Do you desire Community?

If you have been following the posts, you will know that I have begun a study of the book of Romans.  Over the last week I have discussed at length Romans 1.5 which is the key verse in the greeting.  It highlights God's aim and our mission with the gospel.  That by grace we "bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations..."  One thing we must understand concerning the "obedience of faith" is that this is not a one time decision.  No, this is a process, a process that takes the rest of your life.  So, one may ask, after we have brought someone to Jesus and they have been born again, what now???

Our job as a servant of the Lord is not over when we see some one brought into obedience.  We must continue on with that person and every believer in the body of Christ.  Read Romans 1.8-13. 

1. Why does Paul thank God for the Roman believers?

2. Why does Paul thank God for (answer to #1)? 

3. How often does Paul pray for the Roman believers?

4. What does Paul pray for?  (2 things)


What if we longed to be among the people of God as much as Paul did?  He desired community, we desire privacy.  Why is that?  Why have we moved away from the biblical concept of community?  Is your desire to share your gifts with those of the body of Christ?  If your answer is no, then I ask you, why not?  Think hard about these questions.  Be honest. 

I would love to hear your perspective regarding these questions.  Please leave a comment or send me an email : rickey.dees@gmail.com. 

Are you feeling distant from God?

Have you ever felt distant from God?  You may feel distant from God as you are reading this post.  You may have felt this way for a long time.  You don't have to stay there.  God desires that all who are His to be near Him.  Over and over again through the Old Testament prophets, God pleads with Israel to not forsake Him, and warns them of the consequences.  Jesus calls to the crowds, "Come to Me...". The fact that you are reading this post is a way of God reaching out to you, to draw near to Him again.  So, how can we close the gap? 

1) Confess and repent from your sin of desertion. 
               a.  If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. - (Ps 66.18)
     You have moved from God.  At some point along the way, you began following your commands.  We all do this, and when we do, we need to stop.  We need to confess, accept by faith God's forgiveness and move on.

2) Pray to see the glory of God.
               a. Moses said, "Please show me your glory." - (Exd 33:18)
               b. One thing I have asked of the LORD,...to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD... - (Ps. 27.4)
     The only way we will be able to see the glory of the LORD is He revealing it.  We cannot with human eyes see and comprehend the beauty of God.  We must ask and ask often.

3) Seek the glory of God.
               a. One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.
                                                                                                                                             (Ps. 27.4)
    We must not be idle in prayer, but we must pray in expectant longing, combined with seeking after the Lord.  God is not going to play a cosmic game of "hide and seek".  Read what He says through the prophet Jeremiah:
                       You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. - (Jer 29:13 ESV)

You clicked on this post for a reason.  My prayer is that you will follow these 3 steps and by the grace of God, find your way back to Him. 

Grace-Driven Effort

In our study on Romans this morning we discussed the relation of grace, faith, and obedience.  Let's get our bible and review. 1) Grace is given by God, through the obedient death and resurrection of Christ.[Rom. 1.4-5]  2)  Along with this grace we have received a specific calling[i.e. preaching, teaching, hospitality, parenthood, giving, singing, encouragement] from God to be lived out in the power of the grace supplied [Rom. 1.5; 12.6].  3) This grace also enables us to have the faith necessary to obey God, even in the midst of hardship, because our calling is sure.  4)  Our general calling is to receive the grace(power) to fulfill our specific calling in order to bring the nations into obedience and glad submission to the God, for the glory of His name.  [Rom. 1.5] 

To remained focused on this goal, I would encourage you to memorize this verse. 
    For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.                                                                                                                                  (Rom 11:36 ESV)

Is this blog, helpful?  Please feel free to leave your comments below.  I would love to hear your feedback!!

Thanks

I am on twitter, my username is @rickeydees, there is also the option to follow by email.

