I was once asked,” how do you talk to someone who is maybe a non-Christian or unsaved?” This made me think how would I like to be talked too as a Christian, “slowly, simple and truthfully”. Then I thought, “We should not expect unsaved people to understand us. God has said,The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor.2:14).The “natural” person is a lost person, who is spiritually blinded and cannot understand the spiritual motives, values, or insights of the Christian life. So then how can we as Christian’s be more understanding and supportive?
One-way would be to engage people like you would want to be engaged; talk about things that you like or dislike. For example books that are non-Christian (one is “How to be good” by Nick Homby). I may read such a book and then engage them in questions that are thought provoking and before you know it our conversation is about Christianity. Often as a football coach during practice, I have verses (scripture) written in plan view with my football plays to remind me to coach biblically and my non-believing coaching friends may ask me about that. I never try to convert but do try to be me and open to all things.
I must say that as a Christian, I do not see Christianity as either restrictive or exclusive. I believe in a God who is quite inclusive, loving and just and I believe that this point of view is well supported in the Bible. I suppose my focus would more be with why a person (the one’s posing the question) are not ready to engage in a conversation with people about their belief’s and desire to not believe. I believe our purpose as Christians is to proclaim the Good News, as we know it to be true in our lives. It is not our purpose to convert; only God can convert so to claim to be engaging in conversion is to claim to be gods ourselves. I would therefore, encourage us to engage our friends, families who don’t believe in a conversation about our individual faith.
Some times just finding out why a person feels that Christianity could be restrictive or exclusive then share with them why you feel it is not that way. However, if your first approach is to say that, “you will never be truly happy unless you are a Christian.” Then stop before you start. I find that the place to start is with personal experiences, not theological content that comes later. What is your personal experience of being a Christian? What difference does it make in your life to say that you are a Christian? Here what is said and then ask your friend to hear you as well, not for the purpose of conversion but for the purpose of building up one another.
Finally remember the words of one wiser than me. “Bidden or not, God is present” You may not ever know what difference such a conversation might have but you can know that God will be present in the conversation and that is enough.
God Bless You and This Ministry!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
People are Looking
Jesus told us that he came so that we would have “life to the fullest” (John 10:10). If that was Jesus’ goal while he was on earth, don’t you think that should be a goal of the church?
Most people in my 100 foot circle aren’t living life to the fullest in my opinion. Sure, most people have full lives. They’re always going from one place to another, from one accomplishment to another, and often from one relationship to another. Many people’s schedules are full, but that’s a far cry from living life to the fullest through Jesus Christ.
First and foremost for me, living life to the fullest starts with Jesus. We cannot have a full life without him. Salvation is the starting point to a life fulfilled, but it’s not the end. There are a lot – I mean a lot – of unfulfilled Christians. And that devastates our witness to the world.
After salvation, a fulfilled life is one of the following four basic needs (support, stability, self expression and significance) and how they are met. God has uniquely called the Body of Christ to meet those needs. Everyone wants to know they’re not alone. God said in Genesis 2:18 “It is not good for man to be alone,” but there are a lot of factors in today’s world that are causing us to be more alone.
The vast majority of us live in cities, and we don’t know our neighbors.
We’re increasingly separating people into different boxes – further isolating ourselves.
In just a few generations, we’ve gone from the extended family to the nuclear family to the single-parent family.
To many people and things have become more important than people.
People are coming into the church searching for something to belong to. They want to know they aren’t alone. They want to know someone cares about them.
That’s where the church steps in. God designed the church to be a family (Ephesians 2:19). Small groups are crucial to this. That’s where we meet the need for support in people’s lives.
People are looking for a strong foundation to build their life on. This is surprising to me because. Every study you read about truth these days says people don’t believe in absolutes anymore. but people want absolutes to center their life on The sad part is that even regular church goers aren’t acknowledging absolute truth. But if you have no absolutes in your life, you’re asking for anxiety and stress.
Deep down, the people in your community know that. Those who walk into your church this weekend want absolutes to build their life around. Whether they want to admit it or not, they’re looking for principles to help guide them. Until people establish an authority in their life, they’ll never have life to their fullest.
You have an opportunity to do that. We must teach people that God’s Word is that kind of authority. It’s an anchor that we can depend upon when life gets rough.
God made us all a unique mix of gifts, passions, abilities, personality, and experiences. And he gave us an irrepressible desire to express our uniqueness. When we can’t express that uniqueness, it produces frustration, dissatisfaction, and boredom.
The vast majority of men and women who’ll walk through your church doors this weekend – and the vast majority of people you’re trying to reach – are bored out of their mind. They have no opportunity to express their uniqueness. Often, the media, their jobs, their family, and their friends are trying to stuff them into a box that makes them just like everyone else. When they come to your church, they’re hoping you’ll help them express that uniqueness.
The church should be that kind of place. Helping people discover their uniqueness by finding out about their S.H.A.P.E. (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences). Teaching how to minister through the unique way God created us.
We all want to know our life matters. We want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We’ve been wired for this. Man’s search for meaning wrote the history of the 20th century. Communism and nationalism thrived because people long to be a part of something bigger than them. Today, radical Islam operates in that same way.
We should corner the market on meeting this emotional need. You and I are a part of the biggest mission imaginable – sharing the Good News about God’s Kingdom. I can’t think of any bigger mission to center our lives around. As we help people see their unique part in this mission, we’re meeting this huge need in their lives.
Philippians 2:13 in the New English Bible says, “For it is God who works in you, inspiring both the will and the deeds for his own chosen purpose.” God has a purpose for our lives even before we were born. One of the greatest things we can do for people is helping them to discover that. What is their unique mission? How does God want to use their uniqueness to tell his story? Your church has the opportunity to help people discover that.
