From Valley to Victory (Part 11)

I know you heard it said there are no such thing as free lunch right no free lunches. Meaning, of course, that you cannot get something from nothing, in the end, someone has to pay right just someone has to pay the phrase no free lunches is really expresses a reality that somebody has to pay what we are saying when we say there are no free lunches is that there is no such thing as pure grace. There is no such thing as no unearned favor, no such thing as unmerited gift right in most business relationship. The axiom is you scratch my back, I'll scratch your back you give me something I want I give you something you want you to do something nice for me and I'll do something nice for you but someone has to pay said equipment, someone has to pay you know when our kids were teenagers. I used to tell them that payback is coming because when I'm old.

I'm going to move in with them and then I'm going open the refrigerator door and stand in front of the fridge for about half an hour and then yell. There is nothing good to eat here.

I will drive their brand-new cars and screech around the corner at 80 miles an hour. In fact, I will use that insurance policy to cover my car in.

I won't worry about my driving records.

Furthermore, I'm going to demand an allowance, Friday, Sunday, in reality no free lunch and maybe a good deterrent for the freeloaders.

But when it comes to salvation. Somebody already. So I want to tell you about a real free lunch today that will keep you alive for all of eternity. If you turned already with me to Romans eight and we going from verse 28 to the end and I want to show you three things from this passage in verse 28 you going to find that this free lunch will sustain you will nourish you for all of your life and then for all of eternity.

Even when you eat some junk food and poisonous food sometimes.

Secondly, I want to show you from verses 29 and 32 versus that this free lunch. You could never get yourself.

If you live to be a million years old and finally thirdly versus 31 to 39. God himself guarantees that no one will eat your lunch. First, God's free lunch that will nourish you that will sustain you. That will keep you regardless of what junk food you might eat at times or poisonous food.

You might eat up times and that's in verse 20 verse 28 of Romans eight is called the glorious verse in the Scripture. In fact, it is the most glorious verse in this whole episode but is also the most misunderstood and the most misquoted verse probably in the whole Bible for true believers, this verse has been the soft pillar on which many a weary head has laid arrested someone said that Romans 828 is one of the most glorious provisions in the whole of the Scripture is breathtaking in its magnificence. It is overwhelming in his generosity and it is all-encompassing in its magnitude, and here the apostle Paul is saying we know people always jump those two words and they go to the next few words, but those two words are very significant.

We know say equipment he is saying that based on the fact that the Holy Spirit already has sealed our adoption papers.

They are permanent and their forever based on the fact that our names are written in the book of life by the blood of Jesus Christ.

We know, therefore, beyond a shadow of doubt that God is weaving all of our circumstances, the bad circumstances under good circumstances and don't ever call bad circumstances. Good or bad is bad men don't spiritualize but he can take them all and he weaves a tapestry we know beyond a shadow of doubt that God uses our deep disappointments and bring his own divine appointments. We know beyond a shadow of doubt that God takes all of the bad and the painful and hurtful in the confusing things in life and he shakes it up together in his sovereign mill and well blessing comes out is what Paul is saying we know that in all things, the new site all things all things. That means all things, not just some things, not just the good things, not just the happy times, not just the good fortune for the good luck. None are all things, and the word is that he incorporates them how come because God is working unceasingly on behalf of those who love him because God is working energetically on behalf of those who love him because God is working purposefully on behalf of those who love him and please please please do not record this verse to somebody is not a believer. This verse is for those who love him.

It's for those who work because often you hear people glibly say everything will work out for the good or everything works okay in the and or you hear some people glibly say everything will be all right now now now now that good will certainly workout only for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. Naaman belongs here. This is not a promise to the nonbelievers. It is only for those who truly love Jesus, let me illustrate. Because Joseph demonstrated his love for God by his faithfulness even though he did not have a Bible or a preacher or a Bible study things that happened to him because of his faithfulness.

