Blog Archives - TheNewU

THE RELATIONSHIP

5/29/2017

May 28, 2017 THE RELATIONSHIP
Luke 7:47: “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
There are two important truths found in this verse that are foundational for the believer. One is that even though the sins of one may be many, God forgives all of the sins when repentance takes place. Whether one sins once or sins numerous times, we all stand, or have stood in need of God’s forgiveness. The second truth in this verse is the one we will focus on today, and it has to do with the relationship between love and forgiveness. We will see that if we struggle with the issue of forgiveness, we will struggle in the area of love. The simple, but profound truth is that to the degree that we realize how much we needed and received forgiveness from God, is the degree of love we have for God and for others! The woman in this verse loved and worshiped God in an extravagant way because she was keenly aware of the fact that she had been forgiven of her many sins. When we come face-to-face with our sins, when we are broken and contrite over our sin and when we confess our sin to God, we find that He is a God who forgives. After we go through this process of being broken and repentant, and receiving His forgiveness, we are humbled and less likely to judge others when they sin. Jesus came not to judge, but to demonstrate the love of God that is expressed by His forgiveness. “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. With love comes forgiveness, and with forgiveness comes love. Once we have received forgiveness, we are to no longer focus on our sin, but we do need to remember that we have been forgiven by a loving God. As saints, or children of God, we also must demonstrate God’s love by forgiving others just as He forgave us. Love and forgiveness or much more effective in maintaining good relationships than withholding forgiveness in order to make the one who sinned ‘pay the price’ for their sin. Our unwillingness to forgive should be a red flag that tells us that there is something amiss in our spiritual health. We cannot explain away or justify un-forgiveness on our part. Contrary to what some say, to forgive is not difficult, but is a fruit of walking in the Spirit. Should we not know how much we needed God’s forgiveness, it may be an indication that we do not know God as Savior. The next time that someone sins against us, let us be quick to remember that we have been forgiven, and be quick to demonstrate the love of God by our full forgiveness of others.
Colossians 3:13: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Blessings,
Buddy

NO LONGER I

5/26/2017

May 26, 2017 NO LONGER I
Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.”
This one sentence that Paul wrote is an amazing in that it captures the central message of the entire gospel. In this one sentence we see that Christ loves us, that He died for us, that we have died with Him, that He lives in us, and that we now have faith to live unto Him in our present life! When the truths of this verse are the hallmark of our lives, we are indeed living according to the gospel and we are experiencing life to the fullest. The good news is that this verse can indeed be a reality for us. The key to this being our life revolves around understanding that it is no longer we who live, but that Christ lives in us. You could say that ‘dying to ourselves’ is the bridge to living the Christian life as God designed. In a very real sense, it may seem that the gospel ‘does not work’ or make sense to us, apart from us dying to ourselves. We may think that dying to self will rob us of our life-and therein lies the problem. The truth is that dying to ourselves is the best thing that can happen to us. Dying to self is simply a matter of yielding the control of our life to God and then daily living as unto the Lord. Dying to self is the epic battle for the believer. Actually, when we accept Christ as Savior, we are dying to self, but dying to self is not a one-time deal, but it is something that are we are to do on a continual basis. It is possible to be a born-again Christian and yet live according to our flesh, but the New Testament is all about what it means to walk in the Spirit, and not according to the flesh. Dying to ourselves means that our life is not our own and that we are now living for someone else. Simply put, if Christ says to encourage one another (and He does), then we encourage one another. If He says to think on certain things (and He does), then we think on those things. The New Testament makes it abundantly clear what it means to walk in the Spirit and it is our part to view the scriptures as the revealing of our new life in Christ. Even though it is our choice, we are not left to our own strength and will-power to die to our self, but by the presence of the Spirit in us, we are able to do so. Yes, because God has redeemed us and made us His own and has made us new creatures, we are no longer bound to the self-life, but can now live under the lordship and rule of Christ who lives in us. Now, everything we do, including our thought life, falls under His lordship, and we can say with Paul, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
Galatians 5:16: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”
Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
1 Corinthians 6:19: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”
Blessings,
Buddy

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

5/23/2017

May 23, 2017 A CLEAR CONSCIENCE
1 Corinthians 4:4: “I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord.”
There is nothing better than a clear, or good conscience, and there’s nothing worse than a guilty or defiled conscience. We all at some point have known the heaviness that a guilty conscience produces, and if not dealt with, it takes its toll on us in many ways. A guilty conscience can deprive us of a good night’s sleep, can lead to depression, can cause us to be distracted, and can lead to physical sickness. God has put a conscience in man that serves as a guide or point of reference in life, or even as an alarm that sounds when we are in the wrong. It is horrifying to think what the world would be like if man had no conscience. Very simply, our conscience becomes ‘guilty’ when we do or think what is wrong. (It is possible for a man to sear his conscience by continually ignoring his conscience and insisting on doing what is wrong-that’s not the subject in this article.) As believers, we know that God’s word is the truth and it is to serve as our frame work for how we are to live our lives. For those who believe, the scriptures are the source of all wisdom and instruction for life; God has spoken in great detail through His word and has made the way of life abundantly clear. There is no other place outside of God’s plans and purposes where man can find the sense of completeness that he longs for. When we yield to all that God has spoken, and when we walk according to His ways, we enjoy the blessing of a pure and undefiled conscience. Should we ignore or turn from His word, the Holy Spirit points that out to us so that we might confess and return to a place of fellowship with our Father. It is a worthy goal to live in such a way that our conscience is clear, where we can say just as Paul did: “I am conscience of nothing against myself.” We should not over-analyze ourselves, but we do need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit who lives within us for the purpose of directing us in the ways of the Lord and to convict us when we are in error. Even though we do not like having a guilty conscience, we must remember that it is because God loves us and desires that we experience life to the fullest that He gave us the Holy Spirit to make us aware of when our actions or our thoughts are wrong. The remedy for a guilty conscience is simple-we confess our wrong and turn from it. If our actions or responses have hurt others, we are to confess our wrong and then ask for their forgiveness. Let us be sure not to live under the burden of a guilty conscience, but let us live in the freedom that God has made possible for every believer.
Hebrews 10:22: “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
Blessings,
Buddy

WALK THE WALK

5/20/2017

May 20, 2017 WALK THE WALK
2 Corinthians 12:6: “For if I do wish to boast I shall not be foolish, for I shall be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one may credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.”
God called Paul to have a major part in the proclaiming the gospel at the beginning of the church, and to equip Paul for his calling, God gave Paul much revelation concerning His kingdom. After the resurrection of Jesus, He appeared to a number of His followers, including Paul. 1 Corinthians 15:8. Because of the magnitude of the revelation that Paul had received, he certainly could have boasted in what he had seen. What Paul says in this verse is amazing, and we would be wise to take to heart what is said. In a powerful way, Paul makes the point that what was paramount to him, was that his words and his action were consistent with the message of the gospel. We have heard it said: “Do not do what I do, do what I say.” This statement did not come from Paul to be sure! In fact, because Paul lived consistent with the gospel, He was able to say in 1 Corinthians 11:1: “Do as I do, for I am doing as Christ did.” In our culture, we think for anyone to make such a statement is arrogant or boasting, yet Paul was admonishing believers to live in such a way that they could say the same thing because they were doing what Christ did. After all, the reason Jesus came was to redeem us and the transform us into His image in order that we could live according to His ways. Jesus was the example of life for us. There is no room for us to boast about living as Jesus lived because it is only by His grace and work in us that we are able to live as He did. As mentioned in a previous blog, the gospel makes provision for us when we sin, and that is to confess our sin and turn from it, and by doing so, we are in keeping with the gospel. Our highest calling as a believer is to live in harmony with the gospel, reflecting the life of Christ who lives in us. Let us live as the new creations that God has made us.
Psalm 37:23: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way.”
Colossians 1:10: “so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,”
Blessings,
Buddy

WALK THE WALK

5/20/2017

May 20, 2017 WALK THE WALK
2 Corinthians 12:6: “For if I do wish to boast I shall not be foolish, for I shall be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one may credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.”
God called Paul to have a major part in the proclaiming the gospel at the beginning of the church, and to equip Paul for his calling, God gave Paul much revelation concerning His kingdom. After the resurrection of Jesus, He appeared to a number of His followers, including Paul. 1 Corinthians 15:8. Because of the magnitude of the revelation that Paul had received, he certainly could have boasted in what he had seen. What Paul says in this verse is amazing, and we would be wise to take to heart what is said. In a powerful way, Paul makes the point that what was paramount to him, was that his words and his action were consistent with the message of the gospel. We have heard it said: “Do not do what I do, do what I say.” This statement did not come from Paul to be sure! In fact, because Paul lived consistent with the gospel, He was able to say in 1 Corinthians 11:1: “Do as I do, for I am doing as Christ did.” In our culture, we think for anyone to make such a statement is arrogant or boasting, yet Paul was admonishing believers to live in such a way that they could say the same thing because they were doing what Christ did. After all, the reason Jesus came was to redeem us and the transform us into His image in order that we could live according to His ways. Jesus was the example of life for us. There is no room for us to boast about living as Jesus lived because it is only by His grace and work in us that we are able to live as He did. As mentioned in a previous blog, the gospel makes provision for us when we sin, and that is to confess our sin and turn from it, and by doing so, we are in keeping with the gospel. Our highest calling as a believer is to live in harmony with the gospel, reflecting the life of Christ who lives in us. Let us live as the new creations that God has made us.
Psalm 37:23: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way.”
Colossians 1:10: “so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,”
Blessings,
Buddy

SETTING THE MIND

5/17/2017

May 17, 2017 SETTING THE MIND
Romans 8:5-6,9: “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, and he does not belong to Him.”
We tend to complicate the scriptures, but actually, the message of most scriptures is quite evident, and the above scriptures or no exception. Sometimes, we try to interpret, or fit the truth of the scriptures around our life in such a way that we justify a part of our life that may not be in agreement with scripture. According to Romans 8, we are at any given moment living according to our flesh, or according to the Spirit of God. It’s either or. The simple truth is that the mind set on the flesh is death, while the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. The ‘flesh’ in this passage, refers to the part of man that is alienated from God. It is the rebellious part of man that does not want to be told what to do and it is self-centered, opposing the rule of God, and focused on doing whatever makes it feel good. The work of the flesh can be obviously some horrible action, or it can be something that looks like a good deed. For example, it is possible to do a good deed, and do so in the flesh, because that good deed makes one feel good about himself, and he takes credit for the good deed-but it’s still a work of the flesh. In contrast to the flesh, is the Spirit of God, who indwells each believer. There are many scriptures that instruct and admonish believers not to set their mind on the flesh, but to set their mind on the Spirit. The flesh is in opposition to God, and works of the flesh lead to death-not necessarily physical death-and rob us of real life and fellowship with God. The Spirit is given to guide us, to give wisdom, to empower us to live in a way that pleases our Father, and to lead us to the abundant life that God has for us as believers. Even though we may call ourselves ‘Christians,’ we still have a choice to make-the choice of setting our minds on the flesh, or on the Spirit. The desire we have for fulfillment in life is found only by setting our minds on the Spirit and living under the rule of God in our lives. We do not have to be concerned with living according to the flesh as long as our mind is set on the Spirit. Let us take to heart the words of Paul by setting our minds on the Spirit, who lives in us-if we belong to God.
Galatians 5:16: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.”
Blessings,
Buddy

PROOF OF PERFECTION

5/14/2017

May 14, 2017 PROOF OF PERFECTION
1 John 2:3-6: “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 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.”
We must be aware of the fact that believers can delude themselves to the point that there is a separation, or dichotomy, in what they say they believe, and the life they live. We can say we believe what the scriptures teach, but at the same time be ok with living in a way that contradicts the teaching of the scriptures. We may excuse ourselves and our actions that contradict scripture by claiming that, ‘we are just humans-God loves us regardless of what we do.’ We are humans, and God does love us regardless, but there is great error in such thought if we stop there. God’s plan of redemption is much more than a ticket to heaven; His redemption includes transforming us into His image. God is love, and all that He does in the lives of those who know Him is based on His love. It is His love that allowed His Son to die in our place, and it is His perfect love that transforms us and makes us new. The love of God is a giving love, while human love is self-centered. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…” John 3:16. It is indeed a miracle when the human heart is transformed by the love and power of God from a heart of a self-centered love, to a heart full of the love of God. It is amazing, but when we come to know the love of God in a personal way, we are changed from the inside out. When our heart is functioning in the love of God, our thoughts and actions reflect the heart of God! When we experience His great love for us, it is only natural to follow His commands because we know that the things He commands are the very best for us and they always lead to life. We also keep His word because we have become like Him, and we now think like He thinks and responds like He responds. Believers can fall into the erroneous belief that says they must ‘try harder,’ be more diligent, etc. in their living out the Christian life. The truth is, when God’s love is perfected in our heart, and when we understand that we have been made new, keeping His word becomes the natural thing to do. In fact, if we know Him, we will keep His word!! (A very sobering and thought provoking truth.) It’s not that we will live a perfect life, but it does mean that when we know the love of God, we will keep His word. Even when we sin, we follow His word by confessing and turning from our sin. The greatest thing we can do in this life is to know Him, and have His love perfected in us, with the result of us keeping His word.
Luke 11:28: “He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.’”
Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Blessings,
Buddy

OUR WORLD CAN BE A BETTER PLACE

5/11/2017

May 11, 2017 OUR WORLD CAN BE A BETTER PLACE
1 Peter 3:8-9: “To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.”
In the first part of this chapter, Peter is giving instructions on how husbands and wives who are believers are to relate to each other, and starting in verse eight, he broadens his instructions to include all believers concerning how they are to relate to others. It is interesting that Peter did not tell us to ‘make’ these things happen, but to “let” these responses and attitudes be ours. When we are living out of the new creations that we are, by God’s doing, our lives will be in harmony with the instructions that Peter gives. Indeed, if and when we live according to these instructions, the world will be a better place because His kingdom has come to that part of our world. These instructions run contrary to human nature, but they are the natural responses of the new nature of the believer. For this reason, it is critically important that we live according to the new person that we are in Christ, and not according to our old ways. One of the instructions given deals with how to respond when we are insulted. Our response to an insult directed to us, is an acid test that reveals our heart; we can actually have the response of blessing the one that insults us instead of giving an insult in return. Wow! When these attitudes and responses describe our life, then we are living in such a way that our lives reflect what life is like in the kingdom of God. We have been redeemed, we have been made new, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, we have become members of God’s family, and not only are we able, but we have been called to live in harmony with the instructions on how we are to relate. Again, these attitudes and responses are not things we have to do in our own strength, but are a part of our new nature. However, we do have to make the choice to live out of our new nature, and not according to our old nature. Let us not be locked in to living out of our own strength, and let us not be guided by what is natural, but let us live the super-natural life that God has made possible through the Holy Spirit who resides in us. We may need to be reminded that God did not just ‘improve’ us or ‘refurbish’ us at salvation; He made us new creatures and gave us a new identity and made us a part of the kingdom of God and we are no longer of the world. In fact, 1 Peter 2:11 calls us aliens! “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lust, which wage war against the soul.” Let us choose this very moment to put on the new person that God has made us and let us being living expressions of these verses as we relate to others.
Ephesians 4:22-24: “to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”
Blessings,
Buddy

PROVE IT

5/7/2017

May 8, 2017 PROVE IT
James 1:12: “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 1 Peter 6-7: “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
We have something to prove in this life, and in order to prove something, there has to be a test or a challenge. One error or misunderstanding in Christianity today is that we tend to think that becoming a Christian insures a life where everything goes pretty smoothly because God loves us and will watch over us. God does love us, and He watches over us, but He does not guarantee a life free of trials. God could easily put an end to all trials and difficulties, but He does not for a reason. The sobering truth and reality is that because He loves us, He allows trials to come our way! One of the major things that God is up to is that of transforming us into His image. We were born with a sin nature, separated from God, and without hope. The process of being transformed to the image of God is not small thing. A crucial part of this transformation process is learning how to be overcomers in a world where various trials and difficulties are the norm. The strength and will-power of man is insufficient, and at some point fails, when it comes to living as an overcomer in life. Because God has given us new hearts, new minds and new spirits, and has given the Holy Spirit to live in us, we can be victorious over any trial that comes our way. The main point of the verses above is that trials present us with the opportunity to prove, or demonstrate our faith-faith that God is at work through the trial and that His strength in us is more than sufficient to overcome any trial. To overcome trials the way God designed requires the super-natural. No one likes trials; however, when we view trials with God’s perspective, we can have confidence and a peace that surpasses understanding in the midst of the most difficult trials. (Space does not allow to discuss the origin of trials-whether they are of our own making through bad decisions, or trials that come because of our faith in God-that’s a topic for another day.) God gives great promises to those whose faith is proven by the trial if faces; trials have a way of revealing what is in our heart. Let us remember that blessings await those who persevere under trial, and that the proving of our faith is more precious than gold.
Galatians 6:9: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Blessings,
Buddy

WE HAVE COME

5/4/2017

May 4, 2017 WE HAVE COME
Hebrews 12:22-25: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks better than the blood of Able. See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.”
For the one that does not know God, these verses certainly would make no sense whatsoever and would not be understood to any degree. What is presented here are indeed truths that transcends the natural and can only be grasped and understood by the help of the Holy Spirit. It is likely that we as believers do not yet fully understand just how far-reaching and how awesome what these verses tell us. Having been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God is without a doubt one of the greatest miracles of all times. One major thing that accompanies salvation is that we become alive spiritually, and for the first time can understand spiritual thought and spiritual reality. God is spirit as we see in John 4:24: “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship and truth.” I Corinthians 2:13 also points to the reality of the Spirit: “which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thought with spiritual words.” The basic truth we need to know is that because we are now spiritual beings (who still have a body) we are not alone, but have been made a part of the great and everlasting kingdom of God. No longer are we just living a natural life where one day we die and that is the end, but because we are in Christ, we are eternal beings joined to God. The reality is, whether we comprehend it fully or not, is that we are now connected with all that goes on in the kingdom of God. We have ‘come’ to ‘the living city of God’ where believers who have died are present, where there are ‘myriads of angels’ praising God, and where Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant is present! What God has done on our behalf almost defies imagination, yet, what He has done is real and we are now able to join in with the host of heaven and be a part of what God is doing in all of creation. Let us not live only in the natural, but let us become alive spiritually and be a functioning part of the kingdom of God that fills the whole world and all of creation.
2 Corinthians 4:18: “while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Blessings,
Buddy