Radical Confessions of a Recovering Legalist

by Bob Gonzales

Religious "Legalism" with a capital "L" is heresy.

It's the belief that one's personal virtue and obedience to religious norms or standards merits God's favor and/or salvation. This "do-it-yourself" religion is antithetical to the gospel of Christ and the Bible's grace-based religion.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith," writes the Apostle Paul. He goes on to remark, "This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." (Eph 2:8) When asked what deeds God requires of men as a condition for eternal life, Jesus surprised his audience with the reply, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." (John 6:29; see also John 3:16, 36; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31; Rom 10:9-13)

Hardcore Legalism

I used to think that I could earn God's favor and salvation on the basis of my inherent virtue and good works. Of course, I admitted I wasn't perfect. But I foolishly presumed that my good deeds would somehow outweigh my bad deeds.

In this respect, I thought and behaved much like the Pharisees, scribes, and Jewish people of Jesus' day who trusted in their own inherent virtue and religious performance to merit their acceptance before God (Matt 5:20; Luke 16:14-15; 18:9-12, 14; Rom 10:1-3).

Thankfully, God helped me realize that my sinfulness was heart-deep (Gen 6:5; Jer 17:9; Matt 15:19-20) and that the best of my moral or religious deeds were worthless for earning His favor (Isa 64:6; Rom 3:20; Phil 3:4-9). By His saving grace, I repented of my sin and self-righteousness, placing my confidence and hope in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

That's when "Bob the Legalist" died. continue reading:

http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/162987-confessions-of-a-recovering-legalist.html?p=1

Tailor-Made Grace

Nineteenth-century pastor and evangelist D. L. Moody summarized the idea of tailor-made grace well when he affirmed, "A man can no more take in a supply of grace for the future than he can eat enough today to last him for the next six months, nor can he inhale sufficient air into his lungs with one breath to sustain life for a week to come. We are permitted to draw upon God's store of grace from day to day as we need it." Draw upon the abundant grace of Christ for you today. It is sufficient for all your needs.

- Daniel Henderson
http://www.strategicrenewal.com/_blog/Weekly_E-Devotional/

Remember The Days of Old

"I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. " Psalm 143:5-6

This Psalm is attributed to David. He is in a state of despair because of his enemies and because of his own spiritual condition. In the Psalm, he writes, "For the enemy has persecuted my soul" (V. 3), "Do not hide your face from me" (V. 7), "Revive me, O Lord, for Your name's sake! For Your righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble" (V. 11).

In this state, David remembered the days of old when he was in fellowship with God and aware of His presence. For example, David surely remembers\ed slaying the giant. He remembered as he ran to him saying, "The battle is the Lord's. He remembered the victory God gave.

Today, there are those who are in the same condition spiritually. One person said, "I would give anything in the world to feel like I did right after I was saved." Some say that those good feelings lasted for weeks, some say months, some say years. They remember the days of old and know there is a quality of life they are not experiencing now.

What is the trouble? They have lost that close feeling with God. They have lost that victory over sin. However, these feelings are only symptoms of a greater problem which is their approach to living the Christian life. They have lived according to the flesh rather than in the power of the Holy Spirit. They The have been "doing their best for Jesus" just as someone encouraged them to do.

It is possible to say to such people that they can live again like they did in the days of old. They can move from self effort to divine sufficiency. They only need to begin living out their oneness with Christ.


-David Kuykendall Ministries. www.livingbygrace.org.

Call to Prayer for Revival

"What could happen if pastors across America united in leading their churches to seek revival ... at the same time? Join us in praying that 5,000 pastors would lead their congregations this fall to seek the Lord for a spiritual awakening in their midst.

"Just yesterday we had the opportunity to host a forum on revival at the Southern Baptist convention. A packed house of over 500 pastors and leaders gathered to learn about revival and spiritual awakening. Join us in praying that God would stir their hearts to cry out to Him for a spiritual awakening in their church and community."

http://www.onecry.com/

Breaking Free From an Emotional Funk

...For all of us, spiritual depression is rooted in a preoccupation with self.  This inward focus might be spurred by anger, rejection, grief, loss, or other hard experiences.  Depression sets in when we stop trusting God and start questioning His character, doubting His love, or suspecting His justice.  Despondency rules us when we fixate on ourselves, our difficulties, our circumstances, and our misfortunes.  The pathway to deliverance is to turn away from self and toward God and others.

