Our non denominational Christian church in Peoria AZ is committed to teaching God’s Word in context and faithfully, accurately appying it to life today.
Biblical Readiness
Week Three
Introduction
Our non denominational Christian church is deeply committed to studying God’s Word in depth and in context, and then applying it accurately to modern life. Let’s start with the first of the three pillars of Biblical Readiness – To Regulate. There are some generic and common definitions for the term regulate that will give some understanding of the term – only to help serve the main objective – knowing and showing the Scriptural Guideposts to Biblical Readiness.
[regulate] to control, manage, govern, to guide, or to supervise for the purpose of maintaining proper balance and operation, or the effectiveness and efficiency of a person.
Now with that fundamental understanding, let’s look to find the righteous use and right context of the word “regulate” as it relates directly to the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in the day-to-day life of an interested and engaged follower of Christ. Or how about this?… the plan, purpose and the practical application of the Holy Spirit in the daily life of the “Biblical Worldview Christian.” Let’s now look at a “working” Biblical definition and context for the word regulate:
[regulate] to learn, to love, and to lean on the active presence of the Holy Spirit and daily guidance of God’s Word to achieve a balance of righteous effectiveness and divine efficiency within a person.
The premise here will be to present biblical evidence for the following:
The Holy Spirit is central to regulating us in the practical processes of Biblical Readiness.
(I Timothy 6:11-16)
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
Without the genuine and active work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, one cannot regulate with righteous efficiency and effectiveness in living and fulfilling the plans and purposes of God.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
One can validate the gifts and working of the Holy Spirit (service and ministry) through the daily cultivation and recognition of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The biblical evidence of indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
(Galatians 5:20-26)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
The Holy Spirit serves to regulate the mind (thought), the emotion (heart), and the will (attitude and action) of every Christian.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
(Philippians 2:3-8)
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Regulating to Biblical Readiness – In the Model of Christ
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
Mark 8:31-33
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Matthew 20:20-28
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” 23 He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 26:40-41
And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Find out more about Dr. Stephen Isaac, ThD., senior pastor of the Reunion Church, a non denominational Christian church in Peoria AZ, conveniently located just east of the 101 Fwy. on Cactus Rd. Pastor Isaac is the founding pastor, and also the Provost at the Fully Equipped Bible Institute.
The Reunion Church is a non denominational Christian church located in Peoria, Arizona, just east of the 101 Freeway on Cactus Rd. If you enjoyed this blog, we invite you to join us on Sundays to hear this content preached live! At the Reunion Church, we love God and are committed to the in context, in depth preaching and teaching of His Word, and then the alignment of our lives to it. Come grow with us! Joining us for the first time? Go HERE for first time guest info.
Our non denominational Christian church in Peoria AZ is committed to teaching God’s Word in context and faithfully, accurately appying it to life today.
Want to be more fully equipped to answer God’s call on your life to lead and serve? Whether in the ministry or the marketplace, as a believer being fully equipped to serve is crucial for biblical readiness in the turbulent times we live in. We invite you to check out the Fully Equipped Bible Institute’s bachelor degree programs in Christian Leadership, Christian and Pastor Ministry, and Biblical and Theological Studies. It’s affordable, online, and high quality Christian education. Learn more HERE.
The Reunion Church
- 8153 W. Cactus Rd., Peoria, AZ 85381
- 623-979-5465
- info@thereunionchurch.life