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Tag: Unity
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.”
In His Name
In His Name
Welcome to everyone this morning. God has been awesome this past week. Really nothing new, He always is. Each week we gather in His presence and enjoy His greatness.
Day by day we live in Him. Move in Him, and embrace Him, and His purpose for our lives.
Our relationship with Christ should never stop progressing. Moving forward in our purpose, and growing stronger in His grace. Embracing the Word of God. Embracing a consistent prayer life. Being the light of Christ to your world.
There is an amazing season of change occurring in the church world. People who left the Gospel for religious rules and regulations have been brought to their senses, by the Holy Spirit. The truth of the Gospel, the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus is being restored in pulpits across this land. “Amen, Amen!!!”
I come to you this morning in His name, to share some thoughts titled, “In His Name”
Isaiah 52:13-15
13 Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.
14 Just as many were astonished at you, My people, So His appearance was marred more than any man And His form more than the sons of men.
15 Thus He will sprinkle many nations, Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what had not been told them they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand.
This is clearly a reference to the coming of the promised Messiah. It takes two other translations of verse 15 to make sense. The first will take care of, He will sprinkle many nations.
Isaiah 52:15 AMP
So He will sprinkle many nations [with His blood, providing salvation], Kings will shut their mouths because of Him; For what they had not been told they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand.
This passage clears up the rest.
Isaiah 52:15 TLB
Yet many shall be amazed when they see him—yes, even far-off foreign nations and their kings; they shall stand dumbfounded, speechless in his presence. For they shall see and understand what they had not been told before. They shall see my Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there. So shall he cleanse many nations.
“We are talking about Jesus”
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the transgressors.
(The NLT says, I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.)
“We are talking about Jesus!!!”
Daniel had a prophetic vision and then God revealed to Him, the Son of Man.
Daniel 7:13-14
13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.
14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
“We are talking about Jesus, Why isn’t everyone talking about Jesus?”
Philippians 2:8-11
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phillip’s says of verse 11, “And that is why, in the end, “every tongue shall confess” that Jesus Christ” is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
“We are talking about Jesus, Why isn’t everyone talking about Jesus?”
His Miracles.
1. Calming the storm – Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:37-41; Luke 8:22-25
2. Feeding 5,000 – Matthew 14:14-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14
3. Walking on water – Matthew 14:22-32; Mark 6:47-52; John 6:16-21
4. Feeding 4,000 – Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-9
5. Fish with coin – Matthew 17:24-27
6. Fig tree withers – Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-25
7. Huge catch of fish – Luke 5:4-11; John 21:1-11
8. Water into wine – John 2:1-11
Healing of Individuals
1. Man with leprosy – Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-44; Luke 5:12-14
2. Roman centurion’s servant – Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10
3. Peter’s mother-in-law – Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:30-31; Luke 4:38-39
4. Two men possessed with devils – Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-15; Luke 8:27-39
5. Man with palsy – Matthew 9:2-7; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26
6. Woman with issue – Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48
7. Two blind men – Matthew 9:27-31
8. Dumb, devil-possessed man – Matthew 9:32-33
9. Canaanite woman’s daughter – Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30
10. Boy with devil – Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:17-29; Luke 9:38-43
11. Two blind men – including Bartimaeus – Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43
12. Demon-possessed man in synagogue – Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37
13. Blind man at Bethsaida – Mark 8:22-26
14. Crippled woman – Luke 13:10-17
15. Man with dropsy – Luke 14:1-4
16. Ten men with leprosy – Luke 17:11-19
17. The high priest’s servant – Luke 22:50-51
18. Nobleman’s son at Capernaum – John 4:46-54
19. Sick man at the pool of Bethsaida – John 5:1-15
20. Man born blind – John 9:1-41
Raising the Dead
1. Jairus’ daughter – Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56
2. Widow’s son at Nain – Luke 7:11-17
3. Lazarus – John 11:1-44
“We are talking about Jesus, Why isn’t everyone talking about Jesus?”
John 3:18
18He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Acts 3:6
But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!”
Colossians 3:17
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
1 John 3:23
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
“Talking about Jesus. In His Name.”
#inHisname #hopelives
What’s Next?
What’s Next?
We live in an awesome season of opportunity as Christians. I say this often, and I believe it with all my heart.
