Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.
There is a good chance that high percentage of you guys know this verse. You are probably know that it’s true. We are all sinners, with a predisposition to sin. It doesn’t matter how many recommitments we make to God, how many promises to God, how many dedications we make to God...... we still sin. We can say, God from today it is a new day.... I will do this, commit to that, read this and pray that..... and after all that we still sin, we come back to God as say sorry..... again, and again and again.
But that’s alright isn’t it?.... we are sinners, that’s what we do..... how many people know Romans 3:24? Anyone? Do you? I didn’t.....
Romans 3:24 - and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus....
We need to stop listening to the evil one who is always whispering in our ear that we are just sinners, that is what we do, and nothing can change that.... you will fail. BUT.....According to this passage we were sinners, but because of Jesus, we have been justified and freed and so therefore we are righteous and holy in God’s sight.
We are not sinners who are called to holy, we are holy ones who are called to stop sinning.
We are also fed the lie that we need to keep working through our sin on our own. The truth is, we need each other and God to eradicate sin. We need to make big calls, we need to make big changes, we need to be humble and acknowledge that we need help. If you are serious about this, then you will make these big calls, make these big changes and have the difficult conversations with people who will not judge you, but help you.
It is impossible to beat sin on your own. If it was God would not have sent Jesus to die on the cross for you. You can’t..... but Jesus Christ in you can!
With Christ working in you and the community around you holding you accountable and encouraging you... you can do this..... you’ve gotta be serious...
Guys this week change your mind set.... you’re not sinners called to be holy, no, because of Jesus, you are holy called to stop sinning.
Christ wants to help you. Will you let him?
Friday, March 6, 2009
What's verse 24?
Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God.
There is a good chance that high percentage of you guys know this verse. You are probably know that it’s true. We are all sinners, with a predisposition to sin. It doesn’t matter how many recommitments we make to God, how many promises to God, how many dedications we make to God...... we still sin. We can say, God from today it is a new day.... I will do this, commit to that, read this and pray that..... and after all that we still sin, we come back to God as say sorry..... again, and again and again.
But that’s alright isn’t it?.... we are sinners, that’s what we do..... how many people know Romans 3:24? Anyone? Do you? I didn’t.....
Romans 3:24 - and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus....
We need to stop listening to the evil one who is always whispering in our ear that we are just sinners, that is what we do, and nothing can change that.... you will fail. BUT.....According to this passage we were sinners, but because of Jesus, we have been justified and freed and so therefore we are righteous and holy in God’s sight.
We are not sinners who are called to holy, we are holy ones who are called to stop sinning.
We are also fed the lie that we need to keep working through our sin on our own. The truth is, we need each other and God to eradicate sin. We need to make big calls, we need to make big changes, we need to be humble and acknowledge that we need help. If you are serious about this, then you will make these big calls, make these big changes and have the difficult conversations with people who will not judge you, but help you.
It is impossible to beat sin on your own. If it was God would not have sent Jesus to die on the cross for you. You can’t..... but Jesus Christ in you can!
With Christ working in you and the community around you holding you accountable and encouraging you... you can do this..... you’ve gotta be serious...
Guys this week change your mind set.... you’re not sinners called to be holy, no, because of Jesus, you are holy called to stop sinning.
Christ wants to help you. Will you let him?
There is a good chance that high percentage of you guys know this verse. You are probably know that it’s true. We are all sinners, with a predisposition to sin. It doesn’t matter how many recommitments we make to God, how many promises to God, how many dedications we make to God...... we still sin. We can say, God from today it is a new day.... I will do this, commit to that, read this and pray that..... and after all that we still sin, we come back to God as say sorry..... again, and again and again.
But that’s alright isn’t it?.... we are sinners, that’s what we do..... how many people know Romans 3:24? Anyone? Do you? I didn’t.....
Romans 3:24 - and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus....
We need to stop listening to the evil one who is always whispering in our ear that we are just sinners, that is what we do, and nothing can change that.... you will fail. BUT.....According to this passage we were sinners, but because of Jesus, we have been justified and freed and so therefore we are righteous and holy in God’s sight.
We are not sinners who are called to holy, we are holy ones who are called to stop sinning.
We are also fed the lie that we need to keep working through our sin on our own. The truth is, we need each other and God to eradicate sin. We need to make big calls, we need to make big changes, we need to be humble and acknowledge that we need help. If you are serious about this, then you will make these big calls, make these big changes and have the difficult conversations with people who will not judge you, but help you.
It is impossible to beat sin on your own. If it was God would not have sent Jesus to die on the cross for you. You can’t..... but Jesus Christ in you can!
With Christ working in you and the community around you holding you accountable and encouraging you... you can do this..... you’ve gotta be serious...
Guys this week change your mind set.... you’re not sinners called to be holy, no, because of Jesus, you are holy called to stop sinning.
Christ wants to help you. Will you let him?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
He is mighty to save...
Bad things happen. Sad things happen. There are times in life where we feel rejected, dejected, hurt and confused. The wonderful thing to remember in these times is that God is walking beside us and in us by his Holy Spirit....
Zephaniah 3:17 – “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
The Lord your God is with you. You are not alone. God never intended for you to live this life alone. God didn’t design you to do it alone. In fact as we draw close to God we find that life becomes just that little bit easier. We can take the things that are troubling us to him. We can rest in the fact God is walking along side us, rejoicing in us, loving us, delighting in us and telling us, it’s ok. We have a God who loves us completely as we are, and is interested in every detail of your life.... if we go back to Philippians we are reminded that the Lord is near, and that we should take everything to him, by prayer and petition and that as we do this, he will fill our hearts with his peace.
When we take the time to give these things to God, we are saying to God you are in control, you are faithful, you know what’s best and I can trust you. The great news is, he won’t let you down. He is ‘mighty to save’ us from sin and death, from hurt, from confusion, from all things... This is not saying that hurt won’t happen, that pain won’t happen, that temptation won’t happen..... it will. We are in a broken, sinful, hurting world. But....God offers us hope in the midst of hopelessness, God offers us peace in the storm and God offers us his Love when we need it.
The challenge for us today is to trust God in all and every circumstance, especially when it’s hard and believe passages like Zephaniah 3:17 when it says.... The Lord you God is with you, he is mighty to save.
Zephaniah 3:17 – “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
The Lord your God is with you. You are not alone. God never intended for you to live this life alone. God didn’t design you to do it alone. In fact as we draw close to God we find that life becomes just that little bit easier. We can take the things that are troubling us to him. We can rest in the fact God is walking along side us, rejoicing in us, loving us, delighting in us and telling us, it’s ok. We have a God who loves us completely as we are, and is interested in every detail of your life.... if we go back to Philippians we are reminded that the Lord is near, and that we should take everything to him, by prayer and petition and that as we do this, he will fill our hearts with his peace.
When we take the time to give these things to God, we are saying to God you are in control, you are faithful, you know what’s best and I can trust you. The great news is, he won’t let you down. He is ‘mighty to save’ us from sin and death, from hurt, from confusion, from all things... This is not saying that hurt won’t happen, that pain won’t happen, that temptation won’t happen..... it will. We are in a broken, sinful, hurting world. But....God offers us hope in the midst of hopelessness, God offers us peace in the storm and God offers us his Love when we need it.
The challenge for us today is to trust God in all and every circumstance, especially when it’s hard and believe passages like Zephaniah 3:17 when it says.... The Lord you God is with you, he is mighty to save.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Isn't it more than just standing??
Today is less of a thought and more of a rant as I reflected on Sunday nights theme of standing up against poverty and then I reflected on me. Read the following scriptures...
Matt 6:2 ‘So when you give to the needy....’
Micah 6:8 ‘....And what does the Lord require of you? To act Justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’
Matthew 25:40 ‘The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’
Matthew 28:19 ‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations’
I stood up. I then sat down again. How many people did that with me across the church and across the world. We stood up. We sat back down. We were stirred for a moment, and said ‘yeah I want poverty to be history’, and then we sat down again, relatively unchanged. We even got excited about the prospect of breaking a Guiness World Record for the amount of people standing up..... standing up?? We can stand up, we can talk, we can even have amazing thoughts or ideas but if that’s it, poverty is not going anywhere. This email is not directed at those who do act.... but if we are honest those people are the minority.
The reality is, if all those people around the world instead of standing, stayed seated and gave just $1, the debt problem is solved, yet we just stood. Basically if we all stand and none of it is backed up with action, we should’ve stayed seated, because standing should be more than just.... well standing.... shouldn’t it???
This got me thinking. Why should we be standing and acting against poverty? And then more than that, what should it look like? I think the answer is found in Matt 28:19 – when Jesus said go and make disciples.... our faith is based on Love. Love in word and deed, not just in intentions. When we become a disciple of Christ, we then share in his burden for this crooked and depraved (Philippians 2) world. We should want ALL to know him and his Love and display this love by caring, by giving, by speaking, by doing what it takes, to show them how much God loves them, and what lengths Jesus went to save them from hell.
God gives us so much in money and talents not so we can live better, but so can give better.....
Non-Christians all around the world, serve the world, stand up against poverty, and do countless other good deeds. So what make us different? We are concerned about more than just their physical well-being but their spiritual well-being as well.... We desire to show the world that Jesus loves them.... Jesus didn’t say in Matthew 28.... ‘feed the poor, cancel debt’ no! he said ‘make disciples’ – and as we show the love of God that is when lives are changed, healed, mended.... and poverty of spirit is broken. God’s priority is to have all people reconciled to him, not just improve their standard of living. He calls us to give (Matt 6:2) he calls us to act (James 2:14-26) he calls us to love justice and mercy (Micah 6:8), and we do this to show them who Jesus is.... so they can come home with us!
What a world it would be if Christians not only stood up, but acted. Not for any self-righteous reason but in response to wonderful and amazing grace shown to us through Jesus Christ....
