THE BEAUTIFUL DEATH OF THE AMERICAN GOSPELS

I remember Juan.

He was a retired Puerto Rican doctor in his seventies who spent his retirement pouring out his life for the gospel and people in the slums of Caguas. His mission house fed the poor a warm lunch everyday and provided free healthcare to the community. He worked like a young man in his prime when he wielded a machete to clear the land for a new mission down the road. He greeted virtual strangers with a smile, a hug, and maybe even a kiss on the cheek.

When asked how much money he needed for repairs on the mission house, Juan beseeched our group,

“You Americans always send money and think that is the cure. We don’t need money, we need missionaries!”

The Gospel Of American Nationalism

I remember Peter.

He was a middle aged Romanian man who served the youth in one of the few Protestant churches in Timişoara. We stood on a Romanian hillside overlooking the retreat building our group was staying at for the week. Peter beamed with pride as he testified about the building: twenty years ago this was a Communist schoolhouse built to indoctrinate children in name of Marxism. Now it is a Christian camp center dedicated to love children in the name of Jesus Christ.

At the end of our last service at the camp, our American group decided to wash the feet of the Romanian children and adult workers (John 13). One woman, a kitchen helper and parent of a youth, wept uncontrollably as she had her feet washed. When asked what she was so moved by, she said:

“You being Americans, wash our feet!”

I was touched.

And part of me grieved.

Why would Americans be on an undeserving pedestal in this woman’s mind?

I wondered what influence the “American” gospel had on her. Even third world countries are reached by the satellite tentacles of TBN, Daystar, 700 Club, etc. How is a malnourished Indian kid who eats dirt brownies supposed to process a purple haired lady sitting on a golden throne asking for money?

How is a poor Haitian boy who witnessed his parents die after a sudden earthquake supposed to process a rich old white man who says God judged his nation because of its religious history?

Was it even the prosperity gospel the Romanian lady heard?

Or was it the gospel of American pride/nationalism even some of my Baptist brethren preached?

Our American heritage said we were a city set on hill, their heritage said they were a Slumdog languishing in the valley.

What The True Gospel Says

What she needed to hear was this: She was a precious child of God, a beloved bride, a chosen saint in a Kingdom without end. Everyone in that room was on equal footing; we were all crippled by our sin until God stooped down to us in Christ and lifted us up.

We weren’t Romanian brethren and American brethren. We were brothers and sisters, period. Blood bought adopted kids with the same Father. We were joined with an unbreakable bond that transcended culture or language.

Though our pasts are diversified, our future will be unified in one glorious end. This will be the utter death of all our pet gospels:

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9)

Amen.

