Worship for the Weekday
Savor the Flavor
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Matthew 5:13-16
13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men. 14. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
My Bible Reader’s Companion summarizes this passage: “As salt and light, believers must savor and illuminate God’s ways, which alone can preserve and guide humanity.” Perhaps others would feel that was adequate interpretation . . . . but by now, you know that I can’t just leave well enough alone!
Several weeks ago, I spent quite a bit of time researching salt and its significance during the time the gospels were written. The Greeks would have considered being called the “salt of the earth” a very high compliment. Salt was very labor-intensive to produce in a useable form and had to be transported long distances—it was extracted from salt water, so if you didn’t leave near an ocean or sea, it was costly to access it. In other words, it was costly, but highly valued. Not only was salt essential for consumption, and as a preservative for food, but also as an insulator in the stone ovens used to prepare food. Most often, dung or mud was formed into bricks and salt was pressed into the bricks so they would burn longer.
In “The Power of Intention,” Dr. Dyer talks about how we can influence the “energy” that encompasses and enfolds our lives. He contends we have the power to choose light or dark—and that when we choose light, we make a decision to live within the most power. The depiction he gives is to think about walking into a pitch black room and turning on the light switch. The light absorbs the dark and overcomes and overwhelms it. Since we believe Christ is the light of the world, and as His disciples we are to spread His light to the world, we can think about our spreading the Good News as eliminating and absorbing all the darkness/evil in the world!
While we’re busy insulating others from the forces of evil, and sustaining them with the life-giving Good News, we are also to remember that it is the Good News of Jesus Christ that should be our focus! The glory is His. The light emanates and originates from Him. A handwritten note in my bible, from who-knows-when states: the moon has no light of its own—rather it reflects the light of the sun. And we are to reflect the light of the Son.
We are to be the salt and the light for all the lost of the world. We are to offer an alternative to sin and suffering to God’s children. We are to light the way to the Cross for those who have not heard the message of salvation. We are to be the salt of the earth and the light on the hill for all the world. It’s a big job. It’s an important job. But if we think about the job that Christ came to earth to do, it doesn’t seem so difficult. Rather, it feels more like and honor and a privilege to be counted valued and desired enough to be a disciple of our blessed Savior!
I hope today you shine the light of Christ for everyone you meet. And that you savor the saltiness of God’s word for your life.
Mary
The Glory of God Lights the City
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Revelation 21:22-27
22. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24. By its light shall the nations walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it, 25. and its gates shall never be shut by day -- and there shall be no night there; 26. they shall bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27. But nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 22:10-13
10. And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." 12. "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for what he has done. 13. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
The book of Revelation is so exciting! It really reads like an adventure novel—if you can get past all the symbolism! I think because we’ve read the “Left Behind” series, where the latest book describes what it will be like on earth at the second coming – and after – that I especially enjoy reading these verses. Of course, that book is an interpretation – the opinion of the authors. No one can know exactly what it will be like when the world as we know it comes to an end!
There will be no need for temples or churches, because God Himself will be the source and the destination for us. All light will be absorbed and displayed in and through Him. Some other verses talk about the oceans giving up their dead and go on to explain that the world – the earth – as we know it will be no more. We will assume the form of our “resurrection bodies.” We won’t exist in the three dimensional earthly realm any more. We will become multi-dimensional beings—existing as new creatures – finally like Christ.
I think 22:11 is saying that at the instant when all this takes place – the blink of an eye – it will be too late to repent! Go ahead and keep on doing what you’ve been doing – because you just missed your last chance to change your life! Now each of you must accept the consequences of your choices. Good, bad. Right, wrong. Now is when it all comes to fruition.
Behold, He is coming soon! We don’t know if that means today or in a hundred years, or in a million years! But we know that God expects and demands our praise, our worship, and our lives. He wants to be the center of our lives. He wants to be the reason we try our hardest to be like Christ. He wants to be our city; our ocean; our source; our Alpha and our Omega. Our first and our last.
I really hope my name is written in the Lamb’s book of life! I so long to walk by the light of God in heaven! I can’t wait to see Him face-to-face! I really just can’t wait! But I’m also really hoping that I’ll have today as yet another day in which to change my life! I hope I’ll have time to be kinder, to be more loving, to speak His truth, to declare His glory, to become more like Christ. I hope it comes soon – but please, not today!
I hope today you turn away from life in this world with all its sin and pain. And that you strive to achieve your “kingdom existence” with Christ, where the Light of God is all you need to show you the way.
Mary
Leap and Praise God
Acts 3:1-10
1. Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at that gate of the temple which is called Beautiful to ask alms of those who entered the temple. 3. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked for alms. 4. And Peter directed his gaze at him, with John, and said, "Look at us." 5. And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them. 6. But Peter said, "I have no silver and gold, but I give you what I have; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7. And he took him by the right hand and raised him up; and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8. And leaping up he stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10. and recognized him as the one who sat for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
This morning is the first time I noticed verse 5: And he fixed his attention upon them, expecting to receive something from them. Peter and John looked directly at the cripple. They gave him their undivided attention—they acted as one person. The beggar expected a few coins, which is what he usually received from passers-by. Money or perhaps a kick or a shove when someone was having a bad day and needed to take it out on someone.
