I am reading through Jeremiah for my morning devotions and decided I would give a quick recap of where I'm at.
In Jeremiah 1, he receives the call from the Lord to go and preach the gospel.
But the LORD said to me:
"Do not say, 'I am a youth,'
Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,
And all that I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them,
For I am with you to deliver you," declares the LORD.
Many of the prophets that God has called throughout the Old and New Testament felt inadequate and unable to speak. Yet God does not allow for an excuse when He calls. This is particularly relevant as I feel more and more called to go to seminary. Yet, I feel that I have so many things that would seem to be a hindrance to preaching the pure gospel in a humble manner. First and probably the biggest one of this is pride. Pride is pervasive, I envision preaching the gospel and rejoice to see people bask in the peace of God. However, it does not stop there. I visualize an effective ministry. The gospel preached with passion leading souls to Christ. I pray that God will not allow personal pride to be a hindrance.
True prayer is powerful!
I prayed the last several months for renewed confidence in the Gospel, a confidence that displays personal ownership of the grace shown to me in Christ Jesus. A confidence rooted in God alone but leading to joy, hope, and fellowship with other followers of Christ. God is gracious and is granting this to me. How? God has not zapped me, or given me a blood transfusion with confidence rich blood, or given me Aslan breath. No... He has moved within me to desire more to read His word and seek Him in prayer. Joy! and tears! Tears of joy, because I know that the harder I tried the worse I kept failing. Prayer leading to trust to desire to devotion.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Why I want to know what Christ died for.
Grace is an amazing thing. Grace is a marvelous thing. God’s grace is so awesome that I cannot comprehend it.
The law of God defines sin. The law shows us how I can be saved. Live a perfect life. Do no sin.
I sin. I cannot help but sin. Sin is part of who I had become. I was lost in my sin. I was condemned by my sin. I was hopeless in my sin.
God’s grace is an amazing thing. Since I cannot keep the law, God provided for me someone who could. He gave His only son, Jesus Christ. Now I am free. I am free because God’s grace is real. Grace is real and I am free.
I revel in God’s grace. I glory in God’s grace. I am immeasurably thankful for God’s grace. I am thankful for God’s grace because it has made me free from sin. Free from being condemned under the law.
Do I EVER want to forget:
What Christ died for? What sin Christ died for? My sin daily crucifies Christ? That there is a law that shows me my sin?
NO!
I sin daily. Each time I sin and realize my sin, God’s grace flows even more, an ever surging river that carries me away. God’s grace is immeasurable.
I cannot realize my sin without the law of God. The law of God defines sin. The law of God allows me to realize the enormity of God’s grace. Hearing the law increases the surging river of grace. God's grace is without measure. This I never want to forget.
The law of God defines sin. The law shows us how I can be saved. Live a perfect life. Do no sin.
I sin. I cannot help but sin. Sin is part of who I had become. I was lost in my sin. I was condemned by my sin. I was hopeless in my sin.
God’s grace is an amazing thing. Since I cannot keep the law, God provided for me someone who could. He gave His only son, Jesus Christ. Now I am free. I am free because God’s grace is real. Grace is real and I am free.
I revel in God’s grace. I glory in God’s grace. I am immeasurably thankful for God’s grace. I am thankful for God’s grace because it has made me free from sin. Free from being condemned under the law.
Do I EVER want to forget:
What Christ died for? What sin Christ died for? My sin daily crucifies Christ? That there is a law that shows me my sin?
NO!
I sin daily. Each time I sin and realize my sin, God’s grace flows even more, an ever surging river that carries me away. God’s grace is immeasurable.
I cannot realize my sin without the law of God. The law of God defines sin. The law of God allows me to realize the enormity of God’s grace. Hearing the law increases the surging river of grace. God's grace is without measure. This I never want to forget.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Love Never Fails
Well, it has certainly been a while since my last entry, and it is high time for another entry.
As I was reading through 1 Corinthians 13 again, I came to this verse (v8)
”Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”
I had always read the first sentence as “Love never fails someone”. As in, when you love as God loves, it never fails. God’s love for us never fails. True love in relationships should never fail. Someone who loves is always there for the other. These are, I believe, all very true.
However, as I read this verse again this morning, the remaining part of the verse jumped out at me as a sharp contrast to the simple words “Love never fails.” Look at this:
Love – Never fails.
Contrast:
Prophecies – will fail;
Tongues – will cease;
Knowledge – will vanish away.
The three items contrasted with Love are all part of what we see in happening in the church. Paul speaks about each of these many times throughout his letters… prophecies, tongues, and knowledge all functioned in the church of Paul’s day. All of fail/cease/vanish away. However:
Love never fails.
Love should be the church. Think of the “Loveless Church” in Revelation. …All these (doctrine, perseverance, mercy, faith) things you have, but you have not love. I will take your lamp stand and remove it from among you…
Where do we place love? Is it the first thing on our mind? Does belief function at the expense of love?
No wonder Paul ends the chapter with:
“…And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
(As an aside, I highly recommend reading the Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning)
As I was reading through 1 Corinthians 13 again, I came to this verse (v8)
”Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”
I had always read the first sentence as “Love never fails someone”. As in, when you love as God loves, it never fails. God’s love for us never fails. True love in relationships should never fail. Someone who loves is always there for the other. These are, I believe, all very true.
However, as I read this verse again this morning, the remaining part of the verse jumped out at me as a sharp contrast to the simple words “Love never fails.” Look at this:
Love – Never fails.
Contrast:
Prophecies – will fail;
Tongues – will cease;
Knowledge – will vanish away.
The three items contrasted with Love are all part of what we see in happening in the church. Paul speaks about each of these many times throughout his letters… prophecies, tongues, and knowledge all functioned in the church of Paul’s day. All of fail/cease/vanish away. However:
Love never fails.
Love should be the church. Think of the “Loveless Church” in Revelation. …All these (doctrine, perseverance, mercy, faith) things you have, but you have not love. I will take your lamp stand and remove it from among you…
Where do we place love? Is it the first thing on our mind? Does belief function at the expense of love?
No wonder Paul ends the chapter with:
“…And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
(As an aside, I highly recommend reading the Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning)
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