We started day 3 (the first day of the lead elders meetings) off with a breakfast at the hotel we were all staying at in Carlsbad Beach. The easterners 
were the first ones up – it helps to be 3 hours ahead!! We sat with 3 other couples from our area (Ontario) and 1 couple from Brazil. We had a great time getting to know them, they’ve invited us to come and stay with them anytime. I’ve always wanted to go to San Paulo! The first meeting was right after breakfast. The lead elder (pastor) couple from a new church plant in Hong Kong was our guest speaker, he was amazing! There were about 50 couples, mostly from the US and Canada but a couple from beyond our borders. The meeting ended around 1pm and then we had the afternoon free. The evening meeting didn’t start until 7pm. Here’s a quote from the morning session, “A healthy perspective is one soaked in the grace of God.” We are under the new covenant, which is full grace not a mixture of law (old covenant) and grace (new covenant). Under grace the supernatural increases and there is rest, under the law there is only control, frustration and disappointment.
I forgot to mention that before the actual meeting portion started we were introducing ourselves and playing some ice breakers. We won 3 Starbuck’s gift cards and 2 cards for restaurants. It was a good start to the week. The Cinnamon Dolce Latte is MY FAVOURITE!!! I won for my story on how I bought my wedding dress only after a few dates with my man – and before he even said he loved me or we even talked about marriage!!! Let me tell you – when you know…. YOU KNOW! ;-0
We spent the afternoon with another couple from a church down the 
street from ours, we went for lunch and did some shopping. Then we walked on the beach. It was the only time my feet hit sand all week long!! The temperature wasn’t what I was expecting and I wore long sleeves and my coat, if not a sweater, almost all the time. And yes, I know it was better than the weather everyone was experiencing back home, I’m really not a fan of the Canadian winter, -21C without the wind chill factor is – not – fun!!
The evening meeting started off with incredible worship, you could sense 
the sweetness of the spirit everywhere. Rob Rufus, from Hong Kong (originally from Australia then transplanted to South Africa where they pastored for a long time then onto China), spoke on Grace for most of the week. I have tons of notes and the DVD should arrive any day now. He’s a little fire ball. This night was about renewing your mind. Romans 12:2, change your thought patterns – not conformed but transformed. The mind is either a hindrance or the gateway. Our thoughts form our beliefs, when under pressure… we find out what we believe!
Take captive every thought! The devil plays with your mind and it is always to go against the true nature of God. God wants us free, to walk in the fullness and that is through grace. We all need to learn more about our true inheritance as joint heirs with Jesus!!!
I can’t wait to go to a conference like this one! sounds wonderful!
Thanks for sharing your experience. YOu’ve been tagged to share your story at my blog, at the post “MY STORY.”
So jealous of your Starbucks gift cards. I just tried the Cinnamon Dulce Frappacino and it rocked the house!
Mathew 5:18 “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished”
Without the Law, the cross makes no sense.
If you back up a few verses in Matthew 5, Jesus said that He came not to wipe the Law out but to complete and fulfill them (which I’ve mentioned in these posts) which He did on the cross, that is correct – it was accomplished in full on the cross.
In this chapter Jesus is talking about the Law but taking it one step further – adding relational issues to it. Keep reading, He talks about not just simply making a sacrifice but making sure, for example, you’re not angry at someone while doing the sacrifice (which was still required at this time, this is still Old Testament – old covenant). The Law required just a sacrifice or a show of works, Jesus was now telling the disciples that it was more – to be a heart issue as well. After Jesus completed the Law on the cross, if they just stopped doing the acts of salvation (the sacrifices, works) and didn’t have a change of heart or belief or had not learned about the importance of relationships, or that salvation was much more than just what they did for it – where would they be?
In Gal. 3:10 Paul says that those who depend on the Law, who are seeking to be justified by their obedience to the Law and its rituals, are under a curse and are doomed to disappointment and destruction because it is obvious that no one can keep all that is required, full obedience in all areas of the Law.
The Law does not require any faith at all and in the new covenant we are to walk by faith and it is through faith that we are saved. Vs 13, Christ has rescued us from this curse, purchased our freedom from the DOOM of the Law and its condemnation.
