Book, "Fire in your heart" Sammy Tippit
Talks about an awakening within the church comes when God's people become a praying people. The ones who pray for the multitudes will never be known by men. He will be known well by the Father.
We hear of the Moodys and Billy Grahams but seldom hear of the common people who have prayed for the Evangelists.
7 Characteristics of the messengers during the Great Awakening of the 18th century:
1. They taught the supremacy of Holy Scripture.
2. They preached the total corruption of the human nature.
3. They taught that Christ's death upon the cross was the only satisfaction for man's sin.
4. The preached the doctrine of justification of faith.
5. They taught the universal necessity of heart conversion and new creation by the Holy Spirit.
6. They spoke of God's eternal hatred against sin and of God's love for sinners.
7. They preached that there was an inseparable connection between true faith and personal holiness. They never allowed for a moment that any church membership or religious profession was the least proof of a man being a Christian if He lived an ungodly life.
Jonathan Edwards believed that, "every experience of God could be counterfeited except those with an insight into His holiness." All who see God's holiness - repent!
Great Welsh revival from 1902 to 1905 was "Bend the church and save the people" On Thursday morning, Sept. 29, 1904, a young Welshman, Evan Roberts and 19 friends went to hear an evangelist named Seth Joshua preach. Joshua prayed, "Bend us, Oh Lord, bend us."
The Holy Spirit did a deep work in Evan Roberts. He fell on his knees, weeping and cried out to God, "Bend me! Bend me! Bend us!"
He began to live and understand, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Evan Roberts soon brought a message that would ultimately be used to shake the nation. The message became known as "The Four Points":
1. Is there any sin in your past that you have not confessed to God? On your knees to God!
2. Is there anything in your life that is doubtful? Away with it!
3. Do what the Spirit prompts you to do.
4. Publicly confess Christ as your Savior.
The results - within a year there were more than 100,00 conversions to Christ.
Jonathan Edwards recorded the five evidences of a genuine spiritual awakening:
1. It exalts Jesus Christ.
2. It attacks the kingdom of darkness.
3. It honours the Scriptures.
4. It promotes sound doctrine.
5. It produces an outpouring of love toward God and men.
The day is coming! The day is coming when the Spirit of Our Lord will again come across this land!
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
How To Establish a Quiet Time
Read: 1 John 3:1 - 3
Since a daily Quiet Time is all-important because it is your regular contact with your Source of spiritual life, Jesus Christ Himself, the Evil One is going to try to do all he can to stop you from being serious about this time. If you are going to win this battle say so, out loud, right now! "By the power of Christ, I commit myself to spend time with God in a Quiet Time each day."
Here are some suggestions for starting your Quiet Time:
1. HAVE A SPECIFIC TIME AND PLACE FOR IT.
It's important to have a regular place to meet your Lord. A desk, a table, or even the side of your bed will do. It is very important that you schedule at least fifteen minutes for your Quiet Time. If it is possible, schedule your Quiet Time at the start of your day. Your day will be different because you met Christ first!
2. BE CONSISTENT.
A hit-and-miss pattern is an indication that you are not as serious or disciplined as yet, which you will need to be. If this happens to you, ask a friend to motivate you by calling on you or asking you about your Quiet Time.
3. HAVE A BIBLE AND A PENCIL HANDY.
You will be using the WHAT NOW? book for seven weeks, five days a week. On the other two days each week begin to read through your Bible systematically. Start at the Gospel of John, then Mark, Acts, Ephesians, Philippians and Romans. Later, you will learn how to do personal Bible study.
4. BEGIN WITH PRAYER.
Open your heart to Christ, offering Him the right to teach, to discipline, or to direct you as you study. Tell Him of your love for Him.
5. RELATE TO WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED.
Before you stop, decide how you can specifically live out the truth you have learned in your Quiet Time. This practical expression of truths grasped will make a very down-to-earth Christian out of you!
HAVE TODAY'S QUIET TIME
RIGHT NOW...
PRAY: "Father, open up my mind and heart to Your truth. Thank You for loving me. I love You. Please reveal to me what You would have me learn today. In Jesus' name. Amen"
Pick up your Bible and read the verses for today.
Quoted from the New King James Version:
1 John 3:1 - 3: "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
As you read the Bible, God's Word, you're getting spiritual nourishment. But are you "digesting" what you read? One way to help you "digest" the thoughts in Scripture verses is ask God what He wants to tell you through these verses. Try doing this now, with the verses above which you have just read. Shut your eyes and silently ask God to show you what He wants you to know about Him or yourself. Now open your eyes and write down what you believe He said to you in your mind.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
____________________________________.
What did He say?
Remember, God will say things which are positive and encouraging to your growth.
Let me write down what I believe He told me as I did this.
"Alan, you are My child. I love you. I am pleased you have chosen a time to purify yourself. I am a Holy God. Be honest with Me when you speak with Me. Tell me the things which are real to you, open up your heart before Me. Alan remember, I am the Father and you are the child. I am responsibile for you. I will keep you secure."
Can you see the joy of talking with God? Did He speak to you about similar things?
"Tell me the things which are real to you, open up your heart before Me."
In your Quiet Time you will begin to learn that prayer is not so much a discipline as a communication between two beings who care for each other. Love must always communicate to the one who is loved. God will communicate with you because He loves you very much.
Now in what ways can you live out the truths of what you're being told? Can you see the difference this will make with your attitudes? In your actions? End today's Quiet Time by writing at least one specific way you will put the truths of 1 John 3:1 - 3 to work in your life today.
Some examples of application might be:
Could you visit someone who needs some encouragement?
Could you bake some cookies for a homebound person?
Could you take someone for coffee at a resturant?
What one thing could you do, today? ___________________________________
_____________________________ Now... go do it!
Since a daily Quiet Time is all-important because it is your regular contact with your Source of spiritual life, Jesus Christ Himself, the Evil One is going to try to do all he can to stop you from being serious about this time. If you are going to win this battle say so, out loud, right now! "By the power of Christ, I commit myself to spend time with God in a Quiet Time each day."
Here are some suggestions for starting your Quiet Time:
1. HAVE A SPECIFIC TIME AND PLACE FOR IT.
It's important to have a regular place to meet your Lord. A desk, a table, or even the side of your bed will do. It is very important that you schedule at least fifteen minutes for your Quiet Time. If it is possible, schedule your Quiet Time at the start of your day. Your day will be different because you met Christ first!
2. BE CONSISTENT.
A hit-and-miss pattern is an indication that you are not as serious or disciplined as yet, which you will need to be. If this happens to you, ask a friend to motivate you by calling on you or asking you about your Quiet Time.
3. HAVE A BIBLE AND A PENCIL HANDY.
You will be using the WHAT NOW? book for seven weeks, five days a week. On the other two days each week begin to read through your Bible systematically. Start at the Gospel of John, then Mark, Acts, Ephesians, Philippians and Romans. Later, you will learn how to do personal Bible study.
4. BEGIN WITH PRAYER.
Open your heart to Christ, offering Him the right to teach, to discipline, or to direct you as you study. Tell Him of your love for Him.
5. RELATE TO WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED.
Before you stop, decide how you can specifically live out the truth you have learned in your Quiet Time. This practical expression of truths grasped will make a very down-to-earth Christian out of you!
HAVE TODAY'S QUIET TIME
RIGHT NOW...
PRAY: "Father, open up my mind and heart to Your truth. Thank You for loving me. I love You. Please reveal to me what You would have me learn today. In Jesus' name. Amen"
Pick up your Bible and read the verses for today.
Quoted from the New King James Version:
1 John 3:1 - 3: "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."
As you read the Bible, God's Word, you're getting spiritual nourishment. But are you "digesting" what you read? One way to help you "digest" the thoughts in Scripture verses is ask God what He wants to tell you through these verses. Try doing this now, with the verses above which you have just read. Shut your eyes and silently ask God to show you what He wants you to know about Him or yourself. Now open your eyes and write down what you believe He said to you in your mind.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
____________________________________.
What did He say?
Remember, God will say things which are positive and encouraging to your growth.
Let me write down what I believe He told me as I did this.
"Alan, you are My child. I love you. I am pleased you have chosen a time to purify yourself. I am a Holy God. Be honest with Me when you speak with Me. Tell me the things which are real to you, open up your heart before Me. Alan remember, I am the Father and you are the child. I am responsibile for you. I will keep you secure."
Can you see the joy of talking with God? Did He speak to you about similar things?
"Tell me the things which are real to you, open up your heart before Me."
In your Quiet Time you will begin to learn that prayer is not so much a discipline as a communication between two beings who care for each other. Love must always communicate to the one who is loved. God will communicate with you because He loves you very much.
Now in what ways can you live out the truths of what you're being told? Can you see the difference this will make with your attitudes? In your actions? End today's Quiet Time by writing at least one specific way you will put the truths of 1 John 3:1 - 3 to work in your life today.
Some examples of application might be:
Could you visit someone who needs some encouragement?
Could you bake some cookies for a homebound person?
Could you take someone for coffee at a resturant?
What one thing could you do, today? ___________________________________
_____________________________ Now... go do it!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
How Did Paul Train Pastoral Leaders?
I read this article some time ago. It made me think. I forget who wrote it but it is worth the thought process to go through it.
HOW DID PAUL TRAIN PASTORAL LEADERS?
Are you interested in a profound missiological truth? One so simple we are overlooking it now and have continued to do so for centuries? Then , place your "blinders" ON and tune out the 20th Century American church and its religious culture. Remove your "tinted lenses" that inhibit seeing Scriptural realities and look with me at the Pauline model.
For almost three decades I have labored over the "riddle" - -how could Paul go to a place like Thessalonica, stay three weeks or less and leave such fine leaders that later he will write a letter calling them examples? I should have realized that like everything else related to the first century church, the answer would be (1) RELATIONAL and (2) SIMPLE. Notice I said I "should have" realized that, but I did not.
