Obedience - the fruit of faith

Glory to God!

Yesterday's meeting was an encounter with the living God - his presence, power and love! As we drew near to the Lord, He drew near to us (James 4:8). We spent time in His presence, worshipping Him and allowing Him to minister to us as He led. It was wonderful.

The Lord then spoke to us about obedience and this is what He showed us:

1. Obedience is the evidence of our faith. 1 John 2:3-6
2. Obedience is the evidence or fruit of our love for God. John 14:15
3. A true disciple of Jesus is recognised as one who obeys God. Luke 6:46
4. Every believer is called to obedience. Matthew 28:18-20; Rom. 1:5
5. Sinners are described as "the disobedient." Eph. 2:1-3; 5:12
6. God has given us His Spirit so that we can know His will and do what pleases Him. 1 Cor. 2:9-14; Col. 1:9-11
7. The new way of the Spirit is not about not breaking the Law but about not breaking God's heart! Rom. 7:6
8. The Holy Spirit grieves and envies intensely when we sin and share our love with the world. Eph. 4:30; James 4:4,5
9. The closer our relationship with God the more we will live to obey Him and do what pleases Him.
10. We obey because we are loved and because we love God. Eph. 5:1-6

It's not about not breaking the Law -
it's about not breaking God's heart!

We praise God for His passion for us and for continuing to reveal the way of the Spirit to us. Hallelujah!

Quote of the week:

"..do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Eph. 4:30

_____________________________

Faith, Hope and Love

Glory to God!

The Lord is continuing to speak to us about being a people of faith, hope and love (1 Cor. 13:13). On Sunday we looked at the examples of two great men of faith, Caleb and David, and how they trusted God for victory over the giants they faced. This is what the Lord showed us:

• Faith is trusting in God and His word.
• Caleb trusted in God and His word despite the circumstances. Numbers 13:30; 14:24
• Even after 40 years in the desert Caleb still believed God and His promise. Joshua 14:6-14
• Those who look at themesleves in relation to their giants won't have faith. Numbers 13:32,33
• Both Caleb and David saw their enemies in relation to God and not to themselves.
• The tactic of the enemy is to get the believer to look at himself in the natural - as Saul's army rather than as the army of the living God! 1 Sam. 17:8
• The enemy intimidates day and night. 1 Sam. 17:16
• When believers are gathered together they can appear to have great faith but a community of true faith is only as strong as every individual's faith! 1 Sam 17:20,24
• David viewed the giant in relation to his Almigty God. 1 Sam. 17:26
• David turned away from those who were offended at his faith. 1 Sam. 17:30
• God trained David to trust in Him. 1 Sam. 17:34-36
• The believer cannot depend on the form of someone else's faith for victory. 1 Sam. 17:38-40
• The believer must use the faith that he has. Luke 17:5,6; 1 Sam. 17:40
• True faith will face the giant and depend on God and His word for victory. 1 Sam. 17:41-50

We praise God for encouraging us in our faith to trust Him and His word. As the Lord continues to rebuild, restore and renew us we are seeing Him give us victory in every areas of our lives. Relationships are being restored, lives are being healed, finances are being provided, sin is overcome and victory is experienced in our daily walk with God. Hallelujah!

This Saturday we are looking forward to supporting Voice in the City at their next Arise Shine meeting. Click here for details...

Quote of the week:

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you." Luke 17:6

____________________________________

Gott sei die Ehre!

Gott spricht weiterhin zu uns, dass wir Leute des Glaubens, der Hoffnung und der Liebe sein sollen (1. Kor. 13:13). Am Sonntag haben wir uns die Beispiele zweier grosser Maenner des Glaubens angesehen, Kaleb und David, und wie sie auf Gott vertraut haben, dass Er ihnen den Sieg ueber die Riesen gibt, denen sie gegenueberstanden. Folgendes hat Gott uns gezeigt:

