Confidence in God’s Plan By understanding the complete picture of history (the mosaic) of the first Adam and the second (last) Adam (Christ) and the purpose of the cross-work of Christ, believers can have extreme confidence in God’s perfect plan for them. The purpose of the cross-work of Christ resulted in Christ’s resurrection, ascension, glorification, and session at the right…
The Purpose for Our Lives God’s personal love for the believer emphasizes the object—those who express faith alone in Christ alone. Through grace, the love of God has provided everything necessary to make us acceptable (1 John 4:10). This is the doctrine of propitiation (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2) as the foundation for the doctrine of justification (Romans 3:28; 2…
Characteristics of Self-Contained Happiness (or The Signs of Maturity in Christ) Tranquility in the soul—contentment, peace. Capacity for life—thanksgiving, gratitude, appreciation, forgiveness, mercy, and love. Never feeling threatened by emergencies, adverse circumstances, other people, serious health issues, or death. A true sense of security in God’s Word, promises, and His love and forgiveness because of Christ in you. Freedom from…
The Cross — The Eternal Place of Communion Christ died so that even the ones who crucified Him could be saved. His cross work stands in total contrast to the darkness in man’s soul, reaching out and shining forth like a beacon to light the way back to God. This lighted cross of Christ stands in stark contrast to human…
By His Stripes Christ stepped down from His throne over the universe that He might save the perishing. Christ came to do the Father’s will, which was to give His life to save me. Christ came down to die on my cross—to pay for my iniquity (Hebrews 10:5-7). “A body thou hast prepared for me.” We could not have endured…
God Detests Religion Andy Stanley said: “Jesus taught that good people do not go to heaven. Furthermore, he taught that God was intent on not giving people what they deserved.” God has given us exactly what we do not deserve—Jesus Christ, His Son. And Jesus taught against religion. His message was a departure from anything that had ever been taught….
Pursue Christ God’s perfect love pursues the believer all of his or her life. God loves the believer with personal love, and the unbeliever with impersonal love, demonstrated by the cross where God imputed our sins to Christ, where He imputed Christ’s (God’s own) righteousness and eternal life to the believer. God provided the solution to sin —Christ. God provided…
The Word, the World, and the Believer The purity, humility, and holiness of Christ antagonized the Jewish leaders and brought out their hatred, resentment, and the evil of pride, which, when acted upon, brings about murder and the worst in mankind—we truly are at enmity with God. Christ’s life of self-denial and sinless devotion to the Father was reproof to…
The Believer and Doubt From man’s viewpoint, God is a friend. From God’s viewpoint, man is cursed, but believers become His born again children, which is much more than simple friendship. Friendship is not an accurate truth of our relationship with God. We are, as believers in Christ, His children. We become spiritual children to a Spiritual Father at the…
Turn On the Light Moral laws demand respect just as the cross demands faith. Moral laws save society from self destruction. The cross work of Christ saves each believer from God’s wrath. When Christ told his disciples, “you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32), John refers to our intellectual pursuit of truth in…
It is the power of the Holy Spirit in the believer which empowers and sustains the believer in the devil’s world—the same powerful Holy Spirit that empowered Christ Himself during His earthly ministry (Matthew 4:1; 12:18,25; Luke 4:1,14,15; John 3:34; Romans 1:4; Hebrews 9:14). It is in the power of the Holy Spirit that we learn, then experience, maximum happiness….
Where to Walk, Where to Look We learn to walk with and trust in the Lord by fellowshipping. When we look to the devil’s world for inner happiness, the purpose of our lives slips into the devil’s trap. Fleshly lusts become counterfeits to our love for Christ. Our thinking becomes worldly and lust patterns dominate the soul. “The pleasure we…
Pride Pride is a manifestation of the sin nature, which is full of self and in conflict with God (Proverbs 16:5). A few examples of pride are arrogance, haughtiness, grandeur, pompousness, loftiness, boastfulness, jealousy, and self-righteousness. Satan’s modus operandi of pride resulted in his fall. Thinking independently of God is imposing our will over God’s will, and it resulted in…
Categorical Instruction God’s Principles By Categories (Topics & Concepts) The purpose of teaching the Word of God categorically is to help you (the born-again believer) erect a Grace Place in your soul for application of Bible truths to the details of life. Categorical study organizes God’s Truths into a systematic format. In other words, we learn different pieces of the…
Mind and Reason The memories of impressions on our lives have been scattered by the winds that blow across our memory banks.Some of these impressions were made by circumstances involving perhaps tragedy, shock, a pleasant surprise, or a fantastic adventure. Other memories were perhaps made from a book, a teacher, a parent, a friend, or a pet. Memories imprint by…
Spiritual Insights We develop spiritual discipline by daily study and application of God’s Word. The Bible teaches us God’s viewpoint. God by His Word gives us a piece of His Mind. Scripture is Wisdom and Wisdom is Scripture. We develop the skills for life by practicing wisdom. God’s Wisdom conforms our thinking by giving us spiritual insight. His wisdom instills…
Volitional (Personal Choice) and Spiritual Maturity There are three phases of God’s plan (previously studied): Phase 1 – Salvation (also previously studied); Phase 2 – The Believer in Time; Phase 3 – Eternity. Volitional maturity relates to the believer in time. Volition simply stated is: Self-determination—the freedom to choose (in this case, positively or negatively). Maturity, on the other…
The Eternal State I pray this study of the eternal state will increase your faith, humble your heart, and nourish your soul… for Christ and in Christ, Amen. What happens to the believer after death? Will we be married in Heaven? Will we still be a family in heaven? Just as life begins at physical birth for each of us…
The Doctrine of Worry In certain parts of California, it can be a disaster of catastrophic proportion to the citrus crop if the temperature drops below 32°F. Therefore, the industry, in an effort to help reduce loss of crops, place thousands upon thousands of little pots in the citrus groves, which they light at night during freezing temperatures. These little…
Believe and Receive I am a terrible, sinful son made perfect forever by the Author and Finisher of my salvation, who suffered horribly on the cross for me (Hebrews 2:10; 5:9). By one offering, God has perfected those who trust Christ, and all believers will be presented by Christ to the Father without spot or blemish (Hebrews 10:14; Ephesians 5:27)….