God took all of this and he brought a glorious things out of it because Job was tested by God the most dreadful circumstances God double-breasted.

When Daniel placed God above his safety. God came down and zipped lines. Miles because Shadrach me shack and Abednego loved God so much. Even at the threat of death, God himself showed up in the middle of the fire and don't ever forget. He did not save them out of the fire. He walked with them in the fire and it turned into a garden because of the divine and eternal son of God obeyed the father unto death by death of the cross, the father mightily raised him from the dead. The father crowned him Lord of all, the father made the grave give way to glory all of us who love God listen to me when I say that whatever Satan means to harm you and he wants to harm you.

Make no mistake about it, God is weaving it and turning it to bring a blessing to you. Amen. For those of you who love the Lord, you need to understand those of you are absolutely anchored in the word of God. You need to understand what I'm going to tell you your life is not a random mess. Your life is not out of control your life is not a string of disasters, or even a string of dreadlocks. Your life is not meaningless and purposeless and aimless, but even in the midst of your suffering.

You can shout with the prophet Jeremiah who said in the midst of his suffering, prophesying, and 2911. I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future. Amen. My beloved for only when faith is tested, can it be truly your possession that you repeat this only when faith is tested. Can it be truly your possession. God's free lunch will nourish even when you junk food and love only for all of life before the fraternity. God's free lunches like salt. I know y'all know this, but it bears repeating.

Salt is made of two poisonous components to poisonous components of the mistaken separately will kill you sodium and chlorine. But when you mix them together, they become useful and tasteful element, and so is God's free lunch. He takes all of the poisonous elements in your life.

He takes all of the dangerous elements of your life protects all of the dreadful elements in your life, and he mix them together in his loving plan to bless you and pop comes out something so wonderful that cannot be expressed in words know if you've read my book, trust and obey, in any of my books, you know, my beloved friends.

You know that I'm no stranger to painful circumstances.

I'm no stranger to life-threatening situations. I'm no stranger to big events in life that confusing and that are puzzling, but but listen I am here today so I can testify to you that in all things God incorporates all things to bring good to you and blessing to his kingdom and glory to God. Amen and amen and amen amen.

First, God's free lunch nourishes you even when you get some poisonous food in your system. Secondly, God's free lunch is something that you could never, never, never, never in a million years. Get yourself look at those two verses 29 and 30. Beloved, listen to me there is no ambiguity in the Scripture.

There is no ambiguity in the word of God as to the fact that we cannot save ourselves.

There is no ambiguity as to the fact that salvation and redemption is God's free gift to us and those who preach ambiguity was assumed to be growing in number. Sadly, those who preach ambiguity.

Either they're fooling themselves so they are totally deceived. We cannot work for our salvation. We cannot pay for our salvation. We cannot brag about salvation. It is the gift of God is truly a free eternal lunch. Look at verse 29 Romans eight this verse has been described by some scholars as a golden chain and lock in a chain you took one link out and it whole thing collapses. It's a golden chain.

Every link is significant. Every link is there for a purpose. This foreknowledge one link predestination calling justification and glorification. It's one chain we saw in the last messes that there is no condemnation upon those who are in Christ Jesus. In fact, not only that there is no condemnation, but this no condemnation eventuates in glorification. Dullness is very important aspect of the Christian life. Some people do to their own detriment. God does not save us at some point in our life. And then he just loses interest in us removes all drop you off no beloved. I have seen with those two eyes some warm intimate friendships with people and all of a sudden they have a falling away and then lose interest in that friendship. I have seen with verse two eyes. Some people who so enthusiastic about the church of the apostles and then they lose interest in this and Michael just preaches a hard message and they move on.

I have seen couples who are so in love with each other and then eventually they said we are out of love to talk about love is if you change your socks you put a new one on when the old one who don't like it anymore. That is not how God that is not our Savior.

That is not our beloved Jesus. God does not love us today and then hate us tomorrow. God does not redeem us today have been on redeemers tomorrow. God is not welcome you one day and then kick you out tomorrow.

No, no, no, that's not our God.

We sadly do these things to each other but that is not our God, the Bible said in John chapter 13 verse one that when God loved his all and he loved them to be in no he loved them to what there is no disinterest on God's part. There is no forsaking of you by God, no, no, no, no, in this area.

Some people in the church really get messed up.

They do get messed up about this site. I believe the Bible.

I really believe the whole Bible, but I'm having problem with this predestination thing was set predestination thing honest talk about okay beloved, the only source of election predestination is the love of God and that divine love is not changeable sure we make a decision to follow Jesus, but did you know that God's decision about your salvation came before your decision. Did you get that it is God's purpose. It is God's plan is God's pleasure for the believer to be eternally saying not to say one day and lost the next day I don't know about you but this truth does not only put me on my knees. It puts me on my face before God in gratitude and thanksgiving. Think about this before.

Time to get God knew you by name before time began, God will let you be eternally safe and I'm absolutely convinced after all the Susan ministry that is pure human pride human arrogance that says my salvation is a joint venture with gold really you mean you're equating your part of receiving salvation from God, with the cross of Christ, now. No wonder we have a whole generation. Now they don't talk about sin anymore just say mistakes.

We just make mistakes and that's okay that's fine now. This is kind of resume sound like a big marketing scheme but it is not just rest with okay I've written this book. I spent hours writing this book, I had many sleepless nights thinking about this book. I took months introducing this book now. If I take this book and I give at trial now graciously stretched out his hand and took the book from me right now want to do much after the service out in the parking lot assess I'm sure glad Michael or not incorporated in this book.

I'm sure glad I went through the affect of stretching on my hands and taking the book from him. This book, you know would not of been really possible for me to read a list I stretch my hands and took the book he say that's ludicrous, as they say bingo think with me about the book. I worked hard in the book.

I even walked down the hall and handed it to our what credit does get a free to get him now let me move from the ridiculous to the supply in the far greater, far greater, or Exceedingly Abundantly Profound Way, God gave us salvation. He left the notice of heaven to become an embryo in a virgin's womb. He lived a life of other publicly. He went about performing miracles ungrateful people.

Then he died a criminal's death on the cross, he satisfied the justice of the father, which none of us of all of us combined could never have done.

Christ carried our sin on his sinless holy body, perfect body Christ handed me salvation, what direction should I have done all of this book glad to help God out here. I am so glad I stretch out and receive salvation from God's hand I am glad I got this for their I'm glad I had none none none none none none, humble tactic to. I'm grateful to the Lord, deeply thankful but his other side of the problem is he was told to go to one extreme or the other, get into trouble is the other extreme that is happening today particular among younger preachers they take this graceful grant. In fact, they presume on the grace of God, you have the psalmist said from the sin of presumption God to listen to, presume God.

Well, you know, God has chosen the God bring us to God is. So now I can sit on my Blessed assurance and do nothing.

This even worse than that there are some essay now that the grace of God is, I should sin boldly not about beloved friends. That's equally heretical. One is human pride.

The other one is human apathy. There are some people who say about the word of God.

Here in Romans 829 and 30 by the election predestination. The leaders are all you see if God predestined me as God chose me and I did not choose him. He must be pre-existing people to hell are you listening carefully. This is important. Absolutely not. That is a false conclusion. But you know why because it is not a single verse in the Scripture that says that God predestined people to hell. In fact, in both Old Testament and the book of Ezekiel in the New Testament everywhere in the Scriptures as God longs for people to repent and sees when he shoots his desire that no one shall perish. Say more about this in the next message but my beloved friends only know what I know is the word of God said, and I could never draw conclusion based upon my feeble and false logic. That's what they do and they get into trouble to get messed up what the word of God says is this I could not boast about my salvation because it's against. But there's more. The word of God also tells us that we live in peace that we have peace within. Because the God who saved me is going to keep me safe and men, the God who saved me is going to keep me safe.

It always tell the story when we were leaving Australia. 1977 our eldest daughter was two years old were doing some last-minute shopping in the city of Sydney and Elizabeth parents are in front of us in the health fair in their hand by my my father-in-law had said in his hand, and the traffic was terrible and in cars coming and going on and she was trying to wiggle out of his hand and trying to wiggle out of his hand and then she said grandpa. I will hold your hand you don't hold my hand and the wise grandfather is it absolutely not a brother handyman from the debts I God if it's up to me to walk with God out of moment long time ago but thank God who saves us keep a saved. That is why live in peace. Things go up and down I'm at peace.

Problems beset me.

I'm at peace, people attack me.

I'm at peace because a God who saved who he would do well to keep me saved the word of God also said that I cannot be apathetic about my salvation. I cannot be apathetic attempt again to say hello who, hmmm, yeah he saved me fine now. That is why Philippians 212 says, work out your salvation with fear and trembling was at me, you, God gave it to you.

It's a gift.

You better be grateful to it day after day after day and you better live up to that name live up to that calling you better be an obedient, I cannot rest on my Blessed assurance and take that gift for granted but I must seek his strength on a daily basis to live in obedience.

Listen carefully.

I cannot help but pray earnestly, I cannot help but give generously. I cannot help but do all that I can to let others know about this gift of salvation so that they too can come to know the glorious gift of God. I was thinking about this in the thought of the story old story out of years and years ago about her veterinarian who used a gun visitor from a friend on regular basis and one that he arrived at the farmer's house and the farmer said, I'm glad you came because my dog is sick and her veterinarian examined him. When Becker struck brought some medicine never to the dog.

Sure enough, 24 hours later the dog was well fast forward many weeks later the veterinarian coming to visit his former friend again. The dog runs as soon as he sees him, but he was not running away from the rental of the farm next door and few minutes later he comes running back with another dog in his mouth and he lays it at the feet of the veterinarian as if the sale you healed me here.

My friend, my beloved, if you receive the gift of God, of eternal salvation or gave the assurance of salvation. You need to tell others about it and then amen, amen.

That's with God's free lunch should do to everyone of us because he's given us will could never get ourselves in a million years and therefore we need to tell others about that free lunch.

First of all that free lunch nourishes you sustains you all of your life from them for eternity. Secondly, that free lunch gives you what you could never, never, never, never get yourself or get myself in a million years. Thirdly lastly, God himself is the one who can assure us that no one and nobody can eat your lunch. Look at verse 31 what is there left to say.

What can I say after this incredible knowledge of God's gift of God's grace and the only thing left for me to say is that if you are saved. No one can take your salvation away from you.

If God is for us who can be against us say that with me. If God is for us who can be against what is the use of translation. I pretty I pretty the person who thinks they can take away my salvation. Don't… Don't Mrs. Paul did not say that we don't have some real formidable enemies arrayed against us. He doesn't say that there are there. Trust me they are there. Look at verse 35 is a list here. The unbelieving world persecutes us the indwelling sin is powerful adversary death has been defeated but not destroyed, together with the principalities and the powers of darkness. These are some formidable enemies. While all of this is true, it is only part of reality, these things are big these things are powerful these things can be scary at times and there appeared that way, but they are nothing. They are nothing without compared with the power of the one who's in us and for us. These formidable enemies remind me of a big big guy who might be 7 feet tall, but is a fat slob gets into the boxing ring and a professional boxer comes in. He can take them out with one knock first knock don't ever forget the Holy Spirit is a professional boxer and man that's what he was in us is greater than he was in the world who can bring charges against Godzilla hymns is when God set up for the bus.

When God said, there are now no condemnation upon those wanted Christ Jesus.

The answer is, what would Christ speak. No one dares to contradict when Christ acts no one can stop when Christ issues a verdict.

No one can overturn the verdict.

