Bert's Good Stuff

READ!

There is an enormous amount of false teaching in the world today. Scripture said there would be! Lies sincerely told, and believed, do not make truth. So how to know what to believe? There is only one source of absolute truth.. God's Word. So it is really important to 'pickle' in it. It's similar to the ability to recognize counterfeit money by much study of the real thing.

This is also motivation for reading great books, by godly authors --- like THE REST OF THE GOSPEL, by Dan Stone, and SAVING LIFE by Major Thomas, HEART OF THE PROBLEM by Henry Brandt, THE GOD YOU CAN KNOW by Dan Dehaan, 31 DAYS OF PRAISE by Ruth Myers, HUMILITY by Andrew Murray, GOD'S BEST SECRETS by Andrew Murray, and HIS INDWELLING PRESENCE by Norman B. Harrison, are some that have greatly influenced me.

Without 'meaningful meditation' in God's Word and great books, you are vulnerable to devastating deception.

C. S. Lewis once said: "It is one of the commonest of mistakes to consider that the limit of our power of perception is also the limit of all there is to perceive. Good! And a similar truism is that "We only know in part." So to increase our perception of the 'whole'....we gots to read...LOTS, and often, and daily-and spend quality time with others who do the same.

Reading is far more valuable than listening/watching. So READ!

bh February 9, 2008

web www.bertsgoodstuff.com

UNLOCKED ENTRY

    A burglar needs only one open door or window in your house to get where he can cause you tremendous loss and sorrow. At that point, the doors and windows that are locked, do not matter. Sin is like that; it only needs to be allowed one point of entry into your thinking, and terrible damage follows. Think about that. Lets say you never steal, or murder, or hit and run-those are locked doors----but you entertain lustful thoughts. That is an open door, and there will be enormous chaos in your house. I hope that door is closed for you, but how about selfishness, pride, disobedience (to God), and unbelief!! If our purpose is to please God and help His people, those are entry points that we simply must choose not to allow. Sin is always incredibly destructive. God hates it.

    To 'tolerate' any sin is truly insanity. The results are published every single day in our newspapers; violence, murder, unhappiness, fighting, arguing, anger, revenge, war, worry, hatred, over and over and over. Those are the end products of sin..

    God has a cure, but only one, and that is to be 'in Christ.' God says that in Christ...we are dead to sin! God's grace has provided us a position where all the doors and windows are shut, and locked-where sin (the burglar) has no entry We all can live there. We do that by faith in God's Word. That faith results when we know Him If you know Him, you will love and trust Him. Marvelous!!

bh February 23, 2008

Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

BECAUSE YOU SAY SO

One day, Jesus got into a boat owned by a fisherman named Peter, and spoke to a crowd of people. Then Jesus told Peter to go into deep water, let down the nets, and catch some fish. Peter says: "Master we've worked hard all night and have caught nothing" -and then this remarkable statement, "But because you say so, I will let down the nets."Luke 5.5 And sure enough, --a huge catch.

This week I have been combining that statement, with the last sentence in Matthew where Jesus said "I am with you always," and Luke 5.16 where it says that "Jesus often withdrew to a lonely place and prayed." I think Peter and the disciples learned a great deal about the value of spending time alone with God here. And the fishing expedition surely helped them realize they could trust His Word. "Because you say so" is all we ever need, but we do need to grow into the depth of it.

If the Creator of all the universes and the one who is Almighty, and Infinite and "One with the Father" says something, why would any sane person doubt? And we do know what He says because we have it written in the Bible.

So:  Are we doing what we are doing this week, "because He said so?"-or, are our empty nets still in the boat?

bh March 15, 2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com
   Bonus item: Andrew Murray's book of daily readings entitled GOD'S BEST SECRETS has been of great value to me over the past                     5 years. Published by Whitaker House, and is $11.19 at Amazon.

BEYOND AWESOME UNPACKED
    “I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS.”  ---Lets unpack those five incredible words:

“I”...Who is this? 
    Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Creator of everything that exists, in whom dwells all wisdom and knowledge and authority. The One who is pure Truth, Love, Light, & Love; who cannot lie and never exaggerates.  Who is totally trustworthy, infinitely holy, all powerful, all knowing, and omnipresent and Who had no beginning and no end. —I have filled several pages with similar thoughts about Him, and often spend time just meditating on His person and work, and love.

“AM”...
    Is not the same as “could be”. It is not “perhaps, some day, possibly, or maybe.” There are no qualifiers, conditions, rules to follow, small print, options, or ‘catches,’ no performance requirements or monthly fees. Am is am and can never be altered. .

WITH ...
    Not alongside, in front, behind, near-by, within earshot, etc. but right there.

YOU....
    That is the person who is ‘me’, the one Jesus loved enough to die on the cross for, and the one His blood cleanses from every sin, the one He knows by name, knows my every thought, and motive. Jesus says He am with me.

ALWAYS....
    Forever, unalterable, no ‘ifs’ or conditions, no time limits, or production demands, or possible defaults. No end to it, no possible change of mind,...always. When the God of the Universes says “always,” it means always. Grand stuff!
    If that doesn’t increase your pulse rate when you think about it, you definitely have a malfunctioning heart, and this would be a good prayer: “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.”  Mark 9.24

bh     March 8, 2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

"Belief causes behavior." If what you are believing (and the resulting behavior) is wrong......would you want to know about it?

    I believe that most of us do not want anyone telling us that we are wrong, ever! For example, how to raise your children, how you treat your wife, social drinking, how to spend your money, how you spend your discretionary time, and your use of money, and when you worry. How about how you treat people who are beneath you, how you react when caught speeding, when you are overcharged, when you are criticized, and when pride & selfishness are obvious. Stuff like that.

    Methinks that there very few of us are secure enough in our daily walk with Christ, that we can actually humbly accept with thankfulness, anyone telling us we are wrong....about anything. And I believe it is primarily needed in the home, in my marriage/ That is where it is needed the mostest, where it needs to happen often.. . and, thankfully, in our home, it does!

    We have made a kind of fun thing out of insisting that we say out loud: "I was wwwrronngg." Amazing how hard it is to get that word out of my mouth! :) Dr. Henry Brandt in his book HEART OF THE PROBLEM tells a story of how he was driving on the freeway one day, and his wife pointed out he was going the wrong way (to Detroit). Although he immediately realized that she was right, (and he was wrong), its irritated him. He kept on driving....and went by the next three exits where he could have turned around before he was willing to admit that he was wrong, and turn back. Interesting, huh?! And that is from one of the best! Ever been there?

    Is there anybody out there who can beat a stubborn, proud, 'five exit denial'?

bh February 16, 2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

"Some day will be the last day".....but in the meantime lets be sure to remember that it is enormously important that we not waste the days we have left..."Don't waste your life!" We have the glorious privilege of being part of God's global search for people who will repent, believe in Jesus and live in such a way as to be pleasing to Him. That means that we trust what He says about the fact that He will never leave us, and that our part is by faith to be continuously controlled by His indwelling Holy Spirit. "Christ IS our life. His grace IS sufficient for us. We have everything we need for life and godliness." Hey..do we believe this??

These things are light years ahead of the superbowl in importance! Our whole society is ga-ga this week over the parties and hooopla and hype. Stuff like what bars and 'parties' the 'celebrities' are attending. Pathetic.

The game will be fun (in my opinion) but the commercials will not, promoting mostly alcohol.....with the enormous hypocrisy of the statement at the end "Drink Responsibly." Am I being too negative here?

Well, I do suggest putting in plenty of supplies....not food and drink, but stoke up on truth, and wisdom, and goodies from God's Word...so that post-game, you will have good things in your vat on which to meaningfully meditate. And then you will have some good stuff to share with others.

Most of us are at least at "half-time" in life's journey. What do football teams do at half-time? They concentrate on how to do things better in the second half. Would that not be a good idea for us?!

bh

Subject: "Oprah andFriends" to expose millions to New Age Christ on XM
Satellite Radio starting January 1st.  Here is the Christian perspective of the program.

