Q: Are we the Fig Tree?

A: To put it simply, Yes. To elaborate on that, there is some discussion on  whether Israel is the fig tree, as they had no fruit in their lives. It is applied to us, as Christians, as well. It is symbolic of those who have been called, but are missing something vital. The Fruit of the spirit are “But the fruit of the spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23.

God is making us to look like Jesus. This fact should shock you, as I can’t imagine that he could take this mess that is us and make it like Jesus. But he can and he does. The tree wasn’t fruitful because it worked really hard. It had no to-do list. It was just a fig tree. Is there fruitiness in our souls that is coming from our roots? So yeah. We are the fig tree. We ought to be satisfied in him.

            Q: How can I tell in my own life whether I’m being fruitful or not?

A: We oftentimes don’t see whether we are or not. We usually see our shortcomings more  than our successes. The issue God wants us to look at is “me”. We tend to adopt the same standards of the world. Do we have disciples? Are we excited or involved? Are we successful? You need to self evaluate yourself.  “Am I seeing more joy mark my life? More Peace? Am I being a patient person? Am I more patient than I used to be?” There are several places to go to see what Jesus thinks. Galatians 5, The Beatitudes. You need to ask yourself, “How am I doing in these areas?”

We must also be practical. “Am I nice to my roommate? Did I call my mother last week? Am I thinking of others?” Philippians 2. Is there fruit or is there no fruit? Are you following the Character of Christ? If so, yes. There is fruit. Never measure yourself against anyone else. That’s a losing game.

Q. What should someone do when they feel like they are stagnant in God’s plan?

            A. Before directly addressing this, it should be considered that, first of all, God does indeed have a plan for your life, and he is working in this world. Secondly, he is also working in your life. Thirdly, God will do great things in you first, before you see it happen. That said, you must first recognize if You are stagnant, or if you are being stagnant in your ministry. If this is so, he may be trying to get your attention, that is, telling you to set your attention on your own heart. That is where it all starts.

            Besides that, there are many reasons why in your ministry and his ministry to you that you could feel stagnant.

1. It could just be the season of your soul. Remember that we all go through seasons of life, and this may just be one of them. Be discerning here.

2. You may have gotten off the path. In this case, do what you are commanded to do. Colossians 3:5 says, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Do as this verse commands, and you shall be all the better for it.

3. You may have sin in your life – Scripture tells us pretty bluntly to STOP IT! Admittedly, that is easier said than done, but God is calling us to a life of Holiness and Righteousness.

4. Stagnation due to the world going against you. There are a couple responses here. 1. Laugh at the world and at the enemy. Satan hates to be mocked, so do it. When you resist him, he will flee from you. 2. Praise God. Release Joy in the worship of God. King David, the great Psalmist, in pretty much any of the Psalms does this, even though over and over he is besieged by his enemies.

Here are the notes from teaching time on 12/19/2010.

At the end are some commitments I am making this year and some resources for your perusal.

My God Bless Your New Year!

What is love?

Why is that so hard a question?

Can it be that our culture really doesn’t know what love is?

 1 Corinthinthians 13:⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, 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.

 ⁸ Love never fails.

What does Jesus say about love?

 ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command.

Focus on verse 13 – ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

 In Romans Paul tells us about Christ’s love and God’s demonstration of that love.

  ⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Something that has become abundantly clear to me is the last few months is how cavalierly I have come to accept God’s love for me.

Jesus is that expression – while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 David Platt – in his book, Radical says – “This is the gospel. The just and loving Creator of the universe has looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who trust in Him will be reconciled to God forever.

 The journey to love is a hard one – most people don’t even know where to look for the path.

 Jesus came as a baby, God in the flesh, Emmanuel – God with us, to demonstrate His love for us by laying down His life.

 The question we have to answer for ourselves as believers isn’t what is love, but rather am I loving? In what way am I reflecting the love of God through my life into my world?

 So here it is, as we steam through the end of another year, the question that resonates in our lives as believers.

 What would God have us do that will show His love in our lives and will let us show His love to others.

 Here are some steps of obedience that I am planning to take this next year:

1. Pray for the entire world. – www.operationworld.org
2. Read through the entire Bible – purposefully and systematically.

There are a lot of reading plans some with online resources and some in a printable form. Look at www.biblegateway.com/resources/readingplans/

or www.oneyearbibleonline.com/readingplan.asp?version=51&startmmdd=0101

3. Sacrifice my money for a specific purpose.

4. Spend some time in another context.

5. Commit myself to strengthening our multiplying community

How can I let peace rule over sin in my life?

