February 23, 2014

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody."  Romans 12:17

When the writer of Romans penned these words I think he assumed that his readers would know what evil is. Nowadays that may not be the case:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liiD1XaRvqM

 Is evil a noun or is it a verb?

There is much confusion over that these days. Is evil something that is done by you or to you or is evil something you are? Is it a dark and powerful personal force within you or is it the harmful and hurtful things you do? That confusion contributes to many of our problems in our world today.

If we are going to overcome evil, obviously we must have a clear and actual understanding of what evil is.

A study of the whole 12th chapter will give you a good concept of what evil is.

V.1 - Evil is refusing to surrender your sinful nature to Christ.

V. 2 - Evil is conforming to the "world" or the "cosmos" in your thinking and your values.
          Evil is not desiring the will of God.

V. 3 - 8 - Evil is failing or refusing to serve God with your gifts and talents.

V. 9 - 13 - Evil is self-seeking and despising others.

V. 14- 20 - Evil is being conceited, spiteful and retaliatory toward those who disagree with you.

You will either overcome evil or it will overcome you. And until you deal with the evil that controls your nature, you will be overcome by evil.

So, evil is a noun.

It is a nature that dwells in you from the time of your birth. Being born evil you are also born separated from God. And that spiritual separation from God is the essence of your evil.

But, evil is also a verb!

It is because of the evil that dwells in you, evil guides your thoughts and decisions. Evil thoughts breed evil attitudes that are expressed in evil actions.

God calls you to be delivered from evil. You can choose to allow Him to deliver you and cleanse you from evil.

Or, you can be overcome by evil. Which will  it be today?

      

February 22, 2014

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

We know that Peter recovered from his "Peter moment" of failure and denial of Jesus to be enjoy a "Peter movement" as he launched the Church of Jesus Christ.

We know that Peter went from being a fan of Jesus to becoming a follower of Jesus.

We need to know how those transformations happened. How did Peter "power up"?

He "powered up" by the power of the Holy Spirit!

What is the power of the Spirit?

The power of the Holy Spirit is the power to worship. "...we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh." Phil. 3:3

The power of the Holy Spirit is the power of His will. "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

The power of the Holy Spirit is the power to walk. "So I say, walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh." Galatians 5:16

The power of the Holy Spirit is the power to witness. "And you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

The power of the Holy Spirit is the power of wisdom. "But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth....." John 16:13

The power of the Holy Spirit is the power of oneness.  "All the believers were together and had everything in common." Acts 2:44

Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and he was never the same! When he received the Spirit he received the holiness of God and love of Jesus.

Peter powered up! 

Have you been filled with His Spirit? 

Have you experienced the power He brings?

Receiving the Holy Spirit changed Peter from a fan to a follower.

Are you a fan of Jesus or are you His follower?

February 21, 2014

"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you. ”Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”  John 21:15-19

As we finished up our fourth day of patching and painting a large recreation room in the lower level of the teen boy’s group home, I confess that I was wrestling with questions of, “Is this really worth being away from Barbara and my church family (and of course, Tyrod?)”

But then the Spirit checked me and reminded me that it was worth it to Him to have a nice bright place for His troubled, neglected and rejected teens to relax for a while.

He also reminded me that I had prepared the team members that much of ministry work is doing ordinary things with an extraordinary attitude. What sounds glamorous at first “A Mission Trip”, often comes down to doing pretty ordinary things that may seem insignificant at the time.

God called to my attention what Jesus said to Peter in this portion of Scripture. In fact, He said it three times! “Peter, if you love me, feed my sheep.”

When I listened to what Jesus says to Peter here and then meditated on it I understood Jesus was essentially telling Peter, “Peter, if you want to experience my love, make sure you express my love to others!” And those expressions of love usually happen in ordinary ways during ordinary days.

I would prefer to express His love in spectacular and supernatural ways, but usually the opportunities He gives me to demonstrate His love is in ordinary ways.

The types of things we have been doing for a few days here at Hephzibah are done every day by the committed staff of this necessary ministry. So, if we get bored by the ordinary imagine what it must be like for them!

God revealed to me through the Scripture portion above that the way to serve ordinary people in ordinary ways on ordinary days without losing the passion of our purpose is this – stay connected to the EXTRAORDINARY love of God! Experience it every day in the midst of the ordinary and express it each day through the ordinary tasks of life!

Will you connect with God today?

Will you experience His extraordinary love today?

Will you express that extraordinary love to someone on this ordinary day?

February 20, 2014

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

Imagine you have a glass that is partially filled with dirt. What will happen if you pour fresh cool water into that glass?

Or, if you have a glass of clear cool water and you dump a few tablespoons of dirt into that glass, how will that work out?

In either scenario you will end up with a glass of muddy water.

So, how do you get a glass filled with clear, cool water?

If you want it clear you must empty the dirt and clean the class.

And if you want it full of water you must empty everything else out of that class.

Only a clean empty glass can be filled with pure water.

So it is with the Holy Spirit. You cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit unless you are emptied of your sinful and selfish nature. 

And you can't receive the Spirit until you have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus.

That is what happened to Peter that changed him from a fan of Jesus to a follower of Jesus.

It is what happened to Peter that changed him from denying Jesus to becoming a disciple.

Becoming Spirit-Filled is what filled him with "agape" love because God's Spirit is His perfect love! So, being filled with the Spirit is being filled with His love.

God's love IS the power of His Spirit!

The power of the Holy Spirit changed Peter from having a "Peter Moment" to starting a "Peter Movement".

Have you emptied yourself so you can be filled with His Spirit?

February 19, 2014

"The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. ”Jesus said, “Feed my sheep."  John 21:17

This is a DTR moment.

You have had them and I have had them and they are often awkward.

DTR stands for "define the relationship".

If you have been in a dating relationship for several months or more you have experienced a DTR moment where you sense that you are more than friends but you are not sure if she (he) is feeling the same way. So, you initiate the conversation to bring some definition to your relationship. The outcome of that conversation will determine if the friendship deepens, if it remains the same or if it ends. Each of those conclusions brings a definition to the relationship.

It is impossible for any relationship to grow and deepen without these DTR moments.

Jesus knew that Peter was confused and struggling in his faith since the devastating day that he denied Jesus three times. Not only had he lost confidence in himself but he was unsure of where he stood in his relationship with Jesus. 

So, Jesus came to the shores of the Sea of Galilee to find Peter and define their relationship. He did this because He had huge hopes for Peter and He needed to restore him. Peter needed to know how much Jesus loved him and he needed to admit his insufficient love for Jesus.

When that brief conversation was over Peter knew exactly where he stood in his relationship with Jesus and he knew exactly what he must do for the relationship to grow and deepen.

Since being a Christian is a relationship, DTR's are essential.

It takes a DTR to become a Christian. You have to confess that you have no relationship with Jesus because you are a sinner and you must ask Him to forgive your sins. When your sins are forgiven you can enter into a relationship with Jesus.

Then it requires daily DTR's to continue to develop your relationship with Christ. Your DTR moments will occur as you spend time in His Word and in prayer. It is nearly impossible to connect with God through the Word and through prayer and come away confused about your relationship with Him.

Have you had a DTR with God this morning?

February 18, 2014

"Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." Acts 2:38-41

Peter is famous for his "Peter moment" and he is also famous for his Peter "movement".

His Peter "moment" was when he denied Jesus three times on the night Christ was arrested. Earlier, he had boasted that he would be true to Jesus if no one else was. As it turned out, he vastly overestimated himself and his arrogance led to his fall.

Failing Jesus at this crucial moment was a regret Peter carried heavy on his heart.

So, how did he go from the Peter "moment" to the key guy in launching this new movement know as "The Church"?

How do you account for the change in a guy who cowered before a young girl but then stood up in front of thousands of people and preached the powerful message that led to mass repentance.

And after he launched this new movement he was never the same. He never had another "moment" after that.

That is a major change!

Something big happened!

Peter became "the rock" that Jesus had predicted he would become!

Peter went from being a fan of Jesus to becoming a follower of Jesus.

Peter's love for Jesus changed from "brotherly love" to "godly love".

Something happened to Peter that powered him up!

That "something" was "Someone" - the Holy Spirit of God.

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." Acts 2:1-4

When Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit he was filled with the power of God!

Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit?

February 17, 2014

"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” John 21:15-19

Again, meditating on this Scripture I see three things true about love.

First, love must be assessed.

I must constantly ask the Spirit to search my heart and reveal if I am loving God in my own strength or if I submitted to receive His love.

Am I being a fan or a devoted follower?

Second, love must be possessed.

If I want to be in possession of God's love, I must be possessed of His Spirit. To be possessed of his Spirit I must be consecrated to Him so the blood of Christ can cleanse and purify my heart. Only when my heart is made perfect can I possess His perfect love.

Third, love must be expressed.

God shares His love with me so I can share it with others.

The love of God is not lavished on me just for my enjoyment. He intends His love to shown and to be shared!

While is love is unconditional He does desire that my attitudes and actions reflect the power of His love at work in me. How can I be in possession of His perfect love and not have it show through the way I love others?

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. I John 4:7-21

Will you assess your love today?

Will you be possessed by His love today?

How will you express His love today?