I guess one of the most difficult things for a christian is to be what God has already declared him to be. 2 Cor.5:17 "Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come." And in Rom.5:1 "Therefore having been justified by faith,we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Yes we are declared to be righteous through our faith in Christ!
Why then is it so difficult to walk it out daily? Maybe it is that we don't see ourselves the way God does. He sees us in His son with whom He is well pleased.
We are saved from the wrath to come because God has already poured out the wrath; reserved for me on His Son when He suffered on the cross.
So now we can work out our salvation in fear and trembling knowing that we are free to do so. It was for freedom that Christ set you free so that sin need not reign in your mortal bodies. Even so consider youselves to be dead to sin but alive to God.
When we were dead in our trespasses and sins, we were dead to the things of God, but now we are made alive to the things that God has for us. By the grace of God we can be what He has made us to be. Amen!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
An Eternal Persprective
"But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that he will stand upon the earth at last.And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God!I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!.” Job 19:25-27 NLT
Job had an eternal perspective that transcended his earthly problems. Job’s confidence in God is astounding. In the midst of his darkest hour he reaffirms his belief in the Eternal. I am afraid our modern evangelicalism has sold us a message devoid of eternal things. Often the appeal to the lost is about God’s blessings: healed relationships, better circumstances and solved problems – in short it presents God as primarily concerned about our life here and now. The message is summed up with the slogan, “You can have a great life now with God!”
When Christians lose their eternal perspective they often lose the true motivation to endure, persevere and ultimately triumph over day to day difficulties. Like Job we have to be able to say with confidence, no matter what happens today, there is confidence in something better tomorrow – “My redeemer lives and I shall see Him.”
This life and this physical body are the temporary parts of our life. Our Soul and Spirit are eternal. I often tell young people, “do not trade the eternal for the temporary.”
Prayer for today: Father I ask you to infuse my being with an awesome sense of eternity. Like Job I want to be overwhelmed by the reality of it, so that it captivates and motivates me to live for you and to reach others with the message of Jesus Christ and the truth that they too can enjoy an eternity with their redeemer God.
Job had an eternal perspective that transcended his earthly problems. Job’s confidence in God is astounding. In the midst of his darkest hour he reaffirms his belief in the Eternal. I am afraid our modern evangelicalism has sold us a message devoid of eternal things. Often the appeal to the lost is about God’s blessings: healed relationships, better circumstances and solved problems – in short it presents God as primarily concerned about our life here and now. The message is summed up with the slogan, “You can have a great life now with God!”
When Christians lose their eternal perspective they often lose the true motivation to endure, persevere and ultimately triumph over day to day difficulties. Like Job we have to be able to say with confidence, no matter what happens today, there is confidence in something better tomorrow – “My redeemer lives and I shall see Him.”
This life and this physical body are the temporary parts of our life. Our Soul and Spirit are eternal. I often tell young people, “do not trade the eternal for the temporary.”
Prayer for today: Father I ask you to infuse my being with an awesome sense of eternity. Like Job I want to be overwhelmed by the reality of it, so that it captivates and motivates me to live for you and to reach others with the message of Jesus Christ and the truth that they too can enjoy an eternity with their redeemer God.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Christian Idolatry??
By Steve Highlander
The idea of idolatry would make most Christians shutter. Yet we find many Christians who have a perception of God that is more like idolatry than Christianity. Consider the following passage:
“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusts in them.” Psalm 115:4-8
Keep in mind idolaters where very religious. Many people believe in God, but the god they believe in is relatively powerless. They really don’t believe that God will speak to them today, even though Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice.” They pray for God to intervene in the affairs of men but deny the reality of miracles. They don’t really believe that God can touch their lives in a powerful way, even though God Himself, in a time of trial, poses the rhetorical question to Moses, “is the Lord’s hand grown short?” We say things like, “God don’t you see what I am going through?” Or “Why don’t you hear my prayers?” Or “God I need a touch from you.” All the while our core belief system doesn’t really allow for a God that can work supernaturally on our behalf.
The key thought in the verse above is: “… the works of men’s hands.” We cannot afford to create our own scaled-down version of God and expect it to work.
God is not like the idols – powerless, sightless, speechless and unable to work directly and miraculously in our lives if need be. Perhaps this is one key reason why the 1st commandment was not to have any gods (manmade concepts of God) or idols before Him.