Exploring many options, personally I have usually relied upon a "one-on-one" approach, blending content from several excellent sources. These sources contain important concepts, well-developed for training and transfer (the 30 basic topics in Leroy Eims' "The Lost Art of
Disciplemaking" by the Navigators, / "Questions People and Churches Ask" by Chas. Brock, / "Individually Guided Training for Equiping Indigenous Church Leaders" by HMB staff - Hernandez, Palmer, Wigger, Rodriguez, Anthony, etc. with help from the "Skunk Works" Team, / Seminary Extension Courses, SBC,/ "Building Disciples" by Waylon Moore, ...etc.). Using two to four years, mentoring "on-the-job", I have fascilitated the maturing of many strong leaders on the mission field. Avoiding the model of sending the "called" leaders away to schools or trying to find local jobs for schooltrained leaders from outside, our source was local indigenous leaders from within God's harvest here. However, - decentralizing the training location and personalizing the content imparted did not alter the fact that the paradigm was still one of imparting a body of material [ a prescribed set of concepts, skills and Biblical knowledge] to the developing worker. This paradigm cannot be what Paul used in three weeks in Thessalonica or what untrained, pagan-background elders/pastors used in hundreds of house settings in Ephesus. The riddle was still an unsolved mystery.
A trip this past Winter to Hong Kong only heightened my growing anxiety over this dilemma of "What Did Paul Do?" What material did the master-apostle cover in a three week boot camp or even in three months, that could firmly establish new believers who, without even the benefit of
a Jewish background, were being called to shepherd small congregations?
The church planters in Hong Kong were frustrated "with" me at times and "by" me at times as this dilemma became the greatest weakness in being able to envision a true movement of God in planting house churches among the grass roots Chinese. How can the church planter start new work and then quickly "get out of the picture" - - avoiding the dependence upon him that will naturally evolve to the detriment of indigenous reproduction and multiplication? Many ideas surfaced, but satisfactory answers did not come.
I returned to the U.S. , convinced that we needed a very minimal list of basic ministry skills and basic Bible knowledge. We could match these with Scripture passages that give clear guidelines. Perhaps one key verse for memory that addresses each area to be taught. This keeps training simple, Biblically-based, flexible {each church planter can contextually shape the teaching as he sees fit} and transferable. It requires no book, no costs - only the list. It is cross-cultural and won't require translations of texts, publication costs, etc. It involves the planter covering a list of
basic ministry skills from Scripture. It is SIMPLE and RELATIONAL - - - and I will probably keep trying to develop this for more advanced leaders.
BUT - - PAUL DID NOT USE THIS APPROACH.
How do I know? Simple. (1) In the early 50's AD when Paul planted the church in Thessalonica, there had not been sufficient (New Testament) Scripture written and accessible to accomplish this. It was far too early in the development of the first century church. (2) Secondly, even if copies of the Gospels and Epistles had been freely available, this task [imparting a corpus of knowledge and practical skills] could not have been accomplished in three weeks or less. As valuable as the "List" concept may appear to us, it was not the first century "method".
Four weeks ago, while making a missionary journey with a North American Mission Board regional strategist, I believe I discovered the solution to our "riddle". Desiring to interview experienced Home Bible Fellowship leaders for insight about lay-led work, we traveled in the Sandhills day and night for three days. Interviewing people by day and trying to solve "the training riddle" in motels at night. As "iron sharpened iron", our strategist was hard on me - - pointing out weaknsses and flaws. Some of these had greatly slowed reproduction, others completely prevented it. Always the problems related to training new leaders and "passing the
baton". A few miles from the South Dakota border, in the shadows of the buttes, an ANSWER came. Almost simultaneously to both of us. It did appear too simple to be true, but since that day, the Lord has affirmed it time and again through Scriptures, through people, through looking back at its presence woven throughout the most fruitful of our plantings. It is simple and it is relational!
ARE YOU READY?
Do not reject it until you carefully consider all the ramifications in the first century and now. HERE IT IS - from the very beginning (the initial contacts in a new work start) BE a man who is
thoroughly in love with Jesus Christ,
filled by the Spirit
and completely surrendered to the Lord's control.
Exemplify this! Model this lifestyle of love-surrender-obedience as you present Christ and evangelize, as you follow-up on those who believe, as you establish the Church and entrust it to the Lord and to its constituency.
How does this missionary lifestyle MANIFEST itself?
This "ambassador" for Christ is compelled by the love OF Christ to a life that radiates a love FOR Christ (2 Cor. 5:14-21). (1) He truly "prays without ceasing" (1 Thes. 5:17) - everything becomes a matter to take before the Father. The new convert learns to pray quickly from observation of a "ceaseless pra-yer". (2) This missionary speaks the "Word". He exhibits an insatiable desire to know God's written Word and clearly demonstrates that his hunger for it flows from that intense desire to know HIM [Phil 3:8,19] (it is not an academic desire to know data or principles or insights). (3) The new believer-leader saw from the very first that the
missionary's love for Christ drives him to share it. It is natural and normal for one in love with Christ to speak often and freely about Him. It becomes almost a compulsion, but has nothing to do with an obligation or discipline to "witness". (4) This apostle thrives on being with believers
(Heb. 10:24-25) - it both energizes him and affords him his greatest opportunity for ministry. He lays his life "open" to receive and give through the vehicle of genuine fellowship. (1 Thes. 2:8)
Can the lifestyle described above be imparted in three weeks or less? YES!
Paul's lifestyle painted an indelible picture in the minds and hearts of the new believer-leaders, and - - - he recognized the importance of this. Take this new LEADERSHIP TRAINING "filter" and reread 2 Tim. 2:2, 1 Thes. 1:5-7. 2:8, 2;10-11, 3:12-13, 4;1 {PLEASE pause and take the time to read these passages before you continue reading this blog}.
A simple group - - in love with Christ and with each other. Sharing freely with each other and with a lost world. Constantly in His Word and in prayer. "Together" , discovering more each week about Him and His Will. If they continue to "abide' (John 15) in relationship to Christ and the body (church), they will have everything they need. The Holy Spirit will be their resident Teacher (not you, church planter) and they will become very Christ-dependent as a body. Is that not what we desire as church planters? (There is an ego-based dependence upon us which we enjoy "in the flesh", but it is clearly sin that complicates new work reproduction.). Neither you, I - nor Paul could impart sufficient skills nor teach them enough raw data in three weeks to handle everything that will come. But, the body, - functioning as a whole, nurtured by its own Spirit-controlled leaders, constant in prayer, faithful to the Scriptures it knows, dependent upon Christ, led by the Spirit - - that body is Divinely "sufficient"(regardless of its age).
Paul's epistles are full of references to teaching by example. Paul took no leadership lists or books - -no resources, but his own life! Everything was relational and simple. IF all of this be true...THE GREATEST SINGLE DETRIMENT TO A GOD-BREATHED MOVEMENT OF CHURCH PLANTING IS YOU AND ME!
Consider this thought by Japanese missionary, Dr. W. Maxfield Garrott (1941):
"...we have seen how Jesus lived night and day with twelve men...and made something of them. The implication for us today is obvious. To get results comparable to His, all you have to do is to be like Jesus and live close enough to few enough men for them to acquire His image through you. Very simple."
TAKE some time to pray about this concept. READ all of 1st Thessalonians again. Then respond to me if you wish. I want to learn from you.
HOW DID PAUL TRAIN PASTORAL LEADERS?
Are you interested in a profound missiological truth? One so simple we are overlooking it now and have continued to do so for centuries? Then , place your "blinders" ON and tune out the 20th Century American church and its religious culture. Remove your "tinted lenses" that inhibit seeing Scriptural realities and look with me at the Pauline model.
For almost three decades I have labored over the "riddle" - -how could Paul go to a place like Thessalonica, stay three weeks or less and leave such fine leaders that later he will write a letter calling them examples? I should have realized that like everything else related to the first century church, the answer would be (1) RELATIONAL and (2) SIMPLE. Notice I said I "should have" realized that, but I did not.
Exploring many options, personally I have usually relied upon a "one-on-one" approach, blending content from several excellent sources. These sources contain important concepts, well-developed for training and transfer (the 30 basic topics in Leroy Eims' "The Lost Art of
Disciplemaking" by the Navigators, / "Questions People and Churches Ask" by Chas. Brock, / "Individually Guided Training for Equiping Indigenous Church Leaders" by HMB staff - Hernandez, Palmer, Wigger, Rodriguez, Anthony, etc. with help from the "Skunk Works" Team, / Seminary Extension Courses, SBC,/ "Building Disciples" by Waylon Moore, ...etc.). Using two to four years, mentoring "on-the-job", I have fascilitated the maturing of many strong leaders on the mission field. Avoiding the model of sending the "called" leaders away to schools or trying to find local jobs for schooltrained leaders from outside, our source was local indigenous leaders from within God's harvest here. However, - decentralizing the training location and personalizing the content imparted did not alter the fact that the paradigm was still one of imparting a body of material [ a prescribed set of concepts, skills and Biblical knowledge] to the developing worker. This paradigm cannot be what Paul used in three weeks in Thessalonica or what untrained, pagan-background elders/pastors used in hundreds of house settings in Ephesus. The riddle was still an unsolved mystery.
A trip this past Winter to Hong Kong only heightened my growing anxiety over this dilemma of "What Did Paul Do?" What material did the master-apostle cover in a three week boot camp or even in three months, that could firmly establish new believers who, without even the benefit of
a Jewish background, were being called to shepherd small congregations?
The church planters in Hong Kong were frustrated "with" me at times and "by" me at times as this dilemma became the greatest weakness in being able to envision a true movement of God in planting house churches among the grass roots Chinese. How can the church planter start new work and then quickly "get out of the picture" - - avoiding the dependence upon him that will naturally evolve to the detriment of indigenous reproduction and multiplication? Many ideas surfaced, but satisfactory answers did not come.
I returned to the U.S. , convinced that we needed a very minimal list of basic ministry skills and basic Bible knowledge. We could match these with Scripture passages that give clear guidelines. Perhaps one key verse for memory that addresses each area to be taught. This keeps training simple, Biblically-based, flexible {each church planter can contextually shape the teaching as he sees fit} and transferable. It requires no book, no costs - only the list. It is cross-cultural and won't require translations of texts, publication costs, etc. It involves the planter covering a list of
basic ministry skills from Scripture. It is SIMPLE and RELATIONAL - - - and I will probably keep trying to develop this for more advanced leaders.
BUT - - PAUL DID NOT USE THIS APPROACH.
How do I know? Simple. (1) In the early 50's AD when Paul planted the church in Thessalonica, there had not been sufficient (New Testament) Scripture written and accessible to accomplish this. It was far too early in the development of the first century church. (2) Secondly, even if copies of the Gospels and Epistles had been freely available, this task [imparting a corpus of knowledge and practical skills] could not have been accomplished in three weeks or less. As valuable as the "List" concept may appear to us, it was not the first century "method".
Four weeks ago, while making a missionary journey with a North American Mission Board regional strategist, I believe I discovered the solution to our "riddle". Desiring to interview experienced Home Bible Fellowship leaders for insight about lay-led work, we traveled in the Sandhills day and night for three days. Interviewing people by day and trying to solve "the training riddle" in motels at night. As "iron sharpened iron", our strategist was hard on me - - pointing out weaknsses and flaws. Some of these had greatly slowed reproduction, others completely prevented it. Always the problems related to training new leaders and "passing the
baton". A few miles from the South Dakota border, in the shadows of the buttes, an ANSWER came. Almost simultaneously to both of us. It did appear too simple to be true, but since that day, the Lord has affirmed it time and again through Scriptures, through people, through looking back at its presence woven throughout the most fruitful of our plantings. It is simple and it is relational!
ARE YOU READY?
Do not reject it until you carefully consider all the ramifications in the first century and now. HERE IT IS - from the very beginning (the initial contacts in a new work start) BE a man who is
thoroughly in love with Jesus Christ,
filled by the Spirit
and completely surrendered to the Lord's control.
Exemplify this! Model this lifestyle of love-surrender-obedience as you present Christ and evangelize, as you follow-up on those who believe, as you establish the Church and entrust it to the Lord and to its constituency.
How does this missionary lifestyle MANIFEST itself?
This "ambassador" for Christ is compelled by the love OF Christ to a life that radiates a love FOR Christ (2 Cor. 5:14-21). (1) He truly "prays without ceasing" (1 Thes. 5:17) - everything becomes a matter to take before the Father. The new convert learns to pray quickly from observation of a "ceaseless pra-yer". (2) This missionary speaks the "Word". He exhibits an insatiable desire to know God's written Word and clearly demonstrates that his hunger for it flows from that intense desire to know HIM [Phil 3:8,19] (it is not an academic desire to know data or principles or insights). (3) The new believer-leader saw from the very first that the
missionary's love for Christ drives him to share it. It is natural and normal for one in love with Christ to speak often and freely about Him. It becomes almost a compulsion, but has nothing to do with an obligation or discipline to "witness". (4) This apostle thrives on being with believers
(Heb. 10:24-25) - it both energizes him and affords him his greatest opportunity for ministry. He lays his life "open" to receive and give through the vehicle of genuine fellowship. (1 Thes. 2:8)
Can the lifestyle described above be imparted in three weeks or less? YES!
Paul's lifestyle painted an indelible picture in the minds and hearts of the new believer-leaders, and - - - he recognized the importance of this. Take this new LEADERSHIP TRAINING "filter" and reread 2 Tim. 2:2, 1 Thes. 1:5-7. 2:8, 2;10-11, 3:12-13, 4;1 {PLEASE pause and take the time to read these passages before you continue reading this blog}.
A simple group - - in love with Christ and with each other. Sharing freely with each other and with a lost world. Constantly in His Word and in prayer. "Together" , discovering more each week about Him and His Will. If they continue to "abide' (John 15) in relationship to Christ and the body (church), they will have everything they need. The Holy Spirit will be their resident Teacher (not you, church planter) and they will become very Christ-dependent as a body. Is that not what we desire as church planters? (There is an ego-based dependence upon us which we enjoy "in the flesh", but it is clearly sin that complicates new work reproduction.). Neither you, I - nor Paul could impart sufficient skills nor teach them enough raw data in three weeks to handle everything that will come. But, the body, - functioning as a whole, nurtured by its own Spirit-controlled leaders, constant in prayer, faithful to the Scriptures it knows, dependent upon Christ, led by the Spirit - - that body is Divinely "sufficient"(regardless of its age).
Paul's epistles are full of references to teaching by example. Paul took no leadership lists or books - -no resources, but his own life! Everything was relational and simple. IF all of this be true...THE GREATEST SINGLE DETRIMENT TO A GOD-BREATHED MOVEMENT OF CHURCH PLANTING IS YOU AND ME!
Consider this thought by Japanese missionary, Dr. W. Maxfield Garrott (1941):
"...we have seen how Jesus lived night and day with twelve men...and made something of them. The implication for us today is obvious. To get results comparable to His, all you have to do is to be like Jesus and live close enough to few enough men for them to acquire His image through you. Very simple."
TAKE some time to pray about this concept. READ all of 1st Thessalonians again. Then respond to me if you wish. I want to learn from you.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Prayer - Just Showing Up
The writer of the Psalms, in describing his prayer experience, wrote ...
Each morning I will look to you in heaven and lay my requests before you, praying earnestly. Psalm 5:3
When you are being a regularly scheduled time, how long should it be?
Answer: As long as it needs to be.
Maybe start with 7 minutes.
2 Minutes reading Bible;
A - Adoration: 1 Minute Praising God
C - Confession: 1 Minute making sure everything is OK
T - Thanksgiving: 1 Minute thanking God for things & people.
S - Supplication: 1 Minute asking God for things and people.
S - Silence: 1 Minute listening for God to instruct you or teach you.
One of the things that derails prayer faster than anything is starting with some sort of noble idea of what it ought to be. Many times prayer seems pretty ordinary, an everyday kind of thing like a person speaking with their friend. Prayer is having a conversation with the Lord. Yes, it has its high moments, but a lot of prayer is a matter of just showing up.
Follow the K.I.S.S. method: "Keep It Simple, Saint!"
Each morning I will look to you in heaven and lay my requests before you, praying earnestly. Psalm 5:3
When you are being a regularly scheduled time, how long should it be?
Answer: As long as it needs to be.
Maybe start with 7 minutes.
2 Minutes reading Bible;
A - Adoration: 1 Minute Praising God
C - Confession: 1 Minute making sure everything is OK
T - Thanksgiving: 1 Minute thanking God for things & people.
S - Supplication: 1 Minute asking God for things and people.
S - Silence: 1 Minute listening for God to instruct you or teach you.
One of the things that derails prayer faster than anything is starting with some sort of noble idea of what it ought to be. Many times prayer seems pretty ordinary, an everyday kind of thing like a person speaking with their friend. Prayer is having a conversation with the Lord. Yes, it has its high moments, but a lot of prayer is a matter of just showing up.
Follow the K.I.S.S. method: "Keep It Simple, Saint!"
Monday, March 17, 2008
Prayer Wisdom
I asked for strength that I might achieve;
He made me weak that I might obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given grace that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I was given nothing I asked for
But I was given everything I wanted.
He made me weak that I might obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given grace that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I was given nothing I asked for
But I was given everything I wanted.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Good Wednesday!
Too often, throughout the Body of Christ, we do things out of religious obligation, many never knowing why we perform this or that religious act. As "Believers," we simply believe, assuming that SOMEBODY - our leaders (we hope) - have a handle on things, and we move along.
Let's quickly look at the important subject of Jesus' death and ressurection as how past traditions can outweigh clear biblical teaching. (The source of this article is at the end)
Ask almost any kid how many hours are in a day and you'll get "24" as the answer. Multiply that by 3 days and you get 72 hours every time. When we know that Jesus arose from the grave on what we refer to as "Easter morning," if we work backward for one 24 hour period, we land squarely on Saturday morning, right? When we work backward for a second 24-hour period, we wind up squarely in the middle of Friday morning. Finally, when we work backward for a third and final 24-hour period, there we are, squarely in the midst of "Good Thursday" morning.
Pretty simple, yes?
Wait. It gets better!
Was Jesus referring to a LITERAL 3 Days/3 Nights when He said He'd be "3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth" and so fulfill "the type of Jonah" (Matt 12:39-40), what did He mean? How about when He said, "The Son of Man must suffer…be killed and AFTER 3 days rise again" (Mk 9:31)? Three days and three nights is 72 hours, right? Working BACKWARDS from Resurrection Sunday brings us to…Good Friday?
NO! Good Wednesday, actually.
HOW SO?
The Hebrew day was measured from one sunset to the next (6PM to 6PM), generally referred to as "evening to evening" (Lev 23:32; Ex 12:18). The Roman time-keeping method was midnight to midnight. Several Scriptures refer to the variances in Hebrew vs. Roman time: Jn 19:14 (6AM to sunrise); Mk 15:25 (9AM on the day of crucifixion); Matt 27:45 (noon to 3PM). The 'twelve hours in the day' referred to in John 11:9 referred to sunrise and the twelve hours of the night FROM sunset. Here's where the expression 'a night and a day' in 2 Corinthians 11:25 denotes a complete day.
So, 6PM on Saturday (the Sabbath) started the first day of the week (our Sunday), important when studying the resurrection accounts. Jesus was killed the 3rd hour (Hebrew time, 9AM) and hung on the cross 3 hours. At the 6th hour (Hebrew time) darkness covered the land until the 9th hour (noon to 3PM), completing the 9 hours of agony on the cross. Because the NEXT day was the HIGH Sabbath, beginning at 6PM, the body was placed in the borrowed tomb just before sunset (Jn 19:31).
Before labeling this as heretical teaching, observe: the confusion comes from the variations between Hebrew and Roman time-telling, as well as the MUCH overlooked fact that there was an EXTRA festival Sabbath taking place in that final week BESIDES the regular weekly Sabbath.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Now, I realize that, whether this message is accepted or rejected, it will not save or condemn a single soul. DO ask yourselves, however, if there might be any OTHER erroneous doctrines of devils or of man which you may have been spoon-fed, when it's the doctrines of GOD and of Christ that are ALL that matter.
Here are the 3 Days/3 Nights of Calvary as referred to in Scripture... The following examples speak of 3 days AND 3 nights: Jonah 1:17; Esther 4:16; Matt 12:40.
THE SABBATH DAY. WHICH ONE?
Scripture reveals that Israel observed the weekly Sabbath, the 7th day of the week (Ex 20:8-11; 31:12-18; Deut 5:12-14). Additionally, besides these WEEKLY Sabbaths, there were FESTIVAL Sabbaths! If any of these fell during the ordinary week, they counted it as an EXTRA Sabbath in that week, meaning there were sometimes TWO Sabbaths in one week: the FEAST Sabbath and the WEEKLY Sabbath.
