"According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it, for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)." (1Co 3:10-11)
"According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it, for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)." (1Co 3:10-11)
Abide in the Vine
Help Restoring the Church of Jesus Christ
Truth that sets men free, can only be experienced when the Word of God is constantly obeyed and practiced.
TEACHING
LAYING AN EXCELLENT FOUNDATION
Session 3
The Living Word of God
Part 2
The Spirtual Basics
Introduction
WE MUST NOT ONLY READ THE WORD OF GOD AT FACE VALUE – AS NATURAL, BUT MUST SEE ITS POWERFUL SPIRITUAL IMPORTANCE / POWER AND ABILITY AND PRACTISE I
Faith comes through the Word of God
Rom 10:14-17 But how are people to call upon Him Whom they have not believed [in Whom they have no faith, on Whom they have no reliance]? And how are they to believe in Him [adhere to, trust in, and rely upon Him] of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? 15 And how can men [be expected to] preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings! [How welcome is the coming of those who preach the good news of His good things!] [Isa. 52:7] 16 But they have not all heeded the Gospel; for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed (had faith in) what he has heard from us? [Isa. 53:1] 17 So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).
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But how are people to call upon Him Whom they have not believed
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[in Whom they have no faith, on Whom they have no reliance]?
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We must add faith to what we believe.
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If we really believe God’s Word we will act on the Word of God
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And how are they to believe in Him
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[adhere to, trust in, and rely upon Him]
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In order to believe God must be able to trust God and know His character and nature
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Of Whom they have never heard?
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And how are they to hear without a preacher?
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And how can men [be expected to] preach unless they are sent?
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God has sent me to you to bring you the good news and to help you be more effective in being a Christian
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As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings!
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The message of the good news of God had be very misunderstood and seen as powerless
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There is immense good news in the gospel and plan God had for mankind
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[How welcome is the coming of those who preach the good news of His good things!] [Isa. 52:7]
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But they have not all heeded the Gospel;
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for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed (had faith in) what he has heard from us? [Isa. 53:1]
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It will be our decision to believe the Word and make it a part of our lives
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So faith comes by hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the preaching [of the message that came from the lips] of Christ (the Messiah Himself).
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In order to get faith we must hear the truth of the Word of God
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When we read the Word of God for ourselves our faith in the Word of God is build up
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We must become fully convinced of what the Word of God tells and commands us
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Settle the Word of God on earth
Psa 119:89-92 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven [stands firm as the heavens]. [Ps. 89:2; Matt. 24:34, 35; I Pet. 1:25.] 90 Your faithfulness is from generation to generation; You have established the earth, and it stands fast. 91 All [the whole universe] are Your servants; therefore they continue this day according to Your ordinances. [Jer. 33:25.] 92 Unless Your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
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Forever, O Lord, Your word
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is settled in heaven
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[stands firm as the heavens].
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[Ps. 89:2; Matt. 24:34, 35; I Pet. 1:25.]
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“Curry Blake – God’s Word is settled in heaven – we must settle it on earth”
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As it is in heaven – So on earth!
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Heaven is the spiritual realm / Earth is the physical realm
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When cement settles it hardens and takes permanent shape
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We must be unmovable from the Word of God
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Your faithfulness
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God is faithful and His Word is, therefore, also faithful
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The Word of God is faithful and can be fully trusted in
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is from generation to generation;
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You have established the earth,
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and it stands fast.
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The Earth – the physical realm was made out of the spiritual
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The spirit / spiritual is always first
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All [the whole universe]
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are Your servants;
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God is served by His Word
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Everything obeys the Word of God – not your demands
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therefore
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they continue this day according to Your ordinances. [Jer. 33:25.]
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The Word of God maintain the entire universe and all its implements
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The Word of God obeys God’s instruction, not mine!
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Unless Your law – The law is the Word of God in the Old Testament give for a seasonal purpose
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had been my delight,
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Do you love the Word of God?
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Do you look for ways to compromise on the Word of God?
