10-07-2018
Colossians 4:12 New King James Version (NKJV)
12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets
you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect
and complete[a] in all the will of God.
Epaphras is always struggling to effect something really grand that they will stand fully mature--hitting the mark i.e. developing the life and character of Christ.
The life of the Spirit hones them and mellows them to cause them to not feel harsh but something of the wonder and grace of God. It is also something that has substance, fully mature.
He does the work of intercession.
Our chief call is to bring forth sons and daughters of glory.
God has called us to hit the mark.
We are meant to hit the mark.
Unfortunately most people do not hit the mark.
In Epaphras' struggles, what is effected is sonship.
The cross causes us to die to the past and to live a new identity in Christ who is in us.
We have been rendered dead in Christ. The only life we have is to live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave His life for me. The gospel of self help is not the gospel.
We are cultivating the life of Christ inside of us.
It is love, faith and hope.
Many Christians are not growing in the life of Christ.
What is the call that God has for us?
Go and make disciples of all nations.
Raise up people who could grow in their life with God.
Without having the life of Christ, all other things do not matter much.
Grow Christ in people.
It is more important to have the life of Christ and reproduce it.
What does it mean to grow a Christian?
The Bible does talk about how to grow a Christian.
God has given us the Spirit of the Father.
1 John 2:12-14 New King James Version (NKJV)
Their Spiritual State
12 I write to you, little children,
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
13 I write to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young men,
Because you have overcome the wicked one.
I write to you, little children,
Because you have known the Father.
14 I have written to you, fathers,
Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.
I have written to you, young men,
Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
And you have overcome the wicked one.
Christians grow from a little child to a father.
You have to be a child first.
God wants the spirit that a child needs to have to know the life of the Father.
Epaphras struggles in prayer so that these things could be asssured and become a reality in their lives.
For a lot of people, they just need to know that.
[We all] need to know God's love.
Otherwise all the stuff in church is nothing but just performance.
God loves you like your parents love you.
As parents, we are the model of the shape of God's love.
When our children connect with the love of God, we as parents know the love of God.
One other thing is sin. I realise how sinful I am and how much God loves me.
The conviction scraped the bottom of my heart so much so there is a space for God to fill it.
As parents and spiritual parents, we have to take on the role as someone that God can use.
Pray in the spirit until something begins to happen.
You and I are called to be spiritual parents to unlock the amazing things that God wants to do in each one of them until they are born again and actually know the love of God.
Pray that the love and forgiveness of God is birthed in them.
The Word of God becomes flesh and blood in us and becomes part of us so that we become the working word of God.
We all know our Scriptures well. God actually wants us to embody the reality of that Word. Christ is that Word.
When we eat the Word of God, what comes out is Christ's life.
John 6:32-40 New King James Version (NKJV)
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses
did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread
from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives
life to the world.”
34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Christians are fed words and what comes out are more words.
What's important is the Word of God has to impact us.
Raise up children to have a living and vibrant devotional life.
Give yourself a chance to hear from God.
Give ample space for our mind and emotion to be in tune with God.
God speaks at a level that is infinite.
It takes us to be aligned with the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will take the Word of God and minister to us.
I may want to but my heart is hard.
Because of that, I get other signals all the time and I want to give up.
For a child to become a young person who has the Word of God abiding in him or her, we have to battle so much so that the space of quiet time allows God to break through the shell of dullness and coolness and become life.
Take step by step, even if it's baby steps.
When people have not had that access to God and know God, they will not go to God and turn away from God.
Quiet time is a space that God relates to us.
Know the voice of God. The problem with Christians is that they have lost the voice of God.
Allow our hearts and minds to be still. After a while it is not so difficult to wait on God.
Come to a place of quietness. When that happens, it is easy to hear from God.
Maintain the feel of God's presence.
Elisha said to King Joash, "Point your arrow to God, and not necessarily to issues of concern."
As we worship the Lord, He will silence our concerns. Set our hearts towards God and He will silence the raging, thunderous fears and the chatter that comes from the many things that are going on in our lives. Do not focus on those things but immerse in God.
The presence of God is not something that is passive but one in which we are called to active obedience and active attention.
Respond in an attentive way to God.
Lord, we welcome You to activate Your Word in us.
In the name of Jesus, the Lord is separating you from the past right now. God is melting disappointments and hurts from your hearts. The mountain of hopelessness is melting away.
Start again. Remember not the former things. How can I not? You will forget. You will remember but it will not have the same effect upon you.
Wash me in Your blood right now. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
The blood of Jesus cleanses you from the past and seals you in the present and into the future.
The blood of Jesus is always the same and it is always enough.
Related:
The Arrows in the Hand of God
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