Walk with Jesus: Matthew 28 – another war between kingdoms has started. You are recruited.

Jesus and end time war

Matthew 28 is a new beginning, a new war between two kingdoms has started. The kingdom of God versus the kingdom of darkness. There is no third path. Either you are in the kingdom of light or you are in the kingdom of darkness. Everyone on earth is given one choice. No in-between. Heed the warning from the resurrected Jesus through John in the book of Revelation to the seven churches (representing all churches through out the history since the first church was established during the apostles’ time. 

Matthew 28 (ESV)

The Resurrection Truth – the Truth will set you free!

28 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ⁴ And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. ⁵ But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” ⁸ So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

More human deception and strategy (with Satan, the ruler of this world, directly in command) for those who choose to remain in blindness (due to unbelief and spiritual rebellion)  

11 While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place.12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes tothe governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

 The Great Commission for Kingdom of God Citizens, sons of God led by the Holy Spirit, with the authority of Jesus, in His name, and His might, the power of the Holy Spirit!

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

________________________________________A new war has started between two Kingdoms:

KINGDOM OF GOD – KINGDOM OF LIGHT

John 18:36  (NKJV) 

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” 

John 17:14-18 (NKJV)

14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Mark 16:15-20  (NKJV)

 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

1 John 2:15-20 (NKJV) 

15 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. 16 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. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.  20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 (NKJV) 

7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

1 John 3:8  (NKJV)

8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

 Kingdom of darkness

John 14:30 (NKJV) 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

Luke 22:53 (NKJV) 53 When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

What will happen at the end of time of this world

Revelation 20:10 (NKJV)

10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are.And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Journey to see God: Romans 14 -neither to give offence nor be snared by offence

Today's Romans message is on how not to offend our weaker brethren in Christ and not to be offended ourselves. taking offence can even cause a person not to enter the Kingdom of God, as in the case described in Mark 6 and John 6. Many left Jesus because they took offence. Some were even among His disciples. 

Romans 14

Amplified Bible (AMP)

14 As for the man who is a weak believer, welcome him [into your fellowship], but not to criticize his opinions or pass judgment on his scruples or perplex him with discussions.

² One [man’s faith permits him to] believe he may eat anything, while a weaker one [limits his] eating to vegetables.

³ Let not him who eats look down on or despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains criticize and pass judgment on him who eats; for God has accepted and welcomed him.

⁴ Who are you to pass judgment on and censure another’s household servant? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he shall stand and be upheld, for the Master (the Lord) is mighty to support him and make him stand.

⁵ One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike [sacred]. Let everyone be fully convinced (satisfied) in his own mind.

⁶ He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

⁷ None of us lives to himself [but to the Lord], and none of us dies to himself [but to the Lord, for]

⁸ If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or we die, we belong to the Lord.

⁹ For Christ died and lived again for this very purpose, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

¹⁰ Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.

¹¹ For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise].^(A)

¹² And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God.

¹³ Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.

¹⁴ I know and am convinced (persuaded) as one in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is [forbidden as] essentially unclean (defiled and unholy in itself). But [none the less] it is unclean (defiled and unholy) to anyone who thinks it is unclean.

¹⁵ But if your brother is being pained or his feelings hurt or if he is being injured by what you eat, [then] you are no longer walking in love. [You have ceased to be living and conducting yourself by the standard of love toward him.] Do not let what you eat hurt or cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died!

¹⁶ Do not therefore let what seems good to you be considered an evil thing [by someone else]. [In other words, do not give occasion for others to criticize that which is justifiable for you.]

¹⁷ [After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ He who serves Christ in this way is acceptable and pleasing to God and is approved by men.

¹⁹ So let us then definitely aim for and eagerly pursue what makes for harmony and for mutual upbuilding (edification and development) of one another.

²⁰ You must not, for the sake of food, undo and break down and destroy the work of God! Everything is indeed [ceremonially] clean and pure, but it is wrong for anyone to hurt the conscience of others or to make them fall by what he eats.

²¹ The right thing is to eat no meat or drink no wine [at all], or [do anything else] if it makes your brother stumble or hurts his conscience or offends or weakens him.

²² Your personal convictions [on such matters]—exercise [them] as in God’s presence, keeping them to yourself [striving only to know the truth and obey His will]. Blessed (happy, ^[a]to be envied) is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves [who does not convict himself by what he chooses to do].

²³ But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating, and then eats [perhaps because of you], stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful].

Footnotes:

1. Romans 14:22 Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.

Cross references:

1. Romans 14:11 : Isa. 45:23.

_______________Some verses on 'offend': God's words can offend us. Yet, they are the truth that can set us free from bondage and oppression  But we need to take heed not to give offence to others thereby stumbling them.

1. Matthew 24:10
   And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.
2. Mark 6:3
   Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.
3. Luke 7:23
   And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
4. Luke 17:2
   It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
5. John 6:61
   When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?

Journey to see God: Romans 13 - all about who pays dues to whom

Today's message requires broader look through what Jesus Himself had directly spoken. The issues of authority and due: Today's Christians live in a faithless and perverse generation (Matthew 17:17), where lawlessness abound (Matthew 24:12). How to apply the ordinances of the Kingdom of God in a godless world?

