RETURN TO MAKER

2 Corinthians 5: 18 - 21

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  

Today we come before you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ who died on a cross to make available deliverance, forgiveness and freedom from sin so that we might have eternal life through him. 

Often it seems that what God made simple and straightforward, man has complicated.

Jesus the Savior, the son of God, God Himself come in the flesh, stood silent before his accusers next to Pontius Pilot and let those around him hurl their false accusations at him.  He made no effort to defend or excuse himself.

• He stood silent while they accused him of being a blasphemer, though he knew he was the way the truth and the life the word incarnate. 

• He stood silent while they accused him of stirring up riots, while he knew that it was he who had come to bring them a peace that passes all understanding. 

• He stood silent while they accused him and desired him to be put to death, while he knew it was he himself who had breathed their first breath of life into each of them and that it was through him that each might find eternal life. 

This Jesus, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings who came to the earth he created as a human child, born in a lowly manger so that we would see - if we would choose to have eyes to see, that our deliverer desired to understand us, to relate to our human condition and circumstances, and to show compassion for our hurts and our troubles and our sorrows and then show us the way to joy and rejoicing and victory! 

In the name of Jesus we who trust and believe in him call out to those who may not yet have turned their eyes to him, who may not yet have turned their hearts in hope toward him in order that they might receive his gift of salvation and be bathed in his redeeming grace; we call out his mercy before others that they would have opportunity to see and opportunity to experience the saving grace of the God who made formed and created each one of us, knit us together particularly and specifically within our mothers womb's and brought us forth for his purpose, for his pleasure for no reason that rests in us, but only because, not just that he loves us, but that he is love.

• The Lord your God, (for he is yours as well as ours, even before we ever acknowledge that truth), he  desires not only that you know the Way, but that you abide in the way and allow it to transform the manner in which you live your life. 

• The Lord your God desires not only that you have life and life eternal but that you live it in abundance with joy and rejoicing. 

• The Lord your God (who made formed and created you), desires not simply that you know of him, that you know about him, but that you know HIM with a deep and abiding knowledge concerning him and his truth which is our truth. 

• That in the beginning before ever you or I were HE IS. And that in that beginning because his very character is love, he held you and I within his heart right from the beginning, and in his perfect timing has brought each one of us into being, and written our names in the lambs book of life, all those who would both hear his truth and trust and believe his truth. 

And his truth is not a concept, it is not an idea, it is not a theology or an ideology.

He himself is the truth, who came to earth as man, to deliver his creation, each one of us, from the wickedness, darkness and evil schemes of the devil we know as satan. 

He himself is the way! The way to what you might ask? The way to the purpose for which God created you. To eternally live in harmony in His presence!

 He himself is life! Both the source of and the giver of life.  He provides life that is eternal, abundant, productive, and worthwhile.

 He is the truth! Truth is Jesus!

Truth is not a religion, it is not a denomination, it is not man-made nor is it subject to man’s approval, mans validation or mans reasoning. 

Truth is a man, the man Jesus, the son of God, God incarnate.  The full expression of everything that God is, is Jesus! 

It is perfectly expressed in his willingness to give everything for others to have everything they could ever need or want. Not only the material wealth of this world, but eternal life in an eternal state of joy and peace and abundance and happiness and fulfillment. 

And his promise is an uncomplicated extraordinary promise. That those who seek first his kingdom and his righteousness shall receive all the abundance both of his kingdom that is spiritual and of his creation, this world which is physical.

In return for him giving his life, his very being - everything that he is, breath and life and purpose and love and forgiveness of sins and being washed clean of all unrighteousness and being made right with him, the ruler of the universe, having given his every thing to pay the penalty for our debt, in return for all of this he asks one thing and one thing only from us. 

Our heart.

The seat and center of all and everything that we are with all of our faults and flaws and issues and problems and sorrow’s; that we give all of that to Him and receive in return for trusting him who created it all - made it all - formed it all - planned at all and is executing it all and keeping it all going - we receive instead eternal life, abundant life, and joy unspeakable!

