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Transformed not Conformed
“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5” “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
Romans 12:1-8 NASB
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
The living sacrifice. In the oldest records that can be found of the various nations of the earth, sacrifice is always found to have formed part of their religious services. But it is only when we come to faith in Christ that we find the idea of sacrifice having any influence upon our life. Very plainly the psalmist recognizes that it is the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart that is most acceptable to God. But Jesus came to teach men true faith. The worship that he demands is a worship in spirit and in truth. The sacrifice that he requires is a sacrifice of our life. He wants the activities and energies of body, soul, and spirit to be consecrated to his service. This is what the apostle means when he speaks of presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice.
The whole heart must be given up to God, so that whatever is right may be strengthened, and that whatever is wrong may be taken away. Many Christians render to Christ an imperfect sacrifice in this respect. They keep back part of their life from him. They allow themselves to be dominated by feelings which are inconsistent with his spirit and precepts. They will excuse themselves for some besetting sin by saying, “That is my nature; I can’t help it.” The evil nature is still with us, it is true; but it is our duty to strive against it, to overcome it. Moses appears to have been a man of hasty and violent temper. Yet his obedience to the Divine will, produced such a change in his character that it is afterwards recorded of him, “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men who were upon the face of the earth.”
The love of God should ever be the chief affection of our heart. The love of home—how can there be anything wrong in that? Yet there is wrong in it when it interferes with the call of duty. “He that loves father or mother more than me,” says Christ, “is not worthy of me; and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Of such complete self-denial Christ himself has given us the best example. “He pleased not himself.” Not merely in his death, but in his life, he gave himself a living sacrifice. When we think of how much we owe to Christ, any sacrifice that we can make will seem but a poor and feeble effort to show our gratitude and our love.
The two likenesses. The exhortation contained in this verse regards the human mind as impressionable, pliable, susceptible. It is especially addressed to Christians. There are two forms which seek to impress themselves upon Christians. The one is likeness to the world; the other is likeness to God.Against this the apostle warns the Christian: “Be not conformed to this world.”
If I am to choose, let me have high moral standards rather than having a conscience that sees no harm in anything.
When the Jewish people came in contact with the heathen nations, they began to imitate them, to conform to their customs. The result was disastrous to the spiritual life, and ultimately to the temporal prosperity of Israel. So it was with the Churches of Asia, Their worldliness proved their ruin. Sardis had a name to live, but it was dead. Laodicea was lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot. We may try as Christians to please the world by conforming to it, but in doing so we are unfaithful to our Lord. “The friendship of this world is enmity against God.”
The conformity of Christians to the world is harmful to the world. Some Christians imagine that they will have more influence on the world by becoming more like it. Christians are living epistles, known and read of all men. What kind of example are we setting to the world? Let us not bear the world’s likeness. “Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate;” “Be not conformed to this world.”
“But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.”Likeness to God will exclude likeness to the world. The more desire we have for God, the less we shall have for the world.We cannot renew our own minds. “Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” It is to pass from death to life. Old things pass away; all things become new. There is a new way of looking at things.
Things which we once took pleasure in have no attraction for us now; duties which we once thought tiresome now become our delight. This is the result of the Holy Spirit working in us, producing in us likeness to God, transforming us into his image, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Jesus Christ.
This transformation is to be developed by living near to God. Prayer, and the study of God’s Word, are the means of obtaining this likeness to God. It is noteworthy that the same Greek word which is here translated “transformed” is the word which is used to describe the transfiguration of Christ. And when did Christ’s transfiguration come to him? When he was on the mountain-top in prayer. Prayer is the true transformation, the true transfiguration, of the soul. Thus here on earth we shall reflect in some measure the image of God until we reach that land where “we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. The apostle is teaching diversity and unity in the Church.
“We have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office”. There we have diversity. There is one body. One life lives in all the parts.
