GRACE LIFE

“We are an intentional community of grace that loves God,
demonstrated by loving people in a culture of discipleship.”

The mission of Grace is carried out, to a great degree, through our Care Groups. This means that Care Group Leaders are key people in the life and mission of the church. For this reason, we orchestrated a Care Group Leadership Summit for all thirty-seven of them to come together for a time of encouragement and equipping.  We thank God for their dedication and skill as we work together with you for your joy.

Each Care Group Leader is under the shepherding oversight of an Elder (each Elder is a care group leader too) who is present and ready to listen to and address pastoral needs of the whole flock. All who are not able to be part of a Care Group are also under the shepherding care of an Elder. If you have not already, you will be contacted soon as to who “your” Elder is.  Please be faithful to pray for and support your leaders as we walk together Godward in the mission He has for us.

We have completed the exposition of the book of Deuteronomy. It took thirty-one sermons which started back in April of 2024. It is my desire that through it, the Lord developed in you a deeper appreciation for the record of the Old Testament and were drawn to understand His character and purpose more fully with the gospel of Jesus Christ in view.

Now we proceed to unpack the letter to the Galatians. In it Paul writes “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4–5). Earlier, John recorded that “the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Now, as new creations in Christ, Scripture affirms that the “righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit” (Roman 8:4).  In Christ, we are free!  As we study this letter, we will explore this freedom in order to understand it and live in it, and to recognize the things that would distract us from it. The theme for our study through Galatians is: “OUR FREEDOM IN CHRIST: Faith Working through Love”. In preparation for this study, I encourage you to read Hebrews 8-10.

See you on the Lord’s Day!

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

A Passionate Pursuit

Proverbs 2 helps us gain an understanding of what it means to “set our minds” on “things that are above” (Colossians 3:1-2), and “on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5-6).

Receive my words (Prov. 2:1) — The word “receive” means to take in hand and carry along. It is the word used of a man taking a wife; also, of God’s choosing of Israel (Deut. 4:34). It has the nuance of holding near to oneself with lasting vital connection.

Treasure up my commandments (v.1) — “Treasure up” means to store and protect something of great worth or value. This word describes how God treasures His people For example, “He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock” (Ps. 27:5).

Making your ear attentive to wisdom (v.2) The word “attentive” speaks of paying close attention to details. King Saul was reprimanded for not doing so in I Samuel 15:22.

Incline your heart to understanding (v.2) To “incline” one’s heart is to stretch it out; it is a word for growth. It also means a turning toward with the sense of loyalty.

Notice the objects of these verbs: words, commands, wisdom and understanding. Where do these come from? “The LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (v.6).

What stands out in these verses is the passion and work that are to be invested in this pursuit. “Call out” and “raise your voice” (vv.3-4) betray a deep, passionate longing for God’s wisdom and knowledge. “Seek” and “search as for hidden treasures” describe the effort (like digging!) God’s people ought to put into discerning and understanding the riches of God’s truth.

What is the benefit of this pursuit? “Then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God” (v.5). It is telling that these verses contain no moral imperatives – only the pursuit of God’s wisdom and knowledge through His Word.

When the Christian’s heart and mind are trained and molded by a focused, fervent quest of God’s self-disclosure, then he will “understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path” (v.9). This is how we are to “apply God’s Word” for it to form and shape our lives.

What happens in entertainment, technology, finances, and fashion has a far greater impact on how our culture thinks about reality than what happens in Washington D.C. or Raleigh. Politics reflect the values of our culture. The habits of heart and mind are shaped by these other more strategic arenas. For example, 18th century Scottish politician Andrew Fletcher said, “Let me write the songs of a nation: I don’t care who writes its laws.” The “songs of a nation” are things upon which the people meditate. Thereby are formed their habits of thoughts.

Paul speaks to this plainly, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).

I challenge you to make regular honest assessments of what is shaping the habits of your heart and mind.

Transformed Love

When you read Proverbs 1:20-33, you discover that wisdom is no secret. “She raises her voice in the open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city she speaks her words” (vv.20-21). If wisdom is being skilled at life, then one might ask why it is so elusive? The problem is not a lack of knowledge or the information we need to be wise and live well. The problem lies in the power of desire. You do what you want to do. You pursue what you desire. When it comes to principled, noble living “I can’t” is more accurately put “I don’t want to.” “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing and fools hate knowledge?” (v.22). The history of humanity provides vast empirical verification of the condition of the human heart. Here is how Todd Brewer put it looking at recent history:

Neither [the] global pandemic, the gross injustices, the racial tensions, the mad riots, the macabre political theatre… should have shocked anyone, especially those schooled in the Torah and the prophets. All human history, from Cain and Abel onward, has amply demonstrated that destruction and stupidity, navel-gazing and bloodshed, the ubiquity of fools, and the thin veneer between civilization and anarchy is the norm, not the exception.+

The chief problem of humanity is not environmental, medical, political, educational, or philosophical. At the root of all human folly and brokenness is a disordered love cemented by stubborn pride, “they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD” (v29). Our original parents were deceived into thinking they knew better than God, so they transgressed His loving boundaries, and that self-preeminence is inherited by each one of us.

What is usually not factored in when we are bent on doing our own thing is the law of sowing and reaping, “they shall eat the fruit of their own way” (v.31).Furthermore, complacency in human folly is devastating. “It’s my life” is the most destructive statement a person could say or think (v.32).

It does not have to end there. Thankfully, by God’s grace, there is an alternative in a life well-lived. It is not arbitrary, nor is it simply bound up in my heart waiting for me to follow. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (v7). It is a choice you must make to live the alternative to what is normal in this existence under the sun. Don’t be normal. Because “whoever listens to me [wisdom] will dwell safely and be secure, without fear of evil” (v33). In the Lord alone is true and lasting life and peace. That is how Jesus comforted His followers saying “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful” (John14:27).

