January 9, 2012 | 8:48 a.m.
Over the last few months God has been birthing something in me that I feel now is the time to share it with you.
 At first I wasn’t sure what God was doing; I only felt a holy dissatisfaction. As time passed and I pulled back from the busyness of life and ministry, as if a lightbulb had been switched on, it became clearer what God was trying to communicate to me. I’ll give you the full story in just a minute but first I want to share something that God showed me in the scriptures- it is awesome! It is what the apostle Paul told the elders from the city of Ephesis in Acts 20:32 when he called for them to come to him while he was in the city of Miletus. He spoke words of exhortation to these Ephesian elders and finished it with this statement: “So now brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
Do you see what that says? I like the way the New International Readers Version (NIRV) says it “Now I commit you to God’s care. I commit you to the word of his grace. It can build you up. Then you will share in what God plans to give all his people.” Understanding the message of God’s grace will encourage you, “build you up” and will transform you to such a degree that the blessings of God will come to you, and through you, effortlessly as your “inheritance.” Come on, how sweet is that?
Religion teaches us that we have to do something for God or live a certain way for God to do something for us or to answer our prayers. In fact, that is very scriptural if you are only looking at the Old Testament Law of Moses. The problem is, that’s not an inheritance, that’s something that is earned. In the Old Testament if you did what was right, followed the Ten Commandments and all the prescribed laws then God would answer your prayer. Even though it was impossible to do, this is what God demanded! So if you wanted your prayers answered then you better do it- and do it perfectly! I’ll say this - thank God that we are not living under that old covenant. You see, Jesus came to this Earth and instituted a new covenant and - JESUS CHANGED EVERYTHING! He gave us an inheritance!!
In the Gospel of John it says: For the law was given through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) Because of Jesus, God is not dealing with you according to how holy you are living or if you are doing what that old covenant prescribed. If you have put your faith in what Jesus did He has already dealt with you and your sin - past, present, and future. As the Apostle Paul told the Ephesian elders, we need to live under the care of God and His grace. I don’t know about you but I want to understand the Word of God concerning His grace because that’s what the Bible said will build me up and give me the blessings God has for me – my inheritance.
Having shared with you what God has led me to understand about the power of living in His grace, I now want to share with you what I feel He is leading me to do...
I believe He has called me to pastor a new church called Charis. Charis is the Greek word for grace and it is defined as: the merciful love and grace by which God turns us to Christ, forgives us, keeps and strengthens us, and increases us in the blessings and inheritance of those who are in faith in Jesus Christ. I believe that the Lord has called me to build a church that will be focused on charis. The message of grace mixed with faith is so powerful that I am expecting to see God move in our services in amazing ways.
We will be meeting (until we grow out of the space) in one of the conference rooms at Toftrees Resort and Conference Center. When you drive up the main entrance road if you park in the first lot to your right there will be signs to direct you. Our first service will be Sunday, February 5th at 10am. Here is the address if you are not familiar with the area:
I would love to have you come and join us as we, together, will feed on the Word of His grace. It will build us up and give us our inheritance. You are a blessing to me and I look forward to seeing you. Remember Sunday, February 5th 10am at Toftrees Resort.
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