The Great Exchange - Romans 5:6-20

The Great Exchange

Romans 5:6-20

(To listen online CLICK HERE)

1.         One of my favorite movies is Act of Valor, which is about a team of Navy Seals that goes after a terrorist group.

a.    And while there are some really cool scenes of firefights (the riverboat scene is, to me, one of the top ten action scenes ever filmed!)

b.    The underlying theme of the movie the valor of the men, and how they’re willing to go to any length to complete their mission.

d.    Without hesitation, Lt Rourke jumps on the grenade, shielding his teammates from the effects of the blast, giving his life to save his team.  

e.    Truly an act of valor!

2.         But what about the bad guys?  Well, they are summarily gunned down, because, hey, they’re bad guys!

a.    If that grenade had accidentally bounced into the group of terrorists, I doubt LT Rourke would’ve jumped on it!  (“well, that was helpful..”)  

3.         That’s what Paul is saying here:  There are a few people, not many, that would give their life to save a family member, a loved one, a friend, a comrade…

a.    But who would sacrifice himself to save a terrorist, or a criminal?

b.    There is one - Jesus!  In an unprecedented demonstration of love, Jesus gave His life to save sinners!

c.    He died to save the terrorist, the mass murderer, the child molester – and yes, you and me!

Peace with God - Romans 5:1-5

“It’s all about Faith”

Peace with God

Romans 5:1-5

(CLICK HERE to listen online)

In 1972 two fishermen were checking their shrimp traps along a river on the South Pacific island of Guam, when they ran across a man they thought to be a local villager.  Unprovoked, the man attacked them, yelling at them in a strange language.  They were able to subdue the man, and they brought him into town, where it was discovered that he was no native villager.  The man’s name was Shōichi Yokoi, a Japanese sergeant in the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) during the Second World War.  When US forces regained control of the island in 1945, Yokoi and nine other soldiers retreated into the jungle to await reinforcements. As the years went by, the reinforcements never came. Seven of the men eventually left, two died in flooding, leaving Yokoi, who remained at his post, believing he was still at war, ready to defend the island the Emperor! He didn’t realize that the war had ended, his country had entered a peace agreement, Japan and the US were now allies! Yokoi didn’t need to hide any longer.

1.         So it is with many people:  Deep down they know they’re not living according to God’s law, deep down they understand that they’re not righteous…

a.    So they feel they have to run from God, they have to hide from God!

b.    Just like Yokoi, they don’t understand that the war is OVER! Peace has been achieved. 

c.    Not by setting off a nuclear bomb, but through the sacrifice of the Son of God.

d.    Through Jesus, God has made peace available to mankind

2.         That's what Paul tells us in Romans chapter 5

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I LOVE Thanksgiving!  Why?  Well for a couple of reasons:

1. There will be food.  Lots of food.
2. We close the church for two days.  (Even though I still have to prepare for Sunday!)
3. My boys are out of school, so we get to hang out.
4. My son Chandler is back from school for a week.  We get to hang out and play music together on Sunday!
5. Mom is cooking some really scrumptious stuff (as I write this I'm eating her sausage balls, mmmm!)
6. Tomorrow we get to host a huge Community Thanksgiving meal at church.  We'll have 20 turkeys, tons of side dishes, and a lot of people will break bread together!

I wanted to take a moment to tell everyone who is a part of our life, or a part of our church - I am so blessed to have you part of my life!  Thank you for being our friends, thank you for your love, your support, and your friendship.

I also want to thank my God, who has given my family and I an opportunity to be part of so many lives.  I thank Him for my family, the ministry He has given me, but even more so - for giving me peace with Him through His Son Jesus Christ.

This Sunday I'll be teaching from Romans 5:

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Romans 5:1-2

There is no greater blessing than to know that I have peace with my Creator, access to His grace, and the hope of glory through Jesus Christ.

From my family, and from the leaders and staff at Calvary of Wilmington, we pray you have a blessed Thanksgiving day.  (and, if you don't have anywhere to go, you're welcome to join us at Calvary of Wilmington for Thanksgiving meal! CLICK HERE for info)

The Promise - Romans 4:13-25

(to listen online CLICK HERE)

“It’s all about Faith”

The Promise

Romans 4:13-25

What is a promise?

