Gregg's Rest Stop (Resurrection Power in You!)

Published: Mon, 02/04/13

Gregg's Rest Stop

February 4, 2013

Journey in Christ

Resurrection Power in You!

	*That I may know Christ* *and the power of His resurrection.* *(Philippians 3:10)* I am indebted to the late Stephen Olford for this Rest Stop. Dr. Olford was one of my mentors at Luther Rice Seminary in the 1990s. He was a most gifted expository preacher. A true gentleman true to God's Word. Following are my personal reflections from Dr. Olford's sermon "The Power of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ" from Philippians 3:10-14. This sermon is one of the most foundational and impactful sermons I've ever personally heard. It is with joy that I share these brief reflections with you. FREE FROM THE PAST The power of His resurrection for... ...forgetting those things which are behind. (Philippians 3:13a) One of the most debilitating thing a Christian can do is to be deceived to live in the past. To dwell on regrets. To be paralyzed by guilt. To be haunted by shame. The enemy tempts us in these ways. He fundamentally tempts us to believe that our old lives were not really crucified and buried with Christ, and that we are not, as a result, new creations risen with Christ and totally acceptable to God. However, each of us can remember our past failures and say by faith, "Forgive me Lord." And we can even remember our past successes and say by faith, "Praise be to You Lord." But then, through the indwelling Christ, each of us has the power of His resurrection to go forward in His name unencumbered by the past! ALIVE IN THE PRESENT The power of His resurrection to... ...lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. (Philippians 3:12b) I tried for many years to dedicate my life to the Lord, and I have taught others to try doing the same. The awful problem with this is that I was trying to re-dedicate and re-dedicate and re-dedicate my own flesh to God. My motives were sincere, but I was seeking to help God by dedicating my own fleshly will power. In and of myself, I have absolutely zero power. As a result, I failed each and every time with no joy whatsoever. It was all sin. You see, God doesn't accept any dedication that is anything less than the resurrection life of Christ in us! Romans 12:2 commands us to, "Present your bodies a LIVING and HOLY and ACCEPTABLE sacrifice (dedication) to God." In the past, I was trying to present to God my dead and unholy and unacceptable fleshly "good" efforts. Thanks be to God for His patience and grace in revealing to me the majesty and power of resurrection life in Christ! And I have dedicated to God the remainder of my earthly life in Christ to minister Christ's life to others! HOPE FOR THE FUTURE The power of His resurrection to... press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14) The power of the resurrection in us also compels us forward to see Christ face to face! Paul wrote in his last letter, "I have fought the good fight of faith. There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day" (2 Timothy 3:7-8a). Some Christians aren't comfortable saying this in unison with Paul because we are programmed to believe righteousness comes from our "good" (fleshly) works. Paul is not referring to earning a crown of righteousness. He is affirming he has already received the righteousness of Christ by faith in the resurrected life of Christ in Him! CLOSING Following are YouTube links of the audio recording of Stephen Olford preaching this sermon. Rich truth! Sermon (7 minutes, part 1 of 3) Sermon (6.5 minutes, part 2 of 3) Sermon (7 minutes, part 3 of 3) Have a special week in the resurrection life of Christ!

LITTLE BOY

BIG MIRACLE

Almost a year ago, our nephew and his wife's first child Eleanor died just a few minutes after being born. Last week, their second child Edison was born a healthy little boy (see his photos below)!

God has blessed many through these two precious children!

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

Journey in Christ website link

Personal website link

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.

3-minute discipleship video

Please contact me to learn more about partnering with me. I'd love to hear from you!

On September 19,

Lifetime Ministries published

the following Rest Stop article:

Article "From the Heart to the Head"

Ministry News

Gregg is mentoring teenagers, men, couples in an office donated by Holly Ridge Church in Simpsonville SC.

Michael is mentoring men and couples in offices donated by three churches Greenville SC.

A new group will be starting Advanced Discipleship Training March 2013. One is a pastor from North Carolina.

Clink link below:

ADT 2013 brochure

Gregg teaches freedom in Christ at The Haven of Rest mission in Anderson, SC Mondays 6:00-6:45 pm. You are welcome to attend with Gregg anytime!

Gregg will be speaking again at the Bar None Cowboy Church. A new church in rural Laurens County SC.

Carole and Joy to lead discipleship Bible studies Feb 6 thru April 3, 2013 for 7 female employees on-site at a manufacturing plant.

One of our advanced discipleship training graduates will represent Journey in Christ is partnering with Hunts Memorial Baptist Church of Greenville SC to teach at a women's retreat Saturday, April 19-20, 2013! She and the church women's ministry leader are so excited about this ministry partnership!