I would like all my readers to know, as they already should, that I am far from understanding, applying and perfectly living everything I write! I do not doubt that most of what I write is good--not for it's style or my skill, but for it's content, which is not mine-- but I struggle a lot.
Currently, I am struggling a lot with the weight of feeling I'm not living enough for the Lord. Now, when we get in similar circumstances, we have to be very careful. You see, we have to distinguish between the devil's oppression and lies and the discipline of the Lord. The work of the devil results in guilt. The work of the Lord results in freedom, unless we resist it. Then I imagine that there is conviction--but conviction and Satan's guilt are very different indeed.
So a lot of what I feel is guilt and I know that the devil is trying to get me down. A lot of times I feel like I'm not good enough for Christ. You probably understand what I'm saying; it's not that we believe what we feel, but we feel that way regardless!
But God gave me an insight tonight that I think is very important, especially in light of my recent notes, which tend to provoke conviction (which is indeed important, but the devil's distorting it in my life and making it oppressive instead of freeing--a sure sign that it's him and not the Lord).
This is my insight: God calls us friends. (Now the song is going through your head.)
"I have told you all these things [read before this passage] so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!...
...You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using My name."
John 15:11...14-16.
"Now you are My friends", Jesus says! How awesome!
I have long realized that friends are friends in large part because I am their friend. What I mean is this: I invest in my friends because they have a mutual investment in my life. If they didn't, they wouldn't be friends. We are friends because the relationship is reciprocal. I hope that's not too difficult a concept. Therefore, my best friends are best friends because they treat me as one of their best friends. Try being a best friend with someone who does not consider you a best friend, and you may understand better what I'm trying to say (and I've been in that situation several times...).
Where I am going with this is that we are friends with Jesus Christ not because we chose Him but because He chose us. He invests time into our lives because not only does He love us (a fact we have heard so much that we often become deaf to it's incredible-ness), He likes us! He chose us to be His friends! He hasn't just created heaven as a reward, but also because He wants to be with us for all eternity.
Remembering that renews my spirit. It renews the joy in serving Him. It renews the joy in letting Him convict and change me because He wants me to be like Him. It renews my hope that I am not on my own in trying to serve Him, but can only do it because of Him. Most of all, it renews my joy that He considers me His friend, and wants to spend time with me (this is not prideful, but rather humbling).
How incredible. How incredible.
Thank You, Jesus!
29 September 2009
24 September 2009
A Note on the First Chapter of I Peter
The following is intended to go along with "The Preparation of the Bride:"
The books by Peter are incredible to build in to give us a thorough picture of what should be our focus (but then, every book in the Bible is!). In any case, I'm going to use 1 Peter 1 mostly in this note.
This is mostly just an expansion of everything else I have written. Most of what I write is.
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance--an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see."
1 Peter 1:3-5
Read the rest of the chapter and Psalms 4:3-8.
Then we move on to later in the chapter:
"So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be hold in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, 'You must be holy because I am holy.'
And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time as "foreigners in the land.'"
1 Peter 1:13-17
"You were cleanses from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been born again, but not a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living Word of God."
1 Peter 1:22-23
Summed up in that chapter, once again, is the result of the Lion and Lamb of God's nature. He is the Lion: His righteousness demands that we strive for holiness (verse 16), for God cannot abide unrighteousness (Psalms 5:4-6). His is also the Lamb: sacrificed for us to forgive us of the unrighteousness that He cannot abide (verses 18-21), and His promise to help us become holy (for we cannot do it without Him).
So what it comes down to once again, as I mentioned in the New Life (don't you enjoy my redundancy?), is that
1. We are saved by grace alone!
2. We still need to get our lives entire right with the Lord!
We can't do either of these on our own, but we cannot do #2 without considerable effort. God doesn't tell us that following Him is going to be a piece of cake or that we can sit back. But I can tell you that it gets both easier and harder the more of our lives we give to Christ. It gets easier in that we have greater joy and experience of God's purposes in our lives giving us greater motivation, and it gets harder in that our deeper and more secret sins must be exposed and we may be called to greater and greater responsibility. I expanded on this in The Victorious Life, so I won't here.
I gave examples of how God's been convicting me. That's what I'm talking about! We need to change our lives! But we do it out of the joy we find in throughout 1 Peter 1!
The Church needs to grasp the importance of throwing off worldly desires completely! We cannot share allegiance with the world and with God (James 4:4-5)! But so much of the Church is trying to do just that.
That's all I'm going to say. It's all what I've said before. I just wanted to share new Scripture on it. I try to use as much Scripture as possible, and when I come across good Scripture regarding a topic, I want to go back and add it. In this case, I've simply created another note for it.
The books by Peter are incredible to build in to give us a thorough picture of what should be our focus (but then, every book in the Bible is!). In any case, I'm going to use 1 Peter 1 mostly in this note.
This is mostly just an expansion of everything else I have written. Most of what I write is.
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance--an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see."
1 Peter 1:3-5
Read the rest of the chapter and Psalms 4:3-8.
Then we move on to later in the chapter:
"So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be hold in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, 'You must be holy because I am holy.'
And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time as "foreigners in the land.'"
1 Peter 1:13-17
"You were cleanses from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been born again, but not a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living Word of God."
1 Peter 1:22-23
Summed up in that chapter, once again, is the result of the Lion and Lamb of God's nature. He is the Lion: His righteousness demands that we strive for holiness (verse 16), for God cannot abide unrighteousness (Psalms 5:4-6). His is also the Lamb: sacrificed for us to forgive us of the unrighteousness that He cannot abide (verses 18-21), and His promise to help us become holy (for we cannot do it without Him).
