Crimson Cord (Jim Caso)

Crimson Cord Guideline; to promote an open and accepting message of sanctification (set apart for God's use) to all through Jesus Christ, while pursuing a life of love, hope, and faith through the power of the Spirit, and remembering the Father's promi...

Our intro says this is where we talk about the "daily process" of boldly living our life, while we "stretch and grow" our spiritual experience with God and Christ, through understanding the Word and walking spiritually in "Practical" truth... Today is one of those times to "grow" in the "practical" truth as we all try to understand the horror and insanity of Sandy Hook...  There has always been Evil in our world; "Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 'A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.'" Matt 2:16-18 1. Choices Between Good & Evil - If the possibility of evil didn't exist we wouldn't have the freedom of choice. Jos 24:15 2. God Treats us all the same. God has no favorites. We are all His children... Matt 5:43-46 3. The Big Picture. This life is just a blink... 2Cor 4:16-18 4. Opportunity for Growth. We have the opportunity to affect the direction of our society... Matt 5:13-16 We can be sad about the tragedies that occur in our world, but not so sad that we can't overcome evil... This world isn't God's kingdom... John 11:35 We are like lambs and sheep in this world, but we have to be aware of the evil in our world... Matt 10:16 We can overcome the tragedy and pain of our world... John 16:33 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations. Ps 100:1-5 God bless you all, and keep you safe!    

 What do you think God wants for us (not from us)? As His child, how does God want you to live? How can we know what God really desires for us? We we created to desire relationships with others and with God. Jesus told His disciples, "What man is there among you who, when his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! Matt 7:9-11 God desires for us to have a relationship with Him. This is seen by the fact that He loved us before we knew Him, 1Jn 4:19 We love those who love us, and with whom we have a relationship... Why do our children love us? Because we love them first... We see ourselves in our children, so God designed us to see His reflection in us... "In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God." Gen 5:1   What is it that God truly desires from us? A relationship... So what prevents us from having a relationship with God? What is a relationship? Webster says a relationship is; "The quality or state of being related, a continuing attachment or association between persons." But this definition is wrong... The Root origin of the word "relation"; from the Latin "relationem" which means "bringing back, or restoring." The Root of the Old English term "ship"; which means a "state, condition of being," "to create, ordain" By the 16th century relationship came to mean a "person related by blood or marriage". With the idea of having a "restored state" with the connectivity of an unbreakable bond, we can see that a relationship is something that can never be broken because no matter what happens the relationship is always restored... Our bond is the Blood of Christ... Luke 22:20 John 6:53&54 Eph 2:13 Heb 2:14&15 Gen 2:23&24 Friendships are not relationships, associations are not relationships, because there is no blood therefore there is no blood. Friendship, and associations, are based on performance, agreement, similarities, and purpose... A relationship is ordained... it's a state of Being not a state of Doing... Are we trying to "Do" something, rather than existing as something? Are we trying to do "Good", rather than existing in the good that God has given us? Are we trying to do "Faith", rather than existing in the faith that God has given us? Are we trying to do "Love", rather than existing in the love that God provides for us? Are we trying to do "Salvation", rather than existing in a state of Salvation which Christ obtained for us? Are we trying to be "connected" with God & Christ, rather than existing in a family relationship with our Father and Brother? It's like "Doing marriage" rather than "Being Married"... or "Doing Family" rather than "Being Family"... We were created by God as a new creation through the grace of Christ, and ordained as related to God through the restorative power of His sacrifice, and forever joined to God through His blood in us by faith... The Blood is the only bond because no matter what we are related to God and Christ through His blood that is now in upon us and in us... Our relationship with God and Christ is based on the ordained reality that through the Blood of Christ we're uniquely related in the family of God, and forever in a relationship bond with the Creator of the Universe... In the next episode I'm going to answer 3 important questions regarding living in a state of "being" in a relationship with God & Christ rather than trying to "do" a relationship with God & Christ; 1. How is a relationship with God & Christ realized? 2. What are the characteristics of a relationship with God & Christ? 3. Are there any limitations in a relationship with God & Christ?

