2018/12/30 A.M. "God's Plan revealed in our plans"

This is taken from the 2017 annual reports. As a local church, we honor God through submissive obedience in serving others and proclaiming His Word. We also need to have personal involvement and rewards in the local church mission. God wants more than our attendance and money, He wants our heart, soul, and mind. The Elders have prayed for wisdom and guidance in leading Calvary spiritually. We see the change taking place and know the answer is to have a deeper spiritual relationship with God and His mission. It’s not about attendance and it’s not about the money! It’s about our walk with God, following the pattern and commands of Christ. This message will continue to be preached and encouraged while we seek God’s wisdom and guidance. Copied from the 2017 Annual Report

1/7/18 Good Intentions Kill

Acts 8:1 NIV

And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

Copied from 2018/1/7 A.M. Good Intentions

a determination to act in a certain way: resolve

what one intends to do or bring about

It is said the "the road to hell is paved with good intentions."

We all have experienced bad results that come from good intentions.

1/14/18 A Special Possession

1 Peter 2:9 NIV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1/28/18 The Test of Success

John 6:27 NIV

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

Above all else, every church must pass the test of feeding on the bread of heaven, God's manna from heaven.

Living in a me first society is a challenge for the believer.

Being moved by anything other than the Spirit must be questioned

That means we must encourage and practice being in the Spirit's presence.

We need to be encircled by the Holy Spirit.

We need to be in love with God!

We need to teach our children the core values of living for the Enduring Eternal Life found in Jesus Christ.

This message, the message of faith in Jesus Christ, the message of living or walking in the Spirit, the message of salvation in Christ is the test.

Are we experiencing the results of such values in our church?

2/4/18 Expressing Faith through the Local Church

Ephesians 3:2–12 NIV

Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus. I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Ephesians 3:2–6 NIV

It is possible to be so active in the service of Christ as to forget to love him. Many a man preaches Christ but gets in front of him by the multiplicity of his own works. ... Christ can do without your works; what he wants is you. Yet if he really has you, he will have all your works.

P.T. Forsyth

Galatians emphasized the problem of blending human actions with faith

A local church has to stand apart from the world in preaching faith in Jesus Christ! To do anything else enhances the possibility of blending the human will with faith.

Faith is the message the local church carries

Galatians 5:13–26 NIV

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 5:13-

Serve One Another

Walk by the Spirit

Acts of the flesh

Fruit of the Spirit

Keep in step with the Spirit

The Books of the Bible Made Easy Background and Purpose

Paul’s purpose is to counteract the false teaching that was blending Jewish rituals and the Christian faith. Paul urges the Galatians to remain in the freedom they have in Christ but also cautions against the abuse of this freedom.

Galatians 5:13–18 NIV

Water, M. (2001). The Books of the Bible made easy (p. 48). Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishing.

Flesh

Blending Human values and the Christian Faith.

Paul is confronting the blending of visible actions with faith.

Live by the Spirit or by the Flesh?

Galatians 3:2–3 NIV

I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

At one time the churches (plural) were identified according to faith in Jesus Christ. However, they began to listen to teachers about the importance of following a different law, “the law of Moses.” I believe the church of today is facing similar false teachings that needs to be carefully examined. Simply stated, the issue is the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit.

Galatians 3:2-

The Flesh connect with the elemental forces of the world

Galatians 4:3 NIV

So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world.

Special Celebrations follow a law separate from faith

Galatians 4:10–11 NIV

You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

Gal 4:

Who is the Enemy

Galatians 4:14–16 NIV

and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

:14-16

The human will (false teachers) alienated Paul

Galatians 4:17–18 NIV

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you.

Gal 4:17-

Christ’s seed (singular)is characterizes as the faithful

God’s Promises come through Christ

Galatians 3:2 NIV

I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?

Galatians 3:16–18 NIV

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

Galatians 3:16-1

Galatians 3:

Serve One Another humbly and don’t indulge the flesh

Galatians 5:13 NIV

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Galatians

love (Christian) n. — a strong, non-sexual affection and regard for a person and their good as understood by God’s moral character; especially characterized by a willing forfeiture of rights or privileges in another person’s behalf.

Be careful how you treat one another

Galatians 5:15 NIV

If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Galatians 5:

to hurt ⇔ bite v. — to hurt, conceived of as gripping, cutting off, or tearing with the teeth.

Walk by the Spirit

Galatians 5:16–17 NIV

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

Galatians 5:16-17

Conflict: to oppose v. — to be against; express opposition to.

Galatians 5:17 NIV

For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

Building Up One Another Introduction—Looking Ahead

This introduces us to a very fascinating dichotomy regarding the way the “one anothers” are outlined in the New Testament. They can actually be grouped under “the acts of the sinful nature” and “the fruit of the Spirit.” When they are, we can see immediately what Paul had in mind when he stated that these two manifestations conflict with one another (5:17).

The Acts of the Flesh

Galatians 5:19–21 NIV

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22–26 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galatians 5:22-2

Getz, G. A. (2011). Building up one another. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook.

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