Grace Bible Church

Men’s Breakfast

Calvin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:37:28 +0000

Attention Men! You are invited to our Men’s Breakfast on Saturday, March 27, at 8am. Pastor Ryan Rippee from Calvary Community Church will be our guest speaker. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door. Registration begins March 7th online or in the courtyard.

Compared To What?

scott — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:16:50 +0000

I, probably much like most of us, have pretty much lived my
whole life comparing myself to others. I’ve often wondered what
life would be like “If only I…” or “Sure wish I…”. Compared to
others, I have asked myself, “Why don’t I have that personality, the
one over there that’s always so effervescent and fun to be around?”
Or I’ve said to myself, “Sure wish I had their ability to orate and
write so fluently, weaving just the right amount of humor in here
and there, thinking so quickly on their feet.” Or, “Gee whiz, if only
I had their brains, then I’d probably have a different vocation that
would free me up with a lot more margin and a lot more disposable
income.” Perhaps, if you’re like me, you have similar questions
or say comparable things to yourself about yourself against a
self. “If only I _______…”, “Sure wish I _______…”, “Why don’t
I ______..?”, you fill in the blank(s). So what’s wrong with this
kind of thinking, if anything? And if it’s wrong, then why do
I, why do we do it? And if we knew why, what would we, what
could we do differently and then how should we be thinking?
First, let’s differentiate between healthy and unhealthy
comparisons of one another. Jesus said to His disciples after
washing their feet, “I gave you an example that you should also
do as I did to you.” (John 13:15) How could they (we) do as
He did, if they did not compare what they were doing (or not
doing for that matter) against what Jesus was doing? They
saw, He instructed and then said, “… do as I did to you”. We
look at Jesus and those emulating Jesus, we take account and
compare ourselves and then, by the grace of God compelled by
love, do as He and those like Jesus are doing. That’s healthy!
That’s transformative! That’s the Gospel! And when it comes
to salvation, we would hope, like Paul did with King Agrippa
that all would see, hear, compare, desire and become “as I am”
(except for those chains). (Acts 26:29)
But, when we match ourselves up to another at the expense
of our God-created nature, that splendid design that makes
you and me uniquely different from me and you, respectively,
then that’s unhealthy. Why actually it’s sinful (many unhealthy
things are sinful, and all sinful things are unhealthy). When
Paul said that, “… He (God) gave some as apostles, and some
as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and
teachers…” (Ephesians 4:11, with emphasis added), he didn’t say
God gave all such capacities. And when Paul also said that, “…
God… appointed… gifts of healings, helps, administrations…”
(I Corinthians 12:28), and then asked, “All do not have gifts of
healings, do they?” (I Corinthians 12:30), he was making the
point (among many) that I/we cannot possess it all, because
God did not appoint it all for me/us. In fact, forget the “all”!
We cannot possess most of it (you define what the “it” is)
because He did not appoint most of “it” unto us, nor that part
we wish we had but do not. Therefore, to want it all or any
portion thereof that wasn’t allotted for you and for me is to
question God’s artistry. And it’s then in our questioning we hear
God question us, just as Job did, “Where were you when I laid
the foundation of the earth?” (Job 38:4) That’s not a query I want
to hear the Lord challenge me with, and I’m sure it wasn’t too
fun for Job to hear either. But that’s precisely what He’s saying
to us when we say or ask, “If only I…”, “Sure wish I…”, or “Why
don’t I…?” Can you hear Him? It’s deafening for me.
Now when these unhealthy, sinful musings swirl through
our heads, they’re usually symptoms of something much
deeper, generated from the heart. And the Christian heart,
that regenerated heart which pushes the lifeblood of our
being throughout our souls, it has an irregular beat when we
detrimentally question and compare ourselves against others.
That heart is now resonating with the cadence of a sinner,
because sinners are wired to compare, compare, compare.
We frequently stack ourselves up against others, wondering,
wishing, desiring that constitution, that giftedness, or that
make-up that was just never intended for you. And for us to
despise what we think God forgot to fashion in us is to fall
back into the same ole patterns that brought us to the cross in
the first place…, putting ourselves on the throne of authority
rather than The Authority on the throne of authority. And
this, yes this is what the Gospel came to liberate us from and to
defibrillate our hearts into a regular beat that resonates with the
cadence of holiness.
So here’s the blow away. Are you ready? “I am (You are)
fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14b) That’s what
GOD says, and He says it about you. I know you’ve heard
and read that before, just like me a thousand times, but quote
Scripture about yourself and say it out loud and slowly, right
now, “I-am-fearfully-and-wonderfully-made.” What part? Every
part! Yes, every molecule and atom in every sinew of your being
is miraculously woven and held together by the Master Designer
and we, even the unregenerate, marvel at that. But what about
the part you feel is missing? You know, the blanks you filled
in above. That soft spoken temperament you wish were more
animated, or that behind-the-scenes and completely unnoticed-
by-anyone gift that seems so insignificant by comparison, or
that disposition that’s perfectly suited for your vocation but
doesn’t seem to have any everlasting “spiritual” or ministerial
effect, or that constitution that’s always on-the-go but never
seems to find respite like other more calming people. These
are the things that make image-bearers of the Most High God
complete, not in the one but in the whole. And the beauty and
the wonder of God are visualized in the tapestry of community
when we see what’s lacking in us lived out in another, just as
community always was from before the foundation of the earth
between God the Son, God the Spirit, and God the Father.
Now I can hear those haunting questions and comments about
and to myself shifting my paradigm, because someone much
greater than me or that person I’m comparing myself against
has thoughts about me that are precious. And not only are they
precious, they’re innumerably precious. (cf. Psalm 139:17)
So now when I find myself ruminating on what’s absent in
me by way of comparative blueprint, I can rather ruminate on
what’s complete in me by way of divine construct. And not only
me, but you, for you make me complete, and I’m confident
I make you complete, and together we make Jesus’ church
complete.
Putting unhealthy (sinful) comparisons aside as one fearfully
and wonderfully made,
~Tom Kruggel

