Bible Thoughts and Musings

The Reason why we Memorize Scripture

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. Psalm 119:2

The primary reason we memorize Scripture is because we are called and commanded to learn God's Word so we can learn more about Him, what He has done, and what we can do to lead a great Christian life. We are called to meditate on His Word. Have you responded to this call?

· Knowing God's Word helps us be better at studying the Bible.

· Knowing God's Word helps fabricate and shape our spiritual growth.

· Knowing God's Word helps us experience and worship God.

· Knowing God's Word helps us know and respond to His precepts and call.

· Knowing God's Word helps us realize that God's Word transforms our minds to think in His ways and live our life better in Him.

· Knowing God's Word makes it easier for the Holy Spirit to more powerfully guide us!

· Knowing God's Word stimulates our intimacy and prayer life with Him.

· Knowing God's Word gives us useful, effective, and effectual knowledge of the Bible.

· Knowing God's Word gives us practical wisdom, guidance, and knowledge for life!

· Knowing God's Word helps God use us more and more powerfully.

· Knowing God's Word helps us in the sharing of our faith.

· Knowing God's Word gives us success in dealing with sin and temptations.

· Knowing God's Word gives us confidence in witnessing.

· Knowing God's Word equips us to be able to help guide others.

· Knowing God's Word helps encourage the spiritual growth in others lives.

· Knowing God's Word helps us to overcome life's problems and obstacles.

· Knowing God's Word helps us be content and at peace.

· Knowing God's Word helps us to discern false teachings.

Have you responded to His call?

How to Memorize Scripture

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 23:57:00 +0000

God calls us to have His Words and promises written in our hearts!

I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. Psalm 119:8

Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:18-21; Psalm 63: 1-8; 119: 9, 11, 72; Matthew 4:4; Philippians 3:10; Col. 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12; James 1:21-25; 1 Peter 2:2; 3:15

We can come up with all kinds of reasons why we should not or need not memorize Scripture. Perhaps, you are saying or thinking, "I can't because I have a bad memory," or "I just do not have time;" "I have tried this before and I could not do it," or "why should I?", or "I am not a pastor or in leadership." Someone told me once, "I do not need to because Jesus told me I do not have to." I can tell you that I do have a bad memory, and I certainly do not have the time while I pastor, travel, run an international ministry, and then there is my precious new baby. And, I can also certainty tell you that Jesus would never, ever tell you something that contradicts His Word.

Yet, we are called by God Himself, even commanded to learn, know, ponder on, and memorize Scripture (Josh 1:8; Psalm 1; 15; Is. 8:12; 1 Peter 3: 13-22; 4:12)!

The way to spiritual maturity and the glory of our reward is not in finding shortcuts, but exercising temperance and commitment through learning, experience, and overcoming adversities.

It is a long and difficult process (Acts 14:22; Rom. 2:7). The question is, How can you make memorizing Scripture a reality in your life? See what God Himself has to say; read any or all of these passages below, and in prayer, go over them and match them to these bullet points and ask Him how you are doing with this.

The Basic Plan

How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. Psalm 119:9

The "nitty-gritty" for ease in memorizing is to simply select a short passage-a verse or two. Pray, read it, and then read the chapter in an easy-to-understand translation to see it in context. Then re-read your passage at least ten times in the translation you are using, such as the KJV, NASB, NKJV, RSV, NIV or the ESV. Then, write it out on a small card and re-read it at least ten times. Put it away for a few hours or a day, then pick up the card and re-read it aloud several times. You should have it memorized after a week! It does take a little effort, but it is not as hard as most people think. There is no reason to dread or stress in order to know God's Word.

The simple basic plan:

Select a short passage to memorize.
Pray over it.
Read it.
Read the chapter to know its context.
Re-read the passage at least ten times.
Write it out on a small card.
Go over your card at least ten times, reading it out loud.
Put it away and in a few hours or a day, pick up the card and re-read it several times. In a few days, you should have it memorized!

The Big Tip

Now, to make it even easier and more fun, do the above and also use a recording device such as a tape recorder, MP3 recorder, or a smart parrot. This is what I do because I have a terrible memory and learning disabilities I have had to overcome. So, for me, this was the worst of the worst of my stress and dread, but I learned to do it and have fun doing it. By the way, this is a phenomenal memorizing method for any literature, notes, text, readings, etc. Read it, record it, and then play it back anywhere you are-while driving, at the mall, or wherever. You can do this with your notes, study material, information you have to memorize, even terms and words for science, a foreign language, or math formulas. I have found this one of the best ways to study, and it works!

The key to memorization is this: STUDY! REVIEW! and PERSEVERE! Repetition is the best way to engrave the verses into your mind.

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

More here:

http://70030.netministry.com/apps/articles/?articleid=31424&columnid=3801

Stand in and with the Word of God!

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 17:05:00 +0000

The Bible is the Word of God. it is cross-cultural and cuts though all languages, people groups and time; it does not need us to make things up or bend it out of shape. It does not need to be diluted or watered down to make it palatable. All you have to do is explain it, in love, with the above precepts of passion, conviction, compassion, clarity, and Truth. The Word is the peg that goes into both the round and the square hole! You do not need to reshape the peg of His Truth. You are to know the culture of others and be relevant, but love that is real, along with the Gospel, needs no modifying. Essential doctrine is crucial because we are proclaiming God, and God is a God of Truth! We are His ambassadors; we are never to misrepresent Him!

We are to do our best to witness, pray, evangelize, do missions, and put forth every effort we can to expedite His Word. And, as a Christian saved by His grace, we have to remember that we still need to repent, even though He paid it all, because we love Him and want to obey His decree.

Allow God to smash the bad things out of your life that hinders your growth, character and Fruit! PII

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:56:00 +0000

The James 4: 7-10 is passage is a roadmap of how to repent. God tells us both what to do and what not to do which will lead us to a victorious life that is transformed in Him. The call is simple: we are to submit, come near, wash, purify, grieve, mourn, wail, change, and humble ourselves. Each one leads to a closer relationship with God, and to a life that is bearing fruit, building character, and becoming more mature and effectual to others around us. This is exhibited and practiced by maximizing our time with God through the disciplines of the faith, Bible reading, devotions, prayer, and godly fellowship.

It comes from trusting our Lord and His plan, thereby taking the focus off the ways of Satan, the world, and us. We are to be vulnerable in confessing our sins and drawing to Him as LORD. When we are humble, God is glorified and He lifts us up. It is not about our way; it is all about HIS WAY (Prov. 24:3-4; Isa. 45:7; Jer. 29:11-14; Phil. 2:3-4)!

When we chase the devil and/or our pride, we will sink below the tossing waves in a sea of despair, a life that boils over with trouble (James 1:6-8). The key to preventing that sinking is to allow these commands to take root and God's work in us so our lives reflect righteousness. When we remove our sinful attitude of pride, He is glorified.

When we accept Christ in our life, He needs to be Lord of our life. We are to take responsibility for our addiction and dependence, allowing His conviction to touch us deeply; then we can let go of our ways and surrender to His way (Matt. 11:28; Luke 11:9-10).

Then God will remove your defects of character! We must stop trying to manipulate God to give us our desires and needs, and concentrate on how we are to worship Him in all that we do, in total trust and total devotion. So, let us stop combating with God, stop fighting with ourselves, and stop the hostility with one another, and concentrate our efforts toward God's glorification and worship. This means we are to recognize sin and its destructive nature. It may look good, but it will take us away from God and others, leave us bankrupt in our relationships, and fill us with bitterness and despair.

Allow God to smash the bad things out of your life that hinders your growth, character and Fruit!

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:55:00 +0000

Read James 4: 7-10

God wants us to make the fervent attempt to repent and get right with Him. He does not want us to lead a double life in trying to serve two contradictory paths in life because when we do, we are being hypocritical, creating broken relationships, shattered lives, and unmet opportunities. This leaves us in despair as the devil and our ways have no hope or purpose other than to steal what God has to give to us. We already have joy and completeness in Christ when our hearts and minds are centered on Him. So, the bottom line of this passage is the call to submit and surrender to God, allowing Him to be our only Lord and direction. Then, He will lift us up beyond our greatest desires and plans to a much greater plan and purpose in life!

Thus, commit to smash the bad substances from your life that hinders your growth, character, and Fruit.

Proverbs 3:34, tells us to submit to the sovereignty of God. God's plan for our life is far better than any desire, evil or good, we could ever have. Thus, it is logical and beneficial to be humble in Him (1 Pet. 5:5)!

Remember that Repent means to completely and utterly turn away from our desires and deeds and toward His love and plan. Real, authentic repentance is sincere; we will regret our past behavior and be on guard in future relationships so that a moral and lifestyle change will result. It is God's desire that we repent of our sins and come to His way (Matt. 4:17; Acts 17:30; 24:14; Rom. 2:4; 1Thess. 5:6, 8; 2 Tim. 2:5; 1 Pet. 2:22-24)!

So, what can I do? Do not laugh at sin; guard against it. Do not accept the worldliness of the world; rather, model maturity and character because you are being empowered by the Lord. We are to flee the world's influence while being the influencers of it. We are to flee the devil while being on guard of his tricks and trade. You may be thinking that only the weak and cowardly would surrender themselves-even to God. But, the fact is, only a coward would refuse to allow the ultimate greatness in himself that is only achieved by yielding totally to Christ. He is greater than those who are His (John 3:30)!

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:11:00 +0000

The Main Goal of Bible Study

DON'T JUST INTERPRET IT, BUT APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE!!!

John 3:5, 30; Gal 2:20-21; Phil. 3:10!

Unfortunately a lot of Christians think that all we have to do is read the Bible, and do what it says, and there is nothing to interpret. Or they will react against the educated "professional" Christian who is a teacher, scholar or pastor. They see that person taking the Bible away from them, and wrapping it in confusion. They do not want the Bible to be some kind of obscure book they cannot understand. But what they are in fact doing is reading the Bible without any understanding and making excuses for it and it is very doubtful they are doing what it says! (Of course some scholar's love to wrap things in confusion!)

· Some Christians have no problems with interpretation, it is the application and obedience that they have trouble with. We tend to understand the precepts of the Bible so well that we will rationalize them away, such as "do everything without complaining or arguing" (Phil. 2:14). Thus we complain and argue all the time.

· The primary goal of interpretation is to find the "plain meaning" of the Bible!

"You search the scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me" (John 5:39)

The question is do we get it?

Since the Bible is God's authoritative Word, we no doubt will spend more time in it! Are we prepared to allow the Word of God to get in us and make changes and to transform and renew our minds for His glory? (Romans 12)

· If the Bible is not where you place your trust, then where is your trust and where will it lead you?

· We cannot have the Words of Jesus without the Bible!

· The Bible is the chariot that carries the voice of God!

We as the people of God who have been saved from our sins by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ have a call, a mandate: to preserve His Word, and to proclaim His Word. We must remain steadfast in this call to our individual selves, as well as our neighbor.

"We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? (Heb. 2:1-3)

REMEMBER:BE SURE TO INCORPORATE WHAT YOU KNOW INTO YOUR LIFE!!!

Excerpt from the book, 'Into Thy Word' Order the book, 'Into Thy Word' with a 15-week curriculum!

Why Should We Make an Outline?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 17:59:00 +0000

I developed this curriculum for you to use from over twenty years of research. I sought out the principles and resources that a good "sermonizer" uses to teach. Why is one preacher bad and another good when they come from the same seminary and denomination?

From my original mentorship under Francis Schaeffer, study under Ray Stedman, and interviewing hundreds of excellent Bible teachers including Charles Swindoll and R.C. Sproul for my book, Into Thy Word, it has been my quest to see what "secrets" and means can best be utilized to learn and then teach His Word. I discovered that an outline is essential, after a good inductive and or exegetical study, to lay out what we are to learn and then to teach. By the way, every good preacher is first a learner before they become a teacher! Being a learner, doing an inductive approach, and then outlining are the common denominators of what a good Bible-centered pastor does to prepare.

There are no shortcuts to good Biblical messaging. We need, your congregation needs the right essential elements and tools to produce sermons. Outlining is essential for a Bible teacher use to prepare their lesson. Outlining will be your primary means of producing quality, Bible-centered lessons, talks, sermons, or even research papers.

An outline is an essential tool. It can be used for any form of text, whether it is a Bible passage or any other form of literature-from Shakespeare to a textbook to a magazine article. This is the way any good writer or researcher goes about preparing and organizing his materials.

An outline is basically an aid to help lay out the precepts and reasons of your sermon, study, or paper in a systematic, easy to use and easy to read structure. It helps you as the writer and another person as the reader to identify the general ideas and key thoughts of your line of reasoning. The basic consideration is for you to define the main idea and then the subordinate ideas.

More here:

http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/?articleid=31442&columnid=3801

Renewing of Your Mind

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 17:07:00 +0000

Meeting with God gives us the renewing of your mind, this incredible opportunity we have to change and develop beyond what is greater than ourselves.

This is an act of worship too, as our trust and obedience to think right without distraction or personal agendas.

We are called and empowered to change our pagan thinking, even our faulty or shallow Christian mindset away from our selfish nature unto His character. Until we do, the deeper things of God's will and His precepts, will be vacant and not even be available to us. This passage is a testament that our ideas and attitudes directly shape our values and lifestyle. To get it right, we are to be shaping our mind to God's Word (Rom. 8:5-9; 12; 13:11-14; 2 Cor. 4:18; 1 John 2:17).

When we are in Christ, we are His Christians called to be deep with friends that are bonded as family. Our relationship with the Lord must be transparent and not secretive (unless you live in a closed Muslim country)! And what flows from our reverence that prompts our obedience and conviction by our gratitude for what our Lord has done and for who He is; they are the compassion for the needy, and the lost.

Our lives must be motivated by who we are in Christ and nothing else.
Being freed from sin must show a response and a responsibility, so what is yours (Luke 10:36-37; Eph. 4:23)?

Jesus calls us, His people and passionately urges us that God's will is to think rightly of His precepts. That means to make our faith so real it impacts others around us. And, we are give a simple call on how we can do this: To see our life as an extension of God's grace and hands, so we are willing and able to be lined up to Him, so we can be better used by Him. Then as His living sacrifice, we can be living, growing and performing agents of God. We are not alone in this essential manner, remember as a Christian the Holy Spirit transforms us completely, all we are and then all that we are to do, our will, plans and our opportunities (2 Cor. 3:18).

Our prime motivator should be our gratitude, the essence of true worship, and how we respond to God.

This means we must have gratitude for what Christ did for us. We have been forgiven and saved; why fret and worry? This fuels all of our motives and contentment. If we do not have gratitude, we will not live out our Christian lives well and we may even become like our Jewish ancestors-stiff-necked and an insult to God Our sacrifice is not of animals; it is the offering Christ gave us, how we respond of ourselves with proper reverence and attitude. This also means that we now have a greater revelation, and thus a greater responsibility (Luke 10:20; John 4:19-24; Rom. 3:24-26; 4:23-25; 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:15; Heb. 11:40).

Meet God and be transformed agents of His Work!

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:51:00 +0000

We must do our best to immerse ourselves to meet Him, to know Him, to internalize His precepts and live them out for His glory and our mutual benefit. Therefore, we must listen, learn, and do (James 1:21-27).

How do I meet with God? Simple. How do you make friends?
How do you get to know them?
How do you nurture your rapport and build a relationship with them?

This is one of the applications of Romans 12, which is pretty much the same way we grow in Christ. To build friendships, we spend time with people to listen, learn, experience, and discover; our trust builds and our relationship builds. We do this also with God, spending time to nurture our relationship, in person to His Person by reading the Bible, studying His precepts, worship and praying amongst other spiritual disciplines.

Why? God wants us to know Him, and to do this we need to meet with Him. God wants you transformed and renewed. This means we must be in transformative engagement with Him through His Word to do this building and nurturing! We are to know Him, grow in Him by our adoring engagement with Him by listening so that we will be learning His calls, commands, instructions, history, even His poetry--all from in the Bible, in His Cradle of Instruction. To do this, we learn to trust and grow to obey; this is the essence of being a growing committed Christian and collectively as a vibrant church!

Meeting God is up to Him. Meeting with God is up to us.

There are certain things that must take place to know Him more. First, we believe. We accept. We have faith. Then, we cultivate to make the application of our faith real and effectual.

What a cultivation tool?

The Gospel is. The Gospel shows how we shall live in faith-from doctrine to duty-from what we glean, learning and living. This is the cultivation process of getting to know God. This translates our faith to the practical aspect of the Gospel. As Christians, we have received the greatest gift conceivable. We have been saved, not of any effort or reason on our part except by faith.

What do we do to live fully in Christ?

We meet with Him! We do this not by osmosis, birthright or wishfulness; rather, this faith-this beautiful and complete relationship with our Father-is cultivated by our due diligence in connecting with Our Lord, building relationships and increasing trust-just as we would do with any trusted friend.

Meet God and be transformed agents of His Work!

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:21:00 +0000

Nehemiah 8; Romans 12:1-3; Hebrews 3:12-13; 4:1-2; 5:11-6:3; James 1:22-25

The bottom line of why we are to study the Bible is so that we may know God, His Way, and grow in our knowledge and faith in Him so we can then be better used by Him.

We are called to spiritual growth-that is, the formation of the investment of faith Christ gives us that we give back to Him in dividends. This is a deep conviction of our faith, a practiced submission that shows our obedience, and a life of personal and relational maturity. We can't do this when we bring what we want into Scripture and not take out what God wants us to have! We have to listen to God; if not, we will not learn and then we will not grow and then we will not have a life of transformation. Instead, we will experience a storm-tossed sea of life, wayward in every perspective because our eyes and ears are not upon our Lord (James 1:2-8; Heb. 6:13-20).

What is the point of desiring to be a musician if you never intend to learn music and/or practice your instrument? What is the point of doing church if we do not equip the people to learn what we are about and what we are to do from the Bible? What is the point of being a Christian if we never read the directions to know what we should be doing? What point is there to the Christian life without the life-changing transformational life we can have through His Word, Work, and Holy Spirit? There is not much point without it. How do we achieve the transformation? The answer is simple: get into the Word! We have the tools to help you do this--Bible reading charts, plans, and insights for those just starting out to prepare sermons. You can, indeed, do it and remove Bible illiteracy from your life and church!

God desires us to be His, to listen to Him, and to trust and obey Him; He has designed us to be with Him in personal relationship, to seek Him and place Him first so that we might be more like Our Lord. We can meet with Him, we can trust in Him, we can expectantly be learners and doers of His Word and build an effectual church and life (2

Get into the Bible for Transformation

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:17:00 +0000

We meet with God to know Him; we open the Bible and read its words with anticipation and wonder as we commune with the Creator King of the universe who wants us to know Him.

The relationship building doesn't stop with heeding the simple glorious message of the Gospel; we must continue on, delving into God's Word. It is through this intentional learning that we capture His principles, letting us ponder His Truth and begin to apply ourselves to Him, conforming to His Word. Literally in John 6, we are called to 'feed' on Christ; we are to consume His work and principles both for living now and for eternity. This helps us have real meaning and a purposeful life by building our new life (2 Tim. 2:15).

Meeting with Our Lord is so important; it is how we are to grow in Christ! It is how we build our faith and spiritual formation in order to be our best for His Glory.

To do this, we must think beyond ourselves, beyond our past hurts, beyond past experiences and move from perception to concrete, living in the present. If we remain in our material thinking, only seeing what affects us personally or what hinders us or not seeing above and beyond where we are, we will remain in the world of selfishness and absurdity; life will not make sense, and we are left with only stress, despair, anxiety, and boredom. All this will be attributed to our alienation from God and/or our refusal to put our faith into a real able practice when we do know Him. When we 'feed' on our Lord, we will live an abundant and fulfilling life; only then, we can cross the obstacles and overcome life's ills and sin ( John 6:52-71; 14:17;16:1-15; Rom. 5:4-5; 7:21-25; 8:14, Gal. 4:6; 2 Cor. 3:18).

We commune with God to give Him our burdens and concerns. Think about these questions as you seek to deeper connection with the principles of God's Word into our lives, thinking, and behavior.

Seek Him and ask, what is my problem?
What am I doing wrong?
How can I be corrected?
What must I learn to grow in Christ?

We are enabled to grow By the Holy Spirit when our lives are transformed because we feed off Christ's precepts and life and get away from ourselves and the distractions that block our nurture of Him in order to apply ourselves to Him as He applied Himself for us (Neh. 8).

More here: http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=81337&columnid=3801

Satan the Roaring Lion

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:06:00 +0000

Satan is at war with Christianity; this is what Spiritual Warfare is all about.

Know 1 Peter 5:8 which reads: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Satan is not a wimp as some people teach, nor is he to be ignored; thus, we need to be prepared! Satan is not a cowardly lion like in the Wizard of Oz. A coward is someone who does not attract, and such a one invokes no fear; thus, no defense is needed. The term roaring lion comes from 1 Peter 5: 5-9, describing the most feared animal at that time. Such lions would strike absolute fear into the people who had no real defense against them (Psalm 7:2; 10:9-10; 22:13). This referred to Satan’s power and destructiveness, as he is someone who is out to get you and an enemy of God. He is your enemy, the devil/Satan, as his name means “the slanderer” and “our adversary.” This refers to the accuser or the prosecutor (Job 1:6-12; 2:12; Zech. 3:1-2; Rev. 12: 9-10). Peter says Satan is seeking to accuse us of wrong so he can blind us to God’s love and grace. He twists our mindsets to be ashamed, seek apostasy (because we think God does not care), or into not taking our faith seriously.

Satan seeks us out as the lion who seeks the weak prey. His prey is Christians, specifically those who are not mature and not always faithful. Christian maturity requires us to submit and to be humble. The result is respect, cooperation, unity, community, and the power of His Fruit at work. This is our armor and defense against Spiritual Warfare. But, if we do not submit, have no regard for unity, or have no respect for authority, our sinful nature will win out. The result will be Satan’s influence causing us to succumb to quarrels (because of pride), discord, and shame.

