.
The devil's lie from the very beginning is that you are not worthy, not good enough, can't become good enough, aren't ever going to make the grade, you are separated from God and you have to do everything in your power to get to God and make Him like you and save you. "You are NOT", is his battle cry.
Satan's very religions from the very beginning have said if you are bad, evil, don't measure up, sinful, or otherwise unfit,then you will not gain the afterlife of happiness and joy. All based on YOU and what YOU do or don't do. Basically every religion the world has ever known has had this basic foundational premise from Zoroastrianism forward.
This Dualism points directly to man and HIS efforts to gain the "happy hunting ground' or afterlife of bliss. But these lies will not get man there from here.
Man is temporal and physical. Man dies and that is it. Unless there is a great purpose and plan of God in place from before the foundation of the world. ( Eph.1:3-14). And that plan involving the very Son of God, Jesus Christ, IS in place.
The Great Triune God NEVER intended for the salvation process and involvement of His creation into His life to be a challenge. Not a possibility. Not a contest. Not a game. He intended it to be a FACT. A Declaration of fact of what it is that He has done from the very beginning. Like the old WWII poster, "He Wants You !" And He does and has from before the foundation of the world. We are His baby. We are His children. We are His project. We are his pottery. We are His workmanship. We are HIS.
God loves us and wants with ALL HIS HEART to live with all of us FOREVER. And in Jesus has made this not only a possibility but a reality. Jesus did it all. Jesus paid it all. This good news is really , "GOOD NEWS" , for everyone.
.
Greek philosophy says if you don't measure up, you go to "hell". Damnable. Damnable. Damnable philosophy. Fear Religion. Raise your ugly head , AGAIN. AGAIN. AGAIN.
The truth is REFRESHING. It is pure. It is Assuring. And Alluring. It is God's love expressed in His plan and our involvement IN His life forever. Can you see that?
Take your pick. Greek philosophy which says you may just burn forever, or God's simple truth that He loves you and has saved you and Adopded you and Included you into His life forever. ( Eph. 1:3-14). Believe it !!!
Not Rocket Science my friend,
Pastor Paul Kurts,
www.newlifewcg.org
256-468-8081
Madison, Alabama
Monday, August 10, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
ARE ALL SAVED....NOW ?
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In Luke 19:10, Jesus came to seek and to save what was lost! I submit He did. ALL humans were lost in the first Adam's sin. Death passed on to all humanity through Adam. ( I Cor.15:22 ). Was Jesus somehow selective in His saving mission? OR, was Jesus the payment or propitiation for the sins not only of Christians, but of the WHOLE world? Everyone? (See: I John 2:2; John 3:16-17; John 19:30).
So, we might ask, "If someone is not saved now, when does he/she become or get saved?" Would one in this position be "potentially" saved in Jesus depending on what decisions THEY make? Do they negate Jesus' salvation for them by their lack of acceptance of Christ and their unbelief? Do we humans determine how Jesus' salvation for us works? And, if this is the case, would this not be an example of the "tail wagging the dog"?
I think scripture is abundantly clear that ALL are and have been saved in Jesus Christ and not only saved but ADOPTED and INCLUDED in the Triune God's life forever.(Ephesians 1:3-14). This all having been done for and to man before man was ever born. Therefore, the salvation of all humanity is in place and is a fact for all. Man can not make it happen or make it UN-happen. Man can not make it not so for it IS so for all.
Man can hiss, spit, spew, cuss, argue, resist, deny, reject, not accept and not believe it is so for himself, but it will not go away. It is here to stay. It is the Great Triune God's declaration that He loves man and desires to live forever with man in His life.
Man does not determine the spiritual dynamics of how the Triune God exercises His loving divine Grace. However, man in his distinction and free choice does determine IF he will believe WHO he is in Jesus. Man can choose 'abundant life' in Jesus or 'continued suffering and misery' in his non belief. One we call "Heaven", the other we call "Hell".