When we live day-in and day-out the issue that dominates my spirit takes on new meaning. Essentially, we are ruled by whatever we give ourselves over to. We can choose, in the power of God’s Spirit, to let his peace rule over our lives. When we are in such a state, sin has no place. There isn’t room for both the peace of Jesus and my self-centered willfulness.

Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? — Romans 6:16

Obedience here is the key. Now often, someone may insist that obedience without love is hypocritical or pharisaical. In no way am I talking about a self-righteousness that obsesses over rules and formalities. As always, the core of the matter is the condition of the heart. If we are to grow up— maturing in our faith — we will find ourselves at different times needing to act in obedience even when we don’t feel like it at all. That is not two-facedness! That is, as Paul reminds us, making ourselves slaves to duty, which leads to uprightness.

With all the turmoil in life, how can we pray for peace and further glorify God?

This is another aspect of the same question. I am constantly being bombarded with what amounts to chaos. It seems that my attentions are drawn to things that are URGENT at the expense of giving attention to the truly important concerns of life. Bringing honor to the name of God is the paramount concern in all of existence. At creation, God took the chaos and brought order to it. God is, we are told, a God of order and not confusion. The enemy strives to distort creation and distract mankind through the sowing of chaos. In praise, that is, during worship…we find order restored and our universe set right. I personally find that praying and singing through the Psalms helps me to keep my focus where it should be.

What is Advent, and when does it start?

Advent is the season during which believers prepare themselves to celebrate the birth of Jesus into our world as the Son of God who has become the Son of Man. We use this period to remind ourselves that “God is with us” and that he has come to redeem us from our sin. Also we look forward to his final coming as judge at the end of this age.

In modern times — for the last century or so — Advent is celebrated beginning with the fourth Sunday prior to December 25^th.

No One Like You – Crowder
Christ Is Risen – Matt Maher
Came To My Rescue – Hillsong
Nothing But the Blood – Calvary Night Band
How He loves – John Mark McMillan

O Praise Him – Crowder

Topic – The Forgiveness Of Sin

I can’t wait for Sunday – it’s going to be fantastic!

See Everyone at 5:30pm

The question which arose from the message of 10/24/2010 concerned how one could distinguish between the move of God and their own conscience.
I stated that first there would be a harmony between what they were sensing and the revealed word of God. In other words God will never move through His Spirit in a way that is contrary to what He has said in His Word.
Spirit led actions of believers are a fulfillment of God’s Word and calling in the lives of believers and do not stand in opposition to them.
I became a believer in August between my Junior and Senior year of High School. After graduating I began study in College as a Business Major – I had no passion for it. I continued serving my church as an instrumentalist and attending school while I tried to figure out what God had in mind for me. Early in January of my Freshmen year in college I attended a Christian Concert on Sunday Night. The next morning I woke up with the flu and was confined to bed. I sensed God speaking to me during my convalescence that I should travel with the band I had just heard.
Long story short, they needed a bass player and I was interested. Spoke to one of the pastors at my church and they affirmed my sense.
Then I spoke to my dad.
He was adamantly opposed to the idea. He gave me every reason he could think of and then created new ones. I was crushed. I went back to my pastor and shared what had happened and he said that if God was in something it would come about in His time and in the way that He had planned. He shared a verse that just as God controls a watercourse so he controls the hearts of kings.
My dad was the spiritual authority in my life and I had to be submissive.
Six weeks later my dad informed me that he was willing to discuss it further if I still felt that this was what I should do.
My dad became a believer on the Easter Sunday before I left in May.
I spent the next year ministering on bass guitar, traveling the US and Canada. It was a life changing experience.
So first, your impulse from God’s Spirit will be in line with God’s word. Second it will be affirmed by the spiritual authorities in your family and by the spiritual leaders in your church. We like to call this “one accord” around the body of Christ.
My point is that if we wait and pray, God will reveal His leading to more than just us and we will see an affirmation from others in our lives even unbelievers.
In Christ,
Pastor Gregg

Great and Glorious – ALM

God Is For Us -  ALM

Dress Us Up – John Mark Mcmillan

Beautiful Things – Gungor

First Love – ALM

Wrap Me In Your Arms – Michael Gungor

Because We Believe

I want to give up sinning — Is that even a possibility?

What you’re really asking has to do with the condition of the human soul. As you may know, we are, in a real sense partakers of the fall from grace that Adam and Eve experienced in the garden of Eden. As their heirs, we too were, in Adam, banished from the presence of God because of self-assertion that amounts to rebellion.

