The Scriptures teach us that in the last days deception will be on the rise, false teaching will increase.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Failure to accept the counsel and authority of Scripture leads to deception. The only way to avoid the great deception is to be in the word of God, submitted to the truth it teaches.
When someone speaks without being a student of the word, they are deceived, thinking they are wise enough on their own to speak on behalf of God to others. This is the greatest arrogance. To speak apart from the word of God.
I wonder how Jesus would be received today if He were to come and say the same things He spoke in His own day? Would the masses listen to Him and follow Him as disciples?
Luke 6:20 ¶ Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. 22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets. 24 "But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. 25 Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Great Deception Part Five
Why do we feel we have to prove we are good to other men? Why can’t we rest in God’s goodness? Could it have something to do with self interest, or too much Self awareness? May God have mercy on us. May God deliver us from ourselves. Good deeds do not make us good.
Matthew 7:21 ¶ "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
God wants us to lose ourselves in Christ! He desires that we become so identified with Jesus, that we lose our self awareness.
It is self awareness that fuels our need to be recognized, appreciated, and seen as being good by other men.
Trying to measure up, trying to obtain being good based on, “good deeds,” is exhausting. Not that when we are in Christ we will not do good things.
Grace cries out, “who will turn to Jesus and be declared good by God on the basis of Christ' finished work?”
It is still true, “there is none righteous no not one, there is none that does good.” If we define good the way God defines good we will save ourselves much grief and frustration.
All roads do not lead to God, and good acts do not make us good.
I’m all for kindness, we need all we can get. But let’s not be fooled. We need the God who is Good, not just good acts from ourselves or others.
He is the author of all that is good, because only God is good.
Are you exhausted from trying to keep up with what society calls good, or the church calls good? Maybe it’s time to change our thinking to match what the Scriptures teach about good.
Maybe this is why Jesus said , “Come to me all you who labor, and I will give you rest.”
Have you abandoned yourself to Him? Have you put the full weight of all your trust in what He has done for you?
Matthew 7:21 ¶ "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 "And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
God wants us to lose ourselves in Christ! He desires that we become so identified with Jesus, that we lose our self awareness.
It is self awareness that fuels our need to be recognized, appreciated, and seen as being good by other men.
Trying to measure up, trying to obtain being good based on, “good deeds,” is exhausting. Not that when we are in Christ we will not do good things.
Grace cries out, “who will turn to Jesus and be declared good by God on the basis of Christ' finished work?”
It is still true, “there is none righteous no not one, there is none that does good.” If we define good the way God defines good we will save ourselves much grief and frustration.
All roads do not lead to God, and good acts do not make us good.
I’m all for kindness, we need all we can get. But let’s not be fooled. We need the God who is Good, not just good acts from ourselves or others.
He is the author of all that is good, because only God is good.
Are you exhausted from trying to keep up with what society calls good, or the church calls good? Maybe it’s time to change our thinking to match what the Scriptures teach about good.
Maybe this is why Jesus said , “Come to me all you who labor, and I will give you rest.”
Have you abandoned yourself to Him? Have you put the full weight of all your trust in what He has done for you?
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Great Deception Part Four
"There is only One who is good, and that is God."
This turns our attention and faith to the matter of having a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
If we misunderstand this we will accuse God of being unfair in His judgment against sinners. If you begin to accept good as society presents it, you struggle to understand why anyone who does good deeds should perish.
You will gloss over the fact that it is matter of separation, not a lack of good deeds that will result in eternal damnation.
In his deception, man insists on his own good in order to escape the reality of his sin and separation from God.
The atheist declares there is no God in an attempt to delude himself in to thinking he can escape judgment. In like manner well meaning people have deluded themselves with the idea that they are in some way good within themselves, based on good deeds.
If they are good because they do good things, why would they need Jesus as a Savior? If their kind acts prove they are better than evil men, shouldn’t they be worthy of heaven?
More men are damned by this lie today than any other I know of.
Hell has enlarged itself with those who thought doing “good things” was all they needed. They never turned to Jesus so that their sins might be blotted out, because they could not see their sin. It is arrogance to conclude that just because I do what man has called good things, that I am not as other men.
Luke 18:10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men––extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 ‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I am convinced, that the number one deception that will send men to hell with little to no resistance, will be the great lie that man is basically good, and all the more so, when he does good deeds.
