The family of God

Glory to God!

These past two weeks God has been continuing to speak to us about the Church and this is what He is showing us:

The family of God

• The Church is the family of God. Heb. 2:11


• As members of the family of God, the children of God have the same "DNA" as the Father - consequently the children have a family likeness (physical, character, nature, etc). John 14:7; 2 Cor. 3:18


• The children of God are heirs who receive their inheritance both now and in the future. Gal. 4:7

Sonship

• The believer is made a son through faith in Jesus Christ. Gal. 3:26,27


• Sons of God are born of God and belong to Him. John 1:12,13


• To be "of God" is to be one with God. 1 Cor. 3:23; 6:17


• The believer is baptised into Christ and is therefore immersed in God. Acts 1:5; Gal. 3:26,27


• The believer is the habitation of God - God in us. 1 Cor. 3:16; 1 John 4:15; Col. 2:9,10

Living as sons

• In the parable of the prodigal son, we read about a father who has two sons (Luke 15:11-32). The sons belong to their father - just as the sheep belong to the shepherd (Luke 15:4) and the coins belong to the woman (Luke 15:8)! Similarly, the believer is a son who belongs to the Father.


• The parable describes how the younger son misuses the privilege of sonship and the older son who still tries to earn his sonship even though he is a son.


• Both sons are loved by the father but are not enjoying the intimacy of their father because of their sin and self-righteousness.


• The Father wants His sons to know their identity as sons and also to live as sons in intimate relationship with Him. For this reason God gives His children "the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'" Gal. 4:6


• God wants His sons to know their identity and to experience true sonship.

We praise God for revealing His love to us and for giving us a greater revelation and experience of His Fatherhood. Our Father is healing His children and restoring them to Himself. Lives are being changed as they are being conformed to true sonship (Rom. 8:29). Hallelujah!

Quote of the week:

"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." Gal. 4:6,7

Revealing the heart of God

Glory to God!

The Lord is speaking to us about "the Church" and yesterday He showed us what the evidence is of a church that is full of faith, hope and love. This is what God revealed to us:

Faith is Conviction

• Faith without works is dead. James 2:26
• Obedience is the evidence of faith. Rom. 1:5
• Conviction without action is opinion.
• True convictions bear fruit.
• God loved so He gave. John 3:16

The fruit of love

• The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a baptism in love.
  
• God is love and those who are immersed in Him and filled with Him are filled with, and immersed in love. 1 John 4:15,16
• Those who are baptised in love will demonstrate God's love and share their lives with others. Acts 2:45
• The Thessalonian church demonstrated their faith, hope and love. 1 Thess. 1:1-10; 3:6: 4:9,10; 5:8
• Paul encourages the Corinthian church to give as the Thessalonians did to prove the sincerity of their love. 2 Cor. 8:24; 9:23

The grace of giving: Blessed to bless

• God gives His people resources and gifts to be a blessing to others. 2 Cor. 9:6,11
• Our giving reveals what we believe about God - what we do in the natural reveals what we believe in the spiritual. 1 John 4:20

Tithes and Offerings

• The Church is called to tithe and give the first-fruits of her wealth to the local Body so that the church organisation can function and also support other church organisations.
• Believers tithe because they fear God and seek to honour Him with what He gives them. Proverbs 3:1-10
• The Church is encouraged to meet the needs of fellow believers in the church family (organism) and to support other believers in other churches by supplying an offering. 2 Cor. 8,9; James 2:15-17
  
• An offering reveals the heart of God and demonstrates the believer's love for God and His people.

Giving is the fruit of faith and love!

Quote of the week:

"Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Cor. 9:13

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Bold as a Lion

Glory to God!

We are thrilled with the presence of God in our meetings! The Lord is increasingly manifesting His presence and power in our midst and people are being touched in spirit, soul and body. Lives are being changed, healed and restored and our people are walking in newness of life. Hallelujah! We are experiencing the truth of Acts 3:19 where it says,

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.."

The Lord is continuing to speak to us about "The Church" and yesterday He showed us that the Body of Christ is a bold people. Being connected to the Head, the Body of Christ is joined to the One who demonstrated complete dependance on, and confidence in God. Jesus never feared man but always walked in the fear of the Lord and in humble confidence in the Father. The Church can walk in boldness and overcome fear as she remains in Christ and has her eyes fixed on Him.

"The righteous are as bold as a lion." Prov. 28:1

Yesterday we had another wonderful opportunity to minister to the poor and needy in Frankfurt at our monthly soup kitchen. It is on God's heart to comfort those who are struggling in this life and to provide for their needs. James says,

"Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:15-17

We praise God for the work He is doing in us and through us as we grow in our knowledge of Him and He manifests His presence, power and love in our lives.

Quote of the week:

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13 (NKJV)

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Extraordinary People

Praise be to God!

The Lord is continuing to teach us about the true nature of the Church and yesterday He showed us the following:

• The Church belongs to Christ and it is Christ who builds His Church. Mt. 16:18
• Jesus has been given all authority and is seated in the highest place. Mt. 28:18-20; Phil. 2:9-11
• Christ is the Head of the Church which is His Body. Col. 1:15-20
• The Church is therefore not a man-made institution but the supernaturally conceived Body of Christ. Acts 2
• The Body of Christ is the supernatural people of God joined to their supernatural Head, serving their supernatural God! Acts
• The Church is the life-giving habitation of God. 1 Cor. 15:44,45; Eph. 2:21,22
• The Church lives under an open heaven. John 1:51; Eph. 2:18
• As the supernatural Body of Christ, the Church is commissioned to go into the world to reveal her supernatural nature to glorify God. Mt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8
• The greater the revelation of Christ, the greater the revelation the Church will have of her supernatural identity.

We praise God for the wonderful things He is revealing to us and encouraging us to walk in! Hallelujah!

Quote of the week:

Jesus says, "...I will build my church..." Matthew 16:18

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