Understanding God’s Existence and Essential Attributes

THE CITYGATE CHURCH

-Welcome to The Sunday Bible Study-

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

MINISTERING: Pst. Oladimeji Elugbadebo

REFERENCE ID: TCGC/SUN-BS-2018-04-22-1

TITLE ID: Understanding God’s Existence and Essential Attributes

There’s so much spiritual precision in creation, it could not have been a mistake. The earth is suspended by certain laws. As we speak, the earth is rotating yet we are well situated on it without rotating. There are many mysteries about the earth. There is mystery behind creation. There is someone that is running this creation and intelligence cannot describe Him. Creation did not just happen, there is someone behind it and it is our God. Creation began with God. We are going to be looking at scriptures and proof through creation that God exists. God designed creation out of a clear precision of His will.

Essential attributes of God

1. God is eternal. It means that He has no end. He was, He is and He is to come. God was, God is and He will always be.

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

-Genesis 2:23 (kjv)

One of the attributes of God is His kindness

A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

-Psalms 90:1 (kjv)

God does not change, He is ageless.

I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

-Psalms 102:24-27 (kjv)

This is where the writer of Hebrews got that verse in Hebrews 1. The New Testament was not the idea of any apostle, it was laid on the scriptures of the Holy prophets. God's eternal nature is a nature that does not change or age.

2. God is immutable. He is the same yesterday, today and forever more.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

-Hebrews 13:8 (kjv)

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

-Numbers 23:19 (kjv)

Balaam said this, He was not strange to the ways of God but he used his prophetic gift for merchandise. If God says something, He will do it. An Old Testament prophet said this, how much more you. God’s word is sure. When you understand this as a believer, you will grow well. We have many prayers hinged on fear and ignorance instead of God’s essential nature.

3. God is independent. God is totally self-sufficient and dependable. When you are living the God life, there is no need to depend on any other thing. Faith is an expression of God’s life which is divine and dependable.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

-Hebrews 11:3 (kjv)

What God depends upon is His life. God is the first just and faith is God’s life. So, God cannot even go outside faith. Faith itself is eternal and these are the things that make up God. God is the fountain of life and He needs no other. When you have God, He is more than enough. The life of God is a self generating life.

I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

-Psalms 39:9 (kjv)

God is the source of all wisdom and knowledge, He depends on no one for it.

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

-Hebrews 4:13 (kjv)

Everything that is happening in creation is seen by God and nothing is hid from Him. This makes me fear God; so, I do not try to hide anything from God.

Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

-Isaiah 40:12-14 (kjv)

Prophets had revelations of God’s ways, it means everything created follows eternal life precision. The mountains weigh exactly what they need to weigh because if they weigh more, they will cause an imbalance. God has knowledge and He was taught by no one. God is sovereign and depends on no one for His actions. God can do all things and there is no impossibility with Him. When you are dealing with the essential natures of God, you know He can do impossible things and He is answerable to no man. It is democracy that wants to make you question God. If there are actions of God that you do not understand, just settle it in your mind that He is perfect.

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

-Acts 17:24-25 (kjv)

God could have lived by Himself without man. He created us for His pleasure. God is complete without creation. Creation is just to express His goodness. God dwelled somewhere before He created Heaven. The dwelling of God is higher than the heavens. There are ages and each age is loaded with the knowledge of God. There are things in God outside death and in the world to come, we will begin a new syllabus.

4. God is Omnipotent and He has power over everything.

Genesis 18:14. Jeremiah 32:17

As this stage in their lives, they were dead, but God in His omnipotent realm has power over all things. There things God has power over, which are:

(i) Nature: God has power over the elements of nature.

The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

-Nahum 1:3 (kjv)

(ii) Man:

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

-James 4:12-15 (kjv)

(iii) Angels: Angels are in subjection to God.

And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

-Daniel 4:35 (kjv)

(iv) Satan: God has power over Satan and the works of darkness.

And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

-Job 1:2 (kjv)

(v) Death: God has power over death and hades.

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

-1 Corinthians 15:24-26 (kjv)

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

-Revelation 1:17-18 (kjv)

5. God is omniscient. God knows all things.

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

-Romans 11:33 (kjv)

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

-1 John 3:20 (kjv)

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

-Proverbs 15:3 (kjv)

The heart of God’s omniscient nature is that, He sees all things happening every where. He knows all things that happen in nature. When you think about this, there is nothing you can do in the secret.

Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

-Psalms 14:4-5 (kjv)

God knows the ways of men. Jesus knew men, the more you know God, the more you will be able to judge men.

