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The Believers' Calling Part 1 – Call To Be With Him

8/3/2022

Believers' Calling is to know, love, and be like the Master. This comes before doing great work or service for God as God does not use untried, untested, and unproven vessel

When a soul first comes to the Lord, there is joy both in heaven and in the heart of the believer (Luk 15:7). God’s first desire and plan for the new believer is to make His abode in him. This is because God wants to build a personal relationship with every individual that comes to Him (Rev 3:20). This supersedes any assignment or calling we think God has for us. This also come before any zeal we may have for Him or His work. He does not use an untried, untested, and unproven vessel (Heb 13:5).

Jesus gathered His disciples first and foremost “…that they should be with him”

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The Spiritual Family 1

7/22/2022

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The Family of God Part 1

When we understand the nature and operation of the natural family, it will be easy to understand the nature and operation of the spiritual family. This is because in His omnipotence, God patterns the spiritual family after the natural family on earth (Mar 3:25).

We know that those who claim to be members of natural family are related by blood and are connected to the same DNA. This happens when parents come together to express love in union and a birth occurs as the product of such union. That child carries the same blood code and DNA of the parents. So, it is in the spiritual family.

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Disciple and Discipline 1:

7/8/2022

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Redeeming The Time

How a believer can effectively manage and be a good steward of the time, resources, gifts, graces, and calling of God.

One of the direct calls of Jesus to believers is in Eph 5:16 and Col 4:5. Read.

What does it mean to “redeem the time?”

To “redeem” means to exchange for something; to convert, to maximize use or put something into effective or productive use.
Believers are asked to redeem time, resources, gifts, calling, knowledge, doctrine, etc. to bring glory to God (Ecc 9:10, Rom 12:11, 1Cor 9:24-26, Col 3: 23).

This means disciples are to be good stewards and custodian of these things (1Tim 4:14, 1Pet 4:9-11).
This requires discipline.

Discipline is defined as “…to obey rules or code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.”

Christ redeemed us from:

The law (Gal 3:13)
Sin (Col 1:14, Rom 5:6 Rom 6:14)
The world (Joh 16:33)
Death (2Cor 1:10, 1Cor 15:55-57)
Eternal damnation (Heb 9:12)
Our own body (Rom 7:24, 1Cor 6:20).

As disciples of the Lord, therefore, Christ wants us to:

Manifest the victories from what He has redeemed us from (Rom 6:12, Rom 8:13, Col 3:5)
Maintain the redemption He has given us through a life of self-discipline.

However, discipline requires obedience "...to obey rules or code of behavior", and if necessary, take punishment to correct disobedience or shortcomings (2Cor 10:6, Heb 12:4-11).

What is the consequence of not redeeming the time? (Eph 4:30)
How can a believer, through discipline, redeem the following areas of life?:

Time (1Cor 3:1-3, 2Tim 4:1-4, Heb 5:12)
Body (1Cor 3:16-7, 6:19, 9:27, 1Pet 2:11)
Passions (Rom 8:13, Col 3:5, Gal 5:19-22, Eph 4:22, 5:3-6)
Life and living (Rom 14:8, 1Jn 2:15-17).

The following are some characteristics of a believer who is yet to commit to a life of discipline and redemption in the gathering:

Cause division and strife (Rom 13:13, 1Cor 11:18, 2Tim 2:23)
Arrested spiritual development (1Cor 3:1-3, Heb 5:12-14, Col 3:16)
One leg in the world (carnal mind) Rom 8:7, 1Cor 3:1-4)
Habitually wrestling with doctrine (2Pet 3:16, 1Tim 1:4, 6:3-5, 2Tim 2:23, Tit 3:9)
Not function in their gift, calling, or grace to edify the body (1Th 5:11, Eph 4:7, 1Cor 14, 1Tim 4;14)
A “manner” to forsake the assembly, or a habit/lifestyle to be late to fellowship (Heb 10:25)
No respect for leadership (1Thes 5:12-14, Heb 13:7,17)
No regard for unity in the body (1Cor 1:10, Eph 4:3)

Further reading: 1The 5:14, Rom 16:17-18, 1Tim 6:3-5).

If there was anytime in history Christ wants us to be diligent and be good steward of all He has blessed us with, it is now, because "the days are evil" (Eph 4:16), and the time is short.

When we put into maximum use all His graces and blessings in our lives, particularly living a life above sin,

We lift Jesus up and declare to the world the power of His salvation
We truly pray the prayer "thy kingdom come"

Then, God can "draw all men" to Himself (Joh 12:32).

