LESSON 24

 

Writing the Word on Your Heart

Part 4

 

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3.)  IDENTIFY THE WORD.

 

Deut. 6:8  And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 

 

They would put signs on their hands and frontlets on their eyes to show everybody that they were identifying with God.

 

As the body of Christ, we have spent a great amount of time identifying with the world.  We have taught that if we are going to reach the world, we must identify with them.  This is very unscriptual.  In scripture, God is clear that we must identify with Him alone.  When we identify with the world we are cursed. 

 

1 Cor. 9:19-23  For though I be free from all [men], yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.   To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some.   And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with [you].

 

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In context, Paul was saying he finds those things that offend people and refrains from doing those things so they will hear him. 

 

 1 Cor. 8:13  Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

 

Paul didn't say that he was going to dress like them and talk like them to reach them.  He said, “I'm going to be sensitive to what would close the door to the gospel.”  We have embraced the spirit of the world in order to ‘relate’ to them. 

 

It is important to identify with Christ.  We are to look and act like Christians.  The love of God will break through to reach them.

 

When you hold on to your freedoms at the expense of someone else, you are operating from selfishness rather than love.  We need the love of God, the presence of God and His power to reach this generation.  There must be a distinction between us and the world.  The anointing always relates. We must identify ourselves with Christ rather than the world.  We are foreigners here.  We are a part of a heavenly kingdom. 

 

There is coming a time, when the church will be setting the stream for new music, rather than the world.  It's time that the world looks to the church and says we need what they've got. 

 

How can you have a Christian rap band after an anointed service?  I've never witnessed a heavy Christian rock band that moved in the anointing of God.  There is so much identification with the world that the Holy Ghost becomes grieved.

 

4.)  WRITE THE WORD.

 

Deut. 6:9    And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.

 

Professors that study education and learning say that if you hear a message you retain about 10%.  If you write it down you will retain up to 85%. 

 

Hab. 2:2  And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make [it] plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

 

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Write down words that God has spoken to you and then post it.  Write in your Bible. 

 

It is so simple.  God made the Bible simple enough to be accessible to children. 

 

Matt. 18:3-4  And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 

As adults we make learning the Word of God so complicated.  God made it simple.  He puts all the pressure on Himself.

 

We need to have the Word of God written on our hearts.  It gives us the power to obey His commands and to be overcomers.  He has provided a way, we simply need to obey.

 

In Review:

1.  What do we need to reach this world?

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2.  Did Paul ever identify with the world?

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3.  What relates to everyone?

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4.  In what areas of your life are you relating with the world and in which areas are you relating with Christ?

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5.  When we only listen to a message we retain about 10% of that message.  How much do you retain when you take notes?

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