This is My BIBLE

This is My BIBLE!!

I AM who it says I am.
Matthew 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

I CAN DO what it says I can do.
Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through him [Christ] who strengthens me."

I AM GOING where it says I will go.
John 14:1-7
"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

God's Word is milk for my soul.
1 Peter 2:2-3
"Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation-- if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good."

God's Word is seed for my faith.
Luke 8:10-15
"he said, 'To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that "seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand." Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience."

God's Word is light for my path.
Psalm 119:105
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

God's Word is power for my victory.
Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

God's Word is freedom for my life.
John 8:31-32
"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'"

When I read God's Word it brings me joy.
Jeremiah 15:16
"Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts."

When I study God's Word, it keeps me from shame.
2 Timothy 2:15
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

When I memorize God's Word, it purifies my heart.
Psalm 119:10-12
"With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!"

When I quote God's Word, it defeats my enemies.
Ephesians 6:10-20
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak."

When I meditate on God's Word, it brings me success.
Joshua 1:6-10
"Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. And Joshua commanded the officers of the people,"

When I abide in God's Word, it gives me confidence.
John 15:5-9
"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love."

I AM A BIBLE-BELIEVING FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST!


In Christ,

David

The Lie

Most of this is from a Talk by Louie Giglio @ Passion '05

A Massive Lie within the Christian Church

What does it mean to stop trying and have a lot more dying in our lives?

Who can say, "I have always put God first and Glorified Him in everything I do?"

So what is different here? What will make you (when your done reading this) go and serve God with all your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength? Rather than continue the cycle of rededication!

Lie #1:

There is Something Better than Jesus

What is it in your life? In what area have you bought into this lie? Is it, Sexual Temptation? Lying? Stealing? Foul Language? Where do you struggle with sin?

Jesus Is Better!!!

Yes, I'm in the Battle too, Yes it's a Temptation for me too, Yes I struggle, but guess what...

Jesus Is Better!!!

Have you been in this lie so long that you are thinking, "I'm in deep and I think I'm going under? How do you break out from underneath this weight?

How do you love God more?

How can I agree with Isaiah?

Isaiah 26:8

"Yes, LORD, walking in the way of Your Truth, we wait eagerly for You. For Your Name and Your Renown are the Desire of our Souls."

I desire that my life be a part of a generation that lives for the Glory of Your name. (Psalm 86:11-12)

How can I agree with the 5 Passion Statements?

1. Because I was created by God and for His Glory, I will Magnify Him as I respond to His Great Love. My Desire is to make knowing and enjoying God the passionate pursuit of my life.

(God, Give me a desire for you like the desire that You have for me. Colossians 1:16-18, John 17:3, Revelation 3:20, Philippians 3:7-10, Jeremiah 9:23-24, Psalm 73:25-28, Psalm 16:11, Isaiah 43:7)

2. Because Christ established the church for God's Glory, I desire to magnify God as I use the gifts He has given me to serve and build up the Local Church. I will pray for continued renewal in my church through the work and power of the Holy Spirit.

(God renew in me a love for Your Church, the Body of Christ. Ephesians 3:20-21, 4:1-13, 5:25-27, Hebrews 10:23-25, Acts 2:41-47)

3. Because God is Glorified Greatly when Believers Love each other, I desire to Magnify Him as I Humbly yield to and pray towards unity among All Christians in my life.

(God, give me a desire to lift up Your Name above all other names. John 17:20-26, John 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 3, Psalm 133:1, Colossians 3:12-17)

4. Because many in my life are hopelessly separated from God, I desire to magnify Him by sharing the Life and Love of Jesus where I live. As I share, I will earnestly pray for revival in my world. (God, break my heart for those with whom I live. Romans 10:11-15, Isaiah 6:1-8, 62:6-7, Matthew 5:13-16, 1 Peter 2:9-12, Philipians 2:12-16, 1 John 5:14-15)

5. Because God is seeking worshipers of all peoples, I desire to magnify Him among the nations. I actively commit my life and energy to participation in His global purposes in my generation. (God, kindle in me the desire to go anywhere, at anytime, at any cost, to do anything to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Psalm 86:9, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Isaiah 49:6, Revelation 5:9-14, Matthew 28:18-20, Psalm 67, Acts 1:8)

Good News: You Can't!!!???

