Ephesians 2:1-10

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carryig out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

James 1:1-18 - Persevering

"It is a glorious thing to remain standing." After all the trials and tribulations of the world and the devil and to still praise Jesus Christ!

• it is ultimately God's perseverance with me and for me, ultimately for the glory and praise of Jesus Christ
• "Where does my help come from?" (Psalm 121) "My help comes from the Lord." - the Creator and Sovereign God
• God works perseverance in me (Phil. 2)
• It is Christ who keeps His sheep.
• perseverance and endurance produce characer therefore trialsmust come in order for us to be made into Christlikeness
• you must stand taking the pressure - perseverance is the divine ability to stand
• e.g., Daniel 1-3, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego
• you must believe in God's purposes and sovereignty and that you will receive "the crown of life"
• then wisdom transforms that knowledge - and all you must do is ask for wisdom with faith and you will learn of the amazing generosity of God
• you must know and allow Christ to have full Lordship of every part of your life
• humble yourself (1 Peter 5:6-7)
• don't ignore the blessings
• we must persevere in temptation: first it's attraction (twisted adoration for the false, untrue, wayward - very often in seeing something), then deception, then conception
• we must "[Hide] your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" - resist at the beginning - do not be deceived
• and know above all else that God is unchangeably good
• God is good all the time. All the time God is good. How do I know? Because He did not even spare His only Son, Jesus Christ.
• God has now supernaturally given us rebirth and something to hope in - persevere!
• we will receive the crown of life, our character will be built, we will be like Christ

Persevere and in the end we will be perfect in Christ and everything will be worth it.

And we will thank God for all of eternity!

"Beautiful Scandalous Night"

Words by S. Hindalong, Music by D. Daugherty

Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore
Be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified

Follow Christ to the holy mountain
Sinner, sorry and wrecked by the fall
Cleanse your heart and your soul
In the fountain that flows
For you and for me and for all

At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful scandalous night

On the hillside you will be delivered
At the foot of the cross justified
And your spirit restored
By the river that pours
From our blessed Savior’s side

At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree…

Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified

At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by his blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful scandalous night…

Miraculous night

Calling and Kingdom Impact

What is the purpose of learning/of Christian education?

• the building and establishing of the kingdom
• in oder to demonstrate the character of God in a fallen world

- we must have a concern for meeting the needs of the people of the world - we must be selfless - your jobs should not be for self-interest

--exercise a holy service to God and to one's neighbor--

Psalm 51 - Repentance

"You have not yet considered the greatness of the weight of sin."

Repent ...so that more people will return to God.

- recognize your failure
- gaze upon the true nature of your heart in all its evil
- sin is disregarding the glory of God
- you must know the "appalling sinfulness" of your own heart in order to experience the grace of God
- sin is serious and has impact on your life
- ask forgiveness - "blot out my transgressions"
- it is God who we sin against hence who we must ask forgiveness from
- David's sin was the "utter unfitness" ofbeing the presence of God
- repentance is rooted in God's amazing grace
- David could not do anything - no sacrifice would suffice - it was according to God's steadfast love - it is God who must have mercy on the sinner
- rejoice in forgiveness - it's this that transforms your life - SING!
- the whole of the Christian life should be repentance - until the end when we'll be transformed