Sanctifying Grace Part 2

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

I remember when I was new Christian and was first learning about God’s grace.

Grace is a word that is used very often in the New Testament. But in my

family, grace was not a word we used much at all. So I really didn’t

understand its meaning. My teachers at church helped me. They said that

God’s grace is his unmerited favor. We do not deserve God’s grace. We

cannot earn it. But, by grace, God shows us favor. Because of His great grace,

the Father sent his Son Jesus into the world to save his people from their sins.

Ephesians 2:8,9 teach us that “It is by grace you have been saved, through

faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so

that no one can boast.” 

Grace: God’s unmerited favor. I am so glad I learned this definition. But later

I learned that there is more to grace than simply unmerited favor. I learned

that God’s grace is the power to do his will. The Apostle Paul said in I

Corinthians 15:10, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to

me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but

the grace of God that was with me.” Here Paul understand the grace of God as

the power of God to do the will of God.

What an amazing truth. God calls us to be holy and God gives us power to be

holy. If we had to transform our behavior in our own strength, we would surely

fail. But God is kind to us; he gives us power to be holy. We call this power

from God to live a transformed life “sanctifying grace.” Sanctifying grace is

God’s power at work in us enabling us to do the will of God. And like saving

grace, sanctifying grace is free. It is not earned or deserved. Like saving grace,

sanctifying grace is received by faith. And like saving grace, the Holy Spirit is

God’s agent who delivers sanctifying grace to us.

I know that as a church planter you long to lead and multiply strong, healthy

churches. And as a church planter who has worked to make disciples, you know

that churches are only as healthy as the people who form them. As a church

planter, you have seen sin which has broken and impoverished families for

generations. And, praise the Lord, as a church planter, you have seen God’s

saving grace at work through the ministry of the Holy Spirit to bring new life to

men and women who were far from God.

So here is my word of encouragement for you today. Just as you have

proclaimed the saving grace of God to hundreds, so also proclaim the

 sanctifying grace of God. Teach new believers from Philippines 2:13, “God is at

work in you both to desire and to work for his good pleasure.” Teach church

members that the God who calls them to be holy will give them power to be

holy. Invite them to receive sanctifying grace moment by moment. Teach them

to expect the Holy Spirit to deliver God’s grace every hour and every day.

This has been “Multiply.” And I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this

encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #SanctifyingGrace #BeHoly

How the Spirit Produces Fruit

 Hello, this is Multiply! A podcast for church planters, pastors, and Christian leaders. I am your host today, Daneille Snowden.

Fruit contains seeds and most fruit is sweet and is enjoyed as a refreshing food. My favorite fruit is berries. They are sweet and oh so juicy. There are many nutrients in fruit that better our health, and even helps us fight diseases plus viruses. God didn’t stop there with fruit, he made sure we would never run out of it! How? By placing a seed within the fruit to plant, reproducing even more fruit. Take apple trees for example, on average one tree can produce 200 to 300 apples, and an older tree the same size produces up to eight hundred apples per tree. 

In Galatians 5:22-23 it says: “But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.” 

How does the fruit of the Spirit reproduce? For me, the answer is simple! As we seek the Lord, worship Him and feast upon His Word, this fruit will be a part of our lives. The Fruit of the Spirit reproduced is not of us. Our human devices are listed just a couple verses before, in verses 19-20 (please read). 

 He will give us joy! Joy is contagious, another words that joy will reproduce. Each part of the fruit listed becomes a part of who we are through the Holy Spirit. He gives us a deep love, that we in turn can give out to others. There is Self-control, with the help of the Holy Spirit we can have power over evil temptations, and even over ourselves. 

When we eat fruit, it is full of nutrients that becomes a part of our body, flowing into our cells and blood. As the Holy Spirit flows, His fruit will multiply within our own soul and even mind. Changing us for His Glory! We will walk in peace and strength. We will shine a light and send a message to others as they see and even hear the Holy Spirit’s presence! Then, they too will be touched and be led to seek the Lord, thus we will witness the power of multiplication in the Spirit. Let us rejoice that God has designed this too, as we will never run out of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit!

Will you share this word with others? Also, find us on our website www.vcpencouragement.org. Multiply is also on several podcast channels.

Sanctifying Grace

 

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that

provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

One of the most challenging commands of Scripture is first mentioned in the

Old Testament and is repeated in the New Testament: The Lord says, “You

shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” God gives this command in

Leviticus 11:44 and 45. Peter repeats the command in 1 Peter 1:16.

For many of us, when we hear this command and think about it, our first

response is “Impossible. There is no way that I can be holy. There is no way

that I can be like God.” But it is very clear that God wants us to be holy. He

wants us to separate ourselves from evil and be devoted to him. He wants us

to take on his character of righteousness and love.

One of the major themes of Village Church Planting is the need to teach God’s

big story from start to finish. We call this Chronological Bible Storytelling.

