Amazing revelation I had as I was listening to Rob Rufus read out Mark chapter 5 about the woman who had a flow of blood. I paused the sermon and came to post this.
"And a great crowd followed Him and thronged about Him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, 'If I touch even His garments, I will be made well.' And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease."
Does this sound familiar? I hear about this in the church a lot. We go to person after person seeking what will give us victory in our lives and end the constant feelings of condemnation and unworthiness. We try as hard as we can and re-dedicate ourselves over and over, but things only get worse.
Preachers, revivals, motivational speeches, reading the Bible more, praying more, giving more, helping more, having guilt and condemnation cannot give life. Trying harder only makes things worse. It by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ that gives us life.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
A Side Note
If I seem to be writing about the same thing a lot, it's because something has been on my heart a lot. So I apologize if I seem repetitive to anyone . =P
Defeat is Victory
Do you want to overcome sin? Give up trying to overcome it. Romans 7:6 "We serve not under the old written code (obeying laws) but in the new life of the Spirit."
It is the Spirit who gives life. Self-effort and self-discipline does not give life. It can only suppress sin. (I've given the analogy of a muzzled dog who loves biting the postman)
"Apart from the law, sin lies dead." To have victory is to suffer defeat, but to acknowledge defeat is the beginning of victory. "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ." Lets throw away our attempts at becoming more righteous and submit to God's righteousness. We need to quit worrying about all our faults, because we will always have them as long as we're on this earth. So instead, let's live by faith in who God says we already are in Christ Jesus. "The righteousness of Christ."
"Who will save me from this body of death?" Can I by trying harder? Can I by struggling to find all my faults and trying to change? No, "I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!".
The law came to increase sin, not decrease it (Rom 5:20, 7:5, 7:8, Gal 3:10, 2 Corin 3:6). The harder we struggle, the deeper we sink. It is not by our might! Thank God! It's definitely a road less traveled. Because it makes no sense and is completely a life of faith.
It is the Spirit who gives life. Self-effort and self-discipline does not give life. It can only suppress sin. (I've given the analogy of a muzzled dog who loves biting the postman)
"Apart from the law, sin lies dead." To have victory is to suffer defeat, but to acknowledge defeat is the beginning of victory. "Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ." Lets throw away our attempts at becoming more righteous and submit to God's righteousness. We need to quit worrying about all our faults, because we will always have them as long as we're on this earth. So instead, let's live by faith in who God says we already are in Christ Jesus. "The righteousness of Christ."
"Who will save me from this body of death?" Can I by trying harder? Can I by struggling to find all my faults and trying to change? No, "I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!".
The law came to increase sin, not decrease it (Rom 5:20, 7:5, 7:8, Gal 3:10, 2 Corin 3:6). The harder we struggle, the deeper we sink. It is not by our might! Thank God! It's definitely a road less traveled. Because it makes no sense and is completely a life of faith.
Monday, August 6, 2007
...Come You Who Have No Money
It's funny how Christians today believe that being filled with the Spirit and such things are a matter of fasting, praying, begging, being good, go on a sinless streak, or what have you. Then there is the idea that we must fast, pray, or read our Bibles in order to be "close to God".
It just doesn't match scripture. Galatians chapter 3 clearly says the Spirit, miracles and all the promises are based on faith, not works. Receiving, not earning. And the other good news is that there is only one faith. You don't have to have faith for different things. You just have to believe in the gospel.
It just doesn't match scripture. Galatians chapter 3 clearly says the Spirit, miracles and all the promises are based on faith, not works. Receiving, not earning. And the other good news is that there is only one faith. You don't have to have faith for different things. You just have to believe in the gospel.
Glory Realm
I just heard the most beautiful song after Rob Rufus' latest sermon. I encourage everyone who sees this to listen to it. It's a wonderful sermon as well.
Intimacy with God is also free!! Amazing.
Intimacy with God is also free!! Amazing.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Strict Grace
I was reading Romans 9 and 10 this morning before group and thought I would post it up. I was originally going to post a question concerning these verses, but I felt it better not to.
"What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written,
"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.""
One thing I did noticed while reading this as I typed it is that the Rock is a Rock of offense. It is not offensive, as the majority of the church would have you believe today because it involves laws, rules, regulations, etc. (Romans 5 and 6 are clear that laws and rules have no part in the life of a believer) The Rock is an offense because God shows no partiality. All are sinners so that God may have MERCY upon all. It just kills us to fully believe that it is all of grace and none of oneself.
In Romans chapter 10, directly below the verses previously mentioned, Paul says,
"Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
I've seen this in myself. But reading this is like taking a cold shower in grace. I love being threatened with grace. I love "Either receive it freely and be saved or work for it and be doomed". Threaten me with grace all you want!! =)
"What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written,
"Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.""
One thing I did noticed while reading this as I typed it is that the Rock is a Rock of offense. It is not offensive, as the majority of the church would have you believe today because it involves laws, rules, regulations, etc. (Romans 5 and 6 are clear that laws and rules have no part in the life of a believer) The Rock is an offense because God shows no partiality. All are sinners so that God may have MERCY upon all. It just kills us to fully believe that it is all of grace and none of oneself.
In Romans chapter 10, directly below the verses previously mentioned, Paul says,
"Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
I've seen this in myself. But reading this is like taking a cold shower in grace. I love being threatened with grace. I love "Either receive it freely and be saved or work for it and be doomed". Threaten me with grace all you want!! =)
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Grace is the Contraceptive
I honestly just don't see how the Holy Spirit, through Paul could not be any clearer to me anyone who puts themselves under laws or have to's or should's. I simply do not.
Romans, chapter 5, verse 20:
"Now the law cam in to increase the trespass, (sin) but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more."
What this means is the law actually stirs up sin within you. Adding ANYTHING, which includes praying everyday, reading the Bible everyday, or what have you, will only cause you to sin more. The law came in to increase sin, not decrease. So why is the vast majority of the world still preaching law at all if it only inflames sin? This is only talking of salvation, but sanctification. If the laws job is to increase sin, why in the world are we preaching it at all? I mean even in the slightest. There are no have to's. I know it's scary..I get anxious myself. But I am spending a lot more time getting to know God now, I pray no longer because I feel guilty or because a sense of duty. I pray and I read the Word because I want to now. That's not to say I'm some super prayer/bible man now. I probably read and pray less. But there is life in it now. It is no longer dead works.
When I clean up, do kind things or say kind things, I no longer do it (which is a struggle) to earn brownie points better self-discipline. It's the Spirit who gives self-control.
Romans, chapter 5, verse 20:
"Now the law cam in to increase the trespass, (sin) but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more."
What this means is the law actually stirs up sin within you. Adding ANYTHING, which includes praying everyday, reading the Bible everyday, or what have you, will only cause you to sin more. The law came in to increase sin, not decrease. So why is the vast majority of the world still preaching law at all if it only inflames sin? This is only talking of salvation, but sanctification. If the laws job is to increase sin, why in the world are we preaching it at all? I mean even in the slightest. There are no have to's. I know it's scary..I get anxious myself. But I am spending a lot more time getting to know God now, I pray no longer because I feel guilty or because a sense of duty. I pray and I read the Word because I want to now. That's not to say I'm some super prayer/bible man now. I probably read and pray less. But there is life in it now. It is no longer dead works.
When I clean up, do kind things or say kind things, I no longer do it (which is a struggle) to earn brownie points better self-discipline. It's the Spirit who gives self-control.
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