“I have not silver and gold, but I give you what I have.” Wow! We may think we know what we want, or what we need. But God has an even greater plan for us! He offers us riches beyond our imagining! He offers us life with Him in heaven! We think we need a bigger house, and a newer car, and that our kids need to go to “the best” pre-school, and private school, and are in all “the right” sports leagues. We think we need that promotion, and more money and more prestige. Are we ever satisfied? Aren’t we forever looking around the next corner, wondering what we’re missing out on? Don’t we long for more, no matter how much we have?
That’s what Jesus offers us. More. Actually—everything. Everything we need, now tomorrow, forever. He wants us to be unburdened by the wants and needs of this world. He wants to take us by the right hand and raise us up. He wants us to leap and praise God! He wants our undivided attention, too—because he offers us his. He wants us to look to him alone—the way the truth and the life.
When we turn our lives over to Christ, we are also made immediately strong. Strong in our conviction to live rightly. We don’t rely upon the opinions of our neighbors. We seek out godly friends. We set our priorities with a new set of criteria. We examine our lives through kingdom eyes. What do I need to accomplish in this life, to earn eternal life with Christ? That’s the only question we ever need to ask ourselves once we’re saved. Our lives become 100 times less complicated and simultaneously 100 times more difficult.
It’s hard to live by a higher standard. I wonder what the beggar did for his livelihood after he was healed? Had he ever learned a skill? I guess his only recourse was to become a disciple, like Peter and John. I imagine that in his healing, he was unafraid to declare the Good News to everyone who would listen! After that miraculous healing, he knew he only needed to rely upon Jesus for his life—for his living.
I hope today that you will seek not the silver and gold of this world, but the thing of true value that Christ offers us. And that you’ll leap and praise God in the presence of all you meet.
Mary
Refined and Tested
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Jeremiah 9:1-9
1. O that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! 2. O that I had in the desert a wayfarers' lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men. 3. They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, says the Lord. 4. Let every one beware of his neighbor, and put no trust in any brother; for every brother is a supplanter, and every neighbor goes about as a slanderer. 5. Every one deceives his neighbor, and no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they commit iniquity and are too weary to repent. 6. Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me, says the Lord. 7. Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: "Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do, because of my people? 8. Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully; with his mouth each speaks peaceably to his neighbor, but in his heart he plans an ambush for him. 9. Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord; and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?
Jeremiah has looked around at a desolate and ruined city. He sees his countrymen and even close friends defying God. He can’t trust even his former best friend. His world has been spinning out of control, and he is inconsolable! And God doesn’t really seem to offer much hope of helping Jeremiah feel any better about the situation! He pretty much says, “You made your bed, now lie in it.”
God isn’t seeking revenge. How could mere man do anything that would threaten or challenge God in a battle of wills? But man does. We rely upon our own wisdom. We get a little too big for our britches. We start thinking that we are the gods—we’ve made amazing breakthroughs in medicine; we’ve been to the moon, for Pete’s sake! We’ve figured out how to clone mammals, and how to transplant a human heart. We’re pretty smart, aren’t we? We hold the power of life and death in our grasp, right? We don’t need God to tell us how to live, and what to do! We’ve got it all under control.”
Really? God’s saying, “that’s great, you let me know how that works for you as I withdraw and allow you to “have at it.”" He’s telling us “Go for it!” I don’t interpret these verses as God saying he’s going to do something actively to hurt us, but rather that he will back off and let us figure out that we really do need him! Kind of like when you know your child is making a poor choice, and you have no doubt of what the outcome will be, but you must stand back and let them learn their own lesson from it. That’s how I think God acts with us.
He never abandons us. He won’t leave us to our own resources forever. Just long enough for us to figure out, “Oh, yeah! I remember you taught us that.” And he’s going to let us hang out there a good long while—long enough so that we won’t ever forget the lesson. But, of course, we do forget. Fortunately for us, God allows us to keep forgetting, and remembering . . . over and over again. . . He just doesn’t want us to miss out on that last big chance for salvation! He really wants us to decide that “Today’s the day!”
I hope today you decide, “Today’s the day!” And that you rejoice in the refining and the testing in your life so that you can be ready when Christ comes again.
Mary
Living On Purpose
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2 Corinthians 6:1-13
1. Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2. For he says, "At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation." Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3. We put no obstacle in any one's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4. but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5. beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; 6. by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, 7. truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8. in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9. as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10. as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 11. Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. 12. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13. In return -- I speak as to children -- widen your hearts also.
Paul is beseeching the Corinthians not to wait to begin living as they should.
The Message translation of verses 3-5 says: “Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we’re doing. Our work as God’s servants gets validated—or not—in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating . . .” In other words, do what needs to be done to bring about the kingdom of God on earth—“just do it.”