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I would have perished
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When we change the Word of God to suit us we do not know what we are doing
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Look at Adam & Eve
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Not keeping the Word of God caused separation from God and His blessings
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in my affliction
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Not keeping the Word of God brought THE CURSE on the earth and all mankind
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Not keeping the Word of God correctly is futile and brings destruction
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Destruction comes in many forms (Fear / stress / sickness / Broken relationships
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The Word of God is a Seed
Matt 13:3-8 And He told them many things in parables (stories by way of illustration and comparison), saying, A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they dried up and withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them out. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil, and yielded grain--some a hundred times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some thirty.
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The Word of God is like a seed
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A seed contains all the character of the entire potential of that which it must produce
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God Word is supposed to produce something in us
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We must allow the Word to change us – We cannot change ourselves
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When the Word is correctly applied it will automatically produce for us
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The growth of the seed is determined by the ground it is sown into
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The ground is representative of the state of the hearts of men when they hear the Word of God
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All of them was given the same opportunity to hear the Word of God
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There are 4 types of hearts
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Rocky Hearts – Hard hearts
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Unreceptive to the Word of God
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The Word does not reach the effect it was intended to reach
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An insensitive heart – Callous hearts feel nothing anymore
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No conviction of sin / Heart have been seared as with a hot iron
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The Birds - The Devil / Demons will steal the Word of God quickly
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Shallow Hearts - No depth
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Lack of deep personal conviction
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Always please people – Follow the latest spiritual trend
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They seem joyful and excited, but are doing things on emotions
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They have little stability and fluctuate and are easily shaken
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Tests will come to test us – Not God, but this sinful world
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Persecution for the sake of/because of the Word will come
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We must meditate more on the Word / Build your own conviction of the specific Word of God
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Persecution will test our conviction
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Persecution comes in many forms and shapes
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This kind of people loose zeal and finally leave or turn against God
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In order to deepen our conviction, we need to take out the stones
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Stones are things that prevent us from going deeper
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Thorny Hearts – Other things still grows
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God told Israel the surrounding nations and their idol worship will be thorns in their sides
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Thorns represent:
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the cares of the world
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What is keeping you busy?
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Where do most of your energy go to?
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and the pleasure and delight
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What are you think most about?
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and glamour
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Fame and popularity can become a great stumbling block
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and deceitfulness of riches
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Money is NOT evil
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But the desire to be rich is the root of all evil
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The chasing after success becomes out lives goal
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When we are self-sufficient we can forget about God
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choke and suffocate the Word
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It is a slow dying process
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Distractions is the greatest enemy
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The natural tendency in this world is to drift away from God
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We must put checks in place to prevent this
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Build in good disciplines to form new habits
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and it yields no fruit
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We do not see results
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How desperate are you to see results?
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Those who do not bear the fruits falls in this category
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Noble Fruitful Hearts – Internalized and practiced the Word of God
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grasps and comprehends it;
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These people paid attention to Word of God
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They have a personal revelation and personal convictions
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Those who those Christians who persevere and continue
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They overcame all other heart challenges
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Only 25% People reach this stage
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he indeed bears fruit and yields
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They see the authority and power of the Word of God in action
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in one case a hundred times as much as was sown,
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8% produce – 100 fold yield
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in another sixty times as much,
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8% produce – 60 fold yield
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and in another thirty.
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8% produce – 30 fold yield
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You WILL know the Truth
John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. 32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
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To Jews who had believed in Him,
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If you
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abide in My word
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[hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them],
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In order to live in His Word, we must know His Word
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When must be filled with the Word of God
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The Word of God will naturally come out of us
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Remain constantly in His Word
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Meditation on the Word builds our relationship with God
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It has to become a lifestyle of living and practicing the Word of God
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We do not need to know everything before we can obey the Word of God
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We need to go and do the Word in faith, then we will see how it works
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you are truly My disciples
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A true disciple is like his master
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God’s purpose is for us to be LIKE Jesus
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Followers of Jesus do what Jesus did with the effectively of Jesus (John 14:8?)
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And you will
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know the Truth,
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To know the Truth = Experiential knowledge
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Experiential knowledge of God’s word come by practicing it
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and the Truth will set you free
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Only once we have done the Word and experienced it in reality then we will truly understand it
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The Truth will always set us free
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Religion teach only more knowledge and put up more prerequisites, making it more difficult
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The word of God will set us free on every of life
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We must practise / do the Word of God
Matt 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? 23 And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]. [Ps. 6:8.]
