David George Montalvo | Communicate Christ

Where Is The Love?

According to John Burke, Pastor of Gateway Church in Austin Texas and author of Soul Revolution, people are..

1. racking up debts that cause worry
2. that causes marriages to fail and families to be destroyed
3. two of every five people under 45 are addicted to some substance
4. two of every five women you meet have been sexually abused
5. one in every five has an STD
6. 50% of sexually active people get an STD at some point in their life
7. 33% of women have had one abortion by age 40
8. 50% of men and 30% of women will likely get cancer in their lifetime, and last
9. one in three have periods of intense loneliness and
10. 25% say they have zero close friends.

Those stats are sobering.

Now let's assume that a great majority of these people do not know the grace extended to us who are found in Jesus. What message do you think would reach these people? What kind of service would have to be in place to setup someone to hear the love call of Christ?

Should there be judgment since error led to these failings? Should there be heavy doctrine that engages the mind and not the heart? Should there be self help positive talk or bible thumping?

If you are trying to reach hurting people who are asking, 'Where Is The Love? Where is God? Where Are His People?' then I insist we show love.

The world is full of hurting people who need to see us showing them the goodness of God which will draw them to repentance.

The Black Eyes Peas wrote a song that for a while in 2003 became the anthem of the 20/30's generation titled 'Where Is The Love?' If you want to understand non-Christians, if you want to better relate to your co-workers, neighbors, and friends, Google the song and listen.

The world is waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. If you are a Christian, it's time to unveil yourself and display the heart of God for His creation.

LOVE!

Church Communication Is Losing Nerve...

"Lacking confidence in the power of our story to effect that of which it speaks, to evoke a new people out of nothing, our communication loses its nerve. Nothing is said that could not be heard elsewhere... In conservative contexts, gospel speech is traded for dogmatic assertion and moralism, for self-help psychologies and narcotic mantras. In more liberal speech, talk tiptoes around the outrage of Christian discourse and ends up as an innocuous, though urbane, affirmation of the ruling order."

"Unable to preach Christ and him crucified, we preach humanity and it improved."

Methodist Bishop William Willimon

"But we (the true Church) preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. "

1 Corinthians 1:23-24

Preach Christ Crucified, Buried, & Resurrected; share it, tell it, discuss it, debate it, just make sure you talk about it because it is the POWER OF GOD to save from not only yourself but ultimately from the unquenchable flames of a fiery hell.

1. We should pray to be convicted of sin, righteousness, and judgment
2. We should turn from our wicked ways
3. We should pray for God to lead us into all truth
4. We should pray for spiritual hunger
5. We should ask God to fill us with His Holy Spirit
6. We should ask God to continue to purify us with His holy fire of circumstance
7. We should ask God to deliver us from evil
8. We should turn from evil
9. We should be forgive our brother and be filled with true love
10. We should share God's incredible truth from that love

Truth Project - Simulcast Leadership Training - Session 3 & 4

Session 3 Notes:

MyTruthProject.org  | Join Online and Check Out Resources For Leaders & Participants

People are encouraged to start small groups in homes to teach people a Christian worldview using Truth Project curriculum. Login above to access resources.

Session 4 Notes:

Does random mindless purposeless chaos produce order? Job 25:2. Do you think a Chicken Egg proves God true or random chaos.

God is a God of Order. Physical creation obeys God, man does not. Always go back to the nature and character of God when deciding what is truth.

Examining Social Systems

The Triune Nature of God - Father Son & Holy Spirit are three entities who are in perfect unity. In the Trinity we see relationship. In the family, we see Husband Wife & Children, three members in a social system who relate in certain rules laid down by God.

Bible says Father & Son are one. The Bible says Husband and Wife are one. The Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit. The Husband and Wife produce Children. The Son submits to the Father. The Wife submits to the Husband (What does submission mean?). Submission is a divine attribute - understand what it means by looking at the Trinity.

There are 3 dimensions: Physical Spiritual & Social Realms & Related Laws - let's look at the social realms. At the fall, relationships were damaged and severed. Throughout the Bible, don't you see the relationships. At beginning of creation, God said, it's not good to be alone.

The Divine Mark...

1. one means aloneness
2. two is relationship
3. three is community
   
   We see the divine mark in these social systems; Elders, Pastors, & Teachers... Christ, Flock, Leaders...

Marriage Is A Divine Mark

Marriage (Husband, Wife, Children) is a reflection of the nature of God. See Malachi 2:13-17. Marriage is serious business. Do not break faith with your wife, guard yourself. Men, do not raise your hands in violence against your wife. 

