 Delivered, Sealed, & Signed
|
Human letters are signed, sealed, and delivered. This week, I believe God impressed upon me how His letters (you and me) are delivered, sealed, and signed by the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son!
God the Father has delivered us
from the power of darkness and conveyed us
into the kingdom of His dear Son.
Colossians 1:13
By His grace, God has not only delivered us from the penalty of sin (death), He has delivered us into the life of His dear Son! He has delivered us out of our sinful family (Adam) and into our new family, His righteous family! You and I have a new identity!
In Christ you also trusted...in whom
you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Ephesians 1:13
When God the Father delivers you into Christ, the Holy Spirit seals that reality for eternity! Nothing, absolutely no ungodly thing, can get to you. You are completely safe forever in Christ sealed by the Holy Spirit!
In your circumstances you may not feel safe. However, by faith in what God says (not by your feelings), you can walk as a safe child of God. And your Father says that you are safe and secure, sealed by the Holy Spirit in His dear Son. You are indeed God's dear child!
SIGNED BY THE SON
You are an epistle (a letter) of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God...
...not on tablets of stone but on the tablets of the heart.
2 Corinthians 3:3
Paul wrote these words in response to the Corinthians who were asking Paul for a letter of recommendation to document his authenticity as a minister of the gospel. This is quite interesting because it was Paul who had previously introduced the Corinthians to Christ!
In our modern culture, the more impressive our resumes are, the more valuable we believe we can prove ourselves to be. There is nothing wrong with a factual resume in applying for a job. However, in this case, Paul knew the Corinthians were seeking to understand Paul's value as a minister of the gospel by what he had accomplished.
Paul's response exposed this fleshly mindset of the Corinthians. Paul wanted them to know that true ministry is not about numbers and results, but is about people and Christ. Each number is a precious person and each eternal result is of Christ, not of Paul. Ministry is all about relating real people to the risen Christ!
Paul claimed that the Corinthians themselves were his recommendation letters! However, Paul also was clear to say that he was merely one of several pens (ministered by us), instruments Christ used through the Holy Spirit to write His name on their new hearts!
And the name of Christ is more than a label - it is the very life and character of Christ Himself! The Holy Spirit writes Christ's life and character into the very fabric of your new heart! You are personally identified (autographed) with His name! Now you can pray in His name with all your heart!
Cherish His name, live in His name - the name above all names!
When God the Father delivered you into Christ and the Holy Spirit
sealed you in Christ, Christ Himself signed His name on your heart as
proof. You are intimately one with God. You are now God's love letter
to others!
For the sake of His Name (3 John 1:7),
  |
|
PS
GALATIANS 2:20
GOD'S WORD WRITTEN ON MY HEART
|
|
About 
Discipleship through
Counseling
Teaching
Training
Gregg Gibbons
Pastoral Director
Michael Chalmers
Training Director
Kellie Boggs
Fellowship Director
Joy Gibbons
Ministry Assistant and women's ministry coordinator
Carole Blyth
Board member and women's ministry coordinator
Randy Garrick
Board member and Elder Holly Ridge Baptist Church
Paul Crews
Board member and Pastor Mountain Creek Baptist Church
|
Partnership
I believe with all my heart that ministry is through relationships.
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you for your partnership in the gospel (Philippians 1:3, 5).
 
YouTube link below of my ministry commissioning service that included testimonies from several partners, including Bobby Richardson, former 2nd baseman for the NY Yankees.
Please contact me to learn more about partnering with me. I'd love to hear from you!
|
|
On September 19th, Lifetime Ministries (formerly Lifetime Guarantee Ministries) published one of my Rest Stop articles.
Following is the link to this article:
|
Ministry News
Next 8-month Advanced Discipleship Training to start January 2013. Clink on the following link for our brochure:
Gregg teaches freedom from anger through Christ at The Haven of Rest rescue mission in Anderson, SC Mondays 6:00-6:45 pm. You are welcome to attend with Gregg anytime!
Gregg is mentoring men and couples in an office at Holly Ridge Baptist Church in Simpsonville SC.
Michael is mentoring men and couples in an office provided by Mountain Creek Baptist Church, Pendleton Street Baptist Church,and Earle Street Baptist Church in Greenville SC.
Carole and Joy, along with others trained through Journey in Christ, will be leading discipleship Bible studies Jan 23 through March 20, 2013 for 7 female employees at an industrial plant. This is a follow-up of their transformational ministry to the ladies in the Spring and Fall of 2012.
Michael is leading a weekly small group for Earle Street Baptist Church in Greenville using the Grace Life Handbook.
On Nov 8-10, Charles Payton and Francie Beard of Grace Life International Charlotte were ministry partners for teaching our 8 students in the 6th of 8 sessions for our 8-month Advanced Discipleship Training. See photo below.
|
Archives
Link for Rest Stops
since August 2010:
|
Contact Info
JOURNEY IN CHRIST, INC.
655 Fairview Road
Suite H-188
Simpsonville SC 29680
(864) 483-3201 (Gregg cell)
|
|
