Bible Study: Growing in Faith

Hi Everyone

Here is the latest Bible Study notes and the audio.

As usual, please do share them around as you are blessed.

Chris

We Need to be Walking by Faith

Really believe.  If the life you are living now does not require you to believe in God’s promises in His Word in any area to solve a problem in your life, then you are either:

1. Dead
2. Not growing in the Lord

What may be known as an Unbelieving Believer.

Trials are Testing for Faith

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. (NKJV)

Trials are chances to test out God’s Word.  This active – we can use the trial to put our faith to test, or we can choose to ignore the Word.

Every trial has a promise from God.

Not There But OTW (On The Way)

Philippians 3:11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 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)

We talked about our goal in becoming like Christ.  We will always be going after it this side of heaven, but we must never stop.

Stand still and you go backwards.

God’s Word: The Standard for Belief

Not Experience.  If we “aren't there” (we never are), if our lives don’t seem to line up with the promises of God, it doesn't mean that the Word of God is not true.  It simply means we need to seek Him more.  This is the walk of faith.  God’s Word is true.

Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? 4 Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.” (NKJV)

Head Knowledge  Believing

Truths we know – perceive deep in us, that become part of our persona, are the ones that set us free.

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)

Example:

We all have heard to work that we have something to give.  

Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. (NKJV)

How many of us work that way?

“Man, I have to get to work, so that I will have something to give!”

More to Just “Believing in God”

James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? (NKJV)

Faith requires action.  It requires a decision to believe what God said versus what we see.  It requires us to disbelieve what we sense (the flesh) and believe the Word.  This belief is seen in our action, the work of faith.

KnowDo, DoKnow

It’s not about going out and doing good to all, nor living by “Christian values”.  We do not do things to gain God’s favour or blessings.

We realise who we have been saved to be and act according to this.

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

It is about acting out in faith what God has promised in His Word.  It is in believing Him when He tells us who we are and what we are entitled to because of the finished work of Jesus.

It is about walking life by faith in the Word, walking in the Spirit.

Know as I am Known

We act out of who we are – dogs bark, cats meow, cows moo.  Kings reign, sons of God speak to mountains.

How does God see me today?  He sees in the Spirit.  Who are we in the Spirit?  What does the mirror of the Word say?

We see dimly – He sees clearly.  He sees His glory in us.  He sees us IN CHRIST.  

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. (NKJV)

As we keep looking at the mirror of the Word, we will know more and more and be transformed from glory to glory.

Know and Trust because of Jesus’ Love

Jesus came on earth, lived as a man, died and rose to win these promises, to make us who we are.  The finished work of the cross was all because of love. 

Faith works by love

Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. (NKJV)

So we have to be rooted and grounded in His love

Ephesians 3:17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (NKJV)

Humble Youself, Trust Him

Humble yourself under God, under His Word.

1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (NKJV)

Why cast ALL your cares?  Because He cares for ALL your cares.  What are you standing in faith for today?  He knows and takes care of all your cares.

Like children growing up, as we grow in Christ, things that were cares become less and less of cares.  This is true freedom. (Like the lives of Joseph, Paul etc.)

Pray Out Scriptures

Scriptures are God’s Word to us.  Thank God for who we are in Christ.  Pray the prayer of faith.

James 5:15a And the prayer of faith will save the sick, (NKJV)

Not the prayer of fear, panic or the prayer of try-and-see.

Steps to Belief

• Can’t know what you haven’t heard or read (Rom 10:17) - Read the Word!
• Can’t understand, gain wisdom (renew mind) from what you haven’t spent time meditating on (Josh 1:8, Ps 1, Col 3:16) - Meditate on the Word!
• Can’t believe whom you cannot trust (Ps 3:5-6, 1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:19) - Trust God in His Word - they are His promises to you!
• Can’t perceive what you haven’t tried out (James 1:2, Ps 34:8) - Try it out, one step at a time!

Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.” (NKJV)

What are you standing on God’s Word for today?

Bible Study: Thanksgiving, Purpose, Hope, Worship

Hi Everyone

Here's the notes and the audio for last Friday's Bible Study.  Let's give heed to the Word, what we have heard.

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

Blessings!

Chris

Thanksgiving 

Scripture tells us

Psalm 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (NKJV)

Why? Because He IS good!

Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. (NKJV)

We have Plenty to be thankful for – life, family, friends, job, earthly comforts

How We See God

Our concept of God matters a lot, especially in our thanksgiving.  

• “I hate sin.  I’ve forgiven your sins, but if you do enough of it again, you will be judged.”
• “You are forgiven – change your sinful ways and I will be pleased with you.”
• “You are forgiven – worship me and serve me and I will bless you.”
• “My Child, I am SO happy to be one with you!  You will never understand how much I love you and want to have fellowship, be one with you!  Let me lead you and guide you into everything that my Son died to win for you, that I might restore you once again, spirit, soul and body, into my image.”

Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

The Biggest Thanks is For…

God sending us His Holy Spirit because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  Having the Spirit in us makes ALL the difference. His Forever one with us!

This in itself is the most amazing thought, the one that we should be thankful for, for all of eternity.  This is why Christ came and died for us, that He Himself might be united as one with us.  We are already ONE with Him in the Spirit realm, which is the REAL realm.

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

We are giants in the spiritual realm. The devil is the miserable little one.  But until we are convinced about that, we will continue to be fooled.

As we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, the Word will guide us and make us more and more like Jesus.  The Word is living and is inseparable from the Spirit.  That’s why it is called walking by faith (1 Cor 4:7) in the Word is walking in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. (NKJV)

So This is the Purpose

1 Peter 1:8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. (NKJV)

Now that you are saved, the end product of the salvation here on earth is the salvation of your soul, the renewing of your mind, that you might become more and more like Him.

We are but cold, dark moons without the Son.  Unless we bask in the glory of the Son, we won’t reflect any glory like a real moon would.  You can’t become like someone you don’t know.

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)

God has at the same time made each of us unique – we have a calling in our lives, that is manifested as we conform to the image of Christ.

It won’t happen without us knowing Him in the Word.

Fool Me Once…

It’s the same old dirty trick; of making those made in the Image of God believe that they are something less than the truth, the very image of God.  He did that to Adam and Eve, making them think that perhaps God had withheld something from them, that they were not fully made in the image of God:

Genesis 3:5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (NKJV)

Truth is, they were made in the image of God and already had all they needed.

Fast-forward 4000 years later, with our Lord Jesus in the wilderness being tempted by the devil:

Matthew 4:3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” (NKJV)

The question wasn't so much one of His ability but of His identity.  The attacks invariably are not on our actions, but our identity, for from our identity will come our actions.

If the devil can make us doubt our sonship, what Christ had died to obtain for us, he will steal the power that comes with it.

Jesus showed us how in the power of the Holy Spirit, we are like Him.  

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)

He even commissioned us to take over His role on earth:

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

We can’t do what He has done unless we are empowered the way He was.  And we are.  We have the same Holy Spirit and He lived His life here showing how a man submitted to the Holy Spirit lived.

The early CHRIST-ians turned the known world then right-side-up, for they were witnesses who moved in the power of the Holy Spirit, truly as ambassadors for Christ.  Jesus gave us His authority when He said:

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (NKJV)

And guess what?  The old liar was back at it and has managed to convince much of the church of Christians made in the image of God that we don’t have the power of God in us to live out our lives.  We have the Holy Spirit, like Jesus but many are powerless, living lives of defeat, like princes not knowing their true nature and eating out of dumpsters.

Worship Him in the Spirit

As we begin to grasp the entire magnitude of this truth in the coming year, we will have so much more to thank and worship Him for this year.

Worship in Spirit and in Truth – worship knowing who we truly are in Jesus Christ, according to the Word of Truth.

John 4:23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (NKJV)

We can be so used to the intellectual pursuit of Christ, that we miss the very heartbeat of the Lord, which is His love, His deep, deep love for His creation.  We must never ever study or meditate on the Word without this, because when we do, Christianity can quickly be reduced to a religion, a set of doctrines.  At worst, it can even be a cause.

Let's get into the Word, but not for an intellectual.  Let’s really experience Him, His love for us.

The Take-Away

Let’s encounter God in His Word daily

Let’s be transformed from glory to glory to be like Him

Let’s rejoice and glory in this

Let’s be thankful all this was made possible by the blood of Christ

Let’s praise Him