When we think about God’s big story, we remember from Genesis 1 and 2 that

he is the Creator. He created man and woman in his image. God delighted to

have fellowship with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. But, first the woman

and then the man disobeyed God. They ate the fruit he said that they must not

eat. Because of their sin, they were separated from God.

The rest of God’s big story tells about God’s initiative to restore fellowship

between himself and the people he has created. It’s not easy. In Genesis 6:5,

God observes that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was

only evil all the time. Even so, God saves Noah and his family. Then he calls

Abraham to himself. He blesses Abraham and his descendants in hundreds of

ways. But they seem so unwilling to separate themselves from worldly, unholy

ways. Even so, God never gives up. In the fullness of time, God send his Son

Jesus to save his people from their sins. By his life, death, and resurrection,

Jesus changes everything! Listen to the Good News announced in Romans 8:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ

Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set

you free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do

because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the

likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the

flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in

us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Did you hear that? “The righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in

us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

Because of the Holy Spirit living in us, as children of God, we can say “No!” to

sin and “Yes!” to righteousness. We can be separated from sin and live for God.

In fact, the common name for Christ followers in the New Testament is “saint.”

What are saints? They are people made holy by the work of Christ and the

presence of His Holy Spirit.

We give thanks to God for his wonderful gift. Won’t you share this good news

with everyone in your church!

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #BeHoly

9 Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

As a church planter, you are well aware that there are many religions in the world. You know people who follow Islam. You know people who are idol worshippers.  You may know people who are Buddhists or Hindus.  You probably know people who have some Christian beliefs but follow many teachings not supported by the Bible.  So, what is the difference between biblical Christian faith and the other religions of the world?

All religions teach people how to live their lives.  All religions work to teach people about right and wrong, good and evil, truth and deception.  The Bible teaches us in Isaiah 30:21, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”  But other religions make similar claims.  What is the difference between those religions and biblical Christianity?

The difference is that in Christ, we not only receive instructions about how we are to live, we receive power to live according to God’s plan. The power we need to live according to the will of God comes from his Holy Spirit living within us.

God has given his children a wonderful promise in Galatians 5:22-25. It says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

In this passage, Paul compares the Holy Spirit to a very special fruit tree, a fruit tree that produces nine kinds of wonderful, beautiful fruit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  This fruit of the Spirit is expressed in the behavior and lifestyle of those who walk in step with the Spirit.

To walk in the Spirit or to keep in step with the Spirit means to be attentive to the Holy Spirit’s voice. To walk in the Spirit means to enjoy fellowship with the Holy Spirit, day by day as we walk through life together with Him. To walk in the Spirit means to listen to his voice and to be led by him.

And here is the good news: The power we need to live according to the will of God comes from his Holy Spirit living within us.

Because the Spirit is at work in the children of God, we love God and love our neighbors. Because we live daily in fellowship and communication with the Holy Spirit, we experience and express joy and peace and patience.  Because the Holy Spirit lives in us and energizes us, we show kindness and goodness to others, we faithfully keep our commitments, we show gentleness, and we exercise self-control.  The power we need to live according to the will of God comes from his Holy Spirit living within us.

So teach the new believers in your church to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.  Help them learn to pray throughout the day. Teach them to meditate on the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God.  As we walk in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit will produce his fruit in our lives and bless those around us.

This has been Multiply, and I’m Dean Davis asking, “Who will you share this encouraging word with today?”

 

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #WalkInTheSpirit #FruitOfTheSpirit

 

One Another Series - Accept One Another

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters and leaders.

This year, in these podcasts, I am focusing upon the “One Another” scriptures found in the New Testament as viewed through the lens of leadership.  

The apostle Paul had a lot to say about the “one another” life.  In our two previous podcasts, we dealt with his instruction to edify one another in Romans 14:19 followed by his warning to stop passing judgment on one another (14:13).  Today we move on to the following chapter where we read in verse 7, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

I’d like to share three brief truths for leaders – and all of us – from this scripture.

Firstly, we are commanded to “accept one another.”  What does this mean, and what does it not mean?  To gain some insight, consider the two preceding verses (5-6).  “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I believe that what Paul is saying here is that accepting one another produces a spirit of unity in the body of Christ. “With one mind and one voice...”  A number of years ago I heard the word “unity” described as being “one mind in many bodies.”  When leaders demonstrate an attitude of acceptance – as opposed to judgment which we discussed last time – the level of unity is increased.

That said, what might this instruction to “accept one another” not mean?  It does not mean that leaders turn a blind eye, or ignore, sins of attitude or behavior. We accept the person; we do not accept or condone their sin.

Secondly, we see in this verse our model for acceptance.  “Just as Christ accepted you.”  In our sinful state, He sought us and brought us to Himself.  Paul addressed this in Romans 5:8. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” When we come to Christ, He accepts us as we are, AND He loves us enough that He doesn’t leave us in that mess.

