Saved By Grace Through Faith

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast." Eph 2:8-9

Often we cling to sins that we may have committed years ago. That's not to say we keep repeating them. But, sometimes, no matter how hard we try to forget them, we do not. The devil keeps reminding us of our past acts against God and against humanity. And... we continue to live in our guilt.

There is nothing we can do to undo those sins of our past. We cannot "fix" them by the works of our hands. Our sins cannot be cancelled out by anything good we might think we do. Just about when we might think we're balancing the scales the devil will rear his ugly head and remind us of yet another sin that we need to atone for. It's a never ending cycle. Do not fall for the devil's tricks. You have been saved by God's grace through faith.

It is time to quit living in the past; carrying the sins of your past. Your sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus. There is only one way that you can be saved from your past or your present sins. By the grace of God you are saved through faith. Salvation is not something that you can earn. Salvation is a gift from God. Have faith that this gift is for you. Receive it! Live in this truth and tell the devil to depart in the name of Jesus Christ for your sins are forgiven.

God's Peace - Pr.

Revelation 3:1-6 I Know Your Deeds

Revelation 3:1-6 NIV

Sometimes we can seem so faithful to the world outside because of all our good works. But, to the angel of the church in Sardis, Jesus says, "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but your are dead." (vs 1) Wake up and repent! Walk with Jesus, dressed in the white robes of his righteousness.

May we always remember that our good works might fool some of the people; but, they can never fool God. We are saved by faith alone in Christ alone.

God's Peace - Pr. J

James 2:14-26 Works Follow Faith

James 2:14-26 NIV
It appears that Martin Luther had a bit of a problem with James. Given the state of the church that he belonged to, it was not unreasonable for him to worry that some might misunderstand James to say that we need faith plus works for salvation. This is not the case. The only good work that can save us is the work that Jesus completed on the cross for us. We are saved by faith in Christ alone!

However, if we truly believe that he died for our salvation, we will love him. We will love him so much that this love will overflow to us in service to others even as his love was so great he was willing to give even his life for us.  Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me." "Yes," Peter responded three times. Jesus said simply: “'Feed my lambs.' 'Take care of my sheep.' 'Feed my sheep.''' (John 21)

We are not saved by our works. But, we will care for his sheep if we truly love the one who gave himself for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

2 Thess 3 - Disruptive Believers

2 Thessalonians 3 NIV
When was the last time you told anyone about the blessings that God has given you? I find that very few people talk about Jesus (not even at church). When I am out and about, I sometimes hear about people's church affiliation and what people's churches have or have not done for them. But, I rarely hear anyone talk about what God has done for them. I try not to think about this disconnect between believers and their witness to what they believe too often. Professing to be a Christian; yet, not professing Christ gives me heartache.

But; apparently, idle and disruptive believers are not exclusive to our day and time. St. Paul warned the Thessalonians to stay away from those who are not busy; but, are busybodies. There are very good reasons for this warning. First of all, we must be careful not to endorse these unfruitful lifestyles by our silence and cooperation in their unfaithfulness. Secondly, we put ourselves in danger of becoming idle ourselves.

St. Paul reminds us that we are not to regard them as enemies. We are to warn them because they are our brothers or sisters in Christ and we do not want them falling of the path. We ought to be good examples of children following in the way our Father would have us go so that others might be encouraged to get back on track, as well.

As always, I remind you that good works will not save you. But, good works naturally follow faith because the Spirit of Christ abides in you. If you are one who is idle, get back on track and live as an example of one who follows Christ. May the Lord direct our hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance so that we might live life in a manner that God is glorified in all that we say and think and do.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ephesians 2:1-10 Saved By Grace, Through Faith!

Ephesians 2:1-10 NIV
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (vs 8-9)

By grace we have been saved, through faith. It is as simple as that. Salvation is a gift from God through Jesus the Christ. There are no good works that can save us. However, that does not mean that we do not do good works. "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (vs 10) We who have been born again into the Body of Christ joyfully serve others as Christ served us, even to his death on the cross for our sakes and for our salvation.

By grace we have been saved! Thanks be to God!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Romans 12:1-2 Transformed Not Conformed

Romans 12:1-2 NIV
Do not be conformed to the world. Be transformed in Christ.

