Want to experience the Lord Jesus in a much greater
way in your everyday life?

Do you by any chance ever feel that there’s got to be ‘more’ when it comes to your spiritual life? Are you ready to step beyond what’s become the norm? Are you ready to begin experiencing what Paul referred to in Hebrews 6:1-3? If so, plan to join us each week for some in-depth Bible Study at our home in Tyler. These weekly interactive Bible Studies are being led by Jim & Decie Abbondante and they are open to those in the community who would like to learn more about how to study and understand their Bible and also how to apply what they are learning in a very practical way to their everyday life.

If your desire is to develop a much better understanding of your Father in Heaven, Who He is, Who you are in Him, how to deepen your relationship with Him, how to discover His will for your life and how to walk in His blessings, then plan to join us each week on Thursday evenings at 6:30 PM in our home in Tyler, and also on Friday afternoons at 3:00 PM at Rosewood Estates in Tyler in the Chapel upstairs. Here are the details:

Thursdays!

Day:  Thursday Evenings!

Time:  6:30 PM – 8:30 PM.

Format:  Welcome, Prayer & Praise, Home-Cooked Dinner then Fresh Manna from Heaven; We conclude with Prayer Requests and Group & Personal Prayer!

Leader: Jim Abbondante who’s academic background includes psychology and theology, (Christ For The Nations, Tyndale Theological Seminary and Vision International University), and many years in practical ministry. Jim has been a professional educator for over 30 years and has worked with Dr. Orv Owens, the Zig Ziglar Corporation, Tom Hopkins International and is presently the president of the Leadership Institute.

Emphasis: Experiencing God, Understanding His Character, His Plan & Purpose, Learning how to grow in Him, how to hear Him and how to actually be lead by Him when it comes to the practical issues of life. How to cooperate more fully with the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in your life according to Romans 8:29 and Philippians 1:6. Emphasis will be placed on recognizing the patterns of God in scripture and how understanding God’s patterns (His ways) will provide us  with a greater degree of insight when it comes to understanding the meaning of scripture, and more importantly, its practical application to our everyday life as we grow in God’s grace and in our relationship with Him. (Psalm 103:7 . . Hebrews 1:8 . . Malachi 3:6)

Co-Leader: Decie Abbondante who has many years in the Word of God with a substantial background in practical ministry. Through much prayer, fasting and study over the years, the Lord had revealed some fascinating truths that you will enjoy learning in the studies with Decie. She is a gifted teacher!

Emphasis: Eschatology, End Time Prophesy and uncovering Hidden Truths in the Word. You will learn the mechanics of how to study your Bible and how to allow it to interpret itself as you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit when you study His Word.

Location:  Jim & Decie Abbondante . . . 717 Rice Road, Tyler, Texas 75703  (Located on Rice Road just east of Old Bullard Road only minutes from the mall in Tyler.) Please note that we do from time to time meet in the homes of our regular Bible Study participants. Please feel free to confirm the location of the meeting you wish to attend. Thanks!

Fridays!

Day:  Friday Afternoons!

Where:  Rosewood Estates (Tyler)

Time:  3:00 PM – 4:30 PM.

Format:  Welcome, Prayer & Praise, Systematic Bible Study through each book in the Bible; Currently in Matthew; We conclude with Prayer Requests and Group & Personal Prayer!

Leader: Jim Abbondante who’s academic background includes psychology and theology, and many years in practical ministry; (Christ For The Nations, Tyndale Theological Seminary and Vision International University). (Jim has been a professional educator for over 30 years and has worked with the Zig Ziglar Corporation, Tom Hopkins International and is presently the president of the Leadership Institute.)

Location:  Rosewood Estates . . . 506 Rice Road, Tyler, TX 75703 (in the Chapel upstairs) 903-509-9010  (Located on Rice Road just east of Old Bullard Road only minutes from the mall in Tyler.)

For more information:

Contact us through our website

Jim Abbondante (817) 304-2225

Decie Abbondante (903) 283-2237

Click & Print:

You can click on either of the following two links to print a PDF copy;

Bible Study Invitation to pass along to friends.

Bible Study Contact Information which you can complete and bring with you to the Bible Study. It will provide us with the information we will need to make the studies even more meaningful to you personally; (optional, of course!)

You can click on either of the following two links to print a detailed map to the Bible Study;

Billy & Beje’ Jones – 903 Pam Street, Tyler 75703 for those evenings when we meet in their home.

Jim & Decie Abbondante – 717 Rice Road, Tyler 75703 for those evenings when we meet in our own home.

These weekly Bible Studies are intended to be non-denominational. We’re not promoting any particular agenda. We are simply members of the Body of Christ who are interested in being a blessing to our fellow believers who want to experience more growth and a greater degree of genuine fulfillment in their spiritual life. Our desire is to provide participants with the opportunity to be taught directly by the Holy Spirit through His written Word according to what we are shown in I John 2:27 John 16:12-15 and  John 15:15. Our passion is to see God’s own grow in His grace. Our desire is to see people changed by the power of the Holy Spirit and as the result see their relationships improve and the quality of their life overall begin to reflect the love and the goodness of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9!  Looking forward to seeing you there!

Jim Abbondante

Being a guy I understand the tendency to not always want to follow instructions, especially when I purchase something that needs to be assembled ‘before’ it can be used and enjoyed. After figuring out some of it on my own and then getting stumped, I will usually end up getting out the instructions, I’ll take the time to read through them and then I’ll follow the simple steps they provide and I’ll almost always succeed. How about you? It’s not always fun having to follow instructions or directions but they are ultimately very important because if you will simply read them, believe in them and follow them, they will typically lead you through the process of producing some pretty outstanding results in your life. That’s particularly true when it comes to the assignment we’ve all been given as members of Christ’s Body on this earth. Let’s take a few moments together to take a look at probably the most important instructions that our Lord gave all of us when He was here during His earthly ministry.

Let’s consider first Luke 4:18-19; Jesus had just completed His 40 days in the wilderness, He had overcome the attack of the enemy, He was baptized by John and He was confirmed by the Voice of God (Matthew 3:17). Immediately following these extraordinary events in His life, one of the first things He did was to find His way to the synagogue where He stood up to read out of the Book of Isaiah, (Isaiah 61:1-2). You might say that He was formally introducing Himself to His own people as being their long awaited Messiah. You might even say this was His inaugural address. In addition, He explained why He came and the mission He had been given by the Father.

Luke 4:18-19 (King James Version)

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

He would later state in Luke 19:10 that He had come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Not only was Jesus formally identifying Himself as their Messiah (and ours), but He was also giving them (and us) insight into what His mission was (and still is), and the specific  goals of the mission. By the way, there was a reason why he stopped His reading in the middle of verse 2. Everything up to that point referenced His ‘first’ coming, and everything beyond that point referenced His ‘second’ coming; but let’s get back to our main focus which was the mission assigned Him by the Father.

Now let’s ‘fast forward’ to the end of His earthly ministry. Jesus had invested three and one half years among His people focused on the accomplishment of His mission and following the instructions He was given by God. As a matter of fact, He said that He didn’t say or do anything that He didn’t get directly from the Father (John 5:19). In simple terms, He loved His disciples (and Jerusalem, Matthew 23:37), He set the example, He preached the Gospel, He taught His disciples and all those who were drawn to Him, He validated the fact that He was their Messiah through His teaching and by the miracles He performed (Mark 16:20), He then went to the cross, was crucified and was raised on the third day. The mission however, was still ‘not’ completed.

It’s interesting to note that one of the very first things He did immediately following His resurrection was to go to where His disciples were. They were ‘laying low’ because it wasn’t particularly popular to be one of His disciples during that time. Anyway, Jesus was getting ready to return to the Father but He had some important instructions for His disciples before He left that He needed to deliver personally. We see those instructions in John 20:2

John 20:21 (King James Version)

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Now, let’s slow down for a minute and really think this through. What was Jesus actually saying to His chosen disciples? First of all, He was telling them not to worry or to be fearful, that it really was Him that they were seeing; and secondly, and more importantly, He was telling them that He was passing on to them the responsibility of completing the mission that He had begun during His earthly ministry; the mission He was assigned by God our Father. He was telling them that it would now be up to them to follow through and complete the mission that He had begun and that He had actually been training them to complete during His time with them – and He later promised to remain with them as they worked together to complete the mission empowered by His Spirit.

I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul said to Timothy, his young protégé in 2 Timothy 4:7-8. On many occasions, when referring to the Christian life and our walk of faith in particular, Paul would use the example of an athlete ‘running a good race’. When you consider what Jesus was saying to His disciples in John 20:21, the picture I get is that of a ‘relay race’.

Jesus was actually handing off the ‘baton’ if you will, to His disciples; not only to those who were there on that day, but in reality, to us as well if you consider His prayer in John 17: 20-21, when He prayed for all those who would come into the kingdom as the result of their fulfillment of the assignment He was giving them.

Well, we are told in Acts 1:3 that Jesus stayed with them for 40 days and continued to teach and speak of the Kingdom of God right up until the time He left to return to the Father. One of the very last instructions He gave His disciples before leaving can be seen in Mathew 28:18-20 which when completed would represent the fulfillment of what He spoke of in Luke 4:18-19 above.

Matthew 28:18-20 (King James Version)

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Jesus was not only passing on the baton to them, but He was laying out the specific instructions they were to follow, in detail as God the Father had also done for Him in Isaiah 61: 1-3. And, in addition, He reassured them by reminding them that it was going to be a ‘joint effort’ between He and them when He said that He would be ‘with them always’, even to the end of the age (or until the completion of the mission).

In essence, what He was saying was that while He expected them to continue on toward the completion of the mission after His departure, it was important that they understand that they would have to learn to rely on His presence within them in order to be able to follow and implement the instructions He had given them – that they would have to depend on and respond to Him as He had depended on and responded to the Father – which would then ultimately lead to the successful completion of the mission. You can see that illustrated in what He had said to them earlier in John 15:5.

John 15:5 (King James Version)

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

By the way, what ‘fruit’ was He speaking about? It was more than just the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ referenced in Galatians 5: 22-23. James referenced the actual ‘fruit’ Jesus was speaking about in James 5:7. Jesus’ comment in John 15:5 explains why He told them in Acts 1:4-8 to go and wait for Him there in Jerusalem until they received the promised Holy Spirit. He explained that upon receiving the Holy Spirit (His Spirit, His Presence, as promised in Matthew 28:20), they would then be empowered with the ability to execute the instructions He had given them, which would then lead to the successful completion of the important mission that God had assigned Him.  More specifically, He would then be able to complete His assigned mission ‘through’ them.

