“The Lord Jehovah looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling, He looks. On all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashions their hearts individually. He considers all their works”

The first Psalm we read Psalm 14:2 contains some powerful truths. Once again as we examine the Hebrew text we discover that the words “understand” and “seek” have stronger meanings. Understand here means “wise wanting success”. I guess we all want success in our lives but God says that those who desire this have an option and that is to “seek God”. Seeking God incorporates going to church to hear God’s word for you that week, prayer, bible study, fasting, meditation, etc. God responds to people who are “wise wanting success” by revealing hidden truths and promises from His Word to help you become successful in every area of your life. Seek here means “pursuing, follow, inquiring diligently”.

Seeking God is a way of life. It is having our lives in order starting with a strong, solid relationship with God. A diligent seeker is a serious, reverent person who is on a mission to know more of God. A diligent seeker craves for God every day.

Jesus said “seek and you will find” the word “find” here in the Greek text means to obtain and to perceive”. To perceive or to know truths (hidden mysteries of success) are all ready to be uncovered for you as you become a diligent seeker.

There are many ways to pray. Here are some different ways!

Ordinary Prayer This is simply communicating with God through Jesus Christ. Talking with the Father as you would with someone you really love. Being intimate, sharing your deepest most treasured thoughts and desires. By following the Lord’s example as He communicates with the Father. Matthew 6:9-13

Petition Prayer This type of prayer is when we bring our requests to God. God is interested in us bringing our needs to Him. He already knows what we need but He is seeing whether we come to Him for them. I will usually write out my prayer request and petition them to God. In this type of prayer, I come to God in respect and with a thankful heart. Like a child to a loving parent requesting something. Philippians 4:4-7

Intercessory Prayer Actually all type of praying is intercessory as this simply means you are standing in the gap for a situation. Praying for family, friends or loved ones. Praying for their salvation, healing, deliverance, etc. In this type of praying I always take authority over demonic spirits that may be influencing that person or situation and then I release what God’s Word say’s about the situation. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Warfare Prayer This type of prayer is militant praying and it takes on a warrior attitude. Think of it like this. You are a General in the greatest and most powerful army in the universe. Your Commander and Chief (Jesus Christ) supports and acts on every spoken prayer according to His will that you pray. When you shout demons down they go. When you release healing, angels are commissioned. Our fight is a good fight and we always win in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 & Ephesians 6:10-18

Praying in the Spirit Perhaps the most powerful way to pray is when our “spirit man” inside of our flesh prays pure heavenly, spirit-led prayer. Only the “Born-Again” believer has the right to be filled and baptised with the Holy Spirit. God fills us with supernatural energy that is released as we speak in “tongues”.

“For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men But to God, for no one understands him, however, in the spirit He speaks mysteries” 1 Corinthians 14:2

All “tongues” are heavenly by nature. It is a language, it is not mumbling or gibberish. Remember, Satan understands when you pray in an earthly tongue. He hears your prayer and begins to do everything possible to stop it from being answered. So don’t give up too soon in your prayers. However, Satan cannot understand prayer in “tongues” to him it is cryptic and in code as such but God understands your prayer very well. I pray in tongues most of the time in my private prayer. I have found that it is the second greatest tool other than God’s Word that I have in my life. Praise the Lord! 1 Corinthians 14:1-15
Please study the following scriptures Matthew 7:7-11, Isaiah 55:6, Luke 19:1-10

Jesus ignites the flame – Matthew 3:11

– Without Jesus there can be no Holy Spirit, YOU MUST BE BORN-AGAIN!

– The Holy Spirit is a gift to the Believer not the unsaved.

Make sure the fuel tank is full – Matthew 25:1

– A fire can not continue to burn without fuel.

– His Presence creates a greater fire but you must be in His Presence.

Fan the flame with the Word – Matthew 21:21

– The Word builds faith

– ‘Faith comes by hearing the Word’ Romans 10:17

– The Word causes you to believe for the impossible. (Realm of the supernatural)

Beware of fire extinguishers – Matthew 10:28

– Distractions, worldly, or otherwise.

– Unbelief, superstition, and pride.

Use your flame to start other fires – Matthew 5:13

– The fire burning in you is for a reason to impact others with the Gospel.

– Your flame could start a revival within your family, work, or friends.

