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Discussion Questions Sermon Overview: The main idea of this week's sermon was: We need God's power to understand God's love so that we might glorify God by being fully mature Digging Deeper:   1. As part of Paul's ministry to the church in Ephesus, he prays for them. Prayer for others is ministry. Do you agree or disagree?  Please explain / support your answer. Why do you think we can sometimes feel as though the “real work” of ministry is something other than praying for people?  2. We know that we can boldly go to God with confidence (cf. 3:12). Paul models this boldness and confidence in his prayer. For us, what might approaching the throne of grace with “boldness” look like?  What sort of “bold” prayers might your Father in heaven delight to hear from you (that you are not bringing to him at this time)?   3. One of Paul's requests to God for these believers is that they would be "strengthened with power through his Spirit in (their) inner being”  (See Rom 7:22 and 2 Cor. 4:16 for just a couple of reasons why we need to be strengthened daily with God's power in our inner being.). What might this look like?  Is this something you pray for yourself and for those around you?  Why or why not?  What might be the effect of making this prayer a regular habit? 4. Paul's desire is for Christ's (continual, ongoing) presence in the hearts of these believers, through faith (3:17a). How should we understand the relationship between trusting Christ and his presence in our lives?    5. Paul's prayer to God is that he would enable the Ephesian believers to grasp the love of Christ for them. Look back over Ephesians 1:1-3:13.  Where / how is God's love for us revealed?   6. How is the love of God for us most clearly revealed in and through the Gospel (cf. Rom. 5:8, Jn 3:16)? 7. One of the effects, according to 3:19b, of grasping the love of Christ is that we will be “filled with all the fullness of God.”  How did the sermon help us understand what is meant here?  Have you seen this connection in your own life (or in the lives of those around you), between grasping / internalizing God's love and growing in maturity?   Please share. 8. In v. 20, we are reminded that our God (the one to whom we pray), is "able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think.”  How might keeping this in mind (and believing it with all our hearts), affect the way we pray? 9. Is there something in your life currently that feels (if you are honest), too big for God?  What might it look like for you to pray more earnestly and more regularly about this issue (and invite others to do the same)?  Prayer:

Acts 3 Sermon Notes:1) A Man who Received Grace not Gold | 1-10 2) A Group who Received Guilt They Deserved | 11-16 3) A Chance to Receive Restoration from Sin | 17-21 4) A Group who Received Grace not Guilt | 22-26 Reflection questions:1. Can we do for others what Peter did for the nameless lame man? Can we follow Galatians 6:10? What is the significance of the following phrases in that verse: “as we have opportunity … everyone … especially to those who are of the household of faith.” 2. How responsible are you for the death of Jesus? (See vv.13-16 and notice all of the you's.) How responsible was Jesus for your salvation, your deliverance from death? See 2 Cor. 5:21; Acts 3:19-20. 3. Would you describe repentance as a decisive turning from sin to salvation in Christ (see 2 Cor. 7:10)? Would you also acknowledge that repentance is followed by a greater awareness of sin, and a greater realization of our need to fight against sin daily? See Rom. 6:15-19; 7:7-25.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas' website.1:1—the 12 Tribes = Christians (see Gal 6:16), probably from a Jewish background.If James is like Ephesians (a circular letter) then it's possible the original letter or material was adapted after James's death for a broader Jewish-Christian audience (in the diaspora).The nature of James: A letter? A sermon? A collection or compendium? Or Wisdom Literature?Date: Could be as early as 45 AD, but in 50s and 60s the social unrest suggested by the later chapters of James is a better fit.1:2ff—Trials are God's plan for growth. See Rom 5:3-4 and Romans 8 for parallel material.Sometimes we need wisdom to cope with our trials. God generously provides! More about wisdom in chapter 3.There's a connection between unhealthy doubt and joy. Double-mindedness is draining—making it harder to experience joy. Consider also the rabbinic comment on Deut 26:16: “When you make your prayer to God, do not have two hearts, one for God and one for something else” (Ta'an 23b). .In the next reflection, we will learn about James as a person, and explore James 1:9-12, "Pride vs. Humility."

Here is an incident recorded in Matthew 14 where Jesus walked on water to go to His disciples in the middle of the sea. We know from Job 9:7-8 that the LORD treads on the waves, and so this incident confirms the deity of Christ. This is made doubly clear with Jesus' words to His disciples, “Be of good cheer! IT IS I; do not be afraid!” We don't catch that in the English as well as would have if we saw it in the Greek text. There in the Greek we would read ἐγώ εἰμι which are two ways of writing, “I AM”, which means that Jesus was saying, “I AM I AM“. Again, that might not seem important to some, but once you realise that this is how the LORD responded to Moses, when Moses asked, “What is Your name, in case I'm asked?” And the LORD told Him, “I AM who I AM” or “I AM that I AM“, which through the LXX or Septuagint (Greek Translation of the Old Testament), is also translated “ἐγώ εἰμι“, which means that Jesus was making a clear reference to Himself as the I AM or  The LORD! No wonder the disciples came an worshipped Him! (Matt.14:33).It is Jesus who saw the disciples making no progress in the middle of the sea, and it was He who was praying and who always prays and intercedes for us (See John 17:9; Rom.8:34; Heb.7:25). One of the great takeaways from this story is how that the moment we begin to sink, we need to call upon the name of the LORD. Not only does this apply to all the circumstances of life, but also to our salvation (See Rom.10:8-13). As the song goes, “I was sinking deep in sin, far from that peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more. But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me,... Read More The post Matthew 14 Pt.3 – Walking On Water! appeared first on Living Rock Church.

