Watchful Witness Wednesday February 15 2012

Quotes:

Where work falls short and ability or effort fails, unmerited favor guarantees sufficiency to succeed. Brother Jeremy A. Maynard

Grace is more than a long term investment, it is eternal assurance and everlasting life insurance. We are beneficiaries in CHRIST’s policy if we believe   – Brother Jeremy A. Maynard

Watching and Praying

HEAVENLY FATHER,

In the matchless name of Y’SHUA the MESSIAH and by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT in thanksgiving, supplication, reverence and humility, we prostrate our spirits, bow our souls and subject and present our bodies as living sacrifices before YOU, LORD. We honor YOU who are worthy of all worship, prayer and praise – True GOD…Uniquely GOD…Wholly GOD….HOLY GOD. We approach you seeking forgiveness for sins, iniquities and transgressions…things done or not done, publically or privately, covertly or overtly, on purpose or accidentally by commission or omission. Just as YOU always make a way for us, we trust YOU to make a place for us as the world more and more becomes foreign land. We ask that YOULORD to continue to be our banner even as our churches are banned from public schools. Please protect the congregations and pastors of these churches and repot them in new soil that they may flourish. Please ABBA, strengthen Christian marriages and families so that they minister hope and stability to the broader society. Please DADDY, increase the levels of creativity, ingenuity and opportunity among your people. Please heal our spirits souls and bodies, Oh LORD. We thank YOU for today LORD. We thank YOU for provision, vision and supervision. We thank YOU for guidance, protection, purpose and relationship. We thank YOU for YOUR Will and YOUR Word. WE thank YOU for YOUR Heart toward those that suffer, YOUR light burden and easy yoke. We love on YOU today LORD and trust YOU in JESUS name Amen

Thought Sparks: Did you notice?

Did You Notice:  the shortness of tempers and the increase complaining lately? Believers, we should quietly listen and address complaints with hope. We are not salty instigators. We are peace-makers

Did You Notice: the way GOD has been using and blessing humble Christian athletes lately? Believers, it is a good time and gateway to further conversation with primarily men about the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST

Men's Ministry Monday February 13, 2012

1 Timothy 4:6  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.


Accountability is a vital part of Christian brotherhood. There are times when we brothers need redirection to right thinking as opposed to desired affirmation. This especially true when emotions are elevated. We do this when we match up how a brother may want to react to a situation to how the wisdom of the Word states we react. The Word ought to be part of the discussion preemptively in some cases. 

In the prior verses, false doctrine and legalism is described. Accountability in these cases redirects our brothers toward the loving and safe boundaries that sound doctrine and the freedom that Grace affords. Brotherhood clearly is good ministry and good ministry involves serious discussion that encourages right thinking...gracious godly thinking. We are not called to be worldly 'enablers' toward hollowness but godly 'encouragers' toward holiness. That is an important part of brotherhood

"We need accountability. Left to our own devices, we will soon devise or succumb to all kinds of evil. As Christians we know that we need other believers to hold us accountable to the standards of Scripture. Passages such as Ecclesiastes 4:12 remind us that “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” The Bible tells us that “iron sharpens iron” (Prov. 27:17) and that we are to “stir up one another to love and good works…encouraging one another” (Heb. 10:24-25). Life is far too difficult and we are far too sinful to live in solitude. We need community. We need accountability. And God has anticipated our need by giving us the local church as the primary means of this accountability." - Tim Challies in Escaping Anonymity, Tabletalk, April, 2009, p. 70. 

Let's be accountable


I love YOU and I love you


Jeremy A. Maynard

Trivia, Terminology and Tough Question Tuesday January 3 2012

Trivia:

Question: How many disciples were named James?

Answer: Two: James the Elder,  the son of Zebedee and James the Lesser or Younger, the son of Alpheus [and Mary – JESUS brother]

Terminology: Sola Fide

Sola Fide – [One of the five Solas] means salvation by faith alone. This is the clear understanding that those that are saved are saved by faith in the finished works of CHRIST and nothing else. No personal works - mere belief in CHRIST is enough to be saved from the Hell all sinners deserve and will receive otherwise

Tough Question: Did Nicodemus accept Christ?

Answer: It appears so.

We are familiar with JESUS’s dialogue with Nicodemus in John 3:

John 3:1-21  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  (2)  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  (3)  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  (4)  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  (5)  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  (6)  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  (7)  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.  (8)  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.  (9)  Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?  (10)  Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?  (11)  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.  (12)  If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?  (13)  And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.  (14)  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  (15)  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  (16)  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  (17)  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  (18)  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  (19)  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  (20)  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.  (21)  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Nicodemus seemed to have an affinity with JESUS after that encounter. He seems to attempt to defend JESUS before the Pharisees in John 7:

John 7:50-51 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)  (51)  Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

Finally, he was as it seems closely involved with CHRSIT’s burial in John 19:

John 19:39-42  And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.  (40)  Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.  (41)  Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.  (42)  There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

There are also some stories in early Christianity that Nicodemus was baptized and left the Sanhedrin and baptized by Paul and John as so was Gameliel secretly***. It is worth further investigation J

I love YOU and I love you

Brother Jeremy A. Maynard

***Stephen: Paul and the Hellenist Israelites by John J. Pilch

Men's Ministry Monday January 2 2012

Philemon 1:17-19 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. (18) If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account; (19) I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

Paul is truly behaving CHRIST-like with regard to Onesimus, the debtor-slave who ran away but is now convicted and saved and ready to return to Philemon [a man of GOD], who he owes. Paul is standing in the gap ensuring a new convert is received as a brother and that any hindrances are removed. In 2012, we need to protect our brothers and sisters. True love with discernment concerns us about the safety of the brethren

We are to do the best in creating a safe environment for the brethren – not just in our presence but going forward outside of our physical reach. This is done by:

1)      Listen intently enough and long enough to discern potential issues as fully as possible

2)      Speaking well of your brother when he is not present

3)      Be considered about hindrances and address them

4)      Give the new convert opportunities to serve

5)      Present your brother as receivable to others

6)      Use your influence to bless and protect

7)      Take the time to pray with and for your brother

Being your brother’s keeper is not cliché, it is active and creates safety. It is love…

Protect the Onesimus-es in your lives…

I love YOU and love you

Brother Jeremy A. Maynard