Tag: two

Church In The City (Lesson Two) 1 Corinthians 2

Paul was in Corinth for 18 months. Corinth was a dark place. Paul labored in Corinth praying, preaching, proclaiming, evangelizing and leading a small congregation. Paul was a tent maker and labored with his hands rather than demand money from others. He lived in a second story apartment. He stayed with Acquila and Prascilla who were displaced Jews out of Rome. Paul taught in the Jewish Temple in Corinth. Paul also taught in public forums and debated with passion for Christ with unbelievers. Paul himself had a miraculous conversion on the way to Damascus. Paul was faithful, steady and also met resistance everywhere he went. Sometimes you do not get the fruit you are going after. The Gospel is slow but sure! If you are fruitful God will send someone behind you to carry on the work. The foolishness of the Cross transcends all our understanding! Have the mind of Christ or be a fool. Last week we covered some of the particulars of the city of Corinth and it’s brokenness. A prosperous city yet very wicked. The city was ignorant of Christ. God did do miracles there in the midst of darkness. The power of the Gospel has not diminished. 1 Corinthians 2:6. Human wisdom versus God’s wisdom. The wisdom of this age and the rulers of this age. Politicians, military leaders, philosophers and cultural leaders came to nothing in Corinth. Today Corinth is a tourist trap. God’s secret wisdom was hidden before time. If the world had wisdom they would not have Crucified Christ! I am thankful to be an American but that will not save me! Be careful not to let pride steal God’s Glory. Those enamored with intelligence have no room for God! 1 Corinthians 3:18. Do not deceive yourselves. Paul engages the Greek and Roman cultures. A quote from Socrates,”Only true wisdom is to understand that you know nothing!” God has an ocean of wisdom! God’s wisdom is hidden from the world. Just as Paul was blinded from his natural sight the scales were removed from his eyes to see Christ! Here in Colorado Springs we have a 14000 foot mountain in front of us. Pikes Peak towers above all else here. Sometimes the mountain is completely enveloped in a cloud out of view. If you were a tourist passing through our city on a cloudy day they would miss it. So much of the world misses God’s wisdom! How small we are compared to Pikes Peak and the God who created it! Open your mind to the greater. In American culture today you hear you this statement a lot. I am not religious but very spiritual! What does this mean? People are saying I do not need the Bible, I am going a different path, I want my own way, I just do what I understand and I do my own thing. It was spiritual people who murdered Jesus! The Holy Spirit must open our eyes. Listen to the Holy Spirit and He will reveal God to you! The Spirit of God versus the spirit of the world. Is Google your first choice? What God says is right versus what the world says is right. The world points to self as the solution. A great mistake! The greatest mistake and danger to civilization is when you believe you are God! Adam and Eve got tricked by satan when he told them they could be just like God. Yes to know everything! Leave that to God. Be careful if your decisions point to self. Life is simple if you do it the right way. God’s wisdom must be our influence. No decisions without Christ! What did Jesus say about marriage, parenting, money, sex, health, ect? Read your Bible! So many wrong voices out there. Be intentional and make your first call to God! Jesus Christ must be at the center of our decisions. Start with deciding to follow Him. American culture has lost it’s centrality to Christ! We cannot worship intellect and survive. We need right attitude. We are powerless! Humility leads to the power of the Cross! God either leads us or someone else will. Say God I believe and God I choose you! Recognize the limitations of the human mind. Recognize He is God and you are not. Alcoholic recovery organizations have a creed that is really Biblical. They say,”You are powerless to get out of it!” Religion is powerless to overcome sin! Remember Jesus got mad at religious people! God is personal like a home schooler. Parents know best and sit down and teach their children. One of the limitations of public schools is no personal instruction. God connects to us personally so we can understand Him. God is not distant. We are powerless but God is personal! Are you following Him? Source; Message given by Pastor Brady Boyd at New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Message given on Sunday, January 12, 2014.

Tribute To Captain David Lyons USAF 1985-2013

One of our very own Captain David Lyons was celebrated at the memorial service today in Colorado Springs at New Life Church. The military protocol was moving as hundreds of Air Force Academy Cadets and other military members attended the services along with New Life church members. Captain David Lyons was killed in action last month in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber. Other military members were killed and injured in the attack along with some NATO troops. David was a star athlete at the Air Force Academy and still holds the Idaho High School State record for the shot put throw. He was adopted and took on his adopted parents name. His wife Dana is also an Air Force Academy graduate and serves in the Air Force. It is so encouraging to see military members and church members support their fallen hero’s and their families. I want to give you a famous quote by Charles Province which was given at the memorial service. It reads as follows;” It is the Soldier, not the minister who gives us freedom of religion. It is the Soldier, not the reporter who gives us freedom of the press. It is the Soldier, not the poet who gives us freedom of speech. It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer who gives us freedom to protest. it is the Soldier, not the lawyer who gives us the right to a fair trial. It is the Soldier, not the politician who has given us the right to vote. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, and Who’s coffin is draped by the flag!” Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, That a man lay down his life for his friends!” The word friends translates from the Greek as neighbor. Remember in Mark Chapter 12 the scribes asked Jesus which is the greatest Commandment? Jesus answered, “”Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength. Then the second is to love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no greater Commandment than these!” David did lay down his life for his neighbor’s which represents millions of American’s and millions of people in Afghanistan! We must also recognize a distinction here. David laid down his life to save others! The suicide bomber laid down his life to destroy others! There are two separate eternities for each. There are two sides of the fence here. In one eternity David is joined with Christ the one he lived and died for! The suicide bomber who died to bring death to others is separated from God forever in the fires of hell! Two different outcomes created by two different choices! Choose this day who you will serve! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

The Trinity of God’s Grid!

God’s grid includes God’s relationship to us. It also includes our relationship to God. Then the outflow of these first two parts is our relationship with each other! This is sometimes messy but important. The local church is the alternative relationship not found in the world. Our behavior is different which includes love and forgiveness. When you operate under God’s love relationships are maintained. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. In the phrase,”a threefold cord is not quickly broken,” it is clear that Solomon is pointing out the advantages of companionship. Moreover, he presents this illustration to show how God’s mercy provides help to those who depend on Him. Solomon explains further by examples how this concept of companionship is beneficial. He shows that there are definite advantages of working together. He also reveals how terrible the circumstances would be if one had to face adversity alone. Two is better than one! Adam was given Eve! Learn to be a better friend. The alternative society has love and respect for each other. Two can defend each other. A three stranded cord is not easily broken. Notice how God set up His Kingdom with a Trinity! How we treat each other is a witness to Jesus. Do we really love each other? Satan is the great divider! He tries to isolate us all alone in broken relationships. Do we use each other for gain? His Church gives without expecting a return! We can even be isolated and alone in a Church. You can live in a city such as New York with millions of people around you but yet be lonely! Reasons for loneliness; 1. Hurt or betrayed by someone. 2. Too busy to invest in friendships. 3. Mental clock keeps ticking with deadlines to be met. 4. Not wired to be friendly. Bashful or introverted. 5. Do not know how to make a friend. Proverbs 11:– A Gossip ! Good friends keep a secret! However, remember the strength of sin is it’s secrecy! That is why we are to confess our sin and repent. Do not hide things that are illegal. Even in the church culture people are betrayed by using prayer requests as a way to gossip about others. A good friend covers the spots of his friend. Remember our sin is covered by His Blood! You are not a good friend if someone else has to lose in order for you to gain! A good friend will confront you about bad behavior. A friend will not enable another friend for bad behavior. Confront or otherwise both will lose. We are not here to win arguments but have loving relationships. Explain to your friend this is what you did and this is how I feel about it. Do not let sun go down on your wrath! If you are married and not friends you have a problem.In searching for a marriage partner look for a friend! Romance will not last! Good friends stay close to each other even through valley of shadow of death! I found out my real friends after the tragic shooting we had in our church a few years ago. Good friends forgive. Live in community. People are not always like Jesus in the church. Be quick to forgive. Luke 17:3-4. Repent and forgive! Confront or be confronted and forgive. Do not imagine and rehearse confrontational conversations with people who have offended you. Waste of time! Talk to God about problem. Source; Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. message given on Sunday, September 29, 2013.

US Intervention in Syria? Genesis 16:12

Over 93000 casualties in Syria over past two years. Iran and Russia are supporting Syria. The US was to pull all forces out of Iraq next month but the US military leaders say will not be possible with all sides feuding and elections next month. Will have to stay to see if stability will come? Afghanistan falling apart as we prepare to leave. Libya was a disaster for us in trying to get a democracy going? Giving tons of money to Egypt to try to buy stability? With hundreds of billions of dollars of debt fighting the muslims over past 12 years where are we going? Do we give up and surrender to tyranny? What does the Bible say about this problem? The Bible says the descendants of Ishmael will be wild men and every man against his brother. One of the few things I did agree with was President Obama’s do nothing policy on Syria! It looks like he is changing since use of chemical weapons in region? In Islam there are no good and bad guys! They are all bad! The military weapons we would give them would be turned on us sooner or later. I would suggest to our elected leaders to make decisions based on Biblical values and not just jump into a fight knowing the spending of our blood and money would be in vain trying to help an enemy who abhors our American values! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Look For Two Beasts ! Revelation Chapter 13

This is not a tour of your local zoo! This is not your spouse or your boss we are talking about. This is a virtual tour of two upcoming world leaders described in the Book of Revelation. One leader the anti-christ will be the political leader of the entire world. The second beast will be the false prophet and the world’s religious ruler. He will force the world to worship the first beast the anti-christ. We know from the Bible that the anti-christ will be a Jew and gay. We also know many more things about him from the Bible we will not cover in this article. The question is what world religion will this world religious ruler represent? Since Christians will be raptured before these two beasts are in place we know about 1/3 of the world population will be gone in the rapture. I do not believe a Pope from Rome will be this second beast! Even if this Pope were apostate he has no followers since the Christians are gone! Who will he lead? I believe the false prophet will represent Islam! He will rule from Rome as the Christians have vacated. This would be the perfect mockery of Christendom to have Islam set up headquarters in Rome. With the anti-Christ setting up headquarters in Israel we have a blasphemy unmatched in world history! This will be an unusual marriage between a Jew and a Muslim to rule the world yet this alliance will deceive the whole world into believing peace has finally come. We as Christians need to look to Christ and not the anti-christ! However, we should not be surprised as Bible prophecy writes history! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Brazilian Man Appears at His Own Funeral!

From the Fox News report looks like an identity mix up by authorities. When this Brazilian came home to his house his family and friends were having a memorial service for him. When his family and friends saw him it was reported that some ran away and some passed out! Why? My best bet would be those that ran away owed him money! Those that fainted probably were waiting for the inheritance money! Think about the poor guy having to return his insurance money! How about the other victim having to go through two funerals? How would your friends and family react if you showed up at your own funeral? The Bible says Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in Heaven! Jesus will not run or pass out! Thankyou. James Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com