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Is sexual purity still possible? Yes!!! It simply requires us to abandon our rules about sex and embrace the biblical guidelines God established. Instead of shying away from the topic or the discussion of it, we need to be upfront and open. According to God's Word, sex is both a biblical & natural thing. It's not something to be ashamed of or to be marginalized to closed door discussions. It's when we refuse to discuss it that we also hinder ourselves from finding freedom from sexual situations that are commonly affecting us in negative ways.
Where are you struggling in the pursuit of sexual purity? Is it pornography, tv & movies, internet content, or unhealthy emotional connections? Wherever you find yourself, you can find freedom from the things that would love to keep you bound up. The place to begin is by asking God to help you. Resist your enemy and he MUST leave! Second, talk to someone else; a friend or pastor. You need someone to fight this battle with you and to hold you accountable. Third, there are some great resources that can help you better understand the battles you are facing and how to fight back with biblical principles. Visit www.centralchurchgb.com for a list of inexpensive resources you can buy to encourage and challenge you.
You can do this! Sexual purity is absolutely possible. Don't do this alone!
Have a GREAT week!
To listen to Pastor Aaron's message "Should Religion & Politics Mix?" visit www.centralchurchgb.com.
No matter how hard we may try, this idea of separating church & state just isn't Biblical. Christians should never consider separating their political views from the biblical morals and values of scripture. Those morals and values should be at the core of who we are not only on Sunday but also on election day.
This isn't about a specific party, candidate, or even economic situation. No church should tell you who to vote for; they shouldn't even have too. The convictions of God's Word should give every believer a clear understanding of who to select in a voting booth. Are leaders perfect? No. Are all leaders godly? No. But as Christians we've been called to elect officials who most closely align themselves with the principles of scripture.
There has never been and will never be the perfect candidate for any office. But our biblical mandate is to OBEY our elected leaders because their authority has been established by God. (Romans 13:1). The only time the Bible gives us permission to go against their authority is when the rule of law clearly goes against God's Word. It's also our mandate to PRAY. If Christians would simply take the time they spend complaining about government and use it to pray for government leaders, at minimum, it would at least change our focus and redirect our attitudes. We're also mandated to STAY. Stay involved with the system. Don't abdicate your responsibility to be aware, research issues and candidates, and most importantly go to the polls and cast a vote for Godly principles and values.
Is our government perfect? Absolutely not. But it's still the best thing this planet has to offer and we are blessed to be called Americans. Let's stand for truth in biblical ways and believe for God to intervene on our behalf as we stand for truth.
Encourage one another each day. - Hebrews 3:13 cev
The Ten Commandments of Encouragement.1. Speak to people. ~There is nothing as encouraging as a cheerful word of greeting.2. Smile at people. ~It takes 72 muscles to frown, but only 14 to smile.3. Be generous. ~Generous with praise, cautious with criticism. Recognition & appreciation are priceless.4. Be considerate. ~Considerate of feelings and opinions of others.5. Be alert to giving your time and efforts away. ~What counts most in life is what we do for others.6. Write a note of encouragement. ~Write to someone who is hurting. Include some scripture.7. Give physical affection. ~Let those you love know they are important in ways they can feel.8. Believe in others. ~Look for the good in people. Accept & encourage their unique personalities & traits.9. Life up the defeated. ~Through the promise and power of prayer.10. Give God's love away. ~Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus has written HOPE on our hearts.
It is the struggle of all struggles. Who am I? What defines me? The essence of these questions finds it's foundations in our identity and value. So many people, both men & women, struggle with this. We crave acceptance, no matter the cost. We want to be secure in something; job, family, public status, or something. And we want our lives to be significant. We want it to count for something.
If we're not careful we can make it the focus of our lives and in doing so we can ultimately get way off track as it relates to God's plans for our lives. Just like that old song says "Looking for love in all the wrong places..." we can find ourselves trying to fill the void in our hearts and lives with things instead of the person of Jesus Christ. And where we tend to end up is in a place where we've tried to please everyone to get what we need, only to find out we're still empty and no better off.
We really do look for acceptance, security, and significance in all the wrong places. Those things can't be found in a bottle, in a relationship, with the perfect body, or with a bigger paycheck. Those things can only be found in Jesus Christ. He already accepts you (Romans 15:7), you are already secure in Him (Romans 8:35), and you were created for significance (John 15:16). Just believe it! Receive it! Start living it!!! Stop looking everywhere else and start walking in the unfailing love, acceptance, security, and purpose of God!
