John 15:5
I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. (NKJV)
We are always doing things, but are they anything really? How do we know if the things we do have any real value?
Anything we consider good, useful, or even a great blessing can be a whole lot of nothing in the end if not done in, through, and for Christ. The question we should ask is not is this thing or situation pleasurable or unpleasurable, but am I abiding in Christ as I walk through it?
Likewise, the things I consider least pleasurable, either disruptive to my plans or seemingly dull and meaningless, can be accounted as fruitful just for the fact I am abiding in Him as I walk through it!
What seems like something is really nothing without Him, and what seems like nothing is something as I abide in Him and promised to bear fruit, not based on circumstances but by abiding in Him as He abides in me!
All glory is Christ's in all circumstances and I can experience the fruit of my relationship with Him in all circumstances.
Abiding = Fruitfulness
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Music for the Theologically Minded!
Link to another good Shai Linne song - http://5solas4claytongarner.blogspot.com/2011/04/good-theology-in-christian-rap-yes.html
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
You must hate sin to love the sinner!
To hate the person who is sinning is easy and natural, because we don’t like how their sin effects us or others we car about. To hate sin and do whatever we can to expose and eliminate it, because of what it is doing to the sinner and others is love!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Another Dietrich Bonhoeffer Quote!
Regarding Jesus' call to follow Him as given to the rich young ruler, the apostles and anyone else who would hear His call!
"Only one thing was required in each case - to rely on Christ's word, and cling to it as offering greater security than all the securities in the world."
The Cost of Discipleship, pg. 79
"Only one thing was required in each case - to rely on Christ's word, and cling to it as offering greater security than all the securities in the world."
The Cost of Discipleship, pg. 79
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Online discussion - Is there salvation outside the church?
I know what you’re probably asking, what do I mean by church? Do I mean the spiritual/supernatural "Body of Christ" which is made up of every born again believer for all time, often called the "universal" or "invisible" church" or do I mean the local gathering of believers for the purpose of worship, discipleship, prayer and ministry?
It seems obvious and beyond the need for explanation that the scriptures allow for no salvation outside the union with Christ by the Holy Spirit that makes up His universal church. By contrast it might sound shocking to suggest that salvation assumes or even necessitates participation in a local church fellowship. I would never hold that church membership/participation is the basis for our salvation, but rather affirm salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone!
However, with that said I would like to invite any reader of this blog to defend from scripture their view on the following questions:
1. In what ways, if any, is salvation (our new nature/identity in Christ) and participation in a local fellowship/church linked in scripture?
2. Is there any scriptural affirmation of true believers existing outside participation in a local fellowship/church?
3. How should the goals/methods of evangelism be impacted by the answers to questions one and two?
4. What specifically should be done for those who have professed faith and don't participate in a local fellowship/church? Consider separately those who would like to participate, but are unable due to physical limitations, transportation, etc. from those who are able, but either feel it is unnecessary or are unmotivated to participate?
I look forward to your biblically supported comments?
It seems obvious and beyond the need for explanation that the scriptures allow for no salvation outside the union with Christ by the Holy Spirit that makes up His universal church. By contrast it might sound shocking to suggest that salvation assumes or even necessitates participation in a local church fellowship. I would never hold that church membership/participation is the basis for our salvation, but rather affirm salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone!
However, with that said I would like to invite any reader of this blog to defend from scripture their view on the following questions:
1. In what ways, if any, is salvation (our new nature/identity in Christ) and participation in a local fellowship/church linked in scripture?
2. Is there any scriptural affirmation of true believers existing outside participation in a local fellowship/church?
3. How should the goals/methods of evangelism be impacted by the answers to questions one and two?
4. What specifically should be done for those who have professed faith and don't participate in a local fellowship/church? Consider separately those who would like to participate, but are unable due to physical limitations, transportation, etc. from those who are able, but either feel it is unnecessary or are unmotivated to participate?
I look forward to your biblically supported comments?
Thursday, June 9, 2011
God's Timing - Not About Us, but Still Best for Us!