 

We see this illustrated throughout the Bible.  In Psalm 73, the writer is focused on the prosperity of the wicked and the problems of the righteous.  These grievances consumed him to the point that his thoughts are treacherous to his faith and the faith of others.  Everything changed when he went into the sanctuary of God.  By focusing on the Lord, His presence, and His promises – everything became clear (see Psalm 16-28).

 

The prophet Jeremiah experienced a similar turnaround.  In Lamentations 3:14-20 he openly declared his misery, feelings of rejection, and overwhelming afflictions.  But in verse 21, he calls to mind the truth about God.  Suddenly, he bursts forth with praise to his God for the mercies that are new every morning, His great faithfulness, and His goodness toward those who wait for Him (vv. 22-26).

 

Like the biblical writers, we all need a "change of mind" – perhaps repentance – when we are depressed.  We need the grace to turn our thoughts away from our self-consumed focus and toward the reality and character of God... 

- Daniel Henderson, Strategic Renewal

http://www.strategicrenewal.com/strategic-renewal-e--devotional/breaking-free-from-an-emotional-funk-part-three/

Why Life Has No Answer Sheet

If Life was a test, God would have given us a text book with a clear question and answer sheet…

If Life was a journey, God would have given us a clear map with delegated longitude and latitude marking…

If Life was an endurance program God would have been us a free weight system with a healthy eating regime...

God's Good News is profoundly simple and simply profound. We need a childlike sincerity as we approach God in faith. "And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them…'Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven'" (Matt. 18:2; Mark 10:16; Matt. 19:14).

Missionary scholar, E. Stanley Jones observed, The Scriptures are not the [incarnate] revelation of God, this would be the Word become printers ink – The Scriptures are the inspired record of the Revelation, the Revelation seen in the face of Jesus, the Word become flesh." [1]

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18).

But because Life is a Person, God has given us this Life whose Name is Jesus-- God's Eternal Word made flesh, His Word who lived, died on the cross and was raised from the dead. We who are His people have been born again into Him, and abide in Him, even as He abides in us…

"At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you"(John 14:20).

- we are made safe from error because He is the Truth …
"'And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'…'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed'"(John 8:32-36).

- we are kept from getting lost in confusion because He is our Way…

"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6)


- and we are protected from death because He is our very Life and Breath!

"'O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?' The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:55-57).

