church

April 7, 2022

“For the Benefit of the Church…”

22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. — Ephesians 1:22 NLT

Eph 1;20:-23 NLT

God has made Christ the head of all things and has put all things under the authority of Christ for the benefit of the church. We are the body and the body is a transport, if you will, to carry the head around and to use its various parts to do what the Head commands. Because we are connected to the head, we have access to The Source of knowledge, wisdom and power. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Since the body was made imperfect by sin, in the transmission of these things from a Perfect Head to an imperfect body, there is a great loss of power, wisdom, and knowledge. As we meditate on God’s Word, we find an increase in the flow of these things from the Head to the body. That is why we don’t do the miracles that Jesus did, It isn’t that we can’t, it is that the flow is inhibited by sin. As we grow closer to Jesus by allowing God’s Spirit to lead us, we find that we have access to more and more of God’s power, wisdom, and knowledge. We can choose to stay on the edge of the River that flows or we can choose to do our best to get to the current and enjoy more of what God has for us. The choice is ours.Do we really have access to this power?

Romans 8:31-34 NLT

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Advertisement
July 22, 2020

“They Encouraged Us”

9 In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. – Galatians 2:9 NLT

Galatians 2:6-10 NLT

Paul did not back down from his stand on circumcision. When Peter, James and John, the pillars of the church in Jerusalem, recognized that Paul was right they gave him the right hand of fellowship. (To those who don’t speak Churchese, that means that Paul now had their support and was welcomed into the congregation of Christians,) They all agreed that the new converts, both Jewish and Gentile should not eat food that had been sacrificed to idols and that they should support the poor. It is still a good idea to help the poor and refrain from acts that might cause our brothers to be offended.. Paul and Barnabas leave to go back to Antioch to give the news to the new converts. We, like the first century church, must be careful not to add requirements to God’s plan of salvation. We do not want to become like the legalistic leaders who weighed men down with their traditions. When the Spirit sets us free, we are indeed free from the bondage of sin that was of no benefit to us. The law could not free us, but God could and did by sending His Son, Jesus, as an offering for our sin.

Free Indeed!

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous

September 7, 2019

“Head Over All Things”

22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. — Ephesians 1:22 NLT

Eph 1;20:-23 NLT

God has made Christ the head of all things and has put all thing under the authority of Christ for the benefit of the church. We are the body and the body is a transport, if you will, to carry the head around and to use its various parts to do what the Head commands. Because we are connected to the head, we have access to The Source of knowledge, wisdom and power. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Since the body was made imperfect by sin, in the transmission of these things from a Perfect Head to an imperfect body, there is a great loss of power, wisdom, and knowledge. As we meditate on God’s Word, we find an increase in the flow of these things from the Head to the body. That is why we don’t do the miracles that Jesus did, It isn’t that we can’t, it is that the flow is inhibited by sin. As we grow closer to Jesus by allowing God’s Spirit to lead us, we find that we have access to more and more of God’s power, wisdom, and knowledge. We can choose to stay in the edge of the River that flows or we can choose to do our best to get to the current and enjoy more of what God has for us. The choice is ours.Do we really have access to this power?

Romans 8:31-34 NLT

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 09-07-2019

April 26, 2019

Where Is My Thumb?

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.— 1 Cor. 12:12 NLT

1 Cor. 12:12-21 NLT


According to the latest polls and surveys, the percentage of people attending church on a regular basis is still declining year after year.  “So, what has that got to do with me?”, you ask.  Well, let’s continue Paul’s comparison of the body of Christ to the human body.  Let’s say that in the church you attend, the thumbs don’t show up when they should.  Let’s further say that we have a lot of things that need to be picked up and moved to a different spot in the building.  Not having thumbs makes this job a lot more difficult, if not impossible.  Let’s say that we plan a Wednesday night visitation program, but the feet don’t show up, going door to door is still possible but much more difficult.   The head of the church wants to do an outreach program but the arms don’t show up.  How can we reach out without our arms?  The head of the church wants to start an elderly care program but the heart is missing.  Because the heart is missing, no one cares enough to help each other or anyone else.  A human body can’t survive without a heart beat and neither can the body of Christ.  Are we willing to take the chance that we are not each a part of the heart?

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous

Post 04-26-2019

March 20, 2018

Give Cheerfully and Abundantly

even-smaller-bug-light1

13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.–Romans 12:13 NIV

God has appointed each of us to be stewards of certain resources.  We should always remember that those resources originated from and belong to Him. We, as His children, are the distribution system He has chosen to use. How well we do that can have a direct result on how much of His resources we are allowed to manage.

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’–Matt. 25:21 NIV

Our love and charity should begin at home.


8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.–1 Tim. 5:8 NIV

Then, each church congregation should take care of it’s members.


9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.–Gal. 6:9,10 NIV

Then, we are instructed to love our neighbors, which, in Biblical context, is everybody. We show this love by practicing hospitality to everyone. It behooves each of us to ask the Holy Spirit to show us how to be better stewards of the resources God has given us.