Again, it was really intended to be a ‘joint effort’, as it still is today; in particular, given the fact the we are now ‘His Body’ on the earth (Ephesians 1: 22-23). The mission was assigned not only to Jesus and the early disciples but also to those of us who today are His disciples; those of us who remain committed to being busy about our Father’s business,  (referred to by the Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 5: 18-21 as the ministry of reconciliation), and to hearing Him one day say, ‘Welcome home My good and faithful servant’ (Matthew 25:21).

Jesus explained to His disciples in Matthew 24:14 that the mission given Him by the Father would ultimately not be completed until the Gospel of the Kingdom had been successfully preached throughout the whole world. That’s where we come in.

Matthew 24:14 (King James Version)

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

So the question remains – how well do you follow instructions?

Luke 9:60 “But as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”

Galatians 6:9 “Weary not in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Summary Questions

There is so much more that can be said about the mission and the instructions we have been given by the Father through His Word, but at this stage, I’d like to challenge you to consider each of the following questions in light of this brief study, and more importantly, in light of the call that’s on your life as a member of the Body of Christ. Ask the Lord to speak to you as you address each question individually.

What’s the mission?

What are the instructions?

What do these verses have in common?

Luke 4:18-19 

John 20:21

Matthew 28:18-20 

John 15:5

Who are they being directed to?

What’s the main message?

What should be our response?

How well are you following His instructions?

We’ve had a number of people ask about our availability to conduct Bible Studies. You’re always welcomed to join us for the regular Bible Studies we have in our home, and we’re happy to make ourselves available to conduct Bible Studies anywhere else the Lord might lead as our desire is to be a blessing to those who are hungry to learn more about who they are in Christ and how to develop a more intimate and life-changing relationship with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can contact us at (800) 955-0109 or through the Leadership Institute.

See you next time!

Jim Abbondante

Come see me on Facebook!

What We Do

Who We Are in Christ!

To be genuinely successful in life, one must have a sense of their true identity. They must know who they really are, what they stand for and what their ultimate purpose is in life. This is particularly true in the life of a born again Christian. As one begins to come into the full realization of who they really are in Christ and what the will of God is for their life, as revealed in and through God’s word, their life then begins to take on a whole new meaning. They begin to live their life from a totally new and fresh, and empowered, perspective. They go from living their life from a worldly perspective, having to rely on their own limited wisdom and on their own ability to ‘make things happen’, to living their life from a Kingdom perspective, relying on the Wisdom of God and on His direction and empowerment in their everyday life.

Identifying with who God says they are makes it possible for them to begin to mature in the things of God and ultimately come into the fullness of who they are called to be and accomplish the call that is on their life. It’s critically important that we as Christians begin to ask our Father in heaven to reveal to us, through His word, who we really are in Him and how to begin walking with Him as Jesus walked with His/our Father. Jesus set the example for us to follow during His earthly life and ministry. He was the “Pattern Son” according to Romans 8:29, John 20:21-22.

Read each one of the following verses in the King James and Amplified versions of the Bible and ask God to speak to you about who you are in Him as you are reading each of the scripture references. Then after answering each of the discussion questions listed under each verse, write a (first person, now) statement that identifies clearly who God says  you are in Christ. Examples: “I am a joint heir with Christ.” “I am the light of the world.” “Jesus lives in and through me.” Begin reviewing and internalizing your ‘truth’ statements on a daily basis according to Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2 and Romans 12:2.

We have linked the verses shown to the Amplified Bible, you will need to get out your own King James Version of the Bible and follow along in order to be able to answer each of the discussion questions. Please feel free to click on ‘comment’ if you have any questions or if you would like to share an observation. Come on – I’ll get you started . . .ll

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(Please feel free to click on the link at the bottom of the page following the summary for a printable copy of the study.)

Go ahead and click on the first link below – John 1:12 . . .

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John 1:12

What does it mean to ‘receive’ Him?

Salvation is a ‘free gift’ that we must willingly accept.

What does it mean to ‘believe’ in His name?

I have to believe that He is Who He says He is and that He will do
what He has said that He will do – and then my part is to ‘act’ on
that belief by accepting His ‘free gift’ and then giving Him complete
access to and complete control of every part of my life.

What does the term ‘become’ imply in this verse?

When I act on that belief, I legally become His – I am adopted into
His family – I am transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and into
the kingdom of His Dear Son. I then go on to be cleansed by the washing
of the water of the word and transformed by the renewing of my mind. I’m
ultimately brought into the image of Christ as I willingly cooperate with the
work of the Holy Spirit in my life.

What does it actually mean to be a genuine child of God?

To love Him with my whole heart, to spend time with Him, to get to
know Him, to learn from Him, to want to please Him and ultimately be
a blessing to Him through my ‘love-motivated’ obedience to Him in
every area of my life – total surrender – Luke 22:42.

What does God expect of His children? (Matthew 19:14) (Proverbs 22:6)

To abide in His love and to trust Him as any child would innocently love
his or her own natural father and know that He will always be motivated
by what will ultimately be in my best interest; and also ‘really’ believe
Him when He says that He will cause everything to work out for my
good as He conforms me to the image of Christ.  He is My ‘Abba’
Father!

Who I am in Christ:

I am a child of God. My Abba Father loves me and has
raised me to walk in the newness of Life!

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John 15:15

What is the difference between being a servant and a true friend?

The New Testament tells that we are considered a ‘true friend’ of God
the Father and Jesus our Lord because of ‘two’ conditions that exist in
our relationship with Him: In this particular verse we are told that it is
because He reveals to us everything that He is told by our Father; and
according to James 2:23 we are told that we are considered His friend
when we listen, hear, believe and then obey. Also see John 15:14. It is
interesting to note that Matthew 13:12 tells us that the more obedient
we are, the more truth He reveals. You gain more through applying
what He has shown you, hence the old saying “use it or lose it!”

What does John 15:13 have in common with this verse?

This very unique kind of ‘true friendship’ requires genuine heartfelt loyalty
toward the Lord on our part, and the kind of love that is willing to sacrifice
anything and everything if need be, to the point of life itself, if that is what
the friendship requires – Mark 8:34-38. It’s this kind of love that produces
the obedience that leads to the deep friendship being referred to in this
15th chapter of the Gospel of John.

What is our responsibility to the friendship He is referring to?

We are to deny ourselves totally – who we have been, who we are, our own
needs and desires, what we think we want and need to make us happy, our
own thoughts and feelings, our physical needs – even our own family and
friends if need be, for the sake of our relationship – our friendship – with
Him – Matthew 16:24. Jesus tells us in Mark 10:29-30 that we will not
be at all disappointed!

To what degree are you committed to your ‘friendship’ with Christ?

If we were to be brutally honest with ourselves, I think we would have to
agree that this has got to be one of the toughest questions we will ever have
to ask ourselves. Most of us would like to think that we truly love the Lord to
the degree that our friendship with Him demands but when push comes to
shove – do we really?

Who I am in Christ:

I am a true friend of God the Father and my Lord Jesus Christ!

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Romans 5:1

What does it mean to have been justified?

What does it mean to have peace with God?

What does it mean to have been reconciled?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Corinthians 6:17

What does it actually mean in practical terms to be united with the Lord?

What does this scripture have in common with John 10:30?

What does this scripture have in common with John 20:21?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Corinthians 6:19-20

What was purchased?

Why was the purchase made?

What was the price that was paid?

What relationship exists between this verse and Romans 12:1-2?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Corinthians 12:27

As a born again believer, who are you now?

How exactly are we to honor God with our body?

Who are we to allow to live both in and through our body?

Explain exactly how we are to accomplish that? (John 3:30)

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 1:3-8

What advantage do adopted children sometimes have over natural children?

When exactly was the decision made that we were to be adopted?

What were the gifts we were given when we were adopted?

What is His plan for us as His adopted children?

What does this scripture have in common with Romans 8:28-29?

Who I am in Christ:

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Colossians 1:13-14

What does it mean to have been redeemed?

Where exactly is the ‘dominion of darkness’ referred to in this verse?

Who is the god of this dominion? (II Corinthians 4:4) (Ephesians 2:2)
(John 12:31)

Where is the ‘kingdom of the Son He loves’ that is referred to in this verse?

How can you tell that you really are living in the kingdom of the Son?

Who I am in Christ:

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Colossians 2:9-10

What relationship does Romans 3:23 have with this verse?

What is the fullness of the Deity referred to in this verse?

What does it mean to be ‘complete in Christ’?

Who I am in Christ:

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Hebrews 4:14-16

What does it mean to have direct access to the throne of grace?

What does this verse have in common with I Corinthians 10:13?

What do these verses have in common with Philippians 4:6-7?

As a practical matter, how does one enter into the throne of grace?

Who I am in Christ:

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Romans 8:1

What is condemnation?

How does one come out from under ‘condemnation’?

What are the two ‘conditions’ referred to in this verse?

What does this verse have in common with Philippians 4:13?

Who I am in Christ:

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Romans 8:28-29

What does this verse reveal to us regarding the heart of God?

What is the Father’s ultimate goal for us as His children?

What does this verse have in common with Ephesians 2:10?

What steps can we take as His children to cooperate with His plan for us?

Who I am in Christ:

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Philippians 1:6

What ‘work’ is being referred to in this verse?

Does God typically complete what He starts?

To what degree are you cooperating with the process?

Who I am in Christ:

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Romans 8:31-39

Explain in detail the degree to which God loves us.

What does it mean to have been freed from any condemnation
brought against us?

If nothing can separate us from God’s love, in what ‘ways’ should that
really impact our life?

Who I am in Christ:

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2 Corinthians 1:21-22

What does it mean to be established and to stand firm in Christ?
(Ephesians 6:13)

What does it mean to be ‘anointed’ and ‘sealed’ by God?

What exactly is to come and how we will recognize it?

Explain the application of John 15:5 to this verse.

Who I am in Christ:

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Colossians 3:1-4

What does it mean to be hidden with Christ in God?

What exactly does it mean to set your minds on things above
and not on earthly things?

What exactly is verse 4 referring to?  (Matthew 17:2) (I John 3:2)

What does Galatians 2:20 have in common with this verse?

