Reflect
The Galatians experienced the freedom that comes with re-birth. I remember the pure joy of re-birth, realizing that I was made right with God, and became the dwelling place of the Spirit! The Apostle Paul is harsh in exhorting the Galatians to grow and go forward in the Spirit, and not go back to following the Law. I have felt like the Apostle Paul as I watched people who were alive in their faith fall into teachings of following rules, rituals and trying to attain favour with God. It is sad to see their freedom turn in to uncertainty and “try harder” mode.
Why do we find it so hard to live by grace, realizing that we are already fully accepted? Pastor Brandon Cox points out three reasons:
1) We are conditioned by conditional love – “I love you because…(implies conditions)”; “I love you until…(implies limits)”; “I love you unless… (implies demands)”. God’s love is unconditional!
2) We fail to understand the reach of the cross. “Christ suffered for our sins once and for all time..” I Peter 3:18.
3) We use our math rather than God’s math. We assume God does 99% of the work and we have to contribute 1% and we wonder if our 1% is enough. Actually, salvation is 100% a God thing – our repenting and believing is simply the proper response.
Today, live in the freedom of His grace!
Pastor Jerilyn
Pray
- Pray through the prayer section in our program.
- Pray for our Congregational Life Pastor, Mike Bartusek and his family.
- Pray for Dave Schneider, our Youth and Worship Pastor and Erin Gibbard, Youth Ministry Associate.
- Pray for our Hospitality Coordinator, Irene Dickau.