A Crucified Life - - Recognizes The Call of TheTrinity

 While the word "trinity" in and of itself is not used in the Bible, it is implied in The Scriptures.  Matthew 28:19 "Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 

Reference also: John 15:26, Luke 1:35. 

     ISAIAH 48:16

"Come near unto Me, hear this:  I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now The Lord GOD, and His Spirit, have sent Me."

    Isaiah 11:2

The Spirit of The LORD will rest on Him—The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and strength, The Spirit of knowledge and fear of The LORD. 

    Matthew 3:16

As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw The Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him.

    Isaiah 42:1

“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in Whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations."

    All of these verses tell us God, His Christ and His Spirit - -Three Persons in One. We are called to "Come near and hear". Hear The Word of The Lord. There are 147 verses specifically saying to us "Hear The Word of The LORD". God repeats Himself to instill in us the necessity of hearing Him speak to us. 

    In Revelation, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" is spoken at the end of each letter written to the seven churches. 

-Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29

-Revelation 3:6, 13, 22

    To hear The Word of The Lord is to receive The Word not only into our hearing but into our hearts, where The Word takes root and grows into fulness within us, strengthening us and perfecting us. For we are God's covenant people. Becoming holy is a necessity; it is The Blood of God's Christ applied to our sins which cleanses us from all unrighteousness. It is The Spirit of God Who makes us holy throughout our lifetimes. 

    To hear The Word of The Lord is to obey The Word of The Lord wholeheartedly and in The Love of The Lord. We  are thrilled to be called to do something for Him...because we love Him. 

    Obedience requires trust; trusting that God has a plan and a purpose for the immediate work at hand even if we can't see how it could possibly work out. 

    Obedience requires faith in God; faith to persevere through difficult times; faith to continue the journey even when tears blind our eyes. Faith to follow Christ even when our families and friends threaten us, beat us, kill us. 

    We answer the call of The Trinity to "Come near" and listen. For God speaks with a quiet voice. We need to "be still and know that He Is Lord". We must allow ourselves to remain in His presence and not be distracted by the other voices calling out our names, voices that keep us from His presence and prevent us from hearing what The Word has to say to us. 

    We are instructed to be wise and gain instruction (Proverbs 1:5), but the entire Book of Proverbs is filled with Words of Wisdom. We need to read it with understanding that we may learn what is required of those who read it. This is hearing The Word of The Lord. 

    I could go on, but perhaps the rest of this study should be concluded by yourselves. What are you hearing when you "Come Near" to God, His Christ and His Spirit?

CALLED BY THE TRINITY

Trust - Sixpence None The Richer

Hear The Word of The Lord - Kingsmen

Walk By Faith - Jeremy Camp

Word of God Speak - MercyMe

Waiting Here For You - Martin Smith 

 

The Lord Is - - July 2023

 

    JEHOVAH QANNA

(pronounced yeh-ho-vaw' kan-naw')

        JEALOUS

Exodus 34:14

For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 4:24

For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

Hebrews 12:29

"For our God is a consuming fire."

TEHILLAH

(pronounced teh-hil-law')

MY PRAISE

Jeremiah 17:15

Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for You are My Praise.

Deuteronomy 10:21

He is your Praise and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome wonders that your eyes have seen.

QADOSH

(pronounced kaw-doshe')

HOLY

Isaiah 57:15

For thus says the One Who is high and lifted up, Who inhabits eternity, Whose Name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite."

    Eternity is a destination, a place; a destination to be sought and found. It is one of the places where God lives. As this verse tells us, God also inhabits--lives in, dwells with--the person who is contrite (repentant) and of a lowly spirit (humble, meek) that He may revive us (restore, give new life to). 

    HOLY IS THE LORD

Exodus 15:11

Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You--majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?

Isaiah 6:3

And they were calling out to one another: "Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory."

Revelation 4:8

And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, Who was and Who is and Who is to come.”

