GOSPEL :: FAMILY :: MISSION
Walking out the Christian life is like taking the dirt roads to a vacation spot instead of taking the highway. We don’t typically choose the roughest roads to travel when heading to our vacation spot. We choose the quickest and smoothest routes because we want to get there quick.
A person who loves money has a chaotic life. But a person who loves God with their money lives in peace because of the cross of Christ. This is a hard truth to accept but it’s true nonetheless.
Over the last few weeks we’ve learned that the gift of salvation is given to us by God’s free grace and it’s received through the pipeline of faith. We also learned that the gift of salvation results in humility and humility is cultivated by resting in the truth that God’s doing + God’s working + God’s results = God’s glory.
Sometimes our hearts feel to heavy, too sinful, too needy or too weak to approach the Lord in prayer. This is precisely the time to approach him with confidence in his character and promises…
This week is our third week in Ephesians 2:8 – 10. And in case you’ve missed the central theme of the last two weeks we’ve been honing in on this simple truth that salvation is a gift from God.
Think about the difference between giving to get and giving because you’ve already received so much. Giving to get is focused on selfish desires. But giving because you’ve received so much is focused on giving gratefully in light of what you’ve received.
Ephesians 2:8 – 10…
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Spend some time reflecting on this week’s prayer passage: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
Last week we looked at the first 9 words of Ephesians 2:8 – 10. Nine words summarized into three words from verse 8, the word “for” and the word “grace” and the word “faith”. Nine words summarized into three words where we learned that the gift of salvation is given to us by God’s free grace and is received through the pipeline of faith.
Godliness isn’t a means of gain because godliness with contentment is great gain. How do know when we are becoming more godly? I think we will know we are becoming more godly when we become more like Jesus. And becoming more like Jesus means that we become more cheerful, more willing, more generous and more sacrificial with our time , talent and treasure.
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