Transformed love comes through surrendered trust in the One who made you, loves you, redeemed you, and reconciled you. The more you walk with Him and delight in Him, the more He changes your affections and attitudes to reflect His. Your highest function is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deut.6:5).

___________________

+“The Church in 2020,” Mockingbird (10-16-20)


Sonship Part 4: You Are All Sons of God through Faith in Jesus Christ | Romans 8:12-17

The supremacy of God’s Son compels us to consider what He has accomplished. We are called to behold the love the Father has lavished on us in His Son so that we should be called children of God (1 John 3:1). Paul’s statement about our sonship includes key words that delineate the great privilege that is ours.
 
Paul uses the term “brothers” (adelphos v.12) which speaks to the fact that all who are in Christ have a connection – we are born of God, we are family in the deepest sense of the term – children of the same eternal, infinitely good Father. A father’s nature is passed on to the children. To Titus he calls this the washing of regeneration, and John points out that His seed abides in us (1 John 3:9).
 
God grants us – His sons – the divine nature through His great and precious promises (2 Peter 1:4). Therefore, by the Spirit (not by regulations) we can put to death the deeds of the body (v.13) – that is, we can diminish and render inoperative the selfish drives of the fallen human nature – not by regulatory demands but through our relationship and communion with the Father and Son.
 
To be led by the Spirit of God (v. 14) speaks to the fact that we are indwelt with His divine nature and that reproduces the character of the Father in us. Those who exude the character of the Father are sons (uihos) of the Father in an evidentiary sense. They therefore can effectively carry on the purposes of the Father as representative heirs (see Matt. 5:44).
 
In verse 15 Paul makes the distinction he alluded to in verse 13. As adopted sons now having the full right of sonship we are no longer in bondage under a tutor enforcing particular regulations. We have, rather, complete and free access to interact with the Father – the Spirit of adoption (uihothesia) by which we cry out ‘Father!’ This diligent, passionate interaction is life transforming.
 
The Spirit testifies to us that we are in fact children (tekna) of God (v.16) – ones who share the nature of the Father. God speaks to our conscious understanding through His Spirit saying: “You are mine and I am yours, living in you and through you.”
 
If we are indeed children then we are heirs (kleyronomos) of God (v.17), joint heirs with Christ ( He is our “brother” – Heb. 2:11) meaning we share in all that is His, from his suffering to His glory, the perfect, perpetual presence of God.
 
This is profound and worthy of contemplation. Ponder the work accomplished by the Son – that we should be called sons and daughters of God.
 
May you have a deeper appreciation for Emmanuel this Christmas.

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Sonship Part 3: Sons of God Through Faith in Jesus Christ

In the first two verses of Galatians 4, Paul describes a traditional Hebrew, Greco-Roman process where a son, at the appointed time established by the father, transitions from being under a tutor – strict elementary disciplines – to adoption wherein the son as an heir receives the full right of sonship. In application, the apostle is not delineating for us the process of an individual’s redemption through coming to faith but is contrasting eras in the history of redemption. The law was a tutor to God’s people of faith and as such, people under the law were in bondage under the elements of the world. The term “world” here does not refer to the world system that does not acknowledge God, but basic religious disciplines in the realm of the physical and temporal – do not touch, taste, handle. The law, as tutor, simply delineated moral behavior as required by God for His people. Then came the adoption in the fullness of time.

The transition from child-under-a-tutor to full right of sons (adoption) was when God sent His unique Son – second Person of the trinity – to redeem. At this point, the righteous requirement of the law was absolutely fulfilled in Christ’s perfect life and redemptive sacrifice. This act opened the way for us (people of faith) to receive adoption with the full right of sonship. Now, as adopted sons, those of faith are no longer under bondage – the strict discipline of moral codes -- but under grace as partakers of the divine nature indwelt with the Spirit of His Son.

Instead of acting to fulfill a moral code through strict discipline, (therefore you are no longer a slave but a son) the sons of God are free to act according to an inherited nature (Spirit of His Son) rooted in a loving relationship with the Father. The freedom to approach and interact with the Father develops that inherited nature.

The statement that the Spirit of His Son in your hearts is crying out “Abba, Father” means that we are at liberty to call aloud to the Father. We were designed for this and the liberty to do so means the impediment has been removed. Calling out to the Father implies endearing relationship and intimate, trusting interaction.  Because we were designed and desired for relationship with God, He has now graciously equipped us with the ability to freely commune with Him in right relation.  Therein alone is transformational power that will produce the holy character of an heir who represents and carries on the values and purposes of the Father.

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Sonship Part 2: You Are All Sons of God through Faith in Jesus Christ

"For it was fitting that He, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, 'I will tell of Your name to My brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.' And again, 'I will put my trust in Him.' And again, 'Behold, I and the children God has given Me.'"
~Hebrews 2:10-13

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God sent forth His Son and has spoken to us by His Son. Because of the only begotten Son’s redeeming and reconciling work we can gaze upon the love that the Father has lavished on us – that we should become children of God.  Here is how God in His self-disclosure refers to us in Christ:

Sons – God, who determined the existence and purpose of time, space and creation, had the objective of bringing many sons to glory. Mankind, as the chief creation of God, was designed and desired for relationship with the Creator Himself. Because God is personal, that relationship must necessarily be rooted in love, which is by definition a choice.  Because God is absolutely holy, that relationship must also be perfect in righteousness and absent of any quality that counters the perfect character of holy God. So God purposed to bring many sons to glory through the redemptive work of the Author of their salvation. The sons are the ones who place their faith in that Author – Jesus Christ – who became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Through faith, sinful man is justified (made righteous) and therefore able to be reconciled to the perfect, holy Creator. The glory of it is the perfect, perpetual presence with the infinitely holy and loving God – eternal relationship.