So what it comes down to once again, as I mentioned in the New Life (don't you enjoy my redundancy?), is that
1. We are saved by grace alone!
2. We still need to get our lives entire right with the Lord!
We can't do either of these on our own, but we cannot do #2 without considerable effort. God doesn't tell us that following Him is going to be a piece of cake or that we can sit back. But I can tell you that it gets both easier and harder the more of our lives we give to Christ. It gets easier in that we have greater joy and experience of God's purposes in our lives giving us greater motivation, and it gets harder in that our deeper and more secret sins must be exposed and we may be called to greater and greater responsibility. I expanded on this in The Victorious Life, so I won't here.
I gave examples of how God's been convicting me. That's what I'm talking about! We need to change our lives! But we do it out of the joy we find in throughout 1 Peter 1!
The Church needs to grasp the importance of throwing off worldly desires completely! We cannot share allegiance with the world and with God (James 4:4-5)! But so much of the Church is trying to do just that.
That's all I'm going to say. It's all what I've said before. I just wanted to share new Scripture on it. I try to use as much Scripture as possible, and when I come across good Scripture regarding a topic, I want to go back and add it. In this case, I've simply created another note for it.
23 September 2009
Preperation of the Bride
Hopefully the title catches some people's attention because they want to read about my views on marriage. And hopefully that deceiving little trick will let them read the rest of this which indeed has nothing to do with marriage between a man and a woman but between Jesus and the Church.
"But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for you sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment."
2 Peter 3:8-10
"And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things have happened, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!"
Luke 21:25-28
"Keep alert at all times!"
Luke 21:36
"Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire."
Revelation 20:14-15
"Then the angel said to me, 'Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires His prophets, has sent His angel to tell His servants what will happen soon."
Revelation 22:6
Okay, so why on earth write all that?
Because those things are happening and will happen VERY SOON. Unfortunately, I probably just lost a good selection of my readers trust in what I'm going to say. But I believe that I am lead by the Spirit of God to write this and I will not be disobedient.
Jesus is coming again soon. He's revealed through prophecies to numerous different people that He is ready for His Bride, but the Church is not yet ready for Him. It's time to get ready!
He says,
"'Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.'
Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life."
Revelation 22:12-14
You say, "that was written almost 2000 years ago." I say, "Yes, it was. Have you washed your robes? Are you ready?"
I don't say any of this to scare people. I write this because it is our joy and privilege to look forward to the return of Christ! But our problem is that we have become so lax in thinking God is coming back soon that we live as though our whole lives are going to go as we plan them to. In other words, we live as though we won't have to stand before Christ before our physical deaths.
But God commands us to live as though we were going to meet Him every day! We want to put everything off till tomorrow. "Oh, I'll deal with that later because I've dealt with this today and that's good enough." Or, "Well, look how I've gotten this whole tithing thing down!" Meanwhile, we get caught up in self-congratulations for that accomplishment that we forget the other areas God's working on us.
He is ready, the Bride is not.
Let that sink in for a moment.
You say, "that's not Scriptural." I say, "Yes it is." Don't believe me? Just think about it--His command is that we are pure and ready for Him. Can you say that most of the Church is? Think about it. Pray about it. Are you?
Peter goes on to say, "And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight." (2 Peter 3:14).
Make EVERY effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight.
Are you pure and blameless in His sight? I'm not--I have many issues I have to deal with. I know that. For example, this summer the Lord told me, "You don't love me enough." That hurt! But it was truth and the truth will set us free. Because His judgment is part of His love, I recognize the fact in my life and want to love Him even more. Another example is that God has made it clear that I do not spend enough time with Him. As a result, this morning I had a strong sense that He's asking me to spend at least 1 hour a day reading and studying His word, praying, and singing to Him. That's a lot of time compared to my normal comfort. At first I was not very open to the idea and tried to shrug it off as my own mind. But conviction has convinced me it's His, and I will obey Him.
So what are you dealing with? If Jesus isn't coming in our lifetime, does that give us an excuse for living as though He's not? He's commanded us to live as though He is. Through prophecy He has declared that anyone not ready when He returns will have to face the tribulation. Take that as you will, and read Luke 12:35-48.
I take it as this: if it's wrong, I still want to live by the principle it demands. If it's right, than I want to live by the principle it demands.
"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'come.' Let anyone who hears this say, 'Come.' Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life...
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon!'
Revelation 22:17,20
Jesus is coming soon and He wants His bride to be ready for Him! That begins with us as individuals and progresses to us as a community--His Bride, His Body, His Church. Let's not dink around flirting with the world's pleasures. I do far too often. Even in my mind I flirt with small desires. NO MORE! Again, this is not to scare people to change--though if it does I am not sure it's worse than no change at all--but rather to encourage people to find joy in Christ's return and a desire to be ready for Him because we love Him!
"But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for you sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment."
2 Peter 3:8-10
"And there will be strange signs in the sun, moon and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory. So when all these things have happened, stand and look up, for your salvation is near!"
Luke 21:25-28
"Keep alert at all times!"
Luke 21:36
"Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire."
Revelation 20:14-15
"Then the angel said to me, 'Everything you have heard and seen is trustworthy and true. The Lord God, who inspires His prophets, has sent His angel to tell His servants what will happen soon."
Revelation 22:6
Okay, so why on earth write all that?
Because those things are happening and will happen VERY SOON. Unfortunately, I probably just lost a good selection of my readers trust in what I'm going to say. But I believe that I am lead by the Spirit of God to write this and I will not be disobedient.
Jesus is coming again soon. He's revealed through prophecies to numerous different people that He is ready for His Bride, but the Church is not yet ready for Him. It's time to get ready!
He says,
"'Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.'
Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life."
Revelation 22:12-14
You say, "that was written almost 2000 years ago." I say, "Yes, it was. Have you washed your robes? Are you ready?"
I don't say any of this to scare people. I write this because it is our joy and privilege to look forward to the return of Christ! But our problem is that we have become so lax in thinking God is coming back soon that we live as though our whole lives are going to go as we plan them to. In other words, we live as though we won't have to stand before Christ before our physical deaths.
But God commands us to live as though we were going to meet Him every day! We want to put everything off till tomorrow. "Oh, I'll deal with that later because I've dealt with this today and that's good enough." Or, "Well, look how I've gotten this whole tithing thing down!" Meanwhile, we get caught up in self-congratulations for that accomplishment that we forget the other areas God's working on us.
He is ready, the Bride is not.
Let that sink in for a moment.
You say, "that's not Scriptural." I say, "Yes it is." Don't believe me? Just think about it--His command is that we are pure and ready for Him. Can you say that most of the Church is? Think about it. Pray about it. Are you?
Peter goes on to say, "And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight." (2 Peter 3:14).
Make EVERY effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight.
Are you pure and blameless in His sight? I'm not--I have many issues I have to deal with. I know that. For example, this summer the Lord told me, "You don't love me enough." That hurt! But it was truth and the truth will set us free. Because His judgment is part of His love, I recognize the fact in my life and want to love Him even more. Another example is that God has made it clear that I do not spend enough time with Him. As a result, this morning I had a strong sense that He's asking me to spend at least 1 hour a day reading and studying His word, praying, and singing to Him. That's a lot of time compared to my normal comfort. At first I was not very open to the idea and tried to shrug it off as my own mind. But conviction has convinced me it's His, and I will obey Him.
So what are you dealing with? If Jesus isn't coming in our lifetime, does that give us an excuse for living as though He's not? He's commanded us to live as though He is. Through prophecy He has declared that anyone not ready when He returns will have to face the tribulation. Take that as you will, and read Luke 12:35-48.
I take it as this: if it's wrong, I still want to live by the principle it demands. If it's right, than I want to live by the principle it demands.
"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'come.' Let anyone who hears this say, 'Come.' Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life...
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon!'
Revelation 22:17,20
Jesus is coming soon and He wants His bride to be ready for Him! That begins with us as individuals and progresses to us as a community--His Bride, His Body, His Church. Let's not dink around flirting with the world's pleasures. I do far too often. Even in my mind I flirt with small desires. NO MORE! Again, this is not to scare people to change--though if it does I am not sure it's worse than no change at all--but rather to encourage people to find joy in Christ's return and a desire to be ready for Him because we love Him!
The Spoken Word
“One day Jesus called together His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out demons and to heal all diseases. Then He sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick…So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.”
Luke 9:1-2,6
“If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’”
Luke 10:8-11
“He replied,‘The Father alone has the authority to set those days and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’”
Acts 1:7-8
Okay, so you have read all that Scripture, I hope. And since I don’t want to be accused of taking anything out of context, let me explain:
Luke 9:1-2,6 and Luke 10:8-11: Same idea. In both Jesus sends out His disciples to preach in villages and proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God.
Acts 1:7-8: Jesus’s promise as He ascends to heaven. It is generally accepted that this applies to all Christians until His return, a viewpoint I share wholeheartedly.
So…now what?
This summer the Lord has been teaching me a lot! One such lesson is that of power in the spoken word. This is a lesson I feel I’m a little late in learning, but since it is my commitment to not compromise, I strive to learn and apply this lesson. Meanwhile, you say, “what lesson?”
The lesson that Jesus wants us to speak His Word! Because it is His WORD.
I have heard so many people say, “well, you just need to live a life like Jesus, and people will notice the difference.” Yes—many people willl notice the difference! But many people won’t. Their hearts are just so hard that they will not respond like many: “wow, I want what they have.”
Jesus wants us to speak! As I began my summer job, my viewpoint was very much that of, oh, I just need to act Christ-like and that will be my witness and testimony. That’s not enough!
Jesus commands us to SPEAK His Word! He wants to use us to share the Gospel, and He wants to anoint our words! Be He cannot anoint unspoken words. Just living Christ-like and not verbalizing sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ is not enough!
Time is short! Jesus is coming soon! (I know many people who would love to have a long argument with me about this, saying that Jesus said that, and we have no idea when He’s coming back. They say that if we think He’s coming, then we’re probably wrong. I say, “where did you get that philosophy?” Jesus told us about the signs of the coming of the end so that we’d be prepared. So we’d better be prepared—He’s coming soon!)
Anyway, with time short, we can no longer try the nonverbal action approach! Jesus is serious about this I believe, as He’s revealed it in many prophecies. As the people’s hearts grow harder and harder, they will not notice the difference.
But—this is so far from our comfort zones! It is for me! There is no denying that and I’m not trying to say it’s easy for me. I don’t like initiating conversations about my faith, simple as that. Many people do, and praise God for that! That is not my strength, and certainly not part of my nature. But it should be! How many opportunities are missed and lives left unchanged because I thought just being polite would make a difference? Being polite doesn’t change lives. Speaking the Word of God in His power does.
Sometimes I don’t like to do this because I fear judgment. That, I am sure, grieves the Holy Spirit. I cannot think of the times that He’s probably been grieved because He could have used me to change a life when I was instead fearful of being judged. For instance, on an airplane. Turning the person sitting next to you off to you on a flight is not a fun thing. So we’d rather just not mention anything about faith. Heaven knows that’d be preaching! Avoid that! (Sarcasm)
Okay, disclaimer: we cannot preach outside of the power of God. If we’re preaching from ANY other motive but love, we need to examine our hearts. But when we truly love people, then we truly would understand the need to be verbal about the Good News, sharing Paul’s opinion (Romans 1:16) and Jesus’s opinion (2 Peter 3:9). If we are sharing the Gospel outside of love, we tend most often to be rude and forceful—attitudes not listed in the fruit of the Spirit!