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Not everyone
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Many will be surprised in heaven one day
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Be careful of being religiously satisfied
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who says to Me, Lord, Lord
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Religious people calls Jesus – Lord!
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Do you call Him Lord?
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Lord means master/king
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Are you totally submitted to Jesus and His Word?
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will enter the kingdom of heaven
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God has a kingdom – He desires for us to enter it!
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To enter the kingdom is to partake of its benefits
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but
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he who does the will
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Many wonder what is the will of God?
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Then they try to figure it out / Study for years / I am not ready yet
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The problem was not the Will of God, but DOING IT!
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It is easier to study the bible than to do it
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It takes changing and effort
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People love their comfort zones – do not want to change and do not see the need to change
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of My Father Who is in heaven
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have we not
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These people were arrogantly reasoning with Jesus
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Religious people argue about the interpretation of the Word of God
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instead of just doing it
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prophesied in Your name
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and driven out demons in Your name
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and done many mighty works in Your name?
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These people were radical Pentecostals
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We should not become religiously proud
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We should never think we have arrived
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I never knew you;
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God will consider a relationship with Him when He judges Christians
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BUT a relationship will be determined by our trust in God and taking His Word to heart
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And practicing His Word
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When we do His Word – He is truly Lord of our lives!
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depart from Me
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you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]. [Ps. 6:8.]
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Listening to the Word of God is NOT enough
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By not doing the words/commands of Jesus we break the commands of God
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Practising the Word of God
Matt 7:24-29 So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. 25 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not do them will be like a stupid (foolish) man who built his house upon the sand. 27 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell--and great and complete was the fall of it. 28 When Jesus had finished these sayings [the Sermon on the Mount], the crowds were astonished and overwhelmed with bewildered wonder at His teaching, 29 for He was teaching as One Who had [and was] authority, and not as [did] the scribes.
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So everyone
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who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them]
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We must first hear the Word of God
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Then we must obey and practice or do the Word of God
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will be like a sensible
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(prudent, practical, wise) man
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who built his house upon the rock.
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What is the rock in this context? (Jesus / The Word)?
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No, it is living and practicing the Word of God
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And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house;
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What do the rain and the floods represent?
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Trail and tribulations
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Test send from Satan to test us and try of make us give up
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yet it did not fall,
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because it had been founded on the rock.
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And everyone
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who hears these words of Mine and does not do them
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Everybody hears the Word of God
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But not everybody does the Word of God
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will be like a stupid (foolish) man
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What does God call a man that only reads the Word of God? A foolish man!
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who built his house upon the sand.
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And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house,
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and it fell--and great and complete was the fall of it.
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When Jesus had finished these sayings [the Sermon on the Mount],
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the crowds were astonished and overwhelmed
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Are people astonished at your knowledge of the Word of God?
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Or are they astonished at your practical lifestyle that is like the Word of God?
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with bewildered wonder at His teaching,
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Jesus’ teaching was never just knowledge –it always were accompanied by practical living
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When we live something we cannot just change our opinion about the Word
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for He
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was teaching as One Who had [and was] authority,
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Those who, like Jesus, practice the Word of God and live it, speak from a point of authority
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True spiritual authority comes only when we live and practice the Word of God
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and not as [did] the scribes.
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The Meat of the Word of God
John 4:31-34 Meanwhile, the disciples urged Him saying, Rabbi, eat something. 32 But He assured them, I have food (nourishment) to eat of which you know nothing and have no idea. 33 So the disciples said one to another, Has someone brought Him something to eat? 34 Jesus said to them, My food (nourishment) is to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish and completely finish His work.
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I have food (nourishment) to eat
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Many are not spiritually satisfied because they do not what is true spiritual food
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What do you think is that food?
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of which you know nothing and have no idea.
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My food (nourishment) is
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Food is called the meat of the Word of God
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What do you consider the meat of the Word of God?
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The deep things of the Word?
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to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me
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TO DO the Word of God
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To accomplish the task Jesus had given us to complete
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What is the task Jesus has given us?
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To preach the kingdom of God
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To make disciples of all nations
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and to accomplish
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To accomplish the task Jesus had given us to complete
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What is the task Jesus has given us?