1 Corinthians 3:17

If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

TSEMACH

(pronounced tseh'-makh)

BRANCH

Zechariah 3:8

Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, you, and your fellows that sit before you: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth My Servant The BRANCH.

Isaiah 4:2

On that day The Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of Israel's survivors.

Isaiah 11:1

Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.

Jeremiah 23:5

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land.

EIRENE

(pronounced i-ray'-nay)

PEACE

Ephesians 2:13,14

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Jesus Christ. For He Himself is our Peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility.

{From Strong's:1515 eirḗnē (from eirō, "to join, tie together into a whole") – properly, wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together; peace (God's gift of wholeness). }

Ephesians 2:15

by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and decrees. He did this to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace.

Colossians 1:19, 20

For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.

No One Is Good Enough

 

        There are a lot of good people in hell. The only righteous people in hell are the self-righteous who believed themselves "good enough" to go to heaven on their own merits. But no one is "good enough" to go to heaven on their own. We all need The Savior God provided to get us into the eternal presence of God. And we all need the Spirit of God to make us ready to meet God. That Savior is Jesus Christ The Only Begotten Son of God. And that Spirit is The Holy Spirit of God.

 THE FIRST RICH MAN

   In the parable of the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-31), we learn that we must be willing to surrender -give up- all that we think we need in order to obtain that which we most need: salvation through Jesus Christ. 

    In Romans 3:10, Paul is writing to the young church in Rome, reminding them that no one is righteous on their own merits. Nothing any of us can do will gain us entrance into God's presence. Regardless of nationality (vs 9), everyone is unrighteous until we believe The Word of Truth which the gospel Is. 

    Jesus even tells us Himself that He is the Way into God's presence (John 14:6) and the Door/Gate (John 10:9). Without the righteousness of Jesus Christ covering our sins we will never be good enough to enter into God's eternal presence and remain there with Him. 

THE OTHER RICH MAN

    Luke 16:19-31 tells us of a different rich man. An arrogant, self-centered, self-righteous man who not only knew there was a beggar parked outside his gates, but he knew the beggar's name was Lazarus, though it appears they never interacted. Rich men have other men do for them what needs to be done, including finding out about other people. 

    Anyway, both men die around the same time. But one goes to hell while the other goes to Paradise (for heaven's entrance was not yet opened to the general public, Christ not having died and risen yet). Both have all their faculties intact. 

    We know this because they can see each other, hear each other. Each has all their senses and intellect. While Lazarus is resting comfortably in Abraham's arms, the rich man is miserable and will remain so until hell is destroyed (Revelation 20:14).

    Yet, the rich man does not speak to Lazarus. Though both are dead, the rich man still deems Lazarus beneath him and instead directs his conversation towards Abraham, whom he sees as a worthy conversant; expecting his demands to be met, but not expecting to have his wishes ignored. 

    In both heaven and hell people can still think, still hear, still smell, still talk, still see, still taste, still hunger, still thirst. They are aware of their surroundings and very much aware that they cannot leave. The people in heaven do not want to leave. Both want their loved ones to avoid hell, but neither can do anything about it. 

ONLY YOU AND I

    The only one who can pray themselves out of hell and into heaven is the individual who still roams this earth on the topside. Only you and I can repent of our sins. Only you and I can read The Holy Bible for ourselves and choose to obey God here and now. 

    Only you and I can believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. That Jesus was buried in a tomb and rose after three days. Only you and I can celebrate our redemption through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, after we repent, believe and receive. Only you and I can pursue God in this life He has given us to live. 

    Only you and I can ask God's Holy Spirit to make us holy enough where "good enough" will not work. The people in hell have wasted their opportunities to obtain grace. God did not send them there: they entered hell willingly because they chose to disregard God's grace in their lifetimes. 