Romans 1.1

Yesterday we started our study of Romans by reading the first chapter of the book. I would encourage you read it again today, before you read pray this verse back to God, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. - (Psalm 119:18 ESV)".  As you read, make notes of any questions you may have and try to search the Bible for answers.  Make notes of truths that you will apply to your life.  Active reading is very important to understanding what you read.  If you feel like you have read a great deal and don't remember what you just read, do not get down, just go back and reread.  I know many of you have children, I would suggest doing this during their nap or later in the evening when they are asleep, as they will be a distraction.  It is of great importance that those who have been redeemed by God and who are called to be conformed to the image of God, understand the instruction of God revealed in His self-revelation.  We must do everything we can to avoid being distracted as we encounter the Word of God.  After you have read the first chapter and made your notes, I would encourage you to read and answer some questions that will help apply the Word of God to your life.  I aim to show you how a simple phrase can hold great meaning to us who are believers. 

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus...(Romans 1.1)
1. What is a servant/slave?

2. What kind of tasks does a servant/slave perform?

3. Suppose you hired a servant, and you gave him/her an assignment, under whose authority is that servant acting, their own or yours?

4. So when Paul says he is a servant of Jesus Christ, whose authority is He under?

Did you know that every person on the face of the Earth is a slave? 

Read Romans 6:16

1. Paul mentions two (2) masters.  Who are they?

2. What are the results of being a slave to sin?  to obedience?

What does vv 17-18 have to say about those who are born again?

We are to be servants/slaves to righteousness, namely to Jesus Christ. 

I would like you to open a new tab in your web browser.  In the address bar type http://www.blueletterbible.org (this is a wonderful Bible study tool, I would suggest adding to your favorites)  In the search bar type in the words, "servant of the Lord", click on the version drop-down menu and select ESV, click "Search".  (a screenshot has been provided for you to make sure you are in the right place)

Find four (4) people who were called "servants of the Lord".

The highest honor for any believer is to be a servant of the Lord.  However, a common misconception exists between serving and being a servant.  When you are serving the Lord, you choose where you are willing to serve.  When you become a servant of the Lord, you are at the command of God.  You have given up your will.  This is what Paul had done, there was no way that he could have (or would have) gone through all the hardships he did without being totally resigned to do not his will, but the will of God.  We must be willing to humble ourselves, for "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6). 

Moses, Joshua, David, Isaiah, Mary, James, Paul, _____________.  Could you put your name there?

You must, if indeed your desire is to be like Christ, "who though He was in the form of God...made Himself nothing, taking on the form of a servant."(Phil. 2.5-6). 

Rickey

Intimacy

There have been so many times in my life (in yours as well, I'm sure), where you felt a longing to draw near to God.  Those times are quickly followed by a sense of ignorance as to how to exactly do this.  You may bow your head to pray and your phone rings or the images and conversations of the day distract your mind.  You may sit to read your Bible and your daily reading plan has directed to read the first three chapters of 2 Chronicles.  You seem to be getting no where.  If this is you, I would like to share with you a lesson that I taught ("Those who can't do; teach." Someone said that, not sure who, but it fits here.  Although I am in the process of practicing what I am going to preach) last week to a group of college students.  So take your Bible and turn in it to John 6:1-15.  The focus will be on verse 15.  The title of this lesson is Intimacy with the Almighty.  Hope this can help.  Verse 15 Says this:  " Perceiving then that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by Himself."  This verse contains the 3 principles we must discipline ourselves to practice in order to experience intimacy with God.

Intimacy With the Almighty

Three Principles from the Life of Jesus

John 6.1-15

I.                    Solitude & Silence

a.       Jesus experienced many times of solitude and Silence.

                                                               i.      Luke 6.12-13 (Chooses 12 disciples)

                                                             ii.      Luke 5.16; 9.18,28

                                                           iii.      John 6.15

b.       In OT & NT God encounters many people on a one on one level.

                                                               i.      Abraham – Gen. 12

                                                             ii.      Jacob – Gen. 28.13; 32.24-32

                                                           iii.      Moses – Ex. 3, 19

                                                           iv.      Gideon – Judges 6

                                                             v.      Elisha – 1 Kings 19.11-18

                                                           vi.      Peter – Acts 10

                                                         vii.      Paul – Gal. 1.17

c.       What is the importance of being quiet and alone before God?