For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

-Job 34:21 (kjv)

For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.

-Jeremiah 16:17 (kjv)

Another expression of His omniscient nature is that God knows every character of man.

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

-Psalms 139:1 (kjv)

There is nothing about my life that is hid from God. Before you say anything, He knows it. He knows our sorrow and pain.

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever.

-1 Chronicles 28:9 (kjv)

God knows what will be for all eternity. If there is anything such as the end of the age, it is God.

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

-Acts 15:18 (kjv)

6. Omnisapient, this means that He possesses all wisdom.

7. God is omnipresent. Psalm 139:9.You can’t hide anything from God; darkness and light are the same thing to Him.

God’s Moral Attributes.

If you want to understand morality, study God.

1. God is holy

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

-Psalms 22:3 (kjv)

Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

-Psalms 99:5 (kjv)

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

-Revelation 4:8-11 (kjv)

Worship is a response to the revelation of God’s holiness.

2. God is love and perfected in love. God is everlasting love.

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.

-Jeremiah 31:3 (kjv)

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
-1 John 1:8 (kjv)

3. God is faithful and this means that He is trustworthy and keeps covenant. The only reason why a covenant will not fulfill its work is if we break our part of the covenant; God does not break covenant.

For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

-Deuteronomy 7:6-9 (kjv)

When God cuts covenant with you, it is not about you.

When we say God is faithful, it means:

(i) He keeps His promises. When God promises you something, go and rest. Faith in your heart is an  evidence of God’s promise to you. When God promises you something, He gives you faith for it.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

-Hebrews 10:23 (kjv)

If God promises you anything, He is different from men, He will bring it to pass.

(ii) God is faithful in preserving us.

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

-1 Peter 4:19 (kjv)

When you are going through trials as a believer, God is faithful in preserving us.

(iii) It means that God is protecting us from evil.

But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil.

-2 Thessalonians 3:3 (kjv)

(iv) He is faithful because He chastens His children. God’s faithfulness is seen in the chastisement of His children

I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

-Psalms 119:75 (kjv)

When we go through challenges, it is because of His faithfulness.

(v). When God starts a thing, He finishes it. Don't do a thing when you feel like it, wait for God. If He starts it, He will finish it.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

-1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (kjv)

The work of saving man to the uttermost is His project and not yours, so let Him finish it.

(vi) God is faithful in the forgiveness of sins.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

-1 John 1:9 (kjv)

His Faithfulness is expressed in the forgiveness of sins.

(vii) God is faithful when He answers prayers.

A Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

-Psalms 143:1 (kjv)

4. God is righteous and just; this is His character in dealing with others and His enemy but in dealing with Himself, He relates to Himself in the context of His holiness. God is just when He deals with His enemies, He is righteous and just to all His creations.

Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.

-Deuteronomy 32:14 (kjv)

God relates to man in this manner.

Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

-Daniel 9:14 (kjv)

5. God is merciful.

And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

-Exodus 34:5-7 (kjv)

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

-Psalms 103:8 (kjv)

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

-Psalms 86:5 (kjv)

Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

-Psalms 130:7 (kjv)

These are God’s moral attributes and all these things that God is, are things that we should emulate. Fallen-man outside the help of God has perception of God which brought forth religions. The only way you can know God is by His help.

Seven philosophies of men outside of who God is:

1. Atheism: An atheist believes and denies the existence of God. An atheist ignores the accuracy of God’s presence in creation.
2.  

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

-Genesis 1:1 (kjv)

This is the first proof of the existence of God.

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

-Psalms 14:1 (kjv)

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

-Romans 1:28 (kjv)

The invisible attributes of God are clearly seen. Just observing creation, you see the existence of God. Science is only just discovering laws in creation, these are not even eternal laws but earthly laws.

2. Agnosticism: They believe that there is a God but He cannot be known neither is He faithful or real to man.

3. Deism: This acknowledges that God created the world and everything in it but does not have anything to do with the sustenance of the created world.

A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
-Psalms 121:1-7 (kjv)

God did not just create, He is keeping creation. God is still keeping man. God does not just create, He preserves.

4. Pantheism: This believes that God is not a person but that all the laws of the universe and its forces are God. They say God is everything and everything is God. This believes in the study of nature as God. They do not believe in the God of nature. They believe in the worship of the creature rather than the worship of the creator.

Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

-Romans 1:25 (kjv)

Man is weak.