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and completely finish
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His work
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What is the task Jesus has given us?
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To love God and ourselves and our neighbors
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To preach the kingdom of God
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To make disciples of all nations
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God’s Word from His Mouth
Isa 55:8-11 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [II Cor. 9:10.] 11 So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
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For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.
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For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
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How much higher is the heavens than the earth?
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How much more vast is the universe than the earth?
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so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
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God ways is much bigger, higher and better than our ways
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For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens,
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and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout,
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that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [II Cor. 9:10.]
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So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth:
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it shall not return to Me void
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[without producing any effect, useless],
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but
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it shall accomplish – God’s Word was designed to accomplish a task – What is that task?
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that which I please
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God is pleased when His Word does what He created it to do
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and purpose,
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God’s Word has a very specific purpose it wants to accomplish in you
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What is God purpose with your life?
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and it shall prosper – When we practice the Word it will cause you to prosper in every way
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in the thing for which I sent it.
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God sent His Word to do a work on earth
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We must allow the Word to do that work in us
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God Created Through His Word
Gen 1:1-4 IN THE beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth. [Heb. 11:3.] 2 The earth was without form and an empty waste, and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep. The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it; and God separated the light from the darkness. [II Cor. 4:6.]
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IN THE beginning – Before anything ever existed God existed
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God created
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The First thing God did was to create
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Where did God start to create / How did God create?
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God was super creative and do not want man to be ‘boxed’ in
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(prepared, formed, fashioned
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When God created He arranged everything with purpose
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the heavens – God created heavens, NOT heaven
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What is the heavens? Heavenly sphere / places
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and the earth. [Heb. 11:3.]
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The earth was without form and an empty waste,
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Can the earth be formless and void? No!
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Then what is this referring to? What is formless? Something with no shape where there is nothing – This does NOT refer to the earth – But a spiritual realm with no end and no beginning – God contains the heavens, even the heaven of heavens – ALL the heavens.
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and darkness was upon the face of the very great deep.
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This place is also like a very great deep!
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Paul speaks of the bottomless things of God
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The Spirit of God was moving – God is Spirit and He filled everything with Himself (Eph 4:6,10)
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(hovering, brooding)
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When one brood you are meditating on something
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Where did God start to create?
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In His mind and heart (1 Cor 2:9-16)
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over the face of the waters.
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What are these waters that the Spirit of God hovered over?
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Heb 11:3 – God created everything out of NOTHING – vast empty space of nothing
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The waters must then be the great plane of potential of God’s creativity
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And God said,
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When God spoke His Word went out of His mouth in power & creativity
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God brought into existence things in His mind and heart
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What was the first thing that God created?
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What came forth first?
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THE WORD OF GOD – The uttered thoughts of God
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The Word of God is the complete expression of God’s heart and mind
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My words represent WHO I AM!
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What represents WHO GOD IS! HIS WORD!
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The Name Michael = Who is like God?
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Can God ever be separated from His Words? NO NEVER
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Let there be light = and there was light
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LIGHT BE! – Powerful explosion of Life coming from LIFE HIMSELF
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The Universe was made and is still becoming larger and larger
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The First thing God created / brought forth was LIGHT!
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Therefore John wrote: He came from the bosom of the Father
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How do you become a Father? You must the originator who gave birth to something
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When God gave birth to His thoughts – He spoke them into existence!
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And God saw
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that the light was good
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(suitable, pleasant)
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What God made was beautiful and perfect
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The Word says God IS LIGHT and in Him there in NO darkness
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God has NO evil in Him – God is LOVE!
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and He approved it;
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God is the creator with all power and wisdom
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God personally approved what he has created
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God approved what He did by blessing it by speaking over it!
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and God
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separated the light
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God made a separation between LIGHT and DARKNESS
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God knows the beauty of the potential of Light
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and also understand the dangerous destructive potential of darkness
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from the darkness. [II Cor. 4:6.]
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Darkness is by default the absence of light
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Nothing God created was evil, but when perverted it could be used for evil
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The Word IS God
John 1:1- 4 IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. [Isa. 9:6.] 2 He was present originally with God. 3 All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being. 4 In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. 5 And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].
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IN THE beginning [before all time]
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God existed before time existed.
