Self Esteem, God Esteem

Self-esteem is a big piece of ungodly counsel we see so much of in our world today.  It is even found in many places in Christiandom, but it is ultimately a huge lie of the devil.  In scriptures, we must note that we are taught not to love ourselves, unlike the world:

John 12:25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. (NKJV)

From young, however, we are taught that we should build self-esteem.  This is in direct contradiction to scripture:

Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (NKJV)

and also

Matthew 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first. (NKJV)

Self-esteem pits us against others – it measures our self-worth by things that we can do, our talents, our achievements, even our own goodness.  The fact of the matter is that we are actually told to esteem others better than ourselves

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (NKJV)

Like Paul, we should consider all the works of our effort as loss. As dung:

Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (KJV)

In its place we should build God-esteem.  We can only be as full of God as we know the love of Christ for us.

Ephesians 3:19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (NKJV)

It is the love of God that causes us to change our minds, away from worldly thinking to Godly thinking:

Romans 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (NKJV)

Only when we know how much He loves us that we can do this:

1 John 4:9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (NKJV)

and

1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. (NIV)

Would that we spend more time finding out about God's love for us, than working up a love for ourselves.

In Him, Not For Him

John 13:37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” 38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times. (NKJV)

Jesus does not like us to make claims about what we will do for Him. He knows that such claims in the flesh are all futility. Unless we are walking by the power of the Holy Spirit, all claims that we make about how much we love Him and what we will do for Him amount to nothing.

There is little that we can do FOR Him in our flesh, but a whole lot more that we can do IN HIM.  Until we first learn to walk in the Spirit, we are cold hard rocks like the Moon without the Sun (Son).  

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (NKJV)

Jesus in all His glory is in us who believe - we need to see that in the Word.  Ours is only to reflect His glory in us to a lost and dying world.

Bible Study: Christmas 2012 - How to be Wise

Hi Everyone

Here's our Christmas message, taught on 7 Dec for our little party!  You can download the audio too!

Pray it blesses you this Christmas!

Chris

Study is based on the following passage:

Matthew 2: 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” 9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. (NKJV)

Wise Men Seek Hard After God

Matthew 2:2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (NKJV)

Even though they were not Jews themselves, they sought after the one true God.  This is why they were able to come to Jerusalem in search of the King.  They must have known this King was God.  No one else had such revelation to do that!

Wise Men Study Scriptures

Matthew 2:2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (NKJV)

They must have studied what little scripture they had very carefully, for they seemed to have had the much of the puzzle piece together, the Big Picture view:

• Like David, they saw a GOOD GOD in the scriptures worth seeking!
• They knew the sign of the star when they saw it (Numbers 24:17 “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult. (NKJV))
• They knew He was going to be the King of the Jews and that this meant a lot to the world
• They knew enough to have awe of God to journey to worship Him

Wise Men Wait Upon the Lord

Matthew 2:2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (NKJV)

They were fairly certain that the Messiah would come in their lifetimes.  Certain enough for them to be looking out at the skies on a regular basis, perhaps for many years, we don’t know.  We don’t see the things of God only with casual glances – it takes patience and constant awareness on our part, a lifestyle of seeking Him.  Like the Man seeking treasure in Matt 13:44, we don’t stumble on treasure if we don't dig many holes!

Wise Men Focus on Eternal Things

Matthew 2:2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (NKJV)

They understood the BIG PICTURE of things.  One might know about the Messiah, but to understand His significance in the salvation of Mankind requires deep hunger and seeking and studying of the Word for revelation.  Remember they probably only had the Old Testament at most.  Some experts surmise that these were people from Babylon, who had been touched by the life of Daniel and remained as followers of the Lord.  They were focused on eternal things, and must have understood why a messiah was even needed at all!  Many today don’t even care about God, worrying only on things on earth.

Wise Men Walk by Faith

Matthew 2:2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (NKJV)

When the star appeared, it must have taken them faith to follow it.  Mind you, they probably did not know for certain.  It took faith to stop their lives for a few years to do this.  Remember that Herod killed all the children 2 and under, implying that it might have taken them up to 2 years to reach where Jesus was and possibly the same returning.  Right or wrong, these people put their lives on hold for a long time, measured at least in months.

