Take Aways

We had a wonderful teaching from a lovely lady who comes to us once a year at Plant Grow Harvest Church.  Her name is Irene and she is from California and works in a mission that helps children and teaches women all around the world.  We are blessed to get a short version of the teaching she shares in her women's meetings.  And it's always good!!  After jotting down a lot of notes during her presentation, I came home and summarized it into some easy to remember (or read when I forget) sentences so I could grow more like Jesus and be a brighter light for Him.  These are my take aways. 

1) Practice sanctification. 

Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

2) Practice the truth.

1 John 1:5-10 his is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

3) Reflect transformation. 

James 1:22-25  But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

4) Make a radical break from the old life. I remember when I decided I needed to get clean of drugs and alcohol, I couldn't just wean myself off, I had to make a radical break from them.  

5) Entrust Jesus with my time.  I tend to guard my time closely...but it's not really mine to guard, it's mine to give back to Jesus and let Him decide how I spend it. 

6) Make a plan.  She gave an intensive reading plan that she has for going through the New Testament.  She does nine chapters a day and then repeats those nine chapters every day for a month.  Then she moves onto the next nine chapters.  However you want to do it, make a plan for your study time with God.  It can be subject matter, books of the Bible, a guided study....whatever, as long as it keeps you focused, moving and growing. 

7) Train my mind to be holy.  

1 Peter 1:13-15 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.

8) And this is my favorite: Don't linger in bad company.  What is going on inside me? Thoughts, emotions, what am I lingering on?  What am I allowing to enter in?  The world? Social media? Regular media?  

Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

9) Think and remember before I speak.  Sometimes silence is best!  

10) Receive the first three fruits of the Spirit then let the rest be produced from there.  The first three are a gift of God and can only come from Him. 

Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

What ones in this list are take aways you can implement in your walk with Christ? 

Lord, we desire to honor You with all our minds, strength, hearts and lives.  Remind us, conform us, transform and live through us to Your glory and the blessing of those around us.  In Jesus' Name, amen.