All of one – The sanctified are those who, through faith, are set apart for God’s purpose. God is glorified in their good works specifically through the ministry of reconciliation. As sons, we are representative heirs: we will inherit eternal life and all the riches of God because we are born of God and partakers of His divine nature. We have been born of incorruptible seed states Peter, and John asserts that God’s seed remains in us because we have been born of God. The believer and Christ are all of one because we share a righteousness that is divine in origin. It can also be said that we are of one in the sense that Christ was fully man (though not of Adam) and as such could fully represent us in His redemptive work. The sanctification and the representation are both in the arena of moral character. We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works – works that glorify God and reconcile man because we have been made the righteousness of God in Him. Compare and contrast Matthew 5:9, 44-45 vs 13:38; Eph. 2:2. Sonship is clearly linked to moral character that represents the parent as an outflow of the inherited nature.

Brothers – He (Christ) is not ashamed to call them brothers: the “them” of this statement are the sons, the representative joint-heirs who share the divine nature – those of us who are begotten of Him. We are brothers and sisters with Christ in the sense that we share a connection from the “womb” as those who have been born of God.

Part 3 next week.

BUILDING UPDATE
The Building Planning Team has submitted a building expansion and renovation plan that – we believe – can be accomplished very close to our intended goal of $1.5 million.  The board has approved this plan to be forwarded to Fourth Elm to proceed with the preconstruction project.  Our goal is that this proposed plan can be presented to the congregation for initial consideration at the Annual Business Meeting on January 12 at 6:00PM with details, expected costs, and drawings.

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Sonship Part 1: You Are All Sons of God through Faith in Jesus Christ | Galatians 3:26

Just as the disciples expressed wonder and astonishment at the nature of Jesus’ person after He calmed the sea with three words – “what manner of man is this!?” – so John the apostle expressed wonderment at the nature of God’s love – "behold what manner of love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God." There are profound depths to be explored in the revealed truth that we as finite, frail, fickle and fallen creatures could be called children of the infinite, holy, and perfect Creator/God. 
 
This sonship is more than the conventional idea that we are all children of God as products of His creation. Becoming a child of God is entrenched in the one and only eternally preexistent Son of God: "as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God." This unique Son of God is the "author of salvation" with the objective of "bringing many sons to glory" (Heb. 2:10).  For that reason "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." Indeed, God "sent forth His Son" and has "spoken to us by His Son." But this Son is unique as the "only begotten Son of God" because He is the same essence as God the Father and is the only one of a kind who can fully and exactly express the Father as the representative heir.
 
The infinite God revealed Himself to us in a relationship that can be understood by finite man.  John recorded a prayer by the Son to the Father that expressed not only the eternal preexistence of the Son in perfect relationship with the Father, but that we, created in His image, are designed and desired for relationship also (see John 17:20-24).
 
Key terms of relationship in the New Testament that describe the believer (Jn. 3:36) include child (teknon) meaning offspring or shared nature; son (huios) meaning one in the position of heir and who can represent; adoption (huiothesia) meaning one who receives the full right of sons; brother (adelphos) meaning connected from the womb; and heir (kleronomos) meaning one who will inherit.  All of these titles apply to the believer in Jesus Christ with all the honors, rights and privileges appertaining thereto.

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Gratitude Is A Key To Wisdom

The essential idea of wisdom (ḥākam) in the Old Testament represents a manner of thinking and attitude concerning life’s experiences including matters of general interest and basic morality. These concerns relate to prudence in secular affairs, skills in the arts, moral sensitivity, and experience in the ways of the Lord[1]

To be precise, wisdom is life lived well. It is not to be thought of synonymously with intelligence, for many knowledgeable and smart people do not live life well.

Proverbs 2:6-11informs us that it is “the Lord [who] gives wisdom. From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” This manifests in our lives by justice, equity (integrity & uprightness), and every good path.

You become wise by studying the acts of God. As you are formed by God’s loving faithful discipline and restoration you will become grateful for His faithful love.

An ungrateful person will be prone to act foolishly in two ways. First, God becomes small. In such a case one develops an inflated self-perception or thinks of him/herself too much  and proceeds to live out acts of self-importance. This manifests in arrogance and demands for affirmation. “His soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him” (Habakkuk 2:4). This person’s reckless  pride will lead to folly and failure.

Secondly, God’s love is forgotten.  When one forgets God’s boundless and enduring love, he or she will go looking for love in places and degrees that will leave a soul thirsty, wanting, and often hurting.

If you find yourself drifting, dry, and prone to complain – and we all are from time-to-time in varying degrees –  study what God has done; contemplate his justice and grace. He is for you. Most importantly, remember His faithful love; it is his chief self-description.  When life under the sun is done, the grateful person will be more likely to hear, “Well done!”
 

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
for His steadfast love endures forever!"

Psalm 107:1

 

[1] Goldberg, L. (1999). 647 חָכַם. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 282). Moody Press.