Disciple Up #252 Character Over Charisma, Godliness Over Giftedness By Louie Marsh, 3-30-2022   Article that sparked these thoughts:   https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/march-web-only/hillsong-brian-houston-australia-look-for-character.html   Other Articles:   https://preachitteachit.org/articles/detail/character-wins-over-charisma/   The Real Point:   What I find disappointing are the explanations for Houston's actions. While medication can adversely affect a person's mental state, it is never a justification for inappropriate behavior. These excuses ring hollow, especially for victims of sexual harassment.   One obvious issue, rightly noted by the Hillsong board, is that “Hillsong's governance model has historically placed significant control in the hands of the senior pastor.” Freighting one person with authority is not indicative of a healthy leadership culture. We would do well, then, to reflect on which model of church governance and which style of leadership are more conducive to transparency and accountability.   As biblical scholar Andy Judd suggests, we should always ask, “Where is power distributed? how are decisions made and reviewed? and what happens next when a leader is forced to move on?”   But more important than leadership structures is a person's character. The biblical qualifications for a pastor don't rely on clicks, downloads, book sales, revenue, conference circuits, the number of bums in pews, or how many celebrities attend your church.   Instead, they require a pastor to be “above reapproach” and “self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money” (1 Tim. 3:2–3). Jesus taught that “the greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Matt 23:11–12).   During my time in seminary, I joined a wonderful Bible-believing church, and when I was being considered for a place as a pastoral intern, I met with one of the pastors. Having known me only for a little while, he was optimistic about my potential but wisely cautious about my character.   He said, “I know you're gifted, but I don't know if you're godly.” Those words have stuck with me ever since.   There is a difference—a big one—between being gifted and being godly. It's the difference between the show you can put on and what desires you harbor in your heart, between what you do on stage and what you do when you think nobody is watching you.   The events surrounding Houston are a reminder that the evangelical world needs leaders who demonstrate Christlike character, not simply public confidence; who grow disciples, not groom sycophants; who see themselves as naked before Christ, not robed in the prestige of their platforms. We need leaders who know that when success becomes an idol, cover-ups become a sacrament.   A Word From Our Sponsor:   “1The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.” (1 Timothy 3:1–7, ESV)   “11The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:11–12, ESV)   Character Counts and it trumps charisma and giftedness.   New Testament leaders are chosen for character and how they deal with family, not business and skill tests ratings.   In the end what else is a leader but someone who's character shines bright and causes others to follow them.   New Testament leadership is all about Servant Leadership. This too takes character.  Story of Crazy Horses' father taking a new, humble name when he gave his name - Crazy Horse – to his now famous son.   What qualities do we need in a Pastor or leader?   Paul laid that all out in Timothy. They need to be godly, self-controlled, humble and service oriented. Someone who knows how to lead, discipline and love all at the same time. They must be spiritually mature – which means being knowledgeable and active in applying that knowledge to their own lives first and other people's lives second.   Beyond all that they must have a good reputation among non-Christians! Now why on earth would that be needed in church leaders? Paul says so that he won't fall into disgrace or a snare of the devil.   The words, “good report,” are marturian kalēn (μαρτυριαν καλην), “an excellent testimony.” “Those without” refers to the non-Christian world in the midst of which the saints live. Expositors says: “In the passage before us, indeed, St. Paul may be understood to imply that the opinion of ‘those without' might usefully balance or correct that of the Church. There is something blameworthy in a man's character if the consensus of outside opinion be unfavorable to him; no matter how much he may be admired and respected by his own party.… One cannot safely assume, when we are in antagonism to it, that, because we are Christians, we are absolutely in the right and the world wholly wrong. Thus to defy public opinion in a superior spirit may not only bring discredit (reproach) on one's self and on the Church, but also catch us in the devil's snare, namely, a supposition that because the world condemns a certain course of action, the action is therefore right and the world's verdict may be safely set aside.” - Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: For the English Reader, vol. 7 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997), 58–59.   There are, of course, two sides to this matter. Reproach (ὀνειδισμον [oneidismon]). Late word from ὀνειδιζω [oneidizō]. See Rom. 15:3. The snare of the devil (παγιδα του διαβολου [pagida tou diabolou]). Here subjective genitive, snare set by the devil. Παγις [Pagis], old word from πηγνυμι [pēgnumi], to make fast. So a snare for birds (Luke 21:35), any sudden trap (Rom. 11:9), of sin (1 Tim. 6:9), of the devil (1 Tim. 3:7; 2 Tim. 2:26). Ancients used it of the snares of love. The devil sets special snares for preachers (conceit verse 6, money 6:9, women, ambition). -A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), 1 Ti 3:7.

Whatever circumstances that we face in life as a Christian, we can be confident because “we know” that all thingswork together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (See Rom.8:28). Today we briefly considered the life of Joseph and how although his own brothers plotted evil against him, God was at the same time meaning or planning it for good (See Gen.50:20). Later we saw that the events that unfolded in the Life and Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ were what He had foretold, and were also fulfilling ‘the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God‘ (See Acts 2:22-24), which was ‘what God's hand and purpose determined before to be done‘ (See Acts 4:23-31). This was no accident. Joseph's life was no accident. You're life as a believer is no accident. God is Sovereignly in control of every circumstance. As the great theologian R.C. Sproul would often say, “There is not a single maverick molecule in the universe that outside of God's Sovereign control!” Therefore we can have confidence in prayer and be believing that God is working all things out in order to fulfil His purpose. We need to fit into God's purpose in order to find our purpose. To watch this sermon in its video format, click on this link to Youtube! The post All Things Working Together For God's Purposes! appeared first on Living Rock Church.

Law Within the Covenant(Deut. 10:12, 13)What are your first thoughts when you think of law? Police officers,traffic tickets, judges, and jail? Or do you think of restrictions, rules,authoritarian parents, and punishment? Or, perhaps, do you think oforder, harmony, stability? Or maybe even . . . love?The Hebrew word Torah, translated as “law” in our Bibles, means“teaching” or “instruction.” The term can be used to refer to all God’sinstructions, whether moral, civil, social, or religious. It implies all thewise counsels God has graciously given His people, so they may expe-rience an abundant life both physically and spiritually. No wonder thepsalmist could call the man blessed whose “delight is in the law of theLord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Ps. 1:2).As we read the law, or Torah—the instructions and teachings recordedin the books of Moses that became a part of Israel’s covenant—we areimpressed with the wide range of instruction. The law touches uponevery part of Israel’s lifestyle—agriculture, civil government, socialrelationships, and worship.Why do you suppose God provided so much instruction for Israel? (SeeDeut. 10:13.) In what ways were these instructions for their “good”?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________The work of the “law” within the covenant was to provide guidelinesto the new life of the human covenant partner. The law introduces themember of the covenant to the will of God, whom one comes to knowin the fullest sense through obedience by faith to His commandmentsand other expressions of His will.The part played by the law within the living reality of the covenantrelationship showed that Israel could not follow the ways of othernations. They could not live by natural law, human needs, desires,or even social, political, and economic necessities alone. They couldcontinue as God’s holy nation, priestly kingdom, and special treasureonly through uncompromising obedience to the revealed will of thecovenant-making God in all areas of life.Like ancient Israel, Seventh-day Adventists have received a widerange of counsels pertaining to every phase of Christian liv-ing through a modern manifestation of the prophetic gift. Whyshould we view these counsels as a gift from God rather than adetriment to independent thought and action? At the same time,what dangers do we face of turning that gift into something legal-istic, as the Israelites did with their gifts? (See Rom. 9:32.)

Who Is Forgiven?(Isa. 59:15–21)Isaiah 59 presents a startling picture of the problem of sin.Fortunately, the Bible also presents the hope of Redemption.To begin, the first question is, How many of us have sinned? TheBible is unequivocal: all of us have. Redemption, therefore, cannot bebased on lack of sin; it must be based on forgiveness (Jer. 31:34). Paulagrees. All have sinned (Rom. 3:9–20, 23); so, there can be no distinc-tion on that basis (Rom. 3:22). Those who are justified can be judged asjust, only because they receive by faith the gift of God’s righteousnessthrough the sacrifice of Christ.Read Romans 3:21–24. What are these verses telling us about how weare saved? What hope should they give us in the judgment?_____________________________________________________Most people think the question in the judgment is: Who has sinned?But that is not a question that needs to be asked, because everyone hassinned. Instead, the question is: Who is forgiven? God is just whenHe justifies “the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26, NRSV). Thedeciding factor in the judgment is, Who has received and continues toreceive forgiveness by having faith in Jesus?Now, it is true we are judged by works—but not in the sense thatworks save us. If so, then faith is made void (Rom. 4:14). Instead, ourworks reveal whether we truly have been saved (James 2:18).Why can’t works save us, either now or in the judgment? (See Rom.3:20, 23.)_____________________________________________________It is too late for good works, or obedience to the law, to redeemanyone. The purpose of the law in a sinful world isn’t to save butto point out sin. Instead, “faith working through love” (Gal. 5:6,NRSV), love that is poured into the heart by God’s Spirit (Rom. 5:5),demonstrates that a person has living faith in Jesus (see also James2:26).Works are an outward expression, the human manifestation of asaving faith. Hence, a true Christian experience is one in which faithis expressed in a daily commitment to the Lord that is revealed byobedience to the law. In the judgment, God uses works as evidence forHis creatures, who cannot read thoughts of faith as He can. But for theconverted person, only works following conversion, when the life isempowered by Christ and the Holy Spirit, are relevant in the judgment.The preconversion life of sin has already been washed away by theblood of the Lamb (see Romans 6).

Powerful warefare declarations from the congragation and a good Word from Apostle Dayna. Jesus’ Glorious Transfiguration 17 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, Jacob[a] and John, and hiked up a high mountain to be alone. 2 Then Jesus’ appearance was dramatically altered. A radiant light as bright as the sun poured from his face. And his clothing became luminescent—dazzling like lightning.[b] He was trans-figured[c] before their very eyes. 3 Then suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared,[d] and they spoke with Jesus. 4 Peter blurted out, “Lord, it’s so wonderful that we are all here together! If you want, I’ll construct three shrines,[e] one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”[f] 5 But while Peter was still speaking, a radiant cloud composed of light spread over them, enveloping them all.[g] And God’s voice suddenly spoke from the cloud, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son, the constant focus of my delight.[h] Listen to him!”[i] Footnotes Matthew 17:1 Or “James.” Translations of the Bible have substituted Jacob with James. Both Greek and Aramaic leave the Hebrew name as it is, Jacob. This translation will use Jacob throughout. Matthew 17:2 Or “white as light.” Matthew 17:2 Moses also went up Sinai’s mountain and received an impartation of glory. His face shone and had to be veiled. The transfiguration of Jesus is also part of our destiny, for the same Greek word is used twice for believers being transfigured by the renewing of our minds and by the glory of Christ within us that will complete our transformation into Christ’s image. See Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18. Matthew 17:3 Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets. Both Moses and Elijah were associated with Mount Sinai (Horeb), both had a ministry of performing astounding miracles, and both had unusual circumstances surrounding their passing from this life into glory. Matthew 17:4 Or “tabernacles,” which speaks of the booths made to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Matthew 17:4 The Hebrew Matthew adds this line: “because he [Peter] did not know what he was saying.” Matthew 17:5 See Acts 5:15. The Greek word translated “overshadow” is episkiazo, which is used exclusively for the power of the Almighty “overshadowing,” such as Mary, who conceived a child supernaturally by God. See also Mark 9:7; Luke 1:35. This was not a natural shadow created by the light of the sun, but the supernatural overshadowing of God’s power. Jesus will appear again in these clouds of glory. See Matt. 16:27; 24:30; 26:64. Matthew 17:5 Or “He is the one on whom my favor rests.” Matthew 17:5 Or “You must constantly listen to him.” See Ps. 2:7; Isa. 42:1.

Powerful warefare declarations from the congragation and a good Word from Apostle Dayna. Jesus' Glorious Transfiguration 17 Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, Jacob[a] and John, and hiked up a high mountain to be alone. 2 Then Jesus' appearance was dramatically altered. A radiant light as bright as the sun poured from his face. And his clothing became luminescent—dazzling like lightning.[b] He was trans-figured[c] before their very eyes. 3 Then suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared,[d] and they spoke with Jesus. 4 Peter blurted out, “Lord, it's so wonderful that we are all here together! If you want, I'll construct three shrines,[e] one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”[f] 5 But while Peter was still speaking, a radiant cloud composed of light spread over them, enveloping them all.[g] And God's voice suddenly spoke from the cloud, saying, “This is my dearly loved Son, the constant focus of my delight.[h] Listen to him!”[i] Footnotes Matthew 17:1 Or “James.” Translations of the Bible have substituted Jacob with James. Both Greek and Aramaic leave the Hebrew name as it is, Jacob. This translation will use Jacob throughout. Matthew 17:2 Or “white as light.” Matthew 17:2 Moses also went up Sinai's mountain and received an impartation of glory. His face shone and had to be veiled. The transfiguration of Jesus is also part of our destiny, for the same Greek word is used twice for believers being transfigured by the renewing of our minds and by the glory of Christ within us that will complete our transformation into Christ's image. See Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18. Matthew 17:3 Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets. Both Moses and Elijah were associated with Mount Sinai (Horeb), both had a ministry of performing astounding miracles, and both had unusual circumstances surrounding their passing from this life into glory. Matthew 17:4 Or “tabernacles,” which speaks of the booths made to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Matthew 17:4 The Hebrew Matthew adds this line: “because he [Peter] did not know what he was saying.” Matthew 17:5 See Acts 5:15. The Greek word translated “overshadow” is episkiazo, which is used exclusively for the power of the Almighty “overshadowing,” such as Mary, who conceived a child supernaturally by God. See also Mark 9:7; Luke 1:35. This was not a natural shadow created by the light of the sun, but the supernatural overshadowing of God's power. Jesus will appear again in these clouds of glory. See Matt. 16:27; 24:30; 26:64. Matthew 17:5 Or “He is the one on whom my favor rests.” Matthew 17:5 Or “You must constantly listen to him.” See Ps. 2:7; Isa. 42:1.