I never said the Law wasn’t necessary or to be wiped out of the church. The Law is holy – it coverts the soul. The Law is used to point sin to the sinner, it is for the lost who need to know they need a Saviour. Rom. 3:19 says that the world is held accountable to God through the Law. In Rom. 7 Paul is talking about being bound (married) to the Law – while you live with the law you cannot be free. You need to die to the law, be crucified with Christ, be released. Now we’re married to Jesus. Freedom is ours. Grace is ours.
Sinners go to hell because of 1st Adam’s sin not because of their own. People don’t go to Heaven because of their righteouness or works – it is because of Jesus’ (2nd Adam) gift.
“Sinners go to hell because of 1st Adam’s sin not because of their own.”
Well, of course not. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
I have broken all the Ten Commandments. God is just, and Holy and therefore should send me to hell. I deserve hell, because I have broken God’s holy laws. But, the Holy Spirit has brought me to faith in Christ. So now, through daily dying to self, and rising as a new creation in Jesus I stand forgiven. Forgiven from what? Not just Adam’s sin, but all my transgressions.
Your view of the law looks like pure antinominainism to me.
Nice big word, “Antinomianism”. I agree with half of this definition. It is through Faith that we are saved (could throw out a ton of N.T. Scriptures on that one alone) but it’s NOT that I am anti-law – but the entire New Testament explains that the Mosaic law is NOT FOR SALVATION because of what Christ did on the cross, fulfilling the law. This has been my main point all along. I have explained myself quite well actually!
God has written His law upon our hearts and in saying that – it doesn’t mean that we are free to do whatever we want whenever we want because it is His grace that teaches us through the Holy Spirit the rights and wrongs of life. To say “NO” to ungodliness and worldy passions, and live self-controlled, upright and godly lives! (Titus 2:12)
The purpose of the Law was to point out to man that it was impossible to live up to God’s righteous standards – in his own strength. It laid the foundation for Jesus to come and fulfill it.
Hebrews 7:18-19 …the former way of doing things, a system of commandments that never worked, was set aside because it was weak, ineffective and useless. Why? Because “the Law never made anything perfect — but instead a BETTER HOPE is introduced through which we NOW come close to God.” A way which works – JESUS – brings us right into a presence of God.
My point about 1st Adam’s sin… if he hadn’t sinned – then there would be NO sinners. Yes, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God – because ever since Adam’s sinned – we were all born sinners.
I think you’re missing my point and at the same time regurgitating what I’ve been saying throughout this week’s posts.
Back up one verse to Matthew 5:17, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill.”
Now when Jesus was speaking in Matthew – the law was still in effect – still under the old covenant for He had not yet redeemed us. Redeemed us from what? Galatians 3:11-13, “But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident; for, The just shall live by faith (Faith worketh by Love and the new covenant is one of LOVE) and the law is not of faith (how did He say we were to live “”The just shall live by the law – NO! – by Faith!!!!!”) but the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. – FOR WHAT? – go to the next verse – “That the blessings of Abraham (who was before the law) might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. “
The in II Corinthians 3 – Paul outlines the difference between the law and the Spirit of Life. The law was a curse. If you went back to Exodus and read about the children in the wilderness under Moses – the 2 stones- the 10 commandments – which shows they can be broken – and he broke them and later made them again – but instead of the mass majority of people who were told by God to leave the land and enter into a land flowing with milk and honey – they believed and evil report and under the law perished. Only the few entered in because God liked them more?? NO – it was because they took Him at His word. Read in 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, … and with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Verse 6 now these things were our examples. . . .
The devil wants people to still live under the law – which you see is a cursed way of life. A person can not measure up under the law. Jesus paid a dear price for mankind to walk out from under the law to walk in righteousness.
Under the law there was a veil – even Moses put on a veil. Today there are people who live under a sadistic law – living behind a veil. Why would we want to put up the veil when it was rent in two by Jesus? He already paid the price! It is only because of lack of understanding that people fall trap to the devil when they try to pay the price that Jesus already paid. One last scripture – Hebrews 10:20 “by the new and living way, which He hath (means already has!) consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, His flesh.” there it’s done – by Jesus –
The new commandment is to Love the Lord your God with all your heart and Love your neighbour as yourself. LOVE – covers everything under the law and is a MUCH BETTER COVENANT.
There are so many more scriptures to back this up.
Get out of the PAST and live in the PRESENT knowing we are now living an eternal life.
Love Daddio
Thanks Dad,
You’re a great teacher!!