tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37220931845448278532024-02-07T20:52:48.107-08:00In The WordDeep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-19110710079970277012018-01-14T06:01:00.004-08:002018-01-14T06:01:39.785-08:00Are You Thirsty?“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14)<br />
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Do you find yourself getting thirsty, even though you have drunken from the fountain of living water in the past? Could it be that you have begun to look to other wells to the neglect of the fountain of living water? There are many wells that a person can drink from, success, health, power, prestige, influence. When we drink from from these wells we find ourselves depending upon sources like the news media, whether it be conservative or liberal, or some experts latest book. Drinking from these wells may seem to fulfill your thirst for a time, but it is like a man adrift at sea who begins to drink the salt water. It seems at first to quench your thirst, but in the end it causes death. God does care about your personal needs, but they must be met from the right source.<br />
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The only water that can truly satisfy is that living water that only Jesus gives as we abide in Him. It is very easy for me to become distracted. I can be pulled away by the responsibilities of life and even ministry. I can get my attention on politics and just causes. When I get distracted I find myself getting out of sorts. I find that I no longer have the depth of devotions that I have known and for which I long. It finally comes to a point that I get totally stressed out and feel like I am going to lose it. The Lord graciously uses this crisis to refocus my heart to bring me back to simply abiding in Him. And in this place I find peace and rest. All the issues are now in their proper perspective. Are you seeking to be satisfied at other wells? Return to the fountain of living water and be fully satisfied at you abide in Jesus.<br />
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Pastor ChrisDeep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-6910734481660167932017-06-29T11:06:00.001-07:002017-06-29T11:06:53.333-07:00Renewed Strength"But those who wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31)<div><br></div><div> We read many books that will tell us what our attitude is to be like and what we are to be doing in our personal lives and in our ministries. There is nothing wrong with those books, or the people that wrote them necessarily. The thing that such books often lack is telling you where the strength comes from to accomplish those things.</div><div> It is as we wait on the Lord that we get a renewed strength. To wait on the Lord is not a passive state, but means to expect, to collect, to gather together; to look patiently, to tarry or wait upon. We wait upon the Lord by being in the Word, praying, and looking expectantly for further instructions and in order to receive the strength and wisdom that we need.</div><div> Do you feel feeble in your walk with the Lord? Wait upon Him. He will give you whatever you need to follow Him and to serve Him according to His calling on your life.</div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-21969524642266305662017-05-09T13:13:00.001-07:002017-05-09T13:13:06.241-07:00Your Reward <img src="webkit-fake-url://20bcdf75-5724-46e2-98f8-2a44bb728539/imagejpeg"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">“O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Psalms 16:5-9 NKJV</span><div><br></div><div> I remember when I first became a Christian being so excited about knowing Jesus and having my sins forgiven. I was just so stoked reading the Bible and praying, just spending time with the Lord. Over time I started setting goals, "Christian goals" of course. I had in my mind what the Christian life should look like and I set out after those goals. I sensed the call to the ministry, so pursued further education to that end. Along the way, the Lord provided another one of the objectives, being married to an incredible Christian wife. Ministry had its ups and downs, and in my mind I never achieved what I thought was the will of God for everyone in ministry. After all, isn't God glorified more in larger successful ministries. And seeing such examples at pastors' conferences, solidified that perspective in my mind. I spent many years looking for the secret that I must be missing somewhere to guarantee what I thought was ministry success. Isn't that the reward for faithfully serving the Lord for all these years.</div><div> The Lord has an incredible way of teaching you the things that you cannot get from any other source. We can even read the Scriptures in such a myopic fashion that we don't see what He has plainly written on the pages before us. Then, the Spirit of God takes the Word of God and uses our circumstances to teach us the things that we could never really learn by academic means alone. God had begun an incredible work in Abram's life. He had called him out of Ur and brought him into the land that He had promised him. He gave him victory over five kings, when he went to rescue his nephew Lot. Abram refused the reward of the King of Sodom, not wanting credit for his blessing to go to a man. The patriarch had to be wondering if those kings he had defeated in a surprise attack would now come for him. There are many things that we can run through our minds as we look at our circumstances, and wonder what is next. Knowing what was in Abram's heart, God came to him in a vision and said, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward" (Genesis 15:1).</div><div> We can get so caught up in looking at evidence of temporary blessing, that we miss what God would give us above all else. We look for things, but He would give us Himself. I must grow in the understanding that, when I have Jesus, I have everything that really matters. I really don't need anything else. Anything else He may choose to bless me with is simply gracious gravy. As I come to see Him as my inheritance I can actually enjoy whatever He chooses to give me more fully, because they are put in their proper perspective.</div><div> Have you discovered your true reward?</div><div><br></div><div>Pastor Chris</div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-36620955321148328452014-10-20T09:00:00.001-07:002014-10-20T09:00:48.903-07:00Bearing Fruit<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuDrj-BLpWemBfl-dpqHX3-YgZZVlYig8sR4O0L24UMLGxYkj9uQojneBhB9Y1imt0kA6G6ns5xRgM5CtKZNlXDr4L0GXYztvhO6q6ZSydSEgbAPhsC1BX7-1Hv67mgeN3Z9No2jCIrM/s640/blogger-image-716035605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuDrj-BLpWemBfl-dpqHX3-YgZZVlYig8sR4O0L24UMLGxYkj9uQojneBhB9Y1imt0kA6G6ns5xRgM5CtKZNlXDr4L0GXYztvhO6q6ZSydSEgbAPhsC1BX7-1Hv67mgeN3Z9No2jCIrM/s640/blogger-image-716035605.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">"I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in Him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing... You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." (John 15:5,16)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">From these verses it is obvious that the Lord wants us to bear fruit in our lives. But what is the fruit that He desires that we bear? The most obvious answer comes from Galatians 5:22-23 where we read, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law". We also see that there is the fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11; James 3:18).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">What the branches have to do in order to bear fruit is to continue in relationship with the Vine. Now, this sounds very picturesque but what does it mean for the "average Christian"? Have you had those times in your Christian life where everything just seemed to go wrong? Maybe it got so bad that you were tempted toward unbelief, questioning whether God would ever do anything in your life. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Recently the Lord nailed me for my own unbelief in His desire to work in and through my life. Ministry can begin to wear on you, when you start trying to deal with issues in your own strength. He reminded me of a verse that He used in my life in the late 70's when I was back in college at Flagler College. "Jesus said to her, 'Did I not say to to that if you would believe you would see the glory of God.'" (John 11:40). Belief is that state of resting everything you have on something, or in this case, someone. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">If I am not bearing fruit in my life, it is because I am not abiding. Whether I want to admit it or not, I am functioning with some degree of unbelief. In order to bear fruit I must stay intimately connected to Jesus at all times. If there is a problem, I need to go to Jesus with it. If there is a need, I must go to Jesus with it. If I need wisdom and direction in ministry, I need to go to Jesus with it. If Jesus is really your life, your Vine, then you need to go to Him with everything, all the time (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We see some really crazy things going on in the world these days. The only way that we are going to make it through, and bear fruit at the same time, is to cling to Him and rest in His love for us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Pastor Chris</div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-88556146473886184702013-05-04T12:38:00.001-07:002013-05-04T12:38:13.717-07:00Prayer Point #2Why pray?<br />
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"As for me, I will call upon God, and The Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud and The Lord shall save me" (Psalm 55:16-17).<br />
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Why should a person pray? Prayer is simply the means by which God has chosen to work in our lives and in the world today. It is the way that He has chosen to do business in our lives. When you want to do something with another person, you have to communicate with them. Prayer is communicating with God. God created man in order to have fellowship with him. What an amazing thought, that the Creator of the universe would want to share HIs heart with us and to have us commune with Him (a desire that should be the heartfelt cry of any child of God). This is the starting point, but beyond this there are effects that prayer works for us in our present circumstances.<br />
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1. Prayer is the way that we express our need for salvation to God and receive Jesus as the complete payment for our sins. "But what does it say? 'The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the Word of faith which we preach): That if you confess with your mouth The Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, 'Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For 'whoever calls on the name of The Lord shall be saved'" (Romans 10:8-13).<br />
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2. Each believer faces spiritual warfare. In such a battle that is totally beyond your natural abilities, wouldn't you love to have the assurance of victory? Ephesians 6:10-20 describes our spiritual warfare and the armor with which we must equip ourselves in order to face the battles that we experience. To what battles am I referring? There is a spiritual component to all of the conflicts we face in this life: when your arguments with your spouse tear at your marriage; when your economic situation causes you to question the goodness of God. It is interesting to note that Paul sticks with his armor analogy until he gets to Verse 18. The reason for the change is that he is no longer speaking of the armor, but the battle itself. The battles that we face are won or lost on our knees.<br />
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3. Prayer is the way in which we receive mercy and grace in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Here the writer challenges us to come boldly before the throne of grace on the basis of the work that Jesus completed for us on the cross. This is an incredible thing to realize, that the access to God and His working in our lives is solely on the basis of His totally undeserved favor toward us because we are "in Christ". So, don't waste your time trying to earn it, simply receive it.<br />
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4. Prayer is the way that we can be free of anxiety in a world that is falling apart (Philippians 4:6-7). The way that we stay free of care is to cast all of our cares upon Him because He has loving care for us (1 Peter 5:7).<br />
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5. Prayer is the means that God has set forth for ministry in the world to be accomplished. Toward the end of his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul had a specific request of them: "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the Word of The Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2). Paul wanted the believers to pray so that the Word would be effective as he shared it. If anyone is wondering what they can pray for me, this would be at the top of my list.<br />
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This is not an exhaustive list of reasons to pray, but should be more than adequate to jump-start anyone's prayer life. If in your reading you come across others, feel free to post them here on this blog. God bless you as you grow closer to Jesus.<br />
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Pastor ChrisDeep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-36121375301004443572013-04-25T12:48:00.001-07:002013-04-25T12:48:02.839-07:00Prayer Point #1<br />
"Yet you do not have because you do not ask". (James 4:2b)<br />
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Have you ever wondered why the church seems to be so weak and powerless these days? Even though we have mega churches, Christian TV and radio, Christian books and magazines, websites of every description, evangelistic and missionary organizations, and well published programs and strategies it still seems that we have a very limited impact upon our culture and the world. What is true for the church as a whole is also true for the individual believer. How much of an impact are you having upon the people around you? When we read the biographies of believers in times past, we often see a different story. From the Book of acts to the 20th Century we have seen men that were greatly used by God for His purposes in their time. What is the difference between these men and us?<br />
I believe the answer can be found in these ten simple words, "Yet you do not have because you do not ask". Is it because of our lack of prayer that we so little spiritual power and progress in our walk with Jesus? Have you ever cried out in frustration to The Lord not understanding what the reason is for your sense of spiritual stagnation? Could it be that much of our Christian lives are lived in presumption rather than prayer?<br />
If we were to be honest, we would have to confess that many of us really believe in the effectiveness of prayer. The idea that we receive something from The Lord without our scheming, or having conferences and planning meetings, is totally foreign to our 20th Century minds.<br />
But it was Jesus who said: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8). <br />
In future posts, we will get into the specifics of prayer, but for now let's begin to take prayer seriously and begin to do it. It is the means by which God has determined to do His work in the earth. As Christians we certainly don't want to miss out on everything that God has for us. So, let's begin to pray and see what God will do in our lives, through our individual churches and in the body of Christ as a whole. Go for it!<br />
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<br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEET1_9O7wTyF4F6o4GbyK6eyEk3A528a9bg2tCGKn2IbqOF3057ylGAy86dNGT228Ec-64lmy9oeXfF9ieW1y1XAi7VnSeGgHtzwiq3G-p_wnsQ8vKYebgk-H5EVkhvf45B9Krnhjmg/s640/blogger-image-1642685387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvEET1_9O7wTyF4F6o4GbyK6eyEk3A528a9bg2tCGKn2IbqOF3057ylGAy86dNGT228Ec-64lmy9oeXfF9ieW1y1XAi7VnSeGgHtzwiq3G-p_wnsQ8vKYebgk-H5EVkhvf45B9Krnhjmg/s640/blogger-image-1642685387.jpg" /></a></div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-36454020078335704952013-04-24T14:17:00.001-07:002013-04-24T14:17:40.469-07:00A New Purpose I started this blog about three years ago because I thought it would be a good thing to do.<br />
It made sense to have an added resource with which I could minister to and encourage people in their walks with The Lord. As I have attempted to do this blog I have really fumbled around for a specific purpose. When something would pop into my mind, I would begin to blog about it. Sometimes there was some clear, encouraging thoughts, but several times I would not even complete the draft I started. <br />
Recently I have received a new inspiration and purpose. The Lord has been dealing with me, and teaching me, a great deal about prayer. I would like to share the journey on which The Lord is taking me with as many as would like to come. I certainly do not claim to be an authority on prayer, neither do I claim that the thoughts of which I write are original to myself. I owe a great debt, first of all to The Lord, obviously, but second to that to the encouragement that I have received from men such as George Mueller, R. A. Torrey, and A. W. Tozer. So, if you are sensing this same calling upon your life, I would invite you to join me, not only in studying but also growing in and experiencing the blessing of prayer.<br />
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Pastor ChrisDeep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-15497944466536920022013-01-01T06:21:00.001-08:002013-01-01T06:21:48.534-08:00Keep Your Eyes On The Prize"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you might obtain it." (1 Corinthians 9:24).<br />
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"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected, but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." (Philippians 3:12)<br />
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Pretty much every one of us have made a New Years resolution of one kind or another. Probably the most common is to lose weight or to exercise. Usually these kinds of commitments don't make it through the first week of the year. We find that for some reason it just isn't in us to fulfill the resolution we have made. We simply don't have the strength in ourselves.<br />
While that is the most common problem with resolutions, there is another. There are those, "the few, the proud", who seem to have the intestinal fortitude to achieve the goals that they set for themselves. You might say, "That's great! Isn't that the American way?" The problem is that they have set their goals by themselves and for themselves, and seek to fulfill them in their own strength. <br />
In Daniel 5, we read the story of Belshazzar and the handwriting on the wall. This Babylonian king was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar, who had taken the Jews captive, destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, and brought the articles of the temple to the city of Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up in arrogance, The Lord humbled him so that he became like an animal for seven years "till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses" (Daniel 4:25b). But Belshazzar didn't learn this lesson from his grandfather. Daniel prophesies God's indictment against him: "And you have lifted yourself up against The Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; AND THE GOD WHO HOLDS YOUR BREATH IN HIS HANDS AND OWNS ALL YOUR WAYS, YOU HAVE NOT GLORIFIED". (Daniel 5:23).<br />
The point is that we were created in the image and likeness of God in order that we might have a meaningful relationship with Him, that we don't live our lives apart from Him, but by the power of the Holy Spirit that He freely gives to those who ask (Luke 11:13). We were not designed to live by our own might, or power, but by his Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).<br />
How is it that you plan to live in 2013? Do you plan to set your own goals and strive to fulfill them however you can, or do you plan to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and allow Him to add into your life all the things that you need (Matthew 6:33)? The Lord has a great plan for you this year that involves your good and His glory. Let's not be satisfied with anything less than all that He has for us.<br />
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Pastor ChrisDeep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com1Cape Coral Cape Coral26.648107 -82.019546tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-8920641402552602412012-06-27T11:39:00.001-07:002012-06-27T11:45:32.238-07:00Saving Your Life "Then He said to them all, 'if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?'"<br />
(Luke 9:23-25)<br />
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How much does Jesus mean to you? If you are a Christian you may be insulted that I would even ask such a thing. "Of course He's number one in my life." But saying that Jesus is number one means that there are many other things that get thrown into the equation as well. Do I take care of Jesus in the morning with a quick devotion, and then go on with everything else on your list? Jesus doesn't want to be a part of your life, or even an important part of your life. He wants to be your life. He wants you to look at every area of your life through Him. There is a simple test that you can give yourself to find out where you are with Jesus. Ask yourself the question: "When I have nothing to think about, what am I thinking about?" <br />
Check out Colossians 3:1-4.<br />
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Keep your eyes on Jesus,<br />
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Pastor Chris<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBoxxm71HflTuH40ETJlLVO9RaNuxIuyzWfk3x0agqj4f08rFnMXiOpR3dcnv9Z_M7mu8Tg1RVl4SoJyBko-CvXwLyyNC9t7AX3nyEhx08YNab0kUobcbH1lBlC4av6b0DrSN1aVoQOY/s640/blogger-image--89186805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOBoxxm71HflTuH40ETJlLVO9RaNuxIuyzWfk3x0agqj4f08rFnMXiOpR3dcnv9Z_M7mu8Tg1RVl4SoJyBko-CvXwLyyNC9t7AX3nyEhx08YNab0kUobcbH1lBlC4av6b0DrSN1aVoQOY/s640/blogger-image--89186805.jpg" /></a></div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-78719503356954938262012-05-04T09:54:00.001-07:002012-05-04T09:54:51.712-07:00BlessingsI remember from my days at Columbia International University the words of then president Robertson McQuilken in addressing theological issues, "It is easier to go to either extreme than to stay in the center of biblical tension". This is very true when it comes to the issue of the blessing of God upon a person's life and ministry. On one side are the preachers of prosperity who tell us that it is God's will for each of us to be materialistically well off. On the other side are those who believe that we are more spiritual and earn greater merits if we go through suffering. The biblical balance is that God does fully intend to bless our lives, not necessarily with a lot of material garbage, but with real relationship with Himself. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph 1:3). These blessing are administered and applied by the Holy Spirit. Now, if you have a hard time with the fact that God wants to bless you, realize that there is a broader purpose to it, that you might be a blessing to others.<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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Pastor Chris<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtA4kkVPMdRkAxQ0YUZ7S5sHempS6asC8d_epRy6D6sF5OzqiWnVgFgHXt6er1vUGLlfvoEHWU8TuIaaxXfu-X2i4rysR-Wah-VZfcUAqpbz1Uq9wUSG4FB4434nDHxRpNaQ9NkgTBWw/s640/blogger-image-2142255951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtA4kkVPMdRkAxQ0YUZ7S5sHempS6asC8d_epRy6D6sF5OzqiWnVgFgHXt6er1vUGLlfvoEHWU8TuIaaxXfu-X2i4rysR-Wah-VZfcUAqpbz1Uq9wUSG4FB4434nDHxRpNaQ9NkgTBWw/s640/blogger-image-2142255951.jpg" /></a></div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-76534365088438290452012-04-27T15:30:00.001-07:002012-04-27T15:30:27.602-07:00Great New AppHi Everyone,<br />
Just checking out this new Blogger App that I downloaded today. This should make it much easier to update. <br />
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God Bless,<br />
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Pastor ChrisDeep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-45185404307399488722010-11-11T05:20:00.001-08:002010-11-11T05:20:14.131-08:00Hi Everyone,<br>I just wanted to share how much of a blessing it was to go to St Pete last night to see Pastor Chuck and Love Song. It was great to hear again those songs that I first heard when I was saved back in 1974. It was a special blessing to get to hear and speak with my pastor, Pastor Chuck. But the greatest blessing was that the Lord allowed me to see the work that He is doing in the people of Calvary Chapel Cape Coral. To see your excitement in the Lord, and how you were ministered to by Pastor Chuck was just the greatest blessing.<br>A verse that the Lord ministered to me earlier in my walk was John 11:40, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God". Then you might ask where the glory of God is seen. Paul answers that question in a couple of verses. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ". And also Ephesians 3:21 says, " to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." The glory of God is seen as He works in the lives of His people. God will be glorified in Cape Coral as we each allow Jesus to continually be working in our hearts. Thanks for helping me to see the glory of God.<p>In Jesus,<br>Pastor ChrisDeep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-41161572343324078062010-06-07T06:49:00.001-07:002010-06-07T07:13:33.135-07:00Looking for the Lord to LeadIn Acts 8:26-40 we have the story of how the Lord led Philip, step by step, to share Jesus with the Ethiopian eunuch. As the ministry in Samaria was thriving, an angel shows up and tells him to go south on the road Gaza. Luke points out that this was desert. The question would come to mind, wondering if this could really be God's will. The critical thing to notice is that he is given only the first step, "to go". It isn't until he obeys that he is given the second step, and each of the following steps. He sees the eunuch in his chariot reading, and the Spirit tells him to go run up next to the chariot. It just so happens that the eunuch is reading Isaiah 53. The follows the Great Commission from there as the Ethiopian comes to a relationship with Jesus. Most of us would love be led like Philip was, to have that sense that God is personally directing our lives. The first step is to believe that God does and He will direct us. Then do what you already know to be God's will. Do those things that He calls each of us to do as believers. Decide ahead of time that you are going to obey, even before you know what His will might be. Then you can expect God to lead you.<br /><br />As I write this blog, I am in California at the Pastors' conference. I may be in California, buy my body is still on Florida time. I'm here because the Lord showed me that He wanted me to be by providing for the trip. Because of the flight schedules, I have to fly our here on Sunday, even though the conference doesn't start until Monday at noon. I've come to look forward to seeing how the Lord will direct these Sundays here at the conference center. Last year I sat down at a table with some people and had a conversation that led to the article in the Calvary Chapel Magazine. This year, as I was walking across the parking lot in front of the registration area, a man stands up from a table across from where I was and calls my name. I didn't recognize him at first, but after a second look I realized that it was David Evans from Calvary Chapel Greenwood, SC. I had not seen him in 21 years. CC Greenwood is the church where I was ordained and sent out from. We had a great time of fellowship, renewing the friendship and watching the end of the NBA playoffs at Rosa's Cantina. You just never know what the Lord will do, when you are open to, and looking for, His leading.<br />Pastor ChrisDeep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-28175011404317915972010-05-06T06:28:00.001-07:002010-05-06T06:28:47.399-07:00Beginning at Matthew 16:13 Jesus asks the disciples who people are saying that He is. They gave Him many different opinions, just as people have many different opinions today. But then Jesus makes the question personal, asking who they say that He is. And Peter responds that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The important thing about this opinion was that it didn't come from man but from God. Jesus told Peter that he was blessed because he was receiving information from God, and forming his opinion based upon that. What is the source of your opinions about life and eternity, man or God? <p>Pastor ChrisDeep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-85880097007218505012010-05-04T18:39:00.000-07:002010-05-04T18:53:15.684-07:00Matthew 10-12<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3zzOqAW5mCD3lXKa2fevZrBvZXqT3vkOYMy5vcVgCURYPxjyklFW7OlPUmAk-g70YvCqX0WW9a7E4EnBpbPN0WPJP40hyphenhyphen19Fl9UrpCHRYp4aO-3mW5gkKJZqCdLp3roRcfxYAIoYUSk/s1600/Shadow_outline.