Our discipleship small group has been discussing the difference between being conformed and transformed. Many within the church appear to be conforming to certain standards that they feel appropriate for a Christian. This is adds up to nothing more than good works and we all know that works without faith is not worth a hill of beans. Conformation is only an outward action. In order for our lives to be effective witnesses to and for Christ, we must abide in Christ and Christ in us. We must be transformed. We cannot be witnesses to the world; we cannot make disciples for Christ, unless we are disciples first. And, disciples are not those who have conformed to the world's standards of Christianity or anything else. Disciples are those who have been transformed by the loving, living, abiding presence of Jesus the Christ.

Be transformed. Be a disciple. Make a disciple.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Romans 9:30-33 By Faith

Romans 9:30-33 NIV
What is it that saves; faith or works? It is faith alone that saves. Works will not do it. Faith will inspire us to pursue a life of doing good; but good works do not inspire us to faith. It was by faith that the prophets of old were saved. It was by faith in the promise that they were willing to put their lives on the line to proclaim God's truth.

It is indeed good for the world around us when we all pursue good works; but, it will not save a soul. Only faith in the one who lived and died and lives again for us; only through a living relationship with this One who saves us, do we inherit our place in the Kingdom of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. I haven't quite figured out why anyone would want to live in the Kingdom of God after they die if they don't want Him in their lives completely, now.

Ezekiel 9 - Beginning At The Temple

God sends out his appointed to execute judgment. Those who grieve the detestable sins of the people receive a mark on their foreheads. Those who do not lament the sins against God are destroyed.

Ezekiel is horrified at this vision. I am horrified at his vision. After it is over, will all of the remnant be gone?

Of course, we realize that the whole of the remnant is not destroyed. I find it most interesting, though, that the judgment begins at the LORD's sanctuary. We need to beware that just because we say we are God's people, His chosen ones, does not always mean that everything we say or do finds favor with him.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’" (Matt 25:31-41 NIV)

Our actions and our inactions; even our inmost thoughts, may not all be seen by our neighbor, our loved ones, or our enemy. But, God sees them. We cannot hide them from Him. It is, of course, that we are saved by faith, not by works. But, let us consider if it is not our faith (or lack thereof) in the One True God that determines the way we live. Do we serve the LORD or some other false god of our own making?

Just because the LORD seems to delay, does not mean that He will not come. He has come. He is present, even now. He will come again.

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy on us all.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

P.S. Note: I find it most difficult to consider some of the prophetic warnings, especially when it is sometimes so difficult to see the bigger picture when we are reading the Bible one chapter at a time. Some of these visions and actual events can really be horrific. I find so little grace in some of them; grace which I depend on to see me through each day. But, it is there (even if hidden) and I have promised to continue through the whole Holy Bible, so I will do what I can to complete what I have promised.   

Jeremiah 30 - Good News

So far, Jeremiah has been preaching a lot of warnings, very dire warnings. Today, we have a break and hear a message of good news; good news to bring comfort to the exiled children of God. It is not necessarily good news, though, for the enemies of God's people.

"The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.” (Jer 30:3 NIV)

It is such good news that the LORD instructs Jeremiah to write it down so that the children of those who are exiled will have hope in the promised day of their reconciliation with their home land. The book that we know to contain the word of God and His will for us does have its share of warnings and prophecies for those who would follow their own way. But, it is full of good news for those who would take the time to hear.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  (Rom 8:27-29)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 29 - Works Without Faith Is Dead

"The Lord says:

“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is based on merely human rules they have been taught.
Therefore once more I will astound these people
with wonder upon wonder;
the wisdom of the wise will perish,
the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”
Woe to those who go to great depths
to hide their plans from the Lord,
who do their work in darkness and think,
“Who sees us? Who will know?"" (Isa 29:13-15)
 

Sunday morning rituals and then the rest of the week what do we do? On Sunday mornings we praise the LORD with our lips, but how much honor do we give the LORD during the rest of the week? Some of the saddest moments of my life is when I realize someone worships on Sunday morning purely out of ritual or because they think this "act" is the good work that will grant them eternal life. Or, maybe, it's to enhance their political or business life. I assure you, works without faith is useless.

James tells us (James 2:17-19)  "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." 

I know! I know! Martin Luther was not impressed with James. He considered it an "epistle of straw." But, think for a moment... If we have faith - that is a living faith, we will live that faith and it will show in all that we say and do and that goes beyond Sunday morning. Likewise works without faith is useless for our or any one's salvation. Faith, indeed, will produce good works. It is a natural outflowing of our faith and our love of God. Showing up on Sunday morning and not worshipping and honoring God, not living in the Way, the rest of the week is merely a once a week (or month or year) good work.  Maybe we attend this worship service it's because we like the people there or that the people actually do good works. Maybe, it's the preacher you like or maybe you are just paying your dues - just in case - to appease God. Hopefully, the Word you hear during that one hour on Sunday morning will produce the faith you have pretended to have.

You can pretend all you want. Maybe the pretending will become a reality for you. I don't know. There is a 12-step motto that tells us to "fake it 'till you make it." Who knows, it might work. God can accomplish great things through little steps.

But, let us not think that God does not know our motivation? That even though on the outside (on Sunday morning) it looks like we are worshipping; but, in reality we might be just serving self. We might be able to hide it some of the time from some of the people, maybe even all of the people. (Except your Pastor - there's a good chance he/she already knows your motivation) But, you cannot hide your motivation, your plans, from the LORD, ever! He promised to be with you always and He is. Do you think He does not see what you don't want Him to see. Don't delude yourself into thinking that somehow you can hide the fact that there are other things that you put before God during the rest of the week.

Real faith produces good works. It will inspire us to worship and honor God and to feed His sheep, so to speak, the rest of the week.

May God bless the words of our lips, the meditations of our hearts and minds, the work of our hands and every step that we take that all may honor and glorify God, our Creator and Redeemer. Amen
(OK - so I revised that last prayer a little bit)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

P.S. Sorry so late today. The power went off before I could post about 6 a.m.. In the meantime, I planted some flowers and went kayaking. Have a blessed day!

Proverbs 21 - The Kingdom Cannot be Bought

"A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart." (Prov 21:2 NIV)

So many excuses... We use them all in order to not do what is right. How often have we written a check to some charitable agency to assuage our guilt? The LORD knows why the offering or sacrifice is given. It is so much easier for many of us to write a check rather than actually get involved.

I remember, years ago, offering to pick up an elderly woman so that she could attend worship. She no longer drove and was pretty much a shut-in. I visited her regularly. I was floored when my offer was received with a short, "I paid my dues." In other words, she was telling me that she had spent enough time worshipping God. That was her sacrifice: attending worship and making her weekly offering. For some reason she rationalized that she had earned her way into heaven by faithful church attendance in previous years. Somehow, she had even built up a reserve!

She had presented herself as a faithful Christian for many, many decades. Yet, the question remains: was she faithful to God or to herself? How, can one spend so many years hearing the Word in a Lutheran church and come away thinking that we can buy ourselves a way to heaven by attending worship and paying our tithes. The only way to the Kingdom of God, is through faith in the one who died and yet lives for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. So how is it that there are so many "Christians" who feel that they have paid their dues, paid the debt? Jesus paid the debt. You and I cannot even begin to pay the ransom for our own lives. Jesus already paid the ransom. It is a free gift to you. Receive it and quit your futile attempts to save yourself. We worship God, not to save ourselves, but because God has already saved us through His Son. Worship is an act of thanksgiving and praise for what He has already done, not to get Him to do something to benefit us in the present or future. Jesus said on the cross "It is finished!" Indeed, it is. It is finished and we rejoice. We show our gratitude by worshipping Him and by sharing the Good News of what He has done with others. God knows whether we are being faithful to Him or faithful to ourselves. He weighs our hearts. He knows whether we worship Him or ourselves, our own lives and good works.

If you consider worshipping God as the sacrifice you make; then the next time you're at Worship, it might be good for you to actually listen to what your Pastor is saying. Jesus made that ultimate sacrifice that you might live eternally in our Father's Kingdom. You cannot, by your good works, by your sacrifice of time or money, earn your way into His Kingdom. Whether you attend worship or stay at home, no matter what excuse you use, the LORD weighs your heart and knows the truth.

God's Peace - Pr. J
 
P.S. Don't forget to read Proverbs 21 today, it is full of wisdom to help guide you in your journey.

Psalm 143 - Found Righteous

 ^"Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you." (Psalm 143:7b)

Now this is a fact.  Not a one of us can be found righteous by the works of our own hands or the meditations of our hearts. We all sin. We all fall short. So how then can we be found righteous?  According to Paul's letter to the Romans (4:23-25 NIV) we are credited with righteousness through Jesus Christ.  The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."

It is in the righteousness of Christ that we trust that our sins have been washed away and we have. Therefore, all who believe in Him are sanctified by His blood and found righteous in Him. Thanks be to God, for His mighty works through Jesus the Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J
 

Psalm 105 - Remember

Roadside Park in the Keweenaw

Remember His marvelous works for He remembers you!

I believe that every single person that is reading this blog has experienced miracles in their lives. Miracles of healing of body and spirit.  Miracles that helped navigate you on your journey.  Some miracles are right there in your face, right now.  Other miracles happen long term over time as God remembers you, is with you, guiding you, giving you strength to keep on keeping on.  However, not every one recognizes many of the miracles in their lives the hand of God. Some choose to think these miracles happened because of their own good works.  I'm thinking that those that think in this latter way, probably don't experience as many miracles as the rest of us.

"Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore!" (Psalm 105:4 NIV) Recognize the presence of God in your life.  Remember His marvelous works and recount them to others that they to might begin to realize how God has been present with them.

God remembers you. He is with you for your good.  He remembers His promises.  He has fulfilled them in Jesus Christ.

Remember His marvelous works for He remembers you and is with you even now!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 62 - None are Good

"God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God. Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You render to each one according to his work." (Psalm 62:11,12 NKJV)

I'm never quite sure why the Psalmist thinks he is so good and everyone else is so bad.

^"'Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.'" (Luke 18:19-20)

If God rewards everyone for what we have done, we are all in big trouble.  Has anyone really followed faithfully, doing only what they ought, all the days of their lives?  If we trusted in our own good works for our relationship with God, we would not have one.  Fortunately, for us, God in His infinite grace and mercy, in His unfailing love, established a new covenant with us.  This covenant is not based on what we have done for God, but what God has done for us, through the giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ. 

I don't mean to imply that we should not be doing good. If we are truly grateful for this loving gift of eternal life, we would truly love the One who first loved us and not just pay lip service to Him. This does not mean that we are free to do anything we want to please ourselves.  It does not mean that we are free to trample on the name of the LORD, or our neighbors so that we might please ourselves.  It means that we are free, by the power of God, to love and serve God and our neighbors.  We are free to be in relationship with God and one another.  In the knowledge that we are free from the power of sin, death and the devil, we actively seek to love as God loves us. Because of the covenant God has made with us with the blood of Jesus, we are forgiven.  Our sins are blotted out.  The slate is wiped clean through faith in the One who died for us.  The only works that God will recall on that last day are those things that were not blotted out - those things that Jesus did through us. Our salvation and honor depend on God; He is our Rock and our Refuge.

"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."

Have you been refreshed, by the power of God, by the Spirit, of Christ, so that He might live in and through you, to the glory of His holy name?  All honor and power and glory belong to God.  Find rest in His unfailing love.

God's Peace - Pr. J   P.S.  Been thinking about this some more.  If the Psalmist was indeed David, David was only good in that he believed God.

Psalm 15 - Jesus is our Righteousness

From the reading today, I think we might be in a bit of trouble.  Who is blameless?  Who does what is righteous and speaks the truth from their hearts, all of the time?  Is there any one of us who does these things all of the time?  The last few days, we've thought a bit about our sinful natures and hopefully we all understand that none of us our righteous if the thoughts of our hearts and minds, if the work of our hands are what are counted toward our righteousness.  If we depend on our own righteousness to dwell in the LORD's tent, upon His holy mountain, His Kingdom, then we are lost.

Thanks be to God, that we are found righteous, not because of our good works, that is the works o the law, but by faith in the One who is righteous, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and LORD.  As Paul wrote to the Romans: 

"But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."  (Romans 3:21-26 NIV)

We shall indeed dwell in the LORD's house, not because we are so good, but because the LORD who loves us is so good and was willing to shed His blood as a sacrifice of atonement for our sins.  It is by faith, in Him, that we are saved from ourselves and inherit our place in His kingdom.  Thanks be to God!

God's Peace - Pr. J