(Some suggestions on How to do this from a disaster that occurred in David’s life,on His Way to Kingship)1 Samuel 30:1-7 (read the whole chapter) Ephesians 3:20-21 especially verse 6Verse 6 tells the reader that the situation couldn’t get much worse and David was“greatly distressed.” Not only did he lose his whole camp, supplies, people and twowives, but now all his men were so “bitter” that they wanted to stone him.” How low canyou go!? Added to the above, Saul’s pursuit to end his life! “Yet” or “But” David(still)found strength in the Lord. This statement does not only mean psychologically,internally through some sort of positive thinking etc. He found strength in a Living God:Real power and energy which resembles the promise made to us in Acts 1:8. Theseriousness of their distress is illustrated in verse 4, “David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.” Still David inquired of his living, breathing personal God who is able. He just needs the opportunity to demonstrate this and for David his distressing situation provided that opportunity to discover what Ephesians 3:20-21 states, “He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.First & Foremost love is not only a gift, like the others mentioned here andchapter 12:1-11, but a more excellent way! And it appears first in his description of thecharacteristics of the “produce” or fruit of the Spirit. The Fruit of the Spirit is produced,with our cooperation, by the Spirit from within and helps create the character traits ofJesus in and through us. The gifts of the Spirit are loaned to us to evangelize and edifythe church more powerfully (Acts 1:8). This is why love as the premier trait is termed, “amore excellent way” (of being & living, produced by the Spirit within, with ourcooperation) Not that we have any chance of becoming perfect like Jesus, in this fallenexistence ( see verses 8-13)

Proverbs 10:22; 2 Corinthians 9:6-12, especially verse 1; Philippians 4:10-20, especiallyverse 112-13.Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.The key point, when it comes to especially silver and gold, is that in our servicefor the Lord’s all situations are not the same: There are times of want(hungry) andplenty(being well fed). What is common to both is Philippians 4:13.We are in the process of learning by experience that “We can do everything Heasks us to do, through Him who gives us strength or enables us to perform Hispurposes. So in all our endeavors whether we consider them sacred or secular, there isno real difference, we have to rely and serve Him(We pray and live for Him “withoutceasing” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17) And whether we are going through a period of wantor plenty, they are both permitted by God, we have to continue to trust in Him andcontinue to do all things, sacred or secular for the glory of God: 1 Corinthians 10:31,Colossians 3:17.Proverbs 10:22 further reminds us that wealth and earthly provisions, that issilver or gold or the sacred, God is involved in all things concerning us; He wants toprovide on all levels of existence (remember Matthew 6:32-33 etc). And when it is Godenabled and given prosperity it will also be God glorifying a blessing to others andourselves. And this prosperity will not cause us trouble spiritually with God that wealthcan sometimes cause (note James 5:1-6, God is against selfish rich hoarders). Again,they can cause trouble for our relationship with the Lord. But note my paraphrase ofProverbs 10:22, placed in the context of 2 Corinthians 9:6-12: “The blessing of Yahweh,which also includes physical blessings, can bring wealth to those he chooses to blesswithout anxiety, stress and troubles they can cause.”Philippians 4:10-20 and 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 provide N.T. illustrations for whatProverbs 10:22 is stating.A) Philippians 4:10-20a) That while God permits periods and experiences of need and want Healso provides times great provision even wealth for His children. But, Hispersona & Spirit never leave us nor forsakes us: Philippians 4:13 to learn“I can do all this through Him who gives me strength”. What is implied byPaul, from his own experiences is that even in periods of great provisionswe still need him in one way or another. It just feels more difficult when weexperience more conscious needs. But, for example, remember thelessons illustrated in the Scriptures: Elijah, fed by the ravens 1 Kings17:4-6; The Manna from heaven John 6:5-8; Jesus multiplies the loavesand fishes Matthew 14:17-19 and especially Matthew 6 etc.B) 2 Corinthians 9:6-15: Here Paul reminds us that God can bless or make us rich inevery way. (Verse 11) And of course this includes the physical as Proverbs 10:22tells us, but for a purpose, note again, verse 11, so that God will be glorified byyour growing generosity, others helped and we are blessed (The basic holytriangle for all things spiritual)a) So that when Luke 6:20 states “blessed are the poor for theirs is theKingdom of God etc” What’s implied is the community th;at is part of thiskingdom, now as well as forever, can and should step in to help, especiallythose who are experiencing wealth (read also, Acts 2:44; 4:32-37 andJames 1:26-27). Paul corroborates this in 2 Corinthians 9:11-15, “... Godloves a cheerful giver verse 7.”C) Proverbs 10:22This sharing of God given wealth can avoid much of the troubles andstress that fleshly, h

