Introduction:

Pressing toward the Goal

Exhortation to Know Christ

Paul uses himself as an example (vs. the Judaizers).

Note: In this passage Paul is speaking about himself.

  In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says:
 ¹ And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

In this lesson we will only scratch the surface of the rich content of this passage.

Philippians 3:10-16 NLT
Pressing toward the Goal
¹⁰ I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, ¹¹ so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
¹⁵ Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. ¹⁶ But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

 Examine the Scriptures:

Exhortation to Know Christ
Philippians 3:10-16 NLT
Pressing toward the Goal 

Note: This is Paul speaking about himself.

In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says:
 ¹ And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. 

¹⁰ I want to know Christ

• Paul wants to know Christ (and become one with Him).

Refer back to verse 8.

Philippians 3:8-9 NLT
⁸ Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ ⁹ and become one with him. 

Discuss:

What does it mean to really know Christ?

Knowing Christ goes beyond mere intellectual acknowledgment or familiarity with His life and teachings; it involves a deep, personal relationship with Him.  (iAsk)

To know by experience.

This is a prayer of Jesus.

John 17:1-3 NLT
^17:1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. ² For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. ³ And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. 

Paul has a burning desire to know Christ more intimately as his Lord. 

and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.  

• Paul wants to understand and experience the power that raised Christ from the dead.

Romans 8:10-11 NLT
¹⁰ And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. ¹¹ The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. 

Ephesians 1:19-20 NLT
¹⁹ I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power ²⁰ that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

• The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us.

• Paul wants us to understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for those who believe in him.

Philippians 4:13 NLT
¹³ For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 

I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,  

• Paul wants to suffer with Christ, sharing in His death.

Paul knows that when he shares in the death of Jesus a good thing happens.

2 Corinthians 4:10-12 NLT (Paul’s testimony)
¹⁰ Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
¹¹ Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. ¹² So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

Suffering for being a Christian is not a bad thing.

1 Peter 4:13-16 NLT
¹² Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. ¹³ Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
¹⁴ If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. ¹⁵ If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. ¹⁶ But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! 

James 1:2-4 NLT
² Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Paul wanted to become more like Christ. 

¹¹ so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

• Paul is looking forward to experiencing the resurrection from the dead! 

1 Corinthians 15:23 NLT
²³ But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. 

¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.

Paul knows that he is far from being perfect.

1 Corinthians 13:12 NLT
¹² Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

• Sanctification is a lifelong process. 

But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 

Galatians 6:9 NLT
⁹ So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. 

¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 

Paul pursued Christlikeness with the enthusiasm and persistence of a runner in the Greek games.

• Paul is pressing on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling him.

• Press on. Forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead.

We can look forward to the heavenly prize of eternal life.

Colossians 3:1-2 NLT
^3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. ² Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 

¹⁵ Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things.

• If you are really perfect/mature, you will realize that you are not yet perfect/mature.

Eternal things are most important in life.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
¹⁶ That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. ¹⁷ For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! ¹⁸ So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 

If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.  

¹⁶ But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. 

Press on.

Pursue Christlikeness.

Focus on the Biblical principles you understand.

Do the things you know you should be doing.

Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Living as Children of Light

Ephesians 4:17-24 NLT
¹⁷ With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. ¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. ¹⁹ They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
²⁰ But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, ²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Examine the scriptures:

Ephesians 4:17-24 NLT

Living as Children of Light 

¹⁷ With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do,

• God’s people are called to live in a way that is different from that of unbelievers.

Live differently than you did before you were saved.

1 John 2:15-17 NLT
Do Not Love This World
¹⁵ Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. ¹⁶ For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. ¹⁷ And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 

for they are hopelessly confused. 

1 Peter 1:14 NLT
¹⁴ So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.

¹⁸ Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 

2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT
⁴ Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 

Matthew 13:12-15 NLT
¹² To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. ¹³ That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
¹⁴ This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
¹⁵ For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’ 

• The minds of unbelievers are full of darkness.  Unbelievers are hopelessly confused.

1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT
¹⁴ But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 

• Unbelievers are spiritually separated from God. 

¹⁹ They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

• Unbelievers are morally insensitive.

The hardness of unbelievers’ hearts is reflected in their moral insensitivity and sexual immorality.

Romans 1:18-32 NLT
¹⁸ But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. ¹⁹ They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. ²⁰ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
²¹ Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. ²² Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. ²³ And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
²⁴ So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. ²⁵ They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. ²⁶ That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. ²⁷ And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
²⁸ Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. ²⁹ Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. ³⁰ They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. ³¹ They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. ³² They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. 

