Identity in Christ!!

I can be a hot-headed, over-competitive, lazy, ungrateful, complaining, over-sarcastic, wretched man.  (That is really just the tip of the iceberg.  There are many more faults that I am too embarrassed to post). But thanks be to God because “He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 1:6). I, like all believers, are works in progress.  The theological phrase that describes this is, “progressive sanctification.”  I am grateful that my sin doesn’t define me, because Christ took the penalty of my sins (and the entire world’s sin John 3:16) on the cross and then victoriously defeated death!!! This fact doesn’t give me license to sin, as a matter of fact it motivates me to call on the Holy Spirit to, “live a life worthy of the calling I have received” (Ephesians  4:1). Although I still struggle with my flesh, my identity is in the ONE who paid it all!!!  “If anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17.   

Contentment in 2013

We love to quote Philippians 4:13, “I can do all this through him (Jesus) who gives me strength.” However, to separate it from Philippians 4:12 is a mistake.  Philippians 4:12 states, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” 

The strength we receive from Christ “to do all things” in Philippians 4:13 is the ability to endure and be content and not about achieving great things that garner recognition from the world.  The longer I walk with Christ, the more I appreciate the endurance of older godly saints who have shown great poise, contentment, and joy in the face of great adversity.   

Hope for 2013

Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” Matthew 24:6-8

What we are seeing has always been (since the fall of mankind) and will always be until Christ returns. Man is totally depraved and sinful and without the Savior Jesus, life is hopeless. However Jesus also said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be SAVED. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have LIFE, and have it to the FULL.” John 10:9-10. 

Trust Christ, life for Him, life selflessly and get equipped to glorify Him (Find a good Bible believing church, read the Bible, seek Christ in prayer as a start). Jesus is the only source to truly restore hope.

God commands David to build an alter in Jerusalem which ultimately becomes the site of the temple in Solomon’s reign (2 Samuel 24: 18-25). Araunah owned the site where the alter was to be built and offered to give it to David along with the oxen to sacrifice.  However, David responded, “But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver” (2 Samuel 24:24 ESV).  This is a great reminder that whatever we bring before God as an offering and act of worship (whether it is money, time, giving up fleshly deeds, etc.) must be done with the intent to sacrifice something.  We can be guilty of trying to shortchange God and make our sacrifices as painless and as cheap as possible.  If there is no real sacrifice, there is no real homage paid to God.  Jesus exemplified this most magnificently on the cross to redeem mankind which ultimately glorified His father.  The cross cost Him His life, but there was nothing that could have honored His Father more. 

Church Hoppers

Wow only 3.5 years since my last blog post.  Let’s see if we can resurrect this thing.  Here are a few thoughts on church hoppers.  The following thoughts do not take into account those who are in the military or who have to move often.  These thoughts are based on those who are one place for over 10 years.  I also recognize that every rule has an exception.  So, here goes…..

If you are on your third church in 10 years chances are there are one of two things happening. One, you are not really seeking Christ on where He wants you to plug in a make a difference in His Kingdom. There is obviously some very poor discernment taking place in the lives of church hoppers. Two, you are so thin skinned or selfish that you let the littlest thing drive you away. Remember the church isn’t there to serve you; you are there to serve the church. We often treat the church like McDonald’s and if someone gets our order wrong, we write them off and go to Burger King.  Jesus told Peter that the church is unstoppable and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). Our fickleness makes the church LOOK very stoppable.

Shane and Shane

OK I am getting a little better. It has only been 3 months since my last blog entry. Who knows this may mean a new era in blogging history!!! (Probably not).

We had Shane and Shane at the church this past Sunday and I have to say they did not disappoint. To be very honest I haven’t been a Shane and Shane groupie like some of my friends. I appreciate their music and their lyrics are honest, worshipful and even Scriptural. But for whatever reason I never connected with their music. Well I did last Sunday. I think it was because I was there helping them set up and making sure they had everything the needed. These guys are the real deal. They are so humble and transparent that when they finally took the stage to lead in worship I knew it was genuine and not just a “job” for them.

I just wanted to say thanks so much to Shane and Shane for being authentic and for making the sacrifices they do in order to remain obedient to Christ. (Yes I know they are doing what they love, but to be separated from the family as much as they are has to be hard.) Special thanks to Joey as well. Joey is their percussionist and does a lot on the business end of things for Shane and Shane. He is also a great brother in Christ. God bless you guys and may He continue to bless your ministry.

Keith Green and Missions

Wow, eight months later and I decide to blog again. How is that for a disciplined blogger? Oh well, like anyone even reads this blog anyway. LOL!

Christmas is almost here and I can help but think of the missionaries around the world. Sacrificing their Christmas and their lifestyle and their comfort, at times to follow in complete obedience to God's call. A friend of mine emailed me a list of why Keith Green thought missions was so important. Keith Green is one of my favorite artist because he held nothing back and spoke from the heart. He loved Jesus with an undying passion and even today few can match Keith Green's lyrical content when it comes to the pulse of the church.

Why missions is important according to Keith Green:
1) Because Jesus has told you to go.
2) You should go because the need is so great.
3) You should go because so few Christians are obeying the call, making the need even greater!
4) You should go because God gives special anointing and grace to those who leave their own land, people, and culture to do God's will and spread the Gospel.
5) You should go because America (and some other western nations) is literally drenched with the Gospel, while most other countries and cultures of the world do not have any continual, relevant witness at all.
6) You should go because, as Oswald J. Smith said, "No one has
the right to hear the Gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heart it once."
7) You should go because the time is short. More and more countries are closing their doors to missionaries and the Gospel, and we must go now.
8) You should go because the Holy Spirit is speaking to Christian leadership all over the world that it is God's desire for there to be a great final missionary thrust with the Gospel before the end of the age. It is His desire that every people should have the Gospel preached to them, and that the Gospel should be published in every nation and in every language. And unless YOU get involved personally, there is no hope of that ever happening in our generation!