Called to Make a Difference

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:3–5 KJV 1900

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; 4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Philippians 1:9–10 KJV 1900

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

Galatians 5:6 KJV 1900

6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Called to Make a Difference

We must

++Grow in Faith

++Abound in Love

++Be a testimony of our faith

Faith is Connected to Our Relationship to Christ

1 John 4:7–8 KJV 1900

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Being in Christ

++is not measured by outside activity

++is not minimized by lack of activity

The old covenant made activity the litmus test of a relationship with God.

At the foundation was

++Covenant

++Law

Deuteronomy 28:1–2 KJV 1900

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

Israel’s blessing was connected to Israel’s compliance.

If you will, God Will

If you

++Hearken

++Observe

++Do

The Lord Thy God will

++Make you significant

++Position you for blessing

Proverbs 2:1–5 KJV 1900

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, And hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, And liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, And searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God.

If you will, you will

How you respond to

++my words, my commands

++to wisdom and understanding

++the pursuit of knowledge

Then you will

++understand the fear of the Lord

++find the knowledge of God

This was the measure of Righteousness.

These were images of what was to come

Hebrews 10:1 KJV 1900

1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

It was a fading glory

Haggai 2:3 KJV 1900

3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? And how do ye see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

This glory was something to behold

The House

++The meeting place of God

++Was marked by the glory of God

++The place he named for himself

2 Chronicles 7:12 KJV 1900

12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

What they see now is much different.

The physical house

++Had been destroyed

++The Walls torn down

++There was nothing left

God had a plan

Haggai 2:9 KJV 1900

9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: And in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

There was a promise

++A greater glory

++An unfading glory

2 Corinthians 4:7 KJV 1900

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

This treasure

++Is in us

++Is the proof of God’s authority

++Is not our possession

++is God’s power released

Acts 1:8 KJV 1900

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Romans 1:17 KJV 1900

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Faith will only thrive in the right atmosphere.

Galatians 5:6 KJV 1900

6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

To walk in faith

++We must be in Christ

In Christ

++We are fruitful

John 15:4 KJV 1900

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

In Christ

We are fruitful

++We are confident

Romans 8:1 KJV 1900

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

In Christ

We are fruitful

We are confident

++We are transformed

2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV 1900

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

To walk in faith

We must be in Christ

++We must love one another

John 13:34 KJV 1900

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

John 13:35 KJV 1900

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 KJV 1900

12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

To walk in faith

We must be in Christ

We must love one another

++We must change the atmosphere

Isaiah 60:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And gross darkness the people: But the Lord shall arise upon thee, And his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, And kings to the brightness of thy rising.

It will not change

++Unless we arise

++Unless we shine

++Until God’s glory is seen

Matthew 5:16 KJV 1900

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

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