AuthorTerry R Baughman is Lead Pastor for LifeChurch in Gilbert, AZ. See his complete bio at trbaughman.com Archives
October 2024
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Captivity of Sin6/26/2022 Captivity of Sin
Passion for Liberty Terry R. Baughman “The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21 NKJ. The ability to do what you want is often equated to liberty. There is a certain freedom that comes with maturity and allows us to make our own decisions, however with that freedom also comes responsibility. We can go where we want, but we have to put fuel in the car. We can drive where we want, but there are rules for the road and consequences if we break the law. We can eat whatever we want, but it may make us sick or we may not be able to afford the meals we crave. So, for every liberty we are given, there is the equal weight of responsibility. The condition of humanity is that we were born into a world of corruption. Though we grow into maturity, part of that growth is an awareness that our actions have consequence and life is full of disappointments, pain, and limitations imposed upon our personal freedoms. Those who embrace liberty and cast off all restraints find themselves in increasing bondage. The more freedoms are abused the more constriction of personal liberty is experienced. Paul talked about the “bondage of corruption” that we resist. It is the condition of every individual born into a world of depravity. All of creation was affected by the disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Humanity’s sin produced far-reaching ramifications throughout the generations and its effects were revealed in nature. Thorns and thistles grew. Weeds choked out produce, and pests proliferated causing disease and death to thwart healthy growth. He said, “Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay” (Romans 8:20–21 NLT). Captivity indicates we have lost liberty rather than gained freedoms. When we are held captive there is bondage, limitation, and subjugation. We are not free in the condition of sin any more than the earth is free of sin’s curse. Those who tout their freedom and persist in sin are simply deceived. Peter spoke of those when he wrote, “They brag about themselves with empty, foolish boasting. With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you” (2 Peter 2:18–19 NLT). The good news is that Jesus came, “to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Luke 4:18 NKJ). He saw us in our bondage and came to us in our affliction. He speaks freedom and release from the things that have robbed our freedom. When Jesus sets us free from sin we are truly free! The release we have experienced in our spiritual relationship with Christ shall be revealed in eternity future as we cast off the works of darkness and embrace the light that brings true liberty in Him. Theme passage: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18 NKJ).
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God is our Father6/19/2022 God is our Father
Future Hope Terry R. Baughman “Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change” (James 1:17 TPT). God could have chosen to reveal himself in many ways. He could have appeared as a towering giant, arrived as an incredible force like the winds of a storm, adopted the shape as an unusual animal, or descended on the earth as an alien in a spacecraft. Of all the various images or adaptations He could have chosen to make Himself known in the world, He chose rather to be a Father, our Heavenly Father. At times throughout history God revealed Himself as an angel of the Lord, a burning bush, or the fourth man in the furnace of fire with the three Hebrews. However, when He came to reveal His plan of redemption for fallen humanity, He adopted the appearance of a newborn and grew up among us. To personally identify with all people He became one of us, the Almighty God veiled in flesh. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 NKJ). The incarnation brought a distant deity in contact with humanity. Paul said, “God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16 NKJ). Paul also wrote, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19 NKJ). This manifestation of God was near, real, and personal. He came with a purpose, “To seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 9:10 NKJ), but He also came to establish a familial relationship with His created ones. He didn’t come to be our superhero; He came to be our Father. We are His children! The most endearing relationship God could devise was that of a father and family. As our Heavenly Father, He embodies every quality that He envisioned in a relationship with us. All of heaven’s resources are available to Him and to us through our requests. Jesus said, “Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22 NKJ). Jesus reminded us that our, “Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8 NKJ). However, prayer is a privilege and Jesus gave us this example for prayer. He said, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name …” (Matthew 6:9 NKJ). In our first address of prayer we recognize that everything flows from “Our Father.” Not all earthly fathers have the sterling characteristics that God desires to exhibit in fatherhood. Some fathers have been abusive, selfish, overbearing, and even cruel, but that is not what God intended for fathers to be. He modeled the perfect father. He modeled the characteristics of being loving, self-sacrificing, kind, approachable, considerate, merciful, forgiving, and on and on. Indeed He is a “good, good father!” Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13 NKJ). Theme passage: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJ).
