OUTLINE:

“through faith”
Could there be a larger statement regarding our lives? Could there be a more potent remedy to our ailments? Is there a greater ointment for our disciplinary wounds?

Gal 3:1 [NLT]
Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross.

Gal 3:2 [NLT]
Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.

Gal 3:3 [NLT]
How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

To understand the truth is to understand the PERSON of Christ.

To understand the Person of Christ is to understand your Heavenly Father.

“I and the Father are one.” Jn 10:30

To understand the truth is to understand the PERSON of Christ.

To understand the Person of Christ is to understand your Heavenly Father.

Embracing Suffering
Our Father's loving discipline is painful, and GOOD. Be thankful, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. Heb 12:28-29

PTEJC FB Post
If both you and your child understand that something they've done is wrong, and you DON'T discipline them accordingly, the message you're sending is that you don't care. That hurts much worse than any discipline you could've doled out. :/“

Embracing Suffering
Suffering is a primary component of sanctification. Jesus suffered on our behalf for our positional sanctification. We also suffer in time as a function of our experiential sanctification. Since every form of sanctification is good, we ought to rejoice in it.

Blog: “Burned Out Happiness”
True happiness is a reality that may or may not be evidenced on its possessor’s face. However, God has placed it there, as a function of peace, stimulated from deep inside them, and it is worth rejoicing over because it is from Him.

Jas 4:14-15
How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

“I never knew you”
These are Jesus’ words. He is saying that He doesn’t acknowledge some people as His own. He is the Great Shepherd, and He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him (Jn 10:27) - this is an intimacy that doesn’t exist with others.

“I and the Father are one”
This not only means that Jesus Christ is God; it also implies that His mind is intrinsically the same as the mind of His Father. What the Father wants, the Son wants. What He plans, the Son executes and the Spirit empowers. Such is unity.

Life Is Short
Ask anyone over the age of 50 years old if this is true. Time seems to accelerate as we get older (ala Ecc 12:1-2), so we ought to make the most of our time as servants of the Lord. The right perspective motivates us to live this way (e.g., understanding the big-picture).

“Why Are the Apostles So Encouraging? By Grace, They Were Prepared”

“Lord, to whom shall we go?”
Peter's words epitomize the one thing that separated the Apostles from the rest of Jesus' "disciples" (some of which weren't yet saved - ala Jn 6:64; 1Jn 2:19) - HUMILITY! Submission/surrender are fruit of humility, the essence of God's grace in salvation.

“By Grace, They Were Prepared”
Jesus taught His disciples to have their OWN convictions! He then gave them His Spirit to teach, encourage, and empower this. We all have the Word of- and the Spirit of Christ, by grace.

Sending the Apostles Out
- Jesus called them
- Jesus trained them (academically & OJT)
- Jesus sent them out

By Grace, They Were Prepared
The great work for any believer is to spread the Gospel. We all need to be literally changed by grace through faith in order to accomplish this good work. Jesus has left His precious salvation ministry to His sheep to carry on.