Author Archives: Dan Lemburg

About Dan Lemburg

Hi I'm Dan, I'll update this bio info soon.

The Good News: Part 7

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I know that God causes all things to work together for good for me, because I love Him and am called according to His purpose. For God knew me before the beginning of time, and as a result has predestined me to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29). Through Him I now rejoice in my tribulations, for I know that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed to me (Romans 5:3 & 8:18). I take solace in the fact that my suffering is merely a means of reinforcing my perseverance, refining my character, and providing me hope (Romans 5:3-5).

            My salvation is secure, because nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35). So He has promised! Even though I know that I will one day stand before the judgment seat of God, I have no fear, for in that day I shall be found sheltered in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:10, Colossians 3:3). My perishable body will be raised in glory (1 Corinthians 15:42-43). Just as my nature has borne the image of the earthly, I shall also bear the image of the heavenly, since He will transform the body of my humble state into conformity with the body of His glory (1 Corinthians 15:49, Philippians 3:21).

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

The Good News: Part 6

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By faith I have received all that God has promised (Galatians 3:22). And in the very same way that I have received Christ Jesus the Lord—that is, as a free gift—I am now to walk in Him (Colossians 2:6).

It was for freedom that Christ set me free. Therefore, I will stand firm and not subject myself again to the yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1). For the promises of God are valid for me only if I continue in the faith, firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel (Colossians 1:23).

The hope of God’s promise is that by grace I have been saved through faith This is the gift of God, not a result of my own goodness or deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9). In this same way I have every opportunity to attain to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding—the true knowledge of God’s mystery, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:2-3).

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

The Good News: Part 5

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Having been made righteous through Christ, I am no longer condemned, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2). I have been raised up with Him, and seated with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6). I have also been given access to the Father through Christ and I am sealed with the Holy Spirit who has been given as a pledge of my inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14 & 2:18).

His grace has been showered on me according to the measure of Christ’s gift for the work of service for the building up of the body of Christ, of which I am an integral and indispensable member (Ephesians 4:7 & 12, 1 Corinthians 12:27). And through His power, I can now rejoice in any sufferings that result from doing my share on behalf of His body (Colossians 1:24).

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

The Good News: Part 4

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He has blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose me in Him before the foundation of the world, that I would be holy and blameless before Him (Ephesians 1:3-4). In Christ I am a new creature, the old things have passed away; new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So now I can lay aside the old self and put on my new self, which has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Ephesians 4:22-24). I am now in the process of being brought into a true knowledge of God, being radically transformed by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:2). This is God’s mystery, hidden from past generations but now manifested to His saints—Christ in me, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26-27).

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

The Good News: Part 3

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God the Father has rescued me from the domain of darkness and transferred me to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14). I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20).

My old self was crucified with Him so that my body of sin might be done away with, so that I would no longer be a slave to sin (Romans 6:6). I have died and I am freed from sin by being released from the law to which I was bound (Romans 7:4-6). Since Christ is in me, though my body is dead because of sin, yet my spirit is alive because of righteousness (Romans 8:10).

Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself

The Good News: Part 2

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God promises that I am saved from His wrath, reconciled to God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24 & 5:9-10). Having been justified by His blood, I have obtained an inheritance as His adopted child (Ephesians 1:5 & 1:11). Through Christ’s blood, He cancelled out the certificate of debt (punishment legally due for my sin) consisting of decrees against me, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:14).

He has now reconciled me in His fleshly body through death, in order to present me before Him, holy and blameless and beyond reproach (Colossians 1:22). God has credited me with His righteousness and therefore considers me to be holy (2 Corinthians 5:21 & Ephesians 1:4). And having been justified by faith, I now have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

The Good News: Part 1

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Just what is it that sets apart the revelation of Christ’s gospel entrusted to Paul? I’m sure you’ll see what’s so special when you read the following brief synopsis of what it actually encompasses. Here it is,  a seven part series presented in the first person so that you might get a better sense of its glorious impact for each of us personally:

God the Father sent Jesus, God the Son, among us to bring the truth of His promise of eternal life for all those who believe (Romans 3:22). Jesus emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of men (Phil. 2:7). In so doing, He is able to sympathize with my weaknesses, having been tempted in all things as I am, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

He first suffered beyond what any of us can imagine at the hands of His accusers, and died an excruciating execution by crucifixion where He made propitiation (an appeasing sacrifice) for all the sins of humanity by taking the punishment for those sins upon Himself (Hebrews 2:17).

Jesus was then raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, and has given me the promise of eternal life in Him. Having received His promise by faith, I have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, and as a result also share in the likeness of His glorious resurrection (Romans 6:4-5).

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

Pursuing Biblical Truth

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Our pursuit of biblical truth is a lot like a prospector searching for gold. Rather than blindly tunneling into any old mountain in hopes of discovering the mother lode, he first looks for evidence of the precious metal on the surface. Likewise, as we see that first glimmer of truth within the pages of God’s Word, it becomes abundantly clear that there is true treasure waiting there to be uncovered. And this provides us the motivation to dig deeper, just like the miner must do when he senses there are riches to be gained. But let’s be honest; digging is a lot of work.

We find, though, that focused effort brings immediate rewards, because there’s a purpose for boring into that mountain. The miner is following a vein and consequently pulls out gold as he goes—sometimes less and sometimes more. God’s Word is a lot like that. As we dig beneath the surface, we are immediately rewarded with truth. Yes, sometimes it goes a little slowly, but other times we hit it big—sometimes even the mother lode. Diligence and perseverance always pay off because the knowledge we gain little by little lays a solid foundation for more.

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

Laying Aside Our Old Self

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          We’ve been given a choice, haven’t we? In laying aside the old self by an act of our will—in turn putting on the new self—our opportunities become limitless. Why? Because the new self has been created in the likeness of God. And since we are created in the likeness of God, we have within us a foundation of righteousness and holiness of the truth. The power to make positive choices is wholly dependent on one essential qualification: Christ’s indwelling presence (Romans 8:10). Walking out our faith, then, in the reality our new self comes about by making up our mind to do so, while relying totally upon what God has already provided through His overcoming power.

            God has given us an irrevocable promise: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”(13) So why aren’t Christians falling all over themselves trying to make sure His promises come to fruition in their lives? There’s a very good reason why: it all comes back to the problem of self-will. And until we really understand the implications of a heart being led by the innate presence of self-will, our chances of living in all that God has so bountifully provided are greatly hindered.

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)

Pursuing Growth in God

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If we are ever to arrive at the fullness of all God has provided through Christ Jesus, we must be about “…attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3) Still, knowledge is only of value when acted upon. And that’s why understanding our freedom from the power of sin is so vital. It provides us the basis for a more meaningful pursuit of God, in turn building the framework for unassailable spiritual growth.

(Excerpted from “Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself”)