Newsletter June 24, 2011

Newsletter from  Stewart Topping June 24, 2011 Reader If you have just started reading my newsletters I hope you find them interesting.  I also hope you think about what you believe and that you will check out for yourself what is covered in the newsletters.  Never take someone else's word.   You are responsible for checking and studying.  Take control of your life now! Visit our website Blog; Link to website Led by the Spirit It’s time for honesty; are you led by the spirit of God (Holy Spirit).  Gal 5:18 says that if you are led by the spirit then you are not under the law.  What is the comparison between led and being under the Law?   When we think of the Law (Moses); we are to follow some rules or regulations that govern the way we conduct our lives.  If God leads (led) us then we will do what is right.  We will please God rather then our flesh. Galatians 5:16-18 (NKJV) 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. This verse says that if we walk in the spirit we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.  When we hear the term flesh we think lust and doing things that God would not be please with.  Well there are two natures that mankind has today; one from Adam (First Adam) and the other by Jesus (last Adam).  When you hear the term walk in the spirit, be led by the spirit and walk by faith; what does it mean?  Is it a new kind of faith or a different type of Church; is it a charismatic type Church.  No it is simply following God by his spirit (Holy Spirit) that he gave us when we believed.  (1 Cor. 15:1-4)   Let us go back to the beginning.  The following verse sums up everything about sin.  Romans 5:12-15 (GW) 12 Sin came into the world through one person, and death came through sin. So death spread to everyone, because everyone sinned. 13 Sin was in the world before there were any laws. But no record of sin can be kept when there are no laws. 14 Yet, death ruled from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin in the same way Adam did when he disobeyed.  Adam is an image of the one who would come. 15There is no comparison between {God's} gift and {Adam's} failure. If humanity died as the result of one person's failure, it is certainly true that God's kindness and the gift given through thekindness of one person, Jesus Christ, have been showered on humanity. Sin entered the world through one person (Adam) who disobeyed God.  You have to remember that no one kept record of sin, not even God.  Disobedience brought with it the penalty of death.  Now this death is some place without God.  I suppose that for the unbeliever they have walked in this world without God; they will not know the difference until the end.  Sin was not accounted for until the law was given to Israel.  But remember God wanted to recognize sin that already existed in the world. If no record of sin was kept before the law and Jesus has forgiven and forgotten our sin; then why do we care about sin today?   Sin has kept us busy with ourselves and not God. When we have believed God and it is accounted as righteousness then we can have a relationship with God.  The old nature would not know or care about a relationship with God.  If sin was to separate us from God and because of what Jesus did on the cross; we should then move on with our new relationship with God not worrying about sin.. Let’s take a look at the law; the law was a school master or a learning tool for man to see the error of Adam and the death he brought.  Over a period of time mankind separated themselves from any relationship with God.  God had a plan from the beginning with Jesus being our savior.  Now we are saved from death and can start a new relationship with God; then we have no need for the law or knowledge of sin.  If you have faith (in Jesus) then you have no need of the law. Galatians 3:24-25 (KJV) 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Now we walk in the newness of life by obeying the Holy Spirit. Now today people try to work for their justification with God.  They come up with all kinds of doctrine.  Rather than just reading the Bible and believing what it says in the Bible, they find some spiritual meaning and today we have a lot of make believe Christians that are led by their own corrupt nature (Adams nature) and have not been born again.   Let’s be real; there are only two natures.  1.  Adams sin which caused death in mankind which we inherited.  2.    Last Adam (Jesus) that bought Salvation through dying on the cross for us and by His Grace;       God has make us in right standing without any works. Actually we need to be born again and have Gods spirit; the power that raised Jesus from the dead, living inside us.  So what does that mean?  It means that we have help in overcoming the nature we received from Adam. 1 Peter 1:23 (NKJV) 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. Why then is it so difficult to understand that with newness of life; we have a relationship with GOD, something we never had before. We also do not pray enough to God and we think that there is another way to receive things from God. Ephesians 6:18 (GW) 18 Pray in the Spirit in every situation. Use every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind of effort and make every kind of request for all of God's people. Sometimes it is hard to remember that we have replaced that old nature (Adam) with the new nature (Jesus) and actually have a new relationship with GOD.   You and I cannot go around saying we are Christians when we do not talk to God or Pray.  If we do not believe he has saved us or has given us a new nature; one that God has promised thru the death of Jesus, the burial and that God has raised Jesus from the grave.  We must believe in the power of God and that we can talk to him. We must come to realize that we need to constantly improve our relationship with God.  We seek signs and wonders, we seek gifts and special powers but first we must seek God and his relationship.  Everything else will follow.  He will not hold anything back from us. The Body of Christ (Believers) should be a body dedicated to talking to the head of the body; Jesus. Each of us should be responsible for our own behavior.  It simply means talking to God; who care for us and want to help us.  His new nature in us needs to take over our old nature. It is time to recognize that if we are not led of the spirit, walking in the spirit we have not believed 1 Cor, 15:1-14 The prove of you relationship is the fruit of spirit Galatians 5:22-26 (WesleyNT) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, 23 Meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with its affections and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Be not desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.  God Bless you .....  Remember to think on these things and may God have the Glory in you!  www.menafterchrist.com

Weekly Newsletter June 17, 2011, 2011

Newsletter from  Stewart Topping June 17, 2011

Reader Thanks for opening this email. There are only two things I am interested in. 1. Is that you understand what you believe.  2. That you will study and check out what you believe. Never take someone else's word.  You are responsible for checking and studying.  Take control of your life now! Visit our website Blog; Link to website Who are you? Have you looked in the mirror and said who am I.  When we look into the mirror we should see the image of Jesus?  We may not see the completely new Jesus.  We can be thankful that God has given us time to become more like Jesus.  I hope you see the glory of the Lord.  Let’s look at the following verse.  (Here the glass would be like a mirror today.) 2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV) 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Since we have accepted Jesus as our savior and recognized that God has forgiven us by His Grace; we have become new creatures in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. It is so exciting when we look into the mirror and we see the new person that God has created in his image.  Who are we; if we are born again each time we look into the mirror we see a maturing image.  When people see you and get close to you do they see the real you.  If you were hauled into court and tried as a Christian would there be enough evident to convict you?  What’s the image you represent in your life?  Let’s look at what Paul was talking about in Athensabout the people who lived there.  He was going through their City; he checked everything closely, here is what he found. Acts 17:22-26 (GW) 22 Paul stood in the middle of the court and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious. 23 As I was going through your city and looking closely at the objects you worship, I noticed an altar with this written on it: ‘To an unknown god.' I'm telling you about the unknown god you worship. He talked about two things that concerned him  I see you are religious You worship an unknown God Because you have a relationship with God; your life has been changed. Now we are not talking about what Church you go to or where you attend; or the service you perform in the name of Jesus.  You know the God of the universe and how personal He is. So we can agree that accepting Jesus would begin a new life.  Old things will pass away and new things will begin. Your God is personal. You can talk to him all the time He loves you and wants the best for you

Newsletter June 10, 2011

E-mail Newsletter from Stewart Topping ... June 10th, 2011
2 Timothy 3: 16All Scripture isgiven by inspiration of God, and is  profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  Link to my website Salvation Link to my website 1 Corinthians  15:1-4 (NKJV)  1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,	Forward this message to a friend Stewart Sometimes it is hard to believe we are the righteousness of God, but it's true ...  look at this verse ... Romans 8:10 (NKJV) 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  Hope you enjoy this article. Righteousness  What is righteousness and why do we need it?  Let start at the beginning; you may have believed God when he said you were a sinner and that you had fallen short of pleasing Him.  Why don’t you now believe him when he said that Jesus would make payment for our sin.  God also said that that your faith in Him will be counted for righteousness.  Romans 3:23 (NKJV) 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, So then If you believe that Jesus is the sacrifice God has provided for our salvation; then you have faith in God and it will be counted as righteousness.  You now recognize that Jesus will fix the problem with the human race. Then that means we really believe God exists. So what is the Glory of God?  Well it means just simply Pleasing God!  We have fallen short of the mark that God has set as a standard for the human race.  So we have sinned, because of the fall of Adam by him disobeying and which allowed him to fall short of what pleased God!  Well what pleases God? Romans 4:5-6 (NKJV) 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: The next verse a very interesting; it says that if Christ is in you, the spirit (holy Spirit) is life and that it is because of righteousness.  Something God has giving freely; His grace given freely. Some people think that they need to work for it.  It’s as simple as believing; that God is real and he wants to help you.  Most people don’t really believe there is a God. You can tell the way they conduct their lives. Romans 8:10 (NKJV) 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. • Righteousness is being in right standing with God; • We must believe he exists or we have no faith • We must believe He has our best interest in mind • We must believe He provided a way to fix the sin problem • If we do as God says we will be righteousness in his eyes. We must read and study Gods word.  We cannot leave our understanding to others to define our thinking and direct our lives.  When we become adults; we will not feed on milk but we will have grown up and now eat solid food.   1 Corinthians 3:1-2 (NKJV) 1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able;  We don’t take instructions from our mother and father anymore because we have grown up and think for ourselves.   So let us think for ourselves when it comes to God.  Romans 10:10 (NKJV) 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. What is it that God wants from the human race?  Recognize Him as the creator of everything and the one who sent Jesus to pay the price of Adams sin in the Garden and allow the Holy Spirit to bring new life to us.  It is a new birth; not earthly but heavenly. It allows us to benefit from the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25 (KJV) 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. So walk worthy as to please God in everything you do! Then you will receive the peace, joy, love .........