NOTE: THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM A SELF-CONFRONTATIONAL COURSE THAT I AM CURRENTLY STUDYING, THIS PAGE SHOULD BE READ, FROM THE BOTTOM, TO THE TOP, I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.
() REALIZE ABUNDANT LIFE, FILLED WITH GOD'S PEACE AND JOY (John 10:10, 14:27, 15:11, 16:33)
() Experience Christlike character development through God's Spirit working within you (2Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22-23)
() Rejoice always (Philippans 4:4; 1Thessalonians 5:18) and for all things (Ephesians 5:20)
() Pray unceasingly about everything (Philippians 4:6-7; 1Thessalonians 5:17)
() Speak the truth in love(Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 3:9)
() Work heartily as unto the LordEphesians 6:7; Colossians 3:23-24)
() Do everything without grumbling or disputing(Philippans 2:14)
() Continually live in a manner consistent with your calling in Christ(Ephesians 4:1)
() Count all trials as joy since God uses your trials to develop Christlike character in you (Romans 5:3-5, 8:28-29; James 1:2-4)
() Practice forgiveness and reconciliation(Matthew 5:23-24, 6:14; Mark 11:25-26; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:12-13) and return a blessing for any evil you might receive from others (Romans 12:17-21; 1Peter 3:8-9)
() Continually show deeds appropriate to repentance (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20; Revelation 2:5; 3:3, 19)
() Be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient (Colossians 3:12)
() Learn to love God's way (John 3:16, 15:17; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a; 1 John 4:11, 19)
() Dwell in your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, praiseworthy(Philippians 4:8-9) and set your mind on things above instead of on things that are on earth(Colossians 3:2)
() Regard others as more important than yourself, as did Jesus(Philippians 2:3-8)
() Continually judge yourself biblically (Matthew 7:5; 1Corinthians 11:31)
() Be controlled by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-20)and the Word of God (Psalm 119:11; Colossians 3:16)
() Be obedient to the Word out of your love for the Lord (John 14:15, 21)
() Commit your ways to God unreservedly (Proverbs 3:5-8; Matthew 22:37; 2Corinthians 5:9; Colossians 3:17) and deny self to follow Jesus(Matthew 10:24-26; Luke 9:23-24)
() In faith, pray for wisdom in all matters (James1:5-8)
() Repent (Proverbs 9:6, 28:13; Acts26:20; 2Corinthians 7:9-11; Revelation 2:5)
() Confess specific, recognized sins (Psalm 51:1-4, 6-10, 17; James 5:16; 1John 1:9)
BIBLICAL
CHANGE
AFFECTS
YOUR
THOUGHTS,
WORDS
AND
ACTIONS
Living God's way means putting away your selfcenteredness and committing yourself to follow God's Word in spite of any feelings to the contrary (based on Psalm 1:1-3; Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 9:23; Galatians 5:17) If you do this , God will bless you (based on John 14:27, 15:11; Galatians 5:22-23; James 1:25).
John 6
52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you;
54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.
58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever."
59 This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper'na-um.
60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?"
61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this?
62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
64 But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him.
65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."
66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.
67 Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?"
68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life;
Ignatius was a disciple of John, who wrote the Gospel passage above. Here is his early Christian understanding of Eucharist
Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, a disciple of John, a Christian writing around 110 ad, less than 80 years after the death of Christ, was very clear:
CHAPTER VII.--LET US STAND ALOOF FROM SUCH HERETICS.
They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, incur death in the midst of their disputes. But it were better for them to treat it with respect, that they also might rise again. It is fitting, therefore, that ye should keep aloof from such persons, and not to speak of them either in private or in public, but to give heed to the prophets, and above all, to the Gospel, in which the passion[of Christ] has been revealed to us, and the resurrection has been fully proved. But avoid all divisions, as the beginning of evils.
CHAPTER VIII.--LET NOTHING BE DONE WITHOUT THE BISHOP.
See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery [priests] as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is[administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude[of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.