Created for Him

"All things were created through Him and for Him."
COLOSSIANS 1:16

In the beginning, when man walked with God, there was an obvious Heavenly Order in the earth. This simply meant that Christ was in His rightful place. When Christ has the preeminence, when He has the centrality and the supremacy, then all is well.
God created all things “by Him and for Him” and installed Him as Lord of All. With Christ in His rightful place the rest of creation could proceed. Six times in the Book of Genesis God declared that what He had just made was “good.” When the work was finally completed, God judged the final state of things to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31) and by far the greatest benefit of living under this Heavenly Order was the spiritual condition of man before the fall. Spiritually he was at peace with himself and at peace with his God. In a word, the state of things as they existed in the Heavenly Order was perfect. It was, quite literally, heaven on earth.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

From Pigs to the Pulpit

 

From Pigs to the Pulpit

By Buddy Johnson . . . And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. ~ II Timothy 2:2
READING:  II Timothy 2:1-3
He was a long-haired, seventeen year old runner who ran past my house with his dog. I stopped him one morning and introduced myself. His family had recently moved into our small Aztec town and he was a student of veterinary medicine in Mexico City. I invited him to visit some Aztec villages with me, and he readily accepted. At that time we were planting churches in about a dozen villages.
Our “Paul and Timothy” relationship lasted for two years. We traveled in my old yellow jeep to many Aztec villages to evangelize and disciple. My new friend was enamored with all the pigs which ran at will in the streets. As time passed, the young “Vet” operated on many of the pigs and thus earned the respect of the villagers.
Near the end of the second year of our journey together, he sensed God’s call to ministry. Upon graduation from the University, he proudly donated his “Pig-skin Diploma” to his mother and stated, “This is what you have helped me through school to earn, but now I am going to serve the Lord.”
He continues to operate on pigs when necessary but has been the pastor of the First Baptist Church in our city for twenty years. He has also trained 17 men to lead the new churches they have begun. II Timothy 2:2 is a work in progress in the life of my Pig-to-Pulpit friend. Hundreds of pigs have been helped, and thousands of men now know Christ because of him.
Dear Heavenly Father, Please open our eyes and hearts to see those around us who are longing for You. Teach us to teach others for the multiplication of Your Kingdom. Amen. 
Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) “Equips Leaders to Plant 5 Million Churches Worldwide.” Learn more

Many church planters find it difficult to teach about giving.

The Grace of Giving, Part 2

By Jim Carpenter I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. ~ Philippians 4:18-20 (ESV)
READING: Philippians 4:14-20
Many church planters find it difficult to teach about giving. They’re afraid people will misunderstand, and falsely conclude their church is interested only in money. But the Apostle Paul had no such fear. He rejoiced in the grace of giving, gave thanks for his financial supporters, and in the process, taught us all a lot about this spiritual discipline.
Yesterday we looked at two great truths about giving. Here are three more: Third, financial giving is an act of worship. Paul calls their gift “a fragrant offering”and “an acceptable sacrifice” and says it is “pleasing” to God. He is comparing it to the Old Testament sacrifices. Giving is really a way of worshiping God. Done out of a heart of love, it is a statement of the worthiness, greatness and glory of our God.
Fourth, financial giving brings a promise of God’s provision. Verse 19 is one of the most wonderful promises in the New Testament. Like many Bible promises, it is conditional: because the Philippians are giving sacrificially (v. 16) and are “filling Paul full” (v. 18), as a consequence, God will fill them full!
Finally, financial giving is a commitment to God’s glory. Paul ends with a benediction: To our God be glory forever and ever! In the end, the discipline of giving means a life committed to God’s glory above everything.
To God be the glory, great things He has done! Amen. 
Dynamic Church Planting International (DCPI) “Equips Leaders to Plant 5 Million Churches Worldwide

Our God Delivers

“There is no other God who can deliver like this.”
DANIEL 3:29

The Lord reveals Himself to us when we are at our end, when the fire burns the hottest. When we have reached the end of ourselves then He intervenes. He is committed to us there in the fire, because we are committed to Him outside the fire. As we have stood for His Will and His Kingdom in a state of universal compromise, darkness, and deception, so He will stand with us in our state of temptation, testing, and trial.
Toward what end? That the preeminence we have been proclaiming may be demonstrated. He will rise to the occasion and prove Himself faithful.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden

Continue in Tribulation

"[Paul and Barnabas] returned...strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.'"
ACTS 14:22

Our idea of overcoming is to avoid tribulation, not pass through it. We certainly do not connect entering the Kingdom with going through tribulation. We think having the victory means eliminating all tribulation. Nothing could be further from the truth.
In order to enter the Kingdom there must be an increase of Christ and a decrease of Self. This is an ongoing process, and by it we judge how far along the Path we have progressed.
But how is Self decreased? The answer is in our circumstances and trials. They are sufficient to decrease us. We need not do anything but wait for them to come, and see them as our opportunity to have Self decreased and Christ increased.
Source: The Irresistible Kingdom by Chip Brogden