I'm kinda excited and kinda nervous as Dawn and I take three days this coming week to attend the New Start Assessement that our denomination is putting on here on our district. If you don't know what that is, it's an assessement process done by psychologists, counselors and a slew of others to help us determine whether or not Dawn and I should be pursuing the direction as church planters. It's a series of personality tests, psychological exams and different counseling and observation sessions for three full days. I'm excited about it as it has already been a learning experience for the two of us as we've filled out a ton of tests and questionairs already and learned/reaffirmed some stuff about us. I'm looking forward to finding out more about us and possibly helping us narrow down our direction and where God is leading us. I'm nervous for all the same reasons! I'm nervous that people are going to be evaluating us and, in essence, saying we should or shouldn't be church planters. On top of all that, I'm not real sure that I want to plant a church anyway. At least not in the traditonal sense. I don't see myself in that role. Anyway, as you think about us this coming week, please spend some time praying for us as we go through all of this.
As for how life is going right now it's good. Many of you have asked about how the real estate stuff is going for me, well, pretty good. I closed on my first home last month and am scheduled to close on 4 more this month and I have one scheduled for next already. Keep praying for us as we are still trying to get all of this under control and figure out exactly how to do all that God wants us to do.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Psychology exams, I think the psychologist may have to go to someone when he is through with you!!
I was also asked if I would be interested in a full-time position (CAREER)tonight. Yikes.
YOU will for sure be in my prayers this week!!!! Hey, I am pasting in an e-mail I sent out over the weekend. This is good food for thought before you start a new church plant and decide what kind of Christians you want to disciple when you start something...whether it be church plant ....or home study group ....or coffee shop group! It's long...but good! :?)
Well Lizzy,
It must be your pregnancy that caused you to decide to clean my kitchen last Thursday evening! Thanks so Much!
While Liz cleaned I sat and talked to her. One of the things we talked about was the fact that it is scarey to think that many in the church might be very surprised when they face judgement and discover they have missed heaven!!!!!!
In class yesterday my students were assigned busy work...so I got to sit and read! Liz, these are the words I read!
I have decided if I was going to type all this, then I had better share with more than one person, so the rest of the family is getting this as well!
The book is Driven By Eternity by Jonh Bevere and so far is outstanding. I have written a lot here...but obviously, a whole lot is missing!
“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, “Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” Matt. 7:21, NIV
If we would just listen to His statement without filtering it through years of unbalanced preaching, teaching, writing, and singing on the grace of God, we would see it contradicts our modern gospel. His words couldn’t be clearer-not everyone who has prayed the sinner’s prayer, confessing Him as their Lord, is going to heaven. And if they are not going to heaven, there is only one alternative…
Let’s rehearse a typical evangelistic service. The preacher preaches a “come to Jesus and get ‘blessings’” message. He tell how Jesus will give us joy, peace, prosperity, happiness, health, heaven, and so forth. Don’t get me wrong. It’s God’s desire to bless us, but Jesus never used the blessing to entice people to follow Him. Then after the forty-five-minute-or-so sales pitch, he then asks the audience to bow their heads and asks if they were to die tonight would they go to heaven? He even encourages everyone to look to the person to their left and right and ask the same question in order to help recruit them. “If they can’t say yes,” he says next, “take them by the hand and bring them forward.”
As the candidates come forward, songs are sung, such as “Just as I Am.” In other variations, the audience just claps and smiles with the instruments playing a jubilant tune for their march forward.
Once all are up front, the minister asks them to bow their heads and repeat a common prayer such as, “Father, I confess I am a sinner, forgive me of my sin. This day I ask Jesus into my life as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for making me Your child. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
The audience cheers, the music plays, and the new “converts” go back to their seats, “just as the were.” Except now they are deceived. Nothing has been said concerning repentance from disobedient lifestyles, denying their own desires in order to embrace the will of God, and losing their lives for the cause of Christ. They’ve confessed Jesus as their “Lord,” bur there’s been no heart change. Jesus is now just a part of their lives. Well let me inform you, the King of kings and Lord of lords doesn’t come into anyone’s life as second, or even first, among rival lovers. He only comes in as our complete and total King with no person, thing, or activity vying for His place in our hearts. He must be Lord, which means Supreme Master and Owner; meaning we don’t own our lives any longer. Think of it, would you marry someone who informed you that they would be loyal to you along with their other lovers but that you would be first? How much more the King of the universe ? Will He accept a bride who says, “You are first of all my other lovers?” There is no covenant relationship, no joining together as one. What deception!
