Tag: God

New life, new logic

Re: Verse reading–2 Corinthians 5:11-21; 1 Peter 3:15-16; Colossians 4:2-6 (day one)

With new life comes new logic.  Christianity is a new way to think!  The Apostles, who recorded the truths revealed in Christ, were bold to declare a revolutionary equation that came to the world after the cross and resurrection.   1)  He died for all.  2)  We should live for Him.  3)  Therefore, we should live for all, including and especially lost people. (2 Corinthians 5:15) It’s missionary logic!  Those who receive grace from God, are obligated to give it away. (Romans 1:14)  “Knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men.” (2 Corinthians 5:11) How can we do otherwise?   Did the first followers repeat this logic over and over?  Did they write this new equation in their journals in an disciplined effort to “be transformed by the renewing of the mind”.  Probably. Want to try it? Want to love Him with your mind?  Say the words to yourself!  Write them down!  Repeat them every day! New life. . .new logic.

Self-excluded

Re: Verse reading– Acts 4:32-37; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 6:9-10; Hebrews 10:24-25 (day seven)

“I don’t even remember the season.  I just remember walking. . . and feeling for the first time that I belonged somewhere.”–Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.   Remember when you were a kid?  You wanted to be ON a team, IN a group?  You wanted to belong.  Some adults try to forget this longing.  God wants us to remember it.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul describes a miracle.  When we are reconciled to God, we are placed on a team.  God’s team.  We become members of a body.  The body of Christ.

Sometimes we fall short of this lofty truth because we self exclude.  “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong”, says v 15.  Sad.  You DO belong, you just don’t experience the encouragement of it.

What could you do this week to discover and embrace this idea?  Say it!  Say it loudly ! “If I am in Christ, I belong!”

Distinguishing

Re: Verse reading– Acts 4:32-37; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 6:9-10; Hebrews 10:24-25 (day five)

Acts 4 32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul.

There are many distinguishing marks of a person who has been given new life and a new heart in Christ: hunger for the scriptures, different strategy for battling sin, love for Jesus, love for others, and a love for the church (people/family of God). This love for the church results in more than appreciation and affection for other believers. Yes, something deeper and more significant happens to believers that who are called and placed by God to worship, serve, and be a light together. One of the distinguishing marks of a church (people) filled with Holy Spirit is unity. Only the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit can unify a group or body of believers in mission, purpose, priority, and activity. The presence and power of God are clearly on display when His children and church are unified and are joyfully and intentionally deepening friendships/relationships with each other.

 

 

Perfect Health

Re: Verse reading– Acts 4:32-37; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 6:9-10; Hebrews 10:24-25 (day four) The relationship within the church is much more than a group of people joined together to learn about God and do good things. When we trust Christ and are filled with the Spirit and baptized into the fellowship of the church, we enter a unique relationship. Faith in Christ removes barriers like rich or poor, slave or free, Jews or Greeks…we become one in Christ. Just as in a marriage, we become one. In the early church, they shared all their possessions so that no fellow believer suffered for lack of provision. Paul described the relationship as a body…with different parts, but all a part of the whole. Each part functioned for the good of the whole. For the body to function fully, every part must be working smoothly and thoroughly. Have you done a checkup lately to see how your part is functioning? The church needs your part to be in perfect health!

Saved

Re: Verse reading– Acts 4:32-37; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 6:9-10; Hebrews 10:24-25 (day three)

“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’” When the human body experiences an organ transplant, massive doses of anti-rejection drugs soon follow. A body cannot fight itself and live. The human race cannot fight one another and live. The church is the sole representative of the kingdom of God on earth. Its mission consists of living the way Jesus taught us to live with one another—which is the only way to stay alive. If the church will not live that way, if the church fights itself, death comes, no one gets saved, and the human race is doomed. Loving one another in the church of our Lord is not only obedience, it’s life support for the whole world.

Corpus Christi

Re: Verse reading–Acts 4:32-37; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 6:9-10; Hebrews 10:24-25 (day one)

“Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.”—1 Corinthians 12:27.

Familiar words.  The Roman Catholic Mass reaches a traditional climax when the priest holds the bread before the communicant and declares “Corpus Christi”, or, “the body of Christ”.  The Scripture uses the same words in a different way–to describe what has happened to US in salvation.  We became His body!  Just as Christ was given a physical body in the incarnation, arms, lips, legs–all which served His purposes and connected Him to the physical world, so, now, Christ-followers serve that purpose in similar fashion.

Every year in our nation, millions are spent on cosmetic surgery, diet and exercise plans.  We are very “body” conscious.  O that we would be AS conscious of our privilege to be members of Christ’s body.  Responding to our Head, available for the doing of His will, Corpus Christi–for us both truth and prayer.

Thank God for Pastors

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17-18 (day seven)

I thank God, this morning, for my Pastors.  Shad Rue. Carlos McLeod.  Lonnie Hayter.  BO Baker.  Dan Yeary.  They have inspired, challenged and coached me.

I thank God for calling me to be a Pastor.  For the privilege to “speak His word”.  For the lessons I’ve learned from the people I’ve led.  The patience.  The wisdom. The encouragement.

I thank God for the church.  For the Savior who purchased this people with His blood.  For the Spirit who empowers and guides us.  For the Scripture which is the foundation that never shifts under our feet.

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders.  Instead, teach them to YEARN FOR THE VAST AND ENDLESS SEA.”–Antoine de Saint Exupery.

For 45 years, God has been faithful to send people into my life who have taught me this yearning.  I thank God for them.

Integrity and Submission

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17-18 (day four) 

We’ve been talking about relationships this quarter…relationships with children, parents, neighbors, employers, government, and church.  Our passages this week teach us that we are to grow in our relationships.  We are to strive to improve in how we interact with others.  It seems that most all of our relationships require some level of submission to another.  God has created man to be interdependent and to operate within His plan of leadership.  To submit to another does not mean that one is superior over another…submission is a voluntary yielding of our will to another, based on their position or calling.  God holds those in authority accountable for the way they wield their authority.  At the end of the prophet Samuel’s life, he asked the nation if he had wronged any man.  No man brought an accusation against him.  (1 Samuel 12:3-4) As a leader, demonstrate integrity.  As a follower, demonstrate submission.  God’s plan brings peace and brings glory to His name.

Request

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17-18 (day three)

“Pray for us.”

There is nothing better that church leaders can ask of their congregations.  The request for prayer places leaders in the posture of humility and honesty before the people, and it acknowledges limitations that only God can help leaders go beyond.  And there is nothing better that congregations can do than to pray for their leaders.  Such prayer reminds congregations that the church will represent God’s kingdom to a world that’s afraid no one is running the universe.

From sheep to sons

Re: Verse reading–Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17-18 (day one)

” He gave. . . some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints. . .until we all attain to the unity of the faith. . .to a mature man. . .the measure. . .which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”–Ephesians 4:11-13.

It begins low, but ends high.  God’s vision for the human race.  First we are sheep.  Helpless/foolish.  Then, in salvation, we become saints. Eventually, by His grace, we attain unity, maturity as sons of the Most High!  “Conformed to the image of His Son” shouts the scripture!  No longer infants.  Stable. Strong.  Loving. God’s provision toward this miraculous transformation is to send shepherds.  (Pastor means shepherd in the original language).  Pastors protect/feed sheep, but they also equip/lead lead them toward maturity.  At the end of life, it won’t matter who your Pastor was.  It WILL matter whether you gained strength from him/her to get forward on the road from being a sheep to a son.