New Foundations International - New Foundations Blog

TIMELESS PERSON - TIMELESS TRUTH

11/13/2018

Jesus “is before all things”! Deity is timeless! Jesus is timeless!

Colossians 1:17 again reaffirms the eternal deity of Jesus which was stated in different ways in verses 15 and 16. Making sure Christians believe and stand on this truth is essential to their maintaining unity in the Gospel. If this timeless truth is not at the core of our faith in God and our salvation, we will become seduced by false doctrines that weaken the person of Christ in our souls and detracts from our understanding of His glory.

Not only is Jesus “before all things…in Him all things hold together.” What does “hold together” mean in this context. We have already established from verse 16 that Jesus created ALL things which places His authority above/over everything created. In addition to Jesus’ authority as Creator, He “brings together or holds together everything in its proper or appropriate place or relationship” with everything else.

We may look at the precision of the universe and accept this truth, but what about the details of our lives and those around us. When disaster strikes or tragedy interrupts our plans and agendas, do we still believe that Jesus is holding “everything together”? The unseen hand that put the planets into orbit with perfection is the same hand that allows suffering and pain to drive us into a closer walk with Him. In accepting His power in this vast spectrum, we will find greater joy in watching Him work in the small details as well as the macro systems of the universe.

Are you letting Him hold your life together with Him as the center? When you accept this truth, you will find His glory revealed in ways that you cannot imagine. HE IS GLORIOUS AND BEAUTIFULL!

THE ULTIMATE ARCHITECT AND BUILDER

11/12/2018

Knowing a little about what Paul faced as he sat in a dank Roman prison cell and received reports about the churches in Galatia, we can understand why he is very careful in selecting words that clearly describe Jesus as Creator. The same false teachings that existed in Paul’s day are still present today, though their form may have changed. Their distortion of the man who appeared to Paul on the Damascus road drove him to make it very clear that Jesus is the Creator of all things. Let’s look at Colossians 1:16.

“For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through Him and for Him.”

We must be as determined to exalt the person and glory of Jesus as Paul was. In this verse, it was His designing and making of ALL CREATION that is made clear. It was not just the physical heavens and earth which we can see with the human eye, even with the assistance of telescopes and microscopes, but also things that cannot be seen, the invisible. This includes all “thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.” According to Ephesians 3:10, Paul includes the “rulers and authorities in the heavenly places,” no doubt referring to angels and other unseen powers.

Once we have settled in our hearts and minds the absoluteness of Christ as Creator, we must also come to realize why He created them. “All things were created through Him and for Him.” In our limited understanding, we may question how some parts of creation can be “for Him,” but everything will ultimately serve the Creator who made them. As part of this creation, we must ask ourselves whether we exist “for Him.” Are you serving the purpose for which you were created?

FIRST AND BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE

11/11/2018

As we continue our examination of the glories that belong to Jesus Christ; those glories that set Him above and apart from everything else. This is how Paul presents Him in Colossians 1:15:20. The next glory revealed is that Jesus Christ is “the firstborn of all creation.”

Some false teachers suggest that the Lord Jesus was a created being and the first Person created by God and the greatest. But this is not the meaning of the word “firstborn – πρωτότοκος.” It literally means that Jesus “existed prior to anything else, or that His status is superior to anything else.” This is the same word used in Hebrews 1:6; “And again, when He brings the firstborn into the world, He says, “Let all God’s angels worship Him.””

How do we know this is true? Here is where we must let Scripture interpret itself. John 1:1-2 says that (Jesus), “the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” Jesus confirms this in His prayer to the Father; “And now, Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed” (17:5).

We must ask ourselves whether we have acknowledged the preeminent place God has given to His Son. Have we given Him that same place of priority and importance in our lives? Whether we have or not, “God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11). If Jesus does not occupy the first place in your life, it will show in how effective you are in representing Him as His witness.

