What God expects of Christians is made clear throughout the NT. Nearly forty exhortations appear in Rom. 12 alone. The apostolic creed found in Tit. 2:11–14 outlines the Christian life as the denial of ungodliness and worldly lusts, accompanied by self restraint, righteousness, godliness and the expectation of the return of Christ. Another such outline in Heb. 10:19–25 calls for prayer, public testimony, a good example to others and assembly for worship. It is reasonable, or spiritual, RV, to present one’s body to God as a living sacrifice to serve Him, Rom. 12:1. This service must be exclusive, Luke 16:13; given with the spirit, Rom. 1:9; rendered with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 12:28; motivated by love, Gal. 5:13. It calls for following Christ, John 12:26, whom all Christians serve, Col. 3:24, as they serve God, Acts 27:23. Believers are described as persons who have turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 1 Thess. 1:9. This service may take the form of fasting and prayer, Luke 2:37, or ministering to the poor and needy, or giving oneself to prayer and the ministry of the Word as did the apostles, Acts 6:1–4. When Christian service is rendered in righteousness, peace, and joy, the believer is acceptable to God and approved of men, Rom. 14:17, 18.
Blessed is the one who finds wisdom and the one who obtains understanding. The profit ⸤gained⸥ from ⸤wisdom⸥ is greater than the profit ⸤gained⸥ from silver. Its yield is better than fine gold. ⸤Wisdom⸥ is more precious than jewels, and all your desires cannot equal it. Long life is in ⸤wisdom’s⸥ right hand. In ⸤wisdom’s⸥ left hand are riches and honor. ⸤Wisdom’s⸥ ways are pleasant ways, and all its paths lead to peace. ⸤Wisdom⸥ is a tree of life for those who take firm hold of it. Those who cling to it are blessed.
IN ORDER TO HAVE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THESE VERSES ONE MUST KNOW WHAT WISDOM IS. ASK YOURSELF DO YOU KNOW WHAT WISDOM IS? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING? HOW DO YOU OBTAIN WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING? FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
GOD KNOWS HIS CHILDREN Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com 2 Timothy 2:19 GNB But the solid foundation that God has laid cannot be shaken; and on it are written these words: “The Lord knows those who are his” and “All who say that they belong to the Lord must turn away from wrongdoing.” GOD KNOWS IF YOU ARE HIS. IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, YOU TURN AWAY FROM DOING WHAT IS WRONG (UNGODLY).
IF YOU WILL ALLOW GOD TO GUIDE YOUR LIFE, YOU CAN LIVE A LONG LIFE, FILLED WITH GOOD DAYS. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com 1 Peter 3:10-11 GW “People who want to live a full life and enjoy good days must keep their tongues from saying evil things, and their lips from speaking deceitful things. They must turn away from evil and do good. They must seek peace and pursue it. Jeremiah 17:5 GW “This is what the Lord says: Cursed is the person who trusts humans, who makes flesh and blood his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord . Jeremiah 17:7 GW Blessed is the person who trusts the Lord . The Lord will be his confidence.
DO NOT LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A MANNER THAT WILL CAUSE YOUR LIFE TO BE CURSED. LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A MANNER THAT WILL CAUSE GOD TO WANT TO BLESS YOU. ALLOW THESE VERSES TO BE A GUIDE UNTO YOUR LIFE.
ALL GOOD THINGS ARE GIVEN BY GOD Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com 1 Timothy 6:17 Tell those who have the riches of this world not to be arrogant and not to place their confidence in anything as uncertain as riches. Instead, they should place their confidence in God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Deuteronomy 8:18 But remember the LORD your God is the one who makes you wealthy. He’s confirming the promise which he swore to your ancestors. It’s still in effect today. 1 Corinthians 4:7 Who says that you are any better than other people? What do you have that wasn’t given to you? If you were given what you have, why are you bragging as if it weren’t a gift? Colossians 2:7 Sink your roots in him and build on him. Be strengthened by the faith that you were taught, and overflow with thanksgiving. Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, we must be thankful that we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Because we are thankful, we must serve God with fear and awe in a way that pleases him.
ALL GOOD IN OUR LIFE COMES FROM GOD, WE MUST GIVE THANKS TO GOD, HE IS WORTHY.
