Christians, We must grow in God

 

Symptoms of lack of growth

-1 When I cannot tell my right from my left using the scriptures

-2 When I cannot commit to doing the word of God

-3 When every sermon or preaching is not checked against the scriptures

-4 When we cannot discipline ourselves to do God's instructions because it is hard

-5 When we cannot follow the instructions from God

 

Mark 8:34-35

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

 

As we grow, we must learn to deny our self indulgences

Hebrews 5:11

 

Acts 18:24-26

At that time a Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus. He was an educated man from Alexandria. He knew the Scriptures very well. 25 Apollos had been taught the way of the Lord. He spoke with great power. He taught the truth about Jesus. But he only knew about John’s baptism. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Priscilla and Aquila heard him. So they invited him to their home. There they gave him a better understanding of the way of God.

Galatians 4:19

My dear children, I am in pain for you like I was when we first met. I have pain like a woman giving birth. And my pain will continue until Christ makes you like himself.

 

I Peter 2:2

Like newborn babies, you should long for the pure milk of God’s word. It will help you grow up as believers.

Husbands love your wife
Parents love your children
Brothers love your siblings

Your title or responsibility does not exonerate you from true practice of love from a pure heart

Love must be real, sincere and active without hypocrisy
Let love be without dissimulation
- Deceptive simulation

When you love people, you must be genuine
Dissimulation means hiding what/who you are but pretending to be what/who you are not

You must demonstrate love for the family of God
- The world has reduce love to commodity item

Examples:
2 Samuel 20:8-11
David wanted something done and sent Amasa ahead of time. Joad was nephew to David, was the General of the army
When they were at Gibeon, Amasa knew Joab very well, an army officer in Israel.
Joab had a military garment with sword underneath his garment.
Joab said to Amasa,
" My brother, Are you doing well ?
You look great today ? How is everything going with you ?"
As he drew him close to give him a big hug, he reached out with sword and stabbed him in the stomach
and his entrails fell out -- that the man died on the spot !

Sometimes we worry about being stabbed in the back !

Mathew 26:47-50
Jesus had 12 disciples he had been with for 3 years
Judas came one of the 12 that was selected and appointed.
He gave the sign that whomsoever I shall kiss, you should take hold off and arrest.

2 Corinthians 6:4-7

We must learn to love for us to have sincere Love
1 Timothy 1:5

Prayer
Lord help me to love all my friends
Love help me to love everyone in my neighborhood , in my workplace, in my family

Sincere love

Backstabbing, slander, lies , cheating and the likes have become rampant among church-going folks which betrays the love of Christ. We need to return to the practice of sincere love without hypocrisy.

Love must be real, sincere and active without hypocrisy
Let love be without dissimulation because God is love !

 

Romans 12
- Offer sacrifice in Holiness
- Transformation
- Having clear knowledge that you bring to church
- Faithfulness to God
-v9 -- Let love be without dissimulation

- Deceptive simulation

When you love people, you must be genuine
Dissimulation means hiding what/who you are but pretending to be what/who you are not

You must demonstrate love for the family of God
- The world has reduce love to commodity item

Examples 1:
2 Samuel 20:8-11
David wanted something done and sent Amasa ahead of time. Joad was nephew to David, was the General of the army
When they were at Gibeon, Amasa knew Joab very well, an army officer in Israel.
Joab had a military garment with sword underneath his garment.
Joab said to Amasa,
" My brother, Are you doing well ?
You look great today ? How is everything going with you ?"
As he drew him close to give him a big hug, he reached out with sword and stabbed him in the stomach
and his entrails fell out -- that the man died on the spot !

Sometimes we worry about being stabbed in the back !

Example 2: Mathew 26:47-50
Jesus had 12 disciples he had been with for 3 years
Judas came one of the 12 that was selected and appointed.
He gave the sign that whomsoever I shall kiss, you should take hold off and arrest.

2 Corinthians 6:4-7

We must learn to love for us to be genuine christians

1 Timothy 1:5

Prayer
Lord help me to love all my friends
Lord help me to love everyone in my neighborhood , in my workplace, in my family

How to pray ...... when you can't pray

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Taught July 2018
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You don't have to be macho in the place of prayer
You don't have to be tough when praying

- Tell God you are scared to death ... but now I need help
- Let your conversation be honest with God Alone
- Others are there to help but don't over-rely on others

Prayers are not meant to be fancy but meant to speak to God

Matthew 26:36-56 English Standard Version (ESV)

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch[a] with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.[b] See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

John 17 - Jesus Prays to Be Glorified
17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

What should you pray for
- Lord deliver me from temptation
- Lord let me know you better
- Lord help me to change through honest conversation with you

Understand who you are in God
There shall be no divination against You !
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Learn to Stand upon the word of God

Numbers 22
Then the Israelites moved and set up camp across from Jericho, on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River.
2 Balak, son of Zippor, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. 3 The Moabites were very afraid because there were so many Israelites. Besides, the Moabites couldn’t stand these people.
King of Moab wanted to curse the children of Israel.

There shall be no curse that will operate in your life in the name of Jesus

A curse can reverse every good you have experienced or enjoyed
A curse is an over-hanging power constantly speaking negativity
A curse is a force that makes all goodness operate as if they were not intended for your good

How shall I curse whom God has not cursed ? Said Balam .

