truth that Jesus alone is our perfection and righteousness. All of us have weaknesses. None of us deserve Jesus’ blessings. That is why we are to focus on Jesus’ grace, which are Jesus’ unearned and undeserved blessings toward us.
• Galatians 2:21…I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

• Sin does not and cannot stop Jesus’ grace. If Jesus’ grace can be cut off by sin, Jesus would never have come to save us because we were all terrible sinners. But praise Jesus, where sin abound, grace abounded much more”! Jesus’ grace is bigger, deeper, wider and more powerful than all the world’s sins put together. The child of God needs to know that Jesus paid the big fat price with His life so that we will be able to embrace Jesus’ grace so to walk in Recovery and FREEDOM over our Sexual Brokenness, weakness or evil habits.

Do you know that the gravitational pull on the Earth is so strong that it takes tonnes of power to lift a vehicle off the ground, let alone an aircraft? Do you know that the sun is 93,000,000 miles away from the Earth, yet the very, very hot gases and burning fire on the surface are just at the right distance to give light to Earth? Do you know that our universe is so vast that it is one of many universes? Voyager 1 spacecraft is about to reach the edge of our universe, yet it will still take light years away before this is achieved.

When you consider the above questions, doesn’t it make you wonder that it takes something greater – greater than all the universes, greater than all the suns and stars, greater than all the meteors, meteorites and comets – to create all of these? Even the most up-to-date nuclear bomb cannot stand up to the Power that created all of these things.

Yet, all that we see around us, here and the universe, including our ‘indomitable’ sun that gives us light – all came about by some Unseen Force, by some incredible Energy Force. According to science, energy can neither be created nor destroyed. The first Primal Energy Force has neither a beginning nor an end. In actual truth, this Force claims to be the Beginning and the End of all things. This Force has a personality and His name is GOD.

All that we see around us was created by His immense Power – so much more powerful than the sun – which the Holy Bible simply calls ‘The Holy Spirit’. Do you realise what this means? This All-Powerful energy source is residing in us today as born-again Christians – the very same power that created the universe and everything we see.

What a powerhouse that we have stored in us! Why then, aren’t we manifesting much of this power? Could it be that we’re not utilizing this power enough? Do you know for this power to work astounding miracles in our lives, our thought patterns have to be in line with the energy this power has? Doesn’t it make sense now to see, in a scientific way or Biblical way (whichever way you want to see), that we have to align our thoughts according to that of the Greatest Power of the Universe – GOD? The Bible simply calls it ‘the renewing of our minds’. Such a simple statement, yet so profound in its impact!

It is the invisible qualities of the Holy Spirit that brought matter and the universe into being – the same qualities that exist in us today! God, in His infinite wisdom and long-lasting relationship with us through His son, Jesus Christ, has so graciously given us this power to reside in us. One day which is very soon, this same power of the Holy Spirit in us, will help us rule the universe at large and travel faster than the speed of light and even allow us to do the spiritual things that God does with His power but we’ll still be submissive to Him. We will not be able to use this power at our disposal any way we wish. It will be subject to the laws of the universe which are the Laws of God! Now, tell me, if the Holy Spirit, the power of God, is not awesome? This article I’ve written should wake us up to the incredible power that is within our reach – and it’s inside of us!

• 1 Samuel 16:6-11… When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab (David’s brother) and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.” ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  ⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” ⁹ Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.” ¹⁰ Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” ¹¹ So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
• Right from the Old Testament, to the New Testament and even today, many of the great individuals in the Kingdom of God… were Nobody in the standard of the world before they become Somebody in God’s Kingdom ;
  • David –  a Shepherd boy who became a King
  • Ruth – a Widow and a Gentile who became the great great great great grandmother of Jesus
  • Joseph – a Slave who became Second in command after Pharaoh (King)
  • Mary Magdalene  – a Prostitute who became a Goodfriend of Jesus
  • Paul  –  a Murderer who became one of the Greatest Disciple of Jesus
  • Peter, John, James and Andrew – four fishermen who became four of Jesus’ First Disciples
  • Last but not least Jesus – a Carpenter who became the Savior of the World!
  • 1 Corinthians 1:26… Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble (high class) birth.
  • Today many Christians think of themselves as Nobody because they have embraced the standards of the World. They may even think of themselves as Losers. God’s Word says that if you are not wise, not powerful or not high class (a Nobody) based on the world’s standard, then you are potentially a target to be Jesus’ Chosen Somebody! When Jesus chooses us and when we say “yes” – Jesus will begin to use us.  We will see Jesus’ love and power change our lives and the lives of the world around us.

• Acts 7:22… Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
• In the standard of Prince Moses’ world, Moses was the rising star of Egypt. The Bible tells us that during the first 40 years of Moses’ life, Moses was educated in all the knowledge of the Egyptians. Moses was powerful in words and actions.  But God could not use Moses when Moses was powerful (a Somebody) because Moses was “too smart”, “too strong” and too Self Confident.

• Acts 7:29-32… When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons. ³⁰“After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. ³¹When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord’s voice: ³²‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
• 40 years of living in the desert of Midian, turned Moses from a Somebody into a Nobody. Only after Moses became a Nobody – God sent Moses to confront and handle the powerful Pharaoh.

• 1 Corinthians 1:27… But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
• The world will ignore or look down on the Nobodies — the weak, the powerless, the poor, the rejected, the small, the forgotten and the losers, but Jesus chooses those Nobodies to confront and handle those who are great in the world.
•  
• Matthew 19:18-23… Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, ” ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹honor your father and mother,’and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”  ²⁰“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”  ²¹Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor (become a Nobody), and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. ²³Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
• The essence (real meaning) of being a Nobody is humbling ourselves realizing and believing that the fame / wealth / authority / education / power / etc that we have;

1. 1.       Is NOTHING in comparison to Jesus
2. 2.       Are gifts to us from Jesus
3. 3.       Belongs to Jesus and He has the rights to take it back anytime He wants
4. 4.       Are to be used for Jesus through the lives of the poor (financially / emotionally / mentally) in the world around us

Only when we think that we are a Nobody – to others in the world, then that is the time when Jesus can use us to do great and wonderful things for Him and building of His Kingdom!

• Matthew 22:1-14… Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ²“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. ⁴“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ ⁵“But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. ⁸“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹Go to the street corners (Street People / Nobodies) and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. ¹¹“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹²‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ The man was speechless. ¹³“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  ¹⁴“For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
• There are three key truths to learn from this parable…

1. 1.       Many are invited into the Kingdom of God
2. 2.       But are some (the Nobodies) are Chosen
3. 3.       It does not matter whether you are Invited / Chosen, the only way into the Kingdom of God is through Jesus the ONLY ONE who is able to clothe us in righteousness

• Matthew 20:15-16… Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ ¹⁶“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
• If you are a Somebody (the first) in the Worlds Standard, Jesus wants you to be a Nobody (the last) before He can be a CHOSEN ONE!

• Matthew 25:14-15… “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey
• When we become God’s Chosen One – we will be entrusted with the MOST talents. We will be entrusted with FIVE talents while the others will be entrusted with only two or one talent.

• Matthew 19-29-30… And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

Psalms 30:12… That my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

• Jesus’ words are always perfectly timed! This week Jesus came and gave me the exact truths that I needed to hear and meditate on – for this season of my life. Jesus showed me that the psalmist was forever thankful – and that every true child of God can and should come to that place of being… “Forever Thankful”!  Jesus explained to me the meaning of being Forever Thankful – which has led me into giving Complete Thanksgiving unto God. I have been going through a horrible season of financial lack and as always, at the very right time – Jesus speaks. And when Jesus speaks and if we choose to believe… we cannot remain the same! Thank You Lord Jesus…
• Psalms 79:13… Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount (remember) your praise.
• To praise and thank Jesus FOREVER & COMPLETELY is;

1. 1.        To remember and be thankful for all the good that Jesus had done in the past of which so often we forget.
2. 2.       Believing that some 2000 years ago when Jesus said “It is FINISHED”, Jesus truly meant that He did it all. On that cross – all the future needs of God’s Children have been made available in the spiritual realm. And as we continue to meditate on Jesus’ finished work – we WILL supernaturally naturally experience what Jesus made available for God’s Children some 2000 years ago!
3. 3.       To praise and thank Jesus for the little / much that we have at this present moment of time!