It must have been a long and difficult journey fraught with risks.  Following a star is not as easy as it looks.  They had to travel by night, on camels.  They had much wealth on them.  It must have been a large entourage because

Matthew 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. (NKJV)

The star did not guide them directly to the home where Jesus stayed (He was already not in the manger, contrary to many Christian depictions), but only in the direction of Jerusalem.  This is possibly why Herod had no knowledge as to the exact location of Jesus.  It was only from there were the star’s directions exact.

Matthew 2:9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. (NKJV)

Wise Men See in the Spirit

Matthew 2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (NKJV)

They saw the plan of God in the Word being unfolding before their eyes and it brought great joy to them.  If they did not, they would not be able to see Jesus for who He really was.  They would have just come to see a young child in a very humble setting.

They knew this was the Christ, the King, the Messiah.  All this means little to people who don’t see in the Spirit, who don’t understand how badly we need salvation.  

Wise Men Worship God

Matthew 2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (NKJV)

They had a deep reverence for God and in knowing His plan, they worshipped who was essentially a toddler.  When we have that same deep reverence for what God had already done, our instinct too will be to worship, no matter how silly it might look to those outside.

Wise Men Steward Generously the Things of God

Matthew 2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (NKJV)

People who know God and His plans know they are stewards of God’s wealth are always generous for His causes.  These men came with great gifts that I believe sustained our Lord and His family for a period.

You can be rich and wise if you understand stewardship.

Wise Men are Led by God

Matthew 2:12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. (NKJV)

Those who follow God expect to be led by Him.

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (NKJV)

They were actively aware enough of the presence of God in their lives, had a relationship with Him to be guided by Him. 

Unwise Men, on the Other Hand…

Matthew 2:3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” (NKJV)

We see on the other hand, the religious elite of the day being so cold and callous toward the things of God.  They had the exact knowledge of scripture, but not having faith mixed with it, it profited them nothing.  Note that they:

• knew that there was to be a Christ, but had no hunger to find out about it
• missed the sign of the star themselves
• knew the prophecies as to where He was to be born
• made no effort whatsoever to journey a few miles to see Him – spiritual things did not excite them
• instead were willing to release such information to a jealously murderous king like Herod, knowing they would definitely be putting Jesus’ life in danger.

Hunger for God and the things of God are so important.  Religion, without a hunger for a relationship with God, can be absolutely blinding. 

Let’s all determine in our lives to be wise, to seek God in His Word, to know Him, His love and His will for us.

Bible Study: What God's Word Says About the Word

Hi Everyone

Here are the notes for last Friday's Bible Study.  Do listen to the audio to get the most of it!

Please share this link if it blesses you.

God's best to you!

Chris

We are Destroyed for the Lack of Knowledge

Hosea 4:6a My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. (NKJV)

Many Christians lead defeated lives, seeking meaning.  Many of us do not live up to the hope of calling that God has for us.  This is for a lack of knowledge of God.

We as Christians often have no lack of Christian activity – church services, fellowship, outreach, even prayer meetings.  However, without knowledge of the Word, we will not grow.

We have only a very short time and the best investment is to build on the Rock.

Yes, we can believe in Jesus for salvation, but the less knowledge we have of God and His Word, the less we will live fruitful and meaningful lives here on earth.

Daniel 11:32b but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. (NKJV)

Those who do know will carry out great exploits.  If our lives today does not seem like this, then we need to know our God more!

Know God = Know His Word

God is revealed in His Word.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (NKJV)

If we want to know the Lord, know the Word. Jesus IS the Word and when you read the Word in faith, taking care to trust what it says, you are taking God into your soul! (“that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” Eph 3:17)

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (NKJV)

The more you know God, the more of His eternal life you will be connected with.  God has promises for you in every area of your life, but you will enjoy them to the degree that you know them.

E.g. If you don’t know that God gives you peace not as the world gives, you may feel stressed, anxious or unhappy all your life.