“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another”. There we have diversity. There is room for diversity in the Church. So, too, in individual congregations, there is room for varied gifts and activities. There, also, we have unity. “One body, and every one members one of another.” There is the unity of the Spirit, the unity that arises from the common bond of faith in Christ and love to him, of obedience to the same Divine law, and of the inspiring hope of the same heaven.
TWO PRACTICAL LESSONS.
A lesson of humility. “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly. All the members of the body have need of one another. There is a place for the humble and unlearned workers in the Church , just as much as for the wealthy and the cultured and the learned.
A lesson of concentration. Division of labor and concentration of individuals upon particular jobs is one of the great principles of modern manufacturing and commerce. St. Paul applies the same principle to Christian work. “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that teaches, on teaching; or he that exhorts, on exhortation; he that gives, let him do it with liberality; he that rules, with diligence; he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
“In conclusion, we must present ourselves to God. It is our service to offer ourselves in worship to God. We must be transformed by changing our mind. It is never about us, it is always about Him in us. You each have a gift, use it in His service. Encourage one another in faith.”
In His Hands
In His Hands
Betty and I have had a very busy week. We are honored to serve our family and friends, along with our community. Always acknowledging this awesome group of people and your faithfulness to God.
I am not a good time manager. However my thoughts are almost always on God’s work. Listening, reading, praying for revelation and understanding.
I often think of the past while praying. Mostly my past and the awesome love and grace of God. At times it brings me great sorrow. The pain you feel when you realize you could have done better. Then that feeling turns into tears of joy when I begin to worship and praise the God who has forgotten my past, and moves me forward in His amazing purpose.
Micah 7:19 Message, “And compassion is on its way to us. You’ll stamp out our wrongdoing. You’ll sink our sins to the bottom of the ocean.”
In Prayer, when I began to write notes and research scriptures for this message a phrase came to mind. I stopped in my tracks, lifted my eyes towards the heavens and said, “Jesus, Were It Not For You”
“Can you think on that for a moment?”
Psalms 31:14-15
14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
Verse 15 says my times. It literally means, my days, hours, weeks, years. MY TIMES
The Message says, “Hour by hour I place my days in your hand, safe from the hands out to get me.”
“In His Hands”
Jesus said.
John 10:27-30
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
“Do we really understand what this says?”
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them”= speaks of mutual recognition.
“They follow me, and I give them eternal life” = speaks of reciprocal activity.
“They shall not perish forever, and no one shall pluck them out of my hand” = this is an authoritative assurance, and its promise and justification.
“This stuff is awesome. What promises God has provided for us.”
“He knows us, He has given eternal life to us, and nobody can take us away from Him.”
Job said this in describing his cataclysmic loss of family and wealth.
Job 12:9-10
9 “Who among all these does not know That the hand of the Lord has done this,
10 In whose hand is the life of every living thing, And the breath of all mankind?
“Do we really understand the presence and power of God that keeps us, and empowers us.”
Isaiah 49:14-16
14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And the Lord has forgotten me.”
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.
16 “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.
David shared this from Psalms 139.
Psalms 139:9-10
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.
Psalms 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me.
“The safety and power of the promises we have inherited as we live our lives, in His hands.”
Wisdom Vindicated
Wisdom Vindicated
I am old enough to understand the meaning of Wisdom. I, like many others have found wisdom in the mistakes we have made in our lifetime. Not that this is useful to anyone but you personally.
It’s like when you see your kids or a friend fixing to do something that in your experience was a mistake. Probably the same thing happened when you advised them of the possibilities that could come from their choice. Someone advised you against your decision and you did it anyway. After you cleaned up the mess you could say with confidence that you have embraced wisdom about that situation.
Wisdom comes from life events. Things we do, things that have been done to us. Every life event is a teaching tool. It can reveal good, or bad.
Knowing that, is defined as wisdom.
Wisdom in the New Testament is taken from the Greek word, sophia. It is defined broadly as, “full of intelligence, and the knowledge of very diverse matters.”
