P. Adam Speedy

Ps. 126, haven’t the messages been amazing? Preciousness of God. Precious, valuable. Great privilege to stand here at this pulpit where P. Stevens used to stand and P. Schaller and P. Scibelli.

Ps 126:1 this is a psalm they would read when they went up to Jerusalem for the feast. Gone 70 years to Babylon and those who went were old and passed. Some younger still alive and returned. Many born in captivity. Seeing the work of God through Cyrus and Daniel and Esther and Ezekiel’s preaching fulfilling the promise God had given to Jeremiah that after 70 years they would return. So surreal. Imagine born in a foreign land and never been there. No TV. No clue what it is like and all of a sudden the promises of the Bible we can see in time. We are brought back and God does a miracle. The heathen king even pays for much of the return and pieces of the tabernacle that we taken. We were like them that dreamed.

Ge 28 when Jacob was leaving the Promised Land and running from Esau, his present situation was really desperate. Maybe overwhelming. It was at that point God met him and he dreamed. God was present in that place. He said God is in this place and I knew it not.

Peter in Acts 12 for the second time, – in Acts 5 went to jail and the angel of the Lord opened the prison for him. In Acts 12, again in jail and in the jail the angel of the lord once again in answer to the prayers of the saints came. He thought he was dreaming. We get overwhelmed by our present now situation. We don’t deny the reality of the present but it’s only partial. Part of the bigger reality.

1 Cor 13 one day we will know as we are known. We don’t deny suffering or tests. We don’t live in self-denial. We don’t live in the denial of the present reality but God’s desire is we would not be consumed with the here and now but rather consumed with and established in his present truth. The Eternal IS of God’s reality penetrating now. The big picture, God’s declarations in his word being apprehended by faith now. When it happens, it may be surreal.

They began to laugh, and sing, singing and shouting, vs. 2. Loud singing. It’s like shouting. Same word used three times. This is spontaneous response of a person who realizes God’s reality, the big picture. God is doing something. I was consumed with here and now and we think what is here and now will never end. We will get overwhelmed sometimes. That’s the human condition. They were reciting the testimony of God’s past faithfulness. The heathen said the Lord has done great things for them. People who didn’t believe in the God of Israel couldn’t deny God did a miracle.

vs. 3. You can imagine this a couple hundred years B.C. This is after the return but before the time of Christ. In one generation, the temple began to become run down spiritually. Every generation needs regenerated. As reciting this what can happen and this happens when we think of God’s faithfulness. We’re happy but a little sad as well.

vs. 5. You’ve done great things for us like we are dreaming. Then they are on this road, the difficulty of making the journey, passing through towns and villages and dry places, wilderness and seeing perhaps it’s not what it was when we first came back or even before. They realize the human tendency to get captive again. That’s what happens to us. Lot taken as a captive. Man can be captive by so many things.

vs. 4. Turn again our captivity oh Lord as the streams in the south. In the Negev, they had these streams and at a certain point water comes in and the region is transformed. Lord, do it again. We don’t want to be consumed with the here and now of sight but the reality of your eternal now. Something we apprehend by faith. This statement of promise. It’s the same psalm. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Something about sowing is frustrating. Effort, work involved. Nothing to eat because nothing is growing yet. It’s not forever. Eventually something changes. If God could cause us to lift up our eyes and see the big picture. Not get stuck in the now of my limited viewpoint. We heard about Bible college. God’s declarants.

Jn 19:30, speaks it is finished and stands finished. There is no equivalent in English. It’s finished and that’s final. For good.

Eph 2:8 by grace have you been saved and it stands so. It’s over, final, done for good. My kids come and they make a statement and they want to negotiate. It’s over, done. No matter what sight says. They are going through dry parts.