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." Gal 5:1 What has you experienced in the church as a believer? My experience as a Believer; As a believer in the Salvation message presented to the world through the religious institution of the church, have you ever experienced the "Freedom" Paul talks about with the Galatians? Jn 8:32, Jesus said the truth would set us free... Jn 8:36, Jesus said "The Son" (Him) makes us free... Chapter 8 of John starts in the temple... they bring a woman, caught in the act of adultery before him... Stooping down he wrote on the ground with his finger. What was he doing? Thinking... delaying his response... buying time...? Jeremiah 17:13 says, "O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed; they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters." Jn 4:10, Jn 7:37&38 (They that depart from Me (the Lord, the fountain of Living Water) shall be written in the earth.) Jesus was fulfilling prophecy right in front of their eyes and they got his obvious reference, understood, & walked away... What was His point? What does this have to do with Jesus in the temple? Jer 17:1 What was the sin of Judah? *Idolatry, on every high hill... *Trust in men rather than God, in their hearts... unable to recognize God's ways... trust is riches, men's ways *Hearts filled with deceit... *Building sanctuaries, monuments of glory to ourselves, without God; "A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary." Jer 17:12 Jesus debates the religious leaders about the differences between Him and them... 1. He is Light vs Religious Leaders are darkness 2. He judges in truth vs they judge by the flesh 3. He knows the Father vs they don't know the Father 4. He is from above vs they are from the world 650 years from Jeremiah to Christ, religion and its' leaders never changed. They were as blind in the day of Christ as they were to Jeremiah. The religious leaders during the time of Jeremiah were building sanctuaries and institutions to their power and their control of those who wanted to know God. Religion, and its' leadership seek precepts that enslave their followers because it's a way to maintain their power and control. But Paul said, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free." Paul warns the Corinthian believers about Religious leaders, Rom 16:17&18 The simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.  2Cor 11:3 Simplicity = without ulterior motives, and purity = without duplicity Why do we tolerate those who enslave us? 2Cor 11:20 Test our leaders, 2Cor 13:5 Test = prove what is good Examine = distinguish and prove by trial Recognize = to perceive and become aware "Stand at the paths, and look around, and ask for the old (everlasting) pathways, where the good path is, and walk in it. And you will find rest for your souls." Jer 6:16 Test, examine, recognize... Stand, look, ask... So that we're not, "Led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ." No one can take your Freedom without your permission. Don't give anyone permission to lead you away from the simplicity and purity of the Gospel, which is our spiritual devotion to Christ! For 2,000 years, believers have allowed institutional Christianity to lead us down a path of slavery to doctrines, rituals, traditions, and creeds. We've been enticed away from a path of simplicity & purity of the Gospel, which is our spiritual devotion to Christ. Are you a slave to religion or are you set free in Christ? 

The more we rely upon one thing the less we rely upon another... technology... family... math.. The Apostle Paul deals with this issue with the church is Galatia... Gal 3:1-5 Churches, religions, and institutions today rely more on themselves then God and Christ. Paul confronted this tendency with the church in Galatia, Gal 1:6-8 Paul learned the Gospel he preached directly from the Spirit of God when, after his conversion to Christ, he spent 3 years in the Arabian desert. Paul cursed anyone who tried to distort the Gospel he received from God, Gal 1:9&10 Paul withstood the disciples in Jerusalem when the wanted to change his Gospel. He wasn't preaching the message of Christ to please men, because if he did he wouldn't be a slave to Christ. He didn't yield to the disciples in Jerusalem in the slightest, Gal 2:5 What was the Gospel Paul received from the Holy Spirit; Gal 2:16, Jesus is the Savior of all mankind, and we're justified by Christ through our faith in Christ as our Savior, and nothing else, because there isn't anything we can do to justify ourselves! Like Paul, as believers, we're crucified with Christ. Our flesh, & every influence over it is dead. And like Paul, Christ lives in us, & we live our lives by faith in Christ, & not by our own deeds... Gal 2:19&20 The Spirit of Christ now lives in us, and we live by faith in that Spirit working Salvation in us. Remember what Paul said in 2Cor 3:18... Christ said the Spirit is like the wind.... we can't describe it, and we can't control it... The example of Abraham shows us how to follow the Spirit of God, Gal 3:6&7 Like Abraham we've left our old ways (self justification) and we're following Christ to the land He promised us. So why, if by our faith in Christ for our Salvation, we're children of the faith of Abraham, do we go backwards and try to maintain our justification by keeping rules, doctrines, practices, and traditions? Because it is our natural human instinct to trust what we can see, rather than what we can't see. Gal 4:9 We go backwards because like Abraham's 2 sons, Ishmael and Issac, there are those who are slaves to rules and those who are freed by the promise. The rules keepers want everyone to keep the rules and the pressure those freed by the promise to become slaves like them. Gal 4:28&29 So how do we live by faith? How do we follow the Spirit? Paul gives us our starting point, Gal 5:1 1. Understand - it was for freedom that Christ set us free; to be free, Christ set you free... not to be enslaved... 2. Stand - take a stand for your freedom... offensive position 3. Withstand - don't be subject to a yoke of slavery; don't be tempted to abandon your freedom... defensive If we're aware of these 3 things, understand, stand, & withstand, we'll be able to begin to see the Spirit of Christ working in us... 2 Cor 3:17  &  1Jn 3:21 When I DO, I DIMINISH the DOING of the Spirit in me, but when I DON'T, I DEVELOP the DOING of the Spirit in me... In the next episode we're going to begin a brand new direction for this podcast. We're going to focus on walking The Good Path and following the Spirit of Christ and allowing it the freedom to bring vitality and empowerment into our daily lives as believers. Faith has no laws, no rules, no practices, no sacrifices, therefore no guilt, and no need for religion... In the next episode I'm going to share a mystery with you... a mystery about the nature and character of the Spirit... a mystery that will enable us all to find our sweet spot in God and Christ and live our life of Salvation without laws, rules, doctrines, practices, or sacrifices... That is the Good News of the Gospel; Jesus set us free to be free...

In our last episode, we looked at what Paul wrote in 2Cor 3:15&16 to those new believers in the city of Corinth, who were struggling with who they should follow and how they should live their lives. We're not turning from a past of sin, but rath...

When you think of Jesus, what do you see?  * We Need faith in God... Without faith it's impossible to please Him * We Need to believe in our forgiveness... through Christ * We Need to keep our eyes on the prize... anticipate His Promises... * We have No more Sin... because of Christ... * Our Accuser is destroyed... by Christ... * We are Reconciled with God forever... through Christ Romans 8:1-4 Israel focused on the Glory of Moses, which was the "Law" 2Cor 3:7  Some Corinthian believers were Jews, and some other ethnic groups... Paul writes in 2Cor 3:15&16,  What does it mean to "Turn" to the Lord? To turn to the Lord we're turning away from something else. We've taken the verse to mean we turn away from our sinful past, but that's not what Paul is saying. In this verse the contrast is simple & plain; Moses vs. Christ & hidden vs. revealed. Paul continues by saying, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (2Cor 3:17) "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." (2Cor 3:18) In this verse the word Glory means thought, opinion, hence reputation... The veil that's removed is the condemnation of the Law... The Temple veil was torn as Jesus died on the cross... Mark 15:38, Matt 27:51, Luke 23:45 Our veil is our guilt and condemnation... How is our guilt and condemnation removed? By receiving forgiveness through Christ... How are we saved? By what we do, or by what Christ did? So Christ was able to do enough to save us, but He's unable to do enough to keep us saved... We perceive ourselves through eyes of the church rather than the eyes of Christ... We allow our perspective of ourselves & Christ, our thoughts and opinions of ourselves & Christ to change because the church tells us what we are and how Christ views us... What really holds us back in our spiritual growth with Christ isn't who we are, but who we perceive ourselves to be... Christ spoke about the importance of perspective;  Lk 11:34, Matt 18:9... This is how we become Ambassadors of Reconciliation, because the reconciliation that's found in Christ will be reflected in us... We'll Live a Life in Freedom with God... and we'll experience & express The Spirit of Life... Last week I said this podcast has 3 Goals; *To present an unbiased and open view of God and Christ...  *To Develop a full and satisfying spiritual walk with God... *To Grow closer in our personal relationship with Christ... We can change today, by following the Spirit of Life... All of us, with the veil removed, can see the reflection Jesus was an example of reflecting the Glory of His Father; John 14:1-9, Mark 8:27-30... Here's something to consider; If, as Paul says, when we see Christ we're transformed to resemble Him, glory upon glory, exactly as the Lord the Spirit... Then when people see us can they see Christ and know Christ like Christ said His disciples could see the Father and know Him? In our next episode we'll discuss how to get on the path of transformation & get off the treadmill imitation... We'll talk about maintaining the perception of Christ in us, & allowing His image to reflect through our lives... The Prophet Jeremiah once said, "Thus says the LORD, 'Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good path is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls." (Jer 6:16) On The Good Path, as Jeremiah calls it, we are able to meet and See Christ, and be changed by His Glory, not our own...

