To help combat the sad prevalence of legalistic thought in the church today (sad because such thought and practice negates the finished work of the cross), I thought I’d share a bit from the late, great master preacher Charles Hadden Spurgeon.
“If you believe on Him, I tell you you cannot go to hell; for that were to make the sacrifice of Christ of none effect. It cannot be that a sacrifice should be accepted, and yet the soul should die for whom that sacrifice has been received. If the believing soul could be condemned, then why a sacrifice? If Jesus died in my stead, why should I die also? Every believer can claim that the sacrifice was actually made for him: by faith he has laid his hands on it, and made it his own, and therefore he may rest assured that he can never perish. The Lord would not receive this offering on our behalf, and then condemn us to die. The Lord cannot read our pardon written in the blood of His own Son, and then smite us. That were impossible. Oh that you may have grace given you at once to look away to Jesus and to begin at the beginning, even at Jesus, who is the Fountain-head of mercy to guilty man! “He justifieth the ungodly.” “It is God that justifieth,” therefore, and for that reason only it can be done, and He does it through the atoning sacrifice of His divine Son. Therefore it can be justly done—so justly done that none will ever question it—so thoroughly done that in the last tremendous day, when heaven and earth shall pass away, there shall be none that shall deny the validity of the justification. “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” —All of Grace
The relationship in the Bible between giving money and receiving healing?
NONE. ABSOLUTLEY NO RELATIONSHIP and anathema to anyone who so suggests.
Jesus promised his disciples three things: they would be absurdly happy, completely fearless, and in constant trouble. -F.R. Maltby
This is a fair summary of the New Testament church. We must embrace this paradoxical theme of joy and woe as one in our Christian life.
What we must not do though is allow our “woe” to be confused for the “woe” of the Gospel. Some people have a bad life and are unhappy. Instead of dealing with the latent cause issues of their soul, they transpose their own unhappiness into a “martyrdom complex” for the Kingdom. Such never bears fruit.
We need to be at peace with our own soul, dealing with our insecurities and hurts. Get happy! Then we can bear tribulation when it comes for the sake of the Gospel.
And all the while, let’s remember what we have been given is exactly that–GOOD NEWS!
A lot of Christians, particularly in the charismatic world, seem to think our brains are outside the waters of baptism. We think we need to leave our brains at home when we go to church. At best, we think smart is a gift that has very little to do with our faith.
The truth is redeemed brains are crucial to spiritual growth. We are commanded to renew our minds (Ephesians 4:24, Romans 12:1) as well as all other parts of our person.
Smart is not a gift. The brain is a muscle and is developed by mental workouts. We must stretch it and work it.
We must constantly study to show ourselves approved even before God (2 Timothy 2:15).
Now that’s being smart…
Jim Gilbert is a great thinker, teacher, and leader in the Body of Christ. He will be speaking (and singing for that matter) Sunday at The Life Church. Jim also is a “veteran” missionary, having traveled to over 60 nations preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom!
This Sunday I’ve asked Jim to preach two different messages at 9:30 and 11:15 am. I urge you to make plans to attend both services. He’ll probably preach one message in two parts.
Jim has just finished co-authoring with Terry Law the book, “THE HOPE HABIT: FINDING GOD’S GOODNESS WHEN LIFE IS HARD.” It is destined to be a best seller.
On Sunday, we will also be talking about how The Life Church will be partnering with Jim on outreach projects in Cambodia and Cuba in 2011! We’ll receie a special offering for Jim’s missionary endeavors there.
Make plans to attend.
We must rediscover the beauty and power of the vision of God. This revelation Is not a revelation of what we can do, but of who God is, how powerful he is and what He wants to do.
This is for our our lives, our families, our finances. It’s time the enemy stop ramrodding our families, our futures, our finances.
We need a reclaimed vision of the revelation of God, Who was, Who is, and Who is to come!!!!!!!!!!!!
We need this vision for our church.
I am believing God to give us more souls, more impact in our community, and more resources!!!!!!
MANY SOULS (many not few) COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION. (glory of the Lord covering the earth) RESOURCES FROM HEAVEN. (tap into infinity)
HAB 2:2 Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that whoever reads it may run with it.
Today let us Recommit ourselves today to THE VISION. The vision of God. May we Reclaim some lost territory.
PRAYER: Ephesians 1:16-23 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom* and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.* I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
Ephesians 3:20-21 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
Well, it’s 6 am and I’m blogging on my iPad in the Bogota Airport. I have already violated my resolution not to eat any Colombian bread (at least I passed by Dunkin Donuts). The hot bread here has to be the best in the world.
The moral of the story is that these rolls produce other kinds of rolls, the less desirable kind. God help me.
On to Cali this morning to meet with pastors and leaders for the next three days. I am always amazed at the faith and fervor of these Kingdom leaders in South America. My life has been enriched during my trips here over the past 9 years!
God is showing up BIG everywhere these days. These are exciting times. May we have the godly leadership to steward what has been entrusted to us.
More later from Cali…I think there’s an internet hotspot at my favorite bakery!
Easter is all about “going and telling.” It’s the first recorded action of the followers of Jesus in response to the resurrection! Mary “ran and found.” And it’s still our first response to the Good News!
In this age of technology-enhanced communication, let me suggest a few ways to “run and find” on the cyber highway!
1. Post invitations to our Easter services on your Facebook profile every day this week with various personal statements about your faith, the life in our church or what God has done in your life.
2. Forward the Easter Invite Eblast (that we’re sending to all on our email list) to all your friends and family.
3. Text your friends an invitation. Offer to meet them at a particular time.
4. Twitter this every day between now and Sunday (It’s __________ (day), but Sunday is coming! Meet me at The Life Church in Manassas 9 am, 10:15am or 11:30am for a great life celebration.)
4. Post an ad on Craigslist about the Easter services. Offer the Free digital Easter portrait that we’re doing in the lobby Sunday morning. Include times and address and link to web site.
5. Put up a postcard at your local coffee shop or grocery store.
And finally, use that new invention called a telephone. Call your family and friends.
Let’s honor Jesus like never before by “going and telling”–2010 style!
A young lady wrote me today asking if she was bound to have the same sins as her mother. Here is my answer.
In the Old Covenant (Old Testament times) there is a truth that the sins of the “fathers” (in this case the “mother”) is handed down to the next generation. But Jesus breaks that curse on the cross and establishes a new way.
Jeremiah 31 is all about this New Covenant (New Testament) which we now live in because of what Jesus did on the cross.
In Jeremiah 321:29, the prophet quotes a proverb that supported the old order of things, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, but their children’s mouths pucker at the taste.” This is a proverb that means what our parents did is passed to the children.
But note what is written. Speaking of the age of the New Testament to come (which we now live in), “The people WILL NO LONGER quote this proverb…”
Jeremiah 31:30, “All people will die for their own sins–those who eat the sour grapes will be ones whose mouths will pucker.”
This is the New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:29-34 and I am a firm believer in what this passage teaches.
We are all responsible for our own actions and the forgiveness of the cross is for all who ask directly.
You not under the curse of your mother any longer! Yes, we were all under the curse of our original mother and father (Eve and Adam). But Jesus broke that curse on the cross! (Romans 5:17)
You are now free to live under the power of what Christ did for YOU as you place faith in His finished work on the cross! You are no longer the victim of the past–because the power of the blood of Christ is so much more powerful than the blood (DNA) of any parent.
Now this is a making life better moment!