Community

Luke 10:29-37  |  In the Good Samaritan story, we see we are to be our neighbors keeper. But let's call the story the Story of the Good Neighbor. We have a responsibility to love our neighbors... It's a holy charge... It's the heart of God... Psalms 12, "arise" and "protect", that's God's heart... Psalms 35:10.

When problems arise, institutions shouldn't arise for the needy, people should arise... God's people should arise. It's a hallmark of God.

Involvement

God is involved everywhere, shouldn't we also be? Check out the Jonah story; God's heart is for us to turn toward people with love instead of away from people. "Should I not have compassion..." Even when it goes against our own desires, we should be Godlike to become a World Changer. To be a World Changer you must be willing to take RISK.

Obstacles To Becoming A World Changer

• Hunger For The World
• Natural Myopia (It's All About Me)
• Persistent Sins
  
  We need to get serious about becoming Holy people serving a Holy God.
• Apathy
• Fear

Now Go & Do Something - Seek God First

If I say, "I will not mention him,
   or speak any more in his name,"
there is in my heart as it were a burning fire
   shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in,
   and I cannot. Jeremiah 20:9

Truth Project - Simulcast Leadership Training - Session 1 & 2

Intro

• this is part of a strategy to rebuild the body of Christ.
• this is a training for leaders who will make disciples (followers) of Jesus
• the hope is that once you learn this you understand there is a CALL on you to go out and teach this to others in a small group...

Session 1

• Gaze Upon The Face of God; like Isaiah 6

1. this exposes us and
2. exposes our culture

• Why Do We Do This; Ephesians 6

1. to thwart by understanding the schemes of the devil
2. to be prepared to stand in an evil day
3. 2 Corinthians 10; to tear down falsehoods against the knowledge of God
4. Colossians 2; to not get taken captive by lies (because YOU can be taken captive by lies.
5. 91% of Christians do not have a biblical world view... OUCH!

What Did Jesus Say?

• why was He born? "for this reason I was born... to testify to the truth." John 18:37
• if Jesus is testifying, there must be a trial, and the trial is over truth...
• what does it mean when Jesus says He is the truth?
• John 17:17 God is truth, Jesus is truth, and this truth will set you FREE.
• this means freedom from lies... Jesus sets captives free from lies...

What Is The Name of The One Whom God Sent After Jesus?

• The spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, will bring you into all truth...
• 3 John 4: there's no greater joy to God than we walk in TRUTH...
• 2 Timothy 4:3-4 there will be people who suppress truth...

Everyone on the side of Truth listens to me... There are sides... Everyone is on one side or another. 1 John 4:6: this is how we recognize the spirit of truth.

The Cosmic Battle

• see Job 1 & 2
• will people choose the truth of God or the lie of Satan
• 2 Thessalonians 2:9-13 - counterfeits and lies perish
• it all comes down to truth and believing it

Two Fathers John 8:34

• who's your daddy? the father of lies or God. if you belong to God then you will hear Jesus.
• Is the devil your father? The sinful nature of man has the devil as its father.
• Roman 7 - sin deceives
• sins that cause us to stumble can all be traces back to lies about God

The Lord's servants must gently led to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim 2:40). Captives are POWs in the enemies camp.

Assumptions are the most dangerous forms of knowledge... If you buy the assumptions then you buy the claim that is underneath.

Example: Do you see the assumptions of ungodly knowledge in this video?

Galatians 5:16 - live by the spirit and you will not gratify the sinful nature of the flesh.

What Is Truth?

Truth is "conforming to reality."If you want to be commended by God, tear down lies (think Old Testament examples of the only Kings of Israel who were commended, they were the ones who tore down idols).

What Do You Really Believe?

Do you really believe that what you say you believe is really real? If so, then Christians would turn this world Right Side Up!

Be Transformed: Romans 12:2

Eternal life is KNOWING HIM, Jesus... When you draw near to God you will be exposed to Truth which will radically change you and cause you to go out and be a World Changer.

Express Truth

There's two ways to express truth, one way makes a friend the other makes a enemy... Jesus was called a friend of sinners. Why, because he was a friend of sinners. how do you come across to people who do not believe. Let your speech always be with grace...

The Battle Over Anthropology

The Biblical View of Man; man is made in the image of God but he has a fallen nature and therefore his need is redemption. imago deo.

Culture says, "there is no special human meaning" to creation. Paul Kurtz, a scientist, by making that claim, is using science as his source of truth. Many believe "a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy." Those who believe that claim do so because they believe Science as the source of all truth. Therefore, with no God this science based worldview allows each person to live for themselves. People understand the logical conclusion and therefore many check out.

