Category: Growth

Proclaim God's Truth for Joyful Fellowship (Insights in NT)

5/28/2013

The results of proclaiming God's truth for joyful fellowship include:
1. Walk like Jesus by loving God and others
2. Grow spiritually with forgiven sins, overcome evil one and know God so you don't love the world
3. Listen to the Holy Spirit's teaching ministry and prevent being led astray by lies
4. Fix your hope on Christ's coming to be purified from sin
5. Share material possessions with the needy to show love
6. Receive answered prayer by obeying His commands and pleasing Him through the Holy Spirit

Proclaim God's Truth for Joyful Fellowship
They proclaimed the Word of life that was from the beginning. They testified what was heard, seen and touched concerning eternal life. They wanted others have the joy of fellowship with them and their Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. They declared that God was light without darkness. People lied by claiming to have fellowship with Him and not living by the truth. By walking in the light of God, they had fellowship with one another. The blood of Jesus, His Son, purified them from every sin. They deceived themselves and the truth was not in them by claiming to be without sin. If they confessed their sins, He was faithful and just to forgive their sins and purify them from all unrighteousness. They made Him a liar and His word had no place in their lives by claiming they had not sinned (1 John 1:1-10). Proclaim His truth for joyful fellowship with God and others.

Walk Like Jesus By Loving God and Others
John wrote these things so they would not sin. Jesus, the Righteous One and atoning sacrifice for their sins, was their advocate to the Father if they sinned. They knew Him and His love was made complete in them by obeying His commands. Those who walked as Jesus did knew they were in Him. If they claimed to be in the light and hated their brother, they were in darkness. Those who loved their brother lived in the light and nothing made them stumble. By hating their brother, they walked in darkness and were blind (1 John 2:1-11). Walk like Jesus by obeying His commands to love God and others.

Grow Spiritually with Forgiven Sins, Overcome Evil One and Know God
John wrote to his children because their sins were forgiven because of His name. He wrote to fathers because they knew Him who was from the beginning. He wrote to young men because they overcame the evil one. He wrote to his children because they knew the Father. He wrote to fathers because they knew Him who was from the beginning. He wrote to young men because they were strong, word of God lived in them and they overcame the evil one. Those who loved the world or anything in it did not have Father's love in them. The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and boasting of what he had or did came not from the Father, but the world. The world and its desires passed away, but those who did God's will lived forever (1 John 2:12-17). Grow spiritually with forgiven sins, overcome evil one and know God so you don't love the world.

Listen to Holy Spirit's Teaching Ministry to Prevent Being Led Astray
Knowing that many antichrists went out from the church proved they were not true believers. The anointing from the Holy One enabled them to know the truth. The liar denied the Father, Son and that Jesus was the Christ. They remained in the Son and Father by making sure they remained in what they heard from the beginning. He promised eternal life. The anointing received from Him taught them all things to prevent being led astray (1 John 2:18-27). Listen to the Holy Spirit's teaching ministry to prevent being led astray by lies.

Fix Hope on Christ's Coming for Purification from Sin
Continuing in Christ allowed them to be confident without shame at His coming. The Father lavished His love to be called children of God. The world did not know them because it did not know Him. In the future when Christ appeared again, they would be like Him because they saw Him as He was. Even this hope purified everyone. Those who sinned broke the law. Christ who was without sin appeared to take away sin. People who saw, knew or lived in Him did not continue sinning being righteous like Him. Sinful folks were of the devil since they sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared to destroy the devil's work. Someone's new nature could not sin being born of God. Children of the devil sinned being unrighteousness and not loving their brothers (1 John 2:28-3:10). Fix your hope on Christ's coming to be purified from sin.

Share Material Possessions with Needy to Show Love
Cain belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother because his actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. The world hated true believers. Loving their brothers proved they passed from death to life. Those who hated their brothers were murderers without eternal life in Him. Laying down one's life for his brother followed Jesus' example who laid down his life for them. They showed love by sharing material possessions with their needy brother. Love meant actions and truth, not words or tongue (1 John 3:11-20). Share material possessions with the needy to show love.

