Author: Phil Rehberg

gong

“Without Love You Ain’t Nothing” – Larry Norman

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“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” I Cor. 13:1-2 (NIV) The title of this post is from a Larry Norman (Christian music pioneer) song of the 1970’s, and he was echoing the words from I Cor. 13:2. He sang them because these are some of the most important words in Christianity. This passage shocks us with the surprising truth that even if someone has great spiritual gifts they are nothing without love! In fact, they are a nuisance, like a noisy gong. They are not a true disciple. What is surprising is that God would give spiritual gifts Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

God’s Infinite Power For Us – Weekly Words of Encouragement

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“that you may know … his incomparably great power for us who believe.” Eph 1:18-19 (NIV) God has power for us that is so enormous that no other kind of power can even compare to it. It is power to give new life. It is power to give peace and hope. It is power to purify us. It is power to change our circumstances. It is power for spiritual formation and growth. It is power to transform us into a reflection of God. Think for a moment: what other power is like this power? Is there some other power that is proven to do all these things? This is the evidence of God’s tremendous power towards us. This is the power we can trust. May you receive and embrace these words of encouragement!  Simple application: put your name in the verse instead of “us” or “we”. Then say it out Continue Reading →

spiritual growth food

How To Feed Each Other With Jesus’ Food

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“Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Eph. 4:15-16 ” NIV It is an amazing truth that we are actually part of the body of Jesus Christ, the Saviour. He is the head, the one who is in charge, and we are all parts of him, people who he is coordinating all around the world as one whole. But the main point today is that it is from Jesus that our spiritual growth comes. Our connection to Christ is the channel of our spiritual growth. And, dare we say, if our connection is weak our spiritual growth will be weak. And Jesus is causing us to Continue Reading →

Weekly words of encouragement

The Holy Spirit Guarantees God’s Gifts – Weekly Words Of Encouragement

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“When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” Eph 1:13-14 (NIV) The Holy Spirit is a mark, a seal, a deposit, and a guarantee! Christians experience the Holy Spirit in different ways. Some feel Him strongly, others feel Him in a subtle way. Regardless of how we experience Him, the Spirit is a living presence deep inside us who encourages us in following Jesus. And the point of this passage is that His presence is a guarantee of our present gifts and of our future eternity in a new perfect creation. If the Holy Spirit is real then everything else is certain. He is the “proof” of the truth of Jesus. Since we have the Spirit we know we have all things. May you receive and embrace these words of encouragement!  Simple application: put your name in Continue Reading →

eternity, heaven

Living In Eternity Every Day

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We naturally think more about the present moment than our eternal future. But if we are not ready for eternity now, then how will we be ready tomorrow? Now is the time to live with an eternal perspective. This is essential to our discipleship training. Even if we live a long life what good is it if we have not devoted ourselves to being conformed to the image of Christ? Consider how many Christians have believed for many years but show little spiritual growth. Do we want to enter heaven that way? How great that tragedy would be. “if we keep our eternal hope constantly before us then our actions will quickly harmonize with the Spirit” Death is not our enemy, but a wasted life is. True discipleship leads us to meditate on the end of our earthly life so that we can live an earthly life that we will Continue Reading →