HOW ARE YOU LIVING? Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com Christians should live completely for God, not patterning their lives after the world. Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
SELF-CHECK: WHO DOES PEOPLE SEE WHEN THEY SEE YOU? DO THEY SEE GOD OR DO THEY SEE THE WORLD? THINK ABOUT IT.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. —John 15:4 We all know the meaning of the word except. It expresses some indispensable condition, some inevitable law. “The branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” There is only one way for the branch to bear fruit; there is no other possibility—it must abide in unbroken communion with the vine. Not of itself, but only of the vine, does the fruit come. Christ had already said, “Abide in me.” In nature, the branch teaches us the lesson so clearly. It is such a wonderful privilege to be called and allowed to abide in the heavenly Vine. One might have thought it needless to add these words of warning. But no—Christ knows so well how much a renunciation of self this “Abide in me” implies. He knows how strong and universal the tendency would be to seek to bear fruit by our own efforts. He realizes how difficult it would be to get us to believe that actual, continuous abiding in Him is an absolute necessity! He insists upon the truth: “Of itself” the branch cannot bear fruit; “except it abide,” it cannot bear fruit. “No more can ye, except ye abide in Me.” But must this be taken literally? Must I, as exclusively, manifestly, unceasingly, and absolutely as the branch abides in the vine, be equally given up to find my whole life in Christ alone? I must indeed. The “except ye abide” is as universal as the “except it abide.” The “no more can ye” allows no exception or modification. If I am to be a true branch, if I am to bear fruit, and if I am to be what Christ as Vine wants me to be, my whole existence must be as exclusively devoted to abiding in Him as the natural branch is to abiding in its vine. Let me learn the lesson. Abiding is to be an act of the will and the whole heart. Just as there are degrees in seeking and serving God—from “not with a perfect heart” (2 Chronicles 25:2) to “with the whole heart” (Psalm 119:2)—so there may be degrees in abiding. In regeneration, the divine life enters us. But, it does not all at once master and fill our whole being. This comes as a matter of command and obedience. There is unspeakable danger of our not giving ourselves with our whole heart to abide. There is unspeakable danger of our giving ourselves to work for God—to bear fruit—but doing so with little of the true abiding, the wholehearted losing of ourselves in Christ and His life. There is unspeakable danger of much work but little fruit, for lack of this vital relationship. We must allow the words, “not…of itself,” “except it abide,” to do their work of searching and exposing. They must prune and cleanse all that there is of self-will and self-confidence in our life. This will deliver us from this great evil, and so prepare us for His teaching, giving the full meaning of the word in us: “Abide in me, and I in you.” Our blessed Lord desires to call us away from ourselves and our own strength and draw us to Himself and His strength. Let us accept the warning and turn with great fear and self-distrust to Him to do His work. Our “life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3)! That life is a heavenly mystery, hidden from the wise even among Christians, and revealed to the babes. The childlike spirit learns that life is given from heaven every day and every moment to the soul that accepts the teaching, “not…of itself,” “except it abide,” and seeks its all in the Vine. Abiding in the Vine then comes to be nothing more or less than the restful surrender of the soul to let Christ have all and work all—as completely as in nature, the branch knows and seeks nothing but the vine. Abide in Me. I have heard, my Lord, that with every command You also give the power to obey. With Your “rise and walk,” the lame man leaped. I accept Your word, “Abide in me,” as a word of power, that gives power. Even now I say, Yes, Lord, I will, I do abide in You.
GOD IS OUR PROTECTOR Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com Psalm 32:7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 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. Psalm 119:114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. 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. Psalm 118:8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. Psalm 16:8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED, AND RECEIVED FROM THIS REFRESHER. MAY GOD CONTINUE PROTECTING, AND BLESSING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
FAITH OVER FEELING Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com Hebrews 10:19–23 Brothers and sisters, because of the blood of Jesus we can now confidently go into the holy place. Jesus has opened a new and living way for us to go through the curtain. (The curtain is his own body.) We have a superior priest in charge of God’s house. We have been sprinkled ⸤with his blood⸥ to free us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with clean water. So we must continue to come ⸤to him⸥ with a sincere heart and strong faith. We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith. The one who made the promise is faithful. 2 Corinthians 5:7 Indeed, our lives are guided by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 4:1–6 We don’t become discouraged, since God has given us this ministry through his mercy. Instead, we have refused to use secret and shameful ways. We don’t use tricks, and we don’t distort God’s word. As God watches, we clearly reveal the truth to everyone. This is our ⸤letter of⸥ recommendation. So if the Good News that we tell others is covered with a veil, it is hidden from those who are dying. The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. As a result, they don’t see the light of the Good News about Christ’s glory. It is Christ who is God’s image. Our message is not about ourselves. It is about Jesus Christ as the Lord. We are your servants for his sake. We are his servants because the same God who said that light should shine out of darkness has given us light. For that reason we bring to light the knowledge about God’s glory which shines from Christ’s face. Feeling always seeks something in itself; faith keeps itself occupied with what Jesus is.… Forget not that the faith, of which God’s word speaks so much, stands not only in opposition to works, but also in opposition to feeling, and therefore that for a pure life of faith you must cease to seek your salvation, not only in works, but also in faith. Therefore let faith always speak against feeling. When feeling says, “In myself, I am sinful; I am dark; I am weak; I am poor; I am sad,” let faith say, “In Christ, I am holy; I am light; I am strong; I am rich; I am joyful.” I HOPE YOU RECEIVED GREATLY FROM THIS REFRESHER. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
OUR GOD TEACHES US ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com Proverbs 18:24 Friends can destroy one another, but a loving friend can stick closer than family. Proverbs 19:6 Many try to win the kindness of a generous person, and everyone is a friend to a person who gives gifts. Proverbs 22:24–25 Do not be a friend of one who has a bad temper, and never keep company with a hothead, or you will learn his ways and set a trap for yourself. Psalm 1:1–2 Blessed is the person who does not follow the advice of wicked people, take the path of sinners, or join the company of mockers. Rather, he delights in the teachings of the LORD and reflects on his teachings day and night. 2 Corinthians 6:14–18 Stop forming inappropriate relationships with unbelievers. Can right and wrong be partners? Can light have anything in common with darkness? Can Christ agree with the devil? Can a believer share life with an unbeliever? Can God’s temple contain false gods? Clearly, we are the temple of the living God. As God said, “I will live and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” The Lord says, “Get away from unbelievers. Separate yourselves from them. Have nothing to do with anything unclean. Then I will welcome you.” The Lord Almighty says, “I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters.” BE ALERT, BE CAREFUL HOW YOU CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS, AND BE ALERT AS TO WHY OTHERS CHOOSE YOU TO BE THEIR FRIEND. ALLOW GOD TO GUIDE YOUR FOOTSTEPS, ALLOW THE WORD OF GOD TO CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS. PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM PayPal.me/donatetochurch