Bryan Daniels

http://chiefofleast.com/2013/01/18/the-beautiful-death-of-american-gospels/

THE WOMAN, THE DRAGON, AND THE CHILD

Brian Hedges

Another Christmas season has come and gone. The last remaining decorations have been packed away for next year. Many people heard the wonderful story of Christ’s incarnation, and some understood it for the very first time. But the version of the Christmas story that most haven’t heard, the one that even many Christians don’t seem to understand is the one found in Revelation 12.
It is this account that guards Matthew’s and Luke’s from the dangers of sentimentality. It keeps our vision of the incarnation from getting dislodged from the broader drama of redemption. And it reminds us that Christ’s Advent to earth was nothing less than a strategic, decisive military move in the raging cosmic battle between darkness and light. This is the full-orbed Christmas story that we need reminding of all year round.
Let’s look at this passage, think about the cast of characters, and then ponder three important lessons for today.
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (Revelation 12:1-17)
There are three main characters in this passage: the woman, the dragon, and the child.
Another Christmas season has come and gone. The last remaining decorations have been packed away for next year. Many people heard the wonderful story of Christ’s incarnation, and some understood it for the very first time. But the version of the Christmas story that most haven’t heard, the one that even many Christians don’t seem to understand is the one found in Revelation 12.
It is this account that guards Matthew’s and Luke’s from the dangers of sentimentality. It keeps our vision of the incarnation from getting dislodged from the broader drama of redemption. And it reminds us that Christ’s Advent to earth was nothing less than a strategic, decisive military move in the raging cosmic battle between darkness and light. This is the full-orbed Christmas story that we need reminding of all year round.
Let’s look at this passage, think about the cast of characters, and then ponder three important lessons for today.
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.
7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (Revelation 12:1-17)
There are three main characters in this passage: the woman, the dragon, and the child.
The woman (described in vv. 1-2) is clothed with the sun, with the moon is beneath her feet, and seven stars crowning her head. Who is she? Probably not Mary, but Israel. Verse 2 has clear echoes of Genesis 37, the passage about Joseph’s dream where the twelve stars represented the twelve sons of Jacob. John seems to be identifying this woman with Israel, God’s covenant people. The woman’s pregnancy and agonizing birth pangs point to the sufferings of God’s people as they awaited the Messiah, but also deeply resonated with the suffering saints who originally read Revelation.
Verse 3 introduces another character, a “great red dragon” possessed of both worldly power (all those heads and crowns!) and deep, unrelenting hatred and hostility towards the woman and her child. If it wasn’t already clear, verse 9 removes all doubt: the dragon is “the ancient serpent” the devil himself, “Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” This not only identifies him with the serpent in Genesis 3, but also shows his antagonism towards God’s people, and especially towards the child of the woman, whom he seeks to devour.
And who might this child be? Read verse 5 again:“She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne.” This, of course, is Jesus the Messiah.
So what’s going on here? This passage uses heavily symbolic language to describe Satan’s attempts to destroy the Christ. Remember the massacre in Bethlehem? Remember the forty days in the wilderness? Remember the crucifixion?
But John is sounding another note as well. He says that this child rules the nations with a rod of iron (quoting Psalm 2) and is snatched up to God and his throne. Far from being destroyed by the dragon, this child shares the throne of God! This child is none other than Jesus the Christ (v. 10), the crucified Lamb (v. 11), the resurrected, exalted, and enthroned King.
But what does it all mean? Revelation is notoriously difficult to understand – so weird, in fact, that most of us just avoid it altogether. And yet, it is still God’s word for the church. And though interpreters may disagree on some of the details, the main point is clear and contains three very important lessons for us.
1. First, this passage points us to the defeat of evil in the incarnation, suffering, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Though the passage begins with a war in heaven (v. 4a, expanded in vv. 7-9), the dragon is defeated and thrown down! The details of the passage hint first at the primordial defeat of Satan, when he was first thrown out of heaven (vv. 7-9). Then verses 10-11 proclaim his decisive defeat, as a loud voice proclaims:
Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
Satan is conquered, vanquished, defeated! How? By the blood of the Lamb! This points us to the cross. That’s where the decisive victory was won, and because Christ conquered Satan there, the “devil knows his time is short” (v. 12). He’s like a feisty snake pinned to the ground by a huge boulder, waiting for the sharp blade of a hoe to finally take his head off once and for all. Yes, his bite is still poisonous – but his power is limited and will soon come to an end.
And that means that evil can be defeated right here and right now, in your heart and mine, today. Wesley understood this well, writing,
Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
2. This passage also shows us how God preserves the church through suffering. This story, written to the suffering church (remember, Christians were still being fed to the lions in those days), is all about the suffering church at the hands of Satan. In keeping with his war against heaven, and his hostility towards Jesus at his birth, Satan is depicted as the serpentine dragon who continues to pursue and persecute the people of God. You can see this as he chases her into the wilderness in verse 14, tries to carry her away with a flood in verse 15, and unleashes his fury against the woman and her offspring in verse 17.
But through it all, God preserves his people! Though the woman is chased into the wilderness, God has prepared a place for her and she is actually “nourished.” He gives her “eagle’s wings,” almost definitely a reference to the original exodus, when God rescued his suffering people from Egypt (see Ex. 19:4; Deut. 32:11).
But God not only rescues and nourishes his people; he also puts a limit on their suffering, which is probably the point of the 1,260 days. I know some think this is a literal 3 ½ years of tribulation. Maybe, maybe not. But either way, don’t let that distract you from the main point. This number, whatever else it may mean, shows us that the suffering of the church is temporary, short, and limited.
3. Finally, this passage shows us how to communicate the gospel to our world. I don’t mean that we need to speak about a red dragon and a conquering child (though, that’s not a bad idea!). So, what do I mean?
Well, biblical scholars point out that John was using symbolism and imagery that was very well known in the ancient world. People were very familiar with pagan stories about the conflict between a dragon and a child. What seems strange to us was as embedded in their cultural folklore as the stories of Jack and the Beanstalk or Tolkien’s Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are in ours. But John was investing this mythology with new meaning and significance.[1]
This is what C. S. Lewis meant when he talked about myth becoming fact. This is part of our job. We’ve got to learn how to take the mythologies and stories of our culture and show people that it is only in Jesus that we see the ultimate fulfillment of the deep hopes and yearnings that lurk beneath our greatest myths and stories.  Wesley, once again, got it right in one of his Advent hymns:
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