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.1 Corinthians 12 1:1-; 4-11, especially verse 10, “distinguishing between spirits” orprophetsThe Christian community prospers also by the gifts of the Spirit, as He gives and directs,for the “common good”(v7): The fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit edify or should benefit the body as well as us personally. He is the conductor and we are the varied instrumentalist of His orchestra( 1 Corinthians 12:11; 12-30)In today’s post-modern(modern focused on rationalism and science) perspective thefocus is on the personal, subjective point of view rather than science and facts. There is a back to the future type of movement in religion returning our interests to Biblical experiences through the prophetic and the importance of personal mysticism.There is a revival of openness and experience of spiritual gifts especially the propheticwith a lessening of caution. While Paul reminds his people in Ephesians 6:10-18 the concurrent reality that there are “principalities” and “powers” that do the bidding of Satan and mimic gifts like the prophetic. Therefore we need the Spirit’s gift of being able to distinguish between Spirit’s (or prophets) because the true and the false sound and look very much alike but their messages and demeanor are different.Paul’s suggestion is not to avoid the charismatic worship and giftings but to discern anddistinguish what looks alike but is really from a different source and purpose. For example 12:1-3 is not an illustration of what happens in Corinthian services at times (“Jesus be cursed” versus “Jesus is Lord”) rather what should happen in charismatic worship should elevate and bring glory to Jesus Christ and build up the body. Not to be a curse to Christ and His body, so to speak: The end result is like saying “Jesus be cursed”. The prophetic either builds up or divides depending on the truth of the message and the attitude of the person exercising the gift.Paul in chapter 14 welcomes both the exercise of the prophetic, note in 14:29 it’sanalysis: Paul limits the amount of prophetic messages in a service, to “two or three”... “while others should weigh carefully what is said”, and how it’s said: read also 1 John 4:1-3. Therefore some suggestions on how to evaluate are:A) By the clear teachings of Scripture does the prophet encourage repentance (14:25)glorifies Jesus as Lord and builds up the church. Compare these messages to thecreeds embedded in scripture. And don’t be afraid to ask questions: humbly andrespectful of course.

