Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory

 

On January -1-1863- Americas’ greatest President issued the Emancipation Proclamation which declared that all persons held as slavers were to be now “forever free”

The Emancipation Proclamation went into effect; it promised freedom to 4 million slaves in those territories which were then in rebellion against the Government of the United States of America, the proclamation, however, at its time of issuances it really did not initially set any persons free just by issuing it. This required a more statutory solution of war.

The American Civil War was very complex, filled with layers of meanings and issues. In one way the Civil War was not really about slavery, yet on the other hand, it was all about slavery. It was about economics and States rights verses the rights of the Federal Government and about the changing conscience of a nation.

The War was violent and driven by firm passions and beliefs held by people who had a great communion heritage, yet for a segment of this people, this heritage produced a way of life which gave rise to the maintenance of slavery.

The War was fought over the conciseness of the American nation, destructive and costly in lives and in treasure. President Lincoln came to believe that the War was a result of God’s divine judgement due to the great national sin of slavery.

This conviction, that God was displeased with America, led Lincoln to draft and then issue the Emancipation Proclamation. When the Proclamation was declared it, in realty, did not bring freedom to any slaves, but what it did do was to elevate the War on behalf of the Federal Armies and in hearts of the people. The Armies of the United States were now no longer just fighting to ensure the life of a political system, but they had become armed liberators of people who were held in the grip of slavery, as one Federal officer stated regarding the Proclamation that it “ennobled the War”, that there was now, introduced a spiritual element so that the Federal Armies could see themselves as doing the work of God in a great crusade to bring freedom to the captive held in bounds.

 This new spirit did add a spiritual dimension to the War. Federal armies now could and identify themselves as armed liberators in spiritual conflict in a great work of redemption, freeing millions.

Seeing the Glory

The Federal armies would march across the land singing: “mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the LORD”.

Those persons who were held in bondage could identify their freedom in the wake of advancing armies, with the Jubilee year, the acceptable year of the LORD and came to see the hand of God in their liberation.

For four years the War raged and at the cost of 625000 lives, it took to restore the American union, and the setting free of four million slaves from the bounds of slavery, all this to give our country a “new birth of freedom”.

Proclaim Liberty

But long before the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Lincoln and long before the clash of armies, the Great God, the Creator of all things, sent a message of true freedom to and for all peoples of all nations.

Through Jesus Christ the eternal son of God, the Emancipation Proclamation of The Gospel was issued to all. Our Lord after returning from the Wilderness Temptation where Jesus demonstrated that he and he alone is the Messiah, came to Nazareth and went to the Synagogue and read from the Prophetic word of Isaiah about himself before the assembled congregation and the liberating work of the Messiah.

“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recovery of sight for the blind,

to set the oppressed free,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Lk: 4:14-21

Gospel of Freedom

Jesus’ Proclamation of the Gospel sets any and all who will receive it free, and gives us true freedom. When we hear the message about Jesus Christ and we come to see that he is the Messiah sent from the heavens above and the truth of his life death and resurrection.

This glorious proclamation gives us freedom which goes beyond and above any and all circumstances, setting us free from, fear, death and sin. This true freedom brings a glorious freedom to us even when we find ourselves in the incarnations of situations and conditions of this life, bring us hope for eternal life beyond the confines of this world in eternality to come.

Jesus speaking to a group of Jewish opponents two thousand years ago, and to believers throughout the ages, about this true freedom.

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jhn: 8:31-32

When we or any one hears the Gospel about Jesus and the Kingdom of God and receives it they are then free. We then can experience the blessing of being a member of the household of God which Jesus has secured for us.

Answering again the Jews who looked to the Patriarch Abraham and the heritage which they held in him in high value.

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (33-36)

The Blood of One

In the case of the United States and freeing of the slaves it took the blood of over 625000 of our countrymen to free the slaves and to restore and preserve the American Union.

