Psalm 133:1--Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
In a world full of division, discord, disagreement, hostility and contention Christ offers His bride something drastically different: unity. It cannot be overstated how blessed a believer is to be a part of a congregation that truly fellowships. Not one that finds joy and satisfaction with temporal, worldly things(you can find that in a bar), but one that gets excited about focusing on the eternal, desiring to initiate, nurture and sustain the faith of others. For many years I found very few men that truly desired to discuss Scripture and were willing to examine what they believed. Now, I am surrounded by many. Are you?
Desire. In Luke 9:23 Jesus says, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." To initiate true unity one must be willing to surrender their will and take up the will of God. This desire for self-sacrifice is the breeding ground for genuine fellowship. When two members of God's body(no matter what church they go to) intersect, communion is initiated; not because of their similar physical interests, but rather because of their similar spiritual aspirations. Do you desire to put down your will and take up the will of Christ?
Dedication. James 2:26 says, "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Dedication is the instrument through which ones desire is displayed. One can state that genuine desire is present, but if the dedication does not accompany it, no desire is present. I am not speaking of dedication to a denomination or a program, but to people. We must practice what Ephesians 5:16 says, "redeeming the time for the days are evil." If we truly desire to lay down our wants and wills, we will be dedicated to giving the time necessary for one another. Worldly pleasure and temporal temptations will drift away, and be replaced with a desire to be united with those that are like-minded. Are you dedicated to investing yourself into the lives of others?
What a joy it is to be surrounded by so many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ that wholeheartedly desire to please their Master; it creates unity that is not easily expressed. May you find such unity as you desire to deny yourself and are willing to dedicate your life to others for Him.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit
Matthew 7:16a--You will know them by their fruits
What a blessing it is when the Holy Spirit comes and indwells the believer. We are endowed by God with a Helper(God Himself) that will comfort, convict and conduct our steps. As the Spirit enters the life of the new believer, He is accompanied by two very important members: Gifts and Fruits. Today, I would like to give you a basic understanding of these, while also pointing out some problem pits that many believers could fall into.
The Gifts. I Corinthians 12:4 says, "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." When it comes to the gifts of the Spirit there is variety and differences, but one central purpose: "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." I Cor. 12:7 Some examples would include: Prophecy, Word of Wisdom, Miracles, Serving, Healings, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Evangelism and Helping. You can find a complete list in Romans 12:6-8, I Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30, Ephesians 4:11 and I Peter 4:9-11. It is a wonderful thing when seeing these gifts in operation, they are essential to the church. One may ask, "How can I get one of these gifts?" or, "Can I choose the gift I would like?" The simple truth is found in I Corinthians 12:11. It says, "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." We can request, plea and beg for a gift, but in the end God chooses the gift and the recipient of that gift.
The Fruits. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."While often under emphasized, the fruit of the Spirit is of equal importance to the church. While each believer may differ in the gift they receive, their fruit will all be the same. No matter which country they live in or what denomination they attend, love, joy peace and patience should be on display in the believers life. As we mature in the faith and grow closer to Christ our display of the fruit should increase. This is a problem in many churches today. People that have been saved for thirty years, but little to no growth is seen in the area of self-control or faithfulness. One must truly question whether or not the spirit within them is Holy in nature.
The Problem. Many believers have been deceived. We have taken our eyes off of God's instruction to know the faith of others based upon their fruits and instead have begun to look upon their gifts. We must understand that gifts can and often are counterfeited. Remember what Christ says in Matthew 7:21-23. Many that have prophesied and done miracles will not inherit the kingdom. How is that possible? Because the spirit that enabled their ability did not come from above. Please remember this. We have believers that allow a prophet to preach because they are gifted, when they clearly display little love, patience or kindness in their home. This clearly contradicts I Timothy 3, which puts the elders family in the center of the spotlight. If a preacher cannot demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit in his home, he has no business attempting to lead God's church, no matter how gifted he may be. We also have believers that allow people to believe they have been baptized in Spirit because they speak in tongues, when ten minutes after the service they are cussing at their son in the parking lot. Wouldn't it make sense that the same Spirit that gave the gift would also have given the fruit of gentleness? Not that I am saying one is perfect when they receive the Spirit, but that we must be more careful when accessing the initiation. Any outward act should be carefully tested, remembering that any gift not accompanied by the fruit of love is worthless. I Corinthians 13:1-2
May we strive to please our Father more and more each day. Knowing that as we strive, our gift and our fruits will be better used by the Master.
