Ministry Looks Like You! Pt.4
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The Truth Will Make You Free
The Truth Will Make You Free
1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.
2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.
3 They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth.
4 Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.
5 For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer.
There will be those who will fall away from the fold. This is critical as your strength is in the biblical community. Not on an isolated island by yourself. This is why you hear me cry about getting back in the church! The sheep that wonders from the flock is an open target for the wolves that lurk in the pastures. They lay wait for the one who falters away. Slowly drifting further and further until it’s to late for them to see they are by themselves.
15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.
16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Three primary things happened and will continue to happen until the return of Christ.
Christians will walk away from following Christ.
Start following deceptive spirits. Misleading causing someone to be mistaken.
Then unknowing will be taught things from the demonic realm.
Tell the joke of the husband who checked into the hotel and emailed the widow reservations for the wrong place.
How do you avoid the wolves? Stay in the flock, Stay in the Word and be spirit lead which mans be attentive.
2. These people will be hypocrites and liars! You see it everywhere you turn. Someone telling half truths. Justifying their actions but pointing their fingers at others. It’s called deflection.
2b. Then he says something really powerful. their consciences are dead. or seared. The grk. kausteriazo (pronounced Kaus’ steri ozo) lack feeling or are calloused to something. conceived of being burned.
3. They start putting all sorts of restrictions on your lives. Things that were never meant to be restrictive. not that you should over indulge either. But they took it to the extreme. Becoming ascetic.
Asceticism - severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.
Did you know Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek: γνωστικός, romanized: gnōstikós, Koine Greek: [ɣnostiˈkos], 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced in the late 1st century AD among Jewish and early Christian sects.[1] These various groups emphasized personal spiritual knowledge (gnosis) above the orthodox teachings, traditions, and authority of religious institutions. Gnostic cosmogony generally presents a distinction between a supreme, hidden God and a malevolent lesser divinity (sometimes associated with the Yahweh of the Old Testament)[2] who is responsible for creating the material universe.[3]Consequently, Gnostics considered material existence flawed or evil, and held the principal element of salvation to be direct knowledge of the hidden divinity, attained via mystical or esoteric insight. Many Gnostic texts deal not in concepts of sin and repentance, but with illusion and enlightenment.[3]
Gnostic writings flourished among certain Christian groups in the Mediterranean world around the second century, when the Fathers of the early Church denounced them as heresy.[4] Efforts to destroy these texts proved largely successful, resulting in the survival of very little writing by Gnostic theologians.[3] Nonetheless, early Gnostic teachers such as Valentinus saw their beliefs as aligned with Christianity. In the Gnostic Christian tradition, Christ is seen as a divine being which has taken human form in order to lead humanity back to recognition of its own divine nature. However, Gnosticism is not a single standardized system, and the emphasis on direct experience allows for a wide variety of teachings, including distinct currents such as Valentinianism and Sethianism. In the Persian Empire, Gnostic ideas spread as far as China via the related movement Manichaeism, while Mandaeism, which is the only surviving Gnostic religion from antiquity, is found in Iraq, Iran and diaspora communities.[5] Jorunn Buckley posits that the early Mandaeans may have been among the first to formulate what would go on to become Gnosticism within the early Jesus movement.
4-5. Everything God created is Good, God could not and cannot create bad. You praying over and understanding what God’s Word says is a blessing.
Well what does that mean by the Word of God?
29 Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.
30 And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.
1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.
2 All the animals of the earth, all the birds of the sky, all the small animals that scurry along the ground, and all the fish in the sea will look on you with fear and terror. I have placed them in your power.
3 I have given them to you for food, just as I have given you grain and vegetables.
9 The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon,
10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners.
12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds.
13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”
14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”
15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.”
It’s the understanding of the Word of God that will bring you freedom! and not bondage.
6 If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed.
7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly.
8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it.
10 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.
6. Teach the Bible don’t waste your time teaching anything else. Extra beliefs add no value. You do this and people will draw to you and God’s message of freedom.
Talk about Mom praying this morning and praying the Word of God.
7/8. Exercising is cool, getting in shape is cool, BUT getting into spiritual shape has so much more value! Not just for now but for your spiritual man in the future!
9. This is truth, everyone wants to know what is truth? All that is in the Bible. That is truth. Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t make it not true. Get into your Word like you get into that exercise program your in.
10. God desires all men to be saved. Even though all will not accept Him as their Lord and Savior, He still offers it though. Until He removes his grace. (Times up!)
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
This is why you matter! Look at the person near you and say; My Ministry Matters! Look at them and say; Your Ministry Matters! Thank God you do what you do!
11 Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them.
12 Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.
13 Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.
14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.
15 Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.
16 Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.
11/12. God is not concerned with your age! He uses whomever He pleases to use. Whenever He wants to use. Remember this is the same God that used a donkey to talk. Numbers 22:28-30.
But then there is 5 important things he must do and we must do too in order to be a great example!
Watch what you say. Speak life! Speak the Word.
2. Watch how you live. Live a life that is pleasing to God and amplifies outward. It illuminates God love.
3. What are your actions to demonstrate God’s love. Do things that look like Christ. Give to those in need. Show compassion.
4. Where does your faith stand. How are you proclaiming the Gospel of Christ. What ways are you reaching a dying world.
5. Are you living a righteous life? As a sinner saved by God’s grace. Are you just riding the wave of God’s grace. Doing what you want to do? Because when you truly love God, You want to sin less.
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
13. Paul gives instruction on what should be happening, not just on Sunday but even through out the week. This is why we need to be in our Word regularly. Get off of social media and get into a social bible study.
I get a text regularly from someone with scripture and prayer and I was like who else do you send this too, the response was ohh others. I was like well welcome to ministry. Let God use you…
Talk about sister Beatrice helping me with the young ladies and ministering to them. We are all called to help build the kingdom of God.
14. The spiritual gift we receive is from the Holy Spirit, don’t neglect it. Plus you will always receive confirmation about what your doing for the kingdom of God.
talk about how people want the fanfare but not put the work in.
15/16. Stay the coarse, don’t get side tracked with all the thrills and ideas of accolades. Just keep your head down, put in the work and you will be rewarded. Plus you will help those God has called you to help.
14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
How do you avoid being distracted from false ideas and personalities.
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How often do you study the Bible to better understand God’s plan and be able to share it.
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What is your ministry, God has a plan for all in His kingdom. ____________________________________________________
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