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When did time begin? When something came into existence.
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was the Word (Christ),
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Was the Word of God there since the beginning eternity? NO!!
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Only from the time God spoke/uttered His mind and heart
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and the Word was with God,
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John makes an express point – why?
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Was God’s Word with Him? YES! How? His WORD agree with Him in every way
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When a person thinks one thing and says another thing he is a hypocrite and a liar!
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Did not Jesus say: “I can only do what I see my Father doing?
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and the Word was God Himself. [Isa. 9:6.]
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Can God be separated from His Word? NO!!!
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God’s Word is an expression of His character and nature
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He was present originally with God.
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Was the WORD present with God since the beginning? Technically YES!
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God has NEVER changed in character and nature
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HE is the same YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOREVER
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All things were made and came into existence through Him;
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Since He was made first ALL other things came forth THROUGH HIM
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How did ALL things come forth? By the WORD GOD SPOKE / UTTERED
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and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being.
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In Him was Life,
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Was God ALIVE? YES
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God not only alive but had the ability to give life to things
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How did God give life to things? By HIS POWERFUL WORD
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and the Life was the Light of men.
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Was the LIGHT the first thing that came forth from God
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What is LIGHT? Light is revelation and illumination/insight
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And the Light shines on in the darkness,
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Light shine outward and penetrate pierce darkness
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Light is like a sword that pierces what it penetrates
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for the darkness has never overpowered it
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Where does darkness come from? The absence of light!
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Does darkness exist? – Only if there was never light!
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[put it out or absorbed it or
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Can darkness overpower absorb light? NEVER!!!
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By nature Light is dominant
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appropriated it,
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and is unreceptive to it].
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Can light and darkness mix? NEVER!!!
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Rhema - The Word of God in Action
Matt 4:4 But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. [Deut. 8:3.]
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But He replied It has been written,
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Man shall not live
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Man is used to living by food
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God’s Word is REAL food and drink
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and be upheld and sustained
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True strength of character in found in the Word of God
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The Word of God strengthens and gives life to a person
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Is the Word of God able to sustain and strengthen and maintain you?
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by bread alone,
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How urgent are you to eat every day?
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Do you realize the Word of God is more urgent than bread/eating?
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but
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by every word – RHEMA
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What is RHEMA?
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The Word which God spoke into existence
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God’s Word activated to do the work He wanted to accomplish
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Word brought forth from God’s mind and heart
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JESUS the Son of GOD the Messiah!
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that comes forth from the mouth of God. [Deut. 8:3.]
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The Word of God comes from His mouth and straight from His heart
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When we believe and speak the same Word of God we speak with the same power of God in us as God spoke with the Word in Himself
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God maintains All things through His Word – His Son Jesus Christ
Heb 1:1-3 IN MANY separate revelations [each of which set forth a portion of the Truth] and in different ways God spoke of old to [our] forefathers in and by the prophets, 2 [But] in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order]. 3 He is the sole expression of the glory of God [the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power.
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IN MANY separate revelations
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God has revealed Himself to this world in many ways
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In what ways has He revealed or expressed Himself to man?
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Appeared in a burning bush to Moses
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Appeared as a Commander of Armies to Joshua
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He appeared to Abraham as Yahuwah Jireh & Melchizadeck = King of Righteousness
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Appeared as the Wisdom of the ages to Solomon
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Revealed Himself as the Ancient of days to Daniel
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Revealed Himself and the Alpha and Omega to Isaiah
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[each of which set forth a portion of the Truth]
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When God appeared to man in different ways, was it the fullness of His Being? NO
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Why did God appear to each one in a different way?
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To reveal an expressed characteristic of Himself to them in a time of need
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When we put together ALL the ways God has revealed Himself to man we get a better grasp of God and His character and nature
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and in different ways
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God spoke of old
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How did God speak to man? Through personal friends and prophets.
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Prophets was God’s mouth pieces – God Spirit spoke through the prophets to the people
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The Old Testament is God’s revealing and dealing with man through intermediaries
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When God revealed Himself to man He actually SPOKE to man about Himself
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to [our] forefathers
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in and by the prophets,
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[But] in the last of these days – God wanted to change the way He spoke to mankind – Therefore a BUT
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He has spoken
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Who spoke through the prophets? God the Father of all creation
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Who has spoken in these last days? God!!!