Receive Answered Prayer Through Obedience
Those confident before God received anything they asked from Him because they obeyed His commands and did what pleased Him. They knew He lived in them by the Spirit He gave (1 John 3:21-24). Receive answered prayer by obeying His commands and pleasing Him through the Holy Spirit.

Answer the following questions that are results of proclaiming God's truth for joyful fellowship:
1. Are you walking like Jesus by loving God and others?
2. Are you growing spiritually by having your sins forgiven, evil one overcome and God known so you don't love the world?
3. Are you listening to the Holy Spirit's teaching ministry to prevent being led astray by lies?
4. Are you fixing your hope on Christ's coming to be purified from sin?
5. Are you sharing material possessions with the needy to show love?
6. Are you receiving answered prayer by obeying His commands and pleasing Him through the Holy Spirit?

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Study God's Promises to Grow in Christ (Insights in NT)

5/26/2013

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Study and remind yourself of God's promises in His word to avoid false teaching and being entangled in the world's corruption after escaping it. Repent and understand His word to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

Study God's Promises and Add Character to Your Faith
God's divine power gave everything needed for life and godliness through knowing Him. He called them to His glory and goodness through His precious promises to participate in the divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by evil desires. They made every effort to add to their faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Having these qualities in increasing measure kept them effective and productive in their knowledge of Christ, proved their cleansing from past sins and made their calling and election sure without falling. They received a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:1-11). Study God's promises and add character to your faith for participating in the divine nature.

Allow a Mentor to Remind You of God's Love and His Word
Peter refreshed their memory to never forget these things after being firmly established in the truth. He was an eyewitness of Christ's majesty when he heard God say, "This is my Son, whom I love: with Him I am well pleased." They must pay attention to the prophets until the morning star arose in their hearts. No prophecy of Scripture came from the prophet's will or interpretation, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Pet. 1:12-21). Allow a mentor to remind you of God's love and His word.

Avoid False Teaching to Remind Yourself of God's Judgment
False prophets and teachers secretly introduced destructive heresies denying the Lord who brought swift destruction upon them. False teachers disregarded truth and exploited believers with made-up stories. God sent sinning angels to hell for judgment, brought the flood upon the ungodly and burned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to make them an example. He protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with his family; and rescued Lot, a righteous man, distressed by the lawless deeds he saw and heard. God knew how to rescue godly men from trials and punish the unrighteous in the day of judgment (2 Pet. 2:1-9). Avoid false teaching to remind yourself of God's judgment of sin in Scripture.

Reject Entanglement in World's Corruption After Escaping It
Those with corrupt sinful natures who despised authority and slandered heavenly beings were paid back with harm. As experts in greed, they caroused in daylight filled with adultery, sinned continually and seduced the unstable. They followed the way of Balaam who loved the wages of wickedness being rebuked by a donkey that restrained the prophet's madness. These slaves of depravity mouthed empty and boastful words, appealed to the lust of sinful human nature and enticed those who just escaped from people living in error by promising freedom. They were worse off if they became entangled again and defeated after escaping the world's corruption by knowing Christ. It was better not to know the way of righteousness than to know and turn their backs on the sacred commandment like a dog returning to its vomit (2 Pet. 2:10-22). Reject entanglement in the world's corruption after escaping it by knowing Christ.

Repent Before Christ Comes Back Like a Thief
Peter stimulated them to wholesome thinking through the prophets and apostles. In the last days, scoffers followed their evil desires doubting Christ's second coming. They forgot that God's word created the heavens and earth and He destroyed the world with water. In the future, He would destroy the heavens and earth and judged ungodly men. The Lord was patient in keeping His promise not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone come to repentance. The day of the Lord would come like a thief when the heavens disappeared with a roar, elements destroyed by fire and the earth laid bare (2 Pet. 3:1-10). Repent before Christ comes back like a thief when the earth will be destroyed.