We have to see that God wants us to submit; this is best for us, both individually and collectively as a church. Keep in mind that when God talks about Spiritual Warfare in the Bible, it is in the context of who we are and how we are to be in Him! Humility, Fruit, and Character in the Word builds not only our precious relationship with Christ, but our defense in Him as well. He knows that his time is short. Satan knows that his authority and dominion are still under God’s sovereignty; he can do only what God allows for His purpose. Satan has lost and fights like a cornered animal as well as using all the weapons at his disposal to oppose God’s people and goodness. In the last days, he will become more intensely hostile toward the people of God (1 Peter 5:5-9).

Satan also seeks to destroy those who are doing a good work, those who are faithful and being used in service to Him for His glory. He hates those who live their lives for Christ, thus may wage war upon you. So, it is very important to remain in Him and stick to His precepts. Being a Christian and a church is about relying on Christ, not ourselves; it is about His mighty power at work in us—not our feeble ways! It is not allowing our frustrations, disappointments, and failures take hold of us and cause us to concentrate on them and not on Christ. His favor and power will be poured out on us when we are faithful, obedient, and meek (strength under control). Nevertheless, be warned; pride is the complete opposite of these. Pride is what Satan is all about; it will destroy relationships and churches fast and furiously. That is why God hates it so much! Thus, to be confident in Jesus and be used by Him, we need Him to empower us. With this mindset and empowering, we do not need to worry or fret because our mind is not on our status, situation, possessions, or experiences, but on Christ! We can then know the devil’s lies and ways. This comes about when we realize that Jesus does indeed care, and loves us ever so deeply!

The devil gets a hold on us when we fail to comply with the previous precepts of humility, Fruit, and Character! He will attack to discourage and sway us away from God and His ways. Our defense is simple; we are to stand firm in Christ, pray, and allow His work in us to be demonstrated; what we alone would bring to the table would just be fuel for the devil and his ways!

We also can be comforted that God is totally sovereign and Satan can do nothing to us other that what God allows. However, he still has power and has not been tamed yet. Consider that your will is the door through which he comes prowling and attacking; why give him an open door? Satan is still our adversary; he not only wants to take you away from God‘s love and precepts, he wants to utterly destroy you! Peter’s point in 1 Peter 5? Be on your guard and resist him; do not let Satan have that open door—as Peter personally experienced (Luke 22:31-34; Eph. 6:10-20)!

More here: http://70030.netministry.com/pages.asp?pageid=53505

Why does your church Exist?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 23:06:00 +0000

The Church exists by what Christ has done for us in and for His Glory!

According to Scripture, the Church exists because of what Christ has done for us in His glory and the production of His love and work. The church exists for us to be in Christ our Lord, to be His people, His hands, and His feet to first worship Him as Lord, and then respond by our work to build His Kingdome.

The church exits to glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and it continues to be inhabited by the people God chooses, and the response we give back to Him. God is our God and we are called to be His people, so let’s do this, let’s do a better job at it. In all honesty, most of us suck at it! Because we are so engrossed with our petty desires and trend chasing we forget the main thing! That Christ is Lord over our Church and we are supposed to glorify Him, not please ourselves or others!

Time for a history lesson on why we do church. What started as a system of sacrifices performed by a specific, chosen tribe of priests who were the primary teachers and caregivers, moved and transitioned through God’s covenants to the modern church of today. The early Jews had exclusive rights to the things of God, including the writings of Moses. The main part of the sanctuary was accessible by the high priest only, and that inner sanctuary journey happened only once a year. By the work of our Lord, the old church was broken down and became accessible to all that would accept and believe at any time—by the work of our Lord and not by any human effort. The Lord was accessible to one nation who had the responsibility to spread His Word to all nations. This is why the land of Israel was and is so important; in that day, just about every group of people in the world would travel through Israel to Egypt and back. As the principle trade route brought countless numbers of people through it, Israel had the opportunity to be the evangelists of the Glory of God to the world. When they did, they were blessed, such as in Solomon’s time.

The cross replaced the old way of the church, and the veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom to lift up our Lord and the church became poured out by the Spirit to us, the body. Thus, the ministry and responsibilities became real and relevant to all rather than to just a handful of priests. The experience of the church was for all, and the ministry for all believers became our call.

When Christ was put to death for our sins, the Temple veil was torn. The veil’s job was to separate the priests and the holiness of God from the people; it protected God from our sin, and protected us from the wrath of God. The veil has been lifted, or actually torn in two, because Christ paid that debt, and we now have access to God without fear of retribution.

God still chooses people into the ministry as a call and vocation, and their responsibility is to administer the Word and Sacraments. They are responsible to equip and train the lay people, and do the priestly things of marriage, burial, the Lord’s Supper, and proclaiming the Word and most importantly, Worship Christ as Lord.

The problem we run into is that most churches have forgotten that the veil has been torn, and expect the pastor to perform everything while they sit as spectators. They want their ears tickled; they want this, that and the other thing to make them happy. Therefore, they do not have to fulfill their responsibility and call, when one can sit and take no responsibility or determination in ones faith.

We must ask the question do we have a healthy understanding of the purpose and mission of the church and the role of the lay person and the pastor? Do we know why we exist as a church, not the pastors pathetic or wayward vision; rather the call of our Lord? So, let’s do this, let’s do a better job at it!

Not sure what that call is? It is here: Colossians 1:15-23

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:33:00 +0000

A good leader sets their lead from Jesus the Good Shepherd!

John 10:1-42

The key to being a good shepherd, to being a good church leader and effectual pastor, is the very principle of importance we so often forget as it is the simplest call--look to Jesus. Not look to what I can do, what I have done, what I see others do, what I want to do, simply look at our basic job description to care for His sheep. To look to Christ as He said, I am the good shepherd. Our calling is to fully take hold of the fact that we are as caretakers to His sheep; Jesus is the One who leads, equips, and guides us- aspect s we all urgently need. God is the Shepherd for His people, and His people are portrayed as a flock that needs His leading and provision. It is our call to hear His voice and obey, as a good sheep does, in order to be fed and not be eaten by predators (Gen. 48:15; 49:24; Psalm 23; 28:9; 77:20; 78:52, 71; 79:13; 80:1; 100:3; Isa. 40:11; 63:11; Jer. 23:1; 31:10; 34:11-16; Ezek. 34:6-16, 31; Hos. 6:6; Zech. 13:7; Matt. 26:31; John 10:1-8; 16:13-15; Rom. 10:7; Heb. 13:20; 1 Pet. 5:4; Rev. 7:17).

We must be true to His Word as leaders and as His children first. Jesus tells us that Scripture cannot be broken. God's Word is True and no one can do anything to hurt it or break it; it stands on its own and forever. To do our own thing, to water down His Word or lead others astray does us and them no good. To listen and trust in God is a prime statute in our covenant with God as His people. It is our call and duty to pay attention to God, His precepts in His Word, the Bible, and the leading of the Holy Spirit that will not contradict the principles or character of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12).

