SPIRITUAL APPRAISAL – Part 1

We recently had an addition added on to our house and have been moving things from the old section into the new section.  This caused us to go through boxes and other items that have been packed away in corners and closets.  Now I am not a full-fledged pack rat, but I must admit I have had tendencies toward it. I have come across things that I just can’t remember why I felt I needed to keep in the first place.  There is a word for these items … clutter – also known as junk.  I’m convinced that an attic can just become a place where we can throw away our junk … and still keep it.  We can accumulate, amass and hoard so many things we become overwhelmed by it all.  We feel crowded out of our own living space.  It’s difficult to feel buried by stuff in our house, but far worse to feel buried by stuff in our own mind and emotions – a cluttered soul.  Just why do we keep all this stuff? …

First, we must realize that in spirit we have been made clean and whole if we are in Christ.  Through the work of the cross Jesus has cleaned out the nature of sin that we had in Adam, we now have Christ’s life.  We are a three part being – spirit, soul and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23).  It is not in our spirit that we get cluttered, it is in our soul – our mind, will and emotions.  The question again arises, why do we keep and hold all this mental and emotional baggage that clutters our life?

The things we take ownership of we keep and the things we value we guard.  So our perception of ownership and value determine what we keep and guard.  What we fill our thoughts with and give our desires to.  We have been ministering a series in our local fellowship entitled “Spiritual Appraisal” from 1 Corinthians 2:14:

“the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”  (NASB)

To appraise something is to determine its value, worth and importance.  Apart from the Holy Spirit we can’t assess the true value of anything.  There is a reason that armed guards were placed at Fort Knox (it’s full of gold, or at least used to be) and not at the city trash dump – we simply protect what we deem valuable.  Paul said to the Corinthians he determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2).  Only in light of Jesus and the cross do all things find their true value.  Paul also said that whatever things were gain to him, he counted (appraised) as loss for the sake of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:4-8).  It is only in view of Jesus that we can hold to what has value and allow the Spirit to displace the clutter of our soul. 

We will continue this thought in next month’s Heart to Heart …

Love in Christ,

Pastor David Hughes

SALVATION, REVERENCE AND SELF-DISTRUST – Part 2

Last month we looked at the reality of our salvation as being defined in the person of Jesus.  When we make it about anything else we miss the real point.  If we are in Christ we are spiritually whole and complete, we lack nothing.  It is key to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal and demonstrate through us the life of Christ that now defines our identity as a believer.

According to Philippians 2:12-13, we are to demonstrate (work out) our salvation with reverence and self-distrust; for it is God at work in us both to will (desire) and to work (do) for His good pleasure.  Here we can see our view and attitude towards God and toward our own natural abilities.

First of all our hearts must be captured with a genuine holy fear.  This is not a fear in the sense that God is going to harm or mistreat us if we don’t toe the line perfect.  It is not a fear of pending judgment or wrath because that was satisfied at the cross – TOTALLY SATISFIED!  It is a true sense of awe and respect, a reverence of who God is and what He has done in Christ.  With a proper heart of humility to the awesomeness of God, the second part will fall in place … self-distrust.

Paul wrote in Philippians 3:3 that we are to glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.  We demonstrate or work out the reality of Christ within not by our efforts, but by yielding to Him who is at work in us both to will and work for His good pleasure.  It is by the Holy Spirit this is accomplished.  When we believe it is by our natural works and efforts that we show the character and nature of Christ we are simply reverting back to trying to accomplish it according to an old covenant of works.  Jesus freed us from sin and gave us His life, He freed us from natural works of the flesh and graced us to live by His life and the fruit of the Spirit.

We must choose.  If we try to demonstrate His nature in us through our works we will find ourselves just “sweatin’ to the oldies” (covenant that is) with no results.  But if we choose reverence, awe and humility with no confidence in our ability then the Holy Spirit can turn us inside out and show off the true nature of our salvation – Jesus!

Love in Christ,

Pastor David Hughes

SALVATION, REVERENCE AND SELF-DISTRUST  – Part 1

Jesus has met the greatest need we all were born with – the need for salvation.  Salvation is far more than just going to heaven when you physically die.  Salvation is about being truly made whole and complete.  It is about being joined with the only source of life, our creator.  There is no salvation, no wholeness apart from Jesus.  Our greatest need was a spiritual need – that is why material things can never fill the void.  Through simple faith in Jesus and the redemptive work of the cross we are born again.  Not a natural rebirth, but born anew in spirit.  The scriptures call us a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).  We have received salvation!

Now salvation is not defined simply through doctrines or creeds.  Salvation is defined relationally – in Jesus!  When we define it in terms of something we must do we reduce it to impotent religion.  Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life, and have it overflowing.” (John 10:10).  There is a big difference in trying to live based on what we do and living based on what Jesus did and who he is.  The bible calls one works and the other grace.

Jesus gave us His very life … and that to overflowing.  Through His grace we have been made whole spiritually, we are complete in Him.  We have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness (1 Peter 1:3).  Yet it is possible for us to not experience the reality of Jesus in us in all the ways He desires.  We could say it this way, that what is true on the inside needs to be experienced and demonstrated on the outside.  I believe the Holy Spirit wants to turn us inside-out.  Jesus came not just to change our destination, but to change our life – now!

Philippians 2:12 says to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.  Norlie’s translation says, “so now demonstrate your salvation …”  Helen Montgomery’s translation says, ” … with reverence and self-distrust work out your salvation.”  The next verse says it is God at work in you both to will (desire) and to work (do) for his good pleasure.  It is only by the Holy Spirit that the reality of Jesus’ life within becomes the demonstration of His life overflowing.

We will continue to look next month at how our salvation (who is Jesus) is demonstrated with reverence and self-distrust.  Our perspective and attitude towards the Lord and towards ourselves is crucial.

Love in Christ,

Pastor David Hughes

Preached by David Hughes on August 15th, 2010.

Preached by David Hughes on 8/7/2010

Preached by David Hughes on August 1st, 2010

Preached by Val Rodriguez on 7/25/2010

Preached by David Hughes on 7/18/2010

Preached by David Hughes, 7-11-2010

Preached by David Hughes on 7-4-10