Wednesday, April 06, 2005

DISCIPLINE YOURSELF FOR THE RESTORATION

HOW TO PREPARE/DISCIPLINE OURSELVES FOR RESTORATION
Johnson relational paraphrase:
DISCIPLE...one who adheres to the doctrines of another, but to be a disciple in the Christian sense involves much more than accepting a doctrine. It involves experiencing Christ, alive in us, utilizing all the dimensions of our person to communicate His love and care for others. [Webster’s says to comprehend.]
UNDERSTUDY...one who is able to take on the role if the lead actor is not physically present. The understudy doesn’t simply mimic or imitate; he fulfills the role...

Luke 14:25-27
cross = [gr] stake or pole
--this is pre-crucifixion...it could mean to pull up your stakes--something that holds you down. Reminds me of Exodus when cloud/pillar moved & Israel broke camp & followed. Others were asked to follow, but...they didn’t
Oswald Chambers: Are we prepared to pay the cost of sanctification? The cost will be a deep restriction of all our earthly concerns, and an extreme cultivation of all our godly concerns. SANCTIFICATION means to be intensely focused on God’s point of view. It means to secure and to keep all the strength of our body, soul, and spirit for God’s purpose alone.

Most of us came into the kingdom of God with excess baggage.
Holy Spirit wants to clean us up.
James 1:27
2 Cor 7:1 TEV/Message (...things that distract us)
2 Cor 2:20-21 TEV/LB (vs 21)

God has a great work to be done through us who are COMMITTED, FAITHFUL, & OBEDIENT
COMMIT
Web = to give in charge or trust; deliver for safekeeping; entrust; to put officially in custody; to hand over or set apart to be disposed of or put to some purpose; the delivery of a person or thing into the charge or keeping of another...SOMEONE WHO HAS GIVEN UP EVERYTHING FOR THE SAKE OF ANOTHER.
Matt 6:21 Johnson C Wherever you place your highest values, you will be motivated to propel your life in that direction
Matt 15:18 Johnson C But a person=s behavior arises out of his basic motivation, and it is a person=s basic motivation which determines whether he is fulfilling God=s purpose and plan

what do we commit ourselves to?
--Word
--prayer & fellowship with God
--God's plan, purpose & work
--Holy Spirit & anointing & gifts
--body of Christ
--local body including ministry gifts (Eph 4)
--pastors
--elders
--helps
--others
--wife & family
--lost
Paul’s commitment
Phil 3:10-15 (Johnson's) I want to demonstrate Christ’s style of life-to experience the energy of His resurrection, to participate in human suffering, to die as He did to my old style of life. And I hope to experience resurrection from death as He did. This is my desire. And though I have not experienced Christ as completely as I can describe my vision of this life’s fulfillment, I keep on pursuing the vision so that I will eventually experience Christ as completely as He has experienced me. But I am under no illusions that I have reached this goal. I have however adopted on rule - I turn my back on the past & focus on my one clear objective@ the fulfillment of my calling by God through Jesus Christ. Every mature person should identify this same goal as the central purpose of his or her life.
vs 12-16 (Message)

FAITHFUL
web=full of faith; keeping faith; maintaining allegiance to someone or something; constant; loyal; continued steadfast adherence to a person or thing to which one is bound by an oath, duty, obligation...
without commitment, faithfulness will have nothing to grab onto
it is a by-product of commitment

OBEDIENT
web=submissive; giving in to orders or instructions of one in authority or control.
Submit [web]=to refer to others for decision; to yield to the action, control or power of another; to defer to another’s judgment or decision.
Jesus was obedient even to death
Obedience C the key to God’s blessings
Deut 28:1
Josh 1:8
Ps 1:1-3
Is 1:19
Ps 112
Matt 7:13-27 Message

KEEP THE LOVE WALK PRIMARY

Kenneth Hagin: When the Lord instructed me to teach the move of the Spirit, He said in the last days there will arise a company of believers who will walk in the Word & learn to walk in the Spirit. Through faith in the Word, and by the power of the Spirit, this company of believers will fulfill the will of God according to the plan of God, and bring in the harvest. The harvest will be brought about in 3 ways:
1--We must have prayer.
2--The seed has to be sown.
That is accomplished by teaching & preaching the Word.
3--The rain must fall. You can’t have a harvest without rain. The Holy Ghost is likened unto rain.
Now, we are the ones anointed to finish the works of the Master, because the work of the Lord is carried out through the body of Christ, which is the Church.
The whole body needs to be enlightened & know that we are already equipped to carry out His plan, or His will. That is how this last day's revival, this end-time harvest, will come about. Directions from the Head will be carried out through the body.
God’s plan is always carried out through the Body of Christ. So, He is equipping us today, praise God, to flow with the Spirit. It is by the power of the Spirit that we will carry out the will of God, the plan of God & the purpose of God to the praise, honor, & glory of God.
[Feb 98, Believers Voice of Victory]

Phil 1:6 Johnson

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