Jesus calls us to know and understand. If someone did not hear the teaching correctly, he would not understand. This refers to obedience and trust, and it stems from the person's motives as to whether he will obey or remain in their pride and sin. Jesus uses this feast day to challenge us to do as this feast testifies--to rededicate ourselves to our Most Holy God (Jer. 23:4; John 17:17).
Thus, to be a faithful leader, we garner the ability to assume a long-term personal responsibility for the spiritual welfare of a group of Believers with love, care, discipleship, and counseling, moving them to a deeper spiritual connection and maturity with Christ. We come to our people with the empowered Fruit of the Spirit as guardians and protectors-like 'sentinels.' This was someone who protected an estate or farm and served its owners. Our 'Overseer' is Christ (John 10:1-18)! Anyone in church leadership (like Elders) now fill this role, as Christ's workmen, as both shepherds and overseers; we are to look out for the welfare of the flock-the church-by training, caring for, and administering His love and precepts (John 10:1-18; Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28;Eph. 4:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; 5:15; Titus 1:5-16; 1 Pet. 5:1-4).

Why should I be in a Small Group?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:31:00 +0000

We all struggle with the demands of careers—the frustrations and stresses placed on us, including goals, deadlines, work flow, and office politics. Our family obligations are important; many of us have children who need us. Maybe you are already volunteering in the church or community. Perhaps you are juggling work, school, and family to the point that there is not a free minute. When you are asked, “Why don’t you join our small group?”, your reply may be, “What?! I do not have the time! I cannot possibly commit to anything else. I am overloaded and overwhelmed!” To be honest, you are the person who needs to be in a small group the most!

Why? It is God’s plan for you to be in quality relationships to Him and with to others in the confines of a loving community--the definition of “church.” We all need a place to belong and work through the issues of life. We need to be loved and give our love. As Christians, our primary thrust is to know and grow in Christ, surrendering and giving to Christ’s glory (John 14-15; Gal. 2:20-21; Phil. 3:10). How can this be accomplished when all aspects of our life are riddled with stress? With small group study, learning spiritual discipline and receiving the discipleship, relationships, and encouragement that small groups offer. We need a place to grow and we as humans in relationship to Christ grow best in community with people who love and care for you!

Why? We are called to be Fruitful. This is a call to be obedient, to multiply the seed given to us. We are to make disciples of His Word. We are to point to Christ, never to ourselves!

We need to be disciples of Christ, not of people like ourselves! This is a standard call of God to do something productive and effectual with our life and faith. To have this wondrous gift of salvation and do nothing with it is a great insult to our gift Giver, God; it is a proof of ingratitude and nonuse, which would prove that one is either not saved or highly disobedient and foolish (Isa. 27:6; Hos. 14:4-8; John 15).

Why? We are called to bear fruit, referring to a growing faith that is fed and focused on our response to Christ that motivates the Fruit of the Spirit and moral and virtuous thinking and action because of God’s love to us and our gratitude and love back to Him. This is God's love and work in us that flows in through His Holy Spirit and out of us to others around us because we have a personal relationship with Christ. We have God's living presence in us, living in us (Matt. 6:10; John 15; Rom. 5:1-5; 12:1-21; 1 Cor. 12:1-14:40; Gal. 5:16-26; Eph. 4:1-6:20; 2 Peter 1:3-9).

What does it take to be a faithful and fruitful Christian, to be attached to Christ as His love and work flows in and through us? If we claim to know Christ as Lord and hang in His Church, we must yearn to imitate Him and follow His precepts, especially when we lead others! This happens when we show the faith to permanently leave our sinful lives—and, with overwhelming gratitude--follow Jesus. Small groups are the prime platforms for us to learn, grow, and to share. We must follow before we can lead. We are never to be isolated from one another as this will lead us to be unfaithful, prideful, manipulative, or abusive to the people God gives us to care for; such acts are wicked, and we will be held to a strict accounting (Jer. 23:1-2; 31:34; Ezek. 34:11-31; Mic. 5:4; 6:8; Hos. 6:6; John 15 and16; 17:21-23).

Small groups will help us produce faithfulness, which comes when we are in a state of right being; this can only come about from a right, growing relationship with God; this comes by accepting what Christ has done for us and applying it to our lives--by faith.

And it is out, checkout my latest book. It is about small groups, all you need to know and have to start, lead and build them or God’s glory. Over 30 years of research and experience went into it. It is simple to understand yet comprehensive. Originally developed for Campus Crusade for Christ, it has been fully revised and it will be an excellent tool for you and your church. Every small group leader should have one, it is your training manual and you one stop all you need to know and it is inexpensive. The Kindle and eBook versions coming out soon…

http://www.amazon.com/All-about-Small-Groups-Purpose/dp/1468111388/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327343072&sr=1-4

Face Time with God!

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:45:00 +0000

How to be a Capable Bible Student

There is no substitute to time spent in the face of our Lord!

The capable Bible student is rooted and grounded in the spiritual disciplines of the faith, whose drive is their passionate love relationship to the Lordship of Christ. And what flows out of it is the desire to love God’s people, to herd them with love into the pastures of maturity. To lead where the leader has been before, and the people have not been. The mature Christian or leader must exhibit the maturity of the Christian life as the result of their growth and experience in the faith. An effective leader cannot be new to the faith. Even the Apostle Paul spent three years being discipled by Barnabas, and he received his call and was empowered directly from Christ Himself. I have seen too many immature Christians who lead by who they are in society, and not who they are in Christ.

A few years ago while on staff at a church, we received a family who came to faith at a crusade, and the father was the founder of a major fast food franchise. So in less than a year he was my boss, and the president and ruling Elder of the congregation. Now he was a great guy and very successful in business, but he did not know how to run a church. So he instinctually ran it like a business and his policies failed. He did not know how to lead in a church, which is different than in a corporation, even though a lot of the principles are transferable. After several years he did become a good leader as he matured in the faith. But the church suffered during his learning curve needlessly.

There is no substitute to time spent in the face of our Lord, with a surrendered heart and a learning will. We must be willing to be humble no matter who we are and our experience. I had to learn this lesson a few years back when I went from being on staff at a large and influential church to a small church in a small town. My first thought before accepting the call was that I was too good for it. But God wanted me there to teach me to walk closer to him, and not walk in the position that I held. So I did, and I experienced humbleness. Nobody knew me as the conference speaker or author or big position in a big church, but just a youth pastor in a small church. But this is where Christ wanted me, and I learned a lot. It prepared me for the road He had for me. And I’m glad I went there because I learned things in a broader context, that I could not have in a large "mega" church.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful."(II Timothy 2:15-16; 22-24)

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful."(II Timothy 2:15-16; 22-24)

This passage is a testimony to the importance of holiness, and to keep ourselves growing in our spiritual lives so that our emotional selves are impacted and grow too.

Spiritual maturity will lead into emotional maturity most of the time, unless there is some physiological or psychological problem, or deep stress that has never been resolved. It is imperative for the leader to be in control of their emotional health. If not, they need to step down and seek help both spiritually and psychologically. If the leader is given to fits of rage or is just overly emotional, they cannot set the example that Christ has. We are not to be Vulcan’s exhibiting pure logic and no emotions, absolutely not. God created us as emotional beings, but as with anything we must have control of the excess and the potential for rampage.

What gets in the way of being an impact?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:38:00 +0000

The problem as I have been hinting at for most of my thirty years in ministry, is weak faith and prideful Christians who are shallow, selfish and haughty are the biggest obstacles to the Church and to the Kingdom.

Because they stagnate the Church, suffocate its growth and work inside and out. Too many of us are so wrapped up in our own needs, hurts, desires and wants we fail to see our Lord or respond to His call. So we hide it in our pride or become lazy and feeble. Thus, our churches instead of stables of majestic stallions are mere empty stables with dried excrement and old hey, the horses are starved and got out and the saddles are hard and cracked. We have to get our act together, clean up our mess and fix our stable, repair and oil then mount our saddle, and take care of our horse of faith by feeding and crafting our relationship to Christ.