It is not about Self-Power, and I can do this...It's about Christ's Power, and He can do it!!!

Lie #2:

You Can Do It

NO! You Can't...It's a Lie!!!

Let me ask you a few questions?

Do you have consistency in your Quiet Times? Prayer Times? Loving the Hard to love people in your life? Being full of Christ all the time? Sharing the Gospel? Avoiding Temptation?

Most everyone who reads this, must honestly answer: No I don't have consistency!

We are Amazing Failures!!!

The Christian Life is not Hard. It is not even Difficult! It is IMPOSSIBLE!!!!

It is so impossible for us, that there has only been 1 person who has pulled it off...and they named it after Him!!!

God isn't saying, "You can do it!"

He's saying, "You can't do it, and if you think you can do it, you're just about to stumble and fall. I'm not asking you to do it, I know you can't do it, I know how hard it is. I know you; and this isn't going to work for you! But it worked once...and Christ is still here! And I am going to put the 1 who can, inside the 1 who can't, so He can live the Christian life through the 1 who can't!"

Colossians 1:24-27

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

This is the Mystery...Christ IN YOU!!! Jesus Christ is Living inside of the Redeemed!!!

Isaiah, Daniel, David, Moses, Abraham, Micah, and Rahab didn't know this! But you get to know it!!! It has been made known to the Saints!!! Christ IN You!!!

A Saint is not a person who has led a good life, and we remember them for it...

A Saint is a person that God has set apart, and redeemed...Made Holy!!!

Do you want to live a life that Glorifies God?

Then you have to know this Mystery because this Mystery is the operational element that produces that power of God! Christ IN You!!! This isn't about going someplace when you die! It's about receiving a power source for while you live!!!

The question here isn't, "Do you know where you will go if you die tonight?"

It is, "If you don't die, do you have the hope and confidence of a power source that will enable you to live triumphantly tomorrow?"

Rededication is a Man Made idea!!!

I promise to never do that again God...I know what I said before, but I promise this time it will be different.

It's not about I...It's about what God has done!!!

Rededication should not be promises...but refocusing! There is no I in rededication...it wont work...You Can't!!!

We have Jesus...not just a belief in Him...We Have HIM!!! CHRIST IN YOU!!!

In and not And:

Jesus = Victory

Not Jesus and...Christ is the Hope of Glory...not Christ and...

Lie #3:

You Can't Stop

This lie is all about the next lie...and you will see why.

Who are you?

Lie #4:

I'm just a sinner, saved by grace

No don't loose me here...I'm not going off the deep end!

The focus of this lie is that we are JUST Sinners...saved by grace

This gives us an excuse to sin...because I'm just a sinner...what else do you expect!

It will be completely ordinary and normal to sin...if we believe this lie!

You are a sinner, a rebel, a hater and reviler of God! Who God found, restored, redeemed, forgave, cleansed, and made Holy in Christ...You are a Saint!!!

Paul's letters start...Dear Saints ---Stop Sinning!!! Not, "You big, fat, bunch of retched sinners...saved by grace.

This is 1/2 of the Gospel! Jesus died on the cross to forgive my sins...it's up to me to figure out how to live my life.

The other 1/2 of the Gospel is -- Jesus rose from the tomb, called me to life and to be life in me and righteousness in me and to be God in and through me!

Do you know Romans 3:23?

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

Is that it? Is there anything more?

It is at this point that I just LOVE punctuation!!! What comes after the comma?

Romans 3:24-26

"and are justified by his grace as a [free] gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

We are ALL Sinners, BUT...

Don't believe 1/2 of the Gospel! We are sinners, JUSTIFIED by God's GRACE, FREELY!

Colossians 2:13-15

"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."

1 Sacrifice for all sins! Past, Present, and Future!!! And He calls me FORGIVEN!!!

He [Jesus Christ] NAILED ALL of my sins to His Cross!!! He became sin on my behalf, so that I might become the Righteousness of God!!!

2 Corinthians 5:21

"For our sake he made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Who are you? Who am I?

I am the Righteousness of God in Him [Jesus Christ]!!!

I am a sinner who has been transformed, forgiven, cleansed, and made a Holy One IN Christ! I am given a new Identity in Christ...I am a Saint!!!

Difference between Sinners and Saints

Sinners try to do Good things!!!

Saints...can sin! They temporarily Abandon their Sainthood (although not permanently), choosing something less than what God has designed for them.

