Hey guys,
Now, this is the third video of the series called,
'How to grow closer to God.'
And as I said in the previous videos,
There are four basic requirements to spiritual growth.
We call them the four wheels of spiritual growth.
First one is the Word of God, the Bible.
Second one, is prayer.
Third one, is fellowship (Koinonia).
And lastly to testify. To share the good news.
In this video.
We're gonna look at the third one.
Fellowship.
To have Koinonia with each other.
Now, this is gonna be an interesting one.
So let's get right.
All right.
Now, do you know the full law of God?
Going back to all the prophets.
Not just the the New Testament, but going back to the Old Testament.
Well, most of you know the Ten Commandments, right?
But did you know that the whole law
Comes down to two things?
It hangs only on two main things.
Let me read it to you.
Matthew 22:36,
"Teacher, which is the Great Commandment in the law?
Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the first and Great Commandment.
And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Now, listen to this.
"On these two Commandments hang all
the law and the Prophets."
It makes sense, right?
Because if you truly love God with your whole heart,
with your whole soul, with your whole mind.
You will of course obey his law.
And if you love your neighbor as yourself,
you will not do anything to hurt them.
You will not steal from them.
You would not falsely accuse them.
You won't do anything bad towards them.
You see, God wants us to have a loving relationship with Him and with each other.
Jesus says in John 13:34,
"A new commandment give to you,
that you love one another; as I have loved you,
that you also love one another.
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another"
Now, let me ask you a question.
Do you love other people, as you love yourself?
It's a hard question, right?
And not easy.
And I know some people out there,
[oof] they make you angry, and some people
just make you sad.
It is really hard to love other people as yourself,
Because
People lie.
They steal,
they murder,
there's a lot of corruption going on right now in the world.
There's all these bad things.
and who is doing all of these things?
It's human beings.
So it's hard to love other human beings, as you love yourself,
Right?
Well, you know they are this way, because they have a sinful nature.
But guess what?
You have a sinful nature as well.
So do I!
I've made a lot of mistakes in my life.
And I guess you have too.
So let me tell you this.
You don't have to love the sin of other people,
But you have to love them.
In the same way that God still loved us, while we were still sinners.
Romans 5:8 says,
"But God demonstrates his own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.
This is just amazing.
That God loved us, while we were still sinners.
Would you die for somebody?
Not just anybody, but sinners.
Would you give your life for a sinner?
It's a tough question, right?
It is not easy.
But you see, it's so clear that God
Loves us while we're still sinners,
and He wants us to do the same, when we look at other people.
He wants us to love each other.
To have fellowship with one another.
We were not meant to live alone.
Hebrews 10:24 says,
"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as is the manner of some..."
You know, I've met a few Christians who say,
'You know, I'm fine by myself. I don't need to go to a church.
I'm fine.
I and God we have our relationship and we're fine.
It's interesting that they say that
because the Bible
does not say that anywhere.
It says, "Do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together,
As is the manner of some..."
Now, you need to know that, the church is not the building.
The church is us, brothers and sisters in Christ.
We are the church.
Under the Word.
The English word, Church, here is translated from the Greek word, ecclesia.
Which means 'an assembly' or
'Called-out ones.'
So the word church, refers to the family of God, brothers and sisters in Christ.
Ephesians 1:22 says,
"And he put all things under His feet,
Gave Him to be head over all things to the church.
which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
So we as the
Believers,
are the church.
We are all one body and Jesus Christ is the head.
It doesn't matter where you come from.
How much money you have in your bank account.
What education you have.
What culture you're from.
It doesn't matter the color of your skin.
None of that matters.
If you are a true reborn Christian.
You are part of the family and you're part of the church.
1 Corinthians 12:13 says,
"For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body,
Whether Jew or Greeks, whether slaves or free -
and have all been made to drink into one spirit."
All right.
So now you know that you have to join other believers, when they come together.
There's a lot of people who complain about big churches,
but the big church,
the building itself,
It just gives people the opportunity to come together in big numbers,
and to really get to know one another.
But I would really advise you to also join small groups.
Some of the churches that call it,
sell groups, study groups, where our smaller numbers come together once a week to study God's Word.
To pray for each other and
just to build each other up.
You know, this world can be really tough at times.
And when you're alone, it's even worse.
I mean my goodness, we get emails from a lot of people, with a lot of problems and issues.
But you know, there are millions of
Brothers and sisters out there in the world, that can help you.
All you gotta do is just reach out to them.
Go to the church.
Well now, it's a little,
it's locked down so it difficult,
But also online.
Just in this video, check out the comment section.
Ask people to pray for you.
Reach out to people.
We have to help each other, as brothers and sisters in Christ.
In one body.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says,
"Therefore comfort each other and
edify one another,
just as you also are doing.
And we urge you, brethren,
to recognize those who labor among you,
and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,
and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake.
Be at peace among yourselves.
Now we exhort you brethren, warn those who are unruly,
comfort the fainthearted,
uphold the weak, be patient with all."
see that no one renders evil for evil to anyone,
but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all."
So it's very clear that, we should be there for each other.
To help each other to stay on the narrow road that leads to the kingdom of heaven.
And then you'll realize when you join the meetings,
the fellowship of other brothers and sisters in Christ.
You start talking, you start sharing with each other.
You're gonna grow spiritually, a lot faster.
You know what?
We need each other to be able to operate as the full body of Christ.
The hand cannot do what the foot can do.
The eye cannot do what the ear can do.
We're all different parts of the body of Christ,
and we have different gifts.
We're all unique.
1 Corinthians 12:20 says,
"But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
And the eye cannot say to the hand,
'I have no need of you';
nor again the head to the feet,
'I have no need of you.'
verse 27 says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually,
and God has appointed these in the church:
first apostles,
second prophets,
third teachers,
after that miracles,
then gifts of healing,
helps,
administrations,
Varieties of tongues.
You see, we all have our place in the body of Christ.
And if you say, 'Well, I don't need the church.
I don't need other brothers and sisters in Christ.'
You are wrong!
Have you ever asked yourself?
Where does this thought even come from in the first place?
Because it doesn't come from the Bible.
It doesn't come from God.
So where does it come from?
Now, if you are a new Christian, you definitely need a good church.
But there's a few things that you need to understand.
Don't expect a church to be perfect.
It's not.
I don't know why a lot of people expect the church to be perfect.
They go to the church and they see people sin,
or do stuff that are wrong,
and then they judge them.
And then they say, 'Oh, this is a hypocritical Church.'
'These people are hypocrites'
I'm gonna leave to another one.
They go to another one, the same thing happens.
We call them, Church hoppers.
The reason for this is, they're never happy at any church that they are,
because they expect people to be
Perfect.
And that's not gonna happen.
Look, you won't find a perfect Church, because we still have sinful natures.
And even the most mature
christians, will still sin at times.
We will only be fully without sin, one day when this temporary of life is done.
When we are with
God.
So the church is like a hospital.
It's full of sick people,
who desperately need God.
And that's why we are in the church ,because we know we are sinners.
But,
What you also will find in a church.
A true Church of God are true
people who are honest about serving and loving God,
with all their heart,
with all their mind,
with all their soul and also other people.
And yes, there will be carnal Christians.
but it will also be true Christians, who are guided by the Holy Spirit.
And then remember, the church is also open to
everyone.
Who are,
who needs God.
Everyone who wants to grow with God, everybody who are lost.
So, there will also be unbelievers in the church.
So don't expect
certain things, from certain people, when you go to the church.
Be open-minded,
and top focusing on the people and just focus on God.
Your relationship with Him.
Yes, There are certain churches that are better than others, because the pastor's preach actually the truth.
And some churches not so much.
So, when you go to the church, don't just judge people.
Just go there.
Focus on God and growing spiritually,
and meet real brothers and sisters in Christ, who really just want to love God and serve Him.
So my advice to you,
if you're a new Christian,
especially.
If you go to a church, then try to build relationships with mature christians.
To help you grow spiritually.
Over the years, I met a lot of good
Christians.
That helped me along the way.
I have a lot of friends, who are very mature in Christ.
Some friends who are new, but all of them
Taught me something.
And still some of them teach me things, that that still helps me on my journey with God.
We're all different,
But at the same time, we have the same spirit.
And so we are also like-minded.
Philippians 2:1 says,
"Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ,
If any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy."
Fulfill my joy by being like-minded,
Having the same love, being of one Accord, of one mind.
that nothing be done through
Selfish ambition or conceit,
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
That each of you look out not only for his own interest, but also for the interests of others."
Now, I just want to mention two very important things here.
When you go to the church,
Don't just go with this mind of I just want to be fed.
There's a lot of people who do this.
They just go to church, to listen to what the preacher says and then they just go home.
Jesus never called us just to be,
passive,
Christians.
He called us to be disciples.
Think about this.
After everything that God did for you.
How can you just keep it for yourself, and do nothing with it?
God called us to be disciples, and to make disciples.
Jesus says in Matthew 28:19,
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you:
and lo
I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Amen.
So, when you go to church, don't just take but give.
Go and ask,
'Hey,
Is there something that I can help you guys with?
Use the talents that God gave you.
The gifts He gave you, and use it to bring value to other people's lives.
And second.
Don't just accept everything that you hear in the church,
from other people and from the preacher or pastor.
But tested with the Word of God.
Always remember this.
God's Word is true and perfect and you can trust it.
The church is not.
Today there are many false
churches, and teachers out there in the world.
Don't be deceived, but text what they are saying.
Let the Bereans.
The Bereans even tested what Paul said to them.
We read in Acts 17:10,
"Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea.
When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
These are more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica.
In that they received the word with all readiness.
Scriptures daily the Scriptures daily
To find out whether these things were so."
So the Bereans didn't just blindly follow what Paul and Silas taught them.
They studied the Scripture.
They looked at it to see is it true,
or is it not.
In the same way,
We have to do exactly the same.
Even what I say here on the videos.
So you have to test it.
I'm just human.
I can also make mistakes.
But the Bible is the truth.
Ask yourself all the time.
Okay, I hear what this person is saying,
but what does the Bible say about this?
2 Timothy 3:16 says,
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof,
for correction,
For instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete,
Thoroughly equipped for every good work."
All right,
now in the next video,
we're gonna talk about the fourth wheel of spiritual growth.
And its gonna be sharing the gospel, to testify.
So don't miss that video.
if you're new here and haven't subscribed yet.
And please do, so you won't miss that video.
And if you miss the first video and the second video of the series.
You can watch it here.
Now remember
God loves you,
and I love you too.
Bye!
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