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Captivated

It is possible, sadly, to be in Christ yet still perceive God as our judge who stands ready to condemn us every time we step out of line. If that is our perception of God, then that is how we will represent Him to others. If our representation of the walk of faith is more about morality, then our perception of God is probably not of the one who has done all the work necessary to reconcile us to Himself. People cannot just “get in line” with our Christian ideas of morality. God is the one that must reconcile them, and only if they have been credited with the righteousness of Christ. If our religion is one of criticism and judgment, then we hold the false idea that the “bad” must become “good.” God has given us “the ministry of reconciliation” (Romans 5:11), not a ministry of moral demands and judgment. The wrath of God is necessary, but He has saved us from that wrath. He has entrusted the ministry of reconciliation to those already reconciled. Paul made this abundantly clear:

"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). 

That is a powerful purpose for our interaction with people in our world – friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors. We who are reconciled serve as agents of reconciliation. Many are fighting a lonely battle against God. Let us be the ones who communicate that God has opened the gates of reconciliation and peace. 

You may be familiar with the story of Nate Saint, who was one of five missionaries to Ecuador in the 1950s. The five men were murdered by the Waodani people—a primitive, indigenous tribe—while they were trying to make contact with them. In a testament to forgiveness, the families of the slain missionaries later returned to the tribe, eventually winning many of them to Christ. Nate Saint’s son Steve was asked if there was a specific moment of reconciliation between the families of the deceased missionaries and the Waodani tribe. This is how he answered: 

It was a developing thing, but I think the point of reconciliation really was with Mincaye, (the man who killed his father) and my Aunt Rachel. Mincaye said to Aunt Rachel (Nate's sister), “You said that the Creator is very strong.” 

Aunt Rachel said, “Mincaye, He is very strong. He made everything here, even the dirt.” 

Mincaye said, “You said that He could clean somebody's heart. My heart being very, very dark, can He clean even my heart?” 

And Aunt Rachel said, “Being very strong, He can clean even your heart.”

In her journal she wrote that Mincaye got up and walked away but that the next morning he came back excited. He said, “What you said is true. Speaking to God has cleaned my heart. Now it's clear like the sky when it has no clouds in it”. 

That was the real beginning of reconciliation.

This is a beautiful example of God's reconciliation. When we understand that God is a reconciling God, we can see the powerful possibilities that exist for healing in human relationships. When we are reconciled to God, in relationship with Him, our mission is to bring people to reconciliation with God. It is not about making “bad” people “good.” It is, rather, about introducing people to the God who reconciles, bringing them from death to life. 

This article is taken from 7 WORDS that can CHANGEYOUR LIFE, pp.87-90

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Our Oneness in Christ

In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul makes a plea to the Church to understand the uniqueness of gospel-centered relationships because their behavior was incongruous with the gospel (20-22). Unregenerate behavior is to label and divide. Factious “tribes” are what cause conflicts, and even in the Church, those divides may be drawn along cultural, ethnic, political, or socio-economic lines as they were at Corinth. There were also spiritual leader tribes, “I am of Paul” or “I am of Cephas.” Then there were factions created by comparing gifts and functions in the Church as if some were more important than others.

As Paul instructed the Church about the significance of the Lord’s table (23-26) he emphasized the meaning of the body of Christ. A body is one complete whole and the important thing to remember is that Christ took our brokenness upon Himself to rescue us from it and make us whole. The pronouns and verbs He used about the Church (“you” & “do” ) are plural. So, “discerning the body” (29) is a call to understand Christ-centered relationships. The way this practically plays out at the Lord’s table is to “wait for one another” (33). In other words, do this together as one.

Jesus provided a shocking picture of what humble oneness looks like – serving one another.  He, the Creator and Lord, washed His disciple’s feet! 

"If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you."
~ John 13:14–15  

He, after all, is the One who made the provision for other-focused oneness to become a reality through His redeeming work of reconciliation. We who were alienated have been “brought near by the blood of Christ.”  He is our peace and has “made us one(Eph. 2:13-14). Based on this provision, Paul announces our placement through faith in the body of Christ by His Spirit. A body is a clear picture of diversity in unity – every part of the body moves in the same direction and is under the control of one head (1 Cor. 12:12-13).

The pronouncement he makes to the Galtian believers is clear, 

"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
~Galatians 3:27–28

It is not that these categories do not exist any longer, clearly there are still male and female people, but the point is that in Christ we all have equal standing – at the foot of the cross.  That place of humility and oneness compels us to follow the pattern laid out to the Ephesian church – “the unity of the faith,” and “the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” In Christ the whole body is joined and held together. “Each part working properly makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Eph 4:13-16).

This was on the Lord Jesus’ heart and mind when He communed with His Father the night before His crucifixion.  He prayed, not only for His disciples then, but for “those who will believe in Me through their word” (John 17:20) – that’s us! What did He pray for?  

"…that they may all be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I in them and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved Me."
~John 17:21–23

The purpose of God is sure, and Jesus saw His spiritual offspring through the travail of His soul (Isa. 53:11), so the prospect was not just a potentiality, it was definite. What the Lord Jesus could see during His passion was the new (redeemed, reconciled) humanity in unison around the throne.

"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
~Revelation 7:9-10

Every time we gather corporately it is a dress rehearsal and foretaste of the grand reunion of God’s family where we will be forever with Him and perfectly like His Son.

But until that time, Jesus left us with this instruction,  “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Because of the presence of His Spirit in us, He raised the bar on the standard for love. Building on “Love your neighbor as yourself” He gave a new command to “love as I have loved you” (34).  This is the trademark of being Christian – it is our chief witness. So, John asserts, “let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18). Paul backs that up with the directives, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10), and “…through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).

At the Lord’s table we are called to remember Him and His sacrificial work of redemption. But remembering does not just mean recalling to mind, but to act on what you know. The best way to remember the Lord is to live out the humble, loving unity for which He redeemed us.  We don’t create unity; we live in it. As we last met at the Lord’s table the distribution of the bread and the cup was by serving each other and reciting what the Lord Jesus commanded us to do, “I will love you as Christ has loved me.” It was a special and moving time. May we remember Christ by living in the oneness for which He prayed and sacrificed Himself.