I can’t be all that bad, I support good causes! I donate my time to the rescue mission once a month! I give my money to aides research! I live green! I recycle! I give to the hungry!
Some are so aware of all the good that they do, they are blind to their need for a Savior.
This deception of what it means to be good is in the church as well. I hear men speak of how they are helping God in the earth with all the good works they do. They need no one else praise them, they can do that well enough on their own. But this creates a problem when they think these things are what prove they are good.
This turns our attention and faith to the matter of having a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
If we misunderstand this we will accuse God of being unfair in His judgment against sinners. If you begin to accept good as society presents it, you struggle to understand why anyone who does good deeds should perish.
You will gloss over the fact that it is matter of separation, not a lack of good deeds that will result in eternal damnation.
In his deception, man insists on his own good in order to escape the reality of his sin and separation from God.
The atheist declares there is no God in an attempt to delude himself in to thinking he can escape judgment. In like manner well meaning people have deluded themselves with the idea that they are in some way good within themselves, based on good deeds.
If they are good because they do good things, why would they need Jesus as a Savior? If their kind acts prove they are better than evil men, shouldn’t they be worthy of heaven?
More men are damned by this lie today than any other I know of.
Hell has enlarged itself with those who thought doing “good things” was all they needed. They never turned to Jesus so that their sins might be blotted out, because they could not see their sin. It is arrogance to conclude that just because I do what man has called good things, that I am not as other men.
Luke 18:10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men––extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 ‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I am convinced, that the number one deception that will send men to hell with little to no resistance, will be the great lie that man is basically good, and all the more so, when he does good deeds.
I can’t be all that bad, I support good causes! I donate my time to the rescue mission once a month! I give my money to aides research! I live green! I recycle! I give to the hungry!
Some are so aware of all the good that they do, they are blind to their need for a Savior.
This deception of what it means to be good is in the church as well. I hear men speak of how they are helping God in the earth with all the good works they do. They need no one else praise them, they can do that well enough on their own. But this creates a problem when they think these things are what prove they are good.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
The Angel Ewing family.
Angel, Jasmyne, Jordan & Sadie.
What a blessing this family has been to us at Harvest Church.
I remember teaching this young woman as a little girl in Sunday School many years ago. My wife as well taught her older sister in her fifth grade Sunday School class.
To see Angel so passionatley serving Christ and devotedly raising her children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord is truly a thing of beauty.
As a single mom it is never easy, Angel has risen against the odds and is proving that with God all things are possible.
The kids are such a delight to behold and interact with. God has been gracious to this family and He has been gracious to Harvest Church in bringing them to us.
Angel serves wherever she is needed. She is a moral boost wherever she goes. Her life within and without our fellowship has received recognition for her diligence and hard work. She is the real deal.
What a godly example this family has been. They have risen against great odds in the help of the Holy Spirit, and they are a wonderful encouragement to anyone who knows them.
I know they encourage me greatly!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The Great Deception Part Three
At the point of creation good had nothing to do with an act of any kind. While Adam enjoyed close relationship with God, Adam was good. But as soon as that bond was severed what was once good, became bad.
So, where does our concept of good come from?
For the world, good is in all human beings from birth unless circumstances and environment turn them into something bad.
But Biblically, sin is resident in human beings from birth. God’s perspective is, that we are born into sin. We do not later on inherit it, we come into this world with it already at work in us. There is no good in us because there is no God in us. We are not born the temple of the Living God until we have received Jesus Christ and are born again from above.
So how do we explain unsaved people doing things that are commonly defined as good in our society?
Is it possible for a sinner to think of others, and be polite?
Many Christians make the mistake of thinking, that only believers are nice and polite and generous. This is due to a profound lack of sound doctrine in churches today. Primarily, a misunderstanding of how to define what good is, and where it comes from.
I’ve known sinners who were more generous and thoughtful than some Christians I have encountered.
1 Corinthians 13 reveals that Christians can be as self centered as any sinner is in their acts of kindness towards others.
The passage presents an argument that proves doing good things, does not make us good. Good things can be done without love.
Jesus said that many would come to Him in that day and say, “Lord, Lord, have we not…”
Now this does not mean that sinners or believers should cease from doing good things for others. In fact, the truth is, the more Christ is formed in a believer, the more they find it possible to do for others in life from a pure motive.
