WATCHWORD:
8 I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So, I will not be ashamed of using my authority. 9 I’m not trying to frighten you by my letters. 10 For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!”11 Those people should realize that our actions when we arrive in person will be as forceful as what we say in our letters from far away. 2 Corinthians 10:8-11
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God Ephesians 2:8
Meditation:
Moments of Surrender
In the Ephesian passage; have you ever thought about the fact that we have been saved through faith, and faith is not from ourselves, but is a gift of God? Sometimes we may think of our faith as a decision that we made, but faith is a grace from God. The conscious decision we made for Jesus, whether in an altar call, or the still of the night, or evolving from circumstances in our lives, simply opened us to God’s gift, which we call faith.
Paul uses the term ‘authority’, while we might use ‘witness’ or ‘sharing our belief’ or other terminology, i.e. “making disciples”. In those moments of surrender or commitment to Jesus, we “give it all to Him”, then, too often, the slide begins, followed by the confession: Forgive us Heavenly Father when, in the living of our lives, we go sideways to your will. When in our own self-interest, we act contrary to who You would have us be. Help us Lord, to get beyond the fact that who we are too often collides with the words that we speak, or the profession of love for you that we share with others, too often with pride. Amen.
We know Lord, that the authority that we have been given through Christ Jesus is to build up, not to tear down, so help us get beyond ourselves and rest in you. Amen.
Do we often go sideways to God’s will? We enjoy the blessings of the graces that the Gift affords us, yet following His will, we find difficult. Before long we find His will secondary to our own desires and behaviors. We get far away from what He has designed us to be, and we permit pride and self-interest to lead us.
Each of us could find a place in the lives that we have lived where we have alienated another, or for undefined reasons, there has been a falling out. A place of estrangement that needs healing and restoring to what our Lord has designed for us. That separation, maybe within our own family, or with friends that had at one time been close, for whatever reason, communication stopped, and an invisible wall defines the breach.
What we don’t always understand, Lord, is that the power of your graces, with which you have gifted us, is to equip us to follow your commandments, to build up others, collectively, in accordance with Your plan, not just our own lives. Forgive us Lord, when we discriminate, or carry a hurt, or put others down, when we sidestep where your Will is leading. We pray that You would strengthen our resolve. Truly teach us to Love others as our Lord and Savior has shown us. That is what following You in faith means. Amen. Stan
A Story from Mac the Storyteller:
Yup, that’s me, just a common old baseball hat without a head. It happened one day when my owner had some business after church and, out of reverence, took me off and laid me down. When he left, he forgot me.
Now there’s one thing you should understand. A hat is nothing without a head and that’s why I’m so sad. My owner’s head and I have a really close relationship. I think that’s much like a church and the Holy Trinity. Church is just a building until Christians come to worship, sing, learn and share the love of Christ. During my stay here at the church, I have come to realize the importance of members sharing Christ’s love with all they meet.
Realizing how important my owner’s head is in giving my life purpose, I have come to realize all who read this need to make God the head of their life.
My owner placed a Masonic pin on me and if he ever finds me, I pray he also will pin a cross to me. I surely hope you will always keep the Holy Trinity as the head of your life so you won’t become lost like me. Sincerely yours, the Hat.
P.S. it is my owner should read this I can be picked up in the office. Mac McKinley
Morning Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for your amazing power and in our lives. Thank you for your goodness and for your blessings that shower all around us and within us. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life. Forgive us for when we don’t thank you enough for who you are, for all that you do, for all that you have given. Help us to set our eyes and hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and Joy. We love you and we need you this day and every day. We give you praise and honor, and it is with gratitude that we offer these prayers in the name of your blessed Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
