Am I being a witness for Jesus Christ today, in perverse time..

Being a witness for Jesus Christ today in perverse time. You must become a symbol of power and authority; only then will you be able to help God’s people live up to their righteous standing in Christ.

Not only that, but you must always be ready to defend everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope in you, but with gentleness and respect.

The first question to be answered is, “What is the hope in you? This is important because whatever that hope is, faith is the substance of it. God tells us in His word that hope does not disappoint!

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will happen; it gives us assurance about what God has promised that we cannot see. With faith, all things are possible!

Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will also do; and greater works than these he will do, because I am going to the Father.

And whatever you ask in My name, I will do this so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

My hope and message of hope that I teach are to be like Jesus Christ in all I do say, think and believe.

That’s my hope; that’s my message to a lost and dying world and those who profess to be born-again believers!

I believe with all my heart, mind, body, and soul that this message will strengthen the church if received and applied.

Because of this hope, some would make it seem as if I am trying to be self-righteous, think I am better than everyone else, and think I am the only one who knows God. 

Some say I am leading a cult. Some ask if we are Jehovah’s Witnesses, although they do not understand the whole meaning of that question because of religion.

Whatever the case, I respect it because that is between them and God. Jesus told the Pharisees who were having the same problem with him.

If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” John 10:37-39

These are just some of the things which I have only heard second-hand. There are those who say they serve God and do not believe that such a lifestyle is impossible.

Even John sent to ask Jesus if he was the Coming One or are we to look for another?” When the men came to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, to ask, ‘Are You the Coming One, or are we to look for another?’”

At that very time, He cured many people of diseases, afflictions, and evil spirits; and He gave sight to those who were blind.

And He answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: people who were blind receive sight, people who limped walk, people with leprosy are cleansed, and people who were deaf hear, dead people, are raised, and poor people have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is anyone who does not take offense at Me.”

So, what is my defense for such a hope?  First off, even before I met Jesus, I always sought to be the best, or one of the best, at whatever I was doing.

I was never a churchgoer, but I always believed in God. When I was out in the world, I would always see churchgoers trying to live in my world.

This was my excuse for not going to church. I would say that I am not going down there with those hypocrites, but if I ever started going to church, I was going to live life God’s way.

Although my family was not churchgoers when I was young, we were always taught to follow instructions, do things the right way, and do our best at everything that we did.

 So, why do I hope to live like Jesus in my daily walk? It all goes back to following instructions and doing my best.

The instructions say, “See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact, we are.

For this reason, the world does not know us: because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be.

We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope set on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. 1 John 3:1-3

Because I want to be like Jesus, I have armed myself also with the purpose of living my life for the will of God.

The instruction urges me to present my body as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is my spiritual service of worship.

I’m not to be conformed to this world, but transformed by renewing my mind, so that I may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Rom. 12:1,2

I am warned that everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. The instructions teach that Jesus appeared to take away sins, and in Him, there is no sin.

No one who remains in Him sins continually; no one who sins continually has seen Him or knows Him.

Following the instructions prevents me from being deceived. This is crucial because Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

For false Christ and false prophets will arise and will provide great signs and wonders to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Matt. 24:9-24

I’m told that Jesus appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who has been born of God practices sin because His seed remains in him, and he cannot sin continually because he has been born of God.

By righteousness, the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother and sister.

So, my hope to be like Jesus puts me under obligation to put to death the deeds of the body by the power of the Holy Spirit.

All being led by the Spirit of God are sons and daughters of God.

That is why we train in the word of righteousness here at Dayspring. Practicing righteousness trains our senses to distinguish what is of God and what is not.

Those that receive the training are now living self-controlled lives by the power of the Holy Spirit characterized by righteousness and abundant living.

Families are now living properly functional lives characterized by unity, peace, and unconditional love, which require no change but inspire change.

Therefore, I am told not to be surprised if the world hates me. We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers and sisters. 1 John 3: 4-16

The instructions tell me that because of my hope to be like Jesus and the results of my work, I am from God and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.

They are from the world; therefore, they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. I am from God.