An Introduction: Who Are We

Calvin — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 21:56:13 +0000

Head for the Hills!

Calvin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:32:02 +0000

He went up to the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.”
(Matthew 14:23b)
Where are the mountains to which we run to find solitude with God? Perchance they’re difficult to unearth in the arid plains of ear-buds, iPods/iPhones, telephones, text messages, radios, televisions, computers, the internet, e-mails, Facebook, Blackberries, and Twittering. Perhaps they’re all but leveled from the dust storm aftermath of soccer games, business meetings, grocery buying, music lessons, doctor’s appointments, homework, commuting, paying bills, grooming, sleeping and even ministry. The technological and hectic pace of our culture and just life itself has not only flattened our divine landscape, but also compressed some of us into a crevasse where we’re sandwiched into a perceptible position of intercessory immobility.
But need we be paralyzed by our by our environs as if we were powerless to pursue intimacy with God? Maybe the first place to begin is whether we long to break free and solo the mountain ascent to commune with Him at all. Some of us have become desensitized to the high-tech and frenzied pace of American life to such a degree that we no longer sense the need for seclusion with Him. Jesus’ three years of persistent public ministry made Him one of the busiest to ever live, yet He saw the necessity and sought it out, even if it meant leaving others behind. Yearning for the Preeminent at the expense of the paramount has got to captivate our desires over our demands. This happens when we see the beauty of our Savior as more appealing than the immediacy of our tasks. And just how beautiful is this Christ that overshadows everything placed within our eyes’ view? So breathtaking that we simply cannot help but remember the blindness of our former darkness against the radiance of His marvelous light (cf. I Peter 2:9). So captivating that we cannot wait for the next moment to dine alone at the feast of His banqueting table rather than eat among the throngs of aliens and from their corruptible crumbs that fall to the ground. So magnificent that we allow the lightning speed of our hyper-connective and loaded lives easily pass us by in exchange for a solemn roadside rest stop that’s coupled to endless supplies of living water (John 4:10).
While “… the Christian… belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes”, (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together), so too the Christian belongs not in the sociality of a margin-less life but in segregation with God. These are not mutually exclusive, but inclusive, meaning that we need not seek to always run away from the industriousness of our humanity, and yet at the same time we need to routinely run to, or head for the hills of insular and peaceful moments with God in the midst of our humanity. Why? Because man cannot “live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”. (Matthew 4:4b)
So just where might we find those hills of detachment? They’re sought after in the boundless sea of busyness and, when discovered on the still horizon, they’re fought for just like the WWII American offensive “Battle of Iwo Jima” (ironically codified “Operation Detachment”). For some of us that will mean a disciplined early morning rise to contemplate the Lord while smelling and feeling the fresh, cool air as the early dawn of light peeks over the treetops. For others it will mean a regimented lunch hour away from the office or studies where a leisurely walk even among the masses clears the cluttered mind and ruminates upon God. And for even others it will mean an hour behind closed doors after the evening meal, sheltered from all distractions, to read and pray about and to the One who sustained us throughout the day. Whenever the time and whatever the occasion, a faithful walk in the Spirit all day long requires quiet communion with God lingering moments long. It’s a fool’s errand to merely attempt to squeeze Him into the cracks of our days as if He were simply another casual acquaintance, then off to the next thing.
Remember that it was unto the hills to which the Psalmist lifted his eyes from whence his help came (cf. Psalm 121:1). And why would he look there for aid and not somewhere else? Yes, Zion sits upon a hill and provides a vantage point that overlooks the surrounding countryside which freely permits the populace to see much further than what’s visible from the valley floor. But also when in danger it was there from the hills which the liberation forces would ride, come and arrive to release the captives. The hills were conspicuous from the encampment and supplied a sense of hope when no other escape seemed evident. And it is there on those same hills that our hope also resides when we’re burdened by the heavy yoke of an impacted and compressed schedule. It’s there that we once more find the gospel of Jesus and the liberating truth that looses the shackles and sets the prisoner free (cf. Nahum 1:13; Psalm 146:7). And it was there that the Psalmist said his help came from the Lord (cf. Psalm 121:2). Only let us not just look, but run to those hills and meet our Rescuer there that He might surround us with an armor of protection against the perilous pitfall of obligation and duty. Then after basking in the safety of His embrace may we again delight in duty, rejuvenated by a transfusion of love that carries us in a peaceful estate even among the most pressing of demands. Sometimes the comfort of the familiar and busy routine will hinder our gait, but let that be a bellwether that we need all the more to pick up our pace and press through the slumber. As aptly stated by Charles Spurgeon with such eloquence as penned by none other, “Dwellers in valleys are subject to disorders for which there is no cure but a sojourn in the uplands, and it is well when they shake off their lethargy and resolve upon a climb.” (The Treasury of David, Volume 3)
So let us look up and when we survey the golden hills of our terrain, head for those hills unaccompanied and then rest with our Creator at the crest’s edge. After savoring at the summit, may we descend and venture through the flatlands with vigor and in victory.
-Tom Kruggel

