Happy New Year Everyone!! I will to post a study that list the essential doctrines that a Christian should exemplify on a daily basis...Thats for a future study, actually it will take a couple of studies.
Starting off on a new year, speaks to renewal, a new start, and becoming more mature in Christian doctrine. When we read the Bible, the Holy Spirit's main function is to lead us to salvation in Jesus Christ, in fact, we could said that that is the main function of the Scriptures, to miss that is to miss the Scriptures intent. Also, a goal should be to be renewed and refreshed in the doctrine of salvation. I mean to think on what is invovled in salvation. We start with our helpless condition, dead in sin, and what was to be our outcome, if salvation did not come, as we constantly think on these facts and meditate on them, we become more mature in our outlook and life. We help our spiritual walk by knowing the Word of God and I believe that it requires memorizing Scriptures. A passage of Scripture I would challenge us all to memorize is the following:
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:4-7
These are some great verses, they show that the Trinity is involved in our salvation, they tells us that when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared, the first thing he does is save us, he does not judge us, no, he saves us. It also speaks to our need of salvation, when God comes to us the first thing he wants to do is save us, that's because, that is what we need, we dont need anything else, other than salvation. God knows that wrath is ahead for all those who are not saved, so salvation is the number one priority. It also tells us that there is nothing we can do to gain this salvation, it was according to God's mercy, that we are saved. I once heard someone say that the only thing we bring to the salvation equation is sin, and that is absolutely right on. We can not do anything that would cause God to say, ummm, look at what they have done, look at how they look, because of that Im going to save them. its all outside of us, its his mercy. He does it by the Holy Spirit who regenerates us and renews us. We become new creatures in Christ. Its only after we are saved that we understand what is going on, God expects us to read his word, to come to a better understanding of this great, awesome, powerful God, who has visited us in goodness and loving kindness, instead of wrath.....there is no way we should have an ungrateful heart when we know what is going on. One of the things that Christian come to realize is the power of sin, its power to destroy, and why God hates it. We also come to the position that we hate it as well, it is what has caused us all our grief, all the bitterness, it is sin, it has a power to deceive, yet we have the Holy Spirit and as we meditate on these things he is with us to protect, strengthen and embolden us, to resist. Thank God!!
These verses state that Jesus Christ poured out the Holy Spirit on us richly, thats the ESV version, the KJV states which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. The Holy Spirit has been poured out on us (emphasis mine) Its amazing, Christ has poured out the Holy Spirit on us richly - it gives the impression that we have a whole lot of the Holy Spirit..We DO....when we surrender to Christ and say no to sin, demons, we have the power of the Holy Spirit, because of the last part of these verses, we have been justified by his grace, we are no longer enemies of God, but heirs of God according to the hope of eternal life... our hope is secured. Because of our relationship to God the Father, when we pray and submit to God, the devil has to fled. Thats why its good to memorize these verses. Whenever you feel depressed, or under demonic attack pray from the position that the Holy Spirit has been poured out on you richly. Meditate on the goodness of God not only saving us but pouring out his Holy Spirit on us. I believe that that verse can help us in whatever situation we may be in..Be real with Christ...He's not playing games...he's serious, the devil is serious and we need to be serious as well...He loves us in 2011 he wants us to know him better in 2011.. he wants us to live for him in 2011...he demands our all.... His loving kindness was powerfully displayed 2000 years ago, when Jesus Christ willingly laid down his life for us.....We may think we know the totality of that but we need to think on it more...think on it prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit to give us more and more insight into Christ. Make no mistake about it though if we belong to Jesus Christ, We have power for 2011, power that is backed by heaven, power that makes devils fled, power that reveals Jesus Christ and prompts us to tell others about our great God and Savior....
God Bless all and here's to a Godly and Blessed 2011
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