|
When we respond to problems in life in ways which dishonour God, we actually give 'ground in our souls' to the devil. This ground needs to be regained one step at a time.
To be free we need to:
1. believe the truth as to who we really are (see the 7 points mentioned earlier);
2. confess and renounce every aspect of sin in our life (see opposite table);
When confessing to God, a sample prayer is:
"Lord, I confess that I have participated in (activity) and I renounce (activity). I repent. Thank you for forgiving me."
When asking for forgiveness from someone you have offended, a suggested wording to use is:
"God has convicted me of how wrong I've been in (basic offense). Would you please forgive me?"
3. show mercy by forgiving our offenders;
To maintain freedom we need to
Walk in the Spirit by actively and daily choosing to listen to the Holy Spirit's guidance.
Set your mind on godly things, remember God's truths, and avoid worldly entertainment.
Take up your cross daily, remember that you have died to sin, and fight any temptation in the name of Jesus.
Share with a Christian friend if the temptation is getting too strong, and pray together.
Prompt confession and renunciation of new acts of sin. Don't be embarrassed to confess your sins - that is a trick of the devil!
Seven wisdom principles
Violating God's principles of wisdom leads to conflicts in key relationships (Response to God, Acceptance of self, Family harmony, Purpose for the future, Effectiveness in friendships, Harmony in courtship and marriage, Management of financial affairs).
Maturity and happiness in life come as we grow in understanding and applying seven universal non-optional principles of life:
DESIGN. Thanking God for my physical features, abilities, gender, parents, siblings, & other "unchangeables" brings Self-Acceptance.
AUTHORITY. Honoring my authorities (parents, government, church, work) brings Inward Peace.
RESPONSIBILITY. Taking responsibility for our actions and asking for forgiveness when we do wrong brings a Clear Conscience.
SUFFERING. Transforming hurts into genuine love, & forgiving offenders brings Genuine Joy.
OWNERSHIP. Yielding my rights to God brings True Security.
FREEDOM. Having our minds transformed from false thinking patterns brings Moral Purity.
SUCCESS. Hearing and obeying the teachings of the Bible brings Life Purpose.
3. Christian Community life
In the world, family life is becoming less and less stable, with so many divorces, broken homes, and children without fathers or mothers. Home is often not the safe refuge it was designed to be. The Bible's solution is that we should see ourselves as belonging to a 'Spiritual family' or Christian Community, often called 'Church'. God Himself is our caring heavenly Father, and other Christians are now our 'brothers / sisters'. We no longer ever have to feel alone!
Growth points:
Who is God?
Who are we as Christians?
What do we do together?
God's values & mission
Spiritual growth disciplines
Key Bible verses: Matthew 3:13-17; 16:15-18; 22:36-40; 28:18-20; 5:1-7:29; 2Timothy 3:10-15; John 13-17; Acts 2:42-47; 4:32; Ephesians 1; John 4:19-24; Philemon 1:4-6; 1Corinthians 10:31-33; 11:17-34.
Who is God?
God is the glorious creator of the universe, the only God. There is no one else like Him. For us as Christians, God may also be described as our Father, redeemer, saviour, shepherd, teacher, comforter, refuge, deliverer, provider, and more! We can totally trust Him to provide for all of our needs.
God has revealed Himself to us in history as a tri-unity: God, Word of God, Spirit of God.
After the Word of God became a human (in Jesus Christ of Nazareth), God became known as the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ", with Jesus therefore being known as "the Son of God". All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus, and He is the head of the Church.
The Spirit of God, or Holy Spirit, lives within each one of us as Christians. He motivates and equips us to do God's will, teaches us the truth, and convicts people of their sins.
Who are we as Christians?
People were first called "Christians" because they were always joyfully talking about Jesus Christ, were obedient to Him, & really wanted to be like Him, following in His footsteps, even if that meant being persecuted. That is what it means to be His disciple. Jesus Himself said to His first missionaries:
"Go into all the world and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all things I have commanded you". (Matthew 28:19,20)
Christians are people who have the Holy Spirit within them (see §1). All other people filled with the Holy Spirit are our 'brothers, sisters', and there is a special unity between each one of us and Jesus Christ. Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters. In fact, the Bible describes the Church as the 'bride of Christ'. Jesus has promised to always be with us. God has also ordained that we be co-heirs with Jesus Christ of the new world He will create!
What do we do together?
As a Spiritual family, God wants us to enjoy spending time together with Him & each other. He wants us to glorify Him and give Him thanks in all circumstances and be committed to His purposes in the world.
Note: (1) let us learn to live & work together;
(2) we are to look out for each other's needs; (3) worshipping & obeying God brings glory to Him & is utterly satisfying; (4) we are to be growing in purity and faithfulness; (5) families grow in number, and God wants to use us in helping as many as possible to come to Him!
A time of worship together might look like this:
Singing songs and praising God
Prayers of thanksgiving (and confession, if required).
The Lord's Supper (Holy Communion) in which we are reminded of God's love for us.
Sharing our needs and praying to God for them and the needs of others.
Teaching and encouraging each other from the words of the Bible.
Singing.
Enjoying food together!
God's values & mission
God, as our loving heavenly Father, wants each one of us to become conformed to the character of Jesus Christ and living our lives around the same concerns that Jesus had:
Vision
To see God's name revered and respected.
To see God's kingdom and rule come.
To see God's will done on earth as it is in heaven.
Mission
To make disciples of all nations.
(That is, to help all people become followers of Jesus, and thus experience a better life now and for eternity)
Values (the duty of mankind; God's commands to us)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Love your neighbour with practical concern just as you would look after yourself.
Love one another sacrificially and with mercy, just as Jesus modeled to us.
God has given us His Holy Spirit to help us fulfill the above. We will then live a life that reflects God's glory. It is "life to the full"!
Spiritual growth disciplines
Jesus said that eternal life is "knowing God and Jesus whom He sent" (John 17:3). To build a deep relationship with our triune God we must practice these five disciplines:
Bible Study. How do we hear from God and know His will for us? His living words for us are in the Bible, and He will speak to you through them.
Prayer. This is where we talk with God, not with showy words, but genuinely. Spend much time glorifying Him, giving Him thanks for everything, and presenting to Him requests for ourselves and others. Also spend time in quietness to listen to Him in spirit.
Worship. This is where we praise God, singing songs to Him and proclaiming His greatness. God is worthy of all our praise, because He has saved us from hell and judgment and given us new life in Jesus!
Fellowship. This is where we spend time with each other, sharing our joys as well as our burdens, sorrows and weaknesses, with the purpose of "building each other up".
Witnessing. Through telling others about Jesus and our faith, they also can come to believe in Jesus, and so God's spiritual family grows! Don't think of it as a "pushy" thing; rather, you will be surprised at the number of opportunities that will come your way to just naturally share the difference that Jesus can make!
4. Daily living God's way
The world in which we live is being polluted & trashed. People are being abused instead of respected; there are wars, crimes, rapes, pornography, religious arguments, refugees, dog-eat-dog in the business world, etc. The Bible says that we need to learn to live our daily life in the world but not 'of the world', seeking first God's will in everything.
Growth points:
Using the Bible
Understanding the Spiritual realm
Responsible use of the environment
Economics & daily work
Friendships, courtship & marriage
Politics & government
Interacting with other religions
Key Bible verses: John 17:15; 2Timothy 3:16,17; Hebrews 1:13-14; Ephesians 6:10-18; Revelation 12:7-12; Genesis 1:26-28; 9:1-3; Revelation 11:17-18; Matthew 6:19-34; 2Thessalonians 3:6-13; 1Corinth-ians 6:15 - 7:40; Ephesians 5:22-33; Romans 13:1-7; Acts 17:16-34; Colossians 1; 3:16,17; Titus 2:11-14.
Using the Bible
The Bible is God's written Word to us. It is living and powerful, revealing to us the truth about God, ourselves, life, morality, history, and the cosmos.
Christians should be actively involved in personal study and group reflection on the Bible, so that they can grow in wisdom and love for God. Then they will be able to live in this world but not live according to the base values of the world.
Bible reading is like food to the soul and spirit. Through prayerfully reading, hearing, and meditating on memorized portions, our minds are renewed in accordance with God's truth, & we grow to become more like Christ.
It is written: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
Bible reading tip: Begin each day by prayerfully reading 5 Psalms (to strengthen your relationship with God) and 1 chapter of Proverbs (for your human relationships).
Understanding the Spiritual realm
The spiritual realm is the greater reality behind the physical universe. God, who is Spirit, is present all throughout the universe. He is the creator and sustainer of all things. You cannot escape God's presence!
There are other spiritual beings, called angels, who are not on the same level as God, but they are much more powerful than human beings. They are designated by God to be helpers of Christians.
