Blog Posts

Full of Grace and Truth

12/9/2015

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 ESV)

We read in the Gospel of John that our Lord Jesus Christ is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). He is equally, in perfect balance, full of both grace and truth.

In the churches of today, we see a trend to be either grace or truth. Many churches today tend to lean toward being either all grace or all truth; or to lean more toward one than the other.

We cannot be all about grace while neglecting truth. We cannot be all about truth and neglect grace. There must be a perfect balance between each. Grace cannot take away from truth, nor can truth take away from grace. One cannot diminish the other.

While we see God as being full of mercy, we must also see Him as being completely just. We cannot create a false environment in our churches with a "god" who completely ignores sin because of grace and mercy. Neither can we create an environment of fire and brimstone while recreating a false "god" who shows no grace or mercy.

We must confront our sin head-on while we embrace grace and mercy at the same time. God calls us to seek righteousness and is equally merciful in our repentance.

In His grace and mercy, the Lord forgivingly calls us to come to Him as we are - as sinners. At the same time, He calls us in His truth to turn from our sin and make our paths straight (see Hebrews 12:13-14 ESV).

"...grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17b ESV)

Lord Jesus, we thank You for being equally merciful and just. May we always seek to follow Your example of grace and truth in our churches and in our daily lives. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen. †

Jesus Paid It All

12/4/2015

"Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow"
(Elvina M. Hall)

This famous hymn is very powerful in that it recalls how our Savior, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us to wash us clean from our sin. He suffered and died to pay the ransom for our sin (cf. Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45).

Isaiah tells us how: "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5 ESV)

Jesus tells us why: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16 ESV)

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13 ESV)

Jesus was the sacrificial lamb; the lamb without blemish or stain; the perfect, sinless sacrifice offered to God on our behalf in atonement for our sin.

It is in this great sacrifice, this substitutionary atonement, that Jesus died in our place and our sin-debt has been paid. We have been freed from death and the bondage of sin. Jesus died for us that through our faith in Him, we receive God's grace and mercy and are saved (cf. Ephesians 2:8).

Grace can be defined as “unmerited favor to the infinitely ill-deserving,” or, in other words, “God’s riches at Christ’s expense.”

Although we do not deserve to receive God's grace, Jesus paid it all - and all to Him we owe.

Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross. We thank You for dying in our place to pay our debt that we may be washed clean from our sin. There is no greater love than the love You showed to us by giving Your life for us. By Your wounds we are healed. Thank you, Lord Jesus. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen. †

Giving Thanks

11/22/2015

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" (1 Chronicles 16:34)

As we pause to reflect on the First Thanksgiving, we recall the Pilgrims giving thanks to God for His steadfast love and constant protection during the seemingly unbearable hardships through which they had endured. They called upon God through fervent prayer and waited on Him patiently during their times of trouble and He responded to their needs.

God is always there when we call upon Him. He is always there for us in times of hardship or trouble. God is always faithful to those who love Him and obey His commands. He is our rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield, stronghold, and salvation (Psalm 18:2).

How awesome and wonderful is our God! (Psalm 66:5)

As we take time to celebrate this coming Thanksgiving, let us also be sure to remember to give thanks to God for the gifts of life, love, grace, mercy, protection, and the exceedingly abundant blessings we receive from Him each and every day.

Loving God, we praise You in thanksgiving for the abundant gifts and countless blessings You bestow on us each and every day. We thank You for your guidance, protection, and for Your steadfast love which endures forever. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen. †

Love Bears All Things

11/16/2015

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Corinthians 13:7)

We would like to take the time to post the entire text of 1 Corinthians 13 (ESV). God has breathed (2 Timothy 3:16) a very powerful message to us through the Apostle Paul in this pericope.

Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect on God's Word. We pray that you will consider joining us in adopting these principles of Love as a personal mission statement, incorporating them into our daily lives, and living them out in practice.

Also, please be sure to view the wonderful video to the left from our friends at Faithlife/Logos!

The Way of Love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Love. You fill us to overflowing with the everlasting Spirit of Your Love. Loving Father, we pray that we may be moved in our hearts to pour forth the same Love You give to us on each other at all times regardless of circumstance. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen. †

Family Values

11/11/2015

As parents, we have the responsibility of nourishing, protecting, and instructing our children. When properly instructed, children are nourished, protected, and equipped to face the difficulties they are sure to encounter in their lives.

When we draw upon God's Word as our authoritative source of instruction, we instill in our children the biblical values needed to form the firm foundation for proper growth. We are called not only to speak the Word with our mouths but also to live out the Word through our actions. We must demonstrate these important values in both word and deed so that our families can see firsthand how to live them out in practice. They will see with their own eyes that when we serve the Lord, and walk in His ways (Joshua 22:5), we are guided to make the proper choices and decisions in life.

When we speak and walk in the Word, we are nourished, protected, and properly equipped. And we will be nourishing, protecting, and equipping our families and all those around us as God has intended.

"But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15).

Father, we thank you for the love, guidance, and instruction we find in the gift of Your Word. May our every thought, word, and deed give You glory each and every moment of each and every day. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. †

Shepherd Me, O God

11/3/2015

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1)

When the Lord is truly our Shepherd, we will want or need for nothing that He cannot provide. The Lord will provide for all of our needs and He will lead us along the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3). Our life will have purpose and direction. Our needs and wants will be provided for according to His wisdom and His will.

When the Lord is truly our Shepherd, we will not fear. The Lord will protect and defend us when we face danger. He will strengthen, comfort, and console us when fear tries to overtake us.

When the Lord is truly our Shepherd, He restores our soul (Psalm 23:3). He saves us from the death of sin and we are restored with new life in Him.

When the Lord is truly our Shepherd, we will dwell in the House of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6).

"Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life." (Marty Haugen).

Also, please be sure to view the wonderful video to the left from our friends at Faithlife/Logos!

Shepherd us, O God; we place our trust in You! With you as our protector and guide, we will never want or fear; for we know that you will provide for us. May we live in You and You in us and dwell in Your House forever. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. †

Good Morning, God

10/28/2015

A prayer of thanksgiving to God our Father is a great way to start the day. When we open our eyes to greet the new day, the first thing we should do is thank our Creator for the gift of life He has given unto us! God is awesome! He is all-powerful, ever-living, ever-loving, and all creation clearly testifies to His power and glory as Creator of everything that lives, moves, and has being. The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1) and we should do the same!

Over the years, the following prayer (author unknown) has served to be a wonderful way to start the day by giving thanks to God. This prayer not only gives thanks to Him, it also proclaims a dedication of service to Him, and motivates to continue to do so throughout the day.

Good morning, God, and thank You
For the glory of the sun,
And thank You for the health I have
To get my duty done.

I shall devote the hours
Of this golden day to You,
By honoring Your Holy Name
In everything I do.

I shall pursue my daily art,
Without complaint or fear
And spend my every effort
To be friendly and sincere.

I know there have been many days
That I have whiled away,
But this is one that I will try
To make Your special day.

And so, once more,
Good morning, God!
And please depend on me,
Because I want to honor You
For all eternity.

Loving Father, we praise You in thanksgiving as we start this glorious day. Thank You for the gift of life and for the wondrous beauty of all You have created. Father, we honor You today not only with our words but with our actions as well. May we always seek to honor You and give You glory in everything we think, in everything we say, and in everything we do each and every day. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. †

True Reconciliation

10/18/2015

When our relationship with God has been broken as a result of our sin, true reconciliation is only possible through Jesus Christ.

Self-justification is a false reconciliation. If we sin and we tell ourselves, "I'm good with that", or "God's good with that", etc., we have either abandoned God and appointed ourselves as our own god and judge, or we have molded Him into a self-created god.

We can only be reconciled with God through Christ (Romans 5:10). We can only receive God's grace and mercy as a result of Christ's substitutionary atonement through His sacrifice on the cross. Only through Jesus Christ can our relationship with God be restored.

God's grace and forgiveness are received through our repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior - by turning from our sin, accepting Him into our heart and our life, and by truly following Him in everything we say and in everything we do. We will then come to experience the true peace of God which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and not the false peace of self-justification.

If we are at peace with ourselves without true reconciliation though Jesus Christ, we are only fooling ourselves.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your grace and mercy and for the true peace You bring to us through Jesus Christ Your Son, in whose Holy Name we pray, Amen. †

Reflecting The Light Of Christ

10/2/2015

As believers in Christ, we reflect on the outside who is living on the inside.

We have Christ, by the working of the Holy Spirit, living inside us. The light of life, the light of truth, is shining in us and through us.

Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount that we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14) and we are to let our light shine before others that God may be glorified (Matthew 5:16).

We must be like a lighthouse, shining the light of Christ, lighting up a darkened world, leading others through the darkness and into the light of Christ Jesus.

We reflect on the outside who is living on the inside!

Lord Jesus, You are the way, the truth, and the life. You bring light into the darkness of this world. let Your light shine in us and through us that we may brighten the world for everyone around us. That we may be a beacon in the darkness to lead others to You. Strengthen us Lord, that we may always walk in Your light. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen. †

Trust In The Lord With All Your Heart

9/20/2015

Life is a journey on which there are many different paths and many different choices to make along the way. The decisions we face and the choices we need to make can be very overwhelming & confusing. Most of the time, we’re not sure of what to do or where to turn. We're not sure which choices to make or which paths to take.

If we rely on our own “wisdom”, we can lead ourselves to make bad decisions which point our life in the wrong direction or down the wrong path. We create obstacles on our path that make our life a more difficult road to travel.

We can’t always figure out everything on our own. We need to rely on God in these important matters. We need to look to Him and trust in Him when making important decisions.

The Bible tells us (Proverbs 3:5-6), that if we trust in the Lord with all of our heart and listen for His voice in everything we do, everywhere we go, He will keep us on the right track. He will point us in the right direction and show us the right path. He will remove the obstacles and make our path smooth and straight.

Life is a journey and it is an awesome journey when we are on the right path and travel that path with God.

Lord God, open our hearts to receive You and open our ears to hear Your voice. Guide us on our journey and lead us down the path that leads to You. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen. †

State Of The Nation

9/14/2015

We often hear comments such as, "What's happening to this country?"; or "What's wrong with kids today?"; and a host of other comments similar in nature. While we don't usually comment on "politics", we do feel a need to note that our culture is shaped to a great extent by the values we set or "permit" to be set and by the leaders we designate to represent us and establish these values on our behalf.

Perhaps we should choose representatives that stand for and represent "Biblical values" rather than those who represent "change" from these values. When we question the cause of problems in our society and the culture of today, it might serve us better to plant the seeds of Biblical morals and cultivate these seeds to take root and grow rather than turning our backs on God-given moral values in favor of values created in the minds of leaders who think they can do better than He can and has since the beginning of time.

Father, guide us and fill out hearts and minds with Your Spirit that we may discern our direction according to Your divine guidance. In Jesus' Holy Name we pray, Amen. †

A Light In The Darkness

9/11/2015

Many perceive the world today to be a darkened place, filled with the evils of the post-modern, post-Christian culture. While today's world is obviously plagued by the evils of the current culture, rest assured that evil cannot and will not prevail.

When we read God's message to us in John 1:1-5, we are reminded that the "darkness" of this world cannot overcome nor even comprehend the power of the light. That light is Jesus Christ, the Light of the World (John 8:12). Fear not when you are troubled and be comforted that, through Faith in Jesus, He will carry you through the darkness in triumph!

Lord Jesus, shine in our hearts and shine through the darkness. We trust in You! In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen. †

Feed My Sheep

9/5/2015

In John 21:15-17, Jesus instructs Peter to "Feed my sheep". As His Disciples, we are called to do the same.

When we proclaim the Good News to our brothers and sisters, we are feeding the Word of God to His sheep. Being sheep ourselves, we must be sure to eat our fill as well.

Feed us, Lord Jesus, so that we may feed others in Your flock. In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen. †