Just passing along God’s blessings …

Cause it’s like you all are right here with me…so pull up a chair and let me tell you a few things…

Like how I love to travel and see beautiful places but how God has plunked us down in such loveliness that I can’t take a walk and not take pictures…

And I think if this area was a vacation destination for us,  I would just think this must be the best place to live and get to see things like this on a daily basis…

And then there is the fact that not only did we hear a great sermon this morning at our own church, I got to listen to another good one from Eastview while I walked.

I urge, encourage, beg of you…to listen to both of them…

@firstdecatur.org : Session 6 “Tolerance, Truth & the Exclusive Claims of Christ” – Brian Talty,  October 18

@eastviewchurch.net: “We Speak Powerfully in Weakness” – Mike Baker, October 11th

While the series at both churches are different, the messages tied together as only God’s Word can do.

Because the thing that scares me the most when we enter into questions and doubts is …

What if I don’t explain it right?

What if I mess it up or am not convincing enough?

What if I can’t articulate what I believe and why I believe it in a way that persuades someone to come to Christ or ….God forbid and even worse…help keep someone from walking away from Him?

Because it matters much to HIM and thus…. to me… that all come to salvation through Jesus Christ….not because I am right, but because He is Righteous.

Because eternity is at stake for others.

Because He is patient but He will not wait forever.

So here are my two big take aways from today… and these are paraphrases and attempts to catch the quotes correctly….!!!

Pastor Brian – What is truth? Truth is what is real – what actually exists. Our beliefs are not truth – but our beliefs should line up with truth. All beliefs cannot all be “truth”. God cannot have come in many different forms to different cultures and people groups, providing conflicting information and saying,  “For you, this is the way to get to Me.” and then gone to another group and provided another way. And then send His Son, who said….”I am THE WAY…THE TRUTH….THE LIFE. All who come to the Father, must come through ME.” John 14:6    “It is not narrow minded to respond rationally to the evidence that presents TRUTH.”

Then there is the issue of how inept we can feel in CONVEYING that Truth…which turns out to be all part of the plan….

Pastor Mike – on the message of the Gospel and the paradox of weakness/strength and foolishness/wisdom in God’s Kingdom. “We are called to share the Gospel, not win an argument.”

Think about that one for a while.

For years the tag line at the end of my emails has been a truth that is so simple and yet so hard…

For the Word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

It is simple because I totally get it.

The Word of the Cross, the Message of the Cross…Jesus Christ and His finished work on the Cross…is to me, the power of God.

It has saved me. And so to me…I know its power. And I rejoice with many who know this and it is so simple.

But it is hard because there are many who do not know.

There are many who consider the Gospel and the Word of the Cross and the Message of Salvation…to be foolishness…and by definition…they are perishing.

And that is not okay with me.

And I can’t smile and say … you go ahead and believe your truth and I’ll believe mine and we will just all live and let live.

So I pray, and I study, and I ask God for opportunities…and faithfulness to LIVE what I believe…and to approach my own questions and my own struggles from the perspective of faith.

Which is why I also am so thankful for writings like this….from Brennan Manning in The Ragamuffin Gospel…page 187…

The Word of the Cross is the power of God and the people of the Cross are works in progress who rely on the power of God.

But be blessed to know that Jesus never says to us when we come to Him….Who dat?

Rejoice that you are known and loved by Him…seek to know and love Him more. SEEK HIM…in order to KNOW and LOVE Him MORE….

Have a blessed Monday <3