Wayne's World...(29Oct09)

Jesus Changed Everything

 

Wayne Duncan

 

 

Jesus changed everything. One of the greatest challenges for us is to see the degree to which things were changed, by the obedience of Jesus life, and the resulting new covenant in which we now stand.

 

Jesus changed everything

 

Jesus lived a life and by the time he was finished, by the time he cried out "it is finished", everything would be different.

 

So we see the attempt of the enemy to block the ministry and intervention of Jesus in the world. We see the attempt of Satan.

 

King Herod learns of the prophecies and the coming messiah. He becomes concerned, inspired by Satan, he issues a decree to have every baby killed. Jesus is protected however. It's not long until we see Herod dead, and Jesus can return. No matter what comes against you, it must die to make way for the reality of Christ.

 

Satan failed to stop Christ. 

 

Jesus was the most radical man that ever lived.

 

He was the most radical Jew that ever lived.

 

Everything Jesus said and did had implications for us as believers today.

 

 

What are some of the things that Jesus did and said that made Him so revolutionary?

 

Here is one. Jesus said "I came to for fill the law". This was extremely radical. No one had ever said such a thing.

 

Jesus came to change everything.

 

Jesus changed the law. Jesus said "you have heard it said, but now I say". What authority did this man from Nazareth have to change the holy law that God himself had issued?

 

Could it be that when Jesus made these claims he was not being blasphemous, but rather obedient?

 

He was changing everything.

 

 

Here is another one.

 

Jesus forgave sin.

 

Mary, the great sinner comes and worships Jesus. She anoints Him with oil, perfume and kisses.

 

Then he says to her "your sins" are forgiven. Who was this man to be able to forgive sin?

 

Now did she even ask for forgiveness? What came first worship or forgiveness?

 

This was not the traditional or legal way for forgiveness to come.

 

Jesus changed everything.

 

If Jesus could forgive a woman like this, under the old covenant, without even blood, how much more can he through the blood of Jesus and the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, wash and cleanse us, making us pure and holy and blameless in his sight?

 

Your forgiven, justified...just as-if-id never sinned.

 

 

Jesus spoke about the shift that he was ushering in.

 

Matthew 9 (also Mark 2 and Luke 5)

 

16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."

 

This one of the earliest parables Jesus tells, he releases into his ministry in early stages of his teaching. He wanted people to know from early on in his ministry that he was ushering in a new way  that would require new wineskins. Jesus was saying that the new and the old are not compatible. He was saying that the mixing of the old and new ways would be destructive and harmful.

 

Mixing the old and new, by refusing to embrace the fresh, causes two devastating effects

 

1)    The hurting of the individual, church, organisation.

 

2)    The wasting of the wine, a picture of the Holy Spirit.

 

It's never a good idea to grieve the Holy Spirit, and this is what we do when we mix the old and the new. This explains the reason why there is often a very low level of anointing in people and individuals who mix old and new.

 

Here is what Clarks commentary says about this passage:

 

Matthew 9:17: New wine into old bottles]  It is still the custom,
 in the eastern countries, to make their bottles of goat skins: if
 these happened to be old, and new wine were put into them, the
 violence of the fermentation must necessarily burst them; and
 therefore newly made bottles were employed for the purpose of
 putting that wine in which had not yet gone through its state of
 fermentation.  The institutes of Christ, and those of the
 Pharisees, could never be brought to accord: an attempt to combine
 the two systems would be as absurd as it would be destructive.
 The old covenant made way for the new, which was its completion
 and its end; but with that old covenant the new cannot be
 incorporated.

 

 

 

Here is a golden key concerning the change Jesus brought.

 

Matthew 5:20: For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  

 

Here Jesus says that we need a righteousness that is greater than that of the Pharisees in order to see heaven.

 

How could that be?

 

Jesus was introducing new covenant righteousness. The gift of righteousness by faith. New covenant righteousness works like this. When we believe in Jesus, he calls us righteous, as a gift. His perfect obedience is credited to our account. His perfect obedience to the law is given to us. Now we have His righteousness. 2 Cor 5:21 god made Him who had no sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ. 