1. LOVE FOR GOD
A deep abiding love for God is one of the supreme evidence of genuine saving faith.
Romans 8:7 ‘The carnal mind is enmity (hostile, hatred) against God”
Matthew 10:37-39

What you love is what you make time for.
Loving God is represented most fully by obeying God’s Word.

2. REPENTANCE FROM SIN
Repentance means a complete change of mind.
Repentance of sin causes hatred of it.

3. GENUINE HUMILITY
A humble spirit that seeks to win the favor of God and man.
Proverbs 16:18 ‘Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall’.
James 4:6 ‘God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble’.
Luke 15:11-24 – The Prodigal son.
Humility is not passive, it’s a confidence in knowing God is greater.

4. DEVOTION TO GOD’S GLORY
The top 3 conditions point to a life that is devoted to God glory.
Doing well in life, moral standards and choices.
It’s not perfection in ones life but the direction of a life that provides evidence of faith.

5. CONTINUAL PRAYER
Humble, submissive, believing prayer is a mark of true faith.
Reliance on God, being God dependant.
The Lord’s Prayer is a model of daily communication and dependence with God.

6. SELFLESS LOVE
Jesus said we will know that we are His disciples by our love for each other.
1 John 3:14 ‘We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death’.
Taking the fall for someone else, covering love.
Pastoring involves raising others to fulfill the purposes of God.

7. SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD
We are different by our behaviour to the pressure of this world.
We know how to say ‘NO’!
True believers are not ruled by worldly affections but their affection is for the kingdom.
1 John 2:15 ‘Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him’

8. SPIRITUAL GROWTH
True believers grow and this growth occurs by regular examination.
Philippians 1:6 ‘Being confident, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it’.
Out of the High Chair, out of the Easy Chair into the Modern Swivel Chair.

9. OBEDIENCE
Obedient living is not an option but the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven.
John 15:1-8 ‘Every branch that abides in Him bears fruit’.
Obedience says ‘Yes Lord’ and obedience ‘Chooses Life’.

Many Christians live off Conferences (Mixed Messages).
Many Christian live off Christian Television. (Don’t want to answer to anyone)
Many Christians live off House-Church Meetings. (Offence and Independence)
All of these lack one element and that is accountability and submission.

The Greek Word for Church is ekklesia ‘a calling out or assembly’.
The scriptures says that those who are planted will flourish: to break forth as a bud,
in other words to breakthrough! To blossom and to spread.
Verse 14 say’s ‘rich & flourishing’ Hebrew – rich & fertile.
The Church we go to is important because it is where we grow.

7 Ways you will know you are in the right Church!

Mathew 6:8 “Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him”

1. You will have a witness in your spirit.
– A peace and sense of excitement that you are in the right place.

2. You will be spiritually challenged.
– Am I being challenged to believe more, stirred up out of my comfort zone etc.

3. You will fit in with the congregation.
– You will fit and flow. Your gifts will be expressed. You assimilate easily.

4. You will agree with the Church vision.
– ‘How can two walk together if they are not in agreement’ Amos 3:3

5. You will be equipped to do God’s will.
– You will be equipped to fulfill the vision. Given the opportunity to be involved in it.

6. You will find spiritual food to eat.
– The Word will be taught effectively to feed your life.

7. You will have a sense of belonging.
– You will have a feeling that you are amongst family.

CONCLUSION
The sooner you make a decision to be planted in a Church the sooner you will begin to grow, develop, and bear fruit for God’s Kingdom.

Acts 2:38 “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”

Luke 3:8 “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance….baptize you with the Holy Spirit and Fire”

Does repent and believe the Gospel implies that the sinner must do two things to be saved and not only one. It’s like saying leave Sydney and go to Melbourne, it’s impossible to go to Melbourne without leaving Sydney.

WHAT CAN BE LEARNT BY PAUL’S AREOPAGUS MESSAGE!
Religious duty is deceiving. Prayer, study, work unless it’s touched by God is dead routine.

Even unbelief is a religion of self-worship. Luke 19:1-10, Mathew 5:21-26 Making things right!

• Regret is being sorry – mentally
• Remorse is being sorry – mentally & emotionally
• Repentance is being sorry – mentally, emotionally and volitionally

Only in the Power of the Resurrection do we find our true self.

The message of the resurrection is that you can rise again.

1 Corinthians 15:1-7

Repentance allows God to bless your life.