That is the entirety of the reason Christ, the Messiah, the Savior the Son of God, JESUS! - that is why He came - to make available to each one of us RECONCILIATION to our Creator, God Almighty.

Everything else - the behavior we display, the choices we make, the actions we take and the words we speak are an external expression of the internal truth of being born-again, filled with Holy Spirit and overflowing with the Love of God through Jesus!

 2 Corinthians 5: 18 - 21

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  

The Christmas season is one where many of us begin to think about this baby born in a manger.  We may wonder about this Creator who claims to care so much about us.  Especially if we are having a hard time, going through a deep sorrow and life hasn't worked out quite like we thought it would, like we thought it should.

This Christmas season, I pray sincerely, honestly and fervently that you will KNOW the love of God in tangible ways in your life and experience that love in practical application in your life. 

Need help? Want help? Have questions?  Contact us - it would be our joy and privilege to reach out to you on His behalf and reconcile you to His love!

Filling vessels without measure

WE HAVE FAITH WITHOUT MEASURE
BUT WE MUST OPERATE IN FAITH
WITHOUT MEASURE!

There's an interesting story in II Kings about the Prophet of God and an incident with a widow woman.  I've read it before, heard different viewpoints on what it illustrates and appreciated the lessons learned.

Last week in my private prayer time, the Holy Spirit led me to that story again, only this time, I read with different eyes, with a different heart, and saw something I hadn't seen before.

Don't you love when that happens to you?  Tutoring, straight from God the Father to you - could anything else be as exciting?

Take a look with me and let's share this lesson together:

II Kings 4: 1-7

 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

² So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

³ Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few.⁴ And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”

⁵ So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. ⁶ Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. ⁷ Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

The first thing I saw was that Elisha, representing God, did not try to define her problem for her.  He asked her to define it and be specific about what she wanted from the Lord.

Secondly, God did not cause her debt to magically disappear.  He provided her a way to participate in the answer and settle her debt properly.

Thirdly, God met her need and went above and beyond her immediate request and provided for her ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL THAT SHE ASKED.

Relationships, in order to truly be successful, require give and take be involved.  God, who created us, understands this principle and illustrates how perfectly it works in this 7 verse story.  He is the only One with the means to meet the need of this woman.  He is the only source and resource.  But this is her life, and God gave each of us FREE WILL.  So solutions and life decisions must include her participation in order that the relationship work properly.  She, choosing obedience and worship, God giving generously and according to His perfect will.

So she is responsible with her sons to go gather empty vessels.  God would fill as many as she gathered.  

BUT SHE DID NOT KNOW THIS BEFORE HAND.  SHE HAD TO OBEY IN FAITH, IGNORANT OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN OR HOW GOD WOULD MEET HER NEED.  SIMPLY ACTING IN FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE AND TRUSTING THAT HE WOULD.

They gathered all the vessels they could.  EMPTY VESSELS.  God doesn't "squeeze in" along with the rest of the stuff of our lives.  He won't come occupy a tiny corner or half a vessel.  God requires a whole, empty vessel, ready and willing to be filled by His Holy Spirit for His Holy purposes.  (For what fellowship has darkness with Light?)

Then God filled every single empty vessel to the absolute fullest.  Enough not just to pay her debt and keep her sons from being taken into slavery, which was her request, but more than enough, to keep them fed and cared for until the sons could begin to provide for themselves and their mother.  Abundance.

When we cry out to the Lord, He will fill as many vessels as we are willing to provide and empty in preparation of His abundant answers in our lives.

How many vessels are you willing to gather, in FAITH, and empty in preparation of Gods filling them according to His will?

Practical application of Biblical principle will change your heart and life every time.  Our God is mysterious but the working of His principles in obedience are no mystery.  When we walk by faith and not by sight, we see His provision time and time again.  When we cry out and are obedient to Him, we reap mighty benefits.

Wherever you may be in life right now, saved, unsaved, growing with the Lord or just beginning to wonder if that is even a possibility - God has a plan and purpose of wonder for your life!  It isn't late, it isn't early. 

 IT IS JUST EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME.  NOW is the time for salvation, for no one is promised the next moment.  Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

For want of a Needle...

