Monthly Archives: October 2017

December 28, 2015

Coming to Christ “as you are” is not a cultural movement, it’s not a statement of individuality or uniqueness, and it’s not an affirmation of your personality. It’s a change in your way of thinking. It’s a way of thinking that rejects the worldly system of thinking and living. It’s thinking about and listening to what God has to say to you.

• 1 John 2:15 (KJV) 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

When you “come as you are” to Christ it’s an act of confession. It’s a confession that you are a sinner and you cannot clean yourself or remake yourself in order to be worthy to approach and have a relationship with God. It’s a confession that you need someone to cleanse you and make you able to approach God. When you “come as you are” to Christ you come without a mask, or an act, or a condition. “When you “come as you are” you come in humble belief in the risen savior whose precious Calvary-shed blood washes your sins away. As you are washed you are given the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to comfort, teach, guide, and cleanse you daily. When you “come as you are” to Christ don’t expect to remain the way you came. You will have to abandon and renounce your old way of thinking. You will have to leave it all behind. You will do it because you’ve come to receive the blood-bought gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life. You’ve come to be transformed. You’ve come to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ. You’ve come to grow in faith, discipleship, obedience, and service to Christ.

• 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (KJV) 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. · 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

You must “come as you are” to Christ in order to receive his gift. But, if any of you think “come as you are” means to come to be affirmed in your fashion or style of dressing, singing, ethnicity, sexuality, or thinking – – – – – –

COME AGAIN! Only this time, come to be redeemed, reborn, remade and revived by Christ. This time come to be a disciple and follower of Christ, a lover of God, a part of his Church. Come to a Holy, Sovereign, and Righteous Lord whose love for you was demonstrated on Calvary and will be shared with you for all eternity – when you come to him on his terms, through his son, by his blood, filled with his spirit.

• Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV) 28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Christ inviting you, allowing you to “come as you are” is his grace and compassion to you. It elevates you of the trouble of trying to fix yourself or impress him with your efforts. It’s his way of saying, “I know you can’t do this on your own”. It’s his way of saying, “I’ve got you and I’ve got this”.

Come as you are. Come whether broken, bruised, or belittled.

Come regardless of your past or present life.

Come great or small. Come regardless of age or experience.

Come to Hear. Come Learn. Come to Believe. Come to Abiding Faith

Many people see power as a positive attribute possessed by someone with charisma, great wealth or influence.  Yet power – real power is about the transformation of a person’s life.  Satan has power.  He can imitate and impersonate an angel of light because he used to be one and remembers how to do it.  He deceives people by pretending to be an angel of light but in reality, he is a minister of evil and darkness.  How can you know?  Because his power can only pretend to be what God really is.  In the end, he cannot create or transform anything or anyone.  Satan can only destroy and diminish, and then only as God allows him to do.

People, like all sheep, can be persuaded by the loudest voice, the most attractive face, or the biggest pocketbook.  But when the charisma has faded and celebrity is old an emptiness remains.  Why because it was not creative or transformative power it was only an attraction to what appeared or sounded good.

People say things like, “He/She is a really powerful Christian”, or “That was a powerful word”, etc.  Yet if the person fails to demonstrate a transformed life created in Christ, or if the words do not inspire you to be transformed by the renewing of your mind – what kind of power are you talking about.

Paul tells of the day will come when people will no longer endure sound doctrine, but instead, they will run after anything that tingles their ear with the sound of “hey there’s something new over here”.    The sad thing is eventually you’ll get worn out from all that chasing but never benefit from what you heard because you didn’t settle in long enough for it to change your life.

2 Tim 3 says, “1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Real power changes your character, motives, and behavior.  Last time I checked only a saving encounter with Jesus Christ can do that.

Be wary of people always talking about power but don’t show some sign.  Reject the counsel of those who would seek to be leaders or influential yet provide no genuine spiritual maturity and behavior.  They are false prophets (claiming to speak for God but deny him in works), clouds without water, (bringing no spiritual refreshing on their own)  whited sepulcher (tombs – places for the dead that are clean on the outside but have no life in them).

How can you tell the difference?  Simple, first test what they say by the Word of God and whether or not they agree with God (Let God be true but every man a liar).  Second, check their fruit to see if it is spiritual fruit from the Holy Spirit or earthly/worldly fruit of the flesh.  And finally, try everything by the Holy Spirit – He never fails.

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech ye therefore brethren, by the mercies of God that you present yourselves a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God for such is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”

Christ is the author of the genuine life-changing power.  The Holy Spirit is the power link to Christ.  The Word of God is the instruction manual.  The people of God are to demonstrate this power through faith, obedience, devotion, and service to the Lord.

If you want to see real power, look beyond the words, look at what matters.  Look for the transforming work of Christ.  That’s the real power.