GOD

GOD
I. His Being
II. His nature
III. His character
IV. His will
V. His subsistence
VI. His Fatherhood

MAN

WOMAN

FALL OF MAN

MAN
a. Man in nature
b. Man’s destiny
c. Man ‘s structure
d. Man’s sin
e. Man in God’s image

WOMAN

These 10 steps towards our inheritance are set out to help give an understanding of how God works in and through our lives. We can then become more aware of where we have been, where we are now and where it is likely we will be heading in the future, if we choose to be obedient to Him. THEY ARE NOT A DOGMATIC LIST OF THE 10 MAGIC STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO CLAIM THE HIGHEST PLACE IN HEAVEN!

The Lord is in control and He will

a. Place His hand individually upon each one of us as He chooses, at His timing and under His conditions.

b. Take us back down the steps, if we choose to be disobedient to Him.

What is being illustrated here is a pattern that emerges from the pages of the Bible, which at His choice, the Lord often uses to mature us towards becoming ...sons of God' (Romans 8:14)

WHAT GOD GIVES HE THEN SEEMS TO TAKE AWAY! WHY?

To ensure the glory goes to Him.

GOD SEEKS TO CONFIRM THAT OUR TRUE HEART IS FOR HIM

Setbacks either make us more determined to do His will, or we drift away, as it is all too hard.

AND THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO TRUST HIM FULLY

Testing proves our faith.

FOR THROUGH TRIALS WE ARE PURIFIED

In the fire of testing we are refined like silver or gold.

THROUGH GOD'S LOVE WE ARE CHASTENED

As sons and daughters of God we need correction and training. Unfortunately, we often misunderstand this.

AND OUR CHARACTER MATURED

Character development is fundamental in our walk with Jesus.

WITH OUR FAITH BEING PROVED GENUINE

Through being refined.

TO RECEIVE THE PROMISED REWARD

Of the crown of life.

At the time of God's choosing. Illustrated by

1. AT THE BEGINNING: Pail as soon as he was given his vision - 3 days blindness.

2. A LITTLE FURTHER ON: Abraham was being asked to sacrifice Isaac who was the means by which Abraham's vision of being the father of Israel was to be fulfilled.

3. ONCE THE VISION WAS SEEMINGLY FULFILLED: Job was already the greatest man among all the people of the East when his vision dramatically died.

On GOD'S timing and upon HIS will when HE has confirmed our faith and refined us, HE will restore our vision. Illustrated by:

1. PAUL: God's restoration of his sight through Ananias.

2. ABRAHAM: When the angel stopped him from sacrificing Isaac and renewed God's promise to him.

3. JOB: After his testing the Lord doubled his fortune.

... as we look at the penultimate steps in attaining our inheritance.

We all suffer disappointments along the way to fulfilling our vision. That is how God planned it! For then, all the glory will be given to Him, as we cannot achieve it through our own efforts.

I would encourage you to allow your self to be refined in the fire and to develop perseverance, so that God's purpose for you may be completed, and you may hear those wonderful words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

THE GIHON SPRING

The exit to the spring in the Kidron Valley was blocked in early times to prevent Jerusalems's enemies from gaining access to it. The water was channeled into a limestone tunnel more than 1700 feet long to the Pool of Siloam. One of the factors determining that a city was built in this mountainous location was the fact that a year round water source existed.