The difference between a believer and a sinner should be in our understanding of where good comes from, and on what basis anyone would be seen by God, as good.
So, where does our concept of good come from?
For the world, good is in all human beings from birth unless circumstances and environment turn them into something bad.
But Biblically, sin is resident in human beings from birth. God’s perspective is, that we are born into sin. We do not later on inherit it, we come into this world with it already at work in us. There is no good in us because there is no God in us. We are not born the temple of the Living God until we have received Jesus Christ and are born again from above.
So how do we explain unsaved people doing things that are commonly defined as good in our society?
Is it possible for a sinner to think of others, and be polite?
Many Christians make the mistake of thinking, that only believers are nice and polite and generous. This is due to a profound lack of sound doctrine in churches today. Primarily, a misunderstanding of how to define what good is, and where it comes from.
I’ve known sinners who were more generous and thoughtful than some Christians I have encountered.
1 Corinthians 13 reveals that Christians can be as self centered as any sinner is in their acts of kindness towards others.
The passage presents an argument that proves doing good things, does not make us good. Good things can be done without love.
Jesus said that many would come to Him in that day and say, “Lord, Lord, have we not…”
Now this does not mean that sinners or believers should cease from doing good things for others. In fact, the truth is, the more Christ is formed in a believer, the more they find it possible to do for others in life from a pure motive.
The difference between a believer and a sinner should be in our understanding of where good comes from, and on what basis anyone would be seen by God, as good.
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Great Deception Part Two
Matthew 19:17 ¶ Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" 18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
There is only One who is good. God alone is good. But what about the goodness of men? Could not Jesus be called good for all the great things He was doing for others?
According to Jesus, that is not an accurate understanding of good.
In creation, every time God created He stated it was good. Concerning man it says, he, was made in God’s image. But through the fall of Adam, all that was once known as good became bad. It became bad at the core of it’s being.
Through Adam sin entered the human race. No one escapes their human heritage. Our great…………...grandfather left us something. It is called the state of sin.
Romans 3:9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."
This is not to say that in the time of Paul the Apostle there were not charitable acts being carried out by human beings in the earth.
Knowing this, I think it is safe to say, all the good deeds one can do will never account for being good in the sight of God, since good is directly associated with God, and not an action.
To clearly define something there must be an original source for it’s existence. This is true of good as much as it is anything else.
When we speak of good, we must, if we are honest, go to the original source of good and let the source define good for us.
For mankind the original and only source of good is God Himself.
Based on Adams sin all that was once seen as good by God, became bad at it’s core and mankind from that time till now is according to the Holy Spirit, “under sin, and there are none who does good.”
So we see two connections here. One: good is associated with God Himself, and Two: the absence of good is associated with the condition of being “under sin.”
There is only One who is good. God alone is good. But what about the goodness of men? Could not Jesus be called good for all the great things He was doing for others?
According to Jesus, that is not an accurate understanding of good.
In creation, every time God created He stated it was good. Concerning man it says, he, was made in God’s image. But through the fall of Adam, all that was once known as good became bad. It became bad at the core of it’s being.
Through Adam sin entered the human race. No one escapes their human heritage. Our great…………...grandfather left us something. It is called the state of sin.
Romans 3:9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."
This is not to say that in the time of Paul the Apostle there were not charitable acts being carried out by human beings in the earth.
Knowing this, I think it is safe to say, all the good deeds one can do will never account for being good in the sight of God, since good is directly associated with God, and not an action.
To clearly define something there must be an original source for it’s existence. This is true of good as much as it is anything else.
When we speak of good, we must, if we are honest, go to the original source of good and let the source define good for us.
For mankind the original and only source of good is God Himself.
Based on Adams sin all that was once seen as good by God, became bad at it’s core and mankind from that time till now is according to the Holy Spirit, “under sin, and there are none who does good.”
So we see two connections here. One: good is associated with God Himself, and Two: the absence of good is associated with the condition of being “under sin.”
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The Great Deception Part One
I wish to draw a contrast between man’s idea of goodness, and God’s idea of goodness. Getting this wrong is dangerous whether saved, or not.
There is good as God defines it, and there is good as mankind defines it, and we will have to make a choice about which one we will allow to shape us. So we should explore the doctrine of God’s goodness, and the doctrine of original sin in man.
There is a modern day infatuation with those who do what modern society defines as good.
