THE CHRISTIAN'S DNA-Part 1
Rickard Sinclair and friends- There are the biblical values that define who we are, what we build, and how we follow Jesus together. This is the foundation— not a slogan, not a strategy. Christians greeting one another.
01. We Live from a New Identity.
We are God's children—made new, reshaped, reborn in Christ. The old is gone. The new has come. (1 John 3:1; 2 Cor. 5:15,17; Gal. 2:20).
02. We Prize God's Presence.
We make room. We wait. We hunger. Jesus is not an idea to admire but a Person to encounter. (Psalm 27:4, Psalm 16:11).
03. We Worship as a Way of Life.
Worship isn't an opening act. It's our posture, our joy, our surrender. (John 4:23-24; Colossians 3:17)
04. We Welcome the Spirit's Power.
His power is essential, not optional. We pursue His gifts and His fruit. (Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-7; Galatians 5:22-23)
05. The Word Is Our Foundation.
Scripture is our plumb line. We teach it, submit to it, build on it, and shape every ministry decision by it. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:105; Acts 17:11)
06. We pursue Holiness.
We hunger for purity and spiritual maturity. We want lives that please God in public and in private. (Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16; 1 John 3:3)
07. Our Aim Is to Live What We Preach.
Our message carries power only when our lives align with it. (Hebrews 10:25; Philippians 1:27; 1 John 2:6)
08. We Obey Jesus—Radically.
When He speaks, we respond. No delay. No negotiation. (John 14:15; Luke 6:46; Romans 12:1)
09. We Lay Down Our lives in Love.
Love looks like sacrifice — small, unseen moments and big, costly ones (John 15:13; 1 John 3:16)
10. We Support One Another.
Support means presence. It means showing up—rejoicing, weeping, listening, carrying one another's pain with compassion and courage. (Romans 12:15; Galatians 6:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)
11. We Serve One Another.
Service means action. Every gift activated. No spectators—only a body where each member supplies what the others lack. (1 Cor. 12:25-26; 1 Peter 4:10; Hebrews 10:24-25)
12. We Value Family.
God designed it. We honor parents. We strengthen generations. (Genesis 1:28; Ephesians 6:1-3)
13. We Build Strong Marriages.
Marriage is covenant, not contract. We teach it, model it, and fight for it. (Matthew 19:6; Hebrews 13:4)
14. We Are Multi-Generational
We honor age. We welcome youth. We walk together. (Psalm 145:4; Psalm 78:4-7; 3 John 4)
Father, please help us follow the above points of being a Christian, so that our witness will be real and effective. Let us incorporate these first 14 facts of the DNA of being a born-again believer in Jesus, to be examples of what You want Your children to become in real life. The next 18 on the 21st, will have more examples of how we should be like Jesus. Thanks You for being with us in all our moments, big and small, and for the biggest event in history—the resurrection of Your Son!
In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
#126 Testimony- Tim Gustafson
"Early winter 1941. The Sunday service had just concluded. As their father lingered at the little north-country church, my dad and his siblings walked the short distance home. When their father came up the snowy hill to the farmhouse, he was crying. He'd just learned Pearl Harbor had been bombed. His sons—my dad included—would be going to war. Dad always recalled the moment in vivid detail.
Researchers call such events "flashbulb memories" —moments seared into our minds. Think of 9/11, or the day you lost someone close. Think too of your most joyous experience.
Imagine the flashbulb memories of Jesus' disciples. They witnessed miracle after miracle. Suddenly catastrophe struck. The Son of God was arrested and crucified. But then, resurrection! Mary Magdalene hurried to tell the disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" (John 20:18) Still, the disciples hid in fear. They didn't believe the news (Luke 24:11), not until "Jesus came and stood among them" (John 20:19). Then, "The disciples were overjoyed" (v. 20).
John recorded some of those moments, saying, "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (v.31). "Flashbulb memories" with eternal significance!
My weekly advice from the book, "We All Married IDIOTS, by Elaine W. Miller:
(p. 112) "Being married to an idiot requires a lot of prayer. Never mind the idiot part—being married requires a lot of prayer. Period. Why? Because in our humanness we are more concerned with ourselves and less concerned about our spouse. So, two married people looking after their own interests do not make for a happy union. This is not what God intended."
1676-1680 One-line Scriptures for those of you who want to learn some more verses this week- or to review them from when they were first posted-
1676- Is. 57:2a He shall enter into peace."
1677- Is. 14:10b "Art thou also become weak as us? art thou become like unto us?"
1678- Ps. 118:9 "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes."
1679- Jer. 44:26a "Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD."
1680- Is. 24:2a "And it shall be."
#126 Hymn- Fairest Lord Jesus
This hymn came from Roman Catholic Jesuits in Germany and originally had six verses. It first appeared in 1677 in a Jesuit hymnbook, but the text of the hymn was in existence at least fifteen years earlier, for it has been found in a manuscript dating back to 1662. Yet the origin of the words remains a mystery.
The first three stanzas are the work of an anonymous translator. The fourth stanza was by Joseph A. Seiss, and it first appeared in a Lutheran Sunday School book in 1873.
How appropriate that no human author draws attention from the great theme of this song. There's no source to distract from the subject, no story to detract from the Savior. This hymn emphasizes the beauty and wonder of Christ, and it alludes to His duel nature, that He was both man and divine, God made flesh, the God-Man.
The information about this song, is taken from the book by Robert J. Morgan, THEN SINGS MY SOUL (pg. 25)
Some encouraging words-
"Let our faith daily go out of self and its life into the life of Christ, placing our whole being at His disposal for Him to work in us. Let our faith, above all, confidently rejoice in the assurance that He will in very deed, with His almighty power, perfect His work in us.
As we thus abide in Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of His power, will work mightily in us, and we too shall sing, 'The Lord is my strength and song' (Ps. 118:14): 'In the Lord have I righteousness and strength' (Is. 45:24). 'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13).
Church Notes:
Look for opportunities to speak of your faith, to do acts of kindness, to pray a blessing, or to learn a new principle.
Stand on God's promises given, which brings joy to the heart of God to fulfil.
We're to follow the Lord, or He will raise up another to do His will.
We don't forgive someone for their sake, we do it for our sake so we can be free.
Give God your deepest despair and let it become the foundation of your calling.
Prayer changes us more than we would expect or want.
By praying "Your kingdom come," we declare war on enemy forces.
Even when tempted, it's for us to draw closer to God and draw on His power.
Upcoming posts:
21st- Part 2 of THE CHRISTIAN'S DNA- Richard Sinclair and friends.
3/7th-OUR TRUE REFUGE IS GOD- Karen Huang
14th- READY TO GIVE UP?- Mary Southerland
Jean's blog (Click to see snippets of the 7 recent posts)
