castle conversations
|
| home | archives | email me | my other blog |
|
"cheap grace" pastor bob spoke this morning about something called "cheap grace". it means grace without the cross, without discipleship, without Jesus. in a world of middle class western individualism, we have come to take God's grace for granted. we forget that God calls us to follow Him in response to His grace. all we want is what's in it for us - the salvation. we have adopted an "it's-all-about-me gospel". pastor bob has a way of piercing the heart of the congregation, calling us to see what we don't want to see. as a christian, how many times have you gone to church or a bible study or a retreat and come away saying "oh, i didn't really get much out of that." or "oh, the worship experience wasn't very good for me today." i know i have. instead, we should be thinking about what we have to offer, what we can bring before God when we meet with Him and His people. we also need to remember that God doesn't owe us grace. if he did, it wouldn't really be grace now would it? He chooses to forgive us, even when we're constantly failing and falling back into our sinful nature. we've become so used to God's promise of forgiveness and mercy that we begin to expect it and take it for granted, and as a result, sit back and become inactive believers, unmotivated to offer our lives back to God. God is just as well as He is mercy. Remember that we deserve death. Our lives are not our own, they are God's. Thank Him today for his grace, and ask Him what you can do to offer back what He's given you so freely. (pastor bob spoke from amos 4:1-13.)
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. --- 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 In Sunday School yesterday (at my home church, CBC) Dan Moy was talking about this verse. The class's topic was "Transforming Grace". I didn't go to any of the classes since I'm never home on Sundays... but I think this verse sums up a lot of what I've been learning in my own life. God has shown my where my weaknesses are. And although it's been hard to face, I am thankful that He revealed parts of my life in which I am entirely incompetent, because through those things, God has been strong and has supplied my every need. God also stripped away some things that were getting in the way of Him being able to be completely sufficient and sovereign over my life. I was holding onto things that I could not hold onto. And even though it hurt when it was taken from me, I saw how God filled that hole even more sufficiently than the original thing that was there. Therefore, I will boast of my weaknesses, for when I am weak, God is strong. Praise Him for always being enough, even when we don't think He will be. I hope that whatever you're going through in your life, that you allow God to be enough for you. Don't rely on other things, because they will only let you down. Be joyful when you are weak, because God will lift you up! His grace is sufficient!
|
|
visitors
welcome back to the castle conversation... where i'm not in a castle, and it's not really a conversation. :)
verse of the week
"Conisder how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor dressed like one of these... But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well." ~ Luke 12:27,31
archives
credits
webdesign by maystar designs powered by blogger comments by haloscan All rights reserved. Content copyright test 2003. |