This is why this is radical now, because we need a call out for a radical, cross-cultural step of being trusting and committed to Christ and follow-through with our Christian faith. Not the step of overcoming the liberal politics, or the growing hostility many of us face in our secular community, yes we need to do that too. But, but, even more so, cross our own church culture filled with empty trends and prideful leaders puffed up with empty platitudes and nonsense. And surrender our will and plans to His Lordship, be radical for Christ. Not self, not desires, not some trend, but learn and grow in Him, to be the person He called us to be. Then we will see our society start to change for the better. To not ask what the church can give me, but to serve selflessly. To not be just a taker but a giver, not just a complainer, but and go-getter, to boldly go and do as Jesus Christy has gifted and called to do.

All Jesus asks of us is to receive Him and His love so we can pay it forward to others, to show His love by our display of love so we succeed at His will. Jesus’ love is the sap that flows and what causes us to know Him and have His love working in and out of us; it causes us to make Him known to others even more diligently. We were sinners; now, because of His love, we are His people-united to Him, reconciled to God, and filled with the Spirit. This love now becomes the process of continued blessings for us and others. All it takes is our dedication to Christ, so we can respond by faith, worship, and spiritual formation to carry on His love. Growing in Christ is what the Christian life is all about. It is the life-long process of discipleship and spiritual growth that builds our faith and knowledge in Him so we can take hold of His love and produce even more of it, giving it back to Him and onto others. This helps us with our assurance, maturity, character, and spiritual formation. We become changed because we have received Christ and we can keep on loving. If this is not so, there is something fundamentally wrong in our Christian operating system, because love helps us have more hope and reassurance of faith. Why is this radical? Because few do it, and more fight against it, even those who say they are His (Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 5; Heb. 10: 26-39; 12:14; 2 Pet. 1: 5-11).

With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:6-10

Why no post for so many months?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:25:00 +0000

Overly busy with managing family, crisis’s in ministry and family and financially, ministry travel and being sick.

You may not know (unless you read our newsletters-lol) that I suffer from a potential life ending illness (an autoimmune disease, ‘Hashimoto's Thyroiditis,’ where my immune system attacks my own body. It is not fun, I am in constant pain, I have frequent migraines that cripple me, brain fog, loss of energy, insomnia which makes it very difficult to write and work. On a good day, it is like I’m always tied, like I have been up for 30 hrs. On bad days, it is extreme pain at times, and other annoying stuff). Is it fatal? Well life is isn’t it? Until we are called home. But at this point I am a few years away, but almost died last Nov… so I never know.

So I need your prayers for health, for support for the ministry and family and to keep the up the fight as long as I am given…for our Lord’s glory!

Hebrews 10:32-39

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For,
“In just a little while,
he who is coming will come
and will not delay.”[a]
38 And,
“But my righteous[b] one will live by faith.
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.”[c]
39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Restoration Point!

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:49:00 +0000

After Jesus rose from the dead in John 21:1-14, a contrast was presented of working with versus doing so without the Lord. If we work without Him, we will catch nothing and our work is in vain. If we work for Him, we will see failure turned into success because of the great catch. This is all about loyalty versus disobedience as well as about God’s enablement. Peter perhaps felt that he betrayed Jesus beyond the restoration point; perhaps he did not know what else to do. Thus, he returned to his old ways when he already had something so much more—his witnessing of the Lord’s resurrection! Let’s be careful not to forget what we are supposed to do (John 15:5)!

This passage continues to show us the heart of Christianity—the resurrection. It is interesting to note that many liberal, higher critics have determined that this passage is a postscript—true, but not a part of the original text. Most Jewish and Greek writings did not use postscripts because they considered them to be anticlimactic. Not so, according to ancient manuscripts. This passage also follows the ending of the most popular ancient work of all time, the Iliad that also had a postscript as does Romans 16; thus it does have harmony and great value. So, when these higher critics cry “foul,” tell them to read the Iliad. In spite of all the criticism, this passage was the most circulated of the passages in John, shared apart from the rest of the Gospel for cost savings and for evangelism. This early church track gave hope and a reason for faith!

This also refers to the vindication and triumph of the person suffering; Jesus was proclaiming victory, not just agony! Why? God cannot be touched by sin; Jesus took our sin upon Himself and God turned His head as Christ absorbed and bore our sentence of guilt and death. Now, grace is offered, and we, by faith in Him, have salvation by the work He did on the cross! He endured real suffering that we cannot fathom; beyond the physical agony was His separation from the Father and the wrath from our sin for the first time in eternity (John 16:7-11; Rom. 4:7-8; Eph. 1:7)!

Without the resurrection, we would not have Christianity—as in saving faith. We would have no salvation, no connection to God, no remission from sins, no purpose for life, no hope, no reason for living, and no reason to do evangelism, discipleship, or missions or any other kind of ministry as it would all be futile and meaningless.

Without the resurrection, we would have no reason to meet for worship or have a Church, as we would have no message or meaning or ministry; all we would have is futility, a life of emptiness, vanity, and senselessness. We would just have some great rules and precepts to live by. Well, so do the Buddhists (1 Cor. 15:1-19)! A former Buddhist once told me why he converted to Christianity. I was at a turn in the road; who do I follow; the man who is dead or the man who is alive? I chose the One who is alive! A dead man, no matter how good and great, cannot save anybody. Buddha has saved no one! The difference is with the resurrection; we are transformed, and saved for eternity—not just for here and now (John 10:4; 16:10; 2 Cor. 5:20). We are not called to save souls. That is the role of the Holy Spirit. Rather, we are called to help the “soul bearers” to learn and grow (Rom. 4:25; 14:8; 1 Cor. 15:13-14; 2 Cor. 5:20-21; Phil 1:23; 2:6-11; 3:10-14)!

We are chosen by God and by God alone for our Christian journey, because we are not at our final destination. Rather, each of us is in a process in life and faith. As long as we have breath, God is not finished with us yet; He is still at work in you, He deeply loves you, and wants you to draw ever so nearer to Him. We need to avoid slipping into unbelief and cynicism just because we can’t wrap our minds around it or because we are disappointed. Yet, this is where we all can easily live, because life can be so hard and confusing. We can learn from it, no matter what, so we can have joy and praise Him for His guidance from His Word and Holy Spirit, and, as we walk in Christ, we can always know God was the One who created us to walk and continues to teach us. "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." (Phil. 1:6)

The true mark of a mature Christian is obedience and submission, the ability to totally surrender it all to Him as LORD, and to be as the Epistle writers demonstrated, His slaves. By so doing, He lifts us up to be His friends. Real friends listen, forgive, and love, and are there for one another no matter what; Christ is all this to us! Thus, it is imperative to have the commitment to build effective relationships (Prov. 18:24; 27:17; Matt. 5-7; Luke 15:1-2; John 15:1-15; Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2; I Pet. 4:9).

Show-and-Tell!?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:35:00 +0000

What can you do with the fact that in Christ, you have hope for today and everlasting life for eternity?

