Who Are You Following?

    To follow Christ is to refrain from going after sin and it's rebellions. It is to choose the Savior and reject the destructor. For Satan, Beelzebub, the devil, the antichrist wants to destroy a person's soul that the one who fails to follow Christ will die in their sins and be forever lost. 

    Christ Jesus, however, made a way to overcome sin: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever shall call upon The Name of The LORD will be saved." Whosoever means anyone anywhere at any time can come to Jesus, come to the cross, where we, like the thief next to Him, can call on Him Name and say, "LORD (acknowledging that Jesus Christ is indeed LORD OF ALL), remember me." And Jesus will know our names, just as He responded to that thief, "This day you will be with me in paradise."

What are we saved from? Eternal death and damnation, the destruction of our souls, forever separated from God with no hope of reconciliation. John 3:17, 18 "For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believes is not condemned: but that believes not is condemned already, because He has not believed in The Name of the only begotten Son of God." 

2 Timothy 2:19

Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on The Name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.” 

     Now that we are following Christ, we simply cannot, nor must we turn back to sin/iniquity/transgressions. No, we are not perfect yet, for we still must live our lives until God calls our names to come home. But sin must no longer control our thoughts and our lives, for we are Christ's now, having surrendered not only our hearts to Him, but our minds and our bodies to His service. We are called to separate ourselves from a worldly lifestyle and be set apart for God. 

    Those who say they believe in Christ, yet still live a life opposed to God and His Word, are liars: having been lied to, deceived by the devil, they lie to themselves and are deluded into thinking they are just fine, when the opposite is true. For The Word of God tells us that they will not be able to enter heaven. 

Revelation 21:8 

"But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”

Revelation 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Matthew 13:41-43

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. / And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. / Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. 

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters (idol worship), nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. 

Galatians 5:19-21

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; / idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, / and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

    We are called to live our faith publicly that those who see us and know us know that we are different, that they would want what we have: Joy in our salvation; Peace of mind and heart; Love for everyone; Patience to endure; Compassion for all; Goodness; Unshakeable Faith; Meekness (Strength to Withstand Silently); Temperance (Self-Discipline). Galatians 5:22-23. 

Choosing to live a life that honors God is not going to be easy, nor should it be. For Christ has said that the people who choose to follow Him will also suffer for Him:

Matthew 5:10-12

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. / Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. / Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

2 Timothy 3:12

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 

1 Peter 3:14

But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, you are blessed. "And you should not be afraid of their threats, neither should you be troubled."

James 1:2

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

I AM REDEEMED - Big Daddy Weave

LIVE OUT LOUD - Steven Curtis Chapman

JESUS FREAK - DC Talk

I Am Christian - Finale

 

1 Corinthians 12:28

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, 

diversities of tongues.

    I am Christian and I am the body of Christ. With the help and guidance of The Holy Spirit, I am able to do the things which God has called me to do. I have been anointed with oil and fire, that I might proclaim with boldness and fearlessness The Word of God in all aspects of my being. 

    I am prophets who speak The Word of God which is to come. I warn of the coming judgment on the unrepentant souls. I speak the divine will of God in regards to current events. I interpret The Word of God that those who do not understand may hear and learn. 

    I am teachers of The Word of God. I explain The Word of God from my depth of knowledge and understanding to anyone who wants to hear and learn. I am Sunday School teachers. I am adult learning teachers. I teach The Word with both my words and my actions. In whatever setting I find myself I teach. As Philip taught the Ethiopian when The Spirit of God brought them together: Acts 8:26-40. 

    I am miracle workers and healings. I have the ability through God's power to heal the sick, the wounded and the dying. The deaf hear, the blind see, the lame walk, the mentally tormented are delivered and the addict restored. In my own self I cannot do this: it is God working through me. 

    I am helpers. Within the church there are many things that need to be done. As in Acts 6:1-7, when seven certain men were chosen to care for the needs of the growing church. 

    I am administrations. I have the divine gift of being able to organize, run and maintain the business end of the church. I am inclined to be mathematical (choosing where to use the tithes and offerings coming into the church coffers) and methodical (a place for everything and everything in its place). 

    I have diversities of tongues. I speak many languages and dialects that I might spread the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ to all nations, ethnicities, cultures and subcultures. This power is divinely gifted to whomever God chooses to give it to within the body of Christ. 

    I am Christian and I am the body of Christ. I am called to first obey The Word of God, and second, to serve with and in The Word of God. To serve Him with grace, integrity (honorably and ethically), divine wisdom, and in the love of God without which I am just a clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1). 