Matt 6:2 ‘So when you give to the needy....’
Micah 6:8 ‘....And what does the Lord require of you? To act Justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’
Matthew 25:40 ‘The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’
Matthew 28:19 ‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations’
I stood up. I then sat down again. How many people did that with me across the church and across the world. We stood up. We sat back down. We were stirred for a moment, and said ‘yeah I want poverty to be history’, and then we sat down again, relatively unchanged. We even got excited about the prospect of breaking a Guiness World Record for the amount of people standing up..... standing up?? We can stand up, we can talk, we can even have amazing thoughts or ideas but if that’s it, poverty is not going anywhere. This email is not directed at those who do act.... but if we are honest those people are the minority.
The reality is, if all those people around the world instead of standing, stayed seated and gave just $1, the debt problem is solved, yet we just stood. Basically if we all stand and none of it is backed up with action, we should’ve stayed seated, because standing should be more than just.... well standing.... shouldn’t it???
This got me thinking. Why should we be standing and acting against poverty? And then more than that, what should it look like? I think the answer is found in Matt 28:19 – when Jesus said go and make disciples.... our faith is based on Love. Love in word and deed, not just in intentions. When we become a disciple of Christ, we then share in his burden for this crooked and depraved (Philippians 2) world. We should want ALL to know him and his Love and display this love by caring, by giving, by speaking, by doing what it takes, to show them how much God loves them, and what lengths Jesus went to save them from hell.
God gives us so much in money and talents not so we can live better, but so can give better.....
Non-Christians all around the world, serve the world, stand up against poverty, and do countless other good deeds. So what make us different? We are concerned about more than just their physical well-being but their spiritual well-being as well.... We desire to show the world that Jesus loves them.... Jesus didn’t say in Matthew 28.... ‘feed the poor, cancel debt’ no! he said ‘make disciples’ – and as we show the love of God that is when lives are changed, healed, mended.... and poverty of spirit is broken. God’s priority is to have all people reconciled to him, not just improve their standard of living. He calls us to give (Matt 6:2) he calls us to act (James 2:14-26) he calls us to love justice and mercy (Micah 6:8), and we do this to show them who Jesus is.... so they can come home with us!
What a world it would be if Christians not only stood up, but acted. Not for any self-righteous reason but in response to wonderful and amazing grace shown to us through Jesus Christ....
Monday, October 13, 2008
let it go....
Do you ever find that you can be at church and all you can do is be critical? That is me to a tee. To my shame i spend way too much time being critical and not enough time worshipping God....
last night i was in church doing my normal thing, having negative thoughts about this and that and then it was like God said to me 'let it go Andy' - and reminded me why i was at church. It's not so i can critique the service, but more the spend time with Him.
Do you let the music, the welcome, the preacher, the money thing, the people, the colour of the chairs, the rubbish on the floor effect whether you worship God or not?
The truth is.... if we focus on people, the service, the music etc, sometimes we will be encouraged to worship, sometimes we won't. but if we focus on God.... we worship regardless.
So the challenge for me is this..... if the music sucks, let it go and worship God. If the expression and vibe of the service is dated, dorky, traditional, happy clappy or anything else in the long list i don't like... worship God.
If we only worship God when the music is good then we have missed the point. hasn't it got something to do with Jesus???
have you missed the point? i am working to fix this.
last night i was in church doing my normal thing, having negative thoughts about this and that and then it was like God said to me 'let it go Andy' - and reminded me why i was at church. It's not so i can critique the service, but more the spend time with Him.
Do you let the music, the welcome, the preacher, the money thing, the people, the colour of the chairs, the rubbish on the floor effect whether you worship God or not?
The truth is.... if we focus on people, the service, the music etc, sometimes we will be encouraged to worship, sometimes we won't. but if we focus on God.... we worship regardless.
So the challenge for me is this..... if the music sucks, let it go and worship God. If the expression and vibe of the service is dated, dorky, traditional, happy clappy or anything else in the long list i don't like... worship God.
If we only worship God when the music is good then we have missed the point. hasn't it got something to do with Jesus???
have you missed the point? i am working to fix this.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
You know it....
We all knew it was going to happen. I just need to mention Manly. They dominated the NRL grand final and so i am feeling smug.
Loving it.
Loving it.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Fitness Age??
Well today i went to the gym and had a fitness test done on my body. What did they find out? Well, they found out the i have the body of a 57 year old, the cardio fitness of a 79 year old, the flexibility of a 20 year old and the strength of a 58 year old. Which gave me an overall fitness ago of..... 56. Wow i must be pretty healthy.
Interestingly though, i then jumped on a bike and rode for 20 mins keeping my heart beat above 160 the whole time. I'd like to see a 79 year old do that...
I guess if they were trying to shock me into getting fit.... then it worked. well done fitness first....
Interestingly though, i then jumped on a bike and rode for 20 mins keeping my heart beat above 160 the whole time. I'd like to see a 79 year old do that...
I guess if they were trying to shock me into getting fit.... then it worked. well done fitness first....
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