Springhill Church

Series: Grace

  • Heroes – Part 2

    Hebrews 12:1 NLT Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

    For when you’ve made bad choices…

    “God always gives you a second chance.”

    Jonah 1:1-5 NIV The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: (2) “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (3) But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (4) Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. (5) All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

    How to Recover from Bad Choices
    1. Take responsibility for your bad choice.

    Jonah 1:12 NLT “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”

    Coach John Wooden – “You are not a failure until you start blaming others for your mistakes!”

    Proverbs 28:13 LB A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.

    1. Repent and turn away from the bad choice you made.

    To repent (Greek: “metanoeo”) To change your thinking

    Jonah repents and decides to obey what God told him to do.

    Jonah 2:9 NIV “…What I have vowed I will make good…”

    Acts 3:19 NIV Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

    1. Embrace God’s grace.

    Jonah 3:1 NIV Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time…

    John Maxwell – “Grace always runs downhill; it met me at the bottom, not at the top.”

    Hebrews 4:16 NIV Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

    ✓ Don’t let bad choices define you.

    Romans 8:1 NLT So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

     ✓ Don’t let bad choices disqualify you.

    Psalms 30:1-3 MSG I give you all the credit, GOD– you got me out of that mess, you didn’t let my foes gloat. (2) GOD, my God, I yelled for help and you put me together. (3) GOD, you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out.

    God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called.

    How to Safeguard Against Making Bad Choices
    1. Use God’s Word to guide you.

    Psalms 119:105 TLB Your words are a flashlight to light the path ahead of me and keep me from stumbling.

    1. Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom.

    John 16:13 AMP But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth)…

    The Bible gives us information – the Holy Spirit gives us revelation.

    • Are my choices God-honoring?
    • How will this affect my spiritual health?
    • How will this decision affect the people closest to me?
    1. Seek Godly counsel.

    Proverbs 15:22 NLT Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.

    Proverbs 13:20 NLT Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.

  • Galatians – Part 3

    Believing in God’s Grace

    (Galatians 3:1-3 NLT) Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of His death on the cross.  (2)  Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.  (3)  How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

    • There is nothing wrong with God, nothing wrong with the Word of God and through God’s grace and the Blood of Jesus; there is nothing wrong with you!

    (Mark 5:25-34 NKJV) Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years,  (26)  and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  (27)  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  (28)  For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”  (29)  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.  (30)  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My clothes?”  (31)  But His disciples said to Him, “You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”  (32)  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  (33)  But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  (34)  And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction.”

    • This woman did not only see Jesus as being full of healing power, but she also saw Him as being full of grace.
    • When she saw His grace, He saw her faith.
    • When you see Jesus in His grace, He sees you in your faith.

    (Matthew 8:5-10 NKJV)  Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him,  (6)  saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.”  (7)  And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”  (8)  The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.  (9)  For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  (10)  When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

    (Matthew 15:21-28 NKJV)  Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  (22)  And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”  (23)  But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”  (24)  But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  (25)  Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”  (26)  But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”  (27)  And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”  (28)  Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

    • They did not disqualify themselves from being able to receive from Jesus.
    • They were not under condemnation and so they could have faith to receive from Jesus.
    • They did not approach Jesus not based on what they had or had not done. They approached Him solely on the basis of His grace and mercy.

    You cannot have great faith and try to live under the law.

    (Romans 5:17 NKJV) For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

    • The key to reigning in life is in receiving not achieving.

    The basis for Christianity is not in “do, do, do” but rather in “done, done, done”!

  • You Asked For It – Part 1

    Part 1 – Are We Living in The Last Days?

    (Matthew 24:3 NIV) As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”

    (Matthew 24:14 NIV) And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

    (2 Peter 3:3-10 NIV) Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

    • People will be distracted with life.

    (Matthew 24:37-39 NIV) As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

    • People will forget God.

    (Matthew 24:12 NIV) Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,

    • People will not be ready.

    (Matthew 24:40-42 NIV) Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

    (1 Thessalonians 5:2 NIV) …for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

    What Should I Do?

    (1 Chronicles 12:32 NIV) …men (from Issachar), who understood the times and knew what Israel should do

    (1 Peter 4:7 NIrV) The end of all things is near. So keep a clear mind. Control yourselves. Then you can pray.

    1. I should think clearly.

    (Philippians 3:18-21 NLT) For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control.

    1. I should focus on relationships.

    (1 Peter 4:8-9 NIV) Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

    1. I should make a difference.

    (1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV) Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

    1. I should receive God’s grace.

    (2 Peter 3:18 NIV) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

    (Isaiah 55:6-7 NIV) Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.