Ps 84:6 they pass through the valley of Baca, weeping, dryness. They pass through. They keep going. Instead of living in the here and now of this limited reality, they are making it. God is using them to reveal his divine now in the valley. They make it pools of water. This is what our life is. We are smiling before we are allowed to smile. Laughing before we are allowed to laugh. God’s emphatic declarations that stand so for good. We call this faith. We are not consumed by the here and now but living in the doubtless. Doubtless they will come back. Doubtless promises despite weakness, time. Some things are forever. We are not denying that. I lose a loved one. Worst case scenario is not forever if they are saved. Even if you lose someone, God will take that memory and wipe that tear. I won’t live in heaven moping about who is lost. God’s divine reality experienced by us in time. The Eternal IS of now. Dare to say now. Amen.

P. Scibelli

2 Timothy. Did you say yeah, God? I like those yeah, God’s. Is it going to be on your tombstone?….I’d like mine to say, why are you looking at this? I’m not here. What are you standing here for? I’m not here.

2 Tim 1:6, Paul is talking about a lot of remembrance here. He talks about being mindful.

vs. 5. Call to remembrance.

vs. 6 again I put you in remembrance.

vs. 6-7. God has not given us a spirit of fear. Don’t live in something God hasn’t given. Live in the given. I’m livin in the given. Sounds like a country song.

vs. 7. I have a great picture today. I wish I could have put it on the screen. I wasn’t able to figure it out in time. 30 men who came forward to be pastors in Liberia Greater Grace church. Country ravaged by 17 years of civil war. 22 churches in Liberia with new vision for Sierra Leone, Guinea and Guinea Bissau.

I can live in the eternal. Are you here? Which is what he was talking about. Living in the eternal IS. There is a booklet and messages on that. Or I can live in the past, the present or the future. When I live in the past, present or future, I find myself living with timidity or fear. 1989 I made a statement in a message. If the past controls the present, it destroys the future. Even above and beyond that we want to be a church who live in that which is eternal. God has given us eternal life. Easy to live thinking about what happened 5 years ago, yesterday, a month ago, in my present circumstances. Are they real? Real but not eternal. They may be real, a test, a trial, a problem, a relationship, a situation, all kinds of things, financial difficulties but I’m not going to live in that. Many spend so much time living in the future because they worry about it. Worry is sin. Worry comes from anxiety. MIRIMNA, my mind is divided from God’s mind. Anxiety in the biblical sense of the word is a mind divided from God’s mind. Not anything but sin which falls short of God’s glory. Some live in anxiety. They are worried about everything. Flat tire, raining, back up on 95, what’s to eat? Their mind is so wrapped up in all these things. God wants us to live in the eternal.

As Paul is leaving and going to be with the Lord, he said the time of my departure is at hand in 2 Tim 4:6. I’m writing you this letter, Timothy, and you will direct the ministry. You and Titus. I don’t want you to live in a spirit of timidity. I want you to live in that which is given by God. God hasn’t given you fear. Has God ever given me fear? He hasn’t. When you fear, I am living in what has not been given. Living in what is given by the devil, the osn, and the world system. That’s why it’s great to cast it out.

Heb. 2:14-15 Satan has kept people in bondage their whole lifetime to fear. Afraid. The word means to be put to flight. Sometimes not evident but we do things out of fear. Nobody would know it but we don’t claim it. Some are afraid of the call of God. God is calling you to be a pastor, missionary, Christian school teacher. Tomorrow night at 6:45, we are going to Owings Mills. Maybe we will take a bus or vehicle. If you never came out before, come out. It’s nice and hot. Come on out. We are going to go to Owings Mills with Pastor Adam and believing God for a church with P. Adam. Fear. God hasn’t given that. I want to live in what God has given. So easy to live in what God hasn’t given. Live in the given. God has not given you a spirit of fear but power. Live in the dunamis power God has given you because you have the Holy Spirit living in you. Live in God’s power. God’s power over sin, over the devil. God’s power to perform the Christian life. God’s power to have godly relationships. God’s power. Live in that which is given. Don’t live in your natural way of life. For you, it’s a lack of power and timidity. Some could say that is the way I am. The way you are is the way God made you to be in the new creation. “I’ve always been like that.” Whatever. I’ve always been impatient. God is working on that in my life. Patience. Patience. God has given us not the spirit of fear but power. Power to perform and walk in the Christian life. Ever try to walk the Christian life without his life and power. It’s frustrating. They say been there and done that. You’ve been there but done it through your own ability. Frustration has come in and approaching this situation in your life without the power of God. Living in human power.