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" (1Col. 3:1-4).

~~~~~~

[1] E. Stanley Jones, In Christ, Tuesday, Week 1


- L. Alford

Testimony of Pastor Dan Riley

Pastor Dan Riley Spoke at a recent ministry event. He shares about the revitalization God has been providing through Dan appropriating his death and resurrection with Christ! The testimony is online by video here: https://vimeo.com/41020227

A response from a GFI friend: "Good morning to the great folks at Grace Fellowship.  I listened to the testimony of the gentleman who spoke at the banquet last week, and was truly blessed.  It is so encouraging to see the evidence of our Lord's working in the lives of pastors.  We live in a day that the congregation of believers desperately need to hear the Lord speaking thru the shepherd.  God's spirit going forth with power and life, how that is needed in the organized church.  Thanks for sharing the testimony."

Coals of Fire

Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:19b-21

Most, if not all, of us have a built in mechanism of self defense. The story is told of a girl who carried with her a little black notebook. People wondered what was in the book. Finally, she admitted that in the little notebook were the names of people who had done her wrong and their names stayed in there until she "paid them back."

In the passage quoted above, God demands that we do just the opposite. Does anyone have the spiritual ability to follow those instructions? Until Jesus made possible the New Covenant with believers, following those commands was impossible. Even the Jews living out the old covenant could not have obeyed that commandment. In Psalm 41:10, the psalmist cried out to God concerning his enemies: "But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up, That I may repay them."

Through Jesus, God gave us the New Covenant which lifts us above the lifestyles of those under the Old Covenant. Someone has said, "Every command in the Bible is a promise." That is, under the New Covenant of grace, there are no commands that we cannot keep—not in our own strength but in the strength of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

The door is open for us to experience the super-natural life of grace that God has made possible for us when we live out our oneness with Christ—when we experience our spiritual crucifixion, burial and resurrection.

- David Kuykendall
www.livingbygrace.org

Heaven: You’re Already There!

The Lord Jesus Christ offers you a future and a hope beyond this present life. He instructs you to pray, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9–10). It's plain to see from this Scripture passage that God wants you to get in on heaven now. Therefore, He urges you to pray for His heavenly kingdom to come on earth. The destiny that God offers is heaven, for here as well as the hereafter.

 

In Christ, you have a new destiny! If you have invited Jesus Christ the King of kings and Lord of lords to come and take up residence in you, then heaven is your destiny, and it begins now! You can realize this by allowing Him to reign supreme in you here on earth, just as He reigns supreme in heaven.

It sounds good to me! Heaven—that's my kind of place, both now and forevermore. The difference is one of perspective. Whether in the body, or out of the body—either way it's grounds for rejoicing. It's all a matter of how you look at it. The truth is that because you are in Christ, you already are there—in heaven, that is. You just can't see it yet. Remember, according to Ephesians 2:6, you are seated with Him in the heavenly realm now. Therefore, heaven is not an escape from, but rather an extension of the life we have right now, right here on planet earth.

 

What most of us fail to realize is that the One we are going to be with when we die, is the same One who is with us now while we are alive. You need to understand that heaven is here—as well as there—because heaven is where the Lord is. It is the exclusive abode of God. Exclusive? Absolutely!  Heaven is His space—His and His alone.

 

However, since you are one with Christ, and Christ is in the heavenly realm, that means you are with Him in heaven now, even as He is here within you now. Christ expressed His desire for us to abide in the heavenly realm in John 14:2–3. "I go to prepare a place for you. . . . That where I am, there ye may be also." Since Christ is in you, then heaven has come down, and glory has filled your soul. You have heaven in your heart!

 

For those of us who are in Christ, heaven is both a future residence and a present reality. At the moment, we have dual citizenship. As long as we remain alive, we are citizens of our country here on planet earth. Although we are still in the world, we are no longer of it (John 17:16). Therefore, because we are now in Christ, we are also citizens of God's heavenly kingdom. "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God" (Ephesians 2:19). Heaven is your dwelling place too!

Excerpt from Introducing The New You © 2005 by Dr. Lewis Gregory

http://www.sourceministries.net/go/resources/the-new-you/

Adopted into God's Family

The real struggle for me shouldn't be the occasional rude question about my son's identity [he is adopted] ; it should be the ongoing question about my own. 

Maybe the questions bothered me so much because they are being asked about me all the time, within the echo chamber of my own fallen psyche and by unseen rebel angels all around. "Are you really a son of the living God?‚ Does your God really know you?‚  Does this biblical story really belong to you?‚   Are these really your brothers and sisters?‚  Do you really belong here?"

 

The question of identity related to adoption was so desperate because it challenged the authenticity of my family. But more than that, it challenged the authenticity of the gospel. We veer from a fleshly self-sufficiency to a fleshly despair to a fleshly tribalism. And in all of this we lose sight of Christ. 

In adoption we find ourselves "in Jesus."

["And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."]

-Russell Moore, Adopted For Life.

Cited by http://www.gracedagain.com

Made New at the Core

One reviewer of Andrew Farley's book, God Without Religion wrote, "Never have I encountered a book that so clearly and biblically explains new covenant Christianity. If you want to dump the religious burden and live in the true freedom and joy of Christ, this book is for you."

Andrew has a compelling way of challenging any reader.  In God Without Religion he writes, "In all our talk about behavior, spiritual disciplines, and self-improvement within Christianity, I'm afraid we neglect the core message of the Christian faith -- death and new life. At its root, Christianity is really about dying and waking up a brand-new person. A fundamental exchange occurs within us at the moment we place our faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Through our own death, burial, and resurrection, we become righteous saints, children of God. And this change is real and actual, not symbolic or figurative." He goes on to write, "There's a whole lot more to the new covenant than simply escaping law and being under grace. Grace won't work for just anybody. It's only intended for those who've been made new at the core."

-  Karl Kakadelis

www.undergrace.org

Pastor Sees Fruit through Exchanged Life Counseling

Dr. Solomon,

I am not sure, other than the grace of God how you have for so many years continued helping lead others to the Cross.  I have cried over and over after hearing the heartbreak and pain that people are willing to share.  For instance when I counseled a mom and her 17 year old daughter and found out that neither had EVER told each other that they love them, or even hugged.  To hear and see them finally crucify self and love each other was almost more than I could bear.

Again thanks for your faithfulness.  Pray for me I really want more training and so desperately want the Holy Spirit to work in me and through me and flow out of me.

God bless,

- J. (Florida)

[Learn about this personal ministry approach through Dr. Solomon's book, Handbook for Christ-Centered Counseling. Or, consider attending a GFI training event!]

Two Needs in Discipling

I would say that the two greatest problems among Christians are a lack of understanding their position in Christ and a lack of knowing God as their Father.  

They have no family image; therefore they feel cut off from other family members, members of the body of Christ, as well as feeling alienated from God. Our fellowship is made solid only as we renew our thinking about God.

God made us to enjoy Him. It is difficult to always enjoy a teacher, or a lord, or a commander in an army. God is our Father, and we are to enjoy Him forever. 

What a comfort to enjoy God like that! I can act as a child and treat Him as a father. I am free to fail, free to speak what is a concern to me, free to be myself, free from fear, free from guilt.

 God, through the life, death and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, has adopted you into His family through faith.   

- Dan DeHaan, The God you can Know. 

NO MIX OF OLD WITH NEW

Then they said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?" And He said to them, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?" Luke 5:33-34

These verses show that Jesus, who is the bridegroom, entered this earth to introduce a new way of life. His thoughts about fasting were not the thoughts of the Pharisees. In Luke 5:27-32, Jesus shows that He had come to introduce a new way of relating to sinners. In Luke 6:1-11, Jesus introduces a new way to treat the Sabbath. He permitted his disciples to gather corn on the Sabbath. He healed a man on the Sabbath.

With His illustrations in Luke 5:36-39 of not using new material to patch old material and new wine with old wineskins, Jesus again teaches the same message. He is laying the groundwork for the introduction of a New Covenant. In Hebrews 8:13, the author writes about the Old Covenant, "In that He says, 'A New Covenant,' He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." The Book of Hebrews is about the New Covenant.

In 2 Corinthians 3:5-6, Paul writes, "… our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." The entire third chapter of 2 Corinthians 3 contrasts the old covenant with the new.

In Luke 5:39, Jesus says, "And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is better.' Does this not show the hesitation of those who have lived under the Old Covenant for years to turn to the New Covenant.

We live under the New Covenant when we live out our union with Christ.

- David Kuykendall

Visit our web site at www.livingbygrace.org.

NOT CONFORMED BUT TRANSFORMED

by David Kuykendall

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. " Romans 12:2


In Romans 12:1 Paul writes, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."

In Romans 6:13, Paul tells his readers to "make available to God their members as instruments of righteousness." When we understand that with the word "members" Paul is talking about our bodies, we see that Romans 12:1 is the same as Romans 6:13. The 6:13 command is preceded by four other commands. It could very well be that Paul has in mind those other commands also in his statement in 12:1

By beginning Romans 12:2 with "and," the passage indicates that there is a relationship between making our bodies available to God and not being conformed to the world but being transformed.

Believers who talk like people of the world often talk, go where they often go, do what they often do, laugh about what they often laugh about are being conformed to the world. Like the unsaved the believer is walking in the flesh.

In Romans 8.5 Paul writes, "When we walk in the flesh, our minds are on the things of the flesh. When we walk in the Spirit our minds are on the things of the Spirit."

We walk in the Spirit when we are filled with the Spirit by living out our oneness with Christ. When believers walk in the Spirit, their minds are on the things of the Spirit and they are continually being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. And Jesus is increasingly seen in them.

Copyright © 2000-2005 David Kuykendall Ministries. Used with permission
www.livingbygrace.org.