God Glorifying Faith

Winners’ Chapel International - Nyeri

Sunday 3^rd October 2010.

Prophetic Focus:  “His Leading is the Highway to my Blessings” Isaiah 48:17-21

TOPIC – GOD GLORIFYING FAITH

INTRODUCTION

Psalms 92: 1 - It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High

Be Followers
Hebrew 6:12 - That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Best Example = Abraham
Romans 4: 19 – 20
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

Thank God before receiving

I Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Hebrew 10:36 - For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Examples of Jesus
He gave Thanks before the bread multiplied
John 6: 6 -11
11 - And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

He gave thanks before Lazarus rose.
John 11:41 - Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Thanksgiving is TWO Fold

1.     You thank God before the blessing.

2.     You thank Him after the blessing to ACKNOWLEDGE

SIDE 1
Habakkuk 3:17 – 19
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

You are either glorifying God, or questioning Him
You are either grateful or grabbling

Psalms 67:5 – 7
5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

Side 2
Thank God for what he has done.

Luke 17:12 – 19 (The 10 lepers)
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Thanksgiving Preserves your blessings

Malachi 2:1-3
1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

Key learning Points

1. Thanks giving is a commandment – Malachi 2: 1-3
2. What you have is NOT AN ACHIEVEMENT it is a RECEIVEMENT
   
   don’t quote your labour.
   -Lord I fasted for 21 days – Ok, does God eat?
   -Lord I read the Bible! – Ok, who gave you revelation
   -Lord I prayed! – Ok, who answered
   -Oh, I gave! – What? From what I gave you in the  first place.
3. It is not your labour it is His grace (Psalms 44:3- For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.).
4. Grace not acknowledged = Grace frustrated – Galatians 2:21- I do not frustrate the grace of God:
   
   - When grace is not acknowledged, shame comes (God spread dung on your face – Malachi 2: 3 - Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
   
   Case: Herod
   Act 12:21 – 23 -
   21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
   22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
    23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
   
   
   To DISREGARD GRACE is to end up in DISGRACE.

Week of Walking in gratitude