This could just be one of the most powerful presentations of mission I have ever seen. I will no doubt be getting the book.
MyLifeNeeds2Change.com is a website we created a few years ago to address some of the harder issues we face in life. The following is an interview we did with a good friend of mine Donny Pauling. Donny was a former porn producer who now is nothing short of an amazing christian working with XXXChurch.com. This is a Q & A session that we did at our Conway Campus. Really good stuff.
If you liked that you should go check the site out MyLifeNeeds2Change.com I especially like the confession section where you can with complete anonymity confess your deepest darkest sins. It is a starting place to getting your life on track with God. We are planning to add to this site when we do another series of teaching in November this year on MyLifeNeeds2Change.com. I’ll keep you posted.
Some resources you might want to look into:
http://x3watch.com/
Another great blog for women struggling with porn: FlowerDust.net
I visited the Christian bookstore and was amazed at the numbers of new Christian books. Hundreds of books stocking the shelves of the store. It made me wonder with so much to do for Christ how can we have so much time to write or even read these? God wrote a book. It is enough. The message seems simple enough, read, believe, do. Some how a new angle on the age old message seems silly when we aren’t really familuar with the age old message. So we take more time to learn what we already know and don’t do because we are learning more…Sounds a little crazy doesn’t it?
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim 3:16-17NIV
A few thoughts
The Bible makes us thoroughly equipped. Lacking nothing.
Read, believe, do.
The Gospel will change you and you go change the world.
In light of that, stop reading this and either get your Bible out and study to be equiped or go be Jesus to someone around you.
It has been the privilege of mine to work with some very high speed units and individuals when I was in the military. I had the opportunity to fly support for a Special Forces group training in Alabama for a few weeks once. One thing that I learned from working with this team was they live by a CODE. Honor, respect, excellence, selflessness and endurance are all qualities they held high. Because of this CODE they were able to accomplish things as a team that others could only hope for. The community known as the church has a CODE as well. Unfortunately it is dusty and unpracticed by some. Pastor Jim cuts to the chase when he lets his church know (JerusalemCommunityChurch.TV) that the problem is within the hearts of the people as he blogs:
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” James 3:13-16 NIV
Jim lets us know the root issue is selfish ambition. Selfishness to the church is like spit in your sweet tea. As many try to disguise their selfishness in fake spirituality or phony maturity it all boils down to self centered living (It’s my world, population me.)
How will you recognize this in your life or the life of others? Simple, selfishness rebels against authority, wants its own way, is unwilling to submit, thinks its own opinion is better then anyone else’s and works to get others to feel the same way. Selfishness, rebellion and sin never happen in a vacuum they always look for company. Selfishness is usually huddled up somewhere talking about someone else as they look over their shoulders. When Satan chose to rebel against God he got 1/3rd of the others angels to rebel with him. Why? Because selfishness is the cowardly way. It is loveless and without CODE.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1Cor 13:4-7 NIV
The question line is open! I get questions all the time about different things concerning life, the Bible, God, relationships and much more. Here is your chance to ask anything you want. I will not use your name and I will safe guard your privacy. Any question is a good question. Ask about God, sex, sin, Hell, you name it. Once you ask I will give you an unrehearsed, raw answer on video you can watch and share. So let’s get the questions rolling. Select the tab above “Ask Scott” and let’s get some answers.
Will we have physical bodies in Heaven?
How should we pray?
Where did the the people come from during the time of Cain?
Here is the outline of today’s message feel to comment and ask questions.
What we believe about:
The Bible
The Book God wrote.
The Bible is God’s Word to all people. It was written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because it was inspired by God, the Bible is truth without any mixture of error and is completely relevant to our daily lives.
2 Tim 3:15-17
15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. NIV
God
Three in one.
God has existed always. He has no beginning and no end. He is one yet He operates in three persons. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is and always has been in perfect unity with Himself, submission and authority to Himself.
2 Cor 13:14
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. NIV
Matt 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” NIV
God the Father
God is good, God is great.
He is all powerful, all knowing, ever present, unchanging, trustworthy, and above all holy. He is our Father. He is loving, compassionate, and faithful to His people and His promises.
John 3:16-18
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. NIV
God the Son
He became one of us.
Jesus Christ is God and has always existed (John 1:1). He became a human so that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. On Earth he was completely human, and He was completely God (John 1:1&14). At His human birth He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Luke 1:34-35). He lived a perfect, sinless life and by His example He revealed to us truth, life and the way to live in harmony with God (John 14:6). He was falsely accused, punished, and crucified for our sin (Isaiah 53:5-6). He became our substitute and the bearer of God’s wrath on our behalf (1 Peter 2:21-25). After crucifixion His dead body was taken down from the cross and placed in a tomb (Matt27:59-60). On the third day Jesus Christ rose from the dead, literally, and physically (1 Corinthians 15:4). He appeared to Peter, the disciples, and more than 500 witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). The Lord Jesus Chris ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where, as our High Priest, He fulfills the ministry as Representative, Intercessor and Advocate (Acts 1:9, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 9:24). On a date unannounced Jesus Christ is coming again to receive His church (1 Thess 4:16-18) and after He will return to judge the living and the dead (1Peter 4:5, Romans 14:9, 2Timothy 4:1).
God the Holy Spirit
God is present with us and in us.
We believe that the Holy Spirit is a person who convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; He is the Supernatural Agent in regeneration, baptizing all believers into the body of Christ, indwelling and sealing them unto the day of redemption (John 16:8–11; 2 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Corinthians 12:12–14; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 5:18).
Eternity
Forever and ever Amen.
Man was created to exist forever. He will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are places of eternal existence.
(John 3:16, 36; Romans 6:23; 1 John 2:25; 5:11-13;Revelation 20:15)
Man
Made in God’s image.
Man is made in the image of God and is the supreme object of His creation. Man was created to have fellowship with God, but became separated in that relationship through sinful disobedience. As a result, man cannot attain a right relationship with God through his own effort.
(Genesis 1:26-30; 2:7, 18-22; 3; Psalms 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18, 23; 5:6; 6:6; 7:14-25; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19, 21-22; Ephesians 2; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11)
Salvation
God’s only way.
The blood of Jesus Christ, shed on the cross, provides the only way of salvation through the forgiveness of sin. Salvation occurs when people place their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ as sufficient payment for their sin. Salvation is a gift from God and it cannot be earned through our own efforts.
(Isaiah 1:18; 53:5-6; 55:7; Matthew 1:21; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 5:24;Acts 2:21; 4:12; 16:30-31; Romans 1:16-18;3:23-25; 5:8-10; 6; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; Ephesians 2:8-10;Philippians 2:12-13; Hebrews 9:24-28; Revelation 3:20)
The Church
God’s design for community.
The church is a local community of baptized believers unified through faith in Christ. It is committed to the teachings of Christ, to obeying all of His commands, and it seeks to bring the gospel to the world. The Church works together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.
(Matthew 16:18-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-47; 5:11-14; 13:1-3; 14:23; 16:5; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:10-12; 5:22-32; Colossians 1:18; 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 21:2-3)
