Sunday, August 19, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
A Conversation With Philippa
Here is a Gospel conversation I had on some down time through Omegle. She was from England. I think it went well and I know that the Lord ALONE has the power to save. Pray for her and her salvation.
*Also, please excuse her foul language.
”And they cried out in a loud voice “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ~Rev. 7:10
*Also, please excuse her foul language.
”And they cried out in a loud voice “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ~Rev. 7:10
Friday, August 3, 2012
Armor Of God: The Sword Of The Spirit
"...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." ~Eph. 6:17
After several posts about the "defense" in our armor of God, now we shall look at our main source of offense, The Word of God.
"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." ~Hebrews 4:12
This being the last post in this series, I feel this one is important as we get to back to school time. This is a time, especially for Christian in the education system where there is a massive increase in pressure, trials, and temptations
Wielding the Sword
So the question is worth asking, how do we use the Word?
The best way to illustrate this was during the temptation of Jesus in the desert,
"The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
After several posts about the "defense" in our armor of God, now we shall look at our main source of offense, The Word of God.
"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." ~Hebrews 4:12
This being the last post in this series, I feel this one is important as we get to back to school time. This is a time, especially for Christian in the education system where there is a massive increase in pressure, trials, and temptations
Wielding the Sword
So the question is worth asking, how do we use the Word?
The best way to illustrate this was during the temptation of Jesus in the desert,
"The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” ~Luke 4:3-4
We see Jesus trusted in the promises of the Word of God. He showed and remembered how God promised to provide, so the temptation is not worth giving into. Satan tried to tempt the patience of Jesus, and we see His trust in the Fathers provision.
Then we see Jesus acted on the commands of the Word:
We see Jesus trusted in the promises of the Word of God. He showed and remembered how God promised to provide, so the temptation is not worth giving into. Satan tried to tempt the patience of Jesus, and we see His trust in the Fathers provision.
Then we see Jesus acted on the commands of the Word:
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”
Just simply obeying His command, even though the offer of sin is greater, is great growth for a Christian. Once again, Satan tempts Jesus' patience to be glorified at the right hand of the Father, and once again, we see how Jesus uses the Word to spur up affection for the Father. "He is greater then anything this temptation has to offer." Through the Word, the Spirit gives perspective.
Just simply obeying His command, even though the offer of sin is greater, is great growth for a Christian. Once again, Satan tempts Jesus' patience to be glorified at the right hand of the Father, and once again, we see how Jesus uses the Word to spur up affection for the Father. "He is greater then anything this temptation has to offer." Through the Word, the Spirit gives perspective.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Armor Of God: The Helmet and the Shield
"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation..." ~Eph. 6:16-17
I feel, these verses are communicating the same truth, for two different applications.
The word "faith" in verse 16 is communicating a saving faith, an assurance, as does "salvation" in verses 17. So, Paul is telling to arm yourself with assurance, for what purpose? To guard against flaming arrows. But not just, to "extinguish" them. They have lost all there power. I mean, let's look at the picture:
You are running into battle, when your enemies begin not just to shoot arrows, but flaming arrows. I'm sure each of the warriors needed a change of armor once the battle was over. But, how does assurance play a role?
The adversary loses it's advantage. Jesus said, "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand." (John 10:29) Think about it, the enemy can't beat you, neither can sin defeat you. Sin and the devil have lost their advantage over us.
This is not only useful in the general day to day struggle with sin, as a shield would be, but it is useful as a helmet, to keep our minds focused on the Lord instead of the world. By that I mean, assurance keeps us kingdom minded, focused on the Lords goodness, not on our own efforts and legalism, which is where the devil would want us too be: focused on ourselves and not God.
Rejoice in the Truth that the devil and sin will see it's defeat...
"And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." ~Rev. 20:10
...and we shall stand, sinless, blameless, to see the face of God, only due to Christ's Righteousness and His Gospel.
"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars —they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”~Rev. 21:1-8
So, soldier, arm yourself in assurance. Next time we will look at our main offense in the battle against sin and Satan....
I feel, these verses are communicating the same truth, for two different applications.
The word "faith" in verse 16 is communicating a saving faith, an assurance, as does "salvation" in verses 17. So, Paul is telling to arm yourself with assurance, for what purpose? To guard against flaming arrows. But not just, to "extinguish" them. They have lost all there power. I mean, let's look at the picture:
You are running into battle, when your enemies begin not just to shoot arrows, but flaming arrows. I'm sure each of the warriors needed a change of armor once the battle was over. But, how does assurance play a role?
The adversary loses it's advantage. Jesus said, "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand." (John 10:29) Think about it, the enemy can't beat you, neither can sin defeat you. Sin and the devil have lost their advantage over us.
This is not only useful in the general day to day struggle with sin, as a shield would be, but it is useful as a helmet, to keep our minds focused on the Lord instead of the world. By that I mean, assurance keeps us kingdom minded, focused on the Lords goodness, not on our own efforts and legalism, which is where the devil would want us too be: focused on ourselves and not God.
Rejoice in the Truth that the devil and sin will see it's defeat...
"And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." ~Rev. 20:10
...and we shall stand, sinless, blameless, to see the face of God, only due to Christ's Righteousness and His Gospel.
"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars —they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”~Rev. 21:1-8
So, soldier, arm yourself in assurance. Next time we will look at our main offense in the battle against sin and Satan....
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Armor Of God: Fitted Feet
"and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." ~Ephesians 6:15
As I write this, I begin to prepare my heart to take the Gospel to the streets. A team will be down at a weekly local downtown festival in Owensboro to pass out tracts and engage in conversation. Our team would appreciate our prayers, that God would give us boldness and open the hearts of those we talk see and grant salvation to even just on tonight.
God calls us to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15)
What comes to my mind when I think of "fitted feet"? Well, one sermon I had just recently heard talked about the prophet Isaiah, and what he said I think fits with this well.
I think the best way to keep our "feet fitted with readiness" is to never turn our phone off. What do I mean by that? Well, always be ready to be faithful to God's mission and purpose, no matter when, where or how it comes about.
How then does this connect to Isaiah? While most preachers will preach out of Isaiah 6, most won't finish it.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? ”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ~Isaiah 6:8
But, look at what the Lord is sending Isaiah to preach:
He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused;make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
~Isaiah 6:9-10
He is saying, "Go preach to a people who will not listen to you and do it because you love me and wish to be faithful." Will we be ready to be faithful to God's mission even if it means going to a hostile, hardened people? God calls us to plant and water seeds, but its God who grows the seed of salvation. (1 Cor. 3:6)
God Bless!
As I write this, I begin to prepare my heart to take the Gospel to the streets. A team will be down at a weekly local downtown festival in Owensboro to pass out tracts and engage in conversation. Our team would appreciate our prayers, that God would give us boldness and open the hearts of those we talk see and grant salvation to even just on tonight.
God calls us to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15)
What comes to my mind when I think of "fitted feet"? Well, one sermon I had just recently heard talked about the prophet Isaiah, and what he said I think fits with this well.
I think the best way to keep our "feet fitted with readiness" is to never turn our phone off. What do I mean by that? Well, always be ready to be faithful to God's mission and purpose, no matter when, where or how it comes about.
How then does this connect to Isaiah? While most preachers will preach out of Isaiah 6, most won't finish it.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? ”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” ~Isaiah 6:8
But, look at what the Lord is sending Isaiah to preach:
He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused;make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”
~Isaiah 6:9-10
He is saying, "Go preach to a people who will not listen to you and do it because you love me and wish to be faithful." Will we be ready to be faithful to God's mission even if it means going to a hostile, hardened people? God calls us to plant and water seeds, but its God who grows the seed of salvation. (1 Cor. 3:6)
God Bless!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
The Armor Of God: The Breastplate of Righteousness
"...with the breastplate of righteousness in place..." ~Ephesians 6:14
We come to the heart of our protection, the breastplate. This plate is meant to protect our heart, in the most spiritual sense. What is the cause of most heart break and disappointment in the Christian life? Forgetting our identity in Christian. We can easily forget that our righteousness and identity is not in what others think about us, or what our current situation looks like, but in who Christ was, is and will always be through the Cross.
Your relationships, or lack thereof, do not define you. You're broken family does not define your identity if you are a Child of God.
The Gospel defines you. The moment you were regenerated, repented of your sins and put your Trust in Christ, you became an adopted, chosen, loved, Child of the Creator God of the universe, our Father through Christ on the Cross.
So, let's put righteousness in it's place, the center of our thoughts, hearts and minds, so we may wages war against discouragement and the devils schemes.
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. " ~2 Cor. 5:21
We come to the heart of our protection, the breastplate. This plate is meant to protect our heart, in the most spiritual sense. What is the cause of most heart break and disappointment in the Christian life? Forgetting our identity in Christian. We can easily forget that our righteousness and identity is not in what others think about us, or what our current situation looks like, but in who Christ was, is and will always be through the Cross.
Your relationships, or lack thereof, do not define you. You're broken family does not define your identity if you are a Child of God.
The Gospel defines you. The moment you were regenerated, repented of your sins and put your Trust in Christ, you became an adopted, chosen, loved, Child of the Creator God of the universe, our Father through Christ on the Cross.
So, let's put righteousness in it's place, the center of our thoughts, hearts and minds, so we may wages war against discouragement and the devils schemes.
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. " ~2 Cor. 5:21
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