Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Eight Essentials

GOD IS

Only one true and living God exists. He is the Creator of the universe, eternally existing in three Persons—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each equally deserving of humanity’s worship and obedience. He is infinite and perfect in all His attributes.

THE BIBLE IS GOD'S WORD

The Bible is God's written revelation to people, divinely given through human authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is entirely true. The Bible is totally sufficient and completely authoritative for matters of life and faith. The goal of God’s Word is the restoration of humanity into His image.

PEOPLE ARE GOD'S TREASURE

God created people in His image for His glory. They are the crowning work of His creation. Yet every person has willfully disobeyed God—an act known as sin—thus inheriting both physical and spiritual death and the need for salvation. All human beings are born with a sin nature and into an environment inclined toward sin. Only by the grace of God through Jesus Christ can they experience salvation.

JESUS IS GOD AND SAVIOR

Jesus is both fully God and fully human. He is Christ, the Son of God. Born of a virgin, He lived a sinless life and performed many miracles. He died on the cross to provide people forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. Jesus rose from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and will return in power and glory.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS GOD AND EMPOWERER

The Holy Spirit is supernatural and sovereign, baptizing all believers into the Body of Christ. He lives within all Christians beginning at the moment of salvation and then empowers them for bold witness and effective service as they yield to Him. The Holy Spirit convicts individuals of sin, uses God's Word to mature believers into Christ likeness, and secures them until Christ returns.

SALVATION IS BY FAITH ALONE

All human beings are born with a sin nature, separated from God, and in need of a Savior. That salvation comes only through a faith relationship with Jesus Christ, the Savior, as a person repents of sin and receives Christ's forgiveness and eternal life. Salvation is instantaneous and accomplished solely by the power of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. This salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus Christ and not on the basis of human works. All the redeemed are secure in Christ forever.

THE CHURCH IS GOD'S PLAN

The Holy Spirit immediately places all people who put their faith in Jesus Christ into one united spiritual body, the Church, of which Christ is the head. The primary expression of the Church on earth is in autonomous local congregations of baptized believers. The purpose of the Church is to glorify God by taking the gospel to the entire world and by building its members in Christ likeness through the instruction of God's Word, fellowship, service, worship, and prayer.

THE FUTURE IS IN GOD’S HANDS

God is actively involved in our lives and our future. Through His prophets, God announced His plans for the future redemption of His people through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son. With the call of the disciples, God prepared the way for the future of His Church. In scripture, God promised that Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth to resurrect and judge the saved and unsaved. As the all-knowing and all-powerful Creator and Judge, God can and should be trusted today, and with our future.

Monday, January 26, 2009

All in the Serve

My life at this moment is nothing to brag about but there is an underlying theme that has been resounding lately; namely that I want to serve the God of my life with all that I am.I will admit that I am not perfect and have made many mistakes, but it is just too short a time while I am on this earth to not do something meaningful.You see I learned a long time ago that if I was to let worldly influences affect how I view this life and the actions that come from that then I was going to get nowhere fast.Therefore things like material possessions, financial matters, and any and all feelings that come from the flesh are to be dealt with from God my Savior and through His strength alone.

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Romans 6:6

I have come to learn unfortunately by experience that when I try and deal with similar matters in my own strength that I end up messing things up worse than they were before.From this day forward I will glorify God through my circumstances and in everything that He brings my way; no matter the cost.You see God has done everything for me and though I do not deserve His grace; He freely gives it.So I say Amen Lord Amen.

And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto His heavenly Kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psalm 2:11


Verse 1:

Never gave you nothing

people couldn't explain a way
Never gave you nothing
without something to gain
never could slow down enough to study your face
but now I wanna know your name

Chorus:

Hold my feet to the fire
Till I'm breaking a sweat
Till I'll never forget your call
Keep me in line
Give me the nerve
Here it's all in the serve

Verse 2:

Locked in the diamond lane
I keep driving past it
Better to be safe, than learn what you're about
Give me another chance to go where You're going now
I’m here to walk it out
I’m here to walk it out
I’m here to walk it out

Chorus: (2x’s)

It’s all in the serve
It’s all in the serve
Here it’s all in the serve

(Lyrics by Michael W. Smith)


 

Wherefore we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Hebrews 12:28
I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me on that Day -- and not to me only, but unto all those also who love His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8