The Gift of Grace, Part 2

What's so amazing about Grace find out next on this Christmas Eve edition of Destin for victory hello and thanks for spending part of this great and glorious day here with us.

Just a few moments, Pastor Paul Shepard will deliver his message. The gift of grace. Right now he joins me from a studio in California. Pastor here we are in the Christmas season so easy to get distracted with how the world positions Christmas and even the circumstances the last many months it would been through.

Now I thought I'd ask you what's on your heart the season we center our minds and the real meaning of Christmas. Well I'm thinking about the grace of God.

In fact, last Christmas and the two Sundays before Christmas.

I preached about the grace of God as it related of course to the gift of Jesus coming into the world and as we move toward Christmas on the broadcast. This month I'm going to share those messages about grace. I started the series by asking people to reminisce with me. I said let's think about some of our most memorable Christmases in years past, and then as a true baby boomer. I walked down memory road to places the young people said what in the world are you talking I started in 1978 and talked about again called Simon that came out that was the big Christmas I remember the 78 MNS in 1980, there was the Rubiks cube and only a few folks knew what I was talking about them and then I said in 1983. There was Cabbage Patch kids overboard.

More folks came alive as I talked about that and then I talked about 1989 and I said by then stuff was becoming more technological. There was an 8-bit handheld cartridge based console called GameBoy before you know it more than 118 million units had been sold while in America, and then I said, just allow me one more old man memory I said in 1996 I was pastoring and I was amazed by this phenomenon called tickle me Elmo unbelievable that people lost their minds over tickle me Elmo. In fact I talk about the fact that one of the rumors was that one parent page $7100 so someone who had more than X21 Joseph to make money off of it and somebody who said what I gotta get it for my kid and the guy chart $7100 on the quality Elmo are you kidding me. $7100 for Elmo and so I just tell people you know we've been through all kinds of things. But let's always remember at the end of the day and especially dealing with a worldwide pandemic that hasn't yet gone away got a deal with the rest of this.

We've got a remember in the midst of all of this the one true thing we can rejoice in is the real meaning of Christmas and is not about our gifts not about our toys. It is about what Jesus did in the grace that gave us that blessing of salvation. Pastor, thank you for those words of encouragement about the reason for Christ's coming of the reason we celebrate this Christmas season.

Well we have a wonderful Christmas gift of her own to share with you today.

Pastor Paul Shepard's new book lessons from the vineyard, you know, even though not every Christian is blessed with the same gifts and callings. All of us can bear the same fruit of the spirit in this book, lessons from the vineyard. Pastor Paul inspires believers to use their gifts to glorify God and bless others to become attractive as we bear godly fruit that brings honor to Jesus Christ and leads others to him. That's lessons from the vineyard a book from Pastor Paul Shepard and our gift to you by request for your generous donation of $25 or more to Destin for victory. Just call 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. You can also mail your gift to Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 again that addresses Destin for victory.

Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. The greatest gift ever given was the gift of grace because of all the other things I talked about but only because it will keep you firm to the end summary all freely shaking some of you shaking right now your lifestyle shaking your decision-making is shaking. Got some stuff in July firm. But God said don't worry about it. Grace is an endowment that I give you know how to turn it. Grace is the unmerited favor of God is not a singular gift, but rather a variety pack of blessings that all fall under the heading of divine grace today on Destin for victory. Pastor Paul wants to give you a deeper understanding of God's grace and show you why followers of Christ. Call it the greatest gift ever given us. Listen closely now is Pastor Shearson a suggestion for victory message the gift of grace. Jesus passed by your life so that begs the question, what is it mean to be saying the five glad you asked.

Let me tell you the answer. Those of us who are seasoned citizens. Many of us grew up in homes that have a china cabinet, and if your home didn't have a china cabinet, your mom all grandmama probably have some China China was not regular dishes can come home from school and go in the china cabinet and grab something to put your baloney sandwich. All you you when you saw China back in the day. It was true.

Forgot China now is this culture looks different, but we grew up where China was a really big deal, and so what does China do inside of the casing bled US because to be sanctified means to be honest and set apart. That's what signified me to become and set apart cleaning and then don't put it among the ordinary.com and the every day and the Scripture just said because of the gift of grace. You and I have been sanctified in Christ Jesus.

That means we have been cleared by blood claims by what he did for us on Calvary. He knew no sin became sin for us, he took all of your sins and then he gave you all of his righteousness. That's the thing. The rotation, he claimed, because what he did on Calvary, and now he has set us apart from the ordinary when not like everybody else. We were not a people are now the people of God you are somebody in the Lord never let anybody tell you, you're nobody I beg to differ because of Jesus on Anaheim's set apart for God's exclusive use and that is the blessing I need you to rejoice in. Don't ever feel common when you are a child of God. You are special because God made you special you are sanctified because God cleaned you up and set you apart using the past that I still got issues. I still got stuff going on my own in my life. I still got some vices I still got some besetting sin.