A Holy One living in an Unholy lifestyle!

God wants us to "Change the way we think about ourselves."

The short hand of Paul's letters is, "Saints...Stop Sinning!"

Not, "Sinners...Act Holy."

By God, I am the Righteousness of God!

By God, I am a Holy One, a New Creation, Cleansed, Forgiven in Christ!!!

I'm a Holy One who is sinning Temporarily!!!

Who are You???

Are you a Sinner...saved by grace?

Or...A Saint/Holy One in Christ Jesus?

Stop trying to Act Holy and Start dying to trying! Surrender to Christ!!!

Colossians 2:14

"by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross."

When Satan (the Accuser) comes to you reminding you of all your past sins...through Christ you can say, "You want to talk about my past sins? O.K. here is what I know, 'by canceling the record of debt that stood against me with its legal demands. This God set aside, nailing it to the cross with Christ Jesus.' My debt is payed, I am now the Righteousness of God through Jesus Christ! You want to talk about that....Hey, where'd you go???

Everything...Past, Present, Future...All sins Christ Nailed to the Cross!!!! Once for All!!!

Romans 8:1

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Who are you?

You Big, Fat, bunch of....Saints!!!

Stop Sinning and believing the lie that anything is better than Jesus!!!!

In Christ,

David

How can I be more Like Jesus?

How can I be more like Jesus?

Well, you in and of yourself...you can't do it! That is the bad news....

The Good News...

Colossians 3:1-17
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

And where do we get the power to do this???
Colossians 1:27
"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

It is Christ living IN you!

Many of us think that it is Christ AND me...Oh, yeah me and Jesus. We're going to go knock down the gates of hell and...
Jesus is thinkin': "Well, I could work with you."

But it is not Jesus AND...
Jesus and You does not = Victory
Jesus and Me does not = Victory
Jesus and ... does not = Victory

JESUS = VICTORY

God was and is so convinced (and rightly so) that we could not live the Christian life, that He sent Jesus (His only Son) to die and nail our sins to the cross. And not only that but God raised Jesus from the dead to live and rule for all eternity! Christ is alive living the Christian life in His people!
Colossians 2:13-15
"And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him."

How do I be more like Jesus?
I step aside every second of every day that I am breathing, and allow Jesus Christ to live the Christian life IN me! I can't do it, BUT, Christ IN me can!!!
It is nothing that I can do, only what Christ can do In and Through me!!!

Christ = Victory
Victory over death
Victory over sin
Victory over the accuser (Satan)
Victory In my life
Victory In your life
Christ = Victory

In Christ,

David

Why be more like Jesus?

Why do I need to be more like Jesus?

Do you call yourself a Christian? What does it mean to be a Christian?
Christians are Disciples and Followers of Christ.

Disciple: One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another.

Follower:
1. One who subscribes to the teachings or methods of another; an adherent
2. One that imitates or copies another

Also, I think this has the most impact on my life:
John 14:15
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

Becoming more like Christ is also already done...in a sense:
Romans 8:29
"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."

God has chosen us...to be conformed to the image of his Son...Jesus Christ! Conformed is in the past tense.
What this means is that it is not our job to make sure that we become more Christ like. That is the job of the Holy Spirit working within us.
Our job is to allow the Holy Spirit to work within us! To get our fleshly desires out of the way so that the Spirit can do His work.
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
1 Peter 1:14-16
"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
But the catch is...we don't have the power to do that! Only Christ does!
Colossians 1:27
"To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."
So Christ living within us, gives us the power to say no to our fleshly desires and yes to the Holy Spirit working within us!

In the end, God does all the work! Without God we could do nothing!
Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through him [Christ] who strengthens me."

So, why be more like Jesus?
1. If you call yourself a Christian...it's all in the name...you are a follower of Christ!
2. Do you love Him? Keep His Commands!
3. If you have the Holy Spirit...you are already conformed into the Image of Christ, we need to (through Christ's strength) allow the Spirit to control us rather than our fleshly desires!

Now for the tough part...How can I be more like Christ?
Application of why to how do I do this in my life is always the toughest part.
We will get to that in the next post.

In Christ,

David

Living to the Highest Standard

What does it mean to live to the Highest Standard?

1 Corinthians 6:12
"'All things are lawful for me,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful for me,' but I will not be enslaved by anything."