There are also fallen angels who rebelled against God. These are called demons, and are lead by Lucifer, the devil. The devil wants all people to worship him, and he is the real enemy of people on earth. People who do not obey God open themselves up to demonic oppression. Christians also must be wary of the devil, for he is also trying to destroy us. We overcome the devil by:
(1) the blood of Jesus; (2) our Christian testimony;
(3) not loving our lives even unto death; (4) submitting to God; (5) prayer; (6) doing the Word of God.
Responsible use of the environment
The world in which we presently live is not the original pristine one which God originally created. It has been under a curse since Adam and Eve's sin in the Garden of Eden, and it has also been totally 'rearranged' by a global flood in the days of Noah.
The Bible also teaches that this world is not destined to last for ever, but that there is coming a day of judgment in which this world will be destroyed by fire, after which there will be a new heaven and a new earth.
Until that day, the Bible gives the following guidelines:
(1) Humans are to be regents of the environment, filling the earth and subduing it, having dominion over it & all the animal kingdom. This also implies that we treat the environment with respect, and don't rape it.
(2) Humans must not treat the environment romantically (as though trees or animals were our 'brothers', or the earth was our 'Mother') or reverentially (we do not worship the environment and becomes its devotees). The earth was created for us.
Economics & daily work
Four keywords should govern our economic affairs: contentment, creativity, love, responsibility, combined under the umbrella of doing all for the glory of God. The following are some resulting basic principles:
1. We can enjoy what we do if it is for God's glory!
2. The total environment in which we work should be healthy - mental, spiritual, physical, emotional.
3. We must treat everyone, from consumer to employer to employee, as creative wonderful persons and not as objects or machines.
4. Work is essentially serving others, and providing for their needs. One person's abundance - in time, skills, resources - is to supply another's lack!
5. First principles in any society must always be the production or provision of sufficient food, drink, and clothing, closely followed by shelter. Once these needs are met, and we ensure that these primary producers are always getting enough in return for their labour, can we joyfully diversify our work activities.
6. We each have a responsibility to work for as long as we are fit and able to in whatever sphere God calls us, within a wholesome 'work-rest-play' cycle.
7. We should seek to employ the unemployed so that they also can express their talents and gifts for the glory of God and benefit of others.
Friendships, courtship & marriage
Having friends, along with a life partner, is one of the chief blessings God has given mankind after knowing Himself. The desire to share with other humans is integral to who we are, and God Himself said "It is not good for man to be alone".
Friendships can be classified into four levels:
(1) Acquaintance - based on occasional contacts;
(2) Casual friendship - based on common interests, activities, & concerns [oneness of soul];
(3) Close friendship - based on mutual life goals [oneness of spirit];
(4) Intimate friendship - based on commitment to the development of each other's character.
When seeking a marriage partner, do not fall into the trap of dating. Instead we should choose the concept of courtship.
Dating is "singling out one person of the opposite gender and cultivating interest through thoughts, looks, notes, talks, or events". Dating is an exercise in divorce because it is not based on commitment but rather the fulfilling of sensual desires.
Note: Sexual expression is to be only within marriage. Flee sexual immorality, flirting & seductive behaviour.
Courtship may be defined as "two fathers agreeing to work together with a qualified young man to win the daughter for marriage". If a young man is serious about a girl, let him ask her father for permission to grow the relationship! Engagement is "a daughter's agreeing to accept the proposed love and protection of a young man in marriage".
A Christian marriage is to be a model of the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church: "As the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it." (Ephesians 5:24,25).
The following 8 qualities must be present for a successful Christian marriage:
Must be genuinely "born again"
Must accept himself / herself
Must be a man / woman under authority
Must have a clear conscience
Must know how to yield rights
Must have moral freedom (else he / she is only using you to love himself / herself)
Must know God's purpose for his / her life
Must have financial freedom.
Finally, when it comes to having children, God wants us to be fruitful and multiply! Every child is a blessing from the Lord.
Politics & government
Politics is basically the science and art of government, and its aim should be to help people living collectively in a society to live in harmony & prosperity.
Let us respect and submit to our politicians, praying for and encouraging them to make decisions that will not only uphold justice and righteousness, but also be most beneficial for allowing us to live godly lives and hence help others to be saved.
If a governing authority asks us to do something which is against our conscience, we must obey God rather than men, but still submit to the governing authority's decisions against us. The Bible is filled with such examples. There is no need, nor precedent for, radical violent upheaval against the governing authorities by us as Christians. Our prayers and our obedient submission as we seek to do God's will shall accomplish the greater purposes of God.