In the last episode we discussed what it takes to "Live a Life with God in Freedom." 1. We Need faith in God... 2. We Need to believe in our forgiveness... through Christ 3. We Need to keep our eyes on the prize...     * We have No more Sin... because of Christ...     * Our accuser is destroyed... by Christ...     * We are Reconciled with God forever... through Christ Does God judge us? No we allow ourselves and others to condemn us.... No one knows how to overcome a problem like someone who has overcome the same problem... So we need to turn to someone who struggled with "Living with God in Freedom" just like us... Someone credible like The Apostle Paul... Paul was just like any of us. After His conversion Paul was haunted by his past... 1Tim 1:15 - Paul says of himself that among sinners he's foremost... 1Cor 15:9 - He says he's the least of the Apostles... Eph 3:8 - He says he's the least of the saints (believers)... Romans 7 - we see how Paul struggled with his failings... Acts 26:9-11 - Paul recounts his actions that haunt him... But, Paul found the key to set himself free from his guilt and condemnation... And He gives us this key in Rom 8:1-4... The Law of Sin and Death vs. The Law of the Spirit of Life - Paul didn't say the Law of the Spirit of sinlessness and life vs. the Law of Sin and death... Why? Because the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ doesn't make us sinless... we are sinners justified by the sacrifice of Christ... and we should never forget this... Why can't we accept the fact that we're sinners? Jesus accepts us the way we are... We also need to see this and break free from the lie... The Law of Sin and Death vs. The Law of the Spirit of Life Paul puts our situation like this, "I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good." Rom 7:21 And Paul concludes in Rom 7:25... There is a Law of Sin and Death that's governed by the physical world (flesh). There is a Law of Life that's governed by the spiritual world. The Law of the physical world can't give us life because the flesh is weak. The Law of the spiritual world can give us life because the spirit of Christ is strong. The Law that governs our physical existence condemns us. The Law that governs our spiritual existence justifies us because Christ is the Spirit. To the Corinthians Paul calls these 2 Laws, "the ministry of condemnation vs. the ministry of righteousness." (2 Cor 3:9). In 2 Cor 3:17 Paul says this "Spirit" is Christ, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." When Moses gave the Law to Israel he had to cover his face with a veil because he was in the presence of the Glory of God and it made the face of Moses glow, and the people couldn't bear to look upon him. Paul explained that this showed that the glory of the Law was hidden to the people. But, Paul says in 2Cor 3:18, "We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." Paul is contrasting Moses and Christ. When Christ gave the Spirit to believers there was no such veil that hide the glory of Christ from us. We behold Christ like looking in a mirror, and seeing that glory we are transformed into the same image. The Glory of Christ is Salvation! What image do we see in the mirror? A sinner? A Saint? Do we see someone who works really hard, but always seems to stumble? Do we see a self-righteous person? Or do we see Christ? We change or grow into the image we see. "The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life." Job 33:4 Job is speaking of the spiritual man here, not his physical body. The Spirit of Christ has made me, and that Spirit has given me life! And it makes you and gives you life also.... In the physical world we are Ambassadors of Reconciliation, not by our actions,

Do you want to live a life free from accusations and condemnation? Find out how to achieve perpetual liberation from guilt and fear! John 8:3-11   Better translation: "Go now, you have no more sin!" not "Go and sin no more" Without an accuser no law is broken... Her accusers walked away and Jesus wasn't going to condemn her... therefore she had no sin... Who accuses us? We are Reconciled with God... The accusations against us have been withdrawn... because Christ has stood in for us... Therefore we have peace with God... Do I have to live differently? Does God require a reboot of my life? We've been accepted into a new "spiritual" country. Are we expected to know some basic things about our new country? Do we need to pass a test? Do we have to take an oath of allegiance? Do we need to speak the language? Remember, our purpose (because of the love of Christ which was revealed to us by His death for us) is to live a new life for Him, as ministers of reconciliation. When we hear the word "New" as it's related to God, we think of change... living better... trying not to sin... not being like we used to be... going to church... etc. It is a "New" life because in our old life we were condemned to death... Abraham left his old life, and we have left our old life, a life of DEATH... In his old country Abraham was going to die... In his new country he would live... This transition is revealed in Hebrews 11:8-10 The "land" that God showed Abraham wasn't a land of dirt and rock and trees. It was a land of promise... This passage says that Abraham lived in the land as an "alien in a foreign land." He never settled down, but rather he lived in tents, because he was looking for another city... The city of promise... All who followed Abraham's faith did the same... Heb 11:13-16 Just like Abraham, we've entered a New Country... A land of Reconciliation and liberty... And just like Abraham and the others before us, we are to live in this New Country by faith, looking for our promise... We live our New Life by Faith in anticipation of what is promised to us... Abraham had to struggle everyday in the world to maintain his faith and his anticipation of the promise... It is the same for us... Jesus mentions this in a prayer to His Father in John 17:14-21 We are Sanctified in Truth... The Word is Truth... What does the Word promise? We are in the world but not of the world... We are aliens in a foreign land... it says that by faith we are reconciled, by faith we are one with God and Christ, and by faith we look for and anticipate our freedom from death... This is how we "Live a Life with God in Freedom"... By faith, with anticipation... By faith we know we are reconciled with God, but we must look forward to realize our reconciliation... By faith we know we are free from the condemnation of our sin, and therefore free from death, but we must look forward to realize our liberation... So to "Live a Life with God in Freedom" we must have faith and look ahead for the promise... Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:21 when He says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "A man is what he thinks about all day long." We become what we think about... By faith we should focus on the positive and not fear the negative... not ignore or deny it, but don't be afraid of the negative... We can have a more realistic view of the world instead of an unrealistic view... We need to recognize the new spiritual emphasis in our daily life, and at the same time enjoy the freedom Christ died to give us? We are  ambassadors of reconciliation... "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other." We can't seek to be justified and reconciled by the death of Christ, and seek to justify ourselves and obtain reconciliation with God through our own actions...