    There's only one Door, one Way, to God and His Name is Jesus. I've made this decision to enter that Door and walk in that Way. Have you? No fancy prayers are needed. Just kneel before God, repent (confess your sins to Him and turn away from doing those things) and believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, is God's only begotten Son and be baptized. Ask for His Holy Spirit to help you live a born again life, for that is what is happening: you are being born again by water and by Spirit into the kingdom of God. 

    Eternal life is a born again life. I'm living that life. The life I used to live I no longer live for I have Christ living in me and The Holy Spirit of God moving through me to fulfill God's purpose, God's will, for my life. 

    

    THE GOSPEL

The Gospel - Ryan Stevenson

 The Gospel - Eric Ludy

There Is One Gospel - CityAlight

 His Name Is Jesus - Jeremy Riddle

King of Glory - Third Day

 Washed By The Blood - CityAlight

Redeemed - Big Daddy Weave

    BILLY GRAHAM: NO OTHER WAY

The CupBearer & The Cups

 

The CupBearer is God. In His hands are two cups. One cup contains His wrath and one cup contains His blessing. Which cup do you want Him to pour out on you? 

THE CUP OF WRATH

    In the cup of wrath is the wine of God's fury (Revelation 14:10). As told against the nations in Jeremiah's time (Jeremiah 25:15-38), this cup is dreadful and has horrific consequences for those destined to drink it. 

    This cup is the sword of The Lord (Jeremiah 25:16); it brings destruction and madness to the people whom it touches. This sword is blood-bathed in heaven (Isaiah 34:5,6) and brings death with it. It is a devouring sword, this cup of wrath (Deuteronomy 32:42), on God's enemies. 

    Who will drink this cup? The wicked (Job 21:20; Psalm 75:8;) will drink of the cup of wrath. Babylon (Revelation 16:19) and all who participated in Babylon's wickedness (Revelation 18:3). Those who burn incense to idols (Jeremiah 44:8). They who are called by The LORD but refuse to answer Him (Isaiah 65:11,12).

    What is the awful wine they will drink? Destruction, sulfur, fire; drunkenness and vomiting; death. Yet it will taste sweet on the tongue (Psalm 75:8), for it is a fermented intoxicating beverage mixed with spices. But its result is far worse than a hangover and no bloody Mary or hair of the dog will take away the pain of having drunk from this cup. 

    Do you really want to be one of those people who will have to drink from that cup because you rejected The Word of God and refused to believe on The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God? 

THE CUP OF BLESSING

    In the cup of blessing is Life Eternal. In 1 Corinthians 10:16 Paul tells us, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?". This is the cup from which we should want to drink. 

    In this cup is fellowship with Christ, a commitment to follow Him all the way (Matthew 26:26,27). Jesus has said that all who follow Him must take up their cross. (Don't worry about what your cross is: it will be revealed to you when you really need to know.) We will have many burdens to bear in this life, but we must lay them all down at the feet of Jesus, and let Him take care of them. Let us drink together  this cup of blessing and sacrificial love which The LORD God has prepared for them that love Him and obey His commandments, which are not burdensome (1 John 5:3,4). 

    The psalmist had a few words to speak regarding The LORD's cup. Psalm 16:5 "The LORD is My Chosen Portion and My Cup; You have made my lot secure." and again in 

Psalm 23:5 "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." And here in 

Psalm 104:15 "Wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart." 

    Wine that makes the heart happy. Oil that causes our faces to shine. Bread which sustains us. The wine of God's love, His grace and lovingkindness expressed through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, is what makes the heart happy. 

    The wine is the sacrifice we make when we choose to leave everything we have loved and follow Jesus Christ wherever He leads us. It is bittersweet and costly. Yet it is a greater loss to not drink this wine. John wrote, "He must increase, but I must decrease." It's not about me and what I want: it's about Him and what God wants. 

    The anointing of His Holy Spirit shines the reflection of God's love from within the born again believer that the whole world cannot help but notice, there's something different about that person. And we know that the difference noted is the indwelling of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through the power of The Holy Spirit. That's what you see when you see a real Christian. 