That is why God emphasizes so much throughout the Word about knowledge, referring to knowing Him.

1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (NKJV)

Many Christians get past the first part only to get saved.  The second part will take the rest of our lives, but we can only get it from encountering God in His Word.

Promises of Knowing the Word

God treats His Word above His name – so ironclad it is.

Psalm 138:2b For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. (NKJV)

There are many promises come from just knowing the Word.

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (NKJV)

The Word is access to walking in the Spirit.  We cannot say we walk in the Spirit unless we are found in the Word.

Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; 2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. (NKJV)

Length of days, so time spent in the Word is never wasted, as the days will seem longer.  Long life here is also a promise.  Dare we stand on this?

Proverbs 4:20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. (NKJV)

Hear, see and meditate.  There is a promise of health to our bodies.  Hold on to this promise!

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (NKJV)

The mirror is the Word.  It shows us who we are in Christ, our New Creation.  We thus go from glory to glory!

Acts 20:32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (NKJV)

The Word is of His grace.  It builds us up and gives us an inheritance among those saved (i.e. some saved may not have/have as much inheritance!)

2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, (NKJV)

Grace and peace are multiplied when we know God and Jesus.  No other way than through the Word.

Want to be washed?  Want to be renewed?  Get into the Word!

John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (NKJV)

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (NKJV)

Word gives us great discernment.  Our view of the world and how things are become clearer all the time as we get into the Word.  It is called wisdom.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (NKJV)

Word brings faith!

John 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (NKJV)

This is our goal in life – to bear much fruit that the Father is glorified, to be His disciples, His representation to Man.  We can’t bear fruit without the Word!

We Need to Get Into the Word

Nothing will change in our lives without it.  No “Christian” activity outside of the Word will change us.  All other Christian activity must be based on the Word – prayer, fellowship, discipleship, outreach etc.

We can even have zeal for God without knowledge. Many are often zealous about church activities and miss out the knowledge of God.  Christianity is, after all, a relationship not a cause.

Romans 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. (NKJV)

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. (NKJV)

Love Jesus = Keep His Word

Don’t know His Word = Can’t Keep His Word = Don’t Love Jesus

We cannot say we love the Lord but not His Word – they are inseparable.

1 Peter 2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, (NKJV)

Desire the pure milk, not the junk food.  We need to get into the Word ourselves, above just reading devotionals, hearing messages etc.  All these are good, but we need to read the Word for ourselves to really know God.

Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. (NKJV)

Staying away from the Word puts us at risk of drifting away!  There is no such thing as a backslider who earnestly gave heed to the Word.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (NKJV)

This is Christian fellowship!  When using the Word, we encourage one another in wisdom.

Joshua 1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (NKJV)

Meditate on the Word day and night!

Deuteronomy 11:18 “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21 that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth. (NKJV)

There is no time that we should not talk about God’s Word.  It should completely permeate our lives.  Our children need to hear it from us in everything in life, not just once a week in church.

The Take Away

• Without God’s Word, there is no hope
• God and His Word are inseparable
• We know God through His Word
• The many, many benefits of knowing God are found in knowing Him through the Word
• Reading, meditating, giving of ourselves completely to the Word is non-negotiable as a Christian

Bible Study - Through the Looking Glass 3

Hi Everyone

We are continuing on this series, Through the Looking Glass.  This is part 3.  I would encourage you to download the audio for the other 2 earlier parts so this part makes more sense.

Meantime, here is this week's audio.  Enjoy and be blessed.  And share the blessing!

Chris

Hosea 4:6a My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. (NKJV)

Truly Born Again, Truly a New Creation

I AM a New Creation.  All the Old, what I see in my five senses, is no longer the reality.  A higher reality of who I am has taken over.  This reality must sink in to us.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJV)

I am not the person you know me to be anymore.  In the spirit, I am like Christ and as I focus on this, I am on my way to being renewed into the likeness of Him.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. (NKJV)

Therefore do not see me as who I am in the flesh any longer.  See in me what Christ has accomplished, even if you don’t see it naturally.  Life could have dealt me a raw deal but that doesn't matter anymore.  That is not who I am.  Who I am has been made new.  My identity is now in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross.