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to us
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To whom did He come to speak? To mankind
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in [the person of a] Son,
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How did He speak in these last days? Through His Son
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Who then is the Son? God's WORD spoken through a man of flesh and bone
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Whom He appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things,
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How will God rule over fleshly man? In the body of a human being?
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How did God speak to man? Through a fleshly human being?
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THE WORD BECOME FLESH
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also by and through Whom He created
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God created ALL things by HIS WORD!
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GOD’s WORD is HIS ability and POWER TO CREATE
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the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time
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[He made, produced, built, operated, and arranged them in order].
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He is the sole expression of the glory of God
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God wanted to reveal Himself to mankind
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In the past He revealed Himself in part
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BUT NOW HE fully revealed and expressed Himself and His GLORY through HIS SON
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[the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine],
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and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature,
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Can God express Himself in a better way than His Son? NO
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The Son is the perfect image of God – The Sun and the rainbow
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Son is the VERY character and nature of God the Father revealed!
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upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe
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by His mighty word of power.
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What is upholding and maintaining the universe? The WORD of GOD
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Who is upholding and maintaining the universe? The Father or the Son?
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Father through the Son – The Father and the Son is ONE
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The Voice of God is Powerful
Psa 29:1-11 A Psalm of David. ASCRIBE TO the Lord, O sons of the mighty, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Give to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness or in holy array. 3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon many (great) waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord splits and flashes forth forked lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord makes the wilderness tremble; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young, and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory! 10 The Lord sat as King over the deluge; the Lord [still] sits as King [and] forever! 11 The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.
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ASCRIBE TO the Lord,
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O sons of the mighty,
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ascribe to the Lord
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glory and strength.
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Give to the Lord
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the glory due to His name;
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worship the Lord
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in the beauty of holiness or in holy array.
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The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
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the God of glory thunders;
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the Lord is upon many (great) waters.
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The voice of the Lord is powerful;
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the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
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The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
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yes, the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
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He makes them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion (Mount Hermon) like a young, wild ox.
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The voice of the Lord splits and flashes forth forked lightning.
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The voice of the Lord makes the wilderness tremble;
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the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
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The voice of the Lord makes the hinds bring forth their young,
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and His voice strips bare the forests, while in His temple everyone is saying, Glory!
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The Lord sat as King over the deluge;
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the Lord [still] sits as King [and] forever!
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The Lord will give [unyielding and impenetrable] strength to His people;
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the Lord will bless His people with peace.
The Word is Spirit
John 6:63-64 It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life. 64 But [still] some of you fail to believe and trust and have faith. For Jesus knew from the first who did not believe and had no faith and who would betray Him and be false to Him.
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It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver];
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We can not only read the bible at face value
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We must understand that Jesus, the Word, means what He says and says what He means
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the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it].
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We must learn to also think spiritual about things
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The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life.
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The Word of God is Spirit!
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If you want to know the Holy Spirit and His character you must get to know the Heart of God in His Word
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The Word of God is also Life!
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There is Life in the Word of God – The Word brings life into your life!
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It brings hope and breaths life into your circumstances when you apply the truth of the Word of God in your life
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But [still] some of you fail to believe and trust and have faith.
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We can not only hear and read the Word and take cognitive notice of it
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We must believe the Word of God and act upon it
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It is only once when we really believe and act upon the Word of God that it can release power and life
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For Jesus knew from the first
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who did not believe and had no faith and
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who would betray Him and be false to Him.
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God Lives in an unapproachable LIGHT
1Tim 6:14-16 To keep all His precepts unsullied and flawless, irreproachable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), 15 which [appearing] will be shown forth in His own proper time by the blessed, only Sovereign (Ruler), the King of kings and the Lord of lords, 16 Who alone has immortality [in the sense of exemption from every kind of death] and lives in unapproachable light, Whom no man has ever seen or can see. Unto Him be honour and everlasting power and dominion. Amen (so be it).