Who I am in Christ:

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Philippians 3:20

What does it mean to be a citizen of heaven?

How does the term “in the world but not of the world” relate to this verse?

What does Matthew 6:10 have in common with this verse?

What laws do the citizens of the kingdom of heaven live by?

Who I am in Christ:

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2 Timothy 1:7

What does this verse actually mean in practical terms?

What does this verse have in common with John 14:27?

What does this verse have in common with Romans 8:15?

What does this verse have in common with 2 Corinthians 10:5?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 John 5:18

How should my life change if I am truly born again?

What does this verse have in common with Isaiah 54:17?

As a practical matter, how do I apply these verses in my daily life?

Who I am in Christ:

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John 15:5

What does it actually mean to be ‘in Christ’?

How exactly does one go about being ‘in Christ’?

How exactly does one go about ‘bearing fruit’?

What does this verse have in common with Galatians 5:22-23?

What does this verse have in common with James 5:7?

Who I am in Christ:

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John 15:16

As a member of Christ’s Body on the earth, what is my responsibility?

Explain what it means to have been chosen and appointed.

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Corinthians 3:16

What does it mean to be God’s temple?

What relationship does Ezekiel 37: 27-28 have to this verse?

What relationship does John 17: 20-21 have with this verse?

What was Jesus referring to at the time in Matthew 8:20?

What do these verses have in common with Ephesians 2:19-22?

How would you relate this verse to Colossians 1:27 and Philippians 4:13?

How would you relate these verses to Revelation 21:2-3?

Who I am in Christ:

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2 Corinthians 5:17-21

What does the term ‘reconciliation’ mean?

What does it mean to be involved in a ministry of reconciliation?

What are the responsibilities of an ambassador?

What are our responsibilities in light of John 20:21 and Matthew 5:9?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 2:6

What does it mean to be seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm?

How will that contribute to our being conformed to the image of Christ?

How will that help us to fulfill our responsibilities to the great commission?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 2:10

What is meant by the term ‘God’s workmanship’?

What is God’s ‘finished product’ meant to look like?

What is God’s ‘finished product’ meant to accomplish?

How does Romans 8:29 relate to this scripture?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 3:12

How approachable is our Father in heaven?

With what attitude should we approach our Father in heaven?

How does one enter into the presence of our Father? (Hebrews 10:19-22)
(Psalm 100:4)

Who I am in Christ:

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Philippians 4:13

Where do we as God’s children get our strength for living the Christian life?

What does this verse have in common with Philippians 2:13?

Who I am in Christ:

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Romans 8:14-15

How can we know that we truly are sons of our Father in heaven?

What is the nature of the relationship that exists between God and His sons?

What is the meaning of the term ‘Abba Father’?

How do we become sons of our Father in heaven?
(Galatians 3:26) (John 1:12)

Who I am in Christ:

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2 Corinthians 5:17

When one is born again, what changes do they experience in their life?

Who I am in Christ:

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Galatians 3:26-28

What does it mean to clothe yourself with Christ?

What does this verse have in common with I Peter 5:5?

What does this verse have in common with Romans 2:11?

What do these verses have in common with Philippians 2:5?

Who I am in Christ:

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Galatians 4:6-7

What does the term ‘heir’ mean?

What are the qualifications to become an ‘heir’?

Having been adopted into God’s family, what is our inheritance?

Who I am in Christ:

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Romans 8:17

What is our inheritance?

In what ways are these verses related to our inheritance?
(Colossians 1:27) (Philippians 3:14)

What did Paul say we would have to be willing to do to enter into
our inheritance?

What are some practical examples of what Paul was referring to
in this verse?

What does this verse have in common with Matthew 16:24?

What does this verse have in common with Matthew 10:38?

What does this verse have in common with Luke 14:27?

To what degree do you really desire to follow Jesus?

Who I am in Christ:

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2 Corinthians 5:18-19

In what way is Matthew 5:16 related to this verse?

In what way is Matthew 24:14 related to this verse?

What does this verse have in common with Matthew 28:16-20?

What is the relationship between Matthew 5:9 and Romans 8:14?

How would you describe your position in the Great Commission?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 1:1

What is a ‘saint’?

What does it mean to be ‘faithful’ in Christ?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Corinthians 1:2

What does it mean from a practical perspective to be ‘sanctified’ in Christ?

What does this verse have in common with 2 Corinthians 6:17?

Who I am in Christ:

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Philippians 1:1

What does it mean to be a servant of Christ Jesus?

What does this verse have in common with John 8:31?

What does this verse have in common with Matthew 4:19?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 2:10

What is God preparing and equipping you for?

Why is this important to God?

Why is this important to you?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 2:19

What is Paul referring to when he says that you are no longer a foreigner
or alien?

What does it mean to be a member of God’s family and a citizen of heaven?

How can you be a citizen of heaven while living on this earth?

What does this verse have in common with Philippians 3:20?

Who I am in Christ:

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I Corinthians 12:27

What does it mean to be a member of Christ’s body?

In how many different ways can you describe what this actually means?

What exactly does this verse have in common with Matthew 22:36-40?

Who I am in Christ:

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I Corinthians 6:17

How do you unite yourself to the Lord and become one spirit with Him?

Who I am in Christ:

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I Corinthians 3:16

What does it actually mean to be the temple of the Holy Spirit?

In what ways can we make our bodies available to Him on a daily basis?

What does this verse have in common with 1 Corinthians 6:19-20?

How would you relate this verse with Proverbs 3:5-6?

If the verses above are true what should be our response? (Romans 12:1-2)

Who I am in Christ:

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John 15:15

What does it mean to be a ‘friend’ of our Lord Jesus?

What does this verse have in common with Proverbs 18:24?

To what degree do you really love Jesus? (John 15:13)

Who I am in Christ:

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Romans 6:18

What does it mean to be a slave of righteousness?

What was accounted to Abraham as righteousness? (Galatians 3:6)

How would you relate Philippians 2:13 to these verses?

What does Luke 6:46 have to do with these verses?

Who I am in Christ:

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2 Corinthians 5:21

Explain in detail what it means to be the righteousness of God in Christ.

Be sure and consider both the judicial and the practical applications of ‘grace’.

Who I am in Christ:

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Romans 6:22

What does it mean to be enslaved to God?

What is the literal meaning of bondservant as it was used in the bible?

In what ways are we considered a bondservant to God?

Who I am in Christ:

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John 15:16

What does it mean to have been chosen by God?

What specifically has He appointed you to do?

What does John mean when he uses the term ‘fruit that will last’?

When does the Father give you whatever you ask in His name?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 3:1

What was Paul referring to when he referred to himself as a prisoner of Christ?

In what ways can we personally identify with Paul’s statement in this verse?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 4:1

What is the ‘calling’ we have received?

List three ways that you can know that you truly are living a life
worthy of the calling you have received.

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 4:24

What is true righteousness?

What is true holiness?

What is the ‘new self’ that Paul was referring to in this verse?

What does it mean to put on the ‘new self’ or the ‘new nature’?

How do you actually put it on?

Explain Romans 13:14 as it relates to this verse.

Who I am in Christ:

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Colossians 3:3

What was meant by the term ‘for you died’?

What does it actually mean to have your life ‘hidden with Christ’?

What relationship does Galatians 2:20 have with this verse?

Who I am in Christ:

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Matthew 5:13

What is salt typically used for?

What is meant by the term ‘you are the salt of the earth’?

What are the actual signs that you have lost your saltiness?

What specifically can you do to make sure your salt remains potent?

Who I am in Christ:

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Matthew 5:14

Define the term ‘light’ as it is being referred to in this verse.

In what ways are we realistically to be the ‘light’ of the world?

In what way does this verse relate to Revelation 3:12 and 21:2?

In what ways are we to identify with Isaiah 60:1-3?

Who I am in Christ:

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John 15:1-2

How would you explain in a practical sense this verse of scripture?

Specifically, what fruit is being referred to in this verse?

What is actually meant by the term ‘prunes’?

How can you know whether or not you need to be pruned?

In what way does this verse relate to Hebrews 12: 5-11?

What is the difference between discipline and punishment?

Which does our Father in heaven prefer for you and me?

Who I am in Christ:

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2 Peter 1:4

What is the divine nature of Christ that is being referred to in this verse?

In what ways can we rely on the divine nature of Christ to escape corruption?

Who I am in Christ:

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Colossians 3:12

What does it actually mean to be chosen of God, holy and dearly loved?

How exactly do you go about clothing yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and with patience?

How does Philippians 4:13 aid us in this process?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Thessalonians 1:4

What has God chosen you for?

How is that manifested in and though your life for others to see?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Thessalonians 5:5

What is meant by ‘sons of the light and sons of the day’?

Why don’t we belong to the night or to the darkness?

What does that actually mean?

Who I am in Christ:

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Hebrews 3:1

What actually is the heavenly calling?

How do you partake of the heavenly calling?

What does it mean to fix your thoughts on Jesus?

How exactly do you do that?

Who I am in Christ:

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Romans 8:37

What does it mean to be more than conqueror through him who loved us?

What does this verse have in common with Isaiah 54:17?

How does Philippians 4:13 relate to these verses?

Who I am in Christ:

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Hebrews 3:14

What does it mean to be a partaker with Christ and share in His life?

Why do some tend to lose their confidence over time?

What does Romans 8:11 have in common with this verse?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Peter 2:5

What is meant by the term ‘living stone’?

What is the spiritual house being referred to in this verse?

How does this verse relate to John 14:2?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Peter 2:9

In what four ways did Peter refer to us in this particular verse?

What does the term ‘chosen generation’ actually mean?

With that in mind, who are we and what are we to be doing while
we await His return?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Peter 5:8

Who is our enemy?

How does he attempt to devour God’s people? (What is his strategy?)

What does Luke 10:19 have in common with this scripture?

How do we as Christians overcome the enemy?

Who I am in Christ:

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John 3:3-6

How is one able to enter into the kingdom of God?

What was Jesus referring to when He used the terms ‘water’ and ‘Spirit’?

Who I am in Christ:

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1 Peter 2:11

What does it actually mean to be an alien and a stranger to this world?

How does Hebrews 11:13-16 relate to this verse in 1 Peter?

Who I am in Christ:

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2 Corinthians 2:14

What does it mean to triumph in Christ?

In what way was Paul using the term ‘fragrance’?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 2:6

What exactly does it mean to be ‘raised up’ with Christ?

