Part 1Our Nature
Titus 3:1-8, 1 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. 3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
There is a term used within the Church that examines our nature call regeneration. It speaks of our spiritual change brought about in a person’s life by an act of God. In regeneration a person’s sinful nature is changed, and he/she is enabled to respond to God in faith. The word regeneration occurs two times in the bible Titus 3:1-8 and Matthew 19:28 and literally means to be “born again”. I’m afraid there are too many who profess that they are Christians, yet there is no change of heart.
When we are born again there is a radical change of mind, will and nature. In 1 Corinthians 5:17, This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! Wow, this regeneration that Christ does in and through us extends to the whole nature of man, changing a person’s desire and restoring him to a right relationship with God in Christ. So if we confess that we are a Christian but there is no change there is a serious problem. I know that before I became a Christian doing things that were wrong didn’t bother me or how they impacted others, but after I became a Christian and did something wrong I came under conviction of the Holy Spirit which really bother me until I came into obedience to Christ. So the question to us is, “Are you sure you have been born again?” it carries eternal consequences!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Its Time to put the Roof On
By Pastor Steve
A few weeks ago the church was given a word by the Spirit of God that “It was time to put the roof on.” The elders have prayed and discussed what this means to our fellowship.
While it is impossible to truly know all that is contained is a short word like this there are some things that seem obvious. I want to encourage you to tap into what God is saying to us as a faith community and “get on board” with us in pursuing God’s plans and purposes in our midst.
So what does it mean to “put the roof on?” Here are a few thoughts.
It does not mean we are nearing completion. Quite the contrary. In a building project, putting the roof on means two things. First it means the foundation and supporting structure is in place. Second you put the roof on in preparation for the “inside work” of building walls, and installing fixtures, etc. In short it is a significant milestone in the journey.
This is exciting because it means we are on the path. We’re headed the right direction in building the church. The foundational aspects of the church are secure. The supporting structure is in place and we’re ready to move on to the next stage of the development of the church.
While there are probably several things involved we do know for sure that there is one significant thing we need to do when “putting the roof on”: that is develop other leaders, ministries and workers.
There are a number of things that need to be done to grow to the next level. Some of those things are just not getting done because we don’t yet have the people resources to do them. The apostles experienced this very issue in the book of Acts when they decides to set up Deacons to handle some affairs of the church, allowing the Elders to concentrate “on the word of God and prayer.”
This is where we are at as a fellowship. For us to grow beyond this point we must have some people step up to the plate and find a place of service and we also need to pray that God brings a few dedicated mature families into the church.
One thing we are doing is starting a Personal Ministry Development training course. The word “ministry” means to serve, not be served. Jesus said, “The Son of Man came to minster (serve) not to be ministered to.”
Ministry isn’t just in the pulpit. Ministry happens anywhere people are serving other people as God has given them ability. It might be running the sound, making sure guests are greeted and made to feel comfortable, or a dozen other things,
To be sure ministry meant to serve people’s spiritual needs too. In both of the respects everyone is called to “the ministry.”
One thing that makes Christ’s Church different is that we want to help you find and fulfill your unique place of ministry in the Body of Christ.
A few weeks ago the church was given a word by the Spirit of God that “It was time to put the roof on.” The elders have prayed and discussed what this means to our fellowship.
While it is impossible to truly know all that is contained is a short word like this there are some things that seem obvious. I want to encourage you to tap into what God is saying to us as a faith community and “get on board” with us in pursuing God’s plans and purposes in our midst.
So what does it mean to “put the roof on?” Here are a few thoughts.
It does not mean we are nearing completion. Quite the contrary. In a building project, putting the roof on means two things. First it means the foundation and supporting structure is in place. Second you put the roof on in preparation for the “inside work” of building walls, and installing fixtures, etc. In short it is a significant milestone in the journey.
This is exciting because it means we are on the path. We’re headed the right direction in building the church. The foundational aspects of the church are secure. The supporting structure is in place and we’re ready to move on to the next stage of the development of the church.
While there are probably several things involved we do know for sure that there is one significant thing we need to do when “putting the roof on”: that is develop other leaders, ministries and workers.
There are a number of things that need to be done to grow to the next level. Some of those things are just not getting done because we don’t yet have the people resources to do them. The apostles experienced this very issue in the book of Acts when they decides to set up Deacons to handle some affairs of the church, allowing the Elders to concentrate “on the word of God and prayer.”
This is where we are at as a fellowship. For us to grow beyond this point we must have some people step up to the plate and find a place of service and we also need to pray that God brings a few dedicated mature families into the church.
One thing we are doing is starting a Personal Ministry Development training course. The word “ministry” means to serve, not be served. Jesus said, “The Son of Man came to minster (serve) not to be ministered to.”
Ministry isn’t just in the pulpit. Ministry happens anywhere people are serving other people as God has given them ability. It might be running the sound, making sure guests are greeted and made to feel comfortable, or a dozen other things,
To be sure ministry meant to serve people’s spiritual needs too. In both of the respects everyone is called to “the ministry.”
One thing that makes Christ’s Church different is that we want to help you find and fulfill your unique place of ministry in the Body of Christ.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Asking God for Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding?
Do You Know Where to Find Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding.
"But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? For it is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it. But Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of where wisdom can be found.' "God surely knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens. He made the winds blow and determined how much rain should fall. He made the laws of the rain and prepared a path for the lightning. Then, when he had done all this, he saw wisdom and measured it. He established it and examined it thoroughly. And this is what he says to all humanity: 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.'" Job 28:20-28
The Bible speaks often of wisdom, knowledge and understanding in the same sentence. These three virtues are often ignored in the midst of the modern church. Perhaps some definitions are in order. Wisdom is knowing WHAT to do. Knowledge is knowing ABOUT something you might be ignorant of otherwise. Understanding is the ability to see and comprehend the significance of an event or process. While the much of the word boasts in its wisdom, knowledge and understanding concerning natural things, they are ignorant of spiritual things and spiritual processes. One day the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke in parables? He replied, “because to you (disciples) it is given to know the things of the kingdom of God, but to those outside it is not." Is God unfair that he has hidden spiritual things from the “wise and prudent and revealed them to babes?” No. God has simply determined that man could not discover the things of God with his own intellect, but rather reserved them for those who would seek revelation for God. Paul summed this up brilliantly when he prayed for the Ephesian Church in Ephesians chapter 1:16-18 “I…Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints….” Wisdom, knowledge, understanding and revelation is the disciple’s privilege, but it comes with the price tag of seeking, asking, believing and receiving
"But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? For it is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it. But Destruction and Death say, 'We have heard a rumor of where wisdom can be found.' "God surely knows where it can be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens. He made the winds blow and determined how much rain should fall. He made the laws of the rain and prepared a path for the lightning. Then, when he had done all this, he saw wisdom and measured it. He established it and examined it thoroughly. And this is what he says to all humanity: 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.'" Job 28:20-28
The Bible speaks often of wisdom, knowledge and understanding in the same sentence. These three virtues are often ignored in the midst of the modern church. Perhaps some definitions are in order. Wisdom is knowing WHAT to do. Knowledge is knowing ABOUT something you might be ignorant of otherwise. Understanding is the ability to see and comprehend the significance of an event or process. While the much of the word boasts in its wisdom, knowledge and understanding concerning natural things, they are ignorant of spiritual things and spiritual processes. One day the disciples asked Jesus why he spoke in parables? He replied, “because to you (disciples) it is given to know the things of the kingdom of God, but to those outside it is not." Is God unfair that he has hidden spiritual things from the “wise and prudent and revealed them to babes?” No. God has simply determined that man could not discover the things of God with his own intellect, but rather reserved them for those who would seek revelation for God. Paul summed this up brilliantly when he prayed for the Ephesian Church in Ephesians chapter 1:16-18 “I…Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints….” Wisdom, knowledge, understanding and revelation is the disciple’s privilege, but it comes with the price tag of seeking, asking, believing and receiving
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