Animal rights activism is at an all time high, especially among those in Hollywood, and within the music industry. Performers who sing songs and actors and actresses who promote causes against animal cruelty feel that it magnifies their goodness. The Bible says, the righteous are kind to their animals, but it does not say, all who are kind to their animals are righteous.
There are bumper stickers that read: do random acts of kindness, love your mother earth, save the whales, or go green.
Going green! There’s a big one today. If you are really good you will drive an expensive hybrid car, live by candle light instead of incandescent lights, use solar power at home, plant trees, oppose oil companies, and hate republicans. That can define you as being good.
When Christmas season hits many will achieve goodness by donating time and great sums of money to the homeless of society.
This worldly standard for goodness can effect the church tends as well. An evangelist may think all who witness daily are good. An intercessor may feel all who gather in groups several times a week to pray, are good. Maybe it is generosity for another, or perhaps study that implies goodness. This implies we are good based on what we do, or do not, do. So what happens if you fail to do it as much as someone else? Who sets the standard?
Although acts of kindness are needed in society, should these things determine whether or not a person is good?
Jesus went about doing good, and healing all who were sick and oppressed of the devil.
He provided free health care for the sick, free emotional healing for the mentally and spiritually oppressed, free meals for the tired and poor, free services to poor widows who lost their only sons, free eye care, free services for the hearing impaired, free services for the physically handicapped, free tax assistance, and he caused a rich tax collector to give money to the poor. He would be the ultimate modern day presidential candidate.
Jesus met all the modern day criteria for what defines good. There were those in His generation who felt He was good. But they called Jesus good based on what He did. How did He respond?
Matthew 19:17 ¶ Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" 18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
There is good as God defines it, and there is good as mankind defines it, and we will have to make a choice about which one we will allow to shape us. So we should explore the doctrine of God’s goodness, and the doctrine of original sin in man.
There is a modern day infatuation with those who do what modern society defines as good.
Animal rights activism is at an all time high, especially among those in Hollywood, and within the music industry. Performers who sing songs and actors and actresses who promote causes against animal cruelty feel that it magnifies their goodness. The Bible says, the righteous are kind to their animals, but it does not say, all who are kind to their animals are righteous.
There are bumper stickers that read: do random acts of kindness, love your mother earth, save the whales, or go green.
Going green! There’s a big one today. If you are really good you will drive an expensive hybrid car, live by candle light instead of incandescent lights, use solar power at home, plant trees, oppose oil companies, and hate republicans. That can define you as being good.
When Christmas season hits many will achieve goodness by donating time and great sums of money to the homeless of society.
This worldly standard for goodness can effect the church tends as well. An evangelist may think all who witness daily are good. An intercessor may feel all who gather in groups several times a week to pray, are good. Maybe it is generosity for another, or perhaps study that implies goodness. This implies we are good based on what we do, or do not, do. So what happens if you fail to do it as much as someone else? Who sets the standard?
Although acts of kindness are needed in society, should these things determine whether or not a person is good?
Jesus went about doing good, and healing all who were sick and oppressed of the devil.
He provided free health care for the sick, free emotional healing for the mentally and spiritually oppressed, free meals for the tired and poor, free services to poor widows who lost their only sons, free eye care, free services for the hearing impaired, free services for the physically handicapped, free tax assistance, and he caused a rich tax collector to give money to the poor. He would be the ultimate modern day presidential candidate.
Jesus met all the modern day criteria for what defines good. There were those in His generation who felt He was good. But they called Jesus good based on what He did. How did He respond?
Matthew 19:17 ¶ Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" 18 So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Is Our Choices Leading Us Astray
iChurch: All We Like Sheep
by Skye Jethani
I don't drink coffee but that hasn't stopped me from using the Starbucks across the street from my church as a second office. I sip my overpriced beverage in the armchair near the window. On this afternoon I was meeting Greg and Margaret*—members of our church I'd worked with closely for the last few years.
"We've decided to leave Blanchard," Greg started. "For two months we've been church shopping." Church shopping—where did that dastardly term come from? I thought while gazing out the window at the swarm of suburbanites fluttering between The Gap, Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, and Williams-Sonoma.
