"And pray for us ... that God may open a door for our message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ" (Colossians 4:3). What IS the "mystery of Christ"? "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). God has revealed that through the power of His Spirit He brings the dead to life and lives within those who believe!! HE is alive ... and we who believe are ALIVE ... forever!! We live with Him now and WILL live with Him FOREVER!!! JESUS is the Way, and the Truth and the Life and we come to the Father through faith in Him. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!!
It is for this reason that the true Church exists! We pray for open doors to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ to ALL people, whether they are across the street or around the world. One year ago on Wednesday, September 26th, the congregation of Lighthouse Community Church, after months of prayer and study and sharing and discussing - and more praying, voted to become a non-denominational congregation. It was and is our desire to take down denominational barriers. Christ came to establish ONE Church and He will come again to gather His ONE Bride, the true Church. This body is not any one denomination, or even several, but one people from every tribe, nation and tongue. Those who confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, believing that He is true God and true man, that He paid the penalty for sin in His suffering and death on the cross, that He rose again and ascended into heaven and that He is coming again in power to establish His kingdom on the earth - those who trust in His finished work in their place - THESE are members of the one, true Church!!
Believing that God calls us to proclaim this message, we cannot compromise the truth that God has revealed in His Word. So we stand on His Word and continue to hold to the historic confessions of the Reformation, believing that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone!! God has chosen us to be obedient to His call and that is our heart's desire. So one year ago on September 26th we voted to become non-denominational. And yesterday, exactly one year later, we signed papers for property on which we hope, by God's grace, to erect a new facility in which to worship, to grow, to serve, to minister to our community, to send out those whom God calls to the corners of the world to proclaim the glorious message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. All this will be done in His time, as He provides. Today, we rejoice in what God is doing among us!
It is humbling to serve the God who holds all things in His hands and to be His instruments. So many today have forgotten what the Church is all about, why we are here and what we are to be doing. God has shown Himself faithful to those who trust in Him. As you serve the Lord Jesus Christ, do not doubt what God is able to do. As the the Apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians he declares, "To Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us (Christ IN you, the hope of glory!), to HIM be glory IN THE CHURCH and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:20-21). So let it be.
Pray for open doors for all who know and love Jesus. Serve Him with passion and zeal. May His kingdom come and His will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. "Blessed be HIS Name!"
No comments:
Post a Comment