Tuesday Thought -- April 30, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:6-9)

Joseph Smith declared that the message we received through the coming of Christ was not complete. New information was delivered to him by an angel that changed the gospel and made it complete.

Jim Jones had a revelation that provided a new twist on the gospel. The church had gotten it wrong all those years since Christ and he was the one who could correct the errors and point people in the direction of the new and better gospel.

Mary Baker Eddy found the key to understanding the scriptures that had been missing until it was revealed to her. Those who went before her were mistaken and she was the one to correct them.

Those are just three modern examples of people who have claimed to have received a new and better message than the gospel of Jesus Christ that has been preached for 2,000 years. Like Smith, some said the message came from a supernatural messenger, an angel. Others claimed direct revelation from God. Others had searched and found the answer through their own study of the scriptures. But all of these, and many more, found something new and unique to add to the gospel to make it “right.” They proclaimed a new gospel and invited others to join them in its pursuit.

Paul said, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!”

Not even a supernatural messenger has the authority to change the message of the grace of Christ that has been preached since He was crucified. Read Acts 2 and Peter’s sermon that is recorded there. It is the first sermon of the gospel of Christ that was preached after Jesus’ death. It was preached just days after His resurrection and ascension back to the Father. That is the message of the gospel – there is no other gospel. The message of Christ has been the same from that sermon until this day and it will never change. You can count on that!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- April 29, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Paul, an apostle – sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead – and all the brothers with me. To the churches in Galatia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:1-5)

We’ve been rescued!

That is an image that implies that we were being held in bondage. We were being held in bondage to our sin – incapable on our own of overcoming its grip on our lives. We were being held in bondage to our guilt – there was nothing we could do on our own to erase the mark of guilt from our souls. We were being held in bondage to the temptations of the evil age – on our own, the temptations were too powerful for us to be able to resist. Even when we didn’t want to give in to the temptations – even when we knew it would be harmful to us if we gave in – we didn’t have the power to keep from giving in.

We were being held in bondage! We needed someone who had overcome the bondage or someone from the outside to come and set us free. And that’s what Jesus did for us. He came from the outside – from heaven itself. He entered our world of bondage – being subject to the same temptations and the same powers that held us in bondage – but was able to overcome them. And having overcome the power of the evil age in His own life – He then came to us with the key to the chains that bound us. He offered us the opportunity to be set free. Set free from sin’s power so that it no longer controls our lives. Set free from sin’s guilt so that it’s mark is completely erased from our souls. Set free from the power of the temptations of this evil age – He has given us the power to resist the temptations that trapped us.

In order to rescue us, it cost Jesus. He had to “give himself.” He had to leave the comfort and glory and power and security of heaven. He had to restrict Himself to the constraints of human life. He had to face the evil one face-to-face. He had to experience the full power of temptation.  He had to experience the pain of rejection. He had to experience the torture and pain of death. He gave Himself to rescue us!

For what He has done, He deserves to be followed. For what He has done, He deserves to be praised. For what He has done, He deserves to be loved.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- April 26, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)

These two brief verses are a prayer for those to whom the book of Hebrews was written and a benediction for the book of Hebrews. They contain a number truly significant thoughts.

God is not the author of confusion, turmoil, and trouble, He is the God of peace. He does not want His children to live in confusion, turmoil, and trouble, either. When those things are a part of our lives it is because we are not walking in trust with Him. God longs for us to live in peace.

Jesus became our great Shepherd at great price to Him, and to the Father. God made a covenant of love with us, and sealed that covenant with the blood of His Son! It is in that act of sacrifice that the shepherding heart of Jesus is most clearly seen. He truly is the Shepherd willing to lay down His life for the sheep.

The covenant God has made with us is not of a temporary nature. It is an eternal covenant. We can count on it now and we can rest assured that it will never be overturned or voided. The covenant is as eternal as God Himself.

God desires us to do His will, and He does not leave us without what we need to accomplish it. He charges us to do His will and then equips us to do it. He asks us to live for Him, doing what pleases Him, and then it is by His work in us that it is enabled!