We each and all, like those persons who were held in slavery, had no means of self-emancipation. It was seldom that a slave could “work” their way out of bondage, and the very few who did such a thing only did so by the leave of their masters. Those who stole their way to freedom by escaping, lived in fear of being apprehended and would have been returned to a worsening state of bondage.

We could not, by any effort of our own or even through moral highness and piety gain freedom which only ours through Jesus.

God has set us free and restored humanities union with himself, through the Blood of only one man his Holy Son Jesus Christ.

St. Paul wrote to the Roman Christian and to believers throughout the ages regarding the accomplishment of Jesus for each and all of us. The accomplishment of humanities emancipation manifested at the Calvary upon the cross of our Lord and his glorious resurrection. 

St. Paul writes:

 “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rom: 5:6-7

We all , through Jesus have had the “atonement” and reconciliation and a restored union with our God through Jesus.

“Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (9-11)

 The Cross and blood of Jesus proclaims that he has accomplished all this for us so that we might have to give humanity “a new birth of freedom”, born again from above. Through his death we have freedom from sin.

We now are united with Jesus and through Jesus with the Great God, the Holy Trinity. We are united with Christ in a restored union as it always was meant to be we are set free; no longer do we need to be slaves of sin.

“For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin” Rom:6:5-7

We don’t have to live in bondage any longer we can walk in freedom liberated from sinful life styles from Jesus has Christ overcome sin

We have the new birth of freedom, emancipated from sin and even from the captivity to death by Jesus.

What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (21-23)

Freedom from sin and death and reconciliation is the message which is message sent by God through his Son to any who will receive it through grace alone. And have that new birth of freedom.

The Gospel is the great Emancipation Proclamation that all Christians are given to proclaim to the world around us. This is the message Christ has given His church to proclaim to a world in rebellion against the Constituted Government of God.

The is the great holy endeavor each of us is called to do, setting freeing the slaves to sin and death and fear and restoring the Union between God and humanity.

Let us each and all proclaim the Gospel as liberators in the great march of freedom so all humanity will be able to sing, just as we are able, “mine eyes have seen the glory”!

Benediction: May we each and all ever proclaim the Gospel, through our words and actions so that others might hear that great emancipation proclamation through Jesus and be forever free, and declare the glory of God, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

Gifted to Build

 

The LORD chose Beazalel, filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge.” Ex: 35:30

We can, when we discuss the gifts of the Holy Spirit, think of them only being confined to what we read with in the New Testament, but if we read the Old Treatment, we can see the New Testament gifts foreshadowed.

In the case of the construction of the Wilderness Tabernacle in which the God of Israel was to be worshiped, we can see an example of the Holy Spirit working and the gifting of a man of Israel named Beazalel , this mas endued, by God through his Spirit with the skills sets and knowledge needed to construct the Tabernacle.

The LORD chose Beazalel, filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge.”Ex: 35:30

This endowment of the abilities needed for the task at hand was not conferred upon Beazele for his own uses , but was given to him so that he might in-turn instruct others in their participation of the Tabernacle project.

“Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.” Ex: 35:30-35

Moses recognizing the “gifting” which the Lord God had given to Bezalel and proceeds to publicly endorses and appoints Bezalel as the General Overseer of the construction of God’s Tabernacle.  

Though Bezalel's oversight of the project he then in turn instructs others so that they might participate in the task of build the Tabernacle.

Along with Bezalel as General Overseer, another man named Oholiab was named the Forman and he ,as well , received skills to aid in the construction and fashioning of the furnishings of the place of worship.

And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. (34)

All types of skill

These two-construction leader are, we are told, able to impart their knowledge to others so that they too might have a part in this work which produces the meeting and worship place.

the ability to teach others. (34b)

Under Beazalel and Ohiliab leadership and oversight the sacred Tabernacle project is undertaken and employed a number of other craftsman and assisting personal utilizing a wide range of skills.

“So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.” Ex: 36:1

We are told, as well, in the narrative of Exodus that there was a willingness on the part of the people to participate in the fashioning of the Tabernacle.

“Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work” (2)

Willing to Build

God had put it on their hearts along with the endowment gifts a willingness to step in and help, to participate and have involvement. These gifts of skills were not just for their own uses, but was granted to help and be a part of the work on the Tabernacle. The gifts were meant to be used in conjunction with others on what God has decreed Israel to do.

What is the lesson for us, we Christians, which is the Church? Now, we are called to build the Church, to do this He has given us Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, at his ascension into the Heavens, conferred upon all Christians down through the ages the Great Commission of going into all the world and preach the Gospel and the assurance that he himself would be present with the Church and provide the means to fulfill the Commission. Mk: 16:15, Matt: 28:19 and Acts: 1:8

St. Paul tells us that at the assurances at the ascension of Jesus into the glory of Heaven he did not do so to leave the Church without the means to fulfill this Great sacred Commission.

“Christ ascended on high, led captives in His train and gave gifts to men” Eph: 4:8

St. Paul tells us in his Ephesian Epistle that those in the train of Jesus are the recipients of “gifts”, in many ways this is a glance to the Exodus theme which we find in the story of the Children of Israel, who the Lord God had set free and led out of the land of their captivity and were now, though God’s grace had receive many gifts from God on their journey to the Promised Land.

St. Paul speaks to the Corinth Church about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and wants to convey to them that they are not exclusive to only the “ordained clergy”.by using the term “brethren”, the Apostle is stating that the gifts are for all believers, the clergy and laity alike.

1Cor: 12:1-I don’t want you to be ignorant brethren concerning spiritual gifts.

St. Paul is also introducing the concept that all Christians are “ministers”, this is to all, not just “ministers” in the ordained positional sense but all Christians are to be minsters and to minster.

St. Paul wants all believers to understand that there is a diversity to these gifts, and that unlike what we read in the Exodus account of the Tabernacle construction, the gifts are not “task oriented” but rather “relational oriented” in order to build up and bind together the “brethren” through the diversity of the gifts given to each by God, but he reminds us that it is all from the Spirit of God.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same   Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (4-11)

St. Paul again stresses the relational nature of the gifts by recalling the theme of inter- related nature of the Church as the very body of Jesus, each having their part and participation. 

One Body

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”(12-14)

St. Paul wants his readers to understand that above what sort of gifts God has blessed us with, the main objective is that we have deep abiding relationships within the Church. The Apostle does this by leading his discourse on the gifts directly into in his expounding about the divine love of God as it should be made manifested in our lives for all see.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” 1Cor:13:1-8

Overseers

God has in his wisdom, however, has made a part of his purpose for the Church overseers which we see foreshadowed in Beazalel and Ohiliab. These men were to supervise the Tabernacle’s construction and to assign the workers to varies task involved in the project.

This pattern is seen even within the nature of the Church. God has, through public endorsement and commissioning, provided supervision in the Church. St. Paul list these positions of appointment to help build up the Church.

Those given oversight of a Church are to help others it recognizes their gifts affirm them and teach and empower other Christians, especially within the context of a local Church, to identify and serve so that the Church grows and matures in the Christian life.

 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Eph: 4:11-13

St. Paul had no echelon thinking into his approach to the Church, he saw each Christian as vital and having their place in the function of the Church as a whole or on a local level. All were, in his eyes of the same importance but with different gifts of participation, but all equal in importance.

“each part dose it work in the process of building the church” (16)

The Church needs the participation of all members and their gifts to build the Church, just as the “skilled” men built the Tabernacle, out of the offerings given by the people of Israel.

We each and all need our Lord’s help us use our gifts especially now in the times in which we live. The need for local personal evangelism is growing more needful within local congregations and to individuals.

 We each and all need to assemble together and seek our Lord Jesus for his guidance and for opportunities to use the gifts given us. Jesus Christ lives in you to do the work.

Greater Things

As great as the work of our Lord Jesus was in the days when he was upon the Earth were, Jesus was only one man in one place at a time in his humanity, but now that our Lord has ascended into the height of Heaven, and has sent us the Holy Spirit to be made manifested our lives , he can and does function through the body of the Church Universal in many way in many places to accomplish many things. 