 

Towards the end of His ministry on earth, Jesus continued to say things that were just totally off the charts.

 

He said "its to your advantage that I go"

 

How crazy is that? Here we have Jesus. Healing the sick, raising the dead. Turning entire regions and town around. Multitudes follow Him. How could it get any better? Then He says that it's better if He goes? How could it be?

 

Jesus was saying that by the time he had changed everything, a way would be created that would be more powerful and effective would be released in the earth. That would be released through the holy spirit.

 

John 16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you

 

Because he went, the Holy Spirit can be released onto every believer, enabling every believer to do what Jesus did.

 

Jesus was saying that a bunch of people filled with the Holy Spirit, is better than him being here! 

 

Now here is another thing Jesus said that is totally off the charts.

 

John 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father

 

 

What is the qualification to do what Jesus did? To believe in Jesus.

 

To believe that we can do these things? No.

 

To believe in Jesus? Yes.

 

Do you believe in Jesus?

 

You can then do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

 

Your belief in Jesus makes you righteous, and you receive every blessing and power freely from heaven as a gift, through faith.

 

 

Jesus then goes to heaven, and the new covenant starts.

 

The Holy Spirit is poured out, and power is released on the earth.

 

Now through the Holy Spirit that lives in us, we can operate in great power in the earth.

 

This is our inheritance through the finished work of the cross, righteousness, power fellowship with the spirit.

 

Jesus came to show us Gods love, to destroy the power of the enemy, to forgive our sins and release righteousness, to give us power, and to release the ministry of the Holy Spirit in and through us.

 

Now we live by the Spirit.

 

Wayne's World...(25Oct09)

Born from Above

Wayne Duncan

 

Possibly the most underestimated aspect of Christianity , is the understanding of the degree at which we were changed when we became born again.

Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Joh 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Here we see a number of things.

John is talking about being born again.

It cant happen from flesh, effort or the will of the flesh.

It cant happen by blood, you cannot be born, born again.

We also see here that there is power involved in bringing life. This is a powerful act of God. The power is not from or in us, but the receiving and believing releases and activates the power of God and we are born of God.

This power is released over those who receive and believe.

Many receive Jesus teachings, but do not believe in Him. Ghandi honored Jesus teachings, and encouraged people to receive Jesus. But there was not belief. Many today in the world call them selves Christians for they have received some aspects of Christianity. 

Here is the Greek word for believe

G4100

πιστεύω

pisteuō

pist-yoo'-o

From G4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit; by implication to entrust (especially one's spiritual well being to Christ): - believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.

When we believe in Jesus we place our faith in Him. We trust Him.

We do not trust ourselves, we do not trust what we can do, we trust Him. We cannot save ourselves, we have not the power. We have no goodness of our own to offer God as a reward for eternal life, so we trust Jesus finished work on our behalf to be enough to entirely satisfy God on our behalf. This is to place our  trust and faith in Him. We believe that Jesus is able to save entirely those who come to Him. This is trust.

We need to trust Him with our sin. We need to know we have missed the mark, fallen short of Gods holiness. Then we trust Jesus to destroy that barrier between us and God. We place our trust in His promise to do that for those who receive and believe in Him.

Now we rest in confidence in the hands of our powerful savior.

When we have this faith, this belief. When we believe this we are born from above.

Here is the word in Greek.

G1080

γεννάω

gennaō

ghen-nah'-o

From a variation of G1085; to procreate (properly of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively to regenerate: - bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.

We are the literal offspring of the trinity. God is our father and mother, and we are His Children.

We are regenerated, made new by the secret act and power of God.

He has brought us forth, something new.

He has conceived us.

We have been delivered of, we are out of all the old and placed in the new.

We have been made new.

We have sprung forth as new creations and new life.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The new is not a mere mentality. It is a literal powerful new creation. A new creation. Not a new mentality. Not a new awareness, no, a new creation. A new creature. New. Never before existed. 

At this moment of being born again we are placed in Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:13: In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

How do you become in Him? When we believe. When are we born again? When we believe.

How do we know we are in Him?

I John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

We know we are "in him" and he in us for we have the Holy Spirit. The seal, and guarantee of our salvation. He is the one who convinces and convicts us of our salvation and righteousness.

Is everyone "in him". No. Only those who have the spirit.

Romans 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 

All were included in His work on the cross, but until you receive Him, and believe in Him, you do not become a new creature, you will not be born from above or receive the Holy Spirit, or the new nature, or the power of God in you.

Some preach that all were included in Christ, and all are born again, and all are new creations, they just need to see it, to discover it. This is not biblical, these tings are available, but it has not yet happened to them until faith comes, and a person believes, and is powerfully changed into a new creation, and the seal of the holy spirit is placed on and in the believer.

Now what do we call people who are born from above, with power. Those who are in him. Those with the seal and presence of the Holy Spirit, what are those called?

We are called sons.

Ladies you too are sons. The reason is that there is no disqualification for you, you have the full inheritance and equal co heirs with Christ. Were all sons.

14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons(See discussion on "sons" in the preface)  of God. 15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, 

What can a new creation do?

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

You can do anything.

So this is who you are.

A powerful new creation, with the power and righteousness of God plowing in your veins.

You are filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit, he is quickening your body, leading you telling you who you are, and what you can do.

You are a son, with an inheritance from God, a co-heir with Christ.

You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

You have a father in heaven who loved to do you good. He is for you, and what can ever be against you that cannot be destroyed?

Have you received Him? Do you believe in Him?

 

From Ryan

Hi guys

Just a quick update on New Nature if you're interested. We now have a facebook page with lots of cool stuff on it.
Become a member to keep up to date with latest book releases and worship albums + read reviews on books as well as first chapter of each book.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=307403895003

Also we've made some changes to our products page to include a new payment method for those who don't have credit cards and would prefer to make a direct bank transfer.
Check that out at: http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=product

Also look out for upcoming books and albums
Including:

- A new worship album from Bonnie. It's Bonnie at a whole new level! Look out for it this December!

- Anneline Breetzke' debut album! Look out for it early 2010.

- A booklet by Chad Mansbridge on the Abrahamic, Mosaic and New Covenant. I read it and was blown away by Chad's revelation! Look out for it early 2010

- A book by Wayne Duncan on how to read the Bible through grace. Out early 2010

- A childrens' book by Milly Bennitt titled, 'A Lamb called Love'. Simple, powerful and full of glory! Early to mid 2010

- A new book co-authored by Rob and Ryan Rufus called, 'Establishing People in Grace'. Out 2010.

Thanks guys and God bless!

Ryan Rufus

 

Wayne's World...(18Oct09)

Confusing Toxic Cocktail

 

Wayne Duncan

 

Matthew 9 (also Mark 2 and Luke 5) 16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."

 

This one of the earliest parables Jesus tells, he releases into his ministry in early stages of his teaching. He wanted people to know from early on in his ministry that he was ushering in a new way  that would require new wineskins. Jesus was saying that the new and the old are not compatible. He was saying that the mixing of the old and new ways would be destructive and harmful.

 

Mixing the old and new, by refusing to embrace the fresh, causes two devastating effects

 

1)   The hurting of the individual, church, organisation.

 

2)   The wasting of the wine, a picture of the Holy Spirit.

 

It's never a good idea to grieve the Holy Spirit, and this is what we do when we mix the old and the new. This explains the reason why there is often a very low level of anointing in people and individuals who mix old and new.

 

Here is what Clarks commentary says about this passage:

 

Matthew 9:17:  New wine into old bottles]  It is still the custom,
 in the eastern countries, to make their bottles of goat skins: if
 these happened to be old, and new wine were put into them, the
 violence of the fermentation must necessarily burst them; and
 therefore newly made bottles were employed for the purpose of
 putting that wine in which had not yet gone through its state of
 fermentation.  The institutes of Christ, and those of the
 Pharisees, could never be brought to accord: an attempt to combine
 the two systems would be as absurd as it would be destructive.
 The old covenant made way for the new, which was its completion
 and its end; but with that old covenant the new cannot be
 incorporated.

 

Lets look at another scripture:

 

2 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV) And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts4Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.7Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. 12Since we have such a hope, we are very bold"

 

What a stunning piece of scripture.

 

Just take a moment to analyze this portion of scripture.

 

It clearly speaks of two ministries. An old ministry (of Death), and a new ministry (of Life).

 

Let's see what the characteristics of these two ministries are:

 

Ministry of Death
 Ministry of Life
 
V3/7 carved in letters on stone
 V3 on tablets of human hearts.
 
V5 For the letter kills
 V5 but the Spirit gives life
 
V11 11For if what was being brought to an end came with glory
 V11 , much more will what is permanent have glory
 
Has ended
 Is Permanent
 
V9 ministry of condemnation
  V9 the ministry of righteousness
 
V9 ministry of condemnation
 4Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.
 
V9 ministry of condemnation
 12Since we have such a hope, we are very bold
 
5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us
 but our sufficiency is from God, 6who has made us competent  to be ministers
 
Old Covenant
 New Covenant
 

 

Ok, so based on a basic reading of this passage we see that there is a ministry of death; that it is carved in letters of stone; it kills you; it has a fading glory; it has ended; it is a ministry of condemnation and it disqualifies you from being a competent minister.

 

Wow, now come on friend, do you really want to ever sit under that ministry. I don't want to receive any ministry from that ministry, and if it is so devastatingly dangerous I want to know exactly how to avoid the release of any of this ministry in my life. This is the burst wine skin. This is the torn garment that is worse off.

 

But then, praise God, there is another ministry. This ministry of life which is written on my heart, is spirit and life, has a permanent glory, a surpassing glory, much more glory, gives me righteousness, gives me confidence, gives me hope, gives me boldness and makes me competent to be a minister.

 

OK, so here are some questions (no geniuses needed).

 

Which ministry do you want? Which ministry is better? Which is better -  life or death?

 

Say it with me friends "Life….Good", "Death…Bad".

 

Imagine now that a person approaches the bible looking for help (which is the right thing to do), and drinks from the ministry of death. Then that person applies that death solution (or theology) to his/her situation. What will happen? There will be death, there will be condemnation. The person may become very frustrated and become totally disillusioned, finally proclaiming "The bible does not work!"

 

No, the bible does work, the wrong ministry was used!

 

Imagine the devastating consequences of ministries in churches, or pastors releasing this ministry of death?

 

But imagine that the person drank from the ministry of life. They would have been liberated, made confidant, assured of righteousness, tasted glory and ultimately extract the life that God wants to flow from His Word.

 

We need to become experts. We must rightly divide the word of God. We need to test what we know and believe to see if it passes the covenant of life test. The longer you've been a Christian the more there will be to evaluate and test.

 

Any and all mixture is confusing and harmful. Even a tiny bit of mixture affects the whole batch. A little doe works through the whole batch.

 

I like what Joseph Prince says: "what man call's balance, God calles mixture". I like what a pastor friend of mine says even more "what man calls balance, god calls vomit"

 

Revelation of John 3:16: So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

 

Learn all you can about the covenants. How do they work? When did they start? Which ones are finished, which one is still in effect? How does a covenant work? What are the obligations and responsibilities? What are the rewards and punishments?

 

The success of walking  into the fullness of grace rests upon rightly dividing the word, and separating the covenants and then never mixing them.

 

One drop of arsenic in a cup of water is still the ministry of death.

 

God is looking for a people who will live in the fullness of the finished work of the cross.

 

The old is about earning and  deserving.

 

The new is about receiving through one who earned and deserved on our behalf, and the glorious gift of righteousness.

