Prepare to Say, “Thank you”

Karleigh King November 16, 2021

This simple phrase is a significant decoration of human life. It is also too easily neglected. When we overlook gratitude, it is revealing. Much can be said about the ignorance and defiance of our hearts, but one thing Paul pinpoints is ingratitude: For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened (Romans 1:21).

Why would I overlook gratitude? It could be that I am focused on what I think I should have. I don’t feel thankful. This was the adversary’s tactic from the beginning. I fail to remember that every good gift is from above coming down from our Father (James 1:17). Pride inhibits gratitude. I don’t want to appear needful or dependent; I want to be known as self-sufficient. But when I awake from my delusion of self-ownership and recognize that I am fundamentally a contingent being, my attention is turned to the One who gives me good gifts. You are good and do good, says the Psalmist (119:68). I am grateful. “Thank you” is an expression of sanity and humility.

In 1 Corinthians 4:7 Paul asks, what do you have that you did not receive? Stop and think about that. We are entering a busy time of year. Stress and expectations can be like suckers on a tree that rob it of water and nutrients. Snip off those suckers. Set appropriate margins for your time and activity. Take time on purpose to contemplate and reflect. Be thankful for what you do have. And remember, the most precious things in life are not things.

Scenic View

Karleigh King November 13, 2021

Perspective is helpful and important to appreciate context, beauty, and order. That is why at times as I have hiked around state parks at higher elevations, I would find a rock on which to sit and enjoy the view and contemplate. But perspective is limited and can be distorted. An inadequate lens will misrepresent the perspective, then important things will be missed, and the resulting attitude or action will be impacted negatively.

While reading Acts 7 I was struck by Stephen’s scenic view, and even more so by the impact of that perspective on his attitude. Stephen was experiencing physical violence, during which he was given a glimpse of Jesus Christ. His focus in that dreadful moment was on the perfection of Christ and the majesty of His glory. As a result, his expression was one of trust. He was redeemed by Christ, he belonged to Him and was His precious possession. This led Stephen to joyful anticipation; Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. This violent moment was but a door to a far greater beauty and reality to be experienced – the very presence of God, face to face with Jesus, his sovereign Creator and gracious Redeemer, in whom is no darkness at all. The One in who’s presence is fullness of joy and pleasures evermore.

With this finish line in view, we are called to endure the marathon of this life under the sun with all its obstacles and frustrations. If we don’t lose sight of the One who is our soul’s reward, then we can say with the Psalmist, what can man do to me? Yes, we can and will be “kicked.” Each one of us takes our turn on the blunt receiving end of people’s broken sinfulness – including our own. Rarely will it be at the level that Stephen experienced. So, let’s learn from his experience, because how he responded is attributed to his scenic view. He not only had a good perspective, but an accurate lens through which he was able to appreciate the beauty and context of his reality.

The light of God’s self-disclosure shines in our hearts and minds, illuminated by His Spirit, to help us gain Stephen’s perspective. And what does that look like in the harsh realities of life? Gratitude in privation, for God is good and gracious. Joy in adversity, for one is simply satisfied in the perfections of God and His Son, Jesus. And finally, Stephen’s scenic view was manifested in a spirit of forgiveness; Lord do not hold this sin against them. So captivated by the gracious forgiveness of His Savior, Stephen did not focus on himself (i.e., what they were doing to him), but prayed with compassion for those who were captive to their own rebellion against a good and gracious God. This is the power of a godly scenic view – the right perspective with an accurate lens. Gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.

Unity

Karleigh King November 2, 2021

The last 18 months have been a challenge for the unity of the church everywhere. From necessary format adjustments to varying perspectives on the pandemic, along with waning commitment, the evangelical church in many places has struggled; some have had to shut down. I am very happy to report that, even though there have been some transitions, Grace has maintained a clear direction forward and our family bonds are still intact. It has been such a delight to be in the presence of folks that we have not encountered face-to-face for a long time. Gathering – being in each other’s presence – is designed and desired by God. I will quote Jonathan Leeman in Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ is Essential (free copies of this book are available). "What makes gatherings so powerful? The fact that you are physically there. You see. You hear. You feel. Unlike watching something on a screen, in which you’re bodily removed from the thing you’re watching, a gathering literally surrounds you. It defines your entire reality. God made us soul and body, and somehow, mysteriously, he intertwines them so that what affects the body affects the soul."

We have maintained the conviction that the gathering of God’s people is essential to the health of the body of Christ. Our desire for unity is compelling. In June we made the transition back to our pre-pandemic worship format. Now, half a year later, seeing the space that is available in two morning worship services along with the desire to worship together as one body, we are pleased to announce that we will transition to one worship service on Sunday mornings. Please note that this will require adjustments for everyone, so I ask you to seek the Lord to prepare each of us with the mind of Christ – consider others more important than yourself – for what this will entail. This current opportunity has its pros and cons, but we feel the unity of the church outweighs other factors.

When will this happen? The last Sunday of 2021 is on the calendar as a day we celebrate communion. So, on December 26 we will gather at the Lord’s Table at 10:00 a.m. (no other classes/service) for all to come together as His family to remember and celebrate what He has done for us.

It is my desire that our gatherings have the sense of children gathering with their Father in His family room both to honor Him and to hear Him. In this gathering our reality is informed and transformed with His truth, by His Spirit. So, beginning the first Sunday in January, ABFs and children’s Sunday School will be offered from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m. Then we will all gather with Abba, Father in His family room at 10:00 a.m. with ample time to make much of Him, ask of Him, hear Him, and respond to Him. A children’s church teaching time will be available. Also, extra seating in the auditorium and the Gathering Room will be added.

We are delighting in what God is doing among us, and we are looking forward with the vision He has entrusted to us for the mission to which He has called His church.

Trust

Karleigh King October 27, 2021

God is faithful to continue the work of forming you. He has begun a good work in you, and He will continue it to completion (Phil. 1:6). But the sharp edge of the chisel clearing away the hindering bulk and debris is not pleasurable. Luke’s gospel gives an intimate view of this reality. Peter’s denial of Jesus is commonly known, but let’s look at the details (Luke 22:31-34). Jesus give’s Peter a heads up; Satan demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat. The adversary was going to shake things up for the disciples (“you” is plural); their lives were going to get rattled. The picture of sifting is like the farmer grinding the wheat enough to remove the chaff from the grain, then turning it with a shovel to let the wind blow the useless chaff away while the weight of the grain keeps it in the pile. The test is one of worthiness – weight. Was Jesus worthy of their confidence and trust or were they trusting in something unworthy of their confidence?

Peter helps us with his reply to Jesus’ warning, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death. Jesus knew that when the moment of trial came, Peter’s confidence would be in his own strength and resolve. He would trust himself, and that is not a worthy object of trust. Peter’s affirmation was his flesh talking. A rut into which we can all easily slide. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Cor. 10:12).

Here is where we see the faithfulness of Christ. I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. This time the “you” is singular. Take this personally – Jesus prays for you. And when He prays, He does so perfectly in the Father’s will. Such requests the Father delights to answer. Jesus was confident that after Peter’s failure from trusting himself, he would return to Christ as the only worthy object of trust. The useless bulk and debris of mere human self-confidence would be chiseled away. The result was the handiwork of God, molding this fisherman turned apostle into the image of Christ, who then manifested a confidence just like Jesus – trusting His Father who is worthy.

God is faithful to do this in each of us. It is most often painful, but productive. We should never forget that the enemy of our souls constantly wants us to question God’s worthiness of our trust. Because your faithful Redeemer/Reconciler intercedes for you, His perfect goodness and strength compels you to flee from idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14). Reject – walk away from – anything that dares to take the place of Christ as your object of trust in the battle.

Solid Food

Karleigh King October 20, 2021

The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
Ps. 119:130

One of the key claims of those who call themselves “progressive” is that they are “open-minded.” The idea of progress should assume a clear direction, yet no one can satisfactorily define the direction of such “progress.” The conventional thought is that the journey, not the destination, is what is important. Truth is, no one is really satisfied by that.

The verse from the Psalm above helps define the issue. Simple, in the Hebrew, is a word that means “open,” “roomy,” or “wide,” implying open to enticement due to a lack of discernment. In other words, it speaks of a vacancy ready to be filled with the next thing that comes along. The “simple” are the ones who need understanding. What is championed today is that all ideas or beliefs have equal value, so we must leave our minds open to all truth claims and find their inherent value. This sort of “enlightenment” only masks the darkness, where one is “never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7).

In contrast, the Psalmist affirms: “The entrance of Your words gives light.” The light of God’s revelation gives correction and direction in the sense of ultimate progress – toward the true Light (Jn.1:9; Rev. 22:5), a God-ward life. This is why the Psalmist exclaimed: “Your testimonies are wonderful (miraculous), therefore my soul keeps them” (v.129). The sense of “keep them” is to focus upon them. Delitzcsh explains it as “attentive contemplation that is prolonged until a clear, penetrating understanding is attained.”