What does it mean to be seated in heavenly places in Christ?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 2:8

What does the term ‘saved’ actually mean?

What is ‘grace’?

Who I am in Christ:

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Ephesians 1:3

What are the spiritual blessings Paul is referring to in this verse?

Where are these spiritual blessings to be found?

In what way does this verse relate to 2 Peter 1:3-4?

Who I am in Christ:

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Revelations 5:9

What does it actually mean to be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb?

Who I am in Christ:

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Revelations 19:7

What does it actually mean to be a part of the bride?

How do we go about making ourselves ready for Him?

Who I am in Christ:

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Summary

It’s been suggested that we have a tendency to talk to ourselves about 95% of the time as we move through the course of our day – and most of what we have a tendency to say to ourselves both verbally and non-verbally is unfortunately more negative than positive. This is an important reality that needs to be taken into consideration – especially in light of what we are told in scripture.

Luke 6: 45 Out of the abundance of the heart man speaks!

Proverbs 13:2 Man shall live by the fruit of his lips!

If that’s true (and we certainly believe that it is) then it would be in our best interest to hide the word of God in our heart and allow it to become the greater influence in our life. If you really want to achieve your potential and experience all that God has for you, begin today to feed on His word and allow it to cleans you of all of your old ways of thinking and allow it to transform you into the man or woman of God He has called you to be! Psalm 119:11

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Click here for a printable version of this Bible Study Exercise!

Bible Study – Identity in Christ

By the way, we’ve had a number of people ask about our availability to conduct Bible Studies. You’re always welcomed to join us for the regular Bible Studies we have in our home, and we’re happy to make ourselves available to conduct Bible Studies anywhere else the Lord might lead as our desire is to be a blessing to those who are hungry to learn more about who they are in Christ and how to develop a more intimate and life-changing relationship with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can contact us at (800) 955-0109 or through the Leadership Institute.

See you next time!

Jim Abbondante

Come see me on Facebook!

What We Do

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(Interactive Bible Study is located below the introduction.)

We had a great time at our first Home Bible Study. The folks that showed up to participate with us expressed a genuine hunger to experience the Lord Jesus in a much greater way in their life. We had a wonderful time of prayer and fellowship and we as a group discussed in detail some of the topics that we will want to study together during the coming weeks. They included developing a much better understanding of the operation of God’s grace in our life, how to deepen our relationship with the Lord, the practical application of God’s Word in our everyday life, increasing our hunger for the Lord, strengthening our faith, learning to hear the Lord, developing a greater degree of obedience to His leading in our life and an unwillingness to compromise when it comes to how we view and respond to any temptation or sin that may be in our life.

Ultimately, everyone in attendance agreed that our greatest desire and commitment is to develop a much better understanding of how to cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit in our life as He continues His work of conforming us to the image of Christ and preparing us for service. We’re all looking forward to seeing the Lord do some awesome things in and through the lives of those who will be participating with us in the upcoming weekly studies. Bible Study Invitation!
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What to Expect!

These are the initial topics that we will be focusing our attention on for the balance of this month and on into the next few months in our in-home Bible Studies:

1. The importance of God’s Word in our everyday life;

2. How to study the Bible and how to allow it to interpret itself;

3. God’s ‘Saving Grace’ and how we appropriate it by faith;

4. What Faith is, where it comes from and how it is developed;

5. God’s ‘Transforming Work’ in our lives;

6. Developing an ‘Intimate Relationship’ with Him;

7. Entering into His Presence through Praise and Worship;

8. Prayer and Hearing God;

9. Obedience and Blessing;

10. Fulfilling the ‘Great Commission’ in our everyday life;
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Bible Studies will include a homemade meal served with Fresh Manna!
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Bible Study – Importance of God’s Word!

We are continuing our study of the importance of God’s Word in our everyday life. The Word of God is the foundation of our daily walk with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s through His word that He reveals Himself and His will for our lives. It’s through His word that He provides us with the direction and the power we need to be able walk with Him and to be busy about His business on a daily basis. Read the following verses in at least two different versions of the Bible and consider what they all have in common. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you as you prayerfully consider each individual verse and its underlying message.
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You can click on each verse to see it displayed however you will receive greater insight by going directly into your Bible and considering its context. By the way, you can click on the link at the bottom of the page if you wish to print a copy of the lesson plan to bring with you to the Bible Study or to pass along to friends.

Let’s get started on the study together!

Click on the first scripture link below . . .

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I Corinthians 10:11

What can we learn by considering the lives of many of those we
read about in the Old Testament?

While the context of this scripture refers specifically to those who were in the wilderness with Moses, the truth that we in this age can glean from this scripture is that there is a great deal we can learn about how God relates to His ‘own’. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. The word tells us that He does not change.

It’s true that we are no longer under the law but are now under grace. He (Jesus by His Spirit) now dwells within us causing us both to will and to do His good pleasure. We now have His grace, His divine empowerment, so we now have everything we need to begin living by faith in Him and in His promises, with no justification for fear, anxiety or for complaining about anything in our life.

His word tells us that to whom much has been given, much is required. He has given us Himself, the least we can give Him is our faith, our obedience and also our positive expectancy!

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Psalm 103:7

What is the truth that is revealed to us in this verse?

Why is that important for us to understand?

What is the application to our life today?

What are the potential benefits?

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Joshua 1:5-9

What specific success was being referred to in this verse?

What was Joshua instructed to rely upon if he was to succeed?

In what ways can we identify with Joshua?

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Psalm 1:1-3

What do these verses have in common with the instructions
God gave Joshua?

What application do they have in our lives today?

How does God define ‘prosperity’?

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II Corinthians 5:7

How would you explain this verse?

What does it mean to walk by faith?

Is there a realistic advantage to walking by faith?

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Proverbs 3:5-6

What is the meaning of this verse?

What does it have in common with the verse we just considered
in II Corinthians?

Can you think of a leader in the Old Testament who chose to
rely on his own understanding?  What was the outcome?

In what ways can we apply this verse in our lives today?

How do you do what this verse is directing us to do?

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Romans 10:17

What is faith?

Where does it really come from?

How does one go about relying on his or her faith in their daily life?

How do we begin to develop our faith?

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Psalm 119:11

What part does the word of God play in our ability to walk by faith?

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John 14: 26

What part does the Holy Spirit play in our ability to walk by faith?

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Romans 14:23

Pay particular attention to the second part of this verse; how did
Paul define ‘sin’?

With respect to Paul’s definition of sin, to what degree may we be
sinning in our everyday life?

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Psalm 119:105

In what ways are we to benefit from the word of God?

What does it mean to walk in darkness vs. walking in the light of God’s word?

How does the believer do that in their everyday life?

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Matthew 6:31-33

Explain this verse in light of our discussion about the importance of God’s Word
and the work of the Holy Spirit in our life?

What was Jesus referring to when He referred to the ‘Kingdom of God’?

What was He referring to when he referred to ‘His righteousness’?

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Luke 17:21

Where is the Kingdom of God?

What does that mean?

How should that impact the believer’s life on a daily basis?

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Galatians 3:6

What does this verse mean?

In what ways did he demonstrate his ‘belief’ in God?

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James 2:17

In what ways might we relate the truth in this verse to Abraham’s
experience with God?

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Romans 4:3

What was the main point Paul was attempting to make in this verse?

In what ways can we apply that truth to our life?

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John 10:4 & 27

Who is putting forth sheep?

Who are the sheep referred to in this verse?

What is the statement ‘his own’ referring to?

Why do they follow the voice they know?

How can we as believers hear the voice referred to in this verse?

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Romans 8:14

Explain the meaning of this verse as it relates to believers today.

In what way does it apply to you?

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Romans 8:19

What is this verse referring to?

What are they waiting for?   Why?

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John 20:21

What does this verse mean?

In how many different ways are we as believers to follow Him?

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Matthew 16:24

What does this verse mean?

In what ways does this verse relate to our discussion?

To what degree are you committed to the application of this verse
in your everyday life?

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Summary

What ultimate truths can you take away from our discussion of these verses?

In what ways do you plan to apply these truths to your own life?

In what ways will you benefit as the result?

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See you at one of our next Home Bible Studies!
Mondays at 6:00 PM & Saturdays at 10:AM!

Click & Print!

You can click on the following link to print a copy of what we will be studying
in our next Bible Study session together.

Bible Study Lesson Plan (1) (God’s Word)

Bible Study Invitation

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Directions

Contact Decie Abbondante at (903) 283-2237.

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Individual Ministry!

We are happy to meet with you personally for prayer or to be of service in any way we can. Just contact Decie at (903) 283-2237 – or – you can contact Jim at (817) 304-2225.

Jim Abbondante

When’s the last time someone asked you what your favorite verse or verses in the bible might be? It seems to happen to me quite often. I actually like it when it does happen because it provides me with the opportunity to reflect on just how incredibly wonderful it is to have the Lord as that very personal and intimate friend that sticks ‘closer’ than any brother ever could; John 15:15; Proverbs 18:24;

He’s not only our friend, John 15:15, but He’s also the author and the finisher of our faith; He’s conforming us to His image, and I’m more than confident that He’s going to finish the job He’s started so He will be able to complete the important work through us He has called us to. Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:29; As a matter of fact, Hebrews 2:10 tells us that He is doing an important work in all of us who will willingly participate.

By the way, who better to have as your best friend than your ‘Dad’; or in this case, your ‘Abba Father’, the one who is ‘raising you up’ in the way you should go so you will bear much fruit in your season and thereby prove profitable to the Kingdom of God. Romans 8:15; Ephesians 2:10; Consider also Matthew 25: 14-30.

Two of my favorite verses have always been John 1:12 and also Romans 8:14, both of which are just jam packed full of wisdom and truth with respect to who we are in Christ and how we are to ’fellowship’ (communicate) with him on a daily basis in the context of our ‘on-going’, ‘growth-oriented’ relationship with him.

For example, in John 1:12 it says: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name; and in Romans 8:14 it says: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. With regard to the use of the term ‘sons’, consider here the difference between children who feed on the ‘milk’ of the word vs. those sons who feed on the ‘meat’ of God’s word. I Peter 2:2 references the ‘milk’ of God’s word vs. the ‘meat’ that the writer refers to in Hebrews 5:12-14. Take a moment to evaluate the obvious differences when it comes to the level of maturity of the believers in both cases.