What this means in practical terms is that we each are inclined, in our natural state, to sin. We will seek our own way on our own terms in our own time without reference to God. The Reformers referred to this condition as “total depravity.” That term does not mean that we are all as evil as we could be all the time. It rather is a description of the reality we experience in that every part, every aspect, of creation, every part of our being—our body, soul, and spirit—has been tainted by the fall; our lives are broken and the image of God in which we were created has been shattered.

Must I therefore keep on sinning? According to the flesh, the answer is yes. You will sin because the inclination of your heart is to self-assertion and rebellion. However, God has not abandoned mankind to his fate.

In Christ Jesus, with the payment of his blood, he has made a way for our restoration and sanctification. We are brought back from our banishment and we are made fit for God’s presence once again.

In this life you will never be completely free from sin. We are in the process of being made holy by the Spirit of the Living God alive in us. In Jesus, God has granted us a new nature—our spirits made alive by his Spirit—which wars against our sinful nature and will be victorious. When the process of sanctification is completed, we will be glorified. That is, when we see Jesus, we will be like him for we will see him as he is.

During your life-long process of being made holy, you will continue to grow in Christ-likeness, putting off the old self and putting on the new. Your life will be marked by the ongoing growth in grace where, step by step, you will see less of your old nature being dominant and more of the new nature of Christ taking transcendence. But this process takes time, perseverance, and a daily determination to walk with Jesus in the newness of life that you’ve received.

How can I know that I am saved?

God is a God of his Word. He speaks and all that exists comes into being—out of nothing. His Word is his character. He reveals his heart with what he says. His Word is an iron-clad guarantee that what he has promised will take place.

This solid Word of God has declared that those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that God raised him from the dead, will be saved. If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, God’s promise is that you are indeed saved from the eternal separation from God brought about by your sin that awaits those who refuse Jesus’ lordship.

Sometimes we struggle with this question because we continue to do things we know bring displeasure to the heart of God. We keep on stumbling in our sin. The previous question dealt with this issue, but let me add here that it is God’s intention that, in the new life we have been given, we are to be overcomers. He has indeed made a way for us to escape from the temptations to sin that seek to overcome us.

But that brings us back to God’s promise. We don’t judge our salvation simply by making a checklist of what we have done or haven’t done on any given day. Our salvation is based in knowing Jesus. The more we know him, the more we know of the victorious Christian life…because truly, he becomes our life.

Where is the Apostles Creed found?

It is an ancient statement of faith probably used in the period of time beginning when the original witnesses of Christ’s ministry were passing away. It is reflected in the teaching of the early church fathers and can be seen in a letter possibly written by Ambrose to the council of Milan toward the end of the 4th century.
Hope that helps .

What is the point of denominations?
Why separate one belief?
It seems irrational; why can’t we just
Worship our God in unison?

Wow, all good questions.

In the beginning there were a variety of factors that caused denominations to form. In many cases it was related to location, leadership, even politics.

I guess you could compare denominations to families. My family raised me and functioned as a unit in a way very similar to, but not the same as my wife’s family. There was a great deal of similarity but there were distinctions in the way discipline was carried out, routines, family celebrations etc. And we as people tend to gravitate toward what we are used to, what is culturally relevant and comfortable with.

However as time passed, distinctions began to arise that were related to the authority of Scripture and matters of practice that were derived from Scripture which in some cases were at odds with cultural norms. Some of these distinctions arose over trivial matters that people took up offense over, but some arose over matters of doctrine which were being attacked in the form of false teaching and heresy within the body of Christ as a whole (regardless of denomination).

You may notice that here at Calvary we don’t put a lot of emphasis on denomination, choosing instead to focus on Christ, the Word of God, and the calling we have to be His disciples and share the Gospel beginning here and moving to the ends of the earth. We are very interested in people making a connection with God – the fact that we offer several different (stylistically) worship opportunities each week is an example of this. We do not value one style of music, or presentation, or set-up over another. Whether a person connects best with hymns, choir, piano and organ; or in a darkened room with random seating and a 5 piece band is immaterial; or somewhere in between those – the issue is did you make a connection with God and did you worship?

You may also see a church which says that it is “non-denominational”, and there are some who truly seek to be, but remember that every church owes its faith and practice to those who have come before. Eph. 4:4-6 states: 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

What a church building says on the outside is not as important as what it teaches and practices – I encourage those who are believers and those who are seeking, not to find a church home based on what things you agree with that they teach, but rather based on how much of what they teach is in agreement with the teachings in God’s Word.

