Saturday, February 29, 2020

God’s Remarkable Grace – Part 2




Continuing Michael’s message on God’s remarkable grace, he writes that there is a true story of a young Christian minister was called by his board of elders and they said, “We think you’ve been sloppy in your work.”  The pastor felt discouraged and felt his anger rising when he heard this comment.  Then their next statement was, “but we think you’re redeemable.”  Even though this Parson felt discouraged, he was encouraged about redemption. They said, “we think you need a sabbatical.” The Reverend spent the next three months in prayer, meditation and bible study.  As a young minister, these three months were the closest and sweetest months of fellowship with God he had ever experienced.  Isaiah 40 says, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings as eagles.  They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

God will give us grace when we humble ourselves under His Almighty hand.  Therefore, receive not the grace of God in vain. To receive God’s grace means that we must forsake our pride. It’s not about me, it’s about Him. He’s given us this gift of salvation, the spirit of Christ in us, the hope of glory. Why? So that we would present our bodies a living sacrifice of praise, holy and wholly acceptable unto him which is our reasonable act of worship… and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

In Psalm 51, David’s prayer of repentance was, “Against thee and thee only have I sinned.  Create in me a new heart O God.  Deliver me from my iniquities and wash me with hyssop.  Restore unto me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit.”

According to Romans 3:23, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  Jesus said that in our flesh nature that we inherited from Adam, there dwells no good thing.  We cannot help but sin and the wages of sin is death.  

When the Apostle Peter said, Lord don’t wash my feet I’m not worthy. Jesus said, unless I wash your feet then you can have no part in me. We’re contaminated by our worldly nature, our sinful flesh desires and by our worldly environment. We’re washed from sin by Jesus Christ’s blood. He is the fountain of “living water”. In the Old Testament the blood of animal sacrifice was insufficient to temporarily cover for the sins of Israel. However, we’re cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus Christ is “the Lamb of God”. For He who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

Jesus Christ was remarkable. He humbled Himself and drank the cup of sin and judgement on our behalf. He shed his innocent blood in exchange for our guilty blood. Therefore, thank God for His gracious gift. “You were bought with a price”:  the precious blood of the Son of God. Because of Christ’s precious payment on our behalf, our value is that we are God’s dwelling place. As the Apostle Paul said, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of the Holy Spirit?” 

This is remarkably amazing grace is in His unfailing love. This is God’s remarkable grace.  For by grace are ye saved by faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, his poem, his magnum opus, his great work, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which he has foreordained that we should walk in them. Because of His remarkable grace, may we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ, Michael

Friday, February 28, 2020

God’s Remarkable Grace – Part 1


Michael continues this week that the term “remarkable” means uncommon, different from the norm; outstanding, extraordinary and unique. God’s grace is remarkable. How would you explain the full concept of “grace” to someone who didn’t know the gospel of Jesus Christ? Grace is uncommon. “Common” means that which is ordinary, average and unrefined. “Ordinary” is unexceptional and deficient in excellence. “Casual” is common, laid back and apathetic. Unfortunately, the “Casual Christians” are casualties in the spiritual battle. 

Ephesians 2:6-9 “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Salvation is by God’s remarkable and amazing grace. Grace is God’s divine unmerited favor. God’s grace is a gift given to the one who didn’t deserve to receive it, by the One who didn’t need to give it. Grace is “all of thee and none of me”. Salvation is God’s gift given by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. The Pharisees thought that they could earn righteousness. They thought salvation was based on their own performance. However, salvation is not of works. It is a gift of God’s grace. According to 2 Corinthians 6, “We beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain.”  Why were we given God’s grace? For what were we given His gift of salvation? Some people they would get to heaven by their own works of baptism or circumcision. Some think that you have to speak in tongues to be saved. Some think that you have to keep the Old Testament law. Grace is not about performance. It’s about God’s gift. The purpose is that we should be to the praise of the glory of His grace, fit for the Master’s use.

Humility is required in order to receive grace. It’s easy to judge others and to think we’re superior to others. Like the Pharisee prayed, “Lord, thank you I’m not like that tax collector over there.” The tax collector prayed, “Lord have mercy on me a sinner.” Which prayer did God hear? A broken and a contrite heart God will not forsake. Evil speaking, gossip, grumbling and complaining will reject grace. From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  According to Psalm 19, “may the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable unto thee, O Lord my strength and my redeemer.” 

John 10:27-29 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”

When you ask a person, “What do you think God thinks about you?” most will answer, “I think God’s disappointed in me. I think I’ve fallen short of his expectations.”  If you call a man “Man of God,” or a woman “Woman of God”, most will look down.  When you ask them why, they’ll say, “because I feel unworthy.” However, because of God’s grace, He made me worthy and now, by His grace, His mercy has made me His own.  “Man of God” means God’s man and the “Woman of God” means God’s woman. This is the genitive of possession.  It means that we are His and He is ours. Because of grace, it’s not who we are but “whose we are”.