THE IMAGE OF GOD CLEARLY SEEN

11/10/2018

There are so many aspects of Paul’s letters that give us a clear understanding of the gospel of grace and how we are to live out that gospel in our daily walk. But there are places in his writings where Paul wants to just lift up and reveal the glory of Christ’s person. We see this in Colossians 1:15-20. In the next few days, I would like us to allow these verses to warm our hearts toward Him.

“He is the image of the invisible God” (1:15). Through Jesus Christ we are able to see God. The Apostle John confirms this; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1-2; 14). “The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us--” (1 John 1:2).

Jesus also proclaims that He is the perfect image and representation of God the Father; “Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:9). The writer of Hebrews concurs and says, “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3), meaning, Christ’s representation of God could not be more perfect than it was and is.

I leave you with one more verse to meditate on. “The light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). These verses should ignite a passion for worship like never before. May the Church become more alive from gazing on HIS GLORY, and then go out to proclaim to the world that GLORY!

GOD'S PLAN FOR HIS DISCIPLES

11/9/2018

As we have mentioned on this blog site before, we have published a new book, God’s Plan for His Disciples, GPHD. It is helping meet a worldwide need among those spreading the gospel and church planters. The intent of this book is to immediately establish and strengthen new believers and mature existing believers into faithful disciples who will be equipped to disciple others.

GPHD covers many of the basic doctrines that every believer should be taught when they are saved. Here is a list of a few major topics and Bible principles that help accomplish this.
1.    The Authority and Sufficiency of the Word of God
2.    The Authority and Sufficiency of the Spirit
3.    Water Baptism
4.    Members of One Another
5.    Lord’s Supper
6.    Instructions and Practice on How to Study the Bible
7.    Your Life in Christ
8.    Your Life with Christ
9.    Spending Quiet Time with the Lord

Other studies focus on Paul’s letters, Mark and Luke’s gospel. These studies create in the believer a hunger and continual appetite for a life of feeding on God’s Word, making personal application and helping disciple others to become faithful to the Lord and make other disciples.

A local pastor made this observation: “I do rejoice that there seems to be hunger among some of the men as we work our way through GPHD. They want to go through it a second time as soon as we complete it! According to this group, they have learned more in the last few weeks than the last 40 years.”

We encourage you to download a copy from the “TRAINING RESOURCES” page or contact us so we can send you a hard copy; http://www.newfoundationsinternational.org/training-resources.html.
You can also email us at: newfoundationsinternational@gmail.com.

KINDRED SPIRIT AND FAITHFUL PARTNERS

11/8/2018

There are times in this ministry that I must divert from Scripture exposition and reports to give you a very personal perspective of this team. I (Sherman) joined Tim back in 2008. It is hard to believe that 10 years has passed already. About four years ago, Randy joined us, and more recently Jonathan. Each plays an important role in this ministry, not for personal gain but for God’s glory.

This leads me to think about the “partners” Paul had in his ministry who played a vital role. The setting in 2 Corinthians 8 – 9 was about meeting a need in the Jerusalem church. Chapter 8:16-24 provides for us an insight into how much Paul valued men like Titus and others who are unnamed. He described them as being “earnest…a brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel…appointed by the churches…for the glory of the Lord Himself.” He goes on in verses 22-23 to describe Titus as “tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit.”

In many respects, this is how I feel about these men I work with at New Foundations International. They are sold-out for making the gospel known to every unreached people group across the globe. It is not easy to be away from their wives and families for weeks at a time. Yet they will sacrifice anything to train indigenous leaders how to multiply the New Testament principles and Paul’s method of discipling and planting churches so we finish the task Jesus left for us to do.

Have there been tests and trials along the path? Yes! Each of us have learned to let the Spirit teach and guide us at each step. God has been faithful and used our weakness to ignite spiritual fires around the world. I am so grateful to work alongside partners with the same passion and love for Jesus and His authority in the Scriptures. If you are interested in learning more about what God is doing, please contact us at newfoundationsinternational@gmail.com.

PLENTY OF BREAD

11/7/2018

Randy and Jonathan have just finished the training in Northern Shan State, Myanmar. It has been incredible to see the hunger that these young men and women have for God's Word. They finished GPHD in 2 days and introduced GPHC for our last day today. One brother during the GPHC overview was writing on the inside front cover of his manual just gobbling up every crumb he could. What a privilege to take part in this work!

“I have been in Mark 8 and God revealed something to me. In verses 14-21 we see the disciples crossing over the sea and talking about how they have only one loaf of bread, and all the while Jesus is talking to them about the leaven of the Pharisees. Jesus then points to the leftovers, or the abundance from the feeding of the 4,000 and 5,000. The reason Jesus pointed to the leftovers was to make us look at the process of feeding or "serving" with His abundance.

What He has taught me while looking back at the feeding of the 4,000 and 5,000, is that Jesus gave the disciples the bread to distribute! He placed the bread in their hands to give to the hungry people. And after all their serving was done, there was more left than when they started.

Jesus has equipped us, by His grace, with all the bread we need to feed those around us. My prayer is that He would put us in places where there is a hunger. Would you join me in asking Him to multiply and increase His Word until all have heard?

Thank you for your continued prayers for us. I am so thankful, that by His grace, He has put us on this journey together.” Jonathan

THESE BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS

11/6/2018

“And as He (Jesus) came out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”” (Mark 13:1–2).

What would we think if this event occurred today in front of one of our “wonderful buildings?” If we read a few verses later in the chapter, Jesus continue to warn His disciples, “See that no one leads you astray” (13:5). There is a great danger of becoming occupied with the wrong thing, and buildings is one of them. As Jesus goes on to explain what will happen after His departure from this scene, He prepares the disciple for persecution, not a building program; for spreading the gospel to “all nations (ethnē - 13:10),” not becoming consumed with worries of this life. It is the Holy Spirit who will speak through those submitted to His control and power.

God is the General Contractor of the biggest building program this world has ever seen, but it does not include cement, wood, steel, carpet or paint. His construction material is taking place in souls of men and women with the gold and silver of His truth, the Word of God. They are bound together with the unifying work of the Spirit so that every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is “being joined together, growing into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:21-22).

Which building are you working on? One will be “thrown down” while the other is eternal for God’s praise and glory.

HOW CAN WE CHANGE THE WORLD?

11/5/2018

DEFINING PEOPLE GROUPS BY OTHER CRITERIA

11/4/2018

A people group defined by language
The likely alternative is to always present a list of language groups, with some sub-divisions of language groups (an ethno-linguistic list). The first cut is always on language using this alternative. Consequently, church planters and disciple-makers focus on ethno-linguistic groups, attempting to plant churches (oftentimes) among castes and tribes that mistrust or dislike each other. People may understand each other, but do they accept each other?
A people group list with a church planting focusJoshua Project's first purpose is to support church planting and discipleship efforts, and we define "people group" with that goal in mind. We also wish to support language-based ministry efforts (such as literature / video / audio distributions and the like), as a more secondary purpose. Our data can be used for both purposes. We can format the data to support church planting, and to some extent we can re-format it to support language-based outreach.

What a people group is not
While people groups can be defined by various combinations of ethnicity, language, religion, caste and geography, they are not defined by occupation, social status, education level, economic status or political affiliation. While these do not define people groups, these distinctions are helpful for on-the-ground strategies.

A people group is not the same as a group of people. Unreached is not the same as unsaved. "Unreached" in unreached people group is describing the group, not the individual members of it. So, an “unreached people group” is not the same thing as a “group of unsaved people”, despite the similarity of terms.

Used by permission from Joshua Project - https://joshuaproject.net/resources/

© Copyright Go And Reconcile Ministries 2015 - All Rights Reserved