The Man and Me!

On this Reformation Day I find myself looking at the pictures of our trip to Wittenberg back in 2011.  I'm in the town square standing next to the statue of the great man, Martin Luther.

What do you stand for?

Really appreciate this petition from a prayer by the late Presbyterian pastor, Peter Marshall:

Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something, we will fall for anything.

What sin does to us.

Prior to this act (Adam and Eve) followed God like sheep follow their shepherd.  He spoke; they listened.  He gave assignments; they fulfilled them.  They were naked but unashamed, transparent and unafraid.  Yet as one drop of ink clouds a glass of water, the stubborn deed darkened their souls.  Everything changed.  God's presence stirred panic, not peace.  (my emphasis)  Adam ran like a kid caught raiding the pantry.

From "3:16 - The Numbers of Hope" by Max Lucado, page 119.

Depressed? Laugh and sing!

A prayer from the pen of Donald Deffner:

Lord give me the courage

the heavenly medicine

to sing

when I am in the prison

of depression

as the apostles did

in jail

To laugh

at the demons within me

knowing You

reign supreme

in the throne room

of my heart

To be thankful

at all times

knowing You

are in control

Christ in me.

From his book, "Prayers for People Under Pressure," published by Northwestern Publishing House

A blessed Reformation to you!

In Dr. Martin Luther's lectures on Romans 1:17, there is a passage which explores the doctrine of "The Lord, our Righteousness."

In human teachings the righteousness of men is revealed and taught, that is, we are taught who is righteous and in what way he is righteous and becomes righteous before himself and before men.  Only in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, that is, we are taught who is righteous and in what way he is righteous and becomes righteous before God, namely, solely by faith, by which the Word of God is believed.  Thus the last chapter of Mark says: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."  For the righteousness of God is the cause of celebration.  And here again the "righteousness of God" must not be accepted as that by which He Himself is righteous in Himself but that by which we are justified in Him, which is done by faith in the Gospel.

Again, writing on Romans 1:17, Luther penned these words: As intensely as I had formerly hated the expression, "righteousness of God," I now loved and praised it as the sweetest of concepts; and so this passage of Paul was actually the portal of Paradise to me.

A blessed Reformation to you all!

Reformation Sunday

Tomorrow we celebrate Reformation Sunday at LICL.  Naturally, the focus of the sermon will be about...well, you'll just have to come and find out! Worship at 8 and 10:45 am and our Adult Choir sings at both services.  Christian LIFE (Learning Is For Everyone) Hour starts at 9:20 am.  The Az. Cardinals don't play until 1 pm so you locals have no excuse - join us for worship this Sunday at Life in Christ!

Salvation - not "do" but "done"

It was the question of the rich, young ruler of Matthew, chapter 19.  It was the question I was asked by a visitor to our worship last Sunday.  "What good thing must I do to be saved?"

The apostle Paul's answer is not what most people expect to read or hear.  Paul writes to the Ephesians that our salvation is not a matter of do but done.

Take another look at Ephesians 2:8-9.  Note that we are saved by:

 

Grace alone through

 

Faith alone in

 

Jesus Christ alone without any

 

Works of my own

 

 

 

Even the good works we might do in order to try and impress God are not our own.  Paul writes that God prepared those good works in advance for us to do.  Such works flow from a heart filled with gratitude for God's free gift of salvation in Christ Jesus.

 

 

This is good news! Eternity is not dependent on heeding the advice from Oprah's latest self-help guru or doing an extreme makeover upon yourself so that you meet the expectations of our post-Christian world.  Trust Christ Jesus for forgiveness and salvation.  He offers His gift without strings attached.  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.  Good news indeed!