BexNotes - The Vine

Loving the Man

During His life on this Earth, Jesus did awesome, supernatural things. However, everything He did was within the confines of his humanness.

Don't get me wrong:  Jesus was/is/will be 100% God.

However, when Jesus came to Earth, He chose to limit Himself to human form and abilities. He became 100% man, born naturally, living naturally, and (although a bit more gruesome than some) he died as a man would die.

Jesus wasn't a superhuman, but His life was full of the supernatural, because everything He did, He did in God's will, with God's power, and under God's authority.

Jesus says this:

"Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." --John 5:19

Jesus, even as the Son of God, recognized that He could do NOTHING on His own.

So what did He do?

He laid down His human will, and did what God wanted.

"Being in very nature God, [Jesus] did not consider equality with God something to be grasped; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" --Philippians 2:6-8

And what did this accomplish?

Endless miracles...

Salvation for everyone who believes...

Eternal life for millions, even billions, of people...

In essence, following God's will allowed Jesus to accomplish not just something, but EVERYTHING.

 

 

Loving the Vine

No, we're not talking about a six-second video (although I'm loving the ones you all post about @UnitedRefuge).

The Vine is an illustration used by Jesus to depict how Christians stay alive.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." --John 15:5

In the same way that Jesus was reliant upon the Father, we are completely dependent on Him. We can do NOTHING without Jesus.

And it makes sense, doesn't it?

Jesus is God. (A=B)

God is love. (B=C)

Therefore--by the transitive property and according to Scripture--Jesus is love. (A=C)

And, without love, we can do nothing. Remember?

"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have LOVE, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have LOVE, I gain nothing." --1 Corinthians 13:2-3

The truth is that we can do nothing without love, without Jesus.

And in order for Jesus to let us do awesome things (and greater things than He did, according to John 14:12-14), we must live like He did--totally tied into our vine, our source of life:  Him.

Read these words carefully:

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love... My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you... I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other." --John 15:9-17

Ready.

Set.

Love.

You'll be surprised what God will do through you.

BexNotes - Strong-Willed God - PART 1

My Will

I have a will.

Not the "legal document leaving one's possessions to certain, predetermined individuals in case of death" kind of will.

I have the "I want this; I don't want that" kind of will.

I make my own decisions.

I do my own thing.

I am my own man.

God's Will

Believe it or not, God is strong-willed. The God of the Universe has the "I want this; I don't want that" kind of will.

He makes His own decisions.

He does His own thing.

He is His own man.

But if you think that is scary, think again.

Trusting God

God's will is based on the impulses of His Spirit, and since the very essence of who God is can be summarized in the characteristics of His Spirit...

"love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." --Galatians 5:22-23

...everything He wants (wills) flows out of that.

Every one of His desires, choices, and actions is totally rooted in one thing:  LOVE.

This LOVE impacted how He created us, it determines how He reacts to us, and it controls how He feels about us.

Did you catch that?

God, the eternal, perfect, all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere-all-the-time God, wants (wills)--with the most powerful will of all time--to LOVE us.

(Reread God's definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. He loves you like that!)

The Choice

"God's will" is for us to know Him and be with Him forever. Therefore, every desire of God in our lives--whether to change our actions, or alter our attitudes, or deflate our anger, or mend relationships we don't want to fix--stems from His desire for us to be with Him, in His perfection, for eternity.

Think about it...

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification... For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness." --1 Thessalonians 4:3,7

"for [God is] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." --2 Peter 3:9

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." --Ephesians 1:4-6

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." --1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

He wants us to have perfect love.

Perfect joy.

Perfect peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

That can only happen when we choose His will over our will.  

 

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" --Romans 8:28-32

BexNotes: Welcome Home - Part 2

True LOVE

 

As we approached/approach/are approaching a discussion on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we've been--and are being--distinctly drawn to the fact that our actions are worthless if we do not LOVE the people around us.

What is LOVE? 

(Baby, don't hurt me.)

If you read through 1 Corinthians 13 even once, you'll realize that true LOVE is an impossible task. It requires perfection in every relationship.

LOVE says to be patient when you are seriously frustrated with somebody.
LOVE says be kind to the one who mistreats you.
LOVE says to let go when you want to hate the people who have hurt you.
LOVE says to forgive, even if they don't ask for it and aren't sorry.
LOVE says to always hope, even when they show no indication of change.

 

LOVE goes against every natural tendency that we have. It requires that we sacrifice the things that are most important to us (including our self-image, pride, and safety nets) and give all that we have to people who don't deserve it.

But I can't do that.

At the core of who I am, I'm too prideful, selfish, and un-caring to truly LOVE anybody. If it's my responsibility to just go out and love everybody, I'll never accomplish it.

Here's the key:

God doesn't give us the instruction to LOVE others without giving us the power to LOVE others.

God doesn't just throw us into the world and say, "LOVE them, or else!" He is not sitting up in heaven waiting for us to fail, so He can brag about how good He is and how much we suck. He's not some sort of punk older brother who dares us to do things He knows we can't do, so we embarrass ourselves and make Him look good.

God wants us to LOVE others, so He gives us His LOVE.

He Loves US

 

God loves us, and not just the perfect, saved, working on things version.

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

God loves us in the very worst of who we are/have ever been/will ever be.


He LOVES the us we were before we got saved.
He LOVES the us we are every time we sin.
He LOVES the us that feels like we can't change.
He LOVES the us that makes mistakes.
He LOVES the us that we hate.

He does not enjoy our mistakes and shortcomings, but in the midst of them, His thoughts toward us are:

"Patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
- 1 Corinthians 13

 

He sacrificed the thing that was most important to Him (His son) to give all that He had to people who didn't deserve it (us).

In one remarkable move, God simultaneously releases us from all we've ever done AND gives us the ability to LOVE those around us.

And God's LOVE for us didn't end on the cross. Jesus' resurrection enabled us to have the Holy Spirit living inside of us. God empowers us to LOVE every day by literally putting His LOVE inside of us.

"God's LOVE has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5:5

We don't have to make fumbling attempts to LOVE the people in our life; God will LOVE them through us and teach us how to LOVE them.

Relying on the Holy Spirit takes the pressure off of us and puts it back on God--who has a perfect track record.

BexNotes: Welcome Home - PART 1

Recap

READ 1 Corinthians 13

Last week, "T" had spoken in my absence. I inquired as to highlights from their conversation and the EVERYONE mentioned the characteristics/attributes of love (i.e., compassion). Also, it seems that the Holy Spirit has been reiterating this point in other churches. (We have the SAME Spirit.) The main themes are as follows:

1. God is love. If we are children of God, we are born into love.
2. The fullness of love is completely humbling, because love is perfect.
3. We are totally incapable of truly loving in our own power.

I reminded everyone that we grow up into love. Do not get disappointed that you can't love perfectly. Ask for forgiveness, and ask for growth. Along with sanctification, God makes us more into the likeness of His son, more perfectly loving, over time. Let God work love in your heart!

The Spirit Realm

READ 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

In talking about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit last week, "T" and "L" discussed the gift of discernment of spirits. I clarified the following details:

1. The Role of God. God is God. He is ultimate and supreme. He has all authority in every created place. His power is incomparable. Jesus stole the power of sin and death by dying and rising again. He stole the keys to hell by descending, and his Name became glorified in Heaven, on the Earth, and under the Earth by his ascension (Eph. 4:7-9). At the end of time, He shall come back for the saints, wage war against the antichrist and throw Satan and his minions into Hell.
2. The Role of Satan. Satan was the most beautiful angel, named Lucifer. He was created by God to lead heaven into worship--giving praise, glory, honor, and attributing worth to God. Seeing himself as a leader, he desired to be a god himself. He set himself up to be worshiped, whereupon God kicked him and his followers out of Heaven and into the Earth--where they remain till Jesus returns. Satan is not omnipresent. He cannot be everywhere all at once. He and his demons have no real power, only the power of influence via deception, lies, fear, etc. (1 Pet. 5:8-10).
3. The Role of Humans. God created man in His own image (Gen. 1:26-30). When Jesus died and rose again, He gave us the right to be called sons and daughters of God (John 1:12). This position is higher than any angel, because we are heirs to God's Kingdom (Rom. 8:17). Because of his pride and desire to be worshiped and have position and power, Satan detests us and the role that is given to us by God's grace. Thus, he attempts to distract us from finding God and feeds us lies about ourselves, so we never become Gods. A battle rages in the spiritual realm for our souls.
4. The Role of Angels. Angels are God's creatures, warriors, messengers, worshipers. Like the human race, different angels have different functions. For example, the angel of the Lord went before the armies of Israel in the Old Testament and won the battle for the Lord; also, the archangel Michael will eventually be the one who throws Satan into Hell. Angels exist in the spirit realm of the world, battling for our souls and protecting us from the schemes of the enemy as well as physical danger (Psalm 91).
5. The Role of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is set as a seal upon the hearts of the believer (Eph. 1:13). Just as a seal on a document can only be opened by the one bearing enough power to do so, likewise the Holy Spirit seals our hearts to be opened solely by God. He confirms that we are righteous and sons and heirs of God. His seal protects us. Therefore, it is impossible for believers to be possessed by demons.
6. The Role of Fear. Demons will often manifest themselves in the scariest form possible. Since God is love, and perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18-19), it is evident that demonic influence can be scary. They are also incredibly deceptive. They wield their influence to control humans, especially those who do not know the Lord.
7. The Name of Jesus. The Name of Jesus is the Name above all names. At the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth (Phil. 2:9-11). Demonic forces are subject to His authority, which He has given to us through the plan of God and by the Holy Spirit.

The spirit realm is very real, and it's good to be aware of what is going on--to always put on the full armour of God and to pray at all times. However, there is no need to be afraid, because Greater is He who lives in us than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..." -- Eph. 6:10-18 ESV

Beki's Notes: Gifts Preview

The GIFTS of the Holy Spirit - 101

 

GIFTS are given by God, at His sole discretion, according to His will.

• “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Cor. 12:11) 
• “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” (Romans 12:6a)
•  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10)

GIFTS belong to the only one true God, and they require submission to God to function. (This means they will also come in proper time and order.)

• “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” (1 Cor. 12:4-6)
• “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Cor. 12:11)
• “Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor. 12:1-3)
• “For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” (1 Cor. 14:31-33)

 
GIFTS are intended to glorify God. God glorifies Himself through us, thus we are also glorified (think ultimate functioning capacity) in the process.

• “He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.” (John 16:14)
• “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whoⁱ have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)

 
GIFTS are given for the common good—out of love, for God is love.

• “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Cor. 12:7)
• “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:18) 
• READ Romans 12:9-18 
• READ 1 Corinthians 13

What are the Gifts?

1. Wisdom
2. Knowledge
3. Faith
4. Healing
5. Miracles/Miraculous Powers
6. Prophecy
7. Distinguishing between spirits/Discernment
8. Different Tongues
9. Interpretation of Tongues

Romans 8:6-8 “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

BexNotes: Romans 12:1-5

Romans 12:1 – Sacrifice:

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy [set apart] and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

1. The first sacrifice took place in the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve sinned. (Genesis 3:21) 
2.  The first living sacrifice was/is Jesus. (Hebrews 10:5-10)
3. The first conjunction of sacrifice with worship was when Abraham sacrificed Isaac. In fact, it was the first time the term worship was used in the Bible. (Genesis 22:5)

What do you sacrifice? Your body. The conclusions your five senses create.

Romans 12:2 – Renew Your Mind:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

1.  The pattern of this world is simple: Depravity. (Romans 1:28-31)
2. Why the mind? Because it is the control center. (Proverbs 23:6-8; Phil. 4:6-9; 2 Cor. 10:5)
3. What is God’s will? Salvation, sanctification, and fellowship in waiting. AKA, the opposite of depravity. (2 Peter 3:9; 1 Thess. 4:3, and 5:16-18

Before you can do God’s will (AKA, wield the gifts), you must have God’s mind and will running through you. Out with the old. In with the new. (Gal. 2:20)

Romans 12:3 – Humility and Faith:

“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

1. Remain humble. (1 Pet. 5:6, Micah 6:8, Prov. 16:18)
2. Keep the faith. (Eph. 2:8-9, Heb. 11:6)

Remember, both of these things urge us to keep God in His proper place: Above us and any gifts we do/do not have.

Romans 12:4-5 – Stay With the Body:

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

1. Many members, including the apostles. (1 Cor. 12:27, Eph. 2:19-20, Heb. 12:1)
2. Body function. (1 Cor. 12:12-31, Eph. 5:21)

God’s design gives us protection, diversity, and a greater sphere of influence.

What do YOU Know?

The Law

The purpose of any law is to instruct people in the right way.

The outcome of that law is that people will know when they are doing right and when they are doing wrong.

When we break a law, we are convicted--not always publicly or in front of a judge, but we always know that we've done something wrong.

Recognizing that we did something wrong doesn't make us better people. Obeying the law in the first place makes us better people.

But none of us are perfect. We all make mistakes. We all suck at obeying the laws--because they're hard to follow

Flashback

When God created the world, the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, were absolutely perfect and living in an absolutely perfect world.

They only had one law.

It wasn't to dress a certain way. It wasn't to eat certain things. It wasn't even to love God.

The law was to NOT eat the fruit of the "Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil."

The outcome of that law is that people will know when they are doing right and when they are doing wrong.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed that one law, they introduced the effects of the law into the rest of the world.

• Knowledge of Good
  Knowing that we've done something good makes us proud
• Knowledge of Evil
  Knowing that we've done something bad makes us ashamed

God knew that it would be impossible for us to live within the standards of the law. So what did He do?

He took away the effects of the law by GIVING us righteousness--making us morally right.

Justice and Mercy

God is supremely just AND supremely merciful. That means that no one in the world cares more about crimes being punished than God does, and no one in the world wants to set guilty people set free more than God does.

This would be quite a quandary--if it wasn't for Jesus.

Jesus came to earth and lived a perfect life according to the law. At age 33, he died by crucifixion--a Roman torture method for murderers and severe criminals.

In the moment of His death, Jesus received from God every ounce of wrath that would have been unleashed on us for breaking God's law.

God's justice was satisfied, because the death penalty for disobeying the law was met, AND God's mercy was satisfied, because by taking the punishment on Himself, we do not have to experience death.

God gave us righteousness--costly to Him, free to us. We no longer HAVE to meet up to His standards.

• Knowledge of Righteousness
  Knowing that you have been made righteous before God gives us peace

 #WeeklyReading Romans 3:19

The Story

It all began with a hunger.

The founders of UnitedRefuge were discussing the general lack of spiritual support for their age group. They tried different Bible study groups, only to come back feeling empty.

Recognizing that their ambitions were quite different than those of previously established groups, they bonded together and determined to support and encourage one another--whether or not anyone else joined.

As word spread about the group, it became evident that others felt the same need in their hearts.

Creating the Frame

After a couple of weeks, there was a general unrest among the group members. They sensed the purpose in being together but lacked direction.

At the right time, God knit them together with a leader who could establish direction and provide godly counsel.

One session later, the group had established its frame:

1. Know God through reading the Bible and purposeful prayer every week,
2. Support and encourage one another in the difficulties of living a biblical walk in a world that disagrees, and
3. Reach out to friends and members of the community with God's love and power.

Beginning to Accomplish Goals

Over the course of a month, meeting weekly, four members turned into twelve. Guests began to stay in the group and brought their friends.

In addition to the growth in members, the spiritual growth of the group was incredible.

Members of the group began to minister to each other from their own testimonies, from the concepts God was illuminating to their hearts in the Word, and in the power of the Spirit.

Lives began to be changed.

The story has only begun.

Find us on Twitter: @UnitedRefuge

A Dialogue in Design

Test 1 - Myers-Briggs Personality Test

(c) Myers-Briggs

*Clarification: Prefer is a harsh term. It doesn't mean that if you are an (I) you hate people or are selfish. Your (I) or your (E) will determine if you get re-energized and feel most like yourself when you are spending time by yourself (I) or others (E).

 

Test 2 - Love Languages Test

1. Physical Touch - You feel most affirmed when someone touches you.

2. Quality Time - You desire quality time, quality conversation, and quality activities.

3. Words of Affirmation - You thrive when people compliment you, your motivations, and your heart.

4. Receiving Gifts - You love it when people give you little things to show that they care about you and were thinking about you.

5. Acts of Service - You feel like someone really loves you when they do something for you or help you with something you're doing.

Test 3 - Motivation Country Test

 

Fun Country

People from FUN country smile often, are VERY sociable and need to go out and do something with people instead of staying home alone. (1)

Control Country

These people are very direct and to the point when they talk. It’s difficult for them to listen if they feel someone isn’t getting to the point. They are results driven and put great value in accomplishment. They are often great leaders…when others choose to follow them. (2)

(c) Sheri Bertolini

Peace Country

These people avoid conflict at all costs and want very much to get along with everyone. You can identify these people easily because the expression on their face rarely changes. PEACE people are happier with a quiet evening than a night on the town. (3)

Perfect Country

No, they are not “perfect.” Everyone from PERFECT country is still “human” but these people are in the endless pursuit of perfection. Perfect country residents NEED sensitivity to their feelings. (4)

(1), (2), (3), (4) Direct Quotes from Larry Bilotta: http://www.marriage-success-secrets.com/recipe-for-a-happy-marriage.html