Sources of Curses
- Known foes
- Unknown Foes
- Unknowable influences

Divinations are prophetic negative powers

1 Samuel 2:27
Prophecy Against the House of Eli
27 Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? 28 I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. 29 Why do you[a] scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’
30 “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. 31 The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age, 32 and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age. 33 Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.

Note
-1- There are some things you can fight by your power
-2- There are some things you cannot see
-3- There are some things when they begin to manifest in your life, you need God's divine power of deliverance
-4- Children of Israel were blissfully unaware of frantic effort of Balak to curse them

Prayer Point
- Lord, Every curse, every spoke word, every divination , every agreement against my life,
I overrule by the word of God in the name of Jesus Christ

- No weapon formed against me shall prosper

Isaiah 54:17 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.

Number 23:9-11

Ephesians 6:14-17 King James Version (KJV)
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14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

The almighty God deserves to be praised for His goodness, mercies, blessings and providence. Have you taken some time to appreciate His blessings and enumerate all the things He has done for you ?

Give thanks to the Lord for His faithfulness.

Sing praises to His name and declare forth His wonders. For he has done great and mighty things for us.

Numbers 6:24-26 New King James Version (NKJV)

 

What's the big idea?

While the primary purpose of the book of Esther was to relate the dramatic origins of the feast of Purim, a greater theme shines through the story. The sovereignty and faithfulness of God permeate each scene. Nothing is truly coincidental, the book of Esther says to us. God’s sovereignty is best summarized in Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther: “And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

When events seemed out of control to Esther and Mordecai, when the king dictated ruin for their people, when evil was poised to triumph . . . God was at work. He worked through their dark days (Esther was taken to the harem [2:1–16]), their faithful obedience (Esther risked her life before the king [5:1–3]), and their victories (Esther revealed Haman’s plot and the Jews’ destruction of their enemies [7–9]). This message is clear: God is sovereign even when life doesn’t make sense.

God is also the great Promise Keeper. Mordecai said to Esther: “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish” (Esther 4:14). Mordecai’s words reflected his faith that God would honor His eternal covenant with Abraham and David.

How do I apply this?

Life can be hard. Difficult times happen, and pain cannot be avoided. When life doesn’t make sense, do you turn to God or away from Him? Let the book of Esther encourage you that God is always present. Jesus called us “friends” ( John 15:15), and the Spirit is our “Helper” (14:26). Trust and obey, as Esther did. And watch God silently weave all events for His glory . . . and for our good.

 

Why is Esther so important?

Esther is the only book in the Bible not to mention the name of God. But that is not to say that God was absent. His presence permeates much of the story, as though He were behind the scenes coordinating “coincidences” and circumstances to make His will happen.

Much like the book of Ruth, this book stands as one of the most skillfully written biblical books. Using eight feasts to systematically build and resolve suspense, the author constructed the story chiastically—using a Hebrew literary device in which events mirror each other inversely. Early listeners to the story would have recognized significant events and followed the rising tension with understanding.

Haman, the king’s evil second-in-command, was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, who were ancient enemies of God’s people (Numbers 24:7; 1 Samuel 15:8). He cast the lot, called “pur,” in order to determine the day that the Jews would be exterminated (Esther 3:7–9). The feast of Purim, still celebrated by Jews today, commemorates the Jews’ deliverance from Haman’s plot (9:24–32).

What's the big idea?

Ezra’s narrative reveals two main issues faced by the returning exiles: (1) the struggle to restore the temple (Ezra 1:1–6:22) and (2) the need for spiritual reformation (7:1–10:44). Both were necessary in order for the people to renew their fellowship with the Lord.

A broader theological purpose is also revealed: God keeps His promises. Through the prophets, God had ordained that His chosen people would return to their land after a seventy-year exile. Ezra’s account proclaims that God kept His word, and it shows that when God’s people remained faithful to Him, He would continue to bless them. Hence, the book emphasizes the temple and proper worship, similar to Chronicles (which was also written during these days).

 

How do I apply this?

God moved the hearts of secular rulers (Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes) to allow, even encourage and help, the Jewish people to return home. He used these unlikely allies to fulfill His promises of restoration for His chosen people. Have you encountered unlikely sources of blessing? Have you wondered how God can really work all things together for the good of those who are called by His name (Romans 8:28)? Take time today to acknowledge God’s sovereignty and mercy in your life. Recommit to Him your trust, your love, and your obedience.

Why is Ezra so important?

The book of Ezra provides a much-needed link in the historical record of the Israelite people. When their king was dethroned and captured and the people exiled to Babylon, Judah as an independent nation ceased to exist. The book of Ezra provides an account of the Jews’ regathering, of their struggle to survive and to rebuild what had been destroyed. Through his narrative, Ezra declared that they were still God’s people and that God had not forgotten them.

In the book of Ezra we witness the rebuilding of the new temple, the unification of the returning tribes as they shared common struggles and were challenged to work together. Later, after the original remnant had stopped work on the city walls and spiritual apathy ruled, Ezra arrived with another two thousand people and sparked a spiritual revival. By the end of the book, Israel had renewed its covenant with God and had begun acting in obedience to Him.

Ezra also contains one of the great intercessory prayers of the Bible (Ezra 9:5–15; see Daniel 9 and Nehemiah 9 for others). His leadership proved crucial to the Jews’ spiritual advancement.