5. Polytheism: this is the belief in many gods. God always warned the Jews against the worship of other gods.

Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

-Deuteronomy 5:7 (kjv)

The Egyptians had many gods and if you study the plagues well, you see that every plague is judging a god.

Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

-Exodus 15:11 (kjv)

There were gods existing at this point. All these gods are fallen angels who operate with Satan. The greatest of all gods is our God who is King over all.

6. Dualism: A dualist believes that there are two gods, a good one and an evil one who are fighting over dominance over man, they are equal in power and fighting each other.

7. Monotheism: A monotheist believes in one god which is good and can be angered  but they do not believe that he can save man. This is the belief of the Muslims.

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

-James 2:19 (kjv)

As at the time James wrote about these things, they were facing these issues of belief in God. They believed in one God which even the demons believe, but they do not believe that this God can be known.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

-1 Timothy 2:3-5 (kjv)

There is One God and One Mediator between man and God who will have all men to be saved. God can be known.

Fighting the Good Fight of Faith

Understanding the Goodness of God Pt.2 - The Paradox of God's Goodness

THE CITYGATE CHURCH

-Welcome to The Sunday Bible Study-

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

MINISTERING: Pst. Oladimeji Elugbadebo

REFERENCE ID: TCGC/SUN-BS-2018-04-15-1

TITLE ID: Understanding the Goodness of God Pt.2 -  The Paradox of God's Goodness

What is God's ordained will for the righteous? God is a good God, He cannot stop being God because of the situations we find ourselves. Goodness is a fundamental part of God's nature; in fact, it was at work when He sent His Son to die for us. However there are certain paradoxes into understanding the goodness of God. A paradox is a statement that is built on sound reasoning but they seem to conflict. We say God is good yet we go through situations that conflict that assertion. Due to some unpalatable circumstances happening around them, many have concluded that God is not good.

We as believers cannot fully comprehend God's goodness outside divine revelation, you need God to help you see His goodness. You need to have a clear understanding, by Grace, of God's goodness. You cannot understand His goodness if you see from your angle alone and judge from that perspective; you have to see from God's angle. There are certain things that seem to be hidden which will be unveiled at the right time, this is part of God's plan. God stands from a point that is eternal and He sees the end from the beginning so He Knows better.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

-Romans 8:28 (kjv)

You should live with a clear and precise understanding that your life is safe in God's hand. So even when things are contradicting, you know that God is still good. Many believers have a fixed definition of God's goodness such as defining God’s goodness by the money in their account and when they do not have anything, they fail to understand that God is still good. God wants wonderful things for you, however there are other aspects of God's goodness that you need to know. Many believers’ understanding of God's goodness is biased.

A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men...

-Psalms 73:1-16 (kjv)

People that are influential and rich also have issues.

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image...
-Psalms 73:17-24 (kjv)

In Asaph’s mind, he felt God was good to the unrighteous and was not good to the righteous; most of us fall into this category. Then in verse 18, he received revelation knowledge and he received understanding (Ps 49.20).

  

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

-Deuteronomy 8:2-3 (kjv)

There are times that the unjust are not immediately judged because God is giving them time to come to repentance. We need to understand that there are certain times that God is working for our good even though it does not appear so in the natural. Asaph did not see this, it seemed to him that the unjust are not judged, but God in His goodness and righteousness was working for good.

Asaph’s feet almost slipped while he was considering the prosperity of the wicked. When you consider that God is not good to the righteous and does not judge the unrighteous, your faith is affected. If you go further in that kind of thinking, you will conclude that it does not pay to be righteous. Many have gotten to this stage already, because they feel righteousness does not pay; they will tell you that they have facts. Many believers have lost their confidence in God as a result of this.

Asaph allowed a distorted perspective of God’s goodness by envying the unrighteous and the unjust and wished to be in their shoes. When you begin to doubt God’s faithfulness and goodness, you start envying the ways of the unrighteous and gradually begin to lose life.

A Psalm of David. Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

-Psalms 37:1-4 (kjv)

One of the greatest things that can happen to you is for God’s ways to be made clear to you. When you know God’s way even when there are contradictions, your understanding has been raised.

A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

-Psalms 73:1-3 (kjv)

There are certain things that God may be doing which you may not comprehend but you must develop an act of worship through that phase. When you do not see anything good in a situation and you thank God, that is faith and God likes that.

