Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-3
Summary: Get rid of all malice, guile, insincerity, envy, and slander. Long for the pure, spiritual milk.
Thoughts: Get rid of all the bad stuff in your life, this scripture says. Rid yourself of it. Throw it away. Then, like babies, we should long for the "pure, spiritual milk." Clean your life and then feed yourself on the purest of foods, the spiritual milk from God, so that you can grow in salvation. We must work every day at our salvation, changing our lives, making different choices, so that we can slowly change ourselves into the likeness of Christ. And this scripture ends on an interesting note. All of this we should do "if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good." We have heard all of our lives that "God is good.' And we have seen many instances where the Lord provided good things for us. But have we tasted that the Lord is good? Has God become such an integral part of us that we have tasted the God is good? I know that I have tasted that God is good during communion. As I ingested the body and blood of Christ, given for me, I have known with my entire being that God is good. All the time. And so, in response, I will try to clean my life and feed myself on pure, spiritual milk so that I may grow in God. Thanks be to God.
Prayer: Help me to work this day on cleaning out my life so that I can feed on your pure, spiritual milk. Amen.
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salvation. Show all posts
Monday, January 24, 2011
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
James 2:14-17 - good works
Scripture: James 2:14-17
Summary: What good is it if you say you have faith but do not have works? Faith without works is dead!
Thoughts: John Wesley (the founder of Methodism) used to say that we are saved by faith alone. All we need for salvation is faith. If we accept the grace that God surrounds us with, then we are saved. Why then, do folks continue to talk about works? Because if you really accept God's gift to you of grace, you will want to respond. You will want to do something in return. So the works that this author talks about are our response to God's love. Even Wesley said that, given the opportunity, everyone who is saved will perform good works. I like to think of it as God filling me up with grace until I am overflowing so that grace bubbles out of me and is seen by other people as good works. God is flowing out of me like a waterfall of good! So it is God that is responsible for the good work and not me.
Prayer: God fill me up with your grace and your love so that I am compelled to respond! Amen.
Summary: What good is it if you say you have faith but do not have works? Faith without works is dead!
Thoughts: John Wesley (the founder of Methodism) used to say that we are saved by faith alone. All we need for salvation is faith. If we accept the grace that God surrounds us with, then we are saved. Why then, do folks continue to talk about works? Because if you really accept God's gift to you of grace, you will want to respond. You will want to do something in return. So the works that this author talks about are our response to God's love. Even Wesley said that, given the opportunity, everyone who is saved will perform good works. I like to think of it as God filling me up with grace until I am overflowing so that grace bubbles out of me and is seen by other people as good works. God is flowing out of me like a waterfall of good! So it is God that is responsible for the good work and not me.
Prayer: God fill me up with your grace and your love so that I am compelled to respond! Amen.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
James 1:22-25 - Doers of the word
Scripture: James 1:22-25
Summary: Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
Thoughts: Time after time in the New Testament we are called to action. Although John Wesley said that only the acceptance of God's grace is required for our salvation, he also says that if possible, we must also respond to that grace. How can anyone believe that you have received the grace of God if it doesn't change your actions? God's grace is so amazing, that we can't help but be transformed. So this writer says to us that it is not enough to hear the word, but we must also act upon it. We must be doers of the word. We are called to action each and every day, so that the grace of God will shine through us to the world.
Prayer: I hear your word, Lord, but it is not enough. Let the change that you have wrought in my heart be apparent to all that I meet today. Amen.
Summary: Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
Thoughts: Time after time in the New Testament we are called to action. Although John Wesley said that only the acceptance of God's grace is required for our salvation, he also says that if possible, we must also respond to that grace. How can anyone believe that you have received the grace of God if it doesn't change your actions? God's grace is so amazing, that we can't help but be transformed. So this writer says to us that it is not enough to hear the word, but we must also act upon it. We must be doers of the word. We are called to action each and every day, so that the grace of God will shine through us to the world.
Prayer: I hear your word, Lord, but it is not enough. Let the change that you have wrought in my heart be apparent to all that I meet today. Amen.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Isiah 51:1-8 - What are you looking for?
Scripture: Isiah 51:1-8
Summary: There's alot here in this text (you really should read it!). It's about seeking the righteousness of God. "Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham..."
Thoughts: The Bible is full of stories of how God has been at work in this world. Abraham is a great example. He trusted God and God blessed him with many descendents. Why should we not expect that God will likewise bless us? The scripture says "a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples." Perhaps God is calling us to help with this. Calling us to help teach the good news. Calling us to spread the justice of God in our world. So the good news in this text is that God will deliver us. Perhaps our response should be to spread this good news to those around us. What do you think?
Prayer: In this text in Isaiah it says "but my deliverance will be forever, and my salvation to all generations." Be my salvation, Lord. And make my search for you fruitful. Amen.
Summary: There's alot here in this text (you really should read it!). It's about seeking the righteousness of God. "Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham..."
Thoughts: The Bible is full of stories of how God has been at work in this world. Abraham is a great example. He trusted God and God blessed him with many descendents. Why should we not expect that God will likewise bless us? The scripture says "a teaching will go out from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples." Perhaps God is calling us to help with this. Calling us to help teach the good news. Calling us to spread the justice of God in our world. So the good news in this text is that God will deliver us. Perhaps our response should be to spread this good news to those around us. What do you think?
Prayer: In this text in Isaiah it says "but my deliverance will be forever, and my salvation to all generations." Be my salvation, Lord. And make my search for you fruitful. Amen.
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