Pastor’s Blog 4.18.18

John 14:15-17a (TPT)
Jesus Prophesies about the Holy Spirit
“Loving me empowers you to obey my commands. 16–17 And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Savior, the Holy Spirit of Truth, who will be to you a friend just like me—and he will never leave you.”

After 36 years of serving Christ, and thirty-two years of church planting as a Senior Pastor, I still stand amazed at how many Christians and churches do not take the promises of life, with the Holy Spirit, as a living reality. The Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives is not meant to be an “ideal”, but an experienced reality.

The translator of the Passion version gave this footnote on why he translated the word savior in this passage:

l. 14:16–17 The Greek word used here is paráklētos, a technical word that could be translated “defense attorney.” It means “one called to stand next to you as a helper.” Various translations have rendered this “Counselor,” “Comforter,” “Advocate,” “Encourager,” “Intercessor,” or “Helper.” However none of these words alone are adequate and fall short in explaining the full meaning. The translator has chosen the word Savior, for it depicts the role of the Holy Spirit to protect, defend, and save us from our self and our enemies and keep us whole and healed. He is the One who guides and defends, comforts and consoles. Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ, our Savior. The Aramaic word is paraqleta, which is taken from two root words: (1) praq, “to end, finish, or to save,” and (2) lyta, which means “the curse.” What a beautiful word picture, the Holy Spirit comes to end the work of the curse (of sin) in our lives and to save us from its every effect! Paraqleta means “a redeemer who ends the curse.” (See Strong’s Concordance, Gr. 6561 and 6562; A Compendious Syriac Dictionary, p. 237; and Oraham’s Dictionary, p. 250.)

It is no wonder why Jesus told the disciples in Acts 1 not to go into the world until they were “endued with power”. When I became a believer, I spent weeks seeking the endowment of power…and I got it! However, it did not happen the moment I received Christ. I know I was born again the moment I received Him, but I knew instinctively there was more! Therefore, I studied the scriptures and cried out in prayer until the power came! I know that we are going to need the power of God to face the things that will be coming on the earth! There is a scripture that comes to mind here:

Jeremiah 12:5
5 “The LORD Answers Jeremiah “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?” NKJV

I see people forsaking their walk with God over such trivial things today; imagine the departure when we face real persecution- even death for our faith? I am holding onto the Person, Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit, and thanking my God daily for the manifest presence in my life! I hope you are too! I don’t want to do life one day without Him or one Church service without Him! To me, His presence in my life daily, is mandatory in all that I do.

Being a Christian is more than just following doctrine, it also means following the Spirit of God, and they will NEVER disagree! My God is not just a doctrine, but pure doctrine describes Him, so I will not follow another spirit!

Romans 8:13-17 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,”Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” NKJV

Embrace the Holy Spirit today!
Until next week – be blessed!

Pastor Dave

Attractive is a Choice

The word attractive has been on my mind lately. Everyone wants to be attractive. There are millions of dollars spent every day on face creams, fat burners, gym memberships, teeth whiteners, hair products, etc. All because people want to be attractive. Wanting to better yourself is a good thing. However, it’s not just the outward appearance that makes a person attractive.

I have met many “pretty/handsome” people, but their attitudes and actions were ugly. They were NOT attractive. I think of the scripture Matthew 23:27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity.

Oh the Pharisees made sure their robes were just right and walked around with pious looks, but look what Jesus said to them! He said their insides were full of every impurity. When I think of impurity, I think of a river teeming with trash. Picture that. What an ugly mess. No one wanted to hear what the Pharisees said because they were ugly in their ways, they were hypocrites, no doubt mean, prideful and downright unattractive to everyone but themselves. Even if their way was right, who would want to listen to them? They set a bar so high, no one could reach it, yet they esteemed themselves as having done so. How foolish!

Attractive obviously means pleasing to look at, but another one of the definitions is having beneficial qualities or features that induce someone to accept what is being offered.

As Christians, we have the greatest gift living on the inside of us. We have THE answer to life’s problems and situations. We should be the most beautiful, kind, caring and attractive people on planet earth.

Galatians 5:22 says But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness If we, daily bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, forbearance (extend mercy), kindness, goodness and faithfulness in our daily walk, would that not be attractive? When unfair and frustrating things happen in your workplace, if you respond with the fruit of the Spirit, while others respond with the fruit of their flesh, would that not be different? Would you not be more attractive in this situation? Why? Because you are putting on humility and displaying Christ.

Studies show that attractive people get better paying jobs, better positions, and garner more favor than an average looking person. And we have all seen that happen. However, I believe that greater is He that is living in us – and that if we would just allow Christ in us, to be the hope that shines out of us, we would be the most attractive people around. (And I also believe this attractiveness would transcend any physical qualities we lack!)

Yes, I know there will always be people who will hate us. I get that. But if they hate us because we are displaying the love of God, they hate God, not us! However, there are people we are all called to reach and they aren’t looking for a pious, religious zealot. They are looking for a kind, compassionate, caring human being who can show them there is a better way; a person who is approachable because they can tell (by our actions) that we CARE. There are many people who call themselves Christians, but display hate, anger and rage. I want to tell them- you don’t identify with me! Quit saying you are a Christian if you don’t act like Jesus! Now, do we hate sin? YES! Do we hate people? NO. For far too long, many in the church have blurred this line! We must speak the truth in love and we must separate the sin from the sinner. Remember, Jesus died for the vilest sinner! We were ALL sinners before we came to Christ. Jesus died because He loved us. Love is attractive!

What I am saying is – being attractive is a choice. Just like we choose to brush our hair, wear make-up or cologne, we can choose peace, and joy and to extend grace. We can choose to handle chaos with grace and turmoil with peace. How? By submitting ourselves daily to the Lord. The Book of James says we submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee. People are watching how we handle life and they are looking for answers. And while we may not be able to choose what comes at us, we can choose how we respond. We can choose to react in a hateful, mean, ugly way, or we can respond in love, and attract His will into the situation. When we attract His will, we become attractive to others who desire His will, even if they don’t know it.

Matthew 5:16 says “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”– In the same way – which way? The same as when a light is sat on a lamp stand to give light to others – not hidden away, no the word says it should shine before all. We are to let Christ shine. The more we let Him shine through us, the more love, peace and grace will come forth from our lives. We will be a cool drink for someone on a hot day… We will be wisdom to the confused and hope to the hopeless. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is attractive. It is life. It is breath. It is love.

For everyone who is searching, it is what they are searching for. Not everyone will receive and not everyone is searching, but for those who are, let’s be attractive. May our lives attract those who need an answer and may we be ready with grace and love to speak it to them! Let’s show people that we care and that we love them. Let’s be Jesus to them. When Jesus was on earth, He attracted crowds of thousands with His words and His love. Jesus displayed beneficial qualities or features that induced people to accept what He was offering. He was attractive. He attracted followers; He attracted people who needed healed, set free and loved. They were drawn to Him, not to the religious Pharisees! They were drawn to love.

It is the goodness of God that draws men to repentance. (Romans 2:4) We cannot back away from sharing that God is good because some leave off the repentance part. No! Proper use is : the goodness of God will draw men to repent! We attract people with His goodness and then we share, in love, the need for repentance. THAT is attractive.

Let’s choose to walk in His love and choose to be attractive. Let’s let Him shine through us!

Pastor’s Blog 4.11.18

Proverbs 21:2-3 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. 3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. KJV

We have been focusing on judgment the last few weeks and in this blog and today I would like to talk about judgment and motive. There is an old saying, “don’t judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.” What a true word. I am quick to judge whether “something” is good or evil, but very slow to judge whether “someone” is good or evil. I sometimes shudder inside when I hear how quickly some people are to “judge a person.”

Years ago, I received the revelation of Jesus hanging on the cross saying, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do!” So, I believe there are people who know that they are doing evil, and then there are people who are doing evil, and don’t know it. There is apparently a different accountability on those who do evil and know it, and those who do evil and don’t know it.

Under the old covenant there was a provision for sins done in ignorance or unknowingly.

Ezekiel 45:19-20 The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the gateposts of the gate of the inner court. 20 And so you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who has sinned unintentionally or in ignorance . Thus you shall make atonement for the temple. NKJV

After the day of Pentecost Peter said this to the Jews at Jerusalem:

Acts 3:16-21 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance , as did also your rulers. 18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. NKJV

Paul in his own testimony shared that God had mercy on him because he committed sins against the church in ignorance.

1 Timothy 1:12-15 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. NKJV

This is how I continue in mercy with people who are doing things that are wrong. There is a stricter judgment on someone who knows. When I see someone committing something wrong, I don’t have a problem saying the act is wrong, or judging the act, but the person and the act don’t always get the same judgment. Even in a natural court of law, the penalty is lessened or increased by the motive. That is why there are three degrees of murder and a class called manslaughter.

I was having a conversation with a judge one day who is a friend of mine. We were talking about judgment and he said that the degree of sentence has a lot to do with how much remorse is seen in the defendant. Wow! Human mercy still has its’ roots in the mercy of God for sure. So let’s fulfill the admonishment of the scripture:

James 1:19-20 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear , slow to speak, slow to wrath;20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. NKJV

The next time you are tempted to “pass judgment” on someone, (not the act of sin, but the person) ask the Lord about this very thing. I believe He will begin to show you His mercy and how to extend it to people when He so desires!

Be Blessed!
Pastor Dave

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