Asaph became self righteous by thinking that his walk is what makes him deserve God's goodness. However God’s goodness is dependent on His mercy, not on what you do. All you do will amount to nothing without God’s goodness and mercy. The best of believers must always rely on the goodness and mercy of God. The motivation behind your walk of goodness should not be because you want to receive anything from God but because you love Him. God in His goodness and mercy has abounded all things to us through His Son, everything we need for life and godliness is already provided. He is a Father that has prepared all things even before the need appears. When God trains, disciplines and chastises you, it does not change God, rather it changes you so that you can appreciate Him better. The training is for you, it works out the goodness of God in you better.

Asaph also thought that suffering is a common thing from God and he became consumed with self pity. You cannot see well if you have self pity; which makes you lack confidence in God’s love for you. Even when God is training you, He loves you affectionately. You will never appreciate God’s dealing for you if you do not know that He loves you. If God will subject any child of His to any training and trial, He is affectionately in love with that child. Whatever you are going through, never forget that God is in love with you and everything He does is because He loves you. My perspective of God is not distorted, so when I fall in situations that I do not understand, I do not fall into self pity. God knows the best and He does the best. When you fall into self pity, it is because you have lost confidence in God’s ways and it degenerates to thinking that God does good to the unrighteous and to the righteous He does not. God does the best for you, as long as you are serving Him diligently. Stop comparing yourself with people, you are different. You may not fully understand what God is doing now. God will never change for He is a good God. My circumstances cannot change His goodness. Honestly, things may be tough but the Lord is still cushioning the effects in some places; if we consider very well, we will see that God is still good.

Asaph needed to enter the revelation of God’s ways to see the end of wicked and unrighteous men. Never envy the prosperity of the wicked. What God is thinking for you is far better, most of the things you envy now will pass away, so why build your life on what will pass away. God is merciful, even in our trials.

Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.

-Psalms 73:18-19 (kjv)

Asaph got to the sanctuary and his understanding was enlightened. So it is crucial that we should always pray that God will enlighten our darkness.

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

-Psalms 37:8 (kjv)

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

-Psalms 37:11 (kjv)

There is a life beyond this life; the new earth and new heavens will come. God has a long term plan for the earth. It is good to wait upon the Lord; it is an attitude of total dependence on God. Waiting upon the Lord is meekness, the proud do not wait on the Lord. Many of you are very hasty, you are not used to waiting, if God does not move, you should not move.

The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.

-Lamentations 3:25-26 (kjv)

The desire of God is for you to wait on Him and seek Him. True Christianity is more than seeking God for what He gives, you must learn to seek God for who He is. There is a hope that perishes here on the earth; however, there is a hope that anchors your soul, it is an eternal hope. This hope never fails. We all need to lay hold on this hope, the hope of life eternal. No matter what you are going through, with this hope, you are firmly anchored. Being sober is to wait on the Lord, to consider His ways.

There are times in your life when temptations heightens and you are constrained to compromise. If you receive sufficient grace and you stand, God will not just help you through that trying situation, He will raise you. If you compromise, God may still help you out of the situation but you will not be changed and so, you will repeat that class in the spirit. Beyond solving an issue in your life, God wants to change you, He wants you to become a better person.

For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
-Psalms 37:10-11 (kjv)

When you have peace in your life, it is the goodness of God.

A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous. The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away...

-Psalms 37:16-25 (kjv)

It pays to seek and serve the Lord. It pays to keep giving, serving and sowing. Either they appreciate you in church or not, stop waiting for the approval of men.

Interpretation of Tongues

Delight in my ways, take pleasure in walking in my path. My paths are paths of joy and peace and you will find rest for your souls. Take delight in walking in my path. My paths are sweet, even sweeter than the honeycomb. Stay on my path, for the end is pleasurable.

Do not do things for men to see, God does not disappoint or owe any man; whatever you sow, you will reap.

He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved forever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment...

-Psalms 37:26-32 (kjv)

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

-Psalms 37:34-36 (kjv)

Whatever you do, do it with the right godly principles. Do not build a career by pulling other people down. The favour you get by pulling down someone else is not true favour but the favour of man. At times, when you follow Godly principles, you may be slower compared to others but at the end, God will lift you up. Do not wait for men to lift you up, wait for God, if men lift you, they can pull you down also.

Nigeria will be known for excellence. The word of the Lord has spoken this and it will come to pass. Every institution will be taken over, heaven will recover institutions. Righteous men will come out of their hiding, they will have the authority to do right things. God has not finished with Nigeria, we have not heard the last story of this nation; her best is yet to come.

Interpretation of Tongues

Rejoice over your land because I have gone ahead. Stand in joy, stand in thanksgiving. Hold on to me and rejoice for I have said it, I will do it. For my words will come to pass and the days of joy are coming over your nation.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

-Psalms 37:37 (kjv)

You have to make sure that you remain in the path of uprightness because the destiny of the upright is sure.

A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

-Psalms 73:1 (kjv)

But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

-Psalms 73:28 (kjv)

In verse 1 of Psalm 73, good means the absence of pain and trials but in verse 28, good took a different meaning, good means more than physical prosperity, it means drawing near to God. God’s goodness is sure and certain, it is also dependable. God is dependable and can be trusted. He does not fail. Even when Satan works his wickedness, God is still good, He always wins. Let your mind be at rest, do not be worried, pray in faith and live your life securely.

A Christian does not die, he sleeps. We have been made higher than death, Christ overcame death. When a Christian dies, he sleeps and goes to be with the Lord. Your life is hid in Christ and not in the hands of any household wickedness.

Asaph saw clearly that the prosperity of the wicked hardens their heart towards God. As a believer, do not take advantage of God's kindness. When doing something wrong for a long time and nothing is happening to you, do not think it is grace. The grace of God is not supposed to turn you from God but take you to Him. Asaph also saw that trials are blessings of God to us to draw us nearer to God. How do we differentiate between trials that are demonic and the ones from God? What we do is to go before God and wait on HIm; He will make you know.

Fr this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

-2 Corinthians 12:8 (kjv)

Seek the Lord in difficult times and do the necessary things you need to do, obey His instructions. When you have done all, and there is still no change, it is God working out something in you, all you need to do at that point is to endure and give thanks.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

-James 1:2-4 (kjv)

Many of us do not have patience. If patience is not worked in you, you cannot come into eternal inheritance. This is our conclusion, God is good and His mercies endures forever!

Receiving the Word of His Grace

THE CITY GATE CHURCH

-Welcome to Sunday Service-

SUNDAY SERVICE

MINISTERING: Pst. Oladimeji Elugbadebo

REFERENCE ID: TCGC/SUN-MS-2018-04-08-2

TITLE ID: Receiving the Word of His Grace

Interpretation of Tongues

Tell my people that the siege is over, the battle has been won. I have taken care of the difficulties and even things that they have not thought of. It is over, the battle is over. Victory victory! There is a sound of victory in the Spirit. Rejoice, for I have broken through and you are an overcomer.

I hear breakthrough in the Spirit, difficult situations are being taken care of. I am tackling them with grace.

Message Begins

The economy of the New Testament is grace; it opens the New Testament ministry. There is nothing of God that we can receive in the Son without grace, everything that God wills for His children has been given to the Son. Grace has made all things available to us in the Son. God is not going to bypass the Son to reach out to man anymore; all things are in the Son and has been concluded in Him. There is nothing I can get from God that is not available under the auspices of grace. The blessing of the New Testament can only be accessed by grace through our Lord Jesus.

The first point of accessing this grace made available is by believing in the finished work of Christ. Believing in the finished work of Christ brings all things to us. Access into grace starts by believing. There is nothing that God has for you that grace has not delivered.

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
- 2 Peter 1:1-2 (kjv)

We come into life through the abundance of grace; grace must be multiplied to you to access the abundance of life. There are measures of grace; with each measure of grace, we have access to life. As grace increases, life increases. The intention of God is that grace will be multiplied in the life of a believer, there has to be a multiplication of grace and peace. Grace and peace multiply through knowledge. Grace is divine, it is a divine power. Grace is what makes divinity accessible to man. Divinity is mystical and hidden but is it is grace that makes it attainable, it makes divinity accessible. What makes divine life play out in human life is grace. When divine life is being made flesh, it is grace that is at work. Without grace, I cannot access that which is God’s.

Grace makes everything in the Son available and faith causes it to be accessible. A soul cannot become godly without grace, a soul cannot access life, Zoe, without grace.

Grace makes all things available for us in the New Covenant through the Son. Grace brings to us both the benefits of salvation and our inheritance in God. The first step in accessing grace is believing, then you are saved. We grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18). As I grow in grace, I am attaining different realities in Christ.

Healing is a benefit of grace, prosperity, victory over the works of darkness and divine protection are all benefits of grace. There is no benefit of salvation that can be accessed outside grace. When you grow in grace, you are growing faith. Growing in grace is growing in faith; a soul growing in grace is accessing faith levels in the Son.

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
- 2 Peter 3:18

As you grow in knowledge, you access new levels of grace. Grace is what downloads the very essential nature of God and integrates it into man. Grace brings to us both the benefits of our salvation and our inheritance.

Grace is the Person of the Lord Jesus; it is not just a Christian ideology, He is a person. The Son is grace personified, he is the Grace Being. When you talk grace, you reveal the person of Christ. There is no access to truth without grace. Grace fosters truth; what grace gives birth to is truth. When we speak of grace, we speak of the very person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We access grace first by believing. When we believe, our spirit is quickened and saved. So if I believe in the grace of God for my salvation, it also means that grace has the power to give to me layers of salvation. Salvation is a journey. Anytime you see truth, what God is doing is that He is saving you.

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
- Ephesians 2:5 (kjv)

If not for grace no man can be saved. As grace quickened your spirit, you need grace to save your soul. Salvation as a journey is a response to the revelation of grace. Grace must be revealed to you to respond to Him. If grace is not revealed to you, you cannot receive salvation at any level. This is why every epistle is started with ‘grace and peace’. This means that the New Testament is a grace operation. We need to understand the workings of grace. When I get born again, I believe in grace and have faith, by this, my spirit is saved. If I am going to make progress in my journeying to God, inheriting Him, I need to encounter a higher measure of grace.

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 2:6-7

Grace makes us sit with Christ. Grace made it possible for my spirit to sit with Christ. When I am saved (spirit quickened) and I am also journeying to the end of my faith. My spirit is ascended at new birth, if this has not happened, I cannot make any journey to God. the ascension of my spirit must become my daily reality, therefore, I must allow the word of grace to build me up. In my spirit, I am seated with Christ, but in my soul, I am not but the working of grace makes my soul to be seated where my spirit is.

The teachings of grace are the unveilings of the life that is in God. The ages to come are grace ages, we will still be interacting with grace at a much intense level in the ages to come.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
-Ephesians 2:8 (kjv)

Grace administers grace. There is no benefit of grace that you can get outside the Son. The beginning of grace is to deliver to you the benefits of salvation; the beginning lessons of grace is for me to have an assurance in the finished work of God. Grace is a person, you do not understand it in one day or at the point of salvation. So the first point of understanding grace is having total assurance in the finished work of Christ. What the grace of God teaches you is to rely on the absolute assurance of God’s love. When you begin to learn grace, you begin to learn what it means to have solid rock assurance in the finished work of Christ. Grace teaches you to have assurance and total dependence on what Jesus has done. By engaging graces, believing in grace, you have assurance in the finished work of grace.

Grace measures faith and love to us; when grae is increasing, faith is increasing.

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
- 1  Timothy 1:14 (kjv)

The beginning of grace teaches you to have assurance in the finished work of Christ. This is where many grace teachers have missed it, in teaching the assurance of the finished work of Christ, they teach eternal security. Grace teaches you to respond to God. The life of God is eternal, but there is nothing that is given to man that cannot be rejected. There is nothing like once saved forever saved. The purpose of salvation is to make man perfect in God. We have often taught that man is a spirit (neglecting soul and body); what makes up man is the three entities, spirit, soul and body. So salvation does not end with the quickening of the spirit, God wants your soul to be saved and your body also.

You received grace for salvation or new birth but to continue this process in the soul and body, you must keep receiving grace.

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
- John 1:16 (kjv)

There is a grace you received at new birth but this grace is to increase to another level of grace; each level of grace communicates a measure of divine nature to you. You cannot stop the journey of grace, if you stop it, salvation is stopped. So we have to move from grace to grace until we are full of grace.

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
- Luke 2:40 (kjv)

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
- Luke 2:52 (kjv)

As Jesus was growing, He was growing in grace. When you are full of grace you are full of wisdom. When you find grace, you know what pleases God. Noah found grace and he began to do what pleases God. The favour that Jesus increased in can also be rendered as grace.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
- Hebrews 12:28 (kjv)

Receiving a kingdom is receiving salvation/our inheritance. The operation of grace exceeds the benefits of salvation. There are things in God that are accessible beyond the level of the benefits. There are higher realities in the Son, if you don't grow in grace, you would not attain to them. You grow in grace by knowledge.

You should not be afraid that you can lose your salvation but you should live with caution. When I got born again, I understood what Jesus did for me, so I am not afraid that I can lose my salvation, however, I am not flippant about my salvation. The bible does not teach us to live anyhow or to be careless with sin and the works of the flesh. I am not afraid because I have faith in what Jesus has done. Many of us gave our lives to Christ over and over again, what we needed at those times was just faith in the finished work of Christ and we needed not go to the altar repeatedly at every altar call.

I have faith in the finished work of Christ, yet I am still on the journey of salvation. Even though Jesus has taken care of sin, you have the responsibility to renounce sin. Grace has taken care of sin because Jesus has paid a legal price for sin. There is no other sin that can arise that Jesus has not taken care of. When He died, He destroyed sin, however, you have a responsibility to denounce sin because God made us a being that has will. You chose salvation and must continually choose salvation daily; this is why as a believer, you should confess your sins. Any teaching that doesn't make you confess your sins is evil. Jesus has saved you from sin, yet you know that you are not perfect and you are on a journey of salvation, so when you sin, you do not claim that you are under grace; rather, you confess your sins in repentance and continue your journey. Any teaching that sears your conscience or hardens your heart is not a teaching of grace.

As you grow in one level of grace to another, the activity of grace works in you for transformation, so that which is legally yours becomes functional. That which is legal, given to you by Christ at new birth must be downloaded into your life daily and become functional realities. When grace is growing in you, He will constantly teach you to learn disobedience to wicked natures. As He teaches you, He will teach you godliness and the nature of Christ, these things are already in your spirit potentially as a seed form. However, that which is in your spirit as a seed form must be grown to become your experience. So you must not just be holy in your spirit, you must be holy in your soul.

In the Old Testament it was very difficult to obey God. The laws in Exodus 20 were summarized by Jesus as love; hence when you love God truly, you will not serve any other God. We learn not to serve any other god by learning to love God more. So when you love your neighbour you will not steal his wife. If the Lord Jesus didn't come with grace, we will keep beholding the law. As they knew the law, they kept breaking it. A measure of this still happens in the New Testament; there is still a war in our members. We know what is good but we do not yet do it; there is a conflict in our soul. When I know something in my head and I am not doing it, I need to expose myself to grace; teachings and light. When I know I need to walk in love and I don't walk in love, I expose myself to teachings of love, so grace comes to me as knowledge, when I do this, I find it easy to love, when I start doing this, I have received grace. Grace teaches me to do what I don't know how to do.

If you are not meek you cannot receive grace. Grace is given to the broken; when you are proud you cannot receive grace.

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
- James 4:6 (kjv)

You need to repent and forsake sin when you sin, you do not just claim that you are covered. For example, when you have issues with masturbation, you need grace. God hates the sin but loves you, so you go to God with a meek and repentant heart, be open, do not try to cover up your state but confess it and receive grace. Look for scriptures that has to do with the issue, keep engaging them and believing them, gradually the sin will drop.

The process of you receiving the word and changing is the process of receiving grace.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- 1 John 1:8 (kjv)

This scripture is not for unbelievers. Trying to claim that you do not have sin is only a deceit, even Satan knows that you still have sin. We should not overhype ourselves, we are saved and we are still being saved, it is a journey. God desires truth in our inward part and not in our head.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- 1 John 1:9 (kjv)

This is not confessing your sins religiously but an heart that is repentant and truly sorry. God sees your heart and He knows. Many times, we don't even know that we have done something bad until light comes; this is because we have our own justice system but when light comes and we see that we have done wrong, we will feel ashamed, when you feel ashamed what you should do is to repent. Repentance is for believers, we must repent and turn.

Cleansing from unrighteousness is not that the blood of Jesus comes and cleanses us at that point; but when I confess my sins, I am in a state that I can receive grace, then grace comes to me.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
- 1 John 1:6-7 (kjv)

Walking in the light is responding to truth, you can be receiving light and yet not walking in light. If you do not walk in light by responding to the truths you receive, you are covering your nakedness; you need to expose yourself to Light to get delivered.

When you walk in light, you are responding to light and not covering your nakedness.

When light comes to you and you are receiving instructions, confess your faults at that moment, when you are doing that, you are receiving grace and you are walking in light. So when light comes and you are not responding, you will not change. With each truth and light that comes, instructions are coming. Anytime light comes, your response should be ‘Lord, what can I do to be saved?’ this is an attitude that receives grace.

What causes the activity of cleansing is light. It is when you walk in light that you receive a practical cleansing from your unrighteousness.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
- Hebrews 12:28 (kjv)

Grace empowers you to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. A Measure of grace quickens my spirit, other measure of grace brings me to the stature of Christ.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
- Acts 20:32 (kjv)

When you are at the first point of receiving grace, grace has not started building you up. The whole thing is a grace ladder and there are levels in grace. The work of grace is to raise you; your sins are attached to the level that you are, grace wants to raise you. So a man can stay at the bottom level of grace where he is receiving grace for pardon but he is not being built up. You need to move from just believing in grace to hearing the word of His grace. Grace makes faith and love available for us.

And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Timothy 1:14 (kjv)

Through abundant grace, we reign in life. When you are learning abundant grace what you are learning is faith and love. When you are coming to the abiding order, you journey from things that pass away. There are things that are part of the blessing in God but they are not eternal. As you journey, you move to things that are eternal and abide.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
- 1 Corinthians 13:13 (kjv)

In Christ, grace is made abundant to us, grace, faith and love. The word of His grace is a revelation of Christ, when grace is preached, Christ is preached. The preaching of grace works out the nature of Christ in us. The destination of grace is to make vessels that are compatible with the glory of God. The glory of God can only tabernacle with vessels that have been raised. The word of grace is the preaching of Christ that was given to raise the stature of the soul.

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
- 2 Peter 1:2 (kjv)

Grace teaches Christ and the Father; He is a teacher of eternal life. When I am receiving grace I am learning the Lord Jesus. As I am learning Jesus, grace begins to reveal the father to me.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
- Acts 20:32 (kjv)

Principles of grace gives you the benefits of salvation and the Word of His grace gives you inheritance. The principles of grace is the beginning of our faith; they are the introduction to grace. There are teachings that introduce us to grace, learning grace is learning Christ. The doctrine of Christ is grace. The Church must learn the teaching of Christ; the core essence of Christ, knowing Him as a person, far beyond what he does. When you know God, you will know what He can do but when you just know what He can do, and stay at that level, you may not know Him. Grace initiates you to know God. Therefore, when grace prompts you to pray more or study, respond to grace. When you do not respond, you frustrate grace. When you respond to grace, you leave the level you are and are promoted in the spirit.

Grace makes you work. Paul said he had more grace than other apostles and this made him labour more. So when grace comes, it makes you labour more in understanding and service. When you see someone in church doing something extraordinary, do not castigate them, they have grace. Some even have grace to give, it's not because they have money, they just have grace to give, so appreciate them.

Grace builds you up as a temple and sanctifies you. There is a sanctification we received at new birth but there is a sanctification we must receive to inherit God. Obedience to truth is obedience to measures of grace, when truth is separating you to God, you are getting close to your inheritance.

In the bible, the face of God is always tied to God’s glory. As believers, you have an assurance of God’s hands, which represents his divine intervention and we need God’s hand. However, the scriptures place emphasis on seeking His face.

The word face is from a word that means, God’s presence, so when you are seeking God's face, you are seeking a practical presence of God that represents who He is. The Jews have a confidence of God's hand, when they are not enjoying His Hand, they know that they have erred and they know they need to make peace with God. What they really desire to see is His face.

Although we need God’s hand but we do not focus on this because we know we have access to it by faith; nevertheless, our calling is to seek His face. The face of God is always attached to God’s glory and His ways.

You want God’s power, please learn His ways. Our fathers in the faith, Pastor Adeboye and Bishop Oyedepo, know the ways of God, that is why God can entrust them with power. Many of them when they hear this truth bear witness to it in their spirit but because of their ordination, heaven has not permitted them and many others to focus on them in their teachings. They have prices they pay and the cross they carry. Many of them have light that they did not teach but they walked in.

There are many things about God’s ways that we must learn, it is our calling. Do not be afraid, His hand is always with you, do not make it a subject of focus.

Psalm 113:7

There was more to Moses than what he was doing; he knew the ways of God and he did even more acts. There are many things about the ways of God that Moses custodes. Many view Moses based on the commandments in the Old Testament but Moses is more than that. Moses did not live by the law he received, he lived directly from the realm of God; in fact, he did not need the tabernacle to access the glory of God. Aaron accessed the glory once a year but Moses was living in this glory. So do not use a man’s message to judge him or his walk with God, they only teach and preach what they are permitted to.

Your calling is to learn God; you cannot even finish learning His face, His face is not just for now, it is for all ages.

And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
- Exodus 33:11 (kjv)

The Lord called Moses a friend.

Grace brings God’s face to you. Do not stop at the grace that measure God’s hands to you, grow in grace.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
- Numbers 6:22-24 (kjv)

Grace brings God's face to you. When God is gracious to you, you will understand Him and you will know Him.

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.
- Numbers 6:25-27 (kjv)

For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 (kjv)