Open-mindedness is not a goal or an end. Discernment is key to following the information available toward a solid, justifiable conclusion. The writer of Hebrews calls it “having your senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Heb. 5:14). In line with the Hebrews metaphor of “solid food,” may our resolve be equal to that of the Psalmist: “I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Your commandments” (Ps. 119:131).

Habits of Thought

Karleigh King October 14, 2021

A life of integrity is a necessary component to being an ambassador for God. The word integrity comes from the Latin, integritas, meaning “wholeness” or “completeness.” Warren Wiersbe points out: Integrity is to personal or corporate character what health is to the body…. A person with integrity is not divided. He or she is “whole.” People with integrity have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. Their lives are open books. This is important to understanding what it means to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” It is a complete surrendering of one’s whole self to God in thought, desire, and action.

The Psalmist describes his surrender in this way: It is time to act, O Lord, for they have broken Your law. Therefore I love Your commandments…I hate every false way (Ps.119:126-128). His resolve to act in surrendered obedience called for well grounded, reliable knowledge – God’s precepts. Notice, however, that the Psalmist did not say, “I need to apply Your commandments.” Instead, he said, “I love Your commandments.” This man exercised a delight in God’s Word; Scripture molded his habits of thought.

This is how we must develop that godly integrity – as Peter put it, “add to your faith, virtue” (2 Pet.1:5). It is a matter of being “renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Eph.4:23). In other words, don’t just try to apply God’s Word, but let God’s revealed truth mold your habits of thought. This will mold your desires, your actions – your character. We are transformed, as Scripture says, not by applying God’s truth, but by the renewing (renovation) of the mind through God’s truth. W.E. Vine describes this renovation as “adjustment of the moral and spiritual vision to the mind of God.” The first step in this process is the “duty” of delighting, as recorded in the 119th Psalm:

Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. (v.24)

Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. (v.35)
I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love. (v.47)
Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. (v.92)
Great peace have those who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble (v.165)

Integrity is not a put-on – it comes from the core.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

The Joy of Experience

Karleigh King September 23, 2021

There can be so many things that we think about doing. Things that we think would bring us a sense of joy, satisfaction, pleasure, and things that would be accomplishments or bless others. How often do we think about good things to do, but never actually do them?

One activity I have thought about doing is driving on the Blueridge Parkway during the Fall foliage in my Miata with the top down. Right now I’m only in the thinking-about-it mode. I’ve thought about routes, time frames, dates, what I might want to take along, how fast I would go…. So you can say I’m caught in the thinking stage of things. I can dream of taking in the beauty and joy of the experience, but I haven’t acted. I’m not actually out there experiencing it.

The blessing of experience is possible only when we take that first step and move out. That one step is the difference between thinking about and doing. This is a distinction that Jesus made as He taught His disciples right after He had washed their feet – a filthy menial task reserved for slaves. But He served them. Think about that – the Creator serving this rugged, self-focused band of creatures by washing their feet. “I have given you an example,” Jesus said, “that you also should do just as I have done to you.” Then came the punch line, “If you know these things, blessed (happy, fortunate) are you if you do them.”* There it is – the joy and blessing of experience versus thinking about it. James makes it clear that if all we do is just think about it (just being hearers) and never do it, we are deceiving ourselves. That would be like me sharing with you my exhilarating experience of thinking about driving the Blueridge Parkway. What difference does it make?

Take action. Take that first step. Who can you bless? Whose feet can you wash? Where can you experience the joy of serving as Jesus promised. Maybe you could bless a young mother by taking her place in the nursery on Sunday. Maybe you could take a colleague to lunch and listen to his concerns about balancing family and work. However great or small the task, take action to invest in others. You will point them to the One who is the point.

