20

Jump Start # 1294

Posted on February 20, 2015 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1294

Titus 2:11-12 “For the grace of God has appeared, bring salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.”

  We have run a mini series this week on the subject of Grace. We looked at Ephesians 2 and salvation by grace. We then looked at Ephesians 4 and giving grace to others by what we say. Today, we learn from Titus 2, that grace teaches us how to live. Grace is not a one time event. It’s not a “one-and-done” concept that is found only at the beginning of our walk with the Lord. Grace extends beyond salvation. Grace becomes a part of the life of a Christian.

 

In our verse today, the apostle reveals that grace teaches us to avoid two negative characteristics and to develop three positive qualities. Grace teaches us this.

 

Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires. Stop pursuing wrong. The gift of salvation is precious. It ought to change us. Without God’s grace, ungodliness and worldly desires become a way of life for us. This is where we were before God saved us. These two negative qualities reflect a heart that is on it’s own. It has no divine guidance. It does what it wants and that usually is wrong and leads to trouble.

 

Ungodliness is without God. Ungodly thinking. Ungodly talking. Ungodly defines many songs and movies today. Irresponsible. Indifferent. Selfish. Crude. Rude. Offensive. This is life without God. Living for today. Denying any absolutes. Refusing to be told by anyone, what to do. Loud. Obnoxious. Heartless.

 

Worldly desires is simply that. They are not the desires of Heaven. It’s not a person who has his eyes set on the above. He is running out of control. He is governed by his passions. He is like an animal. Immoral. Drunk. Sick with sin. This was the prodigal when he came to his senses. This is where we were when God saved us. By faith we saw something different, something better. The righteous way was the best way. We turned and came to Christ. God saved us.

 

Now, this same grace tells us to avoid that former life and to fill yourself with righteousness, godliness and sensible living. Live right—that’s righteousness. Right by God’s standard. Right according to the Bible. Live Godly, the very opposite of ungodly. Live with God in your life. Make choices that are based upon God. And, live sensibly. The prodigal came to his senses and came home. Living with pigs isn’t sensible. Wanting to eat pig food doesn’t make sense. Spending all that was given to him wasn’t very sensible. Running away from home didn’t make sense. There was a lot of senseless actions by that prodigal. But then he came to his senses. He reflected. He saw. He understood. He came home.

 

Live that way. This is what grace teaches us. God gave us a second chance, so don’t turn around and jump back into the mud of sin. God rescued your life, don’t lose it again. Learn something. Be different this time. Be smarter this time. Allow grace to show you how to live.

 

Remembering that Paul is telling Titus to teach these thoughts to believers, we understand that Christians can fail to learn anything from their salvation. They can be no better off. They might start going to church some, but the insides are still a mess. This is where the Pharisees were. Jesus compared them to a dish that was clean on the outside, but the inside had last week’s food dried on it. UGH. Disgusting. That was their hearts. They needed the grace of God. They needed the grace of God to teach them things.

 

So what this really comes down to, are you better now that you have been saved by God? Is your behavior, attitude, outlook, words, heart taught to be more like Christ? A person who gets baptized, but doesn’t change his insides is no better off than the person who never came to Christ. A re-wiring of the house must take place. His thinking is different. He is different. He is a new person in Christ. Done are the old ways, the old thinking and the old habits. Done are the way he used to be. He’s learning and changing all the time. He’s getting stronger spiritually and his heart is becoming more of a servant. Less about him and more about others. That’s what he’s learned. He got that from grace. God has been good to him, so in turn, he tries to be like that to others. Hopeful, helpful, kind, sweet, spiritual—what a change that takes place.

 

It’s tragic to see some who have never learned anything from grace. They are still the same ole’ stubborn fool that they have always been. They become a part of a church family, but they are a pain. They are hard to get along with. They tend to be rude. They boast in telling it like it is, no matter whose feelings they crush. They  don’t get the big picture because they have never learned. They delight in trying to be the big shot in the church. And in all of this, they wound, run off, and keep the church from growing. So unlike Jesus, they are. They know a few verses, but they really don’t know the message. Grace hasn’t taught them a thing.

 

Paul was wanting the preacher Titus to share this with others. Grace teaches. Are we learning? Are we getting it? Are we any better?

 

Without grace, what a mess we would be in.

 

Roger

 

19

Jump Start # 1293

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1293

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”

  In the setting of Ephesians 4, Paul addresses several practical principles that makeup our Christian character. No longer are they to steal. No longer are they to have uncontrolled anger. No longer, as our verse says, are they to speak unwholesome words. Those are all part of the old man that was put away. These are choices. We can help it.

 

It is interesting that parents will do everything to get their little baby to talk. Then when he grows up and becomes a teenager, those same parents will tell him to be quiet. Unwholesome words—they are not necessarily bad words, such as, cuss words or prejudicial statements. They are words that just don’t help. Get a group of people together and it is very easy for the conversation to turn negative, complaining and dumping on someone who is not even there. It’s easy to pile on with everyone else. Sometimes it feels good to vent and verbally trash someone who is not in our presence. The stories can get wilder and louder and more ugly as the night wears on. It becomes time to go home, and what good have we done? Have we made others better? Have we displayed great character and honor? Would we want others to be telling things about us when we are not there? The honest heart will hang their head in shame. It was fun being with friends, but the conversation wasn’t what it should have been. We joined in abusing some that we like. Like the old West, we got caught up in a mob mentality and we hung an innocent friend with our words.

 

Unwholesome—we understand that word when it comes to foods. My wife, being the nurse that she is, reads labels on packages. She is careful what she eats. She tries to help me but I keep a drawer of chocolate stashed away. A steady diet of unwholesome foods leads to serious weight and health issues. Unwholesome words do the same. Instead of affecting our waist line, it affects our spiritual hearts. It stunts our spiritual growth. This isn’t something new just to our culture. We find it throughout the N.T. The Pharisees didn’t like anyone who wasn’t one of them. Jews didn’t like Gentiles. Romans didn’t trust Jews. And then comes Jesus on the scene. We find Him inviting a tax collector and a zealot among His apostles. Opposites. We find Him going to the home of tax collectors, such as Zaccheus and Matthew. Then there is Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman. There is Jesus praising the Samaritan leper who returned to thank Him.

 

Instead of unwholesome, Paul directs us to speak good words, words that edify, words that are proper for the moment, words that give grace. There is that wonderful word, grace. Grace, the gift of God that saves us. Now, God’s people are to extend grace with their words. Words that encourage, not tear down. Words that offer hope, not those that shut and lock the door. Words of patience. Words that assure. God’s words. Good words. Thought out words. That’s not always easy to do. Finding the right word, whether you are writing, preaching or simply talking to someone is hard. It’s hard for those, like myself who tend to talk fast. Fast talkers can talk too much. The brain must lead the mouth. The heart must be ahead of the brain.

 

Paul says “according to the need of the moment.” Different occasions dictate different words. There are times when sitting, like Job’s friends did for a week, and not saying much is the best option. There are times when you must turn the conversation back to God. There are times when doubt and discouragement leads some to say all kinds of unwholesome things, that you counter with what is good and right. People tend to forget God in a crisis. On a calm, sunny day, we know. But in the midst of the storm, we forget.

 

The need of the moment, takes us back centuries to Solomon’s words, “there is a time to speak and a time to be silent,” found in Ecclesiastes. Know the time. The hearts of many have been wrecked by cruel things others have said. Sometimes the older a person gets, the shaper their tongue gets. Being retired doesn’t give a person a free ticket to being cranky and bossy. Be careful. In one congregation recently, a visitor came in on a Sunday and sat in a pew. There are no assigned seats. The pews do not have ticket numbers on them. An older member came in and said, “You have to move. You are in my seat.” The visitor left and didn’t come back. The older member ought to be taken to the principal’s office for that. So someone sits in your seat, be glad you even have visitors. And, when did that seat become YOUR seat. Did you purchase a season ticket for that seat? No. LET NO UNWHOLESOME WORD PROCEED FROM YOUR MOUTH—remember? Our judgmental comments can be nothing more than a cover for unwholesome words. Critical of the song leader. Complaining about the temperature of the building, the preacher, the kids, the teenagers, the leadership and on and on we go. Never once thinking, we are in worship and is the need of the moment to talk this way. How about putting your attention on things above. How about looking for good. How about being thankful the congregation has young families and teenagers. How about praising God. How about looking for someone to build up and encourage.

 

The wisdom literature tells us that life and death are in the tongue. We can destroy someone or offer them hope. Our words matter. How we say things, the way we say things, and what we say, matters. Let no unwholesome word proceed—that means you must put a gate on your mouth. Words don’t just slip out. Have you ever heard someone say that? They say something unkind and people call them on it. Immediately, “I didn’t mean to say that, it just came out.” Really? Why is it that only the bad stuff “just comes out?” We never say, “You are amazing. Oh, I didn’t meant that. It just came out!” No, the slip of the tongue is an excuse for unwholesome words. Don’t let them proceed is what Paul says. You are at the controls. You can allow them to come out or you can stop them.

 

Speak words of grace. Kind words. Thoughtful words. Words that take a beaten heart and lifts it up. Encouragement is like oxygen to our souls. We need it. We know what’s wrong. Tell us what’s right. Encourage. Build up. Use that mind and tongue to be thoughtful, kind and helpful.

 

God will give you plenty of opportunities today to speak those wonderful words of grace. It’s done at home. It’s done at the office. It’s done at stores. Your choice—build up or destroy. Words that are unwholesome or words that are grace. Others will make a judgment about you from what you say. Be careful. Be thoughtful.

 

Roger

 

 

18

Jump Start # 1292

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1292

Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as god has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

 

This section in Romans starts the practical thoughts of the book. Paul is concerned with the insides as much as the outsides. Our attitudes eventually reflect how we treat others. We may have pretty good behavior, but if we maintain “stinkin’ thinkin’” we aren’t much better off.

There are four attitudes addressed in Romans 12:

  • Attitude toward God: “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice” (1)
  • Attitude toward self: “not to think more highly of himself than he ought to” (3)
  • Attitude toward others: “be devoted to one another in brotherly love” (10)
  • Attitude toward those that oppose: “never pay back evil for evil to anyone” (17)

 

Our verse today deals with our attitude toward self. That’s hard. There is a balance. The text says not to think more highly of himself than he ought to. When we think too highly, we become arrogant and begin to think that we are better than others. In the church, we may think that the folks can’t survive without us. The big head leads to looking down at others. The superior attitude is a long way from the lowly Jesus who surrounded Himself with outcasts, lepers, tax collectors and those that society had given up on.

 

The other extreme isn’t any better when it comes to our attitude about self. Some would never think too highly of themselves, because they think too lowly of themselves. They beat themselves up all the time. They view anything that they have to offer as “dumb.” They begin statements like this, “This is a dumb question…” Don’t say that. Just ask your question. Thinking too lowly leads to no self esteem, no confidence,  and the feeling that you do not have anything worthwhile to contribute to life. Paul said, “I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me.” He also said, “We overwhelming conquer.” We are not junk, because God saw value in saving us. He didn’t throw us away. He didn’t give up on us.

 

Too high…too low. That’s the problem. It’s like sitting on a teeter-totter. Up and down. Up and down. Too much of self, too little of self. Back and forth. Finding that right balance, the Biblical balance is hard. It is a struggle.

 

  All of us have something to contribute to our fellowship. We tend to think too lowly when we compare our selves to others, especially those that excel in one area. In the parable of the talents, each servant was given different amounts based upon their ability. They were not compared with one another nor expected to do what the others did. However, they all were expected to contribute. There were things that they all could do. Some are very gifted in some areas. When we are not gifted in that area, it is easy to become jealous and to think that I cannot do anything. Down crashes our teeter-totter. We want to be like others, but we can’t. Talent, experience, backgrounds all play a part in developing who we are. However, there is something that each of us can add. So when your teeter-totter crashes down, don’t downplay what you are doing. “This isn’t much…,” or, “You probably won’t like this…” Don’t say those things. Find your gift. Excel and learn to use your gift better. Learn from others.

 

  Be careful believing what others say. This is when our teeter-totter sails to the top. Up, up, and away were the words of a song a long time ago. Those words describe our attitude about self when we start believing that we are the best thing that’s come along in some time. The compliments, the bragging, the puffing up can make us think more highly of self than we should. This comes especially true when you have gone out of your way to turn someone’s life around. You helped pull them out of the ditch spiritually. You were there for them. Because of your efforts a marriage was saved, a prodigal came home, an eldership turned around, a congregation moved off of dead street—the praise, accolades and tributes start pouring in. Be careful. Your spiritual teeter-totter is rising. It’s easy to think had it not been for me, all of these things would have gone south. Had it not been for me, all would have been lost. First, your part is always secondary to God’s part. God works with you, through you and receives the glory. The good done was by the Lord. You were just the instrument. You were the hammer. You were the shovel. Few people admiring a flower garden will praise the gardener’s shovel. It’s the gardener, himself, that gets the compliments. Make sure you point the credit to who really deserves it, and that is the Lord.

 

We are all just team players, on the same team, after the same thing. The guy who takes the ticket plays a role. Most do not even know his name. The person selling popcorn has a role. What would be the game without popcorn? Then there are the coaches, the players, the equip managers. Behind all that is the personal that has the stadium opened up. The lights work. The sound system works. The heat is turned on. Tons and tons of people who make concerts, ball games and other events run smoothly. The same is found in most congregations. There is a team of people that make everything work. The more we have that team attitude the more balanced we become in our thinking. When we start believing that I am the star, then our heads swell, our teeter-totter lifts high in the sky, and we generally ruin the good that we are doing. Arrogance isn’t attractive. It’s sours most people. Some folks need band-aides for their noses, because they are sticking so high in the air, they are scrapping the ceiling. I don’t fully understand it, but you put some academic letters behind some folks name, and they get stuffy, big headed and condescending toward others. They are difficult to talk to. They will not consider the thoughts of those “beneath” them.

 

In the early 1800’s, not far from where I live, there was an abandoned communal society. An Englishman, named Robert Owen purchased it and brought over from Europe some of the best thinkers and leaders of society. The place was named, “New Harmony.” In a few short years it ended in failure. There was little harmony in New Harmony. The elite set that came over didn’t work together. There was no team work. Everyone wanted to be the boss. The old expression, “too many chiefs and not enough Indians.” The New Harmony failure is repeated today in many organizations and many congregations. The key is to have the heart of a servant and have that balanced attitude about yourself.

 

Preachers have to watch this. I sometimes feel that the preacher is praised more than the Lord. It shouldn’t be that way. He is just another shovel that God uses. Unique as he is, he is not indispensable, indestructible, nor infallible. How he views himself sets the tone for others. Does he have the heart of a servant? Does he give credit to others? Does he listen? Does he have the mindset to be a team player?

 

Balanced thinking—the “teeter-totter complex.” It’s not easy. We must work at it. How you view yourself affects others. It also affects your relationship with God. So, don’t go too high, nor too low in how you see yourself.

 

Roger

 

17

Jump Start # 1291

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1291

Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.”

  Yesterday I was reading about the twenty one Egyptians who were beheaded by terrorist ISIS group. A link took me to the actual video. I do not recommend you see that. It was very disturbing, gruesome and horrific. These men were captured because of their faith. More and more the world is seeing parallels to the Nazi’s in the 1940’s. Strong and powerful strikes is what is needed to cripple this hateful and murderous group, who has no regard for the dignity of life.

 

These things are shocking to this generation, and they ought to be. However, turning the pages of the Bible and we find John the Baptist being beheaded. We find the three Jewish captives being burned alive in Babylon. Daniel being thrown to lions. Stephen was stoned to death. James killed by the sword. Young children were executed by Pharaoh and later Herod. Many of these we read about in the Bible who were killed, were put to death by their own governments. There was no world wide uproar. There was no coming air strikes against the murderous lot. Prayers for safety were not answered in the way they wanted. It seemed that God turned His face and allowed His people to be struck down.

 

We have not faced this before. We talk about it in Bible classes, but the threat that some could capture us and kill us simply because we believe in Jesus is becoming more and more of a real concern.

 

Our verse today helps. It shows something that we all need to realize. Those brave Christians who faced the torturous hands of the Romans overcame. They were triumphant. They were the conquerors. Not physically, because many died. They did not break out of prisons, storm the troops, over power them and then led a counter attack against the palace. That stuff belongs in the movies. Instead, they bravely faced their executioners with courage. When told to denounce Christ, they refused. When threatened, they would not buckle under pressure.

 

Three things are listed in our verse today.

First, they overcame by the blood of the Lamb. They suffered as Christ had suffered. They followed the example of Jesus. That pure blood of Christ cleansed them, and brought them into the family of God. They belonged to God. They were living and dying by faith.

 

Second, they overcame because of the word of their testimony. Their faith. Their convictions. Their beliefs. It was not the word of the Lord, but the word of their testimony. Hearing fellow believers courageously refusing to deny the Lord that loved them and saved them, gave them the fortitude to face death.

 

Third, they did not even love their life when faced with death. This is the most telling statement in our passage. This says it all. Those that love their life, will do anything to save it. They will prolong life medically, often because this is all that they have. Others, would lie, steal or cheat, just to stay alive. But then there are those brave Christians who our verse is highlighting. They did not love their lives even when faced with death. Why not? Because of faith. They knew. They believed. Jesus said fear not the one who can kill the body and do no more. Death, they understood, was not the end of the story. The cemetery isn’t the last page. Rome could crush the body, but Rome could do nothing to the eternity of these disciples. And where are Caesars today? They are the name of a salad that people eat. No one fears them. They do not exist any longer. And God’s kingdom, larger, stronger than it has ever been.

 

This last statement, not even loving life when faced with death, affects how we see things. It changes things. We walk by faith and not by sight. Our hope is not here, but elsewhere. Today, we do not have the threats that these early Christians faced. However, we can more concerned about our reputation, our image,  our friends, than our faith. Compromises illustrate that. Not being serious about our faith demonstrates that. Playing footsie with the devil does that.

 

Not loving life. Not loving life will always put Christ before self. Not loving life will do the right thing even if it is hard, uncomfortable, and difficult. Forgiving when you would rather bust someone in the chops. Going out of your way when you’d rather just stay home and watch TV. Being honest when it might cost you a sale. Not ashamed to carry your Bible. Not ashamed to bow your head to pray. Not embarrassed to stand with God on His word. No apologizing for what the Bible says. You are not sorry it says what it does. Realizing that some may think you are narrow. Some will think you are ignorant. Your faith rests in what God says, not what scientists teach, or what society calls normal.

 

Not loving your life even when faced with death. They were willing to be killed because they knew what was on the other side. Death did not scare them. The same thing stands before the believer who faces death with cancer. Yes, it can be scary but on the other side is where God is. On the other side all will be fine. On the other side all the problems, troubles and pains are no more. They loved not their life because they knew what was on the other side. They believed.

 

There are early reports of persecuted Christians long ago who were singing hymns as they were executed. They died, as they had lived, believing.

 

Roger

 

16

Jump Start # 1290

Posted on February 16, 2015 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1290

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

  I like this verse. It’s simple. It’s plain. It explains how we are saved. Salvation is not of ourselves. Salvation is a gift of God. There is a difference between a purchase and a gift. At weddings, we give the newly married couples a gift. There isn’t an invoice on the item we give. If there was, then it moves from the gift category to the purchased category. The couple would owe us something. There is no owing when it comes to gifts given.

 

Many have trouble reading this verse as God wrote it. They feel inclined to put qualifiers and an asterisk or footnote on it and then spend pages and pages explaining that we are not saved by Grace alone or only and that we must be baptized to be saved. It seems to me that God, who is smarter than we are, and a much better writer than anyone of us will ever be, would have done that. He didn’t. Maybe God knew that this verse is to be taken with the rest of what He said. Maybe He knew that a careful study of the Bible would show that not everyone is saved. Maybe He knew that when people got to Hebrews 11 and the many “by faith” passages, they would conclude that faith is action and faith moves a person closer to God. Maybe God just knew better than we do.

 

Grace is hard to understand. It doesn’t make a lot of sense. We are accustomed to the paycheck lifestyle of our society. You go to work, you earn and you benefit. Many are extremely bothered by the number of folks today who do nothing but get government help. Even that isn’t grace, because they have been qualified and approved and it’s not considered a “gift.” We don’t do gifts unless there is a reason. Birthdays, weddings, holidays—and we expect gifts. Christmas isn’t really “gifts” because there is so much pressure to purchase presents for someone else. To have a Christmas without “gifts” would be shocking in most families. Even more difficult is to see gifts given to someone who is not deserving. We may think of giving a mentor a gift for his time. Recently, I’ve been teaching an early morning Bible study with a group of men. At the end of the study they gave me a gift card in appreciation. That was a complete surprise and extremely kind. However, to give a gift to someone who hasn’t done something nice for us, just doesn’t make sense. In fact, we talk ourselves out of that. We do not want to honor bad behavior. We do not want to enable them in wrong. Romans 5:8 states, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God didn’t wait until we cleaned up our act to send Jesus. God didn’t hold Jesus back until we promised to never do wrong again. At the worst time, the Best came. While we were sinners.

 

When the prodigal came home, he didn’t stop and take a bath first, get a job, earn the money that he wasted and then showed up to his father. Not at all. He came dirty, smelly, broke and hopeless. He was a mess. He was out of options. He was wanting to be back home. He had nothing to show his father that would please him. He had wasted a lifetime of money. He had ruined the family name. He had been irresponsible. He had broken dozens of commands. He did what his father never would have. All he had left, was himself and that was pitiful. He came. He came knowing that he was still loved. He came willing to feed his obnoxious brother, sleep in the barn and forever be a servant. That was good enough for him. His story is our story. That’s how we are. God doesn’t save us because we are so cute and adorable. We are not like the furry little puppies in a pet store. God walks by and He just has to take us home. No, that’s not us. We are the prodigal. Dirty. Smelly. Pig junk under our finger nails. Hair a mess with things in it. Clothes stained and torn. Barefoot. Hungry. Tired. Wrinkled eyes. And that’s just the outside. The inside is worse. Sorry. Guilty. Ashamed. Broken. Miserable. Unhappy. Unholy. Hurting. Disappointed. Embarrassed. Confused. Mad at self. But wanting to be near our Father.

 

God extends His grace because He chose to love us, even messy as we are. The prodigal did absolutely nothing to earn the family ring back. Common sense would say no to that. I could understand putting sandals on those dirty and worn feet. That’s a nice thing to do. It alone carried volumes of meaning. Servants walked barefoot. Sons wore shoes. This was more than being nice, it was symbolic. However, the ring, not just jewelry, was “The ring.” The signet ring. This was used to make official documents. With this ring, deals could be made. Things could be purchased. It was like giving him dad’s credit card. He hasn’t even reached the house yet, and the father is calling for the ring. He hasn’t proven himself yet. Is he trustworthy? Has he learned any lessons? Will he stay home? The father gave him a gift. It was based upon grace and driven by love. Most of us wouldn’t do that. We’d tend to think it wasn’t wise. Give it some time and we’ll see. We’ll talk about it in a few weeks. Not this father. No waiting. No later. Bring the ring and bring it now.

 

Grace. We are saved by grace. We are saved by grace through faith. Faith is the coming home. Faith is the broken and contrite heart. Faith is willing to be placed in whatever position or status that the father decides. Faith is hoping. Grace is giving.

 

We are saved by grace. That ought to make us complain less and be more thankful. We are saved by grace, that ought to make us try to be more like the father, and less like the sons. We are saved by grace, that ought to make us love more and judge less. We are saved by grace, that ought to open our arms to God more and worry less about perfection. We are to obey, no question. But obedience is not what saves us, it’s the grace.

 

Think for a moment about a girl who gets engaged. For months she plans the wedding of a lifetime. Brides magazines everywhere. The right invitations. The right place. The right food. The right dress. The right cake. Why all that? So her boyfriend will love her? He already does. He’s asked her to marry him. She does that because he loves her. So translate that to us. Why do we go to worship? So God loves us? He already does. We do that because He loves us. It pleases Him. We want to do what He wants. That’s were obedience falls in. We are not saved because of perfect attendance, we kept all the commands, but by the grace of God. We do all we can because He loves us so much. This ought to change our thinking. It ought to help us get things straight in our minds and heart.

 

We are saved by grace through faith. Simply amazing!

 

Roger