Let's continue Michael's message on God's remarkable grace in the next post.
In Christ, Brian

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Why Grace? – Part 2



Ephesians 2:1-5 “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”


Continuing Michael's message, he write that the second essential of receiving God’s gift of grace is His assurance that “I accept you as you are.” As the song says, “Just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me.  And that thou bidst me come to thee … O lamb of God I come, I come.”

When we accept God’s offer of grace, we receive the righteousness of Christ. God accepts us as we are.  He doesn’t see us as we are in the flesh, but by the blood of Christ, as we will be. He sees us in the righteousness of His grace. Because of His grace, blessed is the man and woman who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the way of the scornful. But their delight is in the law of the lord and in His law doth they meditate day and night. And they shall be like a tree that is planted by the rivers of waters.  Their leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever they do shall prosper.”

Living in God’s peace produces the fruit of the Spirit. Peace is the result of reconciliation. Reconciliation means to bring together that which has been separated. For there is one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus.  Bearing fruit results when Jesus Christ is the vine and we are the branches. Because of God’s loving grace, we’re valuable. Our value is not in our own performance.  What’s valuable?  Our value is in our fitness for His purpose. Our value is the payment His only begotten son Jesus Christ paid with His precious priceless blood. Value is determined by the price that was paid. Our value to God is priceless. Our value is in that God made us fit for His purpose … that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. What is the purpose for His gracious gift? We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which he’s foreordained that we should walk in it.  This is the purpose for which God paid the ultimate price in sending His Son to die in our place for our sins and the sin of the world ... that we should be to the praise of the glory of His grace.

Ezekiel 37:27 “My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Because of His loving grace we are His and He is ours.  A man of God is God’s man and a woman of God is God’s woman. And both are a child of God. This is the genitive of possession.  Christianity is not who we are but WHOSE we are.  Because of His grace, make me a captive Lord and then I shall be free. I sink in life’s alarms if by myself I stand. Imprison me within thine arms and free shall be my stand.

That we may ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ, Michael

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Why Grace? - Part 1

Heaven's Peak from Highline Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana #visitmontana #montanamoment #montana #hiking #glaciernationalpark #usa

This week, Michael writes that the message about remarkable grace is the message we’ve been waiting to hear all our life.  Before we heard the message about God’s remarkable grace, people think that they are unworthy of salvation because our own works were not worthy of God’s righteous standard. The purpose of ministry is to create an environment where the Holy Spirit can come help Himself to our lives.  

There are two types of grace in the Bible.  The first type is in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.”  This type of grace is the face love wears when it meets imperfection. Grace is God’s gracious gift given to the one who didn’t deserve to receive it by the One who didn’t need to give it. Grace is a gift offered by God.  To accept His grace, we must first humble ourselves under the mighty Hand of God.  We have to realize that we cannot make it on our own. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Grace is all of thee Lord and none of me. 

The other type of grace is “favor of God and man.”  This type of grace is found in the verse that says, “the child Jesus grew in wisdom, and stature, and favor (grace) with God and man.” The concept of grace is foreign to every “worldly” religion. Grace is rooted and grounded in the cross of Christ. At the cross, Jesus paid the price for our sins. He exchanged His perfect innocent life for our sinful guilty life that was deserving of death. “For He who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

After having received God’s gracious gift of salvation, His Holy Spirit of “Christ in us”, the hope of glory, we have received a new nature. This new spiritual nature of the indwelling Holy Spirit is righteous in God’s sight. When God sees us, he sees the righteousness of Christ in us. He does not judge us according to our sinful nature of the flesh. Should we who were saved from sin, continue any longer therein?  God forbid. How can you who were delivered from your sinful nature continue in sin? As men and women of God, our challenge is to walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. This is the theme of Romans 8. 

The battle rages between the flesh and the Spirit. Paul said in Romans 7who shall deliver me from this dead body? Without grace, the gift of God, there is no peace. Peace is one of the “Fruit of the Spirit”.  We still have the fruit of the Spirit because of God’s gracious gift of His Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul began his epistles with the greeting, “Grace and Peace from God or Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.” The world says “God helps those who help themselves.” However, the God says, “the arm of flesh will fail you, you dare not trust your own.” God helps those whose strength is in the Lord.  

Let's continue Michael's message on grace in the next post.
In Christ, Brian

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Chance



How many times have you heard the expression, "as luck would have it"? I read that whether we mean it or not, we're implying that luck had something to do with bringing about the random event that's before us. Scientists are working hard on figuring out the origin of the universe. It seems that everything was all a matter of time and chance. But upon careful scrutiny, that notion seems to jump from non-being straight into nonsense. 

What is the chance that everything came into being through time and chance? Can something come from nothing? Was “chance” the cosmic power behind creation? Despite scientific advances, there remains an undercurrent of irrationalism in scientific writing. Is it true that luck can have such power? Well, the simple answer to that question is "not a chance.":

Monday, February 24, 2020

Trust in the Lord

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest the oldest living things on earth

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

The word “trust” is defined as: Confidence; a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice, friendship or other sound principle of another person. But carries an additional deeper meaning for God-fearing Christians to commit to the care of, in confidence. Trust your Maker with yourself and all your concerns. In an age of heathenism and “trust no one”, we are reaping the consequences of ignoring, forgetting, losing and being ignorant of godly principles and standards. Where is the adoration, honor, glory, respect and reverence of the Lord? Who do you trust? Or more accurately, Who can you trust? Steadfast trust in holiness and righteous towards a trustworthy Lord God is dearly needed today.

Psalm 84:12 “O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!”

Every American coin bears the motto “In God We Trust” thanks largely to the strong religious fervor born of the Civil War. In 1861, a Baptist minister, the Rev. Mark R. Watkinson of Ridleyville, Pennsylvania, had written a letter to Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase urging that provision be made for “the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins.” Said Watkinson: “This would relieve us from the ignominy of heathenism. This would place us openly under the Divine protection we have personally claimed.” The US Two Cent Piece was born in godliness as the first coin to bear our national motto. Rev. Watkinson’s reasoning rings true today.

Psalm 91:2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

It’s a fearful dog-eat-dog world out there today. Psalm 109:4-5 says, “In return for my love they are my accusers, but I give myself to prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.” Why? The sinful desires and subsequent deeds of the fallen flesh of mankind, as we read in Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions,  heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” The consequences to godless lawlessness is a chaotic society. Who puts their trust there?

 Psalm 115:11 “You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield.”

What we need is to stop putting our trust in ourselves or the secular culture and by faith start centering our trust on Almighty God alone. Trust in the Lord because, truly, in God we trust.


In Christ, Brian

Sunday, February 23, 2020

A House Divided


Mark 3:22-26 The teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He (Jesus) is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.”

The context in which this exchange occurred was the religious authority of the time, condemning the practice of God Himself based upon the “letter of the Law”, instead of the “heart of the Law”. What is the intent? Denominational differences of Christian churches are based upon doctrinal differences and interpretation of Scripture in peripheral issues to the Gospel of Salvation and God’s Commandments. They remain united in the main tenets of Christian doctrine. Fallen mankind is highly susceptible to distractions, the pursuit of pleasures and secular materialism by existential philosophy. We can easily lose sight of what is truly important in life.

Matthew 12:25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”

President Abraham Lincoln once stated, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.” St. Augustine of Hippo said it well, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” Trusting in God and His holy Word with unity in Christ must be the primary guiding precepts. May we strive to be on God’s side and align our thoughts, words and actions with His righteous Word, Will and Way in a house unity.


In Christ, Brian

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Sexual Purity


Romans 1:28-32 “Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

Pastor Kyle continued in our church’s Sunday sermon series “2020 Vision”. He proclaimed that the Word of God brings truth into a broken world, which is fallen in sin. Immorality is defined as any act or practice which contravenes the divine commands or the social duties. Injustice, dishonesty, fraud, slander, profaneness, gaming, intemperance, lewdness, are immoralities. Fornication is defined as the incontinence or lewdness of unmarried persons, male or female. Sex outside of the context of marriage; it is not purely physical. It’s a matter of an act of casual sex for erotic pleasure verses godly intimacy that bonds and satisfies the soul, which is “right” in the eyes of the Lord God Creator Father. 

1 Corinthians 6:13b-19 tells us, “Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”

It turns out that God is right on everything, including our sex life. By God’s design sexual intimacy between a man and woman in committed holy matrimony has no guilt or shame. In Matthew 19:4-6,(Jesus) said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” Those who “play the field” in any form of sexual immorality (casual sex, pre-marital sex, living in sin together, homosexuality, infidelity in extra-marital affairs, or so-called open marriages have chemistry, but no relationship and no place in glory.  Infidelity is defined as 1. In general, want of faith or belief; a withholding of credit. 2. Disbelief of the inspiration of the Scriptures, or the Divine original of Christianity; unbelief. There is no doubt that vanity is one principal cause of infidelity. 3. Unfaithfulness, particularly in married persons; a violation of the marriage covenant by adultery or lewdness.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God.”

Proverbs 14:8 says, “The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.” Prudent meaning those who are cautious; circumspect; practically wise; careful of the consequences of enterprises, measures or actions. Follow Jesus in every aspect of your life. Are you the person you are looking for is looking for? Are you the person that God is looking for? May we be the prudent of God; His delight in sexual purity.


In Christ, Brian

Friday, February 21, 2020

Things Not Seen


Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

Reading a little devotional today on this short term, it states that the little phrase “things not seen” is used three times in the New Testament, and interestingly enough, these refer to the past, present, and future works of God with respect to the things that are seen. At the beginning of the “faith chapter” of Hebrews 11 occur these remarkable words: “Now faith is . . . the evidence of things not seen. . . . Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear”s. That is, the material things of this present world were not made of pre-existing materials; they were supernaturally created by the word of the Creator! These things that are now seen provide evidence (or better, the “conviction”) of the things not seen—that is, of God’s creative work completed in the past.

The “processes” that are now seen (as distinct from the “materials”) date especially from the time of the great Flood. The “things not seen as yet” by Noah—that is, the present atmospheric circulation, the present hydrological cycle, the present seasonal changes, and many other key phenomena of the present order—all were instituted in the days of Noah when “the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished”.

Finally, “we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for . . . the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Just as surely as the materials and processes of the present world once were unseen but now are easily seen, so the future eternal world will soon be clearly seen when Christ returns. 



Thursday, February 20, 2020

Just Enough

saguaro and prickly pear cactus covered in snow, Apache Trail, Superstition Wilderness Area, Arizona -----see this is all the snow i need! New Mexico, Beautiful Landscape Photography, Beautiful Landscapes, Nature Photography, Mother Earth, Mother Nature, Beautiful World, Beautiful Places, Superstition Mountains 

Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Our Small Group Bible Study continued this week with the sixth session of the That the World May Know video series “Walking with God in the Wilderness. Host Ray Vander Laan asks, “What do you picture when you think of the biblical metaphor of God as Shepherd and His people as sheep? We tend to overlook the fact that, often, He provides for us when we’re facing difficult circumstances in the deserts of life. Why the desert? There you have nowhere else to turn. In the desert, God shapes and molds people who would depend upon and follow Him. People of ears, who listen and hear His Words, then, respond by following Him. The sun is still hot, our path is still steep, but God gives us just enough to keep us going.

The “just enough” blessings shape and mold God’s people into a trusting community that loves Him and depends on Him to provide for its every need. Do you have enough right now? The shepherd leads his flock to green pastures that they have what they need right now. Trust the Shepherd and follow Him for provision daily. We need to trust Him completely.  Consider the trust and obedience the Israelite learned when God provided just enough manna for each day and any remaining manna spoiled (except the extra Sabbath ration). Even when His people settled in the Promised Land, each family received just enough land to live contentedly in a relationship of trust, obedience, and dependence on Him.

John 10:10-11,14-15 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

God still desires to shape and mold those who follow Him into a people who trust Him fully and obey Him faithfully. So He leads us, like a shepherd leading his sheep, into the “desert” where we learn to love Him as our Good Shepherd.

In Christ, Brian



Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Remarkable – Part 2


Continuing Michael’s “remarkable” message, he writes that “holiness” is defined as the state of being holy; purity or integrity of moral character; freedom from sin; sanctity. Applied to human beings, holiness is purity of heart or dispositions; sanctified affections; piety; moral goodness, but not perfect. But, carries the privilege of that which is separated to the service of God. To be separated according to the designer’s design. We’re separated from the world when we’re called to holiness, separated unto the Lord God Almighty. We’re separated with a regenerated spirit and a new nature. Therefore, be not drunk with wine but be filled with the Holy Spirit

The indwelling Holy Spirit in us is Christ in us, the hope of glory. In the spirit of Christ, we’re remarkable because we have the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. We’re born again, born from above, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible. We’re remarkable because we’re uncommon or extraordinary, having what the unregenerate, natural man and woman do not have in the spirit and the Spirit. Remarkable is easily noticed as outside of the world’s norm. Remarkable makes others want to investigate the reason for what makes us unique. The diseased sheep in the bad shepherd’s pasture look at the good shepherd’s pasture and say to themselves, “I want to be in that shepherd’s flock.” The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He restores my soul. There is a strong family resemblance between fathers and their children. Those outside of the family notice something special, something remarkable about those who belong to their Heavenly Father. 

Remarkable is what the multitude at the temple in Acts 2 noticed about the Apostle Peter at the day of Pentecost. They noticed that Jesus’ disciples spoke with power and authority even though they were lowly Galileans. For God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Remarkable goes beyond what is required or necessary. Remarkable men and women show integrity in their workmanship for God’s glory. They exceed in excellence and hold themselves to higher standards of the kingdom of Heaven. Remarkable men and women separate themselves from the God-rejecting world’s norms. They are unusual in a welcoming way. God said, Don’t touch what’s unclean (unclean by God’s definition) and I will welcome you in the way of the Lord. 

