This Sunday in Fellowship we are going to look at a two word statement the apostle Paul used that no one of his day grasped. He used it more than any other writer in the New Testament. Most who read the Bible today, read right through these two words and never blink. Few if any stop and see the power and value of what Paul is saying in these two words. They are strong identity words which effect everyone. What these two words? Let’s talk about it…
Our message this week is who are we seeing. Jesus said – “He who has seen me, has seen the Father”. You say naturally, they were one in the same. I say – “He who has seen me, has seen the Son”. You say No!……….. that is very different. But why is that different? For until you can cross that bridge in our mind and see that the life that you now live is Christ, you will not be able to take hold of that for which the Lord took hold of you. I speak to many people about this every week. Why can some hear and some cannot? What does it take for us to hear? Are you at a point in your life that you can say with Albert Einstein – “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”? Then you are the one I want to speak with.
In preparation to speak to you, I will spend 30 – 40 hours before the Father and in study. On Saturday, I take it all before the Father and ask Him to weave a useful and beautiful tapestry into what He wants you to hear – what he wants to know, and to speak the words and thoughts that will find their way through the maze of your heart and renew your mind to see the Christ that is your life. I hope to speak with you tomorrow. Let’s talk about it….
No matter where you go today or who or what you listen to you will hear those faithful words “it’s not your fault”. For more than two years I’ve heard those words on secular TV shows and movies and christian radio as well. It looks like the phase is not a respecter of person. Think about the power in those words. I was listening to a christian radio station a few years ago and heard that term used several times. I distinctly remember hearing the Father say to me “do you hear what he just said”? My reply was ” he said, hey, it’s not your fault”. The Father then said ” what does that mean to you?” I replied ” it sounds like if you didn’t know what he is talking about, you have an excuse”. We had had great time of fellowship on this issue. So, my question to you is this. Are we without fault because we don’t know? Is it really , “not your fault?” Let’s talk about it….
We will be discussing Nicodemus and his dialog with Jesus on being born from above. Many of us don’t say it that way but that’s exactly what both he and Jesus said. Jesus spoke to Nicodemus concerning the mystery. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and he believed in the resurrection. As did all the Pharisees follow that teaching. But this statement of being born again was not the same as believing in the resurrection. So, no wonder he said “can a man enter the second time into his mother’s womb and be born”. And don’t want to forget “except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”. Well, let’s talk about it.
I went back this week and reviewed last week’s message. I really enjoyed that word on “is obedience optional” and not obsessional. If you haven’t had a chance to listen, please stop by the website and check it out for yourself. This in fellowship we are going to study and talk about the believer being “Sealed” by the Holy Spirit. I also read something this week from our dear brother Dr. Warren Litzman on this subject. One of the things he said was ” We don’t know much about being sealed by the Holy Spirit, because most of us under law religion never had much security in our salvation.” He also stated that ” We didn’t understand this business of being sealed. What does the Holy Spirit do?” He was teaching from Ephesians 4:30. So, we’ll go over this issue of being “Signed, Sealed and waiting for delivery” . All is carried out by the Godhead. Let’s talk about it….
As you can see the message this week is a question, “Is obedience optional”? Is it optional or not? What do you think about this idea? Does the believer or unbeliever have an option to be obedient? OK, maybe not the unbeliever but diffidently the born again believer. There is no option for the new creation believer. Right? Did you know there are three expressions of obedience? Only one obedience but three unique separate expressions for the one.
Let’s talk fellowship. Our subject is confusing and scary to so many of us. Remember, if we don’t start where Paul started with the revelation of Christ first with any verse, we cannot understand what the Spirit is saying. We might understand the words we’re reading but not know what He means without the revelation of Christ at work in us. I was thinking and talking to the Father recently about very few people including believers and non-believers alike really don’t want to hear or know the person of Christ. Some will settle for hearing about Jesus of Nazareth but the person of Christ is somewhat foreign. And becoming a new creation race believer and Son can be tolerated but literally receiving and believing you are another person by Christ in you, is hard to wrap the carnal mind around (it’s impossible much less logical). So, what does all that have to do the judgement of Christ? Let’s talk about it! If we can….
We trust this week you had opportunity to live as a new creation see-thru-er. Several comments came in on the message last week, “Living the Christ-Life or the Box-Life”. I enjoyed what the Father had to say on this issue. I know many prefer “Box-Life” living. Why? Either they don’t know or understand any better or they don’t want any more than they’ve always had and known. To live anyone other than “The Box” as themselves is somewhat frighting. Can you blame them? After all, who is willing or desires to give up the only thing making them secure in this world? Think about it. Many have thoughts and ideas racing through their minds, then filled and flooded with fear. The spirit of fear rushes in with his fearful illusions, deceptions, with captivity and delusion thinking. These thoughts and ideas seem so real! How can they not produce anything else but “Box-Life” living? But God! I like that don’t you? Has the answer. Apostle Paul tells us this word of truth.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
But how will this take place? Well, as the great Star Wars teacher Yoda would say; “ it’s only in your mind, you must unlearn what you have learned”. So, what is it that we must unlearn? Three powerful things:
1. we are not the box, it’s only where we live!
2. the box is our worst enemy!
3. We have a new identity and don’t need the box to be who we are in-Christ.
I know it is hard to receive and believe you are another person. And most of us are truly fearful to think anything like that! Well let’s talk about it!
This Sunday in fellowship we are going to take a look at the “challenge” of weather we’ve living the Christ-Life or the Box-Life? Let me say up front this message is “Not” for everybody. If you decide to join us you might or could be offended with what will be said. Your identity will be “challenged”. Your knowledge of who you in Christ, will be questioned. The thoughts, beliefs, and ideas many of us have hung on to for years have desensitized us to the person of Christ. You know those things you over the years. You know those special miracles that God blessed you with at just the right time. Those special times in Church that you felt the Spirit move. The praise & worship that let you know Jesus is real to you. All those things in your past and present that confirm to you what I believe is the truth! Maybe for some it’s the sermon, or the choir and for others it’s speaking in tongues, or the raising of hands or the praise & worship team. Maybe for some it’s their denomination and it’s the doctrine (teaching) from the whole of the Bible idea. This list could go on and on and on! So, what is living the Christ-Life? More importantly what is living the Box-Life? They both have power and strength to give us an identity. Lastly, just think about this for a second. How many live the Box-Life and call it the Christ-Life?
Our heavenly Father created women to be mothers. It’s a labor of love, and probably the most joyous and rewarding part of our earthly life. Those of us who know Christ as our only life, long to share Him with our children, knowing the strength of being a Son will give them all they need in this world and the world to come. While that is a great desire, we have come to see our children run off in their fleshly pulls only to make similar mistakes we did. You would think, surely being a Son birthed by God would have kept them making these decisions, would you not? Shouldn’t Christ as our only life have an effect on our children’s decisions? As a mother or father, don’t we have a responsibility to guide, lead and protect our children from potential poor decisions? Are we really responsible before the Father for their decisions?
Mother’s Day is a great time to review our true impact and responsibility for our children’s decision to walk in the spirit or walk in the flesh. Do they even know there is a difference?
Let’s talk about it.