Blog https://www.reallifeankeny.org Tue, 19 Mar 2024 04:12:46 -0500 http://churchplantmedia.com/ Good Friday Was No Accident https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/good-friday-was-no-accident https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/good-friday-was-no-accident#comments Fri, 07 Apr 2023 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/good-friday-was-no-accident goodfriday

"And they crucified him..." ~ Mark 15:24

Good Friday is a day to remember and celebration the death of Jesus Christ. It may seem very strange to remember and celebrate a death.  Especially when we consider what led up to the cross, the cross itself as a form of execution, and what happened on the cross.  But there is more than meets the eye.

What led to the cross?  Well, sin and injustice through and through. We could recount the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter. However, let's look just at Pilate, the Jewish people, and the Romans soldiers. First, Pontus Pilate. Pilate knew that Jesus was an innocent man. He said, "I find no guilt in this man," and "I have found in him no guilt deserving of death." So what changed? Well, the pressure of the people was heavy and Pilate caved under it. The Jewish people were demanding that Jesus be crucified and Pilate tried several times to placate them, but to no avail. So this spineless politician gave in and gave up Jesus to their demands.

Then there was also the Jewish people who conspired against Jesus, lied about him, and lobbied to have him put to death. They knew that the law said that a man who is hanged on a tree is cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:23). They were so desperate to have Christ put away that they even demanded that a real and terrible criminal named Barabbas be released instead Jesus. Jesus, the only truly innocent man who ever lived took the place of a murderer.

Finally, there are the Roman soldiers. They took Jesus and scourged him which was a brutal form of punishment. They stripped Jesus of his clothes, put a purple robe on him, and a crown of thorns on his head in order to mock him, saying "Hail King of the Jews". They beat him with a reed and spit on him. Then they led him to the cross.

What makes the cross particularly terrible?  The cross was a horrific way for someone to be executed. The Romans experimented with forms of execution and were pros at it.  Death by crucifixion was the worst. And this is how Christ was put to death. He would have nails put through his wrists and feet and hung in the most uncomfortable position.  This would ensure that the death was slow and tortuous.  The physical pain was excruciating, but that was not all. Being crucified was humiliating. Our Savior, Jesus Christ hung on a cross nearly naked before a crowd that jeered and mocked him. The worst kind of criminal was crucified and the Son of God himself was taken by force and hung on a cross.

But this is only part of the story. At this point, all we see are the human actions involved in Jesus being put to death. But Acts 4:27-28 gives us a fuller explanation of what is happening on the day of Christ's denial, betrayal, and crucifixion:

... for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

This was part of God's sovereign plan for our salvation.  What Herod, Pilate, the Romans soldiers, the Jewish people, and Judas did was sinful and terrible and it was also part of God's predetermined plan. It was God's plan that his Son be treated unjustly, beaten, rejected, betrayed, and crucified. Think about it for a minute. Could you imagine God not planning and predestining something of such importance as the cross of Christ? Would he leave our redemption up to mere chance or simply hope that things worked out the way he wanted? Of course not! So what the Devil, Judas, Herod, Pilate, the Romans soldiers, and the Jewish people meant for evil, God meant for good (Genesis 50:20).

Moreover, the form of execution was also planned by God. The Old Testament pronounces woe and curse on anyone who is hanged on a tree (Deuteronomy 21:23), but in Galatians 3:13 Paul says,

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'

Jesus was hung on a tree and thus cursed according to the Law. But Jesus became a curse for us in order to free us from the curse lawbreakers deserve.

The night before his death, Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane agonizing to the point of sweating drops of blood over what would take place on the cross. He prayed, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." What was the cup? It was the wrath of God against sin. It was a cup of "forsakenness" given to Christ. Jesus would have to drink it or all hope would be lost for our redemption. He did.

Jesus willingly gave himself as our ransom (1 Timothy 2:6). He willingly drank the cup the Father gave him. Therefore, on the cross Jesus bore the full weight of the wrath of God in our place as our Substitute for our sins.

And so the triumphant words of Jesus, "It is finished!" mean to world to Christians because his work on the cross is complete; He has paid the price in full for our glorious redemption. Because he drank the cup the Father gave him, it is now empty for us. 

Death and the curse were in our cup
O Christ, 'twas full for Thee
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop
Tis empty now for me
That bitter cup, love drank it up
Now blessings drought for me

This Good Friday, celebrate our Sovereign, gracious God who planned in eternity past to send his Son who would be betrayed, rejected, abused, and crucified as our Substitute.  All of this, so we could be free and forgiven children of God forever!

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goodfriday

"And they crucified him..." ~ Mark 15:24

Good Friday is a day to remember and celebration the death of Jesus Christ. It may seem very strange to remember and celebrate a death.  Especially when we consider what led up to the cross, the cross itself as a form of execution, and what happened on the cross.  But there is more than meets the eye.

What led to the cross?  Well, sin and injustice through and through. We could recount the betrayal of Judas and the denial of Peter. However, let's look just at Pilate, the Jewish people, and the Romans soldiers. First, Pontus Pilate. Pilate knew that Jesus was an innocent man. He said, "I find no guilt in this man," and "I have found in him no guilt deserving of death." So what changed? Well, the pressure of the people was heavy and Pilate caved under it. The Jewish people were demanding that Jesus be crucified and Pilate tried several times to placate them, but to no avail. So this spineless politician gave in and gave up Jesus to their demands.

Then there was also the Jewish people who conspired against Jesus, lied about him, and lobbied to have him put to death. They knew that the law said that a man who is hanged on a tree is cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:23). They were so desperate to have Christ put away that they even demanded that a real and terrible criminal named Barabbas be released instead Jesus. Jesus, the only truly innocent man who ever lived took the place of a murderer.

Finally, there are the Roman soldiers. They took Jesus and scourged him which was a brutal form of punishment. They stripped Jesus of his clothes, put a purple robe on him, and a crown of thorns on his head in order to mock him, saying "Hail King of the Jews". They beat him with a reed and spit on him. Then they led him to the cross.

What makes the cross particularly terrible?  The cross was a horrific way for someone to be executed. The Romans experimented with forms of execution and were pros at it.  Death by crucifixion was the worst. And this is how Christ was put to death. He would have nails put through his wrists and feet and hung in the most uncomfortable position.  This would ensure that the death was slow and tortuous.  The physical pain was excruciating, but that was not all. Being crucified was humiliating. Our Savior, Jesus Christ hung on a cross nearly naked before a crowd that jeered and mocked him. The worst kind of criminal was crucified and the Son of God himself was taken by force and hung on a cross.

But this is only part of the story. At this point, all we see are the human actions involved in Jesus being put to death. But Acts 4:27-28 gives us a fuller explanation of what is happening on the day of Christ's denial, betrayal, and crucifixion:

... for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

This was part of God's sovereign plan for our salvation.  What Herod, Pilate, the Romans soldiers, the Jewish people, and Judas did was sinful and terrible and it was also part of God's predetermined plan. It was God's plan that his Son be treated unjustly, beaten, rejected, betrayed, and crucified. Think about it for a minute. Could you imagine God not planning and predestining something of such importance as the cross of Christ? Would he leave our redemption up to mere chance or simply hope that things worked out the way he wanted? Of course not! So what the Devil, Judas, Herod, Pilate, the Romans soldiers, and the Jewish people meant for evil, God meant for good (Genesis 50:20).

Moreover, the form of execution was also planned by God. The Old Testament pronounces woe and curse on anyone who is hanged on a tree (Deuteronomy 21:23), but in Galatians 3:13 Paul says,

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us - for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'

Jesus was hung on a tree and thus cursed according to the Law. But Jesus became a curse for us in order to free us from the curse lawbreakers deserve.

The night before his death, Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane agonizing to the point of sweating drops of blood over what would take place on the cross. He prayed, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." What was the cup? It was the wrath of God against sin. It was a cup of "forsakenness" given to Christ. Jesus would have to drink it or all hope would be lost for our redemption. He did.

Jesus willingly gave himself as our ransom (1 Timothy 2:6). He willingly drank the cup the Father gave him. Therefore, on the cross Jesus bore the full weight of the wrath of God in our place as our Substitute for our sins.

And so the triumphant words of Jesus, "It is finished!" mean to world to Christians because his work on the cross is complete; He has paid the price in full for our glorious redemption. Because he drank the cup the Father gave him, it is now empty for us. 

Death and the curse were in our cup
O Christ, 'twas full for Thee
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop
Tis empty now for me
That bitter cup, love drank it up
Now blessings drought for me

This Good Friday, celebrate our Sovereign, gracious God who planned in eternity past to send his Son who would be betrayed, rejected, abused, and crucified as our Substitute.  All of this, so we could be free and forgiven children of God forever!

]]>
Are You Thankful? https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/are-you-thankful https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/are-you-thankful#comments Tue, 21 Nov 2017 21:00:00 -0600 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/are-you-thankful Would you describe yourself as a thankful person?  Is thankfulness a trait you think others would see in you?  If you were to do a study to see what the bible says about giving thanks or the attitude of thankfulness, you would be blown away!  Giving thanks is a constant theme in the bible.  In fact, I think we could say that the truest and most honorable worship we can give to God is worship overflowing with thanksgiving.

The worship scene in heaven described in Revelation 7:11-12 is one full with thanksgiving, while sinful human beings who refuse to worship God are those who do “not honor him, or give thanks to him" (Romans 1:21).  

Well, Thanksgiving Day is this week and I want to issue a challenge.  Be intentional about making Thanksgiving Day truly a day of giving thanks. And then don't stop with just a day of thanksgiving, but go for a lifestyle of giving thanks "always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20).

In fact, outdo one another in giving thanks to God!  So, to help get you started on this challenge, let’s look at the fundamental reason for giving thanks:

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)

A thankful person is someone who recognizes the goodness of God.  In fact, the spring of thanksgiving is a deep confidence that God is good.  If we do not believe that God is good, then this spring has run dry.  What the writer of this ancient Psalm does next is so helpful.  He doesn’t look to his circumstances as the reason for believing in the goodness of God.  That’s what we often do.  We say, “Things are going great for me.  God is good!”  The Psalmist says God is good because his steadfast love endures forever.  There is a world of glory in these words!  

Consider three thanksgiving-producing realities:

1. God’s love is loyal.  We don’t use the word steadfast very often today. What does it mean that God’s love is steadfast?  It means that his love is faithful, not finicky; his love is loyal, not unreliable.  God’s love is not dependent upon our circumstances which are finicky and unreliable. In fact, the loyal love of God is meant to fill us with hope and joy in the midst of our circumstances.  This is what the writer of Lamentations does in the middle of devastation. He casts himself on God, whose “steadfast love never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).  Are you able to confidently cast yourself on the Lord's loyal love like this? God is fully committed to love his children and nothing will get in his way.  The Lord is so good; give him thanks!

2. God’s Loyal Love Never Ends.  The Lord’s love endures forever.  It goes on and on and on.  We cannot get away from it.  And why would we want to?  In Psalm 23:6, David says the Lord’s goodness and steadfast love will pursue him all the days of his life.  David was convinced that the Lord’s faithful love was going to hunt him down relentlessly as long as he lived.  And then what?  David continues, “And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  After the Lord’s love pursues us for the rest of our lives, we will be ushered into God’s presence where his love will be more fully known and experienced without end.  The Lord is so good; give him thanks!

3. God’s loyal love which never ends was demonstrated, purchased, and eternally guaranteed through Jesus.  Where does this confidence come from? How can you be so sure God is for you like this?  Jesus.  If you are connected to Jesus Christ by faith, trusting in his finished work on your behalf, God is 100% for you now and forever.  This is why Paul connects the unstoppable love God has for his children, the love that nothing can separate them from, to Christ:

Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)

The words “in Christ Jesus our Lord” are not throw away words.  Jesus’ death on the cross supremely demonstrates, purchases, and eternally guarantees God’s loyal, never ending love for us.  Look to Jesus Christ on the cross with believing, adoring wonder that he hung there for you, and you will be filled with a sense of the goodness of the Lord in loving you like that!  And you will give thanks.

This Thanksgiving Day and every day, give thanks loudly and incessantly for the myriad of blessings God has given you.  But underneath and in and through it all, give thanks to the Lord for his goodness which he has shown you in his never ending, loyal love toward you through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

For your joy and faith,

Josh

]]>
Would you describe yourself as a thankful person?  Is thankfulness a trait you think others would see in you?  If you were to do a study to see what the bible says about giving thanks or the attitude of thankfulness, you would be blown away!  Giving thanks is a constant theme in the bible.  In fact, I think we could say that the truest and most honorable worship we can give to God is worship overflowing with thanksgiving.

The worship scene in heaven described in Revelation 7:11-12 is one full with thanksgiving, while sinful human beings who refuse to worship God are those who do “not honor him, or give thanks to him" (Romans 1:21).  

Well, Thanksgiving Day is this week and I want to issue a challenge.  Be intentional about making Thanksgiving Day truly a day of giving thanks. And then don't stop with just a day of thanksgiving, but go for a lifestyle of giving thanks "always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20).

In fact, outdo one another in giving thanks to God!  So, to help get you started on this challenge, let’s look at the fundamental reason for giving thanks:

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)

A thankful person is someone who recognizes the goodness of God.  In fact, the spring of thanksgiving is a deep confidence that God is good.  If we do not believe that God is good, then this spring has run dry.  What the writer of this ancient Psalm does next is so helpful.  He doesn’t look to his circumstances as the reason for believing in the goodness of God.  That’s what we often do.  We say, “Things are going great for me.  God is good!”  The Psalmist says God is good because his steadfast love endures forever.  There is a world of glory in these words!  

Consider three thanksgiving-producing realities:

1. God’s love is loyal.  We don’t use the word steadfast very often today. What does it mean that God’s love is steadfast?  It means that his love is faithful, not finicky; his love is loyal, not unreliable.  God’s love is not dependent upon our circumstances which are finicky and unreliable. In fact, the loyal love of God is meant to fill us with hope and joy in the midst of our circumstances.  This is what the writer of Lamentations does in the middle of devastation. He casts himself on God, whose “steadfast love never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).  Are you able to confidently cast yourself on the Lord's loyal love like this? God is fully committed to love his children and nothing will get in his way.  The Lord is so good; give him thanks!

2. God’s Loyal Love Never Ends.  The Lord’s love endures forever.  It goes on and on and on.  We cannot get away from it.  And why would we want to?  In Psalm 23:6, David says the Lord’s goodness and steadfast love will pursue him all the days of his life.  David was convinced that the Lord’s faithful love was going to hunt him down relentlessly as long as he lived.  And then what?  David continues, “And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  After the Lord’s love pursues us for the rest of our lives, we will be ushered into God’s presence where his love will be more fully known and experienced without end.  The Lord is so good; give him thanks!

3. God’s loyal love which never ends was demonstrated, purchased, and eternally guaranteed through Jesus.  Where does this confidence come from? How can you be so sure God is for you like this?  Jesus.  If you are connected to Jesus Christ by faith, trusting in his finished work on your behalf, God is 100% for you now and forever.  This is why Paul connects the unstoppable love God has for his children, the love that nothing can separate them from, to Christ:

Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)

The words “in Christ Jesus our Lord” are not throw away words.  Jesus’ death on the cross supremely demonstrates, purchases, and eternally guarantees God’s loyal, never ending love for us.  Look to Jesus Christ on the cross with believing, adoring wonder that he hung there for you, and you will be filled with a sense of the goodness of the Lord in loving you like that!  And you will give thanks.

This Thanksgiving Day and every day, give thanks loudly and incessantly for the myriad of blessings God has given you.  But underneath and in and through it all, give thanks to the Lord for his goodness which he has shown you in his never ending, loyal love toward you through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

For your joy and faith,

Josh

]]>
The Heart of Jesus https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/the-heart-of-jesus https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/the-heart-of-jesus#comments Tue, 14 Nov 2017 22:00:00 -0600 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/the-heart-of-jesus What is the heart of Jesus like?  There is only one place in all the New Testament where Jesus explicitly tells us what his heart is like.  That is significant and should gain our attention.  We see it in the well known words of Matthew 11:28-29 where Jesus says, 

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Did you catch it?  Jesus is, “gentle and lowly in heart.”  Gentle, not pushy and rough; lowly, not loud and arrogant.  Gentle and lowly aren't exactly front page, newsworthy qualities.  Or are they?  Does the world need more brutality?  Does it need more self-assertiveness and arrogance?  Jesus invades our fallen, dog eat dog world and conquers it with gentleness.  This is the foolishness and weakness of the gospel which manifests the true wisdom and power of God.  But do we believe that Jesus actually treats us with gentleness?  We must, otherwise his words will seem merely sentimental.  Why does our Lord unveil his heart as gentle and lowly?  Two reasons.

First, because of what Jesus commands us to do.  He is calling people to himself.  He says, “Come to me.” And he does this by removing any doubt as to whether it is safe or not.  It is as though Jesus is saying, “You don't have to worry, you are safe with me. I am gentle. You don’t have to try to impress me.  I am lowly.”  He is calling us to come near to his gentle and lowly heart in order to "find rest" for our souls.  

Second, because of the kind of people Jesus is speaking to.  Jesus invites "all who labor and are heavy laden." Those who are tired and weighed down.  Jesus has in mind those who are exhausted of their own efforts to become somebody, to make it, to measure up, or to impress.  Whether it is God, themselves, or others - what a wearisome task!  Jesus says to put all that down and invites us to freely come and find absolute rest in him.  Which means, we can come to him as we actually are, not the fictional version of us.  What keeps people from Jesus is seeing no need of him.  If you want to, you may come to him without any pretense and experience his massive loving and gentle heart toward you.

A pep talk may inspire momentarily and a finger-wagging rebuke to “do better” may give short-lived motivation. But only an undeserved welcome by our gentle and lowly Savior on the basis of what he has done alone has the power to give us rest and make us strong.  Can you think of a single good reason to refuse this invitation?  Can you think of anything that should keep you from dropping what you are doing right now and running to Jesus? 

Your gentleness made me great - Psalm 18:35 

]]>
What is the heart of Jesus like?  There is only one place in all the New Testament where Jesus explicitly tells us what his heart is like.  That is significant and should gain our attention.  We see it in the well known words of Matthew 11:28-29 where Jesus says, 

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Did you catch it?  Jesus is, “gentle and lowly in heart.”  Gentle, not pushy and rough; lowly, not loud and arrogant.  Gentle and lowly aren't exactly front page, newsworthy qualities.  Or are they?  Does the world need more brutality?  Does it need more self-assertiveness and arrogance?  Jesus invades our fallen, dog eat dog world and conquers it with gentleness.  This is the foolishness and weakness of the gospel which manifests the true wisdom and power of God.  But do we believe that Jesus actually treats us with gentleness?  We must, otherwise his words will seem merely sentimental.  Why does our Lord unveil his heart as gentle and lowly?  Two reasons.

First, because of what Jesus commands us to do.  He is calling people to himself.  He says, “Come to me.” And he does this by removing any doubt as to whether it is safe or not.  It is as though Jesus is saying, “You don't have to worry, you are safe with me. I am gentle. You don’t have to try to impress me.  I am lowly.”  He is calling us to come near to his gentle and lowly heart in order to "find rest" for our souls.  

Second, because of the kind of people Jesus is speaking to.  Jesus invites "all who labor and are heavy laden." Those who are tired and weighed down.  Jesus has in mind those who are exhausted of their own efforts to become somebody, to make it, to measure up, or to impress.  Whether it is God, themselves, or others - what a wearisome task!  Jesus says to put all that down and invites us to freely come and find absolute rest in him.  Which means, we can come to him as we actually are, not the fictional version of us.  What keeps people from Jesus is seeing no need of him.  If you want to, you may come to him without any pretense and experience his massive loving and gentle heart toward you.

A pep talk may inspire momentarily and a finger-wagging rebuke to “do better” may give short-lived motivation. But only an undeserved welcome by our gentle and lowly Savior on the basis of what he has done alone has the power to give us rest and make us strong.  Can you think of a single good reason to refuse this invitation?  Can you think of anything that should keep you from dropping what you are doing right now and running to Jesus? 

Your gentleness made me great - Psalm 18:35 

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Hear With Profit, Return With Praise https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/hearing-a- https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/hearing-a-#comments Wed, 12 Jul 2017 08:00:00 -0500 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/hearing-a- Should sermons impact our lives?  Hopefully you believe they should.  The bible says "faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17).  In an average day we are exposed to thousands of images and videos, in many cases shrinking our capacity to "hearing the word of Christ".

How can hearers of sermons receive maximum impact?  JC Ryle, 19th Century Bishop of Liverpool, England, lists three simple rules:

It is not enough that we go to church and hear sermons. We may do so for fifty years, and be nothing better, but rather worse. “Take heed,” says our Lord, “how you hear.” Would any one know how to hear properly? Then let them lay to heart three simple rules.

1. We must hear with FAITH, believing implicitly that every word of God is true, and shall stand. The word in old time did not profit the Jews, since it was “not mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Hebrews 4:2).

2. We must hear with REVERENCE, remembering constantly that the Bible is the book of God. This was the habit of the Thessalonians. They received Paul’s message, “not as the word of men, but the word of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:13.

3. We must hear with PRAYER, praying for God’s blessing before the sermon is preached, praying for God’s blessing again when the sermon is over. Here lies the grand defect of the hearing of many. They ask no blessing, and so they have none. The sermon passes through their minds like water through a leaky vessel, and leaves nothing behind.

Let us bear these rules in mind every Sunday morning, before we go to hear the Word of God preached. Let us not rush into God’s presence careless, reckless, and unprepared, as if it mattered not in what way such work was done. Let us carry with us faithreverence, and prayer. If these three are our companions, we will hear with profit, and return with praise.

Hear with profit and return with praise. I want that and I want that for you. Let's make these three simple rules our practice.

 

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Should sermons impact our lives?  Hopefully you believe they should.  The bible says "faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17).  In an average day we are exposed to thousands of images and videos, in many cases shrinking our capacity to "hearing the word of Christ".

How can hearers of sermons receive maximum impact?  JC Ryle, 19th Century Bishop of Liverpool, England, lists three simple rules:

It is not enough that we go to church and hear sermons. We may do so for fifty years, and be nothing better, but rather worse. “Take heed,” says our Lord, “how you hear.” Would any one know how to hear properly? Then let them lay to heart three simple rules.

1. We must hear with FAITH, believing implicitly that every word of God is true, and shall stand. The word in old time did not profit the Jews, since it was “not mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Hebrews 4:2).

2. We must hear with REVERENCE, remembering constantly that the Bible is the book of God. This was the habit of the Thessalonians. They received Paul’s message, “not as the word of men, but the word of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:13.

3. We must hear with PRAYER, praying for God’s blessing before the sermon is preached, praying for God’s blessing again when the sermon is over. Here lies the grand defect of the hearing of many. They ask no blessing, and so they have none. The sermon passes through their minds like water through a leaky vessel, and leaves nothing behind.

Let us bear these rules in mind every Sunday morning, before we go to hear the Word of God preached. Let us not rush into God’s presence careless, reckless, and unprepared, as if it mattered not in what way such work was done. Let us carry with us faithreverence, and prayer. If these three are our companions, we will hear with profit, and return with praise.

Hear with profit and return with praise. I want that and I want that for you. Let's make these three simple rules our practice.

 

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A Life of Faith https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/a-life-of-faith https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/a-life-of-faith#comments Thu, 22 Jun 2017 16:00:00 -0500 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/a-life-of-faith lifeoffaith

Would you describe your life as faith-filled?  I don’t mean have you believed in Jesus Christ.  I also am not asking if you could give me an orthodox statement of the Christian faith.  While it is important to have sound and healthy doctrine of the faith, one can live much of life as though it weren’t true.  You can be sound in your doctrine all the way to the bones and down to your toes on the truth of justification by faith and bear little of the marks of someone who is living by faith in the truth of their justification before God.  The life of faith is learning to live in the power of Someone else.  This may sound like a foreign idea, but it’s how Paul describes the life of faith in Galatians 2:20:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul’s life was powerfully fueled by faith in the unconquerable, omnipotent, all-glorious, unique, eternal Son of God.  But Paul does more; he fleshes out the work of the Son of God past and present which fueled his life of faith. Paul confidently says “The life I live is by faith in the Son of God who loves me, gave himself for me, and is alive in me.” Amazingly, if you have put all your hope in Jesus Christ, you can say the same thing and live in the joy and strength of him.  Why would you want anything less?

Faith in the love of Christ

The words are deep and personal for Paul.  It can be for you as well.  “He loved me.”  This was not a generic, impersonal statement, nor is it mere sentimentality.  Paul lived in realization that he was loved by the Lord Jesus.  The love of Christ for Paul was such a deep reality, he said it “controlled him” (2 Corinthians 5:14) and fueled all he did.  The love of Christ was such a huge reality that it he prayed believers would know it even though it is beyond comprehension (Ephesians 3).  Christ’s love was such a constant reality that the worst of life and even death itself could not separate us from it (Romans 8). Jesus wants us to be completely confident in his love - courageous in his love.  Right now, Jesus does not look at you wondering, “How can I get out of this relationship.”  No.  You are loved with the faithful, loyal, committed, never-ending, always-pursuing love of God in Christ.  Is your life fueled by this love? There’s more.

Faith in the finished work of Christ

Conscious of Christ’s work on his behalf, Paul says, “he gave himself for me.” These words are profound.  What does it mean that Jesus gave himself?  It means Jesus willingly went to the cross, even pursued the cross (Luke), knowing it was the reason for which he was sent by the Father (“For this hour i have come”).  But it gets very intimate for Paul when he says that Jesus gave himself “for me”.  The words “for me” indicate that Jesus’ death was more than just an example to follow or a demonstration to inspire.  A transaction was taking place.  Jesus went to the cross “for me”.  In other words, he took my place.  He died in my place for my sin.  He took upon himself my sin and what my sin deserves, namely God’s judgment.  And because of that, I am now fully and eternally accepted by God the Father.  I don’t have to live as though I am still lugging all my sins around, or that with a string of good days I may be able to pay my debt to God.  We joyfully sing, “Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe”.  Our confidence of this full and free acceptance by God has nothing to do with our performance.  It has everything to do with the performance of the Lord Jesus “for us” and we gladly boast in him (1 Cor 1:31).  Is your life fueled by the Son of God who gave himself for you?  But there is even more.

Faith in the present, empowering grace of Christ

Paul is also confident in the present, empowering grace of Christ “lives in me.” The risen, living, personal Christ had taken up residence in Paul.  And this is not the special allotment of “super Christians”, but the wonderful gift of every blood-bought child of God.  The promise of Jesus was that he would not leave his disciples, but would come to them (John 14), that he and the Father would make their home in the one who abides (John 15), and through abiding.  You might think, “If he wants to live in me, I need to clean up a bit.”  No, you will never be able to clean yourself up!  He makes us ready for himself and comes in and cleans us as he sees fit.  The Christian can say “Christ lives in me!”  Do you believe that?

Feast on the truth and you will discover faith on the rise.  And you will begin living more and more in the power of Someone else, namely the Son of God who loves you, died to perfectly redeem you, and lives in you..

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lifeoffaith

Would you describe your life as faith-filled?  I don’t mean have you believed in Jesus Christ.  I also am not asking if you could give me an orthodox statement of the Christian faith.  While it is important to have sound and healthy doctrine of the faith, one can live much of life as though it weren’t true.  You can be sound in your doctrine all the way to the bones and down to your toes on the truth of justification by faith and bear little of the marks of someone who is living by faith in the truth of their justification before God.  The life of faith is learning to live in the power of Someone else.  This may sound like a foreign idea, but it’s how Paul describes the life of faith in Galatians 2:20:

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul’s life was powerfully fueled by faith in the unconquerable, omnipotent, all-glorious, unique, eternal Son of God.  But Paul does more; he fleshes out the work of the Son of God past and present which fueled his life of faith. Paul confidently says “The life I live is by faith in the Son of God who loves me, gave himself for me, and is alive in me.” Amazingly, if you have put all your hope in Jesus Christ, you can say the same thing and live in the joy and strength of him.  Why would you want anything less?

Faith in the love of Christ

The words are deep and personal for Paul.  It can be for you as well.  “He loved me.”  This was not a generic, impersonal statement, nor is it mere sentimentality.  Paul lived in realization that he was loved by the Lord Jesus.  The love of Christ for Paul was such a deep reality, he said it “controlled him” (2 Corinthians 5:14) and fueled all he did.  The love of Christ was such a huge reality that it he prayed believers would know it even though it is beyond comprehension (Ephesians 3).  Christ’s love was such a constant reality that the worst of life and even death itself could not separate us from it (Romans 8). Jesus wants us to be completely confident in his love - courageous in his love.  Right now, Jesus does not look at you wondering, “How can I get out of this relationship.”  No.  You are loved with the faithful, loyal, committed, never-ending, always-pursuing love of God in Christ.  Is your life fueled by this love? There’s more.

Faith in the finished work of Christ

Conscious of Christ’s work on his behalf, Paul says, “he gave himself for me.” These words are profound.  What does it mean that Jesus gave himself?  It means Jesus willingly went to the cross, even pursued the cross (Luke), knowing it was the reason for which he was sent by the Father (“For this hour i have come”).  But it gets very intimate for Paul when he says that Jesus gave himself “for me”.  The words “for me” indicate that Jesus’ death was more than just an example to follow or a demonstration to inspire.  A transaction was taking place.  Jesus went to the cross “for me”.  In other words, he took my place.  He died in my place for my sin.  He took upon himself my sin and what my sin deserves, namely God’s judgment.  And because of that, I am now fully and eternally accepted by God the Father.  I don’t have to live as though I am still lugging all my sins around, or that with a string of good days I may be able to pay my debt to God.  We joyfully sing, “Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe”.  Our confidence of this full and free acceptance by God has nothing to do with our performance.  It has everything to do with the performance of the Lord Jesus “for us” and we gladly boast in him (1 Cor 1:31).  Is your life fueled by the Son of God who gave himself for you?  But there is even more.

Faith in the present, empowering grace of Christ

Paul is also confident in the present, empowering grace of Christ “lives in me.” The risen, living, personal Christ had taken up residence in Paul.  And this is not the special allotment of “super Christians”, but the wonderful gift of every blood-bought child of God.  The promise of Jesus was that he would not leave his disciples, but would come to them (John 14), that he and the Father would make their home in the one who abides (John 15), and through abiding.  You might think, “If he wants to live in me, I need to clean up a bit.”  No, you will never be able to clean yourself up!  He makes us ready for himself and comes in and cleans us as he sees fit.  The Christian can say “Christ lives in me!”  Do you believe that?

Feast on the truth and you will discover faith on the rise.  And you will begin living more and more in the power of Someone else, namely the Son of God who loves you, died to perfectly redeem you, and lives in you..

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Is God Doing Anything Good in Your Pain? https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/what-good-is-god-doing-in-my-suffering https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/what-good-is-god-doing-in-my-suffering#comments Wed, 29 Mar 2017 15:00:00 -0500 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/what-good-is-god-doing-in-my-suffering HopeInSuffering

Nobody enjoys suffering just for suffering's sake. Well, slightly (or very) strange people may. But we all do suffer. What are we to make of it? How should we respond? Well, certainly Christians should seek relief, help, and healing from God. But that’s not it.  We should trust that God is doing something good smack dab in the middle of it. You may not like to hear that, but it is true and will transform your life if you know God is at work for your good in your pain.

One of the strangest commands in the bible is “count it all joy when you endure trials of various kinds” (James 1:2). This doesn’t mean we jump up and down like a kid in the bounce house, “Yippee!” But James does mean count it joy. And not just some joy, but all joy. And not just in small trials or big trials, but in trials of various kinds – big, small, physical, emotional, financial, relational, vocational, short-term, and long-term. It is important to remember that Christ has satisfied the wrath of God against our sins. Therefore, our suffering, even though God is sovereign over it all, is not his wrath because of sin.  Jesus drank that cup all the way to the bottom.

Okay, so what is God up to in my suffering? Here are five truths you can take to the bank.

Suffering purifies our faith. An artificial faith is worthless. Genuine faith, however, is more precious than gold. It is more valuable than all the money in the world. It is more to be desired than health, comfort, ease, and luxury all combined! This is how God sees our faith and, therefore, we should as well. The outcome of our faith is, by the way, the salvation of our souls. Pretty big deal. So God will see to it that our faith does not falter; he will make sure it is sufficiently tested and purified.

In this [eternal inheritance] your rejoice, though now, for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor and the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Suffering purifies your faith, making you fit to receive praise, glory, and honor from the Lord Jesus himself!

Suffering produces endurance. What’s the big deal about endurance? Well, quite a lot actually. Only those who endure to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13). But a teeth-grinding, stoic, robotic, unhappy endurance is no Christian endurance. We want none of it!  Thankfully God doesn't either. Let’s follow Paul’s wisdom in Romans 5:3-5:

We also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Rejoice in your suffering because God is working through it to make you strong, holy, and hopeful in his love.

Suffering now produces greater glory in the future. There are myriad verses stating how big and worth it our reward will be in eternity in relation to difficulties in this life. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake… rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven (Matthew 5:10-12). But there is also evidence that our suffering now is actually accruing a greater glory in eternity. Paul says as much in 2 Corinthians 4:17,

For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

Think about this. Your life is short. Eternity is long. Heaven and hell are real. Suffering now is preparing or producing or accomplishing a weighty and glorious eternity for you.

Suffering helps us see our limitations and weakness so that we trust in God and not ourselves. Have you ever been in a painful or hard situation where you finally cry, “Uncle! I give up! I surrender!” and found an almighty God there? This is what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9,

For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

Paul says God was at work purposing the desired outcome of not trusting self, but God. To be brought to the end of your resources in order to trust God “who raises the dead” is a wonderful gift from God.

Suffering helps us love and rejoice in Jesus more. When other things such as comfort, health, money, friends, or status are stripped away, Jesus will still be enough.  He is always enough; his grace always sufficient.  Nothing can separate you from his love (Romans 8:38-39), he is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24), will be with you always to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20), and he is almighty with all authority. No wonder the testimonies of bygone saints are legion that state in the worst suffering Jesus became the most precious. Peter, no doubt, was encouraging his suffering readers with this truth when he said,

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory (1 Peter 1:8).

Suffering Christians can have such sweet fellowship with Jesus that their joy is beyond ability to express and glorified.

So are you suffering? Then pray (James 5:13). And also trust God is at work in it for your good.

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HopeInSuffering

Nobody enjoys suffering just for suffering's sake. Well, slightly (or very) strange people may. But we all do suffer. What are we to make of it? How should we respond? Well, certainly Christians should seek relief, help, and healing from God. But that’s not it.  We should trust that God is doing something good smack dab in the middle of it. You may not like to hear that, but it is true and will transform your life if you know God is at work for your good in your pain.

One of the strangest commands in the bible is “count it all joy when you endure trials of various kinds” (James 1:2). This doesn’t mean we jump up and down like a kid in the bounce house, “Yippee!” But James does mean count it joy. And not just some joy, but all joy. And not just in small trials or big trials, but in trials of various kinds – big, small, physical, emotional, financial, relational, vocational, short-term, and long-term. It is important to remember that Christ has satisfied the wrath of God against our sins. Therefore, our suffering, even though God is sovereign over it all, is not his wrath because of sin.  Jesus drank that cup all the way to the bottom.

Okay, so what is God up to in my suffering? Here are five truths you can take to the bank.

Suffering purifies our faith. An artificial faith is worthless. Genuine faith, however, is more precious than gold. It is more valuable than all the money in the world. It is more to be desired than health, comfort, ease, and luxury all combined! This is how God sees our faith and, therefore, we should as well. The outcome of our faith is, by the way, the salvation of our souls. Pretty big deal. So God will see to it that our faith does not falter; he will make sure it is sufficiently tested and purified.

In this [eternal inheritance] your rejoice, though now, for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire – may be found to result in praise and glory and honor and the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Suffering purifies your faith, making you fit to receive praise, glory, and honor from the Lord Jesus himself!

Suffering produces endurance. What’s the big deal about endurance? Well, quite a lot actually. Only those who endure to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13). But a teeth-grinding, stoic, robotic, unhappy endurance is no Christian endurance. We want none of it!  Thankfully God doesn't either. Let’s follow Paul’s wisdom in Romans 5:3-5:

We also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Rejoice in your suffering because God is working through it to make you strong, holy, and hopeful in his love.

Suffering now produces greater glory in the future. There are myriad verses stating how big and worth it our reward will be in eternity in relation to difficulties in this life. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake… rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven (Matthew 5:10-12). But there is also evidence that our suffering now is actually accruing a greater glory in eternity. Paul says as much in 2 Corinthians 4:17,

For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

Think about this. Your life is short. Eternity is long. Heaven and hell are real. Suffering now is preparing or producing or accomplishing a weighty and glorious eternity for you.

Suffering helps us see our limitations and weakness so that we trust in God and not ourselves. Have you ever been in a painful or hard situation where you finally cry, “Uncle! I give up! I surrender!” and found an almighty God there? This is what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9,

For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

Paul says God was at work purposing the desired outcome of not trusting self, but God. To be brought to the end of your resources in order to trust God “who raises the dead” is a wonderful gift from God.

Suffering helps us love and rejoice in Jesus more. When other things such as comfort, health, money, friends, or status are stripped away, Jesus will still be enough.  He is always enough; his grace always sufficient.  Nothing can separate you from his love (Romans 8:38-39), he is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24), will be with you always to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20), and he is almighty with all authority. No wonder the testimonies of bygone saints are legion that state in the worst suffering Jesus became the most precious. Peter, no doubt, was encouraging his suffering readers with this truth when he said,

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory (1 Peter 1:8).

Suffering Christians can have such sweet fellowship with Jesus that their joy is beyond ability to express and glorified.

So are you suffering? Then pray (James 5:13). And also trust God is at work in it for your good.

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Jenny's Testimony of Grace https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/testify-jenny-powers https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/testify-jenny-powers#comments Tue, 28 Mar 2017 14:00:00 -0500 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/testify-jenny-powers  

Testimony-JennyPowers from Real Life Church Ankeny on Vimeo.

Psalm 40:1-3:

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

I want to share something that God opened my heart and understanding to last week. I have done, and experienced, and been a part of many things in my life that by all earthly standards count as a lot of baggage. I have been a part of this church for 3 1/2 years now. I am learning and growing, and God has been changing me. But I have still felt, ACUTELY, my insufficiency, my imperfectness, my weaknesses, and my failures.

But Is God not greater?

Did he not send his Son to pay the penalty for my sins, to be my redemption, to be my righteousness, to be my holiness?  As far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us!  

I have heard those verses many times through the years. But last week God touched my heart: I understood, and I believed them.

This means that as I stand here today, not only can I SAY that I have no baggage, but my heart and mind also KNOWS and BELIEVES this!  And all this so that we may give Glory to God! This is not a SELF-esteem for me, but rather,

GOD-esteem! And because of God's esteem for me, I am truly Free! Free and falling in love with the Savior that gave His life for mine.  And He gave his life for all of you. And this part is really exciting to me: TOGETHER we are the Bride of Christ; and one day we will be presented, pure and holy, to the groom. So I want to extend this encouragement: Don't let sins or baggage from your past hold you back from the sweetness of what Christ has done and continues to do for us! Believe! And if you struggle with truly believing, as I did, then pray and ask God to help your unbelief! I promise you, God WILL answer your prayer!

Psalm 40:5

You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

With Christ's Love,

Jenny

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Testimony-JennyPowers from Real Life Church Ankeny on Vimeo.

Psalm 40:1-3:

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

I want to share something that God opened my heart and understanding to last week. I have done, and experienced, and been a part of many things in my life that by all earthly standards count as a lot of baggage. I have been a part of this church for 3 1/2 years now. I am learning and growing, and God has been changing me. But I have still felt, ACUTELY, my insufficiency, my imperfectness, my weaknesses, and my failures.

But Is God not greater?

Did he not send his Son to pay the penalty for my sins, to be my redemption, to be my righteousness, to be my holiness?  As far as the East is from the West, so far has he removed our transgressions from us!  

I have heard those verses many times through the years. But last week God touched my heart: I understood, and I believed them.

This means that as I stand here today, not only can I SAY that I have no baggage, but my heart and mind also KNOWS and BELIEVES this!  And all this so that we may give Glory to God! This is not a SELF-esteem for me, but rather,

GOD-esteem! And because of God's esteem for me, I am truly Free! Free and falling in love with the Savior that gave His life for mine.  And He gave his life for all of you. And this part is really exciting to me: TOGETHER we are the Bride of Christ; and one day we will be presented, pure and holy, to the groom. So I want to extend this encouragement: Don't let sins or baggage from your past hold you back from the sweetness of what Christ has done and continues to do for us! Believe! And if you struggle with truly believing, as I did, then pray and ask God to help your unbelief! I promise you, God WILL answer your prayer!

Psalm 40:5

You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.

With Christ's Love,

Jenny

]]>
You Need to Know the Holy Spirit - Part 1 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/the-holy-spirit---part-1 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/the-holy-spirit---part-1#comments Thu, 23 Mar 2017 10:00:00 -0500 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/the-holy-spirit---part-1 HolySpirit-Part1

It has been said that the Holy Spirit is the forgotten member of the Trinity. Whether or not this is true, getting to know the Holy Spirit better only helps. I want to take a few articles to highlight the Person and work of the Spirit and to underscore how absolutely essential it is that we understand who the Holy Spirit is and seek to live as Spirit-filled followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

On the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus began preparing his disciples for his departure which was at hand. He said the following words which must have sounded so strange to them, “I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7). He was getting them ready for the coming of the Holy Spirit (the Helper). And from that time, Christians have had the wonderful privilege of experiencing the truth that it is better having Holy Spirit live in us than have Jesus walk next to us.  But few, I fear, really believe and live in this wonderful reality.  So let's find out who the Spirit is and how we can live in his strength to the glory of God alone.

Who is the Holy Spirit? What does he do? In this first of a series of articles, we’ll take a look at five things you need to know about the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is a divine Person. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal energy force; he is a Person. Jesus referred to him as “Another Helper to be with you forever” (John 14:16). So he is distinct from Jesus. And regarding the Spirit, Jesus said the Father will “send [Him] in my name” (John 14:26). So he is also distinct from the Father. As a Person, the bible says the Holy Spirit speaks (Acts 8:29, Acts 10:19, Acts 13:2), can be grieved (Ephesians 5:29-30), and can be resisted or quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Christians have the privilege of having fellowship with him (2 Corinthians 13:14) like they would with another person. The Holy Spirit, however, is not a mere Person. He is God. He is part of the Godhead. Now, the bible never uses the word Trinity, but the truth of it is presupposed everywhere. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, while giving his final instructions to his disciples in what is often called the Great Commission, he said to baptize new disciples in the name (not names) of “the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Baptize new believers in the Triune name of God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture. There should never be a conflict between the Spirit and the Scriptures. It is a false dichotomy to say or imply “I am a word person” or “I am a Spirit person”. The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Scriptures. Of course, God used men to record the words of the bible, but Peter says these men “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). And he didn’t just author parts of the bible, but all of it. The history books and the law; the poetry and the prophets; the gospels and the epistles were all “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16, Acts 1:16, 1 Peter 1:11).

The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture. There should never be a conflict between the Spirit and the Scriptures. It is a false dichotomy to say or imply “I am a word person” or “I am a Spirit person”.  This is foolish because the Holy Spirit is the Author of the Scriptures. Of course, God used men to record the words of the bible, but Peter says these men “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). And he didn’t just author parts of the bible, but all of it. The history books and the law; the poetry and the prophets; the gospels and the epistles were all “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16, Acts 1:16, 1 Peter 1:11).  Do you want to honor the Spirit? Honor the Scriptures which he wrote!  Do you want to honor the Scriptures?  Honor the Author of the Scriptures!

The Holy Spirit is God’s personal presence with and in his people. It has always been God's purpose to have a people for himself among whom he dwells. The tabernacle God instructed Moses to have built was so that God would be in the midst of the Israelites. Moses agonized at the thought of God's presence not being with the Israelites, reminding God that is what distinguished them from all the other people on the earth (Exodus 33:16). This was all pointing forward to the coming of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus spoke words of incredible comfort to his disciples. He promised that though he was leaving them in one sense and returning to the Father, he would not leave them in another and greater sense. He would be their present and personal Savior by the Holy Spirit:

You know [the Holy Spirit], for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:17-18)

Then after the promise of the Spirit was poured out, Paul speaks of the “Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you” (Romans 8:11) and that Christians are “God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16). This is an experiential reality and not just a intellectual one such that Paul exhorts Timothy to guard the gospel “by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us” (2 Timothy 1:14). Paul is telling Timothy to rely on the powerful resources of the indwelling Spirit to guard the gospel from false teachers.

The Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.  This divine Person who is the Author of scripture, the primary agent in our regeneration, who has made his home within the follower of Jesus has one overarching agenda. He loves to glorify and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said unambiguously that when the Holy Spirit comes, "he will bear witness about me" (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit points to Jesus. Pressing the point, Jesus said the Holy Spirit does not speak on his own authority, but speaks what he hears. And he glorifies Christ by opening our spiritual eyes more and more to see the glorious beauty of Jesus (John 16:14-15).  It is not surprising, then, that all the Scriptures point to Jesus (Luke 24:27) since it is the express purpose of the Holy Spirit, who inspired the Scriptures, to glorify him.  So we should all pray like Paul for a "spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God, having the eyes of our hearts enlightened" (Ephesians 1:17-18).  

No wonder we are commanded to "be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) which is a present tense continual command.  Be filled and keep being filled. This fullness of the Spirit is for every blood-bought child of God.  

The fullness of the Spirit is emphatically not a privilege reserved for some, but a duty resting on all. ~ John Stott

 

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HolySpirit-Part1

It has been said that the Holy Spirit is the forgotten member of the Trinity. Whether or not this is true, getting to know the Holy Spirit better only helps. I want to take a few articles to highlight the Person and work of the Spirit and to underscore how absolutely essential it is that we understand who the Holy Spirit is and seek to live as Spirit-filled followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

On the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus began preparing his disciples for his departure which was at hand. He said the following words which must have sounded so strange to them, “I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7). He was getting them ready for the coming of the Holy Spirit (the Helper). And from that time, Christians have had the wonderful privilege of experiencing the truth that it is better having Holy Spirit live in us than have Jesus walk next to us.  But few, I fear, really believe and live in this wonderful reality.  So let's find out who the Spirit is and how we can live in his strength to the glory of God alone.

Who is the Holy Spirit? What does he do? In this first of a series of articles, we’ll take a look at five things you need to know about the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is a divine Person. The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal energy force; he is a Person. Jesus referred to him as “Another Helper to be with you forever” (John 14:16). So he is distinct from Jesus. And regarding the Spirit, Jesus said the Father will “send [Him] in my name” (John 14:26). So he is also distinct from the Father. As a Person, the bible says the Holy Spirit speaks (Acts 8:29, Acts 10:19, Acts 13:2), can be grieved (Ephesians 5:29-30), and can be resisted or quenched (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Christians have the privilege of having fellowship with him (2 Corinthians 13:14) like they would with another person. The Holy Spirit, however, is not a mere Person. He is God. He is part of the Godhead. Now, the bible never uses the word Trinity, but the truth of it is presupposed everywhere. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, while giving his final instructions to his disciples in what is often called the Great Commission, he said to baptize new disciples in the name (not names) of “the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Baptize new believers in the Triune name of God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture. There should never be a conflict between the Spirit and the Scriptures. It is a false dichotomy to say or imply “I am a word person” or “I am a Spirit person”. The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Scriptures. Of course, God used men to record the words of the bible, but Peter says these men “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). And he didn’t just author parts of the bible, but all of it. The history books and the law; the poetry and the prophets; the gospels and the epistles were all “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16, Acts 1:16, 1 Peter 1:11).

The Holy Spirit is the Author of Scripture. There should never be a conflict between the Spirit and the Scriptures. It is a false dichotomy to say or imply “I am a word person” or “I am a Spirit person”.  This is foolish because the Holy Spirit is the Author of the Scriptures. Of course, God used men to record the words of the bible, but Peter says these men “spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). And he didn’t just author parts of the bible, but all of it. The history books and the law; the poetry and the prophets; the gospels and the epistles were all “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16, Acts 1:16, 1 Peter 1:11).  Do you want to honor the Spirit? Honor the Scriptures which he wrote!  Do you want to honor the Scriptures?  Honor the Author of the Scriptures!

The Holy Spirit is God’s personal presence with and in his people. It has always been God's purpose to have a people for himself among whom he dwells. The tabernacle God instructed Moses to have built was so that God would be in the midst of the Israelites. Moses agonized at the thought of God's presence not being with the Israelites, reminding God that is what distinguished them from all the other people on the earth (Exodus 33:16). This was all pointing forward to the coming of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus spoke words of incredible comfort to his disciples. He promised that though he was leaving them in one sense and returning to the Father, he would not leave them in another and greater sense. He would be their present and personal Savior by the Holy Spirit:

You know [the Holy Spirit], for he dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. (John 14:17-18)

Then after the promise of the Spirit was poured out, Paul speaks of the “Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you” (Romans 8:11) and that Christians are “God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you” (1 Corinthians 3:16). This is an experiential reality and not just a intellectual one such that Paul exhorts Timothy to guard the gospel “by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us” (2 Timothy 1:14). Paul is telling Timothy to rely on the powerful resources of the indwelling Spirit to guard the gospel from false teachers.

