WORD OF GRACE FELLOWSHIP MINISTRIES

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Sunday, August 26, 2007

Sin Consciousness

Message from Rev. Don Carson

I wanted to write in this blog to discuss the idea of Sin Consciousness. So many people still see themselves with a consciousness of sin and Hebrews 10 says we should not have that anymore. Jesus died as our sin. Jesus did not come to just keep the law so that He could show us how to live a Christian life. HE did not come to be an example but to be our substitute. He did not come to show us the way but to be the way. I think that so many Christians focus on what they think they have to do to be right with God that they lose focus on what God did for them. God did not just save you, but came to live in you and keep you so that you can remain holy in His sight.

There is not one person on the face of the earth that can say they are Holy because of what they did. No one deserves holiness and there is not one that is perfect in their flesh. You are perfect because of who is in you. He keeps you perfect in Him. God does not accept anything less then perfection. BE ye perfect even as your Father in Heaven is perfect. Be perfect was not a suggestion. Be perfect was a command and that command can only be complied with when I seek to allow God to be my perfection. I can only keep that command by the work of Jesus. I cannot keep that by striving to perfect my flesh. Commandment keeping is not what perfects me. Jesus perfected me in His body and said that I was made Holy, unblameable, faultless, irreproveable and unreproachable. He said as many as be perfect be thus minded.

As the Asst Pastor of my church said recently God would not tell you something that you were not capable of doing. Perfection is not an impossibility because perfection is not based on your human flesh but it is based on the perfect flesh of the Son of God. Stop seeing your failures and start seeing His atonement. He keeps you from falling. HE keeps you from failing. Do you receive the work of Calvary as being for you while you still have flesh or is the work that Jesus did only for when you get to Heaven? IS the work of God good enough for you or do you think that you have to earn acceptance by your works? IT boils down to one question for you- is the work of Jesus enough? If you say yes then you have to see yourself as God does and accept what HE says - if you say no then how can you go to Him for salvation?

This is a subject that is not easily received because it is hard to look at yourself and say you are perfect when you know that you have done wrong and our conception of perfection is to never do wrong. You have kept the law perfectly because your substitute did so. You had someone bat for you and you were on the winning team so you won, even though you felt like you almost cost your team the game. You need to see yourself not through what you did in your flesh but through what Jesus did for you while HE was in his flesh. God accredited the slate of Jesus to you. God called you righteous because Jesus earned it for you. You were called Holy and unblameable not because of how God saw you but because of how God saw Jesus. As HE is so are you in this world. IT does not say as HE is so are you when you get to Heaven. You are able to say that He and you are one while you have flesh.

HE makes you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight ( Heb 13:21) God produces in you what is well pleasing in His sight. You do not work in you what is well pleasing in His sight that is God's job in you! 1 John 3:6,9 says that whoever is born of God cannot sin. I have heard some say that it means to not practice sin. I want you to right now stop practicing breathing! You cannot do it! If you stop practicing something then you stop doing it. I cannot sin because God birthed me in the Kingdom. God made me his child and that is why I cannot sin (by the way the word cannot means impossible to do- so it says that it is impossible for me to sin) why is it impossible for me? Because His seed remains in me and he cannot sin for He is born of God. This agrees with v6, which says that whoever abides in Him sins not. I do not sin because my Saviour does not Sin and He is my Substitute and High Priest so walk in His provision today.

10:14 am edt

Friday, August 17, 2007

I was doing some study on what is the role of the Pastor and found that the majority of times the word Pastor is mentioned in the Bible it is mentioned in the OT, specifically in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. So I decided to find out about what they said about a Pastor because I think that it relates to our concept of the pastor in the church and want to make sure we understand the proper role for a pastor in the church. I find that it is important to understand that the role of the Pastor is similar to the role of the prophet in the OT. In the OT the prophet was not just someone who revealed the word of God to the people though that was one of the functions of a prophet. The prophet led the people and was an overseer of all the religious sacrifices and ordinances of the Jewish religion. The prophet spoke to kings and gave direction. The prophet spoke to other nations and about them as well. The prophet was a revealer and an intercessor.

   The priests had the function of performing the sacrifices required by the Law. They performed the duties of the law but not the preaching of the Word. The prophets preached. In the NT we are all called priests but not everyone is a prophet. God calls some to particular positions in the church and those positions are not chosen by their education or background but by the will of God. God puts them over the local church as Pastor and they serve in many ways as the Prophet of old did. They are responsible for overseeing every aspect, program, and teaching from that church. That is why Jesus spoke to the angel of the 7 churches. Jesus did not speak to the members of all 7 churches. He spoke to the one he called to lead that flock. ( Rev 2-3) that tells me that God holds the Pastor responsible for a local church

There are 8 times that the word pastors are used in the Bible- Jer 2:8; 3:15; 10:21; 12:10; 17:16 22:22; 23:1-2. We also have 3 books called Pastoral epistles ( 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus because they were Christian ministers in charge of a church) The Pastor is an office listed in Eph 4:11 so there is a place for the Pastor in the Christian church and it is ordained by God even though most of the references I referred to were OT Scriptures.

Now it says in 2:8 that the pastors transgressed against me. They had pastors in the OT? The word pastor there means a civil ruler and overseer. The Pastors then were not a part of the Jewish Religion. 3:15 is a prophesy about NT pastors for the next verse talks about it would be a time where there would be no more need for the ark of the covenant. 10:21 is a warning to Pastors and says their flocks would be scattered - calling them also shepherds since they have a flock. 12:10 predicts again about pastors destroying something saying they destroyed a vineyard( a connection to the NT) 17:16 Jeremiah says that he was a pastor here 22:22 here the word pastors means rulers of all kinds. 23:1-2 this is a warning to NT pastors as well. We are expected to feed the sheep.

   A pastor is to protect the sheep and to do that they must provide a safe environment for them. They must keep out the wolves and check the area so the sheep do not get harmed. They must also tend after the sheep and even though it may hurt a little the sheep allow the shepherd to do so. The sheep must be willing to receive from the shepherd or they will not be protected properly. A sheep that runs off and does not listen to its shepherd will find they will be hurt and even killed. Sheep need a shepherd and shepherds need the sheep. However, the sheep need to learn to trust the shepherd for their own safety and protection for the sheep cannot grow without the shepherd. They have one shepherd. They have the shepherd that God gave them and they need to respect that person as God's representative to them and listen to them, for when they do not they are coming against what God wants to do in their life.

Eph 4:11- this is what all the offices of a church have for their responsibility not just a pastor- v12-6 apply to the prophet, apostle, evangelist, teacher and the pastor. The pastor also has the added responsibility of being responsible for a particular church. The apostle is sent and starts the church and is there while it is growing but does not stay there. A prophet , Evangelist and teacher do not have the responsibility of a particular church but goes where God sends them. They may have a particular church that is their home church but they go when and where God sends them. IF an apostle comes to a church then while s/he is there they are under the authority of that pastor. An assistant pastor or any other minister in the church is under the authority and anointing of that pastor. Everything flows down from the pastor to his church, that is why it is so important for a parishioner to be in good fellowship with their pastor, because if they are not they will not have any joy and will be unhappy with what is going on in their life.

   The joy of a pastor is related to what happens in his church. IF someone comes and joins then he is happy but if someone leaves then he is saddened whether he knew them a long time or not. ( i use he but a pastor can also be a woman) A pastor's joy is dependent on what happens in the church. A pastor's sadness is also dependent on what happens in the church.

   Pray for your pastor and pray that God will bless him. Pray for what you can do to uplift and encourage him and how can I better relate to my pastor. Your pastor is listed here in Eph 4 as a ministry gift to you so pray that God will cause that gift to operate better in your life. Pray for your pastor so that the anointing will be on s/he as they minister the word and have signs following. Pray for him to have the leadership skills and wisdom to lead the church properly. Bless Him for in doing so God blesses you. Pray for the ones that God put in your life for when you do and bless those that God gives to you then you will find that the blessing is easier to see in your life. These are the last days and the devil wants to destroy churches so pray for the ones who lead the churches and trust God to empower the person God gave to you as your pastor, for then God's power will flow from them into your life and you will be more receptive to the Word God gave to them to give to you and walk in greater victory in your life.

6:13 pm edt

Monday, August 13, 2007

I am thinking about that we need to focus on how great Jesus is in us. Jesus provided for all that we have and too often we forget the things that we do have in Him. We tend to focus on what we do not have in life. We focus on our needs instead of our supply. Jesus is the supply. Phil 1:19 says our supply is of the Spirit by Jesus Christ. God has given to us all that we need. The focus should not be on what we do not have but on whose we are. We have a mansion that is awaiting us that is more exquisite then anything we have ever seen. We have great things given to us by God and they are eternal. God does not give things for just the here and now but also for the ever and ever.