Proof? Lev. 23:1-4 deals with WEEKLY Sabbaths of Rest. Leviticus 23:4-44 deals with holy convocations, or Sabbaths, which are ADDITIONAL Sabbaths in the week. Note verses 7-36 where "holy convocations" are referred to and verses 24-39 where plain "Sabbaths" are referred to. There were ALSO Sabbath YEARS of rest for the land, including Jubilee (the 50th year, Leviticus 25).
So, there were TWO Sabbaths in the Passover week, the week of Jesus' crucifixion: the FEAST Sabbath, or HIGH Day, as well as the WEEKLY Sabbath.
THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS
There are 16 references in the New Testament speaking of the 3 Days/3 Nights of Christ's redemptive work. In His first mentioning of His sufferings (Matt 16:21), Jesus says He would be 'raised again the third day.' In John 2:19, He had already mentioned 'three days' as the time after which He would raise up 'the Temple of His body,' This expression occurs 11 times in regard to His resurrection. The expression 'after 3 days' (Mk 8:31), is used to describe the same event. This shows that 3 Days/3 Nights MUST include 3 days and the 3 PRECEDING nights. The full 3/3 is evidence of the resurrection on the THIRD of the THREE DAYS, each preceded by a night.
WHY 3 DAYS AND NOT 2 OR 4?
Numbers 19:11,12 says that a man who touches death was to purify himself on the 3rd day. Leviticus 7:17,18 says the flesh of a peace offering was NOT to be kept beyond the 3rd day, but was to be burned as unfit for eating. Didn't Jesus become sin at the cross, causing God Himself, because of His holiness, to turn His face?
ALLOWING SCRIPTURE TO GUIDE US:
1) the HIGH Day of Jn 19:31 was the FIRST day of the feast; Jesus "gave up the ghost."]
2) the FIRST DAY OF THE FEAST was the 15th day of Nisan which began at SUNSET on the 14th
3) SIX DAYS BEFORE THE PASSOVER (Jn 12:1) takes us BACKWARD to the 9th of Nisan
4) AFTER TWO DAYS IS THE PASSOVER (Matt 26:2; Mk 14:1) takes us to the 13th of Nisan
5) THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK (resurrection day, Matt 28:1) was from our Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset, fixing the days of the WEEK.
6) Going BACKWARD from the THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS (Matt 12:40) we arrive at the day of BURIAL, before sunset on the 14th of Nisan, i.e., BEFORE our Wednesday sunset!
This makes the 6th day before Passover the 9th of Nisan, our Thursday sunset to Friday sunset. Before Wednesday, Nisan 14th (commencing on Tuesday at sunset), was the PREPARATION DAY on which the crucifixion took place. All four gospels agree this was the day of the Lord's burial (before our Wednesday sunset). The bodies should not remain on the cross the Sabbath day, "for that Sabbath was a HIGH DAY," therefore, not the USUAL 7th day, or WEEKLY Sabbath (Jn 19:31).
WHAT'S FOR SUPPER?
Since Jesus was crucified on PREPARATION DAY, He could NOT have eaten the Passover lamb at the Last Supper. It wasn't slain till evening of the 14th of Nisan (afternoon). On that day, the daily sacrifice was killed at the 6th hour (noon) and offered by the 7th hour (1PM). Clearly, this did not take place till 4 hours AFTER the Lord had been hanging on the cross and wasn't completed till the 9th hour (3PM) when HE GAVE UP THE GHOST.
No Passover Lamb could have been eaten at the Last Supper the previous evening, though Jesus had sent Peter and John to make arrangements to eat the Passover (Matt 26:18; Mk 14:14; Lk 22:8-15). John 18:28 CLEARLY indicates that the Jews brought Jesus before Pilate in the early morning, careful not to enter the palace so they could avoid becoming ceremonially unclean as "they wanted to be able to eat the Passover." This refers to the whole festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread, which lasted seven days and included a number of meals.
Rather significant that the lambs were killed when THE Lamb of God actually died. With these facts, we can piece together the events of the Lord's last week as recorded in the Gospels.
As for the 3 Days and 3 Nights before His resurrection, they were as follows:
1) FIRST NIGHT AND DAY IN THE TOMB:
The First Day of the Feast (THE HIGH DAY), the 15th of Nisan, our Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset.
2) SECOND NIGHT AND DAY IN THE TOMB:
The Second Day of the Feast, the 16th of Nisan, our Thursday sunset to Friday sunset.
3) THIRD DAY AND NIGHT IN THE TOMB:
The Third Day of the Feast, the 17th of Nisan, our Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.
4) THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, the 18th of Nisan, our Saturday sunset, the THIRD DAY of Matthew 16:21, NOT the third day of the feast.
Considering these details, we can summarize that Jesus was actually crucified on a Wednesday, NOT a Friday.
WHY THE MISTAKES ALL THESE CENTURIES?
Matthew 28:1 was translated from the Hebrew/Chaldee and Greek as "After the SABBATHS, toward the dawn of the day following the SABBATHS… ." All 7 days of the Paschal Week were SABBATHS on the old Hebrew calendar. Obviously, the translators did not understand the distinctions in the Hebrew Sabbaths in the Passover Week. A bit arrogant but we'd probably do the same thing today, assuming that everyone told time and used the same expressions for various parts of the day as we do. Because of this, these translators assumed Jesus was crucified on Friday, because He was crucified the day before the WEEKLY Sabbath. In the Passover Week, THURSDAY was a Sabbath, a HIGH DAY, an EXTRA Sabbath. Two Sabbaths in one week, causing confusion in the Church to this day.
THE BOTTOM LINE
In short, Jesus was crucified Wednesday morning, the third hour. From noon to 3PM, there was darkness on the land. By 6PM, Jesus was in the tomb, as the bodies could not remain on the cross on a Sabbath day, for "THAT SABBATH was a High Day" (Jn 19:31). It was NOT a weekly Sabbath, NOT a Saturday. It WAS the Passover Sabbath…a Thursday.
Therefore, Jesus was crucified on Wednesday. Good Wednesday, if you like.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Tummillo
Let's quickly look at the important subject of Jesus' death and ressurection as how past traditions can outweigh clear biblical teaching. (The source of this article is at the end)
Ask almost any kid how many hours are in a day and you'll get "24" as the answer. Multiply that by 3 days and you get 72 hours every time. When we know that Jesus arose from the grave on what we refer to as "Easter morning," if we work backward for one 24 hour period, we land squarely on Saturday morning, right? When we work backward for a second 24-hour period, we wind up squarely in the middle of Friday morning. Finally, when we work backward for a third and final 24-hour period, there we are, squarely in the midst of "Good Thursday" morning.
Pretty simple, yes?
Wait. It gets better!
Was Jesus referring to a LITERAL 3 Days/3 Nights when He said He'd be "3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth" and so fulfill "the type of Jonah" (Matt 12:39-40), what did He mean? How about when He said, "The Son of Man must suffer…be killed and AFTER 3 days rise again" (Mk 9:31)? Three days and three nights is 72 hours, right? Working BACKWARDS from Resurrection Sunday brings us to…Good Friday?
NO! Good Wednesday, actually.
HOW SO?
The Hebrew day was measured from one sunset to the next (6PM to 6PM), generally referred to as "evening to evening" (Lev 23:32; Ex 12:18). The Roman time-keeping method was midnight to midnight. Several Scriptures refer to the variances in Hebrew vs. Roman time: Jn 19:14 (6AM to sunrise); Mk 15:25 (9AM on the day of crucifixion); Matt 27:45 (noon to 3PM). The 'twelve hours in the day' referred to in John 11:9 referred to sunrise and the twelve hours of the night FROM sunset. Here's where the expression 'a night and a day' in 2 Corinthians 11:25 denotes a complete day.
So, 6PM on Saturday (the Sabbath) started the first day of the week (our Sunday), important when studying the resurrection accounts. Jesus was killed the 3rd hour (Hebrew time, 9AM) and hung on the cross 3 hours. At the 6th hour (Hebrew time) darkness covered the land until the 9th hour (noon to 3PM), completing the 9 hours of agony on the cross. Because the NEXT day was the HIGH Sabbath, beginning at 6PM, the body was placed in the borrowed tomb just before sunset (Jn 19:31).
Before labeling this as heretical teaching, observe: the confusion comes from the variations between Hebrew and Roman time-telling, as well as the MUCH overlooked fact that there was an EXTRA festival Sabbath taking place in that final week BESIDES the regular weekly Sabbath.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Now, I realize that, whether this message is accepted or rejected, it will not save or condemn a single soul. DO ask yourselves, however, if there might be any OTHER erroneous doctrines of devils or of man which you may have been spoon-fed, when it's the doctrines of GOD and of Christ that are ALL that matter.
Here are the 3 Days/3 Nights of Calvary as referred to in Scripture... The following examples speak of 3 days AND 3 nights: Jonah 1:17; Esther 4:16; Matt 12:40.
THE SABBATH DAY. WHICH ONE?
Scripture reveals that Israel observed the weekly Sabbath, the 7th day of the week (Ex 20:8-11; 31:12-18; Deut 5:12-14). Additionally, besides these WEEKLY Sabbaths, there were FESTIVAL Sabbaths! If any of these fell during the ordinary week, they counted it as an EXTRA Sabbath in that week, meaning there were sometimes TWO Sabbaths in one week: the FEAST Sabbath and the WEEKLY Sabbath.
Proof? Lev. 23:1-4 deals with WEEKLY Sabbaths of Rest. Leviticus 23:4-44 deals with holy convocations, or Sabbaths, which are ADDITIONAL Sabbaths in the week. Note verses 7-36 where "holy convocations" are referred to and verses 24-39 where plain "Sabbaths" are referred to. There were ALSO Sabbath YEARS of rest for the land, including Jubilee (the 50th year, Leviticus 25).
So, there were TWO Sabbaths in the Passover week, the week of Jesus' crucifixion: the FEAST Sabbath, or HIGH Day, as well as the WEEKLY Sabbath.
THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS
There are 16 references in the New Testament speaking of the 3 Days/3 Nights of Christ's redemptive work. In His first mentioning of His sufferings (Matt 16:21), Jesus says He would be 'raised again the third day.' In John 2:19, He had already mentioned 'three days' as the time after which He would raise up 'the Temple of His body,' This expression occurs 11 times in regard to His resurrection. The expression 'after 3 days' (Mk 8:31), is used to describe the same event. This shows that 3 Days/3 Nights MUST include 3 days and the 3 PRECEDING nights. The full 3/3 is evidence of the resurrection on the THIRD of the THREE DAYS, each preceded by a night.