Understand Bible Accurately to Grow in Grace and Knowledge of Christ
They should live holy and godly lives since the world would be laid bare while looking forward to a new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness. They should be spotless, blameless and at peace with God. The Lord's patience meant salvation as Paul wrote. His letters contained some things hard to understand that ignorant and unstable people distorted like other Scriptures to their own destruction. Therefore, being on guard and not carried away by the error of lawless men to fall from their secure position, they were to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ for His glory (2 Pet. 3:11-18). Understand the Bible accurately so you can grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

Study God's promises daily to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.

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Process and Benefits of Healing (Insights in NT)

5/23/2013

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People experience healing after suffering through genuine faith, obeying God redeems them from empty life, growing spiritually by drinking God's word, becoming a living stone to offer spiritual sacrifices, and enduring injustice while entrusting themselves to Christ. A healed person influences God and their spouse and becomes a peacemaker in various spheres of life through harmony, humility, peace and exalting Christ in his speech.

Show Genuine Faith By Loving Christ and Enduring Suffering
Peter wrote to strangers scattered throughout various provinces chosen according to God's foreknowledge by the Holy Spirit's sanctifying work for obedience to Christ and His blood. His great mercy gave them new birth into a living hope through Christ's resurrection. They received an eternal inheritance reserved in heaven through faith in God's power. While on earth, they suffered grief in all kinds of trials to refine and prove their faith as genuine and more valuable than gold. By loving and believing in Christ, they brought praise, glory and honor to Him. They were filled with inexpressible and glorious joy leading to the salvation of their souls. The prophets searched intently for the revelation of the sufferings and glory of Christ spoken to them through the gospel (1 Pet. 1:1-12). Show genuine faith by loving Christ, enduring suffering and waiting for your eternal inheritance.

Be Redeemed From an Empty Life by Obeying God
Peter commanded self-control as they prepared their minds for action and set their hope on God's grace given when Jesus was revealed. Imitating God through a holy life prevented conformity to evil desires when they lived in ignorance. Christ' precious blood redeemed them from emptiness and spurred a reverent belief in God who raised Jesus from the dead to glory. Obeying the truth caused purity and sincere love of their brothers. They were born again through the imperishable seed of the living and enduring word of God. All men were like grass that withered but God's word that was preached stood forever (1 Pet. 1:13-25). Be redeemed from an empty life by obeying God's word in new birth, purity and sincere love of the brothers.

Grow Spiritually as You Drink God's Word
Eliminating malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander, they should crave spiritual milk like newborn babies to grow up in their salvation. By coming to the living Stone, they were built up like living stones into a spiritual house as a holy priesthood offering spiritual sacrifices. Those who trusted in Christ, the precious cornerstone, never were put to shame. Those who rejected Him stumbled and fell because they disobeyed the message. As a chosen people, royal priesthood, holy nation and a people belonging to God, they declared His praises who called them out of darkness into His wonderful light. Being aliens and strangers in the world who received mercy as His people meant abstaining from sinful desires that waged war against their soul. When unbelievers saw their good deeds, they glorified God (1 Pet. 2:1-12). Grow spiritually as you drink God's word and become a living stone offering spiritual sacrifices.

Heal Spiritually by Enduring Injustice
Submission to all human and political authorities silenced ignorant and foolish talk. Being free as a servant of God was not a cover-up for evil. They were to show proper respect, love believers, fear God, honor the king and submit to both good and harsh masters. He called them to suffer for doing good because Christ suffered and left an example for them to follow in His steps. He committed no sin or deceit. When they hurled insults at Christ, He did not retaliate. When He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to God who judged justly. Christ bore their sins in His body on the tree so they would die to sin and live for righteousness. His wounds healed them from going astray since they returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of their souls (1 Pet. 2:13-25).
Heal spiritually by enduring injustice and entrusting yourself to Christ.

Influence God and Your Husband By Submission
Submission of wives to their husbands won over disobedient spouses by purity and reverence. Wives' true beauty came from a gentle and quiet spirit of great worth to God. Sarah called Abraham her master by doing right without fear. Husbands should treat their wives with respect as a weaker partner and heir of the gracious gift of life so nothing would hinder their prayers (1 Pet. 3:1-7). Influence God and your husband by a submissive attitude.