Romans 5:2 sums up my heartbeat and what I hope is your heartbeat for your church: “We can confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all God has in mind for us to be.” I want to be able to say that I’ve helped my congregation become all God wanted them to be. That means I have to be meeting these four basic needs in the ministry of our church.
Here’s my underlying message. If you’re built around the biblical purposes of the church (worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism), you’re meeting those needs. A church committed to fellowship meets the need of support. A church committed to discipleship meets the need of stability. A church committed to mobilizing members for ministry meets the need of self-expression. And a church committed to evangelism and missions meets the need of significance.
God Bless You and This Ministry!
Most people in my 100 foot circle aren’t living life to the fullest in my opinion. Sure, most people have full lives. They’re always going from one place to another, from one accomplishment to another, and often from one relationship to another. Many people’s schedules are full, but that’s a far cry from living life to the fullest through Jesus Christ.
First and foremost for me, living life to the fullest starts with Jesus. We cannot have a full life without him. Salvation is the starting point to a life fulfilled, but it’s not the end. There are a lot – I mean a lot – of unfulfilled Christians. And that devastates our witness to the world.
After salvation, a fulfilled life is one of the following four basic needs (support, stability, self expression and significance) and how they are met. God has uniquely called the Body of Christ to meet those needs. Everyone wants to know they’re not alone. God said in Genesis 2:18 “It is not good for man to be alone,” but there are a lot of factors in today’s world that are causing us to be more alone.
The vast majority of us live in cities, and we don’t know our neighbors.
We’re increasingly separating people into different boxes – further isolating ourselves.
In just a few generations, we’ve gone from the extended family to the nuclear family to the single-parent family.
To many people and things have become more important than people.
People are coming into the church searching for something to belong to. They want to know they aren’t alone. They want to know someone cares about them.
That’s where the church steps in. God designed the church to be a family (Ephesians 2:19). Small groups are crucial to this. That’s where we meet the need for support in people’s lives.
People are looking for a strong foundation to build their life on. This is surprising to me because. Every study you read about truth these days says people don’t believe in absolutes anymore. but people want absolutes to center their life on The sad part is that even regular church goers aren’t acknowledging absolute truth. But if you have no absolutes in your life, you’re asking for anxiety and stress.
Deep down, the people in your community know that. Those who walk into your church this weekend want absolutes to build their life around. Whether they want to admit it or not, they’re looking for principles to help guide them. Until people establish an authority in their life, they’ll never have life to their fullest.
You have an opportunity to do that. We must teach people that God’s Word is that kind of authority. It’s an anchor that we can depend upon when life gets rough.
God made us all a unique mix of gifts, passions, abilities, personality, and experiences. And he gave us an irrepressible desire to express our uniqueness. When we can’t express that uniqueness, it produces frustration, dissatisfaction, and boredom.
The vast majority of men and women who’ll walk through your church doors this weekend – and the vast majority of people you’re trying to reach – are bored out of their mind. They have no opportunity to express their uniqueness. Often, the media, their jobs, their family, and their friends are trying to stuff them into a box that makes them just like everyone else. When they come to your church, they’re hoping you’ll help them express that uniqueness.
The church should be that kind of place. Helping people discover their uniqueness by finding out about their S.H.A.P.E. (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences). Teaching how to minister through the unique way God created us.
We all want to know our life matters. We want to be part of something bigger than ourselves. We’ve been wired for this. Man’s search for meaning wrote the history of the 20th century. Communism and nationalism thrived because people long to be a part of something bigger than them. Today, radical Islam operates in that same way.
We should corner the market on meeting this emotional need. You and I are a part of the biggest mission imaginable – sharing the Good News about God’s Kingdom. I can’t think of any bigger mission to center our lives around. As we help people see their unique part in this mission, we’re meeting this huge need in their lives.
Philippians 2:13 in the New English Bible says, “For it is God who works in you, inspiring both the will and the deeds for his own chosen purpose.” God has a purpose for our lives even before we were born. One of the greatest things we can do for people is helping them to discover that. What is their unique mission? How does God want to use their uniqueness to tell his story? Your church has the opportunity to help people discover that.
Romans 5:2 sums up my heartbeat and what I hope is your heartbeat for your church: “We can confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all God has in mind for us to be.” I want to be able to say that I’ve helped my congregation become all God wanted them to be. That means I have to be meeting these four basic needs in the ministry of our church.
Here’s my underlying message. If you’re built around the biblical purposes of the church (worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism), you’re meeting those needs. A church committed to fellowship meets the need of support. A church committed to discipleship meets the need of stability. A church committed to mobilizing members for ministry meets the need of self-expression. And a church committed to evangelism and missions meets the need of significance.
God Bless You and This Ministry!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
How alive is your life?
People look at lot of places to find “life” they become big time sports fans, material fans, social network fans, who are my friends fans and finally of this world fans;
I say a Possible, popular sources of “life is in ” Romans 8:6-11
Jesus said:
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.
I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. The Message
Jesus Christ claims to be able to give you more and better life than any of these other sources, better than you can imagine.
What does this mean? Our first inclination is to think that this has something to do with heaven, with extending our life after we die. That is true, but it is only part. It obviously has to do with the life that you and I have, that we experience right now. If you watch certain folks on television, you might come to think this has to do with wealth, with prosperity. As attractive as that sounds, it is not what Jesus means. He’s not just promising to dump on you a load of cash. He is promising something far better than that. He’s promising the most real, satisfying, best life you can imagine.
How does he do that? Have you ever wondered how?
