Going The Right Way...

Scripture:
Psalm 25:8-15
1 Corinthians 3:1-15

I remember when I was sixteen I took a motorcycle safety course.  It wasn’t that I didn’t know how to ride.  I was a decent rider.  However, the course gave better knowledge and understanding in riding a motorcycle on the streets.  The course helped me to grow as a rider, be more responsible and safer.

Our scriptures today cover two areas.  One is growing spiritually and the other being instructed by God.  The two really go hand in hand.  If we are not learning more about God how can we grow closer?  Psalm 25:12 “Who is the man who fears the Lord?  He will instruct him in the way he should choose.” 

A toddler will follow a parent’s lead.  They will hold mom or dad’s hand and walk with them.  As the child grows they will start to walk on their own and in their own direction.  As we grow let us not walk far from God but stay close.  We need to continue to learn and grow.  As we do so we will continue to walk the right path.

Are We Fools Yet?

Scripture:
Psalm 34:1-10
Proverbs 3:13-26

Nobody wants to be considered stupid.  We like to think of ourselves as pretty smart or wise.  The Bible even talks about wisdom   In the NIV translation of the Bible wisdom is used over two hundred twenty times.  So why is it that most of the time I feel like the fool.  It seems that I make all the wrong decisions at all the wrong times. 

I will pray over things and think about them and what seems to me ends up being a foolish decision.  If I only did…  Do you ever hear yourself thinking or saying that?  I know I have.  The best thing ever is that God is with us.  He will never leave or abandon us.  Psalm 73:23 “Yet I am always with you,  you hold me by my right hand.”

We are told to fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”    God gives us wisdom and knowledge.  We just need to make sure we keep our focus on Him.  As long as we turn to God for guidance He will give us what we need to make the right decisions.  As long as we keep our minds and hearts open to Him we can still gain wisdom even through our failures.  God will let us fall just enough to teach us.  Think of a child.  When they learn to ride their bikes at some point dad will let go of the bike.  When teaching my kids to ride a bike I would hold the bike just enough to keep them up.  After a bit I would let them balance themselves.  Sometimes the bike would tip and fall.  My hand would be on the bike to help ease it down.  They still fell but not as hard if I weren’t holding the bike at all.  Eventually they learned to ride without me holding on to them at all.

The good news is that God is holding on.  Sometimes He holds us just enough so that when we do fall we are not badly hurt.  Other times He holds on to keep us from falling.  He will never truly let go.  

Is It Really Free?

Scripture:
Psalm 103:19-22
2 Timothy 2:1-7

The age old question of salvation is one of the easiest to answer.  So why is it that we struggle with something so simple?  We tend to put a value to everything.  The better it is, the higher the quality the more expensive it must be.  Something that sells for less must not be as good.  Because of this mindset I think people have a hard time believing salvation comes so easily and cheap.  Well to tell the truth it wasn’t easy and it isn’t cheap.  Salvation comes to us through pain and suffering and death.  Fortunately we do not have to pay this price.  God gives it to us freely and without reservations.  Again why do we have a hard time with it?  Because we think it can’t be that easy or free.  Grace cannot be worth that much since we don’t have to pay for it.  Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

The best thing is that not only is Grace the most precious gift we can receive it is an everlasting gift.  Nothing can take Grace away from us.  Nothing can separate us from God.  Once we have received Grace we are assured of salvation no matter what.  No one not even Satan can take it away from us.   Romans 8:38-39 “³⁸For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 


Let us ban together in the Grace that is in Christ.  Let us help one another keep from being distracted or entangled in affairs of this world.  We need to keep our focus on God and allow Him to work through us so that the light of this world can shine through us.  God will always be with us.  Let all we do be to glorify Him.  Let the world see Christ in us and through us may others find the free gift of GRACE…

I Don't Want To Grow Up

Scripture:
Luke 4:16-21
Hebrew 5:12-6:2

I remember when Aaron was turning six or seven.  He was excited and could hardly wait for the big day.  He was excited to be a year older.  I started teasing him that instead of turning eight he was going to be six instead.  I would then count down his years till he was one.  It became a game between us for some time.

My mom use to tell me that when I was an adult I would wish I was back in school again.  To tell the truth there are times I miss being a kid but I have never wanted to go through childhood again.  As children we cannot wait to grow up and be big. 

So why is it that when it comes to spiritual growth we tend to not grow up.  We remain toddlers relying on mature Christians to survive.  1 Corinthians 14:20 tells us “Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” 1 Peter 2:2 states “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, “  We are meant to grow spiritually.  As a child grows physically we must also grow spiritually.   

A child is not strong enough to defend themselves.  They rely up on parents and other adults for protection.  As a child grows they can take care of themselves and better protect themselves.  As infant Christians we are more susceptible to Satan’s attacks.  It is through spiritual maturing that our faith grows and we are able to withstand the attacks.   It is through Christ that we can prevail in all things.  Let us all grow spiritual with Christ in our hearts…