James 1:19 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.  21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. James has told us in verses 1:1-12 that he is a willing slave to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He has told us that we will fall into trials and that we should count it all joy because of the reasons for trials, the results of our trials, that we can count on God in our trials and when we have overcome trials, we will receive eternal life. Because if we depend on God in trials he will sustain us and we will not only make it through the trials but also be better people because of them. Instead of being VICTIMS, we can become VICTORS In verses 13-18 he tells us that God allows trials and Satan causes temptation, but when we are drawn away by our own desires, it causes sin and sin causes physical death. James says that God is creator and giver of every good thing and that God never changes. God saved us by his word as a promise of the future glory we will have in the new heaven and new earth. Based on these wonderful things, James says how then ought we to live our lives if we are Christians! 1:17-18. The solution for temptation is to be found in a close relationship with the Father and a constant response to His Word. One must rest in the unchangeable Lord of light and rely on His life-giving “Word of truth” (cf. Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:15).[1]. In stark contrast with the morbid scene of death that descends from unbridled lust is the bright scene of new life that emanates from the Word of truth (v. 18; of Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5). The father of darkness—Satan (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13)—generates the offspring of sin and death. The Father of the heavenly lights (i.e., God, who created the starry universe) gives salvation and life and is unchanging. [1] V18 - Ac 17:28 "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' What do I have - v17-18, What do I need - v19-20, and how do I get there - v21-27 It is implanted; divinely given, in contrast with something acquired by study-Compare Matt. 13:19, “the word of the kingdom — sown in his heart.” Grafted or graffed is expressed by a peculiar word, employed by Paul only, ἐγκεντορίζω, from κέντρον, a sharp point, thus emphasizing the fact of the incision required in grafting. See Rom. 11:17, 19, 23, 24.[1] V-19 So then my beloved brethren Be Disciplined v19-21 Go back to verse 4- let patience have it's perfect work Be patient not letting passions control you An angry and hasty spirit is soon provoked to wrong things be ready to hear and consider what God's word teaches We should be swift to hear reason and truth on all sides, and be slow to speak any thing that should prevent this: and, when we do speak, there should be nothing of wrath; for a soft answer turns away wrath.  We need to learn to be more disciplined and we will if we belong to Jesus Christ v-19 Let everyone be swift to hear They did not have the whole word of God written down like we do today, where it is available to everyone. It was not until the 14th century John Wycliffe in England had the whole Bible translated into English for the common man, but copies were still made by hand. Then Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440 so that Bibles were able to be mass produced for the common man to have and read for the first time in 1456. It was actually declared illegal by the council of Toulouse in 1229 AD for anyone but a church leader to have a copy of the Bible. We need to be swift to Hear the word of truth and apply it to our lives 1 Peter 2:1 Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. "Whereas men often pretend zeal for God and his glory, in their heat and passion, let them know that God needs not the passions of any man; his cause is better served by mildness and meekness than by wrath and fury." Solomon says, The words of the wise are heard in quiet, more than the cry of him that rules among fools, Ec 9:17. What God says about trials and temptations.. don't blame him James1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. In relationship to Christian disputes Open our hearts and our ears to hear what God says to us Slow to speak..Hear others out, meditate on the word before you decide that you know everything the word says Pr 10:19; 14:7; 16:32; 17:27; Ec 5:1-2; 7:9 Mark 4 soils, had no root in themselves – Implanted word Slow to wrath Don't get angry with others when they treat you bad, admonish you or especially when they preach the word. They are only speaking what God has laid on their heart and what is in the bible Luke 4:28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29 and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Don't get angry with God V20 For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. "Give room for the wrath" of God instead of taking vengeance in your own hands. V21. What to lay aside, and what to receive Lay aside all filthiness (pride, vanity, wrath, and evil speaking) and overflow of wickedness (malice is ill will towards someone or the desire to injure them) malicious disposition toward one's neighbor. filthiness speaks of taking off a filthy garment metaphor of removing clothing as in Ro 13:12; Col 3:8; Eph 4:22,25; 1Pe 2:1 We are called upon to suppress other corrupt affections, as well as rash anger: Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, Jas 1:21. The word here translated filthiness signifies those lusts which have the greatest wickedness and sensuality in them; and the words rendered superfluity of naughtiness may be understood of the overflowings of malice or any other spiritual wickedness. Hereby we are taught, as Christians, to watch against, and lay aside, not only those more gross and fleshly dispositions and affections which denominate a person filthy, but all the disorders of a corrupt heart, which would prejudice it against the word and ways of God. Observe, Sin is a defiling thing; it is called filthiness itself. There is abundance of that which is evil in us, to be watched against; there is superfluity of naughtiness. It is not enough to restrain evil affections, but they must be cast from us, or laid apart. Isa 30:22, Thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say, Get you hence. This must extend not only to outward sins, and greater abominations, but to all sin of thought and affection as well as speech and practice; --all filthiness, every thing that is corrupt and sinful. Observe, from the foregoing parts of this chapter, the laying aside of all filthiness is what a time of temptation and affliction calls for, and is necessary to the avoiding of error, and the right receiving and improving of the word of truth: for, Receive or welcome with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls We need to be meek and mild Psalms 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. Mt 15:13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Which is able to save (τὸν δυνάμενον σῶσαι) Compare Rom. 1:16, “the power of God unto salvation.”[1] Be Doers (22-25) Rather, "But keep on becoming v22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only Jas 4:11 Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 1Jo 3:7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. Ro 2:13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified Otherwise you deceive yourselves Our Faith is shown by how we treat others An unknown author captured eloquently the way in which we so religiously fall short of Christ's demand of service for others: I was hungry and you formed a humanities club and discussed my hunger. I was imprisoned and you crept off quietly to your chapel and prayed for my release. I was naked and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance. I was sick and you knelt and thanked God for your health. I was homeless and you preached to me of the spiritual shelter of the love of God. I was lonely and you left me alone to pray for me. You seem so holy, so close to God. But I'm still very hungry and lonely and cold. Mark 8:36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?    John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Have you trusted Him as your Savior? He can Save you if You ask Him based on His death, burial, and resurrection for your sins. Believe in Him for forgiveness of your sins today. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  -John 8:32 Our mission is to spread the gospel and to go to the least of these with the life-changing message of Jesus Christ; We reach out to those the World has forgotten.  hisloveministries.podbean.com #HLMSocial hisloveministries.net https://www.instagram.com/hisloveministries1/?hl=en Don't go for all the gusto you can get, go for all the God (Jesus Christ) you can get. The gusto will get you, Jesus can save you. https://www.facebook.com/His-Love-Ministries-246606668725869/?tn-str=k*F The world is trying to solve earthly problems that can only be solved with heavenly solutions  

Sermon Notes Hope Givers - Acts 17:16-34 Paul entered Athens to share the hope of the gospel and was greatly disturbed by all of the idols he saw Acts 17:16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens.. Paul prepared his heart and mind to be a hope-giver. 1. Hope-givers actively prepare as they wait Seeds are isolated and not visible, but they actively grow and deepen roots. 2. Hope-Givers refocus their minds on Christ The culture of Athens had much to distract from the truth. Acts 17:17-21 Epicureans lived on the feeling level (pursing pleasure and comfort - Like Chris Farley who lived to party). Stoics lived on the thinking level (pursuing logic, knowledge, rationalism like Mr. Spock). Both worldviews rejected dependence on God. They loved to learn and debate any new ideas. Paul offered them the good news. What consumes our mind, controls our life. The quality of our lives will never exceed the quality of our thoughts. 3. Hope-givers Share the Good News of Jesus Christ Appeal to their Interests 17:22-23 Appeal to their Creator Acts 17:24-25, Rom 1:19-20 Appeal to their need for Purpose -Acts 17:25-28 Appeal to their Conscience Acts 17:29 How did Paul use the Law of God to appeal to their consciences? See Rom 2:15 The end goal was to lead them to repentance away from sin and to Christ. Acts 17:18 Appeal to their longing for Justice - Acts 17:31 Some rejected this gift while others accepted it - 17:33 Q: How can we be more effective hope-givers this next week?

Message #320 "The Responses to the Gospel, Part II" - Acts 13:44-52 Sunday, April 22 2018 Here in the closing verses of Acts 13, we examine the rejection of the gospel by those with whom Paul and Barnabas shared Christ. We ask how should we respond when the word of God is rejected? When people reject the gospel, how do we stay encouraged? Opposition to the things of God that springs forth from envy - Matt 27:18; Mark 15:10; John 12:19 Responding to those who reject the gospel - Luke 6:22-23; Matt 5:11-12; We should expect to suffer for the name of Jesus - Acts 9:16; Acts 5:40-42 And yet as we abide in Christ (John 15), even when the gospel is rejected we can bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) Staying encouraged when the gospel we live and share with others is rejected, is the fruit of being rooted in Christ and having His word define our expectations and interpret our experiences. See Rom 5:1-5; 2 Cor 8:1-5; 1 Thes 1:6-10 We can be encouraged because we know the purpose of God in allowing rejection and trials. See 1 Peter 1:1-9; 1 Peter 4:12-19 Related verses: 2 Peter 3:18 Psalm 42:2 Mark 4:15 1 Peter 2:2 Deuteronomy 8:3 Matt 4:4 Luke 4:4 Calvary Chapel Reston Station 1950 Isaac Newton Sq. Reston, VA 20195 (703) 834-8100 http://www.calvaryreston.org/

Message #320 "The Responses to the Gospel, Part II" - Acts 13:44-52 Sunday, April 22 2018 Here in the closing verses of Acts 13, we examine the rejection of the gospel by those with whom Paul and Barnabas shared Christ. We ask how should we respond when the word of God is rejected? When people reject the gospel, how do we stay encouraged? Opposition to the things of God that springs forth from envy - Matt 27:18; Mark 15:10; John 12:19 Responding to those who reject the gospel - Luke 6:22-23; Matt 5:11-12; We should expect to suffer for the name of Jesus - Acts 9:16; Acts 5:40-42 And yet as we abide in Christ (John 15), even when the gospel is rejected we can bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) Staying encouraged when the gospel we live and share with others is rejected, is the fruit of being rooted in Christ and having His word define our expectations and interpret our experiences. See Rom 5:1-5; 2 Cor 8:1-5; 1 Thes 1:6-10 We can be encouraged because we know the purpose of God in allowing rejection and trials. See 1 Peter 1:1-9; 1 Peter 4:12-19 Related verses: 2 Peter 3:18 Psalm 42:2 Mark 4:15 1 Peter 2:2 Deuteronomy 8:3 Matt 4:4 Luke 4:4 Calvary Chapel Reston Station 1950 Isaac Newton Sq. Reston, VA 20195 (703) 834-8100 http://www.calvaryreston.org/

FOUNDATIONAL FRAMEWORK. PART 32Foundational Truths: The Bible is God’s self-revelation.God is the Eternal, Sovereign Creator; all that He creates is good.Man is a responsible agent, held to a moral standard.Sin originates within a person, separating us from God.God declares one righteous by faith alone, apart from works.Between the death of the firstborn and the meeting with YHWH at Sanai, the Israelites were found complaining against YHWH on four separate occasions (Exod 14:11-12; 15:24; 16:2; 17:2). In each instance, we do not find any divine chastening meted out by YHWH. While He does express His exasperation with the unbelief of the people (Exod 16:28), in each instance careful instructions and provisions are given, tenderly caring for these recently-freed slaves. Having been under oppression for so long, a concept like trusting in a God who they did not have a tangible image of was an extreme contrast, to say the least. Where would their next meal come from? What would they drink? How would their clothes and sandals possibly hold up in the wilderness climate? Marching into their freedom was scary, but YHWH holds their hand, teaching them that He can be trusted. He is their Father; they are His Son (Exod 4:22).Exodus 19:1-17. Three months had passed and the Israelites had come to the mountain where YHWH had initially called Moses (Exod 3:12). The salvation/deliverance of the people initiates their relationship with YHWH, bringing them to a place where they can live in a covenant relationship with Him. This calling was unlike any among the nations.“Yahweh confirmed his work of redeeming his vassal people from the overlordship of Egypt by making them his own servants, ‘a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’ (Exod 19:6). Their role thenceforth would be to mediate or intercede as priests between the holy God and the wayward nations of the world, with the end in view not only of declaring his salvation but also of providing the human channel in and through whom this salvation would be effected.”[1]This covenant proposal is extended to the leadership of Israel who obviously confer with the people, reaching an affirmative agreement (19:4-8). What is important to note is that their agreement to the covenant is not based upon the terms of the covenant. That would not come until Exodus 20-23. The agreement of Israel in the covenant was based off of the salvation/deliverance of YHWH and the constant provision that He had for them while traveling to the Sinai/ Mount Horeb region.Having agreed to enter into the terms of this contract, YHWH calls for the people to prepare themselves for His presence: YHWH will speak with the people personally (19:9). To prepare themselves, there is a call to “consecrate” themselves, wash their garments (19:10, 14), and to abstain from sexual relations (19:15). On the third day, YHWH would meet them!While we are not told what the consecration of oneself consisted of, we do know that the ideas surrounding it are holiness and purity, especially in light of their appointment with YHWH (19:11). Washing one’s garments speaks to cleanliness, of which we can all easily understand, but consecration itself and abstaining from sex seems odd. The overall “calling out” of Israel to separate themselves from Egypt (which is a type of the world system) signifies their special relationship with YHWH. Now YHWH was preparing them for intimacy and fellowship with Him.Dispensation of the Law. The Law was never a means of salvation, for to do so would be to make salvation by works and not as it always has been, and as YHWH had previously revealed it to be, by grace through faith (Gen 15:6). Instead, “Israel was to participate in God’s mission by calling the world’s attention to God’s goodness and righteousness through their obedience (Deut 4:1-8).”[2] YHWH is a missional God and His election of Israel is not any different, seeing that He has called them to a missional task. Ideally, Israel was to walk in fellowship/obedience to the Law, for in doing so, they would be a witness, modeling the intimacy that could be experienced with YHWH. This opportunity became severely compromised when Israel made a covenant with the people whodwelled in Gibeon known as the Hivites when they had been commanded to “utterly destroy” everything (Josh 9:1-21; Deut 7:1-2).The “Type” Involved with Israel and the Exodus. The historical events recorded in Exodus are a visual lesson that teaches on the Christian life. By applying the blood of the lamb, death passes over the Israelite (Exod 12:13). This signifies the moment in which a person hears the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb (1 Cor 5:7), and believes it, being rescued from death and transferred into eternal life (John 5:24). In this “newborn” period, there is a testing of boundaries, and a worldly tendency to complain and grumble regarding one’s basic needs (Exod 14:11-12; 15:24; 16:2; 17:2). As with any loving Father, the infant believer is provided and cared for by YHWH. When the instruction for righteous living comes, the opportunity for living the “abundant life” (John 10:10) begins. Israel’s reception of the Law would be a type of the Christian’s growth in discipleship, fostering a greater intimacy with the Lord our God. This comes about by keeping His commandments, which is no different for the Christian, except that the commandments that we are called to keep are not found in the Law of Moses, but in the Law of Christ, which is also known as the Law of Liberty (John 14:21; Jas 1:25; 2:12. This is also known as the “Law of our King” [literal translation of Jas 2:8]).“The Church is not Israel, and Israel is not the Church. Israel is the chosen nation. It is a race of individuals in which God has founded and advanced His kingdom program throughout its history. The Church, on the other hand, is a Body of all those who are spiritually baptized into Christ.”[3] The Law of Moses was given to govern a nation so that it would be a megaphone of His goodness and salvation for the world (Deut 4:6-8). Being that the Law is the perfect standard of God and that it clearly displays His holiness and righteousness, it is perfect in identifying sin, serving as the grounds for such a condemnation (1 Tim 1:8-11). The matter must be settled in the Christian’s mind that they have been set free from the slavery of sin and have been graciously brought into a new life where opportunities for obedience greatly surpass anything that could have been previously conceived of apart from Christ (Rom 6:1-14).Exodus 20:1-17. This passage is known as the Ten Commandments, but is more properly understood as the “Ten Words” or the “Decalogue.” The order of the Ten Words is theologically intentional.v.2-6: YHWH alone is supreme and nothing else compares to Him. He alone is unique. It is only by affirming the truths of the first 2 commands that any of the other commands can even be approached.v.7-11: YHWH is to be revered, with time being set aside for uninterrupted worship of Him.v.12: The hierarchy of the family falls right after one’s understanding of YHWH. The family is what sets the tone for the culture. This is by God’s purposeful design, with respect being in order.v.13-17: Interpersonal relationships. Being created in the image of God, each human being is significant and deserves to be treated with dignity.God reveals Himself to the Israelites in a new way, using His voice. He begins by addressing them with His name: YHWH. This is an audible event in history of which every Israelite heard Him while standing at the foot of the mountain. This personal communication from YHWH to Israel was to serve as a benchmark event when the Creator of all things personally spoke His divine Law to his firstborn son. This is recounted later as a remembrance to the Israelites in Deut 4:10-14.YHWH places the spotlight squarely on His liberating campaign against Egypt, identifying it properly as a “house of slaves” (v.1-2). The mention of His conquest against Egypt supplies the grounds for what is known as a “hesed relationship,” meaning that loyalty is expected from Israel due to the loyalty that was shown to them.A pattern that is immediately noticeable is that commandments 1-4 are concerned with Israel’s relationship with YHWH, while commandments 5-10 deal with Israel’s relationships with one another.The first commandment (v.3) deals with disarming the polytheistic mindset that had infected the Israelites from their stay in Egypt (Ezek 20:5-10). Being held captive for some time, and even though their residing in the land of Goshen did provide some sort of buffer to insulate them from total corruption, the devotion of Egypt to their idols had rubbed off on Israel (1 Cor 15:33). By ageing to be devoted to YHWH alone, Israel is immediately thrust into direct opposition to every surrounding nation and people, causing immediate tension.The second commandment is closely related (v.4-6), calling for the people to abstain from making idols that resemble created things (See Rom 1:18-23). “Idols and images in all likelihood were merely representations of invisible beings whose reality could be fully appreciated only by their being seen.”[4] To make an idol was to subscribe to another god; a demon, who was in direct opposition to the moral and ethical foundation that YHWH was communicating. (For a Scriptural take on the futility of idols, see Isaiah 40:18; 41:7; 44:9-20).YHWH calls Himself a “jealous God,” meaning that there is none greater than He and to worship lesser things, especially idols, is to settle for less than the best that is being offered to them. Some are troubled by v.5-6, assuming that the 3rd and 4th generations will be condemned for the sins of their ancestors, but this is not the meaning at all. The idea being conveyed is that those who worship idols and were not holding fast to YHWH’s Law are setting the future generations up for failure. Or, simply put, sin has consequences and repercussions that reach much farther than we ever thought imaginable, even to our children and our grandchildren. Righteousness preserves a people, but idolatry invites their destruction.Also, the use of “hate” and “love” in v. 5-6 are strong words, but should be understood in conjunction with keeping the Law of YHWH. This idea is not foreign, seeing that Jesus states to believers, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me” (John 14:21a). In the Bible, obedience displays love.The first two commandments are clear, citing idols and other gods as unacceptable, pagan contrivances of no worth, dispelling all objects of worship so that the people would focus only on the Word that YHWH was giving them.The third commandment concerns YHWH’s name and its use in daily life. Many have assumed that this is simply avoiding the use of “God” as a four letter word, but this command entails much more than simple curses. Merrill notes that the literal rendering of this command is, “You shall not take up the name of the LORD for an unworthy purpose.”[5] Thiswould include “name-it-and-claim-it” beliefs, cursing, invoking His name for a promise that is not kept, flippant worship, or attributing anything to Him that is in deviation to His character. A heightened form of this is seen in the unforgivable sin committed by the Pharisees in Matt 12:22-29 by attributing the miracles of YHWH through Jesus Christ to the glory/credit of Satan (Beelzebul- v.24).The fourth commandment concerns the Sabbath day (literally “a day of cessation”), a day set aside solely for the Lord. This command receives the greatest amount of elaboration by YHWH, yet it is the only command that is not repeated for the church in the New Testament (See Rom 14:5; Col 2:15-17). The command for this day is that it should be kept “holy,” meaning that it is to be set-apart, unique amongst the others, and with a special purpose in mind. One will immediately observe that the Sabbath rest echoes the rest that YHWH employed having finished with creation (Gen 2:2-3). This reasoning allows for Scripture to interpret itself, seeing that Exodus 20:11 is a general commentary on Genesis 1:1-2:3, and clearly shows that the “day-age” theory of creation is a worthless assumption. Otherwise, we would need to allegorize the text and state that “what God is really saying” is that we are to work 6,000 years and then rest for 1,000 years. By allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture, this faulty theological idea is put to rest.The fifth commandment speaks to the respect to be administered in the family. The family is one of the first divine institutions that YHWH initiated prior to the Fall of Man. The integral role that the family holds in society cannot be underestimated. It is the primary target of Satan throughout history and will continue to be so until his demise. This command alone holds drastic differences between today’s bouts of fatherlessness, unwed pregnancies, cohabitation, divorced couples, homosexuality, and government interference with family-based education, all of which are attempts to dismantle the family and corrupt the culture. In the case of Israel, honor was to be shown to the parents by the children, and what constituted “parents” is clearly in line with YHWH’s original design of one man and one woman (Gen 1:26-28). This command is unique in that a promise has been attached to it. Residing in the Land of Canaan, of which the people had been promised by YHWH, was contingent upon their respect for their parents. Only YHWH could allow for Israel to be removed from the land, thus He takes a personalinterest in this commandment, overseeing the consequences that result from its neglect among the people of Israel.Commandments 6-10 deal with infringing on one’s person and their personal rights. Being created in God’s image (Gen 1:26-28), men and women have significance, hold value, and are meaningful in the eternal plans of God. Murder, being a cold-blooded killing of a person apart from war, revenge, or legal execution, disrespects the image of God. In Genesis 9:6 we read, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.” This commandment would deal with the first action of shedding man’s blood.Adultery tears apart the marriage relationship (Mark 10:9). By God’s design, a man and a woman become “one flesh” (Gen 2:24), being the core of the family structure. Monogamous relationships were truly unusual in Moses’ time, and seems odd when one is familiar with the accounts of Jacob’s life, having two wives and two concubines. Nevertheless, the ideal pattern is one man and one woman, just as it was in the beginning. This commandment would serve as a harsh reminder to Israel when they would be called out by YHWH for their unfaithfulness to Him in bowing down to other gods (Num 25:1; Ezek 16:15; Hos 1:2; 3:1).Stealing is a violation of one’s private property rights. Against Marxism and Communism, Israel’s Law protected private property and individual rights. Private ownership is a hallmark of a capitalistic society, something that the Bible promotes without shame.Lying, while terribly commonplace, was considered vile enough to have a warning issued against it in God’s Law. This would be the idea of defaming one’s character or slandering one’s image, both being actions that are wholly apart from truth. Lying is falsehood.Finally, the coveting of a neighbor’s possessions reveals a personal discontentment. In fact, commandments 7 through 9 could be summarized in this last command, with each action being a result of taking something that is not theirs, whether that be a mate, personal property, or one’s reputation. The possessions of another are not to be obsessed over. It is YHWH who is the Provider of Israel and He alone will give as He sees fit. To acquire anything apart from His provision or guidance is to live apart from Him.Exodus 20:18-20: Israel’s Response to Audible Revelation. In v. 18-20 we have the response of Israel at the base of the mountain. YHWH has spoken, audibly, and the spectacle that surrounded His convocation caused them to back up and shake with fear. Their cries to Moses were for him to serve as the intermediary between the nation and YHWH, for they feared that if they ever heard YHWH’s voice again it would kill them. Bringing order to the situation, Moses tells them not to be afraid, but to note that YHWH is testing them and this event, coupled with His presence among them, was to bring them to reverence so that they would not sin.God’s audible revelation of Himself was meant to leave a mark on Israel forever; one that caused them to think before every action and to consider Him before every decision. Stuart provides a perfect summary:“It was an altogether good thing that the people were terrified of God—their reaction indicated that they would be afraid of offending him through sin, and thus their fear would function as a discipline to keep them from sin. This is, in fact, always the value of the much-encouraged fear of God in Scripture. Being afraid of the consequences of disobeying God is among the most helpful attitudes any believer can possibly have. Those who try to suggest that the various commands to fear God are merely encouragements to hold him in some sort of honor or awe completely miss the point that fear is a beneficial guiding mechanism for human behavior.”[6] [1] Eugene H. Merrill, Kingdom of Priests: A History of Old Testament Israel (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008), p. 98.[2] Grant Hawley, Jeremy Edmondson, Let the Text Speak: An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics (Allen, TX: Bold Grace Ministries, 2018), p. 63.[3] Hawley, Let the Text Speak, p.59.[4] Merrill, Everlasting Dominion, p. 333.[5] Ibid., p. 337.[6] Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, Vol. 2, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006), p. 469.

Recap: Jesus encouraged his disciples by promising to send the Holy Spirit to his disciples. The Spirit would be their Paraclete - "one called along side" - to help them, strengthen them and encourage them. The Holy Spirit is fully God. He is eternal, omniscient and omnipresent. The Holy Spirit is a distinct person of our triune God. The work of the Holy Spirit A. The Spirit inspired the Word of God. (1 Peter 1:11; 2 Timothy 3:16) For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (‭2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭21‬) B. The Spirit empowers the Gospel message 1. He enabled disciples to "speak the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31, 4:8, 6:10, 7:51; 1 Peter 1:12). 2. He empowered miracles to accompany the teaching of the word of God a. After Jesus' baptism and temptation, he "returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee" (Lk 4:14), taught (v. 15), cast out demons (vv. 33-36), and healed the sick (v. 40). 3. Paul said his ministry of the gospel was carried out "by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God. " (Rom 15:18b-19) Application: The Holy Spirit's power is necessary for any effective ministry today. C. The Spirit regenerates sinners. He imparts new spiritual life to those who were dead in sin (See Eph 2:5; John 6:63) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭5-7‬) D. The Spirit sanctifies (or purifies) believers. (See 1 Pet 1:2; 2 Thess 2:13) 1. He helps them grow in obedience to God. (See Rom 8:13) 2. He produces Christ-like character in the lives of believers. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭22-23‬a) Application: The fruit of the Spirit produces Christ-likeness in us; helping us grow in obedience to God and glorifying Christ by reflecting his character. E. The Spirit guides believers 1. He leads them to follow God's moral standards. (Rom 8:4, 12-13; Gal 5:18) 2. He leads them in very specific ways. (Acts 8:29; 10:19-20;13:2; 15:28; 16:6-7) 3. He helps them pray and intercedes for them Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭26-27‬) F. The Spirit gives spiritual gifts for ministry in building up the church. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7, 11‬) G. The Spirit unifies believers. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭14‬) Application: We need the Spirit for personal spiritual life and in the church for the body to minister and flourish. Let us ask the Father for the Spirit's help. If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (‭Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭13‬)

Dr. White addressed Dr. Flowers on his Dividing Line program, and Dr. Flowers admits his errors while defending Dr. Abasciano's Greek arguments.  Here is the latest article on the subject: In an earlier post we presented many passages which clearly indicate the ordo salutis (the order of salvation), as expressed by the apostle John when he wrote, “I have written these things (the gospel) so that you may believe and that by believing you may have life in his name.”  Spiritual life comes through faith, not the other way around. Since writing that article, Dr. James White has produced a program to address the non-Calvinistic perspective on one verse in particular: 1 John 5:1. I had a renown Greek scholar, Dr. Brian Abasciano, on the podcast to specifically address White’s grammatical arguments, which you can listen to ; however, White expressed a concern on Facebook   about not feeling as if his argument was fairly represented. I addressed his concern on that Facebook post and will now seek to cover what I feel is the bigger issue being overlooked. Many of you may be familiar with Dr. Sam Storms — he is a Calvinistic pastor who serves on the Board of Directors of both Desiring God and Bethlehem College & Seminary (with John Piper), and also serves as a member of the Council of The Gospel Coalition. His “tradition” is Calvinistic, yet he objectively observes the exact same thing that Dr. Brian Abasciano and I have observed about the clear intention of the apostle John in this passage. Dr. Storms wrote: John says in 5:1 that whoever is presently believing in Christ has in the past been born or begotten of God. I.e., a present action of believing is evidence of a past experience of begetting. Is John then saying that new birth or regeneration always precedes and causes saving faith in Christ? Although I believe regeneration (new birth) does precede and cause faith, I do not believe that is John’s point here. When one examines these texts where the terminology of regeneration is used, one finds that John is concerned with describing the consequences or fruit of the new birth: Question: “How may I know that regeneration has occurred? How may I know if someone has been born again?” Answer: “That person will not practice sin (3:9; 5:18). That person will practice righteousness (2:29). That person will love the brethren (4:7). That person will believe in Christ (5:1). And that person will overcome the world (5:4).” John’s point is simply that these activities are the evidence of the new birth and hence of salvation. Their absence is the evidence that regeneration has not taken place. He makes this point, not because he wants to demonstrate the cause/effect relationship between regeneration and faith, but because he wants to provide the church with tests by which to discern between true and spurious “believers.”–Dr. Sam Storms (Thanks to Dr. Johnathan Pritchett for sending us this link) I hope this is helpful in better understanding our argument about the “big picture” we believe is being missed by SOME Calvinists who approach this text with the perceived agenda of supporting their belief of pre-faith regeneration. Secondly, I would like to address White’s comments regarding a Traditionalist (like myself) appealing the grammatical work of an Arminian (like Dr. Abasciano). White wrote, “[Flowers] used that as the basis of asking his Arminian scholar (funny how he did not turn to his “Traditionalist” mentors in the SBC), Brian Abasciano, to respond.” Apparently White is under the impression that scholars can only appeal to other scholars if they agree on every point of doctrine? Is every scholar White references in his works a Reformed Baptist scholar? I seriously doubt it. This can be added to a long list of White’s double standards discussed , along with criticizing my use of the word “attack” in reference to his theological arguments, when he has used the same word in reference to my theological arguments. If one were to read my original post on this topic, they would find this article from Dr. David Allen (a notable Traditionalist scholar) in the footnotes: 1 John 5:1 First John 5:1 states: “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God . . .”29 “Whoever believes” is a present tense participle. “Born” is a perfect tense verb. Some Calvinists suggest the perfect tense indicates completed past action with continuing results and draw the conclusion that faith is the result of being born again. The argument is that the verb “born” is in the perfect tense denoting an action that precedes the faith in the participle “whoever believes.”  This is an unwarranted and erroneous interpretation. Consider two examples. John 3:18 states: “He who believes is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already. . .” “He who believes” is a present participle. “Not condemned” is a perfect tense verb. Yet, here it is clear that the “believing” precedes “not being condemned.” Consider 1 John 5:10, “he who does not believe God has made Him a liar. . .” “He who does not believe” translates a present participle. “Has made” translates a perfect tense verb. Here again, the perfect tense verb, “making God a liar,” is a result of the present participle, “not believing,” not its cause. Many Calvinists argue that the use of “born” in the perfect tense produces a range of results expressed by present participles, and faith is one of them. However, exegesis always trumps systematic theology. Likewise, context and sentence structure trumps theology. Let’s compare John 3:18 with 1 John 5:1 to see if the use of “born” in the perfect tense produces the result of faith. Notice the order of events in John 3:18 is A then B. In 1 John 5:1 the order is B then A. Both make use of the perfect tense. The same grammatical structure that places being born of God before faith can also be used to describe justification as occurring after faith. See Rom 5:1. The grammar of the verses does not address an ordo salutis. The use of the perfect tense in Greek provides no support for the notion of regeneration preceding faith.30 To suggest otherwise is to fail to distinguish between tense and aspect in Greek verbs and verbals. Furthermore, with respect to 1 John 5:1, contextually the simple initial act of believing is not under consideration by John. John is talking about the ongoing life of faith as a believer. Obviously, the new birth precedes the ongoing life of faith. But that is something altogether different from saying the new birth precedes the initial act of faith. John’s use of “born” nowhere precludes the possibility of faith preceding regeneration. One may argue for regeneration preceding faith, but one cannot argue against faith preceding regeneration. The most that can be said from the Greek present participle and perfect tense verb combination is that the actions are contemporaneous. The broader context of John’s writings indicate he would not teach that regeneration precedes faith and elsewhere teach that faith is a condition for life as he does in John 20:31. This precludes the possibility of regeneration preceding faith.  Three conclusions, then, are in order: 1. There is no Biblical text that connects faith and regeneration in a grammatical structure that prescribes an order that supports regeneration preceding faith. Nor is there any statement in Scripture which precludes faith preceding regeneration. 2. There are biblical texts connecting faith and regeneration that support faith preceding regeneration. 3. There are texts that would seem to preclude the possibility of regeneration preceding faith. There is no Scripture anywhere that directly says regeneration precedes faith. That is a theological deduction made by some Calvinists that is driven more by their system than it is by Scripture. The Scripture says things like, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved,” as Paul said to the Philippian jailor in Acts 16. * For this section, I have relied heavily upon the excellent work of Brian Abasciano, “Does Regeneration Precede Faith? The Use of 1 John 5:21 as a Proof Text,” 307–22. Abasciano provides the best and most substantive Greek grammatical analysis of the issue with respect to 1 John 5:21 I have seen anywhere. *A point well-made by Dan Musick in his post on this subject at [link removed]. Musick examines several texts to which Calvinists appeal in an effort to support the notion of regeneration preceding faith. ***Below is a recent update comment on Facebook from Dr. Brain Abasciano to Dr. White regarding a perceived misunderstanding: “James, I have now listened to the relevant part of your show that I had not heard when interviewed. I can see that it changes the specifics of your argument so that you are not now arguing that the tenses themselves demand or particularly suggest that the action of the perfect indicative precedes the action of the present substantival participle (though you seemed to argue along those lines in Potter’s Freedom). Is that right? Can you clarify that for me? Do you agree that the combination of verb tenses in 1 John 5:1 (present participle + perfect indicative) does not itself demand or even suggest the action of the perfect indicative as preceding the action of the present participle? That is really what Leighton was focusing on and I was focusing on. So you and Leighton seem to have talked past one another a bit.  However, listening to the rest of your comments, you made some errors regarding Greek grammar/syntax and I still find your argument unpersuasive. Around the 59:43 mark, you said that when we have a present participle with a perfect finite verb, we are able to determine the relationship of the respective actions to one another. But that is not necessarily true, and it does not come from the grammar. There are general tendencies that can be assumed, but in any particular case, context would have to determine the relationship, and often it might not be clear because the author might not have meant to indicate it.  Then, around 1:02, you said, presumably of the basic tendency of Greek grammar, that the perfect is either concurrent or antecedent to the present participle. But that is false. As I documented in my Evangelical Quarterly article on 1 John 5:1, the tendency of Greek grammar is for the participle to be concurrent or to precede the action of the indicative. The present participle is especially a candidate for preceding when it is articular, as in 1 John 5:1. Of course, there is no particular tendency for the perfect indicative to precede the present participle. But as I explained in the interview, the rough simultaneity that often obtains can allow for logical order and precedence of one or the other. But that is not indicated by the tenses. They suggest simultaneity and allow for logical order to obtain. In that same section of comments, you gave some odd reasoning for why the participle would not be concurrent in 2:29, reasoning that suggests misunderstanding of how simultaneity works between participles and indicatives. I do not think that practicing righteousness brings about becoming born again. But since that was the example you used, if the participle were antecedent there, it would not mean that every time a righteous act were performed, the person would be born, but that practicing righteousness would lead to the state of being spiritually alive, born again. As for what seems to be your main argument, I believe what I said in the interview addresses that. The comments that have been quoted from Calvinist scholar Sam Storms also address it. Let me add here that your appeal to 2 Pet 1:1 and the Granville Sharp rule is misguided. Identification is the actual meaning conveyed by the Granville Sharp construction. (By the way, while I agree that the construction applies in 2 Peter 1:1, it is not just JW’s that contest it, but some legitimate grammarians. It’s not simply a matter of whether someone is orthodox or not for his opinion on the question of 2 Pet 2:1.) But the grammar/syntax of 1 John 2:29, 4;7, and 5:1 does not itself indicate the order of the actions involved. You know the order in 2:29 and 4:7 mostly from theology. We know that we don’t become born again by practicing righteousness or by loving. But this observation goes along with the fact that the main point of those texts is not to indicate which action causes which, but to give evidences of regeneration/ salvation in the interests of the assurance of salvation, which scholars recognize as one of the main purposes of the epistle (not particularly to indicate what regeneration causes).” – Dr. Abasciano 

Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (Deuteronomy 8:2, NIV)It’s easy for us to take God’s protection for granted. We seldom take notice or thank God for the things that "don't go wrong". I wasn't sick today! I didn't have an accident today! I didn't lose my job today!The people of Israel didn’t even notice that in forty years of wandering in the desert, their clothes didn’t wear out and their feet didn’t swell. Thus, they did not remember to give thanks to God for these blessings.What has been working well for you? What has been giving you good service? What has been lasting for a long time without breaking down or falling apart? Remember to thank God for the things that didn't happen today!Many people wait until something bad comes into their lives, then they turn to God. Like a child, they wait until they have been spanked to be good. But the Apostle Paul said, "The GOODNESS of God leads men to repentance."Gratitude, gratefulness, thankfulness, grateful heart, feeling of obligation, sense of obligation, grateful acceptance and appreciation are all synonyms for being thankful. The Apostle Paul indicated that one of the signs of a society in decline is the absence of a grateful heart toward God for His blessings. (See Rom. 1:21)"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you, I Thess. 5:18."Paul Graham