Oprah Winfrey will be letting out all the stops on her XM Satellite Radio
program this coming year. Beginning January 1, 2008, "Oprah & Friends"
will offer a year-long course on the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles.  A lesson a day throughout the year will completely cover the 365 lessons from  the Course in Miracles "Workbook." For example, Lesson #29 asks you to go through your day affirming that "God is in everything I see." Lesson #61 tells each person to repeat the affirmation "I am the light of the world." Lesson #70 teaches the student to say and believe "My salvation comes from me."

By the end of the year, "Oprah & Friends" listeners will have completed
all of the lessons laid out in the Course in Miracles Workbook. Those who
finish the Course will have a wholly redefined spiritual mindset-a New Age
worldview that includes the belief that there is no sin, no evil, no
devil, and that God is "in" everyone and everything. A Course in Miracles teaches its students to rethink everything they believe about God and life. The Course Workbook bluntly states: "This is a course in mind training" and is dedicated to "thought reversal."

Teaching A Course in Miracles will be Oprah's longtime friend and special
XM Satellite Radio reporter Marianne Williamson-who also happens to be one of today's premier New Age leaders. She and Conversations with God author Neale Donald Walsch co-founded the American Renaissance Alliance in 1997, that later became the Global Renaissance Alliance of New Age leaders, that changed its name again in 2005 to the Peace Alliance. This Peace Alliance seeks to usher in an era of global peace founded on the principles of a New Age/New Spirituality that they are now referring to as a "civil rights movement for the soul." They all agree that the principles of this New Age/New Spirituality are clearly articulated in A Course in Miracles-which is fast becoming the New Age Bible.

So what is A Course in Miracles and what does it teach? A Course in
Miracles is allegedly "new revelation" from "Jesus" to help humanity work through these troubled times. This "Jesus"-who bears no doctrinal resemblance to the Bible's Jesus Christ-began delivering his channeled teachings in 1965 to a Columbia University Professor of Medical Psychology by the name of Helen Schucman. One day Schucman heard an "inner voice" stating, "This is a  course in miracles. Please take notes." For seven years she diligently took spiritual dictation from this inner voice that described himself as "Jesus." A Course in Miracles was quietly published in 1975 by the Foundation for Inner Peace. For many years "the Course" was an underground cult classic  for New age seekers who studied "the Course" individually, with friends, or in small study groups. Here are some quotes from the "Jesus" of A Course in Miracles:

* "There is no sin . . ."
*  A "slain Christ has no meaning."
* "The journey to the cross should be the last 'useless journey."
* "Do not make the pathetic error of 'clinging to the old rugged cross.'"
* "The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol... It is a symbol that
      is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to
      which you pray."
* "God is in everything I see."
* "The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself."
* "The oneness of the Creator and the creation is your wholeness, your
      sanity and your limitless power."
* "The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches
      him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation."

Most Christians recognize that these teachings are the opposite of what
the Bible teaches. At this critical time in the history of the world, the New
Gospel/New Spirituality is coming right at the world and the church with
its New Age teachings and its New Age Peace Plan. But this New Age Peace Plan has at its deceptive core the bottom-line teaching from A Course in Miracles that "we are all one" because God is "in" everyone and everything.
But the Bible is clear that we are not God (Ezekiel 28:2; Hosea 11:9). And
per Galatians 3:26-28, our only oneness is in Jesus Christ-not in
ourselves as "God" and "Christ."

What Oprah and Marianne Williamson and the world will learn one day is
that humanity's only real and lasting peace is with the true Jesus Christ who is described and quoted in the Holy Bible (Romans 5:1). Oprah Winfrey's misplaced faith in Marianne Williamson and the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles is a sure sign of the times.

But an even surer sign of the times is that most Christians are not taking
heed to what is happening in the world and in the church. We are not
contending for the faith as the Bible admonishes us to do (Jude 3). We
must pray for all of our pastors to address the real issue of the day. Our true Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is being reinvented, redefined, and
blasphemed right in front of our eyes and hardly anyone seems to notice or care.

If we want the world to know who Jesus Christ is, we need to also warn
them about who He is not. There is a false New Age "Christ" making huge inroads into the world and into the church. The Apostle Paul said that "it is a
shame" we have to even talk about these things, but talk about them we
must (Ephesians 5:12-16). If people want to follow Oprah Winfrey and the New Age "Christ" of A Course in Miracles, they certainly have that right. But let them be warned that  the New Age "Christ" they are following is not the same Jesus Christ who is so clearly and authoritatively presented in the pages of the Bible.

GOD'S BEST SECRETS (Whitaker House) is a one-page daily devotional by Andrew Murray that I read daily, and consider one of the best. It is full of challenging spiritual meat that often causes me to ponder for days. Here is a recent example:

Luke 23.46 Jesus said: "Father, into your hands I commend My spirit,. Having said this, He breathed His last." This is something very special. He gave up His spirit into the power of death, gave up all control over it and sank down into the darkness of death, where He could neither think, or pray, or will. He let go of everything, surrendered Himself completely into the Father's hands, trusting Him to care for Him in utter darkness, and in time to raise Him up again.

This has been overwhelming to me. Think about it! The Creator of all the universe, the King of Kings, The Owner of it all, set aside His position, His will, and all control over His life and destiny and entrusted His entire being and future to the Father and allowed death to swallow Him up! Incredible.!! That happened as a result of His taking all of our sin, for all of us. The reason for it was that He loved us - while we were yet sinners. He didn't have to do it!! It was His choice.

Join me this week, and spend time meditating, pondering this incredible window into the very heart of God

bh January 12, 2008

Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com 

Bonus: Listen to Hal Lindsey's message this week....on fundamental principles, one of which is raising children.
http://hallindsey.org/

"Dead" never means annihilated, its "separation." Rom 11.6 says we are to count on the fact that we are 'dead' to sin, and in the same sentence, "alive to God." What does that mean? Do you believe both statements? The essence of the Christian life is revealed here! I have discovered that most of us have very little insight into this bedrock of our relationship to God.

It means that in Christ, we have ended our relationship with sin and death, sin is no longer our nature, even though sin still lives in us. Instead we are alive with the life of Christ. "Christ is our life." We have a new nature. The "real" you is dead to sin, and alive to God. That is way more than a doctrinal statement. It is fact. The reason you can count on it as absolute truth...is that God said so! It is God's word, and not our 'experience' that verifies it. We don't have to 'feel' it; just trust what God says, and go.

It might be helpful to think of an 18 wheel long-haul truck that needs 5 axles. Two of them we just discussed-1. dead to sin, -2. alive to God. For the other three, you might visualize 3. trust, 4. obedience, and 5. humility. We certainly need all five all the time in order to accomplish the work God has given us to do. I like to think of the front axle as obedience, and the load bearing axles as dead to sin, alive to God, trust and humility. If one is missing or not functioning (or has flat tires), its going to be tough sledding.

There is an excellent review in Ruth Myers book 31 DAYS OF PRAISE, [Multnomah 1994) page 128 to 138. And you might want to air up the tires on the 'humility axle' by (re)reading Andrew Murray's book HUMILITY . [Pocket Companion,, Christian Literature Crusade, 1991    Do it this week!

bh January 19, 2008

Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com
Bonus: Recommend-- Hal Lindsay's message this week. http://hallindsey.org/ (Jan 11)

Every verse in the longest Psalm (119) has to do with the Word of God. This week I noticed the recurring theme of "delight" over and over the Psalmist says, "I delight in your commandments; your statues are my delight; I delight in your decrees; I rejoice in following your statutes; Oh, how I love your law; how sweet are your words to my taste; your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path; your law is my delight" --- And many others!

Its Christmas time. What causes us to "delight?" Is it in 'getting' ---  or 'giving'?? Do we get our 'delights' from God's Word?-which means that really we don't need anything else in this world in order to be full of joy, meaning and pleasure...irrespective of circumstances. There is an awful lot of focus on non-delight items in our society.

    Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy and delight do not! Interesting!

Here is one more delightful thought that has my attention right now: Jesus said two of the most important statements in the Bible (in my HBAO) at the end of Matthew:

        1. Go and make disciples of all nations. [Are we?]

        2. Surely I am with you always..... (That makes #1 realistic, & possible.)

When I stop and think about it, #2 is not only utterly incredible, but makes the whole Bible come alive.
Jesus is not only ALIVE...He is always HERE.

        Nothing could make us more full of delight!!

bh December 22, 2007
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

LUKEWARM

What comes up on your screen when you hear the word "lukewarm?" God uses that word in Revelation 3.16 about the church at Laoicea. It is not good! "I will spit you out of my mouth" He says. He calls them hypocrites, wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Yikes! What do you make of those strong words!?

So what's wrong with lukewarm? How about lukewarm coffee, tea, soup, coke, ice cream, bananas, or...people? Blah, no excitement or passion, never a clear "yes" or "no"...just "maybe" or "whatever." Ugh. No driving purpose, or vision, just drifting along like debris in the river, routine, sameness, unexciting, predictable, not with it. How does that grab you? "Ptui!" says God!!

There is no lukewarmness or darkness with God...and there certainly should not be any in a person who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, loved and protected by God Himself, and given everything needed for life and godliness! If I am lukewarm, it is definitely not the work of the Holy Spirit, but reveals a colossal lack of reality on my part! Its an extension of the incredible ignorance of Ananias and Saphira who actually thought they could tell God a big fat lie, and get away with it. What did they have to believe about God to do such a thing? Likewise, what do we have to believe to maintain lukewarmness? It makes no sense at all.

What to do? Ah...good news: all we ever need to do is to turn to God, repent of our stupidity and faithlessness, and ask Him to control us by His Spirit, by faith expect Him to do that, and then do what He says! Simple. We can do that today!
bh December 8, 2007

Web www.bertsgoodstuff.com

"She did what she could...." Jesus made that amazing comment in Mark 14.3 about a woman who went to Simon's home and poured a very expensive jar of perfume on Jesus' head. "Some were indignant at this waste." Jesus said, "Leave her alone..she has done a beautiful thing to me...she poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial..."

That comment has haunted me for years! In it, Jesus reveals what matters to God! Its not what we would expect, and its not what He would say about most of us. In fact, we rarely think about His opinion of us, do we? But some day soon, Jesus is going to make a comment about each of us. What would it be worth then, do you think, for Him to say of you..."he/she did the best he/she could."

There is another comment that hovers in my memory sometimes...the one where Jesus said "It would be better for him if he had not been born." That is in the same chapter in Mark (14) and verse 21. It referred to Judas, who was to soon betray Him. The contrast is nearly beyond belief.

    I suggest that there are eternal ramifications here, that are worth serious thought.

bh December 16, 2007

Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com
Blog: http://blog.bertsgoodstuff.com

GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE.

In Acts 3.6 Peter said to the crippled beggar, who was 40 years old, "I don't have any money. But what I have. I give..." I've been thinking about that remarkable profundity this week. The question is, since I don't have money or a great deal of skill or talent, what do I have to give? Plenty! And so does every believer in Jesus Christ.

When I read about the incredibly bad news around the world I often ask myself, "what can I do about that?" [Shrug] I think there is an answer --- I can do what God gives me to do and "give what I have."

All believers have the Gospel, the truth, the Word of God,  the knowledge that Jesus is alive and approachable, that He really loves us and desires us to know Him personally. That and much more is "what we have" and we can choose to take the opportunity every day to give it to others. Is that not an interesting thought? What a tremendous thing at Christmas time - to give what we have. Everybody can do that

Charles Swindoll has a great Christmas time suggestion: instead of going to multiple parties, family gatherings and events, why not stay home for at least part of the Christmas season, and enjoy each other by talking, singing together, telling stories, and just being together. How about turning the television off and banning cell phones! That might even cause everyone to relax and enjoy each other and to be thankful and to "be still and know that God is really God." Wouldn't that be a delightful pleasure?

It won't just happen. You'll have to plan it.
    bh December 1st, 2007
    Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

.

In Luke 24.25 on the road to Emmaus, Jesus said "How foolish you are, and how slow to believe....." and He explained a lot of things to them. In Phil 3.1 Paul said "It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again...." There is a principle here: "Repetition Aids Learning." That is why the Bible repeats the same truths over and over again, and why Romans 12.2 says "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." All of us need 'renewing', we all need to hear truth again, and again, and again We are 'slow to believe.'

We need to 'pray continuously,' and we need to 'correctly handle the word of truth.' God wants us to think like Jesus, to be like Jesus. He wants us to be controlled by His indwelling Holy Spirit, and to bear much spiritual fruit, and to have an answer to every one who asks us a reason for our hope and behavior. (1 Pet 3.15)

So we need repetitious reading, meditating and studying. We have only one book, and it contains absolute truth because it is the Word of God,. Other books (great books) help us understand The Book. We need to pickle in it! Again, and again, and again. Is this a priority for you?

This week twice (I hate to admit this) I spent more than two hours watching a TV movie that I got 'hooked' on. Both were a total waste of time. In fact, in my HBAO almost all of TV is useless and non-productive, and prevents us from 'renewing our minds' in the wonderful things of God we need. Again: it prevents us from absorbing the things we really need, and that really matter. TV is not a source for God's truth.

One more thought: "It is much easier to believe a lie that you have heard a thousand times, than truth that you have heard only once or twice."

bh October 27, 2007
Web www.bertsgoodstuff.com

Who does the Bible call "Saints?" The word means "Holy Ones." The Bible applies the term "Christian" to us but three times, that of Saints (Holy Ones) sixty times! To whom is it applied? Those who are living holy lives? No. It is applied to all believers, all who have the Holy Spirit-which is every believer. We are called saints not because of our character or conduct, but wholly because of our position in Christ. If you have received Christ as your personal Savior, you are a saint! You are adopted into the family of God, accepted, forgiven, given the righteousness of Christ, loved, made complete and given everything you need for life and godliness. Your name is written in the book of life, and your destiny is an eternity in Heaven with God.!! Incredible, isn't it!!

In Ephesians Paul spends 3 chapters nailing down our position in Christ. Our standing is 'in Christ' and is not dependent on our conduct. But then, in chapter four he appeals strongly and 'urges' us "to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." We are exhorted to walk worthy of our calling, to grow up into Him in all things, to no longer walk as other Gentiles walk, to put off the old man, to put on the new man, to walk in love, to walk as children of light, etc. So because we are saints, [by virtue of being indwelt by Christ] we are now to live a holy life, not to become saints, but because we are already saints. That is why Paul addresses believers in all his writings as saints, even the Corinthians.

Have you realized that you are a "saint?" Is that incredible truth making a difference in the way you think and act? It is worth some meaningful meditation.

bh November 10, 2007
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

HIS INDWELLING PRESENCE by Norman B. Harrison published in 1922 [96 pages] is one you can add to your "great" book list. (Amazon has a few of them)

Harrison makes very clear that the entire teaching of the Bible regarding Christian living is wrapped up in two statements: "You in me----I in you." Our position is "in Christ." That is the secret, unrealized by many. Christ lives His life through me!

He indwells my body, and never leaves. Wherever I live my life, there He is All that He is, He is to me! I can then, by faith (by choice) be willing to have Him be my daily life. The Bible says that I have access to Him always. I can stop trying to do right and avoid sin. Instead I can learn to trust Him to live His life through me. That is His methodology for every believer

This should be the source of enormous thankfulness for us! He has provided already...everything we need for life and godliness ( 2 Pet 1.3) and made us "partakers of His nature." We have the mind of Christ. We have been rescued from sin and death, accepted into God's family, adopted, forgiven, made righteous, given meaning and purpose, and included in God's work in the universe......and lots more.

The only rationale and reasonable response to these mighty realities, is to stop...turn to God, and say "THANK YOU, thank you, thank you!!."

He gives to us all that He has of life, of holiness, of riches, of acceptance with the Father, ..and takes from us all that we have of sin, of condemnation and death, of poverty, misery,.selfishness and sin. And plus all that, He actually comes to Personally live permanently, continuously within --And, has planned to take us to eternity to be with Him forever.

Maybe we could be more thankful?

bh October 20, 2007
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

[IN]

This may be the most significant word in the entire Word of God. : You are IN Christ, and Christ is in You. It is something that God does when you accept Christ as your Savior, and your entire eternal destiny and time on earth....depend on it. That is the message of the Gospel; that God loved us, and died to pay our penalty for sin, so that He could take us OUT of darkness and death, and put us IN Christ. There is no better or more significant news than that! Its not just life changing, but eternity-changing!

[NO]

If Jan had said "No" when I asked her to marry me, it would have made a totally enormous difference in my whole world, and future.

If "No" is the answer when I ask, "Will my child recover?." Or a prisoner asks, "Am I free to go now?" Or how about, "Did you pick up my mother?" Or when God asks, "Are you ...in Christ?" Just think of what that little word "No" would mean here!

To be IN CHRIST means that you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, forgiven of all your sins, no condemnation, adopted into God's family, loved, accepted, complete, righteous, with access to the wisdom and guidance, and protection of God continuously. It means that you have [right now] everything you will ever need for life and godliness

That's a big "IN."

bh October 13, 2007

Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

A friend gave me this book about 3 weeks ago. I have just finished reading it for the second time (unusual for me). If you want to realize the reality of Christ being your life, in real time, right now....I overwhelmingly recommend it, from Amazon (with free shipping) it is $10.40.

It was written by Dan Stone in 2000. Stone was a Baptist pastor for some 21 years before he actually learned that he could not live the Christian life, that Christ was his very life, that he was really "dead to sin" and that he could trust what God said. It is absolutely fundamental to know that you died to sin, and that you have died to the law, and to yourself. It is the foundational truth of the Christian life. Its not your striving that releases Christ's life through you, its your trusting.

The really good news is that He is in us, living His life through us, as us! We are not deity, but we contain deity. That means that we don't have to live the life, He lives it in us, and He will do it. To the Galatians Paul said, "I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me." To the Colossians he wrote, "It's Christ in you that's your hope of glory." To the Philippians he said, "For me to live is Christ." Who is doing the living? Christ, but if you looked right at him, you would see...Paul.

Our part is simply to be willing...to trust His Word.

All this is explained in adequate detail in Stone's book. It has been of great help to me, and I trust.. to you as well very soon,.

bh October 6, 2007
Web www.bertsgoodstuff.com

The Bible (which is God's precise words) says some astonishing things that God obviously intends for us to understand, and apply. Things like: "you are dead to sin, you have been crucified with Christ, you were raised with Christ, Christ lives in you, there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ, you are complete in Christ, you have everything you need for life and godliness, He will never leave you, you are accepted, loved, adopted, forgiven, justified, redeemed, and you have the mind of Christ.......and we saw the other day that God says over and over...."I will do it."

Then what is our part in all this? Only one...to be willing. That means we believe what He says, and trust Him to live His life through us. Our 'willingness' is expressed as faith, or trust. I say to God, "I am willing for you to live your life through me today and I am trusting you to do it.

It means that you reckon it to be true. Reckon is a good word used in Romans 6.11. It means to count on it, to consider it so. It doesn't make it so, it is already true, but reckoning allows you to live out the reality of that truth. It makes what is real, real to you! But you can't 'reckon' or count on something that you do not know. So the first step is to gain knowledge of what God says. Then, you think it over and consider it as absolute truth.

The final step is to "yield" yourself to Him; [present, offer, submit] yourself, that is submit your will to His will.

These three vital words are all in Romans 6.9 to 6.13 and contain the key to living a life that honors and pleases God, and that God will use to help others.

bh September 29, 2007
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