---

[1] Grant Osborne says, “The purpose of this is evangelistic, to say that what the Greeks have known only as myth has now been actualized in history…What the pagans longed for in their myths has now become true in Jesus. Therefore, the form is both deliberate and brilliant, using what in our time has been called a ‘redemptive analogy’ to present the gospel in such a way as the capture the interest and hearts of the non-Christian reader.” Grant Osborne, Revelation: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2002) p. 454.
Brian G. Hedges is the lead pastor for Fulkerson Park Baptist Church in Niles, Michigan. Brian has been married to Holly since 1996 and they have four children. He is the author of Christ Formed in You: The Power of the Gospel for Personal Change (Shepherd Press, 2010). And Licensed to Kill: A Field Manual for Mortifying Sin (Cruciform Press, 2011).
Brian blogs at Light and Heat. Follow him on Twitter @brianghedges
http://www.christianity.com/god/jesus-christ/the-woman-the-dragon-and-the-child.html

THE GIBEONITES - A STORY OF SURVIVAL

When you say the word “survivor” in 2013, one might think that you were talking about the famous reality T.V. show of the last decade. Today we are going to discuss survivors, but of a different sort; instead we will examine the reaction of four cities of the Hivite nation – הַחִוִּי- to the occupation of the Promised Land by the Israelites with the help of their God, who promised the land in Genesis 15:18-21 to Abram and his descendants.

Had I been around in that age and heard about God’s promise, I surmise that I might have done two different things: either I would have fought against this enemy, as we can see in Joshua 9:1-2, or I would have tried my best to simply survive this frightening people. One my instructors at the Hebrew University taught me that the Gibeonites-הגבעוניםmight have known the law in Deuteronomy, which says that you are from one the seven nations of the land of Canaan, there’s no chance for survival, as written:

“Only in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes. But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and theJebusite, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 20:16-18)

“They also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended, and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled”(Joshua 9:4-5)

It is noteworthy that their deception went further than just disguising their clothes, bread and wine. They called themselves the servants- עבדים- who heard about the mightyGod and just wanted a covenant of peace, as their elders (and not their Kings!) offered them. They used the terminology of the Israelites; they spoke firstly with the people and then with Joshua – these are the qualities of good survivors. It’s not surprising then that in the next chapter, the Israelites defended the Gibeonites when the sun was in Gibeon and the moon was in the Ayalon valley. Gibeon was also the place where Solomon had a revelation from God in a dream. As a result of this dream, he received the wisdom that was later, famously, asked of him.(See 1 Kings 3: 5-14- was Gibeon the place of Wisdom?)

I am not sure if they knew the Biblical law or not. In my eyes, they were simply wise enough to figure out that in order to survive you may have to put aside your ideals, lest they get you killed. Instead, you must be realistic in order to survive, no matter what the consequences.  Another possible answer is that theGibeonites had planned to fight the Israelites all along, so by putting aside their customs, they attempted to deceive the Israelites. Let’s see what they did in order to change their reality:

“…And the LORD said, “It is for Saul and his bloody house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.”So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the sons of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the sons of Israel made a covenant with them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the sons of Israel and Judah”(2 Samuel 21:1-2)

This passage teaches us not only about the tragic character of Saul, but also about the position of those who were considered to be just hewers of wood and drawers of water. One of our February Webinars will discuss this chapter in further depth, so stay tuned! For me, the Gibeonites were the first survivors of the Biblical age – do you agree?

If you missed the webinar about them- just press here- and enjoy the story about them

About the Author eTeacherBiblical.com

WHAT IS GRACE

Justin Holcomb

“The very center and core of the whole Bible is the doctrine of the grace of God.” 
–J. Gresham Machen
“Grace” is the most important concept in the Bible, Christianity, and the world. It is most clearly expressed in the promises of God revealed in Scripture and embodied in Jesus Christ.
Grace is the love of God shown to the unlovely; the peace of God given to the restless; the unmerited favor of God.
What are some ways people have defined grace?
“Grace is free sovereign favor to the ill-deserving.”(B.B. Warfield)
“Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues.”(John Stott)
“[Grace] is God reaching downward to people who are in rebellion against Him.”(Jerry Bridges)
“Grace is unconditional love toward a person who does not deserve it.” (Paul Zahl)
Grace is most needed and best understood in the midst of sin, suffering, and brokenness. We live in a world of earning, deserving, and merit, and these result in judgment. That is why everyone wants and needs grace. Judgment kills. Only grace makes alive.
A shorthand for grace is “mercy, not merit.” Grace is the opposite of karma, which is all about getting what you deserve. Grace is getting what you don’t deserve, and not getting what you do deserve. Christianity teaches that what we deserve is death with no hope of resurrection.
While everyone desperately needs it, grace is not about us. Grace is fundamentally a word about God: his un-coerced initiative and pervasive, extravagant demonstrations of care and favor. Michael Horton writes, “In grace, God gives nothing less than Himself. Grace, then, is not a third thing or substance mediating between God and sinners, but is Jesus Christ in redeeming action.”
Christians live every day by the grace of God. We receive forgiveness according to the riches of God’s grace, and grace drives our sanctification. Paul tells us, “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives” (Titus 2:11–12). Spiritual growth doesn’t happen overnight; we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). Grace transforms our desires, motivations, and behavior.
In fact, God’s grace grounds and empowers everything in the Christian life.
Grace is the basis for:
·         Our Christian identity: “By the grace of God I am what I am.” (1 Cor. 15:10)
Our standing before God: “this grace in which we stand.” (Rom. 5:2)
·         Our behavior: “We behaved in the world … by the grace of God.” (2 Cor. 1:12)
·         Our living: those who receive “the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ,”(Rom. 5:17) by the “grace of life.” (1 Pet. 3:7)
·         Our holiness: God“called us to a holy calling … because of his own purpose and grace.” (2 Tim. 1:9)
·         Our strength for living: “Be strengthened by the grace that is in Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:1) for “it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace.” (Heb. 13:9)
·         Our way of speaking: “Let your speech always be gracious.” (Col. 4:6)
·         Our serving: “serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.” (1 Pet. 4:10)
·         Our sufficiency: “My grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Cor. 12:9) “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8)
·         Our response to difficulty and suffering: We get “grace to help in time of need,” (Heb. 4:16) and when “you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace...will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Pet. 5:10)
·         Our participation in God’s mission: As recipients of grace we are privileged to serve as agents of grace. Believers receive grace (Acts 11:23), are encouraged to continue in grace (Acts 13:43), and are called to testify to the grace of God (Acts 20:24). Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21). God’s mission is to the entire world.
·         Our future: God, and his grace, is everlasting. “Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 1:13)
·         Our hope beyond death: “grace [reigns] through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 5:21)
The gospel is all about God’s grace through Jesus Christ. That’s why Paul calls it “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24) and “the word of his grace” (Acts 14:3).
The gospel of the grace of God is the message everyone needs. The word of grace is proclaimed from every page of the Bible and ultimately revealed in Jesus Christ. The last verse of the Bible summarizes the message from Genesis to Revelation: “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all” (Rev. 22:21). Through Jesus “we have all received grace upon grace” (John 1:16)—the gratuitous and undomesticated grace of God.
Justin Holcomb is Theologian in Residence at Mars Hill Church, where he also serves as Executive Director of Resurgenceand the Leadership Development department. He is also Adjunct Professor of Theology and Philosophy at Reformed Theological Seminary.
Justin wrote On the Grace of God. He and his wife, Lindsey, are the authors of Rid of My Disgrace: Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault. He is also the editor of Christian Theologies of Scripture. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, and JustinHolcomb.com.  
http://www.christianity.com/theology/what-is-grace.html?p=0

FREE FROM THE ENSLAVING POWER OF SIN

vine and branch world ministries.com

Taking the World one soul at a time

FREE FROM THE ENSLAVING POWER OF SIN

FREE FROM THE ENSLAVING POWER OF SIN
WRITTEN BY SHIRLEY RHODES

The Saving Powers of the Cross (Photo by Pastor Davis)

The gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who are faithful.  God loved us so that he sent hisSon to break the Enslaving Power of Sin on our lives through his redemptive death on the cross. Though we humans are weak and unworthy God showed his love for us in that while we were yetsinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). The fact is that no human being can break the power of sin and stand righteous before a living God. God in his grace choose to reign over those guilty who surrender, and put their trust in him, through Jesus we become innocent, children of the King, the power of sin and death is broken.
The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus fills our hearts with hope, love, joy and peace. When we face the

Forgiven | Redeemed | Restored | Reborn | & Set Free (Photo credit: ashley.adcox)

Powers of Darkness we are encouraged to stand firm infaith, the Enslaving Power of Sin has already been taken care of.  If God is for us, who is against us? In all creation nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:39).
As Jesus prayed for his followers his main concern was that they follow the pattern and to genuinely show love and concern for one another.  He knew that they would face stiff opposition because he himself had. Even so, he didn’t live according to the world standards or his chosen followers; he prayed that God would guard them from the Evil One because he knew the competition for their souls would be fierce.
The ultimate goal was and is for all to become one heart and mind in Christ so that the world might  desire to know him and his teachings, to  encourage others by making known to them Gods’ word, that through Jesus Christ the Enslaving Power of Sin has already been taken care of.