More importantly, don’t regard yourself according to the flesh.  Don’t put yourself down.  You are worthy of the blood of Christ, so don’t call yourself anything less than what He died to make you become.

King, priest, son, daughter, one with Him for all of eternity.

Really Like Christ

You are like Christ on earth.  He is ONE with you.  Live out your life from who you are as a child of God, not who you think you ought to be.   

1 Corinthians 6:17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. (NKJV)

1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. (NKJV)

The day the devil saw that happen after killing Jesus and watching Him resurrect, he went on to plan B.  He started to deceive the Christians telling them they are not who they really are in the spirit, by telling them they are who they are in the flesh.  Christians then fall prey to that and start regarding one another in the flesh.

Really Have All Things

We are like Christ - we have all things in Him.  

We are blessed with every spiritual blessing.

All the blessings are in the realm of the spirit, the heavenly places.

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, (NKJV)

Really Can Do All Things

We can do all things. 

Philippians 4:12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (NKJV)

A big part of doing all things in this context is being able to tough out all things.  When we are dead to ourselves, the things of the world just don’t matter much to us anymore.

Can Expect to Do Better Than Christ

We can expect to do greater things than even Jesus.

John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. (NKJV)

This is in God’s Word and we cannot ignore it.

The spirit realm is the real realm.  The realm of the seen is not the real realm.  Going back to the blind man analogy, some things are best discerned by hearing, like music or sounds, but most things in life need our sight to discern.

In like manner, most things in life can be accomplished by the five senses, but things of eternal value can only come from walking in the spirit.

Live in the Spirit = Walk by Faith

We walk by faith and not by sight.  Sight and your five senses complement your faith, not the other way around.

2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. (NKJV)

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.  Entry into the Spiritual realm is by the Word of God.

The more we know God in His Word, the more we can walk by faith and are walking in the spirit.

Recall that the spirit and the flesh are in a battle for the mind.  What we feed the mind is very important.  The more we feed it fleshly stuff, the more carnal minded we become.  The more we feed it spiritual stuff, the more spirit-minded we are.

Only One Way to Do This

There is only one kind of spiritual food that you can feed your mind.

Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” (NKJV)

God is not found in a diet of Christian posters and sayings alone.  This is like eating only processed food all the time.

God is not found in looking at the experiences in life alone.  All can have their benefits, but it is like eating a meal made up only of condiments and sauces.  There is no staple and you cannot live on that.

Live IN the Word

The Word is the Bread.  Jesus is the bread of life.  He is the sustenance of our lives and He is found best in the Word.  Trying to find Him anywhere else is a lot tougher, for He has revealed Himself clearly in the Word already. We saw this last week.  

John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. (NKJV)

We are not His disciples if we do not abide in His Word. Abiding means living.  We can’t say we live in a certain home if we don’t know what it looks like or where it is.  We need to know the Word like we know our homes!  We need to live in the Word.  We can’t live outside of it until it rains when we come in.  We live in it all the time and we go out to work and play, but home is where we live.  The Word should be our home.  Without this, we are not truly His disciples, if we don't know the Word.

John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (NKJV)

We will never know the truth and will always be in bondage.

We cannot replace getting into a relationship with God in His Word with any other Christian activity.  No amount of fellowship, no amount of prayer meetings, no amount of church attendance, no outreach will ever replace your need for a relationship with God in His Word.

When we get into the Word, we get washed by the water of the Word and are purified.  Our minds start to see what the Spirit is really all about (glory to glory) and we want to seek to do that which we were created for.  Like a child growing up, we want to take on more responsibilities in the Kingdom of God.  We will want to be with other like-minded (kingdom minded) people (fellowship).  We will want to enforce the victory of the kingdom here on earth, telling the problems about God (prayer), we will want to gather corporately to worship and encourage (church attendance), we will want to see more people set free like we have (outreach).