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 80px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 63px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467597972525351650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3zzOqAW5mCD3lXKa2fevZrBvZXqT3vkOYMy5vcVgCURYPxjyklFW7OlPUmAk-g70YvCqX0WW9a7E4EnBpbPN0WPJP40hyphenhyphen19Fl9UrpCHRYp4aO-3mW5gkKJZqCdLp3roRcfxYAIoYUSk/s320/Shadow_outline.jpg" /></a> What struck me as I read this passage is the priority that Jesus gave the kingdom of God. He was constantly stressing it with His disciples. He made it clear to them that they were citizens of that kingdom and representatives of it as well. He told them that how people would react them to them was dependant upon their relationship to the King. Both the children of the kingdom of God and the children of this age will be identified by the fruit that is produced from their lives. This would be a good time to evaluate the fruit that we are producing. Are we encouraging people to walk with Jesus or to walk like the world? <div><div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Pastor Chris</div></div></div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-4207754829971168592010-05-02T02:50:00.000-07:002010-05-02T03:31:43.254-07:00Matthew 4-6<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEuiG_LCHxY3ZaHscEl5_umdWOqyFXzXQBZpmzwa0TNQCgse7-g092zWg78GYbxiLkKhAGvwFDJaqjQNKDZUxP9tSvnTbCVClbQQ2cXPiVlpBIPY1m-TQppbEkHCDoyWIS4gDPLqGG-8/s1600/Dove+and+Water.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 185px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 147px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466607988614354354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJEuiG_LCHxY3ZaHscEl5_umdWOqyFXzXQBZpmzwa0TNQCgse7-g092zWg78GYbxiLkKhAGvwFDJaqjQNKDZUxP9tSvnTbCVClbQQ2cXPiVlpBIPY1m-TQppbEkHCDoyWIS4gDPLqGG-8/s320/Dove+and+Water.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Within these chapters we have a portion of the Sermon On The Mount. In this message Jesus is describing what a citizen of the kingdom of God looks like. Much of His description has to do with our possessions and the way we view what life is really about. Are our lives wrapped up in possessions? If they are we will be prone to worry, because possessions come and go. Even the best of things don't last forever. I have a Levi wallet that I bought when I was a teenager in the 70's at the Springfield Mall in northern Virginia. It is made of a sort of sail cloth and it seemed like it would never wear out. It would get dirty and I would just throw it in the washing machine and it would look as good as new. Well, as I took the wallet out of my pocket yesterday I noticed that a hole was beginning to form and the threads were beginning to break. This could be especially traumatic since just a few months ago I finally had to throw out my 35 year old JC Penny work shoes. For those of you that might not know, they were a real fashion statement at the time. Then, I am reminded that, as the Lord said, "one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). And, as Jesus tells us here in this sermon that if we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness He will provide the things that we really need (Matthew 6:33). The worry decreases when we have less of an attachment to this world and more of a connection with God's eternal kingdom and I become more aware of His incredible love for me.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Pastor Chris</div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-80310770411730719352010-04-30T19:10:00.000-07:002010-04-30T20:52:18.241-07:00Matthew 1-3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhum_nb2l_F-0MQcWbefGLpC-uTGSjsxh4hqIQumYqgvnUBnXGZmKLIEMuN7NkTItJDH-T_ARKUsZnsZ7-CMF4cmqjiVGAf4Ce_0BfLA5gpW2qJg8UDNypBe-ag9xhryWCghpUZKuwaEM4/s1600/Calvary+Dove+2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 157px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 137px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466118888773998658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhum_nb2l_F-0MQcWbefGLpC-uTGSjsxh4hqIQumYqgvnUBnXGZmKLIEMuN7NkTItJDH-T_ARKUsZnsZ7-CMF4cmqjiVGAf4Ce_0BfLA5gpW2qJg8UDNypBe-ag9xhryWCghpUZKuwaEM4/s320/Calvary+Dove+2.jpg" /></a><br /><div>As we begin our journey through the New Testament I would just like to share some things that the Lord laid on my heart as I read. But first I want to share some important principles about reading the Word. The Bible is not just another book. There is not another book that can even come close to comparing to it. Every single detail of the Word inspired by God. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that it was literally "God breathed out". And when God writes something He clearly says what He means and means what He says. Don't try to read something into it, but as much as possible take the plain meaning of what you are reading. When you do this you are most likely to discover the meaning that God intended. I've said this to make an important point for us as we read the Scriptures. Where there is basically one meaning, or interpretation of a passage of Scripture, there may be many applications. In other words, the Bible says what it says, but the Lord may apply a basic truth to my life in a personal way that is specific to my circumstances. When I write in this blog what the Lord showed me in the chapters we read it certainly does not mean that what I say is the only thing that anyone should get out of that section of Scripture. The Lord will apply the Word to your heart in a way that is intended for you personally. As long as it does not violate the meaning of the passage it is equally valid as what the Lord shows me. The Father will work through the Spirit in your heart. This is the main way that God communicates with us today. As you sit down to read, simply ask Him to take what you read today and apply it to your heart. Having said all of this let us jump into Matthew 1-3.</div><div>Within this passage we discover the reason that God sent His Son into the world. Matthew 1:21 says that the angel that appeared to Joseph told him to name the Child Jesus, because He would save His people from their sin. God takes sin very seriously. It is sin that separates us from God, preventing us from having a relationship with Him. It is not until that sin is dealt with that we can come into a relationship with Him. How do I deal with the issue of my sin and what God wants to do about it? In this passage two choices are clearly laid out. First, is the choice that was made by King Herod. When he heard that Jesus had come, he saw it as a threat to his position. He knew that both he and Jesus could not be king. So, he sought to destroy Jesus. When the Lord points out a particular sin in my life, how do I respond? Both of us can't be the King of my life. Do I seek to maintain my comfort that I have grown use to? It could very possibly be painful to change. It requires dying to myself (Gal 2:20). This truth is clearly illustrated in marriage. I was one of those people that really wanted to get married, thinking that when I did that virtually all of my problems would be over. I, myself, would then be happy. I didn't have a clue of God's intention for me in marriage. What I discovered was that in order to have a real married relationship I had to die to myself. When there is a problem in my marriage, I have discovered that it is usually an indication of an area of my life that I have not yielded to the Lord and died to my self. And when I thought that I had that down, we had kids and I began to discover a new level of dying to myself. And the more I die to myself the more I become like Jesus.</div><div>The second choice that we see is that laid out by John the Baptist in Chapter Three. That choice is repentance. Repentance is when I agree with God about what He says about my sin. When He points my sin out to me, my response should be to confess it (1 John 1:9) , account the old man dead in Christ (Romans 6:11), and by His strength seek to walk in a way that is consistant with my new life in Christ (Matthew 3:8). As John tells us, Jesus will give us the power of the Holy Spirit to live the life that He has called us to.</div><div>I look forward to hearing from you what the Lord has shown you, or any questions that you may have about the passage.</div><div> </div><div></div><div>Pastor Chris</div><div></div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3722093184544827853.post-59018225025714862632010-04-25T19:16:00.000-07:002010-04-25T19:53:21.489-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3IyeuG2ws0bge8kCLcKrKRjqCPY_xcwNgLrYNHm-Ec_8R26XmJ93QGX52rH1zXVf-QqgNVfeR1m9kIBjso248KrtrTqweEzCGKzOzhyphenhyphentH6QwqICXCVRm8bLzNQYIVvY2PCBwgRcmFko/s1600/Dove_blue_wave.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 98px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 58px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464270501664236578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ3IyeuG2ws0bge8kCLcKrKRjqCPY_xcwNgLrYNHm-Ec_8R26XmJ93QGX52rH1zXVf-QqgNVfeR1m9kIBjso248KrtrTqweEzCGKzOzhyphenhyphentH6QwqICXCVRm8bLzNQYIVvY2PCBwgRcmFko/s320/Dove_blue_wave.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0k_LLz2BT6_dSACYG1OKvl9qax6enkP6SbeLk8hSN6mhp6n3hsMLI_D2ek1IIhBKZhyx5uyztVS3I5nkqJ90oYDqGQ6hQ_UZ3CyBy0V_ZgXV9FnO7MjGibn2OHwLszKSbRRG2sPG4SxY/s1600/Dove+and+Water.jpg"></a>This is my first post as we look forward to taking 90 days to read through the New Testament beginning May 1st. I'm sure that each person that will take this journey with us will be blessed. First, and foremost, you will be blessed as you grow closer to Jesus through His Word. Second, because we know that the Word of God does not return void you will find it having an impact on your life, conforming you into the image of Jesus. So, open your heart and your Bible and let's get started.<br /><br />Pastor Chris</div>Deep In The Wordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16426629700740278395noreply@blogger.com1