Practice Makes Perfect
The Bible tells us to “be perfect as He is perfect” many times (Matthew 5:48) “be
you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”; and God
gave us the five fold ministry to help us reach perfection (Ephesians 4:12-15) “for
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, to a perfect ma, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That
we hereafter be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in
wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ”.
Many people don’t think that anyone can be perfect, but Paul goal was to see
perfection in man (Colossians 1:28) “whom we preach, warning every man, and
teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus”. Hebrews 12:22-23 tells us that we are come to mount Zion, and the city of
the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,
and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect”. So you
see that just men are made perfect.
Peter tells us how to walk without stumbling (II Peter 1:2-10) “grace and peace be
multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. According
as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are
given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be
partakers of the divine nature; having escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence add to your faith virtue; and to
virtue knowledge. And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience; and
to patience godliness. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that
you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten
that he was purged from his old sins. Therefore brethren, be all the more diligent to
make certain about your calling and choosing sure; for as long as you practice
these things, you will never stumble”.
You achieve this by practicing. Practicing submission – coming into agreement with
His word (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which
is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be you
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good,
and acceptable; and perfect will of God”. James tells us to “submit yourselves
therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and
He will draw near to you. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall
lift you up” (James 4:7-8a,10). James also tells us to look into the perfect law of
liberty (the Bible) and do what it says in James 1:22-25.
There are things in the word of God that is hard on your flesh. Jesus tells us to
pray for those that hurt you, but our flesh wants to fight back, as we come in
agreement with His word things will get clearer (Matthew 5:43-48) “you have heard
that it has been said, you shall love your neighbor, and hat your enemy. But I say
to you7, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. That you
may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for He makes His sun to rise
on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if
you love them which love you, what reward have you? Do not even the publicans
the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others?
Do not even the publicans so? Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect”.
Remember that we are called to be salt and light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16)
“you are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be
salted? It is therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under
foot of men. You are the light of the world, a city that is set on an hill cannot be
hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick,
and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let you light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. When
we do this, we give God an opportunity to work in their lives as we pray for them,
and the Bible says that “God doesn’t want any to perish, but that all would come to
the knowledge of God”.
Paul gives us a clue, he tell us that he died daily, and that he brought his body
under; so as we follow this advice, we can die to self as well. We have to come to
where we can say not my will, but let Thy will be done.
We have to practice hearing the word and doing the word of God. Mary the mother
of Jesus said “what so ever He says to you, do it”. This she spoke at the wedding
party, as they ran out of wine, and as the servants obeyed, the miracle of the water
made wine happened (John 2:1-11). Jesus says that we are supposed to hear His
voice (John 10:3-5,16,27) “to him the porter opens, and the sheep hear his voice
and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. And when he puts forth
his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his
voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not
the voice of strangers. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also
I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one fold, and one
shepherd. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”. If you
are not hearing the voice of God, you can pray that He opens your ears so that you
can hear Him, because He wants all of us to hear His voice.
Practice holiness – the Bible tells us to follow holiness (Hebrews 12:14) “follow
peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”. This is
not man made holiness (John 3:21 NAS) “but he who practices the truth comes to
the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God”.
Practice righteousness – the Bible tells us that we have been made the
righteousness of God in Christ (II Corinthians 5). Because God has made us
righteous, we have to practice walking in it. I John 2:29 and 3:6-7 says “if you know
that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is
born of Him. Whosoever abides in Him sins not; whosever sins has not seen Him,
neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you; he that does (practice)
righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous”.
Practice being fully persuaded – we have to exercise being fully persuade, as we
meditate on the scriptures that you are fully persuaded on and as you see the
results it will convince you of other scriptures. Remember we are supposed to go
from faith to faith. Abraham is a good example for us, because he didn’t start out
fully persuaded, he made many mistakes, but as he saw God working in his life, he
got to know the voice of God and as he followed God, his life became fruitful. He
was able to stand on the word of God remembering that God had told him that “in
Isaac shall your seed be”. Knowing that God does not lie, he was able to put his
son on the altar, knowing that God would have to raise him up, because God said it,
He had to bring it to pass.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 10, 2009
The Bible tells us to “be perfect as He is perfect” many times (Matthew 5:48) “be
you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”; and God
gave us the five fold ministry to help us reach perfection (Ephesians 4:12-15) “for
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body
of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son
of God, to a perfect ma, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That
we hereafter be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in
wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ”.