The only thing for man to do when presented with this Truth of all Truths is to
decide whether or not to believe it subjectively.
"Lord, I believe, help my unbelief."
Pastor Paul Kurts
www.newlifewcg.org
Madison, ALabama
256-468-8081
.
In Luke 19:10, Jesus came to seek and to save what was lost! I submit He did. ALL humans were lost in the first Adam's sin. Death passed on to all humanity through Adam. ( I Cor.15:22 ). Was Jesus somehow selective in His saving mission? OR, was Jesus the payment or propitiation for the sins not only of Christians, but of the WHOLE world? Everyone? (See: I John 2:2; John 3:16-17; John 19:30).
So, we might ask, "If someone is not saved now, when does he/she become or get saved?" Would one in this position be "potentially" saved in Jesus depending on what decisions THEY make? Do they negate Jesus' salvation for them by their lack of acceptance of Christ and their unbelief? Do we humans determine how Jesus' salvation for us works? And, if this is the case, would this not be an example of the "tail wagging the dog"?
I think scripture is abundantly clear that ALL are and have been saved in Jesus Christ and not only saved but ADOPTED and INCLUDED in the Triune God's life forever.(Ephesians 1:3-14). This all having been done for and to man before man was ever born. Therefore, the salvation of all humanity is in place and is a fact for all. Man can not make it happen or make it UN-happen. Man can not make it not so for it IS so for all.
Man can hiss, spit, spew, cuss, argue, resist, deny, reject, not accept and not believe it is so for himself, but it will not go away. It is here to stay. It is the Great Triune God's declaration that He loves man and desires to live forever with man in His life.
Man does not determine the spiritual dynamics of how the Triune God exercises His loving divine Grace. However, man in his distinction and free choice does determine IF he will believe WHO he is in Jesus. Man can choose 'abundant life' in Jesus or 'continued suffering and misery' in his non belief. One we call "Heaven", the other we call "Hell".
The only thing for man to do when presented with this Truth of all Truths is to
decide whether or not to believe it subjectively.
"Lord, I believe, help my unbelief."
Pastor Paul Kurts
www.newlifewcg.org
Madison, ALabama
256-468-8081
.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
HOW ABOUT THIS BIG ......BANG???
.
FORGET whatever you have ever heard or thought of as the BIG BANG.!!! I want to share with you a bang which was ever so much bigger than whatever the original was as to make it almost unnoticed.
When the Son of Man, the incarnate Son of God, came to this earth to unite and Adopt and include mankind into the very life of Almighty God--The Great Triune God--cosmic shaking events occurred in His Mission.
When HE, Jesus, was born in Bethlehem the whole chorus of Angels of the universe sang for Joy at the birth of the Son of God being born of Mary. I suspect that when this same Jesus was crucified and resurrected on that early Sunday morning that there were fireworks we can't even imagine going off in the universe at the completion of what He said he came to do. (Luke 19:10; John 19:30---It is finished , He said.)
I submit that when this Jesus walked the "red carpet" to His Father in Heaven to be received and become glorified at His Father's right hand that there were explosions going off in the Cosmos that pale into insignificance the original sound of Creation.
At this event, the plan of God is secured in Jesus. It is assured for every human who ever lived or will ever live on this earth. How big is that??? How big of an explosion of angelic song and praise is that.???
You get the picture. What ever the original sound of the creation was, the celebration of the Son of God, the Son of Man accomplishing His mission to Adopt and connect mankind to the Great Triune God was truly a celebration of such great magnitude that it overshadowed the original sounds by its great magnitude.
Let's cease arguing about the original creation of How God did it and focus on the MOST important fact for all of us and that is Jesus Christ loves all of us and has Adopted and Included all of us into the life of the Great Triune God --- forever.
Cool? Huh? For more information on this very subject, go to www.wcg.org and ask for the free booklet, " Trinitarian Theology". You will see how you have been loved and included all along in God's life now and forever.
