We Believe Session 8
.” Favor is more than a catchy phrase; it’s a powerful calling. It’s not just a melody we sing but a courageous journey we undertake."
Amos 7:7-9 Then He showed me this: The Lord was standing by a wall built with a plumb line, and in His hand was a plumb line. Eternal One: 8 What do you see, Amos? Amos: A plumb line. Eternal One: Watch what I’m about to do! I am going to put a plumb line up against My people Israel to see what is straight and true, And I will not look the other way any longer.9 The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the religious shrines of Israel reduced to ruin, And with sword in hand, I will bring down the house of Jeroboam the king.
In session 7, we delved into the inspiring life of Noah, who truly exemplifies a remarkable standard. Noah courageously challenged the norms of his time, boldly proclaiming through his actions, “There’s a better way!” His life is a timeless testament to what it means to stand firm in one’s beliefs, recognized and celebrated in the heavens.
“And Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Favor is more than a catchy phrase; it’s a powerful calling. It’s not just a melody we sing but a courageous journey we undertake. It demands bold initiatives, intentional choices, unwavering determination, and the inner strength to resist conformity to the world order. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].
We who believe in Jesus are predestined to be conformed to the image of God’s son.
Romans 8:28-30 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
CONFORM means to assume the same form, to be like, to live or act according to the standard – Christ is the Standard.
CONFORM means to assume the same form, to be like, to live or act according to the standard – Christ is the Standard. We are being called to live according to the Living Word of God. He is the eternal and unchanging Standard! Being the standard means viewing yourself according to our Father, who calls you ‘son.’ Jesus viewed himself from his position of being begotten by the Father, and we are in Him; He is our origin. Believe it and live it. To resist the devil, we must submit to God. This is what we see in Noah —a man whose life is lived for God and in God, so that the purposes of God in his generation can be accomplished. Please note, just like Jesus, the systems of the world daily bombard us with demands of worship.
Matthew 4:8-11 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
We are still discussing the Plumb line, the measure, the standard, the word of God, and the mirror. If we are to be conformed to the image of God’s son, there are other images to be conformed to. In fact, in Ephesians 2, which we read a few weeks ago, we see clearly that there was a standard by which we used to walk before receiving Christ as Lord.
Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. (The word according signifies agreement, conformity, or correspondence (harmony/alignment) to a standard, a principle, or an authority)