Note the references to the words become in John 1:12, and led in Romans 8:14. In reality, you have to be led in order to become, (or to be matured in the things of God), and you have to become in order to be really led in the way you will need to be as you begin to be moved on out into the high calling that God has ordained that you walk in (to be fully conformed the image of Christ and actually complete the mission he began during His earthly ministry); Philippians 3:14.

We all have very important roles to play with regard to winning the lost, influencing the growth of the body of Christ, overcoming the enemy and ushering in the Kingdom of God on this earth. Consider Ephesians 2:10 which tells us that we are his ‘workmanship’, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them; and I Corinthians 2: 9 which says: But as it’s written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

It’s all about you and I being ‘conformed’ to the image of Christ and then being equipped for service. We’ll look at what the Word of God has to say about that ‘complete process’ in a later study. But for now it’s important that we recognize that we are being saved or redeemed from something in order to be made ready for something much more glorious.

Consider for a moment that, in the natural, you are a successful leader in your local business community; you have over time built an extremely successful business. You now employ several thousand people, and by very nature of the fact that you now have that many people as a part of your organization, your example, your decisions and your overall influence as a leader now impacts that many families. In addition, the decisions you make and the quality of the leadership you provide also directly impacts your clients, influences your market share and the overall viability of your company. That represents a great deal of responsibility.

To continue the metaphor, let’s assume for a moment that the family tradition is to one day pass the family business down to one of your sons, and in your case, you just happen to have four sons to choose from; (four chips off the old block as it were). The question that you will eventually need to address will be which ‘one’ of your four sons will you begin grooming to join you in the family business and eventually take over the leadership of the company when you are ready to step down. Upon what factors will you base your decision and in what ways will you want to begin influencing the development of that particular son for the assignment that he will eventually receive from his father. These are certainly important questions.

Who are you going to want at the helm of your business, a ‘babe’ in Christ – or a fully matured ‘son’ - who has been feeding on the ‘meat’ of the word who through experience has been proven ready according to Hebrews 5:8, Hebrews 2:10 and Hebrews 6:1-3: Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection (meaning maturity in the things of God); not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permits. What are we saying here?

You’re going to want to choose the son who has developed a loving attitude toward you and a reverent respect for you; the son who has delighted to be in your presence, and who has invested time with you asking questions, listening to you and learning from you and learning your ‘ways’; the son who best ‘reflects’ your nature and character and also your commitment to what will always be in the best interest of the ‘family business’ and of those it serves; the son who will ultimately make you the most proud and bring you the greatest joy and glory.

When it comes to our being fully prepared to finally step into the management of our Father’s business, consider the promise in Matthew 24:47: Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

And how about the promise stated in Revelation 3:21: To him that ‘overcomes’ will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also ‘overcame’, and am now set down with my Father in his throne. There’s a reason, by the way, why the wording of the scripture reads ‘in’ his throne instead of ‘on’ his throne. We’ll take a closer look at what it means to be ‘in’ Christ and ‘in’ the Father in a future study.

There are also additional references in the Book of Revelation that refer to the family business; Revelation 5:10 says: And He has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. Revelation 20:6 says: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the ‘first’ resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 22:5: And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Again, in Ephesians 2:10 the Holy Spirit says: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them, (ruling and reigning with Christ in His kingdom – not only then but now as well). It’s going to be quite an assignment for the sons of God; don’t you think! Are you up for it? You can be if you will simply choose to cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit in your life as He works to conform you to the image of Christ and to equip you for service.

The scriptural examples are endless but I do think you get the point. Those of us who will heed the call are destined to rule and reign with Christ! Now is the time to begin to cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s important work in our life as He moves us through the process of preparation by conforming us to the image of Christ – and by Him teaching us how to really hear His voice – and how to then be led and empowered to be totally obedient in every situation.

Preparation is the urgent call of the hour; it’s to get ready!

It’s time that we begin placing a much greater emphasis on cooperating with the work the Holy Spirit is seeking to accomplish both in and through us – in that order!

When considering the ‘great commission’ and also the call to participate in the ushering in of the Kingdom of God on this earth, there’s much work still to be done. Jesus said in John 20:21, that he was sending us as He had been sent by the Father; He also said in Luke 12:43, that blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he comes shall find so doing. He also told us in Matthew 6:10, that we were to pray Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. We’ve all been given an assignment - and it’s to participate in the completion of what Jesus started when he was here on this earth as the Son of Man; which is the complete reconciliation of all of creation back to God.

Jesus, who was referred to as the first of many brethren, and who also serves as our ‘example’, had to learn obedience through the things He suffered; Hebrews 5:8 says, Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; In Romans 8:29 it says, For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among ‘many brethren’. (Consider also Hebrews 12: 5-15 and ask yourself – are you one of His sons?)

Many Brethren – That’s you and me! If He had to be made ready for His ministry, how much more will we need to be made ready for our ministry and the call that is on our life? Do go ahead and check out Philippians 1:6 and Romans 8:28, both of which speak of the transformation process we are being moved through as the result of the work of the Holy Spirit in our life.

Jesus didn’t rely on His own understanding, but in all His ways He acknowledged His Father and He allowed His Father to direct His path. He was our example, our ‘template’. He demonstrated Proverbs 3:5-6, for us which says: Trust in the LORD with ‘all’ thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. We need to get good at relying on His ‘Head’ and not our own. We’re the body, He is the head! That’s the secret!

The smartest thing we can do in preparation for the call that’s on our life is to study the life and ministry of Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit’s help, endeavor to be just like Him, conformed totally to His image and then be equipped to finish the job He started. I Peter 2:21, it says: To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. (See Matthew 16:24 and Galatians 2:20, which is ultimately the ‘only’ way into the Kingdom!)

Both references in the book of John (above) would suggest that our success, when it comes to the management of the family business, will be based solely on our ability to really hear His voice and to be consistently led by Him, and also to us being totally obedient to His leading in every way and in every situation.

Philippians 2:13 says: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. The words worketh in you has everything to do with the word become in John 1:12, referred to in the second paragraph of our study.

Ultimately, we are to be totally given over to functioning as His body on the earth, under His leadership and under His power, which will require that we be able to ‘clearly’ hear His voice. Consider the following scriptual examples: Revelation 2:7, Matthew 10:19-20, Romans 8:16, John 15:26, Acts 13:2, Romans 8:14, Revelation 1:10.

These are but a few of the many many examples that would suggest that we are to be led by the Holy Spirit. How many more references can you think of that emphasize the fact that His sheep will hear and know His voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow?

John 10:5: And the voice of a stranger will they not follow, but they will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. That’s particularly important when you consider what we are told about our enemy’s agenda in John 10:10, that being to kill, steal and to destroy. The only way to escape his deceptive strategies will be by being able to hear the Lord’s voice and by being led by the Lord himself; John 8:32 says: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Isaiah 30:21 is the mark of a truly matured believer.

Paul described his experience in Galatians 2:20 when He said: I’m crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Paul encouraged his ‘spiritual son’ Timothy to follow his own good example as he (Paul) followed Christ’s; which is what our goal really should be if we’re committed to being chosen as that ‘son’ who when prepared, is to inherit all things. We are told in Psalm 24:1 that: The earth is the LORD’S, and all the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. And in Psalm 2:8, the Father says: Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Consider the promises made to the ‘overcomers’ at the end of each of the seven letters to the churches found in Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3. These ‘promises’ are what Paul referred to as the ‘prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus’ in Philippians 3:14.

So, what’s really your focus? Is it on the temporal things of this world or is your focus on learning to listen, learning to hear His voice, learning how to genuinely follow His lead and allowing Him to prepare you to one day step on into the inheritance into which you have been called, to run the ‘family business’.

Again, many are called but few are chosen; (Matthew 22:14)

Seek Him; (Jeremiah 29:13)

It’s the only way to go! (John 14:6)

By the way, we’ve had a number of people ask about our availability to conduct Bible Studies. We’re happy to make ourselves available as our desire is to be a blessing to those who are hungry to learn more about who they are in Christ and how to develop a more intimate and life-changing relationship with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can contact us at (800) 955-0109 or through the Leadership Institute.

See you next time!

Jim

Have you ever wondered why things seem to sometimes happen in your life the way they do – or why God will sometimes allow us to go through difficult times in our life?

While there are a number of specific reasons referenced in the Word of God, one of the more unpopular reasons can be seen illustrated throughout the Old Testament.

Psalm 103:7 tells us that God made His ways known to Moses and his acts to the people of Israel. From a historical perspective, this verse is telling us that as Moses was leading those two to three million Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, each one of them saw for themselves the miraculous acts of God. They saw all of the plagues that God poured out upon Egypt in order to bring the Pharaoh to the place that he would finally let them leave. They saw God split the Red Sea open for them and then hold back the Egyptians all night long until every last one of them made it across. They then watched God drown the Egyptian soldiers in the waters of the sea when they tried to pursue them. They came to a place three days later called Marah, where the waters were bitter, and they then saw God turn the water sweet so they could drink it. They watched as God provided manna in the morning and meat for them in the evening and when He provided them with shoes that wouldn’t wear out as they traveled. He even provided an oasis for them in the desert, where there were 70 palm trees and 12 springs of cool clean water. They saw all the miracles, the extraordinary acts and wonders of God, just as many of us have witnessed the outpouring of God’s Spirit in and through our own lives, but only Moses understood why God was doing those things.

Consider this important question . . .

What made the difference between Moses and the rest of those two to three million people that followed him out into the desert? Was it because He loved Moses more than the rest of the people? No; the scriptures say quite plainly that God isn’t a respecter of persons. Simply put, God doesn’t play favorites. Moses had some important things going for him that the vast majority of the rest of the people didn’t have: He walked with God, he placed his total confidence in God, he had a hunger to know Him better and he committed himself to being obedient to God in everything he did – and as the result, Moses knew His ways. Moses understood that God had a purpose, a reason for leading them out into that barren wilderness and that if he would simply place his faith in God, God’s purpose would eventually be fulfilled; (Romans 8:28). (Also consider 1 Corinthians 10:6)

When it comes to you and I being able to understand why God will sometimes allow us to go through difficulty in our walk with Him, we can learn something very important about the ways of God and how He moves in the lives of His people by considering the pattern that we see illustrated in Psalm 107.