    I am the body of Christ and I am here to serve God. Romans 12:1-13. 

    

VOICE OF TRUTH - Casting Crowns 

WHOM SHALL I FEAR - Chris Tomlin 

IF WE ARE THE BODY - Casting Crowns

    

I Am Christian's Ears

 

ISAIAH 6:8

Also I heard the voice of The Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

    I am Christian's ears and I hear the voice of The Lord speaking to me, too. And like the prophet Isaiah, Christian's mouth said, "Lord, here am I; send me." 

    I hear The Lord speaking to me when I am silent before Him ~ Psalm 46:10; Habakkuk 2:20; Zechariah 2:13. 

    I hear The Lord singing over me ~ Zephaniah 3:17.

    I hear Him in the night ~ Job 35:10; Psalm 42:8.

    I hear His voice in the garden ~ John 17; John 20:18. 

I hear Him speaking to me in The Scriptures ~ Jeremiah 7:2; Nehemiah 8:1-6. 

    I am Christian's ears and when I hear my Lord speaking to me, I am attentive and ready my heart to be obedient to His direction. 

    I hear Him call my name ~ John 3:16, 17; Romans 10:13 ~ I am a whosoever. First He calls me to serve Him, then He calls me friend ~ John 15:15. 

    I hear The Lord call me to obedience to His Word ~ John 15:14; 1 John 2:3, 5:3. 

    I hear Him calling me to pick up my cross and carry it ~ Mark 8:34.

    I hear His voice telling me that I will suffer for Him - 1 Peter 2:21.

    I hear the voice of The Lord calling me to forgive every offense and every slight and every sin against me, that He might be able to forgive me ~ Matthew 6:14, 15.

     I hear the voice of The Lord calling me to rest in Him ~ Matthew 11:28.

    I am Christian's ears. I hear, I listen, I learn. 

SANCTUARY

OVERWHELMED 

RATTLE 

WORD OF GOD SPEAK 

A Crucified Life - - Is Called According to God's Purpose

 

    Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

    Many people have a tendency to omit parts of this verse in order to apply it to themselves. That won't work. It's like trying to put on an article of clothing only to discover it's ripped in places or permanently stained in obvious sites. 

    All things: good things, bad things; wonderful things, awful things; things that bring us joy and things that tear our hearts out. Things that bring us down and things that lift us up are working together for our good. 

    Not everything we put in a bread recipe tastes good on its own. Yeast, for example, smells good but tastes nasty. Yet, when it is included in bread it makes it lighter and softer; on the plus side it tastes great. Raw egg does nothing for me unless you add sugar and milk. Then I'll drink it.

    Before the seed can go into the ground, the ground must first be tilled. After the seed goes into the ground, it requires some form of fertilization to help it grow. It requires water and sunlight. It requires time to process before it can become food. Most raw grains are hard to digest on their own, but once ground and incorporated into a recipe, all grains become edible. Even rice needs to be processed before eating. 

   In the life of the born again believer, everything that happens to us affects us in some way, sometimes in many ways at the same time. Like being in the bowl of a stand mixer and not being in control of anything that is happening. 

    Divorce affects the family as a whole, tearing it up into smaller pieces and scattering it to the four winds. Finances are split or hidden. Children are left without a rootstock on which to build their own lives. Adults learn not to trust anyone. 

    Death of the ones we love is so very difficult. Even if we get to say, 'Goodbye' and 'See you in heaven', we leave them knowing we'll never hear their voice this side of heaven again. But not being able to say our goodbyes is just as difficult. We didn't know they were going to die that day. We didn't know we'd never be able to say 'I love you' again. Death tears a person's heart up, just chews it up and leaves it all crumbled on the floor. 

    But ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM WHO LOVE THE LORD. And I love The Lord! So He is incorporating the bad things (raw eggs) into the good things (sugar and milk) because I love Him and I surrender my life to His will, His purpose. 

    WE ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE

What is His purpose? Repentance (Acts 3:19,20). Salvation (John 3:16). Baptism by water and by Spirit (John 3:5). Live A Holy Life (1 Thessalonians 4:7; 2 Peter 3:11). Tells others about Jesus, God's Saving Grace (Mark 16:15). To Glorify God and Not Ourselves (Psalm 34:2,3). To Love Like Christ (John 13:34; Romans 13:10; 1 John 4:7-10). Plus all the other callings (Answering God's Calls) we have discussed over the last two months. 