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“…by the blessed, only Sovereign (Ruler), the King of kings and the Lord of lords,
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Who alone has immortality
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[in the sense of exemption from every kind of death]
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and lives in unapproachable light,
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God lives in place of very high intensity of purity and brilliance
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God lives in a place that shine outward into the entire creation
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God is LIKE a sun of GLORY
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Whom no man has ever seen or can see.
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No man can ever see God in His purest form and live
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God is NOT visible with the naked eyes
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God cannot be contained
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Therefore God is the Everlasting Father and creator of all creation
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Unto Him be honour and everlasting power and dominion. Amen (so be it).
God’s Resting place in one who Loves and Reveres His Word
Isa 66:1-2 THUS SAYS the Lord: Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house would you build for Me? And what kind can be My resting-place? [Acts 17:24.] 2 For all these things My hand has made, and so all these things have come into being [by and for Me], says the Lord. But this is the man to whom I will look and have regard: he who is humble and of a broken or wounded spirit, and who trembles at My word and reveres My commands. [John 4:24.]
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THUS SAYS the Lord: Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.
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God is both in heaven and on earth – His throne is in heaven, but His feet are on earth
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The working out or the purpose of God is played out on earth
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What kind of house would you build for Me? – God is looking for a house/abode where He can play out His works of love and wonder and glory
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And what kind can be My resting-place? [Acts 17:24.]
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God is looking for a place rest!
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Will you allow Him to give expression through you?
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Will God be pleased to show Himself through you?
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For all these things My hand has made
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God is NOT looking for robots/machines,
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He is looking for a love relationship with another living being
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and so all these things have come into being [by and for Me], says the Lord.
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But this is the man to whom I will look and have regard: - God is looking for a man / Human being
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he who is humble and of a broken or wounded spirit,
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Man was given a choice and can choose to be humble and glorify God
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God loves a humble man
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Broken people have nothing to prove anymore! They are completely vulnerable
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and who trembles at My word and reveres My commands. [John 4:24.]
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We can rebel against God or be in awe of His wonder and character
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God is looking for reverence and respect for who He is
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Reverence is NOT fear, but a great respect and appreciation for who God is
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If we Love God we will Love His character and nature which is EXPRESSED IN HIS WORD
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God is inseparable from HIS WORD
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We CANNOT treat God WORD flippant and irreverent by now believing what God spoke
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What God said HE MEANT! God means what He said and only said what He MEANT!
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God is NOT confused – We must unconditionally trust God’s Word
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Balanced Worshippers of God – Spirit & Truth
John 4:21-24 Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither [merely] in this mountain nor [merely] in Jerusalem. 22 You [Samaritans] do not know what you are worshiping [you worship what you do not comprehend]. We do know what we are worshiping [we worship what we have knowledge of and understand], for [after all] salvation comes from [among] the Jews. 23 A time will come, however, indeed it is already here when the true (genuine) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers. 24 God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality).
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“…a time is coming when
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you will worship the Father neither
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[merely] in this mountain – The place of worship is irrelevant
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nor [merely] in Jerusalem. – We should not make idols out of places and churches
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You [Samaritans] do not know what you are worshiping
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[you worship what you do not comprehend].
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We are gentiles and have inherited teaching about who God is and how to worship Him
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The Jews understood their God
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Gentiles do not have the same understanding of God as the Jews has
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Many worship God in knowledge only and do not know Him whom they worship
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Many have superimposed their idea of idols upon God
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Mythology had a great influence on the wrong thinking many have of God
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Paganism had a deeply rooted effect upon gentile understanding of God
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Greek thinking has a profound impact on man’s idea of God
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We do know what we are worshiping
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[we worship what we have knowledge of and understand],
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Many today try and explain God while they do not really know Him
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Jews knew God and had a history of experiencing God in actively involved in their lives
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for [after all] salvation comes from [among] the Jews.
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God promised salvation to the Jews through the prophets
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God many times said He will come and save His people
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The Name Jesus is not Hebrew – the Name of the boy was called Yahshua
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His Name means – I AM SALVATION
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Jesus is GOD THE SAVIOUR REVEALED – the fulfillment of the promises of God
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A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when
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the true (genuine) worshipers
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God is seeking genuine worshippers
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There a right way and a wrong way of worship – We can worship in vain – waste our time
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will worship the Father
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in spirit
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We must become spiritually awakened to the Father of all LIFE
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We must be born again of the Spirit of God
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and in truth (reality);
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We must not just do ritual, but do NOT really believe = religion
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for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers.
