GREENE STREET LETTERS: Do You Receive?

Monday, June 29, 2009

Do You Receive?

I Thessalonians 2:13
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

I was taken by the last part of this verse which says "The word of God which also effectively works in you who believe."
We are called to let the word of God into our hearts when we hear it. For too many, they set guard over their hearts their own ability to decide what is right and what is wrong. What is for them and what isn't. We don't have that luxury. We do not take power away from God to declare his rightness or wrongness as we see it. We are called simply to let the truth "richly" dwell in us.

Colossians 3:16 reads:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another......"
We need to always receive what we are taught and what we read in Scripture. To let it take root deep inside our hearts and become the fertile ground that the Holy Spirit produces fruit from.

No pastor or teacher should ever stand before a group of people and teach what he thinks they want to hear. He should realize that he answers only to God and only God can give the true word needed to be heard for the moment. The word of God is not sent out to receive the accolades or praises of mankind.It is spoken forth for correction and discipline. To open our eyes to the what is lacking in our lives so that we can repent and move on with Christ.

The verse from Colossians says that the word of Christ should dwell in us. The word of God takes up residence and makes a home in our hearts. The word dwelling in me will drive out and remove false ideas and attitudes and behaviors that are not from God.

What or who is dwelling in your heart today?
God on you.........
mb

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Looking At The World Through Cracked Lens

As ol' Paul wrote in his Corinthian letters.."We see in part and we know in part." Now what piece of this bit of wisdom do we not get? I wish to not run around acting and trying to be some sort of Biblical G00-Ru (I meant to spell it wrong). Or a sage of sages.

I simply want to be able to communicate some of what God has given to me. Why? Do I think what I get is better than what you may have received from Him? Nope. But I do think encouragement comes when we share our daily story of struggle and victory in an effort to encourage each other.

Thanks for letting me share.

Time to soldier on..

mbb

Our Statement of Faith

We believe that God is the eternal king. He is an infinite, unchangeable Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, goodness, justice, power and love. From all eternity He exists as the One Living and True God in three persons of one substance, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit equal in power and glory. we believe that God created mankind in His image, male and female, for relationship with Himself and to govern the earth. Under the temptation of Satan, our original parents fell from grace, bringing sin, sickness and God's judgment of death to the earth. Through the fall, Satan and his demonic hosts gained access to God's good creation. Creation now experiences the consequences and effects of Adam's original sin. Human beings are born into sin, subject to God's judgment of death and captive to Satan's kingdom of darkness. We believe that Jesus, God's Son, was sent to this world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, Mary, fully God and fully man in one person. He is humanity as God intended us to be. Jesus was anointed as God's Messiah and empowered by the Holy Spirit, ushering in God's kingdom reign on earth, overpowering the reign of Satan by resisting temptation, preaching the good news of salvation, healing the sick, casting out demons and raising the dead. Jesus' atoning death on the cross took God's judgment for sin which we deserved as law-breakers. Jesus' resurrection and ascent back to heaven opened the door for those who received salvation to begin a relationship with God.

Little Nets Into Deep Waters

Fishing nets were designed for one purpose only. To catch fish. Nets are no good if they stay on the boat. Nets serve no purpose if they are never used. I think maybe God sees us this way. We are all created for a purpose (by the way, the creator gets to define what our purpose is). Any other use besides the one we were created for does us no good. But when the creator places His hands upon us, casting us out into those scary, dark places with deep waters, it is then we can see the reality of our purpose. He knew there would be a catch waiting for us. I think I will be the net God has called me to be.

The Twelve Steps

As a community of people in recovery, we affirm that our higher power is Jesus Christ. He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. Just as God told the children of Israel He was going to give them a promised land, He has revealed to us that He desires to give us a "Promised Life." When Israel got to the promised land, God instructed them to go and in a possess it, fight for it and claim it. In recovery, the 12 Steps are the directions given to us on how to fight, possess and claim this promised life.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Do You Receive?

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD