GREENE STREET LETTERS: Another "3:16"

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Another "3:16"

There are some things that seem to be a natural part of our cultural landscape.
If someone mentions "hamburgers".....thoughts of McDonalds creep into our brains.
Mention "sand and surf", you probably think of the beaches at Florida.
Bring up "Music from the '60's" and you'll get The Beatles.
These kind of things just seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly.

What about the Bible?
When you think of familiar verses in Scripture, which one do you consider first?
My bet would rest on John 3:16----
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
You might not be able to quote it word for word, but most people know the crux of the verse...the meaning of the verse.

What if there were another 3:16 that carried equal weight as John 3:16?
What if John 3:16 was the doorway to relationship with Jesus Christ?
I don't think you have to place such thoughts in the category of "What if?"
I do believe it is pegged or marked as the entrance into this new life we have been searching for.
But what would the next step be?
I think we only have to look to another 3:16 verse to find it.
Luke 3:16 - John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water, but One mightier than I is coming whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

The awakening to God's Holy Spirit, given to us at the moment of salvation is the POWER rockets us to a new dimension of living. It is the Spirit of God that enables us to receive what we could not do for ourselves in that old lifestyle we use to embrace. We have been given fresh vision to see in ways we could never imagine. To hear on a level with fresh ears, the voice and leading of God that will help us correct our path each day as move through the events and situations we run into.

It is the infusion of the Power and Presence of God himself inside us that changes everything. The completeness of God, the Father........God, the Son.......and God, the Holy Spirit poured out on and in me changes everything.
Why not call out to God to receive today?
"Oh God! Let your fire fall. Let Your Holy Spirit come and flood over me! I surrender! I give up! I quit! I stand ready in Your presence to give myself........heart...soul...mind...body...spirit...every part of me. Come save me today!"
Now that's what I'm talking about....

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.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Another "3:16"

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THE REALITY OF THE NAME OF GOD