• Philippians 4:6… Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
• Jesus showed me that I have been praising and thanking Him but my thanksgiving is NOT COMPLETE. I have been living a life thanking Jesus for the past and the future. But because I was so focusing and praying for the lack that I am experiencing now; I especially forgot to thank and praise Jesus for the little Good Things … that I have today. I did not thank Jesus for providing me and my family our daily bread.
• John 6:8–13…Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”  ¹⁰Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. ¹¹Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.  ¹²When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
• Jesus’ attitude was one of Forever and Complete Thankfulness. Jesus took a little boy’s lunch of five loaves and two fish and gave thanks (even before it multiplied) and had them distributed. Jesus gave thanks for the little that was there and the little multiplied. Not only did the people eat as much as they wanted, there were 12 baskets full of leftovers! Today most of us have become blinded and are NOT giving Jesus thanks for the five loaves of bread and two fishes in our lives!
• Matthew 6: 11… Give us today our daily bread.
• In the “Our Father” prayer that Jesus taught us to pray – Jesus wants us to daily be a TODAY PERSON; living one day at a time. Even when we are experiencing lack– we are to thank Jesus for the little that we have today. Most people choose to give Jesus thanks when they have a lot in their lives. We must choose to believe that the little that we have today is our “five loaves and two fishes”. And as we continue to give Jesus thanks – also proclaiming and believing that Jesus is our Provider, in spite of the little we have, the little will become much, with leftovers!
• Luke 1:37… For nothing is impossible with God.
• Even when faced with the impossible, the thing to do is to praise and thank Jesus! When Jesus stood outside Lazarus’ tomb, and the people took away the stone that was covering the tomb, Jesus did not see the situation as hopeless and impossible. Jesus simply lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” Then, Jesus called Lazarus, and the dead man came out alive! The raising of Lazarus, who had been dead for more than four days, was one of Jesus’ greatest miracles. And Jesus did this by saying, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” Jesus had Complete Thankfulness unto God!
• Matthew 6:34…Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
• Real Christians can afford to NOT WORRY about tomorrow. Instead of worrying about our needs – we are called to pray for our needs. There is a place for praying for our needs but when we pray, we should not pray the beggars prayer such as, “Jesus, please please do this for me! Please please give me taht”! Instead, our prayer should always be a Thanksgiving Prayer, “Thank You Jesus, for hearing me. And because You have heard me, I thank You that I have what I need.” And when we thank Jesus, the little that we already have will multiply. Our impossible situations will turn around!
• Galatians4:4-6… But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ⁵to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. ⁶Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”
• Jesus wants us to clearly know that we are children of God and that we can afford not to be anxious about the lack that we are experiencing.  Most people are able to praise Jesus and be grateful unto Jesus when they are CURRENTLY experiencing the best. But Jesus wants us to be like the Psalmist and have a life of FOREVER & COMPLETE Thankfulness – of the past, the present & the future.
• John 11:41-43… So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
• Jesus set an example of what it means to be a Child of God. Jesus lived a life of forever and complete thanksgiving. Jesus always thanked the Father (God in the person of the Father) for what God had done and for always hearing Him when He prayed. That was how miracles were released into Jesus’ life.

1 John 5:14…This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

• I learned a lesson that Jesus taught me a long time ago – which is to understand the difference between “expect” and “hope” and how to apply them accordingly in my life. Jesus taught me this POWERFUL lesson of “expect” and “hope” that has benefited me so much in my…

1. 1.       Friendships and relationships with people
2. 2.       Desires

• Expect = where the word “expecting (pregnancy)” comes from.  It WILL / MUST happen. Every pregnant woman is SURE that there is a baby inside of her and is also SURE that the baby will come out in due time. There’s no “maybe”! Examples of “expect”;
  • I expect him to remember my birthday. If he doesn’t …
  • I expect her to pay me by Monday. If she doesn’t …
  • I expect you to spend time with me everyday. If you don’t …
  • I expect my husband to give me all the money. If he doesn’t …

• Hope = desire – it MIGHT happen. “Maybe”! Examples of “hope”;
  • I hope I will get that job.
  • I hope he will understand my feelings for him.
  • I hope it won’t rain tomorrow.
  • I hope everything will go on well with your marriage.

• Applying “Hope” in friendships and relationships.
  • We live in an imperfect world filled with imperfect people around us (including ourselves).
  • The human heart often breaks and we end up hurt, disappointed and discourage WHEN we EXPECT someone to pay attention but she doesn’t, to share but he doesn’t, to be truthful but he is not, to be faithful but he is not, to understand but he doesn’t, to love but she doesn’t, to trust but he doesn’t, to listen but she doesn’t.
  • Instead of EXPECTING – the better thing to do when it comes to our friendships and relationships is to just HOPE in that someone. Hope that he will pay attention, share, be truthful, be faithful, understand, love, trust and listen. When we hope, we give that person a freedom of choice. But on the other hand, when we EXPECT – there’s no choice given!

