Monday, June 23, 2014

Romans 5: 1-11

I know i know we were working thru Philippians and We'll get back to that but I read some verses i think we all need to hear.  There's a WWE star that has been saying something lately that reminds me of our culture.  His name is Wade Barrett and he comes to the ring or arena and grabs a mic and in this British accent says "I'm afraid I've got some bad news."  Really I've had enough bad news so i have an ides how about instead we go on a journey and seek joy and see some good news.  Why because "the gospel changes everything."  

1.  "Therefore since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us."  See here's good news we have been made right with God and are now at peace with Him.  
2.."Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory."  Think about that phrase undeserved privilege suddenly all of us nobodies matter to God.  
3.  "We can rejoice, too when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance."  Good news right there.
4. "And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."  Spiritual building blocks.  
5.  "And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."  Pay attention to how that verse worked.  God gave us hope that will not lead to disappointment.  Let that sink in.  When can you ever recall any hope that doesn't lead to disappointment?  When i was very depressed one time to make me laugh my friend Jim said "Hope is a four letter word."  Not when it comes from God!  Jesus called the Holy Spirit our comforter in this verse the Holy Spirit has filled our hearts with God's love.  Chris Tomlin has a song that has this line "He has filled our hearts with wonder so that we always remember you and i were made to worship."  
6.  "When you were utterly hopeless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners."  God's timing is impeccable.
7.  "Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good."  Conundrum started.  
8.  "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."  That is love in it's purest form.
9.  "And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God's condemnation.  we deserve none of this but Christ's blood and death saves us from condemnation."  I told you there was good news in this.  
10.  "For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his son."  Point of Grace did a song a few years back that very well describes this.  "God is faithful on my own I'm unable He found me hopeless alone, and sent a savior.  He's provided a path and promised to guide us.  Safely past all the sin that would divide us.  His love delivers me.  There's a bridge to cross the great divide.  A way was made to reach the other side.  The mercy of the Father, cost his Son his life.  His love is deep his love is wide.  There's a cross to bridge the great divide."  
11.  "So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."  For yrs i thought of God as savior, redeemer and King of Kings but friend was a hard concept for me.  I pray you learn to see him as friend.  

The Great Divide by Point of Grace The Great Divide Lyrics Point Of Grace     


Friend of God by Phillips, Craig and Dean Friend of God - Phillips Craig & Dean - Worship Video w/lyrics


Like incense/Step by step by Hillsong and Brooke Faiser ligertwood Hillsong LIVE: "Like Incense / Sometimes By Step" featuring Brooke Fraser Ligertwood (HQ)


Amazing Grace my chains are gone by Chris Tomlin Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) - Chris Tomlin (with lyrics)


Like an avalanche by Hillson United Like an Avalanche - Hillsong United - Lyrics [HD]


From the Inside Out and With everything by Hillsong United Hillsong United - From The Inside Out and With Everything // Aftermath Live in Miami


Rooftops by Jesus Culture "Rooftops"-Jesus Culture - (Chicago 2011)


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Sunday, June 8, 2014

Philippians 3:7-11

When you have a chance i urge you to read Philippians chapter 3.  Paul spends the first 6 verses describing what man considers his worth before God.  Then he blows all that out of the water.  See man and religion try to take credit for salvation.  But anything man does really doesn't save us.  Take a quick trip with me to Ephesians 2:8-10.  "God saved you by his grace when you believed.  And you can't take any credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the the good things he planned for us long ago."  We can do nothing to earn or claim credit for salvation.  All you people trying to work your way into Heaven I've got 3 words for you: "That ain't happening!"  Paul could claim to be the best of the best with his heritage and background but he doesn't.  Watch the words he uses instead.  

7.  "I once thought these things were valuable, but now i consider them as worthless because of what Christ has done."  All the accolades and good we do is rubbish compared to what Christ has done for you.  
8-9.  "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have discarded everything else counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.  I no longer count my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather I become righteous through faith in Christ." Christianity is not about a religion of man made rules but about a relationship with Christ.  Paul finds his righteousness in Christ alone.  It's like the old hymn says "Nothing can for sin atone.  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  Naught of good that I have done, nothing but the blood of Jesus.  The verse continues with this "For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith."
10-11.  "I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead.  I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead."  It's one thing to have a head knowledge about God but to have a relationship is something entirely different.  God is real and personal and He wants you to know him in a real and personal way.  

Nothing bu the blood medley by Kim Hill 


In Christ Alone Medley by Phillips, Craig and Dean


How Marvelous by Chris Tomlin


 
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Philippians 2:14-18

14.  "Do everything without complaining and arguing."  This is a very hard verse for me personally.  Doing work in a call center helping people with online banking and credit cards puts you in one of the most negative environments on the planet.  I'm trying to get better at shutting up.  
15.  "So that no one can criticize you.  Live clean and innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people."  I want to live like this and sadly i don't get it right.  
16.  "Hold firmly to the Word of life; then on the day of Christ's return, i will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless."  That first phrase is what got me when I started reading all this.  It's so easy for me to get bogged down by stress that i need to be reminded to hold firmly to the Word of life.  1 Peter 5:7 says "Give all your worries and cares to God for He cares about you."  So many times i want to hold on to that stress because i don't want to give it to God and i have a hard time letting it sink in that I can run to him because he does care.  
17.  "But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God and i want all of you to share that joy."  This concept floored me one Sunday because i used to help on the media team at church and one day it hit me that my volunteering was like an offering to God.  At churches we get this mentality that our only offering is our tithe but it's not.  That's only part of it.  
18.  "Yes, you should rejoice and i will share your joy."  Have you ever been listening to a church person list things they are thankful to God for and you've had the thought I don't want to hear this.  Yeah i have because I'm forgetting to share in their joy.  This past week my wife had really good news.  I was in a bad mood already you know what i got for not sharing her joy; a great big fight!  Served me right for having a bad attitude.  Let that be a lesson to all of you.  Share your spouses joy.  

The Overflow by Shine like Stars this song is all about dependence on God 


Leave it in your hands by Unspoken.  this song has become a staple at Real Life and no matter what you're going thru you need to hear this.  



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