Sons Reflection | 09-11-2025 | The Family of God 

Sons Reflection | 08-28-2025 | The Family of God 

Sons Reflection | 08-13-2025 | The Family of God

Takeaways

1. Spiritual growth requires humility, self-emptying, and continual surrender to God.

2. Transformation often comes through hardship, brokenness, and spiritual bankruptcy.

3. The way to spiritual elevation is through lowering oneself and embracing paradoxes (e.g., the way up is down).

4. Personal experiences with scripture can lead to genuine spiritual renewal.

5. Jacob's story serves as a prototype for transformation and the journey of God's people.

6. Total surrender, not partial commitment, is necessary for true spiritual fulfillment.

7. Living as a daily sacrifice is more valuable than a one-time act.

8. Each believer's life is a unique story and testimony within God's grand narrative.

9. Patience and yielding are essential for spiritual healing and growth.

Sons Reflection | 07–16-2025 | The Family of God

Takeaways

1. Human efforts to accomplish God's work without spiritual leading result in "Ishmael" - products of the flesh rather than the Spirit, stemming from one's own mind and passion.

2. God's silence should not be interpreted as consent or approval for human initiatives, as Abraham mistakenly did.

3. Even God's blessings on human efforts don't necessarily indicate divine approval of those actions; blessings can be misinterpreted as signs of approval when they are not always the case.

4. Modern churches often create false unity and structures that are human-initiated, either through sentimental displays or structured apostolic claims, rather than being truly Spirit-led.

5. God may depart from places, ministries, and movements He once blessed when they become empty shells, having ceased to be anything more than a memory of what has been.

6. Young people experience intentional volatility in their current stage of life to establish proper spiritual foundations before settlement, as decisions made now have far-reaching effects.

7. True patience involves waiting for God's guidance and direction, requiring more spiritual exercise and striving than creating human plans and programs.

8. Most Christians have a limited, very small, weak, and helpless concept of Jesus and His true fullness.

9. God reveals His glory through various aspects of His work, with the ultimate goal being His own glory and presence coming to abide in the house of God, His people.

10. Walking in faith requires continually giving things up to the Lord and not defining things quickly, rather than settling in mental formulations or seeking stability through human understanding.

This is the introduction to "Beauty for Ashes" by George H. Warnock, starting with "The Family of God" (first published in 1985). In the preface, the author emphasized that God's Word should be "daily bread" rather than just a "storehouse of knowledge," and that believers need the "broken bread of the living word" to be nourished in God's ways.

Takeaways:

1. Emphasis on Living Testimony Over Academic Study

2. The Pattern of Human Failure in Spiritual Work

3. Law Versus Spirit-Led Living

4. The Importance of Being Present and Observant

5. he Danger of Human Methods in Spiritual Work

6. The Relationship-Centered Nature of God's Work

Takeaways:1. "God's purpose in man is that he should have dominion over all creation." 2. True faith requires distinguishing between God's will and personal desires, which Jesus demonstrated perfectly. 3. Faith is not about manipulating power for personal gain but walking in humility and alignment with God's will. 4. The standard is raised, not lowered, for those who walk in faith, requiring strict obedience. 5. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) 6. Faith doesn't fit into circumstances but creates them, as demonstrated in Jesus' miracles and resurrection. 7. Jesus overcame not because he was God, but because he moved by faith in obedience. 8. The faith of Hebrews 12:2 is described as greater than the Old Testament faith of Hebrews 11. 9. Believers are called to claim their spiritual inheritance and victory in this life, not just after death.

Takeaways1. True freedom is achieved through submission to a higher purpose rather than personal desires. 2. Paul's experiences illustrate true freedom through spiritual discipline and submission to God's will. 3. Spiritual growth involves transitioning from freedom of choice to submission to God's will. 4. Moses' journey emphasizes reliance on God's strength rather than personal abilities. 5. True success is defined by yielding to a higher purpose, not societal standards. 6. Historical parallels suggest societal self-promotion can lead to a bleak climate. 7. Spiritual submission is seen as true freedom, contrasting societal norms. 8. Prayer emphasizes submission to a higher power and gratitude for spiritual growth.The lecture concludes with a prayer emphasizing the importance of submission to a higher power and recognizing true freedom through spiritual bondage, expressing gratitude for the journey of spiritual growth.

Takeaways:1. "The Pattern Son" by Bill Britton was studied as a unifying framework for understanding God's purpose and pursuing His heart 2. True faith is described as "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1) 3. Jesus authored a higher realm of faith than Old Testament saints, making it available to believers 4. "The faith" delivered to saints is not merely doctrines but a living, powerful force 5. Biblical "knowing" refers to becoming one with God, not just intellectual understanding 6. Faith without works is dead, as demonstrated in James 2:14-26 7. True faith flows from a sincere heart aligned with God's will, not performed out of obligation 8. Faith is a posture of the heart and way of life rather than just solving problems 9. Believers are encouraged to "contend for the faith" together through mutual support and prayer