I still have some things I haven't quite worked out.

Listen, don't let that make you believe you're not sanctified when God doesn't work in us. He does it.

First, by declaring us that. And then the Holy Spirit is at work in us to make gossip what he declared us to be understand that. Don't wait until you stop smoking.

That's all holiness will you can be saying to fight. He was still smoking is marked by holiness background you still smoke and still do a little drinking still of the USA to fax you need to think about it, put on the altar until you until you quit all that stuff. Listen you want to quit some vices to be sure that doesn't determine whether you sanctified all sanctified, because the passage said. In Christ we are sanctified in him.

Do you see that you are think about you not wait to get my baila soon as I stop doing. Then I will be going to five know you get sanctified because Jesus went out to that now that the Holy Spirit lead you out of some things.

We all need to be let out of the bottom line saints and say doesn't mean you've got to act all the way together.

I guess say first. Now, the Holy Spirit, helping me walk into a lifestyle of greater holiness, a greater obedience to the will of God deals with your stuff every body in the church of Jesus Christ has. Here's a theological term. You really need to know everybody in the church of Jesus Christ has jacked up to this.

We all have jacked up fitness not yes you you talk about me. Yes, I'm talking about two guys some errors in your life if you don't believe me ask somebody who loves you not to tell you the truth about yourself to somebody else surround yourself with man who never grow to fans you befriend a friend loves at all time frame will say to you for minute pull you aside for little woman – in front of the vote and then they'll tell you about yourself and so we need to know we all have them is welcome welcome to the family of God then went outside to fiber sanctified now the Holy Spirit wants to lead us into a lifestyle where progressively you see us coming out about jacked up stuff you ought to be a little less jacked up now then you were Christmas last year little bit less jacked up because God been dealing with you and me let you get away with stuff been dealing with you and convicting you and all of that and so they ought to be some growth if you been growing in the wrong direction.

They guys really got work you gotta do on you, but sanctification is a designation that comes from heaven.

First, it's not your lifestyle.

First, it is your position in Christ.

Positionally, I'm already sanctified possessing only I'm learning how to live a life of faith and obedience.

All right you got that good because I can't leave it out. I got two more points to make. Go to number five.

So here's your fifth reason to thank God for the greatest gift ever given grace energizes our spiritual gifts and abilities.

Not only does grace prepare us to be used by God, but it energizes our spiritual gifts and other abilities.

Notice in the passage that Paul went on to say.

I think my God.

Verse four always concerning you for the grace of God which is given you by Christ Jesus. Then look at verse five that you were in Richton every way by him, in all utterance, and all knowledge is talking about the spiritual gifts things that all the honoring gifts things like tongues, word of knowledge, word of wisdom everything we speak about those spiritual gifts and all knowledge, word of knowledge gives you prophecy gives you insight from heaven.

So he's talking banner in rinse Corinthian's eyes, spiritual gifts, so much so that you come short verse seven and no gift.

Paul said when I look at the group in charge got all the gifts, flowing that is wonderful that spiritual gifts were already at work in this church but I want to let you know that it is God's grace that energize those gifts, and allow them to be exercised and we still have gifts. I am of this theological opinion that all the gifts that were in the body are in the body.

Some of my colleagues of the guys I preached alongside all on the radio.

They are cessation as they believe that certain gifts died out after this tenant was completed and some gifts never have been in operation since then. I beg to differ. Love them all. I respect them all, but I disagree. All the gifts that were in the body all in the body is what I believe with my whole heart, so that the matter is this a very important we need to exercise the ones that God has given us.

But even if you are in touch with your spiritual gifts. Look at your natural abilities. Look at your learned disciplines and your learn expertise and guess what God will use those with the same energy that the Holy Spirit uses spiritual gifts that serve a different nature that they come from God and are supernatural, but God will take your natural abilities and supernaturally energize them.

For that reason, I want to encourage you to look at the set of gifts and abilities God has given you, not only spiritually, but again your natural abilities your learned disciplines.

Your learned skills. All the things that you do well and realize that God will consecrate them in your life and use them for his glory and for your benefit, as well as the benefit of people around and will be right back with more of today's destined for victory message from Pastor Paul Sheppard who is senior pastor destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California.

You can listen to this broadcast on demand@pastorpaul.net that's Pastor Paul.net will also find a host of great resources that are online store is Pastor Paul Sheppard with the rest of today's message. The gift of grace.

I believe that the church in these closing hours of time and I do believe will in the closing hours of time. We have got to get used to God blessing us in different ways so you will use your gifts and abilities not only to bless people from a ministry standpoint. Some of you. God wants you to use your gifts and ability to have additional streams of income wise so that you can have more knowledge for yourself but also for the kingdom. So we gotta be people who think creatively you given me a lot of abilities spiritual gifts and also natural abilities, natural aptitude, so you are born and you can do some things well you have an aptitude in certain directions. Find out how God will energize that as you use it not only for his kingdom for his glory. But to use it to create streams of income for yourself or for the church of Jesus Christ, we gotta become entrepreneurial in the way we think in the body of Christ. And so I want you to pray as we move out of one year and move into a new year and say Lord, how can I give you a return on your investment of creativity and mental ability, physical ability, and spiritual gifts. How can I give you a return on that portfolio gifts and abilities.

We all have a portfolio is that I don't have certain gifts. Well, no one has all of them you got understand what you have gone once a pool return on and so you gotta prayerfully be creative and say God I want you to use me for your glory. Here's the way Peter put in first Peter chapter 4 verse 10. I like the way it says in the new international version. Each of you should use what ever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms you should use whatever guess that a lot of what you don't have a look at what you do have, because God wants you to use it as a faithful store even if it is not a school "spiritual gift, but it is a natural ability and aptitude of learned skill that you can then consecrate say Lord use this for your glory and then help me to use it to benefit myself, my family and others in the name of Jesus Christ and somebody only say Lord help me make a lot of money while I'm doing because God wants and got my Nubian blast got my new having lots of money.

Just make sure money done. Have you I need some more millionaires in the kingdom. I got a big reason I got a vision that I need some millionaires to come alongside me to pass on my help fund what God put all your heart to do that and you still with the twos and fumes in your bank account so I need you to release your gifts in the name of Jesus and help us get some things done. All right, one more thing and I'm a let you go.

Grace number six and finally Grace will keep you two in it will keep you to the end. Look at verse eight first Corinthians chapter 1 it says that the Lord will also come firm you to the end that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the Lord will come firm you say pastor.

What does that mean the Lord is going to confirm me and make me blameless.

Well NIV just makes it read a little easier for you to understand. NIV says he will also keep you to be in, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ is not amazing that grace is so powerful that not only does it do the other five things up just talked about what grace is going to make you to the end.

Between now and the end of your life and is going to make you blameless so that when you get to the end and meet the Lord in judgment. There is no question but that you are right with him and you hear the words well done good and faithful servant. I need you to understand that the greatest gift ever given was the gift of grace because of all the other things I talked about but finally because it will keep you firm to the end summary all feel shaky someone, you look shaky right now your lifestyle shaking your decision-making is shaky. You got some stuff in your life that sperm. But God said don't worry about it. Grace is an endowment that I give you. You don't have to earn it. I give you a gift of being firm you say but how can I be firm when I'm shaky right now. That's because of who he is, not because of who you are. What gave me a fresh revelation of this the fact that right now as I preach this message in the Christmas season of 2020. I have my first grandchild and so here I have a months old grandchild and I love holding him walking around with him talking to him. You know they tell you speak saying all that try to do that talking to him and singing the hymn and and making sure that his brain is constantly stimulated by what he sees and what he hears and I love walk around my grandson when I learned all freshly about this.

He'll keep your firm to the end that when it talks about being firm and then have an ability to do the one who's keeping you know why I say that because sometimes I hold my grandson and sometimes in looking around at some else he'll lean way back while he is in my heart, and you know why because he's not worried that I can keep him is not as I wanted. Is he will build a hold of me frisky as I can be so naïve about that. Just leaned back and looked around. Why because pop pop daddy and when I was was making this last point in my notes. I thought I thought to Zion.

I said that is the illustration of this bully. No, he's not because he's always well known to me, but because no matter whether he's told me I'm not.

I'm holding on to him. Sometimes he greatly found walking around here grip on my shirt or whatever he's gripping but is not based on how well he's gripping. That's good news for some yoga, some yellow gripping job real tight right now some of you are going through some things that your focus is elsewhere did not parade up and you're not focusing enough faith driven right now your shaky and your and you got some some stuff distracting you, I came to tell you because of grace, even when you don't have God you want to hold onto them. You are to be growing in your dependency on him but I know what it is we all know what it is sometime to go through a season where you're not really holding on to God.

But here's the good news because the grace God is holding onto you. You might be leaning out of his onlooking SMS in China get distracted by what's going on in the world, the flesh of the world, the devil, all trying to get your attention but you serve a God who gave a gift of grace that sees to it that he will keep you to the in he will make you firm to the end and when you get to the end. It's not going to be a performance that determines whether your blameless it is going to be his greatest enemy, the grace of God cannot be taken away. It is freely given is permanent and it is yours for the asking. That's why it's called good news. Thanks so much for being here for pastor Paul Shepard's message the gift of grace.

For more information about Destin for victory or how you can obtain a copy of pastor Paul Shepard's brand-new book, please visit pastor Paul.net once again pastor Paul.net.

You and I will be perfect in this world what you want to be getting over some things. So you ready to lease some stuff you need to take that mess with me into this new year that's coming in a few days I might as well be growing while I'm saying I might as well be getting better.

That's Monday and pastor Paul Shepard's message Emmanuelle. Merry Christmas to you and your family and may the Lord fill you with the gift of his grace today and every day until next time, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory