IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS--Christmas Party

NO SUNDAY SCHOOL NEXT WEEK--NOVEMBER 25, 2012
Due to the Thanksgiving Weekend, we will not be having Sunday School next week.  We hope to see everyone again on December 1, 2012.


ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY

Our annual Sunday School Christmas Party is scheduled for Friday, December 14, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at our home (8431 Turtle Rock Loop, College Station, Texas, 77845).  Please mark this event on your calendar and make every effort to join us for some good eating, great fun, and good fellowship.  Cindy will be making Chili and Soup and maybe even a chocolate pie or two.  Everyone is asked to bring a dish or a dessert or a salad or fixings and we will enjoy a great meal.  Kyle Halbert is even petitioning for chicken fried steak????  Who knows, maybe we can work that out too.  We always have a few fun activities and everyone usually leaves with something, in addition to what you arrived with.  Mark your calendars now and start working on a baby sitter.   If some of you would like to go together to hire a babysitter and have them keep several groups of kids at a common location, we can work on that too.  See you on December 14. 

Jimmy and Cindy Creel

CHANNEL 1 AND CHANNEL 2

In today's session, Dr. Gillham tried to help us understand the inner war within the Christian.  As Bill said, "If we are new creatures in Christ, then why do we still struggle, and how do we deal with the source of that struggle?"  A key concept explained by Bill is, "The war within is not a civil war between the "old you" and the "new you."  If this were so, then you would be condemned to a life of defeat on planet earth, and that is not what the Bible teaches."  Consider Ephesians 2:4-6:  "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus."  According to this verse, if your are "in Christ" then you are now "seated with Him in heavenly places."  Even while you are on earth, you are seated in Christ at the right hand of the Father.  Bill uses the analogy of thinking of heaven as being one inch off the surface of the earth to help us understand how we could be standing on the surface of the earth, yet also be in heaven.  Your soul and spirit are sealed in the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13, Eph. 4:30). 

The power of sin is going to function in the same manner as the Holy Spirit, but with the opposite intent.  Genesis 4:7 provides the first reference to "sin" in the Bible.  Here we find that sin is a noun, not a verb.  God's Word is personifying sin.  The word "sin" appears 41 times in Romans 5-8; 40 of these occurrences are nouns.  Only 1 occurrence is a verb indicating poor performance.  As a new creature in Christ, the law of God is written on your heart.  You long to obey God (2 Cor. 3:3). 

Bill uses the term "Channel 1" to describe how the power of sin fights against each of us.  Bill explains that sin responds to a stimulus by feeding thoughts to your mind in first-person, singular pronouns, conforming to your unique version of the flesh.  Sin will impersonate your dead, old man.  Sin is the instrument of Satan, so it is something with which we must all deal.  Temptation comes from the devil!  As soon as you choose to buy sin's thought (temptation) as your own, you have sinned.  Bill suggests the only response to such power.  We should take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5), say "No" to temptation (1 Cor. 10:13), and bring Christ on line to give you victory.  You are dead to sin and alive to God, so act like what you are--dead to sin.  You act dead to sin by faith.  "Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."  James 4:7.

Have a great and blessed Thanksgiving Week!

October 28, 2012 ENVELOPED IN CHRIST

This week, we heard Anabel encourage us to use our imaginations as we study the Bible.  Our imaginations can be useful in helping us to relate to the circumstances and events of the Bible.  If we can imagine ourselves being in the shoes of the characters we are studying, we can often have a better realization of the Bible's truth. 

Anabel asked us to imagine that the Bible is God's love letter to each and everyone of us.  Interwoven throughout the Bible is God's promise to return and His encouragement to watch for Him.  Anabel also showed a great illustration of what it means to be "enveloped" in Christ as described in John 14:20--"In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you."  Anabel's illustrations with envelopes helps us to understand this concept.  Anabel says, "You need to let go and nestle yourself into God and Jesus." 

Please continue to pray for the Lowe family this week as they continue to deal with the loss of Sheryl's sister.  Please pray for God's strength and peace in their lives and for their safety as they travel. 

REMINDER:   We have a class Potluck lunch scheduled immediately after church THIS Sunday, November 4, 2012.  Everyone is welcome.  Just bring a dish or dishes that you would like to share with the class.  Everyone will bring a dish and we will all enjoy each other's dish.  Hopefully, there will be some main courses, some side dishes, and some DESSERTS.  This is my favorite kind of luncheon.  The church will provide drinks and plasticware.  We will look forward to seeing you there.  If you are an inservice worker, please join us so we can catch up on you and your family.  Looking forward to seeing everyone.
Jimmy

October 21--2nd Half of Your True Identity in Christ

In this week’s Sunday School lesson, we watched the second half of Bill and Anabel Gillham’s discussion of “Your True Identity in Christ.” Bill explained that Adam was the first “Lord of the Ring.” Spiritual death was the result of Adam’s disobedience. As a descendant of Adam each of us has inherited his spiritual characteristics. We are all born with a dead spirit. As Bill explains, “all you need to do to go to hell is show up here on earth and get to the age of understanding that Christ died for your sins and ignore that truth and you are on your way to hell.” Bill states, “Birth always determines identity.” All you have to do to go to hell is show up on the planet as a descendant of Adam.