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Together with God6/12/2022 “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:15–16 NIV).
Growth is a natural part of life processes. It is assumed that every living organism will develop in maturity. Just as plants, animals, and humans grow it is also assumed that our spiritual relationships will flourish as we connect with the body under the leadership of our Lord Jesus Christ as the head of the spiritual body. Jesus, as the head of the body, provides direction and a pattern for our development. In our growth of discipleship it is also assumed that we will take on the characteristics of our head; that we will become more like Jesus in our maturation. All coordination and networking proceeds from Him. As Paul wrote, “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16 NIV). It is “in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28 NKJ). All operations of the body flow from Christ. We are not independent segregated parts who direct our own thoughts and plans, rather we are an integrated network of cooperation to fulfill God’s divine purpose. That’s not to imply there is no contribution of our own efforts. When working together we are connected, supporting one another and growing through the involvement of each part. All parts of the body supply and support the normal maturity of development. It all works as we work together. It’s not just “me and Jesus!” It is me and Jesus and everyone else in the body that God has designed and drawn in. Paul stated, “You yourselves are taught by God to love one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:9 NKJ). He said, “Through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 NKJ). Peter wrote in agreement, “All of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous” (1 Peter 3:8 NKJ). It is noteworthy that the body “grows and builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16 NIV). Love is the natural byproduct of our spiritual relationship with God. John revealed that, “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16 NKJ). In our connection with God, His love is manifest and multiplied. The body of Christ will be identified by our love for one another. John wrote, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 NKJ). As followers of Christ we desire truth and have a passion to learn His truth and share it with others. That is a good and well intentioned purpose, however, we are reminded that the key to maturity is, “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15 NIV). Our attitude should not be, “Well, it’s the truth!” Rather, we should learn the delicate art of tempering our tone as we share the truth of the Gospel. The end result is not to win an argument, but to win another to know Christ and experience His love. We are working together with God! Theme passage: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJ).
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Children are the Future6/5/2022 “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39 NKJ).
God is keenly interested in our children. Not just ours personally, but all children. Each one is important to God and He takes special interest in each of them. Children represent the continuance of the species, the future of humanity. Without children our days would be numbered and humanity would face certain extinction. From the beginning of the lifecycles there is innate in every living thing the creative ability for reproduction that assures the future viability of that living organism. While humans may live productive and full lives without giving birth to children, there will be no future generations for those who are unable or choose not to bring children into the world. God made provisions in the law for the most vulnerable among us, from the unborn to those left as orphans without the provision and protection of parents. The Lord God, “Defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:18 NIV). We find those expectations throughout the Scripture. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17 NIV). Injustice against children will suffer retribution. Jesus showed kindness to children. In the Gospels people brought their little children to Jesus that He might place his hands on them and pray for them. When the disciples rebuked the people and sought to keep the children at a distance and away from Jesus, He ordered them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:13–14 NIV). In another setting Jesus motioned for a child to come and made him an example as He taught. He said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4 NIV). It is apparent that God values the innocence and trust exhibited by a child and elevates those virtues for all to emulate. Children are included in the kingdom of God and they are the future of the church! The children were not left out of the picture when the church was ushered in on the Day of Pentecost. Following the instruction of the Lord they waited in Jerusalem for the outpouring of God’s Spirit, not fully understanding what would happen. Just as Jesus directed they waited in prayer. On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit was poured out with dramatic signs. The sound of a rushing mighty wind was heard and tongues like fire appeared over their heads. All began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them the ability. When the crowds gathered to see what the noise was all about, Peter explained that this was part of Joel’s prophecy, “It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy” (Acts 2:17 NKJ). Yes, the children, sons and daughters, were included in the birth of the church. As Peter concluded his message that day he extended the future promise, “to you and to your children” (See Acts 2:38–39). Children are the future and our hope! Theme passage: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJ). |