'Self Examination.'
2 Corinthians 13:5.
a) Examine yourselves to see
b) Whether you are living in the Faith.
c) Test yourselves.
d) Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you;
e) If not,
f) You have failed the test of genuine Faith.
(This QT teaches me the importance of self and Church Self Examination)
PRAYER: To be living in the Faith.
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'Old Testament Sanctification.'
Hebrews 9:13.
a) Under the Old Testament Law for Sanctification,
b) People's bodies were cleansed from defilement
c) Through the blood of goats and bulls.
d) This act of shedding that blood
e) Made the people's flesh pure.
(Through this Second one, Old Testament Sanctification, I discover an Old Testament prophetic picture of the Purpose of the shedding of the Blood of Jesus Christ - once for all time)
PRAYER: To understand the Bible more as we read it.
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Chris.
In order for our Faith to grow and our Christian Life to be stable, God gives us, as explained in His Word, certain tests. Sometimes the test is something that we do, or check, voluntarily, other times the test is something that God puts right in front of us that we need to go through. We should accept these tests as a part of our maturing process in Christ. It seems to me that in every aspect of our lives, we face tests in order for us to grow.
If we reject, or try to avoid, these tests, we get "stuck" in our Christian walk and we do not grow in the ways in which the Lord wants us to grow. We need to remember that the Bible tells us that God's Ways and our ways are different and we need to find God's Ways and submit to them.
As well as individual life, Church life also needs to be growing and stable.
Having lived for more than twenty years in South East and East Asia, I have witnessed many Churches that are growing both in numbers and maturity. These Churches have been passing their tests and maturing well. I have also seen fast-growing Churches that have failed the test, or are failing it.
God's Love for His Church world-wide means that there is no gathering or assembly of His People that He has forgotten or does not care about. Christ loves the Church! Christ gave Himself at the Cross for His Church! The Church is redeemed by the Blood of Jesus Christ!
We should never treat the Biblical gathering of God's People lightly. If the gathering is not Biblical, or the emphasis is not on the Ministry for, and of, God's People, if the Lord Jesus Christ is not being exalted and clearly Worshipped, it is not the Church. Acts 2:42 is still a measure for the Church today. 1-They DEVOTED themselves. 2-To the Apostles' Teaching. 3-To Fellowship. 4-To sometimes sharing meals and Holy Communion together.
5-To Prayer.
It seems to me that many Churches have lost this devotion.
