​I have not posted in a while as we have been busy with some work on our building.  With the help of a very hard-working group of High Schoolers from Coppell Texas we were able to replace the carpeting in our sanctuary.  We also reworked the lighting and ceiling in our Fellowship Hall.   We could not have done it without them.  Check out our special events page where I’ve posted some pictures of the work.  We are so thankful for the help Coppell Bible sent us.  This is the Body of Christ in action, one Church sharing its abundance with one which has a need.    
 
Something that has been on my mind lately is what appears to be a complete disconnect between what many Bible Teachers say they believe and what they actually teach.  Most Christians agree that God is eternal in existence and infinite in His power (omnipotent), knowledge (omniscient) and His presence (omnipresent).  The Bible actually says He is infinite in all His personal attributes.  Most of those things are easily understood.  The Trinity is a bit more difficult.  However, that is exactly how the Bible describes God.  God exists as 3 distinct persons who all shall the same essence or life. 
 
The Trinity is an important doctrine of the Bible because it is the basis for believing the eternality of His personal attributes.  The Bible says God is love. He is compassionate, gracious, kind and merciful. Those attributes are part of His fundamental character.  And those attributes only exist in relationships between persons.  So, if God were truly a single person deity, those character attributes would not naturally be present.  He could choose to be those things, but they would not be part of His fundamental make up.  He could also choose to not be loving or merciful. 
 
Two verses to consider when seeking to understand God.  Malachi 3:6 where God said “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”  And 1 John 1:5 which states: “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”

He does not change and the attributes of His character are unlimited.  They are both eternal and infinite.  There is no end to His goodness, grace, love, mercy or any other things that are true of God.  His rightness and sense of justice are equally eternal and infinite.   
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And yet many Bible Teachers fail to consistently apply those truths in their teaching.  So, we hear things like you can lose the everlasting life that Jesus Christ gives to anyone who believes in Him.  Malachi 3:6 clearly states He does not change; His word is immutable.  That is just one example of what I observe as a disconnect between what people claim to believe and what their actions clearly show they don’t.   

​The Bible refers to the universal Church as the Body of Christ.  This word picture is intended to stress the connectivity of all Believers to the Lord.  There is only one Body and we are all connected by the one Holy Spirit.  And it is a real connection.   
An amazing thing is happening this week at Trego Community Church that demonstrates that connection.  A team of high schoolers from Coppell Texas are coming up to help us with some facility improvements at our Building.  We are getting new carpet in the Sanctuary and a face lift on our fellowship hall.  Two things we’ve wanted to do for a long time.  To be honest I wasn’t sure how we would ever get this done for 2 reasons.  The cost and limited manpower to self-perform as much as we can to hold down that cost.  And that’s the amazing part. 
My son, who is a pastor at Coppell Bible, was looking for a service project they could do here in the states.   Coppell Bible has a great missions focus and takes teams into Central and South America every summer.  But this year wanted add something here in the U.S.  That is when he called me and asked if there was something they could do up here.  He was on a short time constraint so I told him of a single lady we wanted to help with work on her home and of course our projects.  The staff at Coppell thought and prayed about it and agreed. 
So, this week a group of people we’ve never met are traveling from the DFW area to a place they’ve never been to help a Church they do not know.  But that is what our amazing God can do.  We are connected by a common faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  The gift of everlasting life through belief in Christ’s promise establishes a real bond between all believers.  Unity in Jesus Christ, like everlasting life, is a present possession of all Christians.  It’s not something we have to wait until we get to Heaven to experience.  It exists today in all who believe in Jesus Christ. 
We praise and thank God for the unfathomable gift of His Son Jesus Christ.  And we cherish His present-day gift of the unity we share with other believers through Christ.  I invite you to visit us at Trego and meet some great Texans this week.  

I want to return to the word believe, the English translation of the Greek word is Pisteuo.  In an earlier post I stated that Jesus Christ never modified the word believe with an adverb.   Why is it important to make mention of that?  Because when someone modifies the verb believe they are contradicting the Lord Jesus Christ.  And in doing so they undermine the message of redemption.  Jesus Christ said “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16. 
 
Believe what about Him?  That He is the giver of Everlasting Life and will give it to whoever believes Him for it.  Paul learned that directly from Jesus Christ and stated it clearly in 1 Timothy 1:16. Paul a persecutor of the Church found deliverance and everlasting life in Jesus Christ by belief in His promise.  What does it mean to believe?  In simple language is means to take the Lord at His word.  He said it, it must be true.  If you cannot trust God then there is no hope.  He is inherently righteous and good.  He does not lie. 
 
What does my belief rest on?  The immutable word of the eternal God.  As the Prophet said: Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”  He keeps His word.  So, when people add conditions to salvation, or suggest there is a kind of believing that does not save they are actually slandering God.  Terms like genuine faith or saving faith plant a seed of uncertainty about belief.  Suggesting there is more than one way to believe something when there isn’t. 
 
Read your Bible, continue reading it.  That is the gateway to discipleship (John 8:31-32).  It will present you with truth and it is truth that will set you free!