Month: October 2009 (Page 4 of 4)

We are having a good Sabbath and went to Max Lacado’s church this morning. We heard a humble and powerful sermon. Al went to another church following and as Ann and I  went home to talk to our Finnish “daughter” in Finland.

TOday’s devotion is from Gary Thomas’ book, The Beautiful Fight

God will discipline us to help us grow. It is better to face redemptive pain that draws us toward God than to face the pain of rebellion,which creates a distance in our walk with God.
What truly matters is how He uses our troubles and frustrations to conform us to His image. Don’t run from these things but be humbled in the midst of them. Learn how to live in the messiness of human relationships-confronting, forgiving, and asking to be forgiven. “Don’t make a hassle-free life your primary pursuit; instead, listen to God to discern how HE is using these interruptions to cleanse your soul and purify your attitudes”.  The Lord has the right to do whatever He thinks best, regardless of our opinion, comfort, or complaining. We need to joyfully accept how God does it and embrace gratitude for how He is doing it.
But even if this is painful, it is a good pain as we become freer and more like Him.

Transformation is a longtime process! “Paying the price to grow in transfomation begins with the fear of God, takes root with the virtue of humilty, is strengthened with surrender, and embraces gratitude.” Let us not be satisfied with less.

Devotions from Gary Thomas’s book, The Beautiful Fight

“It is spiritually toxic and personally disastrous to assume that we have ever arrived, that we can stop making progress.

God’s transforming power is at work in us. No one is a perfect example but that should not keep us from surrendering to and receiving His enabling grace to grow.

We need to be an authentic example, growing in Christlikeness with more courage, more gentleness, less self-absorption, and a greater willingness to serve.

It is selfish to use God’s grace as a reason not to grow in godliness.  Sin not only affects us but others as well. Every sin of ours has repercussions for others too.

The fact is God cares more about our true transformation than we do. God has a way of shining his light on our weaknesses that war against our profession of faith. He may order events and circumstances to wake us up to character issues we are blinded to or complacent about. We need to face these revelations with open, humble hearts.

When we stop focusing on growing, we usually regress. But even though we can’t provide a perfect example of what it means to be a Christian, we should make progress in our growth to be more like Him. Others may be influenced by our faith and progress too! The journey is worth taking!

We have been to see two missions in San Antonio today and one was the oldest in the U.S. We loved reading about the history of each one. Then we went to the River Walk and had lunch and to a plaza to shop before coming home. Another fun day.

Today’s devotion is from Gary Thomas’ book, The Beautiful Fight

We are called to grow in holiness and to glorify God above all else. “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matt. 5:16

The highest motivation for striving to grow in holiness is to honor God and to bring Him glory. OUr transformation proclaims His reality.

If we claim go be with Jesus and haven’t changed, then the gospel gets robbed of its glory. “When I allow God to change the way I view people, talk to people, hear people, and feel about people, I become a conduit of ministry, an encourager of faith, and a walking advertisement for God’s transforming grace.”
When we continue to go alone in our old ways, it represents hard-hearted ungrate-fulness for what God has done for us. Remaining unchanged reflects on our personal destiny, but also God’s eternal purposes. TRue grace that saves us continues to transform us.
Out of gratitude for all He has given us, and in awe of all He is, we are invited to embrace His transforming work.

Blessings to each of you!