July 2nd 2023
You Can Be A Gift From God To Your Church!
Ephesians 4:14-16 (NLT)
Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
In the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians he is telling them how Jesus has supplied people with different gifts or talents to the church in Ephesus. He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11 NLT) Through these gifted people the church will enable its members to be capable of working together to become more Christ-like, and therefore, gain more followers, who will become more Christ-like, and so on! As Jesus followers we are freed from the evils of this world, and the restrictions imposed by the laws men must impose to insure earthly freedom. Earthly freedom is not freedom at all; it only fools us to believe we are free to do as we please. Earthly freedom puts us into the power of Satan!
True freedom only comes to those who surrender their lives to Jesus. We must die to this earthly life, and be willing to give up earthly freedom before we can start to enjoy the true freedom Jesus offers. Paul is explaining this freedom from Satan’s power in his letter to the church of the Colossians. You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, "Don’t handle, don’t eat, don’t touch." Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires. (Colossians 2:20-23 NLT) Are you still wasting your time trying to follow earthly rules? Are you teaching your children about earthly rules, so they can “get along” in this world? Such rules teach them how to fight, or how to defend themselves. Did your parents teach you such laws too? Jesus did not resort to such things during His life on this planet!
Does living a Christ-like life require knowing how to fight? Are followers of Jesus expected to conduct themselves differently than the people of this earth who do not follow Jesus? Followers of Jesus are practicing how to live as citizens of heaven, as we are destined to live there in our next life. Paul was trying to tell the members of the church in Philippi (and us) about this in (Philippians 1:27 NLT). But whatever happens to me, you must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ, as citizens of heaven. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing side by side, fighting together for the Good News. Are we fighting for the Good News with the people with whom we attend the church of our choice?
We must ask ourselves where our citizenship has been established. Are you first a citizen of this earth, or is your first allegiance to the Kingdom of God? Is your pride established through your citizenship of this earth, or are you already acting as one of the “citizens of heaven?” As a citizen of heaven, you do not need to know how to defend yourself, as you trust in God to defend you appropriately! Your only “fight” is for all people to know the Good News, because that is what insures true freedom, now and evermore!
In the past I made some rude comments to some people in a restaurant! At least, they took what I said as being rude! After this incident, I began to wonder why I mishandled the situation, in which I found myself and my wife. I was not happy with the way I conducted myself! I prayed for guidance from Jesus about this situation, and He told me my conduct indicated my pride was hurt, because some people ignored us. Pride is a very dangerous motive upon which to base our actions, and especially, our reactions! Therefore, as followers of Jesus we should try to become active citizens of heaven! Citizens of heaven do not need to be proud! Jesus lived on this earth, but He never gave up His citizenship in heaven! Jesus did not think about His freedom, as a first priority, and neither should His followers. We should think of others as being more important than we are. Doing so helps us look like citizens of heaven, not citizens of someplace on this earth, becoming more Christ-like starts with becoming a citizen of heaven.
If you do not attend a church of your choice, on a regular basis you are missing the opportunity to worship as Jesus did when He lived on this earth! You cannot be a citizen of heaven without getting to know other citizens. Such people do attend a church on a regular basis! Regular basis is a term meaning whenever it is open, to me! What is it to you? Being a follower of Jesus is the only way to become a citizen of heaven! However, there is no pride attached to such citizenship! The offer of citizenship has been offered to everyone, as a free gift by God through Jesus Christ. When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7 NIV)
Have you chosen to be an heir and spend the rest of eternity with Jesus? If you have, then you should resolve each day to become a better citizen of heaven! When you accepted salvation through Jesus Christ you immediately became a citizen of heaven, now that is the Good News, we all need to believe!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Ephesians 4:14-16 (NLT)
Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
In the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesians he is telling them how Jesus has supplied people with different gifts or talents to the church in Ephesus. He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11 NLT) Through these gifted people the church will enable its members to be capable of working together to become more Christ-like, and therefore, gain more followers, who will become more Christ-like, and so on! As Jesus followers we are freed from the evils of this world, and the restrictions imposed by the laws men must impose to insure earthly freedom. Earthly freedom is not freedom at all; it only fools us to believe we are free to do as we please. Earthly freedom puts us into the power of Satan!
True freedom only comes to those who surrender their lives to Jesus. We must die to this earthly life, and be willing to give up earthly freedom before we can start to enjoy the true freedom Jesus offers. Paul is explaining this freedom from Satan’s power in his letter to the church of the Colossians. You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as, "Don’t handle, don’t eat, don’t touch." Such rules are mere human teaching about things that are gone as soon as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires. (Colossians 2:20-23 NLT) Are you still wasting your time trying to follow earthly rules? Are you teaching your children about earthly rules, so they can “get along” in this world? Such rules teach them how to fight, or how to defend themselves. Did your parents teach you such laws too? Jesus did not resort to such things during His life on this planet!
Does living a Christ-like life require knowing how to fight? Are followers of Jesus expected to conduct themselves differently than the people of this earth who do not follow Jesus? Followers of Jesus are practicing how to live as citizens of heaven, as we are destined to live there in our next life. Paul was trying to tell the members of the church in Philippi (and us) about this in (Philippians 1:27 NLT). But whatever happens to me, you must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ, as citizens of heaven. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing side by side, fighting together for the Good News. Are we fighting for the Good News with the people with whom we attend the church of our choice?
We must ask ourselves where our citizenship has been established. Are you first a citizen of this earth, or is your first allegiance to the Kingdom of God? Is your pride established through your citizenship of this earth, or are you already acting as one of the “citizens of heaven?” As a citizen of heaven, you do not need to know how to defend yourself, as you trust in God to defend you appropriately! Your only “fight” is for all people to know the Good News, because that is what insures true freedom, now and evermore!
In the past I made some rude comments to some people in a restaurant! At least, they took what I said as being rude! After this incident, I began to wonder why I mishandled the situation, in which I found myself and my wife. I was not happy with the way I conducted myself! I prayed for guidance from Jesus about this situation, and He told me my conduct indicated my pride was hurt, because some people ignored us. Pride is a very dangerous motive upon which to base our actions, and especially, our reactions! Therefore, as followers of Jesus we should try to become active citizens of heaven! Citizens of heaven do not need to be proud! Jesus lived on this earth, but He never gave up His citizenship in heaven! Jesus did not think about His freedom, as a first priority, and neither should His followers. We should think of others as being more important than we are. Doing so helps us look like citizens of heaven, not citizens of someplace on this earth, becoming more Christ-like starts with becoming a citizen of heaven.
If you do not attend a church of your choice, on a regular basis you are missing the opportunity to worship as Jesus did when He lived on this earth! You cannot be a citizen of heaven without getting to know other citizens. Such people do attend a church on a regular basis! Regular basis is a term meaning whenever it is open, to me! What is it to you? Being a follower of Jesus is the only way to become a citizen of heaven! However, there is no pride attached to such citizenship! The offer of citizenship has been offered to everyone, as a free gift by God through Jesus Christ. When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7 NIV)
Have you chosen to be an heir and spend the rest of eternity with Jesus? If you have, then you should resolve each day to become a better citizen of heaven! When you accepted salvation through Jesus Christ you immediately became a citizen of heaven, now that is the Good News, we all need to believe!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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