Psalm 107 (the complete Psalm) is a particularly interesting Psalm especially when you consider it in light of the history of God’s interaction with His people as it was described in all the historical books of the Old Testament (which we have been going through in our morning Bible Studies). Consider for example the last verse of Psalm 107, verse 43, which is the punch line or the moral to the story (if you will) of the entire Psalm. It really sums it up quite well:

Psalm 107:43 (English Standard Version)
Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD. (What things?)

Psalm 107:43 (Amplified Bible)
Whoso is wise [if there be any truly wise] will observe and heed these things; and they will diligently consider the mercy and loving-kindness of the Lord.

In one of our morning Bible Studies we discussed the fact that the wisdom spoken about in Psalm 107:43 has to do with one’s ability to recognize the ways of God; what His pattern is in dealing with His own special people. As you begin to understand His ways, a lot of things begin to fall into place for you in terms of your understanding of the relationship that exists between you and God. Many questions become answered and it becomes much easier then for you to get in step with what the Lord is wanting to accomplish both in and through your life. Consider Amos 3:3 for a moment which asks the question “How can two walk together unless they be agreed?” How can you and I get on the same page and expect to accomplish anything if I don’t really understand who you are and I don’t understand your ways and what we are supposed to be working together to accomplish? The same principle applies with regard to our relationship with the Lord.

It’s also interesting to consider Malachi 3:6, where God tells us that He is the Lord, and that He does not change; and Hebrews 13:8, where we are told that Jesus (God who became flesh) is the same yesterday, today and forever. What does that suggest in terms of our present relationship with the Lord? When it comes to His pattern or His ways, He still deals with us in much the same way he dealt with His people in Old Testament times. Even though we now have the advantages that New Testament grace affords us (John 14:16), we are still His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10) and He is still committed to raising us up in the way we should go (conforming us to the image of Christ – Romans 8:29). He is preparing a people, a remnant that will not only be a pure and holy reflection of Him in the earth but a people that will ultimately live in intimate fellowship with Him throughout all eternity. He’s preparing for Himself a Bride that will ultimately be without spot or wrinkle. And whether we are willing to acknowledge it and get in step with it or not, He is raising us up as any good parent would want to raise up their children. Consider for example Romans 1:20; we can see God – and His ways – illustrated in the pattern set forth in the Word regarding the structure of the family and the admonition to raise healthy children that will be considered Godly in the eyes of the world. Why would He not be willing to do for His own children what He is expecting of us where the raising of our children is concerned?

In 1 Corinthians 10:6, the Apostle Paul validates the fact that God is still very much involved in shaping the lives and the character of His people. God’s pattern in the Old Testament was to reveal Himself to His people, remind them that they were His and that He loved them; He desired their love in return and simply required that they demonstrate their loyalty to Him by walking according to His ways, He would then delight in blessing them over and above anything they could ask or think. He wanted them to be His special people. He wanted them to reserve themselves for Him and for Him alone. But inevitably, what was their tendency (including the majority of their Kings)? You can see the answer to that question demonstrated throughout all the historical books of the Old Testament. For example, consider books like Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, etc. You saw the same pattern repeated on the part of God’s people over and over and over again. It was really summed up best in Judges 21:25.

Judges 21:25 (English Standard Version)
Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Judges 21:25 (Amplified Bible)
Every man did what was right in his own eyes.

So, what would God do in response to their turning away from Him? What would He do when they chose to go their own way? After typically sending a prophet to warn and to encourage them to turn back to God, He would eventually allow them to go their own way and, in time, suffer the consequences of their own disobedience. In some cases He would even use their neighbors to discipline them in an attempt to bring them to the place that they were able to finally see for themselves that God’s way was ultimately the best – and the only way. When they finally had had enough and they cried out to Him in repentance, He would hear their cries and answer, and in many cases would raise up a deliverer to save them out of their troubles. For example, you saw that pattern demonstrated quite often throughout the book of Judges. (Those He raised up in the book of Judges were type and shadow of the Messiah who was yet to come.) Even in the midst of all their failures, one thing you could say about God was that He would always be there for them. 2 Chronicles 7:14 beautifully illustrates the heart that He had toward His people (and still has). Their pattern, as well as God’s pattern in dealing with them, was a constant throughout scripture. And you see that beautifully illustrated (musically) in Psalm 107.

In our study of Psalms 107, we broke it down into six (6) separate sections, the first four of which illustrated the pattern of how He dealt with His people, the fifth which provided us with a great overview of God’s power, His Love and His blessings, and finally the sixth which included the very last verse of the Psalm, verse 43, which encouraged us to consider what was to be learned from the rest of the Psalm. We separated the six sections of the Psalm according to the following verses: Verses 1 – 7 Hunger and thirst; Verses 8 – 14 Slavery and bondage; Verses 15 – 20 Famine and illness; Verses 21 – 30 Stormy seas; Verses 31 – 42 An overview of the power and goodness of God that you would hope that His people would finally begin to recognize and appreciate, and come to truly value after having gone through so much and seeing God come to their rescue time after time after time; and finally the wisdom that was to be gained as the result was referred to in verse 43. The pattern that was consistently repeated in the first four sections was a) the encouragement to acknowledge and praise God for Who He was (and is) and for what He had obviously done in their lives; b) their drifting away or blatantly turning away from Him; c) God’s loving discipline, often times referred to as His judgment; d) their crying out to God in the midst of their trouble and pain; and finally e) God’s consistency in coming to their rescue and redeeming their lives, and again, showering them with blessings. You know, one would think that the obvious question would have to be: How many times are we going to have to go around this mountain until we finally get it? I know that I have had to come to that realization more than just a few times in my own life. Look, God loves us and what ever demands He may place on us will always be for our ultimate good and for His Glory. Just believe it and go with it! Why? Just consider Romans 8: 28-30. The world is watching and waiting! Romans 8:18-22.

The bottom line . . .

Well, Psalm 107 beautifully demonstrates the fact that we serve a Big God Who loves us and Who will typically demonstrate His love toward us in any number of unique ways – which includes tough love sometimes if that’s what’s called for in our life in order for Him to be able to accomplish something that will ultimately be for our good and for His glory – Philippians 1:6! Remember, we’re told in Hebrews 5:8 that even Jesus (our example) learned obedience through the things which He suffered; and if it was good enough for Jesus, it must be good enough for you and me. It’s just one of the ways of God.

Instead of allowing ourselves to become confused and frustrated when things don’t seem to be going our way, instead of whining and complaining about it like the Israelites did in the wilderness, let’s look at it from a Kingdom perspective and get excited about the work our heavenly Father is doing in our life and then seek to get in step with what He is wanting to accomplish both in and through us! (Philippians 4:6-7 combined with Romans 8:28-29 will produce true growth and character in the believer.)

One of the neatest things about Psalm 107 is that it reminds us that God is consistent even when we are not and that He can always be trusted to be true to Who He is as our Heavenly Father! See Psalm 100:5!

Until next time, go with God!

Jim

By the way, we’ve had a number of people ask about our availability to conduct Bible Studies. You’re always welcomed to join us for the regular Bible Studies we have in our home, and we’re happy to make ourselves available to conduct Bible Studies anywhere else the Lord might lead as our desire is to be a blessing to those who are hungry to learn more about who they are in Christ and how to develop a more intimate and life-changing relationship with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can contact us at (800) 955-0109 or through the Leadership Institute.

See you next time!

Jim Abbondante

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What We Do

]]> http://sonshipbibleinstitute.wordpress.com/2010/01/15/are-you-familiar-with-the-ways-of-god/feed/ 0 jimabbondante Tough-Love3 thebook Jim-002-tn FirstCho http://sonshipbibleinstitute.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/saved-by-grace-then-what/ http://sonshipbibleinstitute.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/saved-by-grace-then-what/#comments Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:27:33 +0000 jimabbondante http://sonshipbibleinstitute.wordpress.com/?p=350 ]]>

Jim Abbondante

There’s been a great deal of discussion as of late regarding the issue of grace; what it is, what it isn’t, etc; so I thought I would take a moment to maybe shed a little additional light on this extremely important subject. I say ‘extremely important’ because it’s at the very core of the Gospel message, and at the core of our entire salvation experience.

So, what is grace? We typically refer to it as God’s unmerited favor. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary defines grace as being God’s favor or His kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the individual who receives it, and in spite of what that same person deserves. Grace is one of the primary attributes of God. It’s a manifestation of ‘Who’ He is. Exodus 34:6 tells us that the Lord God is “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.” Therefore, grace is almost always associated with mercy, love, compassion, and also as the source of anything and everything we may need in our life. God’s grace is the manifestation of His great love for us. And He manifests His grace, His great love for us, in a number of very significant and important ways throughout the course of our walk with Him, all of which are integral parts of our total salvation experience. His grace, which is His manifested love, which is His unmerited favor, takes on many different forms throughout the course of our Christian life.

For example, Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” What this verse is saying to me is that as born again believers, God has (#1) forgiven us so as to be able to reunite us to Himself, and (#2) He has given us something very precious, a part of Who He is, a part of Himself, His very life, which is also referred to in scripture as His Presence, His Power, His Glory. He has given us His life to rely on for anything and everything we could possibly ever want or need in our new relationship with Him; Philippians 4:19.

Based on my own experience and also what I have seen in the lives of so many other professing Christians, I think the biggest challenge faced by so many of us has been the fact that we really don’t fully understand what that gift of God truly is, and everything that it includes. It’s so much more than just having been forgiven or saved and our being able to rest comfortably in the fact that we have escaped the torment of hell and eternal separation from God; Hebrews 6:1-3.

Let me ask you an important question; When you consider the free gift of God referred to in Romans 6:23, when does that eternal life actually begin? And when does it end? Is the eternal life referred to in Romans 6:23, the abundant life that Jesus was referring to in John 10:10? What kind of life is being referred to in both these verses, is it time or is it substance? (Actually, it’s both.) Strong’s concordance refers to it as “the state of one who is possessed of divine vitality or is divinely animated.” According to Romans 8:11, it’s the very power, the same Spirit, that raised Jesus from the dead that you and I now have residing in us; What does it mean to be animated by this same Spirit? My question is this: Am I to understand that we are not supposed to begin enjoying the benefits of that free gift (forgiveness, acceptance and the very life of God that remains ours eternally) until after what occurs at the last trump, or can we begin enjoying it now?  Consider how Jesus responded to Peter in Luke 18:29-30, when He used the term “in this life and in the life to come.” Also consider John 5:19, and John 20:21.

