Understanding in Christ Part 1 "Personality of God"

The Great Commission
UNDERSTANDING IN CHRIST
Part 1: The Personality of God
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org


ANNOUNCEMENTS

6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”

WHERE WE ARE AT

† Maturing in Christ


This Series: Understanding in Christ

Previously:



TODAY’S SERMON: The Great Commission
UNDERSTANDING IN CHRIST
Part 1: The Personality of God





OPEN IN PRAYER








I. GOD IS PERFECT, AND SO ARE HIS WAYS
† Psalm 18:30-32
30 As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the LORD ? …there is but one God
And who is the Rock except our God? …Jesus is God
32 It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.


* It’s not that believers are perfect…we still make mistakes. BUT, when we are doing what the Word tells us, as long as we are living the Word, our ways are perfect because His ways are perfect.


† James 1:12-18
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (if you love me, you will obey my commands)
13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

This is one of the reasons tithe is so important.

It is symbolic of the firstfruit (which is Christ) and the firstfruits of creation, the believers in God.

Just as communion and water baptism are symbolic, so are tithe and firstfruits.

† Job 42:2
"I know that you can do all things;
no plan of yours can be thwarted.


II. GOD IS ABOVE US, AND SO ARE HIS WAYS
† Isaiah 55:8-9
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.


† Jeremiah 10:12
12 But God made the earth by his power;
he founded the world by his wisdom
and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.


† Psalm 138:6-7
6 Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly,
but the proud he knows from afar.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes,
with your right hand you save me.

Jesus sits at the right hand of God…the hand of Salvation.


III. GOD SEES, HEARS AND REWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK HIM
† Jeremiah 17:10
10 "I the LORD search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward a man according to his conduct,
according to what his deeds deserve."
This is why the Word commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul…

The Lord searches our heart, our mind and will examine our soul.

When He does, will we be judged by the Law, or will we be followers of Christ, and when God looks upon us, will He see the Blood of Christ?

Our debts paid in full.


† Psalm 11:4-5, 7
4 The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD is on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men;
his eyes examine them.
5 The LORD examines the righteous,
but the wicked and those who love violence
his soul hates.

7 For the LORD is righteous,
he loves justice;
upright men will see his face.

† Romans 2:10-13
10but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11For God does not show favoritism.
12All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.


THE PROMISE
I John 1:8-10
8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.