CALLED ACCORDINGLY 

Thank You, Lord (for the trials that come my way) - Mary Ann Tam

Don't Let Your Heart Be Hardened - Petra

Midnight - TobyMac

Humble Thyself In The Sight of The Lord - Maranatha! Music

Walk With Me - Kim Walker-Smith

Welcome Holy Spirit - Oasis Worship

Spirit Break Out - Jesus Culture

Gotta Tell Somebody - Don Francisco

Love One Another - Newsboys

Holy Forever - Chris Tomlin

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 Follow Christ

 

   

Matthew 4:19

"Come, follow Me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

    Not all fishermen use lures. Some use nets. Some use spears. But those fish are meant to be eaten. 

    When a Christian goes fishing, they are the bait. The Love of God exemplified in Christ in us is the lure. God is the Fisherman. The Holy Spirit is the line...and the net. The fish are the people who have yet to hear and believe and receive the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

    How does Christ make us fishers of men (mankind)? Through our faith in God; by trusting in Christ as our Saviour and allowing The Holy Spirit to mold us into holy people. 

    It is not enough to believe that God is. Everyone believes in some kind of god, even those who believe there is no God believe their own words to be true: making themselves their own god. Some will even go so far as to believe that some of the Holy Bible is true, picking and choosing verses as if they were shopping in some spiritual grocer's. 

    "Follow Me", Jesus says. "Follow Me wherever I go. Let Me lead you through valleys, valleys dark, valleys dense. Let Me tend to your needs and nourishment. Let Me carry you when the Way in which we must go is too difficult to walk alone or too deep to swim across. 

    "Follow Me to the synagogues, to the temples, to the people who need to hear My Father's Words. To the people who are searching for The Word of Life. To the people who are hungry for The Bread of Heaven and The Living Water. 

    "Follow Me to the needy, the poor, the broken, the lonely, the desperate, the tormented, the possessed. Follow Me to the hurting, the weeping, the judged, the dead and dying. 

    "Follow Me to the courtyard. Watch Me remain silent and behave in like manner. Follow Me to the cross when you take up your cross. Follow Me to the grave and enter My garden.

    "Follow Me and I will walk with you. Follow Me and I will talk with you. Follow Me and I will sing over you. 

    "Follow Me," Jesus says, "and I will make you fishers of men."

CALLED TO FOLLOW CHRIST 

I Have Decided To Follow Jesus

I Give Myself Away - Wm. McDowell

I Found God (When I Stopped Looking For Myself) - Ben Laine

I Will Follow - Chris Tomlin

My Soul Follows - David & Nicole Binion ft. Travis Greene

I Have Decided - Forerunner Music/Jaye Thomas

    

A Crucified Life - - Has A Heart For Israel

 

    2 Corinthians 10:1

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2107

Desire: good pleasure

From the Greek word 'eudokia' (pronounced yoo-dok-ee'-ah): what seems good or beneficial to someone.

    2 Thessalonians 1:11,12

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,

that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

    Colossians 1:9-12, specifically verse 9, which brings us to why we pray for the salvation of others.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

    (v13,14) He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

    Isaiah 45:22

Look unto Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth: for I Am God, and there is none else.

    We pray for your salvation through Jesus Christ. We pray for Israel to know the salvation of God through His Lamb who paid the penalty for sin, once and for all (Hebrews 7:25).

    Isaiah 59:16

He saw that there was no man; He was amazed that there was no one to intercede. So His own arm brought salvation, and His own righteousness sustained Him.

    Romans 5:10

For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!

    Romans 8:34

Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God--and He is interceding for us.

    1 Corinthians 1:21

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know Him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

    Hebrews 2:9

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 

    It is not enough to have the 'heart's desire' for someone's salvation. We can have hopes, wishes, and dreams all day long. But unless we're willing and obedient to put in the effort and time to pray for that person's salvation, hope is rendered useless on our part. 

    And so we pray, as Paul prayed for the people in his Israelite heritage. He knew they were zealous for God (2 Corinthians 10:2), but their knowledge of God's plan of salvation was lacking. Having believed the Lord for his own personal salvation, Paul now seeks that all Israel may know this joy which he himself has found in Christ Jesus. 

    As, too, we should have an urgency in our spirit to pray for Israel's salvation. For they are God's elect, the people God set apart for Himself, taken out of all the tribes of earth because they had a heart to worship Him. 

    You may ask, 'What does it mean to be God's elect'? Simply put, elect means chosen. God called Abram (Genesis 12:1), gave him promises (Genesis 12:2-3) and Abram acknowledged God as Lord (Genesis 12:4). 