So I’m not saying living like Christ is bad. We need to (Ephesians 5:1-2). But we also need to verbally share the Good News of Jesus Christ!
“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’”
2 Corinthians 5:20
But…we can’t speak for God if we’re not speaking at all!
I’m committing myself to speaking the Good News! This is critical and I believe to remain verbally silent is disobedience. We are called to speak for God. He wants to anoint and use our words, but He cannot anoint or use unspoken words. Words are not spread by action. There is power in the spoken Word!
Luke 9:1-2,6
“If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’”
Luke 10:8-11
“He replied,‘The Father alone has the authority to set those days and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’”
Acts 1:7-8
Okay, so you have read all that Scripture, I hope. And since I don’t want to be accused of taking anything out of context, let me explain:
Luke 9:1-2,6 and Luke 10:8-11: Same idea. In both Jesus sends out His disciples to preach in villages and proclaim the coming of the Kingdom of God.
Acts 1:7-8: Jesus’s promise as He ascends to heaven. It is generally accepted that this applies to all Christians until His return, a viewpoint I share wholeheartedly.
So…now what?
This summer the Lord has been teaching me a lot! One such lesson is that of power in the spoken word. This is a lesson I feel I’m a little late in learning, but since it is my commitment to not compromise, I strive to learn and apply this lesson. Meanwhile, you say, “what lesson?”
The lesson that Jesus wants us to speak His Word! Because it is His WORD.
I have heard so many people say, “well, you just need to live a life like Jesus, and people will notice the difference.” Yes—many people willl notice the difference! But many people won’t. Their hearts are just so hard that they will not respond like many: “wow, I want what they have.”
Jesus wants us to speak! As I began my summer job, my viewpoint was very much that of, oh, I just need to act Christ-like and that will be my witness and testimony. That’s not enough!
Jesus commands us to SPEAK His Word! He wants to use us to share the Gospel, and He wants to anoint our words! Be He cannot anoint unspoken words. Just living Christ-like and not verbalizing sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ is not enough!
Time is short! Jesus is coming soon! (I know many people who would love to have a long argument with me about this, saying that Jesus said that, and we have no idea when He’s coming back. They say that if we think He’s coming, then we’re probably wrong. I say, “where did you get that philosophy?” Jesus told us about the signs of the coming of the end so that we’d be prepared. So we’d better be prepared—He’s coming soon!)
Anyway, with time short, we can no longer try the nonverbal action approach! Jesus is serious about this I believe, as He’s revealed it in many prophecies. As the people’s hearts grow harder and harder, they will not notice the difference.
But—this is so far from our comfort zones! It is for me! There is no denying that and I’m not trying to say it’s easy for me. I don’t like initiating conversations about my faith, simple as that. Many people do, and praise God for that! That is not my strength, and certainly not part of my nature. But it should be! How many opportunities are missed and lives left unchanged because I thought just being polite would make a difference? Being polite doesn’t change lives. Speaking the Word of God in His power does.
Sometimes I don’t like to do this because I fear judgment. That, I am sure, grieves the Holy Spirit. I cannot think of the times that He’s probably been grieved because He could have used me to change a life when I was instead fearful of being judged. For instance, on an airplane. Turning the person sitting next to you off to you on a flight is not a fun thing. So we’d rather just not mention anything about faith. Heaven knows that’d be preaching! Avoid that! (Sarcasm)
Okay, disclaimer: we cannot preach outside of the power of God. If we’re preaching from ANY other motive but love, we need to examine our hearts. But when we truly love people, then we truly would understand the need to be verbal about the Good News, sharing Paul’s opinion (Romans 1:16) and Jesus’s opinion (2 Peter 3:9). If we are sharing the Gospel outside of love, we tend most often to be rude and forceful—attitudes not listed in the fruit of the Spirit!
So I’m not saying living like Christ is bad. We need to (Ephesians 5:1-2). But we also need to verbally share the Good News of Jesus Christ!
“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’”
2 Corinthians 5:20
But…we can’t speak for God if we’re not speaking at all!
I’m committing myself to speaking the Good News! This is critical and I believe to remain verbally silent is disobedience. We are called to speak for God. He wants to anoint and use our words, but He cannot anoint or use unspoken words. Words are not spread by action. There is power in the spoken Word!
God is Good
"Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?. . .No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us."
Romans 8:35, 37
I went outside tonight, after watching the nightly TV series (on DVD), The Waltons, with my grandpa, and just prayed. The nearest house is probably 700 feet away, if not farther, so there was no one around. So I prayed out loud, as I like to do because doing so keeps me focused.
And as I prayed I prayed that I would truly begin to understand and apply what God has really been teaching me: God is good. Okay, you say, yes very true. You applaud and agree. But what do I mean by apply?
Tell Him that.
Dealing with Sin
I hate sinning--an attitude that the Holy Spirit has instilled into me. But my flesh still loves it, as you probably understand. So I still sin, and far too frequently! Typically, I feel remorseful, sick to my stomach, miserable, et cetera.
But guilt is not of Christ. I have to be careful to distinguish between remorse that leads to repentance and guilt. You see,my normal response to sinning is to feel so guilty that I run from God in a sense; I feel guilty in His presence so I run from it. Don't talk to Him. But I can't live that way! When we sin, we need to run to Him!
"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."
