Today it is more important than any other time in history to know exactly, who we are in Christ and what our responsibilities as Christians are. ‘Scripture tells us that we can do all things through Christ. Did scripture mean to feed the hungry and help provide shelter for those in need?  Is that part of the responsibility to loving our neighbor, sacrificing our desires and wants for the needs of others?  if we as Christians are responsible for the needs of others, how are we supposed to deal with the need?

These are difficult questions that we all should be asking ourselves and our church leaders. Today we have the time to find out the truth. Tomorrow it may be to late. We need to know exactly what are rights and responsibilities are and were it is we stand in the whole scheme of things. Knowing the truth brings assurance. the truth does not come from us or any other preacher or teacher, it comes directly from God, but that means that we need to seek Him for the answers to these problems and the rest of life's quandaries.

Beliefs are good and often times they make us feel better. Beliefs however is not always the truth. They are beliefs that all of carry. It is death to accept the beliefs of another without knowing the truth. Faith is the only way that we will ever be able to know as we need to stand on the promises and know that the ‘Word dwells in us as we speak it, live it and perform the miracles that Jesus wants us to perform.

Knowing who we are and acting upon it will end poverty, starvation and⁷ disease of all kinds, including Aids. Sickness and disease are the works of the devil and Jesus came to destroy those works. He wants to work through us to carry out His great work, and we can in unity and in love. Not knowing and not acting upon the ‘Word will lead to defeat. Jesus wants us to live in victory in all things. It is up to us to speak it and act on it.

Memorize the following verses, and speak these things in faith when you get a chance, it will change your life as you will become apart of the living ‘Word?

A Person becomes what they dwell on! Either we are dwelling on the things and the business of God or the business of this world. That is our choice, but we all should be asking ourselves were we really are with each other as believers, our neighbors, and God. Everything about God is about relationships and either we have the heart of God and care about and do something about the needs of others or we are not. Part of getting real, is to get real with ourselves.

These things are not meant to bring confusion but meant to bring convictions and the desire to search out the truth. As we become mature in Christ we begin to see a different picture that is not just about ourselves, it is about serving others, sacrificing what we want to do, for what he wants us to do. That is the definition of salvation! 

It is not just going out and doing but desiring to mature in Christ, seeking Him, walking with Him, and learning to be led by Him, and then be willing to go out and do. We are all called to be priests, to intercede for the needs of others, but we cannot do that if we are not mature enough in Christ. Everyday we need to be seeking Him and His will for us, not jus for the day but what our calling and purpose is.

Assurances do not come from believing, but come from knowing and the knowing comes from spending time with God and seeking Him for direction. In doing so it is salvation to ourselves, our families, and those that are in need. Assurances come from living His agenda and not ours. No one here is suggesting that you go out and quit your job tomorrow or even the day after, but there are some steps that you can take to go from believing to knowing. Here are some practical steps that you can take to begin to know:

1) Start spending more time with God. Start with 5-10 minutes per day in a quiet place. As time goes by you may like the experience and want to spend more time with Him and He will open the door for you to do that.

2) Start with praying the Lord's prayer. in that prayer you are asking that His will be done in your life as it is in heaven.

3) Be open to what happens to you. Learn to trust that what is happening to you is because that is what God wants for you at the moment and He is trying to teach and guide you through things. Be open to learning from others and they are placed there by God to help you along the way. The events that happen are to test us, so we know where we are at with Him, so we learn to ask Him for direction. The only way to solve these events as you will find, is to seek Him for guidance.

4) Seek Him for a dream or a vision. We perish for lack of direction. Once you have that vision of what he wants in your life, going in any other direction will make you miserable. Going in His direction will lead to joy and fulfillment.

5) Be open to the written Word (scripture, Logos) and the spoken Word (rhema). God will talk with you if you are open to it. You will find that He talks in three types of voices. The first loud and very audible. It is a voice outside of you and something that you will not forget. it is the type of voice that Paul received. The second is an internal voice that feels like it is coming from you belly as it swells up in you. The third type is most common and that is the still small voice in you that is often confused with our conscience, however this voice unlike our conscience will always be in line with His written Word.

6) Get into the ministry God has called you to. If you are not sure what that is we have tests that you can request that will confirm in you what you already know. This level of ministry is not the quit your job type, but being open to opportunities to helping those in need. It is taking care of those that are  hunger or have no shelter (Matthew 25:31-46). It is not preaching at everyone, but learning how to be a servant. A table wipe that can be trusted as they are dependable. As people are helped they will turn to God, but the people that you lead to the Lord are a responsibility as they will be looking to you for answers. it is much like the relationship between a parent and a child. Leading someone to the Lord is a big responsibility.

7) In the direction that you are called study (II Timothy 2:15). Preparation is needed and all mature Christians and needed to bring in the harvest.

8) As you walk with God, be willing to go further in the relationship with Him and further in the direction that Has has called you to.

9) Start in the area that you have been called. Can you give an hour or two a week? It is a start, but the world would be a different place is all Christians were not only willing to tithe but give their time also.

God desires that we all personally know where we stand with Him. He also desires that we have and take on His heart, He does not force us to do anything but gave us His Spirit to lead us and show us what His heart is. His heart, that all are saved, all are fed, and all have a place to live as they are being discipled.  It is about feeding people and teaching people how to fish.

John 1:12 I am God’s child

John 15:15 I am Christ’s friend

Romans 5:1 I have been justified

I Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord and one with Him in spirit

1 Corinthians 6:20 I have been bought with a price; I belong to God

I Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ’s body

Ephesians 1:1 I am a saint

Ephesians 1 5 I have been adopted as God’s child

Ephestans 2 18 I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit

Colossians 1:14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins

Colossians 2:10 I am complete in Christ

I Am Secure in Christ

Romans 8:1,2 I am free forever from condemnation

Romans 8:28 I am assured that all things work together for good

Romans 8:33,34 I am free from any condemning charges against me

Romans 8:35 I cannot be separated from the love of God

2 Corinthians 1:21 I have been established, anointed and sealed by God

Colossians 3:3 I am hidden with Christ in God

Philippians 1:6 I am confident that the good work God has begun in me will be perfected

Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven

2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power. Love and a sound mind

Hebrews 4:16 I can find grace and mercy in time of need

1 John 5:18 I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me

I Am Significant In Christ

Matthew 5:13,14 I am the salt and light of the earth

John 15:1,5 I am a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life

John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit

Acts 1:8 I am a personal witness of Christ’s

1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God’s temple

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 I am a minister of reconciliation

2 Corinthians 6:1 I am God’s coworker

Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realm

Ephesians 2:10 I am God’s workmanship

Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence

Ephesians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me