Productive and Useful | 6/13/2023

Atrophy of the muscles is no fun – though one can unwittingly glide right into it through a sedentary lifestyle. Then, come the time that one’s muscles are stretched by engaging prolonged or strenuous activity, there is pain involved because the muscles are depleted. We all know that the antidote for such a painful experience is regular exercise.

When one drifts into a sedentary spiritual lifestyle, he becomes near-sighted, practically blind, and forgetful. He will lose sight of God’s goodness and start living for the “dot” (preoccupied with the immediate) instead of living for the “line” (the big picture of God’s character and purpose). Unless  you are purposeful about physical exercise you will experience muscular atrophy. Unless you are persevering in spiritual disciplines, you will drift into spiritual atrophy.

So let’s review the homework of honing your spiritual workout from Sunday morning’s sermon:

  1. Exercise your memory of the grace that has been lavished on you – 2 Peter 1:2-4, 13

  2. Train your vision with the grace laid up for you – 1 Peter 1:13

  3. Walk with Jesus by studying him and keeping in step with his Spirit – 2 Peter 2:21

  4. Climb the steps of spiritual growth to Christ-likeness – 2 Peter 1:5-7

Please understand, this is not done in the power of the flesh (just trying harder to be better) but by God’s grace – remember, surrender, and delight.

On another note, Grace has been gracious in the wake of last Sunday’s Q&A on the merger conversation. Thank you for your kind spirit. Also, helpful critiques of the May 21 combined service proved beneficial for the June 11 combined service. I am profoundly grateful to those who have invested much time, skill, and effort into the administration of the combined services. Your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Mark your calendars – July 2nd is back on for a combined service with Vienna.  If you have observations and recommendations for what needs a little more attention, we will be glad to hear from you.

I urge you to pray that through the power of remembering we will be productive and useful in our walk of faith as the people of God.
 

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