Discern-Ability

Thinking impacts behavior.  For the believer, renewal of the mind allows us to see ourselves from God’s vantage point.  It enables us to discern the gracious character of all life and thus to discern the work of the Holy Spirit in our physical bodies.  The indwelling Spirit can provide the supernatural resources needed to serve the King effectively, empowering us to “prove what the will of God is”.

Commentary from, “You are Gifted”, Bible study by Ken Hemphill. 

The Worthwhile Journey

The kingdom of God-the sphere of salvation, the gracious domain of divine rule over believers’ hearts.

Commentary from the MacArthur study Bible, notes for Acts 1:3.

All That We Need

For the law was given through Moses,

but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John 1:17

According to His Grace

He has gifted each of us uniquely, by His grace.

A Reason to Celebrate

Every day of the new year is a chance to celebrate His saving grace!

Only Jesus Christ is the one true source for the knowledge of God and the one basis for spiritual security.

Commentary from the MacArthur study Bible, notes for John 10:10.

Ask, and it will be given.

~God is good!~

If you then, being evil,

know how to give good gifts

to your children,

how much more 

will your Father who is in heaven

give good things

to those who ask Him!

Matthew 7:11

Anything I Want?

Notes.  For anyone who is interested in the extreme or hyper grace teaching, while we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are forgiven our sins, let us not forget the warning in Galatians 5:19-21 and others:

Now the works of the flesh are evident,

which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies,

outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions,

heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like;

of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also

told you in time past,

that those who practice such things

will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21

Our obedience reflects our love for our Savior (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3).  If we are following our sinful desires, we then have to question if we love the Lord, or if in reality we are actually walking away from Him.

Do not love the world or the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world,

the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world-

the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,

and the pride of life-

is not of the Father but is of the world.

1 John 2:15-16

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil,

but what is good.

He who does good is of God,

but he who does evil has not seen God.

3 John 11

 

Here is more about the hyper-grace teaching and how it conflicts directly with other Scripture:  https://www.gotquestions.org/hyper-grace.html.

Freedom: Proper Perspective

The freedom Christians have is not a base from which they can sin freely and without consequence.  Christian freedom is not for selfish fulfillment, but for serving others.

This does not mean God has abrogated His moral law (Romans 3:21).  We are indeed under grace (Romans 6:14), but the Lord also guides and teaches us in the behavior He expects, by giving us His words and Spirit as that guide.

Commentary from the MacArthur study Bible, notes for Galatians 5:13, Romans 6:14.