Every believer has a Ministry of Reconciliation and Liberation!  The "Great Commission" was for the 11 Apostles, not us.. Mark 16:15 Matthew 28:19&20 1. The first rule of interpretation is context. In the context of  Matthew and Mark, only the 11 are present. 2. The second rule of interpretation cultural context. What did the immediate audience in the historical culture hear? The 11 Apostles were like Secretaries of State promoting the Gospel. Once the State Department establishes the values a country, then an Ambassador is sent to exhibit those values in that foreign country. Paul says we are Ambassador's;  2Cor 5:20 An Ambassador is a representative of a nation... We represent the effects of the Gospel... which is reconciliation... Christ is the King of our country, He created the Gospel... The Disciples are heads of State for the King, they promoted Gospel... We, as citizens of the King's country, represent the Gospel with our new reconciled and liberated lives... We have a ministry of reconciliation and liberation in Christ as His ambassadors... What is reconciliation? 1. To reestablish a close relationship between parties, to settle or resolve a dispute 2. To bring about acceptance, or make compatible The reconciliation of Esau and Jacob. Reconciliation came with a price; Gen 33:8-11 Separation is a process; 1. Downfall (Trespass) - is the opposite of redemption 2. Condemnation - the opposite of justification 3. Law - the law shows us our unrighteousness, but we try to prove our righteousness 4. Rejection - we are aware of our sin and reject our worthiness to live Reconciliation is a process; 1. Redemption - Christ is the Redeemer - buy back, recover, set free... 2. Justification - to be freed from the penalty of sin and absolved of its guilt... 3. Grace - the grace of God allows us to Repent - 4. Acceptance - we accept the righteousness of Christ by faith and live We need to accept reconciliation... The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32 1. Love 2. Faith - we are justified by faith, we are justified by the resurrection of Christ 3. Forgiveness - is the promise of God, by His Grace 4. Hope - is life everlasting What was the price of reconciliation in the New Testament? 1. The Blood of Christ? 2. The Death of Christ? 3. The Sacrifice of Christ? Romans 5:9&10 Why was the death of Christ required? The story of Cain and Abel, shows how we seek to be reconciled to God; Gen 4:2-7 If we "do well" (if we feel accepted) we're happy, but if we don't "do well" (if we don't feel accepted) then we're depressed... and when we're depressed we make all kinds of bad decisions... This is the affect of reconciliation... but it isn't an emotional feeling, it's an act of faith, regardless of our feelings or emotions... In Hebrews 11:4 the writer tells us that by faith Abel offered his gift to God, therefore this would mean that Cain didn't have the same faith. Abel believed his offering was accepted by God, and Cain didn't believe. We are reconciled with God through Christ, and it becomes applied to our life when we believe it. We now live a new life, a reconciled life, and we walk each day as accepted by God through the offering of Christ... and we know this by faith... Now it's our ministry to explain this transformation in us by living, speaking, and showing our reconciliation to others, so they will be encouraged to be reconciled also... We are free from the guilt and condemnation of our old self... We can now live a new life of liberation through the reconciliation found in Christ by faith... This is our ministry of Reconciliation and Liberation... believing this and living it!!!