"We really love Blanchard," Margaret added to soften the blow. "It's been a great church for our family, with a wonderful children's program. Greg and I really like it, but our boys are teenagers now and they prefer the music at Faith Community*." I took a sip of my preferred drink—a tall, no whip, Tazo chai latte. Maybe I should have gotten the low cal, non-fat, grande Earl Grey, with Splenda.
Margaret continued, "Faith Community has so much to offer our family, and I think it's really important to go someplace the boys like. When your kids are teenagers, you'll understand." Having played the evangelical trump card (the kids), Margaret sat back in her chair believing no further discussion was necessary.
"What are you going to do when your boys leave home in a few years?" I asked.
"I'm not sure," said Greg. "Maybe we'll come back to Blanchard."
"I hope you don't," I replied, meaning no malice. I did, however, relish the stunned look on their faces, if just for a moment. "I hope that you commit yourselves so fully to Faith Community—building strong relationships, serving with your gifts, participating in its mission—that you could never see yourselves leaving that church. I really believe God grows us most when we are committed to a community."
For the next hour we had a difficult but edifying conversation about their decision to leave. Then I prayed for Greg and Margaret in the middle of Starbucks, and watched from my chair by the window as they drove away in their SUV, a chrome fish on the tailgate.
by Skye Jethani
I don't drink coffee but that hasn't stopped me from using the Starbucks across the street from my church as a second office. I sip my overpriced beverage in the armchair near the window. On this afternoon I was meeting Greg and Margaret*—members of our church I'd worked with closely for the last few years.
"We've decided to leave Blanchard," Greg started. "For two months we've been church shopping." Church shopping—where did that dastardly term come from? I thought while gazing out the window at the swarm of suburbanites fluttering between The Gap, Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, and Williams-Sonoma.
"We really love Blanchard," Margaret added to soften the blow. "It's been a great church for our family, with a wonderful children's program. Greg and I really like it, but our boys are teenagers now and they prefer the music at Faith Community*." I took a sip of my preferred drink—a tall, no whip, Tazo chai latte. Maybe I should have gotten the low cal, non-fat, grande Earl Grey, with Splenda.
Margaret continued, "Faith Community has so much to offer our family, and I think it's really important to go someplace the boys like. When your kids are teenagers, you'll understand." Having played the evangelical trump card (the kids), Margaret sat back in her chair believing no further discussion was necessary.
"What are you going to do when your boys leave home in a few years?" I asked.
"I'm not sure," said Greg. "Maybe we'll come back to Blanchard."
"I hope you don't," I replied, meaning no malice. I did, however, relish the stunned look on their faces, if just for a moment. "I hope that you commit yourselves so fully to Faith Community—building strong relationships, serving with your gifts, participating in its mission—that you could never see yourselves leaving that church. I really believe God grows us most when we are committed to a community."
For the next hour we had a difficult but edifying conversation about their decision to leave. Then I prayed for Greg and Margaret in the middle of Starbucks, and watched from my chair by the window as they drove away in their SUV, a chrome fish on the tailgate.
Monday, August 18, 2008
If God
Has anyone been following the Summer Olympics this year?
America has an amazing swimmer on the men’s team. His name is Michael Phelps and he has broken the gold medal count record and has set new world records 7 out of 8 wins. He was invincible. During the teams race, having Michael on the team pretty much guaranteed victory, when he swam he would pull so far ahead of the others that his teammates couldn’t lose.
To have such a capable person on your side in the race can lead to a real sense of stability, and confidence. If Michael is for us who can be against us. Sounds a lot like,
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
A profound truth that is seldom realized, but greatly needed. I need this truth. You need this truth.
To realize this truth we must understand something of the nature of God in it.
Our attempts to get something from it without seeing God’s nature revealed in it, will be like an old man without teeth trying to gum an apple to get nourishment. Try as he may, without teeth that apple will do him no good.
The nature of God is the teeth of this glorious truth in Romans 8.
For it to say who can be against us does not mean that no one will be. It is not implying that we will never again know hardship and that every situation will work out according to what we desire.
Implied is, “who can be against us and totally defeat us?” Who can contest what God has done? This confidence is rooted in who God is, and what He has committed to do.
America has an amazing swimmer on the men’s team. His name is Michael Phelps and he has broken the gold medal count record and has set new world records 7 out of 8 wins. He was invincible. During the teams race, having Michael on the team pretty much guaranteed victory, when he swam he would pull so far ahead of the others that his teammates couldn’t lose.
