Christmas weekend is over...and New Years is upon us once again. What are you going to do? What am I going to do, what are we going to do about it? What are you goals, what are your dreams, and what are your desires for this New Year? Will we even take the time to consider what this New Year will bring. What we will accomplish, what we are believing for, what we are praying for? Or will this year look just like last year except your a little older and a little closer to death? Oops that wasn't very nice!
The Bible says Mark 9:23 "All things are possible to them that believe." What did Jesus mean here? I was taught growing up that if we believe in Jesus all things are possible. But if that were true there would not be so many people going to Heaven but living like hell during their time on earth. When the Bible says "All things" it means "All things". I think we make the mistake of thinking the Bible means all things or all kinds the way we use the term. "Bro you have to go check out the sale at Nordstrom they have all kinds of jeans on sale." But Nordstrom doesn't carry every brand of jean that there is out there and they don't carry every style of every brand of jean, therefore they don't really have "all kinds" of jeans on sale. It's just an expression. I think we make the mistake of integrating our modern vernacular into the Bible's teaching so we think that if you believe a bunch of stuff is potentially possible. But that's not what God's word says. It says all things. But if simply believing in Jesus made all things possible then why are so many people who believe that Jesus saved them from their sins and going to heaven sick, and broke, and depressed, ect? Beveling in Jesus and REALLY believing in Jesus is two different things. Every Christian believes that Jesus can take away their sin, but it's obvious that not every Christian believes that God can use them to heal another person, or help them be successful in life, or empower them to live out a lifestyle of holiness. Because if they believed REALLY believed it would be possible. The things that are possible are the things that YOU BELIEVE are possible!!!
So what does the New Year hold for you? I'll tell you what it holds for you...it holds what you believe is possible! Believe in your dreams, believe in yourself, and MOST importantly believe that God is working in you to accomplish great things! Your success as a Christian brings God glory! How are we going to win the world and establish the Kingdom of God on the Earth with Churches, families, bodies, businesses, finances that are broke down as Christians? We aren't! We may be able to win a certain sect of people living like that but God's intent isn't that you are able to win the lower class and not the upper class of society. God cares about and loves everyone and wants his children to shine his light into every corner of society and transform the world for his glory. The thing about having the blessing of God on your life is that it sets you apart and makes you different in a good way. I think God intended Holiness to mean different I don't think he ever intended it to mean weird...the way some of us have made it. Our success is God's success when we live for him and give him glory for all he's blessed us with. Open up your mind, read the word of God, take God out of the box of the religion you grew up with and see that God is bigger than that. He has a great plan and purpose for all for his creation including you! What are you gonna do about it this year? All things are possible to them that believe! I'm believing God this is going to be a great year for you in Jesus Name!
Happy New Year!
Chad
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Empowered!!!
Philippians 2:12b-13 - Be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. - New Living Translation
...A great verse here! And just another example of how we as God's children, heirs of the promises of God, are co-workers with Jesus (2nd Corinthians 6:1). The statement the Holy Spirit gave me in regards to this concept of being partners with Christ is this: I have a part to play and God has a part to play in every aspect of my life. As Christians we often limit the concept to hearing from God so that we can do his bidding on the Earth. While this is absolutely true it's also incomplete. Because that's not true partnership. God is interested in your desires, your thoughts, your dreams too! When he created man in his image (Genesis 1:26) he didn't do so so he could have employees he did so so that he could have friends and partners. Now...I realize that this may be somewhat difficult to grasp, AND we run the risk with this truth of getting into the flesh, getting selfish, getting into the ME mentality that scripture is so clearly in opposition to. I also realize that this truth may seem to contradict teaching you've been taught in church...but hang in there. I understand and absolutely agree with the teaching of letting the spirit of God rule and reign in your life. Giving God full control over your thoughts and actions and will. Jesus prayed before his death "Father not my will but yours". When God gives specific instructions we are to follow them! Think of it like this...God's Kingdom is the longest running and most successful company in the history of existence! God the father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have been running it since the inception. When you get saved or come into the