6 Questions from 1 John

1 John 5:13, “these things I have written to you, that you may know that you have eternal life, to you who are believing in the name of the Son of God.”

6 questions from 1 John to test your heart so that you can know that you have eternal life.

1. Are you sensitive to sin? (1 JN 1:8, 10)
2. Do you obey God’s Word? (1 JN 2:3-5, 29)
3. Do you see a decreased pattern of sin in your life? (1 JN 3:9, 5:18)
4. Do you love other Christians? (1 JN 3:14; 4:7-8)
5. Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, sent into the world to accomplish total salvation for us? (1 John 5:1, 5).
6. Are you overcoming your over-desires & the devil as your love for the Father grows? (1 JN 2:13-17, 5:4)

You can listen to the sermon here

A Call to Pray Together (notes from Wed night)

Pray Mt 9:36-38 passionately & regularly.

3 prayers for us to pray together:

1. God raise up gathers & bringers among us.
2. God open our eyes to the sins, idols, hurts, struggles, & needs of the people in the city around us.
3. God teach us how to communicate Jesus Christ to the people in our city (Teach how to apply the Gospel to #2).

A Call to Work Together toward Church Renewal & Gospel Growth

Here’s what you can do as we look to God to send the “fire” of spiritual renewal & growth to ABBC.

1) Prepare to Represent Christ Well.

• At what major points does your life fail to represent Christ?
• Think about your speech, your conduct, your love, your faith, your purity?
• Think about your heart—your thoughts & ideas, your loves & desires, your choices & decision, even your worship & spirituality.
• Think about your relationships to family members, church members, co-workers, and so on.

• What habitual sins do you need to stop?
• What are practical ways that you can practice righteousness, pursue holiness, and love one another?
  

2) Preach the Gospel to Yourself.

• Are you struggling with self-righteousness? Trusting who you are or what you do for Christ instead of trusting who Jesus is and what he has done to achieve salvation for you?
• Are you struggling with persistent guilt? Trusting how you feel and what you think instead of trusting what God says and how he sees you in Christ?
• Do you fail to believe your standing in Christ?
• How will you deepen your understanding of who Christ is and what he has done for us? How will you apply this to your heart?

3) Pray.

• Ask for a sense of God’s presence and reality at ABBC.
• Pray for the growth of our church in godliness; pray for your own growth in godliness.
• Pray for opportunities to communicate to others who Jesus is and what he has done to achieve our salvation.
• Pray that many men and women will turn from sin, turn to Christ, and join us in learning Christ and his way of life.
• How will you make your prayer life more centered on seeking God and his will (rather than centered on your needs and problems).

4) Lead.

• How will you find accountability and relationships to others in our church who are more mature than you? From whom can you better learn Christ and his way of life?
• Is there anyone you can meet with each week for Bible study and prayer? Maybe lunch, Bible study and prayer (You got to eat), or maybe coffee, Bible study and prayer. The opportunities are endless.
• How do you need to change in order to be a leader? How do you need to change in order to follow the leadership around you?
• Humility is key.

As always, I write from what I read and study: The Bible, T. Keller, J. Bridges, C. J. Mahaney, and many, many more.