To have such a capable person on your side in the race can lead to a real sense of stability, and confidence. If Michael is for us who can be against us. Sounds a lot like,
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
A profound truth that is seldom realized, but greatly needed. I need this truth. You need this truth.
To realize this truth we must understand something of the nature of God in it.
Our attempts to get something from it without seeing God’s nature revealed in it, will be like an old man without teeth trying to gum an apple to get nourishment. Try as he may, without teeth that apple will do him no good.
The nature of God is the teeth of this glorious truth in Romans 8.
For it to say who can be against us does not mean that no one will be. It is not implying that we will never again know hardship and that every situation will work out according to what we desire.
Implied is, “who can be against us and totally defeat us?” Who can contest what God has done? This confidence is rooted in who God is, and what He has committed to do.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Defeating Condemnation
Romans 8:33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Satan, the grand accuser of the brethren is disarmed in this! How can Satan stand up to the very God, who Himself, justified us by His own blood?
When I was in elementary school I was an honor student consistently. But one semester I actually struggled with a subject and ended up with a C.
The school Principle, as an object lesson for me, decided to have me come to his office and make me announce over the loud speaker to the entire school that I had made a C, I was mortified. I cried and was devastated by having to do this.
In essence, that Principle condemned me that day. He basically deemed me as a loser in front of the whole school.
When my dad got wind of this, he was outraged. My brothers were upset, but they couldn't do anything about it. But, my dad visited that principle unannounced to me. It turned out that my dad went into his office, drug him across his own desk, and told him he would publicly apologize to me over the loud speaker to the whole school, and he had better never embarrass me like that again. So, while in class the loud speaker came on and a very shaky voiced Principle loudly apologized to me before the entire school for what he did.
When someone is seeking to condemn you or I, we need someone great to take up our defense.
Who is he that condemns? Remember how the 8th chapter of Romans begins?
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Condemnation rests on all who are without Christ! But for us who are in Christ, there is none to be found. This is true freedom!
Satan, the grand accuser of the brethren is disarmed in this! How can Satan stand up to the very God, who Himself, justified us by His own blood?
When I was in elementary school I was an honor student consistently. But one semester I actually struggled with a subject and ended up with a C.
The school Principle, as an object lesson for me, decided to have me come to his office and make me announce over the loud speaker to the entire school that I had made a C, I was mortified. I cried and was devastated by having to do this.
In essence, that Principle condemned me that day. He basically deemed me as a loser in front of the whole school.
When my dad got wind of this, he was outraged. My brothers were upset, but they couldn't do anything about it. But, my dad visited that principle unannounced to me. It turned out that my dad went into his office, drug him across his own desk, and told him he would publicly apologize to me over the loud speaker to the whole school, and he had better never embarrass me like that again. So, while in class the loud speaker came on and a very shaky voiced Principle loudly apologized to me before the entire school for what he did.
When someone is seeking to condemn you or I, we need someone great to take up our defense.
Who is he that condemns? Remember how the 8th chapter of Romans begins?
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Condemnation rests on all who are without Christ! But for us who are in Christ, there is none to be found. This is true freedom!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
LET ANOTHER MAN PRAISE YOU!
Proverbs 27:2
Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
Well, I am not a stranger to this amazing family, but I am another man. I wish to take just a moment and recognize a faithful family at Harvest Church.
Dr. Doug Damron, his wife Cheryl, and their three Kids, Chris, Katherine and Christina have all faithfully been faithful servants to others at Harvest, for many years now.
This family goes out of their way to be a blessing to others. Since their arrival from Virginia I have watched them grow and become increasingly more gifted in their giving to others. We are so blessed to have them at Harvest Church.
Most if not all would testify they have somehow been on the receiving end of the wonderful care, compassion and love this family is capable of pouring out. I know that their compassion and faithfulness is an outpouring of the Spirit of Christ in their lives and I just wanted to take a moment to express my thanks to God for their labor in Him.
What a joy to have such faithful and loving members in a church body. May the Lord give them even more grace and pour out His incredible love and blessings upon them.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Living Faithfully in the time of the part while waiting for that which is perfect to come.
"That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." {#Luke 1:35}
1Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
What do these verses have in common? They each use neuter genders to describe their subjects. A neuter gender is believed to be a non personal description yet we find here in Luke it is used very specifically as a personal description. It is describing Jesus as a babe in the womb.
