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Sunday, February 1, 2009

Activate Series (Part 2)

Title:Activate - What do I need to Activate? (Part 2)
Text: Various Scriptures

Introduction.

Last study we began a two part series on the H.S. winter camp theme "ACTIVATE". We learned that if we are to activate our faith, we must know how we become activated, by what activation, and by what activator. First we searched the scriptures to see that God is the Activator. He is the only one who can activate our hearts from darkness into light. Secondly we studied that to activate our lives in Christ, we first must go through activation, being born again. We must believe in Christ, receive from Christ, and then become a son of Christ to be truly born again. Now understanding these two principles, a believer then becomes activated, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit to accomplish God's will here on earth as it is in heaven.

Today, we are going to continue our series by looking at what God wants us to Activate in our lives. Remember, activate is defined as, "Something set into motion, to cause reaction, to make active." God wants us to live for Him everyday, but how can we do so? Well there are two things that we must activate as Christians"

I. A Solid Walk
A. Spending time in Prayer
B. Studying the Word.
C. Serving the Lord.

II. A Solid Witness
A. To your Family
B. To your Friends
C. To your Foes

I. A Solid Walk.
A. Spending time in Prayer.
The Christian walk needs to start out with the steps of praying always to God. Prayer is our communication line to God where we make our requests known to Him. Activating a prayer life is absolutely essential as a Christian. The Bible really challenges us to seriously spend time praying to God.

"Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)

B. Studying the Word.
The most important thing for a Christian other than having a very intimate prayer life is to constantly study the Holy Bible. God wants us to activate a great studying habit of His word. It is not enough to just read the Bible, because we need to know what the meaning of the scriptures are. Therefore, we need to dig in the pages of God's word and shovel our hearts deeply through each book of the Bible.

"Study the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39)

"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

C. Serving the Lord.
We were saved to life, so let us live to serve the great God and Savior Jesus Christ who redeemed us. God wants us to activate our faith by being a servant for His kingdom. We need to serve God, and we need to serve God's people and bless them.

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13)

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ...From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:11-12, 16)

"The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey." (Joshua 24:24)

II. A Solid Witness.
A. To your Family

Being a Solid witness is not easy. It requires a lot of work, but we do not have to do it all on our own. God will fill us with His Holy Spirit so we can glorify Him in heaven. As we spend time in prayer, study the word, and serve the Lord, our witness grows and shines brighter for Jesus Christ. He wants us to be a great witness to our parents regardless of how they act. We need to respect them, love them, and obey them. This glorifies God in a massive way!

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth." Ephesians 6:1-2

"Children, obey [your] parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord." (Colossians 3:20)

B. To your Friends
God desires for all of us Christians to be witness to our friends. There is no better way to exhibit true Christianity than by blessing our friends and serving them with the great grace Christ has given to us.

"Finally, [be ye] all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, [be] pitiful, [be] courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3:8-9)

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only [use] not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Galatians 5:13-14)

C. To your Foes
It is important for us to do exactly what Christ commands us. We need to be a witness to our foes because they could be the only Bible they may ever know, one who shares the love of Jesus and the Scriptures of eternal life.

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love you neighbor, and hate your enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matthew 5:43-44

Wrapping Up
God desires that we activate our Christian walk to a whole new level of intensity with Him. Jesus gives us a good example of what a Disciple of Jesus looks like with a solid walk and a solid witness.

1. A true disciple studies the word
"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed."
(John 8:31)

2. A true disciple loves one another

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
(John 13:34-35)

3. A true disciple bears much fruit

" By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples."
(John 15:8)

This is our goal. Activating these things will allow you to grow in great ways you never thought was possible. Our lives need to activate a solid walk with God through three things: Prayer, Studying, Serving. Also we need to activate a solid witness for God to three groups of people: Family, Friend, and our Foes.

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