What a blessing it is when the Holy Spirit comes and indwells the believer. We are endowed by God with a Helper(God Himself) that will comfort, convict and conduct our steps. As the Spirit enters the life of the new believer, He is accompanied by two very important members: Gifts and Fruits. Today, I would like to give you a basic understanding of these, while also pointing out some problem pits that many believers could fall into.
The Gifts. I Corinthians 12:4 says, "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." When it comes to the gifts of the Spirit there is variety and differences, but one central purpose: "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." I Cor. 12:7 Some examples would include: Prophecy, Word of Wisdom, Miracles, Serving, Healings, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Evangelism and Helping. You can find a complete list in Romans 12:6-8, I Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30, Ephesians 4:11 and I Peter 4:9-11. It is a wonderful thing when seeing these gifts in operation, they are essential to the church. One may ask, "How can I get one of these gifts?" or, "Can I choose the gift I would like?" The simple truth is found in I Corinthians 12:11. It says, "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." We can request, plea and beg for a gift, but in the end God chooses the gift and the recipient of that gift.
The Fruits. Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."While often under emphasized, the fruit of the Spirit is of equal importance to the church. While each believer may differ in the gift they receive, their fruit will all be the same. No matter which country they live in or what denomination they attend, love, joy peace and patience should be on display in the believers life. As we mature in the faith and grow closer to Christ our display of the fruit should increase. This is a problem in many churches today. People that have been saved for thirty years, but little to no growth is seen in the area of self-control or faithfulness. One must truly question whether or not the spirit within them is Holy in nature.
The Problem. Many believers have been deceived. We have taken our eyes off of God's instruction to know the faith of others based upon their fruits and instead have begun to look upon their gifts. We must understand that gifts can and often are counterfeited. Remember what Christ says in Matthew 7:21-23. Many that have prophesied and done miracles will not inherit the kingdom. How is that possible? Because the spirit that enabled their ability did not come from above. Please remember this. We have believers that allow a prophet to preach because they are gifted, when they clearly display little love, patience or kindness in their home. This clearly contradicts I Timothy 3, which puts the elders family in the center of the spotlight. If a preacher cannot demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit in his home, he has no business attempting to lead God's church, no matter how gifted he may be. We also have believers that allow people to believe they have been baptized in Spirit because they speak in tongues, when ten minutes after the service they are cussing at their son in the parking lot. Wouldn't it make sense that the same Spirit that gave the gift would also have given the fruit of gentleness? Not that I am saying one is perfect when they receive the Spirit, but that we must be more careful when accessing the initiation. Any outward act should be carefully tested, remembering that any gift not accompanied by the fruit of love is worthless. I Corinthians 13:1-2
May we strive to please our Father more and more each day. Knowing that as we strive, our gift and our fruits will be better used by the Master.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The Holy Spirit and your tongue
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good
for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Tower of Babel. Genesis 11:1 says, "Now the whole earth had one language and one speech." During the time after the worldwide flood, everyone was united in tongue and wished to make themselves a tower "whose top is in the heavens."(v.4) They desired to make a name for themselves and protect themselves from becoming scattered "over the face of the earth."(v.4) The problem was, God had instructed them to "fill the earth" in Genesis 9:1. So, the Lord came down to them and confused their language, making it impossible for them to understand each other; thus calling it Babel, meaning confusion.
The New Covenant Plan. I Corinthians 1:10 says, "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." When taking a gander at the world around us, we see a massive amount of confusion between individuals. The confusion I refer to is not centered around various physical dialects, but spiritual speech. When looking out at the vast "Christian" community one could not say we are all speaking the same thing. Just take Rich Hill as an example. With a population of just over 1400 people we have at least 10 different churches, five within a couple blocks of each other. Does that not seem strange?? Under the New Covenant we understand that God desires that all believers, whether in Russia, Rwanda or Rich Hill to again have a united tongue. But, how is this possible?