The question is: Is it such a leap to consider that a neuter gender used this way in Luke could also be used in the same way in 1 Corinthians 13:10?
The camp that believes the gifts of the Spirit are no longer for today, and who denounce any idea of a post salvation Baptism of the Spirit being valid, generally use this argument as a basis for their belief.
They argue that the canonizing of Scripture fulfilled the, "that which is perfect," aspect. Yet, I never knew the Bible had a face for if we continued to read on in Corinthians we would discover that whatever the perfect thing is, it has a face, "for then we shall see face to face."
It makes so much more sense to see that passage as referring to when Jesus returns and gives all of us glorified bodies, and completes the process of our perfection by finalizing our spiritual consummation. "We shall all be changed," the Scripture says.
Even if I could perfectly embrace the process of sanctification in this life and never find myself in any sort of opposition to the work of the Spirit in bringing me to the place God wants me to walk in the flesh, I would still not have attained the perfection spoken of here in Corinthians.
This mortality must put on immortality. This tent called the body, is not yet renewed, it is perishing, for if it had been renewed and made alive as my spirit has, it too would already possess eternal attributes. It would not perish. My spirit already possesses the promises of being imperishable. I am an eternal being in Christ. But my body must also undergo transformation, and the promise of that occurrence hinges on His soon return. "When we see Him we shall be like Him."
Until then, I must have the work of the Holy Spirit in my life along with the working of His gifts which lead to encouragement and are useful in the execution of the ministry He has entrusted to me.
Perhaps it is more arrogant to think one could execute any type of spiritual ministry without the promised help of the Holy Spirit and His gifts, than it is to embrace both Him and them.
I think I will unashamedly continue to believe that I need to be, "being filled with the Spirit," and I need His gifts at work both, in and through me.
1Corinthians 13:10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
What do these verses have in common? They each use neuter genders to describe their subjects. A neuter gender is believed to be a non personal description yet we find here in Luke it is used very specifically as a personal description. It is describing Jesus as a babe in the womb.
The question is: Is it such a leap to consider that a neuter gender used this way in Luke could also be used in the same way in 1 Corinthians 13:10?
The camp that believes the gifts of the Spirit are no longer for today, and who denounce any idea of a post salvation Baptism of the Spirit being valid, generally use this argument as a basis for their belief.
They argue that the canonizing of Scripture fulfilled the, "that which is perfect," aspect. Yet, I never knew the Bible had a face for if we continued to read on in Corinthians we would discover that whatever the perfect thing is, it has a face, "for then we shall see face to face."
It makes so much more sense to see that passage as referring to when Jesus returns and gives all of us glorified bodies, and completes the process of our perfection by finalizing our spiritual consummation. "We shall all be changed," the Scripture says.
Even if I could perfectly embrace the process of sanctification in this life and never find myself in any sort of opposition to the work of the Spirit in bringing me to the place God wants me to walk in the flesh, I would still not have attained the perfection spoken of here in Corinthians.
This mortality must put on immortality. This tent called the body, is not yet renewed, it is perishing, for if it had been renewed and made alive as my spirit has, it too would already possess eternal attributes. It would not perish. My spirit already possesses the promises of being imperishable. I am an eternal being in Christ. But my body must also undergo transformation, and the promise of that occurrence hinges on His soon return. "When we see Him we shall be like Him."
Until then, I must have the work of the Holy Spirit in my life along with the working of His gifts which lead to encouragement and are useful in the execution of the ministry He has entrusted to me.
Perhaps it is more arrogant to think one could execute any type of spiritual ministry without the promised help of the Holy Spirit and His gifts, than it is to embrace both Him and them.
I think I will unashamedly continue to believe that I need to be, "being filled with the Spirit," and I need His gifts at work both, in and through me.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
JB Phillips 1John 1:7 But if we really are living in the same light in which he eternally exists, then we have true fellowship with each other, and the blood which his son Jesus shed for us keeps us clean from all sin.Walking in the light. Great concept but more often than not, just that, a concept.
Darkness cannot maintain it's place when there is an infusion of light. Place a light overhead in the center of a darkened room, turn it on, and amazingly the darkness flees.
The Light, however, requires that it take center place to dispell the darkness through out the entire room.
Place that Light in a corner and you will see light in the room, but not all the room will be brightly lit. To acheive maximum effectiveness the Light must take center place. Here in 1 John that is the concept we are being given. Christ at center place. If we read the preceding verses to this key passage we find:
JB Phillips 1 John 1:5 ¶ Here, then, is the message which we heard from him, and now proclaim to you: GOD IS LIGHT and no shadow of darkness can exist in him. 6 Consequently, if we were to say that we enjoyed fellowship with him and still went on living in darkness, we should be both telling and living a lie.
I love how the prophet Isaiah understood it. Isaiah 49:6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’"
Coming into New Life in Christ is a supernatural transformation that dispells darkness. Somehow in our generation we have managed to twist the Holy reality of being born again and set free, into meaning that we can engage in darkness now without recompense. Yet the Biblical idea is that the New Life is full of light, and therefore when in fellowship with Him who is the Light, we will not seek out darkness to dwell in...for light dispells darkness.
I wonder how many are telling that lie? "If we say we enjoy fellowship with Him and yet continue living in darkness, we should be both telling and living a lie."
Being a believer in Christ is not a social status. It is a Holy Calling! He is the Light and to walk with Him is to walk in the Light!
2Corinthians 4:2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Willing to Be Considered a Failure?
"And all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished...And they understood none of these things." {#Lu 18:31,34}
God called Jesus Christ to what seemed unmitigated disaster. Jesus Christ called his disciples to see him put to death; he led every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. Jesus Christ’s life was an absolute failure from every standpoint but God’s. But what seemed failure from man’s standpoint was a tremendous triumph from God’s, because God’s purpose is never man’s purpose.
Quote from Oswald Chambers - My Utmost for His Highest
Sometimes we fight hard against the prospect of being seen as failures in our ministry, or in our personal lives. The great magnetism of what would appear to be success as defined by men pulls strongly at us. We become caught in it's field of polarity. This world seeks to polarize us to it's standards of success, to the ideas of it's own appearances of greatness.
Meanwhile, the pull of the Holy Spirit seeks to take us further to a place where less of me exists and more of Him can be seen. God is not hung up on what appears to be my success in the eyes of men. He is hung up on my getting a right view of the successful obedience of Christ Jesus.
Jesus died with His followers scattered and hiding in fear. In the upper room a mere 120 gathered with any sort of hope. Where were the great crowds of His yesterdays? At His trial it is possible that the crowd crying out, "crucify him, crucify him," consisted of at least some of the ones who had eaten of the fish and loaves. One thing we know for certain, the miracle seekers of yesterdays did not join the 120 in the upper room to wait for the promise. Yet despite what appeared as absoulte failure to men, God the Father was well pleased with.
Jesus laid everything aside for the glory of the Father. He chose no reputation for Himself so that the reputation of God might not be sullied in any way.
Whose reputation are you and I living for?
God called Jesus Christ to what seemed unmitigated disaster. Jesus Christ called his disciples to see him put to death; he led every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. Jesus Christ’s life was an absolute failure from every standpoint but God’s. But what seemed failure from man’s standpoint was a tremendous triumph from God’s, because God’s purpose is never man’s purpose.
Quote from Oswald Chambers - My Utmost for His Highest
Sometimes we fight hard against the prospect of being seen as failures in our ministry, or in our personal lives. The great magnetism of what would appear to be success as defined by men pulls strongly at us. We become caught in it's field of polarity. This world seeks to polarize us to it's standards of success, to the ideas of it's own appearances of greatness.
Meanwhile, the pull of the Holy Spirit seeks to take us further to a place where less of me exists and more of Him can be seen. God is not hung up on what appears to be my success in the eyes of men. He is hung up on my getting a right view of the successful obedience of Christ Jesus.
Jesus died with His followers scattered and hiding in fear. In the upper room a mere 120 gathered with any sort of hope. Where were the great crowds of His yesterdays? At His trial it is possible that the crowd crying out, "crucify him, crucify him," consisted of at least some of the ones who had eaten of the fish and loaves. One thing we know for certain, the miracle seekers of yesterdays did not join the 120 in the upper room to wait for the promise. Yet despite what appeared as absoulte failure to men, God the Father was well pleased with.
Jesus laid everything aside for the glory of the Father. He chose no reputation for Himself so that the reputation of God might not be sullied in any way.
Whose reputation are you and I living for?
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