Jesus was faithful to the end (Photo by Pastor Davis)
So, take a good hard look at Christ Jesus, the centerpiece of everything we believe,faithful in all God gave him to do. The Holy Spirit prompts us to listen and watch our step, make sure we remain faithful so that we are not easily sidetracked by the Evil One.  For as long as it’s still God’s today, stay alert and keep a grip on the sure thing, Jesus, because we are in the race committed to the call, reminded that the Enslaving Power of Sin has already been taken care of and that we are free in Christ Jesus.
Now that we know what we have–Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God–let us not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest that is out of touch with reality. He has been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but sin; so let’s walk right up to him and get what he is ready to give. Take the mercy, and accept the help (Hebrews 4:14-16, MGS).
The Enslaving Power of Sin conquered once and for all to those whose desire is to know who the Savior really is and one’s purpose in life. Let us live life with an attitude of praise, prayer and thanksgiving, a life in which we are able to share love, joy and peace with genuine concern for one another.
Today, I leave you with my peace, that God will bless your life abundantly and provide you with the desires of your heart.  Now live in expectances of the moment, for God is watching over your life and has provided you with unknown powers to grow in His grace and move higher in the providence of this life.
http://vineandbranchworldministries.com/2013/01/22/free-from-the-enslaving-power-of-sin/
 01/22/2013  PASTOR DAVIS/MASTER TEACHER

EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN(S) AND SO DOES EVERY CHRISTIAN

What is the first thing you see when you glance at a magnificent rose?

For the vast majority they would answer the top portion (artistry of the petals). Seemingly following would be the vibrant color and fragrance.

However, the stem along with protruding thorns most often are the least of what the mind’s eye capture.
After all, thorns hurt if we are pricked by one and what’s the big deal about the stem?

Each part of the rose has its own function. Thorns on a rose bush form early before the young bud appears. This happens because buds and young roses might be eaten away by animals before the flowers get a chance to spread their pollen with the help of insects. Wild roses are said to have longer dense protruding thorns.

Of course, one may wonder where I’m going with this? The Lord shared with me insight so I wanted to share with all of you to be encouraged!

The majority of people upon receiving Salvation have hard stems. We all sin and sin left unchecked or (un-repentant) will harden as well as the hardness of life circumstances.

Everyone has thorns but some have more than others. God uses the harshness of life circumstances as a way of growing a depth of character. The hardness can be a tool in God’s Hands. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart on purpose to accomplish His Greater Purposes for the children of Israel.

Exodus 9:12 And the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

In 2nd Corinthians 12 It tells us about Paul’s “Thorn” in the flesh.

Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!

A messenger of Satan would also mean a demon was sent to torment Paul to keep Paul from exalting himself. It was sent to keep Paul humble.

Again some individuals have more thorns then others for reasons only known to God. Except through revelation from Almighty God could we have understanding as to why God allows thorns to remain. Paul’s thorn was placed there to protect him from greater harm.

As a result, a magnificent rose erupted! What a profound ministry unfolded and God’s Power flooded through Paul into the lives of so many even today!

Don’t be discouraged because you feel as though your stem is too hard or your thorns are many, instead think of it as the seeds of greatness that God will grow as you allow Him to grow you.

If you will allow Him to work in your life, He will bloom you into a magnificent rose with a fragrance that reaches the Heavens. Of course it will be in His Timing.

This process is often painful and the mistake we as individuals often make is viewing others by their stems and thorns….before we see a bud or one in full bloom.

Each one of God’s children are in a different stage of development. Some are seeds, others are just a hard stem with thorns, some have tiny buds, and of course there are some that have a full bloom.

Do not despise small beginnings. Do not despise those with a stem full of thorns, because many of the great men and women of God had a rose full of thorns.

Tina Bradley

Read more: http://www.bible-knowledge.com/every-rose-has-its-thorn/#ixzz2IwEYn3dA

Bible Knowledge Ministries 1734 Clarkson Rd Suite 345 Chesterfield MO 63017

COME LET US REASON TOGETHER

LET US REASON TOGETHER

WRITTEN BY SHIRLEY RHODES

The Lord says, “Come Let Us Reason Together, clean yourself up, put away evil ways before my eyes;  learn to do well; seek judgment; deal righteously with the oppressed, plead for the widow.  If you are willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the land; if you refuse and rebel you shall be destroyed” (Isaiah 1: 16-19). Hallelujah! Praise God!

