 | Teaching:
'Laying the Right Foundation Part 3' |
| Jesus Christ is Lord!
Andrew Shreeve Ministries
Partner Letter – May 2009
‘Bringing good tidings, publishing peace and salvation’
(Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15)
Sow a financial seed this month and partner with Andrew in proclaiming peace and salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ to all nations.
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| Contents
- Welcome
- Resources
- Teaching – “Laying the Right Foundation – Part 3”
- Itinerary
- Financial Information
- Contact Information
| Welcome
| Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! I pray the Lord will give strength to your heart, enabling you to continue in daily meditation of His precious promises. Make no mistake; this is where the battle ground is (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)! The devil will try to stop you receiving the power of the precious seed (Mark 4:15, 2 Peter 1:3-4).
I have completed some wonderful teaching ministry in Bangkok, Thailand to Thai Christians, fellow missionaries and expat workers. In one service we assisted three evangelical ladies to be baptised with the Holy Spirit and speak in unknown tongues. They had wanted this gift for many, many years, so we thank the Lord for His faithfulness. One was also instantly healed of a migraine headache whilst we were ministering the baptism with the Holy Spirit, so sweet was the anointing!
| Resources
| To view 22 short videos (each less than ten minutes) by Andrew go to: www.youtube.com Type in the search box; "AndrewJShreeve" and click search.
To study 76 short written teachings go to: www.andrewshreeve.org click on the icon, ‘Partner Letters’. You may copy and print the teachings for easier study.
| Laying the Right Foundation – Part 3
Copyright © Andrew J. Shreeve 2009
| Over the past two months we have been teaching on laying the right spiritual foundations from God’s Word. The first foundation is to understand God’s Word as seed (Mark 4:1-29). God’s Word is living, incorruptible, powerful, spiritual seed which will always produce what it says if the seed is successfully planted and grown in the human heart. If we are unable to grasp this concept we will not be able to increase in our understanding of how God’s kingdom operates (v.13).
We then established another foundation concerning the integrity and pre-eminence of God’s Word (Colossians 1:18, John 1:14). We need to believe that God’s Word has the power to change every circumstance in our lives which is contrary to God’s exceeding great and precious promises. Only as we believe in the supremacy of God’s Word will we invest the time to meditate His promises. We also need to believe that God’s promises are true even if our experience is different. One of our goals is to establish our heart (spirit, mind, will and emotions) to agree with God’s promises, without wavering, regardless of our personal experience. For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
This month we will establish another important foundation – righteousness.
In righteousness shalt thou be established Isaiah 54:14
A correct understanding of righteousness stands at the centre of the gospel of Christ, and our eternal destiny depends upon it.
In Romans chapter 10:1-3 Paul the apostle says: My heart’s desire and prayer for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
It is obvious from the above verses that having a zeal for God does not save us, or give us eternal life. It was not going to save Israel, even though they were worshipping the true God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The problem was Israel at that time did not understand the knowledge of God’s righteousness. They were ignorantly trying to establish their own righteousness, and therefore not submitting to God’s way of righteousness.
If God’s way of righteousness is not trying to obey God’s laws, as Israel thought (Romans 10:4), what is it? The first thing we must understand about God’s righteousness is that it is God’s gift to us, and it does not come from our own merit and efforts.
They which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ Romans 5:17
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8
When we receive God’s gift of righteousness it means we are right with God, God 100% accepts us, we are saved and going to heaven. Now this concept often causes people to stumble because of their sin consciousness. They mistakenly think righteousness can only be deserved if we are able to abstain from sin, and haven’t seen it in terms of an undeserved gift. The bible says to New Testament believers: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). Therefore, no Christian can accurately say they are without sin and righteous in all their actions. So, if we all have sin, to greater or lesser degrees, how do we become righteous? A key concept to understand is that righteousness is not dependant on our actions, but rather is based on Jesus’ actions, and is received through faith alone. Righteousness happens in an instant, when we receive God’s Word into our heart and exercise our faith in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:23, Romans 10:10).
Righteousness is based on our relationship with God; it is not based on the quality of our fellowship, or how little sin we commit, as we all commit even little sins. For example, if you have a son who gets into trouble with the law and ends up in prison, he would still be your son even though his sin is great. Righteousness says we are God’s son’s through faith, even though we all experience sin. In His wisdom, love and mercy God has instituted a way of righteousness apart from law. God’s way of righteousness is by faith alone, and is not based on our ability to keep His laws (Romans 3:21-22, 28). It has to be this way, because if righteousness is based on our ability to be sinless we would all fail, and end up eternally in the lake of fire.
What then are the key aspects of faith unto God’s righteousness? The key ingredients to receiving and maintaining God’s righteousness are faith in the blood of Jesus Christ to remit all our sins, faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and confession of Jesus Christ as our personal Lord:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sin Romans 3:25
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Romans 10:9-10
Pray with me: “Father God I am not trying to establish my own righteousness. I know that I am not without sin. Rather, I submit myself to your righteousness. I receive your gift of righteousness through your Son Jesus Christ. I have faith that Jesus’ blood has remitted all my sins. I believe that Jesus has risen from the dead, and is alive today in heaven. I confess Jesus Christ as my Lord.”
Blessed saint of God, know that as long as we hold our faith to the end we are righteous regardless of how many times we fall in our fight against sin. Do not let the legalists steal your faith in God’s gift of righteousness, under the pretence of holiness through obedience to the law. Never let go of God’s foundation of righteousness by faith, it will establish you in His kingdom. Righteousness says we qualify for all the promises of God simply because we are in relationship with God through faith, we are in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). I love you, Andrew. | |
Itinerary
| 1 May 2009 Evangelical Church Bangkok, (TGIF Group), Thailand
6 May Aglow International, Bangkok
10 May Streams of Blessing Church, Bangkok
13 May Aglow International, Bangkok
15 May Evangelical Church Bangkok, (TGIF Group)
20 May Aglow International, Bangkok
| | ANDREW SHREEVE MINISTRIES
‘Bringing good tidings, publishing peace and salvation’ (Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15) | |