When you look unto Jesus, people who love darkness instead of light will say you’re illogical, foolish, crazy and bizarre. In Acts 2, Peter said to the leaders of the temple on the day of Pentecost, “Him (Jesus Christ,) being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”

What was remarkable on the Day of Pentecost remains remarkable in 2020: The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The resurrection was the power of God unto salvation made manifest. This is the gospel message of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone: That if you shall confess with thy mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved (made alive and whole.) God has called us to plant and water the seed of His word, the gospel message, in the mission field to which He’s called us. In due season, we shall reap a harvest  of souls if we faint not. Therefore, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.


As we continue in 2020 with God’s remarkable holy calling, may we ever live to the praise for the glory of His grace.
Your brother in Christ, Michael

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Remarkable – Part 1


This week, Michael writes that old folks know better than to make New Year’s resolutions. They have learned not to make promises they can’t keep. A resolution means to determine to find an explanation or a solution to a problem. Resolution can also mean the act of determining to do or not do something. They say hindsight is 2020. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. However God’s foresight is 2020. He knows the end from the beginning but we don’t. As we look back on 2019 there are many things that we should or should not have done. As we look forward with the comfort of God’s 2020 foresight, we’re encouraged by Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision the people perish (they wander aimlessly), but he that keeps the Law (the word of God) happy is he.”

What does God hold for us in the coming year? The word that came to mind is “casual.” The word that defines Christian men and women in church today is casual. Casual is followed in the dictionary by the word casualty. Casual Christians are casualties in the spiritual battle. Asking God for a theme to focus on for 2020, the word that comes to mind was “remarkable.” The meaning of the word “remarkable” is worthy of notice. Extraordinary; unusual; that deserves particular notice, or that may excite admiration or wonder. What’s remarkable about our calling? Matthew 9 is about the gospel of the harvest. Seeing the people, Jesus felt compassion for them because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. He looked to His disciples, and prayed, “God, send out workers into the harvest for the harvest is plentiful but he laborers are few.


God calls us to seasons of life with different priorities. There’s a season to plant, to fertilize, to weed, to water and then to bring in the harvest.” Ecclesiastes 3 says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” Christians are remarkable in that God has separated them from a world of darkness. According to 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Let's continue Michael's remarkable message in the next post.
In Christ, Brian

Monday, February 17, 2020

Outward Appearances


1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

It has been stated that spiritual formation is a rather general term referring to all attempts, means, instructions, and disciplines intended towards deepening of faith and furtherance of spiritual growth. I’ve heard the analogy that faith is a muscle that must be exercised. Faith does not plateau, so it is either thriving or declining. Exodus 19:6 says, “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Our priestly formation goes beyond overt behavior and deeply into the inner or spiritual life of the individual.

Dallas Willard identified three meanings or moments of spiritual formation. (1) Identifying certain activities as spiritual work or exercises. Although it is recognized that the heart must be right with God, practicing spiritual disciplines are regarded as part of the “spirituality” process. (2) Shaping the spiritual side of the human being. The formation of the soul – the heart or will, along with the emotions and intellect is the primary focus, regardless of what overt practices may or may not be involved. Here, what is formed is explicitly the spiritual dimension of the “self” – the spiritual aspect of personality. Of course, it is assumed that there will be effects in the realm of overt practices. (3) Sparing by the regenerated spirit and the Holy Spirit, especially through the Word of God.

In Matthew 28:19-20, the Lord Jesus commands His followers to “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Willard points out that we need to recognize that spiritualities abound on all sides. In our secular culture, we have a spirituality of practically everything. Inclusivism presupposes that all cultures, lifestyles, morality and religions are equal. But, Christianity is faithful to the gospel and to the nature that eternal life is present in Jesus Christ and given to us in Him alone. The faithful disciple practices an overt behavior orients towards explicit obedience to Christ. Our aim, our job description as Christ’s people, is to bring disciples to the point of obedience to “all things whatsoever that I have commanded you.” Though the inner dynamics are those of love for Christ, He left no doubt that the results would be the keeping of Him Commandments.

The Lord Jesus clearly proclaims in John 14:21-24, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

As Christians compromise and depart from the mark set by the Great Commission, we increasingly find it harder to differentiate ourselves in life from those who are non- or even anti-Christians. May our outward appearance match our inward reality. Keep Christ’s words and go make disciples.


In Christ, Brian

Sunday, February 16, 2020

As Christ Would Have it Done


Galatians 4:19b “until Christ is formed in you.”