WHY 3 DAYS AND NOT 2 OR 4?
Numbers 19:11,12 says that a man who touches death was to purify himself on the 3rd day. Leviticus 7:17,18 says the flesh of a peace offering was NOT to be kept beyond the 3rd day, but was to be burned as unfit for eating. Didn't Jesus become sin at the cross, causing God Himself, because of His holiness, to turn His face?
ALLOWING SCRIPTURE TO GUIDE US:
1) the HIGH Day of Jn 19:31 was the FIRST day of the feast; Jesus "gave up the ghost."]
2) the FIRST DAY OF THE FEAST was the 15th day of Nisan which began at SUNSET on the 14th
3) SIX DAYS BEFORE THE PASSOVER (Jn 12:1) takes us BACKWARD to the 9th of Nisan
4) AFTER TWO DAYS IS THE PASSOVER (Matt 26:2; Mk 14:1) takes us to the 13th of Nisan
5) THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK (resurrection day, Matt 28:1) was from our Saturday sunset to Sunday sunset, fixing the days of the WEEK.
6) Going BACKWARD from the THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS (Matt 12:40) we arrive at the day of BURIAL, before sunset on the 14th of Nisan, i.e., BEFORE our Wednesday sunset!
This makes the 6th day before Passover the 9th of Nisan, our Thursday sunset to Friday sunset. Before Wednesday, Nisan 14th (commencing on Tuesday at sunset), was the PREPARATION DAY on which the crucifixion took place. All four gospels agree this was the day of the Lord's burial (before our Wednesday sunset). The bodies should not remain on the cross the Sabbath day, "for that Sabbath was a HIGH DAY," therefore, not the USUAL 7th day, or WEEKLY Sabbath (Jn 19:31).
WHAT'S FOR SUPPER?
Since Jesus was crucified on PREPARATION DAY, He could NOT have eaten the Passover lamb at the Last Supper. It wasn't slain till evening of the 14th of Nisan (afternoon). On that day, the daily sacrifice was killed at the 6th hour (noon) and offered by the 7th hour (1PM). Clearly, this did not take place till 4 hours AFTER the Lord had been hanging on the cross and wasn't completed till the 9th hour (3PM) when HE GAVE UP THE GHOST.
No Passover Lamb could have been eaten at the Last Supper the previous evening, though Jesus had sent Peter and John to make arrangements to eat the Passover (Matt 26:18; Mk 14:14; Lk 22:8-15). John 18:28 CLEARLY indicates that the Jews brought Jesus before Pilate in the early morning, careful not to enter the palace so they could avoid becoming ceremonially unclean as "they wanted to be able to eat the Passover." This refers to the whole festival of Passover and Unleavened Bread, which lasted seven days and included a number of meals.
Rather significant that the lambs were killed when THE Lamb of God actually died. With these facts, we can piece together the events of the Lord's last week as recorded in the Gospels.
As for the 3 Days and 3 Nights before His resurrection, they were as follows:
1) FIRST NIGHT AND DAY IN THE TOMB:
The First Day of the Feast (THE HIGH DAY), the 15th of Nisan, our Wednesday sunset to Thursday sunset.
2) SECOND NIGHT AND DAY IN THE TOMB:
The Second Day of the Feast, the 16th of Nisan, our Thursday sunset to Friday sunset.
3) THIRD DAY AND NIGHT IN THE TOMB:
The Third Day of the Feast, the 17th of Nisan, our Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.
4) THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, the 18th of Nisan, our Saturday sunset, the THIRD DAY of Matthew 16:21, NOT the third day of the feast.
Considering these details, we can summarize that Jesus was actually crucified on a Wednesday, NOT a Friday.
WHY THE MISTAKES ALL THESE CENTURIES?
Matthew 28:1 was translated from the Hebrew/Chaldee and Greek as "After the SABBATHS, toward the dawn of the day following the SABBATHS… ." All 7 days of the Paschal Week were SABBATHS on the old Hebrew calendar. Obviously, the translators did not understand the distinctions in the Hebrew Sabbaths in the Passover Week. A bit arrogant but we'd probably do the same thing today, assuming that everyone told time and used the same expressions for various parts of the day as we do. Because of this, these translators assumed Jesus was crucified on Friday, because He was crucified the day before the WEEKLY Sabbath. In the Passover Week, THURSDAY was a Sabbath, a HIGH DAY, an EXTRA Sabbath. Two Sabbaths in one week, causing confusion in the Church to this day.
THE BOTTOM LINE
In short, Jesus was crucified Wednesday morning, the third hour. From noon to 3PM, there was darkness on the land. By 6PM, Jesus was in the tomb, as the bodies could not remain on the cross on a Sabbath day, for "THAT SABBATH was a High Day" (Jn 19:31). It was NOT a weekly Sabbath, NOT a Saturday. It WAS the Passover Sabbath…a Thursday.
Therefore, Jesus was crucified on Wednesday. Good Wednesday, if you like.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Tummillo
Friday, March 14, 2008
How to Walk in the Spirit
Read Galatians 5:16-25; John 14:9; 15:5; Colossians 1:15, 19
To walk in the Spirit is to be in such a relationship with God that what He desires to do, I will do. As we walk in the Spirit, the life of God Himself is lived out on this planet.
Jesus, as a man, is a perfect example of someone who walks in the Spirit. The disciples were around him one day and He was explaining great truths to them. He talked to them about the Father and Phillip asked Him to show them the Father. Read Jesus' reply.
Read John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
Jesus could say that He had lived a life which was so in tune with His Father that really all they had seen was the Father living through Him. He was the perfect expression, perfect image of the invisible God!
What does walking in the Spirit mean?
What will someone walking in the Spirit look like?
Pretend that you are being asked by an unbeliever about who this Jesus is that you keep talking about. You invite the unbeliever to stay with you for a while. As he is staying with you he watches how you behave, he sees your performance. He observes your relationship with your Lord. He sees how you pray, how you talk, how you play, how you care for people, how you worship, etc.
At the end of the time together, you again speak to your friend about Jesus. And he says, "I will believe in Him, just show Him to me." You should be able to respond with the words of our Lord. "Have I been so long with you, and you have not seen Him or come to know him?"
We are not the exact image of Jesus, in performance because we are still housed in this unredeemed body but there should be some of Christ's divine nature coming through. We should be able to tell him, "Have not you been able to see that the good which you see in me, is the expression of my Lord living through me?"
As we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Notice that it does not say, "Don't fulfill the lust of the flesh so you can walk in the Spirit." Remember Christian life is always won from the positive never the negative. The world tries to control life by do's and don't's, Christ controls lives by relationship with Himself.
To walk in the Spirit, will have us begin to display the very character of Christ Himself. Others will begin to notice the change. The goodness of Christ living through us will be revealed to those around us and they will praise our Father in heaven because of it.
Thank God you were called to be His child.
God's Filling Of The Holy Spirit
You can experience God's filling off the Holy Spirit right now.
You must first desire to be filled. To be guided and empowered by the Lord as He reveals to your inner man what He will do in and through you.
In prayer, confess your sin before Him. Listen to the Holy Spirit, He will reveal to you what you should confess and talk to Him about. Openly admitting to God where you walked according to the flesh, is critical. Where you let sin empower your body and mind so that your flesh sought meaning in life outside of Christ.
Now fully yield every area of your body and mind to God. Every member of your personhood should desire to live for God.
By faith or trust in who God is you are filled with the Holy Spirit. The filling of God does not depend on feelings, but faith. Feelings of joy, or peace, or boldness, etc. may be there but if they are not it does not mean you are not filled with the Holy Spirit. You asked for His filling and now by faith believe you have been filled.
Now thank him!
To walk in the Spirit is to be in such a relationship with God that what He desires to do, I will do. As we walk in the Spirit, the life of God Himself is lived out on this planet.
Jesus, as a man, is a perfect example of someone who walks in the Spirit. The disciples were around him one day and He was explaining great truths to them. He talked to them about the Father and Phillip asked Him to show them the Father. Read Jesus' reply.
Read John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
Jesus could say that He had lived a life which was so in tune with His Father that really all they had seen was the Father living through Him. He was the perfect expression, perfect image of the invisible God!
What does walking in the Spirit mean?
What will someone walking in the Spirit look like?
Pretend that you are being asked by an unbeliever about who this Jesus is that you keep talking about. You invite the unbeliever to stay with you for a while. As he is staying with you he watches how you behave, he sees your performance. He observes your relationship with your Lord. He sees how you pray, how you talk, how you play, how you care for people, how you worship, etc.
At the end of the time together, you again speak to your friend about Jesus. And he says, "I will believe in Him, just show Him to me." You should be able to respond with the words of our Lord. "Have I been so long with you, and you have not seen Him or come to know him?"
We are not the exact image of Jesus, in performance because we are still housed in this unredeemed body but there should be some of Christ's divine nature coming through. We should be able to tell him, "Have not you been able to see that the good which you see in me, is the expression of my Lord living through me?"
As we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Notice that it does not say, "Don't fulfill the lust of the flesh so you can walk in the Spirit." Remember Christian life is always won from the positive never the negative. The world tries to control life by do's and don't's, Christ controls lives by relationship with Himself.
To walk in the Spirit, will have us begin to display the very character of Christ Himself. Others will begin to notice the change. The goodness of Christ living through us will be revealed to those around us and they will praise our Father in heaven because of it.
Thank God you were called to be His child.
God's Filling Of The Holy Spirit
You can experience God's filling off the Holy Spirit right now.
You must first desire to be filled. To be guided and empowered by the Lord as He reveals to your inner man what He will do in and through you.
In prayer, confess your sin before Him. Listen to the Holy Spirit, He will reveal to you what you should confess and talk to Him about. Openly admitting to God where you walked according to the flesh, is critical. Where you let sin empower your body and mind so that your flesh sought meaning in life outside of Christ.
Now fully yield every area of your body and mind to God. Every member of your personhood should desire to live for God.