I am assured by the instructions that the one who knows God listens to me; the one who is not from God does not listen to me. By this, I know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:4-6

With that instruction, I am told not to teach strange doctrines nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to useless speculation rather than advance the plan of God, which is by faith.

You see, a myth is a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events.

Therefore, there are a lot of things I no longer participate in because of my hope to be like Jesus. This is the faith that I have as my own conviction before God.

I am told not to love this world nor the things it offers me, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions.

These are not from the Father but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2:15-17

Because of these instructions, I am looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 2 Pet. 3:10-13

Therefore, I am told to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first, and all my daily necessities will be provided for me. Matt. 6:31-34

I am to spend my time here establishing a replica of the kingdom of heaven as I establish kingdom rule and influence her on the earth as I await Jesus’ return. This is all done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The instructions tell me that no soldier of Christ in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life so that he may please the one who enlisted him.

 Nevertheless, I have observed so many of my brothers who denied this instruction and were convinced by the world that they were responsible for the world’s affairs.

Most had their lives cut short. But worse than that, no one was focused on building the kingdom of heaven and the church here on earth. The only thing God’s people have been authorized to do. 2 Tim. 2:1-7

Yes, the world speaks highly of them but does not support the cause of God for His church whom they were supposed to be serving.

These types of observations make me more determined to follow the instructions that assure my hope will not disappoint me. Rom. 5:5

We are warned to expect great sorrow, distress, and troubles when the people of the world speak well of us as we seek to please them or find favor from them. Luke 6:26

God calls professing believers adulterers who seek to be champions or friends with the world and its causes, which shows hostility toward God. God says, “whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4

How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek glory from the one and only God? John 5:44

Therefore, whatever I do in word or deed, I do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

“I am the light of the world. My light must shine before people so that they may see my good works and glorify my Father in heaven. Matt. 5:14-16

Following the instructions allows me to keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which I am slandered, by those who belittle my service to God and good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

Following the instructions also allows me to approach the throne of grace with confidence so that I may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of my need. Heb. 4:16

I take these instructions seriously because God warns us to “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.

For the gate is narrow, and the way is constricted, leading to life, and few find it.

He says, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you.

God desires to know the experience of your love for Him revealed through your obedience to His word, not lip service, signs, miracles, and wonders.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.

For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.

I discovered from the instructions that although God knows everything that was, is, and will be.

God knows everything actual; He knows everything potential, and He knows everything factual.

However, God does not know everything experiential until He experiences it.  That is why God will say if you have not followed His instructions, “‘I never knew you”!

Abraham showed us what allowing God to know our love for Him looks like when God told him to sacrifice his son to Him.

The instructions say, “Then they came to the place of which God had told him; Abraham built the altar there, arranged the wood, bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

And Abraham reached out with his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now, I know that you fear God since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

That’s why God says now I know! God wants to experience your love for Him. This brings pleasure to God.

These instructions make it clear to me how to fulfill my hope to be like Jesus.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. Rom. 8:28,29

This is my hope to carry out God’s will for my life. My hope is the will of God.

This is the confidence we have before Him that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. 1 John 5:14,15

Praying in the name of Jesus according to His will has nothing to do with putting the five-letter word, Jesus, at the end of your prayer.

Praying in Jesus’ name is how we execute the will of God on earth. It means praying in the authority of Jesus.

The principle of praying in the name of Jesus has to do with pleading a case before a judge. It has more to do with coming before God with a clear conscious concerning justice and righteousness.  Phil. 4:6,7

A petition means to make a demand on an authority based on legal rights. Petitioning is only possible when there is a governing authority and a constitutional document that gives you rights based on a right relationship with that authority.

Therefore, the person making the petition must have a relationship with God that is in good standing according to His instruction. The Bible says, “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear. Psalm 66:19

Therefore, God says, “When you spread your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening.

Your hands are full of blood! Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isa. 1:15-17

The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.

This is why I hope to be like Jesus! It guarantees that I will have more than a form of Godliness but also power and authority. It guarantees that I will be able to do what Jesus did and do greater things.

Today I have presented my case concerning my hope to be like Jesus according to the governing document, the bible.

All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work. 2 Tim. 3:16,17

And so, we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture becomes a matter of someone’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2 Pet. 1:19-21

What is your hope?