Speaker: Senior Pastor Bill Hayden

Ephesians 3 : 8-13 (NKJV)

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Applications:

Our afflictions help to unite the members in the Body of Christ in prayer.

When God answers prayer every member shares in victory.

Ephesians 3 : 1-13 (NKJV)

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles

2  if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,

3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,

4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),

5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,

12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Applications:

Salvation that was given to one people has been offered to all people.

The precious promises God offered to a few has been extended to all who believe.

1 Corinthians 11:23-34 (NKJV)

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.  For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  But when we are judged, we are   chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

John 3:16 – 21 (NKJV)

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.

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Galatians 4:4 – 5 (NKJV)
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
Applications:

The gift that God gave can’t be returned or exchanged for a better gift.
Only God can give a gift to satisfy the souls of the living and the dying.

Let us Celebrate the Third Sunday in Advent

Worship Service

Isaiah 12:2-6  (NKJV)

2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord,
is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ ”

3 Therefore with joy you will draw water From the wells of salvation.

4 And in that day you will say: “Praise the Lord, call upon His name;
Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted.

5 Sing to the Lord, For He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth.  

6 Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,
For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”

Applications:

The joy that the Lord has given to us is perpetual.

His joy is forever available for us to draw from the wells of Salvation in our journey to Heaven.

Let us Celebrate Second Advent

Worship Service

Ephesians 1:1-10 (NKJV)

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

Applications:

God reveals the secrets or mysteries of His heart to us as we abide in Him.
God’s plans for you may be delayed but not thwarted by man.

Acts 9: 1-19 (NLT)

1-9 Background reference.
 

10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied.

11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you
get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now.

12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”

13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!

14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”

15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.

16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.

19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.

Applications:

The wisdom of God is filled with surprises and preferred over human wisdom.

Our view of others and ourselves is not what God sees.

Together we bless the chapel in Jesus Name.

Deuteronomy 29:29 (NKJV)

²⁹ “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Acts 1:20-26 (NKJV)

²⁰ “For it is written in the Book of Psalms:

‘Let his dwelling place be ^[a]desolate,
And let no one live in it’;

and,

‘Let another take his ^[b]office.’

²¹ “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²² beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

²³ And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴ And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen ²⁵ to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” ²⁶ And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Applications:

The secret things of God are revealed by the Holy Spirit to those who walk with God in faith.

God’s timing to reveal his secrets are in alignment with His will for us.

John16:12-15 (NKJV)

12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now.

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will
not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about
the future.

14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell
you whatever he receives from me.’

Applications:

God withholds information from you until you are mature enough to live by it.

God’s truth is eternal and our truth is temporary.