Does everything work together for good?

I heard that last week.  Just keep trying and things will get better.  Just do good and it will come back to you.  All things work together for good is even a quote from the Bible.  Just missing a bit.

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.  Romans 8:28

The verses before this talk about not even knowing what to pray.  How the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in prayer in the presence of God.  The Holy Spirit prays that we would be in harmony with God's own will.  God will help me live in harmony with his will for my life.  I want that.  

God is sovereign.  He rules over everything.  He knows what is going on around me.  He has a plan that is unstoppable.  

My part is to choose to love and trust him.  If I ignore God and live to please myself, it does not work.  In an imperfect way I will pursue God and live my life to please him.  Looking to see God show up and bring glory to himself in my life.  It is not about me.  All about him.  

All for Jesus,

Not about keeping a list of rules

There were some that did this.  They saw themselves as educated authorities that pushed people to take on strong devotion, pious self denial and severe bodily disciplines.  People were deceived and convinced they would have to work harder and harder.  They would condemn people for not keeping sabbaths and other holy days.  

No one makes it to God by keeping a list of rules or laws.  The law only shows us that we are not able to keep it.  All have missed the mark of perfect holiness.  Two times in the new testament the Bible teaches against those who do this.  

Jesus took our place, fulfilled the law and died for all mankind.  

People are made right with God when they trust Christ as Lord.  I surrender and trust God.  My attempts to make it to God do not work.  

Our focus is on the inside.  Christ in me is in the Bible about 170 times.  As Jesus helps me work on the inside, the outside actions will continue to change.

Once I trust him I don't go find a list of rules to prove something.  The Christian life is just a continuation of trusting Christ to lead in my life.  Day by day just get up and seek after God.  Live a surrendered life to how God leads you.  Seek him through prayer and reading the Bible.  Keep on trusting Christ as leader of your new life.  Christ is with all who have put their trust in him.  Just let him lead.  Read Colossians 2 in the Bible for more on this.  

Would anyone choose oppression?

He was adopted into wealth, luxury and the best education.  He could have played his cards right and been set for life.  What made him choose oppression?

Faith is the cause.  He refused to be called the son of pharaoh's daughter.  He chose to share the oppression of God's people.  He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt.  See Hebrews 11:24-26.  

Moses is a great example of how our faith should be.  

But, why not live in the wealth and have some kind of secret faith?  Does that work?  Just adjust your faith to accommodate wealth and pleasure.  Oops.  That is not real faith.  Not faith like Moses.  Not faith like the Bible talks about.

Faith changes how we live.  It makes us use everything we have to be pleasing to God.  Faith leads to love and sacrifice.  It is not about me.  It is not for me.  Jesus is my Lord and Savior.  Master and owner of everything that I am.  

I will keep on working to live out this kind of faith.  Teaming with others who are willing to lay down their lives.  



  

Not a list of Rules

The Bible is more about God, who he is and what he does.  

It is not so much about what I do.  It is not just a moral code.  

Church was different yesterday.  Half the churches cancelled because of a possible freezing rain.  I think we had double what I expected.  But, I had already planned a small group Bible study.  Our people read this short chapter 5 times.  Each time they would look to answer a word search question.  I call this observation.  Rather than forming opinions we just looked to see what we would find.

Who is in the chapter?  What are the key words?  Are there any commands or directives?  

There is really only one thing we are told to do in this short chapter.  Believe the truth.  Trust God.  That sums up God's good news for our part.  

Another question.  See what God does.  What is God's part?  

This next part really got me. Too many to count.  I had to circle whole verses of things that God does in our lives.  

Jesus did the work.  God gives us everything we need.  We just need to trust him. 

I hope my preaching becomes an exact parallel to what God says in his Word.  Life changes as we discover what God does in our lives.  It becomes more about God, than about me.  Be encouraged.  God will do what he says he will do.  

Just don't live to please your self.  Less of my opinions and more understanding what God says and does.  

We were reading Colossians 1.

I think I will remember this as one of my favorite Sunday mornings.  

Do all religions lead to God?

All religions lead to the same God?

This is often said as an attempt at tolerance.  At first it seems to be accepting all religions.  But where is there a religion that accepts this?  

Islam says that:  Allah is the only true God, and that anyone who says Christ is the Son of God will be condemned (Qur'an 5:72, 9:30)

Jesus says in John 8:24 "That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I claim to be, you will die in your sins." Jesus is claiming to be God as he had just forgiven sins as if he was God.  The religious people understood what he was doing.  

To say all religions lead to God is intolerant of the Bible, Christ followers and Christianity.  To say all religions lead to God, is not tolerant of any major religion.  

To step back and claim that all religions are acceptable is not possible.  It is like accepting right and wrong as the right way to live.  No one can do both at the same time.  

What we should say is that I respect the right for all people to seek God as they see fit.  I am thankful for many who died for this right.  I wish this were true around the world.  

But, I will live by the teachings of Jesus Christ.  He is the way the truth and the life.  No one can make it to God except through Jesus Christ.  

Don't Be That Guy

There are people who claim to speak for God and about God.

They speak well.  They know big words and are smooth talkers. They could have a nice title and an education.  At first this would sound impressive.  The clues are in their motives.  Their speaking is only to satisfy themselves.  There is something in them that feels empty.  They want the power of telling others what to do.  

The result causes division in those who want to follow Christ.  Their speaking causes people to sin.  

Don't think you can help them.  At first you might think you can steer them back on track.  But Paul in the book of Romans says to stay far away from them.  See Romans 16:17.

Don't be that guy.  Watch out for people like that.  

The Strong will do this- Romans 15

Paul tells those who are strong that they need to help others.  Then he describes teachers.

Teachers are full of joy and peace.  He says this is the result of their trust in God.  So, he prays for them.  God gives joy and peace to those who trust him.  He tells the church that they are full of goodness and that they can teach each other.  

I think I see people who are not yet teaching each other.  But they could.  As they walk with God they can help others do the same.  If they keep on reading the Bible and praying it through, they for sure could be sharing in the lives of others.  

But, Mondays are hard days.  Most go to work to start the week.  Monday for me is usually a debrief and evaluation of the service and mission of the church.  I notice that not many Mondays are full of joy and peace.  Wondering if the people in church took steps closer to God.  Did the Sunday morning message really make sense?  I think I might expect too much.  Did we really worship God?  Or was it just singing songs and going through the motions?

How does the church move those who are ready to be teachers/ disciple makers?  Thankful for 3-4 people who would meet today.  They are able.  There are more.  I will be praying and looking to see how God does this.  

Today I am telling myself to be simple and clear.  It has to be God who does the work.  There are some things that we can do better.  We can work on those.  There are some who don't want to change.  I can minimize my efforts there.  There are some who want to be used by God.  That is a good place for me to spend my energy.  

Planning to pray and trust God to raise up a team of people who help others.