 

The old is of curses, the new of blessing.

 

The old is our obedience, the new is His obedience on our behalf.

 

The old is about right doing, the new is about right believing.

 

The old is in and out, the new is always in.

 

The old is condemnation the new is confidence.

 

The old is bondage, the new is freedom.

 

The old is open and closed heaven, the new is open heaven and an increasing glory.

 

 

Mixing the old and the new destroys anyonoe who that mixture touches.

 

 

 

 

Wayne's World...(10Oct09)

 

Maturity

 

Wayne Duncan 

 

How do we mature as Christians?

 

Hebrews 5v12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic

principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13for everyone who lives on milk is

unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14But solid food is for the mature, for

those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from

evil.

 

The bible calls those who do not understand the word of righteousness children. The KJV says "he is a babe".

 

The NIV says

13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about

righteousness

 

The NIV say that not being acquainted with the teaching about righteousness, means you are still an infant.

 

Here  we see that maturity comes to a believer in the skill of understanding the word of righteousness.

 

So if maturity comes by this, what is the word of righteousness? If avoiding infancy, and being an immature babe is linked to this teaching and word of righteousness, then it becomes of highest importance that we become acquainted with this teaching as to avoid becoming dwarfed and stunted and immature in our Christianity.

 

So lets look at this word here in the original Greek.

 

Righteousness

 

Here we see that righteousness is related to our character and our justification.

 

It's interesting to note that justification and righteousness are used interchangeable in the bible. And the Greek synonym for justification is righteousness, and the synonym for righteousness is justification, check it out.

 

Justification
Righteousness
 
Greek
G1344δικαιόωdikaioō

dik-ah-yo'-o

From G1342; to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: - free, justify (-ier), be righteous.

G1343δικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē

dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay

From G1342; equity (of character or act); specifically (Christian) justification: - righteousness.

 

The essence of justification and righteousness is this. Justification has to do with the removal of our sin, resulting in our innocence. This places us in right standing with God.

 

Where there is justification, the result is righteousness. Where there is righteousness it is due to the presence of justification.

 

So understanding justification and the resulting right standing with God is the teaching that Paul insists is necessary in order to be mature.

 

Ok so how does justification and righteousness work?

 

It's actually very easy.

 

When we believe in Jesus we are justified and declared righteous as a gift.

 

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.

 

When we place our faith in Jesus, we freely by grace receive Justification, and this is now our position in which we now stand.

 

Justification is just as if id.

 

Just as if I had never sinned. With the removal of the obstacle of sin, there is no  longer and division or separation between me and God. Through faith and trust in Jesus he presents us:

 

Colossians 1:22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his

 

sight, without blemish and free from accusation--

 

We are reconciled to God and holy blameless and without blemish or accusation before Him.

 

This is our permanent position. We cannot earn this. It is a gift.

 

Romans 5 receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man

 

Jesus Christ.

 

Romans 4 says its apart from works.

 

This understanding about our relationship towards God is pivotal in becoming mature. We do not have to work for right standing, we do not have to obey the law for right standing. The only thing needed is to believe in Jesus. Any effort to be in right standing with God apart from this is moving away from maturity.

 

Not understanding our perfect position before Him, leads to much useless effort. It leads to crippling condemnation. All this is a curse that binds us up, and we do not grow or mature. Knowing and believing we are in right standing with God through simple faith in Jesus, accelerates growth and we move into maturity.

 

 

2) The second avenue to maturity.

 

Ephesians 4v11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,12to equip the

saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of

the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,to the measure of the stature

of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, 16from whom the whole body,

joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly,

makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

 

Here we see a number of key ingredients that will bring us into maturity.

 

We see the 5 grace gifts. Apostles, pastors, prophets, teachers and evangelists.

 

Here Paul says exposure to these gifts breeds maturity.

 

Exposure to the 5 gifts does various things:

 

It equips the saints for the work of the ministry

 

It builds up the local body.

 

It brings unity in the faith.

 

It builds our knowledge of the son.

 

It makes us mature.

 

The gifts protect us from being children tossed to and from bad doctrine, and schemes of man.

 

Instead these things help us grow up.

 

The 5 gifts are no there essentially to serve you. But to equip you, so you can serve.

 

Please know and understand that your pastor cannot mature you. I cannot bring you to maturity! I do not have all it takes to bring you to maturity. But I can expose you to a range of gifting, and create the environment where you can grow and mature, and then play my role in that maturing process.

 

So we take seriously the role of exposing this local body, which you are in, to then wider gifting profile. Thats why we get in Rob and Fini. That's why Ant and Les come. We had Dane, and Bertie, and Craig and Dawn. Martin and Shirley Burndt. Why? To expose you to a wider scope of gifting, to bring among other things maturity.

 

It goes even deeper than that. There is partnership. We partner with these other churches. We are standing together and working and growing together. We are helping each other with our churches.

 

We are serving each others churches. We are part of more than just a local church.

 

There has been a lot of misunderstanding about church leadership.

 

Who leads a local church? Yes Jesus is building his church but which people does he use. Here is a statement that might rock your world of church understanding. The pastor does not lead the church. In a church there are some who will have a gift of pasturing. What is a person who has the gift of caring, and shepherding people? That is a pastor. Ok, here it is. A church is lead by a team of leaders. Biblically it is elders who direct the affairs of the local church. A team of elders is the ideal biblical picture.

 

On that team it's good to have pastors. Others can also be pastors. Home group leaders are also pastors.

 

Usually what happens it that a body looks to one person to be the pastor and leader of a church. That one person is seen to be responsible for the preachning and teaching. He is seen to be responsible for doing all the accounts and banking, and book keeping. He is seen to be the one who visits the sick, feeds the poor. He is seen as the one who must meet very need in the church. Thats all fine but let me ask you a few questions. What if that person is a terrible leader, how well will he lead the church, and who will suffer?

 

There are two main reasons that churches has one pastor.

 

1)    The in church history the priest was there to communicate the religious organisations decisions to the public. They were told what to believe, what to preach, and how to conduct a service. You only need one person one priest to do that.

 

2)    The second reason why many churches have one pastor is that one person like to have all the power and call all the shots.

 

Both of these reasons are dangerous, and open a door for hurt in the local church.

 

The pastor mentality has done a lot of damage over the years.

 

What if the pastor is actually primarily a prophet, how will this effect his pasturing? What if he is clueless at teaching, or a terrible preacher.

 

You could be a superb teacher, but a terrible pastor. You could be a talented counsellor and lover, but a terrible preacher.

 

A person could be able to  preach up a storm, but be terrible at uncovering the prophetic direction for a church.

 

Apostles have a gift to build and establish churches. A person could be a fantastic church planter built for expanding, and establishing churches. Make this person a permanent pastor over a community for the rest of His life, and he would be very frustrated, how will this effect His pasturing?

 

Every time a person shows the calling of God on their lives, they are made a pastor and given a church, but are they called to lead a church?

 

Are all people who lead churches good with finances and financial decisions? We need transparency and accountability and a team of responsible people involved in finances, so the pastors son does not get a motorbike when the offering is a good one.

 

If the pastor does not have a dynamic heart for the lost, as an evangelist does, the church can become very inward focussed. If the leader is an evangelist, sometimes everything about the church becomes about reaching out.

 

So Gods way is a team of elders, with a spread of gifting. Then we release people to be who they are. When we have leaders here, we want them to be who they are, we believe this is for your benefit as a body. The best gift anyone can be is to be their authentic self.

 

This also builds away from the guru mentality. This builds a wider team of people who can all minister. This positions a church for long term success, and a stable succession of leaders over decades.

 

When a leader of a church moves on, there is no tragedy, for the body is not solely dependent on that one person.

 

So we see a team of elders with a scope of anointing. Some churches have the most gifted leaders, but they are in row 8, coming as spectators to church every week. Release them, and watch them as well as the church come into maturity.