The division that has taken place over the last 100 years is shrinking because of the story of Jesus. This is happening because of two very important principles.
First, ministries are moving back to the teaching of the Gospel. The story of Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
This, and only this, is what the Apostles used to win the early converts, and build the church across the known world. Confirming who He was from the Old Testament, and confirming His Kingdom authority with signs and wonders.
Secondly, people are being encouraged to pray. I recently addressed that issue at Amazing Life Church. We have focused on prayer for years, but I felt prompted to encourage folks to set a daily appointment to pray.
I am in my third year of setting an appointment to pray each morning, and it has changed my life.
Some of us old guys from the 70’s are having a hard time dealing with the culture of the day we live in.
We went to church twice on Sunday, and often 3 or 4 times during the week. Yes we worked, raised kids, and did all this as well.
Today we minister to people who watch church on the computer. On television and You Tube.
Some congregations may be small, but if they work within the culture of today, they can reach hundreds and yes, even thousands.
It is not compromising. It is ministry. The message is still the same. Our ministry, our churches, are all about Jesus.
With all that said, there is nothing like the local church, and the family relationship that occurs when you gather together with a unified purpose.
Every Christian should be a part of a local church in their community. Making friends, meeting needs. Developing relationships that will last forever. Bonding with someone in prayer. Becoming prayer partners to call upon the Father to meet a need. Open a door, and reveal Him to those who do not know Him.
Pastors are there to teach and reveal Jesus. Helping their congregations to grow in Kingdom authority. Learn to walk in His presence, and tell your story to help someone else.
Pastors are there to visit in hospitals, nursing homes, and yes, even bring comfort when someone dies.
Pastors and their teams work together to reach their communities, strengthen their congregations, and make disciples of followers of Christ.
I love the new stuff. At Amazing Life Church we use every opportunity to reach people for Christ. Sermons on line. Welcome videos and gifts for first time guests.
Visit our website for more info.
I write blogs. Especially when I read something that attempts to diminish the value of the local church. I will address it with a very passionate response.
I love the local church.
It is the heart and soul of every community. Breathing life, and light to advance the Kingdom of God.
The most important thing to remember is that God has not changed.
In our attempt to be relevant, we sometimes make these subtle changes in the message to satisfy a changing culture.
Let me offer some advice, for whatever it is worth to you.
Keep the message pure. Tell the story of Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
It is as powerful today as it was over 2000 years ago.
And don’t forget. If you are not already a part of a local church in your community, find one. It will enrich your Christian life.
#inHisname
Back to the Basics
Back to the Basics
I love the Bible. So many things fascinate me as they are unfolded in the word. When combined with prayer and spiritual revelation we can begin to understand the heart of God.
I love to keep things simple, which is not difficult for me.
I love the church, so from time to time I will speak to things that I believe need attention. This is one of those posts.
In an effort to learn and grow, I think sometimes we forget the basics.
When Jesus was asked by a lawyer to share the greatest commandments, He left the theological definition for another day. He simply shared a basic word that encompassed the entire heart of God.
Matthew 22:37-40
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.”
This passage and it’s meaning has been debated through denominational and theological channels for generations.
How about we quit trying to figure out what we think this means, and simply do what it says.
What if every Christian, in every church in this country, would begin to love God with all their heart, their soul, and their mind? With persistent and consistent passion.
What changes would it make in our lives?. Our relationship with God would move to another level. We would begin to see things like He sees them. Think His thoughts, and speak His words. Awesome.
Then what would happen if we loved everyone like we loved ourselves?
Our country would begin to heal. Different races would find unity as love canceled hate. Political discourse would return to what it used to be. Friendly arguments and discussions over lunch. Our boisterous opinions given, then ending the discussion with a friendly handshake, and I will see you again next week.
Sounds like a dream doesn’t it?
God specializes in making dreams come to pass. It will take a while, but I would challenge everyone that reads this to begin to do what Jesus said to do.
Share these words of Christ with whatever venue you use to reach your friends and family. Keep it simple. Return to the basics.
Love God with everything you have, and love your neighbor like you love yourself.
I believe it will change our world.
Be blessed as you follow Christ.
#inHisname