Blog Posts - TheNewU

THE PURSUIT THAT MATTERS

6/4/2025

June 4, 2025 THE PURSUIT THAT MATTERS

Hebrews 6:1-3 “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,”
Ephesians 4:13 “Until we all attain the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

We have a tendency to plateau off in our spiritual growth and our pursuit of growing in the knowledge of God. Matthew 5:48 is an interesting verse: “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” At the outset, understand that this is not about reaching a sinless state; it’s about maturing and growing in the knowledge of God and growing in the faith. To my understanding, the word perfect is referring to maturity. The key point of this is that as believers, Christ is in us and we are in Him-and that has great implications to say the least. In our own strength we cannot mature spiritually nor grow in the knowledge of God. But because we have been joined to Christ and because we experience His life in us, we can reach “mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13b.) In other words, the life we live can reflect the life of Christ-that is what Christ desires and has made possible. This does not come about unless we are about learning of Him, pursuing Him and discovering our identity in Him. If we have a ‘casual’ mindset regarding our growing in the faith and moving on to maturity, we will remain immature. We may think that we have arrived to a place where we understand the gospel and therefore have no real motivation to grow in our relationship with God. However, pursuing God and growing in Him is a life-long pursuit and the more we learn of Him, the more we see of just how awesome He is and how much more there is to learn of Him and more to experience with Him. The clear goal that God has for us is that we move on to spiritual maturity-that we become more and more like Him in every way. How we respond to adverse circumstances, to things that would aggravate us, and to the unpleasant things are an indication of our spiritual maturity. That is not meant to condemn us but to show us that there is room for us to grow in the knowledge of God and what it means to be joined to Him. So, let us move on in our spiritual journey with the Lord-there is more ahead!
2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both and forever.

Blessings, Buddy

WHY DID JESUS COME

6/2/2025

June 2, 2025 WHY DID JESUS COME

Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

Some of the thoughts shared in this blog come form the book The Crucified Life by AW Tozer. There are contradictory beliefs and view points among believers and the conflict centers around a very important doctrine of the New Testament. Some have the view that Jesus came to help us, and some have the view that Jesus came to put an end to self. There is a major difference in these two views. Believing that Jesus came to help us can actually promote the self life; it puts the emphasis on us. The opposing view, that Jesus came to put and end to self, may sound quiet radical to some. Obviously, a lot could be said about these two views and how they play out in our lives. But, let’s keep it simple. If you read the scriptures with an open mind without preconceived ideas, I think you will discover that Christ wants to live His life through us. We are in Christ and He is is us-for a purpose-that His life might be expressed through us. This is what Paul is saying in Galatians 2:20. Paul was saying that his ‘self’ had been crucified and that now Christ was living in him. It may be difficult to grasp the fact that as believers we (the old self) has been crucified with Christ and we have been raised up with Him to new life. Dying to self, saying no to the flesh, is an ongoing process; we are to choose daily to walk according to the Spirit and not to the flesh. Romans 6:11 tells us “Likewise recon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” It is the nature of the natural man to make self number one in his life; the idea of dying to self is a foreign idea. However, in the ways of God, we find life when we die to ourselves. We may think we can find life apart from God, but that is a futile effort. Being joined to God and experiencing His life in us is the ultimate life on this earth. The good news is that when we experience Christ living in us, we are fulfilled in life. As believers, we are no longer mere men and women; we have the Spirit of God living in us and we now experience life to the fullest when we discover and become aware of the fact that we have died and our life is hidden in Christ. (Jesus does help us; but He is up to much greater things in us.)
Colossians 3:3 “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Blessings, Buddy

BE ON YOUR GUARD

5/31/2025

May 31, 2025 BE ON YOUR GUARD

Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, ‘Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.”

One blessing of God’s word is that it gives us directions and instructions for life and it gives us warnings-you might say a ‘heads up’-to what might derail us in our walk with Him. The verse above is such a verse. Obviously, greed is one of those things that derails us, and it can be subtle-like it comes in unaware. There are many forms of greed according to this verse. The lie that the enemy speaks to us is that possessions bring us fulfillment and that more is better. Life is more than possessions. What we must get into our understanding is that possessions do not fill our deepest longings. In fact, the abundance of possessions can be a real problem because it takes time and money and attention to maintain or manage possessions. Do not get me wrong; possessions are not the problem; being a good steward of possessions is the issue. Whether we have an abundance of possessions or we have little is not the issue; the issue is whether we see possessions as being what satisfies us, or is it the life of Christ in us that satisfies us. In our culture, incomes vary greatly and many have an abundance of possessions. If not on guard, one can become envious of those having more and that can be a form of greed. This may be difficult for those in affluent societies to grasp, but the quality of life is not dependent on possessions. Our culture continually promotes the lie that says happiness comes with possessions; and that is why we must be on guard. As said above, possessions are not the issue; at the same time, it is generally true that having an abundance of possessions is often a distraction and can even become a burden that robs us of life. So, let us be on guard, and let us understand that the life God has for us can be enjoyed to the fullest no matter how many possessions we have or do not have. God, not possessions, is the source of life. 1 Timothy 6:17 is a clear word dealing with riches; “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” So, it is the wise person who can enjoy the things God supplies, but at the same time know that ‘things’ are not what satisfies our inner longings.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”

Blessings, Buddy

A HOPE THAT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT

5/27/2025

May 27, 2025 A HOPE THAT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT

Romans 5:3-6. 8:24-25 “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God been poured out within out hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hoes for what he sees? But if we hope for we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

These verses go a long way in dispelling discouragement. When our focus is on the present and when immediate circumstances are contrary to our liking, the natural thing is to become discouraged or even become angry. But the ways of God or unlike the ways of the world and unlike what is natural human response. God does not expect us to enjoy tribulations, but He does tell us to ‘exult’ in or tribulations. To exult ‘signifies a state of profound joy, triumph, and rejoicing; a joyful expression of worship, gratitude, and recognition of God’s goodness and sovereignty.” Wow! We are to do that in the midst of tribulation? The answer is ‘yes.’ To exult in tribulation, we must be able to believe the end results and the benefits that will come to us if we exult instead of complaining when the difficulties come. Exulting in tribulations produces in us perseverance, proven character, and hope. Even though we do not see all that God is doing and will do through the tribulation, we can hope with all assurance that God is at work in us. When we know the love of God that has been poured out into our hearts, we are confident that He will complete the work He has begun in us. The Christian life is not based on concrete evidence and facts; it is lived by faith in all that God has done and said. Our part is not to live by what we see with our eyes or live strictly on what is logical. Let us be the ones who live according to the ways of God; and let us look beyond the immediate to the glorious future that God has for those who walk in His ways.
Hebrews 6:18b-20 “we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Blessings, Buddy

WALKING WORTHY OF THE CALLING

5/24/2025

May 24, 2025 WALKING WORTHY OF THE CALLING

Ephesians 4:1-3 ”I, therefore, as a prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

We have been bought with a price; we belong to another; we have been and are being transformed; and we have been called by God to be His people. We are called to live according to the ways of God-according to the gospel of God. In God’s word we find specific instructions as to how we are to live as children of God. Today, I will just list some of the specific instructions for life we find in Ephesians. Be reminded that the reason for trying to keep God’s word is not to gain His love or approval, but because we belong to Him and because of His great love for us. So here are just some of the instructions for us as believers: speak the truth in love: grow up in Christ: lay aside the old self: be renewed in the spirit of your mind: put on the new self which is in the likeness of God: do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil and opportunity: labor, performing with your hands what is good so that you have something to share: speak no unwholesome word but only words that are good for edification: do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God: let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you: be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love: do not be immoral: walk as children of light: be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time.
The commands and instructions of God or not to burden us, but are given to set us free to live as sons and daughters of God. Also, the commands of God point us to our new identity; when we discover who we are in Christ, it is our heart to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord; keeping His word becomes our delight.

Ephesians 4:13, 5:8-10 “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.” “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consist in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”

Blessings, Buddy

HAS GIVEN UNDERSTANDING

5/20/2025

May 20, 2025 HAS GIVEN UNDERSTANDING

1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God has come, and He has given us understanding, in order that we might know Him who is true, and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”

We did not find God; He revealed Himself to us while we were yet in darkness. How blessed we are that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding that we might know Him. Not only did He give us understanding, He has placed us in Himself. Being given the understanding to know Him and being in Him is the greatest gift we could ever be given. We did not achieve this on our own; it is a gift from God and a work of God in us. The philosophy of the world is based on lies; just one example of the lies of the world is that we need to be about getting the things we want and doing the things we like in order for us to be ‘happy.’ Just as we are blessed to have been given understanding, we also have come to know the truth as the truth is in Jesus, and we are in Him. Even though we are surrounded by the lies of the culture, we can live a life based on truth. So, let us know that we do not have to live in confusion, doubt and fear because we have been joined to Christ and He has given us understanding. May we be about pursuing an ever increasing understaning of what it means for us to be in Christ.
John 8:12 “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
2 Corinthians 4:6 “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Blessings, Buddy

ABOUNDING IN JOY

5/18/2025

May 18, 2025 ABOUNDING IN JOY

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”
James 1:2 “Count it all joy, My brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”
Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

The joy that the above scriptures are referring too does not come from our own efforts to be joyful. And this joy abides even in the midst of difficulties; the roots of this joy run deeper than the trials we encounter. Let us not misunderstand; joy is not always expressed in laughter; there are times that we are burdened and in need of the comfort that God gives. The joy that is constant in all circumstances comes from God. However, God does not automatically zap all of His people with joy; experiencing joy is a by-product of believing God, loving Him, knowing Him in a personal way, and seeking Him first. If we are pursuing our ways and living according to our own preferences, we will not know the joy of the Lord. One primary reason that this joy is not dependent on circumstances is that God is a God of hope. Even though we may be experiencing trials, we know that God is working in the trials, that He has a purpose in it, and that He will bring us through the trial; even though we do not fully understand the ‘why’ of the difficulty and even though we cannot see how any good will come out of it, we can have hope in God-that He is in control. The very idea of hope is that we hope for what we cannot see. Because God is faithful, because He loves us, because He is all-wise and all-powerful, and because the Holy Spirit is at work in us, we have every reason to put all hope in God. Again; Jesus said we would have trials in life; sometimes things go wrong for us; sometimes we do not feel like laughing-but that does not change who God is. No one likes trials, but according to James 1:2, we can rejoice in the trial because we know that it is producing something good. So, the key point for us is whether our joy is tied to how we interpret what’s taking place around us in the the here and now, or is our joy rooted in our God who loves us. Jesus desires that His joy be in us and that our joy may be full; it is indeed the joy of the Lord that we need.

Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forever.”

Blessings, Buddy

OUR STRUGGLE

5/16/2025

May 16, 2025 OUR STRUGGLE

Ephesians 6:10-13 “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and have done everything, to stand firm.”

As a starter, we must realize that we are in a battle; if we do not know that there is a war going on, then surely we have our heads buried in the sand. There are physical wars going on in various parts of the world, but the greater battle that all are in is a spiritual war; behind the physical wars, spiritual forces are at work. It is critical to have the proper gear and proper training if one is going to be victorious in battle; God equips us and trains for battle. Much could be said about spiritual warfare, but today, let’s just look at one aspect of this spiritual warfare-the part about ‘our struggle not being against flesh and blood.’ I am sure that we all have, or have had people who oppose us, argue with us, attack us, are inconsiderate of us, are divisive-or whatever; but what we must understand and what we must remember is that behind the conflict they bring, there are spiritual forces at work. And these spiritual forces or not just some imaginary force-they are real forces-‘rulers and powers, spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.’ We also must be wise to the schemes of the devil; he will do whatever and use whatever to bring strife and discontent. On our own, we are no match for the forces we face; BUT the forces we face are no match for God! God has given us armor to wear and to use. God’s armor includes His word, prayer, worship, wisdom that He gives, faith, boldness-and all that the the Holy Spirit equips us with. Depression, anxiety, fear, indifference, loneliness, hopelessness, conflicts with people, unrest, and whatever, is a sign that the enemy is at work. But, we do not have to live with the enemy occupying any ground in our lives-our enemy can be expelled. I love how Paul said it “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.” We have the power to recognize and overcome the schemes of the enemy. Let us put on and use the armor of God; let us and those around us walk in love, peace and joy, and in victory as a result of God ruling and reigning in our sphere.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
Blessings, Buddy

WE SERVE A GOOD GOD

5/13/2025

May 13, 2025 WE SERVE A GOOD GOD

Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations.”
Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Perhaps we need to stop and reflect on the fact that God is good-always. No matter our present circumstances, God is good. No matter what, God is good. Thank God for His unfailing and everlasting mercy. There are times when we may have difficulty seeing the goodness of God, but that does not change the reality that He is good. It is an indication that we are growing in the Lord when we can by faith see His goodness and mercy in the difficult times. In Psalm 23:6 we may miss the point of the goodness and mercy of God following us; a more accurate word for follow is pursuing. The goodness and mercy of God is pursuing us-chasing us down. Someone called the goodness and mercy of God the hounds of heven-they have picked up our trail! So, as a bedrock of our faith, let us live in and revel in the goodness of God; let confess with our mouths that He is good. Even in the midst of trials, speak the words “God is good.” We are in good hands; He has us! An old friend of mine ended every prayer with the words “God, we are coming through-sink or swim.’ Relax, be at peace, because our Father is good.

Blessings, Buddy

CHRIST FORMED IN US

5/11/2025

May 11, 2025 CHRIST FORMED IN US

Galatians 4:19 “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you”

The letter to the Galatians was written to address a problem that had developed among the believers. The Galatians had gladly received the gospel that Paul had delivered to them, but later, they turned from grace and reverted back to living under the law. This blog is not about that but about a phrase we find in the verse above; and that phrase is ‘until Christ is formed in you.’ Those six words go a long way in summarizing the goal of the gospel and the heart of God for us. It is just that-it is God’s heart and His plan to have Christ formed in us. The idea of Christ being formed in us is not just for theological discussions but is for every child of God. Christ being formed in us is something that happens; its a real deal. It means that we become expressions of Christ in greater and more visible ways. We each have unique personalities, but amazingly, we are vessels through whom Christ desires to express Himself to us and to the world around us. The ‘laboring’ that Paul was doing was teaching, presenting and demonstrating the gospel message-the gospel of God. We also must be about digesting the gospel and adjusting our lives to the truth of the gospel; in no way are we to just take life as it comes with a ho-hum attitude. Our life on earth is crucial; there is a laboring that needs to take place on our part; we are in a battle against spiritual forces that would turn our hearts from the work that God desires to do in us. The kingdom of God has come to us and now we have Christ living in us and that without a doubt should impact our lives in a great way. Actually, our life has died and it is now Christ living His life in us. It’s not us and Christ-we have become one. Christ has certain attributes; as He is formed in us, we express those same attributes. Christ being formed in us is on-going, a process; but the big question for us is that process active in us now. The good news is that this laboring we must be about is not a labor that is burdensome or tiresome, but rather it is a laboring that energizes. Christ gives life, hope and peace. Finally, we have a Helper, the Holy Spirit, that enables us to have Christ formed in us.
Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Blessings, Buddy