John 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” (NKJV)
Lazarus was no doubt praying Jesus would come and heal him as he had seen him do with so many others. He was probably disappointed that his pain was prolonged and may have even come to a conscious realization that it was too late before he died. Surely Lazarus' sisters, friends and other family thought Jesus would come quickly to His aid, especially since this was a loyal and loved friend. But Jesus' response is shocking!
"When he heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was" (V. 6). Of course Jesus has said this would not be unto death, we know Lazarus does die and understand that Jesus meant it will not end in permanent death. However, real people with relationships with Jesus, loved by Jesus, are being left to suffer sickness and loss while He takes care of some other business.
This is hard to square with the typical thinking that our earthly needs and wants are God's highest orders of business. Jesus makes it clear that His timing is for His purposes as He says that this sickness and His response to it is, "for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (V. 4b). This is an interesting paradox however, because as it turns out we need to see the glory of God so we can know and worship Him! God using any and every situation, good or bad from our perspective, to reveal Himself, His nature and His power serves a far greater need for us (Seeing Him) and accomplishes a far better eternal purpose (His glory) than if He met every need and want in our way and on our timetable!
Waiting on God is hard and we assume that when He does meet the need it will be in our best interest, but we must remember that seeing Him, knowing Him, experiencing Him is how He glorifies Himself and is in our best interest - regardless of how or when He works!
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” (NKJV)
Lazarus was no doubt praying Jesus would come and heal him as he had seen him do with so many others. He was probably disappointed that his pain was prolonged and may have even come to a conscious realization that it was too late before he died. Surely Lazarus' sisters, friends and other family thought Jesus would come quickly to His aid, especially since this was a loyal and loved friend. But Jesus' response is shocking!
"When he heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was" (V. 6). Of course Jesus has said this would not be unto death, we know Lazarus does die and understand that Jesus meant it will not end in permanent death. However, real people with relationships with Jesus, loved by Jesus, are being left to suffer sickness and loss while He takes care of some other business.
This is hard to square with the typical thinking that our earthly needs and wants are God's highest orders of business. Jesus makes it clear that His timing is for His purposes as He says that this sickness and His response to it is, "for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (V. 4b). This is an interesting paradox however, because as it turns out we need to see the glory of God so we can know and worship Him! God using any and every situation, good or bad from our perspective, to reveal Himself, His nature and His power serves a far greater need for us (Seeing Him) and accomplishes a far better eternal purpose (His glory) than if He met every need and want in our way and on our timetable!
Waiting on God is hard and we assume that when He does meet the need it will be in our best interest, but we must remember that seeing Him, knowing Him, experiencing Him is how He glorifies Himself and is in our best interest - regardless of how or when He works!
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Dietrich Bonhoeffer Quote
"When we are called to follow Christ, we are summoned to an exclusive attachment to His person. The grace of His call bursts all bounds of legalism. It is a gracious commandment. It transcends the difference between the law and the gospel. Christ calls, the disciple follows: that is grace and commandment in one. 'I will walk in Liberty, for I seek thy commandments': (Psalm 119:45)"
From - The Cost of Discipleship
From - The Cost of Discipleship
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A club to support ministries and missions - or a church?
We know the church should be a place where believers worship the Lord in unity, become equipped for ministry, and use their gifts for ministry and missions for the glory of God and the expansion of His kingdom. This is a serious business and requires the full dedication of all involved if we are to be good stewards of this God assigned task. Enthusiastically following the leadership God has in place (unless asked to sin), giving sacrificially of time/talents/money and working to achieve true unity as taught in scripture are all absolutely essential to this call. Hard work, but that is what Jesus calls us to do!
There is another way –
We can come to church for our own self-serving reasons. We can fight to get things done in a way that makes us as comfortable as possible (our kind of music, teaching, people, etc.). We can follow church leadership when they do things our way and ignore or fight against the things we aren’t comfortable with. We can serve and give according to how much we like the way things are being done and know we would do/give more “if only they would do it the right way”. What about submission to authority, unity, ministry and missions?
There is an easy solution (not a good solution, but a common one)–
Take some of the money not spent within the "church" and support missions and ministries in the community and around the world. This way we can keep things just as they are and still have a portion of what is collected by our club go to support ministries and missions!
A club is what happens naturally if we don’t work hard to be the church! Praise the Lord for those who want more than a club!
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