Grace Evan Blog

Synchronicity?

noreply@blogger.com (Grace Evangelical Church) — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:03:00 +0000

^{2Peter 1:17}For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” ¹⁸we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, ²⁰knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. ²¹For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

As remarkable as the transfiguration is, as amazing as seeing Jesus and being touched by Jesus and hearing the Father’s voice from heaven (all in the same moment)… we have something more sure, the scriptures. My hope in telling you this story is that the experience will take you to His word and that you will be left with a deeper love for Him.

I've told my wife that this experience has made me afraid of God… not tyrant ruler fear, but God is awesome fear. He has given me a glimpse of what He is up to and it makes me fear Him in the most reverential sense, because He is just so awesome. My mind is blown. And if you listen to this message, yours will be too…

I have a friend named Billy. Billy is in prison. I met him via a letter while working at a church in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi. Billy’s letter was one of two letters written to my Senior Pastor, Jean Larroux, in response to an article he had written in the newspaper but because he was in his last days in Bay Saint Louis, in the middle of transition to move his family and pastor a church in Alabama, he gave the letters to me. They sat in my briefcase for months until I finally wrote back. Billy and Richard couldn’t have been more different. It became clear that Richard was just interested in whatever favors the church would be willing to do for him. Billy, on the other hand, was more interested in sharing with me about the favor he had received from God.

After about 6 months and as many letters, Billy told me that he hadn't had a visitor in almost ten years since first going to prison. It broke my heart. I told Tiffany I had to go see him, which terrified me. The prison was about 2 hours away and when I got there and met Billy, it was an emotional avalanche. We sat in the visitation area crying and praying for almost 3 hours. It was awesome. We discovered we had both been converted to Christ about the same time.

There is far more to this story… far more to God's sovereign hand on Billy's life and where it's going. Check it out! -Chris Leuck

Please click here to hear the rest of the story.

Generous Sowing, Generous Reaping?

noreply@blogger.com (Grace Evangelical Church) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:08:00 +0000

Trust and Obey

Trust and Obey

Trust and obey, for there's no other way

to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

One of the Apostle Paul’s major projects was collecting a large donation to help poverty stricken believers in Jerusalem. The major passage on this is 2 Corinthians 8-9. Bible teacher Warren Wiersbe says, “These two chapters present giving as a Christian grace, a blessing, not as a legal obligation that burdens people. If giving is difficult for a Christian, then there is something wrong with his heart!”

Giving is difficult for me because I don’t know God well enough. And what I do know I tend to forget. Because I don’t know God very well I don’t trust him very much. The more I know him the more I trust him. The more I trust him the more I obey. I don’t obey God so he’ll love me. I obey him because He loves me. I don’t trust God so he will accept me. I trust him because he’s accepted me. Knowing and trusting God makes it less difficult for me to give.

Have you learned to trust God? What stories do you have of God’s faithfulness? Here’s one of mine.

We lived in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada from 1990-1995. Kathleen’s from Miami, FL and I’m from Marietta, GA so our first winter there on the shore of Lake Huron was rough. Winters are MILD in the South. No so in Canada. It wasn’t the Yukon or Siberia but it sure felt like it!

I love being outside and have an adventurous spirit so I learned how to deal with the cold. One afternoon that first winter my son and I went to Sarnia Bay. It was completely frozen over so naturally we wanted to explore the ice. I knew nothing about ice so I didn’t trust it. The ice was about four feet below a concrete retaining wall. We climbed down and eased onto the ice expecting to fall through at any moment. We had a death grip on the top of the wall as we cautiously inched our way along. It felt like we were outside the 40^th floor of a skyscraper. We cringed and froze at every creak and crack. Finally we’d had enough excitement for one day and made our way back.

We returned the next day to let the rest of the family see the frozen bay and brag about our exploit.

I couldn’t believe it! Cars everywhere. On the ice! They were getting ready for a motorcycle race. On the ice! When I asked a guy about it he laughed and said, “Yeah that ice is a foot thick!”