²⁰ But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. ²¹ Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 

1 John 5:20 NLT
²⁰ And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life.

2 Corinthians 5:14-18 NLT
¹⁴ Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. ¹⁵ He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.  ¹⁶ …  ¹⁷ This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
¹⁸ And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

John 8:36 NLT
³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

• Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.

²² throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 

Romans 6:6 NLT
⁶ We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 

• Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.

²³ Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.  

• Spiritual renewal is an ongoing process in the life of the Christian. 

But remember, anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. 

²⁴ Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

• A believer has a new nature. God is at work in us and He is the one who brings about the change.

Colossians 3:10 NLT
¹⁰ Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

• We put on the new nature as we pursue the things of Christ rather than the desires of the flesh.

Romans 12:2 NLT
² Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Galatians 5:22-25 NLT
²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

• The transforming work of God’s spirit is part of the gift of salvation.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT
⁸ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. ⁹ Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

A Feast at Joseph’s Palace

Review:

• • God is preparing Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.
  • God’s testing is having a significant impact on Jacob and his sons.
  • The brothers were terrified (again).

Lives are being changed.

Was it Godly Sorrow or Worldly Sorrow?

Genesis 43:19-34 NLT
A Feast at Joseph’s Palace
¹⁹ The brothers approached the manager of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace. ²⁰ “Sir,” they said, “we came to Egypt once before to buy food. ²¹ But as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. Then we discovered that each man’s money—the exact amount paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; we have brought it back with us. ²² We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money in our sacks.”²³ “Relax. Don’t be afraid,” the household manager told them. “Your God, the God of your father, must have put this treasure into your sacks.
I know I received your payment.” Then he released Simeon and brought him out to them.
²⁴ The manager then led the men into Joseph’s palace. He gave them water to wash their feet and provided food for their donkeys. ²⁵ They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon.
²⁶ When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him. ²⁷ After greeting them, he asked, “How is your father, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?”
²⁸ “Yes,” they replied. “Our father, your servant, is alive and well.” And they bowed low again.
²⁹ Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother. “Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Joseph asked. “May God be gracious to you, my son.” ³⁰ Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept. ³¹ After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!”
³² The waiters served Joseph at his own table, and his brothers were served at a separate table. The Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them. ³³ Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement, he seated them according to age, from oldest to youngest. ³⁴ And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others. So they feasted and drank freely with him.

Examine the Scriptures

Genesis 43:18 NLT
¹⁸ The brothers were terrified when they saw that they were being taken into Joseph’s house. “It’s because of the money someone put in our sacks last time we were here,” they said. “He plans to pretend that we stole it. Then he will seize us, make us slaves, and take our donkeys.”

From the previous lesson.

• • The brothers are terrified (again).

Genesis 43:19-34 NLT
A Feast at Joseph’s Palace
¹⁹ The brothers approached the manager of Joseph’s household and spoke to him at the entrance to the palace. ²⁰ “Sir,” they said, “we came to Egypt once before to buy food.  

²¹ But as we were returning home, we stopped for the night and opened our sacks. Then we discovered that each man’s money—the exact amount paid—was in the top of his sack! Here it is; we have brought it back with us. 

• The brothers are completely vulnerable and feeling the weight of God’s judgment on their consciences.

• God’s testing is having an impact on Jacob and his sons.

The brothers displayed:
Honesty
Desire to settle their debt.

• Were the brothers experiencing Godly Sorrow or Worldly Sorrow?

2 Corinthians 7:10 NLT
¹⁰ For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 

Psalm 51
For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins.
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
    Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
    it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just.
⁵ For I was born a sinner—
    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
⁶ But you desire honesty from the womb
    teaching me wisdom even there.
⁷ Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice.
⁹ Don’t keep looking at my sins.
    Remove the stain of my guilt.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence,
    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you.
¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
    and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
    then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord,
    that my mouth may praise you.
¹⁶ You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. 

• Worldly sorrow provides opportunities for teaching Godly sorrow.

²² We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money in our sacks.” 

²³ “Relax. Don’t be afraid,” the household manager told them. “Your God, the God of your father,

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was being active in this story, and that fact was recognized by the Egyptian household manager. 

must have put this treasure into your sacks.

This is a powerful statement.

Treasure (most translations) implies more than just a payment for a purchase.
Put the money in your sack as a gift. (ERV)

Isaiah 45:3 NLT
³ And I will give you (Cyrus) treasures hidden in the darkness—
secret riches.
I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.

I know I received your payment.”

• The Egyptian household manager recognized that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was active in this narrative. 

Then he released Simeon and brought him out to them. 

