‘Freely you have received, freely give.’ (Matt 10:8)

Jesus’ disciples spent quality time with Him. Then, from that relationship, they gave to others (Mark 3:14).

It was their way of life, and a lesson they never forgot.

As Apostles, they later declared,
“Let others take that extra responsibility and those tasks!
We will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” (see Acts 6:4)

Spending time with Jesus continued to be their priority.

God has designed you to live in the same rhythm, of receiving and releasing—and over again.

So, if you have been giving more than receiving lately, know this:

You can only bear lasting fruit as you’re connected to Jesus, your Source. (John 15:5)

The three aspects of God are:

• His invisible attributes: His character (Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 11:27)
• His eternal power: seen in natural creation ( Ps. 19:1-6)
• His divine nature: seen in His acts and motives of creation ( Genesis 1-2) The invisible God is now seen in:

1. Physical creation (Mark 10:6; 13:19; 2 Pet. 3:4.)
2. Scripture (Ps. 19, 119)
3. ultimately in Jesus (John 14:9)

• Divine nature or divine majesty. This is seen supremely in Jesus. He uniquely bears the divine image ( 2 Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3). He is God’s full revelation in human form (Col. 1:19; 2:9). The wonderful truth of the gospel is that fallen mankind, through faith in Christ, will share Christlikeness ( Heb. 12:10; 1 John 3:2). The image of God in humanity ( Gen. 1:26-27) has been restored ( 2 Pet. 1:3-4)!

COLOSSIANS 1:9-14 ⁹For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, ¹⁰so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ¹¹strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously ¹²giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. ¹³For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

• Leaders should constantly hold up their flocks to the Lord (Col. 4:3.)
• The gospel is (1) a body of truth to be believed; (2) a person to be received; and (3) a life like that person’s to live. God’s will is that individuals personally respond to Christ (John 6:29,40) who is the goal of all “spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
• God’s will is that believers live godly lives.
• Believers must yield to the Spirit to produce effective, godly lives (Eph. 5:18). 
• Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).

No more dead works: The first foundation stone in the Christian life is to repent from dead works (Heb. 6:1, 2). A dead work is a work which originates with self rather than God. It is a work which follows satan’s suggestion to live out of MY initiative. This is the FOUNDATIONAL SIN, out of which all other sins flow. So if at the point of salvation, we deal with this one foundational sin, this will restore us to a relationship with our Heavenly Father. We can once again live out of His voice and receive His power.