I laughed at my undue caution, timidity and fear the previous day and strolled out onto the ice like I was walking down my driveway to get the mail. No fear. I knew it would support me.

In 2 Corinthians 9:8-11 Paul wrote, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work… you will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way…” God’s grace, like the Sarnia Bay ice, is omnipotently able to support me. The difficulty I have in trusting Him comes from my inadequate knowledge of his faithfulness. When I remember God’s faithfulness I can trust and obey with a little less fear and trepidation.

-John Ottley

Click here to listen to the entire message messing with your money, giving of your time and yourself.

Is Everyone Going To Heaven?

noreply@blogger.com (Grace Evangelical Church) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:04:00 +0000

Election: How do sinners escape their sin?

Ephesians 1:3-6

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love ⁵he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Is God glad you chose him?

You may have heard the description of a corridor of time and God looking down it seeing sinners choose him, and therefore God choosing them on the basis of being chosen by sinners. I grew up my whole life believing that and hearing that, and I can tell you just from my own study, that it seems to me by what we read in Ephesians 1, that's hardly the picture the Bible paints.

My wife and I were flying back from Chicago on a pedal-jumper airplane, you know, just everyone being crammed into a tube in the sky. Just before take off, I leaned over and asked Tammy, "Is there a baby on the plane?!?" She said, "What do you mea....OHHH...", and from there the smell just intensified. I have a very weak sensitivity for such things, and my gag reflex was so intense people around me thought my heart was stopping. Meanwhile, I'm shooting my glance around between coughs and chokes trying to find the culprit letting them know that I am gaging in utter revulsion. Folks, that's more like God's view down the corridor! If you believe what the Bible says about God and his holiness, that he dwells in unapproachable light, that his eyes are too holy to look upon sin, that if you start with God's nature and see what he sees when he looks at sin, if you see what Christ sees when he looks into the cup of God's wrath and has to drink it down in it's fullness, it's REVULSION.

Because of God's holy nature, not only is he utterly, perfectly, and infinitely, revolted by sin but because of his righteousness and justice he has no choice in the matter except to exact punishment.

Can God do anything? No. Can God make a rock so big even he can't pick it up? No. Can he let sin go unpunished? No. He is limited only by his own excellencies and they will not let him NOT be revolted by sin.

I would think it would cease to be an amazing grace if God were at our mercy to execute his own plan. Grace will not be hijacked.

-Jim Umlauf

To listen and wrestle for yourself this challenging passage in scripture, click here

God's Midnight

noreply@blogger.com (Grace Evangelical Church) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 21:52:00 +0000

Matthew 25:1“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ²Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. ¹¹Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ¹²But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

By in large we know that weddings as the one described in this parable were held at night. Typically, the sequence of events would go like this: the groom accompanied by his friends would leave his home and head towards his betrothed fiancé. He would arrive at his bride's house and she would come out attended by her childhood friends, bridesmaids, or attendants. In this parable, they're called "virgins". They would all leave together with pomp and circumstance, and present the couple to their new home. The groom comes to get his bride and takes her to her future home! This is the storyline of the entire new testament. It's interesting that the bride in this story isn't mentioned, but that the emphasis is on the groom and his coming.

Everything you need to understand about this parable is riding on how you see the virgins and their oil. I'm led to believe and many commentaries agree that verse 13 points to the virgins being a simile for the "visible church"; visible being the church of the present, invisible being the church of past, present and future. The parable tells us that this visible church is comprised of virgins that are wise, and virgins that are foolish.

The foolish had oil...some, but not enough. They had a faith, but it was not a saving faith because their oil ran out. Early on, they looked like the other virgins, but over time, and specifically with the coming of the groom, they're left out. They have some marks of the wise, they're not openly God-less, but what is glaringly obvious, is that the foolish virgins do not make it in. That means that some of you (in the visible church) will not, make it in.
-Dr. Jimmy Young

To listen to the entire message, click here

Worship as a Weapon

noreply@blogger.com (Grace Evangelical Church) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:35:00 +0000

Dr. Jimmy Young

We, the staff, are constantly talking about you, the congregation. Don't worry, it's usually good. What we often talk about is how we can do our job better, i.e. how we can be more effective in aiding you in the spiritual maturation process.

