Invincibility "R" Us

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:10)

This coming Sunday we are going to examine the last on the list of the Beatitudes during our series on the Sermon on the Mount, “Up is Down.” “Blessed are those who are persecuted.” “Blessed,” Jesus says! We have a difficult time relating to persecution for our faith. Sure, we know that prayer has been formally taken out of schools. It is frowned upon and even legislated that “In Jesus’ name” be taken out of our public prayers at such events as graduation and high school football games. The Ten Commandments have been taken down from walls in public places where it used to hang as a moral compass for our society. “In God We Trust” is in danger of being removed as a staple on our country’s currency. Retail stores are instructed to hang signage and address people during Christmas with “Happy Holidays,” rather than with the customary, “Merry Christmas.” Freedom of Religion in which our country was founded on seems now to apply to every religion other than Christianity. Still, while we see these disturbing trends escalate and can certainly identify with ridicule and taunting by others because of our faith; overall we are naïve when it comes to persecution. We’ve never experienced the brand of persecution that the church who went before us knew all too well, the torture other Christians are experiencing in other parts of the world today, and the tribulation that awaits the church in the last days.

There is a sense of invincibility in us, like a child never imagining that the dangerous things they do would ever result in injury or death and the prospect of dying of old age is an eternity away. Persecution of the church could not take place now-a-days! Yeah, we hear of it going on in other parts of the world—but not in the good ol’ U.S. of A! I pray that we don’t experience what others have and what others will. The question though is do we love our lives so much as to shrink from death? What or better stated, whom are we living for?

They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (Rev 12:11)

VBS sees 37 Professions of Faith

VBS is in full swing! Northpointe Fellowship has joined forces with Engaging Life to present the best VBS ever to the Boys and Girls Club. The theme this year is THE ARMOR OF GOD from Ephesian chapter 6. Today was amazing as we saw 37 children make a profession of faith to invite Jesus to be their savior! Please pray with us that this will be more than a one time decision and that they would truly live for Jesus and become His disciples.

Today, we looked at the shoes of the gospel (good news) of peace. The kids learned that in the very beginning there was GOD... He created everything, including you and me. He told man and woman to obey him. They decided to be disobedient and go against what GOD told them and ushered sin into the world. Sin separated the fellowship we had with GOD, who used to walk with us in the cool of the day. That separation may as well be as huge as the Grand Canyon. All along, just like our ancestors, Adam and Eve, we tried everything to fill the great chasm caused by our sin. Mankind has tried hiding, covering up, blaming someone else, being as perfect as we possibly can be... all with no effect! The gap is still too wide. We are still separated from GOD, who is holy, because we continue to be disobedient. The Bible says that the only thing that pays for sin is death. A death sentence. But GOD had a plan!! GOD sent his son, JESUS to die in our place, so that we would not have to. The vast hole in our relationship with GOD was bridged by JESUS. He paid the price by His grace. Now, if we believe in JESUS and accept this free gift of grace by our faith in Him, we will have eternal life. We will be saved! We will be GOD's friends and walk with him once more... fellowship uninterrupted.