Experience
Today's Biggest Concern
(Presumption, Deception & Stagnation)
The Test of Knowing Him: I John 2:3-6
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God [a]is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Listening and Doing: James 1:22-25
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Sermons to Meditate:
How Much Do You Know God? - Paul Washer
8 Ways of Deception - Zac Poonen
Do you see God working in your Life - Paul Washer
Busyness and Spiritual Discipline - Paul Washer
Regeneration vs Decisionism - Paul Washer
God's Sovereignty & Man's Responsibility - David Pawson
Once Saved always Saved? - David Pawson
Step1: Repentance
(Spiritual Birth - Called by God to be Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus Christ and the Word of God)
Repentance is for Everyone: Luke 13:3-5
2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Nobody can escape from God’s Righteous Judgment: Romans 2:1-16
2 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his
kindness,
forbearance and
patience,
not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a] 7 To those who by persistence in
doing good
seek glory,
honor and
immortality,
he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are
self-seeking and
who reject the truth and
follow evil,
there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
Sign of True Repentance is Obedience to the Truth:
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
Sermons to Meditate:
God's holiness and man's depravity - Paul Washer
The Way of Salvation - David Pawson
Repentance - David Pawson
Step2: Oneness
(Spiritual Growth - Circumcised by Holy Spirit & Connected to Christ - Head of the Body of Christ)
Circumcision of the Heart: Deuteronomy 30:6,8
6 The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
8 You will again obey the Lord and follow all his commands I am giving you today.
Circumcision of the Heart by the Holy Spirit: Romans 2:28,29
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
Sign of Circumcision is Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ: Ephesians: 4:1-5
4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is
one body and
one Spirit, just as you were called to
one hope when you were called;
5 one Lord,
one faith,
one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
One Family through Blood of Christ: Ephesians 2
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
One Body through One Spirit: Ephesians 2
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
One Holy Temple of God, Christ Our Cornerstone, Built by the Holy Spirit: Ephesians 2
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Sermons to Meditate:
True Fellowship - Zac Poonen
Regeneration - Paul Washer
Justification - David Pawson
Sanctification - David Pawson
Glorification
Step3: Righteousness
(Spiritual Growth - Clothed by Christ)
Practices Righteousness: I John 2:28-29
28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that [h]when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
Old Testament Righteousness - Obey all the Law: Deuteronomy 6:25
25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.
New Testament Righteousness: Gain Christ and Be Found in Him: Philippians 3:7-11
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
Righteousness is a requirement not an option: Mathew 5:20
20 For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.
Two Sides of Righteousness:
Right standing before God => Peace with God
Right standing before men according to God's Standards => Peace with all Men
The Righteous will not be shaken: Psalms 15:1-5
1 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
3 whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
4 who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
5 who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken.
The Righteous will be satisfied: Isiah 33:15-16
15 Those who walk righteously
and speak what is right,
who reject gain from extortion
and keep their hands from accepting bribes,
who stop their ears against plots of murder
and shut their eyes against contemplating evil—
16 they are the ones who will dwell on the heights,
whose refuge will be the mountain fortress.
Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them.
The Righteous will be filled: Mathew 5:6
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
The Righteous will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven: Mathew 5:10
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The Righteous will be Rewarded: Revelation 19:7-8
7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Revelation 22:11-12
11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him [e]be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” 12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Sign of Righteousness is Peace: James 4:18
18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Philippians 4:7-9
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Sermons to Meditate:
Continue to Grow in the Righteousness - Zac Poonen
Continue to Grow in Humility - Zac Poonen
Continue to Grow in Faith
Continue to Grow in Love
Continue to Grow in Hope
Step4: Holiness
(Spiritual Growth - Consecrated for God)
Pursue Holiness - Set Apart for God: I John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world
the lust of the flesh,
the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Be Holy: I Peter 1:13-16
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[a]
Pursuing Peace and Holiness is a requirement not an option: Hebrew 12:14
14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
Sermons to Meditate:
Continue to Grow in the Fear of God - Zac Poonen
True Holiness - Zac Poonen
Step5: Witness
(Spiritual Maturity - Chosen to Glorify God & to meet Christ)
Effect of Transformation in 3 Circles: Acts 1:8
But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”
Being Circle:
Innermost being (Soul, Spirit & Body)
Caring Circle:
Christ centered Family
Christ centered Fellowship
Sharing Circle:
Church
Community
Sermons to Meditate:
Holy Personal Life - Paul Washer
Holy Family Life - Zac Poonen
Holy Fellowship - Zac Poonen
Holy Service - Zac Poonen