I want to just share a little on Jesus and His attempts to teach the religious community. He was trying by visible experiences to teach them the wisdom of God.
All of us have learned many of these Biblical principles the hard way.
Matthew 11:19
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
What is Jesus trying to say?
I believe He is saying just watch what happens when people embrace Me. When I open a door for the very ones that you reject.
How many times have you wondered how in the world that someone you knew ever changed their life and embraced Christ with everything they have. You may have believed that nothing could reach them.
What happened was an encounter that helped them understand God’s eternal love, and that He had a purpose for them. This was wisdom at it’s very best.
Here is the story that says it better than me.
Luke 5:29-32
29 And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them.
30 The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”
31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.
32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Many religious folks, even today do not really understand the heart of Jesus. Yes if you have been in church for a while you have heard His word. You know who the sinners are and the failures of life.
Jesus tried to teach us that these folks were the reason He came.
Luke 5:32 Amplified
I did not come to call the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to repent], but sinners to repentance [to change their old way of thinking, to turn from sin and to seek God and His righteousness].”
Message
“Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I’m here inviting outsiders, not insiders—an invitation to a changed life, changed inside and out.”
The wisdom that has been vindicated by the work of Jesus goes far beyond the rules and regulations the religious folks impose on people.
It is very important to the followers of Christ that we learn His heart. His love for the sinner, the afflicted, the sick, and the hopeless. It was His heart for them that moved Him beyond religion.
“Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
This Generation Needs Us
This Generation Needs Us
What a fellowship, what a joy Divine; Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.
This song came to mind when I thought of the journey that I have been on, and also your journeys as well.
We are here today because God has a plan. This moment in time, and the work we do was planned long ago. I am speaking broadly because this is true for every ministry committed to His name. In the name of Jesus we live, move, and have our being.
David said in Psalms 139. “ For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.”
He went on to say, “17How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.”
Psalms 71 author is not determined but theologians believe David penned it as a result of growing old.
Psalms 71:17-21
17 O God, You have taught me from my youth, And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.
19 For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You?
20 You who have shown me many troubles and distresses Will revive me again, And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21 May You increase my greatness And turn to comfort me.
It seems to me that David is saying that as long as we have breath, we have a purpose. The longer we have followed Christ the more victories we have to share. Our understanding and revelation should be clearer.
If there has ever been a time in our history that needed a clear vision of who Jesus is, it is now. His story has been buried in theological principles that mean nothing to someone who has never heard the message of the cross.
Psalms 119:110-112
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts.
“111 I have inherited Your testimonies forever, For they are the joy of my heart.”
112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, even to the end.
Psalms 119:111 Message
I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever— what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
The Word of God will change our world.
We have a responsibility. A God given call to share the word with every generation. Passing it on from a firm foundation. Declaring the principles of faith, love repentance, righteousness. On and on. Every promise in the book. Accountability
Daniel 4:3
How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation.
Message
His miracles are staggering, his wonders are surprising. His kingdom lasts and lasts, his sovereign rule goes on forever.
Luke 1:50
And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.
Everyone who follows Christ at any level has a story. You may be a fire burning saint who declares Him at every opportunity. You may be a quiet person who shares one on one when God puts you in a position to do so. A quiet person who prays for God to send someone to those who need Him. There are all levels in between.
Yet there is a story to be told.
Psalms 63:5 Amplified
My soul [my life, my very self] is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises [to You] with joyful lips.
Psalms 145:14-21
14 The Lord sustains all who fall And raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to You, And You give them their food in due time.
16 You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds.
18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.
20 The Lord keeps all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.
Verse 21 Message, “My mouth is filled with God’s praise. Let everything living bless him, bless his holy name from now to eternity!”
We live in a world that expects immediate gratification. Immediate results. Waiting has not been embraced by much of the culture today. “I have never embraced it”
Isaiah 40:31 KJV
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Psalms 17:15 Message
And me? I plan on looking you full in the face. When I get up, I’ll see your full stature and live heaven on earth.
There must, at some point in our lives, come a realization in our heart and mind to pass on what we know. What we have learned by following Christ, and understanding His Word.
“For it to mean any thing, you have to believe it yourself.”
Called to Engage
Called to Engage
I love to talk about Jesus and His church. I do my best to share the Biblical principles regarding salvation, and the relevance of Jesus to the world today.
From time to time I get very broad with my pronouncements but it is what it is.
Many people refer to their opinion when explaining the story of Jesus and the church. I am one of the many that believes these things should not be referenced as an opinion. These principles are easily understood.
I will be the first to admit that there are things in the Bible that are not easily understood. With much study and prayer the best we can do is come up with an educated opinion.
The story of Jesus and the structure of the church is not one of these things. Jesus and the purpose of the church have been made clear Biblically. So clear that they can be taught with authority throughout every generation.
Keep your opinions of a persons lifestyle and destination to yourself. You can’t save them, so don’t judge them. Tell them the story of Jesus.
Regarding the church, when you remove accountability you have become rogue. No longer following the Biblical principles of Apostolic ministry and authority.
The Father created the church to be a living breathing organism in each community. Bringing the story of Jesus. The work of the Holy Spirit. The ministry to the poor and the hurting. Teaching the need to follow Christ and then making them disciples of Christ. So these folks can change the world they live in.
These, we are all one body groups, are doing their best to reject the Biblical principles of the New Testament church. I do believe they love Jesus but without accountability there is too much confusion. Everyone goes their own way. Believing in their own opinions.
Pray with me for these good folks, and the entire global church as well. The enemy is roaring about, and without a strong foundation of accountability. So many folks are left all alone to deal with the life events that come to all of us.
It’s All Very Simple
It’s All Very Simple
Well, the morning has started with some reruns of the Andy Griffith Show. I like to watch them on the Sundance channel because they show different cuts from the original episodes. Scenes that are usually not viewed.
Yes, this probably indicates that I am over 21 years old. It reminds me how things used to be. I can remember how simple life was. Things were sort of black or white, right or wrong. It didn’t take a Doctorate to understand all the relevant points when someone says, I am thirsty. I would like a glass of water.
Did they really mean glass, or would a Dixie cup do. Spring water, tap water, flavored water. A full glass, or just half full.
Cold water or room temp.
THIS MAKES ME TIRED.
The same thing has happened to the Gospel. I believe that most of the 41,000 different denominations and institutions believe that Jesus is the answer. It is the path to reach Him, and to embrace Him, that is all over the place.
I have a lot to say about Biblical principles and the Apostolic authority that has been passed on to the church. What was accomplished in the book of Acts and throughout the NT is relevant today.
Keep an eye on my blog posts. I address these things all the time. For now I am going to keep it simple.
John 12:32
And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.
The word all, or a synonym is used in all the English translations of this verse. “All, Means All”
Luke 9:23-25
23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
24 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
25 For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?”
What an amazing Savior. He died for all, called all. It’s all very simple.
Jesus suffered intense Roman persecution. The rejection of the very people He came for. People who should have known who He was. His crucifixion and death.
He went through this so all would have a path to Him.
That path requires us to give up our will and ways to follow Him, Our cross if you will. “It’s all very simple.” We lose who we are, to become who He has called us to be.
He even made the journey very simple when it comes to theological principles.
Luke 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
38 This is the great and foremost commandment.
39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
It’s All Very Simple.
John 1:12
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.
Is the Kingdom Divided?
Is the Kingdom Divided?
Who does not recognize the extreme division in our country today. It is sad to see the separation causing so much damage to our culture. The land of the free, and the home of the brave, has become a boiling pot of anger and division.
I love this country and pray for it, and it’s leaders.