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” – Anonymous
Post 03-20-2018
November 16, 2017

Mysteries Revealed by the Holy Spirit

even-smaller-bug-light1

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. – John 16:13 NLT
 
John 16:12-15 NLT

Jesus has many more things to tell us as well and like the disciples we are not spiritually ready to hear some of them. God opened up the “mystery” of the Gospel in the first century, Paul uses the word mystery seventeen times in his writings. (In the KJV)
6 However, I speak a wisdom to those who are mature. But this wisdom is not from this world or from the rulers of this world, who are losing their power. 7 I speak God’s secret wi​sdom, which he has kept hidden. Before the world began, God planned this wisdom for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this world understood it. If they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.–1 Cor.2:6-8 (NCV)

The eighth verse gives us a clue as to why God has mysteries. If the world had known the great plan, they would never have crucified Jesus or killed Him in any other way for that matter. But the Holy Spirit has so much more that He wants to tell us. So much more that He wants to accomplish through us
20 With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. 21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen–Eph. 3:20,21 (NCV)
If we walked in the Spirit, without doubt, God could accomplish so much more through each of us. He is able! It is worth repeating!
20 With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. 21 To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen–Eph. 3: 20,21 (NCV)
He is able!


“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous

Post 11-17-2017

October 18, 2017

Dying is Better

even-smaller-bug-light1

10 Then the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus, too,
– John 12:10 NLT
John 12:9-11 NLT
Sin always takes us further than we want to go. The leaders had planned to kill Jesus and now they would have to kill Lazarus as well. How many others would have to die before the movement was stopped? We don’t know because Christians are still being killed today for their faithfulness to Jesus. The persecuted church of today will tell you that it is much harder to live for Jesus than it is to die for Him. Would we suffer and die for Jesus? Jesus said that we must be willing to do that.
34 Then Jesus called the crowd to him, along with his followers. He said, “If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me. 35 Those who want to save their lives will give up true life. But those who give up their lives for me and for the Good News will have true life.–Mark 8:34-35 (NCV)
Have we made that commitment? Can we say along with Paul:
10 I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from the dead. I want to share in his sufferings and become like him in his death.11 Then I have hope that I myself will be raised from the dead.–Philippians 3:10, 11 (NCV)
The great thing is that for us, it is a win-win situation. Paul put it this way:
21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.–Philippians 1: 21 (NLT)

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous

Post 10-18-2017

April 20, 2017

Focus on Jesus

even-smaller-bug-light1

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest — Hebrews 3:1 NLT
Hebrews 3:1-6 NLT

We must keep our minds and our eyes focused on Jesus, He and He, alone, is our example to follow. Jesus is the author and the completion of our faith. He is faithful to God always. There are times when we stumble and fall, but Jesus picks us up and carries us until we are able to walk with Him again. We are the church built on Christ the foundation. We are the body and Christ is the head. The builder and the head should be praised and glorified. That is our duty to glorify God at all times. We are His household and we can boast of nothing in and of ourselves, but we can point to Jesus, our Redeemer and be proud of the confidence we have because of His faithfulness.

13 If we are unfaithful,  he remains faithful,  for he cannot deny who he is.

 — 2 Timothy 2:13 NLT

“The Gospel has come to you because it’s on its way to someone else.” -Anonymous

Post 04-21-2017

August 31, 2016

There’s A Hole In My Chest!

even-smaller-bug-light1

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.
— 1 Cor. 12:12 NLT
According to the latest polls and surveys, the percentage of people attending church on a regular basis is still declining year after year.  “So, what has that got to do with me?”, you ask.  Well, let’s continue Paul’s comparison of the body of Christ to the human body.  Let’s say that in the church you attend, the thumbs don’t show up when they should.  Let’s further say that we have a lot of things that need to be picked up and moved to a different spot in the building.  Not having thumbs makes this job a lot more difficult, if not impossible.  Let’s say that we plan a Wednesday night visitation program, but the feet don’t show up, going door to door is still possible but much more difficult.   The head of the church wants to do an outreach program but the arms don’t show up.  How can we reach out without our arms?  The head of the church wants to start an elderly care program but the heart is missing.  Because the heart is missing, no one cares enough to help each other or anyone else.  A human body can’t survive without a heart beat and neither can the body of Christ.  Are we willing to take the chance that we are not each a part of the heart?
June 14, 2016

At Least One

even-smaller-bug-light1

6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” — Acts3:6 NLT
Acts 3:1-11 NLT
God has a plan for each of us and following that plan, we will intersect with the plans He has for others.  Every minute detail of every plan is laid out and weaved into the patterns of our lives.  The lame man was laid by the Temple gate every day.  No doubt, Peter, John and even Jesus had passed him before on their way to worship in the Temple.  Why did God choose this particular day to demonstrate His power?   We could say that we don’t know the specific reason and that would be true.  But we can assume without doing any injury to the Scriptures here that there was at least one person present in the crowd that day that needed to see this miracle occur.  Probably more, but at least one, needed to see a lame man made whole.  God doesn’t waste miracles.  He has His reasons for when, where, and why.  We have no idea of how big the impact of this particular miracle became as time passed.  When reading the Bible, it is important to remember that the acts we read about are only a small sampling of what was going on at the time.  One of the people in the crowd may very well have become a church founder or maybe just a missionary to his own family.  Either way, it was necessary for this miracle to happen at this exact moment on this day in front of this crowd.  God excels in doing the extraordinary in ordinary places and times.  Listen for the small, still voice.  He is asking some of us to allow Him to take our ordinary lives and do something extraordinary with them today. At least one of us, maybe more.
 
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. – Romans 12:1 NLT
Post 06-14-2016