When God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush and Moses asked His name, God said, “I am that I am,” or more correctly in Hebrew, “I will be that which I will be.” In other words God revealed Himself as being unaffected by man’s opinions of Him. To put it in modern terminology God said, “I will be who and what I am, not what you want me to be, deal with it.”
God who created the universe and stands outside of time and space is not bound by the same restrictions we humans face. We all need to take our faith up a notch and stop limiting God.
The idea of idolatry would make most Christians shutter. Yet we find many Christians who have a perception of God that is more like idolatry than Christianity. Consider the following passage:
“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusts in them.” Psalm 115:4-8
Keep in mind idolaters where very religious. Many people believe in God, but the god they believe in is relatively powerless. They really don’t believe that God will speak to them today, even though Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice.” They pray for God to intervene in the affairs of men but deny the reality of miracles. They don’t really believe that God can touch their lives in a powerful way, even though God Himself, in a time of trial, poses the rhetorical question to Moses, “is the Lord’s hand grown short?” We say things like, “God don’t you see what I am going through?” Or “Why don’t you hear my prayers?” Or “God I need a touch from you.” All the while our core belief system doesn’t really allow for a God that can work supernaturally on our behalf.
The key thought in the verse above is: “… the works of men’s hands.” We cannot afford to create our own scaled-down version of God and expect it to work.
God is not like the idols – powerless, sightless, speechless and unable to work directly and miraculously in our lives if need be. Perhaps this is one key reason why the 1st commandment was not to have any gods (manmade concepts of God) or idols before Him.
When God revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush and Moses asked His name, God said, “I am that I am,” or more correctly in Hebrew, “I will be that which I will be.” In other words God revealed Himself as being unaffected by man’s opinions of Him. To put it in modern terminology God said, “I will be who and what I am, not what you want me to be, deal with it.”
God who created the universe and stands outside of time and space is not bound by the same restrictions we humans face. We all need to take our faith up a notch and stop limiting God.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Building Blocks of Faith
So What’s Up with Justification?
Part 2
As an unbeliever or even a new believer in Jesus Christ we hear terms that just don’t make sense to us and why all the excitement over “Justification”. In Romans 5:1-5, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Paul begins to lay before us God’s plan to have peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. The word “Justification” is what is needed to bring a right relationship with God. It is having right standing with God and to be declared righteous in His sight. This is something that is not earned by good works or trying harder to be a good person but only through the work of the Cross of Jesus Christ. Praise God! When I think of my messed up life of failures, weaknesses, selfishness and stupidity that through the work that Christ did on the cross acquitted me and by faith in Christ has placed me in right standing with God.
Justification by faith changes things for us in light of eternality. In Romans 5:1 it states, “We have peace with God”, verse 9 states “since we have been justified by his blood we have been”, saved from God’s wrath, we were reconciled to Him, and we have access to Him. I thank God that through Christ my relationship with our Heavenly Father is absolutely secure. In Ephesians 1:6-7, “to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”.
We now have access by faith (childlike trust) into this grace wherein we stand, “Good News” through the blood of Christ and the work of the cross. I have freely received the redemptive work of Christ not based on my works or efforts but faith in Jesus Christ. May we all come into this peace that has been purchased with a price on Calvary!
Part 2
As an unbeliever or even a new believer in Jesus Christ we hear terms that just don’t make sense to us and why all the excitement over “Justification”. In Romans 5:1-5, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Paul begins to lay before us God’s plan to have peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. The word “Justification” is what is needed to bring a right relationship with God. It is having right standing with God and to be declared righteous in His sight. This is something that is not earned by good works or trying harder to be a good person but only through the work of the Cross of Jesus Christ. Praise God! When I think of my messed up life of failures, weaknesses, selfishness and stupidity that through the work that Christ did on the cross acquitted me and by faith in Christ has placed me in right standing with God.
Justification by faith changes things for us in light of eternality. In Romans 5:1 it states, “We have peace with God”, verse 9 states “since we have been justified by his blood we have been”, saved from God’s wrath, we were reconciled to Him, and we have access to Him. I thank God that through Christ my relationship with our Heavenly Father is absolutely secure. In Ephesians 1:6-7, “to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace”.
We now have access by faith (childlike trust) into this grace wherein we stand, “Good News” through the blood of Christ and the work of the cross. I have freely received the redemptive work of Christ not based on my works or efforts but faith in Jesus Christ. May we all come into this peace that has been purchased with a price on Calvary!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Building Blocks of Faith
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!
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!
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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