Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts, but bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart. Luke 6:45 CEV https://bible.com/bible/392/luk.6.45.CEV
What’s in your heart?
Ephesians 4:20-21
Here is my commentary on Ephesians 4:20-21. I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au
Ephesians 4:20-21
“You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.”
In verses 17 to 19, Paul describes the depravity of the Gentile unbelievers. living in darkness and ignorance, and therefore slaves to every form of sensuality with a lust for more.
Now Paul says, ”You did not come to Christ that way.” In other words, their knowledge of Christ is the light that broke through their ignorance and changed their thinking and behaviour.
Before we were saved, we may not have had any knowledge or interest in the person of Jesus Christ. His name, the Name above all names, may have just been a meaningless swear word. If we thought about Him in anyway, we might have assumed he was just a person like us.
But, Paul reminds us, Jesus was not a person just like everybody else. He certainly was not a person who lived in the depravity of thinking that Paul has described.
As we get to know Jesus, as we are taught in him, so our understanding of Jesus grows. We see a life lived in simplicity and holiness.
Paul now offers us a choice of two lifestyles – that of the unsaved Gentiles marked by sin and self-direction, or the life of Jesus marked by holiness and God- direction. These two diametrically opposed and cannot be mixed together .
To follow Jesus is not to adopt some kind of religious ideology or theory. Christianity must never be understood as merely a set of dogmas. Following Jesus or being “ in Christ” means that our lifestyle and worldview must undergo radical changes so that we live, speak, and think in a way that is consistent with the way of Christ.
To be “taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus” means firstly, a teaching of facts. The historic Creeds were an attempt to describe the basics of what Christians believe.
The facts, by themselves are not enough. We need to remember that we are following a person. This truth that is in Jesus must be seen in the words and actions of Jesus. in particular, we must absorb the reality of his death on the cross. The gospels show this clearly with each one describing incidents from the life of Jesus in the first half, and then moving to detailed descriptions of his trial, death, and resurrection in the second half.
To be a Christian, we must first know who Jesus is and why his death is important for us.
To follow Jesus we must also learn to have an ongoing personal relationship with him. This is the purpose of the Holy Spirit, given to us when we are born again.
Christianity is about imitating Christ, becoming like the “Son of Man.” To do this, we need both the truth about who Jesus is and a personal connection with Him so that He can direct our daily walk.
Key points in this verse:
- We did not come to know Jesus as a sinful person, but as the divine Son of God
- Christianity is more than a set of doctrines
- We need an ongoing personal relationship with Jesus in order to follow him.
Reflection on Matthew 16:1-12
Scripture
“Watch out!” Jesus warned. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Observation
Some Pharisees and Sadducees come to Jesus, demanding that He perform a miraculous sign to prove His authority.
Jesus says, “Only an evil and adulterous generation demands a sign.” Later He warns His disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
The disciples begin to argue among themselves because they had brought no bread with them. Jesus rebukes them because they have so quickly forgotten about how He had provided food for the crowds. Then they understand that the warning about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees was not about food but about deceptive teaching.
Application
The deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees is all around us still, but we often fail to see it.
The Pharisees were the legalists who took the Law of Moses and made it more extreme. If the Law said, “Do nor work on the Sabbath,” they took that law and defined carefully what actions were allowable and what were not.
They believed that if they were good enough, God would bless them and raise them to eternal life.
There are people in every church who think that they have to prove themselves to God. Just say the prayer the right way, be a good person, and so on. This is the yeast of the Pharisees.
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. They were the people of unbelief, the “liberal” wing of the Jewish leaders. They believed in maintaining the traditions and co-operating with the pagan Romans.
If you believe that God does not heal people or perform miracles any more, you have the yeast of the Sadducees.
Prayer
Lord please deliver me from all forms of legalism and unbelief. I thank you that you love me, and that by your grace you have saved me. Amen.
Praise God
CHURCH AS WE KNOW IT IS OVER by Don Nori Sr.
CHURCH AS WE KNOW IT IS OVER
by Don Nori Sr.
.
The Church is at a major crossroads in her multi-millennial sojourn through time upon this earth. She has some very big decisions to make. But most of us are not aware of the change that is in the Wind. For church, as we know it is over.
.
The Church, (the one being built by Jesus, not this monstrosity of a system we incorrectly call the Church), will move on with the gentle sound of His voice. The Church He is building will not need an earthquake, a hurricane, or pixie dust floating in the air to get her attention. His sheep hear His voice and follow Him because they follow His voice. This will be a big test of who we really are and whose kingdom we are really building. If it is His Kingdom, we will leap at the sound of His voice and go where he leads us. If we are building the counterfeit, we will not be so inclined to move very quickly. For there is much to lose and much to risk in responding to Him whilst building anything of our own.
.
The charismatics, the Pentecostals and the revivalists are all crowding at the river Jordan. The Holy Spirit is urging, calling, leading them to cross, but few have the faith to cross because few have the faith to risk what they have built. Maybe that is the problem…we have built it and it is OURS. We must protect what is ours at all costs, even at the cost of moving on with the Lord. It is always so easy to camp along the river rather than risk the dangers of fording the rapids, even when you have the voice of the Lord drawing you on. So, we invent, discover, and imagine all kinds of histrionics to keep everyone satisfied where they are, on the wrong side of the river.
.
We go around the things He has shown us again and again. We devise newer and more complicated ways of saying and doing the things we have known for years. Oh, we will occasionally look longingly across the river, wondering if there really is more over there, but the safety is always here.
.
Few will admit that we have lost the faith, the daring, and the adventure of our earlier days. Although denominationalism is anathema to us, we gather around the same things and build the same walls and defend our position with the same conviction and piety as all those who have gone before us.
.
But those who do not cross the river do not change the world. It is true, they do not rock the boat, but they do not see anything new, experience anything deeper than what has been “felt and telt” many, many times for many, many years.
.
God does not talk in circles. He has a definite destination in mind and He fully intends to have people that are willing to be led by the deepest
reservoirs of His love and the very fullness of His life.
.
Church as we know it is over…
He is about to wrestle control of His own church from the carnal hands of insecure, angry, controlling, and legalistic men and women, to build His own church, just as He promised He would.
.
Church as we know it is passing away. The thing we have called church is but a dim shadow of the life-giving, empowering wholeness of that for which Jesus died, rather, rose from the dead to lavish upon mere mortal men.
.
We have asked for wealth when He wanted to give us nations. We focused on our healing when He wanted to make us healers. We have searched for mercy and compassion when He has called us to carry those same treasures to a dying world. We are self – examining when He wants us to be pouring ourselves out so others can find Him.
.
There is no doubt. The self-centered, need-oriented, program-driven, growth-addicted destiny-snatching, dream-killing counterfeit is about to be replaced by His church; a company of loosely connected people held together only by the bonds of love. This people are the Christ-centered, Kingdom-declaring, light-shining heart throb of God Himself. His people hear His voice and respond with joy and anticipation, not fear and uncertainty. They are a devil-ignoring, life-giving, God-honouring group of worshipers whose greatest fulfillment in life is to be called to His service by the gentle sound of His voice. This church understands that the hands Jesus will stretch out to heal will be their hands. They know they are His hug; His smile, His encouraging word, and the world’s only hope of glory. The solution is clear… You are the church that Jesus Himself, is building!
.
.
Quote for the Day
It’s perfect
The Law of the Lord is perfect; it gives us new life. His teachings last forever, and they give wisdom to ordinary people. Psalms 19:7 CEV https://bible.com/bible/392/psa.19.7.CEV
Reflection on Matthew 15:29-39
Scripture
A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who could not speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. The crowd was amazed!
Observation
A vast crowd gathers around Jesus, bringing people suffering all kinds of ailments. Jesus heals them all, and everyone is amazed. Those who have been healed praise the God of Israel.
Jesus calls the disciples together and tells them they need to feed the people. They find seven loaves and a few fish which Jesus multiplies to feed 4000 men plus women and children.
Application
A large crowd gather together to meet with Jesus. They are hungry for an encounter with the Lord. They bring everyone they know who is ill or maimed in any way. He heals them all. Nothing is too hard for the Lord.
When do we come together in church with an expectation that we will meet Jesus?
When is the last time Jesus healed everyone in church?
We have to regain that sense of anticipation, of wonder, of amazement at what God will do amongst His people.
We can make theories and excuses, but the fact is that often our experience of church is nothing like this gathering of people.
The Holy Spirit is here.
Let faith rest on this fact.
Can I expect that God might do something amazing his Sunday? Or even right now?
Prayer
Come Holy Spirit. Let my faith find your grace today. Come and heal the sick, feed the hungry, raise the dead. May the people in my community praise the God of Israel. Amen.
All you need is love
German Study Shows Added CO2 Has Led To 14% More Vegetation Over Past 100 Years!
Great news from wattsupwiththat.com