The more we get into the Word and realise who we are in Jesus, the more start to grow.  If we can stay in church for 5, 10, 20 years and still face the same issues, it is clear that all the religious exercises we are going through aren't helping.  We are not bearing fruit.  And no amount of pushing, cajoling, pressure, guilt trips, behaviour modification etc will make a tree bear fruit.  It simply needs to start with a seed that fell on the right ground.  Once it grows, it bears fruit.

Bible Study: Through the Looking Glass 2

Hi Everyone

This Bible Study is a continuation of last week’s, so it will be very useful if you go through last week’s (“Through the Looking Glass”) before following on to this one.

Do listen to the audio as you follow the notes below.  

Pray this blesses you!

Chris

God is Spirit

God’s realm is the realm of the Spirit:

John 4:24a God is Spirit…(NKJV)

We were in the same realm in the spirit in the Garden.

God Restored Our Spirits

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJV)

We are redeemed, restored.  Like a home destroyed by fire, we were rebuilt from the ground up, completely new again.

We Still Live in the Flesh…

Galatians 2:20 (fragment) …the life which I now live in the flesh…(NKJV)

In our analogy of the blind man, the other “4 senses” continue to operate, even when we start to see.  There are things that a blind person continues to use his hearing for, even if his sight has been restored, like listening to people speaking or listening to music.  However, his sense of sight dominates, so that he can tell is he is hearing a man talking or a recording of a man talking to him being.  If like fashion, our 5 senses are OK as long as they are driven by our awareness of what is in the spirit, the realm of walking by faith, not sight.

…but now have FULL Access to the Spirit 

Things of the spirit are more important than things on the earth, just like what we see is more important than what we hear.  However, while we have full access, it takes us believing in God’s Word bit by bit to start to see clearer and clearer, like a blind man having his vision restored for the first time, a little at a time.

That’s why Paul says 

Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (NKJV)

This is our task.  It won’t happen without our wills.

Jesus said

Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. (NKJV)

The laying up part is ours to do.  This is done by seeking the things of the Kingdom and God’s righteousness (Matthew 6:33).

The Word is the Access

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (NKJV)

The Word is the entry point into the things of the spirit.  Things that do not add toward eternal purposes have no value.  We need to be constantly conscious of this.

John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (NKJV)

This word was for the believing Jews.  If we live in His Word, we are His disciples.  If we don’t actively seek Him in His Word, we cannot be considered to be His disciples.  We might be Christians by name, but disciples need to know His Word.

Every area of truth that we know intimately, the things that become our nature, sets us free in that area.  If we have learnt that it is better to give than to receive, for example, and because we take that into us so much that it becomes our nature to be generous because of this promise of our Lord, we become free from the bondage of covetousness.  We start to operate in the blessing of the promise!

Who Do You See in the Mirror?

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (NKJV)

Each time we encounter God in the Word, we are seeing ourselves as we really are in the Spirit.  We start to realize that what our other senses have been telling us isn’t always true.  It’s like a blind prince who was convinced by those around him that he was a poor beggar from birth.  Once he starts to see that he is really a prince, his outlook in life, the way he thinks and operates, will start to change.  The only difference is that the huge gap from being a mere human being to being a son of God, filled with the Holy Spirit, is an infinitely greater jump, something that will take us all of eternity to fathom!

In the Looking Glass – The New You

1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. (NKJV)

It is mind blowing, but we are like Christ in this world.  That’s why Jesus had the right to send us as the Father sent Him!  

John 20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (NKJV)

It would otherwise be very unfair!  Know this, that there is great power in us because of the Holy Spirit in us that we need to tap into:

Ephesians 1:19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power (NKJV)

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (NKJV)

But is works according to our belief.  If we aren't fully convinced that we are God’s sons or daughters, if we still see ourselves as unworthy, incapable, we won’t enjoy this.  It is not us, but Him working in us.

Spiritual Maturity

1 Corinthians 2:6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 

God in us gives us tremendous wisdom, not the wisdom of the world, but His wisdom.  God ordained the wisdom for us, for our glory! Such is the goodness of God!

Many will read verse 9 and conclude that these great things are not for us to know, but when we read verse 10, it says:

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 

God has revealed them to us through His Spirit, yes even the deep things of God!