Salvation is a change in your nature and your identity from the inside out. When you enter into Christ’s lifeline, you receive His nature and His life. You receive a new present, a new future, and a new past. Your heritage from Adam becomes history. God did away with your old identity in order to give you a new identity. The old you was crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6, Galatians 2:20) and you became a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).

I have been listening to the old song about God making something beautiful of your life for many years. Yet, it was interesting to hear Bill say, “God has no plan to make something beautiful of your life (in Adam). Bill argues that the plan is to kill it and start over again.

I also found the discussion about Christ in You versus You in Christ to be interesting. As you will recall, Bill pointed out that salvation is like a coin: heads is Christ in You and tails is You in Christ. I have never thought about it this way, but Bill points out that the “you in Christ” verses outnumber the “Christ in you” verses by a ratio of 10 to 1. Bill explains that it is from this perspective of who you are in Christ that you understand your true identity and realize that Christ is your life.

Bill then explains that the death of the “old you” is a done deal. He encourages us to appropriate the truth that your old self has been crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). He asked the following question: “How many of your sins did Christ take to the cross 2,000 years ago?” Answer: “All of them.” “How many of your sins had you committed 2,000 years ago?” Answer: “None of them.” In the same way you claim He took your sins to the cross, you claim He took you to the cross. The old you (who you were in Adam) died.

The death of the old you from Romans 6:

1) Verse 2—you have died to sin

2) Verse 3—you have been baptized into His death

3) Verse 4—you have been buried with Him

4) Verse 5—you have been united with Him in the likeness of His death

These verses are all past tense.

Your true identity is now in Christ. In Christ, you are now accepted, loved, holy, and righteous. You are now a saint. The Word of God refers to you as a saint 56 times.

You are a new creature in Christ. Start living as who you really are! Read through the “True Identity in Christ” sheet that was provided in class. Allow God to impress upon you the truth of these Scriptures.

Have a great week!

Jimmy & Cindy

October 14 Our True Identity in Christ

Our True Identity in Christ


October 14, 2012





Anabel calls this session “perhaps the most important session of the program.” Indeed, this session begins with Anabel asking each of us to rate ourselves on a scale of 1 to 10 that represents how much you accept yourself with 1 being the lowest number and 10 being the highest. I doubt if any of us chose a number as high as God chooses when we are saved and become a “new creature in Christ.” Based on 2 Corinthians 5: 16, 17, Bill helps us to understand that our true identity is not in our flesh, but rather we have become what Bill calls a “spirit critter.”



Bill helps us to understand our true identity by explaining the time dimension as created by God. Bill points out that faith requires the time dimension. When faith is no longer needed, time will cease to be. He also makes the point that God is not and cannot be controlled by his creation. He is not time-dimensional. We are time-dimensional beings. Bill uses the simple diagram below to help us understand this concept:




B               H                                 S                                T                         D
Birth     Haircut                   Salvation                    Today                  Death

Bill describes God as being like a “man in a helicopter” who can hover over this timeline and is able to see everything in the present tense. Perhaps, that is why God described himself as “I AM?” Bill makes a very important point in this discussion. “God never allows a problem to come into your life for which HE does not already have a solution.” Wow! That is a powerful thought to remember.


Bill also takes time to describe and compare the concepts of “Christ in You and You in Christ.” He describes salvation as being like a coin with heads being Christ in You and Tails being You in Christ. The “You in Christ” verses in the Bible outnumber the “Christ in You” verses by 10 to 1. “It is from the perspective of who you are in Christ that you understand your true identity and realize that Christ is your life.” In Christ, you are accepted, loved, holy, and righteous. You are a saint. The Word of God refers to you as a saint 56 times. According to Bill, “You can no more be a sinner saved by grace than you can be a married single person. Rather, you are now a “saint who sins.” God has solved your identity problem. You are a new creature in Christ. God has solved your performance problem. His life has become your life, and He will live His life through you. Have a great week!



Mark Your Calendar: Sunday School Pot Luck Lunch: November 4, 2012



Bring your family and a dish to share with the class. The church will provide drinks, plates, etc.

