The Stronghold of God by Francis Frangipane
“Our goal is not to tell the world about Christianity but to reveal the glory of Christ. We are not called to imitate Jesus in detached obedience but to actually let Him shine through us to mankind (127).”
Currently Reading
Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership:
Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry
by Ruth Haley Barton
“I realize today that the best thing I can be for the people I work with is to be able to say, ‘It is well with my soul.'” (9)
“God is not in any particular hurry to get us to the Promised Land (10).”
Eternal Security
One of the issues addressed in last Sunday’s sermon was that of eternal security–the doctrine that God will see through to the end those who are His. The verse we discussed the most was Romans 8:30 which says,
Romans 8:30 (NIV)
And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
So, if God calls you, what is the end result? Glorification — the moment in which we are ultimately conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:30 provides a chain of salvation with no broken or missing links. Those God calls, He keeps:
Jude 1:1 (NIV) Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:
1 Cor. 1:8-9 (NIV) He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
1 Thes. 5:23-24 (NIV) May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. [24] The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
Other passages speak of God guaranteeing our future glorification.
Ephes.4:30(NLT) And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
2 Cor. 1:21-22 (NIV) Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, [22] set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Ephes. 1:13-14 (NIV) And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.
Those God calls, He keeps. He places His seal of ownership upon them and gives them the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing their glorification.
Sandcastles
My friend Philippe has many talents including pastries and painting. He is also very gifted at creating the most amazing sandcastles. Here are some pictures from last weekend:
Where Fruit Grows
The Stronghold of God by Francis Frangipane
“Valleys produce fruitfulness (90).”
“Finally, at the right moment, the Lord suddenly connected all the loose ends of Joseph’s life. Everything that Joseph went through would have seemed cruel and unfair, except that the Lord was shaping a man for His purpose. God uses everything we go through for future purposes that He alone sees. We do not see His ultimate plan while we are in the valley; we must remember the vision, keeping faith in what God has promised (92).”
“”He named the second Ephraim, “For,” he said, “God has made me fruituful in the land of my affliction”” (Gen. 41:52). god made him fruitful in the very things that afflicted him. In the land of your affliction, in your battle, is the place where God will make you fruitful (93).””
Currently Reading:
The Stronghold of God by Francis Frangipane
“The very quality of your life, whether you love it or hate it, is based upon how thankful you are toward God. Our attitude determines whether life to us is a place of blessedness or wretchedness and misery (81).”
“This is the only life you will have before you enter eternity. If you want joy, you must first find thankfulness (81).”
“It does not matter what your circumstances are; the instant you begin to thank God, even though your situation has not changed, you begin to change (83).”
“The key that unlocks the gates of heaven is a thankful heart (83);”
“When God gives us less than we desire, it is not because He is teaching us poverty; He is teaching us thankfulness (85).”
“This covenant of thanksgiving is the key that shuts and bolts the door to demonic oppression in a person’s life (87).”
Like the Apostle Paul, I want more than anything to know Christ (Phil. 3:10). I do not want to simply know about Him. I want to know Him-- personally, intimately, and experientially. It is not enough for me to hear about Him. I want to see Him with my own eyes.
With My Own Eyes 