Finally, there is the purpose or the outcome of our acceptance of one another. “. ...in order to bring praise to God.” When we accept one another, this brings praise to the One who is worthy! I would suggest this that this praise not only comes from those who are Christ-followers; the world also sees people who love and accept one another, and this reflects well upon His body.  

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.

The Power to be Jesus' Witnesses

 Hello everybody, my name is Dean Davis and this is “Multiply,” the podcast that provides a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters. 

God’s word is full of promises to bless and guide his children. One promise which gripped me when I was a young Christian is found in Acts 1:8.  Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, he made an astounding promise to his disciples.  

Jesus said to them, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." As a young Christian, I wanted this power.  I saw others in my church who shared their faith and led people to Christ. I wanted to do the same. But I was so ineffective. I had two problems. I was reluctant, almost afraid, to speak of Christ. And I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to say to get a spiritual conversation started and I didn’t know what to say to respond well to the person I was talking to.  

But I really wanted power to be Jesus witness and I really wanted to bear fruit for Christ.  So I prayed for power.  I looked for power.  I wanted the Holy Spirit to give me the same kind of power that Peter exhibited when he spoke to the crowd on the day of Pentecost.

I suspect that you and your disciples also want this Holy Spirit power to be witnesses for Christ.  The good news is that Christ has promised it to you.  So, let me encourage you in your prayer life as you pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be a witness for Christ. Remember, before the day of Pentecost, 120 disciples, men and women spent long days in prayer.  You pray too for the Spirit to empower you.

First, pray for yourself to have greater love for the people who surround you.  As Jesus fills you with love and compassion, you will speak more of him.  As Jesus puts empathy in your heart for people who live their life without Christ, you will be motivated to share the Good News.  Such love was on display when Peter spoke on Pentecost to the very people who had crucified his Teacher and Lord. (Acts 2:36).  That love came from the work of the Holy Spirit in Peter’s heart. He did not condemn. He lovingly pointed the way to the Savior.

Secondly, pray for boldness to speak.  Ask God to give you boldness to open your mouth to speak about Jesus.  Many people find that the hardest part of evangelism is getting started. I know this is true for me.  When I was a young Christian, I thought I had to prepare in my mind every word I would say as a witness for Christ.  I was so afraid of making a mistake or of missing an opportunity. But I needn’t have feared. God does the work. When we speak of Christ, when we ask open questions, when we are prepared to share the Good News using the Three Circles or other Gospel presentation, God does the work. John 6:44 tells us that God works though us drawing men and women to the Savior. So relax and let God do his loving work.

Do you want to be a Spirit-empowered witness for Christ?  

• Pray for greater love for the people around you.

• Pray for boldness to open your mouth and speak of Christ.

• Ask open questions.

• Be ready to share the Good News using the Three Circles or another Gospel presentation.

• Don’t be tense. Relax and let God do his work through you.

As you take these steps of faith, God will make you a powerful witness for Christ.

This has been “Multiply,” and I’m Dean Davis asking, who will you share this encouraging word with today?

#EncouragementForVillageChurchPlanters #WitnessForChrist #Acts1-8

Comforter, Advocate, Paraclete

 This is Multiply a podcast to encourage village church planter and leaders .I am Brad Snowden and we are going to look at John 14:16  “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, to be with you forever”

There is such a powerful promise as we look to understand the role of the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew that we would need all that is mentioned in John 14:16. There is no church planter, pastor or minister that will be able to do anything on their own. We need the Holy Spirit and it is vital that we learn to depend on Him . He is our comforter and many times we think of the comforter comes when we have a death in our family or church. This is true and yet how about when we have had a really hard day. Church planting is not easy and it can feel very lonely at times. We need comfort from God’s word promising we are not alone and that God can do all things. We need assurance that as we pray the Lord hears us, He is our advocate to help us when we do not know what to pray. The Holy Spirit is our counselor when we need wisdom God’s word comes to our thoughts and this is the work of the Holy Spirit. I know that I can recall many times there would be a circumstance that would arise and I would search God’s word with no answer and in prayer a scripture would simply come alive in my heart and I would read it and it would fit perfectly into the need I was searching for. 

Oh church planter you have so much that you are trying to accomplish and the work is so very hard. We have a helper, a strength that will not come from anyone on this earth. We can rely on the Holy Spirit that was God’s heart from the beginning of creation, fellowship with Him and we can walk in all wisdom and strength when we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and for us. God knew what was absolutely needed for our lives and the lives and villages we are to go to and allow the Holy Spirit to work. 2 Peter 1:3 For His divine power has bestowed on us absolutely everything necessary for a dynamic spiritual life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

It is by His grace and mercy that He has given us everything needed nothing lacking. It is up to us to use what He has given to us to use and allow to be used through us. This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters. 

Who will you share this podcast with today? 

Lord Bless you.