Become a Peacemaker Through Harmony, Humility and Exalting Christ
They inherited a blessing by living in harmony with love, compassion, humility and not repaying evil with evil. To love life and see good days, they kept their tongue from evil and deceitful speech, turned from evil and did good, and pursued peace. God's eyes were on the righteous being attentive to their prayers. Those who suffered doing right were blessed. They set apart Christ as Lord in their hearts and prepared themselves to give a reason for their hope with gentleness and respect. It shamed those who slandered good behavior in Christ. His resurrection saved them and Christ went into heaven at God's right hand with angels, authorities and powers submitting to Him (I Pet. 3:8-22). Become a peacemaker through harmony, love, humility, peace and exalting Christ in your speech.

Here is the process for healing:
1. Show genuine faith by loving Christ, enduring suffering and waiting for your eternal inheritance
2. Be redeemed from an empty life by obeying God's word in new birth, purity and sincere love of the brothers
3. Grow spiritually as you drink God's word and become a living stone offering spiritual sacrifices.
4. Heal spiritually by enduring injustice and entrusting yourself to Christ

Here are the benefits of healing:
1. Influence God and your husband by a submissive attitude
2. Become a peacemaker through harmony, love, humility, peace and exalting Christ in your speech

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Tipping Point of Kingdom Growth (Insights in NT)

6/14/2011

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A tipping point is a culmination of a build-up of small changes that effects a big change. Malcolm Gladwell popularized the concept in his book, "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference," showing examples of technologies, procedures, services or philosophies reaching critical mass and becoming mainstream. In New York City, for example, subways were cleaned of graffiti, which led to a sharp decrease in the crime rate after 1990. The kingdom of God has its own tipping point when Christ compared it to a mustard seed (smallest of all seeds) and leaven (obscure material) that grows like a tree, and leavens bread, respectively.

Neither the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with the Roman sacrifices nor the 18 killed when the Siloam tower collapsed on them were greater sinners than those still alive. Unless you repent, you will also perish. For three years, a fig tree did not produce fruit. If the tree did not bear fruit the fourth year after putting fertilizer around it, he would cut it down (Lk. 13:1-9). God designs circumstances so people repent of sin and bear fruit.

A woman stood erect after being bent double for 18 years with a sickness caused by a spirit when Jesus laid His hands on her. The Sabbath healing upset a synagogue official. Jesus said they were hypocritical because they untied their ox and watered them on the Sabbath. Shouldn't a daughter of Abraham be released from Satan's bonds? All His opponents were humiliated and the entire multitude rejoiced over the glorious things done by Him (Lk. 13:10-17). Jesus wants to release people from Satan's bonds so they can experience freedom.

Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed that grew and became a tree. The kingdom of God is also like leaven that a woman hid in meal until it was leavened (Lk. 13:18-21). God's kingdom spreads throughout the world from small beginnings to impact a person from the inside out.

When someone asked if just a few are saved, Jesus said to enter by the narrow door since many seek to enter without success. Those who know God's will, will eat and drink with Christ and those left out will experience weeping and gnashing of teeth (Lk. 13:22-30). God's kingdom is revealed to those who do God’s will.

The Pharisees told Christ to leave since Herod wanted to kill Him. He told them of His goal to cast out demons and perform cures until His death and resurrection. Christ expressed His sorrow over His people rejecting and not seeing Him again until His Second Coming (Lk. 13:31-35).Christ calls on everyone to receive His death and resurrection.

To show how God's kingdom grows corporately, use a chiastic structure beginning with the first paragraph: A, B, C, D, C', B' A'. We group together the content in A & A', B & B', etc.:

1. God desires people to repent of their sin and personally receive His death and resurrection
2. God desires people to bear fruit in their lives by accepting His rule
3. God works from the inside out by releasing people from bondage to Satan so they experience freedom.
4. God's kingdom spreads throughout the world from small beginnings.

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Proclaim God's Truth for Joyful Fellowship (Insights in NT)

Study God's Promises to Grow in Christ (Insights in NT)

Process and Benefits of Healing (Insights in NT)

Tipping Point of Kingdom Growth (Insights in NT)

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