Zech 4:5-6 not by might and that’s might of an army, power by my Spirit saith the Lord. He will come forth with the headstone crying out grace, grace. How are we going to have victory over addictions? I ran two homes for heroin addicts. All these educated philosophical highly elevated in their minds telling me what to do to see people have victory over drugs. I have an idea. Trust in Jesus. Trust and obey. No other way.

At one time and my wife can testify I had the worse addicts and criminals in one house together. It was awesome! I used to take my car and they say we are waxing it and polishing it and sticking up stores with guns! Don’t use my car. It’s the power of God that changed their lives. It wasn’t through all kinds of intricate – we had a counseling center called Light House. Upwards of 1,000 clients a year. We started to get the state of Massachusetts and courts sending us people. We can’t help these people. They said maybe and I said we can. They would get delivered, set free by the power of God.

Do you have an addiction? Maybe you don’t. Maybe you do and don’t know it. Some are addicted to macaroni. Some are addicted to CNN, Fox news, TV, ice cream. Some are addicted. So many addictions. Not just smoking and drugs and alcohol. Anxiety addictions. Fear addictions. God’s power can deliver me from them. Do you believe that? God has the power to change. He can change. He hasn’t given you the spirit of fear. You have the power to lead, Timothy. God’s power will come in and take over your life. There will be a procession to worship idols and they will kill you but you won’t be afraid because you have power from God. Power from God.

I met my wife in 1966. Imagine the power she has from God to be with me. Don’t say yeah! I know. I can’t live with me more than a couple minutes.

Power. It’s the grace of God, the power of God, the H.S. power. What is missing today is power from God. H.S. power. We said on Grace Hour we are sealed by the H.S. of promise in Eph. 1:13 and the Holy Spirit sheds his love abroad in our hearts in Rom 5:5. Sealed and shed. If positionally in Christ and go to heaven, that’s amazing but I want the Holy Spirit to shed his love abroad in my heart. I want power to refrain from anger when people cut me off on the high way…a man went horizontal, right across this way. Hello? Give me power not to be angry. Power. Give me power to be thankful when Kentucky wins in a football game! Power. Power in our lives. Maybe somebody does something you don’t like.

I read a story of a nun praying and this woman next to her had a habit of doing something with her mouth and tongue. She said ridiculous. God said I will give you power to have patience to handle it the rest of your life if need be. No guarantee anyone will change.

We say if you do this, it will be okay. What if they never change? Can God give you power to put up with it? Hello? They may never change. I want to live in what God has given. I’m not living in the circumstances, the difficulty, the besetting sin, the thorn in the flesh. I want to live in the power of God. How is it things aren’t happening the way it should happen? Maybe people are doing things without the power of the Holy Spirit.

Charles Finney went to a town in New York on his honeymoon. He got out to buy something for his wife and shared the gospel. The guy got converted and said let me get my brother. He got converted. He went to the factory and 350 people got converted. He got power from God and she got power to be patient until it was over. The power of God came in.

I’ve seen some things in Africa. If it wasn’t for the power of God, I wouldn’t go back. A woman walking toward me off the ground walking in the air. Her hair is stuck straight out. Her face looked like a demon. I didn’t even give her a verse. I said who does your hair? I was scared so I said something ridiculous. I dropped her off the ground with a verse and she ran away. That’s the power of God. Extreme thing but it came to my mind.

