Greater Grace!
It has been a wonky, arduous day – multiple components and we’re now getting close to the end of it. Father, guide me in what I should share. Amen.
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I am physically and mentally worn this evening and struggling to put thoughts together, so even though I try not to do so, this will be a Throwback Thursday post. However, I am going to tweak it a little.
The passage that inspired this post back in January of 2019 was Matthew 28:8-10 (<<click here to read it). Verse 10 takes place after Jesus’ resurrection and reads,
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell My brothers to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me [just as I promised].” v10 AMP
I really enjoy my Life Application Study Bible and refer to it often. Regarding this specific verse, it points out that Jesus referred to the disciples as “brothers.”
Looking back from this portion of Scripture, just a few chapters, we find Jesus and his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. He held them close to His heart despite their weaknesses, and honestly, they acted like anything but brothers! The last part of Matthew 26:56 tells me that upon Jesus’ arrest, “…all the disciples deserted him and fled.” NLT, AMP, and NIV
I cannot begin to imagine what was going through the heads of the disciples – panic, fear, grief, despair…but Lord, you didn’t let them stew any more than they already had. You knew each of them intimately…You created them! Nothing they did surprised You in the least. It most definitely hurt, but You were not shocked.
They didn’t have to earn Your trust and Your love once again. There was no browbeating. There was no probationary period. Straight out of the tomb in overabundant supply, there was, and continues to be, forgiveness, love, and grace!
In my late 20s, I worked at a wonderful Christian bookstore called The Christian Amory. Amongst other things, we carried Sunday School curriculum and Christian education materials. One of the many companies’ products that we had was that of the David C. Cook Publishing Company. Interestingly enough, they employed the author of the hymn that comes to mind. Granted, it was back at the turn of the 20th century when Julia Harriette Johnston wrote lesson materials for primary-age children. For many years, she was involved in the work of Sunday schools at the First Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois. Grace Greater than Our Sin was one of approximately 500 hymns she penned. Here is the text and how appropriate it is!
Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin!
No matter where we’ve been, what we’ve said, what we’ve thought, what we’ve done (or haven’t done, for that matter) …grace is there! Thank You, Lord, for grace greater than our sin!
(Jan 2nd, 2019, Wed, 12:31 pm)
Jan 24th, 2024, Wed, 6:31 pm
Can Women Do That? – Part 2
Treacherous weather once again has given us a 2-hour delay. Please bless the time we have together this morning, Father. Amen.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (<<click here to read the passage)
I hope you were intrigued by yesterday’s post and have joined me for further thoughts on the legitimacy of women speaking in the church.
I had begun to share the Church of the Nazarene’s stand on the topic with all the Scripture to support it. So, we will continue.
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Acknowledging the apparent paradox created by Paul’s instruction to Timothy (1 Timothy 2:11-12)
Women should learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly.
…and to the church in Corinth (1 Corinthians 14:33-34 – previously noted), we believe interpreting these passages as limiting the role of women in ministry presents serious conflicts with specific passages of scripture that commend female participation in spiritual leadership roles
(Joel 2:28-29;
“Then, after doing all those things,
I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your old men will dream dreams,
and your young men will see visions.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on servants—men and women alike.
Acts 2:17-18; 21:8-9;
‘In the last days,’ God says,
‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike—
and they will prophesy.
The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.
Romans 16:1, 3, 7;
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea.
Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus.
Greet Andronicus and Junia, [a woman] my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.
Philippians 4:2-3),
Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.
and violates the spirit and practice of the Wesleyan-holiness tradition. Finally, it is incompatible with the character of God presented throughout Scripture, especially as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.
I think their statement on the topic is comprehensive and brings to light what is of utmost importance.
But before we leave this passage, it would be helpful to also shine some light on what Paul is trying to communicate here.
Taking a cue from my Life Application Study Bible in the context of Corinthian culture at this time, women were not allowed to confront men in public.
As all people are want to do, some of the women who had become Christians thought that their Christian freedom gave them the right to question the men in public worship. Again, this is a cultural thing. By breaking with the commonly held mindset of the time, they were causing division in the church.
Also, unlike our culture, women did not have access to formal religious education as did the men, and women may have been raising questions in the worship services that could have been answered at home without disrupting the services.
I agree with the statement that the purpose of Paul’s words was to promote unity, not to teach about women’s roles in the church.
May we, as sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, lift one another in prayer overflowing with love to further His Kingdom in every way we can. Amen.
Jan 23rd, 2024, Tue, 5:45 am
Can Women Do That?
Father, it has been a day of the unexpected amongst the planned, but we’ve made it to the end. May we all have a restful sleep tonight. Amen.
1 Corinthians 14:34-35 (<<click here to read the passage)
Reading through these verses, I knew I had addressed them in the past, so I did a little searching. I found my post from September 2019, entitled No Girls Allowed! In it, I shared a lot of information. It’s a touchy subject in some religious circles and has been hotly debated for centuries. It addressed the topic of women speaking in the church – specifically women ministers.