Hebrews 4:16
What God has taught me about this verse is that it is true all the time! You see, forgiveness is grace. But also: discipline is grace! We have to understand that God has promised to forgive us, but we need to come to Him and repent, not run from fear. God is good! He is so good that He longs for us to come running back to Him when we fall down! At the thrown of God we find grace, and grace is discipline, because God is the Righteous Judge. He doesn't say He'll pat us on the back and say "it's okay," but He will say, "I forgive you, but I will discipline you so that you do not do it again." See? Discipline is grace.
But then we can't linger on our shame, because that is a self-centered attitude. I've had issues with this--just constantly saying, "I'm sorry. I'm sooo stupid," and so forth. NO! We have to accept God's forgiveness and then go on to say, "God is good!" That is how we apply. Tell Him, "You are so good!" That is what God wants from us all the time, even after we fall to temptation, not to keep confessing and feeling guilty. In other words, He wants us to get our eyes off ourselves and back onto Him!
Dealing with Circumstances
The same goes with any circumstances we are in. Even in the most difficult circumstances, it is still self-contentedness to focus on the problems. We need to learn to just say, "God, you are good!" Constantly! It doesn't matter if you feel His goodness at the moment. If we only told Him "You are holy" when we felt like worshiping Him, we'd never say it enough. We say, "God, please let me experience your goodness! Ease my suffering (test, too hard of homework, trouble with friends, et cetera)!" Now, I'm not saying that's wrong, because the promise of John 16:23-24 holds true (be sure to read all around that verse, though). But we have to learn that God is good even when we can't tell! Because, as my pastor in Siloam Springs has said, God wants us to say, "You are good," and He will reply, "Yes, I am, and let me show you how."
You see, again? It's about getting our eyes off of ourselves and onto Christ.
Dealing with Silence
So often when I talk to God, I feel like He's not listening. Now, I know that is probably because I have not learned to hear His voice like I should. But even so, it is not my place to not worship Him even when I feel silence. True faith worships God even when He seems silent. He still wants us to say, "God, you are good!"
All I am saying is, we need to learn to worship God all the time! Even when we sin and feel horrible. Even when our circumstances are terrible. Even when we feel neglected or even abandoned by God! This is such a standard Truth, and yet I don't apply it far too often! I've been learning that something I naturally do when I am alone and talking to God is go over all my problems. It's not that they aren't valid, or that the Lord doesn't want to hear them. It's just that in the process of focusing on me, I forget to focus on Him! I don't want to do that. I'm trying more and more just to over and over and over tell Him, "You are good!" It's a practice in humility. It's a practice in strong faith. It's a practice in loving God. Only when our eyes are on Him can we move forward, especially as the days grow more and more evil, as Christ said they would (Luke 21:5-36).
Come to the throne of Grace boldly, even if it is to repent of sin, because He loves us, and He is good!
Romans 8:35, 37
I went outside tonight, after watching the nightly TV series (on DVD), The Waltons, with my grandpa, and just prayed. The nearest house is probably 700 feet away, if not farther, so there was no one around. So I prayed out loud, as I like to do because doing so keeps me focused.
And as I prayed I prayed that I would truly begin to understand and apply what God has really been teaching me: God is good. Okay, you say, yes very true. You applaud and agree. But what do I mean by apply?
Tell Him that.
Dealing with Sin
I hate sinning--an attitude that the Holy Spirit has instilled into me. But my flesh still loves it, as you probably understand. So I still sin, and far too frequently! Typically, I feel remorseful, sick to my stomach, miserable, et cetera.
But guilt is not of Christ. I have to be careful to distinguish between remorse that leads to repentance and guilt. You see,my normal response to sinning is to feel so guilty that I run from God in a sense; I feel guilty in His presence so I run from it. Don't talk to Him. But I can't live that way! When we sin, we need to run to Him!
"So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."
Hebrews 4:16
What God has taught me about this verse is that it is true all the time! You see, forgiveness is grace. But also: discipline is grace! We have to understand that God has promised to forgive us, but we need to come to Him and repent, not run from fear. God is good! He is so good that He longs for us to come running back to Him when we fall down! At the thrown of God we find grace, and grace is discipline, because God is the Righteous Judge. He doesn't say He'll pat us on the back and say "it's okay," but He will say, "I forgive you, but I will discipline you so that you do not do it again." See? Discipline is grace.
But then we can't linger on our shame, because that is a self-centered attitude. I've had issues with this--just constantly saying, "I'm sorry. I'm sooo stupid," and so forth. NO! We have to accept God's forgiveness and then go on to say, "God is good!" That is how we apply. Tell Him, "You are so good!" That is what God wants from us all the time, even after we fall to temptation, not to keep confessing and feeling guilty. In other words, He wants us to get our eyes off ourselves and back onto Him!
Dealing with Circumstances
The same goes with any circumstances we are in. Even in the most difficult circumstances, it is still self-contentedness to focus on the problems. We need to learn to just say, "God, you are good!" Constantly! It doesn't matter if you feel His goodness at the moment. If we only told Him "You are holy" when we felt like worshiping Him, we'd never say it enough. We say, "God, please let me experience your goodness! Ease my suffering (test, too hard of homework, trouble with friends, et cetera)!" Now, I'm not saying that's wrong, because the promise of John 16:23-24 holds true (be sure to read all around that verse, though). But we have to learn that God is good even when we can't tell! Because, as my pastor in Siloam Springs has said, God wants us to say, "You are good," and He will reply, "Yes, I am, and let me show you how."
You see, again? It's about getting our eyes off of ourselves and onto Christ.
