February 28, 2018                                    IMATATORS  OF  GOD
Ephesians 5:1-2: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
You may be thinking-“you are kidding!---me?---imitate God?” As shocking as it may sound, not only is it possible, but we are also instructed to imitate God. In Ephesians 4, the scriptures go in to great detail describing how believers are to live in this world and what life looks like when we imitate God. If believers were to take to heart this call to imitate God, the world would be a different place. We see in this verse that we are “beloved children” of God, our heavenly Father, and just as a child often imitates his earthly father, we have within us a desire to be like our heavenly Father. The problem is that many believers have for a long time been exposed to a ‘deficient’ gospel and have not known or experienced the blessings and freedom that come as a result of knowing that we have been made new creations with new hearts, new minds, and new hearts. As believers, it is no longer our nature to sin; bondage to sin has been broken, and now we can live as unto God.  Imitating God becomes a reality when we is live under the banner of love-the kind of love that originates from God, as described in 1 Corinthians 13. It was the love of God that led Jesus to give His life for us as a sacrifice to God that we might be born again. A hallmark of love is that of preferring others over ourselves; we say we love, but all too often, we are focused on ourselves first and foremost. The attempt to prefer others first, to love others, is a frustrating experience if our love is limited to human, selfish love. The good news for the believer is that God has poured His love into our hearts, and now, we can love because our hearts are full of His love. Romans 5:5. When we experience His love, it becomes natural for us to love others-we no longer have to ‘try’ to love others. Loving others with the love of God is a sure sign that the gospel has impacted our lives. As said above, Ephesians 4 describes what imitating God actually looks like in the nitty-gritty of life. Imitating God would include, but not limited to, being gentle, patient, bearing with one another, speaking the truth in love, putting off the old man and putting on the new man, working so that we may be able to give to those in need, speaking only words that edify and build up, getting rid of all bitterness and anger, being kind to one another, and forgiving one another. Who would not like to live where this is the norm?? This is not, as they say, a ‘pipe dream’ but is a picture of the life that we have the ability to live in the here and now because Christ lives in us. We have the opportunity to actually bring some of heaven to earth-right to where we live! Don’t give in to the idea that life on earth is hopelessly miserable and difficult and that only in heaven will we find the reality of God’s love being expressed. Start this very moment, put on your new self and go about today imitating God-you will be glad you did-and so will others!
2 Corinthians 5:20b “Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ,”
1 John 2:5-6 “but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
February 25, 2018                            IN  THE  LIKENESS OF  GOD
Genesis 1:26-27: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
In the very first chapter of the Bible we find a truth that is central to the very heart of the gospel, a truth that reveals the ultimate plans and purposes that God has for His people.  Understanding this truth enables us to remain steadfast in the gospel even during difficult times. To help us grasp this truth, we must not forget that in the beginning, Adam and Eve lived on the earth when sin did not exist. This time had to be a fantastic experience; a time when man and woman enjoyed total fellowship with God and with each other; a time when God walked with them “in the cool of the day” (Genesis 3); and a time when man and nature were in complete harmony. The life that Adam and Eve experienced before sin is the life that God had in mind from the very beginning, AND it is the life that will be experienced again. What happened? Man sinned against God and the fellowship with God was interrupted and the order of life in general was lost. Don’t misunderstand; God knew from the beginning that man would sin against Him, and in His love for man, He provided a way for man to once again enjoy fellowship with Him. Gods’ one and only plan for the restoration of man was Jesus!  The core truth that we must cling to is that God has made a way for us to once again enjoy Him and a way for us not to be in bondage to sin; Jesus has dealt with the sin issue that separated us form fellowship with God. We also must know that even though the sin issue has been dealt with and we no longer have to live under the domain of sin, our redemption and restoration has not yet been fully completed.  Our time on earth is a time of being transformed; a time of working out our salvation; and a time when we learn to be overcomers. We have been spiritually restored to our Father, but there is coming a day when all of creation will be restored and sin will once again not be an issue! God has a wonderful master plan that is in the process of being executed even at this very moment and nothing can hinder His plan or keep it from coming to pass. 1 Corinthians 13:12 describes what is like living in a time in which we are in the process of being transformed: “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” We must not lose sight of the fact that we have been made in the likeness of God, and now because of what Jesus as done on our behalf-saved us and made us new creations and given us a new nature-we can live life reflecting the very nature of God, even in a fallen world! Let us understand that we are on a journey-a journey of being fully transformed into the image of God, and that by His grace, we were created in the likeness of God. There is no room for a poor self-image, no room ‘gloom and doom’, and no reason not to be being daily transformed into His image. We have a grand destiny-we are made in His likeness!
Ephesians 4:24: “and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”
Blessings,
Buddy      
 

 
February 22, 2018                                UPON  THIS  ROCK
Matthew 16:18: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.”
Colossians 1:18b: “He is also head of the body, the church,”
When Jesus asked his disciples who He was, Peter professed that He was “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” It was, and it is an amazing revelation to know that the living God who created the universe, sent His Son into the world in the likeness of man in order that man might be saved. This truth is the pillow of the church-Jesus came to redeem fallen man and to restore him back to the Father. In the verse above, Jesus declared that He would build His church, and what He declares, comes to pass-always! The church is not a building or an organization; the church is the body of believers throughout the world. In the Scriptures, the church is also referred to as the bride of Christ and the body of Christ. Sad to say, but today the word ‘church’ has lost its clarity and is defined  and perceived in many different ways; some think of church as a particular building, and some think of the church as an organization, etc. But as we learn in Scripture, believers make up the church and Jesus is the head of the body. There are local expressions of the church who meet in a particular building or home, and God has equipped various ones to serve as those who equip the members for the ‘work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ’. Ephesians 4:11-12. We also learn that God has given every member of the body of Christ a ‘spiritual gift’ that is an expression of Christ that is to be exercised to bless other members. 1 Corinthians 12. Another important truth concerning the church is that each member needs the other members because only as the body functions together do we experience a greater understanding of the person of Christ. This idea that we need each other often runs contrary to the American way of ‘independence’-we see ourselves as being self-sufficient- but this attitude or view is in direct conflict to the teachings of scripture and principles of body life. Even though there are divisions in the ‘church’ today and there are many misconceptions of what church is, God is about building His church, He has not changed His plans. Whatever your current view of church might be, and whatever your experience of church might be, search the scriptures and discover what God says about the church and how it is to function, and build your life around the truth about the church. The reality is that there are many ‘churches’ out there that fail to function as God intends. You have three choices: either speak up, question, and promote the biblical view of church in a respectful way in your current church; find a church that more accurately reflects the biblical model of church; or pray that God would raise up a new church that has a desire to be a church that functions in a way that is in keeping with the Scriptures. And, be aware that church is made up of people, so know that every church will have its problems along the way just as it did in the early church-but also remember that God is building His church-be a part of it!
Ephesians 1:22-23: “And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
February 19, 2018                                 THE  POWER  TO  ENDURE
Hebrews 12:2-3: “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.”                                                                                                                                                                                   Jesus had one mission, one reason for coming to earth and giving His life, and that was that man might be redeemed and restored to a relationship with His creator and spend eternity in heaven. Jesus knew what heaven was like and He knew what it was like being with the Father, and Jesus knows what blessings are in store for those united with the Father in heaven. We may not think about Jesus having emotions or expressing joy, but what lie beyond the cross brought joy to Jesus. It was the “joy set before Him” that enabled Him to endure a horrible death on the Roman cross. Jesus knew that through the death He would suffer, all of those who believe in Him as Savior would experience eternal life in heaven, forever with the Lord. Certainly the scriptures address everyday life and give instructions as to how we are to conduct our life here on earth, but throughout the New Testament we are admonished to see ourselves as being ‘strangers and aliens’, and not seeing this world as our home. As discussed in a recent blog, the early believers were accustomed to persecution and trials and it was their belief that they were destined to be with God in heaven that enabled them to endure the difficulties they faced. Unlike the early believers, there is a tendency for believers today to be primarily focused on the ‘here and now’ life and personal fulfillment. We do better to see our life on this earth as a time of preparation, of being transformed into His image, and being made ready for eternal life in heaven. One major work that God has done, and is doing in us, is that of making us overcomers in this world, and to be an overcomer, we must have something to overcome, thus we have trials that God allows to come our way. We have been purchased by God, we now belong to Him, our life is not our own, and He has prepared a place for us in heaven. Just as Jesus did, we can also see the joy that is set before us and because of what God has for us, we can endure whatever trials we face and not “grow weary and lose heart.” Let us be good stewards while on this earth, but let us know that this world is not our home, and that we are destined to spend eternity with our Father in heaven. Our true identity is that we have been made sons and daughters of God and we are on a journey that leads to our permanent home in heaven!
Hebrews 13:14 “For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.”
Hebrews 11:16 “But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”
Blessings,
Buddy

                         NOT IN  VAIN
1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”
What a tragedy for one to get to the end of his or her life and then realize that all that they did their entire life was in vain. There is nothing as empty and as shallow as living life with the belief that life is all about me, and when I die, that’s the end. Many do spend a life time in the pursuit of things and pleasure, or fame and fortune, only to discover in the end that their pursuits were in vain.  Only those who have placed their trust and hope in Jesus, the Son of God, as their Savior, have the opportunity to live a life that is not in vain. We must beware of the fact that it is possible for a believer to choose not to be February 17, 2018                                     “steadfast” or “immovable” or not to “abound in the work of the Lord.” Because of this possibility, Paul is admonishing the people of God to be “steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord” so that their life will not be lived in vain. If and when a believers’ work is not “in the Lord”, then whatever he/she is doing is in vain. Paul was not addressing preachers or minsters, but was admonishing all believers-you and I. Some do perceive that the “work of the Lord” is referring to those who are in “full time ministry.” The work of the Lord is not limited to preaching, teaching, visiting the sick, performing weddings and funerals, etc., but actually refers to everything we do. If we are walking in fellowship with the Lord,  if we are hearing and obeying what He says to us, if it is our desire to please Him in all we do, then all that we do is “in the Lord.” Paul uses the word “toil” which indicates that some time the work of the Lord can be difficult and laborious, either physically, mentality, or spiritually, or all three. Because what we do, and how we live our life on earth has ramifications in the here and now, as well as in the life to come, we would be wise to take to heart the instructions that Paul gives in the above verse. Let us examine ourselves to see if what we do, what we say and what we think, flows out of our relationship with the Lord and let us determine whether or not we are indeed “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”  “Abounding” is a great word which means or implies: “very plentiful, abundant, to be present in large numbers.” We can be continually abounding in the work of the Lord because His Spirit  lives in us, always guiding and directing us in the things of the Lord-all we have to do is obey the promptings of His Spirit. Being “steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord” is the supreme life, the greatest life that one can live on planet earth. Any other life lived, will prove to be in vain.
John 6:28-29: “They said therefore to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”
Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord, rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”
Blessings,
Buddy
​

 
February 14, 2018                                THE  AGES  TO  COME
Ephesians 2:5-7 “even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
In Christian circles today, the major emphasis of the teaching and preaching, and the common thought among believers is how the message of the gospel affects our daily life. Certainly, the gospel has great, or should have, a great impact on our daily lives and the way we live our life should reflect our heavenly Father. However, as you read the New Testament, you will discover that there are many references to the blessings that will be ours in the ages to come, when in God’s timing, He calls His bride, the church, to be with Him in heaven. The early believers understood and believed that great blessings awaited them once they departed this life. Believing that Jesus was preparing a home for them in heaven and that they had an inheritance in Christ waiting for then, was a source of great power that enabled them to endure persecution and suffering. Many in our culture are focused on whatever makes us ‘happy’ at the moment and live as though this life is everything. The scriptures do give instruction for daily living and how we are to live godly in this present age, but the clear message of Jesus and the writers of the New Testament was that this earthly life is temporary and that as believers, we have been made eternal beings who are awaiting our full redemption and inheritance-that of being with our Father in heaven. 1 Peter 2:11 reminds us that this world is not our home: “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lust which wage war against the soul.”  And John, in vs 17:16, referring to believers, Jesus says “They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” In light of the truth that we are not of the world, and that we are destined to receive our inheritance when we depart this life, let us not be distracted by what is taking place in this world, but let us also be His a people reflecting the very nature of God and as let us pray ‘that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ Let us hold to both truths-the gospel is for the here and now, but it also has the promise of great rewards when we take our place in heaven and forever be with the Lord.
Colossians 3:2-3: “Set your mind on things above, not on things that are on the earth. When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
1 Peter 3-4: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
Febuary 11, 2018                                 DO  WE  GET  THAT ?
Ephesians 1:3-6: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He choose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to His kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”
When we read and begin to understand what God is saying through Paul, we may find ourselves wondering if the gospel is too good to be true. Ephesians 1 is a fantastic chapter that goes into great detail explaining just how great our salvation is. As you read this chapter, you will note a phrase that is repeated nine times in just the first thirteen verses, and the truth of this phrase is the vital key to understanding the basis of our salvation. “In Him” or “in Christ” is the key truth that unlocks and makes known all that God has for those whose trust is in Him; outside of being in Him, or being in Christ, there is nothing. One could spend endless time studying the book of Ephesians, and not exhaust the truth presented. Just to mention a few blessing that come from being in Him, we find that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing; that we have been chosen by God; that we have been adopted into His family; that on us the grace of God has been bestowed; that His redemption and forgiveness has been ‘lavished’ on us; that we have an inheritance as His sons and daughters; and that we have been sealed in Him and given the Holy Spirit of promise. It was Paul’s prayer, verse 18, that ‘the eyes of our heart would be enlightened’ so that we could understand what all God has done on our behalf-and it does take more that human understanding-it takes God revealing it to us. The salvation of God is greater than we presently understand; it impacts every aspect of our lives; it gives a totally new view and purpose for life; it lifts us to a higher plane of living; it means that we have been joined to God; and it means that we have been made overcomers in life. As a believer, should we not know that all of the Christian life and all of the New Testament scriptures are based on the reality that we are ‘in Him’, we will not experience our salvation to the fullest. Jesus gave His life that we might be redeemed, and through the working of God, be put in Christ! Let us ask God to open our eyes even more that we may comprehend all that He has for us both now and for all eternity.
Ephesians 2:4-6: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
February 8, 2018                               THE MSSION OF JESUS
Colossians 1:22-23: “yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul was made a minister.”        
We often think of the salvation that comes through Jesus as being the assurance that will go to heaven when we die-and that is true. However, there is much more to our salvation than going to heaven when we die. The mission that led Jesus to dying on a cruel cross was the mission of reconciling, redeeming, and restoring lost man to God. Jesus valued the restoration of man more than He valued His earthly life! Jesus had a reason for enduring the cross-through His death, man could not only find forgiveness for sin, man could be presented before Him as holy, blameless, and beyond reproach! As you read this section of scripture, you get the feeling that Jesus was excited about His people being presented as holy, blameless, and beyond reproach. Can we, do we, see ourselves as Jesus sees us-holy, blameless, and beyond reproach? Verse 22 is not the complete story. Verse 23 begins with the word ‘if’, and in this verse we discover that we are called to work with God as He works in us. Holiness, being blameless and being beyond reproach does not just happen, but is a result of being reconciled to God and being made new. When we are living as being reconciled to God, the evidences of that is holiness, blamelessness, and being beyond reproach. We are not capable in our own strength and determination to be holy-it requires a work of God in us- but once He does His work in us, we have the opportunity to work out what He has worked in us. What a shame it would be for God to have made us holy, to have done a great work in us, and yet live as though we were not reconciled and made new. In this letter, Paul goes on to tell us that the awesome mystery that has been hidden from past generations and past ages has been revealed in Christ, and that great mystery is-Christ in us, the hope of glory! Yes, the mystery has been revealed to us-to you and I. Because Christ is in us-we are no longer limited by our mere humanity-but have the power of God at work in us, transforming us to His image-and He is holy, He is blameless, and He is beyond reproach! Let us not see ourselves through human eyes and wisdom, but let us see ourselves as He sees us, and let us live a life that reflects Him-even in the nitty-gritty of life, and in all of our routines.
Colossians 1:9 “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding…..”
Blessings,
Buddy

 
February 6, 2018                                   BOUND  OR  NOT ?
Romans 7:14, 24 “For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into bondage to sin.” “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
Many, if not most, believers readily relate to Paul in Romans 7 when he said that he found himself doing the very thing he did not want to do; he wished to do good, but he did not do the good he wished to do. This passage of scripture is one of most importance, because if misunderstood, one misses the key part of the good news of the gospel. What is so critical for us to understand when reading Romans 7:14-23, is that this section of scripture is not Paul’s testimony, but a description of what his life was like when he was living according to his flesh-or self. In verse 24, Paul came to a point in his life when cried out that he was “a wretched man” who longed to be set free from life in the flesh. Starting in verse 7:25 and continuing into chapter 8, Paul explains the key to having victory over sin and the flesh; in chapters 7 and 8, Paul contrast life in the flesh with life in the Spirit. Every believer, at some point faces the same battle that Paul faced regarding the Spirit and the flesh. There are only two choices at any given time for the believer; to live according to the flesh, or according to the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:2 is a key verse in that it tells us: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” In 8:6, we read: “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”  Many purport the idea that as a believer, we still have a sin nature that is alive and well, and we must always be battling this old sin nature; they say that we are prone to sin. It is true that we can revert back to living according to our flesh-the old sin nature, or the flesh-but we do so by choice. If there is one clear message in the gospel, it is that the power of sin has been broken and that we have been made new creations and given a new heart, a new mind, and a new spirit-a new nature! The key is that we know our identity in Christ and that we walk according to the Spirit. Jesus has defeated sin and He lives in us, enabling us to live free from the power of sin. There is a wonderful antidote or cure for living according to the flesh and it is found Galatians 5:16: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.” Let us know that Christ lives in us and that He has set us free from the power of sin and death. And let us this day choose to walk according to the Spirit-according to who we really are.
Ephesians 4:22-24: “that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
Blessings,  Buddy

 
February 3, 2018                                            COME  TO  ME
Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to Me all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”  
This is the invitation of all invitations! We can observe the day in which we live and conclude that we indeed live if difficult times to say the least. But, evidently, throughout world history, man has experienced what it means to be weary and heavy-laden. Just as at any time in the past, this verse stands out as though it was a neon sign in a dark place, inviting those who were weary and heavy-laden to a place of rest. It is amazing that God invites us to come to Him! And even more amazing is that God tells us that He is “gentle and humble in heart.” The creator God, the all-powerful, the all-knowing, the omnipresent, the omniscient God is gentle and humble in heart!  And, God does not give us a list of things we must do, sets no conditions, and makes no demands of us before we come to Him. He simply invites us to come. Perhaps our pride would be better served if He did give us a list of things to do before we go to Him. When He says ‘come to Me’, He is being gracious, and by acting on His invitation, we are being humble. True, we do not deserve, nor have we earned the right to go into the presence of God, but nonetheless, He invites us to come to Him-just as we are. He invites us not only to come, but to learn of Him and to take His yoke upon us. We think of a yoke in a negative light, but to take on, or receive the yoke of God, is the best thing that could happen to us. Taking on His yoke is a picture of getting under Him and His rule, abiding in Him, walking according to His ways, and resting in Him. If we have any doubt about His yoke, He plainly tells us that His yoke is easy, and His load is light-how could it be any better. By not taking on His yoke, we will take on another yoke-the yoke of walking according to our own ways and to the ways of the world-and that yoke will not be easy, and it will be heavy-I promise! If we are weary and heavy-laden, then the call to us is to set aside our pride, our distractions, or anything that would cause us not to take Him up on His invitation to “Come to Me.” In this age of technology, and this age of strife and brokenness on every hand, let us hear, and let us act on the greatest invitation of all times-that of going to Him, and learning of Him. He has opened the door, now let us enter in and find the rest that only He can give.
Psalm 116:7 “Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.”
Psalm 23:2-3 “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quite waters. He restores my soul, He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”
Blessings,
Buddy