Old Testament Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 17:5 – 8 (KJV)
Jer 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
Jer 17:6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.
Jer 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
Jer 17:8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
New Testament Scripture Reading: 2Thes 2:13 – 15 (KJV)
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Th 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
2Th 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
2Th 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
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Transforming Power Statements:
1) If you are “saved” the Scriptures teach that it is because God chose you, called you, and has taken up “residence” within you via the Holy Spirit Who is in the process of teaching you greater obedience each day as you yield your will to His will in response to greater knowledge of His Holy Word from day to day, and as you willfully choose to put to death the things of the world, the flesh, and the devil’.
2) Learning to trust God’s Word will require you to hear, believe and apply the thoughts of God and give them priority over any and everything else that opposes, contradicts, replaces or twists the rightly divided teachings of the Scriptures, which is what it really means to be a “disciple of Jesus Christ”!
3) This process of cultivating the fruitfulness of you calling can only happen if you intentionally choose to rely totally on your trust in God’s complete provision for your salvation and couple that with your total commitment to participation in the learning process so that God can work out everything necessary for your life to bear and maintain the fruitfulness to which you have been called.