Call to Me!

Call to Me!

August 11, 2012

How you think when you lose determines how long it will be until you win

-G.K. Chesterton

Jeremiah was locked up in prison. He had been speaking on God's behalf, yet the king did not like what he heard, and threw him in prison. While in prison Jeremiah prays and brings before God his need. Yet in Chapter 33 we see the following words...'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' In the midst of Jeremiah's woes, God said 'Call me and I will answer you!' God does not stop there though.....'I will tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know!' Let that sink in! So many times we try to do things in our lives that we think is going to work, without seeking God's direction. Issues arise in our lives that have imprisoned us. We feel like Jeremiah, stuck in prison. Allow me to encourage you today. Through God's Word we are restored.

Psalm 119:73-80

"Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74 Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
78 Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
79 Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
80 Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed."

His call. His gift to you. Your purpose. Irrevocable.

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Irrevocable Statement of Faith

We are called to focus on Scripture, accept salvation by grace through faith, magnify Christ, and live for God's glory.

The Five Solas....

Sola Scriptura: "Scripture alone” The Bible alone is the source of authority for the followers of Christ. The Scriptures are inspired by God and declare His design and plan for mankind. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:20-21; II Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105,160 & 12:6; Proverbs 30:5)

Sola Fide: "Faith alone” Salvation is a free gift to all who accept it by faith (John 3:16). Salvation is not based on human effort or good deeds (Ephesians 2:9). Every follower of Christ has eternal life and complete assurance in the finished work of Jesus Christ when He died on the cross for our sins, and arose from the dead. (John 3:16; 14:6; Acts 16:31; Romans 3:24; 6:23; 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5; I Peter 1:18-19, 22-25; I John 5:11-13)

Sola Gratia: "Grace alone" Grace is the reason for our salvation, which is not based on what we do, but what God has done. Man willingly fell to sin, ushering evil and death, both physical and spiritual, into the world. (Genesis 3) Through grace we can enter into a relationship with God through Christ who brought salvation through his death and resurrection.

Sola Christo: "Through Christ alone" Jesus is the one who intercedes, as the "high priest" on our behalf before the Father. Through Christ we are offered access to God. Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, born of a virgin, sinless, crucified for our sins, resurrected from the dead, ascended to heaven, and coming back again to establish His Kingdom on earth. (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1, 14, 29; 3:16; I Corinthians 15:3, 4, 12-19; Hebrews 4:15; I John 2:1-2; Acts 1:9-11)

Soli Deo Gloria: "Glory of God alone" The goal for every follower of Christ is to bring glory to God in everything we do in life. "So, whether you eat, drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1Corinthians 10:31).

The Four Basic Questions (4Bq's)

Everyone has a worldview. Our worldview is our foundation which shapes our values. Our values shape our behavior. The "behavior" is the result of our worldview. How one answers the Four Basic Questions helps us understand one’s worldview foundation. Irrevocable answers the 4Bq’s as followed:

4Bq 1: How do you see the world created? God is the creator of all living matter. Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth.” In verse 31, God saw all that he made, and it was very good. Though creation and evolution are theories, it is the belief of Irrevocable that the idea of creation is highly supported through evidence of science.

4Bq 2: How do you see human beings? We are created in His image," In Genesis 1:26 and again in 5:1 it reads that we were created in “His image” or “likeness”. What does that mean? When we study the word "likeness," we find the definition to be ..."the same form or a copy, portrait". The word "image" is defined ..."as a representation of a person or thing". In verse 3 of chapter 5 we see something similar, but this time it is between Adam and his son. "When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image:". Because of sin, Adam created and passed the sinful nature to his creation, his children. Adam passed on to them his imperfection - the ability to sin, experience pain and death. Does that mean then we are not created in God's image? No, we are created in his image, but God may not dwell where sin abounds. Thus the need for a Savior, Jesus Christ. It is believed humanity is not the product of evolution or animal ancestry; (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7; 3:1-24).

4Bq 3: How do you see life after death? It is believed we have eternal separation from God or eternal life with God through Christ alone. Life after death is decided by that which we accept to be true. That truth in a Christian worldview is founded on Jesus Christ!

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ." (Romans 3:22-24)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whomsoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)

4Bq 4: How do you determine right from wrong? It is believed the Scriptures are the foundation to help humanity determine what is right or wrong towards God and humanity. The Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). Paul's ethical teachings (some examples are 1 Cor. 6:12-20; 10:1-13; Eph. 5:22; Col 3) and The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) are three examples how the Scriptures give insight to ethics and morality.