Measured Growth

Ephesians4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." 9 (Now this, "He ascended"--what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

If something is alive it grows. Pretty simple equation.

On the doorpost of my son’s room there are some pencil marks. It is probably the one place in the entire house where pencil marks on the wall are acceptable. Each mark denotes the growth of my son, and there is a steady progress demonstrated throughout his young life. The spaces between the marks may not be equal increments, but they are steady, and they are higher all the time. (In fact, the marks have become so high they are starting to scare me a little.) How can I pay for the food and clothing for such an expansion?

And here we see that growth never comes without some pain. It will either be the literal physical growth pains which science has recently suggested are real, or it will be the pains of seeking to afford the expansion of the size of the growth.

But if something is alive, it grows. It cannot be stopped. Growth is not to be feared, it is to be expected and planned for.

How then do we apply this as a principle in our Christian lives? Do we expect Spiritual growth? Do we plan for it? Or do we shy away from it and neglect the process entirely? (Maybe I’ll grow – and maybe I won’t.)

Paul beseeches us to Spiritual growth ALL THE WAY to the measure of the FULLNESS of Christ. Can you imagine what the church would be like if all were growing together as they grew up into the fullness of Christ? I can too. This is why Paul encourages us so strongly. It is everything the church is to be about: Spiritual growth in the discipleship of Jesus Christ. Growth indicates life.                                                                                

-  Pastor Bill

Captured

Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles-- 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

Being a prisoner of anyone is an especially unpleasant thought.

Paul really puts this into perspective, and it is his own experience that speaks loudest. Arrested at Jerusalem at the Temple, almost beaten to death, captured by the Roman guard, held in jail for years before trial, transferred to Rome, and now held in a Roman prison cell for  years without ever knowing when or if he will be released.

The Roman prison system was not redemptive, it was punitive. Since the idea was to punish the prisoners, no attempt was made at providing a comfortable living environment. In fact, you could probably say no effort was spared to make sure a very uncomfortable environment was the norm.

Poor, pitiful Paul? Not hardly. Paul writes from jail a beautiful expression of the love of Christ, in a way only someone who is IN jail could. Without self-pity, Paul writes of the LOVE of Christ – in a time when one might think he would say he had been abandoned by Christ.

But this always seems to be the story. Those who find themselves in the most trying situations find themselves more in the presence and the love of Christ than ever. What we hear over and over again, (with Paul being a prime example,) is that the more we have need, and the greater our despair, the more Christ can and will move upon the human heart to minister in the greatest depths of the soul. There are no prison bars which hold back the love of Christ.               

-  Pastor Bill

Saved From?

Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Life is the one thing we all appreciate above all. We might say we value ‘love’ above all, but then, we have to be alive to experience love. We cling to life with all we have until we cannot cling any longer.

This is what makes death such an enemy to us. Then there is also the uncertainty of death. It has been well said, (and I think it reflects human nature,) “I don’t mind the thought of death so much; I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”

Hmmm. The question is: What can we do about it? Should Jesus tarry, death awaits us all. It is certain and looming, and it is completely unknown to us when it will occur. (So it is very difficult for us to arrange our schedule to not be there when it happens.)

It is fascinating the Bible tells us as long as we live in our sins we are dead already. Walking dead. Talking dead. As good as dead. And then…God in His great abounding mercy offers us an alternative.

And here is the really fascinating part: some people will knowingly choose to remain dead in their sins rather than receiving the salvation being offered freely by Christ. The reason is because they do not truly understand what they are being saved from. (And Satan has real victory in any heart in which he can make hell a fairy tale.)

Jesus saves us because we require being saved, in the same manner a drowning man requires saving. “Salvation” is not a flowery Christianese term; it has real meaning, because when the Bible speaks of “death’ it is speaking of eternal damnation. This is what Jesus will freely save us from, if we will but place our faith in Him – because it is by grace alone we are saved. We cannot do more than receive it, but we cannot do less than understand what it truly means – to be saved.  

-  Pastor Bill

How Blessed We Are

Ephesians1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. 7In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

Happy and blessed is the best we can be.

The question is: What do you consider a blessing – and what does it take to make you happy?

Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians, (which is believed to be a circular letter, rather than a letter to a specific church,) with an encouragement which is unmatched in the New Testament. For this reason, these opening chapters of the book are known of as the “Alps of the New Testament.”

Why? Because here we rise to the heights of heaven to consider our fate. There will be specific instruction on conduct and good Christian living to follow, but first we soar to the highest of heights, to the very throne of God and Christ, to consider Who it is Who loves us so, and Who it is Who has made all these arrangements to bring us up along this High way.

It is wonderful to consider what it means for God to have chosen me. What a blessing! And, according to Paul’s words, it is a “spiritual blessing.” It is one thing to be blessed in material ways, but here Paul reveals the greater glory of our Spiritual blessings in Christ.