FROM HIGH IN THE SKY GOD WATCHES EVERYTHING WE DO (PHOTO BY PASTOR DAVIS)

Now let us reason together: God commanded and breathed the Word into existence, he spoke and there it was, all creatures bow before him in reverence. God’s plan for the world stands up and his design will last forever, blessed are the people he’s put in his will.  From high in the skies God looks around, from where he sits he overlooks all on earth, watches everything we do. His eye is on those who respect him and are looking for his love; our hearts fills with joy when we take him for our own, his Holyname.

He calls us to come as we are, “Let Us Reason Together; if your sins are blood red, they’ll be white as snow. If they are red like crimson, they’ll be like wool” (Isaiah 1: 18).

We are by no means free of the elements of this world; pain, suffering, heartache, doubt, trials, the list is endless it seems. Hardships are how we come to know the true meaning of who Jesus is and how we must depend on him in all we do; he is not a separate part of our lives so that we think we only need to call on him in time of trouble. To know Christ is to know suffering, because if we do not face struggles we really have no need to seek him for directions in the many choices and chances life brings into our space.

THE LIGHT AND BRIGHTNESS OF THE SUN BEACONS A NEW DAY (PHOTO BY PASTOR DAVIS)

Each day is a fresh start, a new beginning so why not make it a habit by starting our day with prayer, a clean slate, fresh as we surrender all and place them on the morning alter. The light, dawn, and brightness of the sun beckons a new day so that we are able to stay in the flow of life and embrace  freedom, the release of knowing who is in control of every breath, every second, every moment and every hour. The Lord says, “Let us Reason Together“. He is the joy and strength of our lives!

Problems with humanity goes back a long way, from the beginning God extended the invitation to his chosen peoples, “Let us Reason Together“ ; they had everything going for them—family, glory, covenants, revelations, worship, promises, even the race that produced the Messiah( Christ),  who is God over everything. Today God’s word stands because he never changes, we do by the way we reverence and approach how and when he bestows his blessings upon each of us at all times. Consider the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the peace and love he instills in our hearts when we are open and obedient allowing free flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

God says, “Come Let Us Reason Together,” reading and talking about what God is doing we miss the

GOD PLACES A HUGE STONE ON THE ROAD TO MOUNT ZION (PHOTO BY PASTOR DAVIS)

meaning behind his purpose. We may ask, how could we miss it? We miss it because instead of putting our trust in God, we try to do everything on our own, we become absorbed in self, all the while God is right there but we don’t notice. When we choose to ignore the power source we often become our own stumbling block. God is like a large rock in front of us, waiting  to assist us in our journey,  turning deaf ear causes us to stumble into him many times until we finally get the picture that he is there and ready to show us how to embrace this life in obedience.

Isaiah gives us a metaphor for pulling this together: Careful! I’ve put a huge stone on the road to Mount Zion; a stone you can’t get around, the stone is me! If you’re looking for me, you’ll find me on the way, not in the way (Romans 9:33 MGS).

So, let us be mindful in those things we seek to do, in our approach and attitude towards a God who graciously extends an invitation, “Come Let Us Reason Together” allowing him the opportunity to mold and shape our lives in holiness.