Bill's Personal Version of Flesh--September 30 2012

Today, we watched the first half of Session 2, “The Life”, with Bill and Anabel Gillham. In today’s lesson, we watched and listened as Bill described his own version of flesh. As Bill states, “Each of us has developed our own version of the flesh in order to get our needs met our own way.” Bill and Anabel will illustrate in their comments God’s desire to meet our deepest needs and the futility of trusting in the flesh.


As Bill begins his personal discussion of the flesh, he points toward the role played by his parents. Yet, he explains that the culprit in the development of his flesh is not his parents. The real culprit is Satan. Bill explains that he grew up in a home in which the role of husband and wife were reversed. According to Bill, this was 180 degrees counter to the instructions provided in the “Manufacturer’s Instructions”— the Bible. Bill explained how little boys have a need to discover and express their masculinity. They learn how to interact with females by interacting with their moms. If males are emasculated in their formative years, their flesh usually develops toward one of three patterns according to Bill. Homosexuality may manifest itself if the child gives up on being male. Passivity can be a path chosen by young men in this circumstance. In the case of passivity, he is likely to adopt a philosophy in which he agrees to be anything someone else wants him to be as long as he is accepted. The third path chosen by young men raised in this environment is machismo. In this circumstance, the young male employs macho behavior to try to gain masculine acceptance. This third circumstance is the one that Bill described as his own personal version of the flesh. By trying to meet his own needs, which Bill calls “Playing Lord of the Ring”, he collared himself with emotional, mental, and behavioral flesh patterns.

Bill felt like he needed to be a “MANLY MAN” to meet his need to be accepted. He transposed that expectation onto his own sons and onto his wife as well. The consequences were devastating for his family. It is important to remember that fleshly patterns are developed in response to your “stuck feeler” and will bring you into conflict with God, yourself, and others.

Next week, we will hear the touching story of Anabel’s personal version of the flesh. I hope you will be present to join us in hearing this story and in our discussion and application of the lessons learned from both of these stories.

CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK: Craig handed out a copy of the “Flesh Inventory” during class this morning. I hope you will take a look at the “Flesh Inventory” and apply it to your life. Think this week about the “chains” that are holding you in bondage as a result of your personal version of the flesh. Keep in mind that none of us are capable of freeing ourselves from this bondage. Only Jesus can free us from this bondage—we simply cannot do it ourselves.

WEEK TWO—THE LIFE with Dr. Bill and Anabel Gillham

We watched the second half of Lesson One from “The Life” Series by Dr. Bill and Anabel Gillham this week. Dr. Gillham went into more detail about the human design. Humans are made up of three components: body, soul, and spirit (according to 1 Thess. 5:23).

The Spirit is that dimension of your being through which you relate to God. At the time of your physical birth, your spirit is dead to God. This condition is inherited from Adam, the first man, and this is why you need to be “born again.” (See John 3: 1-15)

The Soul is your unique personality and is comprised of three parts:

(1) The mind—Dr. Bill calls this your “thinker.”

(2) The emotions—Dr. Bill calls this your “feeler.”

(3) The will—makes decisions. It is like a light switch; it is either on or off. According to Dr. Bill, you don’t actually make up your mind about anything; you make up your will.

The body is referred to by Dr. Bill as your “earth suit.” It is the part of your being which houses your soul and spirit while you are here on earth. It is the vehicle through which you relate to people and the environment while you are on earth. Keep in mind that you are a spiritual being with a soul in a body, NOT a physical being with a spirit.

Bill points out that both the mind and the emotions are quick to respond to stimuli, but the emotions are much slower to recover. When one is chronically exposed to harmful stimuli (e.g. unhealthy relationships), your emotions can become “stuck.”

As the brain repeatedly receives the same type of information and interacts with the mind, will, and emotions in the same ways, those programs become deeply ingrained. Bill refers to these programs as “green highways.” After you are born again, these “green highways” become your unique version of the flesh. “Walking in the flesh most often requires you to choose to walk by what God’s word says rather than by what you feel.” (Gillham, p. 10).
Bill points out that before we can blame our parents for the way our self-perception (programming) developed, we must look to see how they were raised, and how their parents were raised, and how their parents were raised, etc. He says that if we look back far enough, we will find the enemy of God, Satan, who originally deceived Adam into thinking independence from God was a good plan. The battle we face is not against our parents or any other human being. Our battle is against the power of the enemy and his principalities (See Eph. 6:12).

Bill also points out in this lesson that PBA (performance-based acceptance) is the most common influence in the programming of the flesh. “If you perform well, I will accept you. If you don’t, I won’t.” Bill states, “Schools are a major source of PBA.” (Gillham, p. 12)

Dr. Tracey has promised to bring copies of the Flesh Inventory for class members to review next week. If you do not have access to the Gillham book, I hope you will take time to study this inventory that is included in the book.
Come join us next week as we begin Lesson # 2: “Bill and Anabel’s Flesh.” See you next Sunday.