I’d like to encourage you all to attend the next Emmaus Essentials course beginning on March 11th (Correction – we have decided to start this class on April 1st instead of March 11. We feel it would be better for the folks at Emmaus if they had more of a break between EE courses. The schedule on the website will be updated shortly). Russell Schmidt will be leading the class on Sundays at 10:00am and Joe Anady will be leading the class on Tuesdays at 5:30pm. The content of both classes will be similar as we go through Paul Tripp’s book, “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands” – It’s an amazing book that has the potential of bringing deep transformation both to your individual life and also to the life of the church. Russell has a real passion for this topic and I know that it will be enjoyable for you to sit under his teaching.

Please take a look at this course, and the entire Emmaus Essentials track, at www.emmauscf.org/essentials

You can sign up for this course by clicking on the “Join Us” link below the picture of the book.

Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands

About the book: In many ways, the church today has more consumers than committed participants. We see church merely as an event we attend or an organization we belong to, rather than as a calling that shapes our entire life. Many of us would be relieved if God had place dour sanctification in the hands of trained professionals, but that simply is not the biblical model. God’s plan is that through the faithful ministry of every part, the whole body will grow to maturity in Christ. Tripp explains how his work follows an “all of my people, all of the time” model. If you followed the Lord for a thousand years, you would still need the ministry of the body of Christ as much as you did the day you first believed. This need will remain until our sanctification is complete in Glory. This is a comprehensive treatment of how God uses people as tools of change in the lives of others, people who themselves are in need of change.

About the Author: Paul Tripp is the president of Paul Tripp Ministries (www.paultrippministries.org), a nonprofit organization, whose mission statement is “Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.” This mission leads Paul to weekly speaking engagements around the world. In addition to being a gifted communicator and sought after conference speaker with Paul Tripp Ministries, Paul is the Executive Director of the Center for Pastoral Life and Care in Fort Worth, Texas, and has taught at respected institutions worldwide. As an author, Paul has written many books on Christian Living that are read and distributed internationally. He has been married for many years to Luella and they have four grown children.

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I’m really excited to see this next wave of Gospel Community Groups launched here at Emmaus. We currently have four groups meeting weekly with another five ready to launch in a couple of weeks.

I wanted to thank Russell for all of his hard work in providing the training and oversight for these groups. Thank you also to the seven individuals who have worked hard over the past four or five months as they progressed through the GCG leaders training process. I say thank you, not as if you are doing it for me, but because I am so blessed to be apart of a church where this kind of thing is going on!

If you are not currently in a GCG, we highly encourage it. Hopefully you can find a time that works for you!

Please click here to see which groups are available.

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I read this passage in my devotional time this morning and I thought it would be good to share. Anyone who holds a position of teaching within the church of God would be wise to pay careful attention to this passage as it reveals God’s high standard for ministers of the gospel.

Malachi 2:1-9
1 “And now, O priests, this command is for you.
2 If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart.
3 Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.
4 So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the LORD of hosts.
5 My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name.
6 True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.
7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
8 But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts,
9 and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

Posted in Devotional Thoughts Joe Anady Malachi 2:1-9
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Don’t forget to sign up for Emmaus Essentials – Making Sense of the Bible. Class starts Sunday, January 8th or Tuesday, January 10th. Sign up at www.emmauscf.org/essentials and please indicate which class you plan to attend – Tuesday or Sunday.

http://vimeo.com/33645435

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Check out this recent video which explains how to connect, grow, and serve at Emmaus CF.

http://vimeo.com/33821263

Posted in News Church Life Joe Anady
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John 17 is precious. It is an incredible thing to think that we have recorded for us the prayer that Jesus prayed, not only for his original disciples, but even for those of us who are in Christ today. Jesus’ prayer was not for the world, but rather for all whom the Father had given to him. His prayer was for those who were his, living in that moment, and also those who would be his in the future, reaching to this present day and even beyond.

There is nothing more intimate and revealing than honest prayer. Jesus uttered these words only hours before being arrested – less than a day from being crucified. His love for God and his love for his people is exposed through this prayer. Even as he considered the suffering that he was about to endure, his mind and his heart were fixed upon the objects of his affection. Christ, in this moment was supremely concerned about two things, the glorification of God the Father and the redemption and sanctification of those whom the Father had given to him.

