Tag: Greenhouse Gathering

Miracle of Deliverance

Demons! It’s one of the weirdest (and for some off limits) thing to talk about in Christianity! When we hear those words we all have thoughts pop in our heads…funny or scary! So if demons do exist should we be scared or…

“Miracle of Deliverance”


Demons! It’s one of the weirdest (and for some off limits) thing to talk about in Christianity! When we hear those words we all have thoughts pop in our heads…funny or scary! So if demons do exist should we be scared or should we trust God for Deliverance?

Revelation 17:3-8, 15-18    Habakkuk 1:5-11

  • You Have Miraculous AUTHORITY over Darkness in the Name JESUS
    • If you look at the parallels between Chaldea in the Old Testament and Babylon you can connect the dots of how Chaldeans are like demons on earth (and in the end times for sure)
      • demons: Tempt You To Sin, Distract You From God’s Will and Inflict Suffering
      • Not a stretch to see the parallel ride and the same place the Chaldeans are found in the Old Testament is in Babylon. Even Daniel had to learn the language of the Chaldeans when Israel went into captivity!
    • It’s not a stretch to see where Satan has been since he was kicked out of heaven for trying to be God. He has been out to destroy the very creation God made for Redemption every since. From the Garden of Eden and the Fall, to countless Old Testament miracles, to tempting Jesus in the New Testament to thinking he has defeated Jesus on the Cross to the very end when even Satan will try to convince man he is God one last time as Babylon finally falls in Revelation
  • So what does this have to do with me?
    • Regardless of our viewpoint on demons the questions is what language are you versed in? The language of God’s Word or the language of the Chaldeans (the world). When we understand that one stands in direct opposition to the other we can see that there is something out there fighting against all God made us to be!
    • If we think that for one minute that Satan is happy with receiving by faith that Jesus is who He says He is we are mistaken! Satan doesn’t care if we “know of” Jesus (look at Cain in the Garden of Eden…he know of God). Satan doesn’t care if we even have some Bible verses memorized or posted on our wall…what bothers him is when we step in to become all that Christ made us to be! That threatens him & his standing and he will have none of it. Satan tempts us as Christians by trying to take:
      • The Tithe from the Church
      • The Next Generation
    • If Satan can pervert those 2 things he knows that his step to the end times where it feels he has power is closer…and even though Satan knows his end is defeat…he doesn’t mind wasting you & me in the process so that he can have a little bit of prideful power.

Jesus defeated sin, death and grave and gave us authority over demons through Him crucified! Darkness isn’t the opposite of light it is the absence of light! When we have Jesus, who is the Light of the World, it’s impossible for us to be overcome by darkness…even a little light separates the dark! So today will you find for victory or from victory…in Christ the victory is already won!

Take Away:
What did you take away from this Study that you’d never fully realized before?

Is there anything you’re struggling with that you need to battle both practically and spiritually?

Interested in More About Our Thursday Greenhouse Gathering: CLICK HERE
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Liberty and Justice For All

“Liberty and Justice for All”

Liberty and Justice for all! Ever thought the reason we end the pledge of allegiance with that is because it is something we all desire? But what if it is more than that? What if our freedom is found in something higher? Would we believe that living out Liberty and Justice is found in Grace and Truth?

John 1:1-5,14

  • GRACE
    • In Old Testament (Hebrew) = hen (mentioned 60 times)
      • Means finding favor in God’s eyes
      • When we look at the Old Testament the system of keeping the Law is how men/women found favor in God’s eyes. If we were disobedient to the Law we couldn’t experience God’s favor.
    • In New Testament (Greek) = charis
      • Means unmerited favor of God
      • This is a HUGE shift because of Jesus. It completely changes from finding favor in God’s eyes to having the unmerited favor of God.
    • We have to see the difference in Grace from before Jesus to after to see where we sit today! Do we operate out of the Grace that we have unmerited favor of God or do we operate out of finding favor in God’s eyes! The difference is religion vs. relationship.
    • In the world we live in today and in this country where freedom (Liberty) is our foundation we have to show the world the freedom in Christ. Not in religion but in Christ. The freedom is found in Christ alone…not in the way we work to get there!
  • TRUTH
    • In Old Testament (Hebrew) = emeth
      • Means firmness and stability
      • In the Old Testament the Truth is about God revealing Himself to be who He says He is (we’ll get to the New Testament in a moment :D). God is firm and never wavering in who He is.
    • In New Testament (Greek) = alethes
      • Means Unconcealed Reality or Genuine
      • In the New Testament the Truth is revealed in a person…Jesus! Jesus is the fulfillment of over 300+ prophesies in the Old Testament! He is God unconcealed (remember Paul talking about the Mystery being revealed in Ephesians 3?).
    • When we see Truth in America we see that through the lens of Justice…or even scales. We live in a world where Justice is polluted & perverted by the eyes of the one executing judgement.
    • For us as Christians we get to live out the Truth because we have a relationship with Jesus & He is in us! The mystery of God’s plan to reconcile all of creation back to Him not just the Jewish people was revealed in Christ in the New Testament.

The freedom in Christ is that we get to live lives that aren’t stuck in executing judgement on one another…that’s God’s job. We don’t even have to convict others…that’s the Holy Spirit’s job. We get to love others…that’s our job! And when we do that well we will live out a life that is Liberty and Justice for all! 

Take Away:
Do you tend to lean more toward grace or truth? What does it look like to lean all the way in either direction?

What are some specific ways you can live with both grace and truth to influence the culture around you?

Interested in More About Our Thursday Greenhouse Gathering: CLICK HERE
Find Out How You Play a Part to #JoinSpartanburg: CLICK HERE

Indivisible

Indivisible! A word we say every time we recite the pledge of allegiance…a word that isn’t for a select political party, people group or agenda…

“Indivisible”

Indivisible! A word we say every time we recite the pledge of allegiance…a word that isn’t for a select political party, people group or agenda…it means we can not be divided or separated! Something we have all been living in recently is separation. What if we really saw that the fracture in our nation starts with the fracture in the Church? What if we were made for unity not uniformity?

Ephesians 4:1-16

  • The CALLING of UNITY (Ephesians 4:1-6)
    • We are Christ’s Royal Ambassador’s to the world. We get to be His love to everyone we encounter. That is the bond of peace…LOVE! Not by the arguments we win but instead by the gentleness, humbleness and meekness. We are not called to lord ourselves one over the other…we are instead called to come to the table and work together. The calling of unity is simply to live the live worthy of your calling. If you struggle with your calling it’s who you are in Christ (your identity)! In Christ we are all ONE!
  • The GIFT of UNITY (Ephesians 4:7-13)
    • We are all different by God’s grace to carry out the mission to reach the world with the Hope of the Gospel! Many of us in the Christian world can get caught up in what Paul is writing about here as it pertains to purgatory and Christ going down to set the captives free…before the theological debate ensues take a deep breath and let’s add a twist here. Regardless of whether Paul is referencing Psalm 139 where the descent is the womb, Psalm 63 where the descent is the grave what’s most important is the Christ Descended First because He is of God and now we get to be lifted up because of Him! Jesus has set the captives free because He conquered sin, death, the grave & satan! Christ laid aside all ambition to be honored and respected so that each of us could have life. He gives us different gifts as to show that life to the world. Our gift is our ability to show to show Christ’s love to the world. We should share that gift by asking “How can I best utilize myself for the benefit of the rest of the members of the Church?” not “How can I use my gifts to glorify myself & my position?”. Inside the gift of unity to build each other up in faith, hope and love…there is no room for selfishness in that.
  • The CAUSE of UNITY (Ephesians 4:14-16)
    • Every part of the Body has it’s own purpose. Every part is made to do what the other part can not do…but together in unity they can do so much more! God has made no part of the Body in vain! When we have our identity in Christ and know that we have been given the ability to function in the Body our purpose is to give all we have to the function of that Body for the nourishment of the Body…that is the love of Jesus! Not “just do my part” but instead “live out my part and encourage you as you live out yours” so that we can strengthen, support and grow the love of Christ together as we reach the world with the Hope of The Gospel!

Our identity is in Christ, our abilities are our gifts given to do the works of ministry and our purpose is to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth in how we love others through our gifts from our identity in Christ! We are not first Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Catholic or a specific denomination…we are Christians! And united together we will leave the world turned upside down by the Gospel instead of being the Church turned upside down by the world!

Take Away:

What do you think are some of the greatest causes of disunity among Christians? No wrong answers.

What are some of the ways you personally can create more unity in Christianity

Interested in More About Our Thursday Greenhouse Gathering: CLICK HERE
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I Quit Complaining

“I Quit: Complaining”

If we were to take a poll about the biggest complaints it would be across the board: traffic, laundry, taxes, dishes in the sink, pillows on the bed, job, you sworn enemy…or maybe it’s the way the toilet paper is installed or left empty. Whatever your complaint I’m sure it’s the little things that build up like a volcano ready to erupt. We often see that complaining leads to more complaining. SO how do we shift our complaining to rejoicing? We have to see the true cost of complaining in our lives!

1 Samuel 17:26-50

  • Complaining DRIVES OTHERS AWAY (1 Samuel 17:26-30)
    • David has just been anointed King and has to serve his brothers on the battle field! Instead of complaining he makes sure his flock is in order and runs to battle. When he’s at the battlefield he asks what would be given to those who defeat Goliath…and his brother Eliab (who’s name means “God is Father”), puts David down and complains about him being at the battle! The very one who God is going to use to defeat Goliath is the one that Eliab puts down.
    • As followers of Christ we are called to show God as the Father to everyone we encounter regardless of their circumstance…and yet when we complain we do the exact opposite. Instead of Eliab being part of David’s famous defeat of Goliath…he had to wait until later to be the warrior God made him to be. His complaining cost him the opportunity to be a part of one of the Bible’s most famous victories.
  • Complaining OFFENDS the HEART of GOD (1 Samuel 17:31-40)
    • Saul (name means “asked for”) is waiting for someone to step up and God to deliver Israel from the Philistines. He’s probably been begging God to do something and this shepherd boy, who he doesn’t know is his replacement, steps up to go into battle. Instead of Saul being excited that David is stepping forward…he instead complains about the ways David surely can’t win! David on the other hand reflects the heart of God for deliverance.
    • We often do the same thing! Someone comes to us with this BIG dream or vision that God has given them and instead of initially walking with the we find a way to tell them every way that they can’t do it. We make the laundry list of how it can’t work instead of asking God how we fit into making it happen. And yet when we see they’ve made it we love to Celebrate them…but the heart of God is for us to walk hand in hand with those called according to God’s purpose.
  • Complaining COSTS YOU SIGNIFICANTLY (1 Samuel 17:41-50)
    • Goliath (name means great) is standing here 10+ft. tall complaining that no one can match him! A little shepherd boy surely can’t bring him down. After all he was bigger, louder and had all of the experience. So there’s no way this inexperienced little thing could beat him! Goliath’s complaints cost him his life. Feels like a stretch? Did Goliath believe that God could destroy him? His complaints of no one being able to defeat him is what lead to his ultimate defeat!
    • We can’t see how we effect those around us when we complain. The cost of the complaint is bigger than we could ever imagine at the time…but I know someone who can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine ( 3:20). What if we decided instead of complaining we rejoice with those around us? What has complaining done for us any way (think of a 5 year old asking & asking…now think of a 45 year old doing the same thing…seems ridiculous right). To do what God’s called us to do we must have a ZERO COMPLAINT policy! The cost is too great!

 

Take Away:
Do you more often need to change your circumstances or your perspective?

How would it change your view of complaining if you knew God was the end recipient?

Interested in More About Our Thursday Greenhouse Gathering: CLICK HERE
Find Out How You Play a Part to #JoinSpartanburg: CLICK HERE