The Greeks invented athletic contests and held them in honor of their gods! The Isthmus games were held every two years at the Isthmus of Corinth. The ancient Olympics were begun in 700 B.C. in honor of Zeus. No women were allowed to watch the games and only Greek nationals were allowed to participate. Corinth was a beautiful place in southern Greece with ocean on both sides. It was a major trade route with lots of wealthy people living there. The population had a lot of retired Roman military leaders living there so it was a secure place. It was a thriving place! It was also a sexually broken place with 1000 prostitutes in their temples. The poor got wealthy there! Quick money was to be made in Corinth. God created sex and it is one of his best idea’s! Next to Salvation He has never come up with a better idea! The problem is the world has perverted a great idea. There are over 430 million pornography sites on the internet! It is the most viewed topic on the internet. It has devastating effects on relationships. The world’s question about sex is, “How can I have better sex with more people?” This was Corinth and the world we live in today. What should be the question about sex in the Church? How can I Glorify God with my sexuality? 1 Corinthians 6:18. Flee sexual immorality! God designed sex to be used in the marriage covenant. The purpose of children is to raise righteous seed to counter the unrighteous seed in the earth. God’s design for marriage is beautiful! People do not like to hear wait until marriage. The city slogan in Corinth and even in America today is I will do what I want with whom I want where I want and when I want! People in Corinth would ask an immoral person the following question? Have you been Corinthinized? Have you been Americanized? Porn devastates the Church! The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord! Our bodies are members of Christ’s Body! The world says it does not matter what you do with your body? Is it your body or His? The cultural teachers in America say you can do what you want? No boundaries! Choices do not matter? Christ took on a human body. His human body was Crucified on a Cross. He was resurrected in a human body. Christ gave dignity to the human body! What we do with our body does have consequences! Good or bad! If Christ lives in your body can you unite Him with a prostitute? The two become one flesh! Sex has a spiritual and a physical dimension. You cannot have one without the other! You save yourself for marriage not as a consequence but as a Gift from God. Matthew 19:5-6. Leave your father and mother and become one flesh. Parents this is the only way you get grandchildren! No longer two but one. God joins two together as one in spirit and flesh. You are welded together. Do not be unequally yoked. Let no man separate what God has joined together! The powers of hell cannot separate us. Many do not wait? If so start over. Today start over. Anyone who comes to Christ is given a second chance! Sexual sin is commited against your own body. A little like suicide. Stand firm and flee sexual immorality! Turn and run! Run away from sin and run towards God! Psalm 101:2. Set your eyes on no vile thing! There are thousands of ads everyday promoting products with sex! David’s sin with Bathsheba began with wandering eyes! Stay focused on God! Do you notice the word, “Bath”, in her name? An idol replaces the true worship of God. Since in creation the woman was taken from the man it is easy for men to worship the woman which is self worship! It can become idol worship and replace the true Worship of God! There is a fine line here and we have to discern. I love my wife best when I love God! Take inventory! Do you need a warehouse to store all your idol’s? Your body is the Temple of The Holy Spirit! Honor God with your body! We are not our own but have been bought with a price! We serve one true God in one Temple who lives in us! The Greeks temple was aphroditis and their 1000 prostitutes! Corinth also had a slave culture. It included more than just sex slaves. Paul did not endorse slavery! In the Greek culture slaves were indentured servants! When a slave escaped and got captured he was turned over to a worse master. If you try to escape God your are turned over to the King of slave masters who is Satan! Christ has freed you from slavery! Jesus is not a cruel slave master but became a slave for you and laid down His life for you! Honor God with your body! It is personal to God what we do with our bodies. Why? We belong to Him! If you come into my house with mud and manure on your shoes I will get upset! I belong to Christ! My children belong to Christ! My family belongs to Christ! Our bodies belong to Christ and what we do with our bodies is very important! Source; Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Message given on Sunday, February 9, 2014.
Tag: holy
Back Off! Exodus 3:5
Take off your shoes for you are standing on Holy Ground! What man made thing is separating you from God? Source; Jon Egan, Executive Pastor of Worship, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Comment; The word “Ground”, is translated from the Hebrew to mean the clay or earth God used in the creation of man. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Surprised By Joy!
