January 7, 2014

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his , pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

It is one thing to find God's purpose and another thing to fit into it. How does that happen?

Paul addresses that question in these two verses.

The first thing to do is consecrate your ego.

What does it mean to consecrate?

"Consecrate" means to "set apart" unto God. Only God can make it sacred but only you can set it aside for Him to do so.

In this sense we are referring to ego as your sense of self-awareness, self-identity, self-worth that allows you to distinguish yourself as separate individual. In short, you could say your ego arises from an understanding of who you are. It is the essential you.

Your ego is largely formed by what the significant people in your life say about you. Since those people have either a positive or a negative bias, and since your ego is part of your fallen nature, it is not a reliable source for identifying the realities in you and around you. If you are guided by your ego you will be guided by an unrealistic view of yourself, your world, and God.

That is why Paul, the writer of Romans, strongly urges you to "set apart" your ego to God, Who is His ultimate wisdom, absolute knowledge, and unconditional love is fully aware of who you are and completely willing to accept you. In the context of His unconditional love through His Holy Spirit and through His Word, He will reveal to you who you are as He gently shapes your ego into His image.

If you want to discover your purpose you must first understand who you are as a person. You will not fully appreciate how much God will change you unless your first understand where you were when He started!

Consecrate your ego to God today. Trust it to the Truly Significant Person in your life!

January 6, 2014

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

The key to knowing God's purpose for your life is to know God on purpose. Paul, writing to the Romans, says that if your want to know God's purpose for your life make knowing God your purpose. If you do that, He promises that He will reveal His will for you.

Why is it important to know your purpose for living?

If you are not guided by your purpose, you will be misguided by your personal preferences. A purpose gives you something to live for that is bigger than yourself and what you want. A life guided by personal desires never seems to end well.

If you are not guided by your purpose, you will be misguided by your passions. A purpose takes emotions and emotional decision out of play. How many good decisions have you made when you were overcome by your emotions? A purpose begins with the end in mind and chooses or decides based on what accomplishes your purpose.

If you are not guided by your purpose, you will be misguided by your prejudices. A purpose is based on a process and on principles not on personalities or people. A purpose is focused on arriving at a certain result and prioritizes according to whatever accomplishes the purpose rather your petty personal judgments.

Are you living on purpose? Do you have a clear idea of what your life is to accomplish? If so, it is because you have purposed to know your purpose. You have purposely made knowing God your purpose. That purposeful quest has lifted you above your personal preferences, above your passions and above your prejudices.

Know God, know purpose. No God, no purpose.

January 5, 2014

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2

What if someone offered to trade you his 2014 BMW straight up for your 2005 Toyota Corolla?

Would you take that deal? You certainly would want to check him out and make sure he actually owns the car and has the title and registration for it. But once that all checked out, don't you think you would be eager to make that deal?

If you pass on that deal I hope you would call me so I would have a chance to take it! That would be an amazing deal! You would be exchanging something of high value for something of significantly less value.

Don't hold your breath waiting for a deal like that. I seriously doubt it will happen. Who would take something of less value in trade for something of much greater value?

God would!

This Sunday I will begin a study on finding your purpose. Unfortunately, many people live and die without knowing why they were here. A life is a terrible thing to waste!

One of the first things you need to understand before you find your purpose is your value. You need to know how valuable you are and to whom and how that value is determined. After all, if you don't know your own value, how can you determine the relative worth of yourself against other things of value?

Getting back to my illustration, if you don't know the approximate value of your Corolla or the ballpark value of the BMW, how can you determine what sort of a deal you have been offered?

You could miss out on the deal of your lifetime!

If you want to determine your purpose for being on earth you must understand you value and how that value is determined. You must be prepared to recognize a good offer in case one is made to you!

In Romans 12:1-2, God makes an incredible offer that gives an insight on how He values you.

Here's the deal, He offers to reveal His will and purpose for you if you are willing to surrender your life to Him. You offer yourself to Him and He will give you as much as you can receive of Him!

Wow! That is a deal! You may want to give that some SERIOUS thought!

January 4, 2014

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan Riverinto the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."  Joshua 1:1-8

A promise made nearly five centuries ago was about to be fulfilled as Joshua prepared to lead God's people across the Jordan River and into the land promised to Abraham and his descendants.

But, there were some choices that needed to be made first:

Once he decided to venture out of his comfort zone and answer the call of God, Joshua faced another choice: Would he choose God's courage or his contentment?

Twice Joshua is urged to be courageous. 

What does it mean to be courageous? Several insights are giving in these verses.

Courage is conformity to God's Word. "obey all the law my servant Moses gave you...."

Courage begins with a willingness to shape your life around God's Word.

Courage is consistency. "Be careful....."

Obedience would not be required just once, it would require consistent and continual care to remain obedient. Each time would take renewed courage.

Courage is conviction. You can be courageous if you are convinced that God has the power to deliver on His promises. Joshua was sure of that!

Courage is commitment. Because Joshua was sure that God would do what He promised, he found courage to do his part.

Entering into the promise land will require courage! Courage that is found in God and His Word.

Joshua had the courage to conquer and he wouldn't be content with less!

Are you courageous or contented?

January 3, 2014

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them." Joshua 1:1-6

The Promised Land was to be a place to believe, a place to belong and a place of blessing!

If anyone needed such a place as this, it was these people who stood on the banks of the Jordan peeking across to the Promised Land. After 400 years in slavery and 40 years of circling in the wilderness, they were ready for a place like this!

But, they still had to cross the Jordan River at flood stage and then conquer the land from the Canaanites. There were some decisions they needed to make to God and to their new leader, Joshua before they crossed into the Promised Land. These are the same decisions that will be required of us at FredWes as we seek to lead people into God's Promised Land.

Here's the first decision: Will I live for His calling or my comfort?

There was nothing comfortable about being in bondage in Egypt. Nor was there anything comfortable about living in tents like nomads in the desert. Crossing the Jordan and possessing the land was going to be uncomfortable. I would imagine it had to be tempting to settle in on this side of the Jordan and get comfortable for awhile.

God was calling Joshua out of his comfort zone and Joshua was expected to call God's people out of theirs.

When you think about it, nothing is comfortable about being a Christian. If it is you probably are doing it wrong.

To become a Christian the Holy Spirit has to convict you of your sin - that is VERY uncomfortable because sin is what you have become comfortable with until now.

Once you accept Christ you face the discomfort of your will struggling with His will. He hasn't called us to comfort He has called us to conformity with His will and purposes.

Growing in Christ involves helping Him develop His nature within you until you more comfortable with obedience than you with sin.

Joshua had to decided if he would live for his comfort or for God's calling. You will face the same decision. Perhaps you are at that point now. 

Will you step out of your comfort zone?

January 2, 2014

"just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”  Therefore know that [only] those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, [saying], “In you all the nations shall be blessed.”  So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham."  Galatians 3:6-9

By reviewing the call of God to Abraham and recalling the covenant that was made we can get a clear understanding of God's purpose for the Promised Land. It was to be a place of believing, a place of belonging and a place of blessing.

That sounds like a place I would want to be! What about you?

Believing is important. It was through believing that Abraham journeyed to the Promised Land and this new land was to become a place where believing God would be easy.

Belonging is crucial spiritually, emotionally and psychologically. Each of us need a place where we feel accepted and valued and safe. Belonging makes it possible to have an identity, to enjoy intimacy and to have involvement in the lives of others.

Blessing is God's stamp of approval on your life. It signifies you have found favor with Him through your obedience and faith. God's blessing crowns you with significance and supplies your needs. The blessing of God also gives you a way to bless others.

As I think of these things, it occurs to me that not only are these three purposes important to God's Promised Land but they also form the foundation for a healthy home.

Believing, belonging and blessing should also form the dynamics of a healthy church fellowship. 

I want FredWes to be a place where it is easy to believe God is real and His Word is true because if the strength of our faith and the sincerity of our fellowship.

I want Fredwes to be a place where it is easy to belong because of the acceptance and affirmation people receive when they come to visit. I want us to make it easy for people to be assimilated into the life and ministry of FredWes.

I want Fredwes to be a place of blessing where we experience His presence and favor. I want us to be a blessing to others as He blesses us.

God designed His land of promise to be characterized by these three things because He desired the Promised Land to not be just real estate, He planned on it being a relationship! God is our promise! Only in Him will you find true belief, true belonging and tremendous blessing!

Are you dwelling in the Promised Land?

January 1, 2014

"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God." Leviticus 25:38

Following 400 years of bondage and 40 years of wandering through the wilderness, God's people stood on the verge of entering the Promised Land of Canaan. Essentially, they were one more obedience from realizing this long awaited promise. The land of Canaan awaited on the other bank of the Jordan River.

The Exodus and the wilderness wandering were historical events. They actually happened and are recorded in the first several Old Testament books. But they also illustrated the spiritual journey God wanted to lead them on.

Egypt and the years of bondage are a vivid picture of the life of sin. Living apart from God leaves you as a slave to your selfish sinful desires. Like generations of Hebrews, you are born into "Egypt". Spiritually speaking, you and I are born into the captivity of a sinful nature. And like the Hebrews enslaved in Egypt, it takes a supernatural act of God to set us free.

Just as God sent Moses to the Pharaoh to declare, "Set my people free!" God sent His Son to set us free from the bondage of sin and death! He was conceived by the Spirit and born of a virgin and subjected Himself to the cross, taking the penalty of sin and the bondage of death upon Himself. When He shed His blood for our sins He made it possible for you to escape Egypt! And when the Spirit of God raised Him from the dead, He put you within reach of God's Promised Land!

2014 lays before you full of promises and challenges. Perhaps 2013 has been a year in Egypt for you. Or, maybe you have found yourself wandering through a wilderness period. God, through Christ and by the leadership of His Holy Spirit can bring you out of your Egypt and through your wandering. He wants to lead you to the edge of His Promised Land where you can experience His best, and find His rest, and grow from His tests!

Will you listen to His voice?

Will you obey his call?

Will you repent and reconcile with Him?

Will you make the necessary restitution?

Will you be willing to make 2014 a truly NEW year?

I believe that is where we are as a church! God has led us out of our Egypt and through some wilderness experiences. On the eve of a New Year He is going to give us some peeks into His Promised Land. He bids us to take the risks associated with obedient faith and cross over our Jordan into new a level of life and ministry in Him.

It will be a little scary and a lot exciting!

Are you willing to get your feet wet?