By faith or trust in who God is you are filled with the Holy Spirit. The filling of God does not depend on feelings, but faith. Feelings of joy, or peace, or boldness, etc. may be there but if they are not it does not mean you are not filled with the Holy Spirit. You asked for His filling and now by faith believe you have been filled.
Now thank him!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Who Are You?
It is good to look back sometimes to see where we've come from, so we can give credit where credit is due. Today we will look at where we were to where we are now, as God's children.
Paul in Romans 5 shows us where we were when we were in Adam. Other verse also make it very clear that those outside of Christ are in a hopeless state, desperately needing salvation. We have so much, right now, because we are in Christ.
It becomes so clear why Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)
It is so critical to your future walk with Christ that you learn very early that your victory as a Christian does not rest on your performance. It is rests on your identity. You are in Christ and He is in you.
Here are a list of verses you can look up during the week or in your Quiet Time with the Lord. These will refresh your mind in God, knowing that He has you so completely in His Almighty care. Oh, how He loves you!
Who You Were Before Knowing Christ
1 Corinthians 15:22 Dead
2 Corinthians 4:4 Blinded mind
Ephesians 2:3 By nature a child of wrath
Ephesians 5:8 Darkness
Colossians 1:21 Alienated and hostile in mind
Who you are now that you know Christ:
Romans 3:24 Justified and redeemed (already)
Romans 6:6 Old "self" was killed (crucified)
Romans 8:1 Not condemned
Romans 8:2 Free from law (of sin and death)
Romans 8:9 In the Spirit
Romans 8:14 sons of God
Romans 8:16 Spirit witnesses that we are children of God
Romans 8:17 Heirs of God
Romans 8:26 Spirit prays for us
Romans 8:29 - 30 Foreknew, predestined, called, justified, glorified
Romans 8:33 God's elect
Romans 8:34 Christ intercedes for us
Romans 8:37 Conquerors through Him
Romans 8:38 - 39 Nothing can separate us from the love of God
Romans 9:16 It all depends on God
Romans 15:7 Accepted
1 Cor 1:2 Sanctified (holy, set apart)
1 Cor 1:30 Wisdom, righteousness, sancification, redemption
1 Cor 6:11 Washed, sancified and justified
1 Cor 15:22 Alive
2 Cor 2:14 Always leads us in His triumph
2 Cor 3:14 My hardened mind is removed
2 Cor 5:17 A new creature
2 Cor 5:21 The righteousness of God
Galatians 2:4 Have liberty
Galatians 3:28 All are one (not inferior)
Galatians 4:7 A son and an heir
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed with every spiritual blessing in Heaven
Ephesians 1:4 Chosen, holy and blameless before God
Ephesians 1:7 Redeemed, forgiven
Eph 1:10 - 11 Have obtained an inheritance
Ephesians 1:13 Sealed with the Spirit
Ephesians 2:10 Created for good performance
Ephesians 2:13 Have been brought near (to God)
Ephesians 2:19 Fellow-citizen with the saints
Ephesians 3:6 A partaker of the promise
Ephesians 3:12 Have bold and confident access to God
Ephesians 5:30 A member of His body
Colossians 2:10 Complete
Colossians 3:1 Raised up with Him
Colossians 3:3 My life is hidden with Christ in God
2 Peter 1:4 Partaker of the divine nature
If God has called you holy, what are you?
If God has called you accepted, what are you?
If God has called you a saint, what are you?
If God has called you complete, what are you?
If God has called you not condemned, what are you?
If God says this is how you are, then how are you?
"I am holy, accepted, a saint, complete and
not condemned, child of God.
God has said so; this is how it is!"
Paul in Romans 5 shows us where we were when we were in Adam. Other verse also make it very clear that those outside of Christ are in a hopeless state, desperately needing salvation. We have so much, right now, because we are in Christ.
It becomes so clear why Jesus said, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10)
It is so critical to your future walk with Christ that you learn very early that your victory as a Christian does not rest on your performance. It is rests on your identity. You are in Christ and He is in you.
Here are a list of verses you can look up during the week or in your Quiet Time with the Lord. These will refresh your mind in God, knowing that He has you so completely in His Almighty care. Oh, how He loves you!
Who You Were Before Knowing Christ
1 Corinthians 15:22 Dead
2 Corinthians 4:4 Blinded mind
Ephesians 2:3 By nature a child of wrath
Ephesians 5:8 Darkness
Colossians 1:21 Alienated and hostile in mind
Who you are now that you know Christ:
Romans 3:24 Justified and redeemed (already)
Romans 6:6 Old "self" was killed (crucified)
Romans 8:1 Not condemned
Romans 8:2 Free from law (of sin and death)
Romans 8:9 In the Spirit
Romans 8:14 sons of God
Romans 8:16 Spirit witnesses that we are children of God
Romans 8:17 Heirs of God
Romans 8:26 Spirit prays for us
Romans 8:29 - 30 Foreknew, predestined, called, justified, glorified
Romans 8:33 God's elect
Romans 8:34 Christ intercedes for us
Romans 8:37 Conquerors through Him
Romans 8:38 - 39 Nothing can separate us from the love of God
Romans 9:16 It all depends on God
Romans 15:7 Accepted
1 Cor 1:2 Sanctified (holy, set apart)
1 Cor 1:30 Wisdom, righteousness, sancification, redemption
1 Cor 6:11 Washed, sancified and justified
1 Cor 15:22 Alive
2 Cor 2:14 Always leads us in His triumph
2 Cor 3:14 My hardened mind is removed
2 Cor 5:17 A new creature
2 Cor 5:21 The righteousness of God
Galatians 2:4 Have liberty
Galatians 3:28 All are one (not inferior)
Galatians 4:7 A son and an heir
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed with every spiritual blessing in Heaven
Ephesians 1:4 Chosen, holy and blameless before God
Ephesians 1:7 Redeemed, forgiven
Eph 1:10 - 11 Have obtained an inheritance
Ephesians 1:13 Sealed with the Spirit
Ephesians 2:10 Created for good performance
Ephesians 2:13 Have been brought near (to God)
Ephesians 2:19 Fellow-citizen with the saints
Ephesians 3:6 A partaker of the promise
Ephesians 3:12 Have bold and confident access to God
Ephesians 5:30 A member of His body
Colossians 2:10 Complete
Colossians 3:1 Raised up with Him
Colossians 3:3 My life is hidden with Christ in God
2 Peter 1:4 Partaker of the divine nature
If God has called you holy, what are you?
If God has called you accepted, what are you?
If God has called you a saint, what are you?
If God has called you complete, what are you?
If God has called you not condemned, what are you?
If God says this is how you are, then how are you?
"I am holy, accepted, a saint, complete and
not condemned, child of God.
God has said so; this is how it is!"
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
What is your God like?
Imagine a do-it-yourself "god-making kit." Included in the kit is everything you need to create your very own god. After you finish making him, you'll have to live with him, worship him and obey him.
What kind of god would you create? One soft and kind or one so big that it would have to live out beyond the stars. We smile at this concept of creating your own god but many people become involved in their own god-making.
People have thought up gods that looked like people, birds, animals and snakes. This religious zoo begins in the minds of people who reject the True God of creation. Wrong thinking about God leads to wrong living before God. William Temple warned, "If your conception of God is radically false, then the more devout you are, the worse it will be for you."
We must consider carefully what the Scriptures reveal about God, because our lives will not be greater than our concept of God. So let us look and see, "Who is God?"
God Almighty is the sovereign Majesty of the universe. He is the absolute Ruler over His entire creation - everyone, everything, everywhere. So you can see why the Scriptures say, "The fear (awesome respect) of God is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7. It is important that we begin with this understanding of the Lord God.
Wrong thinking about God leads to wrong living before God.
When you deeply respect someone, what are some things you would do and think about that person?
You will begin to respect God more and more as you look at who He really is. God is absolute in all His ways. He is totally sovereign.
God's sovereignty always seems to raise some questions. Why does a Sovereign God allow evil, pain and death to exist in the world? Why does He allow bad things to happen?
No one really knows the answer to these questions because God has chosen not to fully reveal His plans to us. We know that He does allow evil to exist in restricted areas of His creation. But evil is like a fugitive trapped in a building; his actions are limited and his time will run out. God has told us that there is a day coming when there will be no pain or death.
Another question raised by the sovereignty of God is, "If God rules the universe, how can men and women exercise free choice? Aren't we merely puppets who act when the great Director pulls the strings?"
The Bible clearly asserts that God is absolutely sovereign and that we are responsible for our choices. An illustration of these two great truths may be a jumbo jet flies from Los Angeles to New York. Its destination and flight plan are determined. This resembles sovereignty. On board the aircraft are 300 passengers who exercise limited freedom. How they pass their time is largely up to them. They can read, watch a movie, stroll the aisles, talk or sleep. Yet, at the same time, the plane is carrying all of them to New York.
God has decreed that we should make moral choices. We fulfill God's degree whenever we decide between wrong and right. Our freedom, like that of the passengers on the airplane, is limited, but determination and choice do co-exist.
Perhaps the world's deepest quarrel with God's sovereignty is that it does not want a sovereign God. The world does not like a God who cannot be told what to do. Yet for a Christian this teaching is such a blessing. We serve a God who cannot be tricked or bought off. He will see to it that justice and righteousness will be rewarded someday.
When we look at the Scriptures we see that God is an awesome God. He is bigger than the whole creation! No one has counseled God about anything. By Himself He sets forth the foundation of the universe. Even all the nations are insignificant before Him. If everyone got together to fight against God, He would still win because of His greatness.
There is no one His equal in power and might. He is Almighty God! It is by this power He creates and holds all things together. He is the sovereign God!
Remember to have your Quiet Time with the Lord today!
What kind of god would you create? One soft and kind or one so big that it would have to live out beyond the stars. We smile at this concept of creating your own god but many people become involved in their own god-making.
People have thought up gods that looked like people, birds, animals and snakes. This religious zoo begins in the minds of people who reject the True God of creation. Wrong thinking about God leads to wrong living before God. William Temple warned, "If your conception of God is radically false, then the more devout you are, the worse it will be for you."
We must consider carefully what the Scriptures reveal about God, because our lives will not be greater than our concept of God. So let us look and see, "Who is God?"
God Almighty is the sovereign Majesty of the universe. He is the absolute Ruler over His entire creation - everyone, everything, everywhere. So you can see why the Scriptures say, "The fear (awesome respect) of God is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7. It is important that we begin with this understanding of the Lord God.