New Years

admin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:59:25 +0000

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This Week @ Grace for 11/01/2009

admin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:55:54 +0000

Community Groups

Calvin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:40:42 +0000

Throughout the fifteen year history of Grace Bible Church our home Bible studies/ small groups, the Home Fellowship Group ministry has been a rewarding avenue used by the Lord to study the Bible together, form friendships, and pray for one another. As GBC has grown to nearly 600 worshipers each week that ministry has developed into our front line for shepherding, nurture, and the relational life of the church. This Fall there will be 14 groups meeting throughout the East Bay, led by trained and supported leaders with the goal of seeing each group leader assist in raising up, training, and sending out new group leaders. Currently there are four men “in the queue”, in training to become future group leaders. These smaller “gospel communities” meet in homes throughout the week around Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and the sharing of life’s joy’s and burdens are much more than a mid-week small group meeting, but a network of relationships where our people care for one another, practicing the NT “one anothers.” The meetings are not an end in and of themselves, but a means to further deeper relational life and personal ministry. With that in mind effective this fall the elders have decided to change the name of this ministry. From now on our Home Fellowship Groups will go by the name “Community Groups.” While we have always loved the previous name, the vision for this ministry has always meant to go beyond the mid-week meeting and provide a network of ongoing relational care rooted in the gospel that highlights in Christ, God has made us a new community.