kingdom you have permission and invitation to become a partner in the business. In fact you are a partner immediately. But you are new to the business. Before you start to get input you need to prove that you understand the business, you are a motivated/hard worker, ect. The business owner doesn't just let the new employee make decisions about the business his first day, week, or month on the job! But the owners goal is to get the new employee into a position where they understand the business, know how the owner thinks and would respond to various situations, and how to efficiently conduct the goings on of the business. So for a season it's I tell you what to do and you do it. So it is on the journey of being spirit led in the Kingdom. The first step in beginning to walk in partnership with Christ is learning his way of doing things, which is found in scripture and doing them. If you can't follow simple instructions from God's written word why would he ever give you more responsibility? Because he who is faithful over little will be made ruler over much. As we progress in maturity, show ourselves approved we begin to obtain more responsibility. God's final intent isn't for us to decrease so that he can increase. Although that statement is in scripture in John 3:30, and I think a lot of people quote it not understanding what it means. It's a condition of the heart. Is your heart that...I get noticed, I get complimented, I get attention, I get praise for the things I do for God? Well then you can quote that scripture all day, but your heart is still wrong. It also does not mean that we as Christians are to shrink back, be weak, hide from the world, or be lazy (because God hasn't told me to do anything and I'm spirit led. God has told you what to do....read the Bible!). It means living our life so that others see Jesus in us! It's our destiny Romans 8:29...to become the image of Christ on the Earth. SO just as with the business owner who doesn't want to spend the rest of their life babysitting employees it is with God. He wants you to become mature, he want you to constantly press for more understanding and knowledge and wisdom in him. He wants you to be transformed by renewing your mind to his word (Romans 12:2) so that your NATURAL response to life is what HIS NATURAL response to life is. Then he can begin to trust you to act as a partner....instead of an employee. I believe to get to this point it takes discipline, desire, and a lot of proactive action on our part. As we are faithful to do what we know and learn concerning God's order...we'll find ourselves in the same position Moses did at the Red Sea saying "God what are you going to do?" and having God's response be "What are you going to do?" you know how I think...do what I'd do and my power will be there to back you up!
Okay back to Philippians 2. Be careful to PUT INTO ACTION God's saving work! Too many Christians are saved and on their way to Heaven when they die but are living like hell while they are on earth...constantly facing crisis and sickness, depressed, broke, ect. I understand life is full of seasons. I've learned that especially in the past few years of my life. But God's desire is for our lives to show the world his power and glory, and for us to overcome the trials of life and come out victorious!! Where does it start? Philippians 2: end of verse 12 - Obeying God! If Christians would obey God's word and keep his word in front of their eyes and on their lips and DO what it says to do, I think we would avoid a lot of the disasters of life. And when those seasons of challenge come, we will win in life! I love verse 13 - For God is working IN you not falling on you. You don't need to pray for more of God you just need to position your heart to access what is already in you! It's a choice! Giving you the DESIRE The SPIRIT (the part of you that God resides within, the deepest part of you) is willing but the flesh is weak Matthew 26:41---to obey him and the POWER we don't need more power...God is already in us working! The bible says in 2 Corinthians 12:19 my strength is made perfect in weakness. That means when our flesh is rising up we can still obey God. When we are beaten down and discouraged and life is hard we can still obey God. But it's a choice the bible says in Colossians 3:2 set your mind on things above. To set or position your mind is a choice...we are inundated with the messages of the world. It's a choice to set our minds on the realities of Heaven (NLT). Which doesn't mean thinking about what the angels look like or what your mansion in heaven is going to be like...you can do that but it's not going to do you much good right now. It means set your mind on God's word...meditate on what God says...and you will be empowered by his spirit living in you to do what pleases him.
Do you know why God gave us scripture? Do you know why God set his order in motion and asks us to follow that order? Because he has good plans for us, and he knows that his outline for life is going to produce the ultimate happiness, success, and fulfillment we could ever experience on the Earth and in Eternity. He isn't fascinated with seeing us struggle to do what he says, he's not interested in us asking "how high" when he says jump. He simply loves us, and want's the best for us, and knows how to get us to that place of fulfillment we all long for anyway! DECIDE to be a doer of the word...and you are on your way to success in life!
-Chad
...A great verse here! And just another example of how we as God's children, heirs of the promises of God, are co-workers with Jesus (2nd Corinthians 6:1). The statement the Holy Spirit gave me in regards to this concept of being partners with Christ is this: I have a part to play and God has a part to play in every aspect of my life. As Christians we often limit the concept to hearing from God so that we can do his bidding on the Earth. While this is absolutely true it's also incomplete. Because that's not true partnership. God is interested in your desires, your thoughts, your dreams too! When he created man in his image (Genesis 1:26) he didn't do so so he could have employees he did so so that he could have friends and partners. Now...I realize that this may be somewhat difficult to grasp, AND we run the risk with this truth of getting into the flesh, getting selfish, getting into the ME mentality that scripture is so clearly in opposition to. I also realize that this truth may seem to contradict teaching you've been taught in church...but hang in there. I understand and absolutely agree with the teaching of letting the spirit of God rule and reign in your life. Giving God full control over your thoughts and actions and will. Jesus prayed before his death "Father not my will but yours". When God gives specific instructions we are to follow them! Think of it like this...God's Kingdom is the longest running and most successful company in the history of existence! God the father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have been running it since the inception. When you get saved or come into the kingdom you have permission and invitation to become a partner in the business. In fact you are a partner immediately. But you are new to the business. Before you start to get input you need to prove that you understand the business, you are a motivated/hard worker, ect. The business owner doesn't just let the new employee make decisions about the business his first day, week, or month on the job! But the owners goal is to get the new employee into a position where they understand the business, know how the owner thinks and would respond to various situations, and how to efficiently conduct the goings on of the business. So for a season it's I tell you what to do and you do it. So it is on the journey of being spirit led in the Kingdom. The first step in beginning to walk in partnership with Christ is learning his way of doing things, which is found in scripture and doing them. If you can't follow simple instructions from God's written word why would he ever give you more responsibility? Because he who is faithful over little will be made ruler over much. As we progress in maturity, show ourselves approved we begin to obtain more responsibility. God's final intent isn't for us to decrease so that he can increase. Although that statement is in scripture in John 3:30, and I think a lot of people quote it not understanding what it means. It's a condition of the heart. Is your heart that...I get noticed, I get complimented, I get attention, I get praise for the things I do for God? Well then you can quote that scripture all day, but your heart is still wrong. It also does not mean that we as Christians are to shrink back, be weak, hide from the world, or be lazy (because God hasn't told me to do anything and I'm spirit led. God has told you what to do....read the Bible!). It means living our life so that others see Jesus in us! It's our destiny Romans 8:29...to become the image of Christ on the Earth. SO just as with the business owner who doesn't want to spend the rest of their life babysitting employees it is with God. He wants you to become mature, he want you to constantly press for more understanding and knowledge and wisdom in him. He wants you to be transformed by renewing your mind to his word (Romans 12:2) so that your NATURAL response to life is what HIS NATURAL response to life is. Then he can begin to trust you to act as a partner....instead of an employee. I believe to get to this point it takes discipline, desire, and a lot of proactive action on our part. As we are faithful to do what we know and learn concerning God's order...we'll find ourselves in the same position Moses did at the Red Sea saying "God what are you going to do?" and having God's response be "What are you going to do?" you know how I think...do what I'd do and my power will be there to back you up!
Okay back to Philippians 2. Be careful to PUT INTO ACTION God's saving work! Too many Christians are saved and on their way to Heaven when they die but are living like hell while they are on earth...constantly facing crisis and sickness, depressed, broke, ect. I understand life is full of seasons. I've learned that especially in the past few years of my life. But God's desire is for our lives to show the world his power and glory, and for us to overcome the trials of life and come out victorious!! Where does it start? Philippians 2: end of verse 12 - Obeying God! If Christians would obey God's word and keep his word in front of their eyes and on their lips and DO what it says to do, I think we would avoid a lot of the disasters of life. And when those seasons of challenge come, we will win in life! I love verse 13 - For God is working IN you not falling on you. You don't need to pray for more of God you just need to position your heart to access what is already in you! It's a choice! Giving you the DESIRE The SPIRIT (the part of you that God resides within, the deepest part of you) is willing but the flesh is weak Matthew 26:41---to obey him and the POWER we don't need more power...God is already in us working! The bible says in 2 Corinthians 12:19 my strength is made perfect in weakness. That means when our flesh is rising up we can still obey God. When we are beaten down and discouraged and life is hard we can still obey God. But it's a choice the bible says in Colossians 3:2 set your mind on things above. To set or position your mind is a choice...we are inundated with the messages of the world. It's a choice to set our minds on the realities of Heaven (NLT). Which doesn't mean thinking about what the angels look like or what your mansion in heaven is going to be like...you can do that but it's not going to do you much good right now. It means set your mind on God's word...meditate on what God says...and you will be empowered by his spirit living in you to do what pleases him.
Do you know why God gave us scripture? Do you know why God set his order in motion and asks us to follow that order? Because he has good plans for us, and he knows that his outline for life is going to produce the ultimate happiness, success, and fulfillment we could ever experience on the Earth and in Eternity. He isn't fascinated with seeing us struggle to do what he says, he's not interested in us asking "how high" when he says jump. He simply loves us, and want's the best for us, and knows how to get us to that place of fulfillment we all long for anyway! DECIDE to be a doer of the word...and you are on your way to success in life!
-Chad
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
