RAPTURE PROCLAIMER EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF GOD (RAPEC)
BIBLE STUDY. 11/07/2023
TOPIC: Process Your Rapture With Obedience.
TEXT: Ephesians 4:2.
The messages of the Lord I preach are hard and might seem unbearable but they are not impossible to practise. They are the truth the church and the world have abandoned, though they are gatepass to heaven. From our text, we see a golden instruction of the Lord, asking us to process complete humility and that by patience or longsuffering we should forbear all our neighbours in love. Though this instruction is very difficult to comply with nowadays considering the animalistic behaviour of people at this time but we must obey if we sincerely desire to make heaven.
Obedience Made Easy
Obedience to the word of God is the most difficult thing to do on earth. However, there is a virtue that makes obedience very easy. With this virtue, obeying becomes the nature of a Christian, irrespective of how difficult and humanly unreasonable the divine instruction may sound. This virtue is humility.
1) Without humility, it is impossible to obey God because all rebellion towards God is borne out of pride.
2) Humility is to make oneself of no reputation, putting on the form of a servant and forgoing one’s right and willpower to please God. Phi.2:7
3) Jesus made himself of no reputation before He could meet up with God’s demand of becoming the sacrifice for our redemption. Phi.2:7-8.
4) Jesus learnt obedience by the things He suffered (Heb.5:8). Sometimes, God takes us through the furnace of afflictions to make us develop the virtue of humility so that we can obey God. Isa.48:10
5) Humility starts from your needs, wants and dreams. Aiming high is an act of pride and lack of contentment. I Tim.6:6-9.
With Longsuffering, Forbearing One Another In Love.
1) Humility produces patience which makes us tolerate the weaknesses of others.
2) Patience leads us towards perfection. James 1:3-4.
3) Let us always bear in mind that Jesus told Peter to forgive his brother/neighbour for 490 times per day. Mt.18:21-22.
4) Encouraging us to forbear, Jesus instructs us to pray for our persecutors. Lk.6:28.
5) Humility and longsuffering will make us to turn the other cheek to a person who slaps us. Lk.6:29.
Wisdom Speaks
1) Don’t just pray, apply the word of God (obedience) to your lifestyle.
2) The ability to obey God makes you a saint.
3) Make things (miracles) happen by the process of obedience.
4) In the New Testament, there will be a new Bible, and that Bible will carry the stories of present-day faithful Christians who stand out in obedience to God.
5) Entering into heaven is not guaranteed by your suffering but by your obedience to God.
Central Truth
Strive to obey God so that you can make heaven.