Blog Posts - TheNewU

RESURRECTION

4/12/2025

April 12, 2025 RESURRECTION

John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?

1 Peter 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Romans 6:4, 8:11 “We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your moral bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

We often hear about the resurrection of Jesus, especially during the Easer season. Because we hear so much about it, it’s possible that we loose the impact of Jesus being raised from the dead. Certainly the birth of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus are the two greatest events of all of human history. As awesome as the birth of Jesus was, it would be to no avail if He had not been raised form the dead. When the deceased body of Jesus began to breath again, when His heart began to beat again, when He walked out of the tomb, death and sin were defeated-once for all! Death seems like such a powerful force-so final; BUT Jesus overcame death; death for the believer no longer rules. Jesus walking out of the tomb that early morning ushered in a new day-a day that changed everything. The resurrection of Jesus meant that the sin issue was dealt with for all who would trust Him as Savior; it meant that those who believed in Him would be saved for all eternity; it meant that believers could walk in newness of life; that those who put their faith in Jesus could experience joy and have a hope for the future. Just as Jesus died and was buried, we too are to die to ourselves and be buried with Him and then raised to new life; that is what water baptism symbolizes. The amazing promise is that those who believe in Him will never die-even though their natural body dies. The resurrection is all about life, forgiveness, newness, hope, and being made a part of the family of God. Whatever trials we may be facing at the present, let us be focused on the fact that Jesus overcame death and sin, and now we can share in His resurrection and experience His life in us.

Matthew 28:6 “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.”

Blessings, Buddy

LIVING AND ACTIVE

4/9/2025

April 9, 2025 LIVING AND ACTIVE

Hebrews 4:12-13 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

The word of God is not just a book about God; His word is ‘living, and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.’ That alone should cause us to handle His word with the upmost respect, and even with a healthy fear. There is nothing that is hidden form His word; His word even distinguishes between joints and marrow and is able to judge the thought and intentions of our hearts! Everyone and everything is open and laid bare before Him; such power gives us a sense of awe and even a certain fear-nothing we have ever done or ever will do or our every thought and intention is known by God. That fear can be a be harmful or be a healthy fear; it is good for us to have deep within us a strong desire not to ignore or miss God; note the phrase in the passage above ‘with whom we have to do.’ Do not misunderstand; remember that God is for us; He is not out to punish us or to make life miserable for us. Reading and studying the word of God is absolutely necessary if we are to live as God intended-and the life He intends for us to live is far better than any other life. God sees every aspect of our lives-our actions, our thoughts, the intentions and motives of our hearts, and our desires. Because He loves us, He has given His word, and His word is a light for our path-it instructs us for life-it gives us wisdom-it equips us and enables us to be victorious-it encourages us-it corrects us-it changes us from the inside out-it shows us what is true and right-and His word matures us and transforms us into the image of Christ. Let us be conscious of the fact that the Creator God has given us a book; and in this book He reveals Himself to us and He reveals how we are to live life according to His ways-to life abundant. The good news is that it is not solely up to us to learn of His word; He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us and enable us to understand His word. God is about transforming His followers into the image of Christ, and His word is a vital part of that process.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Blessings, Buddy

WHO GOD SAYS WE ARE

4/6/2025

April 7, 2025 WHO GOD SAYS WE ARE

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”
Ephesians 1;3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him…”
1 John 3:1 “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God: and such we are.”
Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”

How we view ourselves and how we define who we are has major implications for us; our identity is ever so important; our thoughts, our actions, our responses, and our motives flow out of our identity. As believers, we have the opportunity to discover our true identity as sons and daughters of God; and the identity we have in Him differs greatly from identity that is based on anything other than God. Perhaps the most rewarding thing we can do in life is to be continually learning about who God says we are; and not only learning, but also living out of our identity. The issue of identity is not theory; it is real and it is to be experienced and expressed in the nitty gritty of life. We could never discover our true identity on our own; we have the Holy Spirit who opens our hearts and minds to the truth we find in the word of God; and His word has a lot to say about who we are. Just to name a few facets of our identity: we are created in the image of God; He has cleansed us and forgiven us of all sin; we have been adopted into His family; we have a wisdom that comes from God; we have been filled with the love of God; we have an inheritance that will not fade away; we have the Holy Spirit living in us and He leads us, comforts us, and instructs us in the things of the Lord; we have been given every spiritual blessing; He has made us new; in Him we overcome….and the list goes on. The point is that we have a new identity, we are who God says we are; let us not live according to our emotions or according to the lies of our enemy. We have all had hurts and disappointments in life, but those things do not define who we are. Yes! We can live in this fallen world with an identity of who God says we are, being light and being expressions of our Heavenly Father.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

Blessings, Buddy

SONS OF LIGHT

4/5/2025

April 5, 2025 SONS OF LIGHT

1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; for you all are sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.”
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world-like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”

The word of God is explicit in it’s foretelling of things to come. We live in a fallen world that is in darkness; everywhere there is brokenness, strife, wars, divisions, discontentment, pride, fear, lawlessness-and the list goes on. Also, there are events coming that will shock the world; Jesus is coming back and the events surrounding His return will turn everything upside down-it defies our imagination. In light of the current state of the world and in light of the events coming to this world, what sort of people are we to be is the question. Here is the good news for those who know Jesus as Savior. We have been transferred to the kingdom of light-the kingdom of God. Jesus did not say that we ‘should’ be light, He says we ‘are’ light. Other scriptures tell us not to hide our light, but to let it shine that others may glorify our Father in heaven. Matthew 5:15-16. God does not leave us in the dark concerning current events nor the events yet to take place. For those who do not know Jesus, His return will be total devastation for them; because they are in the darkness, His returning will overtake them like a thief-suddenly and unexpected; and it will be to late for them to turn to Christ. Back to us; let us walk in the light day by day; let us be about living as those who belong to Jesus. Let us lay aside any thoughts, motives, desires, and actions that are not pleasing to the Lord. Let us be ‘sober and alert.’ It is an amazing opportunity for us to let our light shine in a world that is in total darkness; many are searching for the ‘light;’ many are desperate and without hope. It’s like someone in a totally dark house trying to find a particular item-what they need is light-even the light of a match. We do not need to fear the present or the things yet to come, because our Father is ruling and reigning, and He has no competition and His rule is absolute.
John 9:5 “Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Ephesians 5:8 “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

Blessings, Buddy

BACK TO THE BASICS

4/3/2025

April 3, 2025 BACK TO THE BASICS

Ephesians 5:20 “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Psalm 106:1 “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.”

If not careful, in our busyness, we can forget or move away form the basics or the foundation of life. I was recently listening to a song, and was reminded of the basic truth we need to harbor in our hearts and minds. It goes like this: “Thank you Lord for your blessings on me. There’s a roof above me. I’ve a good place to sleep. There’s food on my table and shoes on my feet. You gave me your love Lord and a fine family. Thank you Lord for your blessings on me.” Having a grateful heart and being content goes a long way in having peace in life. It’s not necessarily a sin to pursue something or to have a desire to improve our surroundings, but if of not very alert, we move from contentment and being grateful. The one with little can and be just as happy as the one with much. Living in simplicity eliminates a lot of hassle in life. What we have or do not have is not the main issue; the issue is our dependence on God and our being thankful for all that He does. The bedrock of being thankful is knowing that it is God who blesses and who meets our needs because He loves us. When we are aware of the love of God, we are thankful. We need to be conscious of the fact that we are alive today because of the grace of God; we cannot rightfully take credit for anything that we think ‘we’ have accomplished. It’s just simply a blessing to stop and acknowledge all the ways God blesses us-and that is the greatest thing we can do. Whether we live in a big house or a small house or whether our income is great or not not so great or whether our health is great or not, we have every reason to continually be thanking God for His blessings.
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
Philippians 4:19 “And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Blessings, Buddy

WALKING WORTHY

3/31/2025

March 31, 2025 WALKING WORTHY

Ephesians 4:1-3 “I, therefore, the 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 humility to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

As pastor Phillip Miller pointed out, the word ‘worthy’ comes from the ancient market place involving scales. If a customer wanted to buy five pounds of grain, the merchant would put a five pound weight on one side of the scale and then begin to pour in the grain on the other side of the scale until the scales became balanced. When the scales were in balance, the grain was considered ‘worthy’ of the price being paid. In the first three chapters of Ephesians, Paul, in a masterful way reveals the awesome and wonderful works that Christ does in the believer and what it means to be in Christ and for Christ to be in us. All that God does in the life of the believer is done only because Christ was the ultimate sacrifice for our sins; in Christ we have been cleansed and are now a people on which God pours out His grace. In these three chapters we find that God has chosen us, has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, has redeemed and forgiven us, has given us an inheritance, that He is rich in mercy, that He has made us alive and has seated us with Him in heavenly places, we are His workmanship created for good works, we have been brought near to Christ, we are fellow citizens with the saints-just to name a few things that God has done! God has adopted us as His children and is in the process of transforming us into His image; He has and is calling us to be like Him. In light of all that God has done on our behalf, certainly we should walk worthy of our calling. Walking worthy touches every aspect of our lives; our actions, our thought life, our motives, our attitudes, our responses-everything. Being a part of the body of Christ brings with it certain responsibilities. We are called to walk in humility, gentleness, patience and love as we relate to other believers in the body-that is part of walking worthy. God has made us a new people who have been called to His purposes-and that is a high and wonderful calling. Let us not take our calling lightly; let it be paramount to walk according to our calling.
Ephesians 4:15-16 “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”

Blessings, Buddy

PAY CLOSE ATTENTION

3/29/2025

March 29, 2025 PAY CLOSE ATTENTION

Hebrews 2:1-4 “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirt according to His own will.”

A warning of a danger is for our good. Rather than viewing a warning from God in a negative light, let us thank God that He loves us enough to warn us and to guide our steps. Natural man, the one who does not know God, is bent on going his own ways, against the ways of God. Also, the old fleshly nature of believers desires to go against God. (Believers do not have to live by the flesh; they can Iive according to the Spirit.) The first chapter of Hebrews extols the greatness of God and the greatness of His Son. God spoke long ago, but He has also spoken through His Son. The point of that chapter is the power and the greatness of Jesus. Chapter two begins with ‘For this reason.” Because of what is said in chapter one, we are to pay much closer attention to what we have read-lest we drift from it. That is the warning. What God has spoken is unalterable; and every transgression and disobedience receives a just recompense. In our culture, I fear that we misunderstand grace; and this misunderstanding of grace results in us having a somewhat casual view of sin. We are quick to say “Oh well, if I sin God will forgive me.” When we see what great things God has done, when we see His power and glory, when we see His great mercy displayed, when we see His hatred of sin, when we see that Jesus was sacrificed for our sins, and when we see His love for us, how dare we take sin lightly and how dare we misunderstand and misapply the grace of God. In the verse above we read “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” We walk in the love of God enjoying Him as our Father; but at the same time we should have a healthy fear of God-remembering that He is God and we are His created ones. So, let us meditate on the attributes, the actions, the character, and the words of God and His Son; let us take His every word to heart and be quick to obey. All that God says and all that He has done is intended for our blessing.
1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And also, His commandments are not burdensome.”

Blessings, Buddy

PURIFYING OURSELVES

3/27/2025

March 27, 2025 PURIFYING OURSELVES

1 John 3:1-3 “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, we are now children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure.”

After reading this passage, the question I must ask myself is my hope fixed on Him. It’s easy to put our hope elsewhere. However, there is a particular belief, or awareness, or understanding that leads us to a place where our hope is fixed on Him. Can we truly grasp the fact that the God of all creation and the God of all power and wisdom has bestowed His love on us? And can we receive the fact that because of His great love for us, we are now called the children of God? What an impact it should have on us to be called the children of God! Because we are children of God, the world does not know or understand us-we are indeed different. We know that we are His children, but we do not fully know just how we will be changed when He suddenly appears; but we do know we will be like Him! That is totally awesome-beyond our imagination-to be like Him. When we digest these truths, when our hope is fixed on these things yet to come, surely it has an impact on us and how we live. If we believe what the scriptures tell us, then surely we want to be ready when He comes for us; we do not want to be found living in a way contrary to the ways of God. Because God is pure, we also want to be found pure. To be pure in this life is awesome. The good news is that we can purify ourselves. The power of sin has been broken and we have the Holy Spirit of God living in us, to empower us to live in a way pleasing to God and to live according to His ways. We live in a fallen world where sin and ungodliness abounds; yet, we can be pure in heart, in mind and in action. So, it is a fact that He is coming back for His children and it is a fact that we will be ready for His return or we will not be ready. Let us hear what this passage is saying to us; let us from this moment on be about purifying ourselves, laying aside thoughts, motives, actions and desires that are not pure, and put on what is pure. WE CAN DO THAT.
Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Blessings, Buddy

DEVOTED THEMSELVES

3/25/2025

March 25, 2025 DEVOTED THEMSELVES

1 Corinthians 16:13-17 “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaea, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. And I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men .”

This passage gives us a good insight as to how the early believers were involved in ministry. As you read through the New Testament, you see the practical, everyday nitty-gritty of life as they lived out the gospel. It’s amazing, but we see the super natural work that God was doing and we see the practical outworking of the gospel. Paul mentions the ‘household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits (believers) of Achaea.’ We think of ‘individuals;’ several places in scripture we find the word ‘households.’ The household is the basic unit on society. As believers, we should prioritize the spiritual health of those in our household. There are no perfect households, but what a blessing when there is unity and a love for God our ‘household.’ I say all that, but that is not the point I want to make today. The main point is that some believers were devoted to ministering to the saints. These believers ‘worked and labored’ in helping other believers; it was more that just a casual relationship. These believers understood that they were a part of the body of Christ-the church, and that they needed each other. They were not looking out for their own interest first, but were using their time, resources and abilities to help other believers who were in need. The point for us is that we be not primarily self-centered, but that we minister to others as the Lord leads. There is a ‘work and labor’ in the life of a believer. The key point is that the work and labor we do, and the ministering to the saints, flows out of a heart of love. Even though we have jobs and responsibilities, we can still be devoted to ministry to the saints as God leads. No matter our position in life, let us be alert to ways we can minister and give help to those who have a need we can be a part of meeting. We cannot meet every need we see; but do not let that be an excuse for not meeting the needs that God puts on our hearts. The ministry that God has for us is eternal; let us be about as much as possible those things that have eternal value.
Matthew 25:40 “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, you did it to Me.’”

Blessings, Buddy

CONTINUAL CLEANSING

3/23/2025

MARCH 23, 2025 CONTINUAL CLEANSING

1 John 1: 5-7 “And this is the message we have heard from Him and demonstrate to you, that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

There is a spiritual jewel to be found in this passage. We are told that the ‘blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” The jewel is that the word ‘cleanses’ as used here is a continual action. The blood of Jesus is not only for our salvation but is also for our continual cleansing. Heaven is a place where there is no sin; but we live on earth where sin abounds. Practically everywhere we look we sin and the results of sin and strife. Yet, at the same time, we have the sinless Holy Spirit dwelling in us. God, our Father, IS the light. As believers, we are called to walk in the light-and God is that light. All that God does and all the ways in which He leads leads to life. Living in the light and living according to our new identity are synonymous. The big picture is that God is light, and there is no darkness in Him; and it is our privilege to walk in Him-and when we do, we are walking in the light. When walking in the light, the fruit of the Spirit becomes evident in us-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Obviously, a believer can make the choice to sin; and if they continue in sin, they suffer the results of their sin. When we are walking in the light, the Holy Spirit is directing our steps and equips us to live in the ways of God. If we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, we will know if we sin and we will be quick to confess it and turn form it-even that is walking in the light. As we walk with the Lord, we are being transformed and being made pure in heart, mind and spirit. Accepting Christ as Savior is just the beginning of a life-long and beyond journey with our Heavenly Father who is about conforming us to His image.
Hebrews 9:14 “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once was far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Blessings, Buddy