This is the 3rd Sunday of Advent. The season of Advent helps us to shape and impact our culture. The Christmas story is ripe with revelation! Luke1:30 The angel appears to Mary! Of all the Prophets Isaiah had the most revelation about the coming Messiah! Isaiah Chapter 9. Isaiah focused on this Prophetic message. We have a gap of time between the old and new testament of 400 years. It is sometimes called the years of silence. About as much time as the Jews were in slavery in Egypt. No Prophets spoke and no further revelation was given during these silent years. The stage was set at the end of the old testament and the curtain was drawn. Is God silent in your life? Have you been listening for Him or just too busy? Then after 400 years of darkness the curtain is split in two! Light appears from darkness! At a time least expected! God will surprise you! Do you have an expectation from Him? God came into my life when I least expected it! Has He come for you? Advent is about Him coming to you! Do you need to welcome Him? When Jesus was born in Bethlehem wise men from the East following His star showed up in Jerusalem. King Herod heard about this and was very disturbed! He was rattled! Herod was jealous! King Jesus was a direct threat to him. Herod the Great was from Idumea and was a descendant of the Edomites who were the family of Esau. These descendants of Esau were always attacking Jacob’s family. Remember Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. the Edomites vanished from history. Herod ordered an abortion of all the children two years old and younger and knives thrust into the bellies women that were pregnant. Yes, the Devil believes in Christmas! The world worships power, position and influence. Not much room for a baby. It is interesting how God uses vulnerable people to accomplish His work! God uses two pregnant women to prepare the way for the Savior of the world! Do you qualify as vulnerable? Homeless, pregnant, broken, betrayed, on dope, rejected, divorced or disabled? Are you without hope? Then you qualify for God to use you in a big way! He is looking for people who will be testimonies for Him! Pass the test and trust God at His Word! The baby Elizabeth was carrying(John the Baptist), leaped for Joy in her womb when Elizabeth heard the news from Mary about her visitation and God’s plan for the King and Son of God to be born by her! Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit! Luke 1:39-41. Do not try to live without the Holy Spirit for He gives you the power to live a victorious life! Without the Holy Spirit you will be like the Pharisee’s who knew about God but did not know Him! Luke 2:25-26. Next an old vulnerable man named Simeon who was just and devout got surprised by the Holy Spirit with Joy and was told he would not die until he has seen the Christ. Luke 2: 36-38. Here we see Anna a Prophetess and widow most of her life who served in the Temple get surprised with Joy! Do you lack surprise? Is life dull and routine? Hopeless? Broken dreams? Remember Joy is a gift! God does not just give joy but He is Joy! In His presence is fullness of Joy! Joy is not happiness. Our Constitution says we have the right to pursue happiness! Happiness you have to pursue or try to chase down by your own efforts! It depends on the economy, politicians, health, ect. Joy is a gift and never earned! The price has been paid for you! Galatians 5:22. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. What are the enemies of Joy? Pride, self, criticism, sarcasm, ect. Do you find fault with everything? Do you leave any room for beauty? No room for Jesus in your Inn? Have you been wounded or hurt by someone? See the beauty of God! No one on earth loves you like Him! He will never leave you or forsake you! He is different from us! I am not offering you a Christian but Christ Himself! Never lose your fascination, awe and wonder for Him! Go for beauty and be surprised by Joy! Joy is a person and not a benefit! The Holy Spirit is a person! The benefits come with the person and not apart from Him! Psalm 16:8-11. Do not get fixed on our cultural problems. Important but not your focus! Rather than be a student of culture be a Worshipper of God! Set the Lord before you. Have fullness of Joy and pleasures forevermore! You can hear bad news but still have Joy. Turn off the news networks this season and enter into His rest! Focus on Christ! Spend time with Him! The word time means, :”To Honor.” Psalm 16:9 Rest in Hope! My heart is glad and rejoices. Joy is an inside job! Your body rests secure. An external God who gives internal pleasure. From without to within! Joy comes at unusual times and unusual places through unusual persons! Is your heart prepared to be surprised by Joy? Source; Sermon notes taken from message given by Pastor Brady Boyd at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Message given Sunday December 15, 2013.
ObamaCare Trick or Treat?
What does the word Halloween mean? The word means a Holy person or Saint. It started as a Christian celebration of the departed Saints. It is followed up the next day called, “All Saints Day.” The problem is over time the event has moved from celebrating life to celebrating death! As Christians we celebrate life and not death! Jesus conquered death, hell and the grave for us! So we celebrate Jesus and not Satan who is the author of death. You have to keep the main thing the main thing! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Hear It and Practice It ! Matthew 7:24-27
Here Jesus gives the final benediction. Jesus demands and compels us to take the narrow gate, produce the right fruit and make the right choice! He required of us that we build on the right foundation. We are to examine ourselves and practice Holiness. Jesus repeats these requirements a second time because they are so important. Jesus was talking to believers not non-believers. The rain, wind and storms will come to us all. Good and bad days are ahead. The wise build on the rock and the foolish on the sand. If we build on the right foundation we will thrive through the storm. We have great days ahead! We can feel His Blessings! The disciples were passionate. They did great things! There were glorious days and there was also trouble. Eleven of His disciples were martyred! One was imprisoned on a remote island in a cave. John 16:33 — Peace and Tribulation? Jesus has come to give us peace. The world gives us trouble. Jesus has overcome the world! Stay strong and keep the Faith. Nothing shall shake you! The place of stability in Christ leaves no terror. The unstable world leaves us with fear. Love and fear are opposites. How do we practice words? We practice them by doing them. Action! Breath in His Holy Spirit. Get saturated with the Gospel! Breath out and go do His Word. Are you receiving but not giving? Gandhi said,” I like your Christ but not His followers! ” Christ’s followers cannot save Gandhi but Christ could! James 1:27– Pure religion is to take care of widows and orphans. Also keep your heart pure. Find some widows and orphans! Get busy. Do! Act! Along life’s path do His Word. Do you have a vision? That vision will deceive you if you are not doing His Word! A medical doctor is useless unless he is practicing his knowledge! Luke 8:15– There are four types of soil. The seed is the word. Good soil is a pure heart. Hear His word and do something about it. Hear it, retain it, talk about it and do it. Cares of the world will choke the word. Know the will of God and cooperate and do it. Good work does not earn our salvation. But the good works help to mature us. Put your hands and feet to His Word. The Bible is a living, breathing document. The Holy Spirit puts boots on the ground through you! Live out your revelation. Matthew 7:28– Jesus taught as one having authority. It is not about Plan A or Plan B. Make disciples teaching them to obey me! Christ will be with you always even to the end of the ages. Have a secure place and build on the right foundation. What are you building your life on? What and who is shaping and forming your life right now today? Source: Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Message given Sunday, September 15, 2013. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Great Distractions Of Worry! Matthew 6:25-28
Radical Jesus! Live out the beatitudes through counter-culture behavior! Jesus gave us a new way of being human! The Kingdom way of being human. Pray with listening ears, seeing eyes and hearts to receive the scriptures by impartation and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a servant. Are you? Distractions such as money, possessions, and inside out language will take your focus off God and make us dysfunctional for the Kingdom. What we focus on is what we worship. Worry cannot add a single hour to our life. Stress which comes from worry can shorten our life. Jesus warned us not to worry about our clothes. Pagan’s run after these things. Jesus must have had the inside track on women’s dress habits. Ladies really dress to impress other ladies. Men do not have a clue about this? Worry distracts us, divides us, wastes time and keeps us from witnessing to others. Seek first the Kingdom and He will add what is needed for you. God can do the math! Luke 10- Martha and Mary. Martha worried about many things? She did not have CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox and other media to help her find worries. She did it all by herself! Mary chose what was better with no distractions. Look at the birds of the air! Be a bird watcher. Doves mate forever. No divorce here. I watched two silver doves that were in my driveway yesterday. So contented! A bird brain may be a good deal? Are they too stupid to worry? No, God has programed them to understand He will take care of their every need. They do not worry about global warming. They rest in the cool of the day. Take a deep breath and relax. The Theology of Heaven is God always has enough! Have God’s world view. People stress out and die trying to get more. Humans are limited but God is unlimited! Father knows your needs. Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness. Definition of God’s Kingdom; God’s Kingdom is Jesus Christ ruling over His people. Ruling ever part of our life. Is Jesus Lord of All? V.34- Each day has enough trouble of it’s own. Worry about yesterday today and tomarrow? Regret Saturday and dread Monday? If so you cannot enjoy Sunday! To worry about yesterday and tomarrow is to worry twice! Worry about nothing? Trust God today and no regrets tomarrow. Cares of today are sufficient. Concern verses worry; Concern is to take issues to prayer and let the peace of God under the Lordship of Christ establish you. Worry comes when Jesus is not the Lord of your life. Worry and fear is not the fruit of the spirit. Love and fear are opposite each other. They come from two different sources. The Lord of Fear is leaving God out of your life and trying to run things on your own. The name Israel means ; “To Rule as God.” Can you do better than to rule as God? If you reject God then Satan will rule over you. The choice is yours? Source; Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Sermon Notes, Sunday Worship Message, August 4, 2013. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Christians! Stand Your Ground! Daniel 12:3
