Dear all
Its Friday again! Most certainly hope your week has been good! :)
It was great last Sunday hearing you share your struggles and convictions in prioritizing God in your life and also in sharing the gospel with those around you. below are some meaningful points raised from the 2 groups last week and I hope you’ll take your time reading through it. Indeed it is so cool learning from each other. We realize we are very much the same, albeit in many different ways.
Alright now, I’ll cya all next Sunday. Until then, I trust you to be well in Christ. Most blessed week ahead!
Love
Rachel
Sharing and application
In sharing Christ others – has to begin with action. Our lifestyles are most evident to the people around us and how our actions are by themselves lifestyle evangelism. There is a need to walk the talk – in showing love and encouragement, however hard and futile this may seems at times.
But the gospel has to be verbalized as well. Few ways of sharing Christ with friends:
– Try to talk shop first before slowly easing the conversation towards the Gospel. If the other party wants to share about his religion be open to hearing and finding out about what makes him believe in his religion. (Marcus)
– Share one-on-one. Write cards to encourage her non-Christian friends, putting in Bible verses.(Felly)
– By logical arguments and reasoning.
Observation: Important to order our thoughts. It’s alright even if our friends do not appear too receptive or enthusiastic to hear more, as long they remain open that leaves a door open for us to re-visit the Gospel message with them.
Also, when it comes to sharing logical arguments, there is a need to understand that logic can only help a person see and understand up to a certain extent. Logical arguments strengthen our faith but we should never depend on them as a sole mean for sharing the gospel. Prayer and intercession are essential in reaching out to those yet unsaved.
What is/are the most difficult thing/s about showing love in your life now?
– Don't feel like showing love at that moment in time, i.e. feeling tired, etc.
– Having the expectation that you will be loved in return or see some change in the other party you are trying to love
– Difficult to make the first move. Some friends care too much about your appearance first, before they even bother about receiving or appreciating the things you do for them.
Observation: Feeding on the Word constantly helps us with our desire to show love; God works in us even in our will. We will come to that later in Philippains.
The part about appearance is very true, and there is no easy way around it but to keep in mind that what we do, we do for God.
+ AMEN
Saturday, July 14, 2007
3:12 PM
Hi guys and girls,
I hope it has been a good week for all of you, and while many of us are having our holidays, lets continue to encourage those who are in school( Vic) and the guys who are faithfully serving our nation.
We covered Philippians 1:1-11 two weeks ago, with the intention to major on the application portion for that passage. However, due to the lower than expected cell attendance last week, we decided that in order for the full value of Scripture application to be appreciated by everyone, the discussion shall take place the following week instead, i.e. tomorrow.
It must be emphasized again that it is our hope that through this Bible study, everyone grows deeper in the Word, and reflect such growth through lifestyle changes. It is not easy to live for God in this day and age, apart from the internal tensions we face living in the flesh, our environment makes it no easier to be Christ-like. Through application and discussion, we can learn through the struggles, difficulties and, more importantly, victories of others that we ourselves may grow both in knowledge and discernment.
Some key-points we covered from Philippains 1:1-11 :
1. Mindset:
From Paul’s use of the word bondservant in verse 1, we learn why he does what he does. He sees himself obligated to the service of Christ and hence the advancement of the Gospel. From verse 7, we see that Paul has such a heart, because he describes his life fully in two aspects, when he is in chains, and when he is defending and confirming the Gospel. Therefore we understand in essence, that he fully advancing the Gospel at all times, just that he happens to be in chains now. So we understand his heartbeat.
From the same word bondservant, we also understand how Paul does what he does, the mental perspective that he adopts that arms him for suffering. Paul has this mentality therefore that he expects to receive nothing, at least on this earth, for his efforts and advancement of the Gospel, allowing him to fully focus and cling unto Jesus Christ as his basis for joy, even in suffering.
The way we view ourselves is extremely important, because this affects our life priorities and therefore is instrumental in shaping our lives.
2. Gospel focus:
Whether or not you view yourself like Paul did, as a bondservant of Christ, nonetheless our focus on advancing the Gospel must not be diluted.
Key to learn from Paul’s Gospel focus: first aspect is the defense of the Gospel, second is the confirmation/sharing of the Gospel.
Are you equipped to defend the Gospel? Are you ready at all times to share the Gospel? If not, what are you doing about it?
Are you actively searching out the obstacles that hinder our friends from coming to the faith and addressing them whether by prayer or by sharing with the Word of God?
3. Love:
It must be a natural sign of our growth in Christ.
It is a vital aspect of our lifestyle that gives us the platform to affect the lives of others.
we are held responsible for the way we love, and therefore we are also responsible to grow in love; from verse 10 we see that it is necessary to grow in love such that we remain without offense until the day of Christ.
Why then must love grow in knowledge and in discernment?
Knowledge: of who God is, of His principles and ways, to know right from wrong, to know the model of love
Discernment: for the practical outworking of love in our own lives; in order to love effectively, we need to know the needs of others, and the nature of others that we approach them in a manner that demonstrates love in order to help and to change.
4. Lifestyle Purpose:
How we live our lives, how we speak, act, think and feel must be anchored in this purpose, that is to bring glory and praise to God. (V11)
Some of us live with misguided motivations, to fulfill the expectations of others upon us, or to derive an intrinsic sense of satisfaction by attaining to holiness ( even as Christians), but our sole purpose must be to bring glory to God.
Living right, having a successful life as a Christian and in the secular place, does not bring glory to God, it instead brings glory to ourselves.
Hence, apart from the duty to live right, it is also our responsibility to constantly redirect the focus of others from ourselves to God. We need to prevent others from thinking that we are good, but rather that we are good BECAUSE of CHRIST.
This can be achieved by our verbal witness; the constant communication that our source of hope, joy, strength, success and sufficiency is Christ Jesus. We need to constantly point to Him.
Questions for discussion:
1. What are your priorities in your life and how do you factor God in?
2. What approach do you adopt when you share Christ with others?
3. What is/are the most difficult thing/s about showing love in your life now?
4. How is your love to abound in discernment in your own life?
5. Which areas in your life are glorifying to God?
Please do come prepared to share your lives with one another because that is how anyone can grow in fellowship and in Christ.
May Jesus be real to you everyday of your life!
God bless!
Ivan
+ AMEN