Discipleship is a planned process and action towards our spiritual formation into the likeness of Jesus Christ in our innermost being of the heart, mind and soul of His student and follower, powered by the regenerated spirit to drive our life and living in the here and now as Christ would have it done. We must be transformed people living out a life reflective of Jesus himself. This is achieved by the supernatural guidance and omnipotent hand of the Holy Spirit in the active and progressive process of sanctification in the life of born again Christian Believers. Sanctification is defined as: The act of making holy. The act of consecrating or of setting apart for a sacred purpose – the work of redemption and the advancement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. In an evangelical sense, the act of God's grace by which the affections of men are purified or alienated from sin and the world, and exalted to a supreme love to God. The word “saint” comes from the same root word, so a saint is converted and transformed, who has been consecrated and sanctified, holy and living for Christ in total dedication, devotion and desire to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord and to use our own lives to demonstrate Jesus’ message. But this side of eternity, in a fallen sinful world, in our fallen God-rejecting culture, and in our fallen self-centered flesh, it takes a godly plan, a Spirit-driven process and whole-hearted effort and undivided attention.
 Colossians 3:16-17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Dallas Willard writes that the spiritual side of the human being, Christian or non-Christian alike, develops into the reality that it becomes, for good or ill. You may have heard that we are a product of our environment. Everyone receives spiritual formation, just as everyone gets an education from the school of life experiences and hard knocks. The only question is whether it is a good one or a bad one. We must a conscious, intentional hand in the development process. We need to understand what the formation of the human spirit is, and how it can best be done as Christ would have it done.

In Christ, Brian

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Spiritual Formation – Part 2



Colossians 3:12-17 “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Continuing the lesson by the late Dallas Willard on the Great Commission, he states that the word “discipleship” is defined as: The state of a disciple or follower in doctrines and precepts. Yet, the term has pretty well lost its meaning because of the way it has been misused. The theological right has come to mean preparation for winning souls. But, a gospel of justification alone does not create disciples. On the theological left, discipleship has come to mean some form of social activity or social service. But, a gospel of works alone does not create disciples. The term has currently been ruined so far as any solid psychological and biblical content is concerned. True discipleship is a life of learning from Jesus Christ how to live in the Kingdom of God now. If you want to be a person of grace, then live a holy life of discipleship. 

There are also many in evangelical circles who are more stirred up over perfectionism than they are about people continuing in sin. We are all going to have room for improvement as long as we live. There will always be in us a subdued glowing coal from sin ready to burst into a flame of iniquity. Are you planning on it? No, so we cannot have a gospel dealing only with sin. We have to have a gospel that leads us to new life in Christ, and then spirituality can be presented as a natural development of such new life. If we are divided between justification and regeneration in such a way that the gospel is only “believe Jesus died for your sins and you will go to heaven when you die”, we are struck with a theology that is inherently resistant to a vital spirituality. We have come to accept “believe Jesus died for your sins” in a way that does not involve “believe Jesus in everything”. The gospel is new life in Jesus Christ. If this is not taught, then there will be no possibility of spirituality that is theologically sound or a theology that is spiritually vital.

Theological integrity and spiritual vitality involve that inescapability of serious process over time. We cannot continue to hope that lightning is going to strike us and out of this will come glowing with spirituality. What must be done? Willard believes the answer begins with fresh spiritual fire. The fire that burns without the invitation of culture. A fire that engulfs carnality. Let the flames rise until we recall that Jesus Christ is the most dynamic force we will ever release on a decadent society. 

Generally expressed, baptism in the Spirit, spiritual experiences, high acts of worship alone do not transform character, though they have a special role in spiritual life. Character is defined by way of distinguished or good qualities are those which are esteemed and respected; and those which are ascribed to a person in common estimation. Willard concludes that the transformation of character comes through learning how to act in concert with Jesus Christ. Godly character is formed through action, and it is transformed by action, including carefully planned and grace-sustained disciples. To enter the path of obedience to Jesus Christ (intending to obey Him and intending to learn whatever we have to learn in order to obey Him) is the true path of spiritual formation or transformation. Follow Jesus!

In Christ, Brian

Friday, February 14, 2020

Spiritual Formation - Part 1

Snowscape.

Colossians 3:1-17 “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor
free, but Christ is all and in all.”

What a great book about the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ by Dallas Willard on “discipleship”. In it he states that the term “spiritual formation” refers to the process of shaping our spirit and giving it a definite character. It means the formation of our spirit in conformity with the spirit of Christ. Of course, it involves the Holy Spirit in action. Spiritual formation in Christ is the process whereby the inmost being of the individual (the heart, will and spirt) takes on the quality or character of Jesus himself.

Such a process is not a matter of the human spirit or heart only. Spiritual formation is a whole life process with change in every essential part of the person. It does not aim at controlling action and outward activities. Spiritual formation is holistic process reworking all aspects of the self. So, you have spirit (will), mind (thoughts and feelings), body, social relations, and soul. The spirit, heart, or will is the executive center of the self. It is where action ultimately comes from. But, it does not operate in isolation from mind, body and soul. Thought is a subdivision of the mind, therefore we have to have transformation of our thought life. If you are on the throne of your life, you won’t want to think about God. God gives us the power to put Him out of our minds. You have to seek Hi. He is acting. We are not waiting on Him. He is waiting on us to respond. 

Our culture constantly excites to lust. But, you have to change all that in spiritual formation. You have to change your feelings. By sin, all have fallen short of the glory of God, but I hope you will realize that the sad thing is not just that we fell, but what has been in our minds all along. Spiritual formation isn’t just action control. In the Great Commission, it is the Christian church’s goal to make and teach disciples surrounded in the triune reality to do everything Jesus said. Is that your plan and agenda? If it is your goal, you will find a way to bring theological integrity and spiritual vitality together. Nothing works like genuine faith and trust in God. 

Willard states that grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action. Grace does not just have to do with forgiveness of sins alone, but that you can have new life now in the kingdom of God, if you trust Jesus Christ. It is the life of regeneration, resurrection and justification, which is absolutely vital for our sins have to be forgiven. But, justification is not something separate for regeneration. And regeneration of the spirit naturally moves into sanctification and glorification. If you preach a gospel that has only to do with forgiveness of sins, you will be stuck in a position where you have faith over here and obedience and abundance over there, and no way to get from here to there because the necessary bridge is discipleship.

Let’s continue it excellent teaching on spiritual formation in the next post.
In Christ, Brian

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Lord & Savior

The Frost by Robin-Wilson

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Our Associate Pastor brought up in his small group Bible Study that there is a lack of biblical literacy on an epidemic level in our society today and it has been brought up in my own small group that there is a great need for discipleship. People see Jesus Christ as a Savior who forgives them for their sins, but not as Lord of their life. This belief is no more than a “get out of jail free card, with no repentance and no remorse of heart, mind and soul for their sins against a just and holy God. This heresy is known as “easy believism”. I’ve had lunch with this associate pastor recently and he discussed the plan for formal discipleship from the “one on one” level to a type of “Christianity 101” class to the mid-sized group teaching of the meaning of following Jesus Christ as Lord of our life. We must know the difference between “right” and “wrong” in the eyes of God and be cut to the heart with the truth so we choose to do what is right and live.

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

I’ve been reading a book by the late Dallas Willard on the obedience to the Great Commission that Christ commanded, when he makes the statement that if we are Christians simply by believing that Jesus died for our sins, then that is all it takes to have sins forgiven and go to heaven when we die. Then, why do some people keep insisting that something more than this is necessary (Lordship, discipleship, spiritual formation, and the like)? Willard considers four simple points. First, there is absolutely nothing in what Jesus himself or his early followers taught that suggests you can decide just to enjoy forgiveness at Jesus’s expense and have nothing more to do with Him. There are many that believe that we con choose to accept Christ only because we need a Savior and that we have the right to postpone our obedience to him as Lord. This heresy is known as a “vampire Christian” saying, “I’d like a little of your blood to cover my sins, but I don’t care to be your student or have your character. Excuse me while I get on with my life”. How could one actually trust Him for forgiveness of sins while not trusting Him for much more than that? 

John 8:34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

Second, if we do not become His apprentices, disciples, and students in Kingdom of Heaven living, we remain lock in defeat so far as our moral intentions are concerned. Willard points out that fallen people in their sin nature, generally, choose to sin. But, even so, no one wants to be a sinners. What do we do with our guilt? By a practiced abiding in His words as His disciples, we come to know the truth, enables us to understand our lives and see how we  can interact with God’s redemptive resources of the truth that, sure enough, makes us free. 

Ezekiel 36:25-27 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.”

Third, only avid discipleship to Christ through the Holy Spirit brings the inward transformation of thought, feelings and character that “cleans the inside”. When we study with Jesus we increasingly become on the inside exactly what we are on the outside, where actions, moods and attitudes visibly play over our body, alive in its social context. Behavior is driven by the hidden or secret dimension of human personality, from the depths of the soul and body. In contrast, the fruit of the spirit does not consist in actions, but in attitudes and settled personality traits that make up the substance of the “hidden” self; the “inner man”. Spiritual formation in the Christian tradition is a natural, but supernatural process of increasingly being possessed by such character traits as we walk in the easy yoke of discipleship with Jesus our teacher. 

John 15:4-6 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

Finally, for those who walk as close to Jesus as possible there comes the reliable exercise of a power that is beyond them in dealing with the problems and evils that afflict earthly existence. We are called to do His work by His power and not our own. The biblical picture of human life is that we were meant to be inhabited by God and to live by a power beyond ourselves. Only constant students of Jesus will be given adequate power to fulfill their calling to be God’s person for their time and their place in this world. 

Willard concludes that you might wish to think about what your life amounts to before you die, about what kind of person you are becoming and about whether you really would be comfortable for eternity in the presence of One whose company you have not found especially desirable for the few hours and days of your earthly existence. 

The Lord Jesus says, “Follow me!”
In Christ, Brian

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Supernatural – Part 2

See more Wilson Peak, Telluride, Colorado,USA

Continuing Michael’s message on supernatural God, he writes that the word “justice” is defined as: The virtue which consists in giving to every one what is his due; practical conformity to the laws and to principles of rectitude in the dealings of men and women with each other. Therefore, our sense of "Justice" says the other guilty person needs to be punished for his sins. However, what was God thinking when He sacrificed His own Son to pay for our own debt of sin? God will "shake that which can be shaken." When the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects His people to be the reliable ones who will rise to the occasion according to His strength. With infinite God no problem is too big. Problems are inversely proportional to the power required to overcome them. How big is our God? Jesus said, "For with God nothing will be impossible.” - Luke 1:37

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Upon hearing the "supernatural message" of the gospel there are four types of reactions. In the first category are those who reject the gospel outright. The second category consists of those who claim salvation, but never really complete the transaction. A gift must be accepted and received. They may go to church but have no assurance of salvation. In the third category is by works, those of whom Jesus spoke when he said, "Some say Lord, Lord," but I shall say to them, "I never knew you."  In the fourth category are the true Christians ... those who know that they know that they are saved by grace. There are diagnostic questions to find out whether a man or woman is really saved. One is, "where will you go when you die?" The follow up question is "how do you know if you'll go to heaven?" If you're standing at the entrance of Heaven and the gatekeeper asks, "why should I let you in, what will you say?" If the answer is because of the things I've done, Jesus will say, "I never knew you." Salvation is only by the grace of God through Jesus' supreme sacrifice on our behalf. Now is the acceptable year of the Lord. For in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.  When we're saved, our righteousness is only in Him and not in our own power. This is the  supernatural reality: He who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him. 

There is supernatural power in the "sinner's prayer" for conversion unto salvation. In order to come to God's throne of grace, we must forsake our selfish selves. We must approach God with a heart of meekness and humility. God in His infinite wisdom made His eternal plan. What is God's plan? We are his plan and there is no plan B. We're His workmanship, his magnum opus, his great work, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which he's foreordained that we should walk therein. We are God's supernatural plan, for His plan of redemption through our Lord Jesus Christ. For it is God who works in you to will and to do of His good pleasure. Salvation is not because we are good ... rather it's because God is good, gracious, merciful and loving. This is the super-natural nature of God himself ... to forgive the unforgivable and to love the unlovable. 

May God richly bless you!
Your brother in Christ, Michael

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Supernatural – Part 1

Our Glacier Lagoon Jökulsárlón, Iceland, comes with not only with a beautiful and unique sight of a countless number of icebergs floating in a clear water glacier lake, but with a beautiful very photogenic sky. The beauty of it will take your breath away, so go there with trained guides and enjoy the wonder of nature. Absolutely stunning at sunrises and sunsets.

This week, Michael writes that "Supernatural" is an order of existence beyond the visible universe. It is that which transcends the natural world ... especially that which relates to God Almighty, creator of the natural realm. In order to understand the supernatural, we must start by reading the scripture in Isaiah 55:6-9, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake His way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; And to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

God is rich in mercy and compassion. He is loving and gracious despite our fallen nature.  Israel’s King David said, "be merciful unto me according to your loving kindness." Remember Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God did not design us with the ability to contend with our own natural fallen nature. Nor did He design us to contend with the fallen nature of the natural realm. Without God, the devil will have his way with us. Our natural tendency is not to exercise compassion to those who have wronged us.  This offends our sense of "fairness." However in the Lord’s super-natural power we can "turn the other cheek." We can understand God's loving kindness and tender mercy.

Matthew 5:38-42 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Super-natural life does not seek "just retribution." We're all sinners. The parable of the laborers reminds us of God's grace. A master hired laborers in the eleventh hour at the same daily wage as those who had already toiled for ten hours. It was the Master's prerogative to be gracious. When Jesus asked His Apostle  Peter, "do you love me?" Peter's response was, "what about John?"  Jesus said, "Don't worry about anyone else." We must come individually to the Throne of Grace with a broken and a contrite heart. Oswald Chambers said, "the kingdom of self is heavily defended territory."  Pray that God will break down the resistance of our hardened hearts."

Romans 12:19-21 “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Worldly men and women will ask God, "What have you done for me lately? Why haven't you answered my prayers in the way I wanted?" When we come to realize that prayer is aligning our hearts with God's heart, then we can pray as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will but thine be done." We're reminded that God's ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts.

Let's continue Michael's message on supernatural God in the next post.
In Christ, Brain