“But How Do I Know I’m Part of God’s Family?” Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (Gal. 4:6) In Galatians 3:23–4:7, Paul wrestles with the question “Who inherits the promises given to Abraham of an eternal life with God?” Or, in our modern vernacular, who is saved? The answer is everyone who trusts God to justify them through Christ’s death and resurrection. All who believe—who take God at his word—regardless of their gender, social standing, or ethnicity, are now “sons” of God. This means that all who believe inherit equally. There are no second-class family members seated around God’s dining room table. But how do you know if you have a seat? The acid test of sonship comes from something inside you that insists—demands—that you think of God as your Father. It’s the Spirit of his Son that he has sent into your heart that says, “You are related to him.” Even in your worst moments, you know that you can turn to Him and he will hear you, because you’re family. And so you don’t even think about it. You just expect Him to take your call, because that’s what family does. This is an experiential argument, not a conceptual one. It asks you whether you find yourself naturally, if unexpectedly, turning to God in random moments of your life. • Do you ever feel grateful and silently whisper, “Thank you”? • Do you ever get upset and tell God how frustrated you are? • Have you ever been sick or in pain and asked him to heal you? • Have you ever urged Him to make the future turn out a certain way? • Have you ever felt cut to the heart and asked Him to comfort you? • Do you ever find yourself struck by the beauty of a sunset, the delicacy of a spiderweb, the power of a thunderstorm, the quietness of a snowfall, the softness of a baby’s cheek, or the loyalty of a pet, and then find yourself marveling at the One who made it? Responses like these—reaching out to God or associating him with the things you experience in life—make sense only if there is something real between the two of you. Something that transcends your fears and uncertainty. Something that’s there whether you consciously think about it or not. When you instinctively turn to God—not to make all your wishes come true, but in order to invite him into your world or to share yourself with him—you are demonstrating that his Spirit really is inside of you crying out, “Father!” It’s the evidence that you are family. Being family wasn’t your idea first. God put the Spirit of his Son in you. And since he has done that, you are not just family for the moment—you are family forever. Think back over the past few days. Were there times when you casually, instinctively reached out to God? Be honest with yourself: do you have a sense inside that you can talk to God as your Father? If so, thank Him for his Spirit. If not, ask Him to adopt you and give you his Spirit. FOOD FOR THOUGHT I HOPE YOU ARE ABLE TO RECEIVE FROM THIS QUICK REFRESHER. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Beware of Limiting God Psalm 37:4-5 Be happy with the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Entrust your ways to the LORD. Trust him, and he will act ⸤on your behalf⸥. Jeremiah 32:17 ‘Almighty LORD, you made heaven and earth by your great strength and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Matthew 13:58 He didn’t work many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Mark 11:23 I can guarantee this truth: This is what will be done for someone who doesn’t doubt but believes what he says will happen: He can say to this mountain, ‘Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it will be done for him. James 1:5–8 If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do, you should ask God, and he will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn’t find fault with them. When you ask for something, don’t have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea. A person who has doubts shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything. DO NOT LIMIT GOD. DO NOT DOUBT GOD. TRUST, OBEY, BELEIVE AND RECEIVE FROM ALMIGHTY GOD. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PayPal.me/donatetochurch
GOD SPEAKS TO US ABOUT COMMITMENT Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com Deuteronomy 10:12–13 Israel, what does the LORD your God want you to do? He wants you to fear him, follow all his directions, love him, and worship him with all your heart and with all your soul. The LORD wants you to obey his commands and laws that I’m giving you today for your own good. Joshua 24:14–15 “Fear the LORD, and serve him with integrity and faithfulness. Get rid of the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve only the LORD. But if you don’t want to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Even if you choose the gods your ancestors served on the other side of the Euphrates or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live, my family and I will still serve the LORD.” Matthew 22:37 Jesus answered him, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Luke 16:13 “A servant cannot serve two masters. He will hate the first master and love the second, or he will be devoted to the first and despise the second. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Romans 12:1–2 Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God’s compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. Don’t become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect. Hebrews 10:23 We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith. The one who made the promise is faithful. There are very few who in their hearts do not believe in God, but what they will not do is give Him exclusive right of way.… They are not ready to promise full allegiance to God alone. WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU COMMITTED TO, ARE YOU COMMITTED TO GOD? WE MUST BE FULLY COMMITTED TO GOD. PayPal.me/donatetochurch ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
