What is the most important thing a born again Christian must do?

We are not called to be spiritual politicians, which is occurring in today's church.

We are called to be filled with a holy passion and extravagant affection for His. Son.

(Matthew 22:37) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
(Rev.2: 1-5) Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and has found them liars: And has borne, and hast patience, and f-er my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

My lesson tonight is taken from " A Passion for Jesus" written by Jack Deere. The body of Christ does not give this the importance required, even though without it, some members of the body will not be' accepted as part of the bride of Christ.

John 15: 13
We have to start where Jesus says to start Know the truth What we know has a great impact on our emotional makeup.

When we first got saved, it was not because we knew the truth. It was a response to the love of God flooding our heart with remorse because we were separated from Him. (The Convicting Spirit that warned us that sin would keep us apart) Some people may have had some knowledge of rum, some had a little more knowledge, some had no knowledge of rum. When He came into our heart, the first thing most of us felt was a great love for everyone. That was the first truth He showed us. A great love.

The greatest failing of Christians today is they have a distorted and inadequate idea of God's heart. We can experience short term renewal thru prayer and ministry, but we must change our ideas about who God is to achieve long term renewal renewal and freedom.

We need to change our ideas about who God is.

A church that has lost the knowledge of the incredible personality of God will be shallow and passionless.

(1 John 4: 16,19) And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. We love him, because he first loved us.

(Matthew 10:7) And as ye go, preach, saying. The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Hold your right hand out in front of you. Look at it. It's close isn't it? So close you can stretch out your left hand and touch it. The precious things of God are just that close to every child of God. They are in our reach. They are there for the taking. God is accessible. He has made himself available.

The question is, how much intimacy do we want? How passionate with Jesus do we want to be? We set those limits. not God.

HIS MAJESTY

(Isaiah 6: 1-5) Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings;; with twain he covered
his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly., And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, woe is me! For I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.

(Revelation 1:12-18) And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore, Amen: and have the keys of hell and of death.

THE PERSONALITY OF GOD

What He has always been, He will always be. He never suspends one attribute to exercise another. He never lays aside His holiness to exercise His love and mercy. God hates sin. Even more so in his children. But the wonder of His greatness isthat he loves us with an everlasting love.

(Luke 7: 44-48) And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gayest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet: My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And He said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

( Eph 3:17-19) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Verse 19 is a message in itself which we do not have time for right now. The need of the body is to see, know, and discover the full glory of who God is.

How much do we love our spouse-our children? Do we love God more?


Jesus Prays for All Believers

(John 17_20-26) Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

A POWERFUL PROMISE

In Matthew 16:18 gave a powerful promise. He said he would build his church, and the gates of Hell would not overcome it.

God used wisdom, power and goodness when He chose the bride for His Son. He requires they have a great love for His Son. As great of a love as He himself has. The church will always be filled with activities and ministries, but the single most distinctive issue in God's heart is to tell the world to love His Son as he does.