The vehicle of this new life, this great and eternal life, is the Holy Spirit.
This is what Jesus told his followers before he left them:
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
When you believe in Jesus Christ, you receive the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who comes to dwell inside of you. And this Spirit gives you life. The Holy Spirit is the source of new life that Jesus gives you.
Today’s vital parts of you that I see that the Spirit brings alive are that the Spirit of God gives life to..
The first place that God’s Spirit brings you life is found in Romans 8:5-6.
You have a mind
Paul begins here talking about your mind. Today we are going to talk about your mind. Do you mind?
When I ask you to define your mind, what comes to mind?
Probably something about your brain, the part of you that thinks, reasons, understands things. When we say, “What’s on your mind?” we mean “what are you thinking?” But your mind is much more than that. Your mind is also your outlook on things, your assumptions, values, desires, and purposes. It is what you think, how you respond. These things make up your ‘mindset.’
We say, “I have a mind to…” and that shows determination, purpose. We say, “Make up your mind,” and that has to do with choices, decisions.
And your mind often governs your body, it determines how you act, the course you take.
Illus.: Lately I’ve heard some of the women in our church talking about tackling some of Colorado’s 14ers this summer. Nobodies body just pops out of bed one morning and starts hiking up a mountain. No, it begins with a decision, a determination in your mind.
Your mind is a significant aspect of the immaterial part of you – what we might call your soul. Your mind represents the rational side, whereas we refer to your heart as the more emotional component of your soul, your inner being.
You experience mind control
Did you notice what Paul said about our minds? Paul describes two kinds of minds: one belonging to someone who lives according to the sinful nature, and one belonging to someone who lives according to the Spirit. To live “in accordance with” means ‘to be under the control of.’ That’s clear in verse 6, where it talks about the mind controlled by the Spirit. In other words, Paul is talking here about mind control.
In fact, he says each of us is subject to mind control. That’s right, mind-control. One of the things we like to think about our minds is that they are independent. We pride ourselves in having a “mind of my own.” But Paul points out that none of us has a truly independent mind. They are controlled, either by “the sinful nature” or by “the Spirit.” The sinful nature (also called “the flesh”) refers to your nature left to its own devices, infected and impacted by sin.
Our natural state, the way we are born, because of sin running rampant in the human race. If your life is dominated by, controlled by your sinful nature, it effects your mind. Your outlook, disposition, values, desires, purposes, etc., are shaped, literally controlled by this sinful nature. This mindset results in death. It produces nothing but death.
Romans 8:7-8 shows us why.
The sinful mind, the mind dominated by the sinful nature, is by nature hostile to God. It resists doing things God’s way, preferring it’s own way. By definition, it does not follow or obey God, thus it cannot please God, and that leads to death.
The other kind of mind-control is when your mind is dominated or controlled by the Holy Spirit. This person, by definition seeks to live for God. The Spirit-controlled mind results is life and peace.
There it is. Did you see it? The Holy Spirit gives life to your mind. He brings your mind fully alive. This is a key component of who you are. God says that with his Spirit in you, controlling you, your mind can be fully alive. That means your outlook, your perspective, your decisions, the course you choose, all of that can be more and better than you can imagine. Your mind can produce, result in life, real life. And peace. Would you like a mind characterized by peace?
You see, eternal life begins now. It isn’t just about living on after you die, although that’s pretty good too. It begins now because part of the rich full life Jesus came to give you includes a mind that is fully alive, full of life and peace. A Christian’s mind is controlled by the Spirit
Now, look at Romans 8:9. Paul says if you are a Christian, if you belong to Christ, you have the Spirit of God in you, and you are no longer controlled by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit. There is no such thing as someone who belongs to Christ but doesn’t have the Spirit in him. That’s what that verse says.
So let me ask you a question: Who is in control of your mind. Is your mind characterized by life and peace? That’s the test for who is in control of your mind. Is your mind, are your decisions, outlooks, choices, purposes characterized by life and peace, or by hostility and rebellion against God that leads to death?
If you are not yet a believer in Jesus Christ, the solution is simple. Let Christ free you from the control of your sinful nature. Believe in his death and resurrection. Admit your need for his forgiveness, and this wonderful Spirit will live in you, and will control your mind so that you can please God.
If you are a believer, but you aren’t characterized by life and peace, the key is back in Romans 8:5. We must learn to live in accordance with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 says “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” A lot of us never take seriously this business of living by the Spirit. He is in us, but we don’t let him control us, we let our sinful nature have control. The results are disappointing at best, disastrous at worst.
Living by the Spirit, in accordance with the Spirit is a daily process of humbling ourselves before God and learning to hear and obey his leading. This is a big subject, but suffice it to say that you will never accomplish it if you don’t stop thinking you are in control and if you don’t take time to stop and listen, really listen to God, primarily as he directs you through his Word. The Spirit gives life to our minds
God’s holy spirit, that lives in us when we turn our lives over to Jesus Christ, brings our minds to life, resulting in life and peace.
In Romans 8:10 we see what else the Holy Spirit brings alive in us.
The second crucial part of you that the Spirit brings alive is your spirit. Did you see that? Paul says “If Christ is in you” and that is equivalent to the Sprit of Christ back in verse 9 which is equivalent to the Spirit of God also in verse 9. Paul uses all of those phrases interchangeably. They mean the same thing.
If Christ is in you, literally in the person of the Holy Spirit, your body is dead because of sin. That means your physical body still dies – you and I experience physical death as a consequence of sin that infects the world. But, he says, your spirit is alive because of righteousness. Your body may die, but your spirit is made alive. This is the result of righteousness, meaning the effect of Christ’s perfect righteousness being placed in you, replacing your own faulty righteousness. The Spirit of God makes you spiritually alive. In theological circles, this is called regeneration. The Spirit of God regenerates your dead spirit into an alive spirit.
Just as you have a mind, which makes up your inner man, your soul, you also have a spirit. You are, at your core, a spiritual being. There is far more to you than just what you see in the mirror. The Scriptures tell us in Genesis 1:27,
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
The Scriptures also tell us that God is spirit, (John 4:24a)
This means you, who are in the image of God, are also spiritual.
Your spirit is the part of you that can communicate with God. It is the part of you most connected with God. This part has to come alive before you can have a relationship with God. Your spirit is literally dead until you come to faith in Christ, and receive the holy spirit. The Spirit brings your spirit to life!
The Spirit gives life to your spirit. You now have the capacity to truly connect and commune with God. You can hear his word, understand him, know him, communicate with him, love him. You now speak the same language, on the same terms, with God. This is a profound spiritual resource for your life!
The Spirit gives life to our spirits
God’s holy spirit brings your spirit alive. His spirit makes your spirit alive!
Transition: A mind that is alive and a spirit that is alive – that’s pretty good, don’t you think? But there is more. There is one more component of you that God’s spirit brings to live. Notice what it is in Romans 8:11.
It’s not just your mind and your spirit that come alive through God’s spirit. He also gives life to your body – your physical body. Paul tells us here that if the Spirit dwells in us, we can be assure of the resurrection of our bodies. If the spirit that raised Christ from the dead is in you, your body too will be raised from the dead.
Although your body is still subject to death, because of sin, you have the promise of resurrection. The logic is, if he could do it for Jesus, he can do it for you too.
Paul describes a little bit of what this will be like in the book of 1 Corinthians. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15:50-54.
That’s quite a scene. The gist of it is that the body you have, the one you will die with, isn’t fit for eternity. That’s no big surprise to most of us, is it? If my body can’t even make it out of bed some mornings, how is it going to last for eternity? So your body will be changed. What is currently perishable, will be made imperishable when your body is raised from the dead. This is made possible by the power of God, who’s Spirit lives in you.
This is the one area we are most familiar with – our bodies. We sense that they won’t last, so we spend a lot of time, money, and effort trying to keep them going, even looking for some secret to longevity. But Jesus says I have the key to the life you are looking for. Sure, it involves your body, but it involves far more. If you will come to me, I will give you life!
The Spirit gives life to our bodies
God’s spirit, with the power that raised Christ from the dead, will raise our bodies from the dead.
That’s a lot of life! Will you enter into his life today?
I say a Possible, popular sources of “life is in ” Romans 8:6-11
Jesus said:
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.
I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. The Message
Jesus Christ claims to be able to give you more and better life than any of these other sources, better than you can imagine.
What does this mean? Our first inclination is to think that this has something to do with heaven, with extending our life after we die. That is true, but it is only part. It obviously has to do with the life that you and I have, that we experience right now. If you watch certain folks on television, you might come to think this has to do with wealth, with prosperity. As attractive as that sounds, it is not what Jesus means. He’s not just promising to dump on you a load of cash. He is promising something far better than that. He’s promising the most real, satisfying, best life you can imagine.
How does he do that? Have you ever wondered how?
The vehicle of this new life, this great and eternal life, is the Holy Spirit.
This is what Jesus told his followers before he left them:
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
When you believe in Jesus Christ, you receive the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who comes to dwell inside of you. And this Spirit gives you life. The Holy Spirit is the source of new life that Jesus gives you.
Today’s vital parts of you that I see that the Spirit brings alive are that the Spirit of God gives life to..
The first place that God’s Spirit brings you life is found in Romans 8:5-6.
You have a mind
Paul begins here talking about your mind. Today we are going to talk about your mind. Do you mind?
When I ask you to define your mind, what comes to mind?
Probably something about your brain, the part of you that thinks, reasons, understands things. When we say, “What’s on your mind?” we mean “what are you thinking?” But your mind is much more than that. Your mind is also your outlook on things, your assumptions, values, desires, and purposes. It is what you think, how you respond. These things make up your ‘mindset.’
We say, “I have a mind to…” and that shows determination, purpose. We say, “Make up your mind,” and that has to do with choices, decisions.
And your mind often governs your body, it determines how you act, the course you take.
Illus.: Lately I’ve heard some of the women in our church talking about tackling some of Colorado’s 14ers this summer. Nobodies body just pops out of bed one morning and starts hiking up a mountain. No, it begins with a decision, a determination in your mind.
Your mind is a significant aspect of the immaterial part of you – what we might call your soul. Your mind represents the rational side, whereas we refer to your heart as the more emotional component of your soul, your inner being.
You experience mind control
Did you notice what Paul said about our minds? Paul describes two kinds of minds: one belonging to someone who lives according to the sinful nature, and one belonging to someone who lives according to the Spirit. To live “in accordance with” means ‘to be under the control of.’ That’s clear in verse 6, where it talks about the mind controlled by the Spirit. In other words, Paul is talking here about mind control.
In fact, he says each of us is subject to mind control. That’s right, mind-control. One of the things we like to think about our minds is that they are independent. We pride ourselves in having a “mind of my own.” But Paul points out that none of us has a truly independent mind. They are controlled, either by “the sinful nature” or by “the Spirit.” The sinful nature (also called “the flesh”) refers to your nature left to its own devices, infected and impacted by sin.
Our natural state, the way we are born, because of sin running rampant in the human race. If your life is dominated by, controlled by your sinful nature, it effects your mind. Your outlook, disposition, values, desires, purposes, etc., are shaped, literally controlled by this sinful nature. This mindset results in death. It produces nothing but death.
Romans 8:7-8 shows us why.
The sinful mind, the mind dominated by the sinful nature, is by nature hostile to God. It resists doing things God’s way, preferring it’s own way. By definition, it does not follow or obey God, thus it cannot please God, and that leads to death.
The other kind of mind-control is when your mind is dominated or controlled by the Holy Spirit. This person, by definition seeks to live for God. The Spirit-controlled mind results is life and peace.
There it is. Did you see it? The Holy Spirit gives life to your mind. He brings your mind fully alive. This is a key component of who you are. God says that with his Spirit in you, controlling you, your mind can be fully alive. That means your outlook, your perspective, your decisions, the course you choose, all of that can be more and better than you can imagine. Your mind can produce, result in life, real life. And peace. Would you like a mind characterized by peace?
You see, eternal life begins now. It isn’t just about living on after you die, although that’s pretty good too. It begins now because part of the rich full life Jesus came to give you includes a mind that is fully alive, full of life and peace. A Christian’s mind is controlled by the Spirit
Now, look at Romans 8:9. Paul says if you are a Christian, if you belong to Christ, you have the Spirit of God in you, and you are no longer controlled by the sinful nature, but by the Spirit. There is no such thing as someone who belongs to Christ but doesn’t have the Spirit in him. That’s what that verse says.
So let me ask you a question: Who is in control of your mind. Is your mind characterized by life and peace? That’s the test for who is in control of your mind. Is your mind, are your decisions, outlooks, choices, purposes characterized by life and peace, or by hostility and rebellion against God that leads to death?
If you are not yet a believer in Jesus Christ, the solution is simple. Let Christ free you from the control of your sinful nature. Believe in his death and resurrection. Admit your need for his forgiveness, and this wonderful Spirit will live in you, and will control your mind so that you can please God.
If you are a believer, but you aren’t characterized by life and peace, the key is back in Romans 8:5. We must learn to live in accordance with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 says “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” A lot of us never take seriously this business of living by the Spirit. He is in us, but we don’t let him control us, we let our sinful nature have control. The results are disappointing at best, disastrous at worst.
Living by the Spirit, in accordance with the Spirit is a daily process of humbling ourselves before God and learning to hear and obey his leading. This is a big subject, but suffice it to say that you will never accomplish it if you don’t stop thinking you are in control and if you don’t take time to stop and listen, really listen to God, primarily as he directs you through his Word. The Spirit gives life to our minds
God’s holy spirit, that lives in us when we turn our lives over to Jesus Christ, brings our minds to life, resulting in life and peace.
In Romans 8:10 we see what else the Holy Spirit brings alive in us.
The second crucial part of you that the Spirit brings alive is your spirit. Did you see that? Paul says “If Christ is in you” and that is equivalent to the Sprit of Christ back in verse 9 which is equivalent to the Spirit of God also in verse 9. Paul uses all of those phrases interchangeably. They mean the same thing.
If Christ is in you, literally in the person of the Holy Spirit, your body is dead because of sin. That means your physical body still dies – you and I experience physical death as a consequence of sin that infects the world. But, he says, your spirit is alive because of righteousness. Your body may die, but your spirit is made alive. This is the result of righteousness, meaning the effect of Christ’s perfect righteousness being placed in you, replacing your own faulty righteousness. The Spirit of God makes you spiritually alive. In theological circles, this is called regeneration. The Spirit of God regenerates your dead spirit into an alive spirit.
Just as you have a mind, which makes up your inner man, your soul, you also have a spirit. You are, at your core, a spiritual being. There is far more to you than just what you see in the mirror. The Scriptures tell us in Genesis 1:27,
So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
The Scriptures also tell us that God is spirit, (John 4:24a)
This means you, who are in the image of God, are also spiritual.
Your spirit is the part of you that can communicate with God. It is the part of you most connected with God. This part has to come alive before you can have a relationship with God. Your spirit is literally dead until you come to faith in Christ, and receive the holy spirit. The Spirit brings your spirit to life!
The Spirit gives life to your spirit. You now have the capacity to truly connect and commune with God. You can hear his word, understand him, know him, communicate with him, love him. You now speak the same language, on the same terms, with God. This is a profound spiritual resource for your life!
The Spirit gives life to our spirits
God’s holy spirit brings your spirit alive. His spirit makes your spirit alive!
Transition: A mind that is alive and a spirit that is alive – that’s pretty good, don’t you think? But there is more. There is one more component of you that God’s spirit brings to live. Notice what it is in Romans 8:11.
It’s not just your mind and your spirit that come alive through God’s spirit. He also gives life to your body – your physical body. Paul tells us here that if the Spirit dwells in us, we can be assure of the resurrection of our bodies. If the spirit that raised Christ from the dead is in you, your body too will be raised from the dead.
Although your body is still subject to death, because of sin, you have the promise of resurrection. The logic is, if he could do it for Jesus, he can do it for you too.
Paul describes a little bit of what this will be like in the book of 1 Corinthians. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15:50-54.
That’s quite a scene. The gist of it is that the body you have, the one you will die with, isn’t fit for eternity. That’s no big surprise to most of us, is it? If my body can’t even make it out of bed some mornings, how is it going to last for eternity? So your body will be changed. What is currently perishable, will be made imperishable when your body is raised from the dead. This is made possible by the power of God, who’s Spirit lives in you.
This is the one area we are most familiar with – our bodies. We sense that they won’t last, so we spend a lot of time, money, and effort trying to keep them going, even looking for some secret to longevity. But Jesus says I have the key to the life you are looking for. Sure, it involves your body, but it involves far more. If you will come to me, I will give you life!
The Spirit gives life to our bodies
God’s spirit, with the power that raised Christ from the dead, will raise our bodies from the dead.
That’s a lot of life! Will you enter into his life today?
Friday, April 10, 2009
God's Word All Over Again
Psalm 8:3-4: "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?"
What is your fate? Why do you subsist? Is there a reason, a purpose, for human life? These questions have baffled me lately.
Have you ever pondered the meaning of life? A child naturally wonders, "Where did I come from?" As adults we ask, especially in our twilight years: "Is this physical life all there is? Does my life have a purpose?"
Think about your own existence. Can you see a purpose for your own life with its ups and downs, its mixture of joys and sorrows? Do you sense lasting value in its toil, challenges and uncertainties?
Just why were you/we born? Understanding that only God can reveal His purpose for creating us, the overwhelming majority of people have failed to grasp the amazing future God has in store for those who develop a proper relationship with Him. As the apostle Paul put it: "No eye has seen no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9, NLT).
The Scriptures tell us that our destiny can exceed anything we could imagine in our wildest dreams! Isn't it time we let God explain—from His Word—what He has in mind for us?
A prophetic passage gives us our first clue to our fantastic future. Speaking of the resurrection of the dead, it tells us that a time is coming when "many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." It adds: "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever" (Daniel 12:2-3).
Is this but just a hint of the amazing future God has planned for us— to live forever, shining in glory like brilliant stars! Before I/we can grasp man's eternal fate, however, I think we need to clearly understand what man is now. That is how God created us: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (Genesis 2:7). This to me means a physical being composed of the chemical substances of earth mortal, rather than immortal, Gods servants are those who "seek for glory, honor, and immortality" (Romans 2:7) Immortality is available only through mankind's Savior, Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). The human spirit is critical to our destiny, since God's Holy Spirit joining with it is what makes us God's children (Romans 8:16). And just as the human spirit gives us human understanding, so God's Spirit gives us higher, godly understanding (1 Corinthians 2:10-16). We are not born with the Holy Spirit but receive it from God following repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38).
Our eternal life “purpose” is the gift God has in store for those who turn from the way of sin and begin obeying Him from the heart. Again, it is not something we inherently possess. Rather, it is something God offers to us— if we turn from our old sinful ways and, through Christ, accept His forgiveness and direction for our life. This to me is what He wants for everyone: "God our Savior desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4). He is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). God desires to give us the precious gift of life forevermore. He will do everything he can to ensure that we receive this timeless destiny he has planned for us!
God Bless You and This Ministry!
What is your fate? Why do you subsist? Is there a reason, a purpose, for human life? These questions have baffled me lately.
Have you ever pondered the meaning of life? A child naturally wonders, "Where did I come from?" As adults we ask, especially in our twilight years: "Is this physical life all there is? Does my life have a purpose?"
Think about your own existence. Can you see a purpose for your own life with its ups and downs, its mixture of joys and sorrows? Do you sense lasting value in its toil, challenges and uncertainties?
Just why were you/we born? Understanding that only God can reveal His purpose for creating us, the overwhelming majority of people have failed to grasp the amazing future God has in store for those who develop a proper relationship with Him. As the apostle Paul put it: "No eye has seen no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9, NLT).
The Scriptures tell us that our destiny can exceed anything we could imagine in our wildest dreams! Isn't it time we let God explain—from His Word—what He has in mind for us?
A prophetic passage gives us our first clue to our fantastic future. Speaking of the resurrection of the dead, it tells us that a time is coming when "many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." It adds: "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever" (Daniel 12:2-3).
Is this but just a hint of the amazing future God has planned for us— to live forever, shining in glory like brilliant stars! Before I/we can grasp man's eternal fate, however, I think we need to clearly understand what man is now. That is how God created us: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (Genesis 2:7). This to me means a physical being composed of the chemical substances of earth mortal, rather than immortal, Gods servants are those who "seek for glory, honor, and immortality" (Romans 2:7) Immortality is available only through mankind's Savior, Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). The human spirit is critical to our destiny, since God's Holy Spirit joining with it is what makes us God's children (Romans 8:16). And just as the human spirit gives us human understanding, so God's Spirit gives us higher, godly understanding (1 Corinthians 2:10-16). We are not born with the Holy Spirit but receive it from God following repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38).
Our eternal life “purpose” is the gift God has in store for those who turn from the way of sin and begin obeying Him from the heart. Again, it is not something we inherently possess. Rather, it is something God offers to us— if we turn from our old sinful ways and, through Christ, accept His forgiveness and direction for our life. This to me is what He wants for everyone: "God our Savior desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4). He is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). God desires to give us the precious gift of life forevermore. He will do everything he can to ensure that we receive this timeless destiny he has planned for us!
God Bless You and This Ministry!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Retirement
Philippians 3:7-11
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
All through out my years, I have pondered these questions, “What plans do you have for the rest of your life Ron?” That is not an uncommon question, is it? We make plans that affect our finance, retirement, housing, and physical needs, just to mention a few concerns that call for serious planning. I often say to myself, “What about your relationship with the Lord in the years to come?”
You ask where I got this thought for my faith journey this month; well it has almost been one year since my departure from an ELCA Lutheran Church and while thinking about that I read a message by St. Paul that caused me to ask the following question: Is Christianity divisive? It can be. That doesn’t seem right, does it? We shy away from people who cause dissension and admire people who are able to unite a group of people. When Paul came to Philippi he came with the Gospel. He told the people that we are sinners. However, God has come into this world in the person of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross as a payment for our sins. He then personalized the message by saying, “If we repent of our sins and trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, we will be forgiven and restored into a personal relationship with God.”
While some people in Philippi believed this Gospel, others bitterly opposed St. Paul’s teaching. They insisted that in order to be saved it was necessary to obey the Jewish laws, such as circumcision, eating special foods, and celebrating Jewish holidays. This group also told the people that Paul was a false prophet and should not be heard.
Paul’s response was, “Watch out for these dogs.” You see at times at that church I was only receiving one part of the gospel message and what a struggle because I did not want to cause divisiveness or to be a righteousness of only the mind I stayed and kept quiet. But my concern never went away and soon I left. “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22)
St. Paul tells us in our text what he wants to happen in his relationship with the Lord Jesus, and I believe it is good advice for all God’s children.
First, Paul wants to be a righteous man. He writes, “I do not want a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith”. This means to me, I live out of love for Christ and not by trying to obey the law. It seemed to me while attending this one ELCA church that was the only message I heard, “the Law”. As the spiritual relationship with Christ grows, he motivates us to live according to his will. A righteousness that is based on keeping the law says that I must do this or that, because it is what God wants me to do. I am fulfilling an obligation. Sometimes this obligation gets quite heavy.
A righteousness that comes from God and is by faith says that I want to do this or that. Let us take something as simply as going to church on a Sunday morning. When I am living under the law, I go to church because I have to if I am a Christian. It is an obligation. That is what his law tells me to do. When my righteousness is a fruit of the Gospel, I attend church because I love him who first loved me, and I want to be in his house so that I may be fed by his word and fellowship with other believers. Again, it is not that I have to, but that I want to.
Paul knew what a man-made righteousness was. That is what he had experienced in Judaism. It could often be burdensome. When Christ had captured his heart, it was a love relationship and he wanted to please him.
Second, Paul writes, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection.” Paul had known Christ and lived in a close relationship with him for many years, but he wanted to know him better. Is that our desire?
For us it means spending time with Jesus in his word and prayer. Through Christ’s resurrection, the Savior has won victory for the believer over sin, death, and the devil. This affects our lifestyle. It means that, when temptation confronts us, Christ gives us the power to overcome it. When life seems like it is coming apart, the Holy Spirit is there to lift us up and assure us that “though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil for (he) is with us.”
Obviously Paul is talking to the Christians in Philippi. These people were aware that they were terrible sinners, but Jesus was a mighty Savior. When they received Christ as Savior, they were justified by grace through faith. Now they were committed to spend the rest of their lives growing in this relationship with God.
This is the desire of every Christian who truly knows the Savior. However, while justification is instantaneous, sanctification is lifelong. We say with St. Paul, “Not that I have already obtained all of this, or been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Is this not our desire also?
Each day we see the need of that power that only the Holy Spirit can give us to press on. Satan has a new set of temptations to confront us with each day of our lives. He never stopped attacking Jesus while he was here in the flesh. Only hours before he was crucified, the tempter was trying to convince our Lord that there was still time to escape this suffering and death. Yet Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, was given strength to pray, “Not my will, but yours be done.” With that power he set his face toward Calvary where he died for the sins of the world.
What about the rest of our lives when we know that it cannot be long before we will die? Our bodies tell us that they are wearing out. We cannot do the things we used to do. We even sell our houses to escape the chores that go with owning property. We are tempted to become very apathetic about carrying any responsibilities in our community or church.
Satan finds a powerful servant who is twenty-five or thirty years younger than you and they suggest that you and your peers move out of the picture and let the younger generation take over. You find yourself saying, “Yes, he is right. It is time for us to quit giving of our time and experience of past years.” It is time to withdraw and bring younger people into places of responsibility. However, it is also possible that it is not an “either-or” but a “both-and.” The old need the young, and the young need the old. There is no substitute for youth, and there is no substitute for age and experience.
The time comes when retirement is in order. However, there is no retirement from serving Christ and his kingdom. Now that is not spiritual chatter. I am willing to admit that we do not have the strength at age 70 that we had at 40 to 50. However, I am also convinced that walking with our Lord for those extra years has equipped us to share insights into God’s plan that will bring blessings to Christ’s church and other people.
What about the rest of your life? I like the counsel given to me by my former coach when I was in my 20s. I pass it on to you. “It is better to wear out than to rust out.” Let us keep on growing spiritually until we die.
God Bless You and This Ministry!
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
All through out my years, I have pondered these questions, “What plans do you have for the rest of your life Ron?” That is not an uncommon question, is it? We make plans that affect our finance, retirement, housing, and physical needs, just to mention a few concerns that call for serious planning. I often say to myself, “What about your relationship with the Lord in the years to come?”
You ask where I got this thought for my faith journey this month; well it has almost been one year since my departure from an ELCA Lutheran Church and while thinking about that I read a message by St. Paul that caused me to ask the following question: Is Christianity divisive? It can be. That doesn’t seem right, does it? We shy away from people who cause dissension and admire people who are able to unite a group of people. When Paul came to Philippi he came with the Gospel. He told the people that we are sinners. However, God has come into this world in the person of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross as a payment for our sins. He then personalized the message by saying, “If we repent of our sins and trust Jesus Christ as our Savior, we will be forgiven and restored into a personal relationship with God.”
While some people in Philippi believed this Gospel, others bitterly opposed St. Paul’s teaching. They insisted that in order to be saved it was necessary to obey the Jewish laws, such as circumcision, eating special foods, and celebrating Jewish holidays. This group also told the people that Paul was a false prophet and should not be heard.