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.Revelation 1:9-18; Luke 5:7-8Genesis 17:1-3: Abraham Fell Face DownExodus 33:18-21 Moses Can’t See God’s FaceEzekiel 1:28 Ezekiel fell face downIt's all about the experience of “Awe” in the presence of God. Spiritmanifestations like “being slain in the Spirit” or any other manifestations, should not only produce spiritual giddiness, laughter or even happiness, but at times “awe” or fear and reverence for the Lord. Scripture tells us about the “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom or knowledge but the foolish despise or reject such impartations (Proverbs 1:7)”The above people of God, prophets in their own right, all experienced this fear,reverence or “awe.” “Awe” defined by our biblical examples goes beyond just “toadmire” but a feeling of being in the presence of someone so vast that it transcends ourunderstanding or capacity to bear!So many of them fell forward in awe. What’s necessary in our personalexperience with God is both to know that He is love and also that He is “awesome”: toexperience His unconditional love and His fearful majesty. Otherwise we don’t get thefull picture as both Peter in Luke 5:7-8, and John in Revelation 1 ( our main text) andothers who experienced His miraculous presence: again that He is both loving andawesome. If God is just lovey dovey then we might get the idea that as His children wecan get away with anything and He won’t mind. No! Note what Ananias and Saphiralearned the hard way, that God’s person is not to be taken lightly even lied to (Acts1-11). We need to sit on his lap, as daddy and kneel at His feet as King. Let’s exploreJohn’s experience in Revelation 1:9-18.A) What John saw and how He reacteda) What he saw and heard.i) He was in the Spirit on the Lord’s dayii) He heard a loud voice like a trumpet blast behind him (Shock,surprise!)iii) He was commanded to write down what he hears and sees forseven churches (There is a message; not just a shockingexperience)iv) The vision and message is in Apocalyptic language borrowed fromO.T. passages like, Daniel 7:9-13; 10:6; (See also Revelation19:13). Among the lampstands stood someone like the son of manbut how he was dressed, looked and spoke did not resemble thegentle shepherd Jesus presented in the Gospels: read verses13-16B) How he reacted, 1:17 and how Jesus responded.He saw and heard and physically and emotionally reacted by fear andawe: Message: This is some serious business, now listen up! But the revelationdoesn’t end here. Note again the latter part of verse 7: Jesus' consolation: Hephysically placed His right hand on him and said stop being afraid(awe) etc.Verse 18. What started as awe, fear and reverence ends in consolation, and acrucial message about the Kingdom.C) Out of it all comes an awesome Revelation and mission. And because of theexperience John had with the Risen Christ and the ensuing awe, he got right to it.This happened while he was still imprisoned in Patmos.a) The Manifestation that the Lord gave John produced the experience ofawe that propelled him to write the message in spite of his prison situation(Compare him with Jeremiah). He felt down awestruck at His presenceand got up fearless in His calling.Read 1 Peter 6:6-9Amen

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.(This call to patience and waiting happens in all our lives: a common experience in our walk with the Lord)Acts 1:1-11, esp. V. 4; Luke 2:21-40One Common experience in our Christian walk is to never stop waiting on the promisesof God: This is trusting perseverance. We all experience this in either the long form orthe short form. In Acts the disciples only had to wait 50 days, until the feast ofPentecost, to recruit the promise but for Simeon and Anna, and remember Abraham, itwas the long form trusting. Because in God’s loving sovereignty, He retains the time andthe manner of all fulfillment and especially in the long time waiting situations He has His reasons: note Galatians 4:4-5.1) Sometimes we don’t have to wait a long time; Acts 1:1-11 “only 50 days beforePentecost”2) Other times we must wait longer. This point is illustrated throughout the Biblebeginning with Abraham in Genesis and in Luke 2 with Simeon and Anna. Theyboth had important prophetic roles as to the identification of Jesus as theMessiah.a) Simeon was promised by the Holy Spirit that “he wouldn’t die before hehad seen the Lord Christ!” (Luke 2:26). This implies that he was waiting along time. Then one particular day in God’s time he was “moved by theSpirit to go to the temple courts just when the child Jesus and His parentswould be there. He then prayed and prophesied over Him a significantprophecy. God in perfect timing fulfilled His promise and Simeon did hisobedience verses 29-35.b) Anna even beats Abraham in waiting time, she was possibly waiting froma young married girl, her marriage lasted only 7 years. She spent the restof her life waiting or serving the Lord in prayer and fasting etc. She was 84years old when God’s timing brought Jesus and His parents to her, toprophesy(verses 36-38). With God’s help she was found faithful.3) To wait upon the Lord in the Bible does not assume passivity but activity.a) Both Anna & Simeon were actively waiting by serving in the temple bypraying and fasting etc: “Keeping occupied until He shows up.” oranswers. Consider the parable in Luke 19:12-27 who’s message to thechurch is be faithful and diligent in serving God and His purposes untilanswers, even in the Long form. May the year 2024 be a prosperous yearfor your church and its servants and also for all our families and friends;may we experience a much more fruitful year of ministry, service andanswered prayer.

