What does it mean to be holy? People have many different ideas about the word… from piousness and being overtly spiritual like the Pharisees, secluding yourself and meditating, or some other combination of self-effort and works. The Biblical definition of holiness is “to be set apart for your intended purpose”. But this definition has been largely misinterpreted and misunderstood, and has become something much more carnal and fleshly.
That's why today in this study, we will be taking a look at holiness, in the light of the finished work of Jesus Christ; and as we see this truth from the scripture, the false burden of trying to be holy will be replaced with receiving the holiness that Jesus has paid for us to have.
The title of today's study is a question… one of the most important questions to ever be asked. In Christian-circles today, you may find yourself asking this question more often than you might realize at first; but when properly utilized, this question can open our eyes to see truths that we may not otherwise see, and help guide us to where God is leading; allow me to explain...
The question “Where is Jesus?” is not signifying the departure of Jesus, but rather His absence from modern day Christianity, as utterly ironic as that may be. This absence is not because Jesus chooses to be absent, but because believers have removed Him from His role as head and center-focus of the church, and people are for-the-most-part, oblivious to it.
That's why in this study today, we are going to be examining exactly how this phenomenon is occurring, and how we can re-center and re-focus our lives on Jesus, the one Solid Rock and Foundation upon which everything else can be built, and how this question of “Where is Jesus?” can actually save us a lot of time and problems.
You probably have heard it shouted from pulpit's before “The grass withers, the flower fades, but God's word is forever” – and while that proclamation is absolutely true, the manner in which it is typically spoken, is not. It is usually uttered in a negative way and with the implication of God's judgment. It may surprise you to learn then that the context in which these words were spoken in the Bible was not the judgment of God, but His promises of redemption and blessing. The enduring word of God is not one of condemnation, but words of restoration and salvation.
In this study today, we will see that what is truly center focus in the Bible is actually a desire of God to redeem and restore that which sin has so utterly corrupted. It is sin that God must judge, not necessarily man. God's true desire is to punish the sin but spare the sinner… just as our desire is to destroy a cancerous tumor, but spare the one that the cancer is destroying. So if you have been struggling with a wrong idea or belief about the nature and the character of God, then this study will give you a fresh revelation of His grace today.
What you say matters. Your words may seem insignificant, but they carry more weight and power than you can possibly imagine. Yet many times I hear believers describe in graphic and sometimes gruesome detail the victories which they perceive that the enemy is having in their lives and even in their bodies, and it is precisely because they do not understand the power of their words; and as a result, they do not realize the ground which they are giving-up to the enemy.
That's why in this study today, we will be examining the power of what we say, the words that we speak, and what the Bible says about it all. This is not new-age philosophy, but it is Bible fact and truth from the Word of God.
What are you afraid of? Fear can be one of the most debilitating forces in our lives. Fear can cause a person to never venture out into the world, to stay at home, to avoid others, and to miss many great and wonderful opportunities. Fear can also cause us to miss many blessings from God, including salvation if we are too afraid of God to come to Him.
So in this study today, we are going to take a look at how Jesus frees us from fear, and how as we truly listen to His Words, the bondage of fear is broken in our lives.
There are many forces in this world that put themselves in a place of leadership. Men desire to lead other men; simply turn on the television and you will see countless people all eager to give their opinion and advice on all kinds of things, setting themselves up in positions of leadership. We in moments of pride, desire to lead ourselves, and of course Satan has always desired leadership as well.
However, when we follow these leaders, or ourselves, where do we end up? The Bible says in 2nd Peter that those who follow other things and people are led into sin and darkness. However there is One Good Shepherd; One who does not lead astray, but leads into true rest and freedom from all bondage and oppression. This is what we will be studying today. Following the Good Shepherd into Righteousness.
The topic today is one of extreme importance. The poverty mindset or poverty mentality is one of the most widespread and also one of the most insidious devices of the enemy, not just in this generation, but all throughout history as well. It has affected a great number of believers and robbed many of receiving the full-measure of blessings from Christ, and they don't even realize that it is happening.
What we will be studying today is exactly what this poverty mindset is, recognizing the forms it takes, and how through Christ Jesus we can break this bondage and receive all of what Christ has given us. If you have been struggling to receive in a particular area of your life and just can't seem to understand why the provision isn't coming, then this study will benefit you today.