Interacting with other religions
There is a common view that all religions are basically paths to the same destination, and that the most important thing is that we love each other and be happy (as long as we don't lose our own personal creature comforts).
Whilst other religions have elements and illustrations of the truth within them, because God has never left Himself without witness in any culture, God's full and complete revelation of truth, and how to be free from sin and in right relationship with Him and others, is in Jesus Christ, the climax and fulfillment of Jewish revelation.
Whilst respecting the rights of others, we must insist that if they are ultimately seekers of truth, they need to follow Jesus.
Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)
5. Gifts & talents
People's abilities to express their talents are often stifled, or they have never been given an opportunity to flourish. The Bible promises that when you open yourself up to God, He gives you spiritual gifts, and often your talents are given full opportunity to bloom! These gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to establish the Christian Community - both internally in quality and to see it grow in numbers - to ultimately bring glory to God. These gifts are most often in line with the desires of your heart, your abilities, your personality, and your life experiences.
Growth points:
Discovering your spiritual gifts
Effective use of your gifts & talents
Being mentored
Key Bible verses: John 14:15-17; Acts 1:4-8; 2:1-18; 1Corinthians 12-14; Romans 12:3-21; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1Peter 4:10,11; Matthew 6:9-10; 26:36-46; 2Timothy 2:2.
Discovering your spiritual gifts
All spiritual gifts can be virtually summed up into two categories, either 'speaking' or 'serving'.
Pray for God to reveal to you which gift(s) He may be wanting you to exercise, and see which ones you find yourself now nearly always liking to do:
Speaking: preaching, prophecy, evangelism, missions, church planting, teaching, exhortation, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, discernment, intercessory prayer, praying in tongues, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, music, worship, leadership.
Serving: hospitality, mercy, service, helping, pastoring, giving, arts and craft, healing, miracles, administration, organisation, faith, leadership.
You will normally come to discover what gifts you have by others in your local Christian Community telling you or confirming what you think you might have.
Effective use of your gifts & talents
We must never let ourselves be chiefly defined by the gift we exercise or the role we play. We are first and foremost humans in the image of God, greatly loved by Him! Our gifts, roles, etc, are 'sub-expressions' of who we are in Christ.
This being said, we can say that any role we exercise must be for the common good. That is, it is to build up and edify others.
With this in mind, a person will exercise their gift well if the following characteristics have been built into their lives:
A vital relationship with God
An ability to wait on God for His timing and will
A compassion for people
A vision for the potential of their gift(s)
A servant spirit
A developing participation in a team
A volunteer spirit
A life of example
A disciplined life
Being mentored
Having a mentor is one of the key ways in which each of us grows to maturity in any aspect of our life. To put it in building terms, each one of us needs to be in a Master-Apprentice relationship for us to grow well!
For a person to grow in their spiritual gift, there will be some form of "on the job training", including modeling as well as some form of mentoring:
Modeling: I do, you watch; We do; You do, I watch.
Mentoring: coaching, using Plan, Do, Check, Act.
Note that whether or not you actually have another human as your 'mentor', the Holy Spirit is always wanting to teach you, and Jesus is always your 'chief Shepherd'. God is working in you both to will and to act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13).
Once a person grows to maturity in the use of their spiritual gift and in their Christian life, they can then be released into leadership if God wills, which is the authority to guide others through the same process.
6. Servant leadership
We see in the world dictatorship and oppressive leadership. We see power politics, and people still treated like slaves or pawns in a game of chess. We see some leaders who don't really know what they are doing. But we need good reliable leaders in every sphere of society: at home, at work, in government, in the Church. The Bible teaches that servant leadership is the best way to lead, and Jesus Christ is our model.
Growth points:
Qualifications for leadership
Training objectives
Mistakes to avoid
Exercising discipline
The purpose of leadership
Key Bible verses: Matthew 20:25-28; 23:11,12; John 13:1-17; 1Peter 5:1-10; 1Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; Acts 6:1-7; Matthew 18:15-35; 1Timothy 5:17-22; 2Timothy; James 3-4; 1Corinthians 3.
Qualifications for leadership
In the mind of Jesus, leadership equals servanthood first & foremost. Unless that is grasped, then any leading that we may do is not leading at all within the Kingdom of God.
To be a servant, a person must be humble; humble enough to wash someone else's feet. The Bible says "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (1Peter 5:5). The Bible also says "Pride goes before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). Remember, all that you have is a gift from God. Therefore, be humble!
Beyond this, the Bible is very clear on what qualities a spiritual leader is to have:
|
|
