Words of Encouragement
DEPRAVITY
To
SECURITY
Building
A Secure and Stable Life
Based Upon The
Solid Rock
Reprinted by permission from the Author
Monte Leavell
Chapter 7
BUILDING UPON THE FOUNDATION
PART 1
God has ordained relationships for us which are good. Marriage and the local church are such relationships. Marriage between a godly man and a godly woman is a satisfying relationship. A solid, Bible believing, loving local church also brings great joy to the believer. The local church is a place we fellowship with people like us. They have been saved the same way and have the same Holy Spirit in them. They are growing in their relationship with the Lord just like we are. The Bible teaches us to meet together with other believers.
Jesus said He would establish the local church.
READ – Matthew 16:13-18
1. Many people said Jesus was who?
___________________________________________________________
2. Who did Peter say Jesus was?
____________________________________________________________
3. Who revealed it to Peter?
____________________________________________________________
4. Upon whom would Jesus build His church?
____________________________________________________________
As Jesus was talking with Peter, He said He would build His church. He said that Peter was Peter and upon Himself, the solid Rock, He would build His church. Some have tried to say Peter was the rock upon which Christ would build His church. This is not possible because of the sentence structure. Look carefully at the grammar of the sentence and you see why it is not possible. Thou refers to Peter and this refers to Himself. When studying scripture, it is important to hear what God is saying and not make it say what we want.
The church should be important to a believer. Christ loves the church and gave Himself for it. Since we love Christ, we will love what He loves. If we are becoming Christ-like, we will love the local church. This means that we are to be a part of a local, Bible believing and teaching church. We serve the Lord through the local church. One benefit of salvation is that we are a part of the family of God. Built correctly, the local church is a place where the family meets to worship and serve the Lord. Built correctly, it will be a place of great fellowship and love. We will love the local church.
READ – Ephesians 4:1-16
This passage teaches about the church. It starts in verse 1 with an encouragement to “walk worthy of our vocation”, with verse 2 showing how to accomplish it. Verse 3 describes the unity that is ours in Christ. The reason for this unity is stated in verses 4-6. We have the same Holy Spirit and have been saved the same way. WE are different physically and emotionally but we are the same spiritually. Christ and His salvation is the foundation upon which we build relationships in the local church.
Each Christian is significant and has a life of purpose in the body of Christ according to verse 16. In verse 7 God talks about the individual. We have each been gifted according to the grace and will of God. Verse 11 and 12 emphasizes that these gifts were given for ministry in the local church. We were each gifted “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” The body is a picture of the church, and the local church is visible manifestation of the body of Christ. Notice in verse 16 the emphasis on every part. As we walk with God, He will direct to these purposes and show the significance He places on our lives.
We do not go to church simply because we must. It is a privilege to be part of a growing, living group of people who are the same in the Lord. The local church is a place where we love and are loved, where we learn more about life in Christ. We come together with other Christians to praise the Lord and serve Him by ministering to others and helping them grow. The local church is a vital part of a believer’s life because it is there we are encouraged to grow and we encourage others to continue in their growth. God will lead us to be part of a local church and to actively participate in it.
Men’s Ministry – Leading Men into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
To own your own copy of Depravity to Security e-mail:
Monte Leavell
Visions West Ministries
backpacker1@aol.com
Cost is approximately $5.00 per copy
DEPRAVITY
To
SECURITY
Building
A Secure and Stable Life
Based Upon The
Solid Rock
Reprinted by permission from the Author
Monte Leavell
Chapter 7
BUILDING UPON THE FOUNDATION
PART 1
God has ordained relationships for us which are good. Marriage and the local church are such relationships. Marriage between a godly man and a godly woman is a satisfying relationship. A solid, Bible believing, loving local church also brings great joy to the believer. The local church is a place we fellowship with people like us. They have been saved the same way and have the same Holy Spirit in them. They are growing in their relationship with the Lord just like we are. The Bible teaches us to meet together with other believers.
Jesus said He would establish the local church.
READ – Matthew 16:13-18
1. Many people said Jesus was who?
___________________________________________________________
2. Who did Peter say Jesus was?
____________________________________________________________
3. Who revealed it to Peter?
____________________________________________________________
4. Upon whom would Jesus build His church?
____________________________________________________________
As Jesus was talking with Peter, He said He would build His church. He said that Peter was Peter and upon Himself, the solid Rock, He would build His church. Some have tried to say Peter was the rock upon which Christ would build His church. This is not possible because of the sentence structure. Look carefully at the grammar of the sentence and you see why it is not possible. Thou refers to Peter and this refers to Himself. When studying scripture, it is important to hear what God is saying and not make it say what we want.
The church should be important to a believer. Christ loves the church and gave Himself for it. Since we love Christ, we will love what He loves. If we are becoming Christ-like, we will love the local church. This means that we are to be a part of a local, Bible believing and teaching church. We serve the Lord through the local church. One benefit of salvation is that we are a part of the family of God. Built correctly, the local church is a place where the family meets to worship and serve the Lord. Built correctly, it will be a place of great fellowship and love. We will love the local church.
READ – Ephesians 4:1-16
This passage teaches about the church. It starts in verse 1 with an encouragement to “walk worthy of our vocation”, with verse 2 showing how to accomplish it. Verse 3 describes the unity that is ours in Christ. The reason for this unity is stated in verses 4-6. We have the same Holy Spirit and have been saved the same way. WE are different physically and emotionally but we are the same spiritually. Christ and His salvation is the foundation upon which we build relationships in the local church.
Each Christian is significant and has a life of purpose in the body of Christ according to verse 16. In verse 7 God talks about the individual. We have each been gifted according to the grace and will of God. Verse 11 and 12 emphasizes that these gifts were given for ministry in the local church. We were each gifted “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” The body is a picture of the church, and the local church is visible manifestation of the body of Christ. Notice in verse 16 the emphasis on every part. As we walk with God, He will direct to these purposes and show the significance He places on our lives.
We do not go to church simply because we must. It is a privilege to be part of a growing, living group of people who are the same in the Lord. The local church is a place where we love and are loved, where we learn more about life in Christ. We come together with other Christians to praise the Lord and serve Him by ministering to others and helping them grow. The local church is a vital part of a believer’s life because it is there we are encouraged to grow and we encourage others to continue in their growth. God will lead us to be part of a local church and to actively participate in it.
Men’s Ministry – Leading Men into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
To own your own copy of Depravity to Security e-mail:
Monte Leavell
Visions West Ministries
backpacker1@aol.com
Cost is approximately $5.00 per copy
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