FOOD FOR THOUGHT 2 Chronicles 15:2b The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Lamentations 3:22-23 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE. PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
GOD SPEAKS TO US ABOUT BLESSING AND CURSING Numbers 6:24–26 The LORD will bless you and watch over you. The LORD will smile on you and be kind to you. The LORD will look on you with favor and give you peace.’ Deuteronomy 11:26–28 Today I’m giving you the choice of a blessing or a curse. You’ll be blessed if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I’m giving you today. You’ll be cursed if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God, if you turn from the way I’m commanding you to live today, and if you worship other gods you never knew. IT IS GOD’S DESIRE TO BLESS US. BUT HE ALLOWS US TO CHOOSE TO BE BLESSED OR TO BE CURSED. LIVE YOUR LIFE OBEYING GOD AND BE BLESSED BY GOD. REMEMBER, IT IS YOUR CHOICE. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com
OUR GOD IS RELIABLE Psalm 37:28 For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish. Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Isaiah 46:4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Romans 10:11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. 1 Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 33:18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. OUR GOD IS ALMIGHTY WE CAN DEPEND ON OUR GOD OUR GOD IS RELIABLE Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM PayPal.me/donatetochurch
EVERY CONVERSATION IS NOT FOR YOU. “Dirty stories, foul talk and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, remind each other of God’s goodness and be thankful!” (Ephesians 5:4, TLB). EVERY CONVERSATION IS NOT WORTH BEING PART OF, CHOOSE CAREFULLY WHAT YOU TAKE PART IN, AND GUARD WHAT COMES OUT OF YOUR MOUTH. THINK ABOUT IT. PASTOR: ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM. “Dirty stories, foul talk and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, remind each other of God’s goodness and be thankful!” (Ephesians 5:4, TLB). EVERY CONVERSATION IS NOT WORTH BEING PART OF, CHOOSE CAREFULLY WHAT YOU TAKE PART IN, AND GUARD WHAT COMES OUT OF YOUR MOUTH. THINK ABOUT IT. PASTOR: ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
THANK YOU JESUS 1 PETER 2:24 AMP He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed. THANK’S TO JESUS, SIN DOESN’T HAVE POWER OVER US. STOP SINNING, LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
Beware, there are many fake Christians Matthew 15:8 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Isaiah 29:13 And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote. James 1:26 If a person thinks that he is religious but can’t control his tongue, he is fooling himself. That person’s religion is worthless. John 2:9 Those who say that they are in the light but hate other believers are still in the dark. Titus 1:16 They claim to know God, but they deny him by what they do. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit to do anything good. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com Sadly there are many false believers who will be expecting to go to Heaven and will be denied entrance. The best way to avoid being one is to make sure you have truly put your trust in Christ alone for salvation. When you have repented and put your faith in Christ that will lead to a change of life. Follow God and educate yourself with His Word. Many people follow false teachings from the Bible given by false preachers or they just refuse to obey instructions from God and follow their own minds. There are many people who throw on the Christian name tag and think by just going to church they will be granted Heaven, which is false. You know there are people like that in your church and especially in the youth today. You know there are people still having sex outside of marriage, still going to clubs, they still have a continuous willful potty mouth. Hell will be worse for these people than atheists. They are just Sunday Christians and they don’t care about Christ. Am I saying that a Christian is perfect? No. Can a Christian backslide? Yes, but there will be growth and maturity in a true believers life because it is God working in them. They won’t just remain in darkness if they are the Lord’s sheep because God will discipline them and also His sheep hear His voice. DON’T BE A FAKE CHRISTIAN, CHECK YOURSELF. PayPal.me/donatetochurch PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
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