The Holy Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.  This divine Person who is the Author of scripture, the primary agent in our regeneration, who has made his home within the follower of Jesus has one overarching agenda. He loves to glorify and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said unambiguously that when the Holy Spirit comes, "he will bear witness about me" (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit points to Jesus. Pressing the point, Jesus said the Holy Spirit does not speak on his own authority, but speaks what he hears. And he glorifies Christ by opening our spiritual eyes more and more to see the glorious beauty of Jesus (John 16:14-15).  It is not surprising, then, that all the Scriptures point to Jesus (Luke 24:27) since it is the express purpose of the Holy Spirit, who inspired the Scriptures, to glorify him.  So we should all pray like Paul for a "spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God, having the eyes of our hearts enlightened" (Ephesians 1:17-18).  

No wonder we are commanded to "be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18) which is a present tense continual command.  Be filled and keep being filled. This fullness of the Spirit is for every blood-bought child of God.  

The fullness of the Spirit is emphatically not a privilege reserved for some, but a duty resting on all. ~ John Stott

 

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The Dawning of Eternal Hope - An Advent Poem https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/the-dawning-of-eternal-hope---poem https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/the-dawning-of-eternal-hope---poem#comments Sun, 25 Dec 2016 07:00:00 -0600 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/the-dawning-of-eternal-hope---poem AdventPoem

 

When all seems lost, dear saint of God
Recall the treasured news
Of how God broke into the world
To walk within our shoes

When Adam fell both sin and death
Covered the world like night
Yet in the garden, God promised a Man
Who would come and put things right

For so long the world yearned and craved
God’s pledge to crush the snake
While His hidden plan rolled along
God would not his word forsake

When the fullness of time had come
Though God’s Son was born obscure
The sun awoke, the king was born
Good news had dawned for sure

This God-man sent from heaven
With a mission to complete
He lived and died and rose again
Our redemption to achieve

And now this Christ, He reigns on high
But surely will come once more
To gather his chosen to himself
And all that’s wrong restore

So weary saint rejoice in God!
Though in this life we groan
Christ dwells in us now by his Spirit
To comfort and cheer his own

Lift your eyes today by faith to see
Your Savior, Shepherd, King
And may your hope shine ever brighter
Till fullness of grace he brings

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AdventPoem

 

When all seems lost, dear saint of God
Recall the treasured news
Of how God broke into the world
To walk within our shoes

When Adam fell both sin and death
Covered the world like night
Yet in the garden, God promised a Man
Who would come and put things right

For so long the world yearned and craved
God’s pledge to crush the snake
While His hidden plan rolled along
God would not his word forsake

When the fullness of time had come
Though God’s Son was born obscure
The sun awoke, the king was born
Good news had dawned for sure

This God-man sent from heaven
With a mission to complete
He lived and died and rose again
Our redemption to achieve

And now this Christ, He reigns on high
But surely will come once more
To gather his chosen to himself
And all that’s wrong restore

So weary saint rejoice in God!
Though in this life we groan
Christ dwells in us now by his Spirit
To comfort and cheer his own

Lift your eyes today by faith to see
Your Savior, Shepherd, King
And may your hope shine ever brighter
Till fullness of grace he brings

]]>
Hope! God Is The Ruler Yet https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/god-is-the-ruler-yet https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/god-is-the-ruler-yet#comments Fri, 30 Sep 2016 12:00:00 -0500 https://www.reallifeankeny.org/blog/post/god-is-the-ruler-yet globe

As we look on the world scene, there are some scary political figures. What if Vladimir Putin tries to rebuild the old Soviet coalition? What if Kim Jung Un gets a nuclear weapon? In our own country, we are rightly concerned with the upcoming elections. What if Clinton wins? What if Trump wins? What will this mean for our country? What will it mean for Christians? Will we survive?

Take a deep breath… it is going to be okay. There is hope. Jesus is the “Ruler of the kings on the earth” (Revelation 1:5). He is the “King of kings and Lord or lords” (Revelation 19:16). Breathe a sigh of relief. Yes, Jesus is in charge. This wonderful truth means at least a couple of things.

First, every ruler, king, and president will ultimately answer to King Jesus. They will give an account of their personal character. Are they the kind of ruler that God commends – humble, God-fearing, trustworthy, and those who hate bribes (Exodus 18:21)? They will give an account on the manner in which they govern. If a ruler pushes oppressive laws, Jesus is paying attention (Proverbs 28:16). Every ruler will be judged by the One whose name is Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11).

But there is more. A ruler does not govern autonomously, but he or she is subordinate to God’s reign as the supreme Sovereign over all. We must never forget that God has the final say on who is president of the United States – not the electorate. He is the One who “removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21). God raises them up and brings them down. Furthermore, even their decisions are not made apart from from the sovereign governance of God. Proverbs 21:1 assures us, “The kings heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” It doesn’t say that the LORD can turn the king's heart wherever he will, but he actually does.

For God’s people, this should be deeply encouraging! We may not know exactly what God is up to, but we know that no matter how bad things may look, “for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). And we know that God's end game for his creation is that it would be "set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Romans 8:21).

This is not the devil’s world. It is not our world. It is God’s world (Psalm 24:1). Rejoice; abound in hope Christian - your God reigns!

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget.
That though the wrong seems oft so strong. God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world. The battle is not done.
Jesus who died will be satisfied. And earth and heaven be one.

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globe

As we look on the world scene, there are some scary political figures. What if Vladimir Putin tries to rebuild the old Soviet coalition? What if Kim Jung Un gets a nuclear weapon? In our own country, we are rightly concerned with the upcoming elections. What if Clinton wins? What if Trump wins? What will this mean for our country? What will it mean for Christians? Will we survive?

Take a deep breath… it is going to be okay. There is hope. Jesus is the “Ruler of the kings on the earth” (Revelation 1:5). He is the “King of kings and Lord or lords” (Revelation 19:16). Breathe a sigh of relief. Yes, Jesus is in charge. This wonderful truth means at least a couple of things.

First, every ruler, king, and president will ultimately answer to King Jesus. They will give an account of their personal character. Are they the kind of ruler that God commends – humble, God-fearing, trustworthy, and those who hate bribes (Exodus 18:21)? They will give an account on the manner in which they govern. If a ruler pushes oppressive laws, Jesus is paying attention (Proverbs 28:16). Every ruler will be judged by the One whose name is Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11).

But there is more. A ruler does not govern autonomously, but he or she is subordinate to God’s reign as the supreme Sovereign over all. We must never forget that God has the final say on who is president of the United States – not the electorate. He is the One who “removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21). God raises them up and brings them down. Furthermore, even their decisions are not made apart from from the sovereign governance of God. Proverbs 21:1 assures us, “The kings heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” It doesn’t say that the LORD can turn the king's heart wherever he will, but he actually does.

For God’s people, this should be deeply encouraging! We may not know exactly what God is up to, but we know that no matter how bad things may look, “for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). And we know that God's end game for his creation is that it would be "set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Romans 8:21).

This is not the devil’s world. It is not our world. It is God’s world (Psalm 24:1). Rejoice; abound in hope Christian - your God reigns!

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget.
That though the wrong seems oft so strong. God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world. The battle is not done.
Jesus who died will be satisfied. And earth and heaven be one.

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