There will come a day when all human influence has passed away and we will stand shoulder to shoulder in heaven with those believers from every time, place and even denomination to worship God in Spirit and in Truth.

All God’s Blessings,
Pastor Gregg

I believe in the virgin birth, but how do I explain this to my coworkers who don’t believe in Christ or the bible

There is no simple answer to this. Like all things Christian, the unbeliever has a difficult time understanding any revealed truth — on an intellectual level, on an emotionally level, on a personal level. I don’t mean that statement as an insult to anyone’s intelligence. It is rather, an acknowledgment that all of humanity has a disadvantage in understanding anything about deity. We often forget just how much sin has polluted everything in creation…including our minds and the ability to accurately perceive the universe.

Again, there is no statement that we shouldn’t use the abilities and curiosity given by God to approach his creation for understanding. It’s just a warning that we need to do so with a humility of spirit.

Now, explaining to anyone — even another believer — a difficult concept such as the virgin birth requires that we be deliberative. We start with the simple statement of orthodox Christian belief. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man in one person.

It is common that those who do not accept the truthfulness of Scripture tend to deny the idea of the virgin birth of Christ. Having acknowledged this, if we do affirm a belief in the God revealed in the Bible, sucha miracle is not at all too hard form him. He spoke all that exists into the universe — everything and everyone. Any who would affirm that the virgin birth is “impossible” is just confessing his or her own unbelief in the God of the Bible.

But this truth is doctrinally important, and if we’re to understand the person of Jesus Christ correctly, it is important that we begin with an affirmation of this doctrine.

I think that there are at least three areas where we see the importance of this Christian teaching.

It demonstrates that our salvation must ultimately come from God himself. There is nothing that we can do to rescue ourselves from drowning in the sea of sin. God had promised that he would destroy the ancient serpent and the results of man’s rebellion through the “seed” of a woman (Genesis 3:15). God did this by his own power, without the assistance of any human effort. Our salvation comes about through the supernatural work of God who “sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons (Galatians 4:4-5).

The virgin birth made it possible — if difficult to fully grasp — the uniting of full deity and full humanity in one person. Could he have made his Son, a true son of Adam in some other way? Perhaps! But in his wisdom this course of action was decided upon with an end in mind that we might be better able to understand how Jesus could be both God and man. Had he clothed Jesus with humanity without any human parent, we might have difficulty discerning how Jesus was fully human. Had Jesus been born of both a human father and a human mother we would have difficulty understanding in what way he was fully divine. God ordained a combination of human and divine influence in the birth of Jesus.

This teaching also makes possible Jesus’ true humanity without a corrupt moral nature as all other descendants of Adam have inherited. This is sometimes called “original sin.” Jesus did not descend in exactly the same way as every other human who had ever lived. The legal guilt and moral corruption that infects the rest of mankind does not belong to Jesus.

 Can you be a Christian and still believe in evolution?

The short answer is: “yes.” Within the broad category of Christianity, and founded in Christian philosophy, there is plenty of room for people with different opinions about all sorts of peripheral issues.

It could easily be argued that the Bible is not, never was intended, and ought not ever be considered a science textbook. That does not, however, mean that the scripture does not address issues that are factual and of a scientific nature.

A deeper question might be asked why someone would want to believe in evolution. Purporting to be a scientific theory, it does not lend itself well to the scientific method. I’m not trying to be “clever” or be a smart-aleck. If by evolution, you are talking about transformations on a macro level from one species to a completely different species, there ought to be plenty of evidence in the form of transitional fossils — as was expected by the first proponents of the theory. Such evidence has never been found. Therefore, the theory itself ought to be suspect.

When compelling evidence is put forward, simply explained, and easily understood, I’ll be far more likely to entertain the idea and the questions that arise from an evolutionary world view than I am at present. Evolution seems to me to be simply a religious world view that is lacking in credentials and is thus poverty-stricken in the marketplace of ideas.

I read somewhere that Rob Bell defined a virgin to simply mean a young woman. So does this mean that Mary was just young when she had Jesus, or was she actually a virgin in the typical sense of the term?

Yes, there is something to the observation that the word used by the prophet Isaiah could be understood simply to mean a “young woman.” The term used there is the Hebrew word ‘almâ. His argument is that another word, b^etûlâ, would have been used if the idea of virginity were intended. However, this is not necessarily so.