That is why count German count of Zinzendorf was a playboy who then missionary who could write this magnificent words. This of a song that he used to sing, behold, I shall stand on the great day cleansed and redeemed know that the pray for bar your cross absorb Diane from sin and guilt from fear and shame. Amen prongs here, the love of Christ for his elect this how powerful the love of Christ is so permanent. The love of Christ to so unchangeable, the love of Christ is eternal but is a problem is a problem you see somebody who might be hanging around church for a while the churchgoer or even might be a professing Christian doing terrible things and see see. That means people can lose their salvation. See salvation can be lost look at this beloved, listen to me. That person did not lose his salvation. He was never safe to begin with. See my beloved hang around Christians and I've seen it. People never saved, never born again just love hang around Christians and that's why they give Christians bed men love looking like Christians listen to what John said in first John 219 they went out from us, but they did not really belong to us for air.

They belong to ours that I would have remained with us, but by the growing showed that none of them belong to us will never saved the look-alike the imitation of the fake but for those who are true believers. Nothing shall separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus special for saying this, swamps are invisible to God.

Nothing again.

Look at verse 35. Again, it gives us seven powerful things that could really challenge our faith. Every one of them alone could challenge our faith, but do fail, there will ultimately fail for nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Tribulation will not distress will not persecution will not famine will not nakedness will not peril will not death will not tell you the story as a concluding just immediately prior to the Civil War is a two-story young lady in New England was engaged to a young man and are to be married, but when the war broke they had to postpone the wedding and then he went to war.

Although in the beginning, the soldiers managed to escape some really severe possible wounds until came what they call the would become known as the Battle of the wilderness. There he was severely wounded his bride-to-be. Not knowing the extent of his injury continued and was counting the days until her beloved returns while she was waiting for him. She was reading and rereading and rereading all of the letters.

Then the letters stopped coming and then sometime later she got a letter that is a handwriting that she did not recognize. It wasn't his handwriting.

She didn't know whose handwriting it was in the letter read as follows.

There has been another terrible battle and has been very difficult for me to tell you this but I have lost both arms. I cannot write to you myself. So a friend is writing this letter for me while you are is dear to me as ever release you from the obligation of our engagement. That letter was no evidence was no evidence. Instead, the young woman took the first train the next train out and she went directly where her beloved is being cared for cheerfully.

She reached out to her beloved into her arms around him and she kissed his forehead as she said I'll never give you up these hands of mine will service you hands, my beloved, listen to me if human love. If human love can be that strong. I want you to imagine. I want you to measure the level of the one who died for you and give you up.

He'll never give your some of you might be feeling the weight of sin and guilt.

Some of you might be feeling that your disobedience has maimed you spiritually lost effectiveness. Some of you might be feeling that you have sent to deeply from God to forgive you and don't even think you deserve forgiveness. And if you feel so your good company. That's how Peter felt after denying Jesus, but beloved.

The truth is this Jesus is ready to embrace you until you all. Never give your my righteousness covers you my blood washes you clean my grace is sufficient for you, my mercy is great.

All you need to do this, and come home and say father forgive me father forgive me. Maybe the somebody here somebody watching this is the first time we've ever done that and you understand the love of God that the very reason you here you not by accident, God brought you here for a reason and this may be the first on to say father forgive me, or you might be have known the Lord and walked with him and the runaway doesn't matter. You can come home you can come home. The father is waiting for you. Amen the spray together Holy Spirit you know every person with a be here in this room around the world watching live or watching after during the week or whatever it may be whenever there watching and you had a word for each one of us plead with you, not to allow a single person to let this invitation go by unanswered. For some it may be the last time you'll ever have this invitation. Whatever the situation Holy Spirit. I asked her to bring conviction to bring repentance, so that you may bring joy to the heart of everyone who desire to love Jesus obey Jesus honor Jesus in the life. It is in Jesus name I pray, amen. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org@LTW.Ward