In His Grip

( Click here for an audio version .  The intro and conclusion are from ‘Beyond Belief’ by Petra ) "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."    (Romans 8:5-8) This past week I took a deeper dive into a passage I memorized last year, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.   I was struck by the phrase ‘according to the flesh’ in v.3, which reads (emphasis mine): "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh ,"    --> This has the following sense:  ‘For though we walk about (live our lives) in the frailty and imperfection of our temporary bodies, we d

( Click here for an audio version .  The intro and conclusion are from ‘Disciple’, by Petra , converted from vintage vinyl!) "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now."    (Philippians 1:3-5, NASB) "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,"    (Philippians 1:21-25, NASB) "For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the s

( Click here for an audio version .  The intro and conclusion are from 'Godpleaser' by Petra. ) This concludes a series on Biblical Eldership.   So far we have covered: ·       Biblical Eldership: An Introduction ·       God’s Purposes in the Gospel ·       God’s Design for His Church ·       God’s Purpose for His People Today we conclude by reflecting on the heart of God and an exhortation to personal reflection of your own heart, life, and church. "Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.’ (Jeremiah 3:15)   There is a very Trinitarian aspect of leadership that I trust you have seen in our study so far.   From the very heart of God: ·       The Father from eternity past has designed Redemption through the Gospel ·       The Son has redeemed and shepherds His people ·       The Spirit has birthed and empowers His people Again, this is a m

  ( Click here for an audio version .  The intro and conclusion are from 'Godpleaser' by Petra. ) --> Calling Calling is a huge theme in Scripture, and one that can often be misunderstood.   I have found Sovereign Grace Ministries’ ‘The Summons’ course to be helpful (I believe that content is now captured in the Dave Harvey book Am I Called? ).   In this course, the first and foremost emphasis is not on ourselves, but on the God who calls us!   The Bible gives us the following categories of calling: ·       For all believers: o    Salvation (e.g. see 2 Timothy 1:9) o    Spiritual Gifts (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4) ·       For some believers: o    Elder or Deacon (see the prior post on God's Design ) o    Vocational Ministry (e.g. see 1 Corinthians 9:14)   Qualification While God calls all believers to holy living (e.g. see 1 Peter 1:15 and context) and spiritual leaders to a higher standard ( see the prior po

( Click here for an audio version .  The intro and conclusion are from 'Godpleaser' by Petra. ) This is a continuation in a series on Biblical Eldership.   So far we have covered: ·       Biblical Eldership: An Introduction ·       God’s Purposes in the Gospel Jesus: The Source, Means and End To say ‘it’s all about Jesus’ is one thing; to practically understand and live out its implications is quite another.    A close look at Ephesians 4:11-13 reminds us that Jesus Christ is the Source, Means, and End (goal) of the Church! ‘And He at one time has, of His own good will and purpose, placed and appointed, affirming according to His perfect design, apostles (those sent out by His commission to represent Him), prophets (who make God's specific will known by exhortation and reproof), evangelists (proclaimers of the Gospel), spiritual shepherds, and teachers of His redemptive plan,   (12)   for the purpose of repairing and preparing those God has set apart