Glorious Freedom with our "New" Master!

D. L. Moody gives us understanding of this by telling a story of a former slave woman in the South following the Civil War. She was confused about her status and asked: "Now is I free, or been I not? When I go to my old master he says I ain't free, and when I go to my own people they say I is, and I don't know whether I'm free or not. Some people told me that Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation, but master says he didn't; he didn't have any right to." As we seek to follow Christ, we find that we can be confused on the same point. Jesus Christ has given us an "Emancipation Proclamation," but our "old master" tells us we are still slaves to a legal relationship with God. We can live in bondage because our "old master" has deceived us.

Friends with God

Our Thursday night Bible Study is studying Romans.  To help comprehend some of the teachings in chapter 5, we are attempting to read 5:1-11 each day.
Somehow, our living God unfolds His Word to us when we spend time with Him; wanting to know Him more; listening for His heart to be revealed through His words to us.
By reading passages over and over we are often able to see things we may have missed earlier.  I also find that reading the Scriptures in various translations or paraphrases can add new dimensions to my understanding.
I haven't done my Bible Study "homework" as faithfully as I would have liked, so I might get the grade of a C, if I were evaluated.  Even so, it's been a good practice... very good.
This morning I was reading the verses in The New Living Translation and it hit me with a POW!
It is the most incredible, amazing thing to be made "right" in God's sight; to be made "right" before the Majestic, Almighty Creator of the Universe...The One who has the power and authority to destroy us.
It is beyond my human comprehension that He says we are His friends.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines friend:

a :  one attached to another by affection or esteem

b :  acquaintance

2

a :  one that is not hostile

b :  one that is of the same nation, party, or group

3

:  one that favors or promotes something (as a charity)

4

:  a favored companion

A relationship of friendship, with God, because of faith in what He has done through Jesus.
Yeah.  Amaaaazing!

Part of the "POW!" I received, came due to a vibrant connection between the words that I read and a song that my son had shared recently.  The song has managed to remain as background music in my brain for the past few days.
(Sometimes when I see music videos, the actions of the people involved distract me from the words.  Often I don't watch, but just listen and I "hear" better.  I wonder if you find that to be true as well?)
Here is the Scripture, followed by the song.  I hope you too, feel a POW!

Romans 5:1-11

New Living Translation (NLT)

Faith Brings Joy

5 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. 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.

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 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.

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 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. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 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. 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.
11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

January 14, 2014 Congregational Memory Verse

We've had a long and wonderful holiday break.  

We hope you're ready to join us and prayerfully 

press this word of His into your heart.   

We are excited to hear what God shows you through these 

amazing words of Life!

 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  Galations 5:1

Thanking God in Advance

Just what we were talking about in our Sunday Morning Women's Group....
How do we thank God for answered prayer before He answers us?
Here's an article I found on The Purpose Driven Life site.   More on this topic to come.

Thank God in Advance
May 26, , 2013 by Rick Warren

"The king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: 'Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!'" (2 Chronicles 20:21 NLT)

In 2 Chronicles 20:21, King Jehoshaphat had a very unusual way of organizing an army: "The king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: 'Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!'" (NLT)

Jehoshaphat’s battle plan was to put a choir before the infantry. Patton would have fainted! Picture this: On one side are the three enemy armies amassed to do battle against Israel. Then there’s the valley where they’re going to do battle. Then there are the lowly Israelites. Jehoshaphat says, “We’re going to take those who sing and make a choir out of you and put you in front of the army as you march into battle.”

There’s a very important truth here: The Israelites were thanking God in advance for the victory. Praise and thanksgiving are verbalized faith. If you thank God after the fact, that’s gratitude. If you thank God before it happens, that’s faith.

Notice the effect of praise in verses 22 and 23: “When they began to sing, the Lord threw the invading armies into a panic. The Ammonites and the Moabites attacked the Edomite army and completely destroyed it, and then they turned on each other in savage fighting" (GNT). God confused the enemy, and they turned on each other and destroyed themselves while the Israelites looked on. There is power in expectation.

You know that insurmountable problem in your life — the one with the odds stacked against you? When are you going to start thanking God for it? After it’s all solved? If so, that’s called gratitude. How about thanking God now, while you’re in the problem or see it coming at you? That is faith.

When you allow God to solve your problems, it becomes a testimony to unbelievers. The world takes notice when the Christian lives by faith. And, God loves to demonstrate his power in those who expect him to work in their lives.

Are you facing a difficult circumstance this week? Do you feel like the odds are against you? Do you think your problem is overwhelming? What do you do? You turn to God — Jehovah Nissi, the God who defends you.

