TheNewU - Blog

THAT WE MAY KNOW

6/29/2025

June 30, 2025 THAT WE MAY KNOW

Ephesians 1:18-19b “I pray that the eyes of your heart be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”

When I read this passage, I am always reminded of a particular night several years ago. As I was pulling our trash can up to the road one night for next morning pick-up, I simply looked up at the clear starry sky, and I heard in a distinctive voice in my spirit that said “The God that made those stars is your Father.” I had not been thinking about or reading a book about God being my Father; God just spoke that into my spirit. Had you asked me before that night if I believed God was my Father, I wold have said ‘Sure I know that.’ I had been a believer for many years and active in church. But that night, in a way I can’t describe, I KNEW in every ounce of my being that God was my Father. My immediate response was “Since the God who made those stars is my Father, what is there to fear and what is there to worry about — absolutely nothing!” I was just carrying the trash out when God enlightened the eyes of my heart. We need to study the word of God and we need to be about doing what God calls us to do, but we also need to be asking God to open the eyes of our hearts; our study alone is not enough. When God opens the eyes of our hearts, we are changed from the inside out; our perspective of life changes for good, we find a hope that is based on the character of God and we experience the ‘surpassing greatness of His power toward’ us. So, it is good and pleasing to God when we ask Him to open the eyes of our hearts; He reveals truth to us in many different ways and He does it in His timing. We can’t choose the how and the time, but for sure He will reveal His truth to those who seek to know Him above everything else.
Luke 24:45 “Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”
1 Corinthians 2:12 “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God.”

Blessings, Buddy

HEARING AND ACTING

6/28/2025

June 28, 2025 HEARING AND ACTING

Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock.”

In Matthew we find the familiar parable where Jesus exposes the foolishness of building a house upon the sand and the wisdom of building a house upon the rock. Obviously, the house built upon the rock survived the heavy rains, the flood and the winds, whereas the house built upon the sand did not withstand the storms. The obvious point Jesus was making was that if we are hearing the words of Jesus and building on His words-the word of God-our work will survive the storms; but if we hear His words and do not act on them, what we are building will crash when the storms come. We are all building a house; we must be careful how we build as the quality of what we build will be judged. A house must have a solid foundation in order to stand against the storms; Jesus is the rock, He is the sure foundation. A house may look really great, but if the foundation is faulty or unstable, it is simply a matter of time before it falls or becomes unlivable. It is abundantly clear form many scriptures that we are not only to hear the words of Jesus, but we are to act on and obey the words of Christ. Intentions to obey the words and the commands of Jesus are no substitute for obeying; intentions produce no good fruit-it’s the action that matters. Of course we do not obey His words in order to be saved or to gain His approval and love; we obey Him because He loves us and we love Him, because He is Lord, and because it is the only wise thing to do. We must be on guard for hearing His word and agreeing with it, and then not acting on it. For many, information and knowledge is king; this is even true in Christian circles. We may think that by ‘knowing God’s word’ we are good. The truth is that one may have extensive knowledge of the word of God and yet what He is building will not stand when the storms and the trials come if he is not obeying the words of God. Let’s look at just one example: Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. We first must hear those words, but then act on it by actually being or becoming a giver; there are many ways to give, including giving our time, out of our resources, or giving words that build up and encourage. Let us be quick to hear and also quick to act on the words of Jesus; by doing so, we will be wise builders and what we are building will survive the storms as well as the test of time.

John 14:21 “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.”

Blessing, Buddy

LET US NOT LOOSE HEART

6/25/2025

June 25, 2025 LET US NOT LOOSE HEART

Galatians 6:8-10 “For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not loose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have the opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”

We may not be conscious of it, but we are always sowing. What we sow is vitally important because what we sow comes back to us in greater ways; a few seeds produces a big crop. We may argue or we may disagree, but the fact is that if we sow to the flesh, we will reap corruption. This fact hi lights the importance of sowing to the Spirit. We sow to the Spirit by listening to and following the leading of the Spirit and being about the things of God. Sowing to the Spirit is not some strange, undefinable deal; it is spiritual but it is also expressed in the natural. For example, we can sow to the Spirit by walking in integrity, by showing compassion in practical ways, by blessing others; we can do our work in a way that it is sowing to the Spirit. We do not do the good works we do so that we might gain His approval; we do the good works because God is good and He is always demonstrating His goodness. There are times when we do not see fruit from what we have sown, and sometimes we get physically tired; but nonetheless, we must persevere and keep on doing the good works He has for us to be doing. Doing goods works energies us and gives a sense of fulfillment. We are alive-we are living; and this is the day, and this is the time when we have the opportunity to express the goodness of God wherever we are. So the word for us is to not loose heart or grow weary in doing good. God will show us the works He has for us; there are no minor or insignificant good works when it’s the good works God leads us to do. Whether its mowing the neighbors grass or preaching to ten thousand, it’s all the same in God’s economy.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath beforehand ordained, that we should walk in them.”

Blessings, Buddy

CALLED INTO FELLOWSHIP

6/23/2025

June 23, 2025 CALLED INTO FELLOWSHIP

1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

We may think of Jesus being ‘out there’ somewhere or someone we have limited access to. However, we have been called into fellowship with Jesus; that is amazing. We, mere human beings, have been called into fellowship with the Creator of the universe. And note; God did not say that if we ask, or if we convince Him, He would allow us to fellowship with His Son; the amazing thing is that God has initiated, and invited, and has called us to fellowship with the Son. Remember, Jesus refers to us as His brothers (family) and He makes it clear that He and ourselves have the same Father-another amazing truth. Hebrews 2:11 and John 20:17. Our relationship with God our Father is a spiritual relationship but it is also a practical, real life, in flesh and bones relationship with our Father. (The verse above talks about being called into fellowship with the Son; but the the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are one-so in a real sense our fellowship is with the triune God.) Our part is to know that God invites us into fellowship with Himself and then turn our attention to relating to God. Fellowship is about spending time with another and about sharing life and having conversation. For sure God is holy-and He is God-but even so, He calls us to fellowship with Himself. Our fellowship with God is hindered if we allow sin to be a part of our lives; but He is quick to forgive us when we confess our sin and to restore our fellowship with Him. So, let fellowshipping with our Father be the priority of our life; good thing flow out of our fellowshipping with Him.
1 John 1:3 “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.”

Blessings, Buddy

APPROVING WHAT IS EXCELLENT

6/21/2025

June 21, 2025 APPROVING WHAT IS EXCELLENT

Philippians 1:9-11 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

There is more; let us press on to the things of the Lord; we have not arrived. God is calling us to a higher plane-to a life that is in contrast to the life the world offers. It is ever so easy to live on a spiritual plateau-it’s comfortable living on the plateau. Throughout the New Testament we find instructions and admonitions regarding the ‘upward call of God.’ Philippians 3:14. Living according to the ways of God is to live with a new perspective of life where we find joy and satisfaction in giving, blessing, serving, and doing good deeds; this is true because we are living out of the new person that God has made us. We are not to settle for what ever level of love we have, but our love is to ‘abound still more and more.’ Is our love growing-or is it on that plateau? The love of God being active in us results in a real knowledge of Him and it gives us discernment and it opens our eyes to see and to discern the things that are excellent. In other words, growing in the knowledge of God and increasing or abounding in love, gets out attention off of that which is not of God and enables us to see what is truly important in life and to know what is of God. It may sound simple, but having the mindset that is looking for and approving the things that are excellent is super important-and it gives us a totally new mindset in life. Instead of being focused on all the things that are wrong, we can be ones who are looking for what is lovely and what is excellent. As we live this way and as we are about the works that God has ordained for us, we will be ‘filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ.’ If our love is abounding, if we are growing in the knowledge of God, and if we are looking for and approving the things that are excellent, we will be blameless and will be rejoicing when He returns. In fact, it is beneficial for the present and for the future to live in such a way that we will welcome His sudden return and have no shame or regrets for the way we have lived. So, let us not settle for life on the plateau; let us press on to what Gos has for us.

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 “and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts umblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”

Blessings,
Buddy

IT MATTERS

6/17/2025

June 17, 2025 IT MATTERS

Romans 2:4-8 “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that that the kindness of the God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfish and ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.”

These verses are among those that may be a bit unpopular; you do not hear many sermons preached on this passage. We may think these verses are written to unbelievers, but apparently they were written to believers living in Rome. Once we read through this passage and reflect on it, we can find encouragement. Paul at first reminds us that God is kind, forbearing and patient, and because of that, we should be quick to repent from living out of selfishness and living according to our own dictates. It is a frightening thought to realize that as believers we can be stubborn and have an unrepentant heart. We can resist the leading of the Holy Spirit; we can choose to go our own way; and we can harden our hearts. These scriptures really capture our life; they reveal our motivations in life and they reveal our hearts. The BIG fact that we must not miss is that Jesus is coming back to earth AND and that will be a day of reckoning for how we have lived our lives. Do not misunderstand; we are saved by grace, not by works-but we are accountable to God for our life on earth. For believers who have lived the selfish and stubborn life, it will be brought to light. ‘And here it is: God will render to every man according to his or her deeds.’ Those who persevere in doing good will be blessed; but those who are selfish and do not obey the truth but live in unrighteousness, there will be wrath and indignation. (I do not understand all of this-but I get the main point.) I think this is the main deal; because God is good and because He lives in us, it stands to reason that we would be expressions of His goodness through our actions. God is for us; He desires that we experience life to the fullest in Him. Let us remember that God is about transforming us in to His image; the obvious is that if we are working with Him as He works in us in the transformation process, we will be becoming more and more like Him. So our actions, our doing what is good, is super important in the sight of God. Again, we do not do good works to earn our salvation or His approval, we do good deeds because He is good and His life is being expressed in us. The scriptures tell us that only God is good; anything done apart from God is not truly good.
Psalm 23:5 “He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.”

Blessings, Buddy

LET NO DECEIVE YOU

6/15/2025

June 15, 2025 LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU

2 Thessalonians 2:13-15 “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the tradition which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”

In the first part of chapter 2 Paul is exhorting believers to be aware of the fact that our enemy, Satan, is all about deception. To this day, in the world in which we live, deception is the norm. The scriptures define Satan as an angel of light-he is a master schemer and deceiver. If it was not for the grace of God and Jesus coming to disarm Satan, all would be deceived. We need the wisdom of God if we are not going to be one who is deceived. There are many deceptive tactics that our enemy uses. It’s interesting to see how Satan tempted Eve, and then Adam to sin even though they lived in a perfect environment. Just as as example, many today have been led to believe that more is better-that more material possessions would bring us more happiness. Don’t get be wrong, there is nothing inherently evil in possessions; it’s just about knowing that possessions do not satisfy the longings of our souls-only God can do that. There are many deceptions. Another example is that even believers can be deceived to believe that the goal is Bible knowledge, while the real goal is a transformed life. But here is the good news: we do not have to fall to the lies of the enemy and be deceived. We can live in the truth; we can be renewed in our minds; and we can have the decrement that God gives. Even though that apple looks really delicious, we can pass it by. Just as Paul is encouraging the believers of his day to ‘stand firm,’ we also must continually stand firm in the gospel that has been given to us. We do not have to be fearful but we are to be wise to the schemes of the enemy and not be deceived but be strong in the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 “But you brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you Iike a thief; for you all are sons of light and sons of day, but let us be alert and sober.”

Blessings, Buddy

CONTRARY TO NATURE

6/12/2025

June 12, 2025 CONTRARY TO NATURE

Acts 20:35 “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
2 Corinthians 9:6 “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Hebrews 13:16 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

We were born selfish with a nature to please ourselves first and foremost. But, when we accepted Christ as Savior and was born into His family, He gave us a new nature-a giving nature. We know from Romans that it is possible for us to revert back to living according to our old nature; to walk according to the flesh and not according to the Spirit. When we understand who we are, when we understand our new identity as sons and daughters of God, giving becomes a part of us, and as we give, we are in return blessed. Giving out of our new nature eliminates giving with reluctance or under compulsion; instead, we find joy in giving and look for opportunities to give. The amazing thing is that as we give, we receive; and the measure we use, it will be measured back to us. We often think that giving refers to the giving of money; however it is much broader than that; it includes time, extending kindness, giving thanks, and so much more. Primarily, we can have a spirit of giving that finds expression in all we do. Someone said that “We should give in order to get more so we can give more.” There is some truth in that, but I think we just give because that is who we are; we give with no expectations. Perhaps the greatest motivation for giving is that God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9;10-11 “Now He who supplies to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.”

Blessings, Buddy

GOOD NEWS-BAD NEWS

6/8/2025

June 9, 2025 GOOD NEWS-BAD NEWS

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 “..and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing our retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-for our testimony to you was believed.

God’s word is a word of love and grace, but it is also a book of warning. Those who are wise will take to heart the whole word of God and will adjust their lives accordingly. It is an unwelcomed word and and unpopular so often even among believers today, but rest assured that there is a day of judgement on the horizon. The thought of judgment coming can be frightening or it can be something we look forward too. Not to be compared to the judgement referred to here, but it is like in high school getting report cards-if we have studied and have made good test grades, we look forward to getting the report card. If we are experiencing afflictions and persecutions, know that relief is on the way. When Jesus returns, He will make all things right and evil will be no more; and those who know Him and believe in Him will be amazed with the glory of His power. Some have the view that there will be no judgement for believers but the scriptures say otherwise. I do not fully understand what it means in the above verse when it says He will deal out retribution to those who do not know God AND to those who do not obey the gospel. Whether I understand that or not, I hear the warning-I (we) are to obey the gospel-and the gospel is good news. In Hebrews 10 there are warnings to believers; verse 29 is a warning to those believers who has insulted the Spirit of grace. 1 Peter 4:17 says “For it is time for judgement to begin with the household of God; and it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” Let us not misunderstand grace; the grace of God does not remove all responsibility of us living as unto the Lord or to the call to obey the gospel. The grace of God enables us to live according to the gospel. We have no need to fear God, but we need a healthy fear of living according to the ways of God. 2 Corinthians 13:5 instructs us to examine ourselves-to make sure we are living in the faith. So, let us hear and act on the whole counsel of God. We can daily live in such a way that we will welcome His sudden and unexpected return-that will be a glorious day beyond our imagination.
Philippians 2:12-13 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

Blessings, Buddy

WHO IS WISE

6/7/2025

June 7, 2025 WHO IS WISE

James 3:13-18 “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambitions exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

Wisdom has a way of being expressed. One can walk and live in the wisdom that is from above (from God) or he or she can walk and live in the wisdom that is not form above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. You can be sure that where there is discord, arguments, rudeness, envy, jealousy and selfish ambition, the prevailing wisdom is not the wisdom of God, but the wisdom that is earthly. We choose one or the other; and our choice is revealed in our behavior. The earthly wisdom produces no good fruit; if fact, it produces bad fruit. The obvious ills of our culture today is the result of living according to the earthly wisdom; everywhere we see the disastrous fruit of living according to the wisdom of man. The great news for us is that God makes His wisdom available to us! Those who avail themselves of the wisdom of God are those who are wise and understanding, and they are identified or recognized by their good behavior. What a blessing that we are not bound to living according to the wisdom of this world. The wisdom that comes from God is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, and without hypocrisy! We have the blessing of being ones that bring the wisdom of God to all situations we encounter; we can be those who speak for peace and offer godly advice; we can defuse potential explosive confrontations. (There may be times when the wisdom of God is rejected, but nonetheless we were able to speak the wisdom of God.) For us, we have the opportunity through our ‘good behavior’ to show the wisdom of God-not in a bragging or prideful way, but in humility with boldness. Let us root out anything in our hearts that stems from earthly wisdom. God is gracious; He has given us the opportunity to be expressions of who He is-and it is through our actions and through our spirits that we do just that. We are not saved by our behavior or our works-but be assured that we are called to be about good works, righteous works, because we are righteous in Christ.

James 1:5 “If any one of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
Proverbs 16:16 “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight than silver.”
Blessing, Buddy