Convoy is a Verb
Kingdom:
Psalm 103:19.
The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. ‘
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Castles:
Matthew 6:19-21 MSG
'“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars.
Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars.
It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
Passing down the family business:
Matthew 16:19
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16:19 MSG
'“And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”'
Built with us in mind:
Ephesians 1:4-6 MSG
Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.
What does He need from us?
Hosea 6:6
6 “I don’t want your sacrifices—I want your love; I don’t want your offerings—I want you to know me.
His greatest commandments:
Mark 12:29-31, emphasis added
The most important commandment is this: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
The second is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no commandment greater than these.”
Abiding
John 15:5
“I am the vine; you are the branches.
If you remain / abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit:
apart from me you can do nothing.”
Being Transformed
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18
And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.
Love
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son so whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting lift
Ephesians 5:1-2 MESSAGE
1-2 Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents.
Mostly what God does is love you.
Keep company with him and learn a life of love.
Observe how Christ loved us.
His love was not cautious but extravagant.
He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us.
Love like that.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 MSG
'Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping..'
Reproducing
Genesis 1:21-22 NIV
“So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.
And God saw that it was good.
God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.””
Genesis 8:15-17 NIV
“Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.
Bring out every kind of living creature that is with you—the birds, the animals, and all the creatures that move along the ground—so they can multiply on the earth and be fruitful and increase in number on it.””
Genesis 9:1 NIV
“Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.”
John 12:24-25 MSG
Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.”
Great Commission
Matthew 28:18-20 MSG
“Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge:
“God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you.
I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.””
2 Timothy 2:1-7 MSG
'So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ.
Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others.
When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did.
A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace.
He concentrates on carrying out orders.
An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere.
It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.
Foxholes
Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”