Anyone up for a ride on the Blueridge?
___________________
*John 13:15-17

Your Unique Place

Karleigh King September 7, 2021

The apostle Paul contextualized the gospel – meaning he fit the message to the audience he engaged at the time – but he did not dumb down the gospel to make it more palatable. So when he spoke to the Jews in the synagogue it was like evangelism in the church. When he spoke of Jesus and the resurrection in the marketplace it was like having conversations at the mall or at the corner of 4th and Cherry St. downtown. Paul also spoke to the Areopagus, which was like speaking in the lecture hall filled with professors at the local university. I want you to hear from John Stott about this:

Neither church evangelism nor street evangelism would be appropriate for them. Instead, we should develop home evangelism in which there is free discussion, “Agnostic Anonymous” groups in which no holds are barred, and lecture evangelism, which contains a strong apologetic content. There is an urgent need for more Christian thinkers who will dedicate their minds to Christ, not only as lecturers, but also as authors, journalists, dramatists and broadcasters, as television scriptwriters, producers and personalities, and as artists and actors who use a variety of art forms in which to communicate the gospel. All these can do battle with contemporary non-Christian philosophies and ideologies in a way which resonates with thoughtful, modern men and women, and so at least gain a hearing for the gospel by the reasonableness of its presentation. Christ calls human beings to humble, but not to stifle, their intellect.1

We are all in ministry with various skill sets, gifts, and contexts. Your workplace and FRAN are your unique place to live the gospel and plant seeds of truth. Steward the resources and relationships God has entrusted to you to share the love and the light of Christ.

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all,
that I might win more of them.
1 Corinthians 9:19

______________

1John R. W. Stott, The Message of Acts, p.281

Empowerment

Karleigh King September 1, 2021

Empowerment is a trendy idea. That you should be free to assert yourself goes hand-in-glove with the current notion that liberty means emancipation from all restraint and commitment. Our natural self-preeminence drives us to believe we are sovereign – absolutely free – with our own lives. No one would be more tempted to think such a thing than the ruler of a powerful empire, like Ahasuerus of the Medo-Persians in the fifth century B.C.

The king put on a lavish, men-only feast. Every man who was somebody was there to contribute to the king’s objective which was to display the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness (Esther 1:4). It is not hard to imagine that when you get hoards of men consuming an abundance of wine over several days that some ludicrous decisions might be made. Ahasuerus took the lead. He summoned the queen, Vashti, who was hosting her own event for women, to come so that he could show off her beauty to the men at his party. Vashti refused. The king was furious. How could you even think of denying the king what he wants!? You will pay for this! Ahasuerus looked to his advisors to ask what he should do to assert his authority. Their main concern was how all the women of the realm would be empowered by the queen’s behavior. So, Vashti was deposed, and women remained objects of control.

If I – a finite, dependent being – am empowered and affirmed without a divine reference point who is infinite and sovereign, I begin to believe I am in control over my life, so I take command. I assert myself, and I demand to be pleased and affirmed. Then when another does not cooperate with my agenda, I feel denied and ask, “How could you even think of denying me what I want? You will pay for this!”

Consider Christ, who, for the joy that was set before him endured the cross. Your sovereign Creator humbled himself to invest in you so that you could rise to the height of humanity – His own image. If you think you are influential and have to assert your power over another – you have failed at influence. You are a tyrant. But the mind of Christ is to consider others more important than yourself. That is the influence of transformation. If you are in Christ you can function with the mind of Christ, and that is God’s idea of empowerment – the kind that turned the world upside down!

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 2:5

Godly Pleasure

Karleigh King August 24, 2021

Ants do not bear the image of God because they have no sense of higher purpose, nor do they have any desire for ultimate good. I was reminded of this just after giving my cat a few nibbles for evening snack (meeting his demands like the good staff that I am), when I walked back through the door and noticed movement on the floor. It was a trail of ants scurrying toward an object of desire in our pantry. I got closer and followed the trail of hurried hexapods. The line was advancing up the edge of a shelf, across the top, under the toaster oven, and bingo! —up a five-pound jug of honey with the top slightly open. That is when I discovered an ant tragedy. They were drawn to the sweet, sticky fluid, crawled in the opened lid, and were overcome by what they consumed. That was their end. There on the shelf in our pantry sits a large jug with hundreds of ants drowned in an ocean of delicious honey.

The Bible uses honey metaphorically as something that is sweet (attractive) and nutritional (good for my sustenance), such as God’s commands (Psalm 19:10). Honey also symbolizes luxury and abundance, such as God’s description of the promised land as flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8). God is the giver of all good things, and they are given for our enjoyment. It is a godly thing to experience pleasure, and that pleasure is designed to direct our attention to God. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God (Ecclesiastes 5:19).

As Israel was forewarned before entering the promised land, to enjoy pleasure and ignore or forget Who it came from and why, is to, in the end, be consumed by that pleasure (Deuteronomy 8). Is that not the sad story of humanity? C.S. Lewis would agree. He said, human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.

God is the only pleasure source of which you cannot get too much. He will not consume you when you find your pleasure in Him. If His created substances become your consuming passion, then you diminish your humanity, becoming more like the creatures and ending up being consumed by material that cannot satisfy. If, on the other hand, you pursue the pleasure that is found in Him, then you will progress to the height of humanity, for You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). The more you delight yourself in the Lord, the more His created things will direct you to Him. So feast on the abundance of His presence and drink deep from the river of His delights (Psalm 36:8).

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints,
for those who fear Him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Psalm 34:8-10

A Stream of Water in the Hand of the LORD

Karleigh King August 19, 2021

Most people, when they set off on a journey, like to know where they are headed. Surprisingly, however, the journey of life is largely left up to subjective opinions or resigning oneself to being agnostic about one’s destiny. How many of us are simply content to be comfortable now, and for the foreseeable future? Such an approach to life is manifested in the decisions we make. We think we can determine and control how life will turn out for us. Such things make God chuckle, I’m sure. Or maybe it is what saddens Him.

Do we believe that history is directed? Is there a higher purpose for which to live? Or is faith just something we subjectively grasp in our private thoughts for comfort, without much impact on the big issues of life?

In 538 B.C. a pagan king made a proclamation that the people of Judah were free to go back home to their land, rebuild the temple to their God, and that their neighbors should support them materially in this endeavor. This pagan king was Cyrus, the Persian. Around 700 B.C., long before Cyrus was even born, Isaiah, the prophet of Jehovah, predicted that he would make such a decree. Through the prophet, God called the pagan king Cyrus, My shepherd who will fulfill all My purpose.

At the beginning of the Judean exile to Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar, about 600 B.C., Jeremiah prophesied that the exile would last seventy years. Daniel, in exile, read Jeremiah’s prophecy, which compelled him to a prayer of confession and intercession for his people so that they would be fit to return to the land God had promised their forefathers. The progression is clear – Isaiah’s prediction, Jeremiah’s prophecy, Daniel’s prayer, and Cyrus’ proclamation. Someone is connecting the dots! Even Cyrus recognized that, when he said, God … has charged me to build Him a house which is at Jerusalem. I’ll bet he learned from history books what Nebuchadnezzar learned the hard way, that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men. Indeed, Jehovah was disciplining and directing Judah as the family/nation through which Messiah, Jesus, would come.

God is directing history.

He has a plan for His people.

He is faithful.

Let’s make this the foundation of our attitudes, ambitions, and affections. May God’s Spirit compel us to be faithful stewards of the time, resources, and relationships He has entrusted to us. Then, let us trust Him because He is good.

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times
things not yet done, saying,
“My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose”
I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.
Isaiah 46:9–11

Whole-Hearted Pursuit

Karleigh King August 10, 2021

One reason the Barney Fife character on the Andy Griffith show was so humorous was because there was never a moment that you did not know how he was feeling. Barney mirrored the whole gamut of human emotion front and center. In other words, to watch Barney (and laugh at him) was to see yourself in him. This is one of the values of Scripture. James even refers to the Bible (“the perfect law of liberty”) as a mirror – look in it and see yourself. What needs attention?

I’m reading through 2 Chronicles, which delivers a synopsis of the kings of Judah. According to the opening chapter of Matthew’s gospel, this is the royal heritage of Jesus. What I’m discovering is that this lineage also serves as a mirror. We read about these kings and we can see ourselves. This should challenge us to learn from history because we are prone to make the same mistakes they did. One component that stands out to me is the disposition with which a king engaged his calling.

Jehoshaphat is one of my favorites. Other than Solomon and Hezekiah, he gets the most attention in this book because his heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD. He is referred to as the one who sought the LORD with all his heart. He was not without flaws; he had to be admonished by the prophet of God. But the outcome of his calling, in which he pursued God with all his heart, was joy and peace – not only in himself, but in the people he governed. He knew his limitations, and when he did not know what to do his first resort was to worship.

Joash, Jehoshaphat’s great-grandson, started his reign at the very young age of seven. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. But when the one for whom he performed left the scene, then his performance changed to please others; namely, his peers. And they abandoned the house of the LORD. The result? Joash became treacherous in his calling. Amaziah, his son, did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. Serving God through your calling half-hearted is like being double-minded; the sovereign God of the universe becomes just another object of trust. Amaziah’s reign ended in defeat. His son, Uzziah, ascended to the throne at the age of sixteen. He was a good king and accomplished great things, but when he was strong, he grew proud – to his destruction. Uzziah’s pride rendered him unfaithful and ineffective in the latter part of his reign.