Dealing with Silence
So often when I talk to God, I feel like He's not listening. Now, I know that is probably because I have not learned to hear His voice like I should. But even so, it is not my place to not worship Him even when I feel silence. True faith worships God even when He seems silent. He still wants us to say, "God, you are good!"
All I am saying is, we need to learn to worship God all the time! Even when we sin and feel horrible. Even when our circumstances are terrible. Even when we feel neglected or even abandoned by God! This is such a standard Truth, and yet I don't apply it far too often! I've been learning that something I naturally do when I am alone and talking to God is go over all my problems. It's not that they aren't valid, or that the Lord doesn't want to hear them. It's just that in the process of focusing on me, I forget to focus on Him! I don't want to do that. I'm trying more and more just to over and over and over tell Him, "You are good!" It's a practice in humility. It's a practice in strong faith. It's a practice in loving God. Only when our eyes are on Him can we move forward, especially as the days grow more and more evil, as Christ said they would (Luke 21:5-36).
Come to the throne of Grace boldly, even if it is to repent of sin, because He loves us, and He is good!
22 September 2009
No Compromise
"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory."
Colossians 3:1-4
No Compromise. None.
That's what Christ calls us to. Let me explain.
And for those of you who are consistent reading my notes, you will realize that this comes up in almost every single one of them. This is because it is so important.
Let me first explain what I mean by compromise.
Jesus has called us into New Life, not altered life. If you have "The New Life," you will remember me saying that. I took that phrase from C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity. Remember, Jesus says, "But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).
Look at what C.S. Lewis says:
I find a good many people have been bothered by what I said in the last chapter about Our Lord's words, "Be ye perfect." Some people seem to think this means "Unless you are perfect, I will not help you"; and as we cannot be perfect, then, if He meant that, our position is hopeless. But I do not think He did mean that. I think He meant "The only help I will give is help to become perfect. You may want something less: but I will give you nothing less..."
That is why He warned people to "count the cost" before becoming Christians. "Make no mistake," He says, "if you let me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for. Nothing less, or other, than that. You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life...whatever it costs Me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect--until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He sad He was well pleased with me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less."
(pages 171-172, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis)
I won't belabor what C.S. Lewis has put very nicely. I want to say that my desire above all else is to be like Christ and live the life He has given me to live. For many years I fought against the discipline of the Lord: I wasn't ready to give up my pride. And let me tell you something about pride. I didn't want to give it up not because I liked it (for I was very much disgusted with it), but by pride's very nature, it is perhaps the greatest sin to surrender to Christ, for it is the sin that keeps you from it.
Even after recognizing pride in my life, it took a whole lot of conviction and thought before I could literally tell the Lord, "break my pride." Even now, when I am shown pride in my life, I often struggle with the evil of pride before I can bring myself to that. But when I do, and when He is faithful (as He always is), it is the most freeing experience!
That is what I mean by no compromise. I will not settle with half-measures in my Christian life (which should be my whole life). If I know that perverse joking is wrong (Ephesians 5:4)), and I am hanging out with people who are disregarding that verse and others, then it is my responsibility to refrain from it, regardless of the judgment I may receive! What an elementary lesson; how, therefore, is it justified as I see it is everywhere? And I am certainly no less guilty. I am expressing my desire, not my accomplishment.
This note is not actually about me trying to teach anyone a lesson. It is about me being transparent, that others may learn from what Christ has taught me (for that is one of the the purposes of fellowship). Therefore let me show you some areas Christ has brought to mind with me.
Ephesians 6:18 tells us to pray for all believers everywhere. Christ has called us to lives of intercession. But I am, to be bluntly honest, not a faithful prayer warrior. This is an area Christ is disciplining me in (for it is by His discipline--not punishment--that we overcome our compromises). But because I know this is what I am supposed to do, I have no right be compromise on this issue: I am called to be an intercessor. I will admit to my struggle, give praise for my growth, and hope for improvement in this area, because I do not want to compromise!
Also, God has shown me that keeping Him as my constant focus in everything is part of the life I have been called to. This does not mean that if someone talks about watching a movie on Friday night I can't participate in the conversation without talking about, Sunday-school answer, Jesus. No, but it does mean that I am sensitive to the Holy Spirit inside of me at all times, who convicts where I say things I shouldn't say, or, in my grand case, convicts me of pride and being judgmental.
But this doesn't all come about by just wanting it. It's through a relationship with Christ--an active pursuit of a relationship with Christ. That means conversation, reading the Bible. I struggle greatly with reading the Bible consistently, but I am getting better. Only by a relationship with Christ, which is what Christianity is, are we able to be molded, disciplined, transformed into His image!
And that is what I want! I do not even think I understand the depths of how much our lives are to be like Christ's. I do not think I understand how much God wants to rid us of all darkness in us! Steven Shedd wrote, "The Bible talks a lot about God bringing things in the dark to light, things that are hidden to be discovered, and I believe that is one of the things He wants to do in everyone's life. I believe He wants to make us transparent. After all, how are we supposed to be lights if we have darkness in us?"
This is true! But I don't want to keep rambling. So I'll leave you with Scripture, and I'll leave you with knowing that I will not compromise. Not for fear of judgment (judgment of being "oh-so-spiritual"). Not for fear of the harsh enemy attacks that I will receive. Not for fear of the strong convictions that come with surrendering more and more of my life to Christ. (Of course, I will compromise constantly, but my desire and passion is as I have said).
Colossians 3:1-17, Philippians 2:12, Ephesians 4:17-32, Ephesians 5:1-20, I John 1:5-10, I John 3:4-6, Jude 17-23, Revelations 3:15-22, Revelations 16:15
There are many, many, many more...
I want the fullness of the New Life without compromise. Period.
Colossians 3:1-4
No Compromise. None.