Have a GREAT week!
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (niv)If we aren't in a war, why does the Bible talk so much about it? If we aren't suppose to be part of this fight, why did God give us armor? If we are just supposed to lay down and get run over by our enemy, why are we commanded to engage our enemy in battle? Why? Because it was always Gods plan for his church, his redeemed, his children to pick up the weapons he's provided and go to war; a war that's already been won on the cross of Calvary. It's not more spiritual to stay on the sidelines and deny the war exists. Prayer? Yes. Frozen in fear? NO! God intended for us to get in the game, obey 1 Peter 5:9 & James 4:7, and resist our enemy. Resistance not denial.
You can win the battles you are facing on a daily basis. All you need to do is take up the weapons God's provided, attack your spiritual enemy, and hack him up.
I encourage you to take advantage of some great resources that we've provided on the Central Church website. At minimum, I encourage everyone to order the audio cd's "A Battle To Fight" (men), or "Finding Freedom" (women). These great audio teachings from John & Staci Eldredge will prove to be great insight into the devils tactics and how you can defeat him. I've also made available some books that will be a great read, including "The Beginners Guide To Spiritual Warfare." Reprogram your brain so your mind can respond to the attacks!
Have a GREAT week!
It appears that 89-year-old radio preacher, Harold Camping, wasn't accurate on his mathematical equation of the end of the world. On Sunday, a representative said Camping was "somewhat bewildered and mystified". As a Christian, pastor, and more importantly, a person who reads the Bible I find it odd that Camping would be either bewildered or mystified. His predictions went in the face of Biblical truth that gives specific signs of the times that must happen first (& not all of them have yet) as well as the verses that declare that no one will know the day and hour as well as the rapture being at at time we wouldn't expect. At some point, Camping must have ignored the loving correction & accountability of many other prominent pastors & Christian leaders. Ultimately this can be added to the list of "Ridiculous Christian Moments" where even those of us who never believed or agreed with the prediction get lumped in with those who are more false prophet than Christian. (For more info on Harold Camping, his organization, and his lucrative financial empire please click this link.)
But regardless of this debunk prediction let me make be clear; the end is STILL near! We will never know the day, the hour, or the moment it will happen. But scripture is clear, Jesus is still coming back for his church. The Bible gives us some important signs that declare we are closer today than ever before to the rapture of the church. Take advantage of this embarrassing situation and turn it around for great discussion with those who are looking for REAL answers.
Have a GREAT day!
"....all things work together for good to those who love God...." Romans 8:28 (nasb)
One day while driving God brought this verse to my mind. It's not uncommon for me to have verses pop in my mind but the effect of this one disturbed me to my core. I think we would all like to think that at some measure or another we are somewhat aware of what God is up to in our life, job, health, relationships, etc. And while we can often see the effects of God, we seldom see the whole picture he is creating. What we would consider our vast knowledge is really just one pieces of the picture, one puzzle piece in a masterpiece that only the master can really see.
I've often known that God was doing things in my life behind the scenes that I didn't know about. But I always thought they were good things, things I would approve of. To be clear God doesn't make bad things happen to us, but he most certainly does allow the real struggles, pressures, and effects of this sinful world to affect us temporarily. There is one word in particular in this verse that disturbed me most; the world "all". God is using "all things" to work together for my good. Not only the positive things but also the negative. He's even using those things that I whine about the most. God merging both the good and the bad in my life to produce in me something more beautiful that I could have ever imagined.
It was in those few minutes in the car that I began doing something I've never done before. I began thanking God for all my problems. Prior to that day I don't think I've ever thanked him for anything except my blessings. But when I began to realize that he was also using my problems to mold, shape, refine, and prepare me I began to see a few more pieces of the picture than I ever had before. God is using ALL THINGS, everything in my life, with the end goal of using them all for my good. Stop complaining about "those things" and start praising God for "all things".
Is sexual purity still possible? Yes!!! It simply requires us to abandon our rules about sex and embrace the biblical guidelines God established. Instead of shying away from the topic or the discussion of it, we need to be upfront and open. According to God's Word, sex is both a biblical & natural thing. It's not something to be ashamed of or to be marginalized to closed door discussions. It's when we refuse to discuss it that we also hinder ourselves from finding freedom from sexual situations that are commonly affecting us in negative ways.