• Proverbs 10:24… Applying “Expect” in Jesus. As long as our desires are Christful (according to God’s will) – we can and should EXPECT Jesus to grant them!

• Romans 5:5… In Jesus – we can be confident and have Christful expectations. Jesus wants us to have a confident expectation because as God’s children, Jesus highly favors us.

• Colossians 1:27… Jesus “the hope of glory” is in us. With that – we can expect the glory of God to shine into every area of our lives – our Family Life, Work Life, Ministry, Health and Finances!

• Matthew 7:7… We have been hurt, disappointed and discourage because of our expectations in our family, friends and others. But the bible tells us that there our expectations in God – does not disappoint! Jesus promised us that as God’s children – when we ask He WILL give us. When we seek, we WILL find. When we knock, the door WILL be opened.

• Philippians 4:6… We must believe and mediate that Jesus loves us so much and Jesus wants to give us the best! When we present our desires to Jesus – we are to THANK Jesus (even before we see our desires come to past). Because we know and believe that it has also been given to us and we can EXPECT it to enter into our lives! When we believe and meditate that Jesus loves us, we will have a positive expectation of good things. We will have expectations that does not disappoint!

Proverbs 13:21… Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

• Chinese New Year is a time when “Good Luck and Prosperity” is of the primary focus! Everyone wants to prosper or at least be stable financially. Yet each one has his own formula;
  • Some believe in Luck  / Feng Shui
  • Some even believe in Cheating & Lying
  • Most people believe in Working Hard
• Many people work hard in this generation. Yet if working hard is the formula for financial prosperity, then everyone who works hard SHOULD be financial prosperous! But that is definitely not the case. Many people who work very hard are still very poor!
• Proverbs 10:4… The bible clearly says that God is against laziness and every Real Christian should repent from laziness. Yet – the truth is that working hard is not how we experience Jesus’ financial prosperity in the Kingdom of God. A Christian, who works overtime all the time and is stressed out, is a Christian who has not been set free from a curse that Jesus has broken 2000 years ago.
• Genesis 3:17-19… Work is not a curse because God blessed Adam with work before the curse came. Adam was given the work of taking care of the Garden of Eden before the curse came. But after Adam sinned, the cursed entered Adam’s Work Life. Adam experienced what I call – the cures of the “Sweat of the Brow”.
  • Antecedent: The Curse of the Sweat of the Brow
  • Behavior: Working Hard yet producing little
  • Consequences: Experiencing stress, struggle and anxieties in Work Life
• John 19:2… Working hard and yet producing little is a sad thing and that is not God’s plan for us. Praise Jesus – he took the crown of thorns and his brow was pierced. When Jesus did that – Jesus declared that He has taken the curse of the “Sweat of the Brow” for us and redeemed us from the curse. Jesus wore the crown of thorns so that our Work Life can be stress-free and we can have great results. We don’t have to worry and be stressed out day and night like the people of the world so to experience financial prosperity.  Jesus can get you there without the worries and stress.
• Matthew 6:31–33… Every curse that was supposed to fall on our head fell on Jesus’ head, through the piecing of the crown of thorns about 2000 years ago. Jesus wore the crown of thorns for us so that we can have peace of mind. Jesus wore the crown of thorns for us and took the curse of the Sweat of Brow so that we can wear the crown of glory and take His righteousness, and all the benefits being the righteousness of God!
• Matthew 11:30… The children of God are not called to Work Hard like the people of the world. Instead we are called to work Christfully! We are to believe and meditate that the curse of the Sweat of Brow has been broken and we the children of God can expect to see the blessings of Jesus come into our lives without blood, sweat and tears because Jesus wore the crown of thorns for us!

Jeremiah 31:3…The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”

• God loves us with an everlasting love! God’s love for us is perfect and complete.

• John 13:8…People find it so easy to believe and meditate that God wants us to love Him. But not many have come to the place believing and meditating that God desires a relationship with us and wants to love us. Peter could not imagine Jesus washing his feet. But Jesus told Peter, if Jesus doesn’t wash his feet, Peter has no relationship with Jesus. Jesus was saying if Peter did not allow Jesus to love him – Peter cannot flow together with Jesus.

