Learning To Bring The Better Wine

Since arriving in June 2013, Pastor Buff and his wife Cissy have worked diligently to encourage the Grace Falls family to stretch their faith. Buff has encouraged us to step out and apply the gospel to our daily lives. He has always encouraged us to represent the Lord throughout the community and to learn that every obedient believer is a missionary who has been sent to carry the light and love of the Lord into our individual circles of influence.

As the Grace Falls family began to understand this responsibility and put it into practice, the Lord brought Pastor Alonzo and Rhonda Johnson and the Northeast Bible Fellowship church into our lives. We have partnered with them several times to help their ministry get established in Northeast Philadelphia.

We have another opportunity to bless a new church plant coming up on September 18th. This time we will work with Pastor Brennan Coughlin and his wife Kathleen to host the launch of their new church, Fellowship Capital City in Trenton. Check out the details and sign-up to go on our Facebook event page.

We want to be living on mission, learning to follow the example of Jesus in our everyday encounters with people, we have a purpose that should affect everybody in our realm of influence. Jesus never brought anything but the best, like the water that he turned into the best wine, we are always striving to bring our best.

Why? So when they come and ask why we would bring the best to every ministry opportunity we can tell them that its because that is what Jesus does in any and every situation and we simply want to be like Him.

We pray that every believer will begin to see their neighbors the way that God sees them. We are called to share His love by serving others. God wants a relationship with us and with everyone around us. It is our responsibility to help everyone in our circle of influence to experience His love for them!

So, how will you bring the “better wine” this week? Who will ask you why?

Promises… Promises

I grew up with 4 older brothers who, in my opinion as a kid, were bigger than life. If they said it, I believed it period! They were my heroes and they knew it. The stuff that they would “talk me into” was amazing. They once convinced me that I could parachute off our roof (2nd floor) with a bed sheet. Let’s just say that the law of gravity is ABSOLUTELY TRUE!

I fell and I fell hard. The promise of the parachute wasn't very reliable. The reality of this and life is simple…A promise is only as reliable as the one who makes it. This is why it would have been smarter for me to focus on my brothers and their motives (which was to have fun), versus what they asked me to do.

Think about the scenes from scripture we have looked at so far and consider what we have learned about God. From the very beginning, God was Lord over all creation. He created it good and when it came to us, it was very good. He put mankind in the perfect environment without need for anything. The promise of His care and protection was as reliable as it could ever be. Yet, man decided they would trust in God and His promises, which led to separation.

Still, God demonstrated His faithfulness, even with man’s repeated unfaithfulness. He went to Adam and Eve even after they failed to trust Him. He warned Cain even before He committed murder and expressed the promise of His acceptance. Yet, Cain gave into the sin and the rebellion that was once crouched at his door but suddenly invaded his life. What was God’s response to Cain’s rebellion? Grace and love even in the judgment of the sin.

Then we see Noah and the rainbow. The rainbow was the symbol of God’s promise to never again destroy all living things with a flood, even though people’s thoughts and actions are bent toward evil from childhood. The Rainbow is the opportunity for all creation to remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature.

Remember God’s promise to Abram. God committed to make him a great nation and bless all the families of the earth through him…a man who was old and without a child. Yet, we will discover later in the story that one of his descendants fulfills this promise. We were asked this week to consider this idea of PROMISES as it relates to God. The question was asked like this…

“What would my relationship with God be like if I believed everything He promised would come true?”

What do you think??? Do you believe that? Let me share a secret with you that I learned a few years ago from a wise man named Charles that might help you as you consider it. He taught me that the Bible has only two types of promises. Before I tell you the types lets make sure we know what I mean by a PROMISE. A promise is a spoken or written commitment to preform a certain act or to refrain from doing something.

In the Bible, here are the two types of promises the Lord makes:

UNCONDITIONAL – This is a commitment made without exceptions.

CONDITIONAL – This type of promise is subject to certain mandates.

