THRIVE Devotional Week 4 Lesson 1

Transcription

1 Week 4 Lesson 1 Scripture reading Genesis 1:26-31 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis chapter 1 records six amazing days of Creation. The world cannot comprehend why we as Christians believe that God could actually create the entire physical universe in six creative days. That is because they do not understand the greatness of God. In 1 Timothy 1:17, Paul refers to Him as the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God. God said For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts Isaiah 59:9. Our God is far beyond our comprehension. God knew that would be the case for the entire physical universe. After He created the entire physical universe, He needed to create something on Earth that would represent Him. So, He created man in His image and in His likeness. He created mankind so that we could represent Him on this planet, so all creation could see what He is like. He created Adam and Eve. They were to be a representation of God. They were to take dominion. They were to show God s love, His mercy, His grace, and His caring hands. Mankind was created to represent God. However, in Genesis 3, the serpent came into the garden, tempted man; and man fell. Man marred the image of God. When Adam and Eve had children, the Bible records in Genesis 5:3, that they were not in God s image but they were in the image of man. If we are to thrive as Christians, it is important we understand why human beings were created in the first place. We were created in His image and in His likeness to represent Him. Ask God to help you this week to represent Him wherever you go and whatever you do. We will see by the end of the week that because of Christ, that is possible. When you realize your purpose is to represent Jesus Christ, you will thrive as a believer.

2 Week 4 Lesson 2 Why Did God Save Noah? Scripture reading Genesis 6:1-8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah lived in an extremely wicked time in our world s history. Genesis 6:5 states, And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. During Noah s time, all of mankind had turned away from God. However, the Bible says Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. What exactly does that mean? It certainly does not mean that Noah was perfect, but it does indicate that Noah, unlike all mankind, understood his purpose. He knew that God created man to represent Him. In the midst of the wicked culture, Noah made a determination to obey God and to raise his children to serve God. When they came out of the ark, in Genesis 9, God told Noah and his family to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. Where Adam had failed, Noah now had a second chance. Mankind had the opportunity to represent God on this planet again. However, just as Adam fell, so did the descendants of Noah. Within a few generations, mankind became so rebellious. In Genesis 11, they determined to build a tower reach the God of Heaven. God s purpose for man was once again disappointed by the temptations of Satan and the sinfulness of man. God gave man a second chance to represent Him and to establish a new world order through Noah again, but Noah in his fleshly attempts failed at the task. At this point, the question we have to ask: will it ever be possible for mankind, in his fallen state to represent God and fulfill the purpose for which He created man? We will answer that question in the lessons to follow. Remember, when we live to represent Christ we will thrive.

3 Week 4 Lesson 3 Why God Called Abraham Scripture reading Genesis 12:1-5 We have seen so far this week that Adam failed to represent Jesus Christ. The descendants of Noah fell into sin and failed to represent Jesus Christ. When we come to Genesis 12, God calls a man named Abram, who later God renames Abraham. He tells Abram to leave his country, his father s house, and to go to a land that He will show him. He promises to make Abraham a great nation. Why? Why did He call Abraham? Why did He promise to make him a great nation? Because He wanted a nation that would represent Him, in the midst of all the nations that were developing on this planet, The Prophet Isaiah said, Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord [Jehovah], and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me Isaiah 43:10. God called Abraham so that through Abraham the nation of Israel would be born. That nation was called to be a witness to the name of Jehovah. They were not to take His name in vain. They were to live to represent Him. When the nation of Israel obeyed the commandments of God and represented God, God prospered them according to His promises. When they disobeyed God, God chastised them, and they missed out on His blessings. He did not do that because He did not love them but to bring them back to where they were fulfilling His purpose of representing Him. Throughout Israel s history, there were times that they fulfilled their purpose and other times that they dishonored God by their actions. When they obeyed God, they were blessed. When they did not obey God, they missed out on His blessing. Like Israel, the same is true for us. When we represent God, we have the blessings of God, and we thrive as Christians. When we disobey, we miss out on His blessings. I encourage you today to thrive as a Christian by determining to represent God.

4 Week 4 Lesson 4 Jesus Succeeds Where Others Fail Scripture reading Philippians 2:5-11 Hebrews 1:3, Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Where Adam and the descendants of Noah failed, and even the descendants of Abraham failed, there was One who did not fail to represent God in all His glory. That Person was the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the God Man. He is God in human flesh. God sent His Son as a man to come and represent Him. Two thousand years ago, on this planet, Jesus Christ represented God. Jesus was confronted by Satan with three great temptations. By quoting the Word of God, He overcame Satan. Throughout Jesus life, Satan used other men to tempt Him to distract Him from His ministry and to keep Him from accomplishing the task that God the Father had sent Him to accomplish. Jesus faced the temptations of Satan, the temptations of this world, and the temptations of His own flesh; but He overcame them. Jesus lived His life to represent His Father. John 14:10 states, the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Jesus successfully fulfilled God s plan for man. Finally, there was a Man, Jesus on this earth that represented Him. Today s Scripture reading states, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. God wants you and me to think, act, walk, and talk like Jesus. We are to represent Him just as He represented the Father. How can that happen? We will see that next time. Remember, when we represent Christ, we thrive.

5 Week 4 Lesson 5 Called to Represent Christ Scripture reading 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. Forty years ago, I heard Jerry Falwell say, It is not hard to live the Christian life, it is humanly impossible. How then are we as humans supposed to be ambassadors or representatives of Christ? The answer is very simple; we need to allow Christ to live His life through us. This was only possible because after Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead. He went back to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit to live inside of us. The Holy Spirit brought with Him the Person of Jesus Christ and God the Father. As a Bible-believing Christian, you have God living in you through His Holy Spirit. Paul says, Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his Romans 8:9. Ephesians instructs the believer to be controlled by the Spirit of God. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5:18. When you surrender to His control, you will fulfill His purpose in your life, and you will thrive as a Christian.

6 Week 4 Lesson 6 Representing Christ in Every Avenue of Life Scripture reading John 17:13-21 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. John 17 is Jesus high priestly prayer for you and me as believers. In this prayer, He prays that the Father will fill us with His Holy Spirit, protect us, set us apart, and use us to represent Him through the power of His Holy Spirit in our lives. He also prays that we would be unified to accomplish His task of reaching this world with His truth. As a Bible-believing Christian, you are sent into this world to represent Jesus Christ. You may have a variety of roles in your life. As a husband, you are to represent Christ to your wife. As a father, you are to represent Christ to your children. As a wife, you are to represent Christ to your husband. As a mother, you are to represent Christ to your children. Your home is a picture of Heaven on earth representing Christ. As an employer or employee, you are to represent Christ at work. As a neighbor, you are to represent Christ to your neighbors. As a brother or sister in Christ, you are to represent Christ to other members of the family of God. As citizens, we are to represent Christ to those in authority over us and to those who are citizens with us. We are ambassadors for Jesus Christ. Our entire purpose for existing is to represent Christ, wherever we go and whatever we do. When we get to Heaven, we will be able to pray. When we get to Heaven, we will sing songs to our Lord. When we get to Heaven, we will worship Him. When we get to Heaven, we will fellowship with one another. One thing we will not be able to do when we get to Heaven is to represent Jesus Christ to a lost and hurting world. You are in the game now. You are on the field of battle. This is your opportunity to shine. This is your time to represent Jesus Christ. If you determine with your life to represent Christ, surrender to Him every day, and ask Him to work through you, you will thrive as a Christian.