 

Then there is also the apostolic input. People who have an anointing to accelerate churches into a preferable future.

 

If you spend time with some guys, your church will change, and be influenced. That is the apostolic gift. Apostles make sure the presence of God is in a church, and ensure that the doctrine is correct.

 

They never override the local eldership, or it becomes a denomination.

 

 This is why partnership is so essential. Local churches need to embrace apostolic gifting, as well as share the gifting they have.

 

So we enjoyed Rob, Fini and Isi, Ant and Les, Brad etc..but do you realise that there was a cost involved in them being here. Not just financially, but another cost.

 

There local church had to release them. In order for us to receive the blessing of their gift, the local church had to release them to minister.

 

On this elder team and in this church we have all the gifts operating. We need them released in full measure in the body. We also need to release them to the churches we partner with. But don't worry, next time, we will be receiving from them! This is partnership.

 

But we see it's not just the 5 gifts that build a local body. There is also every believers role.

 

We see the body

 

when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

 

When we are serving each other, when we are using our gifts for one another, we release growth over others.

 

So we have a role to play in each others growth and maturity.

 

Every one of us play a role in encouraging each other. Some may say "but I have nothing to offer". Do you know there is one thing we can all do to encourage each other?

 

Hebrew 10v24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25not neglecting to meet

together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day

drawing near

 

Ok here it is, this is what every believer can do to encourage another. Meet together. When we meet we encourage. Your very presence here today is encouraging to me, and to others.

 

Now that you are here, who knows what may happen to you or through you.

 

You could have a life altering revelation.

 

You may encounter Him in powerful or new ways.

 

You may receive a life changing word. You may give a life changing word. He may use you to bring a vision, or picture.

 

He has gifted every one in some way. You could hug someone. You could make a visitor feel welcome, and so they come again.

 

You can bring joy to worship, and encourage us to join your freedom. You could encourage the preacher. You could pray fro someone's need.

 

How to make the most of a meeting, and so grow and mature.

 

1)    Arrive

 

2)    Be ready to give who you are

 

3)    Receive

 

Being part of a local body, brings a person into maturity. It's where we learn to use our gifts. It's where we discover what they are. It's where we receive encouragement and ministry. It's a place of revelation, encounters and transformation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gentle reminder : You Raise me up to more than I can be

Great lyrics - I'm sure we all know the song - but here's a reminder: hugs mich

 

 

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

 

Wayne's World...(8Oct09)

New Covenant Victory

Part 2

 

Why grace junkies sin less.

 

1.    The law has been cancelled

 

2.    There is a regenerated new nature

 

3.    The power of God flows in our veins through the Holy Spirit

 

In part one of New Covenant Victory we looked at the fact that the law has been lifted off us, its legal demands cancelled at the cross in Christ, and that under grace sin no longer has dominion over us.

 

Colossians 2:13,14 having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

 

Romans 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

 

Today were going to look at reason number 2.

 

There is a regenerated new nature.

 

We are those who have passed from life to death.

 

When we were not in Christ, we were dead.

 

Colossians 2:13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him

 

Romans 5v12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned –

 

 15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18Therefore, as one trespass(Or the trespass of one)  led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness(Or the act of righteousness of one)  leads to justification and life for all men. 19For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  

 

So we see here that sin entered the world through one man Adam, and as a result all that followed entered into that sin. We are born into sin. The result of that sin, was spiritual death, separation from God and broken relationship with Him.

 

BUT verse

 

17If, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ 18Therefore, as one trespass(Or the trespass of one)  led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness(Or the act of righteousness of one)  leads to justification and life for all men

 

When we receive the gift of grace, we receive life.

 

So we were dead and condemned, but now through receiving Gods grace, we receive the gift of righteousness and life. 

 

This is also called being born again. Our spirits literally become alive. This is rebirth and renewal.

 

Look at what Titus 3 says

 

3For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

Titus says we were once foolish, disobedient and given to various forms of sin, but that has changed. We have been washed clean, we are regenerated, and renewed, made new.