Jesus spoke on the subject. Take heed what He has said and be discerning spiritually. The only authority is God.

Satan is the ruler of this world (until he is removed at the end)

John 14:30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

John 16:11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

The rulers of the world do not believe in Jesus Christ; they sneered at Him and crucified Him. They will do the same to those who follow Jesus to the end

Luke 23:35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

Luke 24:20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.

Luke 21:12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.

___________________now read Romans 13

Romans 13 is all about dues: to the rulers, between citizens, and dues to self, as the citizens of the Kingdom of God, yet living in a physical human world. Rulers pay dues too -to the ultimate authority, God.

God is the final Judge. The Lord Jesus Christ will come again to Judge the secrets of men, the living and the dead. (2 Timothy 4:1; Romans 2:16)

Romans 13

Governing authorities – receive dues for appointment

1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

(Note the definition of qualified 'rulers/authorities' - appointed by God, keep the ordinances of God, not a terror to good works, minister to God's people for good, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. )

Love is a due

8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

(Love one another is the only dues payable between citizens of the Kingdom of God!)

Make sure you receive your due!

11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. 

(Citizens of the Kingdom of God also receive dues: Each has received Jesus Christ, and is entitled to put on Him, become the righteousness of God!)

________________________Matthew 22:21

They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Living by the Spirit: solid Bible teaching in the Spirit of God

This blogger is led in his spirit to recommend all readers of this blog visit the following links for online Bible teaching or download online audio teachings. The Bible teaching (listened to many times over and over for a number of years) has helped tremendously to provide the necessary tools to sail the Holy Spirit Bible living life of this blogger! Highly recommended navigator in this journey in the Holy Spirit. A lot of Bible (Holy Spirit led application) resources in multimedia. 
http://www.awmi.net/extra/audio http://www.awmi.net/tv/this_week http://www.awmi.net/extra/article/harnessing_emotions
________________________________A sample of an article. Listen to the whole series in audio. They are good and practical. For those who are not used to listen to US English, listen many times with your Bible open. You can overcome your language barrier by the Holy Spirit.  _________________________________
Harnessing Your Emotions
By Andrew Wommack

Related Materials   •  Free MP3 download   •  Online TV broadcast   •  CD album   •  Book

The Bible teaches us that our thoughts are the determining factor which controls our actions. Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Romans 8:6 says, "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Notice that carnal mindedness doesn't just tend toward death — it is death!

No one can consistently perform differently than the way they think; therefore, we cannot change our actions without changing our thinking. It's not just what we think about that needs changing, but we must change our thinking process. Our emotions are linked directly to how we think.

All people have a perception, or image, on the inside of them of what they are like. This image is not necessarily based on facts but on feelings. One negative experience can distort a person's perception of themself for a lifetime.

For instance, some people who are beautiful may think of themselves as ugly or undesirable because of unkind words spoken to them as a child. Some who achieve great success still see themselves as failures, which becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

To a degree, psychology has correctly diagnosed this problem. Psychologists use terminology such as "self-esteem" or "identity" in relating these truths; however, today's secular wisdom is totally inadequate to help a person change the inner self image.

First, most people shift the blame for bad self-esteem, or self-image, to someone else. It has become popular to blame others for every negative thing in our lives. People often say, "I came from a dysfunctional family," "My problems came because I'm part of a minority group," "It's that woman you gave me" (Gen. 3:12). Other people are not our problem!

All of us have had negative experiences. The choice is ours whether we become bitter or better as a result of them. For every person who can claim some dysfunctional behavior because of a traumatic experience in their life, there are others who have had similar or worse things happen to them, yet they overcame their circumstances. Why? Because problems do not dictate failure; we have a choice.

Deuteronomy 30:19 says, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." God Almighty gave us a choice. God doesn't make the choice for us, and Satan can't make it for us. We have the privilege and responsibility to choose blessing or cursing.

Placing the blame on others is denying the real problem, and it will prevent finding a solution. If other people are my problem, I'm in trouble because God did not give me the ability to control other people. The devil will always send someone across my path who knows how to hit my hot button.

If the problem is within me, then there is hope because through Christ, I can change. This is freedom. Regardless of what others do, I can prosper through Christ.

After psychology tries to place the blame for your problems on someone else, they try to bolster your self-esteem by having you focus on the positive things in your self and minimize the negative attributes. That's not what the Bible teaches. Jesus said, "For without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mark 8:34). Paul said, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are" (1 Cor. 1:27-28).

The Bible teaches that there must be an end to self-esteem before true service can begin. Christians should not try and store up the feeble positive attributes of their personalities. That is like trying to stop the bleeding from an amputated arm with a Band-Aid; it won't work for long.

Regardless of how successful or talented we are in ourselves, we will eventually fail. If nothing else, we will get older someday and will not be as productive as before. If our self-esteem is rooted in our accomplishments, then it will ultimately fail. All the security we have found in ourselves will then come crashing down around us.

The Christian should have Christ-esteem. Just like the Apostle Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20).

The secret to victorious Christian living is not found in self-improvement but in self-denial so that Christ can live through us.

This does not mean that God wants us to have a bad self-image. It just depends upon which self we are talking about. You see, every born-again believer has become a new person in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). (Eph. 4:22-24).

The old man is corrupt and, at his best, is incapable of living the Christian life. This is the self that most people try to patch up and feel good about. Give it up! We have to die to this old self life with all its good and bad, and find a new identity in Christ.

The new man is exactly as Jesus is (1 Cor. 6:17)! That's right. We are a totally brand-new person in Christ. We have everything that Jesus has, in our spirits (1 John 4:17). We have a totally new identity in Christ. Why then would we want to fix up our old selves instead of just living in our new selves?

If we let the new man dominate us, we'll walk in power and victory in every area of our lives.

How can you tell if your thoughts and emotions are coming from the new, born-again self or the old carnal self? God's Word is the key. Jesus says in John 6:63, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Any thought or emotion that agrees with what God's Word says about you is from your new man. Any thought or emotion that violates God's Word is from your old man or the devil.

If you are angry at someone, you're in the flesh (old man). Just repent and get back in the spirit (new man) where you have love, joy, and peace (Gal. 5:22). If you are afraid, you're in the flesh, "for God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7). Instead of going to God and asking Him to remove the fear, just step out of the flesh and into the spirit where there is no fear (1 John 4:18).

This is so simple you have to have someone help you misunderstand it. The problem is that we have had a lot of help misunderstanding these simple, biblical truths, but we have a solution.

I re­plied, “Bles­sed as­sur­ance, Je­sus is mine!”

we love because God first loves us! Blessed Assurance!

Hebrews 10:21-22 New International Version (NIV)

²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

__________________________An old hymn for today: Blessed Assurance. The whole day this hymn has been turned on in the watchman’s spirit and it is really wonderful!

Words: Fan­ny Cros­by, 1873: “My friend, Mrs. Jo­seph F. Knapp, com­posed a mel­o­dy and played it over to me two or three times on the pi­a­no. She then asked what it said. I re­plied, “Bles­sed as­sur­ance, Je­sus is mine!” “

Music: As­sur­ance, Phoe­be P. Knapp (MI­DI, score).

This hymn was sung in the Acad­e­my Award win­ning mo­vies Plac­es in the Heart (1984) and Trip to Bount­i­ful (1985).

---

1. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! 
 O what a foretaste of glory divine! 
 Heir of salvation, purchase of God, 
 born of his Spirit, washed in his blood. 
Refrain:
 This is my story, this is my song, 
 praising my Savior all the day long; 
 this is my story, this is my song, 
 praising my Savior all the day long. 

2. Perfect submission, perfect delight, 
 visions of rapture now burst on my sight; 
 angels descending bring from above 
 echoes of mercy, whispers of love. 
 (Refrain) 3. Perfect submission, all is at rest; 
 I in my Savior am happy and blest, 
 watching and waiting, looking above, 
 filled with his goodness, lost in his love. 
 (Refrain)

有福的 确据, 耶稣属我, 何等的荣耀 向我显明,
被救主 赎回, 为伸后嗣, 借宝血洗罪, 圣灵重生.

副歌: 这是我信息, 或讲或唱, 赞美我救主, 心里欢畅
常讲主慈爱, 并颂主恩, 赞美我救主, 昼夜不分.

完全顺 服主, 我灵欢喜, 天堂的荣耀, 显于我心
仿佛有 天使 由天降临, 报明主慈爱, 并住怜悯.

完全献 与主, 万事安宁, 荣耀的圣灵, 充满我心
时刻仰 望主, 儆醒等候, 不住地祈祷, 到主再临.

______________________Note added on March 24, 2013:

Something you need to know about the author of the hymn. She was born on March 24, 1820. She is remembered today (March 24, 2013) as the Lord’s Spirit replayed her hymn (which famous first line was engraved on her tombstone too). The watchman discovered this only just now about her birth date and the inscription! 

How awesome is our God! 

Isaiah 42:16 New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.

Fanny Crosby 1820-1915, Born: March 24, 1820, Put­nam Coun­ty, New York. Fanny Cros­by was prob­ab­ly the most pro­lif­ic hymn­ist in his­to­ry. Though blind­ed by an in­com­pe­tent doc­tor at six weeks of age, she wrote over 8,000 hymns. In her life­time, Fan­ny Cros­by was one of the best known wo­men in the Unit­ed States. To this day, the vast ma­jor­i­ty of Amer­i­can hymn­als con­tain her work. When Fan­ny died, her tomb­stone car­ried the words, “Aunt Fan­ny” and “Bless­ed as­sur­ance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a fore­taste of glo­ry di­vine.” 

Journey to see God: see His perfect will

See God: See His Perfect Will today! A sure way to success! The key is: be like God's Son, Jesus.

Romans 12

New King James Version (NKJV)

Living Sacrifices to God

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 

² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Serve God with Spiritual Gifts

³ For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. ⁴ For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵ so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Behave Like a Christian

⁹ Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹ not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;¹² rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; ¹³ distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.