David Henneke's Podcast: Recent Episodes
David Henneke
I currently serve as Pastor to First Baptist Church of Kingsland, TX. God has granted me the unquenchable desire to help people grow into mature Christians. When considering the cost that Christ paid on my behalf I have been left with the reality that I exist to glorify God in all I do and to lead others into an intimate relationship with Him.
Dr. Bob Utley
President & Founder of Bible Lessons International
www.FreeBibleCommentary.org
Exegetical — Verse by Verse — Historical-Grammatical Hermeneutics
Video — Audio — Written
DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, WE WERE UNABLE TO LIVE STREAM OUR SERVICE AND THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF THE SERMON WERE NOT RECORDED.
WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.
The question, “What must we do to be saved?”, is nowhere in Scripture stated more clearly than in this text. Paul tells us that there are two conditions that must be met in order for someone to be saved. The first condition is to confess and the second condition is to believe.
Do you…Believe in your HEART that God raised Him from the DEAD?
Will you…Confess with your MOUTH that Jesus is your LORD?
In Romans 9:19-29, Paul is going to address and answer further objections to God’s Sovereignty over Salvation. In verses 1-18, we addressed a major reality that if God were only to exercise His Perfect Justice then we would ALL be in trouble…no one would ever receive Salvation, because every person who has ever lived deserves nothing but the wrath of God. Therefore, it is hardly a matter of injustice for God to show mercy to SOME but not to ALL. Salvation is an expression of His Divine mercy and compassion.
Our security in Christ is an established fact. Nothing can separate us from His love! In Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation or separation! Since God is for us, who can be against us?
While we might not be able to fully comprehend God’s omniscient eternal plan, we can believe in what the Bible clearly says—every aspect of salvation, originates with God. Salvation is empowered by God’s Grace Alone, thru Faith Alone in Christ Alone.
Since salvation has nothing to do with our own efforts, since salvation is purely by Grace Alone, thru Faith Alone in Christ Alone, then… why does God save any of us?
Since salvation is not based on my work or my activity, then… what is its purpose?
The purpose of Salvation is so that Believers would be “conformed to the image of His Son” and that Christ would be “the firstborn among many brothers”.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”
What do we know? As Children of God, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that every aspect of our lives is in God’s hands. We know that every aspect of our lives will be divinely used by the Lord for His Glory and for our Good.
Although we have been redeemed and we are absolutely secure in our adoption as God’s children, we still struggle, We still face adversity, hardships and times of great suffering and there are times when we do not even know how to pray in the midst of those circumstances. The Holy Spirit knows both the mind of God and the mind of His children. The Holy Spirit works to facilitate the communication that takes place between God the Father & His beloved children so that we can walk in obedience to the word of God, the will of God and the heart of God. That’s why the answer to our prayers often looks completely different than we ever imagined.
Suffering and struggling are a refining process through which we all must pass. As we pass thru the Seasons of suffering, we learn to expand our trust in God and we learn how to rest & rely upon the care & control of God. In verse 17, Paul stated that believers will share in Christ’s suffering. In verse 18, he completes that thought by stating that the sufferings we now face are completely overshadowed by the glory that awaits those who are in Christ Jesus. The present suffering is temporary, while the future glory is eternal!
In the 1st part of Chapter 8, Paul has given us a beautiful overview of God’s work in believers’ lives (1–11). God has fully participated in our salvation and He continues to participate in our sanctification. The fact that we have been regenerated and that we have received the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit do NOT in themselves guarantee holy living, but they do make holy living possible. In fact, in this section (12-17), Paul emphasizes our responsibility to eliminate sin from our lives. Fulfilling the obligation to “put to death” the desires that draw us away from God is only possible by the Spirit ……….because We cannot do this on our own!
As long as we live in this world we will face constant tension—there is a constant conflict that exists between our new spiritual life and our old sinful nature. No longer are we slaves to sin….we are slaves of righteousness. While we may be slaves of a new master, we still live in enemy territory. Sin is no longer our master but it is still a powerful adversary. If we fail to take sin seriously, we will fall into sin again and again. If we don’t take our victory seriously, we fail to utilize the help of the Holy Spirit. Beginning in Romans 8, Paul will explain the work of the Holy Spirit in overcoming the bad and producing the good in our lives
It is one thing for a Believer to understand that their identification with Jesus Christ means that they have died to sin (6:2), it is another thing for the Believer to count or to reckon that to be true (6:11), it is something else for the Believer to deal with the sin nature that remains. This is the internal conflict in the area of sanctification that every Believer must deal with. In verses 1-6, we see the relationship between the believer and the law and in verses 7-13, we see the relationship between the law and sin
FOUR FACTS ABOUT THE LAW:
(1) The Law Reveals Sin(vs. 7)
(2) The Law Arouses Sin (vs. 8-9)
(3) The Law Reveals the Fact of Condemnation and Death (vs. 10-11)
(4) The Law Shows the Sinfulness of Sin (vs. 12–13)
The Christian life is not one of independence and rebellion. We have died to the law so that we might be married to “Him who was raised from the dead”. We have been delivered from the law so that we might faithfully submit to our Savior and wholeheartedly serve our Lord.
Paul begins this section in almost the same way as the beginning of the Chapter. He wants to make sure there is no misunderstanding of the nature of grace. It is true that we have been forgiven by the Grace of God. It’s also true that the forgiveness we have received does not give us the right to do anything we want. Rather, our forgiveness provides us with the opportunity to live the way God wants us to live.
In Chapters 1-5, Paul’s focus was on justification.
This next section of the letter (Chapters 6–8) deals with sanctification.
Chapter 6 explains that believers are free from sin’s control
Chapter 7 discusses the continuing struggle believers have with sin
Chapter 8 describes how believers can have victory over sin
This morning we will be looking at the first 11 verses, it begins with a QUESTION (vs. 1), then there is an ANSWER (vs. 2, followed by an EXPLANATION (vs. 3-11).
The passage before us is one of the greatest theological sections of the Bible. In these 10 verses, Paul summarizes the theology of the preceding chapters about the sinfulness of man and the provision of Salvation thru our Savior, Jesus Christ. There is a positive progression that takes place here. The passage begins in the abyss with man’s ruin, it then ascends through the rescue of redemption and culminates with the reign of grace for those who believe.
In this text, we see the character of God’s love. This passage discusses God’s unbelievable love and in doing so it reveals the great depth of our justification. For those who have submitted and surrendered their life to the Savior, their reconciliation has already been secured, we receive it the moment we believed in Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore we exalt and we rejoice in how God HAS richly blessed us because every blessing we have comes from Christ.
In Romans 5:1-11 we have the most detailed theological discussion of both how we are justified and what it means to be justified. In verses 1-5 we will see what is the result or benefit of our justification. In verses 6-11 we will see how God accomplishes justification
Throughout Chapter 4, Paul has given several reasons why our Justification is by faith & faith alone. He wraps up his illustration about Abraham by stating that Abraham was justified because of his FAITH in God, not because of anything else. The heart of this entire passage, in fact of the whole chapter, is that in response to Abraham’s faith, God graciously credited it to him as righteousness. On his own, Abraham (like us) was totally unable to meet God’s standard of perfect righteousness, but the good news of salvation, or “the gospel of God” as Paul says in 1:1, is that God will take the faith (that He Himself has enabled a person to possess) and He will count that faith as divine righteousness.
Are you broken? Are you discouraged? Do you cry out that you just can’t take it anymore? What will you do with your suffering? Will you turn to Jesus and His Bride or will you run from Him and the Church?
Given the reality of sin, the law can only enforce the penalty of God’s wrath; it cannot deliver us from it. deliverance can come only in the form of forgiveness; forgiveness is possible only as a free gift of grace; and grace can be received only through faith in God’s promise. Grace and Faith are naturally comparable. Faith is the key that fits the lock that opens up the treasure of the grace of God’s Salvation.
Abraham is “the father of all who believe”. Every Christian has the privilege of calling Abraham “our father” and of inheriting the salvation promised through him. Jews have the privilege of being children of Abraham in two senses. First, all are descended from him physically. This is an involuntary circumstance marked by circumcision. No promise of eternal salvation is attached to this relationship. Second, any individual Jew may choose to “follow in the steps of the faith” of Abraham by responding to God in faith. Everything that God had given the Jew (the Law, circumcision, sacrifices, feasts and festivals) better informed their faith but none of these things removed their need to personally respond in faith. The faith that Jews and Gentiles should imitate is the faith that Abraham had before he was circumcised.
Most people think that God will accept them just as long as they do the “best they can”. For many, they believe they can secure God’s approval by being good, by being respectable and honorable, by being an upright citizen, or by occasionally helping others who are less fortunate. The tragic reality is that this thinking is simply not true. In Chapter 3, Paul says that God declares people righteous [justification] on the principle of faith instead of works. In Romans 4:1-8, he Illustrates this Biblical Truth using Abraham and David as his example.
In this section of Romans, Paul explains HOW sinners can be saved. The theological term for this salvation is justification by faith. Make no mistake, this is the theological essence of Evangelical Christianity. the theological essence of evangelical Christianity. In John 3:16 we see the gospel declared in a single verse. Here we see the gospel defined in a two-paragraph summary.
Every single aspect of this world has been infected and affected by sin. Paul goes to great detail, in this first portion of his letter, to make it known that we are all guilty before God. Therefore, we are all in desperate need of divine intervention in our lives. In this next section of Scripture (vs.13-20) Paul takes a look at the conduct on the natural man. He starts with an emphasis on human speech, and he paints a disgusting picture, proceeding from throat to tongue to lips to mouth. Just as the words of the natural man are deceitful, the actions of the natural man are destructive.
The Law, The Sabbath, and the Festivals were all given to point us to Jesus. The Law, The Sabbath, and the Festivals are a “shadow”, but in Christ, we have the “substance”. Why pursue the shadows when we have the reality of Jesus Christ right before us?
In Chapter 1, Paul gave his attention primarily to the sinfulness of the Gentiles. In Chapter 2 (beginning in vs 17) he turned his attention to the sinfulness that is present among the Jews. The conclusion that follows in Chapter 3, verse 9 is: for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin. To validate his accusation that everybody is “under sin” in verses 10–18 Paul quotes from 6 Old Testament passages. In doing so he gives a series of specific charges. These charges can be broken into two major categories: (1) concerning the CHARACTER of the Natural Man (10–12) and (2) concerning the CONDUCT of the Natural Man (13–17).
THIS WEEK we will look at the charges concerning CHARACTER.
Thru these 8 verses, by asking and answering three questions, Paul has further clarified the universal need of Salvation for everyone:
(1) What advantage is it to be a Jew? Every advantage, especially possessing the Word of God.
(2) Will unbelief cancel God’s faithfulness? Absolutely not—it establishes it.
(3) If our sin demonstrates His righteousness, how can He judge us? God’s justice is the demonstration of His perfect love. The cross was where God carried out His perfect justice upon His Son. The cross WAS where God displayed His perfect Love for mankind. The cross is the perfect demonstration of God’s love & justice
EVERYONE IS IN DESPERATE SPIRITUAL NEED OF THE GRACE OF GOD. We will see this even more in chapter 3:9-20.
There is no law, there is no practice, whether it is circumcision, baptism (or any other ritual) that is able to make us acceptable to God. Being acceptable to God is NOT an outward thing, nor is it about our nationality or spiritual heritage because being acceptable to God IS an inward reality. True salvation is a matter of the heart.
In this section, God is seen as the Sovereign Judge over Creation. God dispenses His Judgement to EVERYONE on the Basis of Truth. God’s absolute standards are known unto every one, “And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.” God PUNISHES the wicked and He REWARDS the righteous, He does so impartially and according to our works.
We will never get excited about the revelation of the grace of God until we fully understand that we stand condemned before God and are helpless and hopeless apart from His grace. God NEVER condemns WITHOUT just cause. In this text, Paul gives Three Reasons for God’s Wrath and Three Results of His Wrath.
Three REASONS for God’s wrath:
1. For suppressing God’s truth
2. For ignoring God’s revelation
3. For perverting God’s glory
Three RESULTS of God’s Wrath:
1.Abandoned to impurity
2.Abandoned to sexual perversion
3.Abandoned to a depraved lifestyle
When a person really believes that Jesus Christ is his Savior, God takes that person’s faith and counts it for righteousness. The person is not righteous; they have no righteousness of their own. They are still imperfect, still prone to sin, still short of God’s glory as sinful human beings.
So how can we be made perfectly righteous?
The gospel gives the answer. The gospel is the revelation of God’s righteousness. It reveals how we can be made righteous and reconciled unto Him
Mali is a diverse, multicultural country with a deep and rich history. Despite pervasive challenges such as its extreme poverty and tribal clashes, the country remains warm to outside Christian workers and receptive to the Gospel. Missionaries are both welcome and wanted. The harvest is plenty, though the workers are few.
For more information on how you can support mission efforts among the Soninke people of Mali please visit: firstkingsland.com/sermons/mali
Paul is not ashamed of the gospel because:
1. it is the good news FROM God Himself
2. it is the power of God to SAVE.
00:13Elder Introduction
05:16Elder Candidate: JE Todd
27:00Elder Candidate: Bobby Vidler
42:00Message: Romans 1:16-17 Part 1
The gospel is the great equalizer because every human being is equally LOST without it and they can be equally SAVED by it. Therefore, to keep the message of the Gospel to oneself is the most inexcusable act in all of human history. We who know the wonderful news are indebted to get the news out into the world…NO MATTER HOW WE FEEL because our “feelings” are irrelevant when it comes to obedience.
Paul’s three descriptions of himself move from the General to the Specific: from “slave” of Christ Jesus”: one who is OWNED by Jesus, who will SERVE Jesus and whose Will BELONGS to Jesus; to “a called apostle,” one who is sent by authority with a commission; to “set apart for the gospel of God” as the specific focus of his calling. By declaring that he has been set apart for the gospel, Paul is laying the foundation for the very theme of this Letter. After all, the MAIN THEME of the Letter: is the good news that we are saved by grace apart from works.
Remember from last week, because Jesus was Paul’s Lord (Master) Paul was OWNED by the Lord, Paul SERVED the Lord and existed ONLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF SERVICE, Paul’s WILL belonged to Jesus. God called Paul to be an Apostle, WHAT HAS HE CALLED YOU TO DO? Some are called to the political arena, some are called to see to the Abolishment of Abortion, some are called to bring an end to Human Trafficking. God has called Some to the ministry of Encouragement or Hospitality. Others are called to be Pastors, Teachers, Worship Leaders, Missionaries, Bible translators or to a host of other opportunities that honor & glorify the Lord.
We are NOT all CALLED to the SAME THING
But we ARE all CALLED to SOMETHING
Romans 1:1
The main implication of our confession is that “Jesus IS Lord” His Lordship is his ownership and authority OVER his property, his slaves. Therefore, in our confession that Jesus IS Lord,we ACKNOWLEDGE that Jesus is our owner and that we are His property. We voluntarily surrender our wills to His and we put ourselves at his disposal. We accept this as our natural state and commit ourselves to unconditional service.
A spiritual gift is a Holy Spirit empowered ability that is given to us by the grace of God to serve others. The truth of the matter is that God doesn’t need any of us, but in His infinite wisdom He chooses to use us and also equips us to be used by Him. We strongly believe that God expects for EVERY Believer to SERVE ONE ANOTHER. He also equips EVERY Believer to FULFILL that responsibility. This understanding HELPED to SHAPE our MISSION STATEMENT
FIRST KINGSLAND EXISTS TO GLORIFY GOD BY MAKING DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGH THE PREACHING, TEACHING, AND PROCLAMATION OF HIS WORD AND BY SERVING ONE ANOTHER IN TRUTH, LOVE, AND GRACE
David’s instruction is clear and compelling: do not harbor sin in your heart but confess it promptly to the Lord. When you do, you will find that God is waiting to forgive and cleanse you, to remove your guilt and restore you to fellowship with Himself. Thru this Psalm, we discover these truths: God will bless us if we repent and God will discipline us if we refuse to repent. Therefore, seek forgiveness while it can still be found.
1 Peter 1:6-7
Life today is a school in which God trains us for eternity. This explains the presence of trials in our lives: Trials are the tools and textbook of God’s training. Our trying experiences today are preparing us for glory tomorrow.
1 Peter 1:3-5
What a contrast of emotions there is between the words, “HOPEFUL” and “HOPELESS”. The Bible uses both ideas to describe our spiritual condition. The HOPE we have in Christ is confidence concerning God’s presence in our life today and the comfort we have in being in God’s presence throughout eternity. Are you HOPELESS or are you HOPEFUL? Your condition is determined by your response to the greatest gift ever given to man!
As hard as we may try we cannot stop others from trying to damage or destroy us with their words or actions. It is unfortunate but the reality is we will face ungodly people in our lives. People that will say some rather cruel & damaging things to us or about us This Psalm will help us know how to properly respond when that happens.
The question is not whether we, as God’s people, will have to go through wilderness experiences in our lives. Rather, the question is how do we face those experiences in a way that seeks to glorify God. It is to this point that David’s psalm offers us tremendous help and insight.
In many of the Psalms, we see the pattern where the Psalmist cries out to God in a time of distress and God either delivers them or comforts them in their distress. Psalm 22 is quite different…Here, David cries out to God but NOTHING CHANGES! He receives NO COMFORT… NO STRENGTH… NO RELIEF… NO DELIVERANCE. Here, we discover How to Approach God in Times of Suffering.
God had warned Israel that the way they treated the manna would be a test of their obedience to His Word. In rejecting the manna, Israel really rejected the Lord, and this rebellious attitude invited the judgment of God. So it is with us…the way we treat God’s Word is the way we treat the Lord Himself. To ignore the Word of God, to treat it carelessly or to willfully disobey it is to REBEL against God
Psalm 95 teaches us how to approach worship. In this Psalm we discover THREE INSTRUCTIONS for BELIEVERS:
1. COME and PRAISE God (1-5)
2. BOW DOWN and WORSHIP Him (6-7a)
3. LISTEN and OBEY (7-11)
The salvation of sinners was God’s idea. The accomplishing of that salvation was God’s WORK. The granting of that salvation is God’s GRACE. The fulfillment of that salvation is God’s PROMISE. From BEGINNING to END, according to Psalm 3:8, “Salvation belongs to the LORD, your blessing be on your people!” Therefore, there is no room for the glory of man in God’s plan for salvation. The glory belongs to God and God alone, Soli Deo Gloria!
Over 500 years ago, the Reformers were NOT seeking to invent new doctrine, they were simply uncovering & proclaiming what the Scriptures already declared. It is CHRIST ALONE who endured the wrath of God. It is CHRIST ALONE who paid the penalty of our sin. Therefore, It is only thru FAITH ALONE, by GRACE ALONE, in CHRIST ALONE that we can obtain salvation.
Do you believe that Jesus is able to do all that needs to be done for your salvation?Do you entrust the weight of your salvation unto Him? If you do, then it is Christ (not your faith in Christ) that does all the work. Your faith neither ADDS TO nor AIDS IN the work of Christ. Your faith merely RESTS and RELIES UPON the work of Christ. Salvation is completely by grace, even the faith by which we take hold of his promises is His gift to us. Therefore, our salvation & the faith by which we receive salvation come from the Grace of God.
Grace is more than simply the unmerited favor of God displayed & enacted in Jesus. Grace also has a purpose…the practical outworking of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Believers. It is Grace alone that saves us and it is Grace alone that empowers and enables us to Glorify Him.
We cannot pick & choose what we want to believe & follow from the Bible. The Bible will have no sustaining power for life if we make ourselves the authority of what we will or will not believe and follow. The Scriptures were life to Moses and food to Jesus. They cannot and must not be anything less to us. The Word of God is the very breath of God. Therefore, Scripture is the inerrant, sufficient and final authority of our faith and practice. May we live in full obedience to His Word!
Fully aware of the danger of heretical teaching infiltrating the Church, John gives his Final Encouragement…hold fast and submit and surrender your life to the One True God! After all, Jesus IS the True God and Eternal Life. He is the true revelation of God. Anything else is a counterfeit and a false substitute.
Over the past several weeks we have looked at several foundational truths that we can believe & confess with great confidence: The 1st TRUTH is, WE KNOW THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD; the 2nd TRUTH is, THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE SON OF GOD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE; the 3rd TRUTH is, GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS! John illustrates “praying according to God’s will” with a very specific example found in 1 John 5:16-19 which leads us to the 4th TRUTH, WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER.
This morning we gather to look at the 3rd Truth that we can BELIEVE & CONFESS with great confidence. The 1st TRUTH is, WE KNOW THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD; the 2nd TRUTH is THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE SON OF GOD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE and today’s TRUTH is GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS! Not only can a believer HAVE the assurance of their salvation, they also HAVE the assurance that God will HEAR their prayers and will ANSWER them. It is Because of the GIFT of eternal life that we, as children of God, can come directly before His Throne of Grace with boldness and with confidence.
Last week we looked at the 1st of five truths that we can believe and confess with great confidence - WE KNOW THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. This week we will discover that - THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE SON OF GOD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. This we can proclaim with confidence because this is something that we know. How do we know this to be true? In addition to having the witness of the Spirit within; we have the witness of the Word of God. “These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life”
It was in 1789 that Benjamin Franklin wrote the words: “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” Of course, we KNOW that there are many more certainties, other than just death and taxes. As Believers, we are not afraid to say (with confidence), “We Know! ” In fact, the word “know” occurs 39 times in this letter, 8 times in the closing chapter. In these closing verses of John’s letter, we find five Christian certainties on which we can build our lives with confidence. The first (and foundational) certainty is: Jesus IS the Son of God.
The keyword in this section is perfect. God wants to perfect in us His love for us AND our love for Him. In this section, John gives us four evidences that God’s love is being perfected in us: (1) Confidence, (2) Honesty, (3) Joyful Obedience and (4) Victory.
For the third time, we are considering the subject of love! He first mentioned it in 2:7–11, where it is given as an INDICATOR of one who is walking in the light. The second time comes in the middle of ch. 3 and is mentioned as EVIDENCE that one is a child of God. In our text this morning we get down to the very foundation of the matter. Today we’ll discover WHY love is such an important part of the life of a believer. If we are united to God THRU faith in Christ, then we share His nature and since His nature IS LOVE, then LOVE is the test of the reality of our spiritual life.
When it comes to the truth: What YOU believe…What is think…What you feel…is all absolutely irrelevant unless God believes, thinks and feels the same way. Therefore, we must be alert and vigilant about WHAT we believe. In this section, John’s warning is CLEAR: behind every statement is a SPIRIT but NOT every spirit is the Spirit of God. You are responsible under God to test what you hear against what the Bible teaches.
1 John 3:11 serves as the thesis statement for this next section. John’s audience already knows that they have been commanded to “love one another”. Here, John seeks to encourage others as to how that command is to be understood and practiced in our everyday lives. Verses 12-15 explain the contrast between love, hate and murder. Verses 16-28 provides a positive example of love (the cross) and explains what such love looks like in everyday terms. John wraps it up in verses 19-24 by discussing how we can have confidence despite our failures.
1 John 2:28-29 helps to serve as an introduction to the concerns of 1 John 3. Christianity begins by believing and trusting in Jesus….then what? Once you repent of your sin & turn to faith in Christ, then you are to continue (or abide) in Him.
John knew that he was involved in a battle for truth. If false teachers successfully infiltrate the Church then the church would become indistinguishable from the world around her. That is precisely the tragedy we see happening in many churches today. John has already warned us about the conflict between light and darkness (1 John 1:1–2:6) and between love and hatred (1 John 2:7–17). Now He warns about a third conflict: the conflict between truth and error. Once again we see why it is so important for us to know the word of God. Last week we learned that God’s will is revealed to us in His word….KNOWING His Word will reveal His will and KNOWING His Word will expose false teachers.
Once again belief and behavior are linked together, here John makes it clear that one cannot simultaneously love the word and love God. Again, we are encouraged to “walk like Jesus”. How did Jesus “walk”? In relentless pursuit of the will of God! Are you fully committed to pursuing the will of God for your life or are you still trying to love this world?
The person who truly follows God has the love of God in Him. The love that we show to each other demonstrates to the world that the light of Jesus continues to shine in the darkness. Love should be the unifying force and the identifying mark of the Christian community.
Have you ever struggled in your relationship with God? Have you ever wondered if what you have is the real thing? Has doubt ever flooded your mind, leaving you frustrated and confused as to whether or not you were a genuine child of God? If so, this message is for you because in this text we will see how John launched into an explanation of HOW we can KNOW that we truly KNOW Jesus. After all, KNOWING JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING!
CORRECTION:
Please understand that sometimes my words get ahead of my mind :-)
At the 51:52 mark I said "Although His sin is sufficient for all of it" when what I meant to say was "Although His DEATH is sufficient for all of it". Please forgive me!
Instead of pretending or hiding your sins, we need to acknowledge them before God, confess them and seek His forgiveness, and God’s forgiving grace will remove every barrier between You and Him.
Other Text:
John 1:4-5
John 1:7-9
John 3:19-21
John 8:12
John 9:5
John 12:35-36
John 12:46
Revelation 21:22-24
John 1:5
John 3:19
John 12:35 [twice]
1 John 1:5, 6
1 John 2:8, 9
1 John 2:11 [twice]
Galatians 5:19-21:
1 Corinthians 6:9–11
1 Peter 2:21-24
James 1:22
Ephesians 1:7
What do we do when good things happen to us? We immediately find a way to share that news with other people. Something about good news practically demands that we share it. How much more the wonderful and marvelous truth that God sent His Son into the world to die for our sins, to absorb the punishment that we deserve so that thru Him we might enter into a right relationship with the Father?
1 Corinthians 15:1-20
The Christian faith is not based primarily on the teachings of Jesus. It is not based on the miracles of Jesus. It is not based upon the compassion of Jesus. It is not even based on the death of Jesus. The Christian faith IS based on all of those things culminating in His resurrection. The theological issue of the resurrection of Christ is no minor issue! Either JESUS is alive or Christianity is a lie! WHICH ONE IS IT?
While God loves us with a never-dying love, He also hates sin with a never-dying hatred. When someone persists in being identified with sin, even though God has provided a way to be separated from the enslavement of sin, then that person will inevitably suffer the fate of receiving the full weight of the wrath of God. This was true of Israel then and it is true of individuals today. Take comfort…our God is a God of mercy. The nations would be sifted, the sinners would be punished, but not one of His true worshipers would be lost.
God often used common objects to teach important spiritual truths, and in this text, He uses a basket of summer (ripe) fruit. Just as this fruit was ripe for eating, the nation of Israel was ripe for judgment. There comes a time when God’s long-suffering runs out & His judgment comes. Can a person become so enslaved by sin that they would never seek to repent? Can a person become so hardened toward God that no matter what happened they would never turn away from their sin and trust the Lord? Is this really possible? This text tells us that the answer to all of this is a frightening YES!
God’s Law is His plumb line, and He measures His people to see how true they are to the pattern in His Word. How does your conduct and character measure up to HIS WORD…not against other people, not against the crowd, not against the polls…against HIS WORD?
Israel had not taken God seriously, they IGNORED the many warnings given by the prophets. Their pride in what they considered to be their own achievements, their refusal to practice righteousness and justice and their growing apostasy ALL led to their downfall. Proverbs 14:34 declares that “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.” This is still true today. Humble dependence on God is the only guarantee of His help and blessing.
Complacency is an insidious sin, motivated by pride, and leads to trusting something or someone other than God. Any person who feels “at ease in Zion” who feels completely satisfied with what this world has to offer is like an ostrich….with its head stuck in the sand. Ignoring the Lord, while seeking peace, security, and comfort in this world instead of in God, WILL lead to a disillusioned life.
Everything in this world collapses, fails, deteriorates, dies, decays, it will eventually fade away. Only God can give permanent life. Only God can give true peace, comfort and assurance!
Instead of celebrating this amazing display of repentance Jonah is furious. In Chapter 2 we see Jonah’s response to his own deliverance. Here in Chapter 4, we see Jonah’s response to the deliverance of the Ninevites. The deep contrast between these two chapters speaks volumes about Jonah, all this his shame. As the Lord turns FROM His anger at the end of Chapter 3, Jonah turns TO His here in Chapter 4.
In our study of Jonah we see how time and time again, God never gave up on Jonah nor did he give up on His desire to GIVE the Ninevite’s the opportunity for repentance. When you return to God after running from Him, your past does not limit what God can do in your present. After all, God looked at Jonah in Chapter 3 just like he did in Chapter 1!
Amos reveals that their profession and religion were both hypocritical. Therefore, the Lord would not accept their offerings or sacrifices. God did not leave them without hope, without an opportunity to correct their hypocrisy. God told them how to make their worship acceptable to Him. They had to practice & pursue justice & righteousness. True worship results in action. No matter how much “religious activity” we participate in, if we don’t love our brother and our neighbor, then we are not an authentic worshipper of God
Religion without righteousness and justice is HYPOCRISY. No matter how many people attend our worship services, if the end result does not lead to obedience to God and for a greater concern for our neighbor then our meetings are a failure. Revival begins with Repentance. True repentance begins with naming our sins and dealing with them one by one.“HEAR God’s Word!” Are you listening? “SEEK the Lord!” Are you praying and pursuing Him? “SEEK the good!” Do you HATE what is evil and RUN TO what is Right? Revival begins with Repentance. Will you be the one? Even if you're the ONLY ONE?
Jonah’s three days and three nights in the fish’s stomach pointed to the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
It was through Jonah’s three-day experience
that he was given a new life and a new beginning. So it is with us. Through the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, we too can receive a new life, a new beginning, a brand new start, a second chance
Amos Chapter 4 magnifies Chapter 3, by specifying a number of areas of failure: (1) failure to care, (2) failure to worship, (3) failure to remember and (4) failure to engage with God. Israel had sinned grievously, and despite many appeals to repent, they ignored God’s warning. They are much like of us today….walking in our sin and refusing to repent.
Last week we saw how Jonah’s hatred for the Assyrians and Nineveh was so strong that he would rather run from God than to go and preach to the great city. This week we see that not only would he rather run from God, he rather die than to have to go to Nineveh. Two major truths are revealed in this text: (1) God loves us too much to let us remain disobedient without bringing His discipline and (2) or personal disobedience affects other people.
Amos 3:1-15
The breakdown of society is simply the outward evidence of the loss of personal holiness. This chapter is full of reminders of who God’s people are and where they have come from. External forms of worship are worthless if personal and corporate holiness is lacking. God’s judgment upon Israel was utterly devastating. So it will be when Jesus Christ returns to execute perfect judgment upon the earth. Every city and nation will be judged by the mighty hand of God. Every human being who has ever lived will stand before God in judgment. We will all give an account for our lives, Are you ready?
Amos 2:4-16
The nation of Israel refused to listen to the voice of the Lord’s prophet because they did not like what they heard. They did not want to be challenged or shaken out of their comfortable lifestyle. It’s no different than today. People still ignore God’s warnings: they don’t like what they hear, so they ignore what is said…what is made known to them. Do you pursue what you want more than you seek after what God wants for your life?
Amos 1:3-2:3
God will one day judge the whole world. This is a certainty. All injustices, wrongdoing, wickedness, and brutality will be avenged … Justice DELAYED is NOT Justice DENIED! The book of Amos opens with the roar of God’s judgment. God’s pronouncement of judgment upon these nations is a reminder and representation of His coming judgment on all people. The Roar of the Lion helps us review our own lives and values. It helps us to reflect and consider: Does our lifestyle reflect the heart of God? Do we share the self-seeking heart of the indifference of Amos’ day?
Amos 1:1-2
The book of Amos teaches us several valuable lessons. The core message of Amos is God’s judgment for sin. YES, God IS patient and slow to anger BUT His patience does have limits. Sin, rebellion, corruption, injustice, and every form of evil behavior will be judged. Every person and EVERY Nation who breaks God’s laws AND refuses to repent will be judged. The message of Amos is needed today as much as ever.
Ephesians 1:11-12
We have been predestined not only to adoption and to holiness, but also to “an inheritance” Our Inheritance is, in a word…..heaven. It is the sum total of all God has promised to us in and thru salvation. God gives us this inheritance so that we will live forever in the new heavens and earth as a perfect demonstration of His glory. There we will give praise to the glory of His grace, love and mercy extended to those who are in Christ. Even now…we are enabled to give thanks and praise unto Him…even in our trials and difficulties…because we have His guarantee that we will receive what He has promised.
Ephesians 1:7-10
Because we are FORGIVEN we (1) have been Justified, (2) are being Sanctified and (3) will be Glorified. Our Justification is behind us. In Christ, we are saved from the PENALTY of sin. Our Sanctification is ongoing. In Christ, we are being saved from the POWER of sin. Our Glorification is coming. In Christ, we will be saved from the PRESENCE of sin. God’s offer of forgiveness and redemption is available to everyone but it is only effective for those who actually repent and receive Jesus Christ as their LORD & SAVIOR.
Ephesians 1:3-6
We have turned Christianity into a ME THING: I get to go to Heaven, I get to be with Jesus, I get to walk the streets of gold,I get to reunite with lost loved ones, etc. Our Faith is not about us and it is ALL about Him! He CHOSE us…in Him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be HOLY and BLAMELESS…before Him. You will note that all three Persons of the Godhead are involved in our salvation: As far as God the Father is concerned, salvation BEGAN when He chose you IN Christ BEFORE the Foundation of the world…but that alone did not save you; As far as God the Son is concerned, salvation was PURCHASED when He DIED on the cross and ROSE from the dead…but that alone did not save you; as far as God the Spirit is concerned, salvation is COMPLETED when you YEILD to His conviction and RECEIVE Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior. What BEGAN before the FOUNDATION of the WORLD was FULFILLED in time present, and WILL CONTINUE for all eternity and NOTHING….i repeat NOTHING…can separate you from the Love of God!
Ephesians 1:1-2
As Believers, we have been SET APART…MADE HOLY…and, therefore, we are called a SAINT. This is true both positionally and experientially. Positionally, we are holy in Christ and experientially we are called to be holy like Christ.
James 5:13-20
James has had a great deal to say about the tongue, and this chapter is no exception. He mentioned some of the lowest uses of the tongue: complaining (vs. 9) and swearing (vs. 12), but he also named some of the highest uses of the tongue: proclaiming God’s Word (vs. 10) and praying and praising God (vs. 13). Prayer is certainly a high and holy privilege. Just think, as God’s Children, we can come freely & boldly to His throne and share with Him our needs. Seven times in this section James mentioned prayer. The mature Believer is PRAYERFUL in the troubles of life. “Taking it to the Lord in prayer” is certainly a mark of spiritual maturity.
James 5:1-6
James never said it was a sin to be rich. After all, Abraham was a wealthy man, yet he walked with God and was greatly used by God to bless the whole world. James was concerned about the selfishness of the rich. What James condemned was the wrong use of wealth, James condemned the ones who use their wealth as a weapon and not as a tool with which to build up the Kingdom of God. May we all realize that what we have is because of who He is. We have been blessed….so now let’s be a blessing to those that are in need.
James 4:13-17
In this final section of Chapter 4, James addresses three sins that we need to guard ourselves against: I. Sin of Presumption (making plans without including God in the planning process), II. Sin of Boasting (to brag or boast about our life and accomplishments) and III. Sin of Omission (failure to do what the Lord instructs us to do).
James 4:11-12
James is not afraid to call sin by its name and condemn it strongly. Neither should we be afraid to stand for the truth even if we are condemned as being narrow-minded. However, such speaking out against sin must be made in love. When we speak out about sin in our brothers and neighbors our goal should be to move them to repentance, not to make us feel superior to them. James is going to unpack all of this in this section.
James 4:5-10
Will you humble yourselves before the Lord today? Notice that we are not to wait passively for this to somehow happen, we are not to wait for someone else to humble us neither are we are not to wait for the circumstances of life to do it. Rather, self-humbling is our Christian duty. We must take inventory of our sinfulness and weakness. When we do, we must bow in total submission to God. Will you give Him your life…..your dreams…..your future…..your everything? If so, GET READY because He will pour on His grace, grace upon grace, and He will lift you up.
James 4:1-4
Many Christians, pursue their pleasures and desperately chase after the wrong things, things that are clearly hostile to God. Any person who is a friend of this world stands against Go because they stand against all that God is. An IMPURE person is an enemy of God’s PURITY. An UNHOLY person is an enemy of God’s HOLINESS. A DECEPTIVE person is an enemy of God’s TRUTHFULNESS. A GREEDY person is an enemy of God’s CHARACTER that GIVES generously & sacrificially. James’ writing suggests several penetrating questions. Are you better friends with the world or with God? What are you pursuing….your personal desire or the will of God? Are you a FRIEND of God or are you His enemy? How would God answer these questions?
James 3:13-18
The Kind of wisdom a person possesses will be revealed by how they live their lives. Those who possess Wisdom of MAN will demonstrate by their actions that they have NO saving relationship with Jesus. They have NO desire to WORSHIP Him FULLY, to SERVE Him FAITHFULLY, to FOLLOW Him CONSISTENTLY and/or to OBEY Him COMPLETELY. Those who are Children of God will possess the Wisdom of God. That Wisdom will manifest itself in their lives
James 3:1-12
James’ description of the evils of the tongue seems relentlessly gloomy. The small tongue controls the whole person. It is a fire from hell. Unlike nature, it is inconsistent. It cannot be tamed. If all this is true, why should we even try to control the tongue? The answer is found in a brief phrase in 3:8, “No human can tame the tongue.” No man can, but God can. If the tongue is set on fire by hell, Take comfort in knowing that there is One who is greater than hell. One who has triumphed over satan. God alone has the power to subdue the unruly tongue if we will genuinely trust in Him.
