Family the Title of this Message is, “The Bond of Perfectness” Our Foundational Scripture will be found in the Book of Colossians 3:1-25, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.
20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.
21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.”
“The Bond of Perfectness” and this is LOVE!!!
Love will keep us together!
Family of God, The Apostle Doug Stringer taught me early on in the ministry, "The Kingdom of Heaven is Built on Relationships. " He also shared this wisdom with me: "And the ONLY WAY to survive in Ministry is to choose the High Road. The High Road equals this, “Forgive and Release” We must choose to forgive and release, over and over again."
Let’s take a moment and think of the first 3-5 people on the forefront of your mind who have done something you do not approve of. They perhaps have been ugly, rude, disrespectful, they may have abandoned you, rejected you, ignored you, cussed you, or something else. You feel completely justified to hold your anger towards them. They were wrong for what they did or didn’t do and you struggle with letting it go.
According to our Chapter today. We need to put some things off in order to out some things on. And there is a Bond to Perfectness!
Perfectness seems to be a pretty important buzz word in the Body of Christ these days…The Scripture says quite a bit about it.
Let’s see for ourselves,
Matthew 5:48, “ 8 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Psalm 18:30 , “30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”
Philippians 3:15, “ 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”
1 Corinthians 14:20 Amplified Bible, “20 Brothers and sisters, do not be children [immature, childlike] in your thinking; be infants in [matters of] evil [completely innocent and inexperienced], but in your minds be mature [adults].”
Colossians 4:12, “ 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
James 1:4, “ 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
“The Bond of Perfectness” and this is LOVE!!!
If you want to sound the alarm of Perfection, Let’s talk about Spiritual Maturity that accepts responsibility and let’s examine ourselves, repent of our sin, Choose the high road to forgive and release. Walk in love, talk in love, be in love…And NO COMPROMISE !!!! Right is right and wrong is wrong! The Word describes what is right and what is wrong. Funny thing is that every time I try to define these things with my own words, I end up in a place of judgement, unforgiveness, self-righteous indignation
Remember this Scripture?
Ephesians 4, 11-32, “11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: “The Bond of Perfectness” and this is LOVE!!!
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Put this on)
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. (Put this off)
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: (Put this off)
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” (Put this on)
“The Bond of Perfectness” and this is LOVE!!!
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Amplified Bible, “4 Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. 5 It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. 7 Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].
8 Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 The Message, “3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.
Love doesn’t strut,
Doesn’t have a swelled head,
Doesn’t force itself on others,
Isn’t always “me first,”
Doesn’t fly off the handle,
Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn’t revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
8-10 Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.”
“The Bond of Perfectness” and this is LOVE!!!
Did You Get Something Good Today?
I believe you did!
Who wants to make the decision to give their heart to Jesus The Christ for real! With no more reservations and no holding back, you are ready to truly become born-again?
Also, who in this place today is ready to rededicate their life to Christ and repent for your inconsistency. You are ready to fulfill the call of God on your life and come on with it!
Come on up to this Altar! There’s room at the Cross for you!
Let’s pray!
Lord Father God, in the Mighty Name of Jesus, I repent of my sin. I denounce satan. I rebuke the devil, and I ask You, Lord Jesus to take back all the ground that I’ve given to the devil, on every level. I crown You, Jesus, the Lord of all. In the Name of Jesus, I serve notice on the devil now. Devil and demon forces, get out of my life! I’ll not serve you anymore. Jesus is my Lord and I will serve Him with all of my heart, all of my days, in Jesus’ Name. And now, God, You’re more than my God – You’re my Heavenly Father. And I worship You in Spirit and in Truth, all the days of my life. Fill me full of the Holy Spirit. Give me the power to keep Your Word. I commit to You, I will read, study and obey, everything You say, each and every day. In Jesus’ Name I pray.
Here’s your blessing!
The LORD bless you, and keep you: The LORD make his face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give thee peace”