    Bread to sustain, strengthen, the heart. Not just any bread, but the Bread of Heaven, taken in daily when we read and study and pray over it, asking The Holy Spirit to apply it to our hearts and help us to live it the way God wants us to live it. 

    That's what's in the cup of blessing. I'm drinking from that cup. And I'm holding on to it with all my strength, no matter how much I struggle daily, because that's my blessing. And I'm not letting go. 

WHICH CUP WILL YOU CHOOSE?

    We can't drink from both cups, we have to choose one or the other. 

Paul writes in the letter to the church in Corinth:

    1 Corinthians 10:21 "You cannot drink of the cup of The Lord, and the cup of demons: you cannot be partakers of The Lord's table, and of the table of demons."

    And Joshua told the people they had to choose which god to serve and which God he chose to serve:

    Joshua told the people in his time (Joshua 24:15), "If it seems evil to you to serve The LORD, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve The LORD." 

    Paul reminds the church in Corinth (and us) in his second letter to them that unequal partnerships will fail and cannot intermingle. Where light is darkness cannot remain. 

  2 Corinthians 6:14-16 reminds us to be equal partners in righteousness and communion. That we are the temple of God: He lives in us, walks in us: The LORD is our God and we are His people. 

THE CUPBEARER & THE CUP

Behold The Lamb - Stuart Townend

My Portion - Isla Vista Worship

Fill My Cup - Andrew Ripp

Drinking From My Saucer - Michael Combs

Fill My Cup, Lord - (Hymns of Faith)

Where You Go, I Go - Jesus Culture

Lay It All Down - Will Reagan, United Pursuit

Just As I Am - (Hymns of Faith)

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Come Out of Darkness

 

    1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light. 

    What is this darkness out of which we were called? It is spiritual darkness. It is the darkness of thought and heart where the 'marvellous light' --the light of Christ Jesus--has not yet shined upon. 

    Figuratively speaking, it is the principle of sin and sin's results. Literally speaking, it is the outer darkness where sin reigns. It is outside of God's holiness and therefore cannot be in God's presence. 

    But we who choose to answer the call to salvation through Jesus Christ are brought into His marvellous light. 

OUR FAITH + HIS GRACE = ETERNAL LIFE

    This darkness out of which we have been delivered blinds the eyes of the heart and is the veil which prevents the light from entering the mind and its thoughts. We who now believe once stumbled in the dark in ignorance believing that the lies from the devil and being satisfied in them. 

    What lies? For example: "Everybody's doing it." Everybody was not doing it, whatever the "it" was when the devil tempted us to do it and we gave in. "All roads lead to God." All roads do not lead to God. There is only one Way to God and that is the Way of Holiness. It is an old path, a narrow path: few find it. 

    Wherever negativity is, Satan is; stirring up trouble and instigating wickedness. As he stirred up the mob, who shouted to crucify Christ (Matthew 27:22,23).

    Ephesians 6:12 tells us darkness has rulers and that the believer fights spiritual battles against them: 'For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.'

    1 John 4:4 encourages God's people in God's Word that "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." When we consider this verse we realize that God is referring to the god of this world, to Satan, and to Satan's minions (spirits of antichrist {see verse 3}). 

    In us we have The Holy Spirit of God, Who was sent to us after Christ left, having ascended into heaven to be with His Father. The Holy Spirit of God leads us along the Way of Holiness, drawing us ever closer to the Marvellous Light of God's Love. 

    I am so thankful I answered the call to leave the darkness and step into the Light. Now that I am no longer living in the darkness of this world, I can see the hand of God everywhere and I know His voice. 

CALLED OUT OF DARKNESS 

Here I Am To Worship/The Call - Hillsong Worship

Good, Good Father - Chris Tomlin

Living Waters - Hlengiwe Mhlaba

Spirit Lead Me - Michael Ketterer

I See The Lord - Lindell Cooley

 

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call To Serve God's Purpose

 

    2 Timothy 1:9

He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.