Pentecost. Acts 2:3-4 says, "Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." When the Lord chose to send His Spirit to earth He could have chosen any path or any method. When the Spirit came to earth He came as a tongue, resting upon each believer, causing them to speak in a way they never had before, creating unity in the many different groups of people. This same unity is what Paul requests of believers in Philippi when he says, "fulfill my joy be being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." Phil 2:2 The only way such unity can occur is when the Holy Spirit is directing the tongue(not to be confused with "speaking in tongues" as some groups promote, which I will address in a later article, but the submitting control of your tongue to the Lord to use for His good.)
Two tongues. Let me close by stating that every individual can have two different tongues; one set on fire by the Holy Spirit and one set on fire by hell. James 3:6 May Christ lead you and direct you in how to allow the Spirit to control your tongue, thus creating unity amongst believers.
Tower of Babel. Genesis 11:1 says, "Now the whole earth had one language and one speech." During the time after the worldwide flood, everyone was united in tongue and wished to make themselves a tower "whose top is in the heavens."(v.4) They desired to make a name for themselves and protect themselves from becoming scattered "over the face of the earth."(v.4) The problem was, God had instructed them to "fill the earth" in Genesis 9:1. So, the Lord came down to them and confused their language, making it impossible for them to understand each other; thus calling it Babel, meaning confusion.
The New Covenant Plan. I Corinthians 1:10 says, "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." When taking a gander at the world around us, we see a massive amount of confusion between individuals. The confusion I refer to is not centered around various physical dialects, but spiritual speech. When looking out at the vast "Christian" community one could not say we are all speaking the same thing. Just take Rich Hill as an example. With a population of just over 1400 people we have at least 10 different churches, five within a couple blocks of each other. Does that not seem strange?? Under the New Covenant we understand that God desires that all believers, whether in Russia, Rwanda or Rich Hill to again have a united tongue. But, how is this possible?
Pentecost. Acts 2:3-4 says, "Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." When the Lord chose to send His Spirit to earth He could have chosen any path or any method. When the Spirit came to earth He came as a tongue, resting upon each believer, causing them to speak in a way they never had before, creating unity in the many different groups of people. This same unity is what Paul requests of believers in Philippi when he says, "fulfill my joy be being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." Phil 2:2 The only way such unity can occur is when the Holy Spirit is directing the tongue(not to be confused with "speaking in tongues" as some groups promote, which I will address in a later article, but the submitting control of your tongue to the Lord to use for His good.)
Two tongues. Let me close by stating that every individual can have two different tongues; one set on fire by the Holy Spirit and one set on fire by hell. James 3:6 May Christ lead you and direct you in how to allow the Spirit to control your tongue, thus creating unity amongst believers.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Should we follow the 10 commandments
Have you ever wondered what the Christian is to do with the 10 Commandments? Are we, under the New Covenant, expected to follow the rules given in the Old Covenant. In our newly added sermon, we address these questions, and provide a guide on how to know what should and should not be practiced from the Old Covenant. Listen here.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Baptism in the Holy Spirit
Ephesians 5:18--And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the
Spirit
Confusion. The waves of confusion can quickly overtake you when swimming in a topic such as this. I have been there, and I have seen and heard about others being there as well. My hope, over the next few weeks, is to educate and alleviate any doubt or confusion on the topics surrounding the Holy Spirit. I acknowledge that there are many different opinions offered and suggestions stated about this topic, so I will attempt to have Scripture speak while keeping my biases on the sidelines. Today, I will cover 3 parts dealing with the baptism in the Holy Spirit: Who gives it, How do you get it, and what signs accompany your receiving it.
The Giver. Matthew 3:11 says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry, He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." This point is not debated, but must be stated: baptism in the Holy Spirit only comes from God, not man. No matter who prays for you, anoints you with oil or repeats certain chants, the baptism in the Holy Spirit can and will only come from God.