One conclusion we have come to lately is that we need to reemphasize the need for worship, both corporate and private. With that in mind I ran across this quote from Ed Clowney:

"Worship is evoked by the presence of God; a response, not a self-initiated creative activity on our part It is adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable, and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our primary sin and the source of all actual sins."

Should you ever wonder about the value of worship, realize this: Among the numerous reasons given by God in His Word and in His Person to worship, one is that it attacks our self-centeredness. That alone should excite us. We all hate that ugly side of us that causes such strife among all of our relationships. We know that we are selfish slobs. So, here is one way to begin to attack that: WORSHIP.

Submission to Authority

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 21:05:00 +0000

Chris Leuck

You don’t have to look too far or think very hard to discover the fact that there are good bosses and bad bosses, good husbands and bad husbands, good and bad parents, good and bad Presidents… you get the picture. There are good authority figures and bad authority figures. However, we often find bad authority figures in a good authority structure.

It is vital that we Christians understand the distinction between authority structures and the figures operating within those structures, because as Christians we are called to unconditionally respect those that God has placed in authority over us, even if they are ignorant, foolish, or unjust... even if you are angrily mocked or threatened… yes, even if they are disobedient to the word of God (1 Peter 2:13-3:7).

We should be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution that God has ordained for people (1 Peter 2:13). This includes:

governing authorities (1 Peter 2:13-17; Romans 13:1-7)
workplace authorities (1 Peter 2:18)
and family authorities (1 Peter 3:1-7; Ephesians 5-6)

We are not only talking about a way of thinking, but also a way of doing. Yes, you should think of yourself as subordinate to the authorities that God has put in your life, but you should also act in subordination.

So, what does that mean? How should we act? HONOR and RESPECT.

Regarding your relationship to the governing authorities: Be subject to them. Think of yourself as subordinate to them and act in subordination. Honor them. Respect them, even if they are not worthy of your respect. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people (1 Peter 3:15).

Does this mean that you shouldn’t stand up for righteousness? Does this mean that you should cower from and compromise the truth? It most certainly does not. But it DOES mean that all of your opinions, positions, and criticisms should honor the authority structure that God has put in place. They should be communicated respectfully, or not communicated at all. After all, there is no authority except that which has come from God (Romans 13)… so who are you really mad at?

These things also apply to your relationship with the workplace authorities: Be subject to them with all respect, not only to the gentle but also to the unjust (1 Peter 3:18). “What!? On what basis!?” you say… On the basis of Jesus Christ. God has given Him as our example in these matters. You WILL suffer for doing what is good and right. Follow Christ… He suffered unjustly at the hands of sinful men. When he was mocked, he did not mock or threaten in return. No, instead He continued to entrust Himself to the One who judges justly, our Father in heaven (1 Peter 3:18-25).

How about those authorities that God has put in place within our families? Indeed, God HAS instituted authority structures for our family relationships and we should be subject to those authorities for the Lord’s sake…

*Children, honor your father and mother that it may go well with you (Ephesians 6:2-3). You might be put off by their rules around the house. You might be ready to be on your own. If you are newly married and trying to effectively leave and cleave to your spouse, or if you are taking care of your parents as they are aging… young or old, you never again have to question how you should act toward your parents. Honor and respect them. It will go well with you.

*Wives, be subject/submit to your own husbands. It is important to note that this IS NOT a blanket command for women to be subordinate to men. This is the way that a woman should act with HER husband… respect him unconditionally (1 Peter 3:1-2; Ephesians 5:22-24; 33). Even if they are disobedient to the word of God, win them without a word. Win them by your respectful and pure conduct (3:1-2).

*Husbands, we are all to be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, including governing authorities and workplace authorities… in the same way, you should show honor and respect to your wife in everything. She is an heir of God’s grace with you (1 Peter 3:7). