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JUST  AS  YOUR  FATHER

8/28/2016

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August 28, 2016                                      JUST  AS  YOUR  FATHER
Luke:6:35-37: “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. And do not judge and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned.”
Without a doubt, these verses serve as an acid test as to whether our “Christianity” is indeed biblical, according to the gospel of Jesus. Are we to actually LOVE our enemies? Are we to HELP our enemies and do GOOD to them-and even LEND to them and expect no return? I would say that most believers are willing to ignore their enemies, and even pray that God might deal with them-but to love them is limited to “loving” them in our mind and thoughts only.  To truly love an enemy is something that is super-natural, but as believers, the super-natural life is ours to live. The key to loving our enemies is in knowing that God is our Father and that He has put His Spirit within us, making it possible to think, to respond, and to live in a way that resembles His life. When we have the love of God in our hearts, and when we know His love and experience His love, it becomes natural to express that love to all. Romans 5:5 tells us that “hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Many know and agree in their mind that God is their Father, but to know in the deepest part of our being that God is our real Father and that He knew us long before our physical birth is a life-changer for us. The life that Jesus demonstrated is to be the life we live; if we think that there is no way that our lives can resemble the life that Jesus lived, then we do not yet understand the good news of the gospel.  Jesus is our example, as we see in 1 John 2:6: “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” Perhaps the most overshadowing truth that makes all the difference is that it is the love of God being known in our hearts that causes us to desire, and enables us to live life as God designed. If the life we live does not flow out of the love of God, then we are living a sub-standard life. When we are experiencing the love of God, the scriptures, the commands of God, are not seen as laws we must keep and are not burdensome, but His words become life and His commands reveal the new creation that He has made us. It is futile trying to get the old man, or the old nature, to live a life that is keeping with the gospel, but when the Holy Spirit is ruling our lives, the commands of scripture become opportunities to express the nature of God.
Ephesians 5:1-2: “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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HOPE

8/25/2016

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August 25, 2016                                                HOPE
1 Peter 3:15: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man who asketh you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”
Those who have placed their hope in this world and in mankind certainly must feel great remorse as they look at the discord and conflict taking place around the world. For many years we have heard it proclaimed that man was making great strides in bringing peace and harmony to the world and that life would be becoming better and better for everyone. Many believed that the United Nations would be the great unifier of mankind but that has not been far from the case. We live in a world where sin of every sort abounds, where evil is called good and good evil, where absolutes and morality are considered old-fashion, and where we see the degradation of society. However, there is reason for hope for the believer. The hope that is available to the believer is not based on the world around us or the efforts of man to make the world a better place to live, but is based on the plans and purposes of God as revealed in His word. We may not understand why God allows certain things to happen, but our hope rest in the fact that He is sovereign and that He is moving toward the fulfilling of His purposes.  God often leaves man to his own schemes and plans in order to make known the fact that when man tries to live independent of God, failure and disaster are the results. The discord, the strife, and the human suffering in the word today comes as a result of mankind living with no regard for God, so it is erroneous to say that God causes evil to happen.  In spite of what we see currently going on in the world, the fact is that God is establishing His kingdom and nothing can hinder what He is doing.  Indeed, those who have their hope in God, the creator and ruler of the universe, will have a hope that defies logic and reason in the midst of the strife. Having hope does not mean that we are exempt from the trials brought on by a world who rejects God, but hope does give us the ability not only to endure, but to rejoice as well because we know what the future holds. Let us sanctify, or set apart the Lord God in our hearts so that He alone is our hope, and when others ask why we have hope in such a broken, dark world, we can point them to the source of our hope. Be assured that God is not “fretting” over what is taking place on planet Earth and God has not lost control, but is masterfully moving toward the fulfillment of His purposes, which include the complete redemption and salvation of those who know Him as Savior.
2 Corinthians 2:9: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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THE  HEART  FOLLOWS

8/21/2016

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August 21, 2016                                        THE  HEART  FOLLOWS
Matthew 6:21: “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
The truth of this verse cannot be denied; the heart is always locked in on the treasure. The avid hunter, fisherman, golfer, gardener, cook, artist, or whoever cannot disguise for very long where their treasure lies. The question is how did our treasure come to be the treasure, or in other words, do we have the power to pick and choose what we treasure? Certainly, we all have various likes and dislikes, certain temperaments and personalities, each of us is unique, and that is how God made us. However, when we become aware of an area of our life that needs to be changed or adjusted, we must not use the excuse of “that’s just the way I’m made.” To acknowledge that we have influence and choices as to what we allow to capture our hearts is to acknowledge the truth. We may have a lot of things we enjoy doing, but I’m convinced that we have one dominant treasure that directs and energizes our lives. Honestly, I don’t know exactly how one goes about choosing what they treasure, but I do know that the more we discover about God, the more we want to know about Him and as our knowledge of Him increases, we soon find that nothing else compares to Him and He becomes our treasure.  We can settle for lesser treasures, but they ultimately fail to satisfy our hearts completely; in fact, God designed us in such a way that only He can fulfill the longings of our hearts. Having a relationship with God as our treasure, does not mean that we must forsake all other enjoyment or pursuits, but it does mean that whatever we do flows out of that relationship. In fact, when God is our treasure, He “richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6:17) As we take steps, as we turn our hearts toward knowing God, He will begin to reveal Himself to us and as we begin to see Him for who He is, we will find that nothing else compares and He will become our treasure. Let us enjoy all that God supplies, but let us not waste time and energy pursuing treasures that do not deliver what they promise. Our God is a good God and because He designed our very makeup, He alone is the one who gives life to the fullest, who satisfies the heart, who gives the ultimate purpose in life, and the one that gives us His Spirit that enables us to live a super-natural life-He is the ultimate treasure!
Matthew 13:44: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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THE  FRUIT  IS  THE  EVIDENCE

8/18/2016

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August 18, 2016                                    THE  FRUIT  IS  THE  EVIDENCE
 
Galatians 5:19: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident…….”
Galatians 5:22:  “But the fruit of the Spirit is………”
Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things you please.”
Just as a tree is known by the fruit it produces, so is it with the Spirit and flesh-the Spirit produces certain fruit and the flesh produces certain fruit. As you read Galatians, you will see the sharp contrast between the fruit of the Spirit and the deeds of the flesh. The writer of Galatians was addressing the believers who were living according to the flesh, and not according to the Spirit. The truth is that at any given moment we are living according to the flesh, or according to the Spirit, and there is no mixture of the two. We know that we are living according to the Spirit when love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control describe our life (Galatians 5:22), and the amazing part is that the fruit of the Spirit is a package deal. When we are walking according to the Spirit, all of the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in our life. In contrast, the fruit of living according to the flesh, or “deeds of the flesh” include immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealously, outburst of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and etc. (Galatians 5:19-21). One may conclude that believers are in a real predicament given the fact that there is this ongoing battle between the flesh and the Spirit. However, God has made provision for, and given believers victory over the flesh; our part is to reckon our old self crucified, as we see in Romans 6:6: “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body f sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” Also, in Galatians 5:16 we read: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.” In the seventh chapter of Romans, Paul is describing the conflict of the flesh and the Spirit and what life is like for the believer that does not understand that the old self has been crucified; however, Paul makes it clear that he was delivered from this battle of flesh verses Spirit. In Romans 8:1-2 we find the answer to this epic battle of flesh and Spirit: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” God has saved us and has delivered us from who we use to be, has made us new, and has put His Spirit within us, so that we might live a life that pleases Him and a life that reflects His nature.
1 Corinthians 15:57: “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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STILL  FLESHLY

8/15/2016

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August 15, 2016                                         STILL  FLESHLY
1 Corinthians 3:2-3: “I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealously and strife among you are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?”
It is clear that Paul was addressing believers when he confronted them with the fact that they were still fleshly. Basically, to be “fleshly” is to live according to the old man-who we use to be before salvation-and not according to the new man that we are in Christ; when we are living according to our new identity in Christ, we are spiritual, not fleshly, in right relationship with God. Paul asked an important question in 1 Corinthians 3:16 when he asked: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” Just like these early believers, we too have to answer the same question: do we know that we are the temple of God and His spirit dwells in us? The truth we need to hear today is that it’s just not about being Christians, but all about walking according to our new identity-according to the new person that we are because we are in Christ and He is in us. There is a tendency for believers to settle for the fact that they are Christians and going to heaven when they die; however, this view falls far short of what it means to be a Christian according to the scriptures. At salvation, we are transformed and given hew hearts and new minds and a new spirit, but then the transformation process is to continue and we are to be becoming more and more like Christ. Tied to the transformation process is learning of our new identity in Christ, and for this reason, becoming a student of the scriptures is non-optional. If our intake of the scripture is limited to a single message on Sunday morning, we are spiritually anemic. Realizing the fact that we are the temple of the Spirit of God should have a profound impact on us. In light of the fact that it is possible for believers to live according to the flesh, a self-examination is in order for each of us to determine if we indeed know our new identity in Christ and whether or not we are living according to that new identity. Sure signs of being fleshly include not only jealously and strife, but also include selfishness, anger, wrong thoughts, trusting in ourselves, immorality, and etc. By the power of the Spirit within us, may we live out of our new identity-starting now.
2 Corinthians 7:1: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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August 12th, 2016

8/12/2016

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August 12, 2016                                    NEW  EVERY  MORNING
 
Lamentations 3:22-25: “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I have hope in Him.’ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.”
For those who seek God and wait for Him, there is one sure and steadfast truth, and that is that His mercies are new every morning. We live in a world where uncertainty is the norm, where things are unsettled and unsure and where we do not know what tomorrow holds for us. In contrast to the ways of the world, the ways of God are certain and unchangeable and when we are living according to His ways, we can know and experience confidence and peace in the midst of a turbulent world. Believers are not exempt from troubles and trials, but in the midst of difficulties, they are sustained and strengthened by the kindness and compassion of God. There is one “catch” however; the one who waits for Him and seeks Him is the one who experiences and knows first-hand the kindness and compassion of the Lord. (It is true that all people to some degree experience the kindness of God to some degree-the fact that a person is alive, that rain waters the earth, etc. is expression of the kindness of God.) Note that the lovingkindnesses of God NEVER cease and that His compassion NEVER fail! We may become weary and may face discouragement, but in such times we can stop and experience His lovingkindnesses (plural) and His compassions (plural). What a wonderful Father we have. Even though God has made us new creations with new hearts and minds and put His Spirit within us, He still remembers the frailty of our physical being. In Psalms 103:14 we read: “For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.” The absolute greatest thing we can do in this life as believers is to seek Him and wait for Him, for in so doing we will find that His mercies, His lovingkindnesses, and His compassions are new every morning and they never fail! When we awake each morning, let us know that God is already expressing His love for-even before we arise from our sleep.
Psalm 139:5-10: “You hem me in behind and before, and You lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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PERFECTING  HOLINESS

8/8/2016

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August 8, 2016                                        PERFECTIING  HOLINESS
2 Corinthians 7:1:  “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
God has made many awesome promises to those who have put their faith and trust in Him and these promises should serve as a motivation for us to live in such a way that our lives honor Him. Living holy lives is God’s plan and desire for us as we see in 1 Peter 1:16, “Be holy, because I am holy”.  As believers, we are now the temple of God and His presence in us enables us to live in such a way that we reflect His nature.  Being holy is not a result of human effort and determination, but a result of His presence. Some miss the point of 1 Peter 1:16 by believing that our actions do not matter that much because our holiness is a “done deal” because we are “in Christ.” There is truth in that understanding, but we must make the connection that BECAUSE we are in Christ, and BECAUSE He has made us holy, we are to express holiness in the lives we live.  God is holy and God is our Father and we have been joined to Him, we have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to His kingdom of light, and now we are to be expressions of His nature. As believers, we should have a healthy fear of God-a fear of missing what He has for us and a fear of falling short of His plans and design for us. In God’s grace, rather than making us robots, He gives us the opportunity to work with Him as He works in us. Even though we belong to Him, we still have the power of choice as to whether we walk in His ways or not. The verse above says we are to be “perfecting” holiness; we are to be growing in and maturing in holiness. The key part in being holy is spending time in God’s word and letting it speak to us, conforming our life to His word, and obeying the voice of the Spirit within us. When we read the commands that Jesus gave, let us be quick to do what He commands; keeping His commands leads to abundant life and to holiness-it’s just that simple! His commands are not burdensome, but are actually descriptions of what our new nature is like; when we walk according to our true identity in Him, obeying Him and being holy becomes natural. Mere human beings who have been redeemed by the Lamb, can in fact live lives of holiness in the midst of a dark world. Today, let us express the nature of our Father.
Holiness: The state of being holy; purity or integrity of moral character; freedom from sin; sanctity.
1 Peter 1:15: “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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PROBING  OUR  WAYS

8/5/2016

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August 5, 2016                                       PROBING  OUR  WAYS
Lamentations 3:32-33,38: “For if He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness.  For He does not afflict willingly, or grieve the sons of men. Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both good and ill go forth?”
Jeremiah, the writer of Lamentations, paints a picture of the great suffering that had come to the people of God as a result of them turning from the Lord. Jeremiah is speaking for the children of God and you hear the cry of his heart for the deliverance of the nation from the suffering being experienced on every hand. What we read in chapter three is in conflict with the belief that many have, that God is never the author of grief or affliction and suffering. As we come to grip with the message of Lamentations, we find that our only response is to bow our knee to the fact that God is sovereign and that we are at the mercy of God. Because God is sovereign, He could put a stop to all evil if He chose to do so, and He could end all affliction and grief if He decided to do that.  Lamentations makes it clear that God at times causes, or allows grief, and it also makes it clear that God is full of compassion. We may have a difficult time reconciling this seemingly contradictory view of God, but when we understand the message God is speaking through Jeremiah, we will be blessed and we will be humbled as we come to a better understanding of just how great His compassion is toward His people. When sin entered the heart of man through Adam and Eve, the fellowship and the relationship that they enjoyed with God was lost. The overriding plan of God and the desire of God is that the relationship that Adam and Eve enjoyed with God before they sinned, would be restored to all of God’s people. God’s remedy for the sin issue was the giving of His Son to be the sacrifice for the sins of man. It is God’s heart that man would seek to know Him, and would to come to Him because of His great love and compassion; He does not want robots, but wants a people who desire Him. The great mystery and plan of God is that He allows difficult times to come, He allows grief and affliction, with the purpose of causing man to cry out for Him, to turn to Him SO THAT He might show His compassion! God longs to show that His compassion never fails, and He will use afflictions and grief as an opportunity to do just that. But, let us know that it is not His desire for us to turn from Him so that He can show His compassion; we do  not have to turn form Him-we can know His compassion and His love by walking with Him, by hearing and following His voice. The word for us in Lamentations is that God is always drawing us to Himself and He will do whatever it takes to cause us to come to Him so that we might experience His abundant grace and lovingkindness.
Lamentations 3:22,40: “The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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    Buddy Fitzgerald

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