After Jesus arose from death in John 20:19-31, He went into a show-and-tell mode! He presented proof of who He is and what He came to do; He then told His followers to go and tell the Good News to others. The Bible describes their seeing Jesus resurrection for the first time as “rapturous!” Basically means very excited for who Christ is and what He has done for us, thus giving great joy and gratitude through our commitment to God and, in context, the courage to witness. This joy means our faith and fruit will overflow from us to others around us! This joy grows in us as we mature in the faith and as we are filled with His Word. It is also the power to enjoy Him in worship and as a lifestyle that will affect all aspects of our lives as well as that of others around us in His service and glory. Because of Christ, His Word will bring us joy. (Ruth 3:2-7; Isa. 9:3; Neh. 8:10; Eccl. 2:18; Matt. 24:21-22, 30; Luke 15:7-10, 32; 17:30; John 14:16-26; 16:12-15; 17:17; Acts 28:16-30; Rom. 13:11-14; 1 Cor. 7:29; 2 Cor. 2:15-16; 4:7-12; Eph. 1:13-14; 6:16; 4:30; Phil. 2:12-13; Col. 3:15-16; James 1:2; 1 Pet. 5:8-9).

What does a life filled with joy and praise for Christ look like? What can you do to look to His guidance from His Word and Holy Spirit, and walk in Him?

The ultimate victory has come: Jesus is risen; He is risen indeed! Halleluiah! Christ’s agony and death are now turned into victory—our ultimate triumph! Do you fully realize what Jesus did for you? Christ took this punishment for us; our fears (as in scared to death, not fear as in reverence to Him) have been borne on the cross, while the fear and awe of our Lord and Savior helps us see what He did for us (Prov. 3:5)! Every time we sin, we incur greater guilt, and we deserve punishment (Gen. 3:1-24; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 2:1-11; 3:10-26; 5:12-19; Titus 1:15; James 1:12-15; 1 John 1:8-10). But, the incredible miracle here is that we are set free by His work on the cross, by His death and resurrection (Rom. 5:10; 6:22). We have salvation by Jesus’ sacrificial death (John 19:30). How now will you live your life?

Why did Thomas doubt? Perhaps the magnitude of Jesus’ resurrection was beyond comprehension; without seeing it for themselves, as Thomas asked for and received, many refused to believe. Others truly believed by faith and worshipped Him. Although we do not have physical sight of Jesus’ hands and feet, we do have the Spirit who reveals the truth to us. Jesus did not fit the expectations of the people, the religious leaders, or even the disciples. A total change in worldview had to occur before He could be fully accepted. We have to be careful we do not jump to conclusions with little more information than our feelings and a “sound bite.” Know this: our opponents will see our hypocrisy and lack of Fruit and faith (real or not) –over-compensation for a misguided theology out of the rubble of our pride or lack of explanation.

Thomas after getting his verification gave a clear and powerful climax and confession of faith that Jesus is Yahweh, Lord God, Creator of all things, and Sovereign Lord over all. He made the universe and He gets to run it, including you and me! This also refers to Jesus being fully God, Immanuel, which means “God is with us” (Ex. 15:11; Isa. 6:3; Matt. 1:23; John 1:1-7Rev. 1:6; 4:11; 19:10; 22:9).

Refusing to acknowledge or believe will cut one off from our Lord and the faith and love needed for living. It is God's role and work that are empowering and saving; we merely respond. Our faith is a response, not a work; we recognize Christ because He reveals Himself to us. All the blessings and wonders that we experience are in Christ and He gives us faith that we can turn into more faith by our commitment and obedience (John 3:30; Rom. 6:12; Gal. 2:20-21; Eph. 2:8-9; 5:15-17; Phil. 3:1-21; Col. 1: 3-6, 10-12, 15-29).

What can you do to live for Christ? What would that mean and look like? How now will you live your life?

Be a Doorkeeper?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:37:00 +0000

What would your life look like to know Christ more, grow in Him more, and make Him known more? What are you going to do about this?

In biblical times, the Doorkeeper was a very important and privileged job only entrusted to the most capable, loyal, and trained priest. His job was to make sure that no one who was unclean or undeserving would be allowed to enter the Temple of the Lord. In this way, God’s house would not be defiled. He also made sure those who were able to enter did so rightly and were properly purified to enter the Lord’s presence and then properly paid their tithe and reverence. If he did not do his duty, the Temple would be defiled, and this would be a heinous act before a Most Holy God. He had to have incredible character so he could not be bribed or be lazy and so he could do his job appropriately. The incredible honor for this priest was that he had the incredible position to be in God’s “approximant presence,” not intimacy, but just so close to it that only a small fraction of humanity could ever experience. As Christians, we have this now, we have so much more now, so much deeper and truer (see the contrast in Psalm 84). I would rather just have a glimpse of God for one day than live it up elsewhere for eternity (Lev. 4:1-3; 5:4-16; 16:2; Num. 18:1-7; Psalm 84:10)!

Do you realize the magnitude and wonder, the incredible gift beyond measure that we have by our Lord’s work and sacrifice?

The ultimate victory has come: Jesus is risen; He is risen indeed! Halleluiah! Christ’s agony and death is now turned into victory and become our ultimate triumph! Do you fully realize what Jesus did for you? Christ took this punishment for us, our fears (as in scared to death, not fear as in reverence to Him) have been borne on the cross, while the fear and awe of our Lord and Savior helps us see what He did for us (Prov. 3:5)! Every time we sin, we incur greater guilt, and we deserve punishment (Gen. 3:1-24; Jer. 17:9; Rom. 2:1-11; 3:10-26; 5:12-19; Titus 1:15; James 1:12-15; I John 1:8-10). But, the incredible miracle here is that we are set free by His work of on the cross (Rom. 5:10; 6:22). By His death and resurrection, we are set free; we have salvation by Jesus’ sacrificial death (John 19:30). How now will you live your life?

We are given a prize that only one high priest was able to have only once a year for a brief point of time—to be in God’s presence. This Doorkeeper, in Jesus time, would do all he could for that position to only gain a glance of the inner door by the Ark and never even see inside that inner chamber of the Temple. However, we have Him inside of us here and now! We have grace, forgiveness, and a personal relationship with God the Creator and Savior. We have life and purpose, meaning and hope! We are indeed fortunate to have this, and by no work or effort of our own. The question is what we are doing with Christ in us so He is shown outside of us? So go, and be trusting of His wonder, faithful to His plan and percepts, and know Him more, grow in Him more, and make Him known more (2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9-10)!

How can you be set apart to promote our Lord’s Kingdom and Grace? What does it take for you to live a life of distinction, a life that honors Christ and motivates and encourages others?

The Rapture: Who's Left Behind?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 22:48:00 +0000

Do you think that the “rapture” is really in the Bible? Perhaps not! You may want to investigate this, Scripture in context, real word meanings… From 20 years of research at the Schaeffer Institute investigated this more thoroughly than anyone, now it seems the rapture is a made up myth and not in the Bible… But do not be like I did get all mad and think rebuttals to a rapture is nonsense, rather read and not read into the Bible what we want it to say…

The Cross

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Do you realize the magnitude of what our Lord did for you? He, who was without sin, covered you with His righteousness.

When we look upon the cross as the iconic representation of our faith and the crucifixion it stands for, we have to realize it was once something quite different. It was an icon for what was, at one time, the most brutal torture ever conceived. It was a symbol of absolute terror. The Romans, who acquired the practice from the Arabians, Carthaginians, and Persians, would set these crosses up within the city limits of pre-conquered areas and randomly crucify some of their inhabitants, just to keep the others in line. Alexander the Great practiced this because it made the rest of an area to be in fear, thus easily conquerable. The Romans saw this as a good idea then took it and even improved it. Subsequently, they instituted the same practice and used it against non-Roman people accused of a crime for capital offences. It was most effective!