Still I look for the reasons why, and the path to make things better. Because of who I am I first look to myself, and to the church. Jesus shared the way we can make our world better.
Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven
The two operative words in these passages are salt and light.
Jesus used both words metaphorically. The Greek lexicon tells us the message that Jesus was giving His followers.
Salt comes from the Greek word, halas. Metaphorically it means, salt is a symbol of lasting concord. Wisdom and grace exhibited in speech. WOW.
Light comes from the Greek word phos. Used metaphorically to speak of truth and it’s knowledge. That which is exposed to the view of all. The power of understanding moral and spiritual truth.
We are the preservation, and the illumination of the world. So what’s the problem? The problem is that the church is often as divided as the world.
I recently heard a Biblical scholar say that Islam is growing much faster in this country than Christianity. The reason is, people don’t know what we believe. The message has been divided into many different presentations.
By the latest statistics since the Reformation more than 41,000 different Christian denominations and institutions have formed.
The church must return to the unified message of Jesus and the cross.
Those who have never followed Christ don’t know what we believe. Skip the theological principles and share with these people the story of Jesus.
The path to redemption is the story of the cross. The story of Jesus and His love and commitment to restore favor with the Father and forgiveness for our sins.
Maybe we should stop focusing on the sin, and focus on the Savior. Jesus, His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension is the greatest story ever told.
Remember the old hymn, “Tell me the story of Jesus. Write on my heart every word. Tell me the story of Jesus, sweetest as ever I heard.”
One Body
One Body
Well I thought I would address another subject that tends to be used inappropriately. At least it will be my take on the subject.
It seems there is a movement about that suggests that the local church is not relevant.
These ministries often say that we are all members of the same body. This of course is true.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Anybody reading this should understand that this is referring to spiritual alignment with Christ. All Christians are connected in the Spirit to the will and purpose of God. We have to go beyond this and understand that the Apostolic ministry beginning in the book of Acts started building local churches.
Not necessarily structures, but groups of people in given areas that join together to worship the Lord. These people fellowshipped together, prayed together. Helped meet the needs of one another. Most importantly they had oversight.
When a group formed, the Apostles set a Pastor over the congregation. Trained teachers and evangelist to work in and out of the church. All of this Kingdom structure was covered with Apostolic authority. The church was not only accountable to the 5 fold ministry. They were accountable to one another, and to their local communities.
We have been given a commission to change our world. Our country is starving for leadership. There are too many people who want to lead, before they ever learn to follow.
Remember the Apostle John gave us the book of Revelation. It was a letter to seven churches. SEVEN CHURCHES. Six of which Jesus had an issue with. He did not have an issue with the church at Philadelphia.
Just so you know from the Greek. Philadelphia means, “brotherly love” Just had to get that in.
Blessings to you all, in His name. www.visitlivinghope@gmail.com
A Message not a Massage
A Message not a Massage
There has been an issue on my heart for weeks and I have finally found time to share some thoughts. I hear all too often how preachers are not addressing sin issues enough. They call it soft and compromising if you preach the love of God and His love for all people. Sinners and saints. I have heard said that some call it giving a massage, instead of preaching them a message about hell fire and eternal damnation.
The prophet Jeremiah addresses a similar issues in his 6th chapter verse 14. “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”
Ministries often spend time preaching against things that no one in their congregation is dealing with. Social issues, sexual sins. Never addressing the value that love has to turn the heart of someone that has not embraced Christ.
When I share my thoughts on this subject, I often get a lot of criticism. I love that. In some small manner it puts me in the same situation Christ was in. The religious folks didn’t like His message either.
They often forget that it was the religious folks that hated Him because He loved the sinners. He forgave them, healed them, embraced them.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 Message
3 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention.
4 All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the day spring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
The religious folks were looking for the Messiah. Those in the temple knew every prophesy about Him, yet they could not recognize Him.
