I Know!
I KNOW should be the answer to all our questions.
Let me ask one question that applies to our relationship with Jesus, who are you in Christ?
These are but a few answers from the word of God.
I’m loved. 1Thess. 1:4
I’m accepted. Eph. 1:6
I’m adopted. Romans 8:15
I’m bought. 1Cor. 6:20 & 1Cor. 7:23
I’m a son or daughter of God. Romans 8:16
I’m an heir of God. Romans 8:17
I’m redeemed. Galatians 3:13
I’m called. Romans 1:5-7
I’m crucified with Christ. Galatians 2:20
I’m living with Christ. Romans 6:8-11
I’m a new creature. 2Cor. 5:17
I’m a temple. 1Cor. 3:17
I’m a minister of the New Testament. 2Cor. 3:6
I’m an ambassador for Christ. 2Cor. 5:20
I’m triumphant. 2Cor. 2:14
I’m more than a conqueror. Romans 8:37
I’m righteous 2Cor. 5:21
I can do all things. Phil. 4:13
I live, move and have my being in Him. Acts 17:28
I’m raised up and made to sit together in heavenly places. Eph. 2:6
Be Blessed!
Pastor Joey
Working Out Your Own Salvation
By Pastor Joey
Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. Philippians 2:12-13 AMP
First let me say that this verse does not teach that salvation is something that an unsaved person obtains by doing good works. The Scripture is very clear that salvation is not of works lest any man should boast, but by God’s grace through faith is the risen Lord Jesus. Salvation is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, but simply God’s mercy on us. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5). It is clear that the Apostle Paul’s exhortation here is to those who have already received the free gift of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore this letter can apply to us as believers today.
The words “work out” carry the same meaning as someone working out a mathematics equation. Working on that equation until you come to it’s final conclusion. “Your own Salvation,” is just that, you could say it this way, you must hoe your own garden. Notice Paul mentions that they are to do this much more when he was absent from them. It seems easier to work out our salvation when in the presence of a church leader or our pastor, their presence and teaching inspire us to grow. When on our own and no longer motivated by their presence or influence, it becomes completely our responsibility to grow in grace. The believer has their justification, glorification comes in eternity, and we are called to work out our own salvation to it’s ultimate goal, which is Christ-Likeness, with fear and trembling.
As believers we are called to will and do His good pleasure. The good news is we are not without the resources to fulfill this exhortation. In the text above, verse thirteen tells us that it is God dwelling in us by His Holy Spirit that produces in us the willingness and power to do His will. We need to come to the conclusion that it is required of the believer to go through and complete the process of sanctification, and that all the while it is God constantly working with us. We can clearly see in these two verses in Philippians 2 that we have a human responsibility and in verse thirteen we can see we have Divine power and enablement. It continues in verses 14-15 to do all things without complaining. Why? So that we may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.
Be Blessed!
Pastor Joey D. Frechette
The Direction Of Your Life
The Direction Of Your Life – by Jennifer Frechette
Did you know that your life will go in the direction of your most dominant thoughts? Or think of it in reverse, your life is the way it is today, because of your thoughts in the past. Let’s look at some examples from the scriptures.
First, let’s look at the story of Lot. A quick background summary, in Genesis 12:1-6, the Lord told Abram to leave his country, which he did, and Lot went with him. And in Genesis 13 we find out that Abram was rich, they both had great substance, the land was not able to bear them, and there was strife between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen and the natives there. Abram decided they should separate themselves and gave Lot the first choice of land. Verse 10-11 tells us “And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where… even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as the comest unto Zoar. Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.” Now I want you to see the progression of Lot from this point on. Verse 12: “Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.” So even though the men in the city of Sodom were wicked and sinners, Lot faced that direction and had that before his eyes day in and day out.
The next time we see Lot’s name in the bible is in Genesis 14:12, “And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom….” At first he was facing that direction with that evil before his eyes, now we see that he lives in Sodom. Next in Genesis 19:1 it says, “And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom… “ In that time period it was the leaders of the city that were seated at the gate, which tells us that now, not only did Lot live in the evil city of Sodom, he was a leader there. It doesn’t say what his motive was for being in the city, but living there and being around that evil, led him to make some ungodly decisions. When the two angels, as men, came into town to pull Lot and his family out before the Lord destroyed it, the people of the city wanted to sexually abuse them. Lot protected the men, but offered to give the men of the city his daughters to have their way with. The fallout of his decisions do not stop there. After Lot and his family are saved from the destruction of the city, his wife looks back and is turned into a pillar salt, and then later his daughters get him drunk and lie with him to preserve the family line. The trouble didn’t end just because he was removed from the situation.
Another example is found in Psalm 1:1, “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” Do you see the progression in this verse? First walking, not really involved, but near the ungodly, then standing in their midst and finally sitting with them. What I want you to see out of these two examples from scripture, is that whatever your focus is on, you will eventually be drawn in that direction, good or bad. We don’t want to follow in the footsteps of Lot, or the progression toward the ungodly we find in Psalm 1:1.
So what do we focus on? What do we think about? Let’s continue on with Psalm 1:2, “But his delight (the blessed man from verse 1), is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.” Also, Philippians 4:8 tells us, “Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