As a Believer in Christ, What's Your Mission Statement?  Prov 16:3&4 What is a Mission Statement? It's a declaration of the purpose. A mission statement should do 4 things: 1. It should Direct the decision making process of the organization 2.  It should Guide the actions of the community 3. It should Define the overall goal of the organization 4. It should Provide a clear path to achieving the goal of the community A Mission Statement provides the framework within which an organization or community's  strategies are formulated. How does a Mission Statement fit in with Faith? Israel's Mission Statement: Deut 6:4&5 1. Directions for decisions - Hear (shama) listen, pay attention 2. A Guide for the actions of Israel - Jehovah is our God 3. Defines the goal of the nation - God is one; meaning only or first 4. Provides a path to the goal - love God, with all your heart, soul, mind, & strength We looked at the Mission Statement of Israel, now let's look at the Mission Statement of the church... Mission Statement of The Old Roman Catholic Church in North America The Old Roman Catholic Church in North America, a present day successor of the historic Catholic Church and its undivided apostolic Faith, is committed to the life-long process of developing the individual's personal relationship with God. Realizing the frailty and fallen nature of humanity, the Old Roman Catholic Church in North America proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ through Word, Sacrament and Service. Further, the Church proclaims the teachings of the historic undivided Church as expressed by the Seven Ecumenical Councils. The Church also affirms the primacy of conscience and the formation of right conscience. Mindful of the present divisions within the Body of Christ, the Old Roman Catholic Church in North America remains faithful to the teachings of Our Lord concerning the peace and unity of the Kingdom of God, and is therefore aware of its role in furthering ecumenical relationships.   The Mission Statement of the United Methodist Church; "The mission of the church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." What was the Mission Statement of Christ? Luke 19:10 Did Jesus stick to His mission? Luke 4:42&43 If the purpose Christ came to the world was to "seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10), then what is the purpose of those who serve Christ? To carry on the mission of Christ... How would we do that, by transforming the world? By making disciples? It depends on what kind of disciples we're making... To seek "that which was lost" and present Christ to them so Christ can save them. The Apostle Paul presents the Mission statement of a believer this way: 2 Cor 5:14-19 We have a ministry of reconciliation. 1. Directions for decisions - love (we we're all lost and Christ died for us) He came here 2. A Guide for the actions of believer - we are new as saved, not lost 3. Defines the goal of the believer - reconciliation 4. Provides a path to the goal - present Christ We are all ambassadors for Christ, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." 2Cor 5:20 Our Purpose in Christ is our Mission Statement as believers: "We are compelled by the love of Christ, which was revealed to us by His death for us, to live a new life for Him, as ministers of reconciliation."

In the last episode we discussed whether the Church is Obsolete...  1. The Spiritual Body of all Believers (Matt 16:13-18) 2. A Physical meeting of Believers (Matt 18:17)  Over the centuries the physical meeting of believers morphed into "Church-i-zation", by institutionalizing faith. Pasteurization is a process of eliminating bacteria from milk by heating it.. Church-i-zation is the process of creating a system of faith that has a longer shelf life vs. a faith that promotes a stronger immunity to the destiny of this world.. As Pasteurization preserves the Dairy Industry, so Churchization preserves the Religious Industry... When did Churchization begin? Sadly it started with the disciples... Mark 9:33-40 Other examples of those stepping outside the lines: What the disciples & subsequent religious leaders had in common? Power & Jealousy - It goes back to them arguing about who's the greatest... * Central Authority - Jerusalem, Rome, Constantinople, Nashville (SBC), Missouri, * Central Doctrine... created by authority - baptism, trinity, monotheism, inerrancy, * Rules for Membership... approved by authority - tithing, creed, born again, * Sacraments... only overseen by authority - communion, confession, marriage, etc * Ordained Ministry... approved schools, approved vision, approved calls... * Excommunication... by the power of the authority Pasteurization attacks bacteria w/heat... Churchization attacks dissent w/power... "Unlimited power corrupts the minds of those who possess it"  "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." We've substituted the local church for God... We've given God's power to the church... The church will: 1. Indoctrinate - must keep our rules... we can't... guilt 2. create fear - the world could end tonight... are you really ready... guilt 3. instill inferiority - you can always "do" better... pray, read, give, serve more... guilt 4. maintain insecurity - God loves you??.. are you really sure??.. hell's waiting... guilt We have permission to reject indoctrination, reject fear, reject inferiority, reject insecurity... We have permission, through God's forgiveness and love to reject churchization and be free in the spiritual body of Christ... Would you like to know your purpose in Christ? In our next episode and discover your purpose in Christ... Thank you for listening... I hope this podcast has been an inspiration for us  all to begin considering the things that are preventing us from achieving our purpose with God ...  

Is The Church Obsolete? Has this question ever crossed your mind? Every day with God and Christ is a new adventure in spiritual understanding and learning. We can never come to a place in this mortal life where we've arrived spiritually. The spirit of God is too big, and too vast for us comprehend it all. So we have to constantly grow in our spiritual understanding, and little by little, day by day, we keep moving closer and closer to our desire to know God, and find our joy in His love. But we haven't arrived there yet, so why do we maintain the status quo? Why are we comfortable doing the same thing over and over again without getting any closer to God and Christ? We stay where we are because we're stuck in a routine. We're afraid to let go of what we know, and trust the Spirit of God to bring us to new realizations. This brings us to the title of this podcast, "Is The Church Obsolete?" If Christianity isn't moving spiritually, is the Church the problem?  Is Christianity holding on to something that has outlived its usefulness? The Life cycle of a baby Red Tailed Hawk... For the hawk there is a time for the nest... a time that is part nest and part sky... and a time that is just sky... There comes a time in the growth of the hawk that the nest becomes obsolete... This doesn't mean that there isn't still a need for a nest, but every hawk must leave its nest behind and learn to live in the open sky... Can we see the similarity for us as believers? Can we see how the church can become obsolete in our spiritual life? Examples; VCR, Travel Agents, The Office, Bookstores (Books, Encyclopedias, Newspapers), Watches, Paper Maps, CD's, Landlines (Phone, Internet), Film, Letters... The applications for all the things that became obsolete still exist, but we now access those access those applications differently. When we first believed the church was our nest... learning, feeding, support, encouragement... But there comes a point when it's time to leave the nest... to live in the open sky so to speak... Fortunately, Christ has provided our open sky for us; The Spirit... Jesus mentions the word church only twice... Matt 16:13-18... Jesus had just spent the day debating with the religious leaders of His day, as they were testing Him to determine who he really was. Even His own disciples, who were with Him daily, were unsure of His identity... There's many ways to interpret this statement; 1. Peter is a stone, but the church is an enormous Rock... 2. Peter is the son of a man, but Christ is the Son of God... 3. Christ knows who Peter is, and Peter knows who Christ is... By the Spirit of revelation... and upon this foundation the church is built... The church is a level of "spiritual realization" between God and mankind. This realization doesn't come from human reasoning, but through the inspiration of God. It doesn't take place in the mind, but in the heart. The foundation of the church is the spiritual awareness of who Christ is, and as believers we're added to this spiritual realization, and the church is built, and The Gates of Hades can't withstand it. Job 38:17 Being a member of the spiritual church means we are wrapped in the Grace of God that we receive through faith in Christ, and therefore we're beyond judgment. Everyone who is in the spiritual body, the church, can withstand the gates of Hades. There is no judgment against those in the spiritual church because Christ has taken away our sin. The great mystery here is that as each new member joins this church through faith in the Son of God, we become a stone (like Peter) in the spiritual building, and we become a member of the spiritual body of Christ. Our open sky, The church, is the great spiritual assembly (Church) in heaven, which resides within us. But before we can fly in our spiritual freedom we need some nest time. And Christ makes this provision for us when we first believe; Matt 18:17

This week's podcast is about a combination of things; 1. It's about the future direction of this podcast... the ministry of Crimson Cord... 2. It's about maintaining focus... What should we focus on... 3. It's about stepping up and stepping out... We can't hide who we are ... Matthew 5:14 Why am I doing this podcast? * because this is my call; God calls us all to different tasks... John 21:21&22 Because I have to - I have a passion to do this... Examples of Passion... Job 32:18-20, Jer 20:9, Psa 39:2&3, Acts 4:19&20, Acts 17:16&17, 1 Cor 9:16, The spirit of God within us "forces" us to speak... we have to do it... I am forced - a. to seek a church that represents the desire, purpose, and passion of Christ... a church that is focused on; * the love of God, and the love of what God loves * the truth * faith in God's guidance, provision, and will * the discovery of God's passion/purpose for the church * the knowledge/awareness of God's direction & course for the church * teaching and implementing God's mission for the church * the conviction of the presence of the church in heaven I am forced - b. to communicate to those who have to do the same thing... my audience is those who; * want to do the will of God with all their heart * want to live a vibrant, active, functional faith before the world * are tired of an ineffectual/irrelevant church * want to bring the influence of Christ to a dying world * want to represent a life with Christ as the best option to a life without Christ * desire a union with Christ, not just close personal relationship with Christ * want to joyfully proceed to a future with God & Christ with certainty I am forced - c. to try to please God & Christ with all of my heart... Rom 12:1&2 * Body, Spirit, and Mind metamorphoo - meta; to change place or condition - morphoo; to change form Changed from this world; John 17:13-16 Is the church different? Or has it conformed to this world? Has the church been lulled into a deep sleep... Is the church even aware that the alarm clock is blaring? Being awake is letting the Spirit of God burn so brightly and fiercely inside us that we're forced to do things so we don't explode... This is what made the followers of Christ different... this is what made the disciples different... this is what made the Apostles different... this is why they affected the world the way they did, because they were had to do it... they were forced by the Spirit within them... The church I see in the world today isn't compelled, it's comfortable... The church I see in the world today isn't transformed, it's conformed... The church I see in the world today isn't awake with the Spirit of Christ, it's asleep with the spirit of complacency... The church I see in the world today isn't pleasing to God, because it's more concerned with pleasing to men... The church needs to wake up and realize we're under attack... It's time to wake up and live as God intended us to live as believers... It's time to wake up and live the True Life which Christ suffered and died to give us! It is time to step and step out for the message of Christ and stop diluting His words because it offends those who are comfortable in this world... It is time to allow the Spirit and word of Christ to transform us into the example that God wants the world. The church should be easily contrasted with the world, not difficult to separate...

Today, I want to take the time to explore what it means to Experience God.  In the beginning of every episode I make the statement that this podcast is "Where we discuss the everyday process of living our lives in confidence and hope, while we seek to grow spiritually and EXPERIENCE the vitality of a relationship with God." Can we grow spiritually without experiencing the vitality of a relationship with God? Is experiencing God some magical state that overwhelms us and makes us feel all tingly? What does the word Experience mean? 1. The direct observation of or participation in events as a basis of knowledge. It also means; the fact or state of having been affected by, or gained knowledge through direct observation or participation. 2. The practical knowledge, skill, or practice derived from direct observation of or participation in events. So how does this definition relate to how we experience God? 1. Direct observation - or participation in events - that gives us a basis of knowledge... 2. Gaining knowledge through activities... So according to the definition of experience, we realize our experience with God the more we get to know God through; a. observation; b. participation; c. activity; So to "Experience the vitality of a relationship with God, is to... is to know God through observation, participation, and activity... How do we observe God in our world and in our lives? a. the creation b. the Bible - we observe God in the pages of His story c. in our lives and the lives of others - How do we participate with God? a. by faith - believing in Him b. by hope - trusting in Him c. by love - loving Him and others How are we active with God? a. ministry - formal & informal b. prayer - for everything and every event in our lives c. testimony - about our salvation This isn't an exhaustive list of observation, participation, & activity 2 Cor 12:1-10 This is what most people mean when they talk about experiencing God - visions and revelations... a mystical experience... Most people agree "the man" Paul is talking about here is himself. But Paul doesn't want to speak about this experience, because it wasn't something that happened to him all the time. Rather he would talk about his "weakness" because that was something he experienced every day. Paul wanted people to know him by what the "observed" about him. What that saw was a man who had some sort of disability. Did Paul hear God's voice when He talked with him, or did he observe that God didn't remove his disability... and therefore he experienced God... Just like Paul we can also experience God through observation, participation, and activity... We don't need a mystical event (though that could happen) to experience God... Hebrews 13:5&6 God is with us every day. He is our helper in everything happening around us and to us... Romans 8:28 God is with us in our daily lives in all things working for our good! We Experience the vitality of a relationship with God through; OBSERVATION; a. the creation b. the Bible - we observe God in the pages of His story c. in our lives and the lives of others - PARTICIPATION; a. by faith - believing in Him b. by hope - trusting in Him c. by love - loving Him and others ACTION; a. ministry - formal & informal b. prayer - for everything and every event in our lives c. testimony - about our salvation As I said, The list I've given here on the ways we can EXPERIENCE God through OBSERVATION, PARTICIPATION, and ACTION isn't exhaustive. Think about other ways you can observe, participate, and be active in your own life so you can grow in your knowledge of God and experience the vitality of a daily relationship with Him... I want to encourage you that as you grow in your experience with God, that you let me know... Let me know if this podcast has helped to deepened your spiritual walk with God...