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WE POSSESS THE KINGDOM

10/30/2017

October 30, 2017 WE POSSESS THE KINGDOM
Luke 12:30-32 “For all of these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”
We tend to live in a state of ‘chasing the carrot’, but never catching it; we may spend the majority of our life pursuing, and not enjoying the present blessings that come from our Father. Even among believers, there seems to be a striving, an ongoing effort, to be ‘spiritual’ or to measure up to some standard that we think will make us a better Christian. Enjoying the present as a child of God does not negate the call to pursue the things of God and it should not cause us to become spiritually lazy. There is a mystery-we have it, but there is more to be discovered. When Jesus was ministering on earth, He made it abundantly clear that His kingdom “was at hand,” and He made it clear that those who believe in Him would be a part of His kingdom, even here on earth. “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in the heavens.” Matthew 16 19. The kingdom that Jesus proclaimed was not limited to heaven, but was a kingdom without end and not limited by physical boundaries. As a believer, our ‘mode of operation’, our view of life, our way of thinking, should be first and foremost that we are living in the kingdom of God-right now, and as citizens of His kingdom, we get to enjoy all the benefits that come with His kingdom. A part of living in His kingdom while here on earth is that we get to spend the remainder of our physical life discovering and learning more about the kingdom. Life is not about us ‘measuring up’, but about enjoying and walking in who He has made us; we have been made new creations who reign with Christ and we are a part of His kingdom. “For by these things He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” 2 Peter 1:4. We can rest in the fact that our Father knows what we need and that He will supply our needs. God often supplies our needs by giving us the ability to work and a place to work for income, and He will also give to us in supernatural ways as well. The key is that we see all provision coming from our Father. James 1:17 tells us: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” There is one condition to experiencing His kingdom-we must seek it. The riches and blessings of God are reserved for the one who has a heart to seek Him first-and whose greatest desire is to know the Lord. God has designed it in such a way that our eyes are opened to all that He has done only when He is our greatest desire; the one who does not desire Him first, cannot find Him nor understand the ways of God. Indeed, just as the verse tells us, when we come to know God as our Father, there is no reason to fear-anything or anyone. So, wherever you are in life, no matter the circumstances, know that the kingdom of God “is at hand,” and if you seek Him first, you will experience His kingdom in the here and now.
Mark 10:15: “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”
Blessings,
Buddy

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October 27th, 2017

10/27/2017

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October 27, 2017 GODLINESS IS PROFITABLE
1 Timothy 4:8,12,15-16: “for bodily discipline is only for a little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, shown yourself as an example of those who believe. Take pains with these things, be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching, persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”
In our culture, there is high value placed on the physical body, whether it is frequent trips to the gym, being super conscience about what we eat, or making sure we are in style in how we dress. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with staying physically fit, or having a good diet, and dressing appropriately, but if these things take priority over the condition of our spiritual health, then we are in error. We don’t hear very often the admonition to be godly in thought and conduct, and perhaps it is because we are more focused on our ungodliness. We seem to think that if we highlight or point out our sin, or ungodliness, and how we often do not please God, we are being humble and we are more apt to get an audience. If we find it is difficult for us to say that we are living a godly life, then we have misunderstood the call to godliness. To be godly simply means to live way that looks like God. “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.” 1 Peter 1:15. For sure, it is right to confess when the Holy Spirit convicts of something that we do that displeases the Lord, but at the same time, we should communicate how the Lord has given us not only the desire, but the power to be godly. There is also a tendency for us to segment or view godliness as a ‘high and lofty’ concept, and not see godliness as something we are to walk out daily. We may relate godliness to going to church, praying, or doing something of a spiritual nature. However, because we have been set apart and because we have been joined to God, we are to be holy, or godly in all that we do. Although we are to act in a godly way, being godly is more about who we are. To be godly in conduct is not something we can do in our own strength, but because we have been made ‘godly’, we can now live godly; we are not ‘ungodly’ people trying to be godly. The verses above tell us to be an example to all believers in how we conduct our lives. Just as diligent as we may be to be physically fit, we are to be even more diligent, and attentive to living in godliness. Paul tells Timothy is to “take pains with these things,” “be absorbed in them,” and to “pay close attention to yourself,” and to “persevere in these things.” Even though God has set us apart and made us holy, it is our responsibility to respond to His work in us and to walk in the provision He has made in order for us to live in a godly way. It sounds so simple, but it is a matter of reading the scriptures and then actually putting into practice what the scriptures teach as the Holy Spirit leads. Of course, one must have the Holy Spirit living in them and they must have a desire to know and to walk in the ways of the Lord if they are to be godly. So, let us take care of our physical bodies as we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, but let our highest priority in life be that of disciplining ourselves for godliness. After all, godliness is profitable in this present life, and the one to come. May we obey the plain teachings of scripture.
2 Peter 1:3: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.”
James 1:25: “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.”
Blessings,
Buddy

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WE ONCE WERE

10/23/2017

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October 23, 2017 WE ONCE WERE
Titus 3:1-5: “Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. For we also were once foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lust and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,”
Paul was well aware of the fact that life was one way before his conversion, and a totally different way after his conversion. The difference that comes as a result of our conversion is a key issue in the Christian faith. The essence of the gospel is that Jesus came that we might be redeemed and set free from the power of sin. Either a person has been born again, or he has not. Before conversion, one lives according to the world system that is the domain of Satan, and is separated from God, living in darkness. Contrary to what image may come to mind when we think of someone living in darkness and under the domain of Satan, one who is not a believer, can actually appear to be a likeable, well-adjusted, decent sort of a person. Even though one who does not know God comes across as a ‘good guy’, he is nonetheless living in darkness because he has not been made new in Christ. Those who do not know God are limited to living according to self and do not know the power of Christ living in them, thus the blindness. From Adam and Eve, all are born with a sinful nature, a nature that insist on living according to its own dictates, not submitting God. So, our conversion-our being born again-is indeed a life-changer. We were once in darkness, separated from God, but now we have been given a new nature and have become the sons and daughters of God; we are not who we use to be. We now have new appetites in life, we have a new purpose and a new reason for living. The way we view others, the way we respond to others, the way we think, and our actions should come out of who we are in Christ and who He is in us. We are no longer limited to self and mere humanity, but have the power of God at work in us to equip us to reflect Him in the life we live. It is by experiencing the love of God in us that we are transformed into His image and it is this love that frees us to be the person God designed us to be. As awesome as it is to be a believer, it is possible to live in such a way that our life does not reflect the fact that we have been made new, and in fact, it is possible for us to live the way we did before our conversion. As believers, we have the choice of walking according to the Spirit, or according to the flesh. It is paramount that we search the scriptures with the desire to understand what a marvelous work God has done for the believer and to come to know our true identity in Christ. Let us be reminded that we once were not a child of God, but now, by His work in us, we have been transferred from the kingdom of this world and have been transferred to the kingdom of God. Now, let us live according to God, demonstrating His kingdom in the midst of the darkness.
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

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LET

10/20/2017

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October 20, 2017 LET
John 14:1 “Do not let you heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me.”
Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”
Romans 6:12 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lust thereof.”
Galatians 5:25 “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
The above scriptures are just a few of the New Testament scriptures in which we find the word ‘let.’ Peter Parris has said that “the operative word for the New Testament is let.” However, it seems that for many believers, the word ‘try’ is the operative word when it comes to living the Christian life. Sad but true, some believers may spend a life time continually trying to measure up to the teachings of scripture or what they consider to be the Christian life. If we find ourselves ‘trying’ to live according to the scriptures, we are missing a major concept and truth of the Christian faith. Living according to the scriptures and living in such a way that pleases the Lord is a result of knowing and experiencing what Christ has accomplished on our behalf. Because God is well aware of the fact that we are not capable to live as He intended in our own strength, He gives the Holy Spirit to live in us to enable us to live according to His plans and purposes. John 8:32 tells us that “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” When we come to know the truth of the scriptures-not just in our mind, but in our spirit-we find freedom from the burden of trying, and of living on the spiritual roller coaster, and we are free to live as sons and daughters of God, enjoying Him as our Father. The idea of ‘letting’ does not imply that we do nothing; we are called to work out our salvation and to work with God as He works in us, and we are called to be diligent and to be disciplined in our faith. However, we must know that we have been reconciled to God, we have been given new hearts, new minds, and new spirits, we have been joined to God, and we have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us, equipping and empowering us to live as unto the Lord. Our diligence comes into play in walking out what He has already done in us. We are to be people of prayer, but we likely find our prayers to be asking God to do something He has already done! As example, we may ask Him to help us love our neighbor, but the truth is that He has already poured out His love into our hearts, so the love we need for our neighbor is already present-we just have to express it. If we are not aware of God’s love in our heats, then we can to ask God to enlighten the eyes of our hearts so that we know the love of God and all that He has done in us. Ephesians 1:18. We must be alert to the fact that we live in a day when we hear preaching and teaching that is not in line with the true message of the gospel, and as a result, there is a general lack, or misunderstanding of our true identity as believers. A crucial point that is often misunderstood, or not known at all, is that our salvation is far greater than we think; at salvation, we are made new and given a new mind, new heart, and a new spirit. Our salvation is not just a ticket to heaven, but is about being transformed into His image and about us expressing His nature. We have the opportunity to walk and live in the Spirit, and as we do, we experience all that God has for us. And, as we walk in our identity in Christ, we can stop the trying, and begin letting the life of God flow through us!
Romans 14:19: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”
Blessings,
Buddy

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HEARTS REVEALED

10/17/2017

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October17, 2017 HEARTS REVEALED
1 Corinthians 4:4-5: “I am conscience of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore do not go on passing judgement before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts, and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.”
We are not able to judge or determine the motive of men’s hearts, but some certain day, when Jesus returns, He will make known the motives of the hearts of men. Because we cannot determine the motive of a man’s heart, Paul warns us not to pass judgement on another person based on what we may think is the motive of their heart in any particular situation. Note that Paul was not aware, or conscience of anything in his own heart that was wrong or displeasing to the Lord, but he goes on to say that he was not acquitted by his own evaluation of his heart, but only by having his heart examined by the Lord. For the one standing before a judge in a court of law, it does not matter what his own opinion is, but only what the judge renders; the difference however, is that the Lord is the perfect judge who never makes a wrong judgement. It is amazing that Paul was conscience of nothing against himself. It should be our desire to live with a pure conscience, and we can, just as Paul did. Even though the Lord is the ultimate judge of what is in our heart, we should be alert to the condition of our heart. In 2 Corinthians 13:5 we are told to examine our hearts-“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test? We have been given the Holy Spirt and one thing He does is to guide, or lead us into the things of the Lord, and by obeying the voice of the Spirit in us, we can have a pure or clean conscience. We must see that we are called to work with God as He works in us-we have a part to play. As believers, we are called to be actively involved in being spiritually healthy. We see this call to action in Philippians 1:9-10: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.” It should be a sobering thought for us to know that someday the Lord will bring to light the motives of our hearts, but even though it is certainly a sobering thought, it does not have to be a fearful thought. Living with the awareness that the Lord will reveal our motives, should serve as a safety net, or the motivation to live in such a way that our hearts are pure. We all at times have a thought, or perhaps a motive, that does not honor the Lord, but if we are quick to realize that and we reject and turn from that thought or motive, we are continuing to walk in purity and the Lord is pleased. Let us not miss the last part of the verse-if we live with pure heart and our motives honor the Lord, we will be praised by God! We were all born into sin and we all have things in our past that were ungodly, but God has forgiven us and cleansed us from our sin and we no longer have to live with a defiled conscience! Let us live with the realization that Jesus is in us and let us be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in order that we may live in a way that pleases Him. By so doing, we will have a clear conscience and a pure heart, with no fear of having the motives of our heart revealed.
Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
Blessings,
Buddy

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LOVE

10/14/2017

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October 14, 2017 LOVE
1 Corinthians 13:1 “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angles, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”
I love sunny days-I love a good cup of coffee-I love coconut crème pie-I love my truck-I love my wife-I love my church-I love a lot of things! We use, and we hear the word ‘love’ so often that perhaps we lose the impact of the word. Its perfectly fine to say “I love sunny days”-or whatever, but let us not lose sight of what it means to love people-especially those close to us. For certain, man defines or views love differently than God does; the love of man is a selfish love, whereas the love of God is totally unselfish. The selfish love of man is the dominant factor that leads to broken relationships and damaged emotions. Selfish love says that I love him-or her-because I like the way they make me feel, or I like the way they look, etc. In contrast to the love of man is the love of God, and 1 Corinthians 13 is the classic description of the love that originates with, and flows from God. As we read this chapter, we are forced to compare the love that we say we have with the love as defined by God. For example, does our love stand up to the test of verses 4 and 5 where we read: “Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous, love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,.” No matter how hard we may try, we cannot upgrade man’s love to the love of God. In order to experience this love of God and to demonstrate the love of God, the love of God must flow from Him to us. The good news for all believers is that God has put His love in our hearts as we see in Romans 5:5-“and 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.” It is this love of God that transforms us into His image whereby we can experience His love and we can express this love to others-regardless of what they are like or no matter what they do. Romans 5:8 speaks of the unselfish love of God: “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Knowing the love of God is a miracle, it does not come from our own effort. 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us “But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” The miracle is that as we look at, as we focus on God and who He is, as we seek Him, the transformation process begins in us from the inside out. If you are a believer, God has already poured out His love in you. If you do not yet know that love, then begin to learn of God, read and believe the scriptures, ask God to open your spiritual eyes that you may see His work in you, and as a priority in life, seek Him first. In the process, you will become more and more aware of His love that has been poured out in you.
Ephesians 1:18: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”
Blessings,
Buddy

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THE VEIL TAKEN AWAY

10/11/2017

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October 11, 2017 THE VEIL TAKEN AWAY
2 Corinthians 3:14-16 “But their minds were hardened; but until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
We should not be surprised or alarmed when one who is not a believer does not understand the scriptures or the things of the Lord and rejects Christianity. As this scripture says, those who do not know the Lord have a veil over their minds and their hearts, making it impossible for them to see and understand the truths of God’s word. One might then ask if one is blinded by the veil, and they cannot remove the veil themselves, how will they ever be able to see. The hope for those that do not know the Lord and are blinded by the veil, is that by turning to the Lord, the veil is removed. Having the veil removed does not happen as a result of understanding the scriptures alone, but rather the scriptures can be understood once the veil has been removed by turning to the Lord. We need to understand the order-first there is a turning to the Lord, then there is understanding-not vice versa. God certainly uses the teaching and preaching of the scriptures to reach those that are lost, and hearing such teaching and preaching may cause them to realize their lost condition and in turn cause them to turn to the Lord that they might be saved. Once they turn to the Lord, and the veil is removed, then the Christian faith and God’s word makes sense! I also think that it is possible for a believer to allow a veil to develop over his or her mind and heart. Should a believer continue to live according to self instead of walking according to the Spirit, they become callous to the things of the Lord, and in a sense, become blind. Also, when a believer reads and interprets scriptures according his own preferences and is not open to the teachings of all the scriptures, he develops blind spots. A major part of having the veil removed is understanding all of the implications of our salvation under the new covenant, mainly, that of understanding the nature of our new birth-that we have died to self and have been raised with Christ to a new way of living. Another danger that can cause us to become callous or blind is to be content with reading the scriptures but not obeying the teachings of scripture. James 1:22 warns us about obeying God’s word by saying “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” And in James 1:25 we read: “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do” Note in the verse for today, that it is when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. The veil will not be removed by turning to church attendance, more self-discipline, the traditions of man, the doing of good deeds, making personal sacrifices, or anything else. Only as our heart fully turns to the Lord will the veil be removed. God is desiring to reveal more of Himself to us, but He has chosen to do so if we seek Him first above all else. Only in Him or our eyes opened, and only in Him do we find life, light, wisdom, understanding, and freedom, and only in Him are we made complete.
1 John 1:5: “This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.”
Blessings,
Buddy

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YOU ARE GIFTED

10/8/2017

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October 8, 2017 YOU ARE GIFTED
1 Corinthians 12:4-5 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.”
It would be impossible to cover the subject of spiritual gifts in one article such as this, so I encourage you to search the scriptures to learn about spiritual gifts and their use. We read in Corinthians 12:1 “Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.” It is clear in scripture that God supernaturally gives to each and every believer a spiritual gift. Most people have a natural talent in some area, but natural talent and spiritual gifting or not one in the same. God will use your natural talent if it is your motive to glorify Him with your talent, but the spiritual gift that He has given to you is to also be used in His service. The nature of spiritual gifts is that they are designed to bless others in the body of Christ-the church. God has designed His body in such a way that as members of His body, we are connected to each other and when we exercise our spiritual gift, we are supplying the needs of others. All of the gifts are equally important just as each member of our physical body is important. You will find that the spiritual gift that God has given you becomes evident as you relate to other believers; you may not even be conscience of your spiritual gift at work. If your spiritual gift is that of teaching, you will have the propensity and the ability to present information in a logical order so that others may learn. If your gift is one of encouragement, you will find yourself speaking words that bring hope and encouragement in difficult times; whatever gift you have, it will become evident. God is all knowing; He knows what the body needs, and what each member of the body needs, and He has equipped each member with a spiritual gift that is to be employed in supplying what the body needs as a whole, and what each individual member needs. This is not to say that God does not meet our needs in a personal way, but it does say that a certain dynamic takes place within the body of Christ where the exercising of spiritual gifting is needed if the body is to be healthy. There is a tendency in our culture to see ourselves as independent and self-sufficient, not needing others. This concept of independency is contrary to the teaching of scripture and to the functioning of the body of Christ. If we need each other in the body of Christ, and we do, then it is essential that we are present and active in the body. Many may not agree or like the sound of this, but we do have obligations to the body, because we have been given a spiritual gift that is designed to bless others. Going to the meeting of the church should be non-optional unless we are providentially hindered-this is not legalism-it is simply recognizing our place in the body. It’s tragic, but for many believers, the slightest reason or inconvenience can cause them to decide not to attend meetings of the church. The anti-dote to a casual view of participation in the church and spending time with other believers is to accept the fact that God has designed us in such a way that we are incomplete, or we lack when we do not assume our place in the body where we both give and receive blessings form other members. The fact is that, when we are absent, or AWOL, someone else is robed of a blessing we could give and we miss a blessing we could receive.
Ephesians 4:16 “From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
Blessings,
Buddy

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FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE

10/5/2017

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October 5, 2017 FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE
Philippians 2:12-13 “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and work for His good pleasure.
1 Thessalonians 5:24: “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”
Those four words-“for His good pleasure”-tell it all! If it is our deepest desire to live “for His good pleasure,” then we are spiritually healthy, and conversely, if that is not our deepest desire, then we are spiritually unhealthy. We must answer this question with the awareness that we live out of our deepest desires; it’s not just about saying the right words. The great tragedy of our day is that to a great degree, many see that being a Christian is all about going to heaven when they die, and accordingly, they miss the call to be being transformed to His image while living here on earth. The salvation of God is far more than a ticket to heaven; the salvation of God touches every part of our being and it transforms our life in such a way that we become more and more like Jesus. We can resist His work of transformation in us, but we suffer loss when we do. Once we grasp the awesome, powerful truth in our spirit that “it is God who is at work in us,” our purpose in life takes on new meaning. “Working out our salvation” has to do with aligning our life with His, living for Him and not for ourselves, learning of Him and then adjusting our life where needed in order to be like Him, and walking in the light of who God is. The impact of the salvation of God is no small issue and is not something to take lightly. How bold, how brazen, how ignorant, how insensitive, and how ungrateful it is to take lightly the salvation of God! Hebrews 10:29 is a sobering warning for believers-“How much severer punishment he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?” We have the privilege and the opportunity to work with God as He does His work in us, and we also have the possibility of resisting His work in us. The good news is that God is faithful even if we are unfaithful, and He will bring His plans and purposes to pass. There are two sobering facts that we cannot change; we can resist His work in us, but as said above, we suffer loss; or we can make the choice to work with Him and have as our desire to live for His good pleasure-it really is just that simple. If we have been born again of God, then the Spirit of God lives in us and He is always prompting us an enabling us to hear and obey the voice of our Father, and this is where we make the decision to walk by the Spirit, or walk by the flesh. The critical issue, the major factor in life for the believer, is whether or not they are living according to the flesh, or according to the Spirit. The scriptures make it clear that we are to “work out our salvation.” Our salvation is bigger than we presently know or understand, but when it is our desire to know the Lord in greater ways and it is our desire to live as unto Him, He will reveal more of Himself to us, and we will find that the salvation of God exceeds our imagination and fulfills the longings of our hearts. Let us take to heart the call to work out our salvation; each day is full of opportunities to in some way express the awesome salvation that we have in God.
Titus 2:11-13: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;”
Blessings,
Buddy

WE POSSESS THE KINGDOM

October 27th, 2017

WE ONCE WERE

LET

HEARTS REVEALED

LOVE

THE VEIL TAKEN AWAY

YOU ARE GIFTED

FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE

October 05th, 2017

Buddy Fitzgerald

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