Actions speak louder than words.

 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. - Galatians 6:7-10

Doing good versus talking about it.  Actions speak louder than words.  We know these statements, but do we live by them?

Father, give us strength to trust and live your promises. Increase my faith in you so that I may know you more.  Amen.

Daily Prayer: Thanks for you unfailing love

I thank you, father, that You will heal my waywardness. You love me freely. Amen (Hos 14:4)

Good loves us so much that he looks past our sin, receive that love.

Blessings on your day.

8 word prayer

I can't
You can
Please do
Thank you!

I can't - nothing can be done on our own.
You can - all things are possible with God
Please do - I turn it over to you, God
Thank you!  - All praise to you.

Brad,  Saint and Sinner

Lavished Love

How great is the love You have lavished on me, that I should be called a child of God!  And that is what I am! (1 John 3:1)

Father your lavished love is unfailing, unconditional, unselfish. Praise be to you!
Thank you, Amen.

A man down by the river

 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” - Mark 1:1-8

Mark starts immediately with the answer,  Jesus.  The prophet Isaiah write about a voice from the wilderness and then entering stage left, John the Baptist.  

Now here comes the trouble.  A man wearing a camel hair outfit with a belt and some limited dining options of locusts and honey preaching the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins down by the river.

He had no earthly pedigree and did not work in the traditional religious system of the day.  What would the people think?  Only God could inspire a message through this faithful man.

Today, we need to be aware that God is likely to use the most unlikely people to preach and share His gospel.  Are we open to listening for God through people when they have not been to Seminary? That wear different clothes?  Have different diets? That have a public sin offense?

Let's encourage one another to humbly hear God through all the avenues that he uses.  Prayer, Church, His Word, Holy Spirit, and you and me. Even if we like to eat chocolate covered locusts. Yum.

Brad
S.A.S.S.

Moving Boxes on loan

Jesus anointed at Bethany.

Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” 

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.
                                       - Mark 14:1-10

Close one eye and fast forward to today, the Son of God is reclining and enjoying a meal at your place.   You are so overcome with love and joy that you break out the checkbook and write him a check for one year of your household income.  Easy right!  Of course, because it is Jesus in my house flesh and blood.

So now here is my struggle, faith and complete trust. Is it really okay to give that much to him?  What about my family, my retirement, my toys and hobbies.

This morning we were discussing this scripture and one shared that he had a friend that was preparing to move.  He wanted to help his friend and remembered that he had several moving boxes in his attic.  At that moment he had many thoughts that passed by: would I get them back? Will they be damaged?  What about when I'm ready to move? Will the wife be upset?

After working through the questions he felt good about loaning them and writing his name on them with a request to getting as many back as possible.  Most in the room agreed that that was fair.

Now reading this and hearing the red letter words of Christ, I wonder.  My question is why not give away all the boxes away with no strings to the Glory of God and trust that when I am ready to move that God will provide.

My prayer:

Mark 9:24: I believe but help me with my unbelief.  Amen.

Brad
S.A.S.S.

Simultaneously Saint and Sinner

Simultaneously Saint and Sinner

More fun in Latin: simul iustis et peccator.  These wacky words explain why a good Christian like you can really want to be nicer to your stupid coworker, maybe you even pull it off for a week or two, but eventually you crack him upside the head anyway.  The term effectively means that even though God has made you holy by saving you from yourself, you are still yourself, and thus, you fully still suck.

Now some people think that once you become a CHRISTIAN, you are changed-- a caterpiller metamorphosized into a butterfly. Such people think that Christians are essentially different once they experience God's GRACE-- like Spiderman after the bite. But look in the mirror. Do you see any wings, either of a butterfly or n ANGEL? Nope, I don't either.

Paul wrote in Romans 7 that no matter how much he wants to, he can't do good stuff; conversely, no matter how much he hates being a jerk, he still is. Paul knows that in spite of the good the Spirit can do through him, he's still a slave to SIN. That goes for all us Christians.

And yet all Christians are simultaneously saints because God has established a relationship with the sinner. That is what's different about a Christian-- the relationship that God initiates with us. It means we can admit we are sinners. It means that we can try to love our neighbor. And it means that God considers us Holy Saints, even though we are still sinners, too.