²⁴ The manager then led the men into Joseph’s palace. He gave them water to wash their feet and provided food for their donkeys. 

Usual Eastern hospitality.

An act of courtesy to a traveler.

• The brothers are treated with courtesy by the Egyptian household manager.

²⁵ They were told they would be eating there, so they prepared their gifts for Joseph’s arrival at noon.

Guests of the governor of Egypt.

²⁶ When Joseph came home, they gave him the gifts they had brought him, then bowed low to the ground before him. 

Joseph’s boyhood dream (37:5-8)

²⁷ After greeting them, he asked, “How is your father, the old man you spoke about? Is he still alive?”

²⁸ “Yes,” they replied. “Our father, your servant, is alive and well.” And they bowed low again.

• Joseph was no longer treating his brothers harshly.

²⁹ Then Joseph looked at his brother Benjamin, the son of his own mother.

The son of his own mother. 

“Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?” Joseph asked. “May God be gracious to you, my son.” 

“May God”

Elohiym – the supreme God – same name as in Genesis 1:1

A demonstration of favoritism.

An answer to Jacob’s prayer.

Genesis 43:14 NLT
¹⁴ May God Almighty give you mercy as you go before the man, so that he will release Simeon and let Benjamin return. But if I must lose my children, so be it.”

• Joseph recognized the fact that God played a significant role in this narrative. 

³⁰ Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother.

Painful memories.

Joy and thanksgiving.

Joseph and not seen Benjamin for 20 years.

He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept. ³¹ After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control.

Joseph was not ready to reveal his identity.

Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!” 

³² The waiters served Joseph at his own table,

Joseph’s rank was clearly displayed with a table set just for him.

Since Joseph was not ready to reveal his identity, he could not sit with his brothers since Egyptians would never sit with Hebrews.

 and his brothers were served at a separate table. 

The Egyptians who ate with Joseph sat at their own table, because Egyptians despise Hebrews and refuse to eat with them.  

• Egyptians normally despise Hebrews.

³³ Joseph told each of his brothers where to sit, and to their amazement,

he seated them according to age, from oldest to youngest.  

“to their amazement” indicates that the brothers took note of Joseph’s seating arrangement.

How could the Egyptian governor have known this?

More divine intervention?

Genesis 42:21 NLT
²¹ Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.” 

³⁴ And Joseph filled their plates with food from his own table, giving Benjamin five times as much as he gave the others.

A clear demonstration of favoritism.

The brothers were confronted with generous and gracious dealings from God through Joseph, who tested their tolerance by reenacting the favoritism toward Rachel’s son that had galvanized their earlier hostility.

• The brothers did not appear to react negatively to Joseph’s demonstration of favoritism toward Benjamin. 

So they feasted and drank freely with him. 

From terrified (verse 18) to feasting and drinking freely.

• The brothers appeared to experience some degree of comfort feasting and drinking with the governor of Egypt. 

• God is gradually preparing Joseph’s brothers to be leaders of his chosen people.

Spiritual Gifts

From the deplorable behavior of the Corinthians at the Lord’s supper to the Corinthians receiving and correctly using their unique spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 NLT

Spiritual Gifts
¹ Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. ² You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. ³ So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.
⁴ There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. ⁶ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.
⁷ A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. ⁸ To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. ⁹ The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. ¹⁰ He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. ¹¹ It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

 Examine the scriptures:

Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 NLT

¹ Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. 

• Special abilities are given to us by the Holy Spirit.

 I don’t want you to misunderstand this. ² You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. 

• The special abilities given to us by the Holy Spirit can easily be misunderstood and misused.

Misused or abused.

The Corinthian church was strongly influenced by their surrounding culture and the presence of false teachers.

 

 2 Peter 2:1-2 (NLT)
The Danger of False Teachers
¹ But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. 

• Paul wanted to encourage and disciple the Corinthians to use their spiritual gifts correctly.

• Christians need to learn how to use their spiritual gift(s) correctly to bring glory to God. 

³ So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God (controlled by the Holy Spirit) will curse Jesus,

and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

 It’s all about Jesus.

John 14:6 (NLT)
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Acts 4:12 (NLT)
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

John 3:16 (NLT)
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

1 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)
For,
There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.

John 10:9 (NLT)
Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

John 3:36 (NLT)
And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

 Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT)
⁹ Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. 

No one can say from the heart Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

A simple test.

Luke 6:45 (NLT)
⁴⁵ A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.

Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)
⁹ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

 1 Corinthians 12:3 (ERV)
³ So I tell you that no one who is speaking with the help of God’s Spirit says, “Jesus be cursed.” And no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” without the help of the Holy Spirit.

 What is coming out of your mouth?

• A simple test to determine what is in your heart: “What is coming out of your mouth?”

 

⁴ There are different kinds of spiritual gifts,

 but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 

 ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 

 ⁶ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

God works in different ways in each of us.

• Individuals serve the Lord and His Church in various ways.

⁷ A spiritual gift is given to each of us

Spiritual gifts were given to the Corinthians. 

• All Christians have at least one spiritual gift.

 so we can help each other.  

• Spiritual gifts are given to each of us so we can help others and bring glory to God.

⁸ To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. ⁹ The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. ¹⁰ He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 

 Various gifts are listed in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:28-31, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Peter 4:10-11.

• We don’t all have the same spiritual gifts. 

¹¹ It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

• We do not choose our spiritual gift(s).

Tell the Next Generation

What are you telling the next generation?

… we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord,  about his power and his mighty wonders.  ( Psalm 78:4 NLT)

Tell the next generation that God is the creator of the heavens and the earth.

 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 ESV)

Tell the next generation that God created the sun, moon and the stars.

And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.  And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, (Genesis 1:16-17 ESV)

Tell the next generation that God made the seas.

(God)  made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, … (Psalm 146:6 ESV)

Tell the next generation that God created the flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tell the next generation that God created everything.

Tell the next generation that God’s creation was (is) very good.

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31 ESV)

(Be sure to read future posts that will discuss more of the Lord’s glorious deeds, his power and his mighty wonders.)

… we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord,  about his power and his mighty wonders.  ( Psalm 78:4 NLT)

 Click here to view previous posts on the Seeking His Kingdom website.

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Recently I have attended a number of funerals.  (I just attended a funeral yesterday.)  Death is a reality.  We were all born and we will all die.  The older I get, the more I think about death.

Scripture says:

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die…  (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NLT)

When my time here on earth is coming to an end I want to be able to say:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.            (2 Timothy 4:7 NLT)

I know that I do not need to fear death.

Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Corinthians 15:54-57 NLT)

I also know that Jesus is preparing a place just for me in heaven.  A place where I will live for eternity.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.  There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?   When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.   And you know the way to where I am going.”   (John 14:1-4 NLT) 

 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NLT)

Look for future posts discussing life and death.

  Click here to view previous posts on the Seeking His Kingdom website.

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Scripture clearly teaches that the worship of God needs to be a priority in the life of every Christian.  Godly worship is a 24/7 lifestyle that can be manifested in various ways.

We worship by giving offerings, tithes, or gifts to God.

Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. (1 Chronicles 16:29 NLT)

 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his courts. (Psalm 96:8 NLT)

Honor the Lord with your wealth
and with the best part of everything you produce. (Proverbs 3:9 NLT)

We worship God by giving to people in need.

And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. (Hebrews 13:16 NLT)

At the moment I have all I need—and more! I (Paul) am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me … . They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. (Philippians 4:18 NLT)

We worship by giving when we give for the right reasons.

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”                                                 (2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT)

Worship manifested:

• Giving to God.
• Giving to others.
• Giving for the right reasons.

Conclusion:  We should all give willingly and generously to God and to those with legitimate needs.

Note: Some worship is done in private, and should not be observed by others.

When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get.  But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.  Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.  (Matthew 6:2-4 NLT)

 (Be sure to read future posts that will discuss worshiping God.)

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!  (Malachi 3:10 NLT)

Click here to view previous posts on the Seeking His Kingdom website.

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 “Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!”

(Psalm 46:10 ESV)

Oh sing to the LORD a new song;

sing to the LORD, all the earth!

(Psalm 96:1 ESV)

“Great and amazing are your deeds,

O Lord God the Almighty!

Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!

Who will not fear, O Lord,

and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

(Revelation 15:3-4 ESV)

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Click here to view previous posts on the Seeking His Kingdom website.

Building Up vs. Tearing Down

Grace vs. Grief

What kind of words will you be using today?

Ephesians 4:29-30
29 Let no corrupting talk* come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:29-30 ESV)

*In place of corrupting talk other versions use: unwholesome talk (NIV), foul or polluting, evil, unwholesome, worthless (AMP), foul or abusive (NLT), anything bad (ERV), harmful words (GNB), anything that would hurt (GW)

Will the words you use today build up or tear down?

Will the words you use today give grace or will they grieve the Holy Spirit?

With God’s help, let’s try to “give grace to those who hear.”  With God’s help, let’s try to use words that will be edifying to others.  With God’s help, let’s try to use our words to build others up.