Cross. The cross—that symbol of torture and punishment—turned into an enduring icon of redemption and love! The cross is pivotal for the real Christian faith. Without it, there would have been no redemption or real faith, as the substance of our faith would have been absent.

The cross is central to who Jesus is and what He did for us. If you take away the cross, you no longer have a faith; you have a mere religion based on superstitions and man’s creative ingenuity. The cross represents atonement—our being forgiven of our debt of sin by our Lord’s shed blood. This is the heart and core of our faith. There is no Christianity without the cross! Jesus carried the sins of those religious leaders, the sins of those soldiers, and our sins to the cross. Such an enormous, incredible gift of grace! If only we will accept it by faith! If only we would be willing to pursue that faith into the depths of His Word and precepts in order to be better in our character, in our maturity, and in our witness (Matt. 27: 32-37; John 19)!

He dealt with our sin here and all the way to the cross; we are to receive His grace and continue to look to Him to do away with our sin—not look to ourselves or to circumstances. If not, even if pride does not get us, compromise will! It will take over our integrity and we will lose. Look to Him! Look to the acceptance of the God of the universe and the loving community of the Church, which we can enjoy so we do not need to partake of the world when we have so much more. We cannot seek virtue unless we deal with sin; we cannot grow in Him unless we deal with sin; so—deal with your sin! If you do not, pride, selfishness, and hate will win out and you will lose in your faith formation and in your testimony to others!

Jesus chose to endure through the most heinous suffering a person could experience. How does this affect you? What can you do to be appreciative of our Lord? How will this affect the way you live your life and treat others?

What does it mean to you that your debt of sin has been paid and that you no longer owe a penalty or sacrifice for your sin? Keep in mind that as Jesus did this, He did it for you! What does this mean to you?

Pilate’s Postmodernism

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 20:01:00 +0000

In John 18 and 19 we see Jesus come before Pontius Pilate the Roman governor. Pilate confronts Jesus with are you the King of the Jews? Then Jesus said, I have purpose and bring Truth to the world and if you know and love Truth you will know and love me. Pilate responds in a post-modern fashion; what is truth?

This was another sarcastic reply of cynicism that Pilate gave out, as the one to judge truth diminishes its relevance. Yet, real Truth is one of the most important ideas of God. Truth does not matter to those whose pursuits are wicked or if it goes against someone’s worldview or for one who is overly skeptical or focused on just one thing like Pilate’s time schedule.

Pilate’s statements of, what is it you have done? And what is truth? And judge him by your own law, are all defense mechanisms to avoid responsibility. He, like many people today, was a man in a hurry and not concerned with truth, just his own personal matters. He was a bit tolerant for the sideshow put on by the religious leaders, perhaps even perplexed and struck by Jesus, but not enough to go beyond his comfort zone and act truthfully with justice and mercy, something Jesus will do for us. Jesus would even forgive Pilate if he did right, just as Jesus forgives all those who seek to condemn Him. How many of us miss opportunities because we take hold of our desires, scheme and seek ourselves regardless of consequences, and refuse to deal with our sin, so sin takes us over. How often we see those who are responsible for justice overlook justice and guilt. If we do not deal with sin, it will take us out, as sin produces all of the disasters of life.

It seems that Pilate was weighing the political consequences of releasing Jesus and perhaps causing problems with his job security. Even if Pilate believed Jesus was at least a Divine messenger or a Prophet, it was not enough to sway him from the manipulation of the religious leaders.

This passage has a very interesting and responsibility-ducking response that is reminiscent of many people today, called postmodernism.

Pilate had the great opportunity to showcase Truth, yet he did not want to take responsibility. In the previous passage, he questioned what truth is and made a claim that it is all relative and unimportant; he skirted the issues and blamed others so he would not get into trouble. Then, when all that did not work, he compromised and placated the crowd instead of taking a stand to do the right thing. How many of us do that? A Judge, knowing a defendant is innocent, follows the technicalities of the law, ignoring truth and justice, and sends an innocent person to prison while a guilty person gets off because of those same technicalities. Church boards ignore a good pastoral candidate because his teaching is too relevant and convicting, choosing another who will not rock the boat or make them feel uncomfortable, even though the person whom they choose compromises truth and merely entertains. When we seek to ignore truth or Truth, blame others, and/or refuse to take responsibility, we are being more like Pilate and less like Jesus!

In contrast, when we are seeking Christ first and His work in us, then we are pursuing righteousness and all that is good as a way to glorify Christ as Lord. What we all need to be doing is applying His character into our lives and relationships, from our daily lives, our service, and our mission for His glory. This is real, authentic application of our faith development that is essential—not only in our personal Christian lives, but also in how we are to prepare ourselves to build relationships and model and make Him known. With sin, all we will have is quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, envy, pride, and such, as these so-called Jewish leaders modeled. The results of these will cause chaos and strife to any situation, and hinder God’s work in us. Extreme division will be wedged into any church or relationship focusing our will and desires over His, preventing our receiving of any good or pleasing work, as well as any blessings. It will prevent God from using us to the fullest extent possible, especially in helping others. We will not be real, functioning Christians when we have pride or focus on pleasing others and not pleasing Christ. We have to be willing to counteract these rotten works by committing to the good fruit, keeping our goals, and focusing upon Christ and His Word, so we can develop them (Prov. 6:32-35; Rom. 8:29).

Jesus shows up

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 19:16:00 +0000

What happens when we let our emotions run unchecked and away from our faith?

In John 18:15-27, Peter will betray Jesus, but he also had opportunities to not and stand for the faith. Yet, as he stood warming himself, to stand up for Jesus but instead, he denied Him again! Are you not one of His followers? Even a relative of the man Peter stabbed confronted him, and yet, Peter protested I am not! At that point, just as Jesus had prophesied, the rooster crowed!

We all—at some point, more often than not, sooner than later—will stumble, make bad choices, and/or fail. The question is where are we going with our faith and due diligence of His teachings? We must seek to please God and submit our will to Him; by so doing, we will become humble, trusting, and obedient toward God and others (Ex. 32:19-20; 30-34; Num 12:1-3; Psalm 37:11; Matt. 5: 3-12; 11:29).

The great, principle comfort in our distress is that Jesus shows up; He is with us and for us because of His love.

The principle of love, which is the essence of the Gospel, must be our mark so it is our impact; because we are influenced by His love, we will contemplate (think deeply) upon it and become empowered and stimulated by it, so it flows even when we are not thinking of it or are as Peter was when the rooster crowed—stressed, hurt, or confused. The point of this passage is the point of the Gospel. If we live out our Christian lives with the great commitment of love and faith with diligence, then we can succeed in life, ministry, and service to our Lord. If love and faith are not our marks, then we will be worthless and of no value. Nothing we want to do or attempt to do could amount to anything of value without love. What we think is important and purposeful is not, unless it is joined to our growing faith empowered by His love. All we do must be in the cart that is pulled by the horse of our faith, with the reins of hope, and most of all love as the wheels, all because of Christ's love. Keep in mind that most people, including Christians, have a skewed idea of love. We get our ideas from TV and movies; we believe these flawed ideas based on our feelings and how people have treated us. As a result, we do not see the unmerited love called grace that we have already received from our Lord.

What do you need to do to reach out to Christ and let Him grasp you so you do not see just the sea of problems and the ocean of deluge overtaking the ship of your faith and composure in Him?

How can you be better at focusing on Christ? What do you need to do to be better with humility and keeping your focus on God’s plan?