Wednesday 05-08-13 - Living Grace Fellowship

And He Healed them all: The Link between Holiness & Healing.mp3

Podcast: Download (19.4MB)

Key Text:

1 Cor. 2:16

Phil. 2:1-9

1 Peter 3:15

Gal. 6:7,8

1 Cor. 6:12-20

Overview:

Tonight our worship time was a bit different than normal for our group in that we only sang one song that is rather long, but is very powerful if you will allow yourself to be draw into a place of deep adoration and worship of God by almost singing these words as a prayer to God.

I know there are those out there who believe some bad things about Jesus Culture and the church they hail from, and I do not know but that some of it is true, but in my own heart I rely upon the Holy Spirit and the words of Christ when He was questioned about some of His own “questionable” behavior patterns…

“Listen, every one who has ears! “But to what shall I compare the present generation? It is like children sitting in the open places, who call to their playmates. “‘We have played the flute to you,’ they say, ‘and you have not danced: we have sung dirges, and you have not beaten your breasts.’ “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they exclaim, ‘See this man! –given to gluttony and tippling, and a friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners!’ And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions.” ~ Matt. 11:15-19

By this I mean that, I do not know all the theology of the group nor their church, but no group can have everything wrong who can evoke such pure worship in the hearts of others by their worship. Wisdom is justified by her children!

Tonight we began to talk about holiness and though we did not make a tight case to its link to healing, we will do so on Sunday. For now we simply describe the meaning of the word as…”to be other than”.

For an example of God as “holy” we simply used the verse in Isaiah 55:8-9

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the LORD’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

This demonstrates God’s “other than-ness”.

Even now under the new covenant He is still wholly “other than” us in many, many ways. It is true that in terms of strict likeness to His inner character our spirits are like His, but in terms of many other things we are not “like Him”. Some of this is in the process of progressively changing, for James says tot he Christian Jews of the dispersion,

“Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil excess, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you.” ~ James 1:21

So even though there are scriptures which identify and capitalize on those areas in which we are like Him…

“For who has known the Lord’s mind, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”~1 Cor. 2:16

“In this, love is perfected with us so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; for we are as He is in this world.“ ~ 1 Jn. 4:17

There are many more which demonstrate our differences which will never be breached …like the fact that we will always be the created and He will forever be the creator. In the end, when the seals are broken as mentioned in the book of Revelation, only ONE is worthy to open the seals. Not The Father, not the Holy Spirit and certainly no being created by them, but only Jesus the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the World! Hallelujah! – Rev. 5:1-10.

Then we looked at the humanity of Christ and how in His humanity Christ did not forsake His God like power nor His authority as God to become man, but He took on humanity WITH all His Godhood in tact! It was not that Jesus became less in the incarnation it is that He became more (not more in value, but more in substance). He was not less God, it is only that while being very nature God…He TOOK ON flesh! The phrase is, “He made Himself of no reputation TAKING the form of a servant” NOT “He made Himself of no reputation leaving His Godhood privileges and powers in heaven.” That is a “christian” folklore, but is NOT Biblical doctrine! The honor and “worthy-ness” of Christ is that even though He could have done what He did by His own power and might – He chose NOT TO and wholly relied upon God with the limitations of a man and humbled Himself! Jesus was, is and forever will be Glorious and He is WORTHY!

Then we looked at the process of sanctifying the Lord in our hearts (or setting the Lord apart as Holy in our esteem). – 1 Peter 3:15.

Then we looked at Gal. 6:7, 8 & 1 Cor. 6:12-20.

To hear the message simply click on the link above.

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!