    GOD's GOOD PURPOSE

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Ephesians 1:4-6

For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.

    Romans 8:28,29

For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

    Philippians 2:13

For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose.

FULFILLING GOD's PURPOSE

    God knows you. He formed you, created you. He calls you and I to be one with Him through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. The call, the invitation, still cries out to the lost, the dying, the hopeless, the despairing, the lonely, the homeless. 

    His servants go into the alleys, the streets, highways and the thoroughfares, preaching the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ; teaching holiness and discipleship in the power of The Holy Spirit. We go that His purpose might be fulfilled not only in us but in those who believe and receive the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

    The kingdom of God advances every time a soul gets saved. Every time a sinner repents and is baptized into the Name of Jesus Christ, accepting Him as Lord and Savior of their lives, the enemy of our souls-Satan-loses another battle and The Lord gains a faithful follower and friend. 

    Everyone is predestined to salvation but not everyone will accept it. It is such an incredible thing to believe that Someone would die for us! It boggles the mind. But if the seed lands in the heart, then the heart begins the search for the Truth. Jesus Christ is The TRUTH. Therefore, everything He speaks and does is TRUTH. That's a fact that cannot be broken or misconstrued. 

    Paul tells in Romans 10:13 "For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved." That's me. That's you. 

    THE HOLY CALLING

Holy means set apart, sacred. Calling means invitation. God is giving us a sacred invitation to come near to Him. He calls us to repent of the sins which keep us separated from Him; for He is a holy God and requires His people to be holy as well. This can only happen when we keep a penitent heart, a humble spirit, a loving attitude towards God.

    Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD: "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool."

    Diving Love calls us into God's presence, where we recognize and realize that His love exceeds our sins and covers us completely when we sincerely let go of the desire to do that which has kept us separated from Him. As we reach God's presence, we drop all pretence and cry out to God to save us. And He does. 

    I am a sinner saved by grace. God's grace. God's purpose is being fulfilled in me. Who I was before my sins were forgiven is now who I am now that I am forgiven.

Ephesians 2:8-10

    (paraphrased) By grace am I saved through faith; not of myself: it is the Gift of God. 

    Not by works {that I have done}, so I cannot boast {of this miracle wrought in me}. 

    I am God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as my way of life.

FULFILLING GOD's PURPOSE

God So Loved - We The Kingdom

 Don't Let Your Heart Be Hardened - Petra

Have My Heart - Maverick City/TRIBL

 You Come For The Broken - UPPERROOM

God Has His Purpose - ASOP

 Refiner - Maverick City

Fly Eagle Fly - Whiteheart

 All My Hope - Crowder

Whosoever Meaneth Me - classic hymn

 Above All - Michael W. Smith

    

    

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Submit to God

 

    James 4:7

Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

     Submission to God is what I do. It is me putting myself under God's Authority, under God's protection, under God's hand. God will only place Himself where His people are. He will not interject Himself into any situation where He really is not wanted. 

UNDER HIS HAND

    1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

UNDER HIS PROTECTION

    Psalm 91:2

I will say of the LORD, He is my Refuge and my Fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.

UNDER HIS AUTHORITY

    Colossians 2:11

In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands.

THE GENTLEMAN CALLER

    Revelation 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.

    Submission to God requires humility on our part. We must put our pride aside and surrender to God's will for our lives. 

CALLED TO SUBMIT TO GOD

This Is The Kingdom - Elevation Worship

Nothing But The Blood - Matt Redman

I Just Need U - Toby Mac

All I Ever Wanted - Red Rocks Worship

Shepherd of My Soul - Rivers & Robots

Lose My Soul - TobyMac

Broken Vessels - Hillsong Worship

Eye of The Storm - Ryan Stevenson

Jesus Is Knocking At The Door 

For Those Tears I Died - Donnie Sumner

    

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Be A Living Sacrifice

 

    Romans 12:1

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

    What does it mean to be a living sacrifice? A sacrifice is giving up that which is precious to us. It's more than lent, it's given up to God. We give this sacrifice willingly, joyfully and obediently because we love The Lord that much. 

