August 6, 2024 — suggested reading: Romans 1:18 – 32

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.” Romans 1:19-23

Max Lucado is a pastor, an author and a speaker. He is actually a prolific author, writing a lot of different kinds of devotional books. He was once named the “Best Preacher in America” by Reader’s Digest magazine. I have included a quote from one of his devotional:

Max Lucado: “God does not save us because of what we’ve done. Only a puny god could be bought with tithes. Only an egotistical god would be impressed with our pain. Only a temperamental god could be satisfied by sacrifices. Only a heartless god would sell salvation to the highest bidder. And only a great God does for his children what they can’t do for themselves. God’s delight is received upon surrender, not awarded upon conquest. The first step to joy is a plea for help, an acknowledgment of moral destitution, an admission of inward paucity. Those who taste God’s presence have declared spiritual bankruptcy and are aware of their spiritual crises…Their pockets are empty. Their options are gone. They have long since stopped demanding justice; they are pleading for mercy.”

Do you feel as if all your options are gone — financial options — relationship options — options for work or rest? G-d will provide, as G-d sees fit, and as G-d determines is the right time, place, and way. Just remember G-d does not always work as we expect – but we expect that G-d works for our sakes.

Pastor Dave

August 5, 2024 — suggested reading: Romans 1:1 – 17

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish—hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:8-17

Paul was at the top of his game when he wrote the Epistle to the Romans. There is no better explanation of the gospel’s saving message of grace through faith ever written. It remains one of the best books of the New Testament because it is the most complete development of Paul’s theology. Most likely, this letter was written sometime around 57 CE when Paul was in the city of Corinth. Paul was writing to a church (Rome) that he did not establish nor a congregation he would ever visit – though he so wanted to see them.

We must read this letter carefully to fully enjoy Paul’s message – his explanation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It will be a wonderful read for immediately, in chapter 1 verse 17, we hear one of the most foundational pieces of scripture for Martin Luther. After searching long and hard and spending many a night sleeping on a concrete floor trying to discover if he was worthy of G-d’s love and grace, and still not finding it, Luther suddenly came to a new understanding of G-d’s righteousness. As he read again Paul’s letter to the Romans and in particular this verse 17, he finally understands that it is through faith that we are justified – not through works.

If we think about it, there really is nothing we could do to make ourselves worthy of the Grace, the costly Grace, the amazingly amazing Grace of Jesus Christ. It is all up to Christ. What do we owe G-d then? Trust, love, obedience……no works can convince G-d of these — only our contrite hearts that we have rent through repentance.

Pastor Dave