1/23/2012 A Dynamic ChurchScriptures: Philippians 2:12-16
What does the world need most in 2012? They need dynamic believers who desire to to create a dynamic church. A dynamic believer has a consuming passion to know Jesus They live their life by the Word of God and seek always to honor their vows to Him. A dynamic believer knows that what they have is the best and they want to share the best with everyone. A dynamic believer has an overflowing love for others. They have a love like Christ, which goes beyond the natural. A love in spite of a person's faults and instead sees their needs. A dynamic believer has a willingness to pay the price. Partial commitment to Christ is not enough, its requires self-denial. A dynamic believer has the confidence that God will provide needed resources. The Bible says it this way: "Our God shall supply," Philippians 4:19. Our actions demonstrate our confidence in God and a dynamic church can only exist through the actions and commitments of dynamic believers. 1/21/2012 The Motivation TestScriptures: Numbers 22:1-7, 2 Peter 2:15, Jude 11
The motivation test is when we are examined to determine what inner and outer forces are influencing our decisions. God arranges these situations to reveal: intentions, thoughts, values and priorities. We do not always know why we do certain things, because our apparent motivation may be a far cry from our internal motives. The purpose of this test is to: 1) to reveal our inner driving forces. 2) to purify our interal motives 3) for the salvation of souls 4) the edification of the church-we are not to serve God for what we can get of God, but rather for what we can offer Him and His people. A person can use their spiritual gifts to glorify themselves instead of God and this centers from an unrighteous motivation. Balaam is a perfect example. His challenge was to see if he would sell out or be faithful to God's word. Balak tempted the prophet's motivation with the test of a bribe. The size of the bribe grew and the test kept coming because Balaam's internal motivation was not pure. Balaam failed: "Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;" says 2 Peter about Balaam's decisions and legacy. The motivation test is to reveal what is in our hearts. God desires us to have pure motives and pure motives bring glory to God. Pure motives lead to the salvation of souls. 1/5/2012 The Time TestGenesis 12:1-9
Often, in our flesh, when we are being tested by time we feel like God is not fulfilling the word He gave us, because its a test of our patience and trust. This world has trained us to want everything instantly, but somtimes God chooses for us to wait on Him. Its a time of submitting to God's timing and ways. The purpose of the time test is for us to grow in faith, purify our motives and attitudes, and challenges our impure, selfish and proud motives. The time test proves that God is a miracle- working and faithful God. God provides after we have deleted all our own resources. God moves after all our plans fail and then He arranges a miracle and glory belongs to Him. Abraham is the perfect Biblical example of the time test. He was 75 years old when God called him: "unto thy seed will I give this land." Abraham at this time was childless, so Abraham made his slave Eleazer his heir. But God said that Abraham would have a son, and again Abraham takes the situation into his own hands. Ishamel is born by Hagar when Abraham is 86. But finally when Abraham turns 100 years old Isaac is born, who is God's promised child. Abraham had to wait 25 years for his natural son, his true heir. Isaac was a miracle birth! Time is not our enemy! God has a purpose for the delay. If we submit to God's time table with patience, our faith can grow and our motives can be purified. The Word God gave you will not return void or unfulfilled, instead it will give God glory! |
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