John 16:13

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

To be lost, to realize you are in a strange, unknown place without knowledge of where you are or how to get back to a familiar place is an alarming experience.  I know this for a certainty because my inner compass lacks a needle, leaving me directionally dysfunctional and vulnerable to getting lost on a fairly regular basis.  No matter that it happens often, each time leaves me upset.  One missed turn when I am in a place I am not familiar with easily leads me astray and if I cannot return to familiar territory immediately can quickly escalate to all out panic.  I have experienced times when I am so turned around and hopelessly confused the sense of failure and frustration has left me in tears of fright and helplessness.  Such strong overwhelming emotions- evoked simply because I am lost following a road, where I can easily stop, ask directions and get back on track to where I want to go. 

A compass isn't much good when you don't even
know which direction you SHOULD be heading!

Those who have the innate sense of direction I lack won’t understand the scariness of what I feel, nor will they empathize with frightening helpless feelings of not knowing which direction to turn, because they have not experienced it themselves and cannot relate sufficiently to have true compassion for my plight.

Can you imagine how intensified this helpless, frightening and frustrating feeling must be for those who do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior?  Who are not born again and therefore are lacking the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit?  We call them “lost”, but do we truly recognize what this means for them?  Listen to just a few of the descriptions of the word LOST:

Gone astray

Missed the way

Not used to good purpose

Wasted opportunities

Being something that someone has failed to win

Failure to keep, maintain, preserve

Suffer defeat

To be without through theft or negligence

To wander away from and unable to return

Fail to sustain

Cause death or destruction

How much worse could it be?  What if you were eternally, hopelessly lost and you didn't even know it?  Wouldn't that be even worse?  Because if you don’t even know you are lost, you have even less hope, if such a thing is possible, then one who knows they are lost and are seeking the right way, seeking to get the most from opportunity, seeking victory, seeking to preserve, to sustain, to LIVE!  Jesus told us if we seek, we shall find, but if you don’t know you are lost what are the chances you’ll ever find truth? 

Slim to none, my friend if it weren't for the great unbounded grace of a loving God!

But thanks be to God (ICorinthians 15:57) who never leaves us wandering on our own, but offers us the missing needle for our compass that will point us in the righteous direction each and every time without fail.  The Holy Spirit is our guide, our needle in the compass, that brings us to truth every time we wander from it.

1 Corinthians 2:9-11

 But as it is written:

Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.  For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

Our map is the theo-pneustos, the God breathed word we find in the Bible.  The Holy Spirit is our compass.  And our destination?

Eternal life with Christ Jesus the Lord. (Romans 5:21)

Reading the word of God everyday will keep you firmly on the path, grounded in the truth of God.  Then you will be able to direct others who are lost.  To lead them to the truth which will guide their way, not just now, but eternally.  

There is more, so very much more!  Once God is directing the needle in your compass,(as you daily read His word)  you will have the Joy of helping others move from LOST to FOUND!  Start with the first steps and the Holy Spirit will guide you into places you never thought you'd go.

Do you have questions about what you read in the Bible?  Use the prayer request at the top left of the website and send us your questions.  Or better - ask them in the comment section, which is monitored daily.  We welcome the opportunity to dialog about the truth of Gods word and how it works effectively in the lives of believers!  God bless you this week!  

We post a weekly reading schedule which when followed, results in reading through the entire Bible once every two years.  Join us today and begin the adventure of a lifetime!

Do you feel lost or distant from the Lord?  You are not alone!  God, who created you, loves you and has a plan for your life!  Through Jesus, His Son, you have access to Gods ear and heart - he hears you when you cry out to Him!  Tell Him all that's in your heart, ask for His forgiveness for your sins, and receive the cleansing and forgiveness He desires you to have!  All who call upon the name of the Lord WILL BE SAVED!  

Contact us, using the Prayer Request form, and we will gladly talk with you, answer questions, and pray with you. 

Contradictions

Every once in awhile I am reminded that PEOPLE wrote Gods word.  As they were moved by the Holy Spirit, to be sure, theo pneunustos - "God Breathed", and over the many years since, God has diligently protected His word and kept it available to believers age after age.  I've NO DOUBT He will continue to do so until the day Jesus returns to gather the Saints to Himself...."and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

So when I say I am reminded people wrote the Word, what I mean by that is they received the inspiration (II Timothy 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction in righteousness...)  but they wrote according to their vernacular, their syntax, in the language they understood.  Which when translated to different languages can easily result in a misunderstanding on the part of the reader.  That's how apparent "contradictions" exist.  Men have argued, fussed, fought and even killed over these supposed contradictions.  I am of the opinion that if Gods word appears to contradict itself, we need to dig a little deeper to dispel those contradictions, by expanding our overall understanding.

Hebrews 6: 4-6  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance  since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God and put Him to an open shame.  
Yet in James 5: 19-20 we read  Brethren, if any of YOU err from the truth and another converts him, let him know that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sin.  And again in I John 1: 8-9  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

These three verses would appear to be a contradiction, wouldn't they.  James is clearly talking to "Brethren" or brothers (and sisters) in Christ, those born again, members of the Household of Faith.  John is clearly talking to to believers with the use of the word "we".  So, is Hebrews speaking to unbelievers, or believers?  If we SIN after receiving salvation are we damned?  Or do we confess and receive forgiveness?  Hebrews would also clearly indicate that "re-salvation" is not an option, as it puts Christ to shame, like the first salvation "didn't take" and wasn't good enough.

Sounds like quite the confusing contradiction, and men have debated it for ages.  Scholars have applied all their great wisdom, and yet many of them still contradict each other.  Jesus said something similar to the Jews during His time of ministry on the earth.  Remember this scripture?  Luke 9: 62 " No one having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God."

Jesus was addressing a certain people group - the Israelites, or Hebrews.  His own Jewish people.  The book of Hebrews was written to the same people group. There are LONG dissertations which explain this seeming contradiction in great detail, and if you are interested, just ask and I will gladly expand for those who have an interest.  For the sake of brevity here, then, is the short version.  There is NO CONTRADICTION AT ALL.  Taken as a "stand alone" verse, it would seem Hebrews 6 is a dire warning.  However, read in context and in light of all the information available, those particular verses are referring to those who have NOT had a true and heart changing encounter with the Lords Salvation gift.  The writer in Hebrews isn't specifically saying those in Christ who fall away are damned.  He is saying it is IMPOSSIBLE for those truly "born again" of Gods spirit to fall away.  

Yes, a believer may indeed sin - we know that we do in the weakness of our flesh, but we are convicted of that sin by Gods spirit that lives in us, and we repent, turn away from the sin, and God forgives us.  If someone is struggling mightily with sin a fellow believer may step in, praying for them and discipling them until they have the strength to stand on their own, as James indicates, and that is a GOOD THING.  Go back and re-read Hebrews.  Leave out all the man inserted chapters and punctuation and read the whole letter.  The writer of Hebrews is making a great, and valid point.

THOSE TRULY BORN AGAIN NEED NEVER CRUCIFY JESUS AGAIN, NEED NEVER "BE SAVED" A SECOND TIME, THEY NEED ONLY TO ASK AND RECEIVE FORGIVENESS.  IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ONE WHO TRULY REPENTED AND RECEIVED SALVATION TO "LOSE IT" TO THE END THEY NEED A SECOND DOSE.

Happy week to all.  We'd love to hear from you.  Comments are welcome below, and you are always welcome to email us directly.  REMEMBER:  WE ARE PRAYING FOR ALL OF YOU!

BLESSED RESURRECTION ~ HAPPY EASTER!

We present for your enjoyment and enlightenment this 

Turn the Tide Ministry original Musical Drama:

MALCHUS; an Easter Miracle!

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four


IT WOULD BE A BLESSING FOR YOU TO SHARE THIS LITTLE PRODUCTION WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND MAY GOD BE GLORIFIED!

BEING STILL

We're currently buried under the 38 inches of lovely white fluff that fell gently from the sky all night, and all day, and all night..... I've been gone from the East Coast for so long, I'd almost forgotten what it was like.  It's FAST and it's CONSTANT MOTION.  When I first left New England for the Midwest, one of the first things I had to do was learn to t a l k s l o w e r.  'Cause I was born and raised in this fastpaceneverstoptotakeabreath beautiful New England style of living.

We get like that in our lives, don't we?  Full steam ahead and no slowing us down!  We've got things to DO don't you know.

And there sits that beautiful Psalm 46.  

be still..... the Lord whisper.....be still......and then you'll know that I am God.

Have you ever tried to sit very still for any length of time?  No talking, no motion, just BEING STILL?  It's hard!  Especially if you are always on auto-pilot set at 100 miles an hour. 

Yet, that is what is required if we are to truly get to know the Lord God. Building that relationship is the single most important thing and it takes time.  Our time.  God already knows us.  He made, formed and created us just for His own purpose and pleasure.  There isn't anything He doesn't know about us.  He knows our hearts better than we do! 

We need time to get to know Him.  To not just read the words written about Him, but to spend time coming to know Who He is, that we can trust Him, what His heart for us is, how He acts and interacts with us so we'll recognize His voice.

STOP!  Whatever it is your doing.  Whatever your calendar, or time clock or busyness.  Just stop. Take 5, 10 even 20 minutes, and spend it being still and seeking to hear His voice and KNOW HIM.

Simple, yes.  Effective?  YOU BET!  Knowing Him will revolutionize your life!

If you've not done so how about taking a moment to subscribe to this blog site?  Follow us on Twitter @TTTMinistries  Leave a comment about this or any of our other posts.  Contact us at turnthetideministry@live.com  Send us your prayer requests, praise reports or just say hello!  GOD BLESS YOU TODAY AND TOMORROW AND THE NEXT DAY AND THE NEXT......

LISTEN IN!

http://www.reverbnation.com/turnthetideministries/song/15923084-too-much-slack-time

Thanks for listening!  Hope you enjoy the song
We'd really appreciate any comments you may like to share!  Speaking of sharing, we'd appreciate any sharing you'd like to do with your friends!
Blessings,
The Pastors at Turn the Tide Ministries

Is there a Doctor in the House?

I was absolutely certain of what was in my heart, but not so certain if it were just me in my own desire.  So I asked God “Why would you call ME Lord, to preach your righteous, holy words of life giving salvation to others?”  I knew well, as did God, the sin in my life.  Though I had repented, surely such a past as mine disqualified me from the future dream my heart was forming even as I rejected it as nonsense. 

But I had vowed a vow, when that day of full surrender came to my heart finally after years of stumbling and sinning and trying to “be good” on my own.  A simple yet powerful vow I could do nothing else but keep.  To obey Him, the Lord, in all things as best I could, no matter the difficulty.  And God was, as clearly as I could understand it, calling me to take the necessary steps to obtain the validation of men He had already freely anointed me for, to be a Minister of the Gospel.  Every ordinance man had ordained was against such an occurrence, yet the strength of conviction in my heart could not be denied.

So I began a journey, difficult yet filled with joy in obedience to the Call of my Heavenly Father.   Who would accept one such as I, divorced, bankrupt, a sinner with sin that was very evident and impossible to hide.   To make it even more difficult, I am female! 

The Lord, so full of Love for His children, took me to an earthly ministry known for its stringent regulations concerning Ministers, particularly concerning women.  I hid nothing, kept nothing back, and even as all the rules of man said NO, God said YES! Accepted into the Ministerial Program, I was credentialed in June 2006.  Next, on to full Ordination.  I was on track, with many powerful and influential men and women speaking for me in this.

BUT GOD…. Have you ever noticed that when man says “But…” it is usually something rather negative that follows?  BUT GOD, when He steps in, He brings about miracles.  He overcomes the world, just as He promised when He walked this earth as a man, and encouraged His disciples, warning them that in this world there would be trials and tribulations, but we should take heart, for He has overcome the world!

Years before, when I finally let go of my dreams and desires and surrendered all to the Lord, broken, broke and divorced,  in jest to my friends I declared I would never marry again unless God Himself brought that man right to my front door!  Then I put all that aside and began to walk in the path my Lord was leading.