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Bind My Wandering Heart To Thee

About to cross the Jordan River into the promised land God commanded His people to build an altar to help them remember and to teach future generations the gracious redemption of Jehovah for His people. The stone monument was to be covered with plaster, and the law He had given them was to be inscribed on it (Deuteronomy 27). 

Moses declared a solemn pronouncement of Israel’s identity: “Keep silence and hear, O Israel, today you have become the people of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 27:9). You are who God says you are, and that carries with it implications for life and behavior.

The leaders of Israel were called to make pronouncements over sinful behaviors. These pronouncements declared that when one practices attitudes or actions contrary to God’s character and purpose, they put themselves on the path of disaster. Another way to put it is, sin makes you stupid and is self-destructive. 

Eight sinful practices are listed in this chapter alone: fear and discontentment can lead you to idolatry (15), dishonoring parents flows from ingratitude (16), disregard for a neighbor’s boundaries is a result of greed (17), exploiting a neighbor's disability is cruelty (18), perverting justice betrays condescending partiality (19), sexual perversion comes from uncontrolled urges (20-23), hatred – indifference for another’s life –  is murder (24-25), and lastly, moral indifference will lead to disaster (26). The monument, the declaration of their identity, and the pronouncements (Deuteronomy 27-28) were a constant call to God’s people to remember who they were, what God had done, and the inferences for their behavior. 

Thankfully the progression of God’s revelation discloses to us the fulfillment of this covenant, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). Now in Christ there is a new altar, “My law written on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 10:16), says the Lord. And the declaration of God is that in Christ we are justified, we are acceptable before holy God because we have received Christ’s righteousness. In this reality the implication on the believer’s life and behavior is “so you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11).

Even in this freedom and rest there remains for us – under the sun – a battle against the distractions of sin through our affections, appetites, and attitudes. This compels us to live at the altar – the reminder of who we are in Christ, and what He has done to make it possible. The altar is not a thing or an event, but a Person – a relationship with the benevolent Sovereign who loves us and gives Himself to us (grace). Living at the altar means a pursuit of that Person.

Unfortunately, we have recently been made aware – yet again – of the moral failure of a high-profile Christian leader. A highly sought after conference speaker, author, and church preacher, this man was on the road a lot. It was discovered and confessed that he had had an inappropriate relationship with a woman for an extended time meaning much of his preaching had been done in deceit and hypocrisy. The news dismayed many young pastors and seminarians who admired this leader.

Among the responses from influential leaders, one said, “You won’t have sex with a woman not your wife if you are never alone in a room with a woman not your wife.” While this is true, it is little more than sin management. External boundaries have their place in our fight against temptations as Paul stated, “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27). But external rules (sin management) are an incomplete answer. Paul also said, “they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (Colossians 2:23). So, one might ask, what resource and ability does the Christian have to keep from getting trapped in stupid sins?

Think about it – this admired author, pastor and conference speaker was very busy for God, but he was not walking with God. He was not living at the altar – in a passionate pursuit of God, delighting in Him so that his wandering heart would be bound to the One who alone is our highest good and deepest satisfaction. Too often, Christians mistake their busyness for God as their walk with God. They are not the same.

Paul makes it clear that our position has profound implications for our affections and attitudes. “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1–2). An altar is a place of communion and sacrifice. For the one who belongs to God it is a habitual space in your life of undisturbed communion where you seek God and delight in him with all your heart & soul. You draw near to God. 

When you draw near, the loving Father speaks to you through His self-disclosure. You contemplate His words and meditate on them. And you respond to Him with adoration, confession, and thanks, surrendering yourself to Him anew each time. Even more, He has promised that when you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you! Living at the altar will captivate our heart, binding it to Him (See John 14:23). Out of this, the practical daily good thing for us in the battle is cleansing our sinful hands and purifying our double-minded hearts (James 4:8).

Practicing the presence of God in this way will find us abiding in Christ. Jesus invites His followers to abide in him like a branch abides in the vine drawing fruit-producing life from it (John 15:5).  John’s striking statement is, “Whoever abides in Him does not sin” (1 John 3:6 NKJV). The apostle – with an absolute negative – is pointing out wo mutually exclusive activities, practicing sin and abiding in Christ. You cannot do both at the same time. Jesus left us an example so we could walk in His steps, encourages Peter. As we pursue Him, we become like Him. Then we will practice the qualities that reflect His character, and in practicing these qualities, he asserts, we “will never fall” (2 Peter 1:10). “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:14). 

When you are drawing near to the Father and walking in Jesus’ steps you are walking in the Spirit. When you walk in the Spirit you “will not gratify the selfish desires of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Jesus said that His Spirit “will teach you and bring to remembrance all that I have said” (Jn. 14:25). He illuminates God’s self-disclosure to us, and the Holy Spirit in us is our ability to follow Jesus and abide in His word which frees us from being crippled in bondage. The Spirit of God works with the word of God informing and transforming our affections (what we love) and attitudes (how we think), so we can practically affirm in our life experience what the Psalmist expressed, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).

What is more, “His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” and by Him we cry out, “Abba, Father!” Such a cry expresses the satisfying sense that we are fully loved, supplied, and protected. We shall not want.

Romans 8:13-14 summarizes it well: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Yielding to the lure of selfish desires comes from feeding out of the dumpster of self-preeminence. Count on the fact that it will end in disaster.