However, if we do not redeem the time, we grieve the Holy Spirit and we break the seal of our redemption (Eph 4:30).

Brethren, let us be a good steward of the time, resources, gifts, calling, knowledge, and grace God has given us.

"To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1Sam 15;22).

Exercises:

In what areas do I need to examine myself as regards discipline? (2Cor 13:5).
How has the gift, calling, and grace of God in my life be a blessing to others other than myself?
In what specific area above I’m I struggling with discipline in the body?

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The Believers' Calling - Part 2: Call to the Purpose of Christ

6/30/2022

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Call to Purpose and Grace

2Tim 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

As believers, we are first and foremost called to testify of the saving power of Jesus immediately we are saved and baptized. This is call to purpose and grace; it precedes and supersedes call to ministry.

Call to Purpose and Grace

2Tim 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

2 important points in the verse:

He Saved us

Salvation is the first gift of God to us which is “by grace through faith” (Eph 2:8, Tit 3:5).
We are saved from the consequences of what Satan did which brought sin and death to mankind (Rom 3:23, 5:12), to the miracle of what Jesus did on the cross which brought grace and salvation to mankind (Rom 5:12-19).

2. He Called us

As many as have been saved and redeemed by the blood of Christ are called into “His own purpose and grace.”
This calling is directional (Act 9:6, 1Tim 4:14)
This calling is conditional (1Cor 1:26-31)

As believers, we must understand that calling is as important to our salvation as the salvation itself (1Cor 1:26, 2Pe 1:5-8).

We are not just saved and waiting for Christ to take us on a joyride to heaven, we are saved for Christ’s purpose, otherwise, our salvation is unprofitable to Christ and to God on earth (Php 2:12-13).

The Purpose of Christ is that He saved us:

To be useful for Him while on earth (Mat 16:15)
To occupy and testify of Him and for Him (Luk 19:13)
To have victory and demonstrate His power and authority over sin, Satan, demons, and the world (Mat 16:19, Mat 18:18, Luk 9:1, Col 1:13, 1Pet 2:9).

We don’t have to be ordained or hold a special leadership training, skill, or position to do this (1Cor 12:7). This is the basics of being a Christian.

What is the call for the “purpose of Christ” to a believer after the salvation experience?
Discuss the consequences of not entering or functioning in this calling?

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Who is a Disciple?

6/21/2022

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Who is a Disciple?
The Greek word which translates to disciple in English is "mathetes.” It literarily means an “apprentice,” “pupil,” or “student.”
In Biblical terms, it means one who sits at the feet of Jesus to learn (Mat 24:3, Mar 3:14).

The word Disciple is also a derivative of the word Discipline.

It thus means that a Disciple is:

A “disciplined one” (Act 4:13, Phi 3:12)
A follower of Jesus (Mat 9:9, Mat 4:19, Mat 8:22)
A learner (Mat 11:28-30, Eph 4:20-21, 2Tim 2:15)
One who lives a life of denial and sacrifice (Mat 16:24, Luk 14:27, Phi 3:10, 1Pet 4:1-2)
One who lives in accordance with the teaching of the master (Gal 2:20, 1Tim 6:3)
One who lives to please his master (1Tim 2:4, 2Cor 5:9; 1The 2:4, Heb 11:6).

Attributes of a Disciple

Ready to learn from his master (Mat 11:29)
Have a teachable spirit (Mar 4:10-20)

Resemble his master (Mat 10:25)
Learn obedience (Phi 2:8, Heb 5:8, 10:36)
Learn humility (Phi 2:5-7, Jas 4:10)
Be a team player (1Cor 3:6-9, 2Cor 6:1, 2Cor 8:23, 3Jn 1:8)
Ready to suffer persecution (2Tim 3:12, 2Cor 12:10)
Good managers (of time, resources, people, gifts, doctrine, and knowledge). 2Tim 4:1-4, 2Tim 3:1-6, Tit 2:1)
Ready to live a life of suffering (1Pet 2:21, 1Pet 4:1, 12-16, 2Tim 1:8).

Exercises

Which of the definitions do I find most interesting and relatable to my personal life?
Which of the attributes do I find most challenging in my faith walk?

Discuss Acts 4:13 and 1Cor 3.

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The Believers' Calling Part 1 – Call To Be With Him

The Spiritual Family 1

The Family of God Part 1

Disciple and Discipline 1:

Redeeming The Time

The Believers' Calling - Part 2: Call to the Purpose of Christ

Call to Purpose and Grace

Who is a Disciple?

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