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.Philippians 2:6-11, including the context of verses 11-5 & 12-17, Revelation 13:8The whole process includes the Election of the plan before the foundation of theearth (Revelation 13:8); The incarnation of the Son in Jesus or Christ(Christmas) Hismiraculous life and crucifixion; His Resurrection and Ascension and awaiting the fulleffects of His victory and Enthronement. These are all summarized in poetic Hymnicstyle in Philippians 2:6-11 along with practical applications in 2:1-5 & 12-17. This hymnactually summarized Paul’s major parts of the Gospel & its doctrine. It was alsoprobably part of the Baptism service sung or recited by the catechumens.1) The Hymn summarizes the N.T understanding of salvation through the Son ofGod.a) It was decided in the Divine Pre-existence by the Triune God, implied inPhilippians 2:6 & Revelation 13:8.b) Two-Points found in verses 6 & 7i) Jesus the Incarnate Son of God did not have to steal divinityii) Jesus did not use his Divinity to His advantagec) “Human likeness” & “in appearance as a man” does not equal just lookinghuman rather He was the identical copy of humanity to its essence;God-like & immortal while being human; verses 7-8d) He voluntarily humbled Himself and became a servant to His Father &humanity, through the Cross (John 3:16) verse 8e) The Prelude to deserved resurrection and exaltation: Jesus Christ the Sonof God Lord or King of the Creation. Earned Kingship (verses 9-11).i) Result verses 10&11 - “glory” to God the Father2) The behaviors of Jesus, our Savior and Lord are a teaching model for Hisdisciples. Philippians 2:1-5 & 12-17. See especially 1 Peter 5:6-9a) Note the same pattern of humility to exaltation applied to us through-outthis life until heaven; 1 Corinthians 13:12;b) 1 Peter 5:6-9 tells us to have the same mind and purposes as Christ as toour obedience to the Father, more specifically listed in Philippians 2:1-5;12-15. These are some examples of attitudes and behaviors toward eachother that display our humility and obedience to Christi) Express tenderness & compassion towards each other; 2:1-2ii) Don’t do anything out of selfish ambition and vain conceitiii) Not only looking after your own interests: 2:4iv) Take seriously your salvationv) Keep working at it with the Spirit’s help. 2:12-13vi) Stop your “grumbling & arguing” (Relational conflict) for this is theway of the world 2:14vii) Be willing to sacrifice for God’s purposes; 2:17viii) And boast primarily in what the Lord has done and is doing for us;2:16.And all this began with the child in Bethlehem, the Incarnation of the Son of God!Oh Come Let Us Adore Him!Amen

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.1 Kings 17:8-24Elijah the Prophet had some bad news for King Ahab & his pagan QueenJezebel in 17:1 because of their idolatries (16::30-34): drought for the next ten years.This put Elijah also in a bad spot, but God always provides for His servants, even ifneed be, by Ravens(v 2-6). When the situation worsened, God prepared a poor widowof Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to take care of him. But she was in a worsecondition than Elijah (note verse 11-12). During her best days she thought of dying(v12), yet God chose her, not even an Israelite, to receive His word and provide for His prophet. And she, although it was difficult to obey. Many times God chooses the weak persons for the very purpose if confounding the strong (1 Corinthians 1:26-2:5)And as in the N.T. Gospel God uses weak, wounded and even reluctant servantsto do His will(Moses, Gideon, even Elijah, Chapter 19)