Many people don’t think that anyone can be perfect, but Paul goal was to see
perfection in man (Colossians 1:28) “whom we preach, warning every man, and
teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ
Jesus”. Hebrews 12:22-23 tells us that we are come to mount Zion, and the city of
the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels.
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven,
and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect”. So you
see that just men are made perfect.
Peter tells us how to walk without stumbling (II Peter 1:2-10) “grace and peace be
multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. According
as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are
given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be
partakers of the divine nature; having escaped the corruption that is in the world
through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence add to your faith virtue; and to
virtue knowledge. And to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience; and
to patience godliness. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that
you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten
that he was purged from his old sins. Therefore brethren, be all the more diligent to
make certain about your calling and choosing sure; for as long as you practice
these things, you will never stumble”.
You achieve this by practicing. Practicing submission – coming into agreement with
His word (Romans 12:1-2) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which
is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be you
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good,
and acceptable; and perfect will of God”. James tells us to “submit yourselves
therefore to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and
He will draw near to you. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall
lift you up” (James 4:7-8a,10). James also tells us to look into the perfect law of
liberty (the Bible) and do what it says in James 1:22-25.
There are things in the word of God that is hard on your flesh. Jesus tells us to
pray for those that hurt you, but our flesh wants to fight back, as we come in
agreement with His word things will get clearer (Matthew 5:43-48) “you have heard
that it has been said, you shall love your neighbor, and hat your enemy. But I say
to you7, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. That you
may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for He makes His sun to rise
on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if
you love them which love you, what reward have you? Do not even the publicans
the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others?
Do not even the publicans so? Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father
which is in heaven is perfect”.
Remember that we are called to be salt and light to the world (Matthew 5:13-16)
“you are the salt of the earth, but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be
salted? It is therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under
foot of men. You are the light of the world, a city that is set on an hill cannot be
hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick,
and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let you light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”. When
we do this, we give God an opportunity to work in their lives as we pray for them,
and the Bible says that “God doesn’t want any to perish, but that all would come to
the knowledge of God”.
Paul gives us a clue, he tell us that he died daily, and that he brought his body
under; so as we follow this advice, we can die to self as well. We have to come to
where we can say not my will, but let Thy will be done.
We have to practice hearing the word and doing the word of God. Mary the mother
of Jesus said “what so ever He says to you, do it”. This she spoke at the wedding
party, as they ran out of wine, and as the servants obeyed, the miracle of the water
made wine happened (John 2:1-11). Jesus says that we are supposed to hear His
voice (John 10:3-5,16,27) “to him the porter opens, and the sheep hear his voice
and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. And when he puts forth
his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his
voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not
the voice of strangers. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also
I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one fold, and one
shepherd. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”. If you
are not hearing the voice of God, you can pray that He opens your ears so that you
can hear Him, because He wants all of us to hear His voice.
Practice holiness – the Bible tells us to follow holiness (Hebrews 12:14) “follow
peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”. This is
not man made holiness (John 3:21 NAS) “but he who practices the truth comes to
the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God”.
Practice righteousness – the Bible tells us that we have been made the
righteousness of God in Christ (II Corinthians 5). Because God has made us
righteous, we have to practice walking in it. I John 2:29 and 3:6-7 says “if you know
that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is
born of Him. Whosoever abides in Him sins not; whosever sins has not seen Him,
neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you; he that does (practice)
righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous”.
Practice being fully persuaded – we have to exercise being fully persuade, as we
meditate on the scriptures that you are fully persuaded on and as you see the
results it will convince you of other scriptures. Remember we are supposed to go
from faith to faith. Abraham is a good example for us, because he didn’t start out
fully persuaded, he made many mistakes, but as he saw God working in his life, he
got to know the voice of God and as he followed God, his life became fruitful. He
was able to stand on the word of God remembering that God had told him that “in
Isaac shall your seed be”. Knowing that God does not lie, he was able to put his
son on the altar, knowing that God would have to raise him up, because God said it,
He had to bring it to pass.
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: November 10, 2009