The latest and most detailed linguistic studies show b^etûlâ could also refer to a widow or divorced woman who was not a virgin in the sense that we understand the term. ‘Almâ is never used in such a way. Of the nine occurrences of this word, eight clearly are intended to convey the idea of virginity. The other time it is used, there is some question as to the figurative sense in which the author intended it. We may safely say that in the OT ‘almâ is never clearly and unequivocally used to refer to a non-virgin. If any notion of virginity were intended by the prophet—even as only an “implication” — ‘almâ was the best/only word to do that job.

Additionally, the term used by the New Testament gospel writers is a Greek word. This word is parthénoi and is exclusively used to refer to woman in the sense that she is unmarried, carrying with it the connotation that the woman in question is indeed a “virgin” with our understanding of that idea. In Luke’s account, the birth of Jesus plainly differs from that of John the Baptist, though his conception too was “miraculous.” Mary became pregnant with God’s Son through the creative act of God himself. This is the context in which the word is used.

 When I pray, I ask for the Holy Spirit to overcome me and for Jesus to make a path from my message to go to God without even recognizing when I do…but why are all these steps necessary when worship goes to one omnipotent God, our Father?

The response to the following question may help by clearly stating the Christian teaching as regards the Trinity even if it doesn’t help us to understand it wholly.

To answer this question we’ve got to back up a bit. God is one. There is one God. He has revealed himself in the scriptures and when he was asked for the name by which he would be known he gave Moses a Hebrew construction known as the tetragrammaton (four consonants) which are rendered YHWH in the Latin alphabet and spelled out as Yahweh. This is difficult to grasp and I’ll give a further explanation at some later date but for now lets keep going.

Was that a digression? Yes! But the point of it is that God is one. He reveals himself further throughout scripture as three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In the many passages that teach us about prayer there seems to be a pattern. I don’t know that following any particular model is essential for communion with God in an authentic manner. However, the pattern seems to be that we are to put our requests to the Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit, according to the authority of the Son.

This is no magical incantation or requirement of linguistic skill for God to hear your prayers. A sincere and contrite heart is what gives us a hearing as regards our acknowledgment of sin. A sense of wonder and awe at the beauty of his holiness allows us access to the throne room in praise. In humility we bring thanksgiving before him. You see, it is the attitude of our heart in prayer rather than the position of our body or the form of our words.

 I accept the Holy Trinity. I just want to be able to respect it more…thanks.

God’s plan from the beginning was to create beings who are worthy of joining him in godlikeness and with whom he would share his glory. To this end he “created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

There is much to be grappled with, studied over, and learned about in regards to the Trinity. I would encourage you in this pursuit quite frankly because it is a sorely neglected topic in our age.

I would suggest perhaps that you consider the following:

As Father, he is producing a family of children who will bring honor to him by being like him, reigning with him, and receiving from him an inheritance of glory.

As Son, he is pursuing a Bride, resplendent in glory who will bring beauty and honor to him by reigning at his side and with whom he will share his kingdom.

As Spirit, he is building a temple as a fit dwelling place for his glory that will bring the honor of creation to worship before his throne and to marvel at what he has done.

For your consideration as well I’ve included a section of an ancient creed that the church has used to clarify what is being spoken of when we talk about the Trinity.

 Athanasian Creed

We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity. 

Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the substance. 

For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit.  But the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit have one divinity, equal glory, and coeternal majesty. 

What the Father is, the Son is, and the Holy Spirit is. 

The Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, and the Holy Spirit is uncreated. 

The Father is boundless, the Son is boundless, and the Holy Spirit is boundless. 

The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, and the Holy Spirit is eternal. 

Nevertheless, there are not three eternal beings, but one eternal being. 

So there are not three uncreated beings, nor three boundless beings, but one uncreated being and one boundless being. 

Likewise, the Father is omnipotent, the Son is omnipotent, the Holy Spirit is omnipotent.  Yet there are not three omnipotent beings, but one omnipotent being. 

Thus the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. However, there are not three gods, but one God. 

The Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, and the Holy Spirit is Lord. However, there as not three lords, but one Lord. 

For as we are obliged by Christian truth to acknowledge every Person singly to be God and Lord, so too are we forbidden by the Christian faith to say that there are three Gods or Lords. 

The Father was not made, nor created, nor generated by anyone. 

The Son is not made, nor created, but begotten by the Father alone. 

The Holy Spirit is not made, nor created, nor generated, but proceeds from the Father and the Son. 

There is, then, one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three sons; one Holy Spirit, not three holy spirits. 

In this Trinity, there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less. The entire three Persons are coeternal and coequal with one another. 

So that in all things, as it has been said above, the Unity is to be worshipped in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity.