What is it? by Craig Groeschel (Hillsongs Conference 2009)

So… What is it? Have you ever wondered why some leaders/churches have it and some don’t? Why some are so much more “anointed” or “blessed” than others? Have you ever attended a church service of a small church that just had “it”? Or have you attended a mega church that just left you unchanged at the end? I don’t know what it is and I can’t really explain, but I want IT!

You see, IT is not something that can be classified. Is it passion? Is it the Holy Spirit? It could be. Well, it is unique because the Holy Spirit manifests differently though different people. Just like how everyone should have their own answers to their own spiritual needs, IT is personal and unique, and is NOT secondhand. It can’t be copied, can’t be manufactured, can’t be duplicated. It is not a system, it CAN'T be taught, but it CAN be caught. If we have it, doesn’t mean we can keep it. If we don’t have it, doesn’t mean we can’t get it!

Upside: It changes lives

Downside: It attracts critics (because people don’t understand it, so they start questioning it)

Churches/Ministries that have IT are: LASER FOCUSED – We must know what God is or is not calling us to do. We can have tones of ministries (e.g. worship, choir, bible study groups etc…). We CAN do many things, but we don’t HAVE to do everything. [We don’t have to do what other churches are doing]. We CAN, but is it Spirit led? There are 2 things that we should do however. 1. Reach people that no one else is reaching. 2. Do whatever no one else is doing. A fully functioning church is NOT doing whatever everyone else is doing. The body of Christ is made up of many different parts; all have unique/special functions; they do not do the same thing, however they have the same goal: the functioning of the body of Christ.

Question: What are we doing that we need to stop doing?

Churches/Ministries that have IT: See opportunities where others see obstacles – There’s always an excuse for every problem/obstacle, but God has given us or provided us with EVERYTHING to do His work (We look but do not see). It’s not about what we don’t have on the outside, but what we’re missing on the inside.

If I told you to come up with $100,000 in 5 days, can you do it? Maybe? No? Now let’s change the situation a little… A family member is terminally ill and needs an operation ASAP to live. He/she needs $100,000 within 5 days. Can you now come up with that money? Yes? Definitely? What changed? Passion? Urgency? Sometimes God guides us from what He withholds from us (Acts 3:6). It is not about what people want, it is what they need. In the same way, the bible doesn’t show us what we want, but what we need.

Question: What is God trying to show us in our limitations?

Churches/Ministries that have IT are: Willing to FAIL – Failure is not an option, it is a necessity! Matthew 25 – Parable of the talents: Do you not think that the ones with the 5 and 10 talents were not afraid when they risked/invested what they had? I bet they were scared as hell, and were probably praying and hoping that it all works out. We need to fail to learn (failing forward). It is worse failing to learn than learning from failure. Ecclesiastes 11:1 says: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.” Investment is a risk, but how can you lose out when you invest in something that never fails? Peter was a BIG failure, but God still called him to preach. And who better to preach about failure other than the one who failed it big time? Who better to demonstrate the grace of God that was shown? We have to learn to shake it off and try again! Matthew 10:14 “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.” Learn to shake it off and not let it get to our hearts.

Question: What is God calling me to do deep down inside that I’m afraid to do?

Churches/Ministries that have IT are: Led by people who have it – When we have it in us, God will take care of the outside stuff. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we “have it all”, be careful or we will become too dependent on these things. It can cause us to stumble. We need to learn to be dependent on Him who has provided for us, and not rely on “second hand” spiritual food. We need our own food.

We can be in full time ministry, but only a part time follower of Christ. We can preach/share the gospel for the sake of people, but not give God the glory. Do you have it in you? Did you have it, but lost it? Have you ever had it before? Do you have it, but want more?

Grace and Forgiveness

So what is Grace? What's it to me? I ask myself time and again but just couldn't really comprehend the meaning of this word. But with all that I can wrestle within my heart I am determined to find the answer. Because the knowledge of this changes perspectives on the Christian walk.

Have you ever heard a friend say: "I am not holy enough, therefore I don't think I can be a Chrstian" or "What's the point? Christians still do whatever they want, so what's the difference?"

Before these questions be answered, let us take a look back in time

The laws: Ceremonial, Civil and The 10 commandments were first created because God's people asked for them. When Jesus came and was crucified, He fufilled the Ceremonial and Civil laws, but what about the 10 commandments? Romans 3:21-31 says that Jesus was presented as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. And in verse 31: "Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law."

You know how Grace and Mercy always go hand in hand?
Grace - no strings attached, free for all (Righteous or not)
Mercy - out of pity, leniency, favour

E.g. Grace - when Jesus died for one and all. Mercy - When He knows in our imperfection we fail from time and again, He is always ready to forgive.

So does Grace = Freedom? What is this freedom? Freedom to do whatever we want? or Freedom from sin?

"Freedom is not the ability to do what you want to do. Freedom is not the right to do what you want to do. It is the power to do what you should do."

If Grace = Freedom, then Grace was not given to us so that we have the ability to do what we want to do, neither was it a right to have, but it is a power given to us to do what we should do. All of us have the ability to make choices, the right to choice, but not many of us have the power over choice. This power is self-control, and self-control is a fruit of the Spirit.
When you receive God's Grace, you receive power. After receiveing this power, how are you as a Christian going to use it?

John 21:15-18 This is the second time Jesus asked Peter 3 times whether he loved Him. Jesus already knew the first time when He asked Peter that Peter was goind to deny Him. It says in verse 17 that Peter was hurt because of this. God brings us all to a point in time where our hearts must be broken before He can use us. When our hearts are so full, there is not room for Him to come in. But in being broken, He can then seep through those cracks and do something in us.

Grace can only be experienced when we're most inconvenienced/uncomfortable/down and out. No one can sit comfortably on a couch watching tv and say that he is experiencing God's Grace. In John 21:18 says that Grace takes us on a path we do not want to go, therefore its never going to be an easy path, because who wants to walk a path that is going to hurt us? Therefore the Christian walk is not an easy one, and if you find it getting easier for yourself, you know you're deviating from that path of Grace. The Devil doesn't care if you believe in Jesus, he doesn't even care if you go to heaven. All he cares about is that you go there alone. Jesus isn't meant to be selfish. He is meant to be shared.

So do you now think you are not holy enough? It is true, we can never be perfect. Do you think being a Christian is pointless? It is true, we fall sometimes. But no Christian can experience Grace from God and walk away unchanged.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”- Galatians 2:20
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. - Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore let no Christian say I believe in Jesus but does nothing about it, because faith without action is dead. Your walk with Jesus is like polishing your car. It may look perfect on the outside, but on closer inspection, there are still cracks, scratches, flaws etc. We try hard to obey every command God has given us but Romans 3:23 says that we fall short and there's nothing we can do about it. Thats where Grace comes in when we fall short. Just like wax, Grace fills the cracks and imperfections in our lives. Where we fall short of that standard, Grace makes up for it. Where Man cannot, God can. When it is impossible, it is Him-possible.

A wonderous mystery in the pages of history
Of a Man who bled and died for me
He's more than a story
He's the One who hung upon a tree
His crimson flow poured out for me
He gave His life to set me free
And I fall down
I fall down
I fall down on my knees
And cry Holy is the Lord
Worship Him
Worship Him and adore
- Cry Holy, Planet Shakers

Can you sea the catch?

So the spy team decided to go fishing.. for some BIG fish.

Simply Gi-normous...

The best catch of the day

The fish is called Tailor (not Taylor)