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God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) – In order to start understanding God we must think spiritual
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and those who worship Him
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must worship Him
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in spirit
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We cannot truly know God without the Spirit of God
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We can only a have a relationship with God through His Spirit
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We must not judge things outwardly, but spiritual
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We cannot become spiritual and not be grounded in the Word of God
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The occult also are spiritual but are open to the dark side
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and in truth (reality).
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Truth alone can destroy
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There must be a balance between Spirit and truth
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To know the unknown God
Acts 17:22-28 So Paul, standing in the center of the Areopagus [Mars Hill meeting place], said: Men of Athens, I perceive in every way [on every hand and with every turn I make] that you are most religious or very reverent to demons. 23 For as I passed along and carefully observed your objects of worship, I came also upon an altar with this inscription, To the unknown god. Now what you are already worshiping as unknown, this I set forth to you. 24 The God Who produced and formed the world and all things in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade shrines. 25 Neither is He served by human hands, as though He lacked anything, for it is He Himself Who gives life and breath and all things to all [people]. [Isa. 42:5.] 26 And He made from one [common origin, one source, one blood] all nations of men to settle on the face of the earth, having definitely determined [their] allotted periods of time and the fixed boundaries of their habitation (their settlements, lands, and abodes), 27 So that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him, although He is not far from each one of us. 28 For in Him we live and move and have our being; as even some of your [own] poets have said, For we are also His offspring.
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I perceive in every way [on every hand and with every turn I make] that you are most religious or very reverent to demons
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For as I passed along and carefully observed your objects of worship,
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Even pagans can be religious, but worship in ignorance
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I came also upon an altar with this inscription: “To the unknown god”
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Now what you are already worshiping as unknown, this I set forth to you.
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Do we truly know the God we worship and serve?
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We must have a revelation of God in order to begin to understand Him
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Peter & Paul had such a revelation (Matt 16:17-18)
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Jesus Christ was that Revelation
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The God Who produced and formed the world and all things in it – God is the producer / Creator of all things
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being Lord of heaven and earth – God is the Lord / Master / Ruler of all the earth
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does not dwell in handmade shrines.
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God cannot be found in churches only
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Neither is He served by human hands, as though He lacked anything,
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God does not need man, man needs God’s salvation & help
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for it is He Himself Who gives life and breath and all things to all [people]. [Isa. 42:5.]
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And He made from one [common origin, one source, one blood] all nations of men
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All people on the earth came from Adam & Eve’s bloodline
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to settle on the face of the earth,
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having definitely determined [their] allotted periods of time
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God had determined the exact time you would live on the earth
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God has determined that you would be born in this age and in the circumstances, you were born in
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and the fixed boundaries of their habitation
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(their settlements, lands, and abodes),
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God has determined not only when, but also where you would live and in which country and nationality you would be!
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Why did God do it this way?
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So that they should seek God,
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God wants all men to seek Him
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Before we could seek God we would have to long/hunger or desire Him
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in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him,
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although He is not far from each one of us.
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We can find God if we look for Him
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God is NOT hard to find
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We must learn to FEEL after Him, because is Spirit and not visible to the physical eye
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For in Him
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we live and move and have our being;
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as even some of your [own] poets have said, For we are also His offspring.
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Practical
This bible study was focused on the Spiritual aspects of God and His Word. Sometimes the spiritual aspect of God and Word can seem only isotherical and all in the mind, but God and His Word is more real than the air you breath!
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We must learn to become more sensitive to God’s Presence and the Power of His Word:
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Be humble and have a learners heart towards the Word of God
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Remember the Word of God is SPIRIT and has immense power!
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Start to apply the Word of God and expect the power of the Word to manifest
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Expect God to do what He has promised He would do!
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Allow the Word of God to become REAL to you
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Imagine yourself into the circumstances
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Listen with your heart and not only with your logic and natural mind
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Remember Jesus is the WORD that became flesh
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Allow the Word and you to become ONE
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Be open to God so that He could speak to you through His Word, by His Spirit
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God will always speak according to His Word and according to His character of love and righteousness
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