Power of God to be patient at your job. You don’t know what that boss is like. You don’t know what the situation is like. God, give you the H.S. power. He hasn’t given you a spirit of fear but power. Power. “I have a difficult time coming to church.” How about receiving power from God to come to church. Bible school? How am I to learn the Bible? God hasn’t given you a spirit of fear but power. The Holy Spirit’s life and power to learn the Bible and let God take you where you would not want to go. Carry you where you would not. What is this thing in Christianity where you want to do something? I don’t want to pray or evangelize or love unconditionally or have patience but the power of God gives me patience. I don’t want to put up with the ridiculous in people’s lives but the power of God helps me in my life. Rather than look at the situation and be controlled by it, live in what God has given. I’m going to live in the love of God. This is what God has given. We preached messages on the big 5 of grace. The Father gave the Son. The Son gave the Spirit. The Spirit gave the church. The church gave the gospel and the gospel gave life. The big 5 of grace. God says I’m going to give you my love. I’m going to shed the love of God abroad in your heart. Anyone know what unconditional love is? Unconditional love means God loves in every condition. You disobey God and he loves you. You resist God and he loves you. His love is unconditional. Your actions can never change God. You may not have fellowship with him. What I do can never change God. I’ve given you my love. Not love that is natural. 12 kinds of satanic substitute loves. We’ll talk about it at the rap. Satan brings in substitute loves to seduce people and draw them away. He’s given you power, love and a sound mind. Isn’t that great. Some of us are wacko. He has given you his mind. He doesn’t care about your mind. Let this mind be in your that is in Christ Jesus. “God told me to divorce my wife and marry my secretary” a guy told me. I said let me check your head. You’re sick. You have a sick mind. God doesn’t think like that. God is giving me his mind. Power, love and sound mind. We are under the pulpit. We read our Bible. I need a sound mind. I don’t need the mind of politics. I get so tired of that. I don’t think about what the governor said or the president. I’m not interested. I’m interested in the Elect One, Jesus Christ and what he says. What man says will get me nowhere. “Did you hear what they said on the news?” Did you hear what they say in the Good News! The Bible speaks. Given us a sound mind. I can think with God. When Jonah went the wrong way, not thinking with God. When a person does things outside God’s will, it starts with thinking. Everyone wants to correct behavior. Behavior “correctionists.” A kid does something wrong and you beat him and don’t tell him why. Okay don’t beat him. You can’t say that. The thinking has to be corrected. What is repentance? It means METANOIA, change your mind. Change your mind. You start with the mind. How do you get a person to stop worshipping idols? Not by behavior but thinking change. Sometimes people cooperate with behavior to please you but nothing is changed in the mind. No thinking has changed. God hasn’t given you a spirit of fear but love, power, and a sound mind. Given you a gift of preacher and apostle.

2 Tim 1 12 gifts. Live in what God has given. Am I going to receive that? Are you awake? Is this side okay? Live in what God has given. I’m not going to live in my situation or my problem or test or affliction or persecution or misunderstanding or anxiety or human reason or doubt or fear. I’m going to live in what God has given. Are you listening? He has given us so much. He has given us his very life, peace, mercy. I live in what God is given and then I love. Give me love. I love. Give me mercy. I am merciful. Give me power. I use that power to help weak people.

If you are just a receiver and not a giver, you don’t know what worship is. Hannah prayed and God gave her Samuel. She gave Samuel back and they worshipped. Worship is giving God back what he has given you. He loves you. You love him. That’s worship.

Let’s live in what God has given. Living in the given. Not living in what God has not given. I don’t want to spend my life living in what God hasn’t given. They make their life and way in living in what God hasn’t given rather than experience the very life of God by living in what God has given.

Please enjoy these sermon notes from the messages preached at Greater Grace Church in Baltimore. These notes are provided to aid in your study and understanding of the Word. Note that these notes do not represent complete, word-for-word transcriptions. Also, they may contain omissions as well as some errors in spelling and structure, etc., as we attempt to provide them as soon as possible. Our hope is that these notes serve as a way to help you search and connect with messages on related subjects and passages. Thank you for your interest in the ministry of Greater Grace.