THE BLOG
Topic
- Anxiety 2
- Beauty 1
- Bible 5
- Blessings 1
- Body of Christ 1
- Burden 1
- CEO 1
- Christian Living 148
- Christlikeness 6
- Christmas 12
- Commandments 1
- Community 1
- Conflict 1
- Cults 1
- Culture 1
- DDM 1
- Death 1
- Discipleship 5
- Emotions 4
- Eternity 2
- Evangelism 7
- Faith 2
- Forgive 3
- Freedom 1
- Fusion 1
- Gather 1
- God 2
- Gospel 3
- Gratitude 1
- Hebrews 11 1
- Holiness 1
- Holy Spirit 1
- Homosexuality 1
- Humility 1
- Israel 2
- Jesus 6
- Joy 2
- King of Glory 1
- Lying 1
- Missions 3
- Outreach 1
- Pastor Jeff 1
- Perspective 2
- Prayer 8
- Psalm 119 3
- Reading 1
- Salvation 13
- Sanctification 1
- Satan 1
- Scripture 2
Passing the Baton
In the New Testament, we see Paul surrounded by different people in Discipleship relationships. Barnabas was a disciple-maker who took a special interest in Paul, Silas was his companion and friend, and Timothy was his “son in the faith.” Each of these relationships teaches us about the importance of intentional, Christ-centered relationships in the church.
GO with the Gospel
Recently, our CCFW leadership team has been reflecting on some important questions about outreach in our city: “How can we reach the lost for Christ?” “Who is our target population as a church?” and “How can we equip our people for more effective evangelism?” While all these questions are crucial, we have realized that at the heart of them lies a fundamental need—a personal desire to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Who is the King of Glory?
In the Old Testament, oftentimes the glory of God was concealed and feared. God’s glory was hidden in clouds, fire, the tabernacle, the temple, and in shrouded theophanies. It was feared as the “devouring fire,” the judgment against sin, and no man could look upon His holiness without dying.
Live by Faith
How do we live so that God is NOT ashamed to be called our God? We must live by faith.
There are many tensions that Christians must embrace: loving the world and hating it; citizens of heaven, here as exiles on earth; not conformed to the world but as ambassadors of Christ. About this, G.K. Chesterton writes,
Spiritual Evergreens
Washington is called the “Evergreen State.” The experts say we have 25 different types of evergreens growing in our state. While most of the evergreens are in the western side of the state, these conifers are found in every part of the state. The one thing they all have in common is what we enjoy most about them…they never stop being green.
You could say that the Lord wants us to be evergreen-like followers who never stop displaying and growing three virtues in our lives. These virtues are well-known, but easily neglected and underdeveloped.
Paul unveils them in 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18.
Practicing Mutual Discipleship
I grew up in a neighborhood that was always busy with friends. Whenever one of us headed outside we were immediately joined by several others itching to play a sport or hang out. One activity that we really enjoyed was skateboarding. Skateboarding, before the internet age, meant that we actually had to make up our own tricks or that we learned new ones from watching others at the skatepark. As soon as one of us figured out a trick, we would show each other how to do it (usually after we won a game or 2 of S.K.A.T.E. if I’m being honest).
How Does a Christian View Sin?
After Romans 5, Paul asks a pivotal question of those who do believe in 6:1, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may increase?” This is an important question for those of us who believe, and I hope, the majority of us who are receiving this weekly CCFW email. How do we view sin once we are saved? We know that it is not a master enslaving us, that we no longer have imputed sin, and that God has created us anew through His Spirit (2 Cor 5:17). But we still struggle with sin, don’t we? Here are a few points that I hope will encourage us to have a proper view of sin now that we are in Christ:
Nothing but the Blood
Usually, blood makes people squeamish. In fact, in movies, if there is a certain amount of blood shown it will raise the content rating making the movie unsuitable for children/teens. Even for adults, approximately 15% faint when donating blood. But we know that blood is a good thing and that it is essential for the human body. It helps us fight off bacteria, keeps our organs working properly, and ultimately it sustains our lives.
Hope Now
“Hope is called the anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19) because it gives stability to the Christian life. But hope is not simply a "wish" (I wish that such-and-such would take place); rather, it is that which latches on to the certainty of the promises of the future that God has made.” -RC Sproul
This Disciple Development Month (DDM), we are focusing on how we can have “Hope Now.” Life is hard, and it is easy to become discouraged at points along the road, but God gives us hope for today. This hope is based upon what Christ has done, what the Holy Spirit is doing, and what the Father is bringing in the future. It is a hope taught to us in Scripture but needs to be realized in community.
