COME GROW IN CHRIST WITH US I belong to a, “I’m not all that Church.” I have a “I’m not all that Pastor.” I have, “I’m not all that Elders.” I have, “I’m not all that Greeters.” I have, “I’m not all that Ushers.” I’m part of a, “I’m not all that Congregation.” And I’m so happy to be a part of this family of God, who are not yet all God wants them to be but are not what they used to be and are looking forward to be more and more like Christ as God wants them to be. Praise God for this body of Christ. If you looking for a Church come grow with us in the Body of Christ. Sorry about all the I,I,I,I, I, but my point is none of us are what we should be and I want the people I assemble with to know I am proud of the work of God in them, and if you need others like we all do to keep our focus on the prize for which God has called us, than you should try us. Please believe me It’s not all about me because without them I could not be growing in grace as I am. Philippians 3:12-14 I don’t mean to say I am perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be. 13 No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be, but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us. Mark 2:15-17 That night Levi invited his fellow tax collectors and many other notorious sinners to be his dinner guests so that they could meet Jesus and his disciples. (There were many men of this type among the crowds that followed him.) 16 But when some of the Jewish religious leaders[a] saw him eating with these men of ill repute, they said to his disciples, “How can he stand it, to eat with such scum?” 17 When Jesus heard what they were saying, he told them, “Sick people need the doctor, not healthy ones! I haven’t come to tell good people to repent, but the bad ones.” Luke 5:32 My purpose is to invite sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think themselves already good enough.” Ephesians 4:9-10 Notice that it says he returned to heaven. This means that he had first come down from the heights of heaven, far down to the lowest parts of the earth. 10 The same one who came down is the one who went back up, that he might fill all things everywhere with himself, from the very lowest to the very highest. 1 Peter 3:18-20 Christ also suffered. He died once for the sins of all us guilty sinners although he himself was innocent of any sin at any time, that he might bring us safely home to God. But though his body died, his spirit lived on, 19 and it was in the spirit that he visited the spirits in prison and preached to them— 20 spirits of those who, long before in the days of Noah, had refused to listen to God, though he waited patiently for them while Noah was building the ark. Yet only eight persons were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. Romans 5:6 When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for him. Isaiah 52:13-15 See, my Servant[a] shall prosper; he shall be highly exalted. 14-15 Yet many shall be amazed when they see him—yes, even far-off foreign nations and their kings; they shall stand dumbfounded, speechless in his presence. For they shall see and understand what they had not been told before. They shall see my Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there. So shall he cleanse[b] many nations. Jesus talked to people no one else wanted to talk to He listened to people no one else wanted to. He forgave those who had no use for him Jesus Christ went to hell and back to preach His Gospel to take back what our enemy had stolen Today the Body of Christ just sits back and watches our enemy steal, kill, and destroy our innocent children and do nothing. Like Jesus our purpose is to give life in all its fullness without fear of what people think. Proverbs 24:11-12 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don’t stand back and let them die. Don’t try to disclaim responsibility by saying you didn’t know about it. For God, who knows all hearts, knows yours, and he knows you knew! And he will reward everyone according to his deeds. I’m against all that is evil but Like Christ I’m not afraid to go into the enemy’s camp and take back the living souls he has stolen right under our noses. I will use all I can for the Kingdom of God by the Grace of God. Do we fully understand what it costs the kingdom of God when we live with a restricted commitment to Christ? Countless souls may never hear the good news, much-needed Christian workers may never put feet to their faith, and prayers that would have been answered are never uttered. But we are wholly surrendered to God . . . 1. When we say, “No matter what I want, Lord, Your will be done.” We start by acknowledging His right to be in control of our lives. Then we follow, even if He leads us where we don’t want to go. 2. When we stop bargaining with God. Our prayers often sound like this: “Lord, I am willing to do what You say if only You first help me [or heal me, or give me success in this venture . . . ]” As sinners condemned by our own nature and helpless to save ourselves, we have no basis for negotiation with God. He redeemed us with the shed blood of His Son and made us part of His family. Our allegiance to Him is to be wholehearted. 3. When we let go in order to receive from God. Complete surrender means we willingly give up our independence, self-determination, and personal preferences (Matt. 10:39). By doing so, we position ourselves for an outpouring of God’s maximum blessing, full usefulness in His service, and deep fellowship with Him. Because we are an open channel ready for God’s use, nothing obstructs the flow of His Spirit through our life and work. We will receive more than we ever give up. What has the Lord brought to mind that you haven’t truly yielded to Him? Won’t you kneel and surrender it today? Heavenly Father, I give my eyes to you to see what you see to perceive, notice and observe in the spirit what I cannot see in the flesh and would not give attention to. I give you my heart that I may love with your compassion I give you my ears to hear the still small voices to understand the real needs of others I give you my mind to keep growing in thinking as your only Son Jesus Christ I give you my mouth to speak only words that lifts and gives life and encouragement. I give you my soul to protect that I may live in the spirit of nobility of a child of the King I give you my body to use as a living sacrifice to do all that you may ask of me All these things I ask that Your Truth may be revealed and that we may see things as they really are, in the name of your one and only Holy Son, Jesus Christ! Amen! Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Romans 12: And so, dear brothers, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living sacrifice, holy—the kind he can accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Philippians 4:13 for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 23:48:48 +0000
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