Is There a Camel in Your Teacup? - Santosh Poonen - January 19, 2014
http://rlcfchurch.org/is-there-a-camel-in-your-teacup River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The speaker advises that true prayer life should be private, occurring in one's inner room, rather than being performed publicly for show. While planned prayer meetings are beneficial, the core of our spiritual life must be a secret devotion to God. He warns against being deceived by false teachings or 'another Jesus' that might offer a false sense of righteousness, emphasizing that true righteousness comes only through faith in the true Jesus Christ.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Are there two Jesuses in Christendom?Paul expresses fear that believers can be led astray by another Jesus who offers a counterfeit righteousness.
The test of true righteousnessImmediately after stating that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied, Jesus says the merciful shall obtain mercy.
Holiness without mercy is legalismOutwardly clean actions that lack a merciful attitude are merely prosthetic and dead works.
The parable of the Pharisee and the tax gathererJesus targets a parable to those who trust in their own righteousness and view others with contempt.Luke 18:9
What does the Lord require of you?God requires us to do justice and to love mercy, getting excited for the opportunity to show compassion.
Be merciful just as your Father is mercifulWe are called to mirror the perfection of our heavenly father by pouring out fresh mercy every single morning.
The golden rule: Treat others how you want to be treatedAsk yourself what you want people to do for you, and then grab the initiative and do it for them.Matthew 7:12
Giving others better than they deserveUnlike the world where people get what they deserve, in Christ we learn to give each other grace and endless forgiveness.
Is forgiveness from God conditional?Jesus explicitly emphasizes that our receipt of divine forgiveness is directly linked to whether we forgive those who sin against us.
If you do not forgive menJesus repeats the warning that if we refuse to forgive others, our heavenly father will not forgive our transgressions.
Cutting the ball and chain of bitternessLetting go of unforgiving and bitter attitudes removes a heavy weight and releases spiritual and physical healing.
Hungering and thirsting to be mercifulA life marked by active, daily mercy transforms our homes and our church into a place where people taste the grace of God.