In my younger years, I remember some very dynamic preachers who just happened to be women. Though I don’t think they wore the title, some of my aunts were wonderful messengers of Christ, never shying from sharing their faith to further the Kingdom. Even today, I have preached sermons written by women ministers and personally know some incredible women of God who faithfully proclaim His word.
The problem is that entire denominations follow Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 to the letter. It reads,
“…for God [who is the source of their prophesying] is not a God of confusion and disorder but of peace and order.
As [is the practice] in all the churches of the saints (God’s people) the women should be silent in the churches, for they are not authorized to speak, but are to take a subordinate place, as the Law says. If there is anything they want to learn [that is, if they have questions about anything being said or taught], they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to talk in church.” (AMP)
I am grateful to serve in the United Methodist Church, but I am an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene. Their Manual – their book of laws and beliefs – directly addresses this topic. When Scripture is noted, I have inserted the passage for easy reference.
The Church of the Nazarene supports the right of women to use their God-given spiritual gifts within the church. It affirms the historic right of women to be elected and appointed to places of leadership… including the offices of both elder and deacon.
The purpose of Christ’s redemptive work is to set God’s creation free from the curse of the Fall. Those who are “in Christ” are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! NLT
In this redemptive community, no human being is to be regarded as inferior on the basis of social status, race, or gender (Galatians 3:26-28)
For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values]. There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority]. AMP
This is about half of what I’ve put together – which is already a lot! But, I would ask that we pause right here, and then please join me tomorrow for part two with lots more Scripture and lots more to think about! God bless!
Jan 22nd, 2024, Mon, 6:45 pm
Worship…It’s Not about Us!
Father, as our schedule becomes more and more full, I would ask for Your continued guidance and wisdom in all we do. We are limited, but You are almighty! Guide us, oh, thou great Jehovah! Amen!
1 Corinthians 14:26-33 (<<click here to read the passage)
When we think of worship, our minds tell us that it is supposed to be about God. The thing is, though, more often than not, for many, it’s about us. It’s about how worship makes us feel. How often do we change churches because the music isn’t to our taste or the preacher isn’t tickling our ears?
The Apostle Paul, in his instruction to young Timothy, said,
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable]. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 AMP
Ouch…
Worship is not about pleasing ourselves but God. We are to praise Him and His many attributes out of our immense gratitude for His mercy and grace that is freely extended to us. The sacrifices made on His part provide our only hope of salvation.
But I want to stress that part of our worship involves us. We worship God, but what we do in worship must be beneficial to the worshippers, as well. Every worshipper ought to consider himself or herself a contributor. These principles touch every aspect – singing, preaching, and the exercise of spiritual gifts. Contributions to the service (by singing, speaking, reading, praying, playing instruments, giving) must have love as their chief motivation.
I truly believe that loving others is another way to praise our Maker! When we love others, we are emulating Him! The Apostle John in 1 John 4:16, tells us,
We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him. AMP (emphasis mine)
So, my challenge to you, and myself for that matter, is as we prepare to lead or participate in worship, we must also seek to strengthen the faith of other believers! *
Lord Jesus, as we expose ourselves to worship, may our love for You and others be apparent. May we do our best to edify the Church and its Head! Amen.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Jan 21st, 2024, Sun, 6:16 pm
College Collage – Part 2
Father, I would ask for Your steadying hand as we move through some transitional territory. Give us wisdom in all of our decisions. All praise to You, our Great Shepherd!
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There were just a few more pieces and parts that I thought would be good for an additional time of writing from my baggie of inspirational quips.
One thing I placed on a level of high importance was who I would date. I dated some very nice ladies in high school but didn’t date a whole lot. It was a point of prayer for me. At that age, we don’t always make the best of decisions. One thing I did know was that, as Proverbs 28:26 states,
“He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.”
My relationship with God was of utmost importance, and I focused on trying to maintain that relationship. At the time, the Church of the Nazarene put out a devotional called Come Ye Apart, and I posted a quote amongst my collection at my desk. It read, “People and nations, like trees, are destroyed from the inside.”
With all my heart, I desired to be in the center of God’s will for my life. I strived to make sure the core of my being was strong, being focused on the Lord and His guidance in my life.
In the fall of 1982, a beautiful young lady joined the college choir as a freshman. That’s where we met, but she also cut hair, having studied cosmetology to work her way through school. She was kind enough to cut mine for me. We started dating in the spring of ’83.
God knew what would be. We both trusted Him with our lives. He knew that with my wonderful and talented helpmate, Karen, we would accomplish many things for His Kingdom. We have and continue to do so.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 states,
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him.”
We have been there for each other through all the ups and downs of our 37+ years of marriage. I am grateful for his guidance and direction through it all.
All in all, as the B.C. comic so aptly communicated, we have given ourselves to the Babe in the manger and are privileged to be part of the distribution of the Bread of Life to those with whom we have contact. May the Lord continue to use us as He sees fit. May our impact be not just for the here and now but for all eternity. Amen!
Jan 18th, 2024, Thurs, 1:04 pm