Wrong thinking about God leads to wrong living before God.
When you deeply respect someone, what are some things you would do and think about that person?
You will begin to respect God more and more as you look at who He really is. God is absolute in all His ways. He is totally sovereign.
God's sovereignty always seems to raise some questions. Why does a Sovereign God allow evil, pain and death to exist in the world? Why does He allow bad things to happen?
No one really knows the answer to these questions because God has chosen not to fully reveal His plans to us. We know that He does allow evil to exist in restricted areas of His creation. But evil is like a fugitive trapped in a building; his actions are limited and his time will run out. God has told us that there is a day coming when there will be no pain or death.
Another question raised by the sovereignty of God is, "If God rules the universe, how can men and women exercise free choice? Aren't we merely puppets who act when the great Director pulls the strings?"
The Bible clearly asserts that God is absolutely sovereign and that we are responsible for our choices. An illustration of these two great truths may be a jumbo jet flies from Los Angeles to New York. Its destination and flight plan are determined. This resembles sovereignty. On board the aircraft are 300 passengers who exercise limited freedom. How they pass their time is largely up to them. They can read, watch a movie, stroll the aisles, talk or sleep. Yet, at the same time, the plane is carrying all of them to New York.
God has decreed that we should make moral choices. We fulfill God's degree whenever we decide between wrong and right. Our freedom, like that of the passengers on the airplane, is limited, but determination and choice do co-exist.
Perhaps the world's deepest quarrel with God's sovereignty is that it does not want a sovereign God. The world does not like a God who cannot be told what to do. Yet for a Christian this teaching is such a blessing. We serve a God who cannot be tricked or bought off. He will see to it that justice and righteousness will be rewarded someday.
When we look at the Scriptures we see that God is an awesome God. He is bigger than the whole creation! No one has counseled God about anything. By Himself He sets forth the foundation of the universe. Even all the nations are insignificant before Him. If everyone got together to fight against God, He would still win because of His greatness.
There is no one His equal in power and might. He is Almighty God! It is by this power He creates and holds all things together. He is the sovereign God!
Remember to have your Quiet Time with the Lord today!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Why you!
Every blade of grass, every drop of water, every flower and shrub, every planet and star, every person and angel, was once a thought in the mind of God. When we come to realize that God is our Creator it gives us a sense of purpose and responsibility.
Look around you and see if you can find the purpose things were made.
Why was a pen made?
Why was a cup made?
Why was a house made?
Each item that man has made has been for a purpose. The pen was made to write, the cup was made to hold liquids so that we could drink out of it, and the house was made to live in and shelter us from the elements. Each item has a purpose.
Now we can use these items for others things other than their true purpose but what ends up happening is the product gets destroyed because it was not made for that purpose. As an example, I could use my pen to pry open a cupboard door or the cup to carry rocks inside of it or the house to keep a cow inside. I can use these items for these purposes but it ends up destroying the product.
God creates man when He says in Genesis 1:26 - 27, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Now when God created man, He created him for a purpose. What is the purpose of man? Why were you made?
In 1 Corinthians 10:31 it says what is the purpose of man. "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
The Westminster Shorter Catechism of 1648 stated it this way: Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.
So how do we glorify God?
In Jeremiah 9:23 - 24 it says, "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight." says the LORD.
Our Creator God wants us to bring honor and glory to Him by listening and doing what He wants to accomplish in our lives. He wants us to care for this earth, and the people and animals upon it, while enjoying Him in love and obedience.
So there is no real happiness for man except to believe in God as absolute sovereign, and is recognized as such. As we learn to put our full trust in our Sovereign God we experience the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.
The glory of God is the most valuable purpose in the universe. We could not have a higher purpose. If we were to do some great project or to build some great building eventually it would be completed and we would be a people without a purpose. But to give glory to our Creator is an eternal experience and a higher more nobler cause cannot be found.
Praise the LORD!
Look around you and see if you can find the purpose things were made.
Why was a pen made?
Why was a cup made?
Why was a house made?
Each item that man has made has been for a purpose. The pen was made to write, the cup was made to hold liquids so that we could drink out of it, and the house was made to live in and shelter us from the elements. Each item has a purpose.
Now we can use these items for others things other than their true purpose but what ends up happening is the product gets destroyed because it was not made for that purpose. As an example, I could use my pen to pry open a cupboard door or the cup to carry rocks inside of it or the house to keep a cow inside. I can use these items for these purposes but it ends up destroying the product.
God creates man when He says in Genesis 1:26 - 27, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
Now when God created man, He created him for a purpose. What is the purpose of man? Why were you made?
In 1 Corinthians 10:31 it says what is the purpose of man. "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
The Westminster Shorter Catechism of 1648 stated it this way: Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.
So how do we glorify God?
In Jeremiah 9:23 - 24 it says, "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight." says the LORD.
Our Creator God wants us to bring honor and glory to Him by listening and doing what He wants to accomplish in our lives. He wants us to care for this earth, and the people and animals upon it, while enjoying Him in love and obedience.
So there is no real happiness for man except to believe in God as absolute sovereign, and is recognized as such. As we learn to put our full trust in our Sovereign God we experience the peace of God which surpasses all understanding.
The glory of God is the most valuable purpose in the universe. We could not have a higher purpose. If we were to do some great project or to build some great building eventually it would be completed and we would be a people without a purpose. But to give glory to our Creator is an eternal experience and a higher more nobler cause cannot be found.
Praise the LORD!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Christian Terms
The mind is a powerful tool in the hands of the evil one. In the same way, the mind is a powerful tool in which God uses for your freedom. The Bible says it is by the transformation of the renewing your mind into this new truth that you will experience a life of peace and joy.
What is truth of your existence before you met Christ?
You were a slave. A slave to sin. Born into bondage. Born into a prison. A prison you can not smell or taste or touch. A prison for your mind. A prison to keep your true self, your spirit in separation from its Creator.
As you look at this profound new spirit world in which you have entered if you are a new Christian, you will need to learn some new terms that the Bible uses. It is in clear communication and a working knowledge of why Scriptures says the things it says that freedom is discovered.
You may have heard various different ways these following words have been used. Please, look these new definitions over and come to understand them.
PURPOSE OF LIFE - The true purpose of man is to glorify his or her Creator and enjoy Him forever. You have been made to bring glory to God, this is your major purpose. So if you are a father or mother you must ask, "How can I bring glory to God through this task?' If you are a carpenter or a welder, a housewife or a doctor you must ask, "How can I bring glory to God through this task?"
SIN - The expression of man’s struggle with the meaning of his existence while missing life from God. It is all the varieties of ways man deals with and expresses his alienation from his Creator as he encounters the inescapable issue of meaning. Sin is not just bad behaviour, sin is total Independence from our Creator. Sin is everything we do outside of God. We are born into sin.
The opposite of is not good behavior. The opposite of sin is faith. Sin is independence, faith is dependence upon the Lord. Sin is more ruthless than “missing the mark”. It is the absolute madness of attempting to make some sense out of an existence in which there can be no lasting significance or meaning.
SINNER (UNSAVED) - A person who is attempting to put their life together without coming into relationship with God the Father. This person is living independent from his or her Creator. They may be doing acceptable behaviour or inappropriate behaviour but the key will be that it is independent behaviour from the Lord. They will not say they have put their trust in Jesus.
SAINT - A person who is set apart by the Lord to do His will. This person was rebirthed at the core of who he or she is to their Creator. They have clearly made a commitment of dependence upon their Creator for true life. A saint still does behaviours that are independent of God’s will sometimes but remains a person who God has chosen to live out His life through him.
A saint is one who lives in Christ. His deepest personhood finds identity and meaning only in loving and abiding in Christ. His inner man can not sin (be independent of God) because it is sealed by the Spirit and forever kept in Christ. This inner man is totally righteous, it loves to keep the Law of God for it is divine in nature.
CHRISTIAN - A Christian is not simply a person who gets forgiveness, who gets to go to heaven, who gets the Holy Spirit, who gets a new nature. A Christian is a person who has become someone he was not before. A Christian, in terms of his deepest identity, is a saint, a child born of God, a divine masterpiece, a child of the light, a citizen of heaven. Becoming a Christian is not just getting something, no matter how wonderful that something may be. It is becoming someone!
HYPOCRITE - (ACTOR)
Satan’s definition - “one who acts different than he feels.”
God’s definition - “Pretending to be what one is not.” Jesus called the religious leaders of His day hypocrite.
FLESH - various shades of meanings from literal “Flesh and bones” to the idea of the body and soul with their independence from God. In the majority of passages [in Scripture] it stands for the impulses, thoughts, desires and the like belonging to the outward man. We are to crucify the flesh with its (not our) desires and passions.
SPIRIT CONTROLLED - the Biblical phrases are,” led by the Spirit”, “walk by the Spirit” and “filled by the Spirit”. The term "Spirit controlled is not good because it leaves a person with the idea that his truest identity must be controlled by the Spirit because he is still in rebellion to God. A believer is not in rebellion to God in their inner man because they are a new creation.
OLD MAN and NEW MAN - The old man is the unregenerate (Un Born again) man; the new man is the regenerated (Born again) man created in Christ Jesus unto good works. It is no more feasible to call a believer a new man and an old man, than it is to call him a regenerate and unregenerate man. And neither is it warranted to speak of the believer as having in him the old man and the new man. - John Murray
The old man ceased to exist at our regeneration, when it was “put off”. We are never exhorted to “put off” the “old man”. An exhortation to “put off the old man” would be tantamount to an exhortation to become regenerate. - W.H. Griffith Thomas
MIRACLES - Acts of goodness accomplished through faith by the power of the Spirit. Jesus did not do His miracles as God but as man under the leading and power of the Holy Spirit.
BODY, SOUL, SPIRIT - These three parts are interrelated, but are definitely separate. The BODY is the physical part of man. It is made to relate to the earth. It's man's earthsuit. It only works on earth. The SOUL is the mind, will and emotions. The SPIRIT is the real you. Your spirit is either separated from God or connected to Him. It is one or the other.
You want to begin thinking of yourself in a new light. Don’t think of yourself as just a physical being. Think of yourself as a spirit being who possesses a soul and lives in a body. You are a spirit being that must present your body to the Lord and be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
HOLINESS - Even if you know your identity and know the words of the Lord this still does not produce holiness. No matter how intensely you focus on these facts, even if you get excited by them, this still will not produce holiness. Resurrection life does not flow from an educated brain and an active will; it flows from God.