As I was moving forward in the hierarchy of the church, Thanksgiving day 2007 there came a knock on my door.  January 2008 I married for the last and only TRUE time in my life.  But man – man declared this was “unrighteous” and removed all support for me as a Minister, even so far as taking away those hard-earned credentials!

BUT GOD – who is the One who called and anointed me, brought me to a place where GRACE was spoken, and once more His call as anointed Minister was validated by man as I received  full Ordination as Minister of His precious Gospel. 

All through I kept questioning, asking “Why would you call ME Lord, to preach your righteous, holy words of life giving salvation to others?”   One day, the Lord spoke these words to my heart, and I repeat them now to encourage others, broken Brothers and Sisters who need to hear.  I heard these quiet questions in answer to my seeking.

“When you have an electrical problem, who do you call?   An electrician!  When the plumbing isn’t working, who do you call?  A plumber!  When you want a picture drawn, who do you call? An artist!  When I want sinners to hear of my forgiveness and grace – I call a sinner who has been forgiven.”

This is why Turn the Tide Ministries exists, why we travel all over the USA , presenting our dramas and working with local churches.  To bring life giving truth to sinners, that it is the GRACE of God that will set them free and change their lives.   He alone is the Healer of broker hearts! That no matter what the sin, there is forgiveness and wholeness through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! 

RESOLUTIONS

Great insight and great revelation was given to the Apostle Paul after his conversion on that road to Damascus.  Once introduced to TRUTH Himself, Paul never looked back, but set himself on a forward seeking mission that cost him a great deal in his personal, physical life but gained him a far greater reward in his spiritual, eternal life!

Phil 3:10-11 (Amplified Version) “For my determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly, and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection which it exerts over believers and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in Spirit into His likeness even to His death in the HOPE that if possible I may attain to the spiritual and moral resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead even while in the body."

WOW! Now there is a mouthful of spiritual transforming POWER! Read that a few times to let it sink fully into your heart.

From this we see that Paul had 2 distinct, specific and IMPORTANT goals in mind for his relationship with Christ.

1.)  TO KNOW JESUS

            How do we ever really get to know the heart, thoughts and being of another?  First, we must spend TIME with them and pay close attention to them; observe them in situations; listen to the words they speak; discover their likes and dislikes, the behavior patterns that indicate who they are in relation to others and how they treat other people.  Not just their friends and families, but people in general, how they behave toward them, how they speak of others, especially when not in the presence of those persons!

To KNOW JESUS we need to observe Him both in His humanity that we can relate to which we will find in the Gospels, and also in His divinity which shines through the Old Testament prophesies of His coming.  To know Him, we must read the book written about Him.  Whether for five minutes, an hour or a chapter a day – immerse yourself in His written Word and you will get to know WHO HE IS IN RELATION TO YOU!

2.) TO KNOW THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION

            This goes far deeper than simply acknowledging that Jesus was raised from the dead.  Lazarus was also raised from the dead as was Jarius’ daughter, but in their resurrections there is no indication of power on their parts.  In Jesus’ resurrection POWER from Him personally and made known to US PERSONALLY is available!  Power to overcome sin!  Power to transform lives!  Power to bring LIFE and that ETERNAL!  How does it work?  Why does it work?  How does it affect each of us in our lives?

TO KNOW THAT POWER is to understand your own place in this world, the purpose you were born and live for and why the Almighty Maker of Heaven and earth loves you so very much!  You can read about this power in the Bible, but that isn’t the extent of it.  That tells you stories of this power, but it isn’t personal – YET!  Once you KNOW JESUS, then you are in a position to KNOW THE RESURRECTION POWER up close and personally in your own life, your own circumstances.

From this knowledge springs forth a life that honors God the Father and releases extraordinary JOY into the life you live right now – and ushers you into a joy filled ETERNAL LIFE as well.

Paul knew how to make a New Years Resolution!  What is your resolution?  Will you move closer to the One Who created you this year?  “Draw near to me” says the Lord, “and I will draw near to you.”