 

Last scripture here:

 

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.(Or creature)  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

 

Ok so here it is. If you believe in Jesus, you pass from life to death. This new creature, this new creation is regenerated and renewed. It is a new life. This new nature lives for God, the old nature was bent towards sin, the new nature made alive to God is bent towards life, light and goodness. The most underestimated aspect of the Christian experience has been the degree at which we are changed at the point of being born again. We are literally a new breed on the planet, something that did not exist before the cross. We are filled with all the power of God. We are placed in Christ and co-seated with Him.

 

The effect of the new nature is that we live differently. We sin less for who we are has changed. And the clearer we see who we are, the more we will live as we truly are. The old has passed away.

 

It's critical that we see ourselves as we truly are. One of the most staggering scriptures in the bible is in 1 John it says "as he is so are we in this world".

 

Now this belief in who you are simply cannot be understated for "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he". What you think about yourself, will be your reality. Even amongst secular physiologists and motivational speakers, they agree. How you see yourself determines how you behave. I remember in business they said "dress like a professional, speak like a professional, believe you are one, and you will be one!" and it is true.

 

See who you are. You are a new creature, a holy creature, a powerful creature. A creature dedicated to God at its very core, a creature madly in love with the giver of life. A creature of light, a creature of anointing. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You can do anything you want! What do you want to do?

 

The New Creation changed by God has desires, and expressions. The new you wants out. It wants to live, it want s to express it self. Let it. The new you loves to love. The new you loves worship, the new you is addicted to the presence of God. The regenerated renewed you lives for fresh revelation. The born again life filled you, wants others to taste this life too. Your new nature loves to be with God. You want to do these things. If you do not want these things, you are still dead!

 

John Piper says:

 

"The commands of Jesus are a description of the way new human beings behave, who have been born again, and enabled supernaturally, to the glory of God"

 

Man I love that were new human beings.

 

Titus 2v14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good

 

He gave Himself for us, He has redeemed us from the grave, He has purified us, He has made us His very Own, He has made us eager to do good.

 

So He has done something to us that makes us live differently, He changed who we are. Were now a New Regenerated Creature.

 

This new creature sins less than the old. Seeing who we are, seeing the work of grace in us, helps us sin less. The more we see and the clearer we see, and the more we know about who we are, the less we will sin. Sin is not who we are, that person died.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worship CD

 

Hi Everyone

 

Michelle Bass has an incredible cd out "Deep is calling".

 

Please check out her site http://www.myspace.com/michellecbass

to listen to a sample and for information on how to get your

hands on this gem.

 

Love

Gregg

Latest updates to the Links page of New Nature Publications

Dear all

When you have the time, please check out the latest updated changes to the New Nature 'Links' page! 

http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=link

You'll find even more amazing resources now including blogs, church websites with free sermon archives, various ministries, online resource stores, sermons on Youtube etc.

Feel free to bookmark the page as a resource reference as well and share it with others. 

Also please check out the latest changes to the products page if you haven't already and just so you know, if you click on any book or CD cover you'll be able to see the contents page and the back cover.

http://newnaturepublications.com/?page=product

God bless  

Ryan Rufus

PS if you would like to be taken off this mailing list then please just reply with: 'Please remove my email from the mailing list.'

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Good News

I grew up in an average income community and went to an average goverment school.

I met some great people along the way, and even kept in contact with some of them

until now.

 

About ten minutes ago, I just received a phone call from one of these friends telling me

that he and his wife went to an outreach last night in Johannesburg, and both of them

ended up giving their lives to Jesus.

 

This is from an sms that I just received from him

"Im so glad to know that i will see you in heaven" and

"I feel like a new person. Its such a good feeling"

 

This is what it is all about. This is why Jesus came and this is what we are to help with.

I am so encouraged.

Heaven is having one huge party and so are my tear ducts.

 

Thank you Jesus is all I can say. You are wonderful.