Give Of Thyself

Matthew 10:7-8

…Go preach; saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give.

The background of our lesson study is the mission of Jesus' twelve disciples as Jesus gave them power to drive out evil spirits and heal the sick. They were instructed where to carry the message, to whom and what they were to do upon arrival.

Christ's purpose was that the kingdom of heaven and its powers would bring salvation, peace and healing to His people. With that being said, Christ sent forth His disciples to spread His message and that message continues today to all lost souls.

The attitude of Christ's disciples is that they left all and followed Jesus taking no thought for tomorrow, but freely giving of themselves just as Christ freely gave His life the for the sins of the world. All believers are to have the same attitude by freely giving of his or herself in kingdom building. Christians are asked to give reasonable service to God, which isn't much when compared to what was given so that all who believe will have salvation. These questions come to mind, How much are you willing to give to the Lord and how often are willing to witness Christ? Do we say like the words of this song, Lord I give myself to You to be used by You?

God loves a cheerful giver.

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http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

Live To Please God

1 Thessalonians 4:1-9

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication; That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; For God hath not called us into uncleanness, but unto holiness.

Being that all believers have been called and sanctified by God to a life of holy living, then believers must refrain from continued unholy living, thus defiling the honored vessel as believers are the residing place of the Holy Spirit. God the Holy Spirit will not live in an unclean vessel-our bodies.

With that being said, given the fact that society immorality is common place as is all manner of other evils what must believers do? Believers are called to a life of righteousness through separate living while remaining in this world. Believers would not want Christ our Lord and Savior's atoning work of sanctification to be in vain by continuing to live in sin.

Believers can live to please God by continuously dying to sin daily and being renewed by the Holy Spirit who gives believers the strength to refute sin and live holy. Believers can live to please God by being transformed individuals who has committed him or herself to God and His ways.

Living to please is easy with the help of the Holy Spirit.

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Be A Fruit Bearer

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.

In his writing to the Christians at Galatia Paul outlines the comparison between works of the flesh to those of the Spirit and the results of each. Paul makes it very clear that the works of the flesh is in stark contrast to the works of the Holy Spirit. Works of the flesh bring forth all manner of evil and hatred while works of the Spirit bears all manner of good as they represent God's character. Paul makes a profound declaration of the fruit of the Spirit that there is no law against them and cannot be legislated. These character traits are of God who cannot be legislated or regulated because He is God.

With that being said, believers being of God and bearing His spiritual fruit has the God given freedom to bear fruit according to His will and believers are to live so that the world will see God's glory shinning in our lives.

There is a true saying that "a tree is known by the fruit it bears", then all mankind is known by the fruit they bear. If you are a child of God then you will bear fruit of the Spirit and if one is a child of Satan, the fruit of wickedness is what the world will see.

Believers bear good fruit.

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Obey God's Commands

Psalm 119:66

Teach me good judgment and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments.

What commandments the writer is willing to obey? Commandments are God's ordinances which God provides for holy living as man sojourn here on earth. Therefore, the writer of this particular Psalm longs to obey God's commandments and is evidenced by asking God to teach him good judgment and knowledge. This is a testament to the willingness to know and do what is required to please God. This Psalm also acknowledges that God ways and knowledge far supersedes that of man and is far better.

Also, to be willing to know, believe and do according to God's commandments is a further testimony to humility, which is having the right view of God, self and others. Allow me once again to reference Proverbs 3:5-6 which talks about the fallibility of leaning to one's own understanding while encouraging us to trust God and always acknowledge Him in everything that we do. Regardless to the amount of knowledge one may have is pale to the knowledge of God. Man's knowledge is prone to error whereas God's knowledge is without error. With that being said, it is far better to know, believe and then do what God commands. We can reflect on Adam's failure to obey God's commands in the Garden of Eden. Thank God for Jesus who took away sin, the Holy Spirit who resides within every believer who aids believers in obeying God's commandments.

Obedience is better than sacrifice, obey and live.

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Live In The Fullness Of God

Colossians 1:19

For it pleased the Father that in Him all fullness dwell.

Our scripture text makes a very profound statement regarding Christ and His deity which states that the Godhead is represented in Christ Jesus our Savior. When one accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior they too is living in the fullness of the Godhead; simply because God the Father gave the gift of salvation based on ones faith in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for the sins of the world, then God the Holy Spirit lives in each believer.

If the question were raised, Who is the Godhead that believers dwell in? Jesus Christ is God, the Holy Spirit is God and God the Father is God one God who operates in three distinct personalities for man's well-being. With that being said, all believers operate under the control God the Holy Spirit who dwells in each of us.

How do we yield control to the Holy Spirit? We yield control to the Holy Spirit by daily communing with God through daily Bible reading, meditating on His Word and daily prayer. The closer our relationship become the greater our desire for the truth of His Word and to be in His presence. An intimate relationship will have developed which is God's desire. 

The believer's self examination will have answered this question, Am I living to the full potential as God wants because I have surrendered all to Him so my life is God-focused or am I still being controlled by self?

Blesses is he who live in the fullness of God.

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Worship God

John 4:24

God is a Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

Our topical discussion text makes a profound statement on who God is and how one must worship Him. To worship God other than in truth is hypocrisy as He is truth and the insincere worshiper is looked upon as a hypocrite. What God requires from all worshipers is truth, honesty and sincerity with a heart that is focused on Him.

In verse 23 Jesus reveals several important points on worshiping God in spirit and truth and they are (a) worshipping in the spirit points to the level at which true worship occurs. Often times during church/worship service and the entire congregation is on one accord in worshipping God His presence is felt as all hearts and minds are focused on God. (b) To worship God in truth is a characteristic of God the Father, the incarnated Christ, and the intrinsic Holy Spirit who resides in every believer.

With that being said, all who worship and have set aside the truth of God's Word have in actuality set aside the very foundation of true worship. It is noteworthy for me to say that the purpose of worship is to draw near to God with an expression of joy and thankfulness for what He has done and continues to do in the lives of all believers. So then let's say that worship constitutes an expressed adoration and attitude that is God-centered.

Worship God with your total being.

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http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

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Be A Living Testimony

Psalm 25:10

All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truths unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

The best way for me to describe what a living testimony is giving my personal testimony by saying during the 1990's when I suffered three heart attacks and I felt that I would have to leave my sick son who had suffered a serious car accident nor would I live to get to the age I am today. The doctors told me that my son would always be a burden on me. I went to God in prayer asking Him to seal my son so that when I died he would be able to care for himself and let me live to see my grandson finish college and become successful in his chosen career. My son is well and living on his own; my grandson is a second year college student on a basketball scholarship and today I can brag about being a senior and give God all the praise and thank Him for answered prayers.

I promised God I would continue dedicating my life to Him and He has blessed me with a writing and teaching ministry that is spreading to parts of the world I may never visit. Just look at God! He is a healer and a prayer answering God.

All believers like me have a personal testimony of the goodness of the Lord.

Share your testimony of what God has done in your life.                  

                                  

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white3285@sbcglobal.net     

http://willie-wtriting.blogspot.com

www.shepherdministries.info.com

Live Regenerated Lives

Titus 3:3-5

Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

Christians have the ability to live regenerated lives because of the Godhead working together on man's behalf. This is made possible by God's grace and mercy, Christ's atoning work at Calvary and the Holy Spirit who constantly imparts His Spirit into the life of the believer. All believers are new creatures in Christ as believers have died to sin with Christ and rose to a life of righteousness in Christ and now live righteousness lives (1 John 2:29), which gives the ability to love others (1 John 4:7) and avoid a life of sin (1 John 3:9; 5:18) brought on by Satan's lies and deception.

With that being said, believers have a renewed mind and a heart to live for Christ in order to do the perfect and acceptable will of God (Romans 12:2). The world and its antics have no affect on the believer because of the regeneration that has taken place in the believer's life. It is noteworthy to say that living regenerated lives the believers sees things from God's perspective and know that God's will and way is best as it is the highest order of things.

Lastly, the regenerated believer has a new relationship with God as He is their Father and throughout this earthly life His glory shines through.

Regeneration is our spiritual birth.

                                                                                       

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white3285@sbcglobal.net

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Hope In The Lord

Psalm 16:9

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Yesterday's discussion focused on being in fellowship with God and the blessings derived from it, but today's focus is Christians' hope in God. The difference between the believer's hope and the unbeliever is that the believer's hope is with certainty that God will do whatever He promises. The believer's hope is based on a divine fact that God is faithful to His Word. Whereas the unbeliever's hope is more of a wishful thinking of what they will like to see come to pass.

With that being said, the believer has reasons to rejoice and be glad as his or her hope rest in God. Believers' hope is based on the fact that God promised a Savior Jesus came and redeemed us from eternally separation from God. What a blessed hope!

OT believers lived in hope of the coming Messiah and He came; we now hope for His return and He will. Therefore, believers can live with an assured hope of Christ's return for His church-believers.

Given the fact that the believer's hope rests in God these questions come to mind, Is your hope in God or man? Do you take confidence in the fact that whatever God promises it will come to pass? 

There is no greater hope than in God.

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            Author's contact

            white3285@sbcglobal.net     

            http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

            www.shepherdministries.info.com

Be In Fellowship With God

Psalm 16:8

I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

If I had to supply my understanding of the term fellowship it would be that Christians have the mind of Christ in that they share the same feelings and emotions as Christ for the sins of this world. Also, I understand the term to mean having a close relationship with God and other Christians. I also understand the word to mean sharing in and participating in the faith community as we share a common trust in one another and God most of all.

Therefore, being in fellowship with God mean Christians are in agreement as to whom God is and His Son's atoning work on Calvary providing salvation to all who believe in Him. It is then noteworthy to say that all believers have a restored fellowship with God and as believers grow in Christ; His presence and counsel is felt (vv 7-11). Being in fellowship with God believers have God's protection (v. 8), joy (vv. 9, 11), resurrection (v. 10) and endless blessings (v.  11), which is the result of our salvation.

Fellowship with God is achieved and maintained through daily scripture reading, meditating on the Word and yielding control of our lives to the Holy Spirit. There is no greater fellowship than with God the Father. This fellowship permeates our soul, which manifest Christ in our lives.

Fellowship with God is an intimate relationship with Him.

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Author's contact

white3285@sbcglobal.net     

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

www.shepherdministries.inf.com