God is AT WORK!
Posted on March 29, 2008 | Filed Under What I'm learning
I gotta tell ya, I’ve been in ministry for quite a while and there is absolutely nothing better than knowing that God is at work. I don’t mean like, “hey, look, I think God is doing some stuff”. I mean like, “Holy Cow, God is so at work that I can’t imagine what all He has planned”!!! That’s what I’m talking about. We’ve seen over 100 people join West Rome in the last 8 months. NOBODY joins a church during a time when they don’t even have a Pastor. We’ve seen over 50 people baptized between XL and West Rome during that same time period. That doesn’t happen when God is not at work. I’m truly honest when I say the best thing I can do is stay out of God’s way. He is SO in charge and His plan is SO much better than mine ever will be. I look forward to every minute as I learn more about what He wants me to do next.
What God is reminding me of right now is that the church that reaches Rome, GA will be one that reaches both the “Jews and the Gentiles”. This means this church will reach people that have been in church forever and people that have never heard of Jesus. THAT’S the church I want to go to. That’s the church I want my girls to grow up and serve the Lord in. That’s the church where I want to serve. I’m looking forward to seeing God build it and it humbles me greatly to think that He would allow me to have ANY part in it.
Let me give you a little encouragement during this interesting time. Look to God only. Get your self-worth from the God that created you. EVERYTHING ELSE IS A DISTRACTION!
Have a great day!
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10 Responses to “God is AT WORK!”
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Praying like crazy for y’all! Can’t wait to see what the Lord continues to do and the people that He keeps on sending! He’s a pretty amazing God! Love y’all!
Mr. Roberts,
You quoted a passage in 2 Peter that said that “God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
If God doesn’t want anyone to perish, then why does anyone perish? Is God not able to save all those that he desires should not perish?
Also, I would like to comment on the numbers that you have been seeing at WRBC. You say that “doesn’t happen if God is not at work”. Would you say that God is at work in the Mormon Church? How about the Jehovah’s Witness Church? They are growing mightily. How about Joel Osteen’s Church? Are you using the proper standard to measure how much God’s hand (forgive the anthropomorphism)is working at WR?
In the love of Christ, I am…
Eager Boerean
Thanks Eager,
The truth is that God doesn’t want anyone to perish but He gives us a choice. Some people choose to go out on their own and not give their lives to Him. He doesn’t desire that but he allows that person to make their own decision.
Good call on the numbers thing. You would have to be here to know what I mean by what God is doing, but, you’re right, you can’t just judge it by the numbers.
Come see us sometime!
Brother Jarrod,
Thanks for your response.
It’s great that you also have an awesome “better half” as I do, though I am not always as thankful for her as I should be.
There is a passage in 1 John chapter 2 that says, “(Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.” My question is this: If God is not willing that any should perish and if Christ has made the “propitiation” for the sins of the whole world, then why do you believe that people will burn in hell? If I understand propitiation correctly, it is the actual removal of condemnation, the reconciliatory act that makes us righteous before God. I also reference Colossians 2:14 here to supplement my argument where Paul writes: “He (Jesus) erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross.”
What was done on the cross? If the sins of the world have been propitiated, then there cannot be any condemnation if God is just can there? It’s like saying that God punished our sins on the cross, and then He punishes people again by sending them to hell.
Grace and Peace…
Eager
Actually, Eager, you’re right on about a lot of what Jesus did on the cross. The issue is that everything that Jesus did on the cross is “available” to us, not forced on us. Which means He did take care of all of our sin when He died on the cross, but Scripture makes it very clear to us that we must “accept” that gift in order to have a life with Him. For example, say I walked up to you and handed you the keys to a brand new car. I have paid for the car, filled it with gas, bought the insurance, and brought it to you and handed you the keys. That’s pretty nice of me, but then again, I’m a nice guy. Anyway, the issue is, if you never get in and drive the car, nothing I have done has done you any good. I am no here to make you drive the car, I am only here to make it available. That is the same thing that Jesus did for us on the cross. He made eternal life with Him available for us, but we have to get in the car and drive.
Brother Jarrod,
Thanks again for responding. I appreciate your insight on this and the time you invest.
You said I was right on a lot of what Christ did on the cross. Is there an error in my hermeneutics in regards to this? Was the answer to the question that I posed (what was done on the cross?) that salvation was made available to all? If so, then I would like to use your analogy for a moment to further illustrate my misunderstanding of your interpretation of the purpose of the cross.
Why did you give me the car (thanks by the way, do I get free lifetime oil changes with that)? Let’s just say that you gave me the car to go to Kroger. I decided to walk instead. Is it a sin to neglect this gift and continue on my own? Or to apply this analogy to the grace of God, is it a sin not to accept this “offer” of complete righteousness before God? I believe that God would never “force” us into His salvation, but does He judge us for not accepting? There are two answers to this question (is it a sin to not believe?) Either it is not a sin, or it is a sin.
If it is not a sin to decline this offer, then why the condemnation by the Father? Why be cast into hell and eternal separation if all of our sins have been pardoned and disbelief isn’t a sin either?
If it is a sin to decline this offer (or not believe)then does unbelief remain a sin that was not bore by Christ on the cross?
I understand that this discussion can become an issue of semantics, but I believe that words mean things and I think that you believe that too. May God be glorified by this discourse.
Grace and peace…
Eager
what is a substitute?
What are men sent to hell for? Only Unbelief?
What about Rev 21:8 it does say they are sent to hell for unbelief it say thay are sent to hell for sins done iincluding unbelief but also adultry murders idolitry liers therefore their sins those going to hell have not been atoned for. Also Rev 22:15
also if you gave the dude the car it is his regardless if he drives it or not.
Pastor Jarrod,
Let me restate that last answer option for clarity:
I said: “If it is a sin to decline this offer (or not believe)then does unbelief remain a sin that was not bore by Christ on the cross?”
It would be better stated as such: If it is a sin to decline this offer, then does unbelief remain a sin that was not bore by Christ on the cross for the person who does not believe?
Grace and peace…
Eager
Hello?
Is it just a coincidence that this post got “pushed” off the front page without an answer?
Are you not sure why and for whom Christ died?.
Grace and Peace…
Eager
Hello my Eager friend,
For one thing, all post eventually get “pushed” off the front page due to new post coming on. The reason that I have not responded to you yet is that I have quite a few things going in life right now and this conversation could not be priority over the last few weeks. And, yes, I am sure why and for whom Christ died, but that was not your origianl question.
So, if you’re headed to Kroger, you should take the car because I think they have the cheapest gas in town. However, back to our discussion, If Kroger is Heaven, scripture says that you can only get to Kroger if you drive the car I gave you. You can’t decide to walk on your own. You can’t decide to take a cab and do your own thing. God’s Word states that Jesus Christ is the only way to get to Heaven. There is NO other way to have a relationship with your Heavenly father.
About the cross, it’s still the same answer. You asked what part of you hermeneutics I had a problem with. The issue is simply that Jesus time on the cross was for the propitiation of our sin. However, it is still an “offered payment” that we must accept in order to take advantage of. He makes it very clear that His death was to pay for ALL sin, but again, we must believe and accept that. If a person decides that they want to live for themselves and they never accept God’s offer of forgiveness of their sin, those sins are not forgiven. You asked if unbelief is a sin. Yes that is a sin. However, if you do not believe then NONE of your sin is forgiven and you end up paying the price for all of it. If you believe and give your life to Christ then ALL of your sin is covered and then there is obviously no “unbelief” involved.