OUTLINE FOR OPEN CELLS

(Week of 8 /9 – 8/15, 2009)

Identity Crisis (2)

"Living From The Inside Out"

Subject - E. W. Kenyon popularized the idea of becoming "God-Inside Minded." Although God is all around us and among us, His Essence and Presence filling the universe, the wonder of the work of Christ is that it paved the way for God abiding within us. The discovery and consciousness of this fact changes everything. No longer do we need to make a "pilgrimage" to some far off place to seek God. We can become increasingly aware of and conscious of this all-powerful and all-loving God living within us, and through this growing discovery, allow Him to work through us to change the world around us.

I. A brief history of mankind.

A. (Gen. 2:7) God imparted His life, His breath, His Spirit to us, but only walked among us. (Gen. 3:8)

B. (Gen. 3:1-5, 22-24, Gen. 6:5-8) In general, mankind walked away from God and as the distance increased, wickedness filled the earth. Only the "remnant" of Noah's family would remain as seed for the future. Noah's righteousness was expressed through his working to save the world.

C. The entire Old Testament is a story of man's sporadic and short-lived encounters with God. Man's distance from God was experienced by nearly everyone but the Old Testament "heroes of faith."

D. (Is. 7:14, Matt. 1:23) The Father "closed the gap" in Christ and once again walked among us, paying an awesome price for us (Is. 53) in demonstration of His undying affection for us all.

E. (Jn. 14:16-18) Christ promises that the Father, who through His Spirit had been walking "among us" in Christ was about to initiate the final phase of His plan for us, moving from "among us" or "with us" to "within us." This coming of the Comforter, the Helper, would bring the power and love to transform men and women from orphans to sons and daughters.

F. (James 5:13-16) When we gather, the One within us desires to walk "among us."

G. (Mk. 16:14-20) From our gathering and experiencing the fellowship of the One within us walking among us, we are moved to allow Him to be the One who moves "through us."

H. (Acts 10:34-38) This brings nothing short of the multiplied replication of the ministry of Jesus.

I. (1 Jn. 4:7-16) There is only one true measure of the validity of a New Testament community - LOVE!

II. The outward influence of life is determined by our inward transformation by His Life.

A. (Prov. 4:20-23) The boundaries of our outward effectiveness will be drawn only to the degree of our             inward "heart" transformation. This is why Christ always struck at the issues of heart and not behavior.

1. (v. 20-21) Although the message of the Kingdom enters the intellect (attention) from the outside in (incline your ear), the target is and always was the heart. Keep them in the midst of           your heart is, in the Hebrew shamar tavek lebab. (keep, guard, OBSERVE them in the middle of and among others, in your inner man; the will, the heart, the soul, the understanding)

2. (v. 22-23) This process ensures life and health, even to "all our flesh." (life/flowing of fresh water and health/health, healing, cure, literally the negative of incurable)

3. diligence/mishmar/place of confinement, guard post, OBSERVANCE

4. (v. 23) spring the issues/towtsa'ah/outgoing, the end, the borders, the extremities, the source, the escape from death

III. What is the principal, powerful, life-altering "word" of the New Testament?

A. (Jn. 15:12) "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

B. (1 Cor. 13) It is time to move from "childish things" to pursue a love that "never fails."

C. (Gal. 5:6) In Christ, nothing avails (strength to overcome) except a faith empowered by Divine love.