That's what Christ calls us to. Let me explain.
And for those of you who are consistent reading my notes, you will realize that this comes up in almost every single one of them. This is because it is so important.
Let me first explain what I mean by compromise.
Jesus has called us into New Life, not altered life. If you have "The New Life," you will remember me saying that. I took that phrase from C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity. Remember, Jesus says, "But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).
Look at what C.S. Lewis says:
I find a good many people have been bothered by what I said in the last chapter about Our Lord's words, "Be ye perfect." Some people seem to think this means "Unless you are perfect, I will not help you"; and as we cannot be perfect, then, if He meant that, our position is hopeless. But I do not think He did mean that. I think He meant "The only help I will give is help to become perfect. You may want something less: but I will give you nothing less..."
That is why He warned people to "count the cost" before becoming Christians. "Make no mistake," He says, "if you let me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for. Nothing less, or other, than that. You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life...whatever it costs Me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect--until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He sad He was well pleased with me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less."
(pages 171-172, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis)
I won't belabor what C.S. Lewis has put very nicely. I want to say that my desire above all else is to be like Christ and live the life He has given me to live. For many years I fought against the discipline of the Lord: I wasn't ready to give up my pride. And let me tell you something about pride. I didn't want to give it up not because I liked it (for I was very much disgusted with it), but by pride's very nature, it is perhaps the greatest sin to surrender to Christ, for it is the sin that keeps you from it.
Even after recognizing pride in my life, it took a whole lot of conviction and thought before I could literally tell the Lord, "break my pride." Even now, when I am shown pride in my life, I often struggle with the evil of pride before I can bring myself to that. But when I do, and when He is faithful (as He always is), it is the most freeing experience!
That is what I mean by no compromise. I will not settle with half-measures in my Christian life (which should be my whole life). If I know that perverse joking is wrong (Ephesians 5:4)), and I am hanging out with people who are disregarding that verse and others, then it is my responsibility to refrain from it, regardless of the judgment I may receive! What an elementary lesson; how, therefore, is it justified as I see it is everywhere? And I am certainly no less guilty. I am expressing my desire, not my accomplishment.
This note is not actually about me trying to teach anyone a lesson. It is about me being transparent, that others may learn from what Christ has taught me (for that is one of the the purposes of fellowship). Therefore let me show you some areas Christ has brought to mind with me.
Ephesians 6:18 tells us to pray for all believers everywhere. Christ has called us to lives of intercession. But I am, to be bluntly honest, not a faithful prayer warrior. This is an area Christ is disciplining me in (for it is by His discipline--not punishment--that we overcome our compromises). But because I know this is what I am supposed to do, I have no right be compromise on this issue: I am called to be an intercessor. I will admit to my struggle, give praise for my growth, and hope for improvement in this area, because I do not want to compromise!
Also, God has shown me that keeping Him as my constant focus in everything is part of the life I have been called to. This does not mean that if someone talks about watching a movie on Friday night I can't participate in the conversation without talking about, Sunday-school answer, Jesus. No, but it does mean that I am sensitive to the Holy Spirit inside of me at all times, who convicts where I say things I shouldn't say, or, in my grand case, convicts me of pride and being judgmental.
But this doesn't all come about by just wanting it. It's through a relationship with Christ--an active pursuit of a relationship with Christ. That means conversation, reading the Bible. I struggle greatly with reading the Bible consistently, but I am getting better. Only by a relationship with Christ, which is what Christianity is, are we able to be molded, disciplined, transformed into His image!
And that is what I want! I do not even think I understand the depths of how much our lives are to be like Christ's. I do not think I understand how much God wants to rid us of all darkness in us! Steven Shedd wrote, "The Bible talks a lot about God bringing things in the dark to light, things that are hidden to be discovered, and I believe that is one of the things He wants to do in everyone's life. I believe He wants to make us transparent. After all, how are we supposed to be lights if we have darkness in us?"
This is true! But I don't want to keep rambling. So I'll leave you with Scripture, and I'll leave you with knowing that I will not compromise. Not for fear of judgment (judgment of being "oh-so-spiritual"). Not for fear of the harsh enemy attacks that I will receive. Not for fear of the strong convictions that come with surrendering more and more of my life to Christ. (Of course, I will compromise constantly, but my desire and passion is as I have said).
Colossians 3:1-17, Philippians 2:12, Ephesians 4:17-32, Ephesians 5:1-20, I John 1:5-10, I John 3:4-6, Jude 17-23, Revelations 3:15-22, Revelations 16:15
There are many, many, many more...
I want the fullness of the New Life without compromise. Period.
My Comission
Paul writes to Timothy:
Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. . . . Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you."
1 Timothy 5:8-13;15-16
I certainly am not Timothy, but I know that this is what the Lord wants me to do. He has called me into leadership; this I know. He has grown in me a passion for the Church, His Bride, and for its preparation for His return. Therefore these words speak right to me: "Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress."
I know that this takes humility, which I am begging God to reveal more and more to me. And He has! He has taught me (and is teaching me, for it will never be completed) to recognize pride in my own life, and that is awesome! I want to be an example in my life, love, faith and purity, regardless of how I look to my peers! If by my life as lived in the truth of this Scripture, and Titus 2:7-8, Colossians 3:1-4, Ephesians 4:23; 5:1-2, Romans 12:1-2, and Galatians 2:20, I bring conviction to peers and observers, than I desire that!
First of all, I am not there. Second of all, I DO NOT want to get there bound by pride! But I want to live the truth of Galatians 2:20--because in that there is no pride!
But I want to get there. I want to walk so closely with the Spirit of God that He fills all my words, and that none of my life would give any hint to my old life's control.