Revelation 1:9-20The Picture of the victorious Christ & all three, combined as one! See also Daniel7:9-14 especially verses 13&14. The all sufficiency of Christ, gained by His death,Resurrection and ascension or His enthronement illustrated in Philippians 2:1-11. Thisdoes not negate the mysterious working together with the Father & Spirit: Philippians2:11, John 15:26-16:16, “... to the glory of God the Father”, “empowered by the HolySpirit. No other deities work together for our benefit, so much so that in the mystery ofthe Trinity, they are three and one.Therefore passages like Hebrews 4:14-16 depicts His throne as draped in graceand mercy.And unlike human royalty & pagan deities, our God doesn’t rule by or throughaloofness & regal intimidation but, rather as one who washed the disciples feet, John13:7 as the servant King, administering His power through love. Even His correctdiscipline is out of love (Hebrews 12:6) not the divine right of kings: for while we wereyet sinners, He died for us (Romans 5:6-11) and for God so loved the people in thisfallen world that He sent His son... (John 3:16) He & our Triune God is servant royalty.This complex triune God through our risen victorious Christ is pictured inRevelation 1:9-20: An amalgam of all three. He is an amalgam of the ancient of days(God the Father); The Son of Man (His Son) and the fire & water of the Spiritrepresenting our God’s victory and our all sufficiency: (Colossians 1:13-20). This is thecentral apocalyptic picture of Savior & Lord’s victory (1:13-18)How does this picture and message speak to John & the church (His people)?1) If we pay the price we will receive His ultimate Revelation, sustaining presence &victory.Then Jesus said to His disciples, if anyone wants to follow me, he must denyhimself, take up His cross(implies not only difficulties but mission) & follow me,not in a cookie cutter way but also in a personal way. “Renouncing all” of Luke14:33 must be balanced with Matthew 6:32-33 and the fact that when wededicate ourselves to Him we will not lack any good thing, Psalms 34:10.For John the prison of the island of Patmos; Revelation 1:6, as the result of hisfaithfulness to the Gospel and Christ’s kingdom, was rewarded and privileged to be inthe Spirit and hear, see and experience the victorious Son of Man & His final revelationin scripture.2) Like everything God does this privilege & revelation was to bless John & others1:11 & 19-20. “The 7 stars and the golden lampstands” (I take to mean the 7churches that represent all Christ’s body in every age and their “angels” orleaders, pastors etc.) The ultimate assurance of God’s victory through Christ bothfor now and forever more (Again Colossians 1:13-20 is one passage that says itall: for now and then, our future. Expect also to see victories in our lives today,victories through our God permitted battles, like John on the island of Patmos.3) The call for us to also hear & experience the victorious God, through Christ, on apersonal level.a) Revelation 3:19-22. The context warns the prosperous church not to getoverly invested in this fallen world, save some of your treasure forheaven’s bank. We will earn the right to share, sit on Christ’s throne, thatis, partake in His eternal victory: both now and more fully(Revelation 21 &22)Amen

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.Forget About Matthew 5:48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father” →good luck to fulfill this literally in any lifetime... This is hyperbole to emphasize theseriousness of our walk, to make our best honest effort.But, the truth of the matter is that we continue to be sinners saved by grace, bothas part of the fallen human race and individually. We are to crucify our sinful flesh daily.But, even with the help of the Holy Spirit the goal is betterment not perfection. And wewill always need His grace & forgiveness throughout our lives (1 John 1;8-2:2)Also God treats & relates to us both as a community with common elements &requirements and as individuals who from our DNA, our family systems, cultures andreligions, we are unique to Him and treats us with this in mind. God doesn’t have a strictcookie cutter mentality. He treats us as His individual children.

Main Scripture: Matthew 24This sermon was interrupted so we have to begin it mid-sermon. Thank you for listening.But what could be the faint shadow of these days coming.I think there are four1) MAD(the potential of mutually assured destruction)2) Delusional leaders & their followers; 1 Peter 2:113) The surrounding of Jerusalem by their enemies for the purpose offull destruction, no longer two state solutions.4) The Gospel preached throughout the modern world (Matthew24:14)In conclusion the only clear singular sign is found in Matthew 24:27-31: as clear as alightning storm, no one can miss it. Our part remains to be watching, working and ready.(The parable of the 10 bridal virgins; Matthew 25:1-13)Acts 1:6-11“.. He will come back in the same way you have seen Him go to Heaven.”Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.

Psalm 121(All Existence) Psalm 121Sometimes the Lord via the Spirit helps us in more clear and direct ways that can be seen as clearly supernatural, James 5:15 etc. But in all other times He operates more behind the scenes. He has His hand upon all aspects of our lives but not clearly seen. He has some part in all things for me! Psalm 121 describes this idiomatically in verse 8: “our coming and going.” Therefore the answer to the central question posed in verse one, is the rest of the Psalm: We have a God who comprehensively is involved in our lives: sometimes clearly and other times not so clearly. Verse one also describes the danger of turning to various idolatries practiced in Canaan in the sacred mounds or Hills. In the New Testament idolatry is described as self centered, self sufficiency or greed(Luke 12:15, 31 & Colossian 3:5)Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.