1.         A promise is a commitment to do something, or not do something.

a.    “I promise I’ll come pick you up for church.”

b.    “I promise not to leave you..."

c.    It's a commitment.

2.         In legal terms, an exchange of promises is legally enforceable; When you sign a contract, you're obligated to fulfill the terms of that contract.

a.    If you fail to fulfill the terms of that contract, you can be held legally liable. You may have to pay damages.

3.         We’ve all made promises, hopefully we’ve kept our promises, but if we’re honest, we’d all have to admit that we’ve made promises we didn’t keep.

a.    One man said: Promises are like babies:  easy to make, but they’re hard to deliver.

Sola Fide - Romans 3:27-4:12

(Click HERE to listen online)

“It’s all about Faith”

Sola Fide

Romans 3:27 - 4:12

For the next three weeks our topic will be on faith:

• 4:1-12  Sola Fide: Justification through faith alone
• 4:13-25  The Promise received through faith
• 5:1-11  Peace through Faith

1.         Last week we talked about two words: justification and propitiation.

a.    If you missed that message, you can get it from my website clayritter.com

b.    Justification - status - “just as if I had never sinned - the greatest need of mankind, to be justified, to one another, and with God.

c.    When something happens between two people, they seek to be understood, they seek to justify, they want to be reconciled.

2.         Paul is telling us “You’re right to want to be justified before God, to be right with God… But you’re not going to accomplish it by obeying the rules, doing good things for God, or by going through a ritual. “

a.    The ONLY WAY to achieve the status of being right with God is through the process of propitiation…

b.    Meaning:  Receiving what Jesus did on the cross.  His death, burial, and resurrection.

How the bible is crazy accurate - Ezekiel 29

Earlier this year during our “Basics” series, I taught a message on the bible, and why we can trust it (listen HERE).  In that message, I noted that one of the key reasons we can trust the word of God is its predictive accuracy: Every prophecy given in the bible has come to pass with 100% accuracy!

Today I ran across two small prophecies related to Egypt, buried in the book of Ezekiel, that reminded me of what Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away” (Matt 24:35).

The first prophecy is in Ezek 29:14-15:

I will restore the prosperity of Egypt and bring its people back to the land of Pathros in southern Egypt from which they came. But Egypt will remain an unimportant, minor kingdom. It will be the lowliest of all the nations, never again great enough to rise above its neighbors. Ezek 29-14-15

In this prophecy God is telling Ezekiel that He will use Nebuchadnezzar to crush Egypt, but after forty years He will bring the Egyptians back to their land, however “Egypt will remain an unimportant, minor kingdom.  It will be the lowliest of all the nations, never again great enough to rise above its neighbors.” This was spoken during a time when Egypt was a strong nation with a long history of being a mighty empire.  Today Egypt is still a country (just as God said), but she has never regained her previous glory and power.  With an economy in shambles, Egypt is one of the lowliest of nations in that region.

The other prophecy is contained in verse 21:

“And the day will come when I will cause the ancient glory of Israel to revive, and then, Ezekiel, your words will be respected. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”  Ezek 29:21

Think about it, Israel is once again nation, and it’s the strongest nation in that region (economically and militarily).  No one messes with Israel.  And what about Ezekiel’s words?  True to His promise, Ezekiel’s words are part of our bible today, the most widely printed and sold book in all of history.  His words are studied by scholars and laymen alike, and Ezekiel is held up as one of the major prophets in the bible.

Jesus was right:  “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away” Matt 24:35

Pastor Clay

The Two Most Important Words in the Bible - Romans 3:1-26

(To listen online click HERE)

The Two Most Important Words in the Bible

Romans 3:1-26

1.         Earlier this year a study was released by the Australian National University on the effects of smoking.  The study found:

a.    Two thirds of deaths in current smokers can be attributed to tobacco use

b.    Smoking reduces life expectancy by 10 years

c.    Light smokers also face double risk of early death

2.         In response to this study, the tobacco industry released a statement:

“These findings, haven’t been substantiated by our own research.”

3.         In a similar fashion, people will often put up a smokescreen when asked about their eternal destination …

a.    “I believe in God… I’ve been good… I’ve tried to live a good life…”  would be the typical response...

4.         But Paul has blown away that smokescreen, being the equal opportunity offender:

a.    The immoral person:  You’re guilty of sin and deserve judgment!

b.    The moral person:  You’re guilty of sin and deserve judgment!

c.    The legalist:  You’re guilty of sin and deserve judgment!

d.    Even the Jew, who have the law and the prophets: You’re guilty of sin and deserve judgment!

5.         Harsh stuff? We need to realize that Paul isn’t on a mission to destroy people, or drive them into depression…

a.    “I’m such a terrible person, I should just slit my wrists and end it all!”

b.    No Paul is leading up to something, something big, something important that he wants the reader to understand.

6.         Paul is like a prosecutor in a courtroom, taking the jury on a journey of facts leading up to the closing argument.

a.    In his closing argument Paul will reveal what may be the two most important words in the bible. (Want to know what they are? I'll tell you a little later!

b.    But in the lead up to his closing argument, Paul poses some rhetorical questions, questions that he perceives the reader may ask, and then he proceeds to answer those questions:

Dealing with Discouragement

Everyone gets discouraged from time to time.  Whether it's with our life, our job, our family, even our church.  A wise man once said to me "Everything in life has some part that stinks; 80% may be good, 20% stinks.  If we focus on the 20% that stinks, before you know it - EVERYTHING STINKS!"

Its true!  If we would take an honest assessment of where our head is at when we're feeling negative or discouraged, we'd find that we're probably focusing on the 20% of our life / our job / our church that stinks, instead of the 80% that is a blessing.  I can come home after a wonderful Sunday service where God was glorified, people made decisions for Christ, and if I start looking at all of the little things that went wrong, before I know it the entire service was a flop! Well, the service WASN'T a flop, I just had a stinky perspective!  I've learned that after a Sunday service, my wife and I need to come home and celebrate the WINS that week! (There'll be plenty of time to address the things that went wrong later!)

But what do you do when you're in that stinky place?  How do you come out of it?  A great answer is found in scripture, Hebrews chapter 10:

#1 Thank God for our salvation:

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.  Heb 10:19-22

Because of our relationship with Christ, we now have access to the Holy Place, the Great Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ!

#2 Remember the hope that we have in Christ

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Heb 10:23

When everything is wrong, there is one thing that is always right:  Our destination is Heaven!

#3 Encourage someone else:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25

I believe one of the most powerful things we can do is to find someone that is hurting, struggling, or suffering, and encourage them!  Call them and invite them for coffee.  Pray with them!  Find scriptures that will speak life into their situation!

That's my challenge for you this week:  Reach out to someone, and share the love / strength / hope of Christ with them.  Trust me, it'll change your perspective!

Pastor Clay

The Problem with Legalism - Roman's 2:17-29

The Problem with Legalism

Romans 2:17-29

(CLICK HERE to listen online)

1.         So far Paul has offended two groups of people:

a.    The immoral person

b.    The moral person

c.    Paul - the equal opportunity offender!

d.    Paul now turns his attention to the to the legalist.

2.         What is legalism?

le·gal·ism - excessive adherence to law or formula, dependence on moral law rather than on personal religious faith.

a.    Legalism can be very appealing to people that like structure, who like order, people that like to know where lines are so they don't cross them. 

3.         However Paul does have a significant concern with this form of religious practice;

a.    He has a concern for the person that believes they can earn their acceptance with God based on who they are, or what they do.

b.    It is religious performance, scrupulous and meticulous in its outward form, but inwardly, as Jesus described it, ‘filled with dead men’s bones.’

c.    I believe Paul is qualified to speak to this topic, as he was once very much a legalist, a Jewish Pharisee, the equivalent of being a religious lawyer.

We're All Guilty - Romans 2:1-16

(click here to listen online)

We’re All Guilty!

Romans 2:1-16

1.         Last week in Romans 1 Paul made a stinging indictment against blatant immorality;

a.    We learned that when a person or a culture rejects God, it begins a downward spiral of immorality, living life to fulfill the lust of their heart.

b.    Paul gave us a long and detailed list of the sins that would prevail, even being celebrated in that culture.

c.    And the reality is that we see these sins all around us – pick any news cycle and there are terrible acts of sin and immorality reported.

d.    Most people would agree:  Those who perpetrate these terrible acts are deserving of judgment!

2.         But, there is a catch to Paul’s argument, an exception, because some of us could say, “I know a person that while they aren't a Christian, they don't believe in God, they don’t go to church, they don’t read the bible…

a.    And yet they’re a good person.  They don’t lie, or cheat, or steal.

b.    They’ve never been mean to me, never yelled at me.  I couldn’t make one accusation against them.”

c.    What about that person?  Is God going to send that person to Hell?

The House is Burning - Romans 1:25-32 (Oct 20, 2013)

(CLICK HERE to listen online)

The House is Burning

Romans 1:25-32

Being a firefighter is a honorable career, as your purpose is to put out fires, and save lives.  If your house were on fire, and you were trapped inside, the most welcome sight would be a firefighter coming through your front door to rescue you!  And think about it, when they come for you, they don't ask you any questions:  "What race are you?" "Are you a good person?"  Matter of fact, they don't even ask if you started the fire!  It really doesn't matter to them, all that matters is getting you out of the house.

In this section of scripture, Paul lays out some hard truths, but we need to understand up front that Paul is coming from the perspective that people who practice the things he lists are terrible people that need to be judged and condemned.  He see's Rome as a city full of people who are lost, the house is on fire, and Paul wants to get out as many as he can.

1.         Last week we posed the question:  What does God do when a person disregards the clear evidence of God, and they make the choice to worship something other than Him?  

a.    Answer:  He lets them.  God doesn’t force us to worship Him, we are free!

b.    But once a person makes the decision to reject God, a progression is set in motion.

c.    And one of the most sobering statements in the bible become a reality: God “gives them up”

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

God Revealed - Romans 1:18-25

God Revealed

Romans 1:18-25

 (CLICK HERE to listen online)

“Is God real? And if He is real, why should I worship Him?”

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

1.         Imagine going to your doctor for your annual physical, and after going through the tests and observations, the doctor comes into the room and tells you, “I have some news, I’ve detected the beginning stages of cancer.”

a.    What would be your response?

The Power of God - Romans 1:8-18 Oct 6, 2013

The Power of God

Romans 1:8-17

(CLICK HERE to listen online)

Power Video

Power / dunamis:   (miraculous) power, might, strength

ability to act or produce an effect

1.         These are things that wield great power, if a person from the first century AD were to see this video clip, it would be overwhelming at the power that now rests in the hands of men.

a.    But there is a greater power, not a power that lifts, or destroys, or swallows up star systems, but a power that has the ability to change a life.

b.    And  the Apostle Paul was eager to bring this power to the city of Rome.

Introduction to Romans - Romans 1:1-7

Introduction to Romans

Grace and Peace

Romans 1:1-7
(CLICK HERE to listen online)

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1.         Everyone is probably familiar with the phrase “all roads lead to Rome,” interestingly it’s a colloquialism that arose from a reality.

a.    During the first century, all roads did in fact lead to Rome!

b.    That was by design, and it indicated that Rome was the center of the known world, if not geographically, then in every other aspect.

c.    Rome was center of power for the Roman Empire, center of politics, finance, education, culture,

d.    To visit Rome was witness all of the splendor, pomp and circumstance that the world had to offer.

e.    To introduce yourself as hailing from Rome brought instant recognition and honor.

2.         Rome represented the finest that the world had to offer. However, Rome also had a problem:  She has lost her moral bearing, and she was rotting from within.

Outline of Romans

Overview of Romans

1.           Date Written: About 57-58 A.D.

2.           Written To: Christians at the church in Rome and future Bible readers.

3.           Landscape of the Book of Romans: Paul was in Corinth, on his way to Israel to deliver a collection for the poor in Jerusalem. He planned to visit the church in Rome on his way to Spain.

4.           Themes in the Book of Romans:

a.    Our natural inclination to sin separates us from God. We cannot make ourselves right or earn salvation on our own.

b.    In his loving kindness, God provided a way to redeem us through his Son Jesus Christ, who paid our sin-debt through his sacrificial death.

c.    By accepting Christ as Savior and believing in his atoning work, we are saved. Jesus' righteousness is credited to us.

d.    The Holy Spirit works in us to help us avoid sin and grow in holiness. God's grace, not keeping the law, makes us acceptable.

e.    God's plan is just and fair. Both Jews and Gentiles are eligible to come to Christ and receive salvation.

f.      Sincere service to Christ is an appropriate way to express our gratitude to God for his gift of salvation. When we work together with other members of the body of Christ, the church, we build each other up and give honor and glory to God.

5.           Outline of the Book of Romans:

a.    The gospel shows God's righteousness - Romans 1:1-17.

b.    God's wrath against sin is just - Romans 1:18-3:20.

c.    God has a plan of salvation - Romans 3:21-4:25.

d.    Our faith brings hope - Romans 5:1-8:39.

e.    God provides for Israel and the Gentiles - Romans 9:1-11:36.

f.      Paul gives instructions for everyday living - Romans 12:1-15:13.

g.    Paul tells his plan to spread the gospel - Romans 15:14-16:23.

h.    The closing sums up the gospel - Romans 16:25-27.

6.           The book of Romans is the Apostle Paul's masterpiece, a carefully constructed summary of Christian theology. Romans explains God's plan of salvation by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Divinely inspired, Paul passed on truths that are followed by believers to this day.

The Basics Series - Money Part 3: Ownership vs Stewardship (Sept 22, 2013)

Money - Part 3

Ownership vs Stewardship

Gen 2:15-17 / Luke 12:16-21 / Luke 16:9-13
(CLICK HERE to listen online)

Open: I need someone here to give me $100.

Imagine you took a job in Bahrain, a 3 year contract. You were going to be paid a huge salary, but you’re wife could not accompany you.  So, you enlisted the assistance of ten men to look after your wife.  You gave each one $10,000 per month, with instructions that they were to each give $1000 a month to your wife for her provision, and the rest they could keep. (in other words – they are stewards)

After a year, you’re Skyping with your wife, “By the way, how’s our arrangement going? Are you getting your monthly provision?  She then proceeds to tell you “Well, four of the men are faithfully giving me $1000 per month, just as you asked.  Three of them are only sending $500 per month, and two of them stopped sending my anything at all.  But its OK, one of the men has been sending me $5000 per month.

1.         What would be your course of action for these stewards?

a.    $1000 a month?  (Probably continue the arrangement)

b.    $500 a month? (May fire them, but for sure reduce salary)

c.    $0?  (Definitely fired!)

d.    $5000 per month? (Well, since he’s sending $5000 per month, why not increase his pay, might even give him what you were giving the other 5!)

The Basics Series - Money Part 2: Blessings vs Curses (Sept 15, 2013)

Money - Part 2

Blessings vs Curses

Malachi 3:8-11; Joshua 1, 6; 1 Kings 17; 2 Cor 9
(CLICK to listen online)

1.         Scripture Ref:  Malachi 3:8-11; Joshua 1, 6; 2 Cor 9

2.         Last week we talked about the principles of the firstborn, and the firstfruit.

a.    How God promises us if we’ll put Him first, He’ll bless us.

b.    How do you know what’s first in your life?  Look at your checkbook.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:21

c.    Money is an important resource, and what we do with our money (our treasure) is an indicator of where our heart is.

The Basics Series - Money Part 1: Principles of Firstborn & Firstfrutits (Sept 8, 2013)

Money - Part 1

The Principles of Firstborn and Firstfruits
(CLICK to listen online)

A few Sundays back one of the men in our church came up to me after the service, and said to me “Pastor Clay, I always pray for you when you start talking about money, because I know some people get really uncomfortable about that topic.”

Its true: Many people are uncomfortable when it comes to money and the church. The fact that I’m going to teach on money for the next three weeks is possibly making some of you uncomfortable right now!  I'd even be willing to bet someone didn't come to church today because I'm teaching on money ...some of you might not come back next week!  

So... I’m just glad we could just put that on the table! Some of you may be uncomfortable, and that’s OK – there are a lot of uncomfortable topics in the bible! However, just because something is uncomfortable doesn't mean we should ignore it. Ignoring something doesn't make it go away, it simply leaves us in ignorance about that topic.

The Basics Series - The Spirit Part 6

The Spirit – Part 6

Ministry, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leading, Mercy

Romans 12:7-8
(CLICK to listen online)

Romans 12:7-8 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

...ministry, let us use it in our ministering;

This is simple;  Serving in practical ways….

(diakonia), to serve (where we get word for deacons). A wide variety of activities one performs with the help of God to comfort, encourage, support and build up God's people.

The Basics Series - The Spirit Part 5 (Aug 25, 2013)

The Spirit Part 5

Discerning of Spirits, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues

1 Cor 12:9-10, 1 Cor 14
(CLICK to listen online)

Have you ever met someone who could almost sense what you were thinking? Some people have this gift of perception, almost like mind-reading!   Wouldn't it be useful to read between the line spiritually? Tell if something is from God? Thankfully the bible teaches us that it is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

to another discerning of spirits,

1.         Natural Parallel – discernment - God given (as are all natural gifts)

a.    Discern: to perceive by sight or some other sense, or by intellect;

b.    to see, distinguish mentally

c.    Good or bad, motives, situational dynamics - read people.

2.         Spiritual gift: The supernatural ability to identify spiritual deception, false doctrine, false teaching, evil motives.

a.    Includes the ability to identify whether something is from the Holy Spirit, or demonic spirit.

The Basics Series - The Spirit Part 4 (Aug 18, 2013)

The Spirit – Part 4 “Prophecy”

1 Cor 12:10, 1 Cor 14
(CLICK to listen online)

Last week:

1.         Faith - The unique supernatural ability to trust God in all circumstances,

2.         Healings - the ability to call on God to heal through supernatural means,

3.         Miracles - an event when the Holy Spirit chooses to over-ride the laws of nature

4.    This week, the word of prophecy...

to another prophecy, 1 Cor 12:10

4.         The ability to speak forth a message from God by the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. John 16:13

…for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 1 Peter 1:21

The Basics Series - The Spirit Part 3 (Aug 11, 2013)

The Spirit – Part 3 “Faith, Healings, Miracles”

1 Cor 12:9-10

Last week:

1.         The word of wisdom, which is a gift of the Spirit that provides insight, guidance and counsel in a supernatural way. (Beyond your natural wisdom)

2.         Word of Knowledge is the ability to know something that could only be revealed supernaturally.

3.         Often work together:  Often when a word of knowledge is given, wisdom is needed to know how to proceed with that knowledge.

4.         Another gift that has a strong interworking aspect is FAITH:

The Basics Series - The Spirit Part 2 (Aug 4, 2013)

The Spirit – Part 2 “Gifts”

1 Cor 12
(CLICK to listen online)

The Apple II:  introduced in 1977, In terms of ease of use, features and expandability the Apple II was a major technological advancement over any of its predecessors.  The machine had a motherboard with eight expansion slots, an array of random access memory (RAM) sockets that could hold up to 48 kilobytes worth of memory, color monitor with high-resolution graphics, sound capabilities and built-in BASIC programming language, the Apple II, changed the way people worked, and spawned a succession of more powerful computers that have revolutionized almost every aspect of our ability to work and produce:  Accounting, desktop publishing, graphic design, music, film, all use powerful tools that can accomplish in minutes things that would take days, or that were not even possible.  These machines give us the ability to accomplish things that are beyond our natural ability.

1.         In a similar way, God knew that in order to accomplish the things that He has called us to accomplish on this earth, you and I would need gifts and abilities that go beyond our human capacity.

a.    Which is one of the reasons He sent the Holy Spirit to us.

2.         Today we're going begin a walk through the different gifts that are noted in scripture: 

a.    What those gifts are, how they work, and what they look like in our everyday life.

b.    We won't get through them all today - no need to rush -

The Basics Series - The Spirit Part 1 (July 28, 2013)

The Spirit – Part 1

John 16
(CLICK to listen online)

1.         Imagine you and I are going to play golf, and on our way to the course I informed you that the Spirit of God had entered into me, and given me supernatural ability to play golf. What would your reaction / expectation be?

a.    Other than being a bit weirded out, after hearing that claim, wouldn’t you expect to see a significant improvement in my game?

b.    You would expect to see 300+ drives, right down the middle of the fairway; pinpoint approach shots (the ones that land behind the hole, then backup to right beside the cup!); drain every putt, walk off under par every time! (A reasonable expectation)

2.         But if we teed off, and I was driving into the next fairway, hitting into the water, missing greens, three-putting;

a.    Wouldn’t you question the reality of my experience? Yes, for there is a huge gap between my claim of empowerment, and my performance,

3.         And so it is in the lives of many Christians today, claiming that the Spirit of the Living God lives in them, yet their lives do not reflect that reality.