Sanctification
They disciplined us as they thought best
‘For what children are not disciplined by their father? . . . They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.’ (Heb. 12:7b; 10, NIV) What kind of discipline have you experienced from your earthly parents?
Whom He foreknew, He also predestined
‘For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.’ (Rom. 8:29, NKJV) Are you being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ?
Even as a father corrects the son
‘My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord or loathe His reproof, for whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.’ (Prov 3:11-12, NASB) Do you receive the discipline of God?
A scoffer does not listen to rebuke
‘A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.’ (Prov 13:1, NASB) Do you listen to rebuke?
For those who have been trained by it
‘No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.’ (Heb. 12:11, NIV) Is a harvest of righteousness and peace being produced in your life?
The axe is already laid at the root
‘Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance . . . The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’ (Matt. 3:8-10, NASB) Will you be cut down and thrown into the fire?
Every tree is known by its fruit
‘For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit.’ (Luke 6:43-44a, NKJV) What fruit are you bearing?
Nor do we distort the word of God (3)
‘He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him – the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.’ (John 12:48, NKJV) Will you be judged in the last day by the word that Jesus Christ has spoken?
Nor do we distort the word of God (2)
‘My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death . . .’ (James 5:19-20, NASB) Why is a distorted message of righteousness prevalent in the church today?
Nor do we distort the word of God (1)
‘Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.’ (2 Cor. 4:1-2a, NIV) Have you been listening to a distorted message of righteousness?
Work out your own salvation (3)
‘Therefore, my beloved . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.’ (Phil. 2:12-13, NKJV) How does one work out his own salvation? And how can one be sure it is God working in him both to will and to do?
Work out your own salvation (2)
‘But when the king heard about it, he was furious . . . Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.”’ (Matt. 22:7-8, NKJV) Will you be counted worthy for the marriage supper of the Lamb?
Work out your own salvation (1)
‘Therefore, my beloved . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.’ (Phil. 2:12-13, NKJV) What does it mean to work out your own salvation?
Whoever loves and practices a lie
‘Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.’ (Rev 22:14-15, NKJV) Do you love and practice a lie?
I will keep you from the hour of trial
‘Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.’ (Rev 3:10, ESV) Will you be kept from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world?
If you do not wake up
‘Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.’ (Rev 3:3b, NASB) Will you keep awake and be sober?
For I am not ashamed of the gospel
‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.’ (Rom. 1:16, NASB) Is the power of God for salvation working in your life right now?
Until Christ is formed in you
‘My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!’ (Gal. 4:19-20, NIV) Is Christ being formed in you?
Those who are Christ’s
‘For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.’ (1 Cor. 15:22-23, NKJV) Are you among those who are Christ’s?
For all tables are full of vomit
‘The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink . . . they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filth; no place is clean.’ (Isa. 28:7b-8, NKJV) Have you been taking in vomit and filth?
Even the demons believe
‘Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble!’ (James 2:18b-19, NKJV) Are you able to show your faith by your works?
Then the tares also appeared
‘But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.’ (Matt. 13:26, NKJV) Which are you – the wheat, or the tares?
That those who see may be made blind
‘And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”’ (John 9:39, NKJV) Will you see, or will you be made blind?
A contrite heart, You will not despise
‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart – These, O God, You will not despise.’ (Ps. 51:17, NKJV) Do you have a broken and a contrite heart?
But the thing displeased the Lord
‘When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord.’ (2 Sam. 11:26-27, NIV) Have you acted as David did?
Stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry
These are the words of the prophet Samuel to Saul: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” (1 Sam. 15:23, NKJV) How stubborn are you?
A fool has no delight in understanding
‘A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.’ (Prov 18:2, NKJV) Do you delight in expressing your own heart?
The man has become like one of Us
‘Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil . . .”’ (Gen. 3:22a, NKJV) Do you recognise the nature of knowing good and evil in you?
But everything is naked and exposed
‘And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.’ (Heb. 4:13, NET) Are you truly aware of your nakedness before God?
For He knew what was in man
‘But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.’ (John 2:24-25, NKJV) What is it that Jesus knows is in you?
But he had leprosy
‘Now Naaman . . . was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.’ (2 Kings 5:1, NIV) Do you know what the leprosy is in you?
If we neglect so great a salvation
‘For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation . . .?’ (Heb. 2:2-3a, NKJV) Have you neglected so great a salvation?