John 21: 15-25, especially verses 22-23; 1 John 5:14-15; Matthew 6:10; Romans12:1-2Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.A Lesson on the Sovereignty of God in our lives. To ask anything “in Jesusname” from God also implies as to what pleases the Lord and helps conform to His willand purposes in our lives. In fact in Romans 8:26-28 it states that at times “We do notknow what we ought to pray for(so it’s not a matter of using Jesus name in prayer as aformula) But the Spirit Himself intercedes. “...for the saints in accordance with God’swill.” And the one fault that prevents us from having our prayers answered issummarized in James 4:3, “When you ask you do not receive, because you ask with thewrong motives, that you may spend all that you get(only) on your (selfish) pleasures.”Not only should your prayers bless you, but benefit others & glorify God, when they areanswered(The sacred triangle.)

Main Scriptures:Luke 15: 1-7 The One Lost SheepLuke 15:11-32 The One Prodigal SonGod has the ability to love and care for one person at a time. No one gets lost in a crowd.Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  If you have any Podcast topic suggestions, please send an email to Freegospel3@gmail.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.Psalm 91; 1 Corinthians 13:6-13; The Setting of the Psalm; The Psalmist, who is a godly person, enters theprotective area of Yahweh, the Temple sanctuary. In the sanctuary he testifies andinstructs out of his experience of deliverance by the Lord. He expresses his doctrine or belief(v1) and then details what he learned from his struggle and deliverance. He also testifies about the prophetic words of the Lord to him in verses 14-16.But in the context of Progressive Revelation, how would N.T. believersunderstand these verses, especially in the context of a broader, more comprehensive understanding of life in Christ both now and forever.Remember this Psalm was probably an older Psalm where the idea of anafter-life was less developed. Compare Genesis 25:7-8 and the N.T. statements about the eternal part of life in Christ, a few examples: John 14:1-4; Revelation 21-22 etc.When a Christian reads and meditates on this Psalm they realize the completefulfillment of its promises found in verses 3-13 will not be perfectly realized until our eternal life or after-life experience. Note can verses like 9 & 10 be fully experienced in this fallen world? (note John 16:33; also the example of the Christmas Carol), again considering the dynamic of progressive revelation.

Main Scriptures: Judges 7:1-22; Isaiah 54:1-3;Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  If you have any Podcast topic suggestions, please send an email to Freegospel3@gmail.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.At certain times God orders what seems counterintuitive to human reason, tobring glory to His name. For example in 1 Corinthians 1:18 it is the foolish looking cross that actually demonstrates the love and power of God: counterintuitive! This strange way for God to produce a victory occurs only when ordered by God. This is the point of Gideon, Abraham and Jesus’ experience in doing God’s will. But only when he directs.We are not called to just do counterintuitive things in order to spur God to action! It’sonly when He clearly speaks, then we obey.First, Make Sure, as much as possible, that the approach is God ordained.We are not to create difficulties in the hopes that God will intervene. In our maintext God clearly spoke in Chapter 7:1-7 and Gideon obeyed. That brought the armydown to 300: “With the 300 men... I Will save you and I will give the Midianite vast army into your hands.” In this peculiar situation, created by God, all will clearly know that it’s the Lord that tips the proverbial scale. In fact even with Israel’s original numbers, they were no match for the Midian army: Without the Lord’s special intervention Goideon and Co. could not win.Note constantly throughout the book of Judges the children of Israel, whoconstantly slipped into ungodly, idolatrous ways had to “cry unto the Lord” and He was always faithful to respond(Judges 6:1-11)Second, Because some of God’s solutions seem counterintuitive to us.He gives us special grace to persevere. In Gideon’s story it manifested through variedsigns that he asked God to perform.