The world will scorn us. The world will even think we’re mad! But the world will be watching us. And how we act, what we do, and how we do it, says it all. Don’t strive for glory, don’t ask for thanks. Don’t expect praise—just the opposite. But God sees all. His glory is what we work for, his thanks is our reward. Paul goes on to say that even though the world may get us down, we’re not out. No matter what we endure, it will not be so severe that God can’t get us through it. And no matter what we endure, it could never compare to Jesus dying on the cross.
Living as Christians, fully and completely, gives us a tremendous freedom that the world doesn’t have, or know, or understand. We are free to be truly ourselves, living fully and completely, because we do not fear death. We don’t need man’s approval or acceptance, so we are able to live the way we should. We don’t rely on worldly possessions, worldly success, worldly power. We rely only upon God, through the risen Christ. What a wonderful way to live! On purpose. Free. Full of hope and joy.
The world is watching. What message do we want them to hear from us? What example do we want to set? What can we tell them when they want to know how we can remain steadfast, hopeful, joyful, generous, and loving in the face of adversity? How can we explain to them why we don’t fear war, or famine, tsunamis, or even death? With one word: Jesus.
I hope you spend today living fully, spreading the good news by your example. And that you have the opportunity to speak the name above all names to at least one person who does not know the answer to the question, “How?”
Mary
Written In His Book
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Psalm 33:6-11
6. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth. 7. He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle; he put the deeps in storehouses. 8. Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! 9. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood forth. 10. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nought; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11. The counsel of the Lord stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Psalm 139:13-16
13. For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb. 14. I praise thee, for thou art fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are thy works! Thou knowest me right well; 15. my frame was not hidden from thee, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth. 16. Thy eyes beheld my unformed substance; in thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Jeremiah 23:23-24
23. "Am I a God at hand, says the Lord, and not a God afar off? 24. Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? says the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord.
Quite a bit of scripture this morning – not much to say because I think these three pretty much sum it up! God is in heaven. He is in charge. He knows what he’s doing. We don’t need to worry about his job performance! He is smarter than we are; wiser than we are; and certainly bigger and stronger than we are!
These passages remind me that not only is God in charge of the world, the seasons, and the landscape and the animals and plants and the stars in the sky, he also desires to be, and is, intimately involved with me and my life! He cares what I think and what I do. He observes what I say and how I act. I am his intricate handiwork, crafted and created in love.
Each of us is woven together by God’s plan. He put us on this earth together for a reason. He has a purpose and a plan for each of us. Our challenge is to tap into his mind, and then obey. We can only do that through prayer, reflection, reading scripture and then more prayer. We won’t ever have it all figured out, but we can make an attempt at achieving what God desires for us to accomplish. His love is manifest in us when we offer that love to others.
The same God who created a thousand universes with a single thought, made you and me. He gave us shape and form and purpose. We strive to figure out how the human body works—and we may have it all figured out some day, but we’ll never be able to tap into the soul. That is God-breathed. It is his secret—the secret place within us that continually draws us to him. No matter how much knowledge we acquire, no matter how technologically advance we become, no matter what we achieve, it will be nothing more than a childish effort, compared to the might of God, because his a God far off and a God at hand.
I hope today you take some time to marvel at all that man has accomplished. And that you’ll lift your eyes to heaven and thank God for making man the most amazing accomplishment of all.
Mary
But . . .
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Matthew 19:16-22
16. And behold, one came up to him, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" 17. And he said to him, "Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." 18. He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19. Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 20. The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" 21. Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22. When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
This is a very familiar story to most of us. The people of the time were all about doing good deeds. They had been taught that heaven was earned through doing good works, and by obeying every painstakingly detailed aspect of the law. This young man obviously felt a void in his life—something was missing. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been interested in something better! Even with all his wealth, even in his godliness, he felt unsatisfied. Do we feel that way, too?
I don’t think Jesus was literally telling this man to give away all his possessions and become homeless! I think what the point he was trying to make is that we cannot pick and choose which laws we obey. We can’t say I’ll do some good, and that will counter the bad. It doesn’t work when we decide to follow Jesus part of the way to the cross. Taking a u-turn is not an option! The point Jesus was trying to make is that we must place Him and His word above all other things in our lives. Money won’t buy us a place at the banquet table in heaven!
We need to dig down deep and examine all the ways we limit our relationship with God. What obstacles do we place in our lives? What do we keep tripping over on that path? That’s what we need to let go of. If we lust after money, maybe we need to tithe. If we don’t have a good relationship with family member, maybe we should mend some fences. This young man had done everything right—except one thing. There’s that “but” in response to Jesus’ bidding us to come to him.
But, Jesus . . . I don’t cheat on my taxes, I don’t beat my children, I love my spouse, I go to PTA meetings, I serve on a committee at church, I keep my yard up, I help out my neighbors when they need it. I give 100% at work—every day. But . . . I’m not quite there yet—can’t move that one thing in my life that I’m clinging too off center stage. Just can’t do it. But . . . look at the rest of my life! Look at all the good I do. Look at me. I try really hard to be the best person I can be. Surely you’re not asking me to give up .____________ (you can fill in the blank).
