Emmaus Family Message from P G Vargis
PG&Lilly Vargis
A letter from a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For any one doing any kind of ministry in the body of Christ and who wants to improve and excel.
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3 a.m. friend.
There are all sorts of friends. There are work friends who you don't interact with much outside the office, church friends, college friends, and long-term friends. Then there are smaller subcategories of friends... "help-you-move" friends are a rare breed. Everyone needs at least one 3 a.m. friend to call when you are struggling in the middle of night, and they don't question why you called so late. This type of friend will drop everything to be with you while you grieve a loss. That's the truest of friends.
Isaiah 57:15 says "For this is what the high and exalted One says, He who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.' "
Our English language doesn't do this verse justice. The way it has been translated makes it sound very religious and exclusive. God only lives with those who are contrite and humble. Contrite and humble? Hmmm that leaves me out. But if you dig into the meaning of the words, you see a much different picture.
Listen to it this way. "For this is what the high and exalted One says, He who lives in eternity, whose name is Holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one whose spirit has been broken and crushed like fine dust and with the one whose spirit is depressed and low. I live with them to revive and bring life back to their depressed and low spirit and to revive and bring life back to the heart of those who are crushed and broken.' "
The love and worship I have of God as I read this truth is hard to put into words. But with all that is within me I say "YES!" God, You are so high and exalted, so "other-than" that we as humans cannot look on Your glory. Your name is holy, and You rightfully live in Your high and holy place, and yet You also live with me, even when I am broken, crushed, and depressed in spirit. When I would like to hide in a hole and pull the hole in on top of myself, You know right where I am, and You are there with me. You live with me there to bring life back to my heart and spirit. Hallelujah! What a Father, Savior, Comforter, Healer, and ultimate 3 a.m. Friend.
Be blessed to hear your Father speak to you about His deep bonds with you, deeper than friendship, deep attachment to you with cords of unfailing love (Jer 31:3; Hos 11:4). Hear Him speak to you about trust, faith, and love that is much deeper than just surviving. Hear the soft voice of your Father speaking in the core of your essence: you are the beloved, right where you are. On you His favor rests. He sees you as a precious being. Be blessed to know you were infinitely loved before you were wounded. That's the truth of your life. Your life is an unceasing "yes" to the fact that you are beloved because of God's great love, and you are an heir to His healing power.
Your Father says, "I called you by name from the very beginning. You belong to me, and I know you as my own, and I am yours. I molded you in your mother's womb. I carved you in the palms of my Son. I hide you in the shadow of My embrace. You have My infinite tenderness, and I care for you intimately. I have counted every hair on your head, and wherever you go, I go with you. Wherever you rest, I keep watch. I give you food that will satisfy all your hunger and drink that will quench all your thirst. I will never hide My face from you. Nothing will ever separate us. Wherever you are, I am. Live your life as My redeemed child. You can reach out to true inner freedom and find it evermore fully."
Be blessed in the name of the high and exalted One whose name is holy,
who revives the spirit of the lowly and the heart of the contrite (Isa 57:15). ===============================================
Part II - QUOTE
"How diligently the cavalry officer keeps his sabre clean and sharp; every stain he rubs off with the greatest care. Remember you are God´s sword, His instrument... a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfection of the instrument, will be the success."
-Robert Murray M´Cheyne
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Your brother in Christ,
P g vargis
PG&Lilly Vargis
A letter from a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For any one doing any kind of ministry in the body of Christ and who wants to improve and excel.
=============================
“Seek Ye First” – (Part-1)
PROPOSITION: In this lesson, we will study Matthew 6:33. Matthew 6:33 contains a 1) Principle, 2) People, 3) Priority, 4) Place, 5) Pattern, 6) Promise.
Objectives: Each listener should be able to break down this verse and explain what it truly means to someone else.
Aim: To help all have a deep understanding of this wonderful scripture.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Read: Matthew 6:33
2. About the Text:
1) The context of this verse is the great sermon on the mount.
2) It comes out of the discussion of not laying up for ourselves treasures upon the earth.
3) The natural question that arises as a result of such teaching is how shall we provide for ourselves?
4) Jesus says to worry about these things are profitless.
5) The real priority in our life should not be where we are going to get our food, clothing, and shelter.
6) The real priority should be to seek God’s kingdom first and God’s righteousness first.
3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.
DISCUSSION: In this verse we find…
I. A PRINCIPLE–SEEK
1. Seeking is personal. Parable of lost coin. Luke 15:8-9 “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she called her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.”
2. Prepare to seek. Ezra 7:10 “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.”
3. Right attitude toward seeking. Deuteronomy 4:29 “But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”
4. Results of seeking Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?”
II. A PEOPLE–YE
1. In context, people who would worry first about their own personal needs before considering God. Read Matthew 6:25-31–these are people just like you and me.
2. Jesus means, YOU! Uncle Sam posters–I want YOU. Jesus wants YOU to seek first “.
3. This is because we have a personal relationship with God. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
4. God wants to personally possess you. 1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellences of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”
5. He wants you personally to partake of the divine nature. 2 Peter 1:3-4 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
6. He wants you personally to be a partaker of his holiness. Hebrews 12:10 “For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.”
7. So God says, “You seek me first.”
8. But we must personally and individually make that decision.
III. A PRIORITY–FIRST
1. First means first.
1) Above jobs. Luke 18:22 “Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.” Mark says he loved him.
2) Above friends. Matthew 19:29 “And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.”
3) Above family. Luke 14:26 “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
2. God has always demanded that he come first.
1) Exodus 13:2 “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.”
2) Exodus 23:19; 34:26 “The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God.”
3) Proverbs 3:9 “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:”
3. We must put first things first.
1) How do I put first things first?
2) Rocks in jar illustration.
3) How did Jesus do it? Constantly be saying, “Not my will, but thine be done.”
4. It means we must not compromise first things.
1) This is the most difficult part.
2) Satan wants to distract us.
3) Adam and Even compromised. – Beautiful, Good for Food, Good to make one Wise.
4) King Saul compromised – People
5) Judas compromised. – Money
6) We cannot compromise. 1 John 2:15-17 “Love not the world…”
7) Friend of the world is enemy of God. James 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
8) Will we hold to God’s will FIRST, always?
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Part II - TITLE: “Seek Ye First”
PROPOSITION: In this lesson, we will study Matthew 6:33. Matthew 6:33 contains a 1) Principle, 2) People, 3) Priority, 4) Place, 5) Pattern, 6) Promise.
Objectives: Each listener should be able to break down this verse and explain what it truly means to someone else.
Aim: To help all have a deep understanding of this wonderful scripture.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Read: Matthew 6:33 – But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.
2. About the Text:
1) The context of this verse is the great sermon on the mount.
2) It comes out of the discussion of not laying up for ourselves treasures upon the earth.
3) The natural question that arises as a result of such teaching is how shall we provide for ourselves?
4) Jesus says to worry about these things are profitless.
5) The real priority in our life should not be where we are going to get our food, clothing, and shelter.
6) The real priority should be to seek God’s kingdom first and God’s righteousness first.
3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.
DISCUSSION: In this verse we find…
I. A PLACE–THE KINGDOM OF GOD
1. The kingdom is the church.
1) Mark 9:1; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4
2) Matthew 16:18-19 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
3) Col. 1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”
2. Christ put the church first in that he died for her.
1) Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
2) Ephesians 5:23 “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the Saviour of the body.”
3. Where do we put the church in our decisions?
1) Do we remember her when it comes time to assemble with the saints? Hebrews 10:25
2) Do we remember her when it comes time to give as we have been prospered? 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
3) Do we remember the church in our prayers?
4) Do we look to the church as a place for us to serve or as a place for us to be served? Phil. 2:3-5 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”
4. Seeking the kingdom first means exalting the church that Jesus built. Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
II. A PATTERN–HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
1. We should not be looking for a righteousness of our own.
1) Philippians 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”
2) Romans 10:3 “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
3) Titus 3:4-5 “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”
2. Righteousness comes from the God’s word.
1) Psalm 119:172 “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.”
2) Romans 1:16-17 “For I am not ashamed…”
3) 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture… instruction in righteousness?.. ”God wants us to live right before Him.
3. When we act on God’s word in our life, we can live righteously not because of our own goodness, but because we are following his pattern.
1) Romans 6:17 “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”
2) 2 Tim. 1:13 “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”
3) Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
4) 1 Peter 2:21 “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”
III. A PROMISE–ALL THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU.
1. In the context, food, clothing, shelter.
2. God’s promises always hold sure.
1) Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”
2) Romans 4:20-21 “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
3. What great assurance this promise gives us.
1) We as Christians do not have to worry about life’s daily necessities.
2) Freedom from anxiety. 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your care/anxiety upon him, because he careth for you.”
3) Philippians 4:6 “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
4) Hebrews 13:5 ASV “Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee.”
4. The promise is conditional upon our obedience.
1) To seek first God’s kingdom.
2) Lev. 26:3-4 “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.”
3) John 8:31-32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
4) Romans 11:22 “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
CONCLUSION:
1. Do we know this verse?
1) Principle — Seek
2) People — Ye
3) Priority — First
4) Place — Kingdom of God
5) Pattern — His righteousness.
6) Promise — All things added.
2. Invitation
1) If you are a Christian but have fallen away
a. Is the kingdom of God and His righteousness first in your life?
b. If not, then make correction today.
2) If you are not a Christian this morning…
a. You need to make God’s kingdom first in your life.
b. The terms of entrance into that kingdom were given by Peter in Acts 2:38
a) Hear the word; Romans 10:17 “Faith comes by hearing…”
b) Believe with all your heart; Hebrews 11:6 “For without faith it is impossible…”
c) Repent of your sins (Acts 17:30).
d) Confess Jesus as the Son of God (Matt. 16:16).
e) Be baptized for the remission of your sins (Mark 16:15-16).