• Ephesians 5:25–26… The bible tells us that Jesus loves us and gave Himself for us, so that He might cleanse us with the washing of water through the Word. We are cleansed with the washing of water through the Word. The more we hear God’s Word, the more the cleansing of our lives goes on!

• There is a “Love Triangle” going on in the Kingdom of God which is;

• �
  1. God loves me
  2. I love God
  3. I love others

• 1 John 4:19 …As always – in everything, it has to begin with God. Unless we FIRST have the love of God in our lives – we can never love God or love anyone with Christful Love.

• The “Love Triangle” in the Kingdom of God;

1. John 3:16… Jesus loves me – Jesus gave up HIS ALL to express His love for us!
2. Mark 12:30… I love Jesus – Loving Jesus with my all. Loving Jesus above all else!
3. Mark 12:31… I love others - Loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. Loving others in thoughts , words and deeds (Complete)

• Luke 10:29-37… Who is our neighbor? Anyone that Jesus puts into our lives that need our love! And loving them completely (in thought, word and deed);
  • Some only love in thoughts  (thinking of the one they love / loving in the heart)
  • Some love in words = always saying “I love you”
  • Some love in deeds = always doing things / giving things  to show love

• Isaiah 44:24… God wants us to love others because He created each one of them. If God truly created the people around us and even died for each one of them, it sure means that every human being around us is precious.

• I often call the people in my life “Precious man / Precious woman”. Many wonder why I say so. Some even feel uncomfortable. The reason I often address the people in my life as “Precious man / Precious woman”  – is because I truly believe that every person is so precious! If Jesus created those human-being plus died for him / her – that person MUST be precious!

• John 15:12… Jesus continuously teaches us to love one another. There will be times in our lives when we will have to love (in thoughts, words and deeds) the people whom we do not like. Loving and Liking someone are two very different things! Every child of God can supernaturally come to a place of loving our neighbors no matter whom. 

• I have am in the place in my life where I can love (in thoughts, words and deeds) even the people who have hurt me the most. That does not mean I like him. Jesus COMMANDS us to love, even when we do not like. In Jesus name we can be like the Good Samaritan who went forth to love in spite of being considered as the enemy of the one who was hurt!

1 Corinthians 12:27… Now you (Christians) are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

• In my last Sunday’s sermon – we have established a truth that no Christian can afford not to know! The bible clearly proclaims that Jesus is the head and we the church are His body. Every real Christian need to believe and meditate that Jesus and the church are one. Jesus and every real Christian are one.

• Colossians 1:18… It is ridiculous to even think that the Head and the Body are TWO! It is totally unbiblical to say that ;
  • In God’s eyes the Head is perfect but the Body is imperfect.
  • The Head is accepted but the Body is rejected by God.

• 1 Peter 2:5 & 2 Corinthians 5:17… When God sees us today – God sees Jesus. Today just as Jesus is perfect in God’s eyes and is accepted by God – we the Children of God are also look at as perfect and God accepts us! As much as God accepts Jesus – the same way, every real Christian is accepted by God!

• 1 John 4:17… Whatever Jesus is before God, we His body is the same in this world! It is wrong to believe that;
  • The Head is healthy but the Body sick.
  • The Head is a priest but the Body is a sinner.
  • The Head is rich but the Body poor.
  • The Head hs peace but the Body is full of stress.
  • The Head is powerful but the Body is powerless.  

• Luke 3:22… As children of God – Jesus gives us the rights to believe, meditate and proclaim that His perfections, together with the joy that He brings to the Father’s heart, Jesus stand before God representing us His Body. Only when we truly believe and meditate on this truth, we will begin to realize that since Jesus is a sweet-smelling aroma to the Father… so are we!
• Ephesians 5:23… The more we begin to believe and meditate that we are one with Jesus, the more we will realize and experience that whatever we need right now, we have it.
  • If we have symptom of sicknesses in your body, Jesus our Head will supernaturally naturally pass on His health and healing to us.
  • If we are sexually broken, Jesus our Head will supernaturally naturally link His wholeness into your sexuality.
  • If we lack wisdom, Jesus our Head will supernaturally naturally pass on His wisdom to us.
  • If you have any lack, Jesus our Head will supernaturally naturally give us His great riches.

• 1 Corinthians 3:23… We must remember all the days of our lives that we the Body of Christ can never be separated from Christ our Head from whom comes all the supply for our lives — all the power, wisdom, prosperity and health. Make a choice to believe and meditate on this truth TODAY and greater things will BEGIN to happen.