Love or Liberties? - Pastor Travis New

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:12-14)

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2)


Have you taken the time to consider what these passages mean? How they practically apply, to your life? Have you considered how they apply the body of Christ? They’re all teaching us the same thing; to love one another even as Christ loved and continues to love us. But that raises a significant question for us doesn’t it? It begs us to ask; how did Christ love us? How does He continue to love us? The answer for that question is a simple one. He loved us sacrificially. He laid Down His life! For us! He endured the mockery of a trial, the scourging of sinful men, the long walk to Golgotha, the agony of the crucifixion, the full wrath of God and eventually death. For us! Brothers, Sisters, this is the love that these passages of scripture command us to emulate. We are to love one another sacrificially. Do you see that Christian? Do you see the clear command of your Savior?

It is to esteem the needs of others Philippians 2 puts it this way, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

So, Biblical Love, Christ like Love, Christian love is to sacrifice your rights, liberties, and desires for the needs of others. Is that not what Christ did? “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Jesus humbled Himself! He didn’t count equality with God a thing to be grasped; He didn’t try to hold on to His divine rights or prerogatives, He laid them down, He laid them down to bring about your redemption, He laid them down to love you. Brothers, Sisters, if that is so, if that is the truest expression of Biblical Love why are we so quick to pursue our liberties? Why are we looking for our own? Why are we not considering the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ? Why are they not more precious than our liberties? If we are called to love sacrificially, shouldn’t we be willing to give it all up for the sake of the church that our Savior bleed and died for?

Will you Christian? Will you consider your weaker brothers and sisters? Will you lay it all down and live selflessly for Jesus? That is what He commands, will you do it?

Living in Community: An Absolute Necessity for living out God's Plan for your life

When we first became Christians one of the blessed truths we came to know was that God had planned this all along for us. He lovingly planned to save us before He laid the foundations of the Earth. Yet, not only was it His plan to save us but also that we would know the joy of doing great works which He stored up for us.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.(Ephesians 2:10 ESV)

You see, God graciously planned special and noteworthy things for each of us to do in our lives. These are specific works that He designed for YOU and no one else. So, how do we know what these works are? How do we find out God's specific plan for our lives? One thing is for sure, it doesn't matter how many Bible searches you do, you won't find a chapter and verse with your name and mission spelled out. So, how is it that we come to know these "good works, which God prepared beforehand"?

I believe that the reason Paul didn't spell it out in the very next verse in Ephesians is because the people in the Ephesian church already knew the answer to this question. So to find the answer we've got to look at a letter that was written to some people struggling with this...Let's look at the book of Hebrews.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.(Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)

What we find in this text from the Book fo Hebrews is simple: In order to be stirred up to "love and good works" we must "not neglect to meet together".

Community is a neccesity if we're going to walk in the good works God has planned for us. Surely, the works He's planned for you are not the works He's planned for me, but He's made it so that we need each other in order to find out what they are. Isn't that amazing!?! And no wonder that is the case, because the works you are called to do are NOT for you anyway. They are for others! God wants us to be servants of one another!

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:(1 Peter 4:10 ESV)

The bottom line is that if you are not involved in the church community you're never going to know what God's plan for your life really looks like. And if you never know what His plan looks like, then your not going to experience the blessing of living it. Join a Home Fellowship, invite brothers and sisters from church over to your homes often, serve in the church, this is the life God wants you to live.

Ken Hendricks
Worship Pastor

A Great Opportunity to Live the Gospel

In John 13:35 Jesus after washing the disciples feet said “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” This love is self sacrificial, not self satisfying. God has given us a huge opportunity to do just that. It comes in the form of the current disaster in Haiti. What have you sacrificed for the sake of loving the Haitian people? Many of us cannot go to Haiti, but has that even crossed your mind? What I mean is if someone gave you the means to go would you? Praying is an awesome responsibility but what about doing? We should not go on as to why this happened but because it happened what would God have us do. Remember what Jesus also said
• Matthew 25:35-45 35for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ 41“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ 44“Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

This is living the gospel, would you live out with me?

1 Pray how God would use you to show the love of Christ to the Haitian people
2 In faith do what God tells you do

Samaritans Purse, Children’s Hunger Fund, Haiti Rescue Center are all gospel spreading relief organizations

Pastor Paul

It Has Been Awhile

So much has happened this last year. i will be posting how God has been glorified in my trials soon.

Please Pray for the Heitzigs

Please pray for Lenya (Skips wife) they have found a mass in her abdomen
for more details and updates visit http://skipheitzig.blogspot.com/

A Plea for Consistency

For six years by Gods grace the pastoral staff has served the church of Calvary Santa Fe. Even now we are doing all we can to serve the church under great physical as well as spiritual trial. Many of you are standing with us, thank you. But what has been revealed is that many who have called Calvary their church have, to say the least been inconsistent. If Calvary Santa Fe is your church may I plead with you to be consistent? Attend, serve, give, and bring glory to the name of the Lord. The devil would want nothing more than for our church to become ineffective. We, as long as we have breath will fight against the enemy. Will you join arms with us? Please pray for Calvary Santa Fe

Thank You for being Faithful

Praise the Lord!!! He has such an awesome plan for our church

To those who are trusting the Lord, by attending serving and supporting, thank you!

Thank you for glorifying Jesus in your lives.

I praise God for the privilege of serving you

Pastor Paul