11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 

God has shared freely with us His Spirit and the knowledge of the deep thoughts that He has.  We are truly one with Him, and according to our belief, can start to understand His thoughts richly!

Each person is the master of his very own deepest thoughts. Imagine if someone could tap into your brain and see your deepest thoughts, your motivations, your fears. Would that make you feel vulnerable?

In the same way, no one knows the very deepest thoughts of God, except the Spirit of God, yet He has shared these with us! God is so pure and holy that He has NO fear in sharing these with us!

All His thoughts are good, holy and pure Jeremiah 29:11 and His will for us is good, acceptable (well-pleasing) and complete, consummate and perfect Romans 12:2 .

Philippians 3: 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. (NKJV)

Which is why Paul was always pressing on.  We never arrive, but we must be on our way.

We will never have this whole relationship with God figured out but we must never stop!

Philemon 1:4 I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, 5 hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

Paul praises Philemon, saying that it is in the acknowledging of every good thing in him because of the finished work of Christ that makes his sharing of faith effective.

Ask yourself, apart the promise of salvation, what other good thing came into your life because of Jesus’ finished work on the Cross?  As we start to know more and more, the sharing of our faith becomes increasingly effective.

Spiritual maturity is marked by knowing who you are in Him, what He has made you to be!

1 Corinthians 2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (NKJV)

These are spiritually discerned, from the Word of God.  We can actually, through the Word of God, “instruct” God in His promises.  Truly, we have the mind of God and this manifests more and more as we are renewed in our thinking by His Word (Rom 12:2).

Spiritual Immaturity

1 Corinthians 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? (NKJV)

If our lives on earth as Jesus’ disciples do not differ from those around us, then we are carnal.  If there is envy, strife and division, if our lives are just as defeated, depressed and we as discouraged as the next guy outside, it means we really need to get into God’s Word more, live by the Spirit and start to realize more who we are in Him.

Get Into the Spirit: Get Into the Word

The Parable of the Sower and Soils is often viewed from the perspective of salvation; who hears and gets saved.  However, I believe it is richer than that.  Each area of the Word sets us free in that area according to the same principles of this parable.

Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. (NKJV)

Areas we hear but don't understand are areas the devil steals.  All in not lost – we can continue to sow and sow again.  When we put ourselves in a position to be sowed on, by reading the Word, coming for Bible studies (esp. on Friday Nights  ), listening to good sermon messages, we will be sowed on again and again and it gives the devil less chance to steal!

Matthew 13:20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. (NKJV)

When we hear, we must listen.  We must take the Word into our hearts by thinking and meditating on these, letting them play in our mind.  This is the process of growing roots.  The part we have to be grounded in is in the love of Christ (Eph 3:17).  Once the roots grow, we won’t wither away.

Matthew 13:22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. (NKJV)

This is laying up treasure.  We must be determined not to let the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke. 

These cares and deceit are the pot-banging the devil does next to the blind in the spirit to scare them.  If we keep our eyes focused on what we see in the Spirit, we won't be frightened and we won’t be this type of soil.

Note that the devil does not seek to choke our church attendance, our serving in ministry, not even good works we do in our own strength.  He goes for the jugular for he knows what matters – he seeks to choke the Word!

Matthew 13:23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (NKJV)

When we stay in the Word and refuse to let go, when we walk by what we see in the Word, when the Word takes root in our lives, changes the way we think and eventually the way we act, we start to bear fruit!  It is a process, not a one-time event.  That’s why Paul says to “press on”!

The Take Away

• The realm of the spirit is the real realm.  Flesh profits nothing.
• Understanding the things of the Spirit is growing into maturity.  We NEED to understand this process to grow in the Lord. This is laying up
• Accessing things of the spirit is getting a hold of what God has already done in us in the spirit through the finished work of Christ and living by faith in these.  If He said it is done, we believe it is done and we walk by these.
• Spiritual truths cannot be accessed by the carnal mind, no more than colour can be expressed to a man blind from birth.  
• The more we lay hold of that which Christ laid hold of us (in the spirit realm), the more we are growing into maturity.
• We need to understand more and more the things that are ours because of the Cross.