Worship is the primary mission of the church. It is that mission that encompasses all other missions because a high view of God and His worthiness to be worshipped must correspond to our obedience of His commands.
Our church has adopted "The 22 Principle" which simply says that "to love God" and "love others" are the primary two principles by which we are to live.
I notice with interest any article, sermon or mention of "worship." Thus, when the Southern Baptist publication Facts & Trends published an article about a recent conference abut music, I read it. (Southern Baptists announced a new web site www.worshipwebsite.net)
The featured preacher was Wayne Barber, Pastor, Hoffmantown Church, Albuquerque, N.M. (former pastor of Kay Arthur in Chattanooga, too). This is a quote from him that is true and often overlooked when the topic of worship comes up:
"If there is no walk, there is no worship. If there is no obedience, there is no worship. The more you are with the Lord, the more you want to worship."
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Monday, September 1, 2008
The Indwelling Life of Christ
I finished yesterday Romans 7 as I am taking the church through the entire book of Romans over a three-year period. The Lord willing, I will begin Romans 8 in January.
One of the many resources that I have used is a classic book by Major W. Ian Thomas "The Indwelling Life of Christ: All of Him in All of Me." I want to share some of the quotes from this book:
This means encouraging the risen living Lord who shares His life with us on earth on our way to heaven..so that He may accomplish through us what He began to do in His own physical body two thousand years ago. (pages 8-9)
...only Christ is capable of living the Christian life... (page 9)
The Christian life is nothing less than the life which He lived then....lived now by Him in you. (page 10)
...whatever influence controls our mind and emotions will ultimately control our will. (page 24)
True repentance says, "I cannot," and true faith adds, "But God, You can!" (page 31)
Share the nature of Christ and you share His victory. You do not achieve it; you receive it, ... (Page 40)
The crucified, risen and living Lord Jesus alone can put the noose around the neck of your flesh and keep your flesh where it belongs, and this He does by His Holy Spirit. You cannot carry out the execution, but to you alone belongs the moral responsibility of confirming the sentence of death. (page 41)
Repentance means stepping out of independence back into dependence, and the measure of your repentance will be the measure of your dependence. (page 49)
Since Adam fell, only one person has been normal. (page 50)
Eternal life is neither an inward feeling nor an ultimate destination after you are dead. If you are born again, eternal life is that quality of life that you possess right now, at this very moment...in this world today. (page 56)
The simplest possible explanation and definition of the person of the Holy Spirit is this: Through the Holy Spirit, man can make himself available to God, and through the Holy Spirit, God is prepared to make Himself available to man. (page 76)
God's DNA - Divine Nature from Above (page 81)
Christ gave Himself for us to give Himself to us. His presence puts God back into the man. (page 87)
Christian rest is not inactivity. Christian rest is rest because He carries the load. To "let go and let God" is not inactivity, but Christ-activity - God in action accomplishing divine purposes through human personality. (pages 98-99)
...They are taught in prayer to beg "Please" instead of saying "Thank you" as they relax and rest in Christ. (page 102)
To be crucified with Christ is to be executed judicially with Him, to expire. To those who expire in this way, God has given the very Life that He restored to the Lord Jesus when He raised Him from the dead...That is to inspire. (page 119)
You must act on what you have come to know and believe before it will ever become real in your experience. (page 134)
The resurrection of Christ is at the very heart of the gospel. (page 169)
One of the many resources that I have used is a classic book by Major W. Ian Thomas "The Indwelling Life of Christ: All of Him in All of Me." I want to share some of the quotes from this book:
This means encouraging the risen living Lord who shares His life with us on earth on our way to heaven..so that He may accomplish through us what He began to do in His own physical body two thousand years ago. (pages 8-9)
...only Christ is capable of living the Christian life... (page 9)
The Christian life is nothing less than the life which He lived then....lived now by Him in you. (page 10)
...whatever influence controls our mind and emotions will ultimately control our will. (page 24)
True repentance says, "I cannot," and true faith adds, "But God, You can!" (page 31)
Share the nature of Christ and you share His victory. You do not achieve it; you receive it, ... (Page 40)
The crucified, risen and living Lord Jesus alone can put the noose around the neck of your flesh and keep your flesh where it belongs, and this He does by His Holy Spirit. You cannot carry out the execution, but to you alone belongs the moral responsibility of confirming the sentence of death. (page 41)
Repentance means stepping out of independence back into dependence, and the measure of your repentance will be the measure of your dependence. (page 49)
Since Adam fell, only one person has been normal. (page 50)
Eternal life is neither an inward feeling nor an ultimate destination after you are dead. If you are born again, eternal life is that quality of life that you possess right now, at this very moment...in this world today. (page 56)
The simplest possible explanation and definition of the person of the Holy Spirit is this: Through the Holy Spirit, man can make himself available to God, and through the Holy Spirit, God is prepared to make Himself available to man. (page 76)
God's DNA - Divine Nature from Above (page 81)
Christ gave Himself for us to give Himself to us. His presence puts God back into the man. (page 87)
Christian rest is not inactivity. Christian rest is rest because He carries the load. To "let go and let God" is not inactivity, but Christ-activity - God in action accomplishing divine purposes through human personality. (pages 98-99)
...They are taught in prayer to beg "Please" instead of saying "Thank you" as they relax and rest in Christ. (page 102)
To be crucified with Christ is to be executed judicially with Him, to expire. To those who expire in this way, God has given the very Life that He restored to the Lord Jesus when He raised Him from the dead...That is to inspire. (page 119)
You must act on what you have come to know and believe before it will ever become real in your experience. (page 134)
The resurrection of Christ is at the very heart of the gospel. (page 169)
Fear
Fear is a normal and natural response under certain conditions. However, under other conditions, it is demonic and unnatural.
The very first expression of a sinner in the Bible was fear. Adam told God that "he heard His voice and was afraid." Genesis 3:10
Most all believers (ok, all) will encounter fear that is demonic and unnatural. Someone has said that FEAR is
F alse
E vidence
A ppearing
R eal.
Dr. Neil Anderson said last week, "There is one fear that expels all other fears. The fear of God will dispel all other fears."
Let that sink in for a while.
Jesus sent His disciples into a known storm and went into the mountain to pray for them. While the storm was raging, the disciples got fearful and thought they were going to perish. Jesus leaves His place of prayer to join them in a rescue mission and speaks peace to the sea and to their spirit.
Do you need peace in the midst of a fearful experience? Jesus is the answer. He is praying for you and me; but He has also sent His Spirit to speak peace to our spirit.
The very first expression of a sinner in the Bible was fear. Adam told God that "he heard His voice and was afraid." Genesis 3:10
Most all believers (ok, all) will encounter fear that is demonic and unnatural. Someone has said that FEAR is
F alse
E vidence
A ppearing
R eal.
Dr. Neil Anderson said last week, "There is one fear that expels all other fears. The fear of God will dispel all other fears."
Let that sink in for a while.
Jesus sent His disciples into a known storm and went into the mountain to pray for them. While the storm was raging, the disciples got fearful and thought they were going to perish. Jesus leaves His place of prayer to join them in a rescue mission and speaks peace to the sea and to their spirit.
Do you need peace in the midst of a fearful experience? Jesus is the answer. He is praying for you and me; but He has also sent His Spirit to speak peace to our spirit.
Labor Day Update
I apologize for not posting more. I have several things I want to post and may be I can do that in the next few days.
This Labor Day weekend has been spent mainly getting a new home office set up. We have bought some new office furniture. The time spent to move everything and set it all up has taken more time than I thought it would. Should have figured that.
Great news from the McBrides. Reagan's halo is ready to be removed - four weeks early. Hooray! Praise the Lord. Check out her blog here.
Mrs. Gail Stokes is continuing to improve at UAB. They had to install a temporary, external ventricular pumping device but she is responding well. Continue to cry out to the Lord on her behalf.
My friend Aaron Johnson is preparing to preach for the first time this Sunday. He is back in the office for half-days. We are still praying that the catheter can be removed permanently this Wednesday. He has moved his blog to their church's web site and that is reflected on the right. Or click here.
This Labor Day weekend has been spent mainly getting a new home office set up. We have bought some new office furniture. The time spent to move everything and set it all up has taken more time than I thought it would. Should have figured that.
Great news from the McBrides. Reagan's halo is ready to be removed - four weeks early. Hooray! Praise the Lord. Check out her blog here.
Mrs. Gail Stokes is continuing to improve at UAB. They had to install a temporary, external ventricular pumping device but she is responding well. Continue to cry out to the Lord on her behalf.
My friend Aaron Johnson is preparing to preach for the first time this Sunday. He is back in the office for half-days. We are still praying that the catheter can be removed permanently this Wednesday. He has moved his blog to their church's web site and that is reflected on the right. Or click here.
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