Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/E7J_5pLc2gY
Last time we talked about the hard things that God allows in our life. Things that are painful. Situations where we suffer. While we are experiencing these things we have a choice. We can lean on and trust God, or we can raise our fists and rebel. We see the spirit of humility and rebellion illustrated by the two thieves on either side of Jesus at His crucifixion. One humbles himself and asks the Lord to remember him, and Jesus tell the man “today he will be with Him in paradise.” But the other thief rejects Jesus.
The use of Metonymy in Genesis Chapter 1 gives us insight to this. God is talking about recreating the Earth, which fell into a state of being “waste and void.” Understanding the message and plan for us requires us to step through these verses and see the characteristic or quality that represents each step.
On day 3 of creation we see the land separated from the water. Perhaps this is a painful step. It requires trust and hardships to develop us. But there is always a purpose to these things as God allows them in our life. He actually is a loving Father who is developing us, and when we see Him that way we can call Him Adonai, or Master of our Lives. And we understand how Jehovah Jesus, who died and was raised from the dead is our Lord, because His blood covers us.
Receiving this is a free gift. But that is the starting point. Jesus then comes in with a wrecking ball and construction crew to destroy, dismantle, and remove the things that should not be there. Call this “demo day” for the remodel. And this process continues during our natural lives.
But there is more to the story. The waters gathered together evaporate, and rain on the land. The rain represents the teaching from the Word of God. We receive this by reading the Bible, time in prayer and prayer in tongues, through praise and worship, and by the instruction of the Holy Spirit - all of which are always in perfect alignment to the Truth, Word, and Will of our Father.
Today we return to Day 3 to investigate the fruits that develop within us as a result.
#Bible, #Creation, #OurCreation, #GodsPlan, #Disciples, #GodsCharacter, #GodsNature, #ChristianDevelopment, #HCJC, #HCJCministries
Kick off Videos:
Bible Project: Holy Spirit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNNZO9i1Gjc
Fruits of the Spirit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2bhXAR1gCU
Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/E7J_5pLc2gY
Our path to Re-Creation - Day 3
Genesis 1:9-13 (NKJV)
9 Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
Genesis 1:9-13 (MSG)
9-10 God spoke: “Separate!
Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place;
Land, appear!”
And there it was.
God named the land Earth.
He named the pooled water Ocean.
God saw that it was good.
11-13 God spoke: “Earth, green up! Grow all varieties
of seed-bearing plants,
Every sort of fruit-bearing tree.”
And there it was.
Earth produced green seed-bearing plants,
all varieties,
And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts.
God saw that it was good.
It was evening, it was morning—
Day Three.
God Size Problems
These are problems that are too big for you to do anything about. If life didn’t have these, then we would be able to overcome everything in our own power. This is what the world would have you believe, but that is foolish.
Examples of God size problems include:
Employment: stress at work, losing a job, finding a job
Children: development problems, social issues, getting in trouble
Health: unexpected illness or illness in the family, addictions, disabilities
Culture: exposure to immorality, pressure to conform, ridicule & persecution
Situations: a car accident, court & legal problems
Because we can all relate to having experienced things like these, the reality of problems that are beyond our control is self evident.
Using the filter of Genesis 1, Day 3
We are LAND
The situations are the separating of the waters from the land
The RAIN that comes from the heavens is the teaching of God’s Word
Preparation to Receive:
Prayer
Praise & Worship
How do we receive the RAIN?
Reading and studying the Bible, the Word of God
Prayer thanking God for blessings
Prayer asking God to reveal truth to our heart (mind / will / emotion)
Discussion and debate with believers - as iron sharpens iron, Proverbs 27:17 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+27%3A17&version=NIV
Developing Fruits
Genesis 1:9-13 (MSG)
11-13 God spoke: “Earth, green up! Grow all varieties
of seed-bearing plants,
Every sort of fruit-bearing tree.”
And there it was.
Earth produced green seed-bearing plants,
all varieties,
And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts.
God saw that it was good.
It was evening, it was morning—
Day Three.
1. Access to God’s development
When God speaks these things into us, we are completely equipped to reflect His nature.
Once we receive Jesus, this access is immediate.
2. How we fail
We fail at this because we insert our own will between us and God.
We put the desires of our own heart before the desires of God’s Heart.
I’ve heard it said that following Jesus is a process of fall down, get up, fall down, get up…
We do this until our natural body dies.
BUT, we get back up not by our strength, but by His.
Jeremiah realized this. In 10:23 it reads:
23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself;
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
3. Reconciliation
Especially after we’ve received Jesus into our Heart, we must go to Him.
We need to realize, believe, and pray over ourselves:
“Jesus, I am NOT capable. I CAN’T do this. I NEED Your help! I am DESPERATE for You!”
When we give it to Jesus, He is right there for us. That is the immediacy of our access to Him.
He is our good Shepherd
John 10:11-16 (NKJV)
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A11-16&version=NKJV
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a [a]hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
The Holy Spirit is our Paraclete or 7-fold Helper
John 14:26-27 (AMP)
26 But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. 27 Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]
4. Development of Fruit
When we talk about “getting up” we are talking about developing in the Nature or Character of God.
This is the purpose of our development
A) To grow us in Him
Our plan for re-creation, Genesis 1
B) To reflect His Nature to the world through us
Jesus is the Light of the Word, John 8:12
So reflecting Him reflects His Light to the world
C) Demonstrate God’s love and wisdom toward others
As Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:44, “...bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you”
As Jesus demonstrated in Luke 23:34, 'Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots.'
D) Evangelize the Gospel of Christ Jesus
Matthew 28:19-20, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you..."
DISCIPLES - that’s us - observe or OBEY all things that Jesus has commanded us.
E) Bring others into the Kingdom, even those who are our enemies
5. So what are the fruits?
Goodness
Love
Joy
Kindness
Patience
Gentleness
Peace
Self Control
Faithfulness
Sounds like a lot to remember. But Jesus boiled it down to this:
Matthew 22:34-40 (MSG)
37-40 Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.’ This is the most important, the first on any list."
Because THIS develops the fruits, or His Character within us! This has Day 3 all over it!
Jesus continues, "But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ These two commands are pegs; everything in God’s Law and the Prophets hangs from them.”
Our Day 3 Development:
Days 1 & 2 are good, but don’t stop there.
Day 3: When we allow God to gather together “the depths” within us:
He exposes fertile ground for growth
The rains - or His teaching - can gather in the sky or first heaven above us
This sets in motion a pattern of development within us
If the rains stop, we call that drought.
The “wisdom” of the World is drought.
1 Corinthians 3:18-23 (ASV)
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.
Day 3: Fruits:
Receiving His teaching, or the Rain
Grows the plants, trees, and grains or Fruits of His Nature or Character
And prepare us as individuals, and as contributing members of the Kingdom
Days of our Re-Creation
0. Our old life, the "old man," when we were formless and void
We become a new person
We learn to acknowledge God - Jehovah Jesus
We learn to learn from His Word
Then we must practice what the Word teaches
Being led by the values of our Father - Evidence of His Character alive and at work within us, as demonstrated by “our character” or His Character IN us
Grow our faith or letting His faith grows in us
Resting in Peace with God
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