Only knowledge plus the will plus Spirit power will bring Holiness to reality in performance.
You should familiarize yourself with these terms because they are used throughout the Christian experience.
What is truth of your existence before you met Christ?
You were a slave. A slave to sin. Born into bondage. Born into a prison. A prison you can not smell or taste or touch. A prison for your mind. A prison to keep your true self, your spirit in separation from its Creator.
As you look at this profound new spirit world in which you have entered if you are a new Christian, you will need to learn some new terms that the Bible uses. It is in clear communication and a working knowledge of why Scriptures says the things it says that freedom is discovered.
You may have heard various different ways these following words have been used. Please, look these new definitions over and come to understand them.
PURPOSE OF LIFE - The true purpose of man is to glorify his or her Creator and enjoy Him forever. You have been made to bring glory to God, this is your major purpose. So if you are a father or mother you must ask, "How can I bring glory to God through this task?' If you are a carpenter or a welder, a housewife or a doctor you must ask, "How can I bring glory to God through this task?"
SIN - The expression of man’s struggle with the meaning of his existence while missing life from God. It is all the varieties of ways man deals with and expresses his alienation from his Creator as he encounters the inescapable issue of meaning. Sin is not just bad behaviour, sin is total Independence from our Creator. Sin is everything we do outside of God. We are born into sin.
The opposite of is not good behavior. The opposite of sin is faith. Sin is independence, faith is dependence upon the Lord. Sin is more ruthless than “missing the mark”. It is the absolute madness of attempting to make some sense out of an existence in which there can be no lasting significance or meaning.
SINNER (UNSAVED) - A person who is attempting to put their life together without coming into relationship with God the Father. This person is living independent from his or her Creator. They may be doing acceptable behaviour or inappropriate behaviour but the key will be that it is independent behaviour from the Lord. They will not say they have put their trust in Jesus.
SAINT - A person who is set apart by the Lord to do His will. This person was rebirthed at the core of who he or she is to their Creator. They have clearly made a commitment of dependence upon their Creator for true life. A saint still does behaviours that are independent of God’s will sometimes but remains a person who God has chosen to live out His life through him.
A saint is one who lives in Christ. His deepest personhood finds identity and meaning only in loving and abiding in Christ. His inner man can not sin (be independent of God) because it is sealed by the Spirit and forever kept in Christ. This inner man is totally righteous, it loves to keep the Law of God for it is divine in nature.
CHRISTIAN - A Christian is not simply a person who gets forgiveness, who gets to go to heaven, who gets the Holy Spirit, who gets a new nature. A Christian is a person who has become someone he was not before. A Christian, in terms of his deepest identity, is a saint, a child born of God, a divine masterpiece, a child of the light, a citizen of heaven. Becoming a Christian is not just getting something, no matter how wonderful that something may be. It is becoming someone!
HYPOCRITE - (ACTOR)
Satan’s definition - “one who acts different than he feels.”
God’s definition - “Pretending to be what one is not.” Jesus called the religious leaders of His day hypocrite.
FLESH - various shades of meanings from literal “Flesh and bones” to the idea of the body and soul with their independence from God. In the majority of passages [in Scripture] it stands for the impulses, thoughts, desires and the like belonging to the outward man. We are to crucify the flesh with its (not our) desires and passions.
SPIRIT CONTROLLED - the Biblical phrases are,” led by the Spirit”, “walk by the Spirit” and “filled by the Spirit”. The term "Spirit controlled is not good because it leaves a person with the idea that his truest identity must be controlled by the Spirit because he is still in rebellion to God. A believer is not in rebellion to God in their inner man because they are a new creation.
OLD MAN and NEW MAN - The old man is the unregenerate (Un Born again) man; the new man is the regenerated (Born again) man created in Christ Jesus unto good works. It is no more feasible to call a believer a new man and an old man, than it is to call him a regenerate and unregenerate man. And neither is it warranted to speak of the believer as having in him the old man and the new man. - John Murray
The old man ceased to exist at our regeneration, when it was “put off”. We are never exhorted to “put off” the “old man”. An exhortation to “put off the old man” would be tantamount to an exhortation to become regenerate. - W.H. Griffith Thomas
MIRACLES - Acts of goodness accomplished through faith by the power of the Spirit. Jesus did not do His miracles as God but as man under the leading and power of the Holy Spirit.
BODY, SOUL, SPIRIT - These three parts are interrelated, but are definitely separate. The BODY is the physical part of man. It is made to relate to the earth. It's man's earthsuit. It only works on earth. The SOUL is the mind, will and emotions. The SPIRIT is the real you. Your spirit is either separated from God or connected to Him. It is one or the other.
You want to begin thinking of yourself in a new light. Don’t think of yourself as just a physical being. Think of yourself as a spirit being who possesses a soul and lives in a body. You are a spirit being that must present your body to the Lord and be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
HOLINESS - Even if you know your identity and know the words of the Lord this still does not produce holiness. No matter how intensely you focus on these facts, even if you get excited by them, this still will not produce holiness. Resurrection life does not flow from an educated brain and an active will; it flows from God.
Only knowledge plus the will plus Spirit power will bring Holiness to reality in performance.
You should familiarize yourself with these terms because they are used throughout the Christian experience.
Monday, March 3, 2008
My Mother
My mother had her birthday today. She lives in North Battleford, Saskatchewan while I live in Delta, BC. It's about an 18 hour trip if I would want to take a drive to go see her. I called instead,... it was instant!
A mother's love is a special love. All through life I have had the privilege of experiencing a person who cares for me unconditionally. I love my mother.
As I was growing up, I am the fourth son in a family of six boys. I remember seeing my mother constantly working hard. She worked at the local hospital for 35 years. My father was a mechanic and she was a nurse in the emergency for years until she was moved to central supply. If it wouldn't had been for mom I don't think we would have made it financially.
My mother is a caring Christian woman. She helped out in the church for years. There was never a meal made in the church without my mother being fully involved. People still speak about the great meals the little church would have on every special occasion.
The best thing about my mother is her love. She is not a perfect mother but she's mine. Every child desires a mother's love. Even the Word of God using a mother's love as a picture of the Apostle Paul's care to those in the church.
1 Thessalonians 2:7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
Thank you LORD for my mother. She is a woman who is well respected. She is a woman who loves You, LORD. She is a woman who is worthy of honour.
Mom, "thanks!"
A mother's love is a special love. All through life I have had the privilege of experiencing a person who cares for me unconditionally. I love my mother.
As I was growing up, I am the fourth son in a family of six boys. I remember seeing my mother constantly working hard. She worked at the local hospital for 35 years. My father was a mechanic and she was a nurse in the emergency for years until she was moved to central supply. If it wouldn't had been for mom I don't think we would have made it financially.
My mother is a caring Christian woman. She helped out in the church for years. There was never a meal made in the church without my mother being fully involved. People still speak about the great meals the little church would have on every special occasion.
The best thing about my mother is her love. She is not a perfect mother but she's mine. Every child desires a mother's love. Even the Word of God using a mother's love as a picture of the Apostle Paul's care to those in the church.
1 Thessalonians 2:7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. 8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
Thank you LORD for my mother. She is a woman who is well respected. She is a woman who loves You, LORD. She is a woman who is worthy of honour.
Mom, "thanks!"
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Today, is Our 29th Dating Anniversary!
On March 1, 1979 I took my now wife, Wanda, out on our first date! I see pictures of myself with lots of hair and about 60+ pounds lighter. My wife does seemed to have aged,...what's with that?
It is really unbelievable all that has happened since that day. We married June 1st, of the same year, after three months of dating. I've made a lot of decisions since than but this was my best one, to marry Wanda.
Our first child was Richard, born in August of the following year, only weighing 3 pounds, 13 ozs. Almost dying many times before he made it a couple days for a month he stayed in the hospital under doctor's care. Now 27 years old and living in Delta, BC.
Our second child, Simon, born on November, two years after Richard. Simon was a normal size baby but was born with six toes on one of his feet. We took an impression in ink of the foot but later had this toe removed so he would be able to fit shoes. Simon lives in Vancouver.
Our third child, Sharon, born one year after Simon. She is our only girl. Raising her was a completely new experience. If you raised your voice past a slightly anger tone, she would break down into tears. She now is married to Adam and live in Redwater, AB.
Our fourth child, Jerry, was born one year after Sharon. He is the youngest but has turned out to be the biggest at 6'2" and 190 pounds, ...this is a big baby! He works in the oil rigs in Alberta.
We have four children and now four grandchildren!
If I had to do it all again I would in a heartbeat. I believe Wanda would say the same. It is good to find the partner that you can build your life around. There is no one more special on this planet than my Wanda for me. I love my children and consider it an absolute honour to be their dad.
So much has happened in 29 years,...imagine what it will be like for all eternity!
Proverbs 31:
10 Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “ Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
It is really unbelievable all that has happened since that day. We married June 1st, of the same year, after three months of dating. I've made a lot of decisions since than but this was my best one, to marry Wanda.
Our first child was Richard, born in August of the following year, only weighing 3 pounds, 13 ozs. Almost dying many times before he made it a couple days for a month he stayed in the hospital under doctor's care. Now 27 years old and living in Delta, BC.
Our second child, Simon, born on November, two years after Richard. Simon was a normal size baby but was born with six toes on one of his feet. We took an impression in ink of the foot but later had this toe removed so he would be able to fit shoes. Simon lives in Vancouver.
Our third child, Sharon, born one year after Simon. She is our only girl. Raising her was a completely new experience. If you raised your voice past a slightly anger tone, she would break down into tears. She now is married to Adam and live in Redwater, AB.
Our fourth child, Jerry, was born one year after Sharon. He is the youngest but has turned out to be the biggest at 6'2" and 190 pounds, ...this is a big baby! He works in the oil rigs in Alberta.
We have four children and now four grandchildren!
If I had to do it all again I would in a heartbeat. I believe Wanda would say the same. It is good to find the partner that you can build your life around. There is no one more special on this planet than my Wanda for me. I love my children and consider it an absolute honour to be their dad.
So much has happened in 29 years,...imagine what it will be like for all eternity!
Proverbs 31:
10 Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “ Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
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