Showing posts with label Colossians. Show all posts

Monday, March 29, 2021

Purity 378: Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Purity 378 03/29/2021 Purity 378 Podcast

Good morning.

Today’s photo of a Montana moon (or is that the sun?) with a distant view of the Rocky Mountains comes from a friend who is making a transcontinental relocation from New York to the state of Washington. My friend’s journey really shows us what one can do when we decide to take our priorities in life seriously and how we can literally be here today and gone tomorrow.

My friend’s priorities are peace, stability, and family. So when the opportunity arose to join her family on this life changing move, they didn’t hesitate.

This year seems to be shaping up to be a year of transitions as evidenced by the multiple baptisms at my church yesterday, a few baby and bridal showers over the weekend, and more recent news of a few different friends who have made plans to relocate to other parts of the country.

I guess life is always in flux and the only thing that stays the same in this world is the fact that things will change. These transitions can really test our hearts as we are extremely happy for those moving through these changes and for the new experiences and opportunities they will be facing but at the same time we can be saddened at the distance those changes will put between us and those who we dearly love.

As we drive into Holy Week, we are reminded of the major change that was about to happen to Jesus and the Apostles. Although Jesus told them what was to come, the Apostles were confused, saddened, and scared about where things were headed.

But after the loss of their friend, the Apostles understood that the love they had would never die and that the new life that was born out of Christ’s death and resurrection not only restored their hope, but it also transformed the world in which we all live.

So let the people in your life go where they must and let them do what they must do. Let them live the lives God has for them. But be sure to let them know that you will rejoice with them wherever they go, and that no amount of distance can separate them from the love of God or from the love you have for them.

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Colossians 3:15 (NKJV)
¹⁵And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Today’s verse speaks of the emotional component of our faith lives, our spiritual community, and our appropriate response to God.

The Bible says that the peace of God surpasses all understanding and will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Phil: 4:7). When we come to faith in Christ, the immediate emotions may be joy but it is based on the peace that we have received from and with God.

We are no longer in opposition to God and we no longer have to fear death itself. We have made peace with the Lord of the universe and Maker of all things.

To let that peace of God rule in our hearts we have to continually remind ourselves that we are His. We don’t do that our of insecurity or fear. We do that to continually partake of the gift of our salvation and to rejoice in it.

The great thing about our faith is that we don’t have to just rejoice all by ourselves. God has called many of us to know the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we all can encourage each other in letting that peace rule in our hearts because we all have received it and it is our purpose in life to share the love of God that we have found.

The gift of our salvation and the new spiritual life we have now in Christ gives us peace and a new family of faith which should fill us with the desire to thank God for all that He has done for us.

We don’t have to psyche ourselves up to have peace in our hearts because God has freely given it to us when we put our faith in Jesus. The incredible thing is that this cycle of new spiritual life that we can experience feeds itself. If we have peace, we will be thankful. If we are thankful, we will have peace.

This life-giving process of peace and thanksgiving can empower you through your life and be the means through which you can share the love of God with others. So breathe life into your faith each day by stopping long enough to feel the peace of God you have in your heart and by expressing your thanks to Him.

I invite all to mt4chritst.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we will share from Dr. June Hunt’s Biblical Counseling Keys on “Alcohol & Drug Abuse: Breaking Free & Staying Free.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work:

E. How Can I Have a Genuine Relationship with Christ?

It is the most terrifying of nightmares. ...

Josh is engaged in a horrific boxing match with an opponent he cannot beat. He is pummeled — time and time again. Six months after surrendering himself to Christ, now sober and drug free, Josh faces the same opponent in another dream. His adversary faces him silently, ready to wield a knockout punch. But the two combatants are not alone this time. Josh senses another presence at his side, someone peaceful ... powerful ... and predominant. The supernatural being, who he perceives is Jesus, suddenly takes off running and chases the sinister figure, who he perceives is Satan.

"I never woke up feeling more calm, and at peace, than I ever had before," Josh recalls.

Josh knows he has a genuine relationship with Christ because he has experienced Him in so many ways. In his dream, Jesus served as Defender and Protector. ...

"'Because he loves me,' says the Lord, 'I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.'"
(Psalm 91:14-15)

You, too, need a Defender and a Protector. Allow these four spiritual truths to lead you into a relationship with the one and only true God.

4 Points of God's Plan

#1 God's Purpose for You ... Is Salvation

· — What was God's motivation in sending Jesus Christ to earth?

To express His love for you by saving you! The Bible says ...

"God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17).

· — What was Jesus' purpose in coming to earth?

To forgive your sins, to empower you to have victory over sin, and to enable you to live a fulfilled life! Jesus said ...

"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10 NKJV).

#2 Your Problem ... Is Sin

· — What exactly is sin?

Sin is living independently of God's standard — knowing what is right, but choosing what is wrong. The Bible says ...

"If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them" (James 4:17).

· — What is the major consequence of sin?

Spiritual death, eternal separation from God. Scripture states ...

"Your iniquities [sins] have separated you from your God.... The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23).

#3 God's Provision for You ... Is the Savior

· — Can anything remove the penalty for sin?

Yes! Jesus died on the cross to personally pay the penalty for your sins. The Bible says ...

"God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

· — What is the solution to being separated from God?

Belief in (entrusting your life to) Jesus Christ as the only way to God the Father. Jesus says ...

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.... Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved ..." (John 14:6; Acts 16:31).

#4 Your Part ... Is Surrender

· — Give Christ control of your life, entrusting yourself to Him....

"Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross [die to your own self-rule] and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?'" (Matthew 16:24-26).

· — Place your faith in (rely on) Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior and reject your "good works" as a means of earning God's approval....

"It is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The moment you choose to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior — entrusting your life to Him — He comes to live inside you. Then He gives you His power to live the fulfilled life God has planned for you. If you want to be fully forgiven by God and become the person God created you to be, you can tell Him in a simple, heartfelt prayer like this:

Prayer of Salvation

"God, I want a real relationship with You.

I admit that many times I've chosen to go my own way instead of Your way.

Please forgive me for my sins.

Jesus, thank You for dying on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins.

Come into my life to be my Lord and my Savior.

Change me from the inside out and make me the person You created me to be.

In Your holy name I pray. Amen."

What Can You Now Expect?

If you sincerely prayed this prayer, look at what God says!

"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."
(2 Peter 1:3-4)

Biblical Counseling Keys - Biblical Counseling Keys – Biblical Counseling Keys: Alcohol & Drug Abuse: Breaking Free & Staying Free.

----------------------------more tomorrow-------------------------

God bless you all!

Join our Victory over the Darkness Discipleship Class via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154) and Google podcasts (https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL210NGNocmlzdDI0Ny9mZWVkLnhtbA%3D%3D

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Purity 369: Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Purity 369 03/18/2021 Purity 369 Podcast

Good morning.

Today’s sunset photo comes from a friend’s recent trip to the Venice Fishing Pier in Venice Florida.

I share it because of the spectacular view and because I love to share photos of pathways on Thursdays as we have gone over “the hump” of the week and are approaching the weekend.

I also share pathways on Thursdays because I am teaching tonight at Rock Solid Church and am encouraging others to follow the pathway to Christian discipleship that leads to victory, joy, and peace.

As much as I would love everyone who sees this message to come to the class or to listen to the mt4christ247 podcast, I understand how entering into the spiritual walk can be a scary prospect.

When we decide to become more spiritual or to pursue God, we can fear what will happen if we do. I remember before coming to Christ as viewing anyone religious or spiritual as deluded, unintelligent, or insane.

I felt that way because the way I lived was anything but spiritual and I didn’t want to give up my many vices. But after I took that one small step of faith towards God by accepting Christ as my Lord and Savior, I understood the peace that comes from God’s forgiveness and being in harmony with Him.

There was still a lot to learn and a lot of work to do but after knowing the assurance of my salvation and the fact that God was real, and that Christ was the way there was no other way I wanted to go but towards Him. After I knew a small piece of the truth, I was like the Apostle Peter who said to Jesus:

John 6:68-69 (NKJV)
⁶⁸… "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
⁶⁹Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

So take a small step towards God and He will guide you the rest of the way.

This morning’s meditation verse is:

Colossians 3:16 (NKJV)
¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Today’s verse highlights the importance of studying and meditating on the word of God, encouraging our brothers and sisters in Christ, and worshipping the Lord in song.

As Christians who are seeking to be disciples, the practice of learning the truth of our faith through studying the word of God can’t be over emphasized. Reading the Bible isn’t just like reading a textbook. It’s a spiritual practice because we are approaching the Word that was given to us by the Lord Himself. Also its study is blessed by the Holy Spirit as He awaits our seeking the truth and delivers insights and revelations periodically as He is the One who will lead us into all truth.

Reading the Bible is also a Christian discipline that is vital for our spiritual growth and maturity. It’s like take spiritual vitamin supplements. The longer we partake of the Word of God the more benefits we receive. The process of renewing our minds is the process of replacing worldly knowledge or things we thought we knew about Christianity and replacing them with what the word actually says.

Anyone seeking to deepen their faith and to grow should have a daily spiritual practice of prayer and Bible study. When we do this, we not only personally benefit from drawing closer to the Lord, but we are better equipped to share the gospel with those outside of the faith as well as encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Christian life is not one to be lived alone. We are to gather and encourage one another. Our faith and presence are an encouragement to others. Our encouragements are even more powerful when we have been meditating on the words we have read and share their wisdom with others.

But our Christian lives aren’t all study and meditation. They are also supposed to be filled with love and joy. The practice of worshipping the Lord in song is a living expression of our hearts for God which is improved by our knowledge of Him.

Have you ever loved someone and then got to know them better and somehow loved them even more? The same phenomenon is experienced the more we know about the Lord. I personally feel that those who are timid about worshipping God in song only have a cursory understanding of the Lord or they haven’t connected their head knowledge about God to their hearts. Either way, the way one can connect the heart and mind is through worship.

To get past timidity I suggest closing your eyes when you worship if the presence of others intimidate you. Just focusing on what God means to you, how the words of the worship music are true and reflect Him and your relationship with Him is all you should be concerned with when worshipping in song.

As you continue to practice worshipping God in song, you will become less timid in your expression and will eventually worship with out fear of the opinions of men and express your love of God in spirit and in truth.

So study His word. Love God while you do it. Reflect on His awesomeness and follow His guidance. Open your heart, move past your fears, and boldly worship the Lord in song privately as well as at the weekly church service.

As disciples, we surrender ourselves to the Lord and give Him everything we have in mind, body, and in spirit. So practice your faith with intensity, passion, and joy.

I invite all to mt4chritst.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.

Today we will share from Dr. June Hunt’s Biblical Counseling Keys on “Alcohol & Drug Abuse: Breaking Free & Staying Free.

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Dr. Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work:

C. What Is Substance Abuse?

Mickey Mantle not only abused alcohol, but he also abused the people around him.

His children have spoken of his inattention to the family while they were young. He was depressed, irritable, and when the Yankees lost a game or when Mickey struck out, the children knew to leave Dad alone. The entire family walked on eggshells, hoping to prevent what had become inevitable verbal attacks. Not only was Mickey in denial about his alcoholism, but his wife also minimized the problem.

Mickey made excuses for his absences, which often included time spent with other women. Ironically, the baseball great's increasing dependence on alcohol was a desperate attempt to boost his self-esteem. More and more, alcohol became necessary to function during the day... then more and more was needed for him to sleep at night.

Mickey later reflected, "I am embarrassed by what I did when I drank: the foul language, the rudeness, having to face people the next day that I didn't remember insulting the night before." The first verse of Proverbs chapter 20 reflects this very point. ...

"Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise."

Substance abuse means the use of a chemical — legal or illegal — used to the extent of causing physical, mental, or emotional harm.
Substance abusers are identified in five ways:

Experimental users... try drugs simply out of curiosity.
Recreational users ... "get high" on drugs on special occasions (parties, celebrations).
Regular users...habitually abuse drugs, while attempting to live a "normal life."
Binge users...abuse drugs uncontrollably for a brief period of time and then abstain until the next binge.
Dependent users ... live emotionally, physically, and psychologically hooked on drugs. Their lives are continually obsessed with getting drugs because of their all-consuming addiction.

While it accurately describes everyone, this truth is illustrated by the lifestyle of the substance abuser. ... "All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one" (Romans 3:12).

Recreational Drugs

Question: "What's the harm in occasionally using recreational drugs with my friends in a safe environment — as long as I don't become addicted?"

Answer: The wrong use of any drug constitutes drug abuse. Likewise, there is no "right use" of illegal drugs or illegally acquired prescription drugs. And there is no "safe environment" for drug abuse because no situation exists where drug abuse doesn't cause physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual harm. By its very definition, drug abuse is harmful whether controlled or uncontrolled, chosen or compulsive, regulated or unregulated.

A true friend, a wise friend, does only what helps another friend. Ask God to give you genuinely wise friends and to help you become a wise friend.

"Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm."
(Proverbs 13:20)

D. What Is the Downward Spiral of Dependency?

If only ... the downward spiral of dependency had been diagnosed sooner. ...

If only ... Mickey had acknowledged his alcoholism and received help early on, his titles of "champion" and "hero" wouldn't be smeared by years of drinking.

If only ... Mickey had processed the pain from his past — his childhood agony and his fear of death — then the downward spiral of dependency could have been deterred.

If only ... Mickey had found a meaningful way to spend his free time rather than downing yet another drink in airport lobbies and hotel rooms.

If only ... Mickey had learned to nix his need for alcohol, his four sons might not have followed in his footsteps and become alcoholics.

If only ... Mickey had heeded these words ...

"Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper."
(Proverbs 23:31-32)

Levels of Substance Abuse

Intoxication occurs when the influence of a substance in your body causes changes in your behavior, including mood changes, faulty judgment, slurred speech, poor coordination, unsteady gait, sexual impropriety, aggressive behavior, and impaired social functioning. Intoxication can result in a coma or even death.

· — Dorland's Medical Dictionary defines intoxication as "poisoning; the state of being poisoned" and "the condition produced by excessive use of alcoholic stimulants."

· — How interesting that thousands of years before this writing, Moses said, "Their grapes are filled with poison. ... Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras" (Deuteronomy 32:32-33).

Abuse occurs when your use of drugs causes you to...

· — Fail to fulfill your responsibilities

· — Fail to maintain healthy relationships

· — Put yourself or others at risk of harm or break the law

Addiction occurs when you experience these three leading indicators...

· — Drug tolerance... needing increasingly more of a substance to obtain the same effect

· — Physical dependence... suffering from chemical withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, shaking, and anxiety

· — Intense craving... developing a pattern of compulsive substance use

Other common indicators include...

· — Loss of control ... failing at attempts to decrease or stop the substance abuse

· — Targeting activities ... only choosing events where alcohol or drugs are available

· — Continual substance abuse ... ongoing use despite negative ramifications

Withdrawal occurs when the distress caused by a lessening or lack of the drug...

· — Severely disrupts your daily life

· — Results in reducing or abandoning all meaningful work, relationships, and activities

· — Drains the emotions until all joy is gone

The prophet Isaiah describes such a time when ...

"No longer do they drink wine with a song. ... In the streets they cry out for wine; all joy turns to gloom, all joyful sounds are banished from the earth."
(Isaiah 24:9, 11)

Responsibility for Drug Dependence

Question: "How can I be held responsible for my drug dependence since most drugs are addictive and cause the addiction?"

Answer: Your drug dependence has been created both by your choice to use drugs and by the drug itself. Intoxication results from the makeup of the drug you choose to use and the way it is metabolized by your body. The only sure way to avoid addiction is to stop using addictive drugs altogether. ...

"How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine."
(1 Samuel 1:14)