    When God calls and we respond to His call, acknowledging Him as our Lord, we become His people. Genesis 28:10-22 tells us of Jacob's first meeting with God, where God called him, gave him promises and Jacob acknowledged God as Lord (v21). 

    God Changes Jacob's Name to Israel

Genesis 32:24-32 gives us the history of how Israel got its name. They are the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But only the seed receives the blessing of salvation, not the descendants. So we pray for the descendants (the bloodline of Israel) to become the seed (the bloodline of Christ). 

   

RISE UP by CAIN

LIFE AFTER DEATH by TobyMac

    

I Am The Body of Christ (poem)

I AM THE BODY OF CHRIST

I am the body of Christ.

And I hurt. I know pain.

Excruciating pain from the whips on my back.

Heartache pain from the brokenness within and without.

Two extremes with no inbetween.

I am the body of Christ. 

And I smile. I know joy.

Unspeakable joy where words are not enough.

Cheer-filled countenance that shines from within.

Two extremes with no inbetween. 

I am the body of Christ.

What He suffered we will suffer.

He Who knew pain also knew joy.

He Who knew Joy also knew suffering. 

He Who knew suffering also knew heartache.

He Who knew heartache also knew compassion.

I am the body of Christ.

His hands. His feet.

His back. 

His eyes. His ears.

His heart. 

He is my Strength, my Hope.

He is my Faithful Witness.

He is my Joy, my sorrow. 

He is my Peace.

He is my Grace, my Provision.

He is my Everything. 

Because He's everything to me.

 

Called to Holiness

Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, who are the called according to His purpose."

This verse in Romans is often misquoted and misused. Not every one qualifies to have all things work together for them. The first thing we see is that loving God is primary. Not the way we love our family or love our friends or even the way we love our spouse. An all encompassing, whole-hearted love that causes us to want to please God, to seek out that which makes Him happy; a love that blesses God.

The second required is that we are to be called according to His purpose. What is His purpose? That all peoples every where be saved: John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

That we be sanctified, set apart from how the world around us behaves, but set apart for His will and His use: 1 Timothy 6:11 "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." 

But we try many times and fail to live a godly life in an ungodly world. Through the sneakiness of the devil we give into temptation and backslide into sin(s). We let him get a foothold in the door of our thoughts. We allow unrighteous thinking to settle into our hearts, thereby committing unrighteous activities. The farther we backslide, the more we think we are still alright. But we are not. 

We need the holiness of God actively moving within our minds and our hearts:we need God's Holy Spirit, and we need Him poured out onto us and in us. It is The Holy Spirit of God that draws us to Him, that calls us to a life of obedience and personal discipline. It is The Holy Spirit of God that sanctifies us and makes us holy.

1 Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." In other words, step up, put on our spiritual armor as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-20; put on Christ as stated in Romans 13:14; but do all in love, 1 Corinthians 13. 

God says to each one of us, " Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 20:7; 1 Peter 1:16. Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Make a deliberate stand for Christ in our lives. Take careful thought and make decisions that will strengthen our resolve to live lives that are pleasing unto God. Do not just be Christ-like on the outside, but let Christ live in our hearts, our minds, our spirits. Ask for The Holy Spirit to come upon us, to fill us to overflowing that we might glorify God by our actions, our thoughts and our love: His love. 

We Are The Called--Covenant Relationship

Called To Covenant with God
Covenant Relationship

The word 'covenant' has several different meanings depending on where it is used in the Bible. We may think of the words 'promise' and 'contract', but neither of these is sufficient. Whereas God's promises do not always require action on our part, that word 'promise' cannot be used to describe the covenant relationship we have with our Creator. Nor does the word 'contract' fit: contracts end. A contract has a beginning date and a finish by date; making the contract invalid once the business has been completed. The covenant relationship has no end date. It does, however, have a begin date.

The covenant relationship with God began when He sent His only begotten Son, The LORD Jesus Christ to die on the cross and rise from the dead, giving to all people everywhere what the previous covenants could not: a permanent dwelling place not made with hands for God to live in: our hearts. Not our physical, beating hearts, but the spirit heart: the mind (wherein we reason or ponder this plan of salvation), the emotions (our attitudes and feelings on such a matter) and our will (our desires).

It is belief in The LORD Jesus Christ, and the call of The Holy Spirit to this method of salvation, that makes it possible for God to live in us. And so begins our covenant relationship with God.