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  If you have any Podcast topic suggestions, please send an email to Freegospel3@gmail.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.Acts 8:1-8; especially verse 6; note also John 14:11 & Romans 15:17-19 and especially Acts 1:4-8[The Central Purpose of the Baptism or Filling(s) of The Spirit, Ephesians 5:18, power to witness & evangelize: officially and personal/unofficially, being living epistles 2 Corinthians 3:2-4.Remember everything that the Spirit does through and among us for thefurtherance & nurturance of the Gospel is supernatural: “born from above”, John 3:3.The Gospel is not only a new religious belief system that tries to convince others that it’s theology and ethics are superior but also foundationally supernatural as well asdoctrinal and ethical. The spreading of the Kingdom is impossible without the HolySpirit’s power(The gift of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12-14) and even in its characterbuilding it’s all about the “Fruit of the Spirit.” Christianity from “soup to nuts”, has anecessary supernatural foundations.

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  If you have any Podcast topic suggestions, please send an email to Freegospel3@gmail.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.Luke 22:39-52; Hebrews 4:14-16;5:7-10;The fact that Jesus begins His Passion(Suffering) Doesn’t mean that God has leftHim, rather the opposite is true. Note 22:39-44, especially verses 43-44. Godwas still with Him in power even though at the point during His crucifixion, he feltabandoned: “My God why have you forsaken me”(Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:46)

Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  If you have any Podcast topic suggestions, please send an email to Freegospel3@gmail.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.Note the first line of that great hymn, on Christ the Solid Rock I stand “I dare nottrust(completely, naively) the sweetest frame, but wholly(more)lean on Jesusname! This is not as easy as it sounds and we will briefly explore this.Main Texts: John 2:12-24, especially verses 23-24; Psalm 27:10-14.I think it’s much easier and natural for humans to trust what is visible andtangible: what we can see, hear and touch, than that which remainspredominantly invisible. Most of the time, we confess, “We walk by faith not mostof the time by sight.” As I said last week, we as humans are created in the imageof God and have talents & skills, some more than others, but generally speakingwe are creative, and also most have families.Clans, faith communities around us to lend a hand when needed. So it’s easier ifnot better or Biblically more advisable to do so: We’re only human!” Most of the time we can trust our back-ups. But because of our fractured human situation (Genesis 3), that's not enough for even, “mothers, father’s might forsake us, at times, but the Lord will(always) receive us”(Psalm 27:10). This teaching is both the hardest and most basic instruction of scripture: To put our ultimate trust in the Lord, why?A) Our physicality & visibility while God is predominantly “Spirit” & invisible. Andeven though we experience His Spirit at times in glorious ways it’s not likereceiving a helping hand from a visible, caring, loving person in our lives. Butsome, even our closest friends, etc, are capable of failing us. And if we arehonest will admit that some have. Again, note Jesus’s experience and statementin John 2:23-24. But it’s not about no trust, we are all created to be relational andin need of others, but ultimate final trust, remember the hymn!

Main Texts: John 11:6; Ezekiel 37:1-7; Romans 4:17;Greetings, if you would like to support Free Gospel Church and our ministries, you can make a donation at FreeGospelAssembly.com.  If you have any Podcast topic suggestions, please send an email to Freegospel3@gmail.com.  Thank you for listening. If this message has blessed you please share it, that others may hear! God bless you.As we, male and female, are created in the image of God, distinct from nature &the animal kingdom, we reflect His capabilities, but not infinite measure. We have abrain, mind, emotions, relational capabilities etc., for beyond the animal kingdom.Therefore we have intelligence and creative capabilities and can mimic what God does, but on a much lesser level, we are not nor will ever be gods!Humans can decide to create, sustain, destroy, even if they don’t believe in God.We create societies, cultures, industries, science etc. with God’s permission but thereare somethings that God permits and even cooperates in their creation that areimpossible for us humans to resolve or overcome. The Bible refers to them as“mountains” that humans with all their ingenuity, God given, cannot remove(see Mark11:23-25)Only God can create something out of nothing (Romans 4:17) and can removethese mountains that are an impossible obstacle for us to remove.