Mat 3:9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father,' for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
There is a feeling of housekeeping about our recent lessons. The Gospels and Epistles are following in a roughly sequential order. Church attendance is not to be considered as the equivalent of a good back rub. It is not a feel good experience to be sat through out of a sense of routine. Our lives as Christians should not fall into a quotidian rut.
A speech-writer supplied John Kennedy with this famous line: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." As Christians we should not become complacent in our sense of entitlement.
We have been set free not solely to enjoy the fruits of our good fortune. Our God may be:
Psa 145:8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
We have an obligation and a duty:
1Ch 16:34 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
That duty includes the sharing of our good fortune and the propagation of the Gospel. We must also be ever vigilant in examining our actions to ensure that they serve to further God's work on earth and not hinder it.
You will recognize another passage used in Handel's Messiah in Matthew. Yes, our God is our refuge and strength but this is not to be a pie in the sky by and by kind of theology. We did not become members of Christ's body on earth, the Kingdom of God to escape hell fire and damnation. We responded to God's Love expressed in his Grace to repent from our sinful natures and live lives dedicated to furthering God's purpose on earth.
God's Grace is not a comfortable rocking chair in which to rest our weary bones, but a balm that brings joy which is to be shared. Our confidence in the rock of our salvation should free us from sin, guilt, and earthly worries to live lives dedicated to His Service here on earth.
Do you love me? Feed my Sheep. That food should nourish body, mind, and spirit. God the creator, redeemer and spirit be with us all.
There is a feeling of housekeeping about our recent lessons. The Gospels and Epistles are following in a roughly sequential order. Church attendance is not to be considered as the equivalent of a good back rub. It is not a feel good experience to be sat through out of a sense of routine. Our lives as Christians should not fall into a quotidian rut.
A speech-writer supplied John Kennedy with this famous line: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." As Christians we should not become complacent in our sense of entitlement.
We have been set free not solely to enjoy the fruits of our good fortune. Our God may be:
Psa 145:8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
We have an obligation and a duty:
1Ch 16:34 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
That duty includes the sharing of our good fortune and the propagation of the Gospel. We must also be ever vigilant in examining our actions to ensure that they serve to further God's work on earth and not hinder it.
You will recognize another passage used in Handel's Messiah in Matthew. Yes, our God is our refuge and strength but this is not to be a pie in the sky by and by kind of theology. We did not become members of Christ's body on earth, the Kingdom of God to escape hell fire and damnation. We responded to God's Love expressed in his Grace to repent from our sinful natures and live lives dedicated to furthering God's purpose on earth.
God's Grace is not a comfortable rocking chair in which to rest our weary bones, but a balm that brings joy which is to be shared. Our confidence in the rock of our salvation should free us from sin, guilt, and earthly worries to live lives dedicated to His Service here on earth.
Do you love me? Feed my Sheep. That food should nourish body, mind, and spirit. God the creator, redeemer and spirit be with us all.
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