But living at the altar offers us a banquet for our highest good and deepest satisfaction. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). In Christ, we have the selective power of what occupies our hearts (affections) and minds (attitudes). Paul Tripp accurately states, “Sin is a battle of the heart and is won or lost there.” Living at the altar – delighting in the Trinity – must be where we are labor-intensive. It means we never lose the wonder of a passionate pursuit of God. This will bind our wandering hearts to Him. 

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

A Powerful Relationship – God Wants You!

A Powerful Relationship – God Wants You!

“I now know the Bible says I am a new creation,” the believer might say, “but what do I do with that knowledge? Where do I go from here to become like Christ without just trying harder?”

This question becomes crucial in the day-to-day where the believer finds himself confronted with urges and temptations that are contrary to the character and purpose of God. Because he still resides in a corruptible tent, the unredeemed body, the believer continues to battle the selfish and self-destructive “lusts of the flesh.”  Paul explains this battle in Romans 7:18: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” This truth is also evident in Romans 8:23: “even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

The daily battle against the luring of sin must be waged with the right foundation of knowledge in regard to the liberating truth of regeneration. First, God’s transformation in one’s life (regeneration) is not a personal, self-imposed reformation. Second, life transformation is something only God can do because He creates life where life did not exist before.

Peter affirms that the believer is born of “incorruptible seed,” and John explains that this seed is God’s seed. A seed is a power-packed bundle of life, but that seed must grow in order to produce. Likewise, growing in grace is imperative for the believer. God made us for Himself and in Christ has reconciled us to Himself. The fact that Jesus “laid down His life” (I John 3:16) “to bring you to God” (I Pet. 3:18) carries profound meaning. God wants a relationship of deep personal interaction with you. Transformation into the image of Jesus Christ is realized through the passionate pursuit and development of that relationship. This truth is encapsulated in the lyrics of the CityAlight song "I Want To Know You"
 

I've tried in vain a thousand ways
My fears to quell, my hopes to raise
But what I need, Your word has said
Is ever, only, Jesus


You died, You live, You reign, You plead
There's love in all Your words and deeds
This weary heart finds all it needs
In ever, only, Jesus


I want to know You, Jesus my Lord
King of the Heavens, King of my soul
I trade my treasures and all my rewards
Jesus, to know You, then know You more.
[i]

 

[i] I Want to Know You lyrics © Farren Love And War Publishing, Integrity's Alleluia! Music, Cityalight Music

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Differing With Grace

Having witnessed the first American assassination attempt in forty-three years this past weekend, it seems this is a good time to check our attitudes toward those with whom we disagree. I will be blunt – this is an area where Christians can very easily be squeezed into the world’s mold and act in the flesh. In contrast to the natural arms of vitriol and violence, our weapons of warfare are truth and grace.

Jesus said the peacemakers are blessed along with the pure in heart, the meek, and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. But it seems many think that happiness cannot be enjoyed unless their way is affirmed and realized. This is a tactic of the adversary of our souls.
 
As one journalist wrote, “On the national scale, at least, large portions of our politics amount to saying, ‘Raca’ and ‘You fool!’ We are cruel and vicious…We offer no mercy and abide no grace for our political enemies. We are not patient, hopeful, or kind. We do not hunger and thirst for righteousness but for power and vengeance.”*

People will always be people, they say. But if the biblical doctrines of regeneration, being born of God as new creations, being indwelt and filled with the Holy Spirit, and being conformed to the image of Christ are true, Christians are becoming Christlike.  Faith in Christ is not just a matter of what we believe, it is how our lives are being transformed because we have entrusted ourselves to God’s self-disclosure and His Son’s redemptive work.

One can and ought to be confident and gracious at the same time. There should never be dialogue where the follower of Christ is not gracious (Colossians 4:6). This should be true whether we are having a political or a theological dialogue. Love never affirms sin but is gracious toward the sinner. Let’s remember the church did not outlast the Roman Empire through political means. Jesus said that not even the gates of hell could prevail against His church. Let’s be careful to remember where the strength of our mission lies.  

"The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them."+

So, keep the big picture in view. Be informed with objective truth. In other words – don’t just listen to those who affirm what you think you know or believe. Follow the information, seek truth with integrity. Strive to understand those who differ with you. Be willing to engage them with conviction and character. Most importantly, remember that they bear the image of God.

_____________________
*Bonnie Kristian Christianity Today, Oct. 30, 2020
+
Journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett (1862-1931)

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Attractive Grace

As one is transformed by grace, one becomes a dispenser of grace. In this way, grace can and should be a most compelling argument for the truth claims of Christianity. Consider this statement: “Some people reject Christianity based on a decision to have nothing to do with it; others have a vague sense of hostility toward it. Since they may be rejecting Christianity because of a distorted view of it, it is essential that believers make clear what Christianity is all about.”[i] 
 
If grace is not presented clearly – in word and in life – then its vitality and productivity will be obscured. One expositor asserts: “If the transforming power of God is at work in me, changing me, it will also be at work through me.”[ii] Grace lived out is attractive and authenticating.  The world needs grace, and Christians carry the message of grace. Christians ought to produce appropriate verification of the transforming power of grace in their lives.  Martyn Lloyd-Jones provides a fitting conclusion: “The world today is looking for and desperately needs true Christians. Men would know that there is dynamic in the Christian gospel; they would know that this is a [living] thing; they would not go looking for anything else. They would say ‘Here it is.’ And when the world sees the truly Christian man, it not only feels condemned, it is drawn, it is attracted.”[iii]
 
