Luke 9:62: And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Transforming Hand Of The Potter
Isaiah 64:8: But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
God the Light of the World
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5 [Read more…]
Seek to Develop Christlikeness
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When a Christian comes to the Lord with a sincere heart, God changes them into the image of His Son. Jesus Christ is our example to living the redeemed life.
A believer’s goal is to become more like Jesus
1 Co 11:1; Php 2:5
Also see: Jn 13:15; Ro 8:29; Eph 4:11–13; Php 3:8–11; Php 3:20–21; 1 Jn 2:6
A believer becomes more like Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit
2 Co 3:18
Also see: Ro 8:5–9; Ga 5:22–23; 1 Th 1:6
The aim of discipleship is Christlikeness
Mt 10:25
Also see: Lk 6:40; 1 Jn 2:6
When a believer is totally committed Christlikeness will come
Lk 9:57–62
Also see: Mt 9:9; Mt 19:21; Jn 1:43; Jn 10:27; Jn 12:26; Jn 15:10; 2 Jn 9
How to demonstrate Christlikeness
Through Sacrifice
Mk 8:34–35; 1 Pe 2:21–23
Also see: Mt 10:38; Lk 14:26–27; Jn 12:26; Jn 21:19; Php 3:10; 1 Pe 4:1
Through humble service
Mt 20:26–28
Also see: Mt 11:29; Mk 9:35; Lk 22:24–26; Jn 13:14–15; Php 2:4–5
Showing other believers God’s love
Jn 15:12; 1 Jn 3:16
Also see: Jn 13:34; Jn 15:17; Eph 5:2; Eph 5:25
Being ready to forgive others
Col 3:13
Also see: Mt 6:12
Share the message of Jesus Christ across the world
Mt 4:19
Also see: Jn 20:21
Showing godly examples that imitate Jesus Christ
1 Co 11:1
Also see: Eph 5:1; 1 Th 1:5–6; 1 Th 2:14; Heb 6:12; Heb 13:7–8; 3 Jn 11
God’s plan of re-creation is Christlikeness
Ge 1:26–27; 2 Co 4:4; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10
The process of becoming Christlike:
It is the purpose for which believers are saved
Ro 8:28–29
Also see: Eph 2:10; 2 Pe 1:4
Believer’s will experience Christlikeness
2 Co 3:18
Christlikeness complete when believers share the Jesus’ glory
1 Jn 3:2–3
Also see: Ps 17:15; Jn 17:24; 1 Co 15:49–53; Ga 4:19; Php 3:20–21; Col 3:4; 1 Jn 4:17
Give your heart to Jesus today by saying this prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Please, help me to live for you the rest of this life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, I pray.
Amen.
Be Guided by the Lord
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Being guided by the Lord is for believers who truly seek Him early, and desire his presence with all their heart. Get to know the Lord through His Word before listening in the spirit realm for “voice of God”. God’s voice is in His Word. The Bible says: that “angels of light ” can imitate God. Be on guard and in prayer.
2 Corinthians 11:14-15; 1 John 4:1 ;1 Peter 5:8
Walking With The Lord
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Colossians 1:10: That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
We were created by God to fellowship with Him. When God created Adam and Eve, there was a personal relationship between them and God. The Lord, would come down in the cool of the day and walk and talk with Adam and Eve. [Read more…]
Hunger for Spiritual Food
Psalm 119:9: Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy Word.”
Psalm 119:10: With my whole heart have I sought thee. O let me not wander from thy commandments
“WITH MY WHOLE HEART I HAVE SOUGHT THEE.”
- How many of us can genuinely pray this back to the Lord?
- We have not arrived yet
- We are pressing forward to the mark:
Philippians 3:14: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
THE PSALMIST SAID: “WITH MY WHOLE HEART I HAVE SOUGHT THEE”
GIVE OUR WHOLE HEART TO THE LORD
In Loving Him
Deut 6:5: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with thy soul, and with all thy might
In Obeying Him and His Word
Psalm 119:2: Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart
• Develop that Thirst and Hunger for His Word
In trusting the Lord
Pr 3:5: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.
• We don’t know what is best for us
• Don’t trust in the Power of Self, self-confidence, self-esteem, etc
Give Him your whole heart in Prayer
Je 29:13: And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
• Promise of God
• Lay down the time wasters
• Pick up a ministry of Prayer
In Repentance when you need too
Jl 2:12: Therefore, also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping and with mourning:
Psalm 119:11: Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
WHAT ARE WE PUTTING IN OUR INNERMOST BEING? THAT PART OF US THAT WE CANNOT SEE.
Hebrew 4:12: For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
• The Word of God is living
• The Word has power or creative energy
• The Word admonishes (warns and reprimands) us
• The Word of God only source that can divide the soul and spirit
Down in Psalm 119 vs. 15-16: I will meditate in thy precepts (instructions), and have respect unto thy ways. 16 I will delight myself in thy statures: I WILL NOT FORGET THY WORD.
Meditate on the Word- Meditate is to think deeply or carefully concerning the Word
• Spend some time.
• Let our time with the Word be rich – not scarce
• Get to know the ways and mind of the Lord
Give your heart to Jesus today by saying this prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Please, help me to live for you the rest of this life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, I pray.
Amen.
Spiritual Failure and Restoration
WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT THE OLD TESTAMENT BELIEVERS DIDN’T HAVE
We have the Trinity living inside of us according to the Bible
John 14: 16 and vs. 23: 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; vs. 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.
THE WHOLE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN FOR US TO LEARN FROM OTHERS EXAMPLES AND FOLLOW THE WORDS OF GOD
1 Corinthians 10: 6-12: 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
ANY CHILD OF THE KING, GROUP OF PEOPLE OR NATION CAN FALL AWAY OR BACKSLIDE FROM THE LORD:
Jeremiah 14:7: O Lord though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee
Hos 14:4: I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
The word “backslide” literally means “turn back” or “turn away “from God
- not a jump off a cliff, but a coasting downhill
- Most times forsaking God or backsliding does not happen overnight
- Spiritual decay is a gradual process
- Loose focus on spiritual things the flesh seeks fulfillment
Steadfast: the quality or state of being steadfast, firmness, constant, fixedness of purpose.
SCRIPTURES
Deut 10:20: Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God’ him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave (means: unwavering, loyal devotion), and swear by his name.
Jos 23:8: But cleave unto the Lord you God, as ye have done unto this day.
2 Peter 3:17: Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.
1 Cor 15:20: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Hebrews 4:14
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 10:23: Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
The Faithfulness to God
Deuteronomy 7:9 – Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he [is] God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
Jeremiah 29:11-13:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.13 And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Psalms 86:15 – But thou, O Lord, [art] a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Lamentations 3:22-23: It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Give your heart to Jesus today by saying this prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Please, help me to live for you the rest of this life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, I pray.
Amen.
Stumbling Blocks
Stumbling block: one definition: refers to something or someone who keeps another from a relationship with God.
- Satan has traps within the church, and we have to watch that we don’t fall in the trap of becoming a hindrance to some seeing Jesus.
- We don’t want to used by the devil to stop someone from seeing Jesus
- Or be the victim because someone was used of the devil to turn us away
WE KNOW THAT THE DEVIL’S JOB IS TO STOP THE WORK OF GOD FROM GOING FORTH
- The devil can and will use anything he can to stop someone finding and getting close to Jesus
- We will talk about some of these down the line
- And he also uses people that have been in the church to prevent the work of God from going forth
- Or to turn someone away from the faith
- He may work to use you or me to turn someone away
- He may have worked to use someone to turn you away
The Devil is our enemy and seeks to deceive, seduce and entice us to sin
- He even tried to use Peter to stop Jesus from going to the cross
- …. He said be that far from you Lord
Matthew 16:22-23: Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. 23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Jesus said in Luke 17:1-5
Luke 17: Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible, but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
• Jesus said it is impossible to live in this life and not have an offense or cause to stumble
• But woe unto them through whom they come it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones
• Jesus is concerned about the new babies, even the ones that left him and he left the 99 to go and get that little lost one.
• The disciples knew that these things were hard to hear and possibly had to follow
• Especially the forgiveness part : But Jesus said : Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.
• They knew this would be a difficult task, so they said Lord increase our faith
• Developing the Love of God in our lives requires faith.
Remember : I talked about Phileo love: Is relatively easy : Love those that love us.
• But Agape love: is unconditional love: Loving the unlovely.
• Jesus Love’
Heb 3:15 While it is said, today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation
Could we be doing things that may be a stumbling block to someone knowing Jesus Christ?
• Things that may cause people to take an offense into their hearts
Offended people produce
Ask yourself: Do I have behavior or attitude that leads another to sin or destructive behavior?
Is there something about me that KEEPS ANOTHER FROM A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
· Divisions Strifes and Undercurrents
· Gossips, backbiting, Accusations
· An unholy life, destructive habits
· Addictions
· Unforgiveness
· Refusing to Repent
· Divided Heart
· Backslidden
· Betrayal
· Abusing the Grace of God
Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask that you would reveal by Your Spirit, Your Word to me. Expose any hidden areas of my heart that have hindered me from knowing you and serving you more effectively. Expose to me any area in my life that is causing a stumbling block or and offense to someone else’s life. I welcome the conviction of Your Spirit and ask for Your grace to carry out what you desire of me. May I come to know you more intimately as a result of being obedient to your Spirit and Your Word.
Give your heart to Jesus today by saying this prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Please forgive me. Come into my life. I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Please, help me to live for you the rest of this life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, I pray.
Amen.