Personal Substitute Jesus

Calvin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:42:34 +0000

As people seeking change, all believers live somewhere on the continuum between slavery and freedom. Our culture in every age presents its own views of freedom as well as its own solutions for change, and these alternate ideas seem appealing. What do they offer? Avoid chaos. Live in control. Keep your own plans and dignity intact. We have always had to sift through false ideas of change (Colossians 2:6-8). Christians must continually contend against hollow and deceptive diagnoses and solutions to problems presented as superior to Jesus Christ. These false ideas frequently masquerade themselves as biblical wisdom, borrowing some aspect of biblical truth. False wisdom allows us to live independent of Christ as opposed to dependent upon Him, which thereby circumvents the deep transformation of the heart only the grace of God in the gospel can produce. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:6-8 What are some examples of what can rightly be called plausible lies or hollow and deceptive philosophies rooted in human tradition that, often pass for true Christian change? The finger-pointing strategy of changing my circumstances is both deceptive and hollow, because it misses our need for Christ’s redeeming grace and places the blame for our problems ultimately on God. “If only I made more money; could change my appearance; had a better boss; had a more understanding husband/wife; had children who respected me.” Real change lies in changing everyone around me. Circumstances and a demand for them to change always hits the “sweet spot” of what the heart truly worships. Merely seeking circumstances to change bypasses the need for grace in the heart to worship God alone in the midst of difficulty. I need to change my behavior – “I should be nicer at home; more involved at church; reach out to the neighbors; not get so upset about other people’s opinions.” Merely addressing our external actions fails to address the inward driving issues of worship that are the overflow of the heart explaining why we do what we do. Rather than doing the painful and time consuming work of addressing motives and worship we can seek skills and techniques that will help us to navigate through life more smoothly. You can even memorize Bible verses exercising your own self-effort to change yourself as opposed to trusting in the grace of God to change you through embracing biblical truth on the level of heart desires. Even a commitment to obey, read, and memorize scripture will not result in change if it is merely faith in faith; (i.e. faith in your own ability to believe and obey) and not a trust in the resources of the grace of God that He has given you freely as a gift because you are unable to truly obey these commands on your own. This often results in asking such questions as, “I’m doing everything I’m supposed to, why isn’t my life better or more fulfilling?” or “Why am I still having trials?” In this case the steps or principles become the means to getting what we want more than Christ. The hollowness of mere behavior change is it does not deal with the need for the grace of God to transform the heart, by the Spirit. There is the pursuit of change that goes beyond just behavior to changing our thinking so that our behavior will reflect appropriate thoughts about our circumstances. Our thinking needs to be adjusted so that our behavior with respect to our circumstances will change. However, people are much than just the sum total of their thoughts; they are worshippers with hearts filled with expectations, desires, and aspirations that profoundly influence how they respond to life. In other words we can change the way we think about a matter, how we understand something, we can engage new ideas, and acquire new information, but leave Jesus out of the picture. We can do all of the above without introducing the person and work of Jesus Christ or trusting Him to change our thinking as well as our affections, desires, aspirations, motives. Even memorizing verses pertaining to an area of struggle so that we can be prepared when the temptation arises can be performed through the mere exercise of the will, instead of being done with trust in Jesus Christ. Instead of trusting Christ while pursuing obedience one can, independently of Christ, put their trust in oneself to do and think what the verses teach. It reduces the Christian life to, “think these