                                                               i.      It is Biblical

1.       Psalm 37.7; 46.10; 62.1

2.       Hab. 2.20

3.       Zeph. 1.7

4.       Lam. 3.25-28

                                                             ii.      To follow the example of Jesus.  (If He needed time alone with God, how much more do we need to spend time silent before the Lord?)

                                                           iii.      To express worship to God.  (Silence and time alone before Him is an act of worship.  You are communicating to Him how important being in His presence truly is.)

                                                           iv.      To seek the will of God.

                                                             v.      It is a good practice to not just come to God and dump all your prayers and leave.  Come before Him in silence and reverence and fear.  Yes, I said fear.

II.                  Prayer

a.       Many times when Jesus withdrew to be alone it was His sole purpose to spend time (at times very large chunks of time) in prayer to God.

b.       What are some things we need to know about prayer:

                                                               i.      Prayer is expected and commanded.

1.       Matt. 6.5-9 (Note “when you pray….” Followed by a command)

2.       Col. 4.2 “(You) Devote (imperative) yourself to prayer….be alert. (Remember for III. Focus)

3.       1 Thess. 5.17

“As it is the business of tailors to make clothes and of cobblers to mend shoes, so it is the business of Christians to pray.”  - Martin Luther

                                                             ii.      Prayer is learned

1.       By praying

2.       By meditating on Scripture

a.       Psalm 19.7-10, 14

b.       Psalm 119

                                                           iii.      Prayer should be intentional

1.       You must plan to pray.

III.               Focus

a.       Jesus understood that His mission was not to be an Economic Messiah, a Political Revolutionary or a Bread King.

b.       John 18.36 He speaks to Pilate and declares that His reason for coming was to establish a Kingdom that was unseen.  The Kingdom of God.

c.       So what is our mission/focus?

And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith. [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]  That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. Phil. 3.9-11 (AMP)

For Christ and His Kingdom, 

Rickey

Knowing God

"For this reason, because I have heard of you faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him," (Ephesians 1:15-17)

Many people in our world today know about God. Many people have their own opinions of Him, also. Some of these opinions are positive and some are negative. Some are fact and others are fiction. There are many misconceptions and misunderstandings of the nature, personality, aspects, and actions of God. Some question His goodness, fairness, love, and even His very existence. Nothing sparks more conversation amongst more diverse crowds than the topic of God, in its very generic form.

Christians are no different than non-Christians in a variety of ways. We debate among ourselves the nature, personality and actions of God. We study, we analyze, and we debate. Millions of books have been written about God, how to learn about God, and how to experience God. So many Christians, know so much about God, yet if you watched their lives, it would seem that they do not know God. That's what Paul is asking of God for these believers in Ephesus. That they may know God. That He would reveal Himself to them and that they would not only grow in the knowledge of and about God, but that they would know Him personally.

So what does it take to know God personally? What does it take to experience intimacy with the Creator of the Heavens and Earth?

First, it takes action on the part of God. It is His grace, that allows us to hear and perceive His calling to us. It was grace that called Peter, Andrew, James and John from their nets. It is and always will be an act of grace that we know anything at all about God. This is the same idea that Paul is conveying earlier in this chapter, in verses 3-14. All of the blessings that believers have received have come because of the "riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us," (Eph. 1:7-8). So, the first way to know God is for Him to extend His grace to us.

Second, we must empty ourselves of ourselves. Humility on our part is the way to know God. The bible tells us that we are enemies of God. Our ways are not His ways. Paul prays that God will give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation. We try to use our earthly wisdom to figure out who God is. But the wisdom that can know God is the wisdom that He bestows upon those who set aside their own understanding and are willing to be powerless and foolish before God. "And because of Him(God) you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'" (1 Cor. 1:30-31)

In closing, my prayer for you is that you will be given a spirit of wisdom and revelation and that you will know God. His grace has been extended to you. He has saved you from destruction and has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. He will reveal Himself to those who seek Him and who will humble themselves before Him.

For Christ and His Kingdom,

Rickey Dees