The Bible is alive and active....

In this picture, the bar chart that runs along the bottom represents all Bible chapters, starting with Genesis 1 on the left. Books alternate in color between light and dark gray, with the first book of the Old and New Testaments in white. The length of each bar denotes the number of verses in that chapter (for instance, the longest bar is the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119). A single arc depicts each of the 63,779 cross references found in the Bible - the color corresponds to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect.

Hebrews 4:12 in the Bible states, "For the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart".

God’s word states that we are created beings and that God has taken the time to knit us each in our mother’s womb. Think about it for one second, the God of the Universe loves us so much that he takes the time to uniquely create us with our own identity. He loves us so much that he knew there was no way on this earth that we could earn our way or found a way to Heaven EXCEPT by the love and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. He was born of a virgin, lived on this earth for 33 years and fulfilled every single prophecy about him written in the OT - the odds and probability of that are impossible, BUT GOD!!! Once crucified, laid dead and then in 3 days rose again and this Jesus now sits at the right hand of God, advocating for you and I, the ones that his sacrifice was made for. Why? Because God gave us a way, through His Son, because He loves us more than we can ever comprehend.

His ways are not our ways. His time is not bound by our time. His thoughts and holiness are immeasurable to the human mind. Yet, He gives us the Logos (The Living Word, Jesus Christ), he also gives us the Graphe (the written Word), and if that were not enough, God gives us the Rhema (the Spoken Word). God not only wants our worship, but he wants a relationship with each and every one of us that call His Son, Lord. Jesus gives us commandments to follow, submit, and obey. What should our response be? Submission, obedience, worship and relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit - the Triune God.

Here am I, make me a fisher of men


The First Disciples

5 As the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear God’s word, he was standing by Lake Gennesaret.[a] 2 He saw two boats at the edge of the lake; the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from the land. Then he sat down and was teaching the crowds from the boat.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we’ve worked hard all night long and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.”[b]

If you are like me, reading through the advent book with your youngins, then today you are on Luke 5 and if you have the doors book you know what i mean. We read that Jesus is calling his disciples and opening their minds, hearts and souls up to a new thing - instead of fishing for fish, he is calling them to be fishers of men. When Simon trusts the Lord and casts his nets back into the sea, he realizes who is talking to him. When confronted with the Lord Jesus, Simon can only respond, “Go away from me, because I’m a sinful man, Lord.” What does our Lord say to Simon? “Don’t be afraid, from now on, you will be catching people.”

This is such a beautiful interchange of the dichotomy of false identity versus true identity. Jesus calls us to the truth. We read in the New Testament that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no man comes to the Father but through him. We also read that Jesus says that the truth will set us free. When Jesus meets the woman at the well that had five husbands and is living with the sixth, her life doesn’t change until she is willing to tell God the truth. Do you see? The moment that we tell Jesus the truth, he sets us free. And he doesn’t finish there. He told Peter not to be afraid, and he tells us not to fear.

Jesus forgives and heals. Are you willing to tell him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Are you finding yourself in this Advent season lacking, or sad, or depressed? Don’t be afraid. Trust in Jesus. Believe that God sent him to save us. Be confident in knowing that Jesus is, in fact, The Way, The Truth and The Life that will set each and every one of us that admit, believe and confess that Jesus is Lord. (Admit we are sinners in need of saving, believe that Jesus is the Lord and confess that we are sinners and he is Lord and Scripture tells us that we will be saved. If you do this, you will be free! As Peter learned his new identity from Jesus, God has created each and every one of us uniquely. He has given each of us our own identity. Are you living out of true identity or false identity? True beliefs or false beliefs?

Remember, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life that sets us free.

If you Love Him, then what?


“If you love me, keep my commands." - John 14:15. It seems pretty straightforward, yet many Christians seem to forget that the word command is not an option but an order. If you were a soldier in battle and you had your commanding officer give you an order (a command). You chose to disobey that order it could lead to serious consequences, including a court-martial, potential imprisonment, a dishonorable discharge, and a reduction in rank, as disobeying a lawful order is considered a serious military offense called “insubordination” under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, I have to be honest here, I do not always get this right. In fact, if I am being raw and authentic, then I would have to admit that I get it way more wrong than I do right. Whether it’s pride, or lust or just a willingness to obey Jesus’s commands, I find myself getting caught up more in the things of this world than setting my mind on things above (Colossians 3:1-17).

Instead of giving you the complete list of the 49 commands of Jesus, I wanted us to take the time a focus on 7 of the majors:

REPENT - Matthew 4:17 states for us to “Repent: For the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
FOLLOW HIM - Matthew 4:19, Jesus said, “Follow me,” he told them, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
REJOICE - “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE - “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
HONOR GOD’S LAW - Matthew 5:17-18 states “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.”
BE RECONCILED - Matthew 5:23-25, “So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to[a] the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.”
DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY (Self Control) - In Matthew 5:29-30, we read, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”

Here is the thing about discipleship, a little secret that I want to share with every one of you reading this post: If we are supposed to be image bearers of God, then why are we trying to do this discipleship stuff on our merit? Our goodwill? Our own trying to get it right? So much of this can lead us to the unholy trinity of fear, shame, and guilt. Discipleship is not supposed to be easy. It is something that we have to submit our whole mind, body and soul into. Do you exercise? Do you run marathons? Do you have a craft or talent that would be considering you a Master Swordsman? Let’s put that last question in context - 10,000 hours spent on the craft of swordsmanship would qualify you to be a master swordsman with the right training, time and effort to hone in your craft to be the expert - the same is true of discipleship, until we can fully commit, submit and obey, how can we effectively try and be a disciple of Jesus Christ? We simply cannot!

Here are a couple of examining questions for you: Am I daily in the word of God? Am I applying, memorizing and eating the scripture? Am I hearing the words, or am I hearing and doing what they tell me to do? How is my prayer life? Am I praying for meals only? Am I praying only when I need, want, or desire something from God? Am I in a relationship with God (am I saved)? Am I in a right relationship with God? Can you feel me when I am asking these questions? It is about the heart of the matter. If you love Jesus, then follow his commands.

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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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Whether we want to believe it or not, evil does exist without the presence of light.  With Light (God's truth) darkness cannot survive.  Words cannot explain the tragedies that we are forced to witness over and over and over again on media and news outlets that have no filter and give no hope because evil goes unchallenged.  Whether we want to admit it or not, there is evil in the world.To witness the brutality of unanswered evil, that is, evil that goes unchallenged and continues to lead those who are ignorant to God's love and do not understand His way of the truth will all have to give an account.  Woe to those teachers that preach hate, envy, discord and disunity.  For those teachers and instructors who promote terrorism and violence and hate - they will all have to give an account:

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:22New International Version (NIV) 22 reject every kind of evil.
  • John 3:20New International Version (NIV) 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
  • Romans 12:21New International Version (NIV) 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
  • Ephesians 6:12-16New International Version (NIV) 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
  • John 8:44bNew International Version (NIV) 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Romans 14:11 states, "It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"  Whether we understand this Judgement or do not, does not mean that it will not happen.  God's word says that it does.  And it clearly states that the law of Moses will condemn those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.

Woe to those who shed blood of the innocent and who persecute the innocent.  Woe to those who oppose God's will.  Woe to those who do not know the Lord as Savior.  "The essence of evil is to lose the taste of God" or "to prefer anything more than God" - quote by John Piper.

There is a hope, there is a love and there is a faith that transcends all evil:

Romans 8New International Version (NIV)

Life Through the Spirit8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of[e] his Spirit who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,[g] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Present Suffering and Future Glory18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[h] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[i] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

More Than Conquerors31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j]37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our hearts and prayers go out to those who are mourning the loss of loved ones due to these evil acts.

Blessings,

D

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GRIT: MEN'S CONFERENCE

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Dear Men,If you are looking for a place where men came come together and share life together and grow together and to see what God wants for your life as a disciple, then this Men's Conference is for you.  If you have been looking for a men's group where you can come as you are and look forward to meeting other men who are right where you are or meet other men who are where you want to be, then this conference is for you.

Featured Speaker: Lance Putnam from Legacydads.org.

Worship Night - Friday, October 13, 7 - 9 PM

There will be sandwiches and chips and beverages provided at the beginning of the event.

Breakfast - Saturday, October 14, 8 - 11:30 AM

There will be a full breakfast served to all men.

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Dear Ladies,

Imagine if your husband invested some time into figuring out how to be the best husband, best father, and best man he could be? So why not buy your husband a ticket for this event that will be talking about running the race and finishing well.  For men to be the men that God calls them to be, the husbands that God want them to be and the father that leaves a legacy for his wife and children to follow – would that be something that you are interested in?  Then don’t wait – sign up online at www.wearefaith.org/GRIT and register your husband and his friends today.

Sign up here

Note:  If you have a party of 9 or more please call the church for a group discount (219) 864-0300 and ask for Dan and/or Becky to sign up your group.

We hope to see you all there.

Blessings,Dante

 

 

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