- Core Values
I have come that you would have Real and eternal Life John 10: 10
R = Relationship with God and each other
E= Every believer a minister home and abroad
A = Active Faith Putting it into practice
L = Life Change which is a process.
Not something we do once and we are different forever, but a process of…
Loving god
Using our spiritual gifts…
In Faith which God works through us.
So we continue to change
EXAMPLE: life is daily decisions. I can wake up in the morning and decide to exercise and eat right that day. By six that evening, I can be sitting in front of my television not doing anything I said. What happened? I made a decision in the morning and during the day, I continued to make decisions to hinder what I chose earlier.
2. Spiritual Growth.
Author of Hebrews spoke of the importance of spiritual growth in Hebrews 5” 11 – 14
- We need to be mature and growing and teaching others,
- We are still needing milk.
- Peter = as newborn babies you desired the sincere milk of the word… 1 Peter 2: 2
- I gave you milk not solid food, for you were not yet ready 1 Corinthians 3: 2
- Not two gospels, One deep that is meat and one shallow that is milk, but our tastebuds are not ready to really understand what is being said.
Spiritual growth happens by understanding the basics (The foundations)
- Repentance
- Faith in God
- Baptisms
- Laying on of hands
- Resurrection of the Dead
- Eternal judgement
These were so basic to the readers of Hebrews, the author does not even go into detail about what they are, yet we are going to have to spend the next six weeks trying to get our minds around what they mean.
3. Examine yourself
One verse really challenges me in this area
2 Corinthians 13: 5 Examine yourself to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves… why would Paul ask us to examine and test ourselves twice in one verse.
EXAMPLE: I asked Jesus into my heart, test passed I’m good…then why when the rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked what must I do to be saved didn’t Jesus say ask me into your heart. Instead he said Luke 18: 18 – 2
- Keep the commandments.
- have merit with God by selling everything you have and giving it to the poor.
How many will be saved? Luke 13: 23, 24 only a few who find the door.
Maybe we are not as secure as we thought and we had better take this call to examine ourselves a little more seriously. Maybe the foundation should consist of more than one stone.
4. Amos and the plum line
Paul said we need to examine ourselves, but God stated in Amos, he was going to come with a plum line and check out to see how straight Israel was. (Amos 7: 7,8)
God’s promise to shake the earth and all that is in it. (Amos 9:9,10)
- I will shake all the grain in a sieve
- Those who say nothing bad will happen will be destroyed
- Not one true kernel will be lost.
- Set the plumb line against our hearts and make sure we are true kernels. Our foundation is strong so we can go on with you
- lean on our own understanding, wee will probably end up falling.
- David cried out “Search me Oh God and know my heart. test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139: 23, 24
2 Timothy 2: 19 the foundation of God stand firm.
Pray, God continue the process of life change in our own lives.