    God focuses on the provision of Jesus and too often we focus on the fleshly things. Focus on your supply. No matter what your need is God in you is greater. God is for you and God will provide. God gives to you all He has for He gave you this in His son. I mentioned this today in my conversations with Bishop Bosco who is visiting with me from Kenya and will be speaking at Word of Grace on Sunday.

   He has a good heart and loves God and the joy of God is evident in his conversation and it is been a joy to converse with him. God unites people from different cultures because we have a intrinsic bond that cannot be separated by language or culture that bond is in what we have in Jesus. God and it is always there. I hope that you are blessed by what you have in your life and pray that God will continue to pour out His Spirit in you and through you. May He keep you in His wonderful grace and love

6:54 pm edt

Saturday, August 4, 2007

To all:

         I am amazed when I watch videos of people being raised from the dead or of people being healed after having to crawl being unable to walk. I saw today some who were healed of cancer on their foot and on their lip. God did a mighty work and in some of the cases it was gradual in others it was instant. I saw that the minister did not touch them like we do here but extended their hand toward them. So they did things different then what we were taught to do but God still healed.

        God gives us what we need and does not do things the same way as he did before. We think that God has to do things the way we expect. God is full of surprises. God knows it all and has seen it all for HE made it all. The Bible says that God created evil. That does not fit in with our theology. God paid for all that we need and freely has given to us all things. God did not give to us because we deserve it or try to perfect our flesh. IF we could live perfect in our flesh then Jesus died in vain. You are not perfect in your flesh. God thought so much of your flesh that HE crucified it. You are not blessed because of how well you keep the word.You are not blessed because of how many abilities you have. You are blessed because Jesus paid the price and you said yes. You said yes and God did the rest. You are not holy because you keep a law or because you try to. You are not righteous because of your morality. YOU are not worthy of the blessing of God!

    So often after we have seen great things of God in our life we think we have become worthy or that the more that we focus on the Spirit then the less we sin. We think that we were sinners because of our deeds but we were made sinners because of Adam and not because of us. YOU were not made a sinner when you sinned but sinned because you were already a sinner. You were born a sinner. Consider that God no longer sees you as unworthy for God sees you not according to your birth nature but your reborn nature. Your reborn nature is righteous and that is perfect for that is what God sees when He sees you

   So what do men do? Religion tries to make you think that your fleshly mistakes and failures make you imperfect but your flesh did not save or keep you. So, your perfection is not based on you since it did not come by you; therefore you do not maintain your perfection by what you do. In Christ you cannot sin. In Christ he made you well pleasing. You are as He is for you are in Him (1 jn 3:6;heb 13:20-21, 1 jn 4:17) See yourself with a new mind

   Soon we will be looking at the inheritance you have in Jesus Christ. In fact we will start it in 3 weeks. I enjoy speaking about it for it comes easy to speak on this subject. I spoke on gifts that you are given by God first and then inheritance. See yourself wrapped up in the glory of God and wrapped in His love. Do not see yourself through the frailty that flesh brings for when you do it causes you to lose sight of who you really are and what you really have.

Who you are and what you have is not based on your possessions, but based on the fact that you are the son/daughter of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You are one of the kings and lords that He is over. You are more important to God then you give yourself credit for and God wants to do more for you and through you then you realize. Bless others for God is in you so walk in him and let the power of God flow through you!

10:01 am edt

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We are a non- traditional church.

As such we are always looking for new ways of getting the Gospel of grace out to new people as well as to those who currently are a part of this Fellowship.

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Welcome to Word of Grace Fellowship Ministries!

Here we are dedicated to the ministry of the gospel of grace and to teach that one who is born again has been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We teach the uncompromising word of grace and righteousness. Right now we are more of a fellowship of like-minded believers whose lives have been changed by the message of grace then a church. God has been a source of constant strength and comfort to us, as He continues to separate us from the mindset of traditional Christianity.

As you go through our pages remember that God's focus is what did Jesus do, not what would Jesus do. Jesus came to die so that by His death we could be made right with God. Once we were made right with God then God could come to live in us so we could be made one body with Jesus. God finds no fault in us, for when He sees us He sees Jesus. This is the reality of who we are as a new man in Jesus Christ.

We at Word of Grace believe that God includes women in the ministry and that God has given to every born again child of his the ministry of reconciliation, to go and bring in the lost to the kingdom of God.

We pray that as you read these pages that you will be ministered to and want to know more about us. Please feel free to contact us for we would welcome the opportunity to minister God's grace to you. May you learn about His grace and grow in the knowledge of righteousness, so that you too can walk in the freedom of Jesus Christ!

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Sunday 11 AM - 1 PM

Fellowship follows service