Every Blessing,
Pastor Paul
www.newlifewcg.org
www.pastorpaulsinteractiveblog.blogspot.com
256-468-8081
Madison, Alabama
.
FORGET whatever you have ever heard or thought of as the BIG BANG.!!! I want to share with you a bang which was ever so much bigger than whatever the original was as to make it almost unnoticed.
When the Son of Man, the incarnate Son of God, came to this earth to unite and Adopt and include mankind into the very life of Almighty God--The Great Triune God--cosmic shaking events occurred in His Mission.
When HE, Jesus, was born in Bethlehem the whole chorus of Angels of the universe sang for Joy at the birth of the Son of God being born of Mary. I suspect that when this same Jesus was crucified and resurrected on that early Sunday morning that there were fireworks we can't even imagine going off in the universe at the completion of what He said he came to do. (Luke 19:10; John 19:30---It is finished , He said.)
I submit that when this Jesus walked the "red carpet" to His Father in Heaven to be received and become glorified at His Father's right hand that there were explosions going off in the Cosmos that pale into insignificance the original sound of Creation.
At this event, the plan of God is secured in Jesus. It is assured for every human who ever lived or will ever live on this earth. How big is that??? How big of an explosion of angelic song and praise is that.???
You get the picture. What ever the original sound of the creation was, the celebration of the Son of God, the Son of Man accomplishing His mission to Adopt and connect mankind to the Great Triune God was truly a celebration of such great magnitude that it overshadowed the original sounds by its great magnitude.
Let's cease arguing about the original creation of How God did it and focus on the MOST important fact for all of us and that is Jesus Christ loves all of us and has Adopted and Included all of us into the life of the Great Triune God --- forever.
Cool? Huh? For more information on this very subject, go to www.wcg.org and ask for the free booklet, " Trinitarian Theology". You will see how you have been loved and included all along in God's life now and forever.
Every Blessing,
Pastor Paul
www.newlifewcg.org
www.pastorpaulsinteractiveblog.blogspot.com
256-468-8081
Madison, Alabama
.
Monday, July 27, 2009
HEBREWS 9:27.... WHAT IS JUDGEMENT HERE?
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Hebrews 9:27 is a very misunderstood verse in scripture. Most read it as saying that when man dies he will go to the court hearing in Heaven and be judged and sentenced as if this were some kind of legal system of divine justice. But the verse says after death that the JUDGEMENT will occur for many, if not most. Note, not JUDGING. So what does this word judgement mean?
Judgement here is translated from the Greek word, 'krisis', which means 'opportunity for decision'or, decision time, among other meanings. Most who have ever lived will find out at this opportune time just WHO they are in Jesus. And, that Jesus had saved them through his life, death, resurrection and ascension. They will find out then that they were chosen by the Triune God to be Adopted and included in the life of God IN Jesus from the foundation of the world and before. ( Ephesians 1:3-14). They will find out that God always wanted them, liked them and loved them and wanted to live forever with them.
As they face this 'Krisis' , they will realise that they have one of two choices to make. 1. They can refuse to believe what Jesus did to and for them and continue on in a state of 'perishing' and suffering through unbelief, OR, 2. They can accept and believe what Jesus did for them and to them and live with and in Triune God with pleasures forever more at His right hand.( Ps.16:11). The first choice, we call 'hell'. And, the second choice is choosing to live in the Abundant Life Jesus brought. We call this Heaven. God wants everyone to choose LIFE and REPENTANCE or this change of mind. ( II Peter 3:9). That is WHY He made us in the first place.
God's eternal purpose all along has been for mankind to live and be with and in Him forever. He wants all people to come to see this truth and see Jesus as to how Jesus made it happen for everyone. This repentance ( Gr. Metanoia) is a change of mind and how we view ourselves IN Jesus and acceptance and belief of this truth.
There is MUCH more we could say here. If you want to know more on this truth of your adoption and inclusion in the life of God just go to:
www.graceci.org and request the free booklet, "An Introduction to Trinitarian Theology" or, just download it free off of the literature page.( www.graceci.org )
Remember, YOU ARE THE CHILD GOD ALWAYS WANTED.
Paul Kurts
www.newlifewcg.org
.
Hebrews 9:27 is a very misunderstood verse in scripture. Most read it as saying that when man dies he will go to the court hearing in Heaven and be judged and sentenced as if this were some kind of legal system of divine justice. But the verse says after death that the JUDGEMENT will occur for many, if not most. Note, not JUDGING. So what does this word judgement mean?
Judgement here is translated from the Greek word, 'krisis', which means 'opportunity for decision'or, decision time, among other meanings. Most who have ever lived will find out at this opportune time just WHO they are in Jesus. And, that Jesus had saved them through his life, death, resurrection and ascension. They will find out then that they were chosen by the Triune God to be Adopted and included in the life of God IN Jesus from the foundation of the world and before. ( Ephesians 1:3-14). They will find out that God always wanted them, liked them and loved them and wanted to live forever with them.
As they face this 'Krisis' , they will realise that they have one of two choices to make. 1. They can refuse to believe what Jesus did to and for them and continue on in a state of 'perishing' and suffering through unbelief, OR, 2. They can accept and believe what Jesus did for them and to them and live with and in Triune God with pleasures forever more at His right hand.( Ps.16:11). The first choice, we call 'hell'. And, the second choice is choosing to live in the Abundant Life Jesus brought. We call this Heaven. God wants everyone to choose LIFE and REPENTANCE or this change of mind. ( II Peter 3:9). That is WHY He made us in the first place.
God's eternal purpose all along has been for mankind to live and be with and in Him forever. He wants all people to come to see this truth and see Jesus as to how Jesus made it happen for everyone. This repentance ( Gr. Metanoia) is a change of mind and how we view ourselves IN Jesus and acceptance and belief of this truth.
There is MUCH more we could say here. If you want to know more on this truth of your adoption and inclusion in the life of God just go to:
www.graceci.org and request the free booklet, "An Introduction to Trinitarian Theology" or, just download it free off of the literature page.( www.graceci.org )
Remember, YOU ARE THE CHILD GOD ALWAYS WANTED.
Paul Kurts
www.newlifewcg.org
.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
JESUS' SACRIFICE REACHES BACK TO CREATION
. There is a MOST profound statement made in Revelation 13:8, and that statement is that Jesus was slain from before the foundation of the world. Before the creation of the world, this earth, Adam, you and me. But why would God consider Jesus slain before the foundation of the world or the creation of the physical earth and humanity? Well...
We must consider what the Triune God's purpose was to create man in the first place. God simply wanted to live with humanity in His life forever forward. When Jesus was considered slain from before the foundation or creation of the world, this simply meant that the sacrifice for sin, evil, and all of humanity's short comings which would unfold in the history of man would be taken care of , forgiven, cleansed, and removed in Jesus Christ. Jesus' sacrifice in 31/33 AD, or so, reached back to all beginnings , including Adams, and Adams sins, and ours, and in the shed blood of Christ removed, cleansed, healed and forgave all sins man ever would commit.
What happened in Adam and his and Eve's sins passed on to all of their descendants. We have all occurred the death penalty in our father Adam. ( I Cor.15:22). But in Jesus by being slain EVEN BEFORE ADAM SINNED, Adam and all of his children /descendants are and have been made ALIVE (Eternally) in Jesus.(I Cor.15:22) Jesus just simply TRUMPS all and everything Adam did. Adam--bad. Jesus--Good.
The Triune God's plan is to have all humans live in His life forever. Jesus simply makes it happen for everyone. YOU included.