• Glaube bedeutet auf Gott und auf Sein Wort zu vertrauen.
• Kaleb hat auf Gott und auf Sein Wort vertraut, unabhaenig von den Umstaenden. 4. Mose 13:30; 14:24
• Auch nach 40 Jahren in der Wueste hat Kaleb immer noch Gott und Seinen Verheissungen geglaubt. Josua 14:6-14
• Die, die auf sich selbst schauen in Relation zu den Riesen, werden keinen Glauben haben. 4. Mose 13:32,33
• Sowohl Kaleb als auch David sahen ihre Feinde in Relation zu Gott und nicht zu sich selbst.
• Die Taktik des Feindes ist es, dass er den Glaeubigen dazu bringen will, sich im Natuerlichen wahrzunehmen – als Sauls Armee, statt als Armee des lebendigen Gottes. 1. Sam. 17:16
• Der Feind schuechtert Tag und Nacht ein. 1. Sam. 17:16
• Wenn die Glaeubigen zusammen sind, kann es den Anschein haben, dass sie grossen Glauben haben, aber eine Gemeinschaft mit echtem Glauben ist nur so stark wie der Glaube jedes Einzelnen. 1. Sam. 17: 20,24
• David hat den Riesen in Relation zu seinem allmaechtigen Gott gesehen. 1. Sam. 17:26
• David hat sich von denen abgewandt, die sich an seinem Glauben gestossen haben. 1. Sam. 17: 34-36
• Gott hat David geschult, Ihm zu vertrauen. 1. Sam. 17:34-36
• Um den Sieg zu erlangen, darf sich der Glaeubige nicht auf die Form, wie ein anderer seinen Glauben lebt, verlassen. 1. Sam. 17:38-40
• Der Glaeubige muss den Glauben, den er hat, einsetzen. Luk. 17:5.6; 1. Sam. 17:40
• Wahrer Glaube wird sich dem Riesen stellen und sich ganz von Gott und Seinem Wort abhaengig machen, um den Sieg zu erlangen. 1. Sam. 17:41-50

Wir preisen Gott, dass Er uns in unserm Glauben ermutigt hat, Ihm und Seinem Wort zu vertrauen. Der Herr ist dabei, uns aufzubauen, Er stellt uns wieder her und erneuert uns und wir sehen, wie er uns den Sieg in jedem Bereich unseres Lebens gibt. Beziehungen werden wiederhergestellt, Leben werden geheilt, Finanzen zur Verfuegung gestellt, Suende ueberwunden und wir erfahren Sieg in unserem taeglichen Wandel mit Gott. Hallelujah!

Wir freuen uns, diesen Samstag Voice in the City bei ihrem naechsten Arise Shine Treffen unterstuetzen zu koennen. Fuer mehr Informationen bitte hier klicken…

Zitat der Woche:

"Wenn ihr Glauben habt wie ein Senfkorn, so würdet ihr zu diesem Maulbeerfeigenbaum sagen: Entwurzele dich und pflanze dich ins Meer! Und er würde euch gehorchen." Lukas 17:6

_____________________________________

Trusting God Wholeheartedly

Glory to God!

Yesterday's meeting was very powerful as the Lord spoke to us about wholehearted trust in Him, His Truth and His ways. This is what He showed us:

• God's thoughts and ways are not man's thoughts and ways. Isaiah 55:8,9
• God wants His children to trust in Him wholeheartedly and not depend on their own wisdom and ways. Proverbs 3:5-7

Looking at 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 we were encouraged by the testimony of a people that wholeheartedly trusted their God and subsequently experienced victory. As the enemy approached, Jehoshaphat and God's people looked to their God for help and their "eyes were on Him." God responded to their prayer by giving them a word which they then simply obeyed. As the people of Jerusalem and Judah began to worship and praise God in the midst of their trial, God delivered them from their enemies and restored to them all that the enemy had stolen from them.

Many times God's thoughts and ways seem foolish to our human reason so we "try" God as long as it seems reasonable and we fill in what we think still needs to be done. A divided heart will not see the outcome that God wants to accomplish through a people who wholeheartedly trust in Him and His Word. The believer must come to terms with the fact that God's thoughts and ways are not his/her thoughts and ways and it is only as we trust God wholeheartedly that we will experience the victory that is ours in Jesus. Either we follow God's "diet" or our own "diet!" The one leads to victory; the other to defeat!

What "diet" are YOU on?

"Listen to me, all you people....Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. believe in his prophets, and you will succeed." 2 Chron. 20:20

______________________________