Yep. That’s what he’s saying! Get rid of it. Come to me. Light of the world. Living water. Fulfillment of the Scripture. God. Man. Messiah. Come to me. Leave this world behind. Leave this life behind. Come on. Let’s go! Don’t weigh yourself down by the things of this realm. Heaven awaits! And I want you to have the seat right next to me! I want you to be the guest of honor! But . . .
I hope today you think about the “buts” in your life. And that you’ll take the first step in eliminating them from your life.
Mary
A Hope and Promise
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Psalm 131
1. O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. 2. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a child quieted at its mother's breast; like a child that is quieted is my soul. 3. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.
Lamentations 3:19-27
19. Remember my affliction and my bitterness, the wormwood and the gall! 20. My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. 21. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; 23. they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. 24. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." 25. The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. 26. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 27. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
Yesterday I started out in Psalms, but never zeroed in on what I was “looking for.” I guess I got a little ahead of myself! I was directed to this psalm a very long time ago by one of the giants of faith in my life. I had shared with her that I wasn’t sleeping well because I just had too much running through my mind each night as I went to bed. She directed me to Psalm 131. Somehow, just reading it calms me, quiets me—like a comforted child. It helps to remember that God has everything under His control and that the world will not spinning on its axis as I sleep!
This passage from Lamentations is along the same vane. I don’t think we can be reminded too often who is really in charge! In a day and time where the world seems to have gone mad, and we seem to have lost all sense of who we are and whose we are, I find tremendous comfort in remembering that the Lord offers us tremendous hope and a “way out” of all the madness. “The Lord is good to those who wait for him.”
I told a friend the other day that everything in my life is going great right now! I’m not rich—far from it! I’m not thin-we won’t go there! I’m not famous—not sure I want that! I have a wonderful husband, two great kids, the best boss I’ve ever worked for and a job that suits my personality and allows me to explore and expand upon my skills and abilities. So why, you may ask, do I need to be comforted, stilled, quieted? Because “the world” gets in the way. I forget all I have sometimes. I cluck my tongue and shake my head and think, “What’s wrong with the world?”
So I think that’s why I was led to these scripture this morning. Even though life is pretty calm and I’m happy and satisfied with my “portion” today, I slip into the woe is me mentality with way to much facility! Wars rage, evil looms around every corner, disasters strike, and sin runs rampant. I, however, have a hope and a promise that I can cling to: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” I pray that I am never tested so much that I cannot cling to these words!
Psalm 131 is not implying that we are to be complacent, willing "victims" of all the bad in the world! It is declaring that first and last, God is with us. He planned the world, and us, and every moment of our lives. So tonight when we go to sleep, we can be confident that he will be hard at work, preserving the world for us for another day! If not, well, then I hope I wake up in heaven!
I hope today you think of these words of comfort as the world overwhelms your senses and sensibilities. And that you will still and quiet your soul before God like a comforted child.
Mary
Everything Else is Gravy
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1 Peter 2:4-10
4. Come to him, to that living stone, rejected by men but in God's sight chosen and precious; 5. and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6. For it stands in scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and he who believes in him will not be put to shame." 7. To you therefore who believe, he is precious, but for those who do not believe, "The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner," 8. and "A stone that will make men stumble, a rock that will make them fall"; for they stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10. Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy.
The heading of these verses in my bible is: The Living Stone and a Chosen People. Jesus Christ provides us a rock-solid foundation for our faith. He did the “impossible” so that we can do the impossible. We obtain eternal life in heaven through God’s grace, because of the crucifixion and subsequent resurrection! We are “chosen” because we believe. Because we believe, because we have been given this amazing gift, we proclaim the good news to the world!
How do we go about building a “spiritual house?” How do we determine which spiritual sacrifices are acceptable to God? How do we demonstrate the unfathomable mercy extended to us by our heavenly father? We do so by living a life worthy of the gift. We try to be the best people we know how to be and live in a way that will bring glory to God. I’m participating in a group study of “The Purpose Driven Life” at my church. We have found ourselves repeatedly commenting, “Oh, this is hard.” It’s hard to give glory to God through our every word and deed. It’s hard to think only of Him when we want to berate a co-worker. It’s hard to be nice to the person who cut you off in traffic – and it’s really hard to be polite to the person who cuts in line at Wal-Mart (especially on a Saturday afternoon!)
Once we wandered aimlessly through the world. Once we had no homeland, no future, no hope for a better way of life. Now, because of Christ, we can establish ourselves firmly upon the foundation of “that living stone.” We have a purpose now. Our lives have significance. WE have significance. God has declared us “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people.” God’s own people! Wow! I can’t think of a higher honor than to be established in that way. God’s own people.
What does that mean in and for our lives? Verse nine also talks about our being called out of darkness into his marvelous light. If we live in the light, we live with honor and are not ashamed of what we do and say, and how we act toward others. If we do something that is shameful, we apologize – not only to God, but to the one we’ve wronged. We hold ourselves to a higher standard that the world does—morally, ethically, spiritually, and literally. We strive to become like Christ. We define our lives by the purposes God established for us: to worship him. To worship him with our lives.
We love—like he does—with “reckless abandon.” We seek to do good—like Christ did—without regard for reputation or reward. We strive for a life worthy of the promise. We labor for God’s chosen people—and to enlarge His family her on earth. We labor, actually for God. Not that he needs us, but he wants us. Not that he requires our efforts, but he desires to use our efforts to reach each other, and to reach out to each other. That is how we become children of the light. That is how we advance the second coming at the end of time.
God’s grace is all we need to live. Everything else is “gravy.”
I hope today you accept the crown of royal priesthood. And that you shine the light of Christ to all those still walking in darkness.
Mary
The Spirit of Sonship
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Romans 8:1-4, 12-17
1. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. 3. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4. in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 12. So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh -- 13. for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 14. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16. it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17. and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
“The law” is not able to save us. “The law” is not able to empower us. “The law” is not that which leads to life. “The law” becomes our salvation, our source of strength, our life-sustaining guide when it is intertwined with the fact of Jesus Christ. Because of Jesus, “the law” now becomes a moral and ethical code. We obey the law because of our love for Christ. We have the desire to obey, now, not out of fear of retribution alone, but out of gratitude for the gift of Jesus.
Sin has been around since Adam and Eve. They blew it for us all! And mankind had to wait a long time for redemption! But even Christ did not remove from us our human nature toward sinning! What he brought us, instead was his Spirit, a helper and a guide, so that we might be armed against the powers of evil—and choose the path of life. Christ took our form, and took on our sin—though he was without sin. It’s kind of a difficult concept to grasp, isn’t it? He was just like us—tempted in every way—yet he did not succumb to his human instincts. I can’t help but think that he was able to resist sin not because of his divinity—but rather that he was able to avoid it because, in his humanity, he knew he had to rely upon the Father.
That might not even make sense, but I just find myself doing this dance around this subject. Jesus was divine, yet man. He was man, yet divine. So was it the divine Christ who died on the cross? No, it was the human Christ. The Divine One rose on Easter morning. Yet he suffered as a man. He was beaten and tortured in his human form. He was able to take it—the punishment for all our sins, because of his divinity. God gave him super-human strength to endure what he took upon himself. So how do we become like Christ? By calling upon the same God upon whom he called.
Because of Christ, we are heirs—fellow heirs with Christ. Wow! That means we’re “like Christ.” That we are afforded the same privileges and can expect the same reward: eternal life in heaven. That is a tremendous responsibility! To be like Christ is not that easy! Remember, he called upon his father (Our Father) every time he needed to resist his human inclination to sin. Every time. Before he acted, he prayed. Before he chose a path, he turned the decision over to God. He called out to his “Abba” his “daddy.” And the Abba God answered.
That’s our promise, too. That if we call out to him, he will answer. Simple. Not easy—but simple. I guess, in truth, it’s impossible in our human form. Thankfully, we also possess the spirit living within us. That spirit, sent by Abba God and our co-heir, his son, our brother, causes us to desire the path of righteousness. That spirit, and our gratitude to Abba God for sending his son, is why we keep at it, day after day, year after year. Our co-heir, our brother Jesus, is why we never give up. He gave us every part of his human self—and then reached deep down inside to reveal his divinity.
It makes me cry sometimes, when I think about how passionately, deeply, completely God loves me. To be my daddy-God, to adopt me into a family where Jesus is my brother; to remember me in his will—as if I were his own from the beginning of time—Oh, yeah! I was! Way back at the beginning of time! And so were you. We suffer the limitations of our human form, so that we may rejoice one day in our spiritual beings with Christ. He waits—the perfectly perfect big brother—to reach out a hand and hike us up that last little way to the top of the mountain. He waits—with our Abba, our Daddy-God.
I hope today you rejoice at being adopted into God’s family. And that you rely upon your brother Jesus to direct your speech and guide your actions as you look to the future inheritance you share with him.
Mary
Modern Day Pharisees
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Matthew 23:13-22
13. "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. 14. 15. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. 16. "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17. You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18. And you say, `If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' 19. You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20. So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; 21. and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22. and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
Verses 1-32 of this chapter are titled “The Seven Woes” in my bible. Jesus ticks off all the ways the religious leaders are hypocritical and seek man’s approval by their actions. They don’t act out of genuine love and devotion to God, but rather out of a deep need to be honored and revered by man. More than that, Jesus gets to the core of the question of faith. He challenges us to look in our hearts and examine our motives. Do we talk the talk, but fall short when it comes time to walk the walk? Do we do the minimum required by man’s standards, so that we appear to be on the right path when our neighbors observe our lifestyle and our actions?
Jesus really doesn’t pull any punches in this chapter. He goes on and on and recites all the ways the religious leaders are hypocritical. He pretty much covers every type of hypocrisy I can think of! And these chapters really got me thinking about the sermons that have been delivered at our church the last two Sundays. One was on stem cell research and the other on homosexuality. Our Sunday School class chose to discuss these topics and explore in more depth how these issues impacted our lives, our beliefs, our faith, and how we practice our faith.
The bottom line on both of these topics was that man is so prone to limit God’s grace! We judge others and set ourselves up as holier, more devout, a better Christian, if we believe one way and not another. What I got out of the sermons and the discussions that followed on those two Sundays was that God is big enough to love everyone. What I learned was that I had better be careful how and upon whom I pass judgment, because more often than not I fall under the same category as the Pharisees!
I’m not going to share my personal opinions on either of these topics. This is not a forum for that! But I will share with you that the God I worship has loved me through more sin and pain, aimless wandering and petulant questioning than I deserved to be loved through. And I plan to go to heaven some day! So if God has loved me through everything, absolutely everything; if he has greeted me with open arms and welcomed me back into the fold every time I’ve strayed. If he has revealed his beauty and might, his power and grace, his gentleness and unrelenting love, then who am I to judge someone else?
Do I have to like what they do? Do I have to agree with how they live? No. Do I need to understand and accept that they are children of God, just like me? Yes. Do I need to extend to them the same love, grace, gentleness that God has given to me? Yes! Do I understand why God made me the way he did and someone else the way they are? No! And we’re not supposed to until the end of days, when Christ comes again to judge the living and the dead!
So I’m no better than a homeless man, and I’m no less than Donald Trump. I’m not greater than a mental patient in a hospital and no less than the doctor who treats him. I am, like all of us are, frail and wounded, broken and weak. And I hope and pray that the God who made Donald Trump and the homeless man, the mighty and the meek, the lofty and the lowly, remembers me on judgment day! I hope he remembers that I tried. Really tried. And I hope that is enough!
I hope today you examine all the ways you are like the Pharisees. And that you’ll lift a prayer of thanks to God that He loves you anyway!
Mary
Be Changed
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1 Corinthians 15:42-54
42. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. 43. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44. It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body. 45. Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46. But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then the spiritual. 47. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50. I tell you this, brethren: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51. Lo! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52. in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. 54. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
In the twinkling of an eye? Wow! I better be sure I stay on my toes today! Paul lived each day as if “this is the day” that Christ was coming again. And why not? Who knows when it will happen?! He is explaining that just as we became flesh through Adam, we become imperishable through Christ. Just as we became sinners, because of Adam’s sin, we are saved because of Christ. Just as we roam the earth, seeking wisdom we do not need, asking questions to which we don’t need the answers, like Adam, so through Christ do we have every question answered, we find direction and purpose, and we see and know all that Christ does at the second coming!
I can hardly wait! But, oh my gosh! That puts a lot on us, doesn’t it!? That means that if today is “the day” I have a lot of fences to mend. I have some apologies to make. I have some bad habits to change. I have some friends I’ve neglected – I better call them! I have so many things to make right in my life – that, well, maybe tomorrow would be better! But oh, yeah—it’s going to come “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”
Was Paul being foolish to believe that every day could be the one he would be reunited with his Lord and Savior? Was he being naïve? Was he being overly dramatic to make a point? I don’t think so! I think he’s right: we don’t know when “it” will happen! And when it does, he wants to be ready – and he wants us to be ready – as does God. Flesh to spirit. Sin to salvation. Death to eternal life. Perishable to immortal. That’s what I want! I want to “be changed.”
Paul spends a lot of time explaining the process. He painstakingly draws the parallels between Adam and Jesus. He wants us to understand how important it is for us to grasp what he’s saying. God made man. Mankind couldn’t hack it on its own. We got way off track. We couldn’t help it, because, after all, he made us human! But we have a promise that one day we will be perfected in Him—through Him. With Him.
That’s why we strive for perfection. That’s why we try to live a life acceptable to God. That’s why we try to do the right thing. Because of that promise. And we know he’ll keep it because he already kept the 2nd greatest promise he made: he sent us His Son! So how can we help but anticipate fulfillment of the 1st greatest promise? As much as God loves us just the way we are, he wants us to inhabit our salvation bodies—so we can spend eternity with him.
I hope today you examine what still needs to be done in your life for you to achieve perfection. And that you’ll set in place a plan to get as close to perfection as you can.
Mary
Pick Out Your Party Hat
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Isaiah 25:6-8
6. On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined. 7. And he will destroy on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8. He will swallow up death for ever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken.
2 Corinthians 5:1-9
1. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2. Here indeed we groan, and long to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3. so that by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4. For while we are still in this tent, we sigh with anxiety; not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6. So we are always of good courage; we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7. for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8. We are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.
Paul refers to our human bodies as a tent and heaven as a dwelling—a permanent structure. And yet, what we do while in our temporary human form is important! Because what we do with our lives, during our lives, determines whether or not we will end up at the great feast of “fat things” in our heavenly dwelling place. Everything we do takes us one step closer or one step farther away from eternity with God.
Heaven isn’t held out to us like a carrot on the end of a stick! God doesn’t try to “bribe” us! He doesn’t “need” us to go to heaven with him. But he longs to throw a party! And he wants us to be his guests of honor! Each of us, individually. He wants you to have the craziest party hat of all! And he wants me to have the prettiest one! He “sighs” with anticipation at the thought of us spending eternity with him!
What was the happiest day of your life? Your wedding? The birth of a child? A surprise birthday party? Or an unexpectedly blissful day out of the blue—nothing exciting or spectacular, just everything went your way and you felt as if the whole world was spread out at your feet? What’s the best thing that ever happened to you? What’s the best gift you ever received? That’s how excitedly and longingly God anticipates our arrival!
No, life here on earth is not perfect. It never will be – not too many of those blissfully wonderful days to enjoy. More often, we have countless days through which we endure “life as we know it.” And it’s not usually anywhere close to a party! But Paul assures us that it will be worth the wait! It will be worth whatever you have to do in this life; whatever you endure. Remember, we’re striving for heaven. And Jesus, through his willing submission to God’s will, proved to us once and for all, that even crucifixion was “worth it.” Because after death, all the pain and sadness of this world would fade away. We will become new creatures! We will become “like God.”
We will be with Him throughout all eternity. All our questions will seem insignificant. All our doubts and fears will vanish. Our true selves will be realized – fully and completely and perfectly. Exactly as God planned eons ago, before he made the stars and the sun and the earth. That’s why we try so hard to be the best person we can be. That’s why we do what’s right, even when it’s hard. That’s why we live by a higher standard than “the world.” Cause it will be worth it!
I hope today you “sigh with anxiety” at the thought of achieving perfection in heaven some day. And that you start thinking about what color of party hat you want to wear when you get there!
Mary
A Spiritual Compass
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1 Corinthians 2:9-16
9. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him," 10. God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11. For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit. 14. The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15. The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16. "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.
If you have trouble believing Paul in these verses, let me briefly offer a personal testimony. I am dealing with a situation at work involving a co-worker. It has distressed me a great deal and I’m struggling with how to handle it. When I opened my bible this morning, I opened to scripture that was directly, undoubtedly selected by God for me to read! It didn’t give me an answer but reassurance and direction on how I was to conduct myself, even if the situation became stressful or unpleasant. Some people call that a coincidence. I don’t believe anything that happens in our lives is coincidence! I believe without question or doubt that God directed my fingers to open my bible to that page and drew my eyes to those verses.
How about you? Do you believe God is that intimately involved in your life? Do you think he cares about you so much that he never wants you to feel alone or afraid? Do you accept that through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we are one with God? I do! I do! How else could you explain a lifetime of “coincidences” and “near misses” and diverted poor choices and decisions? God implants himself within each of us—the Holy Spirit. And the spirit serves as an inner compass, a guide, a helper, an advisor. Not that we don’t have a choice in the matter—that’s the wonder of God’s love! He allows us to choose to follow the spirit’s leading or our own.
How does that work out for you? Following your own hunches and not relying upon direction or guidance from God? If you’re like me, not too well! If you don’t “tap into” that spiritual center, you’ll feel adrift and alone throughout all the days of your life. You’ll struggle with every career decision, every choice about where to go to college, each step along the way you’ll have decisions and choices to make! And how to you arrive at the right answer? Do you wing it—I do! I do! And I’m usually sorry when I do! But when I pray and ask God to “activate” the spirit within me, I am able to make better choices. I am informed by the part of me that is God.
I have read these verses many times. I think they are so beautiful and create the air of mystery that surrounds our understanding of God’s workings in and through us. The Holy Spirit is a hard concept to grasp. But If God made us to be like him, he had to give us a way to know what it means to “be like him.” That’s the job of the Holy Spirit. And the power of the Holy Spirit is that it searches the depth and breadth of God to discern for us how we are to live our lives.
It’s just so amazing! I never cease to be awed and amazed by how God works and who he is! That he would deem us worthy to be a part of him! That he would allow us the tiniest little pinhole of the vision of who he is! That we would understand the least little bit of him! It’s just so humbling and awe-inspiring. I’m having one of those mornings where I love God beyond words, or thoughts, beyond song or prayer! I am so filled up with Him and His love and His care and His concern for me that I just can’t begin to describe it!
I hope you have a day filled with comfort and direction from the Holy Spirit. And that you “tap into” that spiritual compass God cared enough to implant in your soul.
Mary
The Creative Goodness Within
Romans 2:1-4
1. Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are, when you judge another; for in passing judgment upon him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who do such things. 3. Do you suppose, O man, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 4. Or do you presume upon the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not know that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Romans 9:14-21
14. What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15. For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 16. So it depends not upon man's will or exertion, but upon God's mercy. 17. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, "I have raised you up for the very purpose of showing my power in you, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth." 18. So then he has mercy upon whomever he wills, and he hardens the heart of whomever he wills. 19. You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 20. But who are you, a man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me thus?" 21. Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use?
I wasn’t really sure why I was led to Chapter 9 this morning. I read it over a few times, and then as I read the notes, I was referred to the verses in Chapter 2. At first it seems as if God decides who will be saved because he chooses who will repent and who won’t. That’s what I thought, anyway, and it confused me. As I delve a bit more deeply though, and tie the two scripture together, I think I understand what’s being said. (At least I hope so!)
Paul is saying that God already knows in advance who will repent. Not that he chooses, but that he knows who will choose, and which path they will choose. Knowing that, he allows the poor or wrong choice of one to be a warning or a message to others. Or he uses their lack of repentance to allow us to see why we must repent to be saved. Did that take you in a complete circle? I’m not sure I’m articulating that effectively.
God demonstrates his patience and his forgiveness by allowing us to find our own way to him and then to confess our sins and turn our lives around. Then knowing that we need signs, encouragement and direction, he uses those who will never be saved for his good purposes. My first thought is why doesn’t he just make us all do what we’re supposed to do? Why didn’t he make Pharaoh see the error of his ways? Why did Hitler become such a monster? Why did he allow 9/11 to happen? Or the Tsunami? Did any of those people who died deserve what happened to them? Of course not!
What happened, though, after the Twin Towers collapsed? Didn’t this country rally together? Didn’t we reach out to each other—even total strangers? Didn’t we become the wives, the husbands, the parents and the children of those victims along side all of them? How about the Tsunami?! Isn’t the whole world united in one cause? Isn’t that God at work in man? Aren’t we seeing the very best of what man has to offer? No, God didn’t make those things happen! But he used the pain, the sadness, the hurt, loss and death around those situations to refine us, to test our limits, to expand the boundaries of our understanding and compassion. He uses evil to create good.
That’s like the ultimate recycling project isn’t it? There I go being sacrilegious again! But that’s the best way I can explain it! Nothing in our lives or in our world is wasted! God created everything and we have no business questioning how he uses his creations – including us! God wants good for us—happiness, fulfillment, peace, love, the list goes on and on. Sometimes to gain those, there is a tremendous price to pay. Eternity is usually hard won. But I’m betting it’s worth the cost!
I hope today you will look around your world and see the ways God is using all of his creations for his purpose and plan. And that you’ll see a way to acknowledge and respond to the creative goodness he’s placed within you.
Mary
Zeal for God
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Romans 10:1-13
Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. 3. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified. 5. Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it. 6. But the righteousness based on faith says, Do not say in your heart, "Who will ascend into heaven?" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7. or "Who will descend into the abyss?" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8. But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach); 9. because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved. 11. The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." 12. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him. 13. For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved."
The “them” Paul refers to in verse 1 is the Israelites. He has come to love them as if they were part of his family—and, in fact, they are through Christ. He acknowledges that they are zealous and fervent in their faith, but it is a faith based on a flawed truth. Paul knows this to be true, because it is his story too! So he really does know what he’s talking about – he zealously persecuted in the past the very people he’s trying to reach now!
It’s one thing to “live by the law” and it’s another thing entirely to apply that law (or set of laws) from a Christian perspective. Christ changed everything—not just his resurrection, but, I think, his very life! He perfected everything we strive to be—he became perfection to show us the way to be perfect. Absolute obedience. Complete submission to God. Practice what you preach. Perfect love.
The law is not necessary if we live in Christ. We don’t need to have our actions regulated by “man” if we are living within the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection. I don’t know exactly how many laws there are on the books in this country, probably millions! And what purpose do they serve? Well a lot of attorneys are making a good living because of them. And a lot of other people have jobs because of the laws, and the need to enforce them. The court systems are so backed up, there will probably never be a shortage of trials and hearings and other legal proceedings!
Man is justified through his belief in the risen Christ. If I live by that, I don’t need a law that tells me not to kill someone, or beat them up. I have no desire to kill my neighbor because through the lens of Christ, he is part of the same body to which I am a member. It sounds pretty childish, I know, but Jesus himself told us that we must become like a child in our faith.
Paul tells us that we don’t need any miraculous signs to demonstrate our faith. He contends that if we believe in our hearts and confess with our lips, that is enough. We will live a live so in line with God’s word and exemplary of the love of Christ, that everyone will know we are “different.” And they will want what we have. They will want to be like us. Not us—but like us in our faith, in the way we view the world, and in the way we live.
This saving grace is available to all, equally. It doesn’t matter how horribly you’ve sinned. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in your past. It doesn’t matter how long its been since you stepped foot in a church, or even how many years have passed since you lifted a prayer to heaven. God has already made provisions for you when you offer your life to him and for him. That’s the good news! And you don’t need to be a bible scholar to know and accept that. I can’t think of a better reason to live a life modeled after that of Jesus Christ!
I hope today you soak up all the grace of God our father, the love of His Son, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, you zealously declare that you are saved.
Mary