This is a benediction meant to bring great encouragement to those who were experiencing times of distress. Its truths apply to us, too!

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Thursday Thought -- April 25, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise -- the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (Hebrews 13:15-16)

Worship pleases God. Jesus said God seeks worshipers. “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23)

When we think of worship, we usually think of what we do on Sunday mornings and other times of singing and prayer. Those certainly can be worship when they come from the hearts of those who are participating. God longs for people to express their worship with their lips, not just at scheduled times of the week, but all of the time.

But what we do with our lips is not the only kind of worship there is. What we do with our lives can also be worship. Doing good and sharing with others, when done from hearts that are right, are sacrifices of worship to God. They please God.

We’ve been called to a life of worship. So, worship with your lips, sing praise to the Lord and tell Him how much you love Him. And show how much you honor Him with your life, too. God is looking for both kinds of worship.

His, by Grace,

Steve 

Wednesday Thought -- April 24, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.” (Hebrews 13:11-3)

The church does not operate in the mainstream of life. That should be obvious to all of us. The opinions of the church are rarely sought when public policy is made. And when the church does offer its opinions they are ridiculed or ignored.

The church is a great place for weddings. But for most of the population the church isn’t listened to with advice for how to prepare for marriage, have a healthy marriage, or stay married. The buildings the church offers make wedding ceremonies special, but they are only marginally connected to marriage.

The church is great for when someone gets sick, too, and for funerals. Almost the whole world is willing to have people pray for them when they, or someone they love, is sick. And there is something comforting about having sacred words read by a religious professional at the time of the death of a loved one. But when people are healthy and death seems far away, the church isn’t often sought for help or guidance.

We shouldn’t be surprised that the church is marginalized by our world, so was its Founder! He was mistreated by some and ignored by many. But He clung to what He knew was right and what He knew was real.

And the challenge for us is to keep clinging to what is right and what is real, even when the world ignores it or laughs at it or hates it. We’re following His example and receiving the same kind of treatment by those around us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- April 23, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

The character and attitudes that we see in Jesus in the gospels are still the character and attitudes He has now from heaven.

He cares about those who are hurting.

He longs to help those who are sick.

He weeps over the blindness and stubbornness of the lost.

He wants to gather all people under His protection.

He is humble and meek, patiently waiting for people to come to Him.

He is unwavering in faith and totally committed to God’s purposes.

He is willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to bring people to Him.

His power is intact.

He can still heal the sick

He can raise the dead.

He can walk on water.

He can still the storms.

Attitudes toward Him are different, but He’s the same.  On earth He was despised and rejected, mocked and beaten, and killed.  In heaven, He is worshipped and adored and obeyed without question.

Look carefully into the heart of Jesus in the gospels.  What you see in His heart there, is still in His heart.  He hasn’t changed.  He never will.  He’s been the same from eternity past.  He’ll be the same into eternity future.  He still loves you.  He always has.  He always will!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- April 22, 2013

Good Morning Friends,

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.” (Hebrews 13:7; 17-19)

Leadership in a voluntary society is always a great challenge. The vast majority of those whom God calls to leadership in the church take their responsibilities seriously and give a great deal of themselves to fulfill those responsibilities. That is especially true of volunteer leaders, who work hard, put in a great deal of time, and do it without much reward. When you have leaders like that, who have good hearts and take their responsibilities seriously, then, you have responsibilities toward them.

Follow their example. They aren’t perfect. You’ll never find a leader who is. But as they follow the Lord and seek Him and His will, you are to follow them, and trust that God will work through them.

Obey them. They have the best interest of the church in mind.

Pray for them. Recognize the struggle that leadership brings and hold them up in your prayers. Ask God to give them wisdom. Ask God to give them courage to do what He directs, rather than what people want. Ask God to give them peace and satisfaction in their service to Him.

How about praying for your leaders right now?

His, by Grace,

Steve