NHE7 - Connections Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:19:36 -0700 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:19:22 -0700 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:11:45 -0700 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:11:20 -0700 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:10:55 -0700 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:10:23 -0700 Let's examine five of those tests. Test 1: A TRUE CHRISTIAN CANNOT IGNORE SIN 1 John 1:6-10 (NLT): So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. These verses tell us that everyone sins, but that true Christians cannot continually practice sin -he must confess it (agree with God about it). Any person who practices sin, refuses to agree with God about the sin, and refuses to turn from the sin is not a true Christian. Test 2: A TRUE CHRISTIAN OBEYS CHRIST'S COMMANDS 1 John 2:3-5 (NLT): And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. As we see, a true Christian has a deep desire to obey Christ. Obedience to Him is the pattern of a true Christian's life. Test 3: A TRUE CHRISTIAN DOES NOT LOVE THE WORLD 1 John 2:15 (NLT): Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. The 'world' is a value system that leaves God out and is controlled by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4). A true Christian does not find joy in the world's value system. A person who leaves God out of their decisions and daily life -and finds joy in those things that leave God out—is not a true Christian. Test 4: A TRUE CHRISTIAN DOES NOT LOVE THE WORLD 1 John 2:19 (NLT): These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us. A person who has forsaken the church -making a final turning away from it—is a person who lacked genuineness from the beginning. Test 5: A CHRISTIAN CANNOT CONTNIUE IN HATRED 1 John 3:14-15 If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don't have eternal life within them. The heart of a true Christian cannot be a permanent dwelling place for hate. The above verses are not referring to a momentary flare up, but an attitude of hate as a pattern of life. How did you do? · If you are sure that you pass the tests of 1 John visit www. … .org and continue learning how you may Exchange Your Life for a New One! · If you didn't do so well, or have any doubts, continue reading. Are you good enough to be accepted by God? The Bible tells us that we have been given a 'measuring stick' to determine if we measure up to God's standard for acceptance. That standard is The Law -summarized in the Ten Commandments. Romans 3:20 (NLT): For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. Before we see how you stack up against the Law of God, I have bad news to share: · God doesn't grade on a curve! He does not measure you and me against how well others do. · If we are guilty of breaking only one of God's commandments, we are guilty of breaking them all! James 2:10 (NLT) For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God's laws. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:09:47 -0700 How to Exchange Your Life for a New One Introduction Did you ever wish you could exchange your life for a new one? The good news is - YOU CAN! The Bible describes this exchange in Galatians 2:20 (NLT): My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. As we examine how to exchange your life for Another, let me ask you a question: Do you consider yourself to be a born-again Christian? · If the answer is yes, continue this study. · If the answer is no, please visit www. … .org The issue of your relationship with God is so important that you cannot afford to be deceived or have any doubt. The Bible tells of some people who were deceived about their relationship with God. Matthew 7:22-23 (NLT): On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' Cross references: A.Matthew 7:22 : Matthew 25:11, 12; Luke 13:25-27 B.Matthew 7:22 : Mal 3:17, 18 C.Matthew 7:22 : Num 24:4; John 11:51; 1 Cor 13:2 D.Matthew 7:22 : Mark 9:38 E.Matthew 7:23 : Matthew 7:22 F.Matthew 7:23 : Matthew 10:33; Psalm 101:4 G.Matthew 7:23 : Matthew 25:41; Psalm 6:8 H.Matthew 7:23 : Matthew 13:41; Psalm 5:5 God gave a special book (1 John) that has the express purpose of helping us to know whether what we have is genuine. That purpose is spelled out in 1 John 5:13 (ESV): I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. Within the book of 1 John, we are given a series of tests that every person can use in order to be sure that they have eternal life. Let's examine five of those tests. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 03:08:36 -0700 How to Exchange Your Life for a New One by Dr. Phil Jones (used with permission, adapted by Ron Browning) Lesson 1 A New Creation in Christ For if a man belongs to Christ, he is a new person. The old life is gone. New LIFE has begun. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLV) When a person receives Jesus Christ, he/she becomes a new creation (a new person). What does that mean? To understand what happened at salvation, we need to understand the make-up of mankind. We find in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 that is: Spirit Soul Body The body is that part of man that allows us to live on planet Earth. You can think of it as an 'earth suit'. With the body we relate to the environment. Our body, though it may be considered just an earth suit, is still very much a part of who we are. It consists of three functions - our: 5 senses, chemical reactions, and genetic predispositions (our DNA). The soul is the personality. It includes how we think, choose, and feel. It is how we experience life. This soulical capacity includes our psychological and psychiatric makeup. With the soul we relate to others. The spirit is that part of man that allows us to know God and to have fellowship with Him. With the spirit, we relate to God. To understand the need for an exchanged life, we must go back to the Garden of Eden and see the results of sin coming into the world. In Genesis 2:17 God gave Adam and Eve a choice: obey or disobey. What was the consequence of disobeying God? That's right: Death It is important to understand what died. We know that it was not Adam's body or soul (personality). Therefore, when sin came into the world, it was Adam's spirit that died to God. Adam was now separated from God. Romans 5:17 teaches us: How many have been affected by Adam's sin. Every descendant of Adam was born with a spirit dead to God. The Bible calls this being 'dead in trespasses and sins' (Ephesians 2:1). When Adam's spirit died to God, the nature of Satan moved in. Satan's nature is the longing to be independent of God - to be our own god. This nature is called in Romans 6:6, 'the old man'. Others have called this nature 'the sin nature' or 'the Adamic nature'. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. Isaiah 53.6 (MSG) Also, a power called 'sin' moved in and took up residence in our body (Romans 7:23). What happened at salvation? Ephesians 2:1 teaches us that you are made alive. What part is made alive? The Spirit man! According to Romans 6:6, what happened to the old man? It was crucified with Christ. In John 3:3, Jesus called salvation being born again. What part of man is born of again? Romans 6:6, teaches us that this 'body of sin' was 'done away with'. That phrase in the original language of the New Testament does not mean annihilated. It means to be rendered powerless or lose authority over. The only one the power of sin had authority over was the old man. Remember, Romans 6:6 teaches that the old man was crucified with Christ! Because the power or body of sin has lost its authority, Romans 6:7 teaches, we are freed from sin. For a new creation in Christ, Galatians 2:20 informs us that the life we now life is Christ living in me! Summary: We are born physically with a spirit dead to God, thus incapable of knowing and walking with God. We were ruled by a power called sin that had authority over the old man (Adamic, sinful nature). When we received Christ, we were 'born again' in the spirit. Our spirit is alive to God (new man); we become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), the Spirit of Christ comes to dwell in our spirit, and the old man (Adamic, sinful nature) is crucified with Christ. The power called sin no longer rules in our life. We are free to choose to say 'NO' to sin! Do you believe this? Do you believe that you are a new person and that sin is no longer your boss? Consider reading Romans 6 from the Message Version. You can find a free copy of this at Bible/ Romans 6. Feel free to email me your comments to lesson 1 at ron@nhe7.org; and be sure to stay tuned for lesson 2. Looking forward to walking together, as we learn how to Exchange Your Life for a New One! Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:42:48 -0700