It is easy to do good works in your flesh and not please God
- Even if you do wonderful works, as long as it is in the flesh, God won’t be pleased.
- One day when you are before God, what will remain standing is the good works you have done before God
Lessons from Jesus:
- He prioritized spending time with God
- He was reliable (John 8:28-29)
Without Jesus we cannot do anything.
Revelations 4:6-7
1. Lion (summary)
You cannot draw to Jesus without adopting His nobility
- Without courage there are places you won’t follow Jesus
- When you speak, the life of Jesus in you is expressed
2. Calf
Young bull
- The bull’s job is to carry yokes and pull weight
5 characteristics of a bull
i. Devotion
A bull is there to serve its Master continuously
- Devotion = available to serve
- It is being present expecting God to call you anytime
- When you are available God will focus His attention on you
- God will rely on you as His extension to be a blessing to others
God counts on those who are available
- He will never forget your labour as it is a seed
Devotion
- Ready, willing, passionate, joyful, consecrated
a. Readily available for God’s use
David always worked with people who were willing to work
- 1 Chronicles 28:21
- In God’s kingdom it is not our inner capacity but our devotion
- You can’t live close to God is ain’t readily available
b. Loyalty
Respect of commitment to the duties of honour.
A person isn’t loyal because they are kind but due:
• To gratefulness for salvation and what God has done for you
- If God allows you to serve Him, it is a privilege
• Consideration
- Jesus, is a great Lord; He is my king
• Faithfulness
- Refusal of mediocrity in your obedience to God
- You need to do exactly what God has asked you to do
ii. Sacrifice
The calf is on the ground because it is created for it
- I serve God because I was created for it
You cannot live next to Jesus if you are an opportunist (doing things for your own interest)
- An opportunist does not serve God but work for themselves
- For example, Elisha served Elijah whole heartedly; the prodigal son only wanted his inheritance.
- Prodigal ministries always end in misery
The only person an opportunist serves is self
- A priest serves God
- Many people focus on their destinies instead of serving God
- Your destiny is Jesus, He is the purpose and goal
iii. Service
To live close to Jesus is being a servant
- If you focus on gaining Christ, you will serve Him excellently
- If you build your life on love, you configure yourself for eternal life
Service – things come to life through service
Aim of work
- Destroys chaos and established order
- To bring the invisible to visibility
iv. Endurance/resilience
A bull can carry a yoke/burden
- You need to stand firm under the yoke
- When put under pressure you need to stand firm in your faith (resilient trust)
3. The face of Man
Man is a master piece of God
- It is in the eternal plan of God for Jesus to be the last Adam
- God who became Man = Jesus
- He is the firstborn
To be close to God you need to have humanity
- Whatever and wherever God takes you never lose your humanity
- God takes pleasure in humanity
Man according to God:
i. Soul – natural – first Adam
ii. Spirit – life giving spirit – last Adam
- Divine, heavenly, Man of accomplishment
- 1 Corinthians 15:15
The devil always wants to take you to first Man level – move between the tree of good and evil (life of Adam)
Isaiah 53:11
Jesus’s work is to make us Spiritual and not dependent on our emotions
- The soul can be configured
- I am a life giving source because I am part of the second Man through Jesus
4. Eagle
The eagle is flying
- Power of flying – moving in the spiritual
- You cannot stand before God carnal
- You need to live in presence of God