 PASTOR DAVIS/MASTER TEACHER

http://vineandbranchworldministries.com/2013/01/18/let-us-reason-together/

THE CHURCH NEEDS SHEPHERDS, NOT COACHES

Paul Lamey

It took me a moment to realize that he was a pastor and not a coach for a sports team or some sort of motivational speaker/CEO type. I met Bill at a conference for pastors. He explained that he was a coach for his clients, seeking to guide them through their story. I probably had the confused dog look on my face, like when you ask your dog a question and he just cocks his head and advances a blank stare. I thought we were at a pastor’s conference and now this guy with a client base is waxing on about directing people in some vague story. I finally figured out that “coach” was his way of saying pastor and that the “story” he was directing was somehow a metaphor for life. Confusing? What about his “clients”? Those, he explained, are the members of the congregation.
Some pastors unwittingly eschew solid and timeless biblical terminology in favor of denuded jargon that can essentially mean anything or worse, nothing at all. I think even Fletch was on to something when he was asked, “What do you do for a living?” and he replied, “I’m a shepherd.” The Bible says that church leaders are shepherds (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet 5:1–2; cf. John 21:16).[1] This not only describes what leaders are, it encapsulates their primary function amidst the church. More than merely being called pastors, church leaders are told to pastor/shepherd. In other words, pastor is not so much a designation as much as it is a job description that entails shepherding. The church needs shepherds not coaches.
Shepherds are still sheep
The dominant image-metaphor for leadership in Scripture is that of a shepherd. God often reveals Himself as a shepherd to His people (Gen 48:15; Num 27:15–20; Pss 23; 77:20; Mark 6:34). In many ways this reflects the character of God. He guides, leads, nourishes, protects, and cares for His fold as a shepherd does his sheep. Therefore, shepherds in the church must remember that they are under-shepherds to the flock under the supreme headship of the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet 5:4). The implications for this are significant. There is no room for brash leadership, harsh instruction, or manipulation. Leaders must also subject themselves to their own instructions and teaching. In so doing, shepherds must constantly point the flock to Christ, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). Additionally, congregations must care for their shepherd-pastors as one of their own. A church that has a mutual affection for her leaders is a blessed union.
It must also be remembered that shepherds are part of the fold and not above it. In Acts 20:28, Paul tells the Ephesian elders that they are among the sheep. In 1 Peter 5:2, he reminds the elders of the church that they live in the midst of the flock (i.e., “among you”). Shepherd-elders and the sheep are to have a mutual accountability with one another (1 Thess 5:12; 1 Tim 5:20; Heb 13:17). So leaders are shepherds yet they are also sheep. The greatest example of this tension is exemplified in Christ who was at the same time the Chief Shepherd yet also the spotless Lamb who laid down his life for the sheep (Rev 7:13–17; 14:1–5). While a coach sits on the sideline and offers direction, a shepherd stands in the midst of the action and is part of the action himself. Shepherds should always smell like sheep
Shepherds know the sheep
A true shepherd knows the sheep that have been allotted to his charge. The Bible does not make room for leaders that are aloof, unengaged, and arrogantly unsympathetic to the lives of the sheep. Paul says that his ministry to the Ephesian church was “with all humility and with tears and with trials” (Acts 20:19). This humility, for Paul, was a pastoral strength that had been sheathed in the scabbard of meekness. His ministry of tears was one that experienced anguish and suffering but also rich joys in the life of the people. It takes time, patience, and faithful service for a shepherd to grow in his knowledge of the sheep. This happens more effectively in ministries where the pastors settle in for the long haul rather than looking to climb some mythical ministerial ladder.
This also bodes well for the sheep. Church members need to know their leaders. Serve the flock, encourage your pastors, follow their godly wisdom, and seek to build-up the church rather than work against it. Christians who isolate themselves are endangering their own spiritual growth by avoiding biblical accountability or counsel. The spiritual nomad or the isolated maverick is one that runs against the grain of God’s design for His church. Shepherds and sheep alike need a vital connection to the local church. This is the context for ministry in the household of faith (Gal 6:10).
Shepherds feed, lead, and protect the sheep
Feeding with the balanced diet of the Word of God is a central function of the church’s shepherds (1 Tim 3:2; Tit 1:9; 1 Thess 2:13). In Paul’s final words to the Ephesian elders he commended them “to the word of His grace” (Acts 20:32) which would build-up the church in his absence. A church that does not feed on the Word of God cannot expect to grow in maturity and faith. The regular feeding of the sheep protects from imbalances and passing fads. Those who teach must also come under the weight of their own messages (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim 4:6).
The ministry of the Word is what sets the direction for the leadership, and at the same time it protects the flock from dangers facing the church (e.g., Acts 20:29–30). The sheep are protected through the constant refining of their spiritual growth as they are nourished on truth. So when the congregation faces difficulties and trials, their faith is made more resilient through scriptural refinement. The theologian of Americana, Johnny Cash, once sang, “steel is strong because it knows the hammer and heat.” In much the same way, the sheep are strong who know the Word through the hammer and heat.
A Final Word to Sheep
Don’t expect your shepherds to be wise in the world. Don’t expect them to be supermen, popular, or hip to the latest trends. However, do expect them to know, lead, feed, and protect the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Encourage them to demonstrate spiritual fortitude. Rejoice when they unfold the Scriptures without shrinking back. Be thankful when they love the body of Christ through selfless sacrifice. Let your heart rejoice when they eschew worldly affirmation for the pleasure of God. Take comfort that when you walk through the valley of death’s shadow, they will be there with you. Finally remember that such a ministry is a snapshot of Jesus who is not a coach or a CEO but is at this very moment our Chief Shepherd.
Dr. Paul Lamey is Pastor of Preaching at Grace Community Church, Huntsville, Alabama. He and his wife, Julie, have four children. You can read more from Paul at his blog, Expository Thoughts and follow him on Twitter@PaulSLamey.
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[1]Two excellent resources for further study: Timothy Z. Witmer, The Shepherd Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in Your Church (Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2010); Timothy S. Laniak,Shepherds After My Own Heart (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006).
http://www.christianity.com/church/pastors/the-church-needs-shepherds-not-coaches.html?p=2