Much like to day many have a picture in their minds of what Christ should look like. How He would respond to sinners and saints. All too often that picture is a God with a sword, poised to kill those who are in sin.
It is a picture that is painted all too often when telling the story of Jesus.
In John chapter 4 Jesus had the longest conversation recorded in the Bible with a woman who had been married 5 times, and was currently living with another man.
History tells us a lot about this woman.
Sometime after this encounter she was baptized by the Apostles and given the name, Photine. Her name means, “the luminous one” or enlightened one.
History says that she was recognized by the church as equal to the Apostles because she won so many people to the Lord.
Look her up. It is an awesome story.
In reading the story in John chapter 4 Jesus pointed out her life issues.
John 4:15-18
15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”
16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”
17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;
18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”
So where is the condemnation? He pointed out her issue and then opened the path to redemption. Seems like I read somewhere that if you have been forgiven much, you will love much.
I could go on and on so let me wrap this one up. Tell the story of Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Tell them why He did it. That must be the message. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
By the way Photine converted her 5 sisters and two sons. They won many to Christ. In 66AD they were all martyred under the persecution of Nero. Some say he threw her body in a dry well.
Let me know what you think. visitlivinghope@gmail.com
The Road We Travel
The Road We Travel
Wow what an awesome God. “Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him is no other, Jesus is the way.” In His name we move forward as Christians. Dedicated at some level, individually and corporately, to carry His word, and His story to the world, and to our world.
I doubt there is anyone that doesn’t have a family member or friend that is struggling with life. Struggling with their faith in God. Dealing with hurts and failures. Trying to understand the answer that will move them beyond all their stuff, and find a meaningful relationship with Christ.
Paul in prison wrote this to Timothy in his second letter 1:12. KJV “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” That day meaning when Paul faced Jesus
“This is the Message I’ve been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher. It’s also the cause of all this trouble I’m in. But I have no regrets. I couldn’t be more sure of my ground—the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what he’s trusted me to do right to the end.” “I love this stuff”
Isaiah 35:8-10
8 A highway will be there, a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for him who walks that way,
And fools will not wander on it.
9 No lion will be there, Nor will any vicious beast go up on it; These will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there,
10 And the ransomed of the Lord will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.
The road we travel will be, to say the least interesting. On it we will find all sorts of teaching tools. These tools have a singular purpose. Fulfill our purpose
Here is that purpose defined by scripture.
Ephesians 4:13
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
For the rest of this message I will be using road as a metaphor. You might say it is a journey that carries us forward in the knowledge of Christ. Learning, growing, embracing, and sharing what we know with the world.
Saul got on the road one day with letters to arrest and kill followers of Christ. “Jesus meeting on the road and changing the path”
God will prepare others to help you as the road changes in your journey. Same road, different process. Saul was blind.
Acts 9:17
So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Saul was not trusted by the Apostles. They knew him as a killer of followers of Christ.
Acts 9:27
But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
Saul who became Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles began his journey with murder in his heart. When he had an encounter on the road his purpose changed. He was now in an unfamiliar setting. God had positioned others to help Paul on his journey.
“What happens when you meet Jesus for the first time on your journey?”
The road to eternal life will test your character.
Luke 10:30-33
30 Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion.
“Religion wouldn’t help. It took compassion from someone despised in the culture of the day.”
The road, the journey will test your character. “The road, the journey will provide opportunities.”
Luke 18:35
As Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road begging.
What about us today? Traveling our road, our journey. Have we passed a blind, hungry, sick, discouraged, angry, unloved, wounded, all alone person? If so did we stop? The road, the journey will test our character. “It will test our faith as well.”
This occurred during Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Luke 19:35-38
35 They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it.
36 As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road.
37 As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen,
38 shouting: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Verse 36 Amplified
As He rode along, people were spreading their coats on the road [as an act of homage before a king].
The road, the journey is a place of worship. This was a common expression of joy in the day. Given as worship in response to the great things Christ had done.
What about the your road, your journey.