    In the Old Testament people were commanded to give God the best of their cattle and fowl: doves, lambs, bulls. But that blood only covered sins temporarily. So God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die once, and for all, that all who believed God and received The Word--the gospel of salvation through the blood of God's precious Lamb--would have their sins forgiven and be saved. 

    A living sacrifice is when we give our lives over to God, for Him to live in us and us to live in Him through Christ. We greet Him first thing in the morning. Speak with Him throughout our day. Meet with Him in private prayer. Listen for His still, quiet voice to speak with us. We read the Holy Scriptures He has given us, seeking out how we may please Him that we might be, as stated in this verse, acceptable to God. 

    A living sacrifice chooses to do God's will and not their own. It's opting to live a life that pleases God instead of living for our own self-satisfaction. Sometimes the decision to obey is harder than you might think. 

    For instance, quite a few family/friend get-togethers are set up on Sundays. And people expect you to be there. In their mindsets, you can skip church for one Sunday, at least!  But, no, you have made the decision to follow Christ. Your heart is in His and He is in you and you want to please Him and His Father more than you want to please your family, your friends. 

    See what I'm saying? 

    A living sacrifice makes the decision every day to be obedient to our heavenly Father. To be honest, I don't always sit here and begin typing right away. Takes me awhile sometimes to be in a position to hear the Spirit flow. Yet, there are other days when I can't stop typing because I'm not getting the words out fast enough. What a privilege to be used of God! 

    Have you made the decision to be a living sacrifice yet? If not what are you waiting for? God has shortened the days for His people who are suffering for His Name's sake. The lesser length of days means those who have not yet made a decision to believe on The Name of The LORD Jesus Christ for their salvation are running out of time. 

    Come, come to The Father. Confess your sins to Him and turn away from doing those things to following God's Way of doing things. The Word says to Repent and be baptized; be filled with His Holy Spirit. To do so would make you acceptable to God. It is the foundation for living a sacrificial life: having the Sacrifice of God living in you. As He lives in me, I long for more of my family and friends to know this Joy, too. 

    I want you to be in the body of Christ, too. Living for Jesus. Loving Like Jesus. Talking to Jesus. Walking with Jesus. I want you to know what a joyful satisfactory life this is. But you have to want it, too. More than life itself. 

    As God spoke to Isaiah in Chapter One verse 18: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool."

    And in Romans 10:9-11, 13

9) If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10) One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

11) Now the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on Him will not be put to shame.

13) For whosoever shall call upon The Name of the Lord shall be saved.

CALLED TO BE  A LIVING SACRIFICE

I Surrender - Hillsong

Purify My Heart - Jeremy Riddle

All To Jesus I Surrender - Robin Mark

Let Your Living Water Flow - Vinesong

Psalm 40 - Francesca LaRosa

Not My Will - Kim Walker-Smith

Here's My Life - Planetshakers

    

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Leave It All For The Sake of The Kingdom

 

    Luke 18:29,30

"Truly I tell you," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times more in this age - and in the age to come, eternal life."

    These words were said to the rich young ruler, who had observed the law and obeyed the commandments since he was young (verses 18-28). But Jesus knew this man's heart, as He knows all hearts, and that the man would not be so easily persuaded to give away his treasury. Are we not just as guilty when we refuse to part with whatever we hold most dear to our hearts? 

     

    God is the God of Restoration. 

    Matthew 6:33

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you."

    Matthew 19:29

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My Name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life." 

    Mark 10:29,30

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life."

    There's your real prosperity gospel. Our souls prosper when we surrender everything we have, leave (the opinions of) everyone we love and give all that we are to His mighty hand. For in His hand is Life and Life Eternal. God wants to be first in our lives. So does everyone else. But only we can make a decision who we will listen to and follow. 

    We must consider the consequences of our intended direction, taking time out of our busyness to contemplate the results of our actions. This would be the wise action to take. Seldom do we make wise decisions, especially when we are young children or young adults. But God desires us to seek Him out first, whether early in life or early in the day. To put what He wants (His will) ahead of what we want (our own will) for our lives. 

    LIFE: Job 12:10 & Acts 17:28; Psalm 31:15

DEATH: Ecclesiastes 9:1-6

    LIFE ETERNAL: John 1:1-3; John 20:27

DEATH ETERNAL: Revelation 20:14,15

    PROSPERITY: 1 Chronicles 29:12

LACK: Philippians 4:11,12

    Why does the Bible say 'many are called but few are chosen'? (Matthew 22:14). Because all of us are called to do our part in the kingdom, but not everyone wants to be in this kingdom. Nor does everyone want to do what it takes to serve in this kingdom. 

    We are all called to salvation. Yet, the path to salvation is narrow. It is the width of a cross. The path to salvation is small. It is the size of a mustard seed. The path to salvation is both old and fresh. The call to be saved through Jesus Christ still rings out, yet the plan of salvation was set in motion when Adam and Eve sinned. 

    We are all called to serve in this kingdom. In whatsoever capacity God sees fit to use us, that is where we will serve. But wherever we serve God, it will be for the advancement of God's kingdom. 

    We are all called to love each other like Christ loves us: willingly, wholeheartedly and sacrificially. 

CALLED TO LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND

For The Sake of The Call - Steven Curtis Chapman

My Portion - Isla Vista Worship

Seek First - Jason Upton

Love You Just Like That - Jason Upton

Magnificent Obsession - Steven Curtis Chapman

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus - Lauren Daigle

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Suffer

 

   1 Peter 2:21 

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps.

    What does it mean to suffer for Christ? The literal description in Strong's is "to be acted upon in a certain way, either good or bad"; to be ill-treated. That's all well and good but how do I (we) suffer for Christ individually and within the church as a whole? 

    For starters, when someone attacks us--whether verbally or physically--we don't fight back. We are not to speak against them. We don't seek revenge against anyone. We take it to Jesus and He takes care of the problem. As long as we remain in Him and He in us, we have no reason to cause those who fight against us any ill-will of our own. As Christ stood silent when accused, so, too should the believer remain silent. (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 26:63).

    It is a privilege to suffer for Christ. Philippians 3:7-9 speaks of losing everything for the gain of knowing Jesus Christ. And in verse 10: I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death. And in Philippians 1:21 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

    To suffer for Christ is to rise above the pettiness, the miry clay which clings to us trying to bring us down to the level we left behind when we chose to believe God and follow Christ. This is not a 'holier than thou' life: this is a humble remembering of who we were then and who we are now. 

    It is to have compassion, mercy, understanding and wisdom towards the people who are trying to undermine our witness. God says we are to pray for our enemies. I pray that the hearts of those who hate God be turned towards God and remain in Him to be His people. Our hearts are to be aligned with God's heart, which is to have as few left behind as possible. John 6:40 "For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” 

    To suffer for Christ is to be longsuffering. It is to not lose patience with anyone who is not where you and I are in our relationship with Christ. Imagine if He had done that when we were young Christians! Where would we be? 

    Fruit trees take a few years to mature before they begin to bear fruit. Sometimes the first fruit bearing season just needs to stay on the tree, as the fruit can be bitter and inedible. So, too, is the Christian's heart. We are nurtured by The Word and sustained in our faith when we get The Word into us, not just memorization but knowing that God is writing His Word on our hearts. (Ezekiel 36:26,27)

    To suffer for Christ is to see by our faithfulness that our prayers are being answered. Our children are turning back to God and bringing their families with them. Our sisters, our brother, are searching God's Word, devouring it with a hunger born from spiritual starvation. 

