Choosing To Be

Yes! We’re human BEINGS. Each and every single day, we choose to be, to do, to learn, to grow, to BE. Each of these choices determines who we are and who we become.

The choice to follow Jesus is more than whispered prayer to avoid hell and the separation from God in eternal death.

The choice to follow Jesus begins with first believing in His great love and sacrifice. We choose to believe in Him and accept Him as Savior.

Then, we choose to follow Him in in our love and trusting expectation – a demonstration or proof of our faith. This is where we demonstrate Jesus is Lord. We obey Jesus’ command to love Him with all of our mind, heart, soul, and strength; to choose to die to self spiritually and walk in a resurrected life in Christ.

“Now what?” you might ask. What in the world does this mean? How can I die but live? How can I be resurrected in Christ when He’s at the right hand of God the Father?

Read Colossians 3:1-11. In his book Basic Christianity, Pastor John Stott summed this up in the midst of a quote: “If we lose ourselves in following Christ, we actually find ourselves.”

Let’s move beyond words and to the application. A married person makes a choice every day to be loyal and loving or to be hateful and hurtful. One struggling to overcome addiction makes a choice every morning to continue down the road of enslaved living to substances that numb and alter only their perception, not their reality, or they live sober and fight on to be clean and free. One whose self-esteem is so fragile that they struggle with the truth can either choose to keep living lie after lie or they can be real, authentic, and honest.

Take note, friends. If we choose anything but being and living an authentic life that is in pursuit of Jesus, we end up on our own, often living isolated, hurt, broken, in our own ways, and in our own messes that are guaranteed. Many who reject choosing to be like Jesus in life by dying to your own ways end up becoming that which we despise.

Be who God created you to be!

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that “we are His creation (workmanship), created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.” Your life has purpose, a kingdom purpose, when lived in Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:20 explains that the fact that Jesus has “bought us at a price” elicits our natural response  that “we glorify God.” But beyond magnifying Jesus with the words of our lips, we are to look at verse 19 to understand that the best version of you is when you’re in Christ, yielded and operating as who God said you are to be.

As Paul wrote in Colossians to a church heavily influenced by culture, academia, and various religions, the word picture is painted clearly that our faith in Jesus means we have been spiritually raised with Him because, like Him, we’ve died to self and His Spirit has raised us to a new, resurrected life.

Now, this resurrected life is not some comic book farce of a perfect life with no problems, no struggles, and plenty of wealth and success. Our lives are lived higher than this world’s trappings, temptations, and tests. Colossians 3:2 instructs us to “set your minds on what is above, not what is on the earth.”

The higher life in Christ sees through the drama and trauma to pursue thing of Jesus, His ways, His teachings, connecting with His Body, and serving His kingdom on this earth, not running on the treadmill of life without His Spirit guiding and directing us.

Choosing to Be in Christ is a life “hidden with the Messiah in God”- a life of victory in Jesus, noted in verse 3. Our flesh no longer controls us. Fear no longer hinders us. Instead, faith is the choice that  propels us forward.

As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we choose to be holy. Stop! Don’t you dare stop reading. When we read something that challenges our lives, we swipe the phone, turn the page, or just “x” out. No. Stop. If we believe in Jesus as Savior, if He is Lord of our lives, we are called “God’s chosen ones, holy and loved...”

Nothing we do makes us holy. Jesus’ blood is that which covers our sins in love and makes them appear to God as white as snow. So, yes! We are made holy – or separated as sacred or a saint – by the blood shed in love by Jesus. But we must choose to live under His covering, obeying His commands and doing what the rest of Colossians 3:12-17 instructs. We are to “put on” Jesus Christ as Paul describes in great detail: heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another...just as the Lord has forgiven you. Above all, put on love – the perfect bond of unity...”

Adorning Jesus as the substitute for our flesh is not just beautiful, it’s the highest of life.

Listen to the full teaching below .

Accept the challenge: Choose to be... like Jesus.  You become that which you choose.

God Empowers Women??

It’s a tired, worn-out song that many in the religious world sing over and over…..women can’t be preachers of the gospel or teach men, or do a long list of things that legalism dictates. But is that just tradition or is that found in the Bible?

Well, let’s turn to the scriptures to find out. In the daily faith walk, we are to live as representatives of Jesus Christ. We are to observe, live and model, as well as teach the values and virtues of His Kingdom that contrast with this world’s (remember the Sermon on the Mount?).

Paul wrote of the citizenry of the kingdom of heaven in Galatians 3:26-28 (NKJV).

For you all are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Wait, that goes against what most religion teaches! But according to the Bible, men and women in the kingdom of God are all treated as first sons whose inheritance is the best and largest portion. Men and women in the kingdom of God are viewed as one, rather than distinct or different based on the demographics of this world – ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, educational status, or gender.

Now, apply this to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV).

And Jesus came and spoke to them [the disciples], saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Jesus, in red letters, told the 11 disciples to go; make disciples; baptize; teach... to all people of all nations. Not just men, not just highly trained, educated, and lettered people. Not just the affluent and wealthy. Not just any people group or ethnicity.

Jesus said to go to all; make all disciples; baptize all; teach all.

SCRATCH!!!! Imagine you hear the cringing sound of the old-fashioned arm of a record player being pulled across a spinning record. Got your attention?

The New Covenant recognizes that there are no identifying labels to be used in the kingdom of heaven. Instead, as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:16, in Christ, we are not to view each other according to the flesh. Instead, we know each other in Christ.

So why is there such a debate as to whether God empowers women?

Jesus empowered both men and women with this command – Go! Make disciples. Baptize. Teach. Transcending culture, times, and preference, each of us – male and female – will stand before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ, or the bema. Our day of accounting will include whether we’ve declared Jesus Christ as Savior and as Lord. As Savior, we confess our sin, repent, and declare our lives under the blood of Christ. As Lord, we accept His commands to serve and go, make disciples, baptize, and teach!

Jesus empowered women with a connection relative to their proximity to Him in significant moments.

To whom did Jesus first reveal Himself as the Messiah in the gospel of John? John 4 records that Jesus rested at Jacob’s well to meet the Samaritan, or half-Jew/half-Gentile woman living in sin. In their conversation, the woman revealed her awareness of the coming Messiah. Jesus declared, “I am He, the One speaking to you.”

Who extravagantly worshiped Jesus before His crucifixion, pouring out expensive fragrance upon the King of the Jews Who would have this fragrance lingering at the cross and at the tomb? Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, was entrusted to anoint the King for His last meal before His arrest, His death, and His resurrection (Matthew 26:6-13).

After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost was no gentlemen’s quarters. There were women present. “All were filled with the  Holy Spirit” and heard Peter’s sermon declaring the fulfillment of God’s word as written in Joel 2:28-32.

And it will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all humanity; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy...I will even pour out My Spirit on My male and female servants in those days and they will prophesy..

Jesus also empowered women with a call on the day of His resurrection. Look at that Resurrection Sunday morning when Jesus appeared to the women at the tomb. “Rejoice! Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see Me there.”

Who preached the first Easter sermon of Jesus’ resurrection? Yes, women.

Watch my complete teaching on this on YouTube (linked below). Just see that Jesus still empowers men and women to be His vessels in this life to bring His kingdom to our own personal lives, our families, our churches, and our communities.

Jesus empowered and still empowers. Do you operate in His authority, believe for His miracles, and faithfully speak His words of love, hope, grace, and mercy? Never forget that we each stand before Christ our King to give an account, not before a denomination, not before a council of church elders, or a group polled for popularity. Speak Jesus!

Take Initiative

Have you ever walked into your kitchen to see the sink filled with dirty dishes and maybe even food left on the counter instead of stored away? Your first thought is likely, “Really!?! Why do you have to be told to do the obvious?! Why can’t you just take the initiative?!”

Jesus taught great truth through His sermons to the disciples, in synagogues to those seeking God in religion, and to crowds who followed Him for any number of reasons and needs. The Gospels reveal that there were times that Jesus, just like us finding so much left undone, unattended, and even abandoned, shared the same assessment.

So, why is it that God’s Word tells us exactly what God’s will is, reveals His Kingdom as it would be on earth if we chose to live like Jesus, and gives us great hope and promise of life eternal – beginning now, yet we don’t take the initiative to seize it, to take it?

No. That’s no rhetorical question. This is an interrogative question or one that demands an answer through personal inspection and individual reflection.

So, why is it that you have God’s Word that tells you His will, reveals His Kingdom, and gives great hope and promise, yet you decide not to take the initiative in applying those truths and values to your life?

“Hey! Ouch!” That might be your response, but stop! Don’t scroll or swipe away. A desire to see a chaotic world put back in order with God’s love and blessing, or “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,” will not happen if our own lives are not assessed and lived with the simple gospel applied.

Put simply, you want a revival in this nation and this world? Then, it must begin in each of us – individually. Then, our families will experience Godly change. Then, our churches will be houses of prayer and ministry, not just politics and socializing, again. Then, our communities, our schools, our workplaces, will reflect Jesus’ impact.

Yes! It begins with you, me, and each of us taking personal initiative. We have divine information available. But will you make it divine revelation through serious assessment of your life and a determination to apply it with the help of Jesus’ Spirit?

Will you? Will you take initiative?

Men and women of Jesus’ day – and throughout history of beliefs and faith – have experienced persecution, being marginalized, and even martyred for their love of God and lives lived like Jesus.

Look at Matthew 11:11-15.  Jesus is speaking of John the Baptist’s ministry. His message was a departure from the religion of the Jews and even of any pagan god or cultural icon. John the Baptist declared (Matthew 3:2), “Repent! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, come near, or accessible.”

Jesus preached the same message in Matthew 4:17 – exactly. “Repent! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, come near, or accessible.”

As Jesus speaks in Matthew 11, He teaches that the least is the greatest in God’s Kingdom and His values, not of this world. And Jesus continues to teach that the Kingdom of Heaven had been suffering violence – through persecution, execution, in addition to the great division caused by the prejudice against Christ followers.

Despite the barriers and cultural oppression exerted by pagans, the religious, and the prevailing government of the day, the Kingdom of Heaven was being forcefully advanced in terms of a spiritual battle, pitting the forces of darkness versus the Light of this World and His followers.

Jesus’ Kingdom was also being advanced through divine revelation as the eyes of our understanding are opened to see the truth...then acting.

Friend, read these next words carefully. Knowing about Jesus and His teachings, including His salvation and redemption, His forgiveness and grace is completely different from knowing Jesus, being in His very presence by abiding in Him to receive all that He promises.

You can have information. Or you can experience revelation.

Information is available to all. Jesus responds to us as we call upon Him. When we take that initiative to confess ourselves as sinners in need of the Savior, the first step begins to an everlasting salvation and the open heaven provided in His revelation and understanding of things previously unknown.

So, how is it that the Kingdom of Heaven is advancing violently?

There is a spiritual battle waging in dimensions that are not seen. But we must die to self in our own personal battle. To receive Jesus as Savior means we perform the first aspect of “Repent!” We see our sin and confess.

Changing our minds, changing our directions away from sin and toward Jesus to complete the repentance command. Then we’re dying to self, taking up our own individual crosses, and living the life dead to self and born again in a resurrected life in Christ.

Living within the Kingdom of Heaven comes as our faith walk. Faith without works is dead. Do you want life? Do you want life abundantly, as Jesus promised?

It begins with your own spirit being made alive in Jesus’ Spirit to rule over your flesh and will in victory. Living like Jesus in His Kingdom begins with your own sacrifice of self that is authenticated by your life of works in Christ and faith.

Take the initiative. Take it by force. Crown Jesus as your Savior, King, and Victor!

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Go deeper by listening to Pastor Ronnie’s entire message that will help you “Take Initiative.”