Sanctification

Spiritual Amnesia

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“They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,” Psalm 106:21 ESV

How could a person forget the Lord who has done so much to bring rescue to their life? Spiritual amnesia was an issue with the Israelites hundreds of years ago and it is still an issue with God’s people today. To remember the Lord one must be intentional about recounting His works, reviewing His word and relooking at His character. We all need daily reminders of who God is, what God has done and what God has said. If we are not careful it won’t take long for a you and I to coast into spiritual forgetfulness & indifference. When we forget God, His word and His works then we tend to make the same mistakes the Israelites made. When we forget God we tend to tempt him rather then trust Him. We tend to complain about Him and to Him rather than cry out to Him for help. We tend to rebel against His commands rather than jofullly obey God. And we tend to create idols to worship rather than giving our adoration & allegiance to the one Savior who is worthy of our worship!

Jesus Came To Bring Change

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As we begin this year many are seeking to make changes for the better in their lives. Multitudes desire a change of life whether it’s physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, vocational or relational change. And the start of a new year brings fresh motivation for that change. As Christians we recognize that lasting change for the better in our lives comes from the perfect Unchanging One, Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭1:14-15‬ ‭MSG‬‬

In the Gospel of Mark we see Jesus in action bringing change into the lives of those whom he came in contact with. The change we need and the world needs implies that something is wrong with us and with the world. The message Jesus proclaimed was repent, which means to change your mind. A change of mind leads to a change of actions, attitudes and living. Coupled with that call to repent was the call to believe the gospel and this is where one experiences the power for change. Paul wrote that the gospel is “power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes “(Romans 1:16). Change is required and empowered by Jesus. When people truly encounter Jesus and believe in Him, He changes their lives. This happens at the beginning of our Christian life and the entire life of a Christ follower is a process of ongoing change that theologians call sanctification.

In Mark Chapter 1 we see Jesus changing the life of his first disciples calling them to become fishers of people (Mark 1:17-18). Then we see Him changing the life a demon possessed and controlled man (Mark 1:21-28). Then Jesus changed the life of a leper by healing him, which made it possible for him to be apart of the community again. He became “clean” after being “unclean” for many years and treated as an outcast. The change Jesus brings into our lives restores us to relationship with God and to others. Jesus healed many who had various diseases and he drove out demons that were oppressing people (Mark 1:34). Jesus brings the change into our lives that we could not accomplish on our own strength, discipline, smarts and skill. With Jesus change is possible because what He prescribes He empowers. Jesus offers you and I the change that we really need. He brought change to this broken, dark and hopeless world. He will return to finish His redemptive work and make all things new (Revelation 21:1-5)!


Two means of change we see Jesus using in Mark chapter 1 is prayer and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom (Mark 1:35-38). May we in 2021 embrace that change that Jesus wants to bring into our lives through prayerfulness and saturation and proclamation of the gospel! May we preach the gospel to ourselves and to others. May we pray for ourselves and others and see the Kingdom of God come on earth as it is in Heaven!

God At Work In You

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20130415-153824.jpgOne of the first things we learn about God in the Scripture is that He works (Genesis 2:1-3). Not only did God work in creating but He also works in sustaining and caring for His creation (Psalm 147). The theological word for this is called providence. All of God’s work creating and caring for creation is good (Genesis 1:31, Psalm 145:9). But there is another good work that God has begun in every Christian that He will certainly be faithful to finish. The Apostle wrote about this good work in addressing the Philippians saying “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 ESV). The good work that God has done in every believer is called salvation. Just as God spoke creation into existence He has spoken to each believer through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and has made us come to life from the dead. “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6 ESV).
God is also currently working in the lives of every believer whether they sense it or not. Paul also wrote the Philippians saying “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 ESV).
This should be a great word of encouragement for every saint because we know that God has not left us to serve Him and stand in this evil day with our own mere willpower or strength to do His will. We need God’s grace to do what He has called us to do (1 Cor. 15:10).

Recognize that God is at work not only in creation around you but He is also at work in you who are called “a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). You are His “workmanship” (Ephesians 2:10)
Rejoice in the wonderful works of God!

“For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy” (Psalm 92:4 ESV).

The Glorious Gospel

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There are many reasons that the gospel of Jesus Christ is glorious. One of the reasons is that Christ brings FREEDOM to those who are in bondage to sin. The Apostle Paul wrote “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1-2 ESV) Christ gives His people freedom from the penalty of sin (Romans 6:23, 5:1), which would mean condemnation, death, & judgment for the sinner. He gives freedom from the power of sin so that His people are no longer dominated & slaves to sin (Romans 6). Many people including myself have experienced freedom from drug & alcohol addiction through believing in Christ. I have seen some seemingly hopeless addicts & alcoholics delivered by the power of the gospel. Christians have been freed from the penalty & power of sin and brought into a glorious liberty to serve the living God. The penalty of sin which is death has been taken care for the believer in Christ (Romans 6:23). He now possesses the free gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. The power of sin has been broken in Christ. We are free from law of sin and death. Freedom comes from knowing the truth and namely the One who embodies truth Jesus Christ (John 8:31-32, 14:6).The Spirit gives us life and freedom! Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom (2 Cor. 3:17)! The Holy Spirit leads us into the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and by helping us know the truth and believe the truth we are set free, and no longer slaves to sin (John 8:31-32). He who the Son sets free is free indeed. One day Christ will deliver His people from the very presence of sin. One day “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 ESV) …But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Revelation 21:27 ESV)

Another thing that makes the gospel glorious is the FELLOWSHIP with God that believers experience. We are now brought into relationship with the Father and the Son, which Jesus called eternal life (John 17:3). Either you know him or you don’t. You either have the Spirit of God in you or you don’t. This fellowship with God that we experience is through the presence of the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. We have become the Spirit of God’s dwelling place, the very temple of God.

Here are some of the graces of being in fellowship with God:

  1. Instruction-8:14 (He leads us, guides us and instructs us)
  2. Intimacy -8:15 (We come to God and call Him Father. We are not orphans)
  3. Identity -8:16 (We are God’s children and we belong to God’s family. This is our identity.)
  4. Inheritance -8:17 (We have been given everything we need & more; Ephesians 1:3, 2 Peter 1:3)
  5. Intercession-8:26 (He intercedes for us and helps us in our weaknesses)

The last reason that I will give for the gospel being glorious is the FUTURE that God the Father has graciously planned & secured for His children (Romans 8:18-37). The Father has glory & good in store for His children. We will see the glory of God (Romans 8:18), we will have glorified bodies (Romans 8:23), and we will be glorified with the Lord (Romans 8:30). God will work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28), He is for us & always will be (Romans 8:31), He will freely give us all things (Romans 8:32) and nothing will separate us form His love (Romans 8:37-39)

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Gospel Transformation

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It is really good news that God is at work in us to transform us into the image of Christ, by the power of His Spirit & His Word. Not only are we pardoned of our sin but we have the power of the Holy Spirit to live a Christ-like life. Sanctification is growing into Christlikeness and obedience to the will of the Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The better we imitate Christ and godly leaders He has placed in our lives the more we will experience progress in the sanctification process (Philippians 2). In this process of sanctification we have a responsibility to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling” but never are we to work for our salvation (Philippians 2:12, Ephesians 2:8-10). God works in our salvation and we work it out. Sanctification involves God’s working in and through us and our working together with Him, yielding to & following the leading of His Holy Spirit. Any good fruit that is produced through our lives is a result of His work, His grace and His Spirit (John 15:5-8, 1 Cor. 15:10, Galatians 5:22, Philippians 2:13). Therefore we have nothing to boast about before God (1 Cor. 1:30-31).

The Christian life loaded with purpose & power. Our purpose is to be transformed into the image of Christ and reflect the glory of Christ (Romans 8:29). The power we experience is from God’s Spirit and Word (Acts 1:8, 2 Cor. 3:18, Hebrews 4:12, Rom. 1:16) working in our lives to transform us into the image of Christ.

 

Live Worthy Of The Gospel

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20130223-022217.jpg“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,” – Philippians 1:27 (ESV)

The Philippian church was made up of people from different backgrounds and there was one thing that brought them together, the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Acts 16 Luke tells us that there was a wealthy Asian woman named Lydia, a poor slave girl and a jailer with his family. They became spiritually connected as family and committed themselves to meet on a regular basis. The gospel tears down walls that divide and unites people for a purpose greater than themselves, namely the glory of God. Paul founded this church and was nourishing them with revelation and instruction from God. His first exhortation in his epistle to them is to live in a manner worthy of the gospel. They had been forgiven, freed and brought into fellowship with God by the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were once without hope isolated from the life of God found in relationship with Him. Paul exhorted them to live a life worthy of the gospel, standing firm in one spirit and one mind, striving for the faith of the gospel. He then describes what that looks like in the rest of the epistle. The diversity at the church of Philippi was much like what we have at City Church International in Dallas, Texas. We have people who are different in various ways yet we are united together as a family. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that unites us together. This is our common ground on which we meet.

Paul begins his exhortations to the Philippians after praying for them and giving them his perspective on his own circumstances. He starts off saying “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ”. Your life should reflect the reality of being forgiven, free and in fellowship with God, because of all he has done for you and your receiving of that grace. Two things that Paul mentions in this verse that reflect living in a manner worthy of the gospel are; standing firmly united and striving together for the faith of the gospel. Are you living in a manner worthy of the gospel?