How do I get it? Luke 11:13 says, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" I understand this may seem very simple, but to receive the Holy Spirit all you must do is ask. Verse 9-10 of Luke 11 say, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Ministers may adhere to different methods, but all are in error if they deviate from the simple command to ask.
Are there any signs? Acts 1:8a says, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me..." When one receives the Holy Spirit, power will most definitely accompany it. But, what type of power? Acts 4 will help us understand this. Peter and John have just been taken into captivity and questioned by those that had recently killed their Master, Jesus. After being released, they rejoined their companions and raised their voices in prayer to God. In verse 29 we see that they requested that they be able to speak the Word with boldness. When looking back at Acts 1:8 we see that this is exactly what Christ was describing. Jesus understood that if the disciples were to be adequate witnesses, they would need the Spirit. We too must have the Spirit to aid us in our works. Other signs that would accompany the Spirit-filled believer would be the fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23. As II Peter 1:8 states, "For if these things(fruits that the Spirit gives) are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Do not be deceived, nor confused by the many teachings that are found in churches today. Allow Scripture to be your guide and not works of man. May Christ continually fill you with His Spirit as you continually express your dependence upon Him.
Confusion. The waves of confusion can quickly overtake you when swimming in a topic such as this. I have been there, and I have seen and heard about others being there as well. My hope, over the next few weeks, is to educate and alleviate any doubt or confusion on the topics surrounding the Holy Spirit. I acknowledge that there are many different opinions offered and suggestions stated about this topic, so I will attempt to have Scripture speak while keeping my biases on the sidelines. Today, I will cover 3 parts dealing with the baptism in the Holy Spirit: Who gives it, How do you get it, and what signs accompany your receiving it.
The Giver. Matthew 3:11 says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry, He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." This point is not debated, but must be stated: baptism in the Holy Spirit only comes from God, not man. No matter who prays for you, anoints you with oil or repeats certain chants, the baptism in the Holy Spirit can and will only come from God.
How do I get it? Luke 11:13 says, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" I understand this may seem very simple, but to receive the Holy Spirit all you must do is ask. Verse 9-10 of Luke 11 say, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Ministers may adhere to different methods, but all are in error if they deviate from the simple command to ask.
Are there any signs? Acts 1:8a says, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me..." When one receives the Holy Spirit, power will most definitely accompany it. But, what type of power? Acts 4 will help us understand this. Peter and John have just been taken into captivity and questioned by those that had recently killed their Master, Jesus. After being released, they rejoined their companions and raised their voices in prayer to God. In verse 29 we see that they requested that they be able to speak the Word with boldness. When looking back at Acts 1:8 we see that this is exactly what Christ was describing. Jesus understood that if the disciples were to be adequate witnesses, they would need the Spirit. We too must have the Spirit to aid us in our works. Other signs that would accompany the Spirit-filled believer would be the fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23. As II Peter 1:8 states, "For if these things(fruits that the Spirit gives) are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Do not be deceived, nor confused by the many teachings that are found in churches today. Allow Scripture to be your guide and not works of man. May Christ continually fill you with His Spirit as you continually express your dependence upon Him.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Work of faith, labor of love and patience of hope
Check out this message from I Thessalonians 1. Listen here.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The gift of the Spirit
I Corinthians 2:9--But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into
the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
I remember the time a friend of mine mentioned that this was one of his favorite verses, and while I agree it is a wonderful verse the most beautiful part comes in the next verse. Upon first reading of verse 9 you may assume that the writer is referring to heaven, or some future time, but once verse 10 is read in conjunction with verse 9 the picture becomes so much clearer and more wonderful. Verse 10a reads, "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit." Today, I would like to show you how marvelous a gift it is to have the Holy Spirit.
The Revealer. I Corinthians 2:12 says, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." The Holy Spirit is indwelling in all true believers, but many do not fully understand what that means. Enlightenment and understanding of Godly things can only come through the Holy Spirit. His desire is to continually reveal to us God's awesome plans for us and His wonderful thoughts toward us. As a believer, you cannot understand the great things God has prepared for you unless the Spirit of God reveals it to you. Are you getting such revelation?
The Helper. John 14:16 says, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever." The Greek word for Helper in this verse is "parakletos." Para means with or side by side. Christ desired to give us a Helper that would come beside us and work with us to comfort and guide us into the paths of righteousness. This Helper, very similar in role to our wives, is not a dictator, lording us; nor a slave, following our every command, but a friend who desires to come besides us, put His arm around us and gently guide us. What an aid this is. Many sing the line, "and He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own," but never truly experience such a relationship. Is that you? Do you experience the intimate relationship that the Holy Spirit desires to offer?
The Changer. I Corinthians 2:16b says, "But we have the mind of Christ." When we come to Christ our mind, nor our actions are God-centered. It is only through the working of the Holy Spirit that our minds can become like the mind of Christ's, thinking and responding to all situations like He would. As we diligently and expectantly read God's Word, the Spirit takes the Word and begins to renew our mind. He begins to take what we used to see as right, and show us how wrong it truly was. He molds us by continually reminding us of what God's desire is for us, and directing us in how to get there. What a blessing this is. We no longer have to think and act as the world does. We can truly have the mind of Christ. Do you have such a mind? Are your thoughts and actions being renewed through His Word? Are you being convicted of your sin and directed in how to overcome it?
How can one have this gift of the Spirit? Humble yourself, repent of your sins and cry out to God to fill you with His Spirit. This filling is not just a one time occurrence, but is done on a continual basis. As Ephesians 5:18b says, "be filled with the Spirit." Once Christ gives us His Spirit, we must be sensitive to listen and obey His direction. It is by practicing this that life will truly come. May Christ richly bless you as the Spirit is in operation in your life.
I remember the time a friend of mine mentioned that this was one of his favorite verses, and while I agree it is a wonderful verse the most beautiful part comes in the next verse. Upon first reading of verse 9 you may assume that the writer is referring to heaven, or some future time, but once verse 10 is read in conjunction with verse 9 the picture becomes so much clearer and more wonderful. Verse 10a reads, "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit." Today, I would like to show you how marvelous a gift it is to have the Holy Spirit.
The Revealer. I Corinthians 2:12 says, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." The Holy Spirit is indwelling in all true believers, but many do not fully understand what that means. Enlightenment and understanding of Godly things can only come through the Holy Spirit. His desire is to continually reveal to us God's awesome plans for us and His wonderful thoughts toward us. As a believer, you cannot understand the great things God has prepared for you unless the Spirit of God reveals it to you. Are you getting such revelation?
The Helper. John 14:16 says, "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever." The Greek word for Helper in this verse is "parakletos." Para means with or side by side. Christ desired to give us a Helper that would come beside us and work with us to comfort and guide us into the paths of righteousness. This Helper, very similar in role to our wives, is not a dictator, lording us; nor a slave, following our every command, but a friend who desires to come besides us, put His arm around us and gently guide us. What an aid this is. Many sing the line, "and He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own," but never truly experience such a relationship. Is that you? Do you experience the intimate relationship that the Holy Spirit desires to offer?
The Changer. I Corinthians 2:16b says, "But we have the mind of Christ." When we come to Christ our mind, nor our actions are God-centered. It is only through the working of the Holy Spirit that our minds can become like the mind of Christ's, thinking and responding to all situations like He would. As we diligently and expectantly read God's Word, the Spirit takes the Word and begins to renew our mind. He begins to take what we used to see as right, and show us how wrong it truly was. He molds us by continually reminding us of what God's desire is for us, and directing us in how to get there. What a blessing this is. We no longer have to think and act as the world does. We can truly have the mind of Christ. Do you have such a mind? Are your thoughts and actions being renewed through His Word? Are you being convicted of your sin and directed in how to overcome it?
How can one have this gift of the Spirit? Humble yourself, repent of your sins and cry out to God to fill you with His Spirit. This filling is not just a one time occurrence, but is done on a continual basis. As Ephesians 5:18b says, "be filled with the Spirit." Once Christ gives us His Spirit, we must be sensitive to listen and obey His direction. It is by practicing this that life will truly come. May Christ richly bless you as the Spirit is in operation in your life.
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