We have something that no other religion has – the promise to make you into a new person – a holy, righteous, loving person, full of peace, joy and hope.  A new man created for a new society – the kingdom of God.  Somehow I think we have forgotten the promise or we don’t fully believe it any more.  We simply do not believe in the transformation, the new life in-Christ, being made into the perfect image of Christ.  Furthermore, I believe that most Christians have forgotten that God lives in them through the Holy Spirit at all times – ever present.  They have also forgotten that we have been translated from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Light – given a new citizenship in heaven and somehow mystically raised with Christ sitting in heaven with Him as He sits next to God the Father.

I will attempt to demonstrate just how far we have fallen from this clear New Testament teaching that turned the ancient world upside down and made Christianity a very different and inclusive religion above all other religions.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”  (II Co. 5:17 

We have been given a new life in Christ; yet, many of us continue to… Continue reading The Power of Transformation →

We live in a world where the love of many has grown cold, but for the Christian that should not be so.  “…because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”  (Rom. 5:5)  This is the sure test that we have been saved by our Lord Jesus Christ and put into His Kingdom.  This is only the first test of many that the Apostle gives through his little letter. It’s this test of love for the brethren that will concern us this morning.  Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  (John 13:34-35)  So let’s look at this love that Jesus Christ expects from all of His disciples.  A love that is greatly needed in today’s world.

“Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.”  (I John 4:7) 

This is not a human love, such as, Eros which is a love that comes from pre-biblical Greek, which is not found in the New Testament.  Eros is self-acquisitive, even in its highest Platonic form, with the “I” at the center.  It is a possessive love- a selfish love that longs only to fulfill its own desires at the expense of others.  It is not even the love we call Philos which is a friendship love.  At best this love has an element of deep feeling for one’s friends.  But neither one of these loves adequately describes the love that comes from God.

So what is God’s Love? Continue reading Let Us Love One Another →

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Mt. 7:21-23)  This verse shows plainly that doing good works and calling Jesus Lord will not get you into heaven.  It’s believing in the heart for sure but it’s also making Him Lord and Master of your life.  And when we do we will soon discover that we are doing the will of His Father in heaven.  Who is your Lord and Master?  The cult of materialism says that Money is Lord, the cult of worldly pleasure says that Entertainment is Lord, the cult of nationalism says, the Nation is Lord, the cult of ecclesiastical says, the Church is Lord.  Who is your Lord and Master? Continue reading Who Is Your Master? →

The Bible says, “In this world you will have trouble.”  (John 16:33b)  Why?  Because following the world’s ways and its wisdom will cause you problems. Look at the teachings of Dr. Spock and psychology and think about the problems they have caused to the traditional family.  Look at this country removing the Ten Commandments and you will admit that lawlessness has increased beyond measure.  We will have trouble in the world because we are foreigners and foreigners are never really accepted in another country!  We have trouble in the world because we are expected to be a part of the family.  We are at a time in our nation’s history when people are calling us one big happy family which would include the perverts, child molesters, drunkards, atheists, and new agers.  Yet, we must resist!  We are not part of this big happy family; it simply does not align with the biblical doctrine that says, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues.”  (Revelation 18:4)

Become World Changers by not belonging to the world – but come out of her my people (Read John 15:19) 

Our citizenship is in heaven, and we no longer belong to the world, but we belong to Christ.  What does it mean to belong? Continue reading Enlisting World Changers – Apply Within →