In how many different ways would God have us benefit from our acceptance of His free gift in this life?  It’s an interesting question to consider in light of John 15:5. The real question is . . how do we go about experiencing more of what God has already given us as born again members of His very own family now in this life? How do we take greater advantage of what we see in His written Word now in this life?

God provided for our forgiveness so He could give us His life. Now that we’ve accepted His forgiveness, we need to begin to learn more about His life within us, and how it’s made available to us to transform us and to empower us, and what it really means to begin living the exchanged life. In II Corinthians 8:9, Paul describes the exchanged life when he says “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be made rich.” Made rich with what? The very Sprit of God; The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead. Paul speaks about how to enter into this exchanged life in Romans 12:1-2. In chapter 8 of Romans he called it “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”

Let’s see if we can go to work on unwrapping the free gift talked about in Romans 6:23, together so we can not only discover what’s inside but also be able to begin entering into the fullness of what it’s meant to be and do in our lives. (Consider Romans 8:18-19 and I Corinthians 2:9!)

Let’s start by looking at a few obvious examples of the grace of God from two very important perspectives: (#1) what it does for us initially and (#2) what it’s intended to do in us, for us and through us, on an on-going basis after our initial salvation experience, or after that moment when we initially asked Him to forgive us and we invited Him into our heart.

Romans 3:23 says “For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God”. We were separated from God by our sin, and in our separated state we were not able to take full advantage of all that His tangible life within us could do for us. We had to depend on our self, on our own wisdom, on our own strength, and on our own ability to protect and provide for our self, and also in our own ability to be good enough to be accepted by God; Genesis 3:24.

Matthew 4:17 then told us to repent, to change our mind for the better, to heartily amend our ways for the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand; Jesus was encouraging us to take full advantage of what God was getting ready to provide through Him (Jesus) in terms of His impending sacrifice. He was to become the manifestation of the grace or love of God, the Lamb, the Messiah that had come to take away the sins of the world, (your sins and mine).

Romans 5:8 tells us that “God demonstrated His great love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This was and still is the Grace of God in action!

Romans 10:9 then told us that if we would confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we would be saved. Through that act of obedience on our part, this is where the Grace of God began in our life in terms of our initial salvation experience. This also began the pattern of us hearing, believing and simply doing what God says to us, believing that He would then, and will still today do what He says He will do as the result of our simple childlike obedience. The pattern that began at the point of our being born again wasn’t meant to stop there. That same pattern, if you will, is to become our way of life. It’s the only way to continue to access the grace of God that continues to be available to us in our life today. Tell me, what was James, the brother of Jesus referring to in James 2:20?

Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us now that “By grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Again, this is God’s love, His grace in action, it’s the initial part of the free gift referred to in Romans 6:23, but it’s not the whole gift. What was required on our part to be able to experience the initial life changing benefit of God’s grace? Simply believing and doing what He said.

Now let’s look at an example of God’s free gift of grace or His empowerment at work in our life after our initial salvation experience. There are many examples in the Word to choose from but in II Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul, the Apostle said “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations I’ve received, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, ‘My ‘grace’ is sufficient for thee.” Paul goes on to say “for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” What did Paul have to do at that point to access the continued grace of God in his life and ministry? The answer can be found in John 11:40. In addition, he was obedient to the Holy Spirit’s instructions found in Philippians 4:6-7.

So here in this passage we’ve just looked at is another manifestation of the grace, or the continued unmerited favor of God being manifested in the life of a believer, this time after his initial salvation experience. This was His empowering grace at work in Paul’s life. In this case Paul needed both reassurance and God’s enabling power to overcome the difficulty that he was facing as he performed the ministry given him by God. This was an awesome example in Paul’s life of what Jesus referred to again in John 15:5, that apart from Him, (apart from His life and power at work within us), we could do nothing; and we have the very same need in our walk today. Paul went on to say “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Instead of Paul attempting to do it on his own, he acknowledged his weakness, his need for total dependence on God, he believed what God said and in obedience, he trusted God to do it for him. (You see the same pattern we referred to above when we applied Romans 10:9 in our life initially.)

Like Paul, you and I need God’s grace to be manifested in our life in any number of different ways from the moment we are initially born again to the moment we depart this life to go to be with the Lord, or when we go to meet Him in the air at the last trump. Ultimately, we’re totally dependent on the manifestation of the Love of God in our life, meaning His Grace – His Empowerment – from start to finish. The secret, if you will, to being able to take full advantage of the grace of God, His free gift in our life, is to humble our self and to become totally dependent in His leading and on the manifested power of God in every area of our life, both of which are manifestations of God’s grace in our life. It’s all about living life from a Kingdom perspective, walking daily with the Lord, listening to what He says and then simply doing it! Even when you think you can do it on your own – don’t! Choose to die to yourself; be obedient to simply do what He has said and then wait on Him to bring it to pass! See Luke 9:23 and Isaiah 40:31.

Let’s consider ‘grace’ and ‘works’.

Let’s consider Romans 6:23 again. Throughout most of my Christian life I was told that we are saved by grace and not by works; And also in James 2:20, that faith without works is dead faith. On the surface it would seem that there might be some contradiction where these two references are concerned. Well, what do you think? Is there?

In Romans we are being told that there is nothing we can do, we can’t be good enough to be deserving of God’s forgiveness. No one can meet all the demands of the law. I can’t work my way back into His presence. I can’t earn His forgiveness or His acceptance. In James we are being told that the only way that we can take advantage of the power of God that is residing within us is to simply follow His directions, or simply do what He says, knowing that it’s always going to be in our best interest because we belong to Him and He loves us. In other words, we are to simply believe whatever He tells us, whether it has to do with Him revealing Who He is, who we are in Him, or what He has given us through His written Word to live by, or when He gives us specific direction or instructions regarding any issue in our life. James is telling us that our role in the relationship is to simply do what we say we believe. We were saved initially by grace, meaning that we placed our faith, our confidence, in what He said to us and then we simply did what He told us to do. The pattern now remains the same throughout the balance of our Christian life. What we do now is not based on our desire for acceptance or based on our attempt to try and be good enough to get God to do something for us. We’re already good enough and He has already made provision for everything we could ever need. All we need to do now is simply place our faith in what He has said that He’s already done and simply be obedient to the truth that He has shown us in His Word, and what He will continue to reveal to us as we need it.

Let’s look at a simple example.

If you were a successful business owner who knew that I was out of work, and you came to me and said “Jim, I’ve got a great job for you; come join our team, just watch me and do exactly what I tell you and you’ll become extremely successful;” I might say, “Well, I don’t have any experience in your industry, I’ve made mistakes in my past, I’m not really very good at anything.” You would say to me “Come on in anyway, you don’t have to be qualified; I just love you, think the world of you and want you as a part of my team.” It would be up to me then to accept that free offer. However, once I got started in my new position, I would have to (as I was told initially) watch you closely, get to know you, learn from you and be very careful to do everything you told me to do so I could expect to be successful in my new position in your company. I’ve already got the job. That’s no longer in question. Now it’s all about me needing to be careful to do everything you tell me to do so I can achieve the success you want to see me achieve because of your love for me. Because I believe in you, I’m going to place my confidence in what you tell me and I am going to do everything you tell me to do, knowing of course, that when I do, I’m going to be as successful as you said I would be if I would simply do what you asked me to do. And the great thing about it is the fact that you have committed to be right there with me – helping me every step of the way! All I need from you now is for you to tell me where to go, what to do and how to do it! WOW, I’m excited! This is going to be easy!!

Let’s simplify grace.

To simplify the concept of grace, it can be broken into two categories, ‘Redemptive Grace’ and also ‘Enabling Grace’. By God’s ‘Redemptive Grace’ the righteousness of God is imputed to us by faith as expressed in Romans 3:22-26, and Romans 4:22-24.

According to God’s system of jurisprudence, the issue of sin had to be legally addressed and atoned for before we could be allowed to enter into His presence and be reunited with Him, and then receive His divine life (or His Divine Empowerment). As the result of our decision to accept the reality of our sinful condition and our willingness to sincerely repent and accept the forgiveness provided us by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ on our behalf, we are now seen as being righteous in God’s sight and we are now reunited with Him in Christ.

Now that we are reunited with Him in Christ, He imparts to us as believers, as members of His very own family, the ability to become partakers of His Divine nature, His very life as described in II Peter 1:4, His ‘Enabling Grace’. And this life, His life within us, now makes it possible for us to understand what He desires of us and it gives us the will and ability (or the power) to do it successfully. We can also now enter boldly into His throne of Grace during our time of need as described in Hebrews 4:14-16 and Hebrews 10:19-22, and take full advantage of what He is able and willing to do on our behalf according to the life that is at work in each of us who now belong to Him; Ephesians 3:20.

Let’s break it down still further.

‘Redemptive Grace’

We are forgiven, acquitted, justified, made righteous, and fully accepted by God. As the result we are reconciled and adopted into His family and we have been given everything now that pertains to life and godliness; II Peter 1:3. And on top of all that, we’ve also inherited everything! See Romans 8:17 and Galatians 3:29!

We no longer have to work for anything. All we do now is simply believe God. We take Him at His word, (His Logos and His Rhema Word), and we simply believe what He says about Who He is, about who we are and about how much He loves us. We simply relax, accept and cooperate with everything He wants to do in us, do for us and do through us, recognizing that He always has and always will have our best interest at heart. This requires nothing more than a simple, childlike faith. This is what Jesus was referring to in Mark 10:14. Talk about working smart vs. working hard . . . this is the ultimate example!

And by the way, faith is simply believing to the degree that you are willing to place your confidence totally in what He says – period; See Proverbs 3:5-6. Placing your confidence in something means that it will influence your perspective, your thought process, your decisions, your words and your actions. And let me tell you strait up, if you haven’t discovered it already, it’s not always as easy as it sounds because, as creatures of habit, we are used to seeing things from a totally different perspective, our own instead of His. We are used to doing all the thinking and having to depend totally on ourselves. That’s why seeking regularly to enter into the presence of God and staying in His Word is so very important. As creatures of habit, how have we approached getting good at anything we now do well? It’s been suggested that repetition is the mother of learning. With time and consistency, He will, by His Spirit, move us through the paradigm shift we need to experience if we will only show up and cooperate with the work of His Spirit in our life. That in itself is another manifestation of His grace. He will bring us to the place that we finally begin to habitually see things from His perspective as opposed to only our own. Only then can you truly walk in the faith that is referred to in Hebrews 11:6. He will do the work for us if we will only show up and let Him. That’s what Paul was referring to in Romans 12:1-2. Until you can begin to really identify ‘with’ being a new creature in Christ, you’re going to have a tough time taking full advantage of God’s enabling grace as you progress through your Christian walk; Consider II Corinthians 5:17, Romans 6:4 and Philippians 3:13-14.

