Archive for January, 2021

A Faith Old Enough to Drink?

Today is my wonderful mother-in-law’s birthday.

Also, it is what I call my Re-birthday.

21 years ago today, in a small Nazarene church in Bloomington, IL, at 6:46 pm CST, I realized that I believed the Gospel message. Jesus got a firm hold of me, and that is when everything began to change for me.

And I celebrate with a cake.

Why?

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:7, 10, 24

Just like the song says, this wretch was lost and dead, but now I am found and alive. This calls for celebration!

Being as I am now re-21, and I mentioned drinking in the title:

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
Luke 5:37‭-‬39 ESV

I am not who I was 21 years ago. I am not who I was 10 years ago. I have grown and learned much in Christ. I have been made new to carry the New Covenant of our Lord into our world as I commune with Him by His Holy Spirit.

Therefore, let us celebrate our common salvation and share this faith with our fallen world!

VerseD: 2 Samuel 7:22

Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
2 Samuel 7:22, ESV

God has revealed Himself through His Word. Scripture tells us He is the only God, and Jesus, through His life, death, and resurrection,  shows us His testimony is true.

VerseD: Proverbs 11:24

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Proverbs 11:24, ESV

Generosity often begets generosity.
Especially in matters of love and grace.
Do as our Lord has done and share His love and grace, growing in both.

VerseD: John 1:14

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14, ESV

Regardless of what skeptics may say,  God has revealed Himself to us, through Scripture and by coming to live as one of us to bring truth and grace.

VerseD: Matthew 6:11

Give us this day our daily bread,
Matthew 6:11, ESV

God is our source of all that we need. He cares for us and provides for us, most importantly through the Bread of Life, Jesus.
Seek Him first, and all our deepest needs are met.

VerseD: Matthew 4:4

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4, ESV

Without the Word of God (both Scripture and Jesus), our life is ultimately meaningless, and loving out His commands fulfills us in ways we may never fully understand.

VerseD: John 15:5

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5, ESV

Any good works we donare meaningless without Christ. We cannot earn our way to heaven with good works or being good enough.
Only in Jesus are we guaranteed eternal life and do our good works have real impact.

Things you can do on Church on Sunday in 2021

[To only mildly misapply Scripture …]
“… it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught …” (Luke 1:3-4)

Blessings,

Daniel

SLIMJIM's avatarThe Domain for Truth

No doubt 2020 has been crazy and for now 2021 still looks the same as 2020.  I thought I share portions of my ongoing “This Sunday” series specifically the ones that are unique for our time as a way of starting the year strong in the things of God even as our world is crazy.  I plan to continue these and there’s some other ideas I have in mind and Lord willing God gives me practical ideas to encourage God’s people.

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VerseD: Deuteronomy 31:6

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6, ESV

God is with us, so no matter what happens in this life we can be strong and know God will get us through until Christ’s return.

VerseD: 2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV

The new has come already, yet we await what we do not yet have. We have hope in Christ that our renewed souls will be joined with our Glorified bodies in eternity.