Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-20

When I was about 20 years old, living with a buddy of mine in Santa Barbara, someone broke into our home and stole my stereo system. I couldn’t believe someone would do that to me…especially since I didn’t have any insurance. Since then I’ve had the usual minor incidences…a couple of break-ins with my car, but thankfully nothing serious. Last week my fairly expensive Japanese made car blew a head gasket…I don’t want to tell you what that will cost for repairs. This summer I need a new roof on my home…more major expenses.

All week I’ve been thinking about this verse from Matthew’s gospel and realizing how much time, energy, and money, “stuff” takes out of my life. There doesn’t seem any way to avoid it, living in the wealthiest country in the world, and in California to boot. So I was asking the Lord, “How do I disentangle myself from all this stuff?” I sensed the Holy Spirit simply saying to me, “Quit accumulating stuff”. I thought, “That’s easier said than done, Lord!”

The point is, we have to learn to get by with only what we really need. We live in a society that is driven by a number of false gods, one of the most powerful being materialism. We all like nice things, but unfortunately those nice things can become a major distraction and hindrance to our spiritual life. I’m not proposing a life of asceticism, just a life of simplicity. Can I be content with only what I need to live in this 21st century? Can I appreciate what I do have, rather than always wanting what I don’t have?

Jesus’ point is clear. He is saying, “Begin to place a premium on the eternal treasure of the Kingdom, rather than on this ‘stuff’ that gets stolen, breaks, leaks, and blow gaskets. Make the unseen realm and its realities the priority in your life, because those are the things that are most important and that last.” As usual with the Lord, the issue is our hearts, and He clearly is saying that what we love most will obviously own and hold our hearts. And if what holds and owns my heart slowly rusts or fades away, what will I have left in that Day? It’s interesting how now stereos are really very unimportant to me, and watching my grandkids grow in the knowledge and love of God is priceless.

So I bite the bullet and get my car fixed, thankful that I’m among the few on the planet who actually have another car in the garage that does work while I wait for the repairs to get done. And meanwhile, floating toward the West coast of the United States is 25 million tons of debris from Japan…a giant flotsam of couches, cars, debris from houses, and possessions that were once treasures to the people of Japan. Jesus didn’t say anything about tsunamis…but He could have.

Scripture: Romans 4:1-25

Scripture: Mathew 4:1

The Word is the revelation of Jesus Christ – The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ

The Word is living and active – The Spirit is the resurrection life of God given to those who believe

The Word of God is an imperishable seed through which we have been born again – It is by the Holy Spirit that we are regenerated; His life is the very seed of God

The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit – The sword of the Spirit is the truth of the Word

The Word of God reveals the grace of God – The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of grace

The Word of God reveals the heart of Abba -We have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry “Abba! Father!”

The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are inseparably involved in the process of the mind being renewed and being transformed into the image of Christ

The Word of God testifies of Christ’s work of salvation – The Spirit confirms that word with power

The Word of God establishes the church – The Spirit of God empowers the church

The Word is preached and believed leading to salvation – The Holy Spirit then seals those who believe for the day of redemption

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

Scripture: Romans 3:21-31

Scripture: Romans 3:9-31

Scripture: Romans 2

CCCI is a gospel centered church, reformed in our theology and teaching, yet with a strong conviction of our great need for the power and work of the Holy Spirit in our church and lives.

Planting gospel communities, encouraging a sincere, genuine following of Jesus, and reaching into the lives of not-yet believers through genuineness and friendship is our mission.

If you interested in learning more about about the Christian faith, or are wandering, hungry, and not connected to a local church join us!

Scripture: Romans 1

Scripture: Romans 1

Scripture: Luke 3:22

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1

Scripture: Matthew 13:3-9

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20

Scripture: Ephesians 2:8-10

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages…Romans 16:25

The gospel is the heart of the revelation of God for mankind. It is an all-encompassing message, in that its good news touches and affects every part of the human life and condition. What sin caused in its alienation from God and from ourselves, the gospel redeems, restores, and re-creates anew.

The Lord Jesus came with a message of good news of God’s kingdom. He preached and taught of the kingdom daily. But as a Jew, He spoke the language of the day, Aramaic, a language that was that of the common man on the street. And the word He used for “gospel” was an Aramaic word that simply meant, “hope”. When His hearers heard Him speak of the gospel, they heard in their tongue Jesus speaking of the coming “hope” of the kingdom. To a people who had not had a word from a prophet of God in hundreds of years, and who were living under the tyranny of Rome, this was music to their ears. Finally the earthly kingdom of God would be established and once again Israel would take its rightful place as the chosen servant of God.

But Paul and the other apostles and New Testament writers, after Pentecost and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, understood something different about Jesus’ message. They understood that what Jesus spoke of was not an earthly kingdom but a spiritual kingdom, and that in fact that kingdom had radically and violently come in the incarnation and through the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul speaks in Romans of “his” gospel. Did it contradict the hope Jesus spoke of during His ministry? No, it expanded, enlarged, and enveloped Jesus gospel. Paul realized that the power of the Holy Spirit through the works of the Lord Jesus were the manifestation of the age to come. Paul understood that the words Jesus spoke in His sermon on the mount that day were the values system, the ethics, and a description of the lifestyle of the new creation (kingdom) of God. To the Galatians and Colossian churches, Paul explained that this present evil age had been invaded, and that the old creation and its decay from sin had been radically confronted and overcome by God’s new creation in the person of Jesus.

What the Old Testament prophets had foreseen was ultimately to be understood and realized, not in an earthly Israel, but in a spiritual Israel. The hope wasn’t a temporal reign, but one that was eternal, a reign inaugurated through the incarnation, manifested through the works of Jesus, secured by the cross, and declared to be powerfully victorious at the resurrection; a reign that was now to be furthered by the empowered church of God.

Jesus’ gospel was only the beginning of the message. It was left to men like Paul to bring the full “revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages”. This is our gospel. It is now a gospel of hope realized, of a hope that is Living, because it is a hope that is Christ Himself.

Scripture: Romans 16:25-27

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5

Scripture: Luke 5:1-11

Scripture: 2 Samuel 11-21

“When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore the wall?” Nehemiah 4:1-2

Have you ever said to yourself, “Where do I begin?” Sometimes the task at hand seems overwhelming and it’s hard to know where to start. When we survey the walls of our lives, at times they appear shaky and vulnerable. Sometimes they have cracks in them and don’t look like they can stand much longer. Those can be difficult times, even for the strongest of hearts.

Of course the enemy, as Sanballat did in the day of Nehemiah, is always ready to ridicule our “small beginnings”, and quick to remind us why there will never be the change we hope for. Hopelessness and discouragement are his goal, because he knows that once we have lost hope and become discouraged there is a good possibility that we will give up. But as believers we’re called to persevere and giving up isn’t in our thinking or an attitude that we will give credence to, as it pertains to the work of God in our lives.

That is exactly the point. The work in my life is a work of God. My life is in His hands. My work is to believe. Because I believe I obey, I respond, and I choose to walk out the right and godly choices. But the actual rebuilding of my life is only something God can do in me and for me. It’s a work that is Holy Spirit empowered, and facilitated by the Word of God transforming me through the renewal of my mind. It is a work that is finished in Christ, and therein lays the power and answer.

When we fall into the rut of self-improvement we doom ourselves to an endless cycle of frustration and discouragement. The lies of the enemy are only relevant when I am still hoping in myself, hoping in my abilities to “get it together”. But when I fix my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith and I take my eyes off of myself and my inabilities and inadequacies, the enemy loses his ground for accusation against me. When he is confronted with the Son of Man and His righteousness, he loses his boldness very quickly.

Paul said to the Corinthian church, “It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” What a powerful truth; all the Christian life is now lived out through Him. Feeble in myself? Yes, absolutely. Unable to get it together, no matter how hard I try? Definitely. But He is able! His life has become my life. And I now live my life by faith in the Son of God, and not in myself. The enemy can’t argue with that, and the rebuilding of the walls of my life will be completed.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6

Scripture: Deuteronomy 6-8

Scripture: Galatians 1:3-5

Scripture: Acts 11:19-30

Scripture: Daniel 11:32

Scripture: Malachi 2:15

Scripture: Romans 1:1-6

Scripture: 1st Peter 1:6-7

Scripture: Philippians 1:27 – 2:30