“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed -- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (NIV) Philippians 2:12-13

The Jewish New Testament reads this way:

“So, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed when I was with you, it is even more important that you obey now when I am away from you: keep working out your deliverance with fear and trembling, for God is the one working among you both the willing and the working for what pleases him.” (JNT) Philippians 2:12-13

Part One – A form of godliness!

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God -- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (NIV) 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Learned godliness is powerless! Let me explain. Individuals must stop trying to be like Jesus and start following Him! Stop trying to do what Jesus did! Stop trying to do what you think Jesus would do!

If we just go to church week after week, listen to what is said, trying to be good, trying to be like Jesus, and trying to do what you think He would do - that is a “form” of godliness! If you simply learn facts about Jesus, learn scriptures, do Bible studies, and try to do the best that you can, - that is a “form” of godliness. If you read your Bible, pray every day, and try to do the best you can and that is a “form” of godliness.

We are taught in many churches, that all it takes, is going to church, listening to the sermons, going to Bible studies, praying, and reading your Bible. We are taught - that is growth! We are taught that is “godliness”! Not true! That is “learning”. You see “learning” all by itself is NOT growth. It is just that, learning!

Now, if you get up each day, commit your day to God, step out, and try trusting in Him, and spend time listening and talking with Him, and getting direction; then you will be going forward with God! Thus, allowing God to begin placing “godliness” - into you! Godliness does NOT come from just “learning”! Godliness comes through being WITH God! It comes through a close relationship with God. Godliness does not come with book learning or from just listening to sermons. Now, listening to sermons can point to some things, which can be “tools” to help you in your growth and give you understanding.

Growth and godliness come from being with Jesus – spending time with Him! It comes from, commitment, it comes from trusting in Him, and it comes from being still with Him. “He says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

When you walk each day “beholding him”, and looking at Him, He can begin to clean you up, and clean you out! God can begin to say, “This must go, this has to go, we need to work on this.” Then you can grow to the point where He can begin to place “godliness” - INTO you!

It takes time! It takes a relationship with God! It does not come from a sinner’s prayer! It comes from “followship”, which brings fellowship! God cannot place new wine into “old wineskins”!

"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved." (NIV) Matthew 9:15-17

Example: God must remove the “old us” from within us. I know of someone who God has been working with God for many months. At the writing of this teaching, I have been hearing this person tell me for quite some time, “I don’t know who I am anymore! I feel so different!” God must remove and replace and change our whole way of looking at things in the way we have perceived them in the past. THEN, God can start placing giftings, and qualities of Himself within us to get us where we should be. He must take away our old self! He must take away the old self, and then He can start pouring the new wine into us.

What is the new wine? The Holy Spirit, giftings, new teachings, confidence, strength, the characteristics, and qualities of God. It includes everything we need for God to be able to pour out His Anointing onto other people through us when we ourselves are full!

Does the “new wine” include the Holy Spirit? Yes! Does it include what the Holy Spirit is going to bring? Yes! But it is not just limited to that, it includes allot of other gifts too!

The Holy Spirit comes in different forms, He just does NOT come in one single Anointing. Nor does He come in one specific way. Our relationship with God is developed through various things that occur. Our obedience to Him, our friendship/relationship with Him, and then the giftings. It is not all given as one portion, it is not all given at one specific Anointing. Why? Doses of the Holy Spirit being placed in you at different levels of your growth, and your Anointing comes as He places different giftings into you for your calling. They come one at a time, it is all part of your relationship, and it all has to do with the way God sees you responsible enough to hold more of His precious power within you, and in your life!

The new wine is your valued friendship with God, it is all the things that make up who you are, and who God makes you into, and who you become. It is the giftings, which God places in you. The Holy Spirit plays a big part in filling you with those giftings, your communication with God, and you’re knowing how to obey. The actual wine spoken of here is formed of many different things not just the Holy Spirit itself.

God will even place qualities in you to help you accomplish your “wood, hay, and straw” (1 Corinthians 3:13), in order that you can be available for ministry. I have a friend who noticed in the last year or two she flies through with most of her housework. God has begun to show her ways which she did not see before that allow her to be more available for Him! It gives her more time to accomplish other things for God. Is this a gifting? No! God is giving her a provision for a need in her life, rather than a spiritual gifting!

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (NIV) Philippians 4:19

Part Two – What MUST we do?

Let’s start at the beginning. Are you reading this because you know things in your life aren’t right? Are you reading because you have a desire to find God? Honestly, do you want God? Do you have an all-consuming drive to find God? Do you want to be different? Do you really understand there are things in your life that need to be changed?? Are you willing to do that? If you really, really feel and believe these things in your heart, then you must make a commitment to God. If your heart intention is pure, then you should be willing to give trusting God - a shot!

Question: Where are you?” Where are you right now this minute in your walk with God?

If you have acknowledged to God, you are off? If you have a drive to find God, and if you have made a true heart commitment to God to follow Him, then you should have received the “beginners boost”. The “beginners boost” comes to us because of God’s unmerited favor (grace) to us. That precious, priceless gift is the “mustard seed” which Jesus talked about in the Bible. That is the “beginners boost”, that is the piece of the Kingdom of God which God freely gives us out of His matchless grace. The “mustard seed” may be small in size, but it can - move mountains!

“He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches." He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough." Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world." (NIV) Matthew 13:31-35

"O unbelieving and perverse generation," Jesus replied, "how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me." Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, `Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (NIV) Matthew 17:17-21

“Again, he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is LIKE a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.” (NIV) Mark 4:30-34

At the point we receive the “Beginners Boost” from God, we should have a “mind trust”. This mind trust is the first step to a real trusting of God. It is a mindset that says, “Okay, I’m going to step out here and try and trust this person. When you first get to know someone, do you automatically trust them fully? No! Trust is learned and earned in a relationship. It is a testing if you will of the person you are building a relationship with. After many times of stepping out there, and giving this trusting a shot, you begin to see how trustworthy God really is! During this time God is putting you to the test also, to see if you can be found faithful! And I will tell you from personal experience Satan is looking to see if you are going to be found faithful to God too!

Your life does NOT have to be in order at this point. It is at this point some people think others should be able to stop doing everything in their life all at once that is NOT godly! This is not true! It is as this point one’s actions do not reflect heart intention!

“We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do -- this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” (NIV) Romans 7:14-20

When you make up your mind and make a pure heart intent commitment to God to go for the new wine, then that is where the new birth begins. This is where God separates the men from the boys, and the women from the girls!

One More Time!

When we acknowledge we are off, when we have that drive to find God, and our heart commitment is pure, we can say a sinner’s prayer. When we are truly committed to following God. God places the “beginners boost” into us! Which is the “mustard seed” of the Kingdom of God, which includes everything we need to get going. It really has a portion of the Holy Spirit, to give us that “boost”. That is God’s grace gift to you!

We can’t buy this gift. It is not a gift that we make payment for from worldly standards. It is God’s matchless grace that enables Him to give us that gift of the “mustard seed” of the things of God! The gift of grace is the “mustard seed” that can move mountains! It is no small gift; it includes everything you need. It includes a portion of faith, of Holy Spirit power, and all the other gifts to us from God’s Kingdom that we need to allow Him to remold us and remake us into what He wants and needs us to be. We can’t buy it!

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. (NIV) Ephesians 2:8-9

Although we can’t buy or work for this precious “grace gift”, there is work for us to do!

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed -- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence -- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” (NIV) Philippians 2:12

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, 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 what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that -- and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith (trust) and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith (trust) without deeds is dead.” (NIV) James 2:14-26

Once We Have the Beginners Boost!

Once we have the “beginners Boost” than God can start the cleaning up process IF we - let Him! He pulls and strips us of all the old nature we have. We will come to a point where we suddenly say, “Who am I? I feel like someone different, but who?” You will come to a point, and you will say, “I don’t know who I am!” When that day comes, it will be a good day, because God will surely be working in your life! This is the stripping away of the old wineskins! Then the “new” wineskin (although we can’t see it) is being put into place. That “mustard seed”, that “beginners boost”, begins to grow and grow and grow! We begin being filled with the Holy Spirit! This is the process! The “form of godliness” has to go, before “pure godliness” can come in!

God wants us to understand something here. If we are operating in a “form” of godliness we cannot even love people in an appropriate way. We can’t even be sensitive to someone else’s feelings appropriately, nor can we be thoughtful to somebody or be kind to them appropriately. We can’t possibly be thinking appropriately about somebody else or their feelings if we are in a “form” of godliness. Why? Selfishness is the basic sin nature; it is Satan’s nature. When God is in the process of cleaning us up, we still aren’t going to be able to treat people appropriately. Why? Because you are trying to force something out of yourself that God hasn’t put there yet! What most Christians attempt to do is a “form” of godliness because it is based on learned facts! They are trying to perfect in the flesh, what God started in the spirit!

If God hasn’t put that “pure” godliness in us, then it can’t come out of us. If we aren’t allowing God to lead us minute by minute, hour by hour each day, there is selfishness there, and if selfishness is there, when we go to be kind to somebody or thoughtful to somebody, we are battling our own desires! What we see most in the churches today is fakery, and phoniness! Why do I say that? Because there is so much hurt in the churches, and so much wrong ministering. People are ministering from their own knowledge, instead of being able to hear the voice of God telling them what needs to be done for each person individually! They are trying to minister, teach, and help people from their own feelings, and what they would want done for them. Yes, “we are to do unto others as we would have them to unto us”, but! Do you want someone to do unto you what God wants done to you, or what they “think” they should do unto you? Think about that for a minute. Yes, we want people to love us and be kind and considerate to us, but if it’s a form of godliness, why would you want it? If it is not God’s pure desire for us, it worthless, because it is fakery!

God’s wants purity in our lives! He wants His pure love, compassion, peace, patience, gentleness, and self-control, and He wants to pour that purity out and into the lives of others.

“The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissension’s, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” (NIV) Galatians 5:19-26

“You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (NIV) Galatians 3:1-3

God Wants Us To...

The church must begin to understand that they must be able to listen to God, to help each other in crises situation and in problems.

If somebody comes to you in crises or with a problem: Listen to God and obey what He tells you to do, if you feel like you are going out on a limb!

There is way too much focus on how God is supposed to, or how God is being called upon to help people with their individual personal circumstances rather than allowing God to start to get what He wants personally into and out of our lives. That comes from spending time with Him and allowing Him to dictate how the conversation is targeted.

In other words, there are individuals sitting down and saying, “This is my time with you God, I need this, and I want this, and God please help me with this God, please help me with this. This is more than I really want to have to deal with, please change this. Please God please.” There is allot of this going in churches today. The church must learn to - HEAR GOD’S VOICE – just like Jesus did! Hearing God’s voice like Jesus did– is an extremely important part of – walking like Jesus did! God wants His obedient followers to HEAR HIS VOICE!

Why Am I Saying All of This?

Everyone must understand where they are at, at this point in their lives with God. We must have a basic understanding of where we are at, and what it takes to be able to walk in the SALVATION God has for us! This decision must be made - God will not force you, and He will not make you do it!

 

(sw-h)

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