Acts 3:19 “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Holy Spirit)

Conclusion

After repentance or a change of mind comes the infilling of the Holy Spirit. God only ever empowers a person who is repentant or has a change of mind. When I go from fear to faith I have changed my mind and now God can anoint!

Proverbs 13:13 “He who despises the word will be destroyed. But he who fears the commandment will be rewarded”

The 10 Commandments are the foundational principals and standards for life. Keeping them brings blessing, disobeying them brings a curse. Life without the 10 Commandments will result in chaos and anarchy.

Jesus Quoted 10 Commandments all over the New testament.

• Commandments 1 to 4 in  Matthew 22:37-39
• Commandment 5 in Matthew 15:34,
• commandments 6 to 10 in Matthew 10:19

Paul Quoted Commandments in his letters to the Churches.

• Commandment 10 in Romans 7:7
• Commandments 7 to 10 in Romans 13:8-10
• Commandment 5 in Ephesians 6:2

Joseph & Disciples Rested on the Sabbath after the burial –  Luke 23:56

Jesus On end times “Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath” Matthew 24:20

Paul Preached on the Sabbaths
“Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God is what matters” 1 Corinthians 7:19
“Now by this, we know that we know Him, if we keep His Commandments” 1 John 2:3
“And the dragon was enraged with the woman and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the Commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” Revelations 12:17
“Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ” Revelations 14:12

“Blessed are those who do His Commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates unto the city” Revelations 22:14

Exodus 19:5-6 & 1 Peter 2:9-10

Law which is the OLD COVENANT OR OLD TESTAMENT
Grace which is the NEW COVENANT OR NEW TESTAMENT

The 10 Commandments can be likened to an x-ray machine. It shows & reveals the disease in a person, however, the x-ray machine is not evil or diseased by doing so. So the 10 Commandments remain Holy even though it reveals sin. You strive at keeping the Law but it keeps revealing and showing sin in you. Now there is no way of escaping the death that is constantly revealed.

When you come to Christ it does not reveal sin/disease in you. Why the Blood of Jesus and your Faith in Jesus Christ releases you from the consequence of sin.

The first 4 Commandments deal with our relationship with God and the next 6 with our relationships with others.

1. You shall have no other God’s before Me.
– What else consumes your life other than God.
– We live in a society that is so ‘idol’ driven.
– Jeremiah 25:4-6, Deuteronomy 18:9-14

2. You shall not make for yourselves a carved image.
– Our faith should be on the Invisible God and His Word.
– When we live without His Word then we need things to attach our faith on.
– John 14:23-24

3. You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain.
– Honour, reverence and total respect of God is our duty as humans.
– Names have power and names have disrespect when mentioned.
– Philippians 2:5-11

4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy.
– 1 Day in 7 committed to Rest & Worship.
– The first sign of spiritual maturity is to honour the Sabbath.

5. Honour your father and your mother.
– A command which has a promise of long-life.
– How do we deal with abusive parents (Forgive, pray for)

6. You shall not murder.
– The physical act and the mental act both have dire consequences.
– The physical act is a violation of human life, the mental is a violation against self.

7. You shall not commit adultery.
– The physical act and the mental act both have severe consequences.
– It can begin in the heart.

8. You shall not steal.
– A basic command.
– Stealing from God and from Man.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
– A false witness will not go unpunished.

10. You shall not covet your neighbour’s house.
– Jealousy & Envy are insidious traits that are most often inherited.

CONCLUSION.

Jesus Christ came to fulfil the 10 Commandments and to introduce New Commands found in His Sermon on the Mount ( Matthew 5) both go hand in hand. They provide a foundation for successful Christian living.

People who resist the gospel almost always use one of five generic excuses. Here’s how you can respond.

           1. Don’t all religions teach basically the same things but just use different names for God?

All world religions are significantly different. One major difference is the contradictory view of the Nature of God.

For example, some forms of Buddhism do not teach about God at all. Hinduism teaches that multiple gods exist and that even rocks, trees, and animals are part of these gods. Christianity teaches that God exists but that He is separate from all creation. Most religions see Jesus as a Prophet of God but not who He claimed to be – the incarnation of God Himself.

The Bible describes Jesus in an unprecedented fashion found in no other religious text – as “the Word became flesh” John 1:14. Christianity also teaches that Jesus died on a Cross to pay the price for ‘Man’s’ sins and that He was resurrected from the dead. Most other religions even deny that sin exists or that it separates man from God.

Some people say, “as long as you are sincere in what you believe, what difference does it make what you believe?” Sincerity is never a measure of truth.

You can be sincere and wrong at the same time. READ JOHN 14:1-6 

          2. Isn’t it narrow-minded for Christians to think they’re the only ones who are right?”

Advocates of Political correctness are always saying that Christians are ‘narrow-minded’. Modern pluralists say that they would like a ‘tolerant’ society that embraces all religions and lifestyles. They want a world where anything goes. Yet Jesus never talked about tolerance but rather commanded His followers to demonstrate a far higher objective – to show love to all people! Though it is possible to tolerate someone without loving them, the reverse is impossible.

Jesus was intolerant of sin and mankind’s fallen nature – He did something about it. He reversed the curse over people’s lives. The issue is not with us – what we can do to change things it is what He did for us that enables us to have a personal relationship with God in heaven. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” John 14:6

Accepting truth always causes you to be narrow-minded. Do you believe 1+1=2? Do you believe that breathing naturally underwater is impossible? Does believing in truth make you narrow-minded?

READ John 5:39-40

          3. I don’t believe the Bible. It is a book of myths and legends put together by pre-scientific men marked by superstitions and fears.

When people say this I ask them “Have you ever read the Bible?”. Most say no, some exaggerate and say yes but the truth is very few people have read the Bible from cover to cover including most Christians. If they have read the entire Bible I ask them, “Then what is the central message of the Bible?”

Jesus said, “Unless a man is born-again, He cannot see or enter the kingdom of heaven”. John 3:3 To fully understand the Bible and it’s the central message of salvation, one must be born-again. That’s why many people who attempt to read the Bible who are not saved cannot comprehend it’s truths.

The Bible stands head and shoulders above any work of antiquity for both trustworthiness and bibliography accuracy. The New Testament offers up to 24,000 surviving manuscript copies and a shorter time span between copies (50 years) than any other Bibliographical work in the world.

Norman L. Geiser and William E. Nix comment in ‘A General Introduction to the Bible’ “For all practical purposes the modern critical editions of the Hebrew and Greek texts of the Bible represent, with their footnotes, exactly what the autographs (original documents) contained – line for line, word for word and even letter for letter”.

Because it is a divinely inspired book with only One Author (Holy Spirit). It speaks beyond the intellect to the depths of the heart, empowering us to make positive inner-choices, repentance and faith that produce a beneficial lifestyle. “Above all you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For Prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” 2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV

        4. If a loving and all-powerful God really exists, why doesn’t He do something about the evil in the world?

This is a difficult question. We must come to the realization that evil is not just some vague force that hovers around somewhere instead it is personal and lives within each of us. If God wanted to get rid of evil, He would have to get rid of all of us as well.

This “evil” is a result of Adam’s Fall in the Garden of Eden. The Bible calls it “sin-nature” which can only be atoned for by the Blood of Jesus Christ.

God created man with a free will because He loves us. We all have the freedom to choose right from wrong, good from evil. Without free will, there could be no love.

With free will comes the consequences for the things we choose. We live in a culture that cries out for freedom of choice but hates the responsibility that comes with it. In the USA there have been multiple law-suits made against giant fast food outlets from people who freely chose to frequently eat there and got fat, now they are suing for being unhealthy.

If God were to limit the consequences of evil, our free will would disappear and moral consequences would become a mere game.

The Bible does tell us that God is both “just” and “merciful”. In His mercy, He is patiently giving us time to turn to Him and receive forgiveness and the life He offers. He also promises to put an end to all evil and one day will execute final judgment.

Consider that without God there would be no standard for what is “good” or “evil”. The concepts of good and evil are moral values or judgments that denote the existence of a moral Governor (God). Without God, we would have come into existence by chance and whatever we do would have no meaning or moral value, positive or negative. Many believe this to be true but their response to injustice, unfair situations, or wrongs in life are an injustice that has occurred towards them. This approach betrays their very belief system fall without the existence of God you cannot have a moral standard that can be violated.

        5. I don’t believe in God. What kind of proof can you offer me that He exists?

Science points to the highly complex order in the universe. The human body is a complex yet ordered creature. Elementary logic tells us that any type of ordered design requires a designer.

Next comes, “Than who made God?”. The Bible says that God is the uncaused cause of all things. He has always existed. Creation proves His existence therefore requiring God no necessity to justify Himself. The entire Universe is overwhelming proof of the existence of God. Failure to believe is a failure to believe the most overly proven, monumental amount of visible evidence that is in us, around us and confronts us everyday moment of our lives yet when a person is in the dark it’s impossible to see your own hand an inch away from your face. When you are “born-again” the light goes on.

Evidence is also found in Jesus Christ. Written History by Jewish, Greek, and Roman historians testify to the miraculous events of the life of Jesus Christ. It is an undisputed fact amongst scholars of Ancient History that significant events took place during the time of Jesus Christ whilst on earth.

Proof can also be found in the Jewish People. Their existence is found in the Bible. Places which the Bible describes are in existence today. Proof can be found in changed lives. This is exactly what the Bible say’s will happen when one place their faith in Jesus Christ. The ultimate fulfillment I sought was finally realized when I accepted Jesus Christ. His forgiveness and love have completely altered the course of my life. His peace and joy are now a daily reality. This reality is here today for you to experience.

Conclusion.

Common reasons why people say they will never become a Christian can be easily answered. Ultimately, it takes more faith to believe that there is nothing then to acknowledge the existence of God.

To say you are the Son of God is a monumental statement. To voluntarily be executed for this claim is more incredible.What is the supporting evidence to prove He is the Son of God?

The 3 possible answers to the question, ‘Is Jesus Christ the Son of God?’

     1. He is a madman suffering from psychosis.

Psychosis (a severe mental disorder, one suffering with delusion). People suffering from psychosis are unable to think rationally, communicate effectively, or have any mental or emotional stability. The Words & Message of Jesus Christ are perhaps the most rational, profound teachings ever taught since time began. Clear, concise, and relevant instructions for life, love, marriage, family, morality, worship.
Jesus’ ability to create a leadership team of 12 Apostles who went on to change the world. Jesus’ ability to confound the scribes, Pharisees, and lawyers of His day even at the age of 12. The sermon on the Mount has been called the most comprehensive dialogue of love for mankind ever written – Matthew 5:3-16

Clearly Jesus was not a madman or a person suffering from psychosis.

     2. He is a compulsive liar who has deceived us all.

A liar is someone who builds are life on falsehoods and incorrect truths. Lies are always sooner or later uncovered because they lack factual foundations. Jesus declared God’s Word and came to fulfill scripture. More than 500 prophecies pertaining to the Son of God found in the Old Testament were fulfilled by the time Jesus Christ had been crucified. His statement to heal the sick was fulfilled in countless examples. His statement to build His Church is fulfilled today 2,000 years later. His statement to rise from the dead was fulfilled to prove His deity. This fact is important because sin which separates us from God must be dealt with and if it’s not then the consequences are gravely eternal. The voluntary death of at least 10 of the Apostles who were with Jesus. Surely if what they witness was false they would not have kept their testimony – 1 Corinthians 15:1-6

Clearly Jesus was not a liar or a person who built a life on falsehoods.

      3. He truly is the Son of God.

Jesus fulfilled scripture and prophecy. The Bible says that Jesus came preaching, teaching & healing.
– Preaching calls attention to truth.
– Teaching explains truth.
– Healing demonstrates truth.

Jesus constantly, consistently and concisely declares He is the Son of God and that only through faith in Him is one ’born-again’ and receives eternal life. The inner witness and reality that I feel today, that I know that I know I am saved is not an isolated experience but something that right now over 1 Billion people in the world have. ‘You can fool some people some of the time but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.’ Matthew 16:13-18

CONCLUSION

So what is the Final Verdict? Jesus is the Christ! The big question: What is the meaning of life is answered…To prepare for eternity!

The consequences of a life with God and being wrong are….
– A safe life with clearly defined Biblical boundaries.
– An inner joy and peace shared by millions.
– A great life filled with friendship, celebration, and contentment.

The consequence of a life without God and being wrong are….
– A fearful life with no clearly defined boundaries.
– An empty void within your soul that things cannot fill.
– No promise of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.
– Separation from God and the reality of living in Hell for eternity.

Jesus said…”You must be born-again” to see or enter the Kingdom of God.