Romans 10:9 offers us the promise of salvation but it is conditional upon faith in Jesus Christ. This is key for us in our belief because there is a tendency for us to question or become disappointed in God because we think He’s not keeping His promise to us. The problem with this isn't God’s faithfulness but our understanding.

Remember that desiring something and believing God will do it doesn't always mean He’s promised it to us. Sometimes the hindrance or delay isn't God – it is us. Just like sin separated Adam and Eve in the garden – it separates us and can create barriers in our relationships.

Remember what I said at the beginning… A promise is only as reliable as the one who makes it. Consider so far what we have learned about God in the story…His character and His ability to make a promise and keep it. I would say we have learned He is both willing and powerful enough. He is truthful and faithful. He is gracious and loving. He is powerful and unchangeable. He cares for us and wants to provide for us. So I ask you again… “What would my relationship with God be like if I believed everything He promised would come true!”

Find a promise today in God’s story and claim it! If there are any conditions, do it and trust that He will do what He says He will do. If it is unconditional, make sure you see who it is for and what its for and claim it as well. May not be for you but for someone else. God loves you and He loves me – trust it!

Hope to see you this weekend as we live life and gather together as family to celebrate the promises of God! Be there and invite a friend!

The Church Being The Church

Did you know that YOU are the church? Whether you are helping a church plant in North Philly, serving alongside a valuable local ministry like Hope All Day, or being good news with family and friends, this is what BEING the church is all about! It is being a family of missionary servants sent by God wherever He opens doors to go! This has to be our mindset every day because that is the GOSPEL.

One thing is vital for us to always remember as a church plant. Our calling is to help lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. This calling is paramount for us but we must remember a few things as we go and fulfill this calling.

We, the church, can’t assume everyone knows everything about faith and church. We see that everyday here in New Jersey as we talk with our friends, colleagues and neighbors. We, the church, also need to realize that many who don’t have a relationship with God, or had difficulties maintaining one, assume they need to know everything about faith and church in order to participate.

Did you catch that tension…our assumption and others assumption? This is why so many hesitate to walk in the doors of a church building. They let fear…fear of the unknown, fear of not having an answer, fear of being hurt again paralyze them from coming.

We, as Grace Falls, have to work hard to create a safe place for anyone to come and begin to ask questions that they have about God, life, and matters of faith. This safe place is huge to who we are and what God has called us to do.

This happens when we are willing to meet people right where they are and work on listening, and building trust by building a relationship and not a defense case. Not trying to have all the answers or fix every problem life presents us. You can’t do that, I can’t do that, and we can’t do that. This is why we say we are a GOSPEL CENTERED CHURCH. The GOSPEL is the solution to every situation or issue in life. This is why the GOSPEL = GOOD NEWS. So, our goal is simple. We want our Sunday Gathering to be a conversational environment where people can explore faith and experience community.

For this to happen, we must prioritize building relationships over simply handing off answers. Rather than the traditional teacher (preacher) to student (member) format of learning, group members journey alongside one another through a facilitated discussion. Exploring faith and inviting past experiences, current beliefs, and future ideals to be shared and heard.

As we begin to know and be known, we will begin to see we aren’t alone and get a taste of what a real authentic community is. This is when many will come to realize what we mean when we say Grace Falls is a FAMILY. A family that loves, forgives, accepts, encourages, believes, helps, and is there for one another no matter what. A GOSPEL FAMILY changed because of who God is and what He has done. This is my vision, my prayer, and my hope. This is LIFE CHANGING.

I shared all this as a reminder of who we are, why we do what we do, and what we hope to see. I hope this helps you see what you are apart of. I pray it gets you excited to be apart of something bigger than yourself. I pray you see how vital you are and why God did what He did through every story we have read, discussed, and learned from. He did all of it so that He could use you, me, us to help others know Him. Not just know of Him but truly KNOW HIM.

Well you did it…you read through all my words, but I hope you hear my heart. I believe God has great things in store for us. Will you believe with me?

Love you and thank God for you!

Branches On The Vine

Our God loves to create, out of nothing He likes to make the most elaborate and complex, out of the dirt He likes to make something that is clean, and out of the old He likes to make things new. Maybe that is why I like yard work, I get to do my part to create something beautiful, it is a partnership with God to get things to grow.

In the Bible our Creator is portrayed as someone who has planted and cultivated a vineyard. In the Old Testament God prepared the soil for His vineyard, He built up walls to keep out the wild animals and to keep people from stealing the fruit, He took great care of it so that it had every advantage and it should have been the most productive and prosperous vine.

But instead of being a beautiful vine that attracted the neighboring nations to God they had become ugly and God was not being glorified by the mess that they had become. After a lot of patient gardening Israel forfeited its right to be the vine, the New Testament message is of God planting a new vine, Jesus comes along and says that He is the True Vine.

John 15:1-8 "I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of Mine that doesn't produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me.

"Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father.

God is the Master Gardner that tends to the vine, He is looking for two different types of branches, the ones that bear fruit and those that don't, both types of branches are going to get the knife:

He cuts off every branch of Mine that doesn't produce fruit

Bible theologian John MacArthur says that the first branch that didn't bear fruit was Judas. He was close to Jesus and he played along like he was a fruitful branch but he proved to be a phony. The branches that are being cut and thrown into the fire were never Christ followers.

John 13:10-11 “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Anybody can put some effort into changing the outside and fool their friends just like Judas' eleven friends that were clueless about his true character. I can follow the rules and do what is expected of a Christ follower for long enough to fool anybody, but real transformation comes from the heart where your friends have a hard time seeing.

Eventually the fruitless branches are identified, they cannot hide forever before they are found out and they are removed. God doesn't allow these branches to keep hanging around because they destroy the reputation of the church and they take away from His glory.

He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more

The last words you want to hear from the doctor is "we need to operate." That is the news that the Great Physician has for you, He wants to improve your fruit production. In order for us to operate at maximum fruit-bearing capacity God needs to cut off our sins, our habits and attitudes that slow down the production of fruit.

Hebrews 12:10-11 For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

God's discipline is to bring us along a little at a time toward being holy. Sanctification is the church word for the process of being made holy and set apart for God. To live attached to the vine is a life of dependence, exercising faith and becoming more like Jesus, His nature will grow in us and take over the controls.

Jesus is our only connection with God, the only means that we are saved and the only hope we have of living eternally with God. When we are joined to the vine, we are united with Jesus in all our interests, we have common desires, we are delighted in the things that He loves and we hate the things that He hates, we are willing to endure the same trials, contempt and persecution that He bore.

When you produce much fruit you are My true disciples

Every believer bears fruit but not all of them bear "much fruit." Some branches have a relationship with Jesus and they are a part of the true vine but they are not know by their abundance of fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is in short supply and production needs to be increased.

GOD'S PRUNING TOOL

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

God never changes, He is still using the same tool that He has always used to prune His vine, He uses the knife of His Word to get rid of the impurities that will hold up fruit production. He takes off the old blooms, the shoots that are going the wrong way and the parasites.

The Gardner's knife causes us much pain, sometimes we wonder why some things have to be cut away and we resist, we don't like it or understand everything that the Gardner cuts off. Sometimes I have to wonder if I really need so much attention from the Gardener and if He really knows what He is doing.

I must trust that He has great things in store and He wants me to be the most productive and beautiful branch that I can be so that He will be glorified. The beauty of His Vine will attract the neighbors and bring much glory to Him.

The world has some interesting vines that can get me tangled up. Their vine may be their bank account, their education, fame, talents or relationships. Many people plant a vine of religion and rules, but none of these can bear fruit, the True Vine is Jesus and you need to be attached.

Everybody Is So Busy

Are we doing anything that really matters?