A key way for the church to exercise practical grace is through hospitality. I was happy to see on Sunday that all of the booklets, How Can I Grow in Hospitality? were taken from the kiosks. We will have more booklets available – they are currently on order. If you’d rather not wait for them to be delivered, you can order from the link above. Let me reiterate my encouragement to you – take a Sunday night (or two, or a few) this summer to invite someone or a family you don’t know well* and bless them. “Hospitality is an expression of love to God and others. It is pointing another image-bearer Godward by welcoming that person into our lives and hearts for the sake of Christ. True hospitality is the open-handed acknowledgement of the goodness of God toward us that overflows to others.”iv
 

*A really good idea might be to invite a visitor to GBC
[i] Alister E. McGrath, “Apologetics to the Romans,” Bibliotheca Sacra (Oct.-Dec. 1998), 391

[ii] Zane C. Hodges, “Making Your Call and Election Sure: II Pet. 1:5-11” Journal of the Grace Evangelical society (Spring, 1998), 26

[iii] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1959-60), 18
ivKeri Folmar, How Can I Grow in Hospitality? (Crossway 2024) p.15
 

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

At Work

A lot has happened in the life of our congregation in the first half of 2024. God leads some through seasons of adversity, He moves some of His people home to heaven, others He moves to different paths of ministry. All these events added up can give one a brief moment of pause because they  involve change and separation. But God is doing something. He always works for His glory and our good.
 

“My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working.”
John 5:17 (NIV)

 

The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are always at work drawing people to Himself. He is restoring wounded souls, opening the eyes of understanding, and strengthening the inner man. He is building His church, and we are blessed to have a part in it.

The gospel promotes human flourishing because it introduces people to the Prince of Peace who reconciles and restores, creating and expanding a new humanity, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Even this land of the free and home of the brave that celebrates its 248th birthday today is no match for the righteousness that is the scepter of His everlasting kingdom.

The mystery of God’s will is that we do not create it or bring it to pass – God does. We know He is good and worthy of our trust. So, rest in the delight of our good and gracious King. These are pivotal days at Grace Bible Church, so let’s follow Him in obedience and stewardship and watch what He does.

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Three Things You Should Know

1. Igniting Passion for God’s Word

The next Sunday Night Seminar series will be the first three weeks of September. We will start the fall series with a BANG…I will teach the Walk Thru the Bible otLive event on September 1st, 8th and 15th. These three hours of teaching will be highly interactive, memorable, and – I promise – you will have an enjoyable time as we walk through the entire Old Testament. You will learn key people, places, and plans bringing together the whole Old Testament storyline so you that will grasp the big picture of God’s purpose of leading us to Christ.

The otLive event is not only a memorable learning experience, but the gospel will be clearly presented too, so be thinking about which FRAN you may want to invite. Not only will this event develop your biblical literacy, it will also boost your biblical passion. The word of God changes everything!
 
2. Bookends of Summer

This coming Sunday night, June 30th, is our scheduled time at the Lord’s Table. This time together is a special highlight in the life of our faith family. It is here that we mutually acknowledge the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and affirm our shared identity in Him. Our Lord instituted this rite of remembrance for our benefit and blessing, and for His honor. So, we who are reconciled to Him, lets heed His invitation, and meet at His table of acceptance. As is our practice, we will enjoy a time of fellowship together after this service and could use your help in providing food for that time together. You can sign up here to bring food to share.

For the following seven Sundays of the summer, I want to encourage you to practice the virtue of hospitality. Set apart a Sunday evening to invite a family or single over to show them you care and want to get to know them. “The more you love your church, the more you will want to know her members. The better you know the members, the more you’ll love them. In other words, hospitality increases your love for your church.”* Developing the virtue of hospitality will be a key factor in our ability to reach our generation. We will bring our hospitality together once again at the Lord’s Table on August 25th (just before the otLive event in September). The celebration of the Lord’s Table and the fellowship afterwards will be a special occasion – I know you will want to be there.
 

3. Expansion Outlook

The building planning team has met numerous times over the past several months. Having crafted a floor plan and site plan with the guiding insight and skill of architect Wayne Roberts, we have also met with the highly recommended contracting firm Fourth Elm, to get a general idea of the cost. With the approval of the board, Fourth Elm is now drawing up more formal floor and site plans, along with visual renderings to present to the congregation. Stay tuned for a date to be set for an informational meeting. God is growing our family and we want to be good stewards of what He has entrusted to us. Let's pray together to that end.
_________________
*Keri Folmar, How Can I Grow in Hospitality (Crossway) -- This resource will be made available to you by the church

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

In Christ

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."
Ephesians 2:13

A key motif in New Testament theology is the assertion that we are in Christ. This two-word phrase used some thirty times – not including other phrases like “united with Christ” – is a favorite statement Paul used to describe the follower of Jesus. For example, in Ephesians 2:4-13 the apostle uses the phrase three times (v.6, 10, & 13) as well as the related phrase “with Christ” in verse five. This great text begins, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great  love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved…” (v.4-5). For those of us who have surrendered in faith to Jesus He is our righteousness, our element, our dwelling place, our security, our identity. It is our union with Christ that makes us acceptable to the Holy Father and rescues us from alienation. Instead, we are reconciled, we are God’s elect, holy and beloved, we are a chosen generation, a holy priesthood, the people of God, seated with Christ; our life is hidden with Christ in God.

The beautiful product of the gospel is pointed out in John 1:12, “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” Later, John writes “everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him” (1 John 5:1). Being in Christ is not only our union with Him, but the focal point of our unity in Him. You and I may be very different people with different lifestyles, cultural tastes, and ethnic backgrounds, but in Christ we can say “He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one” (Eph. 2:14). In other words, we may be people who, culturally, have little in common and would likely not find any natural connection in life in general. But in Christ, we share the same identity, so ours becomes a gospel-centered relationship.  