This is the kind of thing that will give you the chills if you take the time to think about it! If you are in Christ it is because the Father has given you to him. You being in Christ and Christ being in the Father is Jesus Christ prayed for you, Christian! Take a moment and consider Christ’s heart for you as expressed in what is commonly called the “High Priestly Prayer” of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

___________________

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’” (John 17, ESV)

Posted in Devotional Thoughts Prayer Joe Anady John 17
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One of the joys of starting a new church is having the opportunity to establish new traditions. Traditions can be either good or bad depending on how they are approached. If they become routine they can actually hinder the gospel by distracting from it; if they are approached with sincerity of heart and mind they can serve to illuminate and magnify the gospel in our midst.

One of the traditions that we are going to establish here at Emmaus is the observance of Advent. For most of us, this is nothing new. I can remember back to my early days as a child seeing families walk to the front of the church to read something and to light a candle or two. I think I was more impressed with the fire than I was with the reading, but I do remember the tradition! Now that I am a father and a Pastor I find myself excited about the possibility of making this a meaningful part our family and church tradition.

The word advent comes from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming”. It is during this season that we are to remember the first coming of Christ and also look forward to His second coming. Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and also includes Christmas eve or Christmas day.

It was interesting to do a little research on the Advent tradition. As it turns out, there are many different ways to approach Advent. There are traditionally five candles, one for each Sunday leading up to Christmas and one for Christmas eve or Christmas day. Often the candles are organized in a ring to symbolize that God is eternal, the Alpha and Omega without beginning or end, and typically the candles are a particular color (three purple or blue to symbolize royalty, one pink to symbolize joy, and one white to symbolize the Christ). There is significant diversity within these traditions and, in some ways, I am glad for the diversity. It is not the arrangement of candles nor the color of candles that really matters, the point is that we remember Jesus.

Over the next five weeks we will have five families light candles and read scripture at Emmaus. For Advent season 2011 we will focus on the five songs (or pieces of poetry) found in Luke’s gospel.  On November 27th the first candle will be lit and Mary’s song found in Luke 1:46-55 will be read. On December 4th the first and second candle will be lit and Zechariah’s song found in Luke 1:67-79 will be read. On December 11th candles one through three will be lit and John the Baptists song (poetry) found in Luke 3:1-18 will be read. On December 18th candles one through four will be lit and the angels song found in Luke 2:14 will be read. And finally, on Christmas day all five candles will be lit and Simeon’s song will be read from Luke 2:28-32.

It may be that we focus on different scriptures and themes in 2012 for the sake of fighting against falling into a routine. The point is that we remember Jesus during this holiday season. With each Sunday the candles will burn more brightly as a reminder that Jesus is the light of the world. May He shine fourth from each of our lives as we represent Him in this dark place. I am praying for Emmaus, that we would have an opportunity to proclaim the gospel to our friends, family, and our neighbors and that the lighting of the Advent candles would remind us to do that very thing.

Blessings,

Joe

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Philippians 3:17-21

17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.
18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Paul’s analysis of those who once professed Christ and now walk as enemies of Christ is interesting to me. According to this passage the determining factor as to wether ones “end is destruction” or “glory” has to do with worship.

Those who’s end is destruction have their belly as their god. In other words, they live for the appetites of the flesh, worldly pleasure, self. They see fulfilling the desires of the flesh as being worthy above all else (this is worship).

Those who’s end is glory have their appetites fixed on heavenly things, spiritual things, Christ. They see Christ and living for the things that are of him as being of supreme worth.

This passage follows that familiar passage where Paul says, “Indeed, I count everything (worldly things) as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

Do you treasure Christ above all else? Does he rule you? Is he your God? Do you consider him to be of surpassing worth? Or is your belly your god?

This passage has the Biblical doctrine of regeneration (being born again) at its core. To be regenerated is to have your appetites transformed. Before regeneration we lived for the flesh, in bondadge to sin, for our own glory, to fulfill fleshly appetites. After regeneration, our very being (heart) is reoriented to the things of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. We live not for self but for the things of God, we are freed from the bondage of sin, we live for the glory of God, and our appetites have been fundamentaly changed.

The things of the world no longer satisfy us the way that they used to. Those things that were once considered delicacies now taste like dung. We find that the things of the Spirit are much more appetizing and yet we still struggle with sin as we live in this broken world. Sanctify us Lord! Help us to walk in the Spirit daily that we might not satisfy the desires of the flesh. Continue to renew our appetites and transform our hearts!

In the end, Paul’s assessment of those who once proclaimed Christ and now are clearly enemies of Christ is that they still have their belly as their god; they are idolators, making something that is not a god in reality a god for themselves. May it not be true of us.

Just Thinking,

Joe

Posted in Devotional Thoughts Idolatry Joe Anady Philippians 3:17-21
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