By Grace Alone

Pauls tells us the very words of God when he puts to parchment ”But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57, ESV). In this we see that God get all the thanks and all the glory for everything, our salvation, our victory, our very lives. As we close out this Easter let us give thanks to the one who made it happen and rejoice in the fact that because He lives, we shall live also. 

Happy Easter 2008

 

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Today starts the three days Christians have set apart to worship our Lord’s resurrection. Our Faith hinges upon this one fact - He lives! This event is a call to worship Christ Jesus our Lord, worship through the death, burial and a glorious resurrection (not a resuscitation).

“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55, ESV)

Will you worship? I urge you brothers and sisters to set apart time each day privately and worship our God in each of these aspects for what He has done:

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:56-58, ESV)

Last night I preached about preaching. Specifically from Philippians 1:15 where Paul says “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.” (ESV). Today I was reading a post from a fellow Oklahoma Pastor Wade Burelson who has been in the spotlight because of issues in the IMB. I have been quietly (though sometimes biting my tongue) following all that has happened to Wade because of the IMB issues.

I think that today’s post was an example of a man preaching not from envy or rivalry but from good will. I recommend all Pastor/Teachers everyone read and adopt the attitude of Wade Burleson’s latest post here: Grace and Truth to You: Warning: This Post Is Not for the Faint of Heart.

Also, we should rejoice as the Apostle Paul does in the fact that we have been called out for such a day as this. ”What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,” (Philippians 1:18, ESV). May we work togther to help and heal our wounded, expose those who are working for selfish gain, and rejoice that this amazing Gospel of the grace of our God is being proclaimed whether in pretense or in truth! 

 

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Christians are sometimes hindrances to the spread of the gospel. Paul says “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.” (Philippians 1:15, ESV). But he goes on and says “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,” (Philippians 1:18, ESV). May we all have this attitude that Paul had in the face of opposition.   

 

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Let worship be the fuel for mission’s flame
We’re going with a passion for Your name
We’re going for we care about Your praise
Send us out

Let worship be the heart of mission’s aim
To see the nations recognise Your fame
‘Til every tribe and tongue voices Your praise
Send us out

You should be the praise of every tongue
You should be the joy of every heart
But until the fullness of Your kingdom comes
Until that final revelation dawns
Send us out

Every tribe, every tongue
Every creature in the heavens and the earth
Every heart, every soul
Will sing Your praise, will sing Your praise
Every note, every strain
Every melody will be for You alone
Every harmony that flows from every tongue
Will sing Your praise, will sing Your praise
Will sing Your praise, will sing Your praise

Mission’s Flame - Matt Redman

Yesterday I was listening to the Face Down CD from Matt Redman and this song drew me into worship of the one true and living God. It is by His grace and for His glory alone that we can spread His good news! So today, let this song set our heart’s focus on the mission we are on.

Lord send us out!

I normally don’t post video’s from NBC’s ER but this clip speaks volumes about deception of post-modernism. It shows the need for real Pastors to speak the real truth found only in our God and in His Word the Holy Bible. Watch it all the way to the end.

John tells us “At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.” (1 John 2:8, ESV) This “old commandment” of love that we discussed earlier has now given birth to a “new commandment” of love. Love 2.0 if you will… Enjoy

 

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When reading the passage “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6, ESV) you can’t help but see the power and majesty that belongs to our God. And as His people we are also called to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. This message reflects that as we continue on in His Word. - Enjoy

 

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*Photo courtesy of www.freefoto.com

We come to this passage in Philippians ”And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” (Philippians 1:14, ESV) Where Paul says my chains have caused others to become much more bold [lit. "abundantly bold"] to speak the word [logos] without fear.

The Church has the truth of the Word of God. We are not to apologize for the truth but we are to speak it in love. Here is a newsflash for you - the world will hate you when you tell them the truth from the Word of God but we have no other option other than speaking the truth in love.

Fear is the opposite of faith and has no place in a believers life. This message is about speaking the Word blodly and without fear.

 

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As Christians we should all be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  Eager to do so. We should be seeking ways to be more eager to maintain and it should be something on our minds continually.  This is part of walking in a manner worthy ot the calling in which we have been called. Ephesian 4 starts out in first three verses like this:

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3, ESV)

 Let this become a cornerstone of our Christian lives as we live out the truth of our calling. Peter makes almost the same statement by telling us to ”make our calling and election sure” by practicing the following qualities: “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” (2 Peter 1:5-10, ESV)

 And as each has received a gift - use it to serve one another.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV)

 

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