GROWTH THROUGH FEAR

Years ago, I forgot my baby’s diaper bag on a park bench in Jerusalem. By the time I remembered it and rushed back to the park, there was a policeman clearing the area and shouting over and over again: “Shel mi hatik hazeh? Af echad?”(“To whom does this bag belong? No one?”) I ran up to him, humiliated by my carelessness to the point that I almost didn’t want the diaper bag back. But I also didn’t want the police to have to blow up the bottles and sippy cups and Bamba within the suspicious bag.
“Sheli” (“It’s mine”), I almost whispered. The policeman looked like he wanted to throw the bag at me.
“What’s wrong with you? Americanim—you don’t think.” I rushed away from the scene, the diaper bag slung over my shoulder, and my face burning with shame. I hadn’t meant to forget the bag. Sometimes people make mistakes. Why did the policeman have to insult me? It seemed a little extreme to me at the time. Couldn’t he tell that the diaper bag with the Thomas the Train cup sticking out of the side wasn’t a bomb? Soon after that, the intifada began, and I began to understand.
I was two blocks away from the Sbarro’s pizza shop when the bombing took place in 2001, murdering 15 people and seriously injuring 130. I heard the explosion. To this day, I am grateful that I did not hear the screams that were muffled by the immediate sirens echoing through Jerusalem. The terror attack almost paralyzed me with fear for months afterwards. The enemy can be standing in line with me for pizza, I thought. He can be sitting next to me on a bus. Or standing beside me as I’m buying olives in the market.
Suddenly, it seemed like nowhere was safe.
At least I have a car, I thought—until a terrorist took a tractor and started bashing randomly into people’s cars. One morning I was driving up the highway to Jerusalem, and suddenly the car in front of me stopped short, and two guys in black suits with machine guns jumped out the back doors. They ran up to the car in the other lane, and literally jumped through the window to tackle what must have been a suspected terrorist, who was now lying face-down on the highway in front of my car. It seemed to me like everyone behind me and beside me was calm. I was petrified. What if the terrorist had a bomb on him? I was stuck, surrounded by cars. Should I get out of my car and run the other way? But before I could decide, the whole thing was over. The bomb squad had somehow, in a matter of seconds, jumped back into their vehicle with the suspect, and the morning rush hour proceeded as usual. But the fear became a constant companion for me, as I tried to figure out what it means to live “normally” under the constant threat of terror.
I asked G‑d to show me what to do with all of this fear. I asked Him to help me live “normally” with it. And I realized that fear can be used for growth. Here are three fears that help us instead of stopping us in our tracks:

1. Fear of meaninglessness

I am afraid that I will wake up one day and have no idea what I accomplished with my life. I’m afraid that I’m using only a fraction of my potential. I’m afraid of wasting time. I’m afraid of a life without purpose. This fear helps me to value my time, and to focus on my life’s goals.

2. Fear of Dying

I’m afraid that I will run out of time. I’m afraid because I don’t know how or when my time will run out. This fear may seem debilitating, but it actually enhances life. It reminds me not to get stuck in the irrelevant, little things that seem so important. There is a time limit, and I don’t know what it is. So, I’m not going to fight or dwell or feel resentful about petty things. It’s not worth it.

3. Fear of G‑d

One of the main obligations in Judaism is to fear G‑d. I never really understood what that meant, until I learned the camera metaphor. Imagine that there is a hidden camera following you everywhere, recording everything you do and say. You will speak differently. You will act differently. This is what it means to be aware of G‑d and to fear him. I know He is watching me. I know He expects more of me. This fear can help me to achieve greatness, as I think of the hidden recordings in my life. Once the image is there, it cannot be deleted.
I did eventually go back to “regular” routine, the way all Israelis miraculously do. I brought my kids to school. I worked. I did the grocery shopping. But the strength of the fear itself was never far below the surface.

We are living in America now, and now I am afraid for Israel from afar. I pray for the safety of all there, and for the immediate recovery of those who have been injured. Not long ago I was in aTorah class, and the teacher began to speak about what we can learn from tragedy. But after a few seconds, she just broke down crying, and we all cried with her. And I learned then, as I try to remind myself now: We need to know what to cry for. We need to know how to cry for each other. And we need to know what to fear, and how to turn our fears into paths to greatness.

BY SARA DEBBIE GUTFREUND

Sara Debbie Gutfreund lives with her husband and children in Waterbury, Connecticut. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Masters in Family Therapy from the University of North Texas.

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http://www.chabad.org/theJewishWoman/article_cdo/aid/2078208/jewish/Growth-Through-Fear.htm