Latest IRS revelation is agency is targeting those who give 10 percent or more to charities? That means Christians who follow the Bible and tithe 10 percent or more of their income are targets! The average American gives 2 percent of their income to charities. We as Christians know 10 percent giving is the least we can give. I am 64 years old and have never living here in America all my life seen such an abuse of power by President Obama of any standing president! It reminds me of a mafia figure using federal agencies who are paid by our tax dollars to go after Christians because he does not agree with our Biblical positions on many issues. This life is a battle between good and evil. We are now in America where good is called evil and evil is called good. We need to stand on the side of righteousness regardless of the cost to us. Stand on Holy Ground and continue the fight! Time is short and the good we stand for is locked in by our Christ both now and forever! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
New Life Church Sermon Notes. June 23, 2013
Scripture; Matthew 5; 33-35 1. Mean what you say and say what you mean – Honesty, Integrity. 2. Low Trust = Many Laws. We hear out of Washington everyday the following; “We will write another law so this never happens again!” 3. High Trust = Few Laws. 4. Build trust in our families. 5. Lack of trust causes us to withdraw from relationships. In Jesus day no one could trust the Roman government. They deceived the people with unjust taxes, excess spending, bribes, deception, ect. The religious leaders in Jesus day also wrote more laws as trust declined. 6. Jesus gave us a new way of being human. 7. God is an oath maker and a promise keeper – No double talk. 8. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. Five common lies or exaggerations told by Christians; 1. I will pray for you. 2. It is great to see you. 3. I am doing great. 4. I have read all the above and agree with the terms. 5. I love you brother. Three questions arise when we hear one or more of the five statements. 1. Is he or she hyping something? 2. Is he springing something? 3. Is he trying to sell me something? People try to exaggerate and manipulate people. Insecurity causes exaggeration. Would you love me if you saw the real me? Adam and Eve hid from God. Our vulnerabilities project a lifestyle. To manipulate is selfish. Words are used in a deceptive way to try to get a desired outcome. The Bible calls it witchcraft. The witch uses shame, guilt, fear and twists words to get people to believe something that is not true. This is demonic. Powerful but demonic. God is truth and love and not shame. Talk openly to your children about the beauty of God’s creation including sex and the purpose of it. Adolescence who are shamed about sex will have a great difficulty entering into a healthy sexual relationship when they are married. Please see Ephesians 4:14-15. Speak the truth in love. How do we speak the truth in love? Answer the following questions. 1. Have you prayed for them? 2. Do I see good and potential in them? 3. Will I be helpful to them? 4. Am I rested? God made an oath and promises to us. They are as follows; 1. I will be with you always. 2. Nothing can take you from my Father’s hand. 3. I will not leave you as orphans. 4. I will send the Holy Spirit to you. 5. I will give you rest. 6. I will build my church. Comment; What we admire about Pastor Brady Boyd is his transparency! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Pentecost Sunday May 19, 2013
We have a birthday today! Yes the birth of His Church! Fifty days after Christ was raised from the dead His Church was born! Remember the Torah or Law was given to the people after 50 days. In the Old Testament God gave us the standard to live by but in the New Testament at Pentecost through His Holy Spirit He gave us power to live up to the standard! Source; Introduction to message given at New Life Church by Pastor Brady Boyd, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Does Justification Make One Inwardly Holy? Romans Chapter 3 Verses 19-20
These verses form a key conclusion in Paul’s argument regarding sin and righteousness. In the previous verses, Paul has quoted the Old Testament to demonstrate man’s sinfulness (vv. 10-18). The “law” (v.19), referring to the Old Testament, was designed to silence all mankind under the conviction that they have nothing to say against the charge of sin. Likewise, the law was intended to convince all men of their guilt, or liability to punishment before God. Paul concludes that since all men are guilty, they cannot be “justified” by their own personal character or conduct (v. 20). Justification is a legal term meaning to remove guilt (liability to punishment) of the sinner. IT DOES NOT INVOLVE MAKING ONE INWARDLY HOLY but merely declares the demands of justice have been satisfied. Hence, there are no grounds for condemnation (Romans 8:1). Not even obediance to the law can justify one before God. Paul reasons, because the very nature of the law is to prove to each person that he or she is sinful and deserves God’s punishment. Thus the purpose of the law is to lead people to renounce THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS and TRUST in the IMPUTATION OF CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS as the only grounds for acceptance with God. In Conclusion; The above subject of justification applies to all whether saved or not! Many of us after getting saved through ministries and good works can fall into the trap that it is all the good stuff we do that makes us Holy! If we can remember it is Christ’s Righteousness that has, is and will continue to save us! Thankyou. James Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com Source: Key Word Study Bible Hebrew-Greek, Page 1406, AMG International 2008 Edition.