Ephesians 4:11-16 It was Jesus who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

If things like occurrences, ideas, objects or experiences can teach, why feel DISQUALIFIED?

John 14:26-27 The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

We teach that which we are CONVINCED of with an increasing hunger for more.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you have learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 3:3-4
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and have a good name in the sight of God and man.”

FORGE = to falsify, fake, copy, fashion, build or create.

Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

“Heirs of heaven have something better to do than to emulate the children of darkness.” – Charles Spurgeon

CHARACTER = the set of qualities that make everybody unique, interesting or attractive. It is also a person’s public reputation.

Proverbs 22:1
A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

Scriptural traits of Jesus: 1Timothy 1:15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; Matthew 7:29 He taught as one who had authority; Mark 1:41 Filled with compassion Jesus reached out his hand.

Philippians 2:6-7
Being in the very nature God… he made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.

Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece through thought, choice, courage and determination. – John Luther

Psalm 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

What is the value of a biblical foundation, and how is it acquired?

2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of truth.

How can a biblical foundation keep me from sin?

Psalm 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

How can I know if someone is speaking the truth?

Luke 6:45
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

How is truth advanced if it is not known?

2 Timothy 4:2-3
Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

John 5:21-27 MSG
“The Son gives life to anyone he chooses. Neither he nor the Father shuts anyone out. The Father handed all authority to judge over to the Son so that the Son will be honored equally with the Father. Anyone who dishonors the Son, dishonors the Father, for it was the Father’s decision to put the Son in the place of honor. It’s urgent that you listen carefully to this: Anyone here who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, has at this very moment the real, lasting life and is no longer condemned to be an outsider. This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living. It’s urgent that you get this right: The time has arrived–I mean right now!–when dead men and women will hear the voice of the Son of God and, hearing, will come alive. Just as the Father has life in himself, he has conferred on the Son life in himself. And he has given him the authority, simply because he is the Son of Man, to decide and carry out matters of Judgment.”

LIFE = Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:25-26 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. John 3:36

REDUX = revived, brought back, especially in being restored to former importance or prominence. “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” John 17:5

LUKE 19:29-41
As Jesus approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’ “Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.” They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives , the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” Jesus replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it

Disciples depict: COMPLETE OBEDIENCE.

Donkey depicts: HUMBLE, USEFUL SERVICE.

Crowd depicts: UNABASHED ADULATION.

Pharisees depict: RELIGIOUSLY INDIGNANT.

Jesus welcomes: GLORY AND PRAISE.

LUKE 24:45-49
Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem . You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

GOD’S VISION

CHRIST WILL SUFFER AND RISE FROM THE DEAD ON THE THIRD DAY, AND REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS WILL BE PREACHED IN HIS NAME TO ALL NATIONS.

Ephesians 3:10:11
God’s intent is that through the church the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to His eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

GOD’S VISION FOR US:
MASH # 8123
Ministering Aid to Suffering Hearts

GOD’S VEHICLES

SPIRIT EMPOWERED WITNESSES OF A GODLY MIRACLE.

2 Corinthians 5:20
We are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Philippians 2:13
It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.

Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.”

*PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF FASTING
HUNGER, HEADACHES AND HEALTH

*SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS OF FASTING
GREATER INTIMACY WITH GOD
VICTORY OVER PHYSICAL BODY
CLARITY, COURAGE AND BREAKTHROUGH

*FASTING GROUNDWORK
DECIDE WHY YOU WANT TO
DETERMINE TYPE AND LENGTH
PREPARE PHYSICALLY
ESTABLISH A SCHEDULE
PREPARE SPIRITUALLY

IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS is God’s legal view of believers as a REWARD of their FAITH in His Son.

Romans 3:22
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

Righteousness is first an inward MOTIVES CHANGE that births outward BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION. It is CONFORMITY to God’s will as His PRESENCE molds us into His LIKENESS.

Romans 1:17
For in the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Fasting is a Spiritual discipline of refraining from food for a period of time to focus on God!

Matthew 6:16-18
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

TYPES OF FASTS

ABSOLUTE Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa , and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Esther 4:16

NORMAL Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. Luke 4:1-2

PARTIAL “Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see…” At the end of ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. Daniel 1:12, 13, 15

Isaiah 58:5-12 MSG
“Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, GOD, would like? This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The GOD of glory will secure your passage. Then when you pray, GOD will answer. You’ll call out for help and I’ll say, ‘Here I am.’ If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims; quit gossiping about other people’s sins, if you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight. I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places– firm muscles, strong bones. You’ll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry. You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.”

Fasting is: a SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE of refraining from FOOD for a period of time to FOCUS on God.