‘Enabling Grace’

His enabling grace is His empowering grace. Jesus said it Himself in John 5:30, and in John 8:28-29, that He didn’t do anything of Himself but only that which the Father told Him to do and what He obediently allowed the Father to do through Him, and He told us that we were to live our lives in the same manner in John 20:21, that we were to follow His example.

As I stated above, our Father forgave us so He could place His Spirit within us. And it’s by His Spirit that He wants to speak to us and lead us, and then empower us to do His will. That’s essentially what it means to live our lives ‘in Christ’. Living a life totally empowered by the eternal life of Christ is what Paul was referring to in Romans 8:2, and also in Galatians 2:20. Consider Philippians 2:13, which tells us that “it is God which works in us both to will and to do his good pleasure.” These and many other verses in the New Testament are referring to the enabling grace of God.

Keep in mind that Ephesians 2:8-9 essentially told us that we were saved by grace and not by our own works. ‘Grace’ is when God does it – and ‘works’ is when we try to do it all on our own apart from God. That applies not only to being born again initially but also to every aspect of living the Christian life. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that “all our righteous acts are as filthy rags” before the Lord, and that applies both before and after we become born again. Neither you nor I can earn our salvation nor can we live a life of obedience to God apart from His empowering grace. This is what you hear referred to as law vs. grace and works vs. faith. By the way, we’re obedient to the word of God and to His leading in our life, not to be accepted by Him, we’re already accepted, but simply because we love Him and we want to please Him and to be a blessing in His life; I John 4:19.

Let’s look at a simple example.

If you drew a vertical line down the center of your page and on the left side you placed a heading over that column which read ‘Old Testament’, and you put a heading over the column on the right side which read ‘New Testament’, it would look something like this: you would see law on the left and grace on the right; you would see works on the left and faith on the right; you would see judgment on the left and forgiveness on the right; you would see separation on the left and acceptance on the right; you would see condemnation on the left and adoption on the right; you would see us running for cover on the left and us enjoying His covering on the right. The lists could go on and on but I think you get the idea.

What we need to really understand and begin to identify with is the fact that according to Colossians 1:13, we’ve been translated out of the kingdom of darkness (the left side) into the kingdom of His Dear Son (the right side) and we need to quit ‘flip-flopping’ back and forth as we attempt to live the Christian life. Yes, we do that when we allow some sin to separate us from God or when we get caught up in trying to be good enough to please God, or we try to live the Christian life on our own without relying on the power of God that resides in our heart. Understand precious one that ‘sin’ exists on both sides of that vertical line. God just sees it and deals with it differently on each side of the line. On the left side of the line you come under condemnation, but on the right side of the line you come under the Holy Spirit’s loving conviction.

On the left side of the line, you do your best to refrain from sin because of your fear of being rejected by God and your fear of being punished for your sin. However, on the right side of the line, because you have already been accepted by God, and because of the love He has for you, and the love you have for God, you don’t really want to sin. You don’t want to disappoint or hurt the One who loves you, so according to I John 1:9, you go to God, you confess your sin and you ask for His help in overcoming that, and any other sin that might still exist in your life; See Hebrews 4:15-16. The way He helps you is by reminding you of who you are as His son or daughter and how much you are loved, and then He takes you to where that area in your life is addressed in His Word and He then begins to speak to you about that area in your life through the truth or truths found there in His Word, and He then causes you to begin to want to be obedient in that area, and when you make the decision to move forward in the right direction, He empowers you to be obedient and to overcome in that area of your life. Your obedience to His truth then sets you free in that area; See Philippians 2:13. As you can see, the approach is totally different depending on which side of the line you are living and operating. God started by forgiving you so He could draw you to Himself and then begin the process of changing you, transforming you into the image of Jesus which is what all His kids are to be like; John 1:12. I can’t begin to express to you how sincerely grateful I am for Philippians 1:6! Consider that in light of Ephesians 2:10!! WOW!!

Please understand that our Abba Father provided for our forgiveness so He could adopt us back into His family; Ephesians 1:4-6. Now that we as His prodigal children have come home, He now wants to wash us and cleans us from any residue of unrighteousness that may still exist in our natural (soul) life; Ephesians 5:26, and Romans 12:2. He wants to influence our perspective and cause us to begin seeing everything the way He sees them (including who we are in Him). He wants to give us His heart and His nature. He wants us to become like Him in every area of our life, as any loving parent would. He wants to give us Himself in every way He can. He wants to raise us up in the way we should go, ultimately to be just like Him; See Ephesians 3:14-21. He doesn’t expect perfection on our part as He is moving us through this ‘child rearing’ transformation process. He expects us to make mistakes and to fall and skin our knees from time to time. And when that happens, He’s not going to reject us and kick us out of the house. No, He’s going to be loving and forgiving and use those circumstances as opportunities to teach us and to continue to mature us until we finally come into the fullness of who He has called us to be – which is like His Son, Jesus, our example, Who was referred to in Romans 8:29, as “the first of many brethren.” Consider Romans 8:19!

How do we apply this understanding in a practical way in our everyday life?

1. Set aside some quality time every day to go (privately) before the Lord, to thank Him for His Love for you and for His goodness; And to thank Him for revealing Himself to you and for drawing you to Himself. Thank Him for having a plan for your life and for progressively revealing His plan for your life as you continue to grow in His grace; Ephesians 2:10.

2. After a time of praise and worship, (Psalm 100:4), then enter into a time of Bible study; Psalm 119. As you are there in His presence, ask Him to begin to reveal Himself to you through His Word. Ask Him to speak to you in ways that He may want to; and then listen carefully as you read the Word there in His presence; Romans 10:17. Make sure that you are prepared to follow through and be obedient to do anything and everything He may ask of you. It’s through our obedience to His leading that He begins to reveal even more truth to us through His Word; Matthew 25:29.

3. Ask God to help you begin to develop a better understanding of Who He is as your Abba Father, (Romans 8:14-17); and ask Him to help you come into a much better understanding of who you are in Him; Galatians 4:5-6, and Ephesians 3:14-21. Ask Him to increase His presence in your life and to increase your hunger for Him; Jeremiah 29:13 and Hebrews 11:6. Ask Him to help you further develop your ability to hear His voice clearly and to cause you to want to be instantly obedient to anything He may say to you; John 10:27. Ask Him to help you deepen the relationship that exists between you and Him. Ask Him to help you develop a better understanding of His grace and what it means to live the ‘exchanged life’ that Paul referred to in Galatians 2:20.

4. Allow your relationship with the Lord, and who you are in Him, to become your life’s paradigm. Live your life from a Kingdom perspective; Matthew 16:23. Allow these steps to become your lifestyle, (the single most important constant in your life), and begin to consistently grow in the ‘grace’ of God; II Peter 3:18.

5. Let Matthew 16:24, John 15:13-14, and Galatians 2:20 define your life!

The Important Things!

These need to exist as important parts of your relationship with the Father.

1. You must know who He is and what His motives are toward you, toward His church and the world, to the degree that you can confidently place your faith in Him. It’s been suggested that if I can believe in the teacher, I can then believe in what the teacher says. If I can place my confidence (or my faith) in what He says, then a confident obedience is my natural response; John 15:10 and Hebrews 5:14.

2. You must know who you are in Christ as one who has been forgiven, fully accepted and adopted into His family. You must recognize that you truly are a ‘son of the Most High God’. A person can not really succeed in life until he knows who he is, what he stands for and what’s truly most important to him in his life. We have to come to that same place in our relationship with the Father and then become motivated by a sense of purpose that goes far beyond anything this temporal world has to offer; Ephesians 2:10 and Matthew 25:21.

3.  You must internalize the Word of God. Psalm 119:11 says, “Thy Word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” Not only will your relationship with the Lord deepen and your identity in Christ become even more clear to you as you are ‘hiding the Word of God in your heart’, but God will very often lead you directly through His Word. He will often speak to you through scriptures you have read and internalized as you move through each of your days. I am also reminded of the fact that people who are in the business of handling large amounts of money are trained to spot counterfeit currency by learning what the ‘real thing’ looks like and feels like. And we certainly know what the enemy’s strategy is, don’t we; Matthew 4:4-10 and John 10:10.

4. As the Lord develops His nature in you and you begin to experience even more and more of His tangible presence in your daily life, you’ll want to learn to let love be your greatest aim while you’re allowing His peace be your guide; I Corinthians 14:1, and Colossians 3:15. Always remember that your greatest soul winning tool will be your love; John 13: 34-35.

5. Become one who consistently walks by faith and not by sight, leaning not to your own understanding but acknowledging the leading of the Lord in all your ways as you allow Him to direct your path; Proverbs 3:5-6 and Romans 1:17.

6. Be quick to simply believe and obey. Develop a lifestyle of obedience; a life that is centered on hearing and obeying. That is the secret to remaining continually in the presence of the Lord and flowing in His love and grace. It’s also the secret to bearing much fruit on behalf of the Kingdom of God; Hebrews 11:6, John 15:15-17, John 14:23.

7. And remember to be anxious for nothing but in everything with prayer, supplication, and with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and then allow the peace of God to keep your heart and mind by Christ Jesus; Philippians 4:6-7.

Finally, new testament grace is all about relationship; loving Him and simply hearing Him and doing what He asks; John 15:14-15.

Enjoy the Lord and let the joy of the Lord be your strength; Nehemiah 8:10.

Be an encouragement to those around you; 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

Let your light shine brightly; Matthew 5:14, Isaiah 60:1.

And always Praise Him!  Psalm 31:1.

By the way, we’ve had a number of people ask about our availability to conduct Bible Studies. You’re always welcomed to join us for the regular Bible Studies we have in our home, and we’re happy to make ourselves available to conduct Bible Studies anywhere else the Lord might lead as our desire is to be a blessing to those who are hungry to learn more about who they are in Christ and how to develop a more intimate and life-changing relationship with our King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You can contact us at (800) 955-0109 or through the Leadership Institute.

See you next time!

Jim Abbondante

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