These “new converts” have not allowed the Cross to slay their self-seeking life and make room for the new nature of Jesus to be formed within. They’ve just been sold on a better life here and the promise of heaven. It’s interesting, in many countries of the world where Christians are persecuted, they come to Jesus knowing they are losing their lives. Today in Western societies we come to Jesus for a better life and Heaven. But we must lose our lives as well.
Today, many typical Evangelicals in our society live in deception as a result of the type of gospel we’ve preached. New converts may be energized by their newfound “faith,” participate in Christian activities, attend church, even get involved in an outreach because it is all fresh and exciting. It’s like being in a new club, trying at a new sport, attending a new school, or working a new job. There’s freshness about it, but they have not done what Jesus commanded all true followers to do , which is to count the cost of following Him and then make the permanent decision to pay the prices of their lives given to His service (see Luke 14:27-33)
If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself(forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interest) and take up his cross, and (joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party) follow with Me (continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me).
*****************************************
They’ll sincerely believe He is their Savior, but they’ll affiliate with Him for the mere fact of what can He do for them, rather than who He is.
**********************************************
…but evil people and impostors will flourish. They will go on deceiving others, and they themselves will be deceived. 2 Timothy 3:13
Now we all know to stay clear from an evil person; however, it’s impostors, those who assume an outward identity that does not match their true nature, who are the most dangerous. They are the ones who profess and have a form of Christianity, but there is no evidence of the life changing power of grace. Notice Paul says that they will not only deceive others, but they themselves will be deceived.
******************************************
For some godless people have slipped in unnoticed among us, persons who distort the message about the grace of our God in order to excuse their immoral ways, and who reject Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord. Long ago the Scriptures predicted the condemnation they have received. Jude 4
The war is against the influences created by people who have perverted the grace of God in order to excuse their ungodly lifestyles. These assaults are more deadly than all-out persecution against the church. They’re more dangerous than laws against biblical principles such as abortion and the requirement for schools to teach evolution. They’re a stronger influence than any cult or false religion. They’re eternally fatal!
************
We’ve taught grace as God’s blanket of protection for disobedient lifestyles. You can hear this mindset often by many in the church with common statements such as, “I know I’m not living the way I should, but thank God for His grace.” This is serious deception. Scripture doesn’t teach grace as the big Band-Aid, but rather: God’s empowering presence within to do what truth demands of us.
********************
Grace and peace by yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 2 Peter 1:2-4
Notice we’ve been given grace through the knowledge of Jesus Christ and that grace is His divine power that gives us everything we need to live in a godly manner, and that godly lifestyle is according to His divine nature. Thus we have been redeemed from the corruption that entered the world through Adam and that corruption has been multiplied by the desires in men contrary to God. Don’t let anyone, whether by word or action, discourage you from living in the divine nature imparted into your being. Paul clearly states:
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. These , then are the things you should teach. Titus 2:11-15
The grace of God teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly passions and to live a self-controlled, upright, and godly life. Teachers instruct and empower us, and that is exactly what God’s grace does in our lives. Notice we are to teach these things. In fact Paul goes on to say, “This is a faithful saying and the things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8)
We are to maintain good works by the power of God’s grace in our lives. We didn’t have grace before we were saved, nor did the Old Testament saints; this is God’s gift to us through Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus tells us that in the Old Testament times you were considered a murderer, in danger of hell, if you took someone’s physical life. However, under grace, all you have to do is call your brother a fool, be prejudiced, refuse to forgive, or harbor any other form of hatred to be in danger of hellfire (see Matt.5:21-22). Why? We have the power now to live according to God’s nature through the power of grace.
And??????????
Oh, I forgot I had that long posting there! My and question mark is to your posting....not mine! How did your week go?
Post a Comment