Page 101 - Back to Bethlehem 2-5-19

Indispensable Principle

Once again as we come to look in God’s word, there is a
principle of bible study that is absolutely indispensable; that is
total reliance upon God’s Holy Spirit. The Bible is God’s book.
Only God can reveal God. He promised that if we come as little
children He would reveal it to us. We don’t need to come in an
academic way. We don’t study the bible to know the Bible. We
study the Bible to know the Lord. If our hearts are open to see
the Lord, God will meet us.

This morning I’d like to look at the great foundation of
conformity to Christ. What does it mean to be made like Jesus?
I want to give a Bible verse and then I’ll pray. John 1:42, “He
brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, ‘You are
Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas’ (which
translated means Peter).” I want to focus on these words “you
are” and “you shall be”; “You are Cephas; you will be Peter.”
That is what we want to look at, that change. God will take me
from what I am to where He wants me. Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank You again for the indwelling Holy
Spirit. We know that it is Your delight to show us Jesus. Take
the veil off our eyes, we pray, and take the veil off our minds,
we pray and take the veil off our heart, we pray and show us the
Lord Jesus. We thank You. In Jesus’ name. Amen

We’ve come to look at that wonderful truth; what it means to
be conformed to the Lord Jesus. That is a big truth. Usually
the way it is approached, the theologians call “sanctification”.
Sanctification deals with our progress in the Christian life.
Usually when you talk about sanctification you are talking
about holiness, godliness, separation and surrender. Some
people say that if you are going to study conformity, you’ve got
to study what it means to grow in Christ. 2 Peter 3:18, “…but
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of
eternity. Amen”