CONVINCED: Character Quality # 25

“Don’t be puke”

Revelation 3:14-22

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.  Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.  To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Laodicea was a wealthy city, a stronghold for early Christians which became lukewarm.  They no longer had strong conviction concerning their faith in Jesus.  God says be hot or cold.  Have you had times in your Christian walk when you felt lukewarm.  What was it that convinced you to be different than lukewarm?  What fires up your spirit and your relationship with God that leaves no doubt concerning what you believe?

CONVINCED:  to bring to belief, consent, or a course of action.

          Rom 8:31-39

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 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? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? 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.  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 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.

NOURISHED: Character Quality # 24

What does it mean to be nourished in our Christian faith?

There is no end to the innovations for getting nourishment from God’s word.  We can read it, hear it or watch it – from a book, a computer, a cd or mp3 player on a kindle or nook or from our phone.  Just as the only way for food to nourish our bodies is by eating it, the only way for the bible to nourish our soul is to read (eat) it.

Check out these two scriptures about nourishment – one form the OT and one form the NT.

Ezekiel 3:1-4     And he said to me, "Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. 3 Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.  4 He then said to me: "Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.

Matthew 4:1-4     Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

          When was the time in your life you feasted most on Christ and his word?  Why is it difficult to keep a steady diet of Christ and his word in our lives?  What gets in the way?  What best practices so you now have or have had in the past for feasting on Jesus and his word?

Peter sums up what our attitude and action should be regarding nourishment from God’s word, so that we will grow up into Christ in all ways.

1 Peter 1:23-2:3

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.  Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

BRING YOUR BIBLE TO CHURCH SUNDAY!

REVELATION: Character Quality # 23

Revelation 1:1-3

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw — that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Who is the object of Revelation?

Where does Revelation come from?

Why do we have Revelation?

How was this Revelation made known?

What Revelation had the angel seen?

What happens when we receive this Revelation?

Revelation  = an uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously hidden.  The Scriptures are not merely the "record" of revelation; they are the revelation itself in written form.

Hebrews 1:1-4

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

          If anyone wants to know if there is a God, it stands to reason that such knowledge would come from a revelation – God would make known that which was previously hidden.  Then what do we do with the following who had a revelation from God?

          Siddhārtha Gautama      Buddhism

Confucius                      Confucianism

Muhammad                             Islam

Michael Servetus            Unitarianism

Joseph Smith, Jr.           Latter Day Saints

Charles Taze Russell      Jehovah's Witnesses

Sun Myung Moon          Unification Church

L. Ron Hubbard             Church of Scientology

          How can we be so sure that the Revelation of Jesus Christ is not only a true revelation but THE true revelation?  Any one of those listed requires faith to believe, just as it takes faith to believe in Jesus.  How can you answer someone if they ask you to distinguish between these and other belief systems if in fact they are all based on faith and all received by revelation?

ATTITUDE: Character Quality # 22

Your attitude has a direct effect concerning what you are able to learn about your Christian faith.  In fact, your attitude has everything to do with what you learn about your Christian faith.  Even Jesus needed the right attitude before he could leave the glories of heaven and come to earth to accomplish his work as our Savior.

Phil 2:1-18

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

          5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

          6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!  9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,  10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

          12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

          14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life — in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Both the hummingbird and the vulture fly over our nation's deserts. All vultures see is rotting meat, because that is what they look for. They thrive on that diet. But humming-birds ignore the smelly flesh of dead animals. Instead, they look for the colorful blossoms of desert plants. The vultures live on what was. They live on the past. They fill themselves with what is dead and gone. But hummingbirds live on what is. They seek new life. They fill themselves with freshness and life. Each bird finds what it is looking for. We all do by the character quality of our attitude – is yours the same as that of Christ Jesus?. 

Philippians 4:8 gives us a great place to start in forming the kind of attitude every Christian should have.

Philippians 4:8     Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.

True — think about it.                     John 14:6-7, John 8:32

(Gk. “alethe”) It means actual, true to fact, conforming to reality, factual.

It means not false and has its norm in God.

Noble — think about it.                    Rev 19:11-16, II Tim 2:20

(Gk. “semnos”) It means a noble seriousness, worthy of reverence.

It means dignified, serious – in speech and behavior.

Right — think about it.                    Josh 1:7-9, Romans 7:15-25a

(Gk. “dikaios”) It means that which is in conformity to God’s standards.

It means “just, fair, that which is in har­mony with God’s will and law

Pure — think about it.                      Matt 5:8, James 1:26-27

(Gk. “hagna”) It means wholesome, not mixed with moral impurity.

It means not defiled or contaminated, free from fault/sin/evil.

Lovely — think about it.                            Ps 84:1-4, I John 4:10-12

(Gk. “prosphile”) It means what promotes peace rather than conflict.

It means “that which inspires love.

Admirable — think about it.            Rev. 4:9-11, James 3:9-12

Gk. “euphema”) It means what is positive and constructive, admirable.

It means uttering words of good report.

Excellent — think about it.               Ps 34:8, I Peter 2:1-3

(Gk. “arete”) It means virtue; good in it.

It means moral/spiritual excellence; virtue.

Praiseworthy — think about it.                 Ps 78:1-4, I Chron 16:25-31

(Gk. “Axiέpainos”) Anything worthy of praise.

Has there been a thought or an event in your life that helped changed your attitude for the better?  After reading the words above what area of improvement do you see for yourself concerning your attitude that might help you learn about or grow in your Christian faith?

From the Heart,

Pastor Jeff Cooper

EXPERIENCE: Character Quality # 21

Experiential learning is the process of making meaning from direct experience.  Aristotle said, "For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them."

Mark 6:6-13                   Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.  Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.   These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff — no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.  Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."  They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Why did Jesus choose this time for experiential learning?  Look at the verses just before sending them, out.  He wanted his disciples to grow their faith and the only way would be through experiential learning.

According to David Kolb, an American educational theorist, knowledge is continuously gained through both personal and environmental experiences.  He states that in order to gain genuine knowledge from an experience, certain abilities are required:

1)     the learner must be willing to be actively involved in the experience;

2)     the learner must be able to reflect on the experience;

3)     the learner must possess and use analytical skills to conceptualize the experience;

4)     the learner must possess decision making and problem solving skills in order to use the new ideas gained from the experience.

      James 2:26     As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

 I see John Mark as a great example of an experiential learner.  He watched and heard in his own home the things of Jesus, he was in the garden, he went on a missionary journey with Paul, he failed, he was reconciled, he wrote a gospel.  Can you think of others from scripture who really learned by experience?  How so?

          How has experience taught you about your Christian Faith – your life with Jesus?