We are not earthly kings, but we each have a calling; as members of a royal priesthood, we serve God. If we pursue our calling with pride, half-heartedly, or just to please others, we will find ourselves at best, feeling purposeless and ineffective; at worst, facing God’s resistance. On the other hand, if we engage our calling with a whole-hearted pursuit of God, it will result in joy and peace that will overflow to the people in our worlds.

Whole-Hearted Pursuit

Karleigh King August 10, 2021

The Approaching Goal – Part 5

Karleigh King August 3, 2021

With the approaching goal in view, the apostle Peter directs us to four activities to keep us focused and on mission so that we finish the race well (1 Peter 4:7-11). The first is rational activity; namely, a continual mindfulness of God; be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers (v.7). Secondly, Peter calls us to keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins (v.8). The third charge Peter gives is to show hospitality to one another without grumbling (v.9). Hospitality is a powerful means of injecting God’s love into the lives of FRAN.

Finally, the apostle instructs, as each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. You have received a gift – not some of you, each of you. You have been entrusted with an ability empowered by God’s Spirit to serve others. These gifts range from waiting on others (diakoneo) to public speaking – and everything in between. The implication of a stewardship is that the manager to whom the gift is entrusted (you) employs it faithfully for the purposes of the owner (God). The practice of your gift is a means of grace to the people in your world. You have been given a specific Spirit-empowered ability to help others follow Jesus. So, identify your gift. Hone the craft by its use. Be a blessing.

Let these activities be your ambition and occupation until you are face-to-face with Jesus. The Godward walk of faith is anything but the passive, casual stroll of a tourist. We are pressing on through this life headed home. While here as aliens and strangers, we have a mission to carry out – the ministry of reconciliation. So let’s live the gospel through our focused mindfulness of God by loving one another earnestly, by showing hospitality, and by serving one another with our entrusted gifts. In these ways we will be the salt of the earth, preserving human flourishing and creating a thirst for the One who is our ultimate good; we will be the light of the world reflecting the goodness of God in Jesus Christ.

Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Yearn to hear Him say, well done, good and faithful servant, as you run into His embrace.

Stir up one another to love and good works…
all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
(Heb. 10:24-25)

The Approaching Goal - Part 4

Karleigh King July 27, 2021

The end of all things is at hand
1 Peter 4:7

The Scriptures give us a glimpse of the finish line – that glorious moment when we see Jesus face-to-face! Until that time we are called to keep our gaze on that Prize so that it will foster perseverance and safeguard us from being distracted from the goal and the mission. The apostle Peter, with the approaching goal in view, directs us to four activities to keep us focused and on mission so that we will finish the race well (1 Peter 4:7-11). The first is a continual mindfulness of God; be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers (v.7). John puts it similarly when he writes, abide in Him, so that when He appears we may have confidence and not shrink from Him in shame at His coming (1 John 2:28). Secondly, Peter calls us to keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins (v.8). Love is the Hallmark of followers of Jesus because it invests in others the way that Jesus invested Himself in us.

The third charge Peter gives is to show hospitality to one another without grumbling (v.9). There is a natural progression; mindfulness of God shows itself in love, and love shows itself in hospitality. Invite those you don’t know well to your table, or a table. Sit down to a meal together. A dear sister among us had recently experienced loss and loneliness. Another couple in the church that did not know her invited her to dine with them. When I went to visit her, she said “You don’t know how much that meant to me!” Now they’ve had several meals together. Your home is a powerful tool to show the love of Christ. Around the table you can be real because you share a common need to satisfy hunger. In that small way you share your common humanity and rise above the current divisiveness of our times. This is a tremendous way for the church to shine. Are you feeling lonely or disconnected? Invite a family to your table and share a meal with them. This is ministry. It is a part of the mission.

Around the table you also share the mind of Christ because it involves investment. This might be why Peter exhorts believers to practice hospitality without grumbling. He wrote this letter to include many Christians displaced from their homes because of their faith. There was a tangible need. You are surrounded by people with needs. Hospitality is a powerful means of injecting God’s love into their lives. Use your table – or any table – to get to know another in order to encourage, to show the love of Christ. God loves a cheerful giver.

The Approaching Goal - Part 3

Karleigh King July 20, 2021

The end of all things is at hand
1 Peter 4:7

The end of all things is at hand, declares the apostle Peter. With so much to distract or preoccupy us we are called to keep the goal in view. When the race is finished then comes the prize. With that in focus, Peter gives us four things to do so that our running the race keeps Christ in view – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:11). Peter begins this short list with a mindfulness of God; Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

He continues with the second item on the list of things to occupy our anticipation of the finish line; Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Mindfulness of God will spill over in love to your neighbor, brother/sister in Christ. Love is the Hallmark of Christ followers. It demonstrates that we have come to know and understand the love He has lavished on us. We love because He first loved us. This is family love as the apostle John points out, everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of Him (1 John 5:1).

Peter is not appealing to how we feel about each other. Jesus’ love wasn’t demonstrated in His feelings, it was demonstrated in His investment in us. Indifference is the opposite of love. To love someone is to care for them and invest in them for their betterment. Peter draws on Proverbs 10:12 to affirm the power of Christian love to overcome sin. Not that love “sweeps it under the rug”, but love invested results in forgiveness and reconciliation. That is the gospel. Our mission is to live the gospel. By this, Jesus said, all will know that you are My disciples.

This keeps Christ in view; it magnifies Him. This love presents an enduring good for which everyone longs. It is found in Christ alone. Edmund Clowney writes, Our love, kindled by God’s love, is stretched by exercise. If love collapses at its first test, it is not worthy of the name. Love never fails. This reality exists in the one who can say, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another,
and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24–25

The Approaching Goal: Part 2

Karleigh King July 14, 2021

The end of all things is at hand
1 Peter 4:7

As a boarding school missionary kid, the anticipation of finishing a semester and going home to Mom and Dad was highly motivational to engage my studies fully. The current chapter of life is a short season; the Bible speaks of it as a vapor – here and then gone. With so much to distract or preoccupy us we are called to keep the goal in view. When the race is finished then comes the prize. With that in focus, Peter gives us four things to do so that our running the race keeps Christ in view – in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:11).

Peter begins this short list with a mindfulness of God. Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. The sound judgment and well-composed mind is a matter of focus. Knowing your aim, you keep your eyes fixed on the target not allowing yourself to be distracted by the noise of the periphery. Peter had personal experience to reference. In the garden, Peter was asked to stay awake and pray while Jesus went on to agonize in prayer to the Father. He failed. Not long after that Peter even denied knowing Jesus, as predicted, much to his chagrin. His mind was distracted by frailty and preoccupied with fear.

Knowing this human propensity by experience, Peter calls us to remain mindful of God. Prayer is a word that means to invoke – to call upon. Its basic meaning is to speak to God. He is directing us to thoughtful communication with our heavenly Father. This is the interaction of a close, loving relationship where you feel God’s heart, think His thoughts, and invoke His power for you to persevere in His purpose. Jesus patterned this well for us in the gospel records. When He had a decision to make or a challenge to face, He preempted it in communion with His Father. I’m guessing Peter learned this too. Feel his passion as he encourages his readers: Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:8–9).

“Oh runner, when the race is won
You will run into His arms!”
Twila Paris, Runner

The Approaching Goal

Karleigh King July 6, 2021

I have been hit by a car. No, really. I was - literally. That was many years ago at boarding school in Venezuela. We were working through the Presidential physical fitness program, and I was running the 500-yard dash along the edge of a boulevard. I vaguely remember seeing the finish line ahead (the coach standing with his clip board and stopwatch) and spending the balance of my energy to sprint ahead and “plow through” that imaginary tape. In my exhaustion I do not remember finishing the race, but when I did (I am told), instead of running off to the right onto the safety of the sidewalk as instructed, I veered left into oncoming traffic. The 1970 blue Opel left a 20-foot skid mark on the boulevard before coming in contact with my spent mortal frame. One night in the hospital, and see? – I turned out okay. I guess I had lost my mind.

The life of the believer can be very much like a marathon. We are called to run with endurance the race that is set before us. The difficulties, the pain, the demand for endurance can distract us out of our minds by searching for relief. That is why Peter instructs, The end of all things is at hand, therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded (1 Peter 4:7). Focusing on Christ – our approaching goal – keeps the big picture of reality in view which stimulates surrendered trust and encourages God’s people in difficulty.