thoughts,” and, “act this way,” and does not involve Christ as Savior. He came to transform not just the intellect, but also our entire person. We need to change our self-concept/view of self . This view manifests itself in these type of sentiments: “Believe in yourself;” “You’re a good gifted person;” and “Don’t be so hard on yourself.” Looking within for the power of change appears deeper since it addresses our innermost feelings and seems more real. It begins with our own goodness and the better we feel about ourselves; the more highly we view ourselves and our gifts and abilities the more we are able to help ourselves change and help others (“If I feel good about myself then I’ll feel good about helping you;” or “I like to ___________ because it makes me feel good about myself”). The alternative to leaning on our own abilities, gifts, and confidence is leaning on Christ and what He has already done on our behalf (Christ exalting faith as opposed to mere self-confidence). For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— Philippians 3:3 The assumption being made is that our hearts are empty and need to be filled. This is just not true. Instead, we are an overflowing cauldron of desires that longs for everything else in creation to fill us rather than the uncreated living God. Hollowness and emptiness does not come from longing for nothing, but longing for something other than what we were created to enjoy, God Himself. We are not passive and innocent, but rather defectors and rebels rejecting God for what He has created. On the other hand a life spent crippled by guilt and its effects as well as despondency over failure does hinder change. However, seeking resources for change by creating artificial saviors does not offer hope or produce change. The good news of Jesus Christ is that He grants forgiveness of sin, declares us righteous, and promises His presence and a new track record (Christ’s) with a new potential (conformity to Christ-likeness). Making too much of yourself or perpetually belittling yourself are two different sides of the same coin. Trusting in the gifts you think you have or even might actually possess, or placing your trust in the gifts you wish you had but do not, are both cases of deferring to self rather than trusting in Christ alone. Just trust Jesus more – Who is this Jesus? Is He the Jesus who meets my needs as I define them or a Savior and a Redeemer who both defines and addresses my true need in ways far more glorious than I could ever ask or think? Is this Jesus my Savior or my ticket to getting the things in life I really want more than Him? Is this Jesus the One I worship as the ultimate end or is He the One who gives me what I want more than Him: a good name, respect among peers, professional success, a good marriage, happy, obedient, and “saved” kids? Is He the Jesus you worship or the Jesus you have an unspoken deal with: “I go to church, read the Bible, take my kids to church, see to it that they’re involved and learning, live an upright moral life and in exchange I expect a trouble-free life and fun life, answered prayers, a husband who loves me, a wife who respects me, kids who obey, home in a nice, safe suburban neighborhood.” Do we have a deal? Defining Jesus and my needs for myself rather than looking to the Bible to define these for me produces a Jesus who is the “means to an end” rather than the end Himself. In the gospel, Jesus Christ loves me with a love that exposes my rebellion and idolatry and leads me to repent of what I desire more than Him. All God-replacements must be demolished through real, honest, thorough, and thoughtful repentance of what has supplanted Christ and a pursuit of a thorough trust and dependence in Christ’s righteousness alone. For many the answer to just trust Jesus more leads us to ask the question, “What Jesus are we trusting?” Is He the Jesus who meets all of our needs as we define them or is He Jesus the Savior and Redeemer who calls us to repentance and trust in Him that He might make us holy? The above has been adapted from chapter two of How People Change, by Drs. Paul Tripp and Tim Lane. “Dynamics of Biblical Change” currently meets during 2nd service in the Fellowship Hall. -Vince Cuomo

New Test

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:36:56 +0000

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Another Post

admin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:29:45 +0000

This is another post to test the rotating posts plugin.