James 2:14-26
One of the greatest tragedies of the church today is that it is often filled with those who profess Christ and yet live nothing for Him. Millions of people profess faith in Christ and yet they do not live for Him. They live for the world and themselves. The only difference between their lives and the lives of unbelievers is that they sometimes get up on Sunday mornings and attend church. Scripture is clear…If you claim to have faith….and there is no evidence of it in your life….then your claim is false…you’re a dead corpse with a dead Faith.
James 1:19-27
Ultimately, the key to BOTH….RESPONDING to TRIALS and RESISTING TEMPTATION is found in our reaction to the Word of God. In this final section of Chapter 1, James states that we have three responsibilities toward God’s Word: RECEIVE IT (vs. 19-21), OBEY IT (22-25) and PROCLAIM IT (26-27)
James 1:12-18
After dealing with the subject of wisdom, James returns to his central theme of this chapter—Testing of our Faith. The Testing of our Faith occurs thru TRIALS and TEMPTATIONS. In verses 12-18 James tells us “how to overcome temptations”. We tend to think of sin as a single act but God sees it as a process. James describes this process in FOUR STAGES:
Stage One DESIRE
Stage Two DECEPTION
Stage Three DISOBEDIENCE
Stage Four DEATH
James 1:5-12
Why do we need to ask for wisdom when we are going through a trial? Why not ask for strength, grace or even for the trial to be removed?
Here’s the reason….and it’s connected to what we learned LAST WEEK…we need wisdom so that we will not waste the opportunity God is giving us to grow in Christlike maturity. Wisdom helps us understand how to use our trials for our good and God’s glory.
Repentance is more than having a conviction of sin (Felix, Acts 24) and it is more than giving a confession of sin (Pharaoh, Ex 9; Balaam, Numbers 22; Saul, 1 Samuel 15; Achan, Joshua 7). The Greek word for Repentance is metanoia and it is a change of mind AND and change of heart that LEADS TO a change in action. If Repentance does not lead to a change of action then it is not true (Biblical) repentance.
Jeremiah 29:11promised that the nation of Israel would be restored, but very few of the exiles lived to see the fulfillment of that prophecy. Most of them died without seeing the “future” that God had planned for them. A future that wasn’t fulfilled until 70 years later. Likewise, the future & hope we have in Christ are not a guarantee that things will go well in this life. For most believers throughout history and in the world today, the world is a cold and dangerous place. In fact, the promise outlined in Romans 8 is specifically that, even though believers will face all sorts of dangers and persecutions in this life, Jesus will never abandon us. May the words of Jeremiah 29:11 remind us that God is faithful and He will never abandon us.
1 Corinthians 10:13 The statement “God won’t give you more than you can handle” is both untrue and unhelpful. Quite simply the Bible does not teach this. In fact, the Bible actually teaches the opposite truth. Understanding this will enable us to to give better encouragement to those who are suffering.
Matthew 5:10 The Beatitude does not say, “Blessed are the persecuted, PERIOD!” Unfortunately, this is the way it is sometimes interpreted. Those who read it like this delude themselves into thinking that any time they experience conflict they are bearing the reproach of Christ. Sadly, Christians are very often persecuted not for their Christianity, but for a lack of it. Sometimes they are rejected simply because they have unpleasing personalities. Know that EVERYONE who seeks to live like Jesus WILL BE PERSECUTED…There are no exceptions!
Matthew 5:9, This divine pronouncement…understood…taken to heart…and applied by the Holy Spirit, can not only bring inner peace to our own troubled hearts but it can also make us instruments of peace to those that are troubled. In other words….It has the potential to give us peace within and to make us mediators of peace in the lives of those around us. may we all be both Recipients and Distributors of the Peace of God
Matthew 5:8
The pure in heart are marked by transparency & an uncompromising desire to please God in all things. It is more than an external purity of behavior; it is an internal purity of soul. Imagine having a heart that is totally focused on God. FOUR THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ENHANCE THE FOCUS OF YOUR HEART (1) Be honest (2) Acknowledge that only God can make your heart pure (3) Fill yourself with God’s Word and (4) Think about what you will be in eternity.
The greatest thing in all the world is to be forgiven of our sins. When we are…we are absolved and released from ALL guilt and condemnation, We ARE accepted and restored by God and assured of seeing Jesus Face-to-Face. When we receive forgiveness from God…We ARE freed from the PENALTY of sin, we are BEING SET FREE from the PRACTICE of sin and we WILL BE SET FREE from the PRESENCE of sin.
The Believer that praysfor Forgiveness and thenrefuses to grant forgiveness is a hypocrite. They are guilty of asking God to do for them what they are unwilling to do for others. BEWARE!
Matthew 5:5 This word (Meek) is much misunderstood. It does NOT denote cowardice or spinelessness or timidity. It does NOT suggest indecisiveness or a lack of confidence. It does NOT imply shyness or having a withdrawn personality. Make no mistake…Meekness is not weakness. Quite the opposite; Meekness is “strength under control.” A meek person reacts, then, with emotions appropriate to the occasion. A meek person EXERCISES self-control and self-control implies strength.
So we might say, “Blessed are the meek, for they have the strength to be humble.”
The supreme lesson of theFirstBeatitudeis that without the poverty of spirit, no one enters the kingdom of heaven.
WHAT DOES THE GREAT COMMISSION LOOK LIKE IN YOUR LIFE?
HOW ARE YOU CARRYING OUT THE TASK ASSIGNED TO US ALL BY OUR KING?
Last week we talked about how the execution of Christ all began with a conspiracy. The “chief priests” (religious leaders) and the “elders of the people” (political leaders) conspired together to kill Jesus.
This conspiracy led to the ARREST of Jesus. Before you can have a trial and sentencing you must first have the incarceration.
Jesus was conscious of all the events that He was about to face.
He knew He would be UNLAWFULLY arrested. He knew He would be UNFAIRLY tried. He knew He would be UNJUSTLY convicted and He knew He would be UNMERCIFULLY executed.
Jesus laid down His life so that those who believe in Him will live.
Do you believe?
Have you lost the interest & zeal for witnessing, for serving others and for seeing others grow in Christ? Have you become formal in worship instead of being alive in Christ? Do you attend worship services or Bible studies out of religious obligation instead of hungering and thirsting after righteousness? Do you sit in church half asleep or consistently allowing your mind to wonder instead of focusing upon the life changing power of the Word of God? If so, hear and head the command our Lord gives to the church of Sardis.
People will often compromise what they know is right, in order to get what they want. Worldly Compromise damages the testimony of the church. The Church of Thyatira is a perfect example of this reality. Christ said that the judgment would only happen if they failed to repent. No matter what we have done…No matter how terrible it is….Christ calls us to repentance. If we repent, then God will forgive us our sins, save us from destruction and deliver us from judgment.
The Christians at Pergamum had been true to God under severe testing
The Christians at Pergamum had been true to God under severe testing
but they had compromised their testimony in other ways. Compromise (1) never occurs quickly, (2)always lowers the original standard, (3) is seldom offensive and (4) is often the first step to total disobedience. Present judgment comes to a church when it compromises the Word of God.
Rev. 2:7-10
The church at Smyrna, unlike Ephesus, was facing persecution, poverty, imprisonment & even death. The heart of the message was not “repent,” but be faithful, even to the point of death, and the COMMAND was reinforced, not by a threat, but by a promise: I will give you the crown of life and you will not be hurt by the second death. It costs to be a dedicated Christian…..in some places more than others. As end-time pressures increase, persecution will also increase; and we, as God’s people, need to be ready and faithful.
Revelation 2:1-7What we do for the Lord is important. However, why we do what we DO…is equally important! Today’s church needs to pay attention to this warning: orthodoxy and service are not enough. Labor is no substitute for love, neither is purity a substitute for passion. The church must have both if it is to please God.
ALL of God’s wonderful plans will be carried out with ALL of God’s infinite might because…Jesus is….the MIGHTY GOD! As the Mighty God, (1) He has the Power to Protect us, (2) He has the power to FINISH HIS WORK in us, (3) He has the Power to Provide for us and (4) He has the Power to Take us Home.
GOD has an amazing plan for your life It will be an incredible journey. That journey will not always make sense, if it did then there would be no need for faith. As Wonderful Counselor, our Lord is the one who makes plans and rules. Our Lord goes to no one for advice. When anyone comes to Him, He gives them the perfect counsel that they need. You can trust in the Wonderful Counselor. The more you know Him the better equipped you will be to trust Him. May you discover that our Lord is “A Wonder of a Counselor”
Romans 16:17-18:
“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people.”
At some point in life, you can expect to find yourself in the midst of some serious trials. If you are not prepared you will struggle to make sense of the suffering. When our world is turned upside down we tend to focus on the problem and not on the One who can overcome them. Discover 5 foundational truths about suffering: TRUTH #1 God is not the creator of evil and suffering. TRUTH #2 God allows suffering to accomplish something good. TRUTH #3 One day ALL suffering will end. (for those who follow Christ) TRUTH #4 Our suffering will pale in comparison to what God has in store for his followers. TRUTH #5: You can either run away from God or turn to God in your suffering. What will you do with your suffering?
Philippians 3:17-21 In this passage, there are two examples laid before us…the Godly and the Ungodly. We must be extremely discerning and careful in their selection of our role models. It is our responsibility to find and follow the right example. Not only that, we need to reminded that we are to set the right example for others to follow.
Philippians 3:12-16 How intense is your pursuit of Christ-like maturity and Christian service?
Philippians 3:1-11 Paul had a great reputation as a scholar and a religious leader. He was proud of his Jewish heritage and his religious achievements. However, when he measured those “things” against what Jesus had to offer, He realized that they were nothing compared to what he had in Christ. When Paul placed his faith in Jesus, he received the knowledge of Christ, he gained the righteousness of Christ and he gained the fellowship of Christ. Have you?
In Philippians 2:19-30, Paul is STILL discussing the submissive mind.He has already given us a description of the submissive mind…exemplified in Jesus (2:1–11). He has also explained the dynamics of the submissive mind (2:12–18). Now he introduces us to two of his helpers in the ministry, Timothy and Epaphroditus. He wants us to know that the submissive mind is not a luxury enjoyed by a chosen few it is a necessity to be DEVELOPED for all believers. Paul and Epaphroditus prove to us that the joyful life is the life of service and sacrifice. They prove to us that the submissive mind really does work. These men lived in Philippians 1:21, not Philippians 2:21…Which verse best describes YOU?
Philippians 2:12-18 Paul has just presented Jesus Christ as our great example of HUMILITY (having submissive mind) We read it, and we agree with it, but how do we go about practicing it? How could any mortal man ever hope to achieve what Jesus Christ achieved? The problem is really not that difficult. What Paul is asking of us is NOT IMPOSSIBLE! The way we cultivate the submissive mind is by responding to God’s working in our lives! In this text we discover that we are to (1) Work it Out, (2) Knock it Off and (3) Let it Shine.
Three Essentials for Victory...Philippians 1:27-30. Having the Single Mind Devotion (Glorifying God and Sharing the Gospel) enables us to have joy in the midst of the battle because it produces in us Consistency, Cooperation & Confidence.
Will you continue to hold on to the things that hold you back? Will you offer the same old excuses or will you listen to the instruction of Jesus and reach for that which is beyond yourself. Will you "Get up and walk"?
This church and our community NEEDS YOU! Not because they need you, BUT because they need God and God in His wisdom and Divine Plan has decided that He would empower us with a spiritual gift to serve one another in love. God has gifted each of His Children for an essential function…we are expected and equipped to do God’s will. The truth of the matter is that God doesn’t need any of us, but He CHOOSES to use us and EQUIPS us to be used by Him.
The stewardship of our finances is a tremendous and often overlooked, area of our lives where we can faithfully proclaim the gospel. The truth is, giving is a heart issue, not a money issue. As Believers, we give because of the grace & generosity God has given to us.
Matthew 5:13-17 If you have placed your Faith in the Son of God the Jesus declares that you are both salt and light. It’s not an option, it’s who you are. The only question is what kind of salt/light are you going to be?
Romans 12:1-2 In view of His great mercies and the grace extended to us, total commitment to GOD is the only logical way to live. Therefore, Let us live under the logic of God. Let us worship Him in all that we do.
1 Timothy 2:1-8 Prayer is one of the greatest privileges extended to us! Do you ever wonder what would happen if God’s people truly understood the significance of prayer and faithfully practiced the discipline of prayer?
True discipleship IS NOT a decision of a moment, IT IS a direction for a lifetime. Mark 8:35 reveals that in order to be fully committed to Christ, three things must occur: 1. There is a DENIAL we must EMBRACE; 2. There is a DEATH we must EXPERIENCE; 3. There is a DIRECTION we must ENSUE.
As our Heavenly Father looks down upon us, what is He amazed at? Is He amazed at our Lack of faith and disbelief or is He amazed at the great display of our faith in Him?