Striving for Christ-likeness: Strengthening Our Spiritual Connections

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Community and Service

Community and service are foundational to the life of the church. Our recent Vacation Bible School demonstrated the incredible impact that collective effort can have. Every contribution, whether financial or physical, plays a crucial role in advancing the Kingdom of God. This collective effort transforms lives and brings us closer to God's purpose for our church. When we come together as a community, we reflect the unity and love that God desires for His people. This unity not only strengthens our bonds but also amplifies our ability to serve and reach out to others.

In a world that often emphasizes individualism, the church stands as a beacon of collective effort and mutual support. By participating in community activities and service, we embody the love of Christ and fulfill His command to love our neighbors as ourselves. This shared mission not only benefits those we serve but also enriches our own spiritual lives, drawing us closer to God and to each other. [18:24]

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (ESV): "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many."

Reflection: Think of a recent opportunity you had to serve within your community. How did it impact you and those you served? How can you make community service a regular part of your spiritual life?

Day 2: Trusting in God's Knowledge of Our Needs

In Matthew 6, Jesus teaches that God knows our needs before we even ask. This profound truth should give us confidence and trust in our prayers. It reminds us that our relationship with God is based on His intimate knowledge of us and His desire to meet our needs. When we pray, we are not informing God of something He doesn't already know; rather, we are aligning ourselves with His will and expressing our dependence on Him.

Understanding that God knows our needs can transform our prayer life. It shifts our focus from merely presenting requests to cultivating a deeper relationship with Him. This trust in God's knowledge and provision allows us to approach Him with confidence, knowing that He cares for us and is actively working for our good. [20:13]

Matthew 6:7-8 (ESV): "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt anxious about a need or situation. How did you see God provide for you in that circumstance? How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's knowledge and provision in your daily prayers?

Day 3: Addressing Spiritual Impedance

Just as impedance in electrical systems can cause issues, spiritual impedance can hinder our connection with God. Loose spiritual connections can lead to problems, much like loose electrical connections can cause heat and damage. Ensuring our spiritual connections are strong and secure is vital for a healthy relationship with God. Spiritual impedance can manifest in various forms, such as unconfessed sin, distractions, or a lack of spiritual discipline.

To address spiritual impedance, we must regularly examine our lives and identify areas where our connection with God may be weakened. This involves confessing our sins, removing distractions, and cultivating spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, and fellowship. By doing so, we can strengthen our connection with God and experience a more vibrant and fulfilling spiritual life. [44:36]

James 4:8 (ESV): "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you feel a disconnect from God. What steps can you take today to address this spiritual impedance and strengthen your connection with Him?

Day 4: Striving for Christ-likeness

Philippians 3 teaches us to strive towards the goal of Christ-likeness. This journey is not about achieving sinless perfection but about sinning less each day. By focusing on our spiritual growth and maintaining a strong connection with God, we can live in a way that is blameless and pleasing to Him. Paul acknowledges that he hasn't yet achieved perfection but is pressing on towards it, emphasizing the importance of continual growth and progress in our spiritual lives.

Striving for Christ-likeness involves both avoiding sin and actively pursuing righteousness. It requires a daily commitment to follow Jesus, learn from His example, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us from within. This process of sanctification is ongoing and requires our active participation and cooperation with God's work in our lives. [51:40]

Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you can strive to be more like Christ? What practical steps can you take today to grow in that area?

Day 5: Victory Over Sin Through Sanctification

Through the sanctifying work of Jesus Christ, we can have victory over willful sin. Sanctification empowers us to live above sin and walk in righteousness. This process is both immediate and ongoing, requiring our active participation and cooperation with God's work in our lives. While we may not achieve absolute perfection, we can strive to live in a way that is blameless and pleasing to God.

Sanctification is not just about what we avoid but also about what we actively do in service to God. It involves a balance of abstaining from sin and engaging in righteous actions. By relying on the Holy Spirit and following Jesus' example, we can experience victory over sin and live a life that honors God. [01:18:24]

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 (ESV): "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent struggle with sin. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit and God's sanctifying work to overcome this struggle and live in a way that honors Him? What practical steps can you take today to walk in righteousness?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, everyone. Today, we reflected on the incredible impact of our recent Vacation Bible School and the importance of community and service in our church. We then transitioned into a time of prayer, focusing on the Lord's Prayer from Matthew 6, emphasizing that God knows our needs even before we ask. This led us into a deeper exploration of our ongoing series on being "Ungrounded," using the metaphor of electrical wiring to discuss spiritual impedance and resistance.

We discussed how impedance in electrical systems can cause issues, just as spiritual impedance can hinder our connection with God. Loose connections in our spiritual life can lead to problems, much like loose electrical connections can cause heat and damage. We need to ensure our spiritual connections are strong and secure to avoid these issues.

We then delved into Philippians 3, where Paul talks about striving towards the goal of Christ-likeness. He acknowledges that he hasn't yet achieved perfection but is pressing on towards it. This striving is not about being sinless but about sinning less each day. We discussed the two types of sin: willful disobedience and falling short of Christ's likeness. While we may not achieve absolute perfection, we can strive to live in a way that is blameless and pleasing to God.

Sanctification, the process of being made holy, is both an immediate and ongoing work of God in our lives. It empowers us to live above sin and to walk in righteousness. We emphasized that sanctification is not just about what we avoid but also about what we actively do in service to God. This balance is crucial for a healthy spiritual life.

Finally, we were reminded that sin has met its match in Jesus Christ. Through His sanctifying work, we can have victory over willful sin and live in a way that honors God. We closed with a powerful reminder that the case against us is closed, and we are victorious in Christ.

###

Key Takeaways

1. likeness**: Philippians 3 teaches us to strive towards the goal of Christ-likeness. This journey is not about achieving sinless perfection but about sinning less each day. By focusing on our spiritual growth and maintaining a strong connection with God, we can live in a way that is blameless and pleasing to Him. [51:40]
5. Victory Over Sin: Through the sanctifying work of Jesus Christ, we can have victory over willful sin. Sanctification empowers us to live above sin and walk in righteousness. This process is both immediate and ongoing, requiring our active participation and cooperation with God's work in our lives.

### [51:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[18:24] - Impact of Vacation Bible School
[20:13] - God Knows Our Needs
[44:36] - Spiritual Impedance
[51:40] - Striving for Christ-likeness
[78:24] - Victory Over Sin
[104:42] - Closing Remarks

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 6:8-13 (NIV) — > "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'"

2. Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)
> "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

3. 1 Peter 1:15-16 (NIV)
> "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

Observation Questions

What does Jesus emphasize about God's knowledge of our needs in Matthew 6:8-13? How does this shape our approach to prayer? [20:13]
In Philippians 3:12-14, what does Paul say about his current state of spiritual achievement and his future goals? [51:40]
According to 1 Peter 1:15-16, what is the standard of holiness that believers are called to? How does this relate to the concept of sanctification discussed in the sermon? [49:55]
How does the metaphor of electrical impedance relate to our spiritual lives, as explained in the sermon? [44:36]