Culture says, "I do not believe there is intrinsic evil in man." Well, what is evil? If someone says they believe in evil but they are evolutionists then their foundation is faulty - their ideology presumes what they call evil is actually normal human behavior. Colossians 3:5 contains the truth...

Maslov's lie is similar to the Garden lie. Self-actualization is the enemy of God. Maslov's worldview holds God as the enemy because God it thought to "suppress" man's intrinsic human nature, man's evil desires.

There is a fundamental hostility to Christianity, part of it is because Christians have been arrogant... but the other part is because we proclaim the truth. Express truth in a way that is winsome and attractive.

Man cannot save himself through self oriented truths...

Imago deo or Imago goo? Man in the image of God or main in the image of primordial-goo?

Side Note: average age of attendees, 55... mostly men...

Maslov says "sick people are made by a sick culture." Therefore social institutions are the cause of sick people. Did you notice that blame for sick men is laid on institutions instead of man. That presumes man cannot be the cause of sickness. Why, because man is intrinsically good. That ideology falls short of the biblical worldview.

Matthew 23 - some men seek their own admonition... but shouldn't we seek the truth of God instead of recognition from the world?

Do you care about the pleasure of God instead of the praise of men? Do you want the rewards of men here and now or the gifts of God later?

Buyers Remorse: Isaiah 55 is a great look at our culture of consumerism. Can't you see our culture focuses attention on you. "It's all about me."

Whew, this guy is deep... but this stuff is incredible... why haven't I gotten trained before today...

History

It is not about us, but it is about Him. History is really about HisStory... Christ's story... Check out this video... Get caught up in the larger story of God to become a stepping stone for others. Do not loose the concept of being a part of the larger story of God...

Don't get caught up in your own little story. Get captured by the Kingdom. Get captivated by the God-narrative.

Grace INK - Are You Intimately Branded For Life?

Last week, I got this humbling email (read below). Someone wanted to take something I designed to bless the church (a graphic for a sermon series) and forever put it on their body as an outward symbol of an inward movement.

The Bible, God's very words, makes reference to our lives being branded by God's spirit. When we decide we want to leave our selfish agenda behind and take on God's agenda, we become sealed with a mark... While I personally think this is only metaphorical and don't expect to find a Jesus mark on my body if I were to walk into a special Jesus light there is a greater truth here...

The truth is we are changed when LOVE is what we bow to, LOVE is what motivates us, LOVE is what inspires others, and that LOVE is the light of the world, JESUS.

Sarah, mentioned below, is in LOVE. She's given up her body to a greater good and is now a slave to the purposes of God and His kingdom. And while we cannot see her mark, her seal which with she has been forever marked, soon, we'll be able to see the CROSS forever INKED on her shoulder declaring the Glory of God, which was revealed to us by the death of LOVE on a cross and LOVE resurrected.

Read the exchange below...

Part 1

Hello Mr. Montalvo,

My name is Sarah and I am currently a student at Baylor University. I am however from Tyler and I visited grace several times while I was still in Tyler. However, the reason I am writing is about a sermon that was presented a good time ago about Intimacy. This was one of the first times we visited the church and I really loved this sermon.

In the church there are always signs hanging that are associated with the sermon and this one was no exception. I really loved that picture of the cross and I have tried to find it since then but it is not up on the website. I contacted Danny at the UB campus and he told me that in order to get a hold of a copy of this cross, I would need to contact you.
Therefore, here it is. :) I am looking for a copy of the cross that was associated with the intimacy sermon. If you could help me in any way it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and...

God Bless!
~Sarah~

Part 2



Hi Sarah! I think this is what you asked for... my grunge cross... hope it's what you wanted... give me the scoop, what ya gonna do with it?

Blessings!

George 

Part 3

I actually want to take it to a tattoo artist and have him modify it into a tattoo for me. I want it put on my right shoulder to continually remind me that the intimacy with God is the number one thing in my life and that now matter what, that intimacy will always be there for me, like the tattoo. :)

The sermon just really touched me and I loved the cross. I have wanted a tattoo for a while now but I haven't found anything that was good enough to put on my body forever.

I wanted a tattoo that would be for me and a reminder for me about something that meant everything to me and when I saw this it was absolutely perfect. I have been thinking about it since that sermon and it hasn't left my mind yet.

God Bless!
~Sarah~

Slew Foot Interviewed

Recently, the Accuser of the Brethren, Satan, slew foot himself, was interviewed by the Senior Pastor of LifeChurch.tv. His appearance and subsequent interview proved to be very enlightening.

His thoughts make you go "hmm" don't they.