There is no way anything we may receive in this life can compare with God’s election, and God’s pre-destination, and God’s redemption, and God’s dispensation, and God’s inheritance…and it is only made better by the knowledge that it is God’s pleasure to do so.      

-  Pastor Bill

How’s Your Love Life?

Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load. 6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Last week we all watched with rapt attention as the Chilean mine rescue operation unfolded before our eyes on television and the internet.

This past August, 33 miners, (an interesting number, don’t you think,) we’re trapped alive a half-mile underground when the mine they were working in collapsed. They just happened to have ventured into a safety-rescue area for lunch just before the cave-in occurred. When the collapse initially happened, it was believed all the miners had been killed. Families had to deal head-on with the tragedy, and the horror of knowing their loved ones’ bodies were hopelessly buried deep under the ground.

After 17 days, there was a great celebration as it was determined none of the miners had been killed, and that they were all alive and well in the safety area, (which also had just enough provision of food and water to see them through as they severely rationed the supplies they had while waiting to hear from above.)

Finally! Yes, there not only were some survivors – but they had ALL survived! Magnifico! But now came the hard part.

There was never a moment’s question about whether they would attempt to rescue those men, and the question of cost never even entered the picture. There were 33 men trapped a half-mile below the surface of the earth, and we were going to go get them no matter the cost or effort involved. “Save them or die trying!”

As we encounter those trapped in sin around us, having fallen to the temptations of this world, it is an example to us that no resource be spared in bringing them back to safety. It is what Jesus exemplified. There was no depth He would not go to in order to reach those trapped in the pit of hell, and to draw them back to the light of salvation. He loved and restored even those caught in the very act of sin. How could we do less? This is what Paul is saying. 

-  Pastor Bill

Deliver the Gospel

A word from brother K.P. Yohannan, founder of the Gospel for Asia missionary ministry:

Sharing the Gospel

The primary aim of Gospel for Asia's ministry is to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who have never before heard His name.

National Missionaries

Gospel for Asia trains and sends national missionaries because they have proven extremely effective. They are already familiar with the language and culture, and they live at the level of the people they serve, thus removing many social barriers.

100 Percent

Gospel for Asia sends 100 percent of the money you donate for work on the mission field to the field. Nothing is taken out for administrative expenses.

Working with Others

Gospel for Asia International works with and assists dozens of NGO's and ministries in many Asian nations. None of these entities comes under Gospel for Asia International or are legally affiliated with us.

Eternal Perspective

In our busy lives, it is easy to be so preoccupied with our own dreams and pursuits that we lose our eternal perspective. Both the joys of heaven and the crying needs of a lost world can seem unreal and far away.

But the harsh reality is that 2.7 billion people of our generation are still unreached with the Gospel. What answers are we prepared to give to the living God when He asks about the blood of these multitudes on our hands?

Today, we have the great privilege of helping them come to know Jesus. If we will commit to live for what is eternal, this generation can be reached with the Gospel.

I pray that Gospel for Asia will become like a bridge, giving you the opportunity to walk away from your own preoccupations to the harvest fields of Asia—and see the perishing multitudes through the eyes of Jesus.

May you allow God to use your life to change the destiny of millions through your prayers and partnership with our national brothers and sisters. A hundred years from now, you will be glad you did!

Dr. K.P. Yohannan
Founder & President of Gospel for Asia

Lawless

Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

What would the highways and byways be like without the law? How would traffic conduct itself without policemen working to enforce safe passage of all vehicular traffic?

It’s hard to imagine automobile traffic functioning properly without a law in effect. What does traffic law accomplish? Has it always been in place? Well, the answer to that question is: No. Traffic law only came into being after traffic came into existence, and after traffic safety became an issue.

I can’t remember the story exactly, (but I think it is true,) that in some state like West Virginia, (or somewhere like that,) that when cars were first invented, there were only two cars in the whole state - and they ran into each other.  

And inherently we understand that. If cars are on the road without a law, crashes and mayhem will result. It doesn’t seem to matter how many cars there are, (although certainly more cars means more probability of accidents and mayhem.) The problem is the flawed nature of the drivers. Some want to go too fast, some want to be first, some want to text while driving. There is no end to the failure present in human nature that will lead to accidents if left unabated. And, even with a very constrictive law in place these things still happen – so our thought is: What would it be like if there was no law? Could we even make it home from church? (You’d really be taking your chances at that very first intersection out there.)

So, even though we hate speed limits, and waiting on red lights, we also understand they are required – because of all those other folks out there who drive like idiots. You can’t trust those people without a law to protect…me. So I have a kind of grudging respect for the law, and I admit its necessity. Now comes along a preacher named Paul who says there is no longer any need for the law. Can you believe that? He says the Holy Spirit inside of us will govern our conduct to such an extent an external law is not needed.

-  Pastor Bill