Paul’s response was, “Watch out for these dogs.” You see at times at that church I was only receiving one part of the gospel message and what a struggle because I did not want to cause divisiveness or to be a righteousness of only the mind I stayed and kept quiet. But my concern never went away and soon I left. “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22)
St. Paul tells us in our text what he wants to happen in his relationship with the Lord Jesus, and I believe it is good advice for all God’s children.
First, Paul wants to be a righteous man. He writes, “I do not want a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith”. This means to me, I live out of love for Christ and not by trying to obey the law. It seemed to me while attending this one ELCA church that was the only message I heard, “the Law”. As the spiritual relationship with Christ grows, he motivates us to live according to his will. A righteousness that is based on keeping the law says that I must do this or that, because it is what God wants me to do. I am fulfilling an obligation. Sometimes this obligation gets quite heavy.
A righteousness that comes from God and is by faith says that I want to do this or that. Let us take something as simply as going to church on a Sunday morning. When I am living under the law, I go to church because I have to if I am a Christian. It is an obligation. That is what his law tells me to do. When my righteousness is a fruit of the Gospel, I attend church because I love him who first loved me, and I want to be in his house so that I may be fed by his word and fellowship with other believers. Again, it is not that I have to, but that I want to.
Paul knew what a man-made righteousness was. That is what he had experienced in Judaism. It could often be burdensome. When Christ had captured his heart, it was a love relationship and he wanted to please him.
Second, Paul writes, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection.” Paul had known Christ and lived in a close relationship with him for many years, but he wanted to know him better. Is that our desire?
For us it means spending time with Jesus in his word and prayer. Through Christ’s resurrection, the Savior has won victory for the believer over sin, death, and the devil. This affects our lifestyle. It means that, when temptation confronts us, Christ gives us the power to overcome it. When life seems like it is coming apart, the Holy Spirit is there to lift us up and assure us that “though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil for (he) is with us.”
Obviously Paul is talking to the Christians in Philippi. These people were aware that they were terrible sinners, but Jesus was a mighty Savior. When they received Christ as Savior, they were justified by grace through faith. Now they were committed to spend the rest of their lives growing in this relationship with God.
This is the desire of every Christian who truly knows the Savior. However, while justification is instantaneous, sanctification is lifelong. We say with St. Paul, “Not that I have already obtained all of this, or been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Is this not our desire also?
Each day we see the need of that power that only the Holy Spirit can give us to press on. Satan has a new set of temptations to confront us with each day of our lives. He never stopped attacking Jesus while he was here in the flesh. Only hours before he was crucified, the tempter was trying to convince our Lord that there was still time to escape this suffering and death. Yet Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, was given strength to pray, “Not my will, but yours be done.” With that power he set his face toward Calvary where he died for the sins of the world.
What about the rest of our lives when we know that it cannot be long before we will die? Our bodies tell us that they are wearing out. We cannot do the things we used to do. We even sell our houses to escape the chores that go with owning property. We are tempted to become very apathetic about carrying any responsibilities in our community or church.
Satan finds a powerful servant who is twenty-five or thirty years younger than you and they suggest that you and your peers move out of the picture and let the younger generation take over. You find yourself saying, “Yes, he is right. It is time for us to quit giving of our time and experience of past years.” It is time to withdraw and bring younger people into places of responsibility. However, it is also possible that it is not an “either-or” but a “both-and.” The old need the young, and the young need the old. There is no substitute for youth, and there is no substitute for age and experience.
The time comes when retirement is in order. However, there is no retirement from serving Christ and his kingdom. Now that is not spiritual chatter. I am willing to admit that we do not have the strength at age 70 that we had at 40 to 50. However, I am also convinced that walking with our Lord for those extra years has equipped us to share insights into God’s plan that will bring blessings to Christ’s church and other people.
What about the rest of your life? I like the counsel given to me by my former coach when I was in my 20s. I pass it on to you. “It is better to wear out than to rust out.” Let us keep on growing spiritually until we die.
God Bless You and This Ministry!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Coaches Ministry
What has Coaches Ministry meant to me?
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
The Coaches Ministry has helped me with a deeper understanding of why I coach and what is coaching. Through this ministry I learned that we as coaches should help our student athletes build vision and move toward the future. To me coaching is not reactive, looking back; it’s proactive looking ahead. It is not about healing; it’s about growing. It focuses less on overcoming weaknesses but more on building life skills, discipline and help strengthen our youths faith. It is that discipline that Jesus talked about in Matthew 28:19. I feel that through football, I can teach, witness and share with the student athlete, my life lessons, my spiritual journey and the love of God through Jesus Christ by my Actions.
My best advice for coaches out there who want to coach Biblically? My best advice is to use the’ KISS’ method keeps it simple. As a Christian coach we know that none of us can be completely neutral. I constantly remind myself of my own youthful story (and it was not always perfect). One of my goals in coaching is to ask questions that will help the student athlete identify and clarify his or her own Christian values. Usually as a Christian coach I seek to listen and encourage with short anecdote stories about my life. Avoid imposing my own agendas. I rarely have direct advise unless I am invited, and I never tell people what they should do. Instead, I encourage them to set their own goals and directions, crystallize their own visions, and formulate their own mission and plans of Action. When the situation presents it’s self; stand up to what you believe as a coach, share your faith, be prepared by knowing your doctrine and tell your story. Be ready for some of the follow questions:
1. What you like about Jesus?
2. Why do you go to Church?
3. What about the Bible?
4. When did you become a Christian?
5. Is there a God?
And finally know the following:
Grace- free gift and not earned. Man- Sinner and cannot save himself. God- loves us and he is Just.
Christ- 100% man, 100% God and went to the cross for us. Faith Do you believe it and it is a life change.
God Bless You and this Ministry!
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