Fortunately, God uses me as I am, because I will never be to the point where I want to be. He has given me the commission He gave Timothy, and I want to embrace it! That is what truly matters far more than anything else. Walking in the life God has given you to live is the first step to fulfillment, and when you're avoiding that complete, entire commitment, something will always be void. God has to get us to perfection one way or another, either by our willingness or by discipline (rather than "or," think "and").
So with that in mind, I truly do with to pour myself into the things of the Lord and that which He has given me to do!
Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. . . . Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you."
1 Timothy 5:8-13;15-16
I certainly am not Timothy, but I know that this is what the Lord wants me to do. He has called me into leadership; this I know. He has grown in me a passion for the Church, His Bride, and for its preparation for His return. Therefore these words speak right to me: "Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress."
I know that this takes humility, which I am begging God to reveal more and more to me. And He has! He has taught me (and is teaching me, for it will never be completed) to recognize pride in my own life, and that is awesome! I want to be an example in my life, love, faith and purity, regardless of how I look to my peers! If by my life as lived in the truth of this Scripture, and Titus 2:7-8, Colossians 3:1-4, Ephesians 4:23; 5:1-2, Romans 12:1-2, and Galatians 2:20, I bring conviction to peers and observers, than I desire that!
First of all, I am not there. Second of all, I DO NOT want to get there bound by pride! But I want to live the truth of Galatians 2:20--because in that there is no pride!
But I want to get there. I want to walk so closely with the Spirit of God that He fills all my words, and that none of my life would give any hint to my old life's control.
Fortunately, God uses me as I am, because I will never be to the point where I want to be. He has given me the commission He gave Timothy, and I want to embrace it! That is what truly matters far more than anything else. Walking in the life God has given you to live is the first step to fulfillment, and when you're avoiding that complete, entire commitment, something will always be void. God has to get us to perfection one way or another, either by our willingness or by discipline (rather than "or," think "and").
So with that in mind, I truly do with to pour myself into the things of the Lord and that which He has given me to do!
21 September 2009
The New Life
I have written a full-length study on the essentials of the new life we have in Jesus Christ. However, because it is so long, I find it sufficient to include the Forward here and request that you email me for a copy of the full document.
My email address is < lckeagy.galatians220@gmail.com >
Forward:
By God’s amazing grace are we saved, and by no other means. And by God’s amazing grace because of the death of His Son, the Sacrificed Lamb, Jesus Christ, we have new life.
But what does this new life entail? What are the basic and most powerful truths of the doctrine of salvation and living on this earth? What does it mean to give your life to Christ?
I use a lot of Scripture, and some quotes from well-known theological authors who were filled with the Spirit of God and understand these truths a far deal greater than I do.
Please follow me through Scripture to help understand what is the most important thing in life – this new life. We owe Christ our lives because He has given His for us. In this should we have joy!
Translation note: The Scripture translation I most frequently use is the New Living Translation, second edition. I understand that many people do not like this version, so feel free to read the Scripture in another.
Most important is that I am not an expert on any of the following matters, but Christ is. He’s the authority on absolutely everything, because He is Truth (John 14:6). Also, my ultimate purpose is to express love to God by making it very clear that the matters I talk about are what God has taught me, and not by any means anything I can understand on my own. I desire to abide in the truth of 1 Corinthians 8:2. Like Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, “it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority…my conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord Himself who will examine me and decide.” And with that understanding, I write here what I have been taught. Study what I say—make sure it is sound and grounded in the Word of God.
My email address is < lckeagy.galatians220@gmail.com >
Forward:
By God’s amazing grace are we saved, and by no other means. And by God’s amazing grace because of the death of His Son, the Sacrificed Lamb, Jesus Christ, we have new life.
But what does this new life entail? What are the basic and most powerful truths of the doctrine of salvation and living on this earth? What does it mean to give your life to Christ?
I use a lot of Scripture, and some quotes from well-known theological authors who were filled with the Spirit of God and understand these truths a far deal greater than I do.
Please follow me through Scripture to help understand what is the most important thing in life – this new life. We owe Christ our lives because He has given His for us. In this should we have joy!
Translation note: The Scripture translation I most frequently use is the New Living Translation, second edition. I understand that many people do not like this version, so feel free to read the Scripture in another.
Most important is that I am not an expert on any of the following matters, but Christ is. He’s the authority on absolutely everything, because He is Truth (John 14:6). Also, my ultimate purpose is to express love to God by making it very clear that the matters I talk about are what God has taught me, and not by any means anything I can understand on my own. I desire to abide in the truth of 1 Corinthians 8:2. Like Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, “it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority…my conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord Himself who will examine me and decide.” And with that understanding, I write here what I have been taught. Study what I say—make sure it is sound and grounded in the Word of God.
Purpose of this Blog
My intention for this blog is to try and extend the audience that reads what I have written and been taught by the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also a way to have a central point on the web where people can access them.
I take no credit for posts, though I do claim copyright. It is God who has given me the ability to write, taught me what He has, and instructed me to tell others.
Therefore, all glory belongs to Him, and Him alone!
Sincerely,
Lukas Cameron Keagy
I take no credit for posts, though I do claim copyright. It is God who has given me the ability to write, taught me what He has, and instructed me to tell others.
Therefore, all glory belongs to Him, and Him alone!
Sincerely,
Lukas Cameron Keagy
Maranatha!
"'Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.'
Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life."
Revelation 22:12-14
"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'come.' Let anyone who hears this say, 'Come.' Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life...
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon!'
Revelation 22:17,20
Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life."
Revelation 22:12-14
"The Spirit and the Bride say, 'come.' Let anyone who hears this say, 'Come.' Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life...
He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon!'
Revelation 22:17,20
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