FOR EVERY OUTCOME YOU DESIRE, THERE MUST BE AN INPUT DISCIPLINE FOR IT TO BECOME A REALITY.
Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. James 2:17-18 NIV
OUTWARD DISCIPLINES
“When we live outside of healthy community, we not only lose others. We lose ourselves…Who we understand ourselves to be is dramatically affected for better or worse by those we hold closest to us. We only truly come to know ourselves in the context of others. The more isolated and disconnected we are, the more shattered and distorted our self-identity. We are not healthy when we are alone. We find ourselves as we connect to others.” Erwin McManus
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genesis 2:18 NLT
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5 NLT
…For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. Colossians 2:19 NLT
1. AUTHENTICITY
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8 NLT
You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:16-17 NLT
QUIT DISQUALIFYING YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU COMPARE YOUR WEAKNESSES TO OTHERS STRENGTHS
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 1 Corinthians 12:7;22-26 NLT
YOU MUST DISCOVER WHO YOU ARE BEFORE YOU CAN EVER DISCOVER WHAT YOU ARE CREATED TO DO.
Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Romans 12:3 NLT
2. SUBMISSION
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. James 1:19
HURT PEOPLE HURT PEOPLE.
THE SOLUTION ALWAYS BEGINS WITH UNDERSTANDING
‘For I wrote to you with many tears out of an extremely troubled and anguished heart — not to cause you pain, but that you should know the abundant love I have for you. ‘ 2 Corinthians 2:4 CSB
Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. Galatians 6:1-3 NLT
3. SERVICE
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow…Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.’ John 13:12-17 NLT
WHAT WE DO IN OUR PRIVATE TIMES IMPACTS HOW WE WILL BE IN OUR PUBLIC TIMES
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8 NLT
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:9-10 NLT
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. 1 John 4:11-12 NLT