    Even as Christ was lifted up on the cross for all the world to see, many people came and saw Him there. But not all of them believed. Just a few. But these few, in just seven weeks, would be filled with The Holy Spirit of God, Who would cause them to speak in other languages that the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ would go forth. And go forth it did.

    As these Christians were persecuted and killed, many fled to foreign nations where they preached the gospel and people believed God and received The Holy Spirit, that second precious Gift from God; the first, being His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. And they counted it a privilege. 

    Here we are now almost 2000 years later and still we are facing the same evil that faced Jesus: hated because we believe God and God's Word to be TRUTH. 

    Let us put all of our armor on (Ephesians 6:10-20) every single day, that we may be able to suffer efficiently and effectively. Let us gather together in prayer, seeking God's will before the day begins and the night ends. We rejoice that we have been found worthy to suffer! 

CALLED TO SUFFER 

He Lives! 

You Will Suffer - John Piper (sermon clip)

Cry of The Broken - Hillsong Worship

Surrounded - UPPERROOM

Weathered - Dante Bowe/Hannah McClure

Lay It All Down - United Pursuit/Will Reagan 

    

A Crucified Life - - Answers The Call to Holiness

 

    1 Peter 1:16

But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: "Be holy, for I am holy."

    Holiness is a process. We gain a little bit more of it each day that we are obedient to The Holy Word of God. 

    It is this process which is implemented in us when we receive The Holy Spirit of God, Who is instrumental in making us holy. 

    Why is holiness necessary? It is consecrating ourselves for God's purpose, choosing to be God's people in a world where doing so can kill us. Idolatry and self-righteousness abound in our world today. Even now someone is plotting how to rid the world of real Christians and real Christianity. 

    We have been set free from the bonds of sin and are living examples of God's Mercy; reflections of Christ's Love. Therefore, we are already in the process of becoming holy. Though some may not go through the process because they are at death's door when they receive Him, their level of holiness is implied when they believe and receive Jesus into their hearts. 

    Holiness is Consecration

    Leviticus 11:44-45 

"For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground. 

For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt so that I would be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy."

    Leviticus 20:7

"Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am The LORD your God."

    Holiness is a Way. 

    Isaiah 35:8

"And there will be a highway called The Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it--only those who walk in The Way--and fools will not stray onto it." 

    

    Consecration is making a choice, a decision, to be different by being obedient to God's Word. Sanctification is the process that follows consecration. It is The Way of Holiness. 

    Why do we want to be holy people of God? We want to see God and live.

    Hebrews 12:14 

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. 

    Matthew 5:8 tells us to be pure in heart, for then we shall see God. 

    Romans 6:22 

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life. 

    This is what we have been studying for the last year and a half. What it means to be born again. How to live a born again life. This crucified life. Answering God's call to service and faithful obedience to Him in His Word. 

    When sin in a person sees the holiness of God, it cries out and is immediately subdued by the power of God. Isaiah said "Woe is Me!" (Isaiah 6:5). Gideon was stunned to find that he was in God's presence (Judges 6:22). Moses wanted to see God's glory but {without holiness} no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:18,20,23). 

    Only One has ever seen God face to face and lived to tell about it: 

    John 1:18 

No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, Who is Himself God and is at the Father's side, has made Him known.

    1 Timothy 6:16

He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

    I want to be holy. Because God wants me to be holy. That I may see Him and live. Live eternally with Him. Don't you?

CALLED TO HOLINESS

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (also includes the history of the song) -  Luke Powell

Refiner's Fire - Vineyard Worship

Take My Life - Micah Stampley

Refiner - Maverick City Music

Holy Spirit - Jesus Culture/Kim Walker-Smith

Living For Jesus A Life That Is True - Marlie Gardyne

Psalm 69:32

The humble will see and rejoice. You who seek God, let your hearts be revived!