This is something for which today's society is desperately searching. But apart from the gospel, the forces of society pursue such unity by labeling and dividing. Everyone is expected to wear their label with public pride, and demand affirmation of it because the Self is supreme. The gospel of Jesus rescues us from this chaotic division, and we find our unity in our union with Christ – The supreme Being. This becomes a foreshadow of heaven – every tribe and tongue and nation focused on worship of the Lamb who is worthy.

Our Lord Jesus instituted a rite that would remind us of this reality. We call it the Lord’s Table. It is a time of communion – unity amongst the saints based and focused upon the redeeming work of Jesus.  Jesus commanded, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”  Remembering is not just mental recall, but it is putting what we know into action.  He said that by demonstrating such communion (unity in Him), we proclaim His redemptive work.  We need to be reminded of our identity in Christ, our unity in Christ, and our righteousness in Christ with humility, awe, and adoration – together.

Our next Lord’s Table is scheduled for June 30th at 6:00 p.m.  Let’s heed our Savior’s invitations to His welcoming table. As we come together, we demonstrate our love for Him and our love for each other. We are family - it’s time to come to the table.

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Arise, Shine!

How delightful it was to worship with you on Sunday!  "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" (Ps. 133:1). I could not help but contemplate the beauty and attractiveness of the church set against the darkness of the times.

Psalm 45 is a majestic wedding song of a Davidic king in fulfillment of God’s covenant with David (2 Sam. 7). The groom/king is described in his majesty and splendor. “In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness.” (v4). As the king prepares to take his bride unto himself, the attributes of his reign are lauded. The imagery of this Psalm is quoted by the writer of Hebrews (Heb.1:8-9), and it is prefaced by God speaking to the Son. The Son of God was also a son of David.

This Son will rule, and His kingdom is one of truth, goodness, righteousness, and beauty. He rules now among His people with truth, in contrast to a cultural movement that affirms only what one feels.  He rules with goodness, juxtaposed to the current conventional wisdom that it is now acceptable to oppress one who disagrees with you. He rules in righteousness, in distinction to many who “call evil good and good evil” (Isa. 5:20). Righteousness is the scepter of His kingdom, and His throne is forever and forever (v6). He is the One who makes everything beautiful – properly fitting together – in its time (Ecc. 3:11).

The groom/king’s bride is described as beautiful as she is brought to him. She is at his right hand, but “since He is your Lord, bow to him.” Then “With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king” (v15). This imagery of the majestic king taking a subject as his bride is replete through Scripture. It is a portrait of hope and great joy.

Sing this song, making melody in your hearts to the Lord (click here to listen/sing along with the lyric video): “Arise, shine, for your light has come! Arise, shine for the risen Son. Lift your eyes, we are His radiant bride. Arise, O Church, arise!”1  May you live joyfully in your union with Christ the King!  May we champion the cause of truth, meekness, and righteousness as citizens of His kingdom spreading the fragrance of Christ.
 
1 “O Church Arise, Arise Shine” by Getty and Townend. Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

What Have We Done with Truth?

Truth has a name and finds its foundations in the infinite personal Being. That is why the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Life cannot make sense if we do not build on the right foundation.  Moving off the foundation onto shifting sands is the regression of reason outlined in Romans 1:18-32. It begins with a diminished view of God.  To not glorify Him as God is to marginalize Him in our thinking, then “I” become bigger and more important, longing for a god that I can manipulate in order to satisfy my own appetites with a propensity to focus on what I deserve and what I don’t have.
 
Discontentment follows a small view of God. All good things are from God and we are willing to use His gifts but not willing to thank Him for them. Instead, we take them for granted and demand their continuance and increase. This disposition of ingratitude develops character in the direction of self-gratification which is ultimately empty and unsatisfying.  When all I have to live for is myself, the only end I can expect is despair.
 
When the Person is evicted from my heart and mind, then my house becomes dark and empty, full of unwelcomed creatures. When the infinite Creator is diminished or denied then all that is left for me to reference is matter; life becomes a sensual pursuit, and if all is matter than how does anything really matter?
 
What have you done with truth?  Remember that the foundation of reality is Personal. Truth has a name.  Engage His communication and delight in it. Your end will be delighting in Him – the very purpose for which you were designed.

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.

Start With "Why?"

The LA Times once presented the following headline: 

"There's little privacy in a digital world: Users of TVs, computers and smartphones leave technological fingerprints wherever they go, and companies are lapping up the data."


David Sarno of the Los Angeles Times writes: “Eric Hartman doesn't pay much attention to his iPhone. But the iPhone is paying attention to him. Buying milk at Ralph’s? Playing World of Warcraft? Texting dinner plans to friends? Binge watching on Netflix? It's all recorded. Over the course of a day, hundreds of digital traces pile up, each offering more insight into the way Hartman and his family live.”
 
The idea of keeping track of all that you’ve done and every place you’ve been in the course of a day…a week...could be world-shattering. Think of the benefits of keeping a budget – not so much to limit spending but to record where the expenditures go. I challenged a young man once to keep track of how much he spent weekly on his Mellow Yellow “habit.” He assumed he was spending a “few bucks” when, in reality, after keeping record, he discovered it was more like $90.00!
 
What if you decided to do that instead of just Apple and all the merchants that compete for your loyalty? The time you have has already been numbered. You have been entrusted with it. So what if you kept record of all your activity, then upon review at the end of the day asked the question “Why did I do this?” Follow that up with “Why do I exist?” But to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love as Christ has loved me.
 
This could be revolutionary -- "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17 ESV)
 

“So teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

Psalm 90:12

Copyright © 2024 Grace Bible Church, All rights reserved.