For what do you need to thank God in advance today?
How can you show your unbelieving friends and family that you are trusting God to solve your problems? What does that kind of faith in you look like to other people?

Chapter 3, Humility, True Greatness

What does true greatness look like?

The sinful and cultural definition of greatness may look more like individuals motivated by,
*self-interest
*self-indulgence
*a false sense of self-sufficiency which pursues selfish ambitions for the purpose of self-glorification.

In Mark 10 we saw the apostles revealing their own attitudes of pridefulness as they argued about who was the greatest. But then we see Jesus taking the time to teach them a few things about greatness.

C.J. Mahaney comments on that teaching by Jesus,  "What I find fascinating and instructive in His next words is that Jesus does not categorically criticize or forbid the desire and ambition to be great.  Instead, He clearly redirects that ambition, redefines it and purifies it: 

"But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all, for even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  Mark 10:43-45

 Jesus radically redefined greatness. He explained it as the genuine expression of humility; Serving others for the glory of God.

Do you find a battle bubbling up in your heart as you consider going the way of Jesus versus the way of the world?
As He taught the apostles, He teaches you and me.

In Chapter 4 we will see how He makes it possible for us to pursue and find freedom from the pride that God opposes.

For now, let's consider our own motives and desires.
Let's notice humble, selfless deeds in ourselves and others.
Let's allow Jesus to reveal new things to us as we focus our eyes on the true greatness that is all around us. 


 

Chapter 2 Humility, True Greatness

Pride not only appears to be the earliest sin, but it is at the core of all sin.
There's something to think about....

C.J. Mahaney points out that there is nothing God hates more than pride, it is the most serious sin.

In Proverbs 16:5  it says that "Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.

Why does God hate pride so passionately?  The author says that pride is when sinful human beings aspire to the status and position of God and refuse to acknowledge their dependence upon Him.

Do we really do that?
We know that God is God and we are not, so do we really think we can go off on our own and live apart from Him and His ways?

Pride and arrogance share similarities. Of course we're not talking about the healthy pride that comes from doing a job well, but if we look at the definitions we see: 

Arrogance: an insulting way of thinking or behaving that comes from believing that you are better, smarter, or more important than other people

Pride: a feeling that you are more important or better than other people


Pride undermines unity and can ultimately divide a church. In this chapter we read, "Show me a church where there's division, where there's quarreling, and I'll show you a church where there's pride."

Is pride something we all struggle with?   Do we rationalize it?

Although the subject of pride is not a pleasant one, we have to see that as always, God is gracious and merciful to show us the dangers around us.  He teaches us His way,  the way of humility.

In our next chapter we will see how Jesus addresses selfish ambition and self-righteousness.

May we each trust Him as He shines the light of His love into our hearts.

Determine today, which things please the Lord.

As we learn to stick close to Jesus...abiding...remaining... allowing Him to make us fruitful, let's let go of the old ways so we can shine for Him

Ephesians 5  God's Word Translation

 Imitate God, 
since you are the children he loves.

  ² Live in love as Christ also loved us. He gave his life for us as an 

offering and sacrifice, 

a soothing aroma to God.

 

³ Don’t let sexual sin, perversion of any kind, or greed even be 
mentioned among you. 

This is not appropriate behavior for God’s holy people.

  ⁴ It’s not right that dirty stories, foolish talk, or obscene jokes should be mentioned 
among you either.

 Instead, give thanks to God.

  ⁵ You know very well that no person who is involved in sexual sin, perversion, or greed (which means worshiping wealth) can have any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 
  ⁶ Don’t let anyone deceive you with meaningless words.

 It is because of sins like these that God’s anger comes to those who 

refuse to obey him. 

  ⁷ Don’t be partners with them.

⁸ Once you lived in the dark, but now the Lord has filled you with light. Live as children who have light. 
  ⁹ Light produces everything that is good, that has God’s approval, 
and that is true.  

¹⁰ Determine which things please the Lord.

  ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the useless works that darkness produces. Instead, expose them for what they are. 

  ¹² It is shameful to talk about what some people do in secret.  

¹³ Light exposes the true character of everything 

  ¹⁴ because light makes everything easy to see. That’s why it says:

“Wake up, sleeper!
    Rise from the dead,
        and Christ will shine on you.”^[a]

¹⁵ So then, be very careful how you live. 

Don’t live like foolish people but like wise people. 

  ¹⁶ Make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days.
  ¹⁷ So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord wants. ^1
8 Don’t get drunk on wine, which leads to wild living. Instead, be filled with the Spirit^{[b] 19} by reciting psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs for your own good. Sing and make music to the Lord with your hearts.  

²⁰ Always thank God the Father for everything 

in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.