May the Pagan Philosophy of the Greeks, and especially that of Plato, Platinus, and others from the 400 BC be damned. God's love is bigger than "burning someone in a fire forever" because they won't believe in him. He believes in us. And that is what counts. Jesus makes up for all of our sins and shortcomings. He forgives. Yes, you and me.
That forgiveness reaches all the way back to the foundation of the world. You have always been the child God always loved and wanted to live forever WITH. ( Ephesians 1:3-14)
How good is that?
Paul Kurts
www.newlivewcg.org
www.pastorpaulsinteractiveblog.blogspot.com
blessings,
Paul
./
We must consider what the Triune God's purpose was to create man in the first place. God simply wanted to live with humanity in His life forever forward. When Jesus was considered slain from before the foundation or creation of the world, this simply meant that the sacrifice for sin, evil, and all of humanity's short comings which would unfold in the history of man would be taken care of , forgiven, cleansed, and removed in Jesus Christ. Jesus' sacrifice in 31/33 AD, or so, reached back to all beginnings , including Adams, and Adams sins, and ours, and in the shed blood of Christ removed, cleansed, healed and forgave all sins man ever would commit.
What happened in Adam and his and Eve's sins passed on to all of their descendants. We have all occurred the death penalty in our father Adam. ( I Cor.15:22). But in Jesus by being slain EVEN BEFORE ADAM SINNED, Adam and all of his children /descendants are and have been made ALIVE (Eternally) in Jesus.(I Cor.15:22) Jesus just simply TRUMPS all and everything Adam did. Adam--bad. Jesus--Good.
The Triune God's plan is to have all humans live in His life forever. Jesus simply makes it happen for everyone. YOU included.
May the Pagan Philosophy of the Greeks, and especially that of Plato, Platinus, and others from the 400 BC be damned. God's love is bigger than "burning someone in a fire forever" because they won't believe in him. He believes in us. And that is what counts. Jesus makes up for all of our sins and shortcomings. He forgives. Yes, you and me.
That forgiveness reaches all the way back to the foundation of the world. You have always been the child God always loved and wanted to live forever WITH. ( Ephesians 1:3-14)
How good is that?
Paul Kurts
www.newlivewcg.org
www.pastorpaulsinteractiveblog.blogspot.com
blessings,
Paul
./
Saturday, July 11, 2009
CAVE DWELLING DARKNESS
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Hard as it is to believe there are people in the world, known as 'Cave dwellers' who live in the depths and darkness of caves, some who never see the light of day...living in total darkness. Some, if not most, don't even realize that there is a real world of light and beauty outside of the cave that is their life. And, oddly enough, they would not even believe that that world exists outside of the cave. They live in total DARKNESS.
Religious darkness is just as abysmal. Those living in the false understandings of bad theology suffer from not knowing the freeing truth of Jesus Christ and His love for them and all others. They feel, often, separated from God, cut off, not loved, not liked, unsaved, lost, ever seeking to 'find' God in order to accept Him into their life and connect with Him. They are ever seeking to find a way to appease and or please God enough to make Him love and like them so that they can somehow get into His good graces and attain eternal life and miss the eternal torments of hell fire. " And this is the GOOD NEWS??????" I don't think so.
Jesus is the light of the world. All of it. John 8:12. He brings light to those living in the darkened caves of their religious minds. He is the light that shines in the darkness of bad religion. Bad theology. Bad church. He is the way the truth and the life. John 14:6.
Jesus says that God is love. That the great Triune God loves all of us and wants to live with all of us forever. That He has forgiven us all of our sins. That He has adopted us all into His life in Jesus. Eph.1:3-14. That He has included us into His very life. John 14:20. That He has always loved and wanted us individually and personally as His sons and daughters in His life forever. AND, has made it happen in Jesus. How good is that???????
Cave dwelling religionists can't see this life and light. It makes no sense to them. They are forever trying to get to a place that has no road to take them there. There is only one road. One way. One street. One highway. One door. Jesus.
Let's cut to the chase. God says I love you. I have made arrangements to have you live with Me forever. It is a done deal. Now deal with it.
Can you believe God loves you this much? Can you believe God is this big?
May God allow all of us to come out of the caves we are bound up in and see the light.
Paul
www.newlifewcg.org
.
Hard as it is to believe there are people in the world, known as 'Cave dwellers' who live in the depths and darkness of caves, some who never see the light of day...living in total darkness. Some, if not most, don't even realize that there is a real world of light and beauty outside of the cave that is their life. And, oddly enough, they would not even believe that that world exists outside of the cave. They live in total DARKNESS.
Religious darkness is just as abysmal. Those living in the false understandings of bad theology suffer from not knowing the freeing truth of Jesus Christ and His love for them and all others. They feel, often, separated from God, cut off, not loved, not liked, unsaved, lost, ever seeking to 'find' God in order to accept Him into their life and connect with Him. They are ever seeking to find a way to appease and or please God enough to make Him love and like them so that they can somehow get into His good graces and attain eternal life and miss the eternal torments of hell fire. " And this is the GOOD NEWS??????" I don't think so.
Jesus is the light of the world. All of it. John 8:12. He brings light to those living in the darkened caves of their religious minds. He is the light that shines in the darkness of bad religion. Bad theology. Bad church. He is the way the truth and the life. John 14:6.
Jesus says that God is love. That the great Triune God loves all of us and wants to live with all of us forever. That He has forgiven us all of our sins. That He has adopted us all into His life in Jesus. Eph.1:3-14. That He has included us into His very life. John 14:20. That He has always loved and wanted us individually and personally as His sons and daughters in His life forever. AND, has made it happen in Jesus. How good is that???????
Cave dwelling religionists can't see this life and light. It makes no sense to them. They are forever trying to get to a place that has no road to take them there. There is only one road. One way. One street. One highway. One door. Jesus.
Let's cut to the chase. God says I love you. I have made arrangements to have you live with Me forever. It is a done deal. Now deal with it.
Can you believe God loves you this much? Can you believe God is this big?
May God allow all of us to come out of the caves we are bound up in and see the light.
Paul
www.newlifewcg.org
.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
COME TO 'PAPA'
But he did not go to church!!! Those words described by grandfather who died when I was only four years old. My grandmother was a dear Christian woman who was in attendance every time the Methodist church doors were open. Papa, my grandfather, owned a country wholesale grocery store in a small town in Mississippi. Before the depression of '29 and the stock market crash he would regularly give groceries to needy families on "credit" never asking or receiving payment for the goods. I remember in the evenings when he came home from the store we would ride on the running boards of his old Olds up the steep drive to the carport, then we would go in and play with what seemed to be to be thousands of silver dollars as we built 'castles' on the living room floor and he would roll around with us and play. Then often when it was dark we would go out back and shoot fire crackers under tin cans and blow them up sky high and laugh and have such a wonderful time with my non church going Papa. He smoked good cigars, drank good liqueur and was known to be the best husband and grandfather anyone could ask for. He was a delightful man, humble, faithful, and fun. He and my grandmother raised a wonderful daughter--my mom. As I look back on his life, he died when I was only four years old, I see the light of Jesus and the love of Jesus written all over the life of that man. I know now that he was adopted from before the foundation of the world in Jesus ( Eph.1:3-14) and included into the life of the great Triune God, as we all are, and that is the reason for the joy, love, patience, and goodness he exemplified in his short life of 54 years. I so much look forward to reconnecting with him one day in the heavenly realm. I know no church could have done for him what Jesus did. I thank God for the truth that is in Jesus and that he is not lost or being tortured some place, but he is with his loving Father in Heaven now and for eternity. Praise God. Hang on Papa, I will see you soon. I love you.
Paul Kurts
www.newlifewcg.org
.
Paul Kurts
www.newlifewcg.org
.
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