This tells us that Jesus is still even to this very hour is still ministering, but through the body of his Church across the face of the Earth and that his Church would even in his own words “do greater things” then he did.  

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these”, Jhn: 14:12a

That is an astounding thought, that we, frail sinful humans could do greater things than our Lord Jesus, the Second person of the Holy Trinity incarnate, yet Jesus then proceeds to us why that can and is true.

“because I am going to the Father.”(12b)

Jesus ascension to his Father above is the reason that we can do these “great things” and upon his ascension Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit, so that we might receive the gifts, the very same Spirit who enabled the over sight and building of the Wilderness Tabernacle to Beazalel and Ohiliab.

Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to Christians throughout the ages to enable us each and all to participate in his work and so that we might build up the Church and that place where our God is worshiped for we are gifted to build.

Benediction: May we each and all willing use the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to participate in the building up of the Church, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

Refusing Rescue

 There is a Television program that is on here in America, where a man, who is an expert in the food service industry is invited to come to failing business establishments. He then  reviews how they conduct, or rather don't conduct business  and then proceeds to help them,  that is , to  rescue and salvage their failing business.

What is astounding is the conflict that arises when this expert, who has either owned or lunched multiple highly successful businesses in the food service industry , encounters resistance from the very people he is there to freely help.

The various business owners at times are combative uncooperative, stubborn and at timers belligerent. The owners of failing business just do not want to let go of the ways they are conducting their businesses which have proven completely unsuccessful and placed them in a position of being on the verge of closing.

Often the business owners have invested large sums of money into the failing business, to the point of bankruptcy, yet   nothing is working.  It is when they after reaching this point of need they call for this expert who comes and freely offers to help, yet they almost always resist his freely given advice.

At times, this expert seems more interested in their success than they do. He will at, times offer some blunt evaluations of business owners’ personal practices and conduct which have caused for much of their quandary that are finding themselves in. Often they will recoil and be defensive and even self-justifying.

What is unfortunate, is ,  that  this expert knows what he is talking about and understands their problems better than they do. They need to heed his input. He is there to rescue them out of their bad situation.

Often after much conflict and resistance , and a time when the owner is finally  placed in a personal conversation with this expert  that the business owners will  come to see that this expert has their best interest at heart and is there to help and rescue them  and to salvage their business and succeed;  if they will just receive his free help.

When they set aside their pride,  stubbornness and self-justification and accept what is freely offered them and heed the input of this expert and allow him to make the needed changes, which often requires a complete change in the appearance and practices and most of the time even the name of the business,    they find that,  in the end ,  even after some stress in placed upon them and their staffs that , that this  expert was right all along.

Generally  at the end of each program,  there is short update on the businesses and owners , each time that the business owners followed  the input of this expert they have founded themselves positioned for success and  now succeeding  they have been rescued. They have been shown a better way of conducting their business. They have a whole new life to their business and it works.

No Market
 

On one episode there was a business owner who had their establishment dressed in an illogical theme that had no appeal to the market where their establishment was located.  The owner and the business were only a short time from closing down and being out of business. In the location which they were located in had the environment to succeed, but the establishment with its theme simply would not be sustained, there was no market for them as they were.

This owner, in desperation called to the expert who came and reviewed her, the staff and the whole establishment in general. He concluded that the whole theme of the business, and the poorly trained staff including this woman's' self-willed husband, were the leading demises of the business.  When the expert shared his conclusions with the owner and staff there was conflict, they argued and resisted, justified themselves and let him know that in spite of his expertise in the industry, they thought him to be wrong.

Guests were invited in o the establishments to see how the staff preformed under pressure. In a short amount of time, it became evident that they had a dismal failure on their hand. They were ill prepared for the test, ill-trained, ill equipped and no leadership, as the guest went away disappointed. How they conducted business did not work. 

After the evening was concluded the expert reviewed how they did. The owner still justified them herself. Many of the staff could see that a change was need and hoped that she would agree to the changes.

 Changes, But Not Changed 

After some stiff discussion with the expert, she agrees to allow the changes. The expert oversees the transformation of the moves forward in the end he has freely offered and provided for her a renovation and better positioned the business to  capitalize on the market.

The staff was enthusiastic and liked the changes and they could see the opportunity that was before them, there was chance to rescue this business. The expert's changes were implemented, there was a complete change undertaken. A new name, new everything it was "born again" as a business.

Guests were then, again invited in, the place was filled with genuinely pleased customers who asserted positively that they will return.  It looks as if   all would be well. The potential is great, there is now nothing to stop them from succeeding.

But, rather than embracing the all-new life of her business; the owner was unhappy and clings to her past ideas as to how it should be, she liked her old theme, which was apparent to everyone obviously not working. But she and wanted to hold on to it, even though it produced little profit. She becomes negative.

At the end of the episode it is reported that she walked away from what was freely given, it was her’s there was nothing to stop her from having it , but,  her  own unwillingness to receive it,  and is now back to facing a bleak future.
There was change but she was not changed. She refused to be rescued. All the remodeling and name changes was merely cosmetic. There was no transformation of herself. She, and her business, has walked away from being rescued. At the end of the episode the update said that she returned to her old theme and things were not going well.

A Lesson For All of Us.
 

What can we learn from this?  The ideas which govern the business of our lives often lead us to be on the brink of failure and closure.  Humanity needs the help of an expert, One Who knows the industry of living and how things best operate for success in life.   That expert who knows the industry of living is Jesus Christ.

Jesus however is more than just a expert on "moral and ethical" living. Jesus is more than just a self-help teacher ( and the Bible  which speaks of Jesus, is more than a self-help book, though some treat is as one) ,  or one who teaches strategies for living or positive thinking  or practical philosophy.

Jesus is life itself and the Creator of all things.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made In him was life; and the life was the light of men."John:1:14

This One who designed and brought into being all things came to us , to rescue us and transform us, and the businesses of our lives.

"and the Word became flesh"(14)

Our God has come to us and offers to rescues us, if we will but freely receive it. This life that Jesus offers us is a life which we could never accomplish on our own. It is his life in us. he is our life as St. Paul wrote.

"When Christ, who is your life, ." Colossians: 3:4

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."Galatians:2:20


Jesus is our very life and if we will but freely receive it from him.  Jesus will do more than just give us a new look or upgrade to our existence, Jesus, like the afore mentioned expert will give us an all new life, we can experience being “ born again".   Even to the point of giving us a new name. We share in his son ship. This can be ours freely if we will just freely receive it. A new name as children of God. These changes however only reflect what God has made true for us in Jesus, they more than cosmetic.

 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" 1John:3:2

"To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it." Revelation:2:17

This tells us that we are being more than renovated we are all new, "born again" . Now we are now positioned to share in all that is our Lord's except His deity.

"And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together" Romans:8:17

Jesus has given us all a new life that is made to take us into eternity.

Won't Let Go

Unfortunately, we can find that at times, we are like the owner who did not want to let go of old theme which produce little or no results, we want to keep the old theme of our lives as she did.  We can't put new wine into old skins. It will not work.

"No one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins as well; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."Mark:2:22

Our old ways need to be let go of, left behind us we need to receive from Jesus all that He offers us, it is freely given if we will but freely receive it. Jesus offers us a whole new theme for our lives this new theme will bring us success, he knows for he lived it, and is it.   Jesus has positioned us for the best possible outcome that of eternity with him.

We need to embrace all that is offered us and not to be stubborn as the owner whose theme was leading to failure. Jesus is the expert that truly knows the industry of life. Jesus has come and provided rescue for humanity.  Jesus understands all our problems better than we do; we need to heed Jesus' input. Some sadly will refused to hear and accept what is given, and walk away from the cross of our Lord instant on their ways.... this leads only to heart ache and failure.... Please do not refuse to be rescued ..

Benediction: May we each and all never refused rescue from our Lord Jesus Christ, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

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