Interpretation Questions

How does understanding that "God knows our needs before we ask" (Matthew 6:8) affect our trust and confidence in prayer? [20:13]
What does Paul mean by "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" in Philippians 3:13? How can this mindset help us in our spiritual journey? [52:43]
How does the concept of sanctification as both an immediate and ongoing process (1 Peter 1:15-16) influence our daily walk with God? [49:55]
The sermon mentioned that loose spiritual connections can cause problems similar to loose electrical connections. What are some practical steps we can take to ensure our spiritual connections are strong and secure? [47:02]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt disconnected from God. What were the "loose connections" in your spiritual life, and how did you address them? [47:02]
How can you actively participate in the process of sanctification in your daily life? What are some specific actions you can take to live above sin and walk in righteousness? [01:04:00]
In what ways can you contribute to the community and service within your church, similar to the efforts seen during Vacation Bible School? How does this align with advancing the Kingdom of God? [18:24]
How does the knowledge that "the case against us is closed" through Jesus Christ empower you to live a victorious life over sin? What changes can you make to live more blamelessly and pleasing to God? [01:35:27]
Identify one area in your life where you struggle with willful disobedience. What steps can you take this week to overcome this struggle through the power of sanctification? [01:19:06]
How can you cultivate a habit of striving towards Christ-likeness, as Paul describes in Philippians 3:12-14? What practical goals can you set to help you sin less each day? [51:40]
Think of a specific need you have been praying for. How does the assurance that God already knows your needs before you ask change your approach to this prayer? [20:13]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "Graves have become gardens. Hallelujah. That which was bad is now alive. Amen. Dry bones, amen, that were barren and left for destitute have been now touched by the spirit of the living God. Hallelujah. God, we've been changed. We've been transformed. We've been redeemed. Thankful, hallelujah, for what you're doing even in our midst, even at this very moment." [39:20](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Look at your neighbor and tell him you picked a good day to be in the house of the Lord. Amen. Hallelujah. Look at him. Look with the same smile. He said, but you forgot to bring someone with you today. Amen. Hallelujah. Uh-oh. It got quiet up in here. Amen." [42:55](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "You are part of the gospel of the kingdom of God moving forward because of what you're doing here through your giving at Vacation Bible School and other times. So God bless you, and thank you for doing that." [19:37](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "I want you to know that you've got spiritual pathways in your life as well. And today I want to go to the image or blueprint of application to talk about an electrical issue that we call impedance." [44:36](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "So what you've got to do is you've got to deal with this thing called impedance. Impedance is what you would, we would call, impedance. In some areas, it's actually a good thing. It's used to be a resistor to step some things down. But in your spiritual life, how many of you know that there's, the enemy's got some impedance in your life? Amen." [46:23](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "Sanctification is not only about what we do do but what we don't do. Did he really just say that? I said that for Betty Tartt amen in the bulletin one time I started to take it out four times I said no I'll wait and let my wife fuss at me later amen sanctification is not only about what we don't do it's about what we do amen it's about what we do just trying to keep your attention right now here's the deal no setting apart no sanctification no service no sanctification it's not an either or but a both and so as we look at what works in these camps let's don't diminish either one of those but focus on what God wants to do purely in us." [01:06:30](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "So, the whole concept here is that we can't be lazy about this. Paul said I press, I strive, I work hard on my part to obtain to the fullness of God in my life. That's powerful right there. As many of you have already experienced, after getting saved you still had an inclination to please self over God. Can anybody say amen right there? Amen. This inclination leads to repeated disobedience and failure. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Too many of us are thinking about things like drugs and alcohol. They're the easy ones, but I'm talking about gossiping and backbiting and negative statements about brothers and sisters instead of building them up in the spirit." [01:23:52](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "You can walk habitually with sanctification, the putting to death of self and the empowering of Christ-likeness. It provides for us the power of God in us. This is a good definition to walk. Watch this. Instead of habitually in sin, anybody know what I'm talking about being a habitual sinner? Guess what you can be? You can walk habitually in righteousness. You can walk habitually. You can have a habit that tends to lean towards righteousness instead of a bend towards sin. Your life's got a bend towards holiness and righteousness. That's what sanctification does in your life." [01:26:22](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "You can have victory today. You can have victory today. You can have victory today. You can have victory today. Y'all gonna be late to lunch. You can have victory today. Listen to what Paul starts right. Look at your neighbor and tell him, I got my victories on the way. Just tell him my victory's on the way. Look at your neighbor and tell him you're a winner. Come on, come on. No, no, no, no. Not a wiener, a winner. Come on. You're a winner today in Christ Jesus." [01:27:16](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "So, the whole concept here is that we can't be lazy about this. Paul said I press, I strive, I work hard on my part to obtain to the fullness of God in my life. That's powerful right there. As many of you have already experienced, after getting saved you still had an inclination to please self over God. Can anybody say amen right there? Amen. This inclination leads to repeated disobedience and failure. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Too many of us are thinking about things like drugs and alcohol. They're the easy ones, but I'm talking about gossiping and backbiting and negative statements about brothers and sisters instead of building them up in the spirit." [01:23:52](Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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