Happy Thanks – Giving!

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Haggai 1:4-8 Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house [of the Lord] lies in ruins? 5 Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways and set your mind on what has come to you. 6 You have sown much, but you have reaped little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you do not have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages has earned them to put them in a bag with holes in it. 7 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways (your previous and present conduct) and how you have fared. 8 Go up to the hill country and bring lumber and rebuild [My] house, and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified, says the Lord [by accepting it as done for My glory and by displaying My glory in it].

Israel had returned from Persia (Babylon) and for sixteen years the Temple of the Lord lay in ruins. What was going on? Got Questions answers that question stating, “During his first year as king of Persia, in 538 B.C., Cyrus issued an edict allowing the Jews to return from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple (Ezra 1:1-4). The altar was repaired, and the foundation of the temple probably began sometime in 537 B.C. Then Samaritan opposition brought construction to a halt in 536 B.C. Ezra 4:24 notes, “Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.” The temple project languished for 16 years, until 520 B.C. Therefore, originally, the Jews stopped rebuilding the temple due to opposition from the neighboring Samaritans. But other reasons crept in. At the time of Haggai’s prophecies, some Jews simply said that the timing was not right. Yet the time was right for them to build their own homes. In fact, Haggai rebukes the people for their concern for their own houses while neglecting God’s house. Haggai taught that God was sending His judgment because of the Jews’ neglect of the temple of the Lord.”

“What does this have to do with Thanksgiving?” you may ask. Proverbs 18:21 states, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].” According to 1 Cor. 6:19-20 you are a temple of the Holy Spirit. Corporately we are a Temple of the Holy Spirit. What happens in the temple? Well, if it’s God’s temple there are sacrifices of thanksgiving, worship, and praise. There are priests making intercession to the Lord. There are priests serving God and serving others. There is no praise, or worship in grumbling, complaining, or fault finding. God is not glorified when we are stingy with the “fruit of our lips” focused on death. Unfortunately, we end up eating the fruit of it.

The fruit of death tastes good – at first. Sweet to the tongue but then bitter in the stomach. It reminded me of our love for sugar. An article on the University of Michigan’s website cautions about sugar’s toxic effects: “Sugar is Killing Us. Here’s Everything You Need to Know.” Gretchen Voss writes, “You’d never willingly eat poison, right? Okay, maybe you snack on not-so-healthy treats every so often. Or scarf down non-nutritious junk at happy hour. But straight-up poison? Never. Or so you think. “Sugar can act like poison in high doses—and the amount in our diets has gone beyond toxic,” says Robert Lustig, M.D., a neuroendocrinologist at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine. The typical American now swallows the equivalent of 22 sugar cubes every 24 hours.”

Death and life are in the power of our tongue. Yet the “sugar” of complaining, fault finding, murmuring, gossiping, malice, scorn, profane speech, etc. – tastes sweet in the moment but is death to us spiritually – in the long run. Colossians 2:6-7 has the remedy to our overdosing on negative speech: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord; continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thanksgiving.” Did you catch all of that? Someone who has received, trusted and relied upon Jesus to be their Savior, Baptizer, and Master – will seek to continue living in Him, being rooted and built up in Him, overflowing with what? THANKSGIVING!

During this holiday season when we are tempted to complain, nit pick, fault find, or criticize why not let that be the “dummy light” on the dashboard of your life that it’s time to build up the House of God, be His priest, offering up and overflowing sacrifice of daily thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving from Jackie, and me!

Improving Your Serve

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Philippians 2:1 “Therefore if you have…any affection and mercy,…”

It’s easy to ignore that phrase and so I compared it to other translations, and here is what I found: “..if any affection and compassionate sympathy…” Another translation: “…you are concerned for others…” or “…are your hearts tender and sympathetic…” or “…if you have a heart, if you care…” or “…do you have any love and care for others?”

This is the result of the previous blogs “litmus tests.” “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you….” then serving others will follow. You will want to serve Jesus first, and then others. That service will begin in your family first and spread to your church family, your neighbors, and people you have never had the privilege of meeting. As you do practice these things you will come face to face with your weaknesses. You will realize you need to the Power of the Spirit. You will realize that your words, and acts of love and kindness are not enough. That you need the gifts of His Spirit. You will recognize and realize that everyday you cannot neglect seeking to be connected to Jesus; to abide, live, and remain in Him. You will not want your efforts to be in vain and you will desire to see the fruits and evidences of that connection manifesting in others.

Over the years I have heard people say, “Well, pastor, that’s not my gift.” Others have said, “I have done my part now it’s time to let someone else have a chance to serve.” Henry Blackaby, author of Experiencing God writes, “When you believe nothing significant can happen through you, you have said more about your belief in God than you have declared about yourself. You have said that God is incapable of doing anything significant through you. The truth is, He is able to do anything He pleases with one ordinary person who is fully consecrated to Him.”

1 Jn. 3:14 We know that we have passed over out of death into Life by the fact that we love the brethren (our fellow Christians). He who does not love abides (remains, is held and kept continually) in [spiritual] death. Love, true love, God’s love, is expressed not in words alone, but in actions. Those actions will manifest in service to others, especially Jesus, and His body. You can’t have one without the other. You can’t say I love Jesus and then ignore the body of Christ. People will say, “I can worship God at home. I watch a service on TV.” First of all, Jesus defines love and worship as obedience, and surrender. If you are not an active member of a church – you don’t love Him and you sure aren’t worshipping Him through disobedience. You are ignoring Him. You are rejecting Him. Second, if anyone is living like this they have failed to take the “litmus tests” of Scripture. Paul said in 2 Cor. 13:5 “Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected?” To not serve Jesus and others – especially in the Body of Christ is quite simply unbelief. You are not passing the test of faith – you are failing it.

The true follower of Jesus, is not sentimental about Jesus. What does that word sentimental mean? It can be a “view of or attitude toward a situation or event; an opinion; exaggerated and SELF-indulgent feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.” Followers of Jesus do not base their actions or inactivity on opinions. They base them upon the Word of God. They pick up their cross, deny self-indulgent feelings, sacrificing their all for the Reward of the Lamb and for His suffering. True followers of Jesus practice doing what Jesus said, and taught. They practice doing the things Jesus did. They practice over and over the commands of the Word of God. They are always practicing His Word. Are you? Are you passing the tests?

Chuck Swindoll penned an appropriate analogy regarding serving Jesus and others: “This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to do and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody would do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.” Are a somebody or are you a member of Jesus’ Body? His body?

Sidelined?

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“A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and “dead as a doornail.” Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The Pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave, he slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it. Without a word having been spoken about the man’s absence from church, the message is clear. As the pastor prepares to leave, the host says, “I will be back in church next Sunday,” having understood the powerful, silent “sermon” about the need for community.”

Php. 2:1 adds a third “litmus test” for those who claim to be followers, and disciples of Jesus: “…if any fellowship with the Spirit…” Some translations say, “…if any participation in the Spirit…” Paul’s statement should cause you to ask some serious questions: Do you have any participation with the Holy Spirit? Do you have communion with Him? Do you have any fellowship with the Holy Spirit? When Paul wrote these words to the Philippians they knew what he was referring to. What has happened to westernized Christianity in which we cannot recognize Who He is or what He does? For example, many of us have either known someone who has had dementia, or alzheimers, or have personally experienced a love one suffering from it. As you or anyone can testify, the most heartbreaking thing that can happen is when that loved one no longer knows, recognizes, or remembers you. You can talk with them. But there is no warmth of sharing; no recognition; no connection between the two of you. Unfortunately, this is how it is for the Holy Spirit in many of our lives. It’s as if many church attenders are suffering from spiritual dementia or alzheimer’s. For many in it’s as if they have suffered from this disease all their spiritual lives.

What difference does having spiritual dementia or alzheimer’s make? Without a connection to the Spirit you will be sidelined to never really knowing or recognizing Jesus. A sidelined life will have you hearing the words of Scripture, or the message of a preacher, or the testimony of a Christian’s encounter with Jesus, or the Word – and not understand what they are talking about. Like the separated coal in the fireplace of the above illustration you will never glow with the fire and warmth of a conscious awareness of interaction with the Spirit.

With all of that said, Do you know Him? Do you have any participation with the Him? Do you have communion with Him? Do you have any fellowship with the Spirit? Could you recognize His activity in your daily life? My interaction with Him this morning inspired me to write this blog. If this blog inspires you recognize the inspiration as an invitation to come close to His fire – to His Presence. Recognize the “day of your visitation.” As young Samuel in the Tabernacle stated, “Speak Lord Your servant is listening.” (for more information on recognizing the Spirit’s activity in your life read John 13-16; Rom. 3:10-12 – and make a list of all the specific activities of the Spirit)

The Difference

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Philippians 2:1 “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life,…” – The Message 

I found the following article on a website titled: www.clcaugustamo.org that describes a famous children’s story: “The Prince and the Pauper is a classic tale. Written by Mark Twain in the 19th Century, it tells the story of two boys in 16th Century England. They were identical to each other in their looks, but one of the boys lived in the king’s palace and the other lived in a shack. As the tale goes, one day the boys decided to switch places. Keeping it a secret, the prince put on the pauper’s ragged clothing and the pauper put on the royal garments of the prince. And for a while each boy lived in the other boy’s shoes. The pauper lived as a prince and the prince lived as a pauper. The story is intriguing and worth reading and it resembles the true story of our life in Christ. “The Word became flesh,” writes St. John. St. Paul says, “Our Lord Jesus Christ… though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor that you through His poverty might become rich.” Isaiah writes, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord…for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has clothed me with the robe of righteousness.” What does all this mean? It means that the Prince became a pauper, and we paupers are now clothed as a prince.“

When you realize Jesus traded places with you, becoming a pauper in order for you to become rich; in order for you to become a prince or princess – it should cause you to pause. His crucifixion and suffering should cause you to pause. As we approach the holidays, of Thanksgiving, and Christmas, this time should cause you to ask, “Has His love made any difference in my life?” Am I living up to who He created me to be or am I still living as a pauper? Is my life an expression of gratitude? Do I live wholeheartedly seeking to say, “Thank you!?”

Do you ever remember a time in which your parents or a loved one presented you with a gift that you had really wanted and desired? A gift that you had treasured in your heart? What was your response? Did you go to your piggy bank, wallet or purse and try to pay them for the gift? Absolutely not. What you did do was express as much heart-felt gratitude as possible. If you were a child you may have even been prone to work especially hard at any chore or responsibility you had been given simply as a way of saying, “Thank you!” Isn’t that the way your life should be lived towards Christ?

Has Jesus’ love made any difference in your life? Can anyone tell the difference it has made? More importantly, can Jesus see that you live a life of gratitude for all He has done for you and all He continues to do? Or are you still living like a pauper?

So Far and Yet So Close

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Php. 2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,…

Dr. J. Stephen Yuille, in his book titled, The Path of Life observes, “The size of the heavens is staggering. The sun is 864,000 miles across, meaning it is equivalent in size to 1.3 million earths. The star Betelgeuse is about 860 million miles across, or one thousand times wider than the sun. If you were to put Betelgeuse in the sun’s location, its surface would extend past the orbit of Mars. That is startling enough. But we add to the mix the fact that our galaxy, the Milky Way, contains hundreds of billions of stars, plus that there are billions of galaxies.” But then he adds the following, “In Christ, God knows us (Gal. 4:9). Please note that there is a significant difference between factual and relational knowledge. God knows everyone factually, but He doesn’t know everyone relationally: “The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Tim. 2:19). Christ proclaims, “I know My sheep” (John 10:14).” Did you catch that last part?

The passage from Philippians 2 is an opportunity and an invitation to meet with God. Why do I say that? It provides us with another checklist of sorts like the one we saw in Wednesday’s, Galatians 2 Blog, titled “The Test.” Php. 2:1 offers some more litmus “tests” regarding our walk and relationship with the Godhead. It proposes four tests: (1) Do you have any encouragement from being united with Christ? (2) Do you have any comfort from His love? (3) Do you have any fellowship with the Spirit? (4) Do you have any tenderness and compassion? Now notice that they are all experiential. That’s why I call them litmus tests, opportunities, and invitations. Many of the things in the Bible are invitations to draw nearer to the Lord to know Him.

For example, what does this question mean: (1) Do you have any encouragement from being united with Christ? The Amplified Classic translation states it this way: “…in our mutual dwelling in Christ, by whatever] strengthening and consoling and encouraging [our relationship] in Him [affords]…. In other words have you experienced any strengthening, consoling, or encouragement by the fact that you are united to Christ or one with Jesus? That you are in Him; a part of Him; one with Him? Let’s word the question another way. Have you ever received strength, consolation, or encouragement from Jesus? If you can reply, “Yes,” to any aspect of these questions you should begin thanking and praising the Lord right now! Why? How long would it take you to walk from one side of earth to the other? Answer: A long time. If the sun could be comprised of 1.3 million earth’s and God exists outside of all of that – how big and distant is God? But do you remember what Dr. Yuille wrote? God knows everyone factually, but He doesn’t know everyone relationally: “The Lord knows those who are His” (2 Tim. 2:19). Christ proclaims, “I know My sheep” (John 10:14).”

Once the Lord asked me, “What are the chances that you will ever know any one famous?” My answer? “Slim to none.” Then He said, “But you know Me.” Do you know Him experientially? Is your relationship with Him growing? Are you aware of when you are connected to Him – dwelling, or abiding in Him? Do you even know what that means? If you had Jesus appear, and talk with you, would you say that qualifies you for knowing Jesus pretty good? The Apostle Paul had that happen to him on more than one occasion, yet, he wrote: [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly],…(Php. 3:10) Is that your determined purpose? Would you say that Paul would say that should be every follower of Christ’s determined purpose? Would you say that this is Jesus’ chief desire for you and any one who claims to be His follower?

Are You Ready?

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Zephaniah 1:14 The great day of the Lord is near—near and hastening fast. Hark! the voice of the day of the Lord! The mighty man [unable to fight or to flee] will cry then bitterly.

When you read those words what was your first reaction? Was it one of joy or of fear, and dread? Amos 5:18 states, “Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!…” Now in some ways I am looking forward to being with Jesus, and seeing Him face to face. But in other ways I fear His review of my life. What did I do with the deposit of His Spirit and Life He gave me? Did I invest in others? Did I become conformed to the Image of Jesus? Did I become a son of God? Will I hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant?” Did I learn to love Him with all my heart? Did I learn to love? You may say to me, “But Robert, Jesus has taken our punishment. He’s not going to judge us for our sins.” This is true. But have you not read where we will be judged for the works we have done? 1 Cor. 3:10-15 According to the grace (the special endowment for my task) of God bestowed on me, like a skillful architect and master builder I laid [the] foundation, and now another [man] is building upon it. But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it,11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is [already] laid, which is Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). But if anyone builds upon the Foundation, whether it be with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,13 The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day [of Christ] will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done.14 If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives [this test], he will get his reward.15 But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire.

The Apostle Paul, through Christ and by His Spirit, have laid a foundation in you. But notice his warning, But let each [man] be careful how he builds upon it. He goes on to warn, for the DAY of Christ (Robert’s emphasis) will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done.

In Zephaniah the warning is given that the Day of the Lord will “take away,” “make an end,””utterly consume,” and “sweep away all things from the face of the earth.” What is going to sweep away? Mankind, beast, idol worshippers (those who deem anything or anyone more important than God), those who pretend to worship Jesus. But pay close attention to Zephaniah 1:6 “And those who have drawn back from following the Lord and those who have not sought the Lord nor inquired for, inquired of, and required the Lord [as their first necessity].” “Following the Lord” is another way of saying, obeying the Lord. There are church attenders, and followers of Jesus. Church attenders aren’t necessarily following Jesus any more than walking into your garage makes you a car. (sadly, there are those who don’t even attend church) Followers submit, surrender, and follow. They recognize they have been bought with a price and their lives are lived in overflowing gratitude and obedience.

Once I heard Bobby Conner remark, “We are too familiar with an unfamiliar God.” And it’s true. How can we look forward to the Day of the Lord as if we are not going to be held accountable for what we did with the life He gave us; with the Word He gave us; with the Spirit He sent to indwell us? We have more time saving devices than our ancestors ever had and yet we exclaim we have no time – for God. We have time for everything else but God. We make time for everything else but God.

What’s the good news Robert? Zephaniah 1:7, 14 [Hush!] Be silent before the Lord God, for the day [of the vengeance] of the Lord is near; for the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, and He has set apart [for His use] those who have accepted His invitation...The great day of the Lord is near—near and hastening fast. Hark! the voice of the day of the Lord! 

The good news is you are taking time to listen to “the Voice of the Day of the Lord.” The good news is that you have chosen to be silent before the Lord (to have a quiet time of being centered in Jesus). The good news is that you have been set apart for His use and are learning to accept His invitation. The good news is found in Zephaniah 2:3 Seek the Lord [inquire for Him, inquire of Him, and require Him as the foremost necessity of your life], all you humble of the land who have acted in compliance with His revealed will and have kept His commandments; seek righteousness, seek humility [inquire for them, require them as vital]. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger. The good news is having the Holy Spirit convict of sin, righteousness, and judgement to come. The good news is we are not indifferent, apathetic or complacent regarding His invitation. Praise Him for all of these things knowing that there is enough Blood to cover your sin and mine; enough Holy Spirit and Grace to empower you to seek first – today – the King, His Kingdom, His righteousness, and His dominion over you. Praise Him that He is enough.

I want to be ready. Are you ready? Sounds like an old Larry Norman song, “I Wish We’d All Been Ready.“

The Test

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Galatians 2:4-5 [My precaution was] because of false brethren who had been secretly smuggled in [to the Christian brotherhood]; they had slipped in to spy on our liberty and the freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might again bring us into bondage [under the Law of Moses].5 To them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the Gospel might continue to be [preserved] for you [in its purity].

How would you know if you were one of the “false brethren?” Jesus offered many parables to demonstrate that there truly is a distinction between those who are born of the Spirit and those who are not. He referred to them as goats, tares, or foolish virgins. But what test could you use to detect those who were spying on your “liberty and freedom in Christ”? Paul in his letter to the Galatian believers, or followers of Jesus, provides us with a few clues.

Galatians 2:20-21 provides us with a litmus test for accurately ascertaining whether there are false brothers and sisters among us and whether or not we may also have been poisoned by their unbelief. It reveals whether or not we have yielded “submission” to those who seek to bring us back in to “bondage.” Galatains 2:20-21 states:  I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 [Therefore, I do not treat God’s gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God. For if justification (righteousness, acquittal from guilt) comes through [observing the ritual of] the Law, then Christ (the Messiah) died groundlessly and to no purpose and in vain. [His death was then wholly superfluous.]

This passage provides us with foundational truths for all who seek to not be in bondage ever again; those who desire to not be among the false brethren; those who don’t want to be a goat, or tares, or a foolish virgin. Paul states in verse 21 that the false brethren “set aside, invalidate, and nullify the Grace of God.” What is the Grace of God? It’s a noun and a verb. Grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. It’s the favor granted to us, by the Father to become one with Him; to be reconciled to Him; to no longer be His enemy; an enemy of HIs righteousness and truth. Yet, Grace is also a verb. It is Glorious Realities As Christ Empowers. In other words, Grace is the empowerment to do God’s will; it’s that thought you have that you should pray, get up early to spend time alone with the Lord, to read the Word, fast, memorize Scripture, go to church, witness to your neighbor, or serve others. Grace is the desire to be righteous, good, seek after God to know Him, or to seek to understand His Word or Truth. Grace is the desire to follow Jesus’ example; to submit and surrender to His teaching, and Truth.

How do false brothers and sisters set aside, invalidate, and nullify God’s Grace? The answer to that question is found in part from the paragraph above, but it is also spelled out for us in verse 20. False brothers and sisters will not seek to be crucified with Jesus but will allow the soul man to manifest and be in charge of their lives. False brothers and sisters seek to smother out the life of Christ in them, not trusting Jesus, leaning wholly on Him. They don’t because they haven’t.

Conversely, if I am living by the Law of Grace – the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus – I will be seeking to live for Grace’s prompting. Who is Grace? Well He is not a she. He is a Person Who makes Jesus and the Word of God known to us. (And He is Amazing!) He is the One Who led you to surrender your life to Jesus. He is the One Who talks to you more than you often know, recognize or acknowledge. He is the One Who reminds you of Scripture, prays through you, calls you to know Jesus. Hebrews 10:29 refers to Him as the Spirit of Grace. Grace is synonymous with the Spirit. Thus, to set aside, invalidate, and nullify God’s Grace is to set aside, invalidate, and nullify the Holy Spirit. As I seek to live according to Grace’s Prompting – the Holy Spirit – I will seek to be sensitive to every inclination, thought, desire, and interest – that is connected to anything of the Word, of His Righteousness, Holiness, or Goodness. I will seek to live for Jesus, and Galatians 2:20. My focus will not be on being crucified with Jesus as much as on living for Him (for crucifixion with Jesus comes through obedience and submission). You see, He died for you, and for me, and the least thing we can do is to live a life of obedience, and submission as a way of saying thank you for all that He has done and is still doing. Oh, and by the way, gratitude, the giving of overflowing thanks, is a characteristic of those who are not one of the false brothers and sisters. Obedience, and submission to the Word of God, and the Spirit of God, is thanksgiving. It is true worship (more than a song).

Ultimately the false brothers, and sisters reject the Holy Spirit. They can’t recognize, nor respond to His activity in and around their lives because they are blind and insensitive to His Person. False brothers and sisters live their lives according to the gospel of death, the soul, darkness, and all that dehumanizes mankind. They are enemies of God and of Jesus and are actually unconscious of this reality. What’s the Good News? The Good News is that if any of this convicts you that is the Holy Spirit. He convicts of sin, righteousness, and the judgment to come. The Good News is He is revealing these to you to repent of them – change your mind – change your life style and actions – and ask Jesus for forgiveness. He will forgive you in a moment because He has already taken your punishment. So, be washed in the “Water” of His Word and Spirit and be new – because He makes all things new. Are you ready for His new beginnings? He is ready for you to have them. Behold, He makes all things new. Get back up, be washed in His Blood, and overcome the accuser of the brothers through what His Blood and Spirit has accomplished for you. You are His new beginning!