Living in anticipation of the deep satisfaction of His embrace and the realized purpose of His delight is motivational. It prompts us to live for His opinion alone – to hear His “Well done!” Instead of losing our minds in the frenzy, fear or frustration of the battle, our fixed gaze on Christ, expecting His return, grants us sound judgment and well-composed minds so that we see and understand our times, yet live purposefully, pointing to God and magnifying Christ, because we not only see Him, but by His light we see everything else.

For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.
Psalm 36:9

Blessings in Disguise

Karleigh King June 29, 2021

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12

One thing that happens during challenging circumstances or adversity is a test of our attitudes and affections. Trials bring to light the actual desires of our hearts. Our benevolent, sovereign Father ordains trials for us, but His character forbids that He would seek our hurt. Trials in God’s economy are purposeful. God’s faithfulness will allot trials for various reasons, including 1) to teach, 2) to prove genuine faith and love for God, 3) to expose superficial faith and love for God, 4) to discipline.

Trials are indeed blessings in disguise, as J.A. Motyer writes, James teaches us that trials are blessings, in that they lead forward to maturity and the crown of life. But they do not do this by some inherent power of their own. Everything depends on our response and the use we make of our circumstances. Every circumstance we meet, therefore, requires a decision: will we persevere to go on with God, or will we listen to the voice which suggests the easy way of disobedience and disloyalty?

A trial rightly met means opportunities for growing and glorifying God; but a trial wrongly met yields temptations to evil – to attitudes and actions that counter the character and purpose of God. Whether a trial is rightly or wrongly met depends on which desires reign in our hearts. We pursue what we desire.

What do you desire most? On what object are your affections set (Col.3:1-3)? May God’s Spirit have the freedom in you to establish the desire for God that was in the Psalmist, Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:25–26).

O great God of highest heaven, occupy my lowly heart.
Own it all and reign supreme, conquer every rebel part.
Let no vice or sin remain that resists Your holy war.
You have loved and purchased me, made me Yours forever more.
You are worthy to be praised with my every thought and deed.
O great God of highest heaven, glorify Your Name through me.

Bob Kauflin, Sovereign Grace Praise

Doing All Things Well

Karleigh King June 21, 2021

In loud and no uncertain terms, the customer was complaining that all he wanted was the copy of the New York Times that he was holding in one hand while he was waving a fifty-dollar bill in the other. The fight was over the fact that the clerk did not have enough change yet to break the fifty-dollar bill, which made it impossible for him to sell the paper.

This was an early morning opportunity to commit one intentional act of demonstrating the excellence of the generous spirit of Jesus. So, I said to the clerk, "Hey, put the paper on my bill; I'll buy it for him." This immediately defused the tension, and the grateful New York Times guy walked away saying, "Thanks a lot. All I have is yours!" Which evidently did not include the fifty-dollar bill.

To my surprise, when the barista handed me my coffee, he said, "Mister, that was a really nice thing for you to do. This world would be a lot better place to live if more people were like you."1

After Jesus healed a deaf man in Decapolis – a Gentile region (Mark 7:31-37), the people were deeply moved by this man who could remedy the brokenness of human existence. Their assessment of Him was, He has done all things well. The word translated “well” (kalos) is a qualitative term meaning excellent. Jesus is the One who said, I make all things new. The reality for us in Christ is that we are already new creations. His righteousness and goodness reside in us. Therefore, Paul affirmed, it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

The calling of those who love God and follow Jesus is to make His greatness begin to look as great as it really is. That is why we exist, why we were saved, as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think, and act in a way that will make God look as great as He really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God.2

Here is a calling for the church – our corner of the world would be a better place if more people were like Jesus. This is a call to live in the outflow of God’s goodness and our settled satisfaction in Him.

______________________________

1Joe Stowell, Jesus Nation (Tyndale, 2009), pp. 80-81

2John Piper, “How to Magnify God”, DesiringGod.org (11-27-12)

Prepare to Say, “Thank you”

Scenic View

Unity

Trust

Solid Food

Habits of Thought

The Joy of Experience

Your Unique Place

Empowerment

Godly Pleasure

A Stream of Water in the Hand of the LORD

Whole-Hearted Pursuit

Whole-Hearted Pursuit

The Approaching Goal – Part 5

The Approaching Goal - Part 4

The Approaching Goal - Part 3

The Approaching Goal: Part 2

The Approaching Goal

Blessings in Disguise

Doing All Things Well

Grace Bible Church

3904 Woodview Drive
Winston Salem, North Carolina 27106
(336) 760-9959

Contact us | Signup for email

Grace Bible Church Winston Salem, NC

a community of grace with a culture of discipleship