1 Corinthians 10:23
"' All things are lawful,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up."

First, what is the Standard?
That question is easy to answer, but hard to live out...in fact impossible to live out...for humans!
The answer is...Perfection! Absolute Perfection!

O.K. Perfection, but no one is perfect. How do I know what Perfection is?
That is also easy to answer, but hard to live out...Jesus lived the perfect life, completely sinless!
Hebrews 4:15
"For we do not have a high priest [Jesus Christ] who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."

So, I need to be like Jesus! Why? How?
Well, first I want to make something extremely clear:
Living a Christ-like life does not earn you the right to go to heaven! Not even close!
You and I cannot live a Christ-like life unless a few factors are already inplay in our lives.

1. God has already chosen you to be His child!
Ephesians 1:3-6
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."
John 15:18-20
"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours."
Romans 11:5
"So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace."
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."
2 Thessalonians 2:13
"But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth."
1 Peter 2:4-5
"As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 2:9
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

2. He has given you His Holy Spirit to guide you through life and reveal the truth of His word.
Mark 13:11
"And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit."
Luke 12:11-13
"And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."
John 14:26
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."
Acts 2:1-4
"When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."
Romans 5:3-5
"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
Romans 9:1
"I am speaking the truth in Christ--I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit--"
1 Thessalonians 1:4-5
"For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake."
1 Thessalonians 1:6-7
"And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia."
Hebrews 10:14-17
"For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 'This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,' then he adds, 'I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.'"

3. You are saved (by evidence of the Holy Spirit) and are already eternally secure!
Ephesians 1:13-14
"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory."
Ephesians 4:30
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
Titus 3:4-7
"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."
Hebrews 10:14-17
"For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 'This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,' then he adds, 'I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.'"

Why and How do I become more like Jesus?
We will get to that in the next post...

In Christ,

David

What happens when?

What happens when?
1. I cause another to stumble?
2. A conflict over freedom's arises?

If I am ever the cause of someone else stumbling or I am the stumbling stone, what happens next?

If we are at this point a few things could have happend.
1. We passed judgment on another.
2. We have exercised a freedom in Christ unwisely.
3. A combination of both.

Romans 12:18
"If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."

No matter what has happend, we have sinned against our brother. We must appologize and ask for their forgivenness.
Trust me, this will be one of the hardest things you have to do in your life!
Why?
1. It is hard because of Pride. We will want to get our point across that we were not sinning while listening to music or watching a movie. But, we must not let that get in the way, we have cause our brother to stumble...that is the sin! Or, we have judged them for their conviction, that is our sin!
Just because the initial action was not a sin, doesn't mean that through the course of the disagreement we have not sinned against our brother.
2. It is hard because we don't separate the issues. What is first confronted is usually one the surface issue, there are usually deeper issues at hand...i.e. stumbling blocks and judgment.

From here, once you have appologized and asked your brother to forgive you:
1. Unity may be restored....
2. They may ask follow up questions.

If Unity is restored great, wonderful...

But, if they ask:
1. Have you repented of your sin?
2. Do you understand why we believe that you were sinning?

This is a tough situation. If you truly care for them, you can let them know where you are truly at. But answer them truthfuly!
Let them know that you may not share their full conviction in that area, but you are sorry for offending them and being a stumbling block to them. Let them know that (if this is the case) God is working on you in that area.
You don't need to tell them the full extent, just that God is working.

Always appoach in humility and love!
Proverbs 10:12
"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses."

1 Peter 4:8
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins."

In Christ,

David

My friend Liz made Nationals!!!!

Yeah Liz!!! Good Luck in Minneapolis!

Liz is on the left and her bestfriend Diane is on the right. This was taken at Starbucks in Grandshute, WI (Near the Fox River Mall, and Appleton, WI) after Lifest (www.lifest.com) listening to Chris Tomlin!!!

Anywho, Liz is a swimmer and she has made it to Nationals this year (her last year of eligibility!).

Here is wishing Liz the Best of Luck, although she wont really need it!!!

Have fun and enjoy Nationals!!!!!

UPDATE:

Liz was in a relay that took 5th! Congrats on being All-American Liz!!!! (the 1st All-American Athlete I have ever had the privilege of knowing)

And the Pointers as a team took 10th!!! Wonderful Job, and Congrats!!