Have you ever thought about how the gospel message got out of the small geographic area that Jesus worked in to become know all across the globe? After His three years of ministry, Jesus hadn't traveled very far from home, if they had television back then the events of His life would have been on the local nightly news but the major networks would have never covered Him.

The only reason that the gospel got away from Jerusalem and spread around the world is the result of men that loved their job, they were passionate about what they experienced with Jesus, they were glad to work for Jesus and his church.

Colossians 1:24-29 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you.

This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.

Despite a lot of hardship and physical abuse the Apostle Paul was willing to be busy spreading the gospel, he could have stayed home in Jerusalem after his conversion, he could have had a lot more comfortable life if he told his friends and neighbors that he changed his mind about Jesus and then settled down. He could of got busy with a career, focus on losing weight, buying a home and finding a wife.

Instead Paul had to be a radical about this Jesus stuff, his life would be much more difficult and all of the normal cares of this world would have to be set aside. Instead of being busy pursuing the cares of this world he would be busy following the call that God has placed on his life.

John 12:26 Anyone who wants to be My disciple must follow Me, because My servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves Me.

Paul believed Jesus words about following and serving. We are busy people and we are probably seldom as thrilled to serve others as we should be. This idea of serving is so important that Jesus gave us the greatest example of it just hours before he was crucified.

Right after the crowds cheered Him on His way into Jerusalem, what we call the Triumphant Entry, he told them about serving and then again he told his disciples during the Lord's Supper when he washed their feet.

Jesus stepped down from the highest position and humbled himself, he made the greatest leap in condescension, we will probably never understand why he loves us so much that he would make this giant step from greatness to the lowliest servant.

John 13:14-15 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

It is difficult to imagine that Jesus had authority over absolutely everything, we can't even comprehend what that means, and yet he sat that aside and became our servant. And then he challenged us to serve the people around them as a symbol of our love.

I am a busy guy and I have to be careful that I am not too busy to serve. All of our work and our pursuits are usually focused on ourselves. It takes a deliberate effort to move our focus away from ourselves and think about serving God and other people. I need to have a passion to serve my Savior and my neighbor so that the gospel will be contagious to the world around me.

The Great Shepherd

A  lot of people can quote the twenty-third Psalm or at least get a good start on it but have you really thought about the words? David's words reveal that he is extremely close with God, I don't think that anybody else has ever spoken of their relationship with almighty God in such a warm affectionate manner.

Psalms 23:1-6 The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

God cares for and protects His sheep

I found a Bible study that points out that many of the compound names for Jehovah in the Old Testament focus on the type of relationship that David talks about in Psalm 23:

"I shall not want” Jehovah-jireh, “the Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:14)

"He leads me beside still waters” Jehovah-shalom, “the Lord our peace” (Judges 6:24)

"He restoreth my soul” Jehovah-Rophe, “the Lord who heals” (Exodus 15:26)

"He leads me in the paths of righteousness” Jehovah-Tsidkenu, “the Lord our righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16)

"thou art with me” Jehovah-shammah, “the Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35)

"presence of mine enemies” Jehovah-nissi, “the Lord our banner” (Exodus 17:15)

"anointest my head” Jehovah-M’Kaddesh, “the Lord who sanctifies” (Leviticus 20:8)

Jesus is the Shepherd that gave His life.

The Good Shepherd loves his sheep and He makes His love known by the great lengths that He will go to in order to take care of them. Under the old covenant in the Old Testament, the sheep died for the shepherd, but under the new covenant, the Shepherd died for the sheep!

John 10:27-28 Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”

Jesus left the riches of heaven to join us in our world and experience our heartache but He went way beyond our experience and suffered much more than most of us will ever endure. Jesus is the Shepherd that we need, the only source of salvation, safety, and sustenance for the sheep, His personal care for the sheep makes it possible to have a full and rewarding life if we follow the Shepherd.