We have won the ultimate victory through Jesus and the resurrection. He is the resurrection and the life! This is my final sermon in my series, “who you are in Christ”; it is from John 11.
Browsing the archives for the victory tag
We have won the ultimate victory through Jesus and the resurrection. He is the resurrection and the life! This is my final sermon in my series, “who you are in Christ”; it is from John 11.
So, you are a temple of the Holy Spirit – what does that get you? You are not only a temple but you are empowered! 2 Timothy 1:7 says you have a spirit of power, love and self-control – this will greatly impact your life.
In our third session we discussed the “dangers of discipleship.” Counseling people is discipleship of people, and in our relationships we don’t want to be forming people into proselytes. Unregenerate people making disciples or believers trying to make unregenerate people into disciples are recipes for disaster!
We are to work towards people having the aroma of Christ, both ourselves and those we counsel. They are image bearers and reflections of God and will grow in this image. The learner is to become like his teacher.
The Christian life is meant to be more than “coping” or “getting by” – we are to obey and be holy!
In our second session, we reviewed the vigorous and vigilant effort it takes to train and discipline our bodies and minds for the glory of God. Training to think and act rightly takes continuous work and effort! Thankfully, God has given us a spirit of self-control (2 Timothy 1:7) and it is one of the fruits of the Spirit working within us.
It’s interesting how many times Paul refers to running a race and the image of an athlete as he describes our growth in Christ. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us to “throw off what entangles us” and “persevere and run the race.” It is our passion for Christ that fuels this determination. We are not meander aimlessly with no direction or purpose – we are to be moving forward and getting farther along every day. We press on (Philippians 3:13-14), not slide or drift!
A disciple must be disciplined, through the work of God, the church, and himself. We are to be killing sin and buffet our bodies daily. Your body and mind will do what you tell them to – practice self-control!
Praise God for His correction and rebuke and guidance that come from His Spirit and Word and church.
I was so blessed to attend the discipleship / counseling conference in Pittsburgh at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary this weekend. Their Biblical Counseling Institute hosted the speakers, the director Dr. George Scipione and pastor Dr. Richard Gantz gave the addresses.
The first session, Personal Transformational Discipleship, was given by Dr. Ganz. He focused on Romans 12:1-2
He emphasized the self control we have been given by the Spirit (2 Timothy 1:7) over our minds, and to develop positive and right Biblical thinking. We are to exercise power in killing the old man through right thinking.
He also developed the relationship between counseling, discipleship, and sanctification, all to the worship of God.
It was a great lead-off session and good to be reminded of these truths.
Romans 8:37 tells us, “We are more than conquerors.” In this sermon from Easter sermon we focus on the people we are, the position we have, and the power we can draw upon.
In my sermon on Ezekiel 11, we examine two pieces of bad news and one piece of good news. The BIG IDEA for us to consider – are we part of the good news?
Dear Tiger Woods,
I saw you make your speech at the press conference today. You seemed sincere and moved – I understand this was a hard thing to do and it is a difficult time for you and your family.
With much concern and love, I must tell you you are looking for answers down the wrong path. You will not find forgiveness or peace or empowerment in Buddhism. To me, I heard a lot about “gaining respect” and “trying your best” to live up to the ideals of Buddhism, seeking rest and peace and a state of non-want. This is not the best way to overcome your issues. No amount of psychology therapy will help you either. You will fail again.
The only place to find forgiveness and empowerment is in Christ. You have sinned against God and your family and all your fans. You have broken God’s rules and there must be justice served. This justice is served through Christ’s atonement on the cross. “He who knew no sin became sin for you” and you can be forgiven of your sin in the eyes of God. “Christ died for you while you were His enemy” but “God loved you so much He gave His son’s life for you, so that you may be forgiven and have eternal life.”
If you are born again and acknowledge your sin and receive Christ as Lord and Savior, you will be on the true path of recovery. God will give you His Holy Spirit to live inside you and empower you and enable you to overcome your issues. I urge you to confess to the living, creator God of the Bible and walk in new life, “become a new creature in Christ Jesus.”
God bless you and make Himself known to you during this hard time
Pastor Leigh

Charles Stanley is a beloved teacher, preacher, and author. Many of his books deal with practical “how-to’s” of Christianity, developed on a specific theme. His latest book, How to Reach Your Full Potential for God is in the same vein. In an easy to read and “down to earth” style, he addresses all Christians who want to grow in their faith and walk with God. Dr. Stanley expands on seven areas to focus on to help you with your walk and he does provide helpful guidance for growing in these areas that are based on the Bible. New believers would especially find this helpful as they begin their new life in Christ, but seasoned and mature believers would benefit from his passion and “spark” in writing to keep “pressing on” in their walk. In a negative sense, one flaw of this book is that it presents a “peaches and cream” view of the Christian life and does not deal with the harder issues and demanding requirements of Jesus, such as “deny yourself and take up your cross”; it is hard to reconcile “reaching your full potential for God” with ideas of sacrifice and calling and hard places such as earthquake survivors or prisoners under persecution. Putting this in balance, Dr. Stanley’s newest book is encouraging to the believer to renew his walk with the Lord and seek His face as he grows in maturity.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Disciples of Jesus pay the price to follow him, in possessions and relationships. This is my sermon from January 10, 2010.