On a side note, this was the first ever swim meet that I have attended. It was wonderful and exciting! If you have never been to a swim meet, I would definitely encourage you to go to one!

Freedoms and Liberties of being a Christian

What are the Freedoms that we enjoy as Christians?

1 Corinthians 10:23-24
"'All things are lawful,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor."

Christ died and rose again to set us free from the bondage of sin and the penalty of the Law. In this verse we see because of Christ's death and resurrection "all things are lawful". But we also see that "not all things are helpful' and 'not all things build up'.
Paul encourages us to only seek the good of our neighbor! What is in their best interest!

Romans 14:13
"Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

Romans 14:20
"Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble."

Here again Paul tells us to consider our brothers first, and not to do anything that would cause them to stumble!

So right about now you may be thinking, "Dave you didn't answer the question that you asked above."
Well, yes and no. "Everything is Lawful." But what about something that is explicitly spelled out to be sin by Scripture? No that is not Lawful...we must keep 1 Corinthians 10 and Romans 14 in their original contexts! Paul is talking to 2 groups of believers who are divided on an issue. Half of each group is holding to the Old Testament Laws (which Christ died to free us from, however they are still there for our protection), and the other half is under the Grace of Christ on these issues...the main issue is eating meat (especially meat sacrificed to idols).

So a non-exhaustive list of freedoms:
1. Tattoos
2. Smoking
3. Drinking Alcohol
4. Dancing
5. Watching Movies (except pornography --- I don't know of any male that can avoid lust)
6. Listening to Music
7. Playing Video Games
8. Reading non-Christian books (i.e. The Davinci Code, Sci-Fi Novels, Murder Mysteries ect..)
9. Birth Control
10. Many, Many more things...

So, I have these freedoms through Christ, but how and when can I use them, if I am to always keep my brothers interests first?

2 Timothy 2:23-26
"Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will."

Here Paul is telling Young Timothy to avoid foolish and ignorant controversies! They breed quarrels. And we as the Lord's servants must not be quarrelsome!
We can exercise our freedom's when they will not cause quarrels...meaning, if you know that someone doesn't agree with drinking (even though you are not going to get drunk), we should be mindful of them and avoid drinking in their presence. We must protect the Unity of the Body before our own personal preferences!

Romans 14:1-4
"As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand."

"Weak in faith" does not mean that a person who doesn't agree with listening to Rock and Roll is a baby Christian or not Strong in their personal walk with Christ. It means that on this issue they do not have the faith that this issue is not sin, they have strong convictions given to them by God to protect them from sin in this area.
What that all means is that, if you were listening to a song that used explicit foul language and the whole song was about killing, you might be completely fine. Not tempted to sin in any way at all. Not tempted to swear, or hate, or kill anyone. However, if your friend walked into your house and heard that music they might be tempted to sin in one way or another. For them this would then be sin, on two counts:
1. They cannot listen to this song out of Faith.
Romans 14:23
"But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin."
Along with that, they may sin by acting upon something from that song...Hating another person or swearing.
2. It would be sin on your part for putting a stumbling stone in front of your brother.

So,
1. I have freedoms because of what Christ did through His death and resurrection!
2. I must not abuse those freedoms by causing my brother to stumble!
3. I must always keep fellow Christians in mind when exercising my freedoms!

What happens when....
1. I do cause a brother to stumble?
2. A conflict over a freedom arises?
3. Not everything is helpful or builds up, Living to the Highest Standard.

These I will talk about next week.

In Christ,

David

Christian Freedom and Liberty

This is going to be the next thing that I write about.

Prayer Request:
Right now I am going through a tough time, a friend and I are being judged by some because of some of the Freedoms that we have.
These people who are judging us have convictions against our freedom, and are basically condeming us of willfull sin.

Please pray that the Unity of the Body will remain, that a peaceful solution can be brought about and that God's Will be done. Also that during the times of discussion, that God would bind Satan and keep us all from becoming fleshly about this...keeping the pride out.

I don't want to go into detail, at least not until some kind of a resolution has come about, but I do need to study this topic more deeply.

Texts that I have selected thus far are, Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 10.
If anyone suggests any other scripture, I will be more than happy to take a look at it.

Ken, thank you for your suggestion and I promise, I will get to that...that is another thing that I really need to study much more in depth.

In Christ,

David