Supernal Sunday – Jan. 8, 2023 Edition

I ran across a meme this week and the Spirit nudged me to keep it for today Supernal Sunday post. There are a lot of people calling themselves Christian whose fruit tells a different story. Social media, especially, tends to make the disparity more evident. The meanings of many of our words have been intentionally changed; the word Christian no longer means “follower of Jesus” in many cases…but how can we tell if this claim is true, or if it is counterfeit? This is a good outline but needs the Scripture references. Otherwise it just looks like opinions – which is part of the problem… The Scripture references I chose to use are by no means an exhaustive list; I chose portions that will help to guide us in our discernment and I hope that this is helpful to you!

LOVE FOR GOD:
Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. Joshua 22:5
He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. John 14:24

REPENTANCE FROM SIN:
For this is what the LORD GOD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest you will be saved; in staying calm and trusting will be your strength…” Isaiah 30:15
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2Cor. 7:10

GENUINE HUMILITY:
Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger. Zeph. 2:3
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16

DEVOTION TO GOD’S GLORY:
Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Psalm 115:1
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1Cor. 6:20

CONTINUAL PRAYER:
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to You I cry all day long. Psalm 86:3
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit… Ephesians 6:18a

SELFLESS LOVE:
Forget about the wrong things people do to you. Don’t try to get even. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:18
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:9-10

SEPARATION FROM THE WORLD:
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1John 2:15-17

SPIRITUAL GROWTH:
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green… Psalm 92:12-14
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:13-14

OBEDIENT LIVING:
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7
Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. 1John 3:24a

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