Category: Bible

Bible, Christian Living

New Bible Study: The Baptism in the Holy Spirit

Chris

Earlier this year I led our church through a six-week study on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. It is a highly volatile and misunderstood element of the Christian life.

This weekend is Pentecost Sunday. To help you with your questions about Pentecost and the Holy Spirit our study is now available as a free PDF download. Explore the promise of the Baptism, its arrival on Pentecost and its continual outpouring, tongues as the initial evidence and the roles of tongues as revealed in Paul’s writings, and more.

You can use the reader below, or you can view and download the document on Scribd.com.

Bible, Christian Living

The LIFE Offered by the Resurrection (Audio)

Chris

On Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. His resurrection is proof that His word and promise are true, and a seal and guarantee of our eternal life if we believe in Him. Yet Jesus also offered a different way of life for the days we walk on this Earth. He offered us abundant life (John 10:10).

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Jesus offers us this LIFE and makes it possible in the power of God that raised Him from the dead. There are four elements of this LIFE. When one or any combination of these elements is weak or failing, our remains less than abundant.

  • Liberty
  • Intimacy
  • Fellowship
  • Empowerment
[audio http://gatewaycampbellton.com/audio/2013-0331.mp3]

Continue reading “The LIFE Offered by the Resurrection (Audio)” →

Bible, Christian Living

Receive Your Full Portion

Chris

There is one part of Good Friday that I stumbled upon while preparing for the Passion season. It is possible because of Good Friday, but it was revealed through Jesus’ presentation at the Last Supper. Switching to the Book of Luke, let’s look at what Jesus says there, and how it can revolutionize our life in Him.

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When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” (Luke 22:14-18)

What we call Communion or The Lord’s Supper is described in the verses that follow. Jesus took the bread, gave thanks for it, handed it to His Disciples and told them to do this in remembrance of Him. Then He took the cup again and did the same.

Continue reading “Receive Your Full Portion” →

Bible, Christian Living

Understanding the Biblical Blessing (part 2)

Chris

Every good parent wants to see their children do well. They want to see them thrive in their lives, not having to struggle, finding success and being rewarded for every effort. When parents know Christ they want their children to walk in God’s favor and receive God’s blessing.

In an earlier post we talked about when God began blessing those He had chosen to be His people. God blessed Abraham and continued to bless the following generations. A practice that has caught a lot of attention over the years is that of parents giving blessings to their children, asking God to bless that child’s life. Parents are encouraged to bless their children, regardless of their age or stage of life.

But if we take a look at the biblical record for bestowing the blessing of God, we find a different pattern. The timing of the blessing is crucial. It could be that parents are bringing harm on themselves while they are giving blessings to their children.

Continue reading “Understanding the Biblical Blessing (part 2)” →

Bible, Christian Living

The Fluffy Snow Christian

Chris

Today I woke up to my least favorite sound on a winter morning. The snow plow. And it was loud. It sounded like it was ripping off bumpers as it drove down the street. Then it came a second time. Something in my head said that I was in big trouble this morning. So I rolled over, picked up my phone and dialed the school storm line. If the kids do not have to school, I can wait a little bit to shovel. But school was on. It was time to get up.

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I got dressed, brushed my teeth, and started downstairs. As I reached for my boots I noticed that the dog had made it outside this morning, but no one let him back in. Opening the door I stumbled on the best part of my snowy morning. It was just fluff. You see, I have glasses and I need to update my prescription. I looked out the bedroom window after the plow may his second trip this morning and saw what looked like six inches of snow. But if you know anything about shoveling snow, you know that six inches of fluff is a lot easier to move around than six inches of a regular snowfall, or worse, a “wet” one.

In Bible College we had a way of describing the writing of those students who knew how to spin a line. They were often the ones who waited until the last minute to write their papers, and still managed to get a high grade. We used to say that those papers written with excellent vocabulary and logic but no substance from research were “all fluff and no stuff.” The six inches of snow that welcomed me to the driveway was all fluff and no stuff. And sometimes there are Christians who are “all fluff and no stuff.”

Continue reading “The Fluffy Snow Christian” →

Bible, Christian Living

Understanding the Biblical Blessing (part 1)

Chris

Do you know what it means to be blessed? We understand being blessed as having favor with someone greater than ourselves. In Christian circles we seek to be blessed by God. And who would not want to be blessed by God?

Being blessed by God means being in His favor. I am considered a notch above the rest. He takes special interest in me. He gives me things He does not give others.

For a number of years the idea of blessing has grown into a widely discussed topic. Not only is it possible to be blessed by God, but we have the ability to speak God’s blessing into the lives of others. Scripture gives evidence of the power of a parent to bless a child.

Yet for all I have seen about such a blessing, there is always one key component that is left out. It is obvious in the Scriptural appearances of the blessing. So why do we ignore it? Missing it leaves us in danger of forfeiting something God intends for us to live in.

Continue reading “Understanding the Biblical Blessing (part 1)” →