Grace Fellowship Grace Fellowship ChurchChurch

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Tuesday, April 5, 2011Tuesday, April 5, 2011

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

Memory VerseMemory Verse

1 Cor 13:13 1 Cor 13:13 ““But now abide in faith, hope,

love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.””

John 16:5, John 16:5, “But now I (“But now I (JesusJesus) am going ) am going to Him (to Him (God the FatherGod the Father) who ) who sent Me, and yet not one of sent Me, and yet not one of you (you (the disciplesthe disciples) asks Me, ) asks Me,

‘Where are you going?’”‘Where are you going?’”

John 16:6,John 16:6,“But because I have said “But because I have said ((taughttaught) to you all these ) to you all these

things, sorrow (things, sorrow (inwardinward stressstress) ) has completely filled your has completely filled your

heart (heart (right lobe of the soulright lobe of the soul).”).”

Doctrine of Occupation with Doctrine of Occupation with the Lord Jesus Christthe Lord Jesus Christ

A. Definition of Occupation A. Definition of Occupation with Christ (O.C.).with Christ (O.C.).

1. O.C. is personal love for 1. O.C. is personal love for our Lord Jesus Christ through our Lord Jesus Christ through

max. metabolized Bible max. metabolized Bible doctrine circulating in the doctrine circulating in the stream of consciousness of stream of consciousness of the heart of your soul by the heart of your soul by

means of the filling of GtHS.means of the filling of GtHS.

a. O.C. is personal love for a. O.C. is personal love for God the Son caused by post-God the Son caused by post-salvation renewing of your salvation renewing of your

mind…mind…

… … manifested by the fact that manifested by the fact that God’s Word has been and God’s Word has been and

continues to be the #1 priority continues to be the #1 priority in your life.in your life.

1 Peter 1:8; Rom 16:25-26; 1 Peter 1:8; Rom 16:25-26; 1 Cor 2:7-8, 16; Eph 1:9-101 Cor 2:7-8, 16; Eph 1:9-10

1 Peter 1:8, 1 Peter 1:8, “And even though you have not “And even though you have not

seen Him, you love Him seen Him, you love Him ((Occupation with ChristOccupation with Christ); and ); and

though you do not see Him now though you do not see Him now but believe in Him, you greatly but believe in Him, you greatly

rejoice with inexpressible rejoice with inexpressible happiness (+H) and full of glory.”happiness (+H) and full of glory.”

You cannot love Jesus Christ You cannot love Jesus Christ until you know how He until you know how He

thinks, for He is invisible. thinks, for He is invisible. PMA of the Mystery Doctrine PMA of the Mystery Doctrine of the Church Age is how we of the Church Age is how we come to personally love Jesus come to personally love Jesus

Christ.Christ.

Having the thinking of Having the thinking of Christ results in O.C. in Christ results in O.C. in

contrast to preoccupation contrast to preoccupation with people or self.with people or self.

O.C. fulfills the concept of O.C. fulfills the concept of 1 Cor 13:131 Cor 13:13, , and is and is developed under the developed under the

principle of 1 Cor 2:16.principle of 1 Cor 2:16.

1 Cor 2:16, 1 Cor 2:16, “For who has known the “For who has known the

thinking of the Lord that he thinking of the Lord that he should instruct Him? But we, should instruct Him? But we,

((Church Age believers under the Church Age believers under the function of post-salvation function of post-salvation

epistemological rehabilitationepistemological rehabilitation), ), have the thinking of Christ.”have the thinking of Christ.”

b. Those who love Christ b. Those who love Christ have made a role model out of have made a role model out of

our Lord. These are the our Lord. These are the believers with true happiness, believers with true happiness,

and are spiritually self-and are spiritually self-sustaining. sustaining.

c. This believer is full of c. This believer is full of glory, an invisible glory to glory, an invisible glory to man, but very visible to the man, but very visible to the

angelic creatures.angelic creatures.

2. There are two Divine 2. There are two Divine mandates with regard to mandates with regard to Occupation with Christ.Occupation with Christ.Heb 12:2; 1 Peter 3:15Heb 12:2; 1 Peter 3:15

1 Peter 3:15,1 Peter 3:15,“But sanctify (“But sanctify (set apart as set apart as

more important than anything more important than anything elseelse) the Lord Christ in your ) the Lord Christ in your

hearts.”hearts.”

God makes a direct positive God makes a direct positive demand on your will and demand on your will and

volition to be occupied with volition to be occupied with Christ, which is a mandate to Christ, which is a mandate to be consistent in the PMA of be consistent in the PMA of

His Word.His Word.

3. Occupation with Christ is 3. Occupation with Christ is also defined as fellowship also defined as fellowship

with the Son. with the Son.

1 Cor 1:91 Cor 1:9

1 Cor 1:9,1 Cor 1:9,“God is faithful, through “God is faithful, through

Whom you were called into Whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”Jesus Christ our Lord.”

a. The fellowship with the a. The fellowship with the Holy Spirit is necessary for Holy Spirit is necessary for

the execution of these the execution of these mandates. mandates.

2 Cor 13:142 Cor 13:14

2 Cor 13:14, 2 Cor 13:14, “The grace of our Lord Jesus “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love for God Christ and the love for God

((the Fatherthe Father) and the ) and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit fellowship of the Holy Spirit

be with all of you.”be with all of you.”

b. The fellowship of the Holy b. The fellowship of the Holy Spirit is another way of Spirit is another way of

describing the filling of the describing the filling of the Holy Spirit, which is required Holy Spirit, which is required

for O.C.for O.C.Phil 2:1-2, 5Phil 2:1-2, 5

People seek encouragement People seek encouragement from many people for many from many people for many reasons, but we are to seek reasons, but we are to seek

encouragement from Christ. encouragement from Christ. Your spiritual life depends Your spiritual life depends

upon encouragement in Christ. upon encouragement in Christ.

At spiritual maturity, your At spiritual maturity, your dependence on people ceases dependence on people ceases to exist, your dependence is to exist, your dependence is

on God, and you have made a on God, and you have made a role model out of the person role model out of the person

of Christ. of Christ.

You are to think the same You are to think the same things as God thinks; for things as God thinks; for thought is the basis for thought is the basis for

happiness, love, and virtue.happiness, love, and virtue.

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchTuesday, April 5, 2011Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Tape # 11-040Tape # 11-040

Doctrine of Occupation with Doctrine of Occupation with the Lord Jesus Christthe Lord Jesus Christ

Upper Room Discourse, Part 492Upper Room Discourse, Part 492      

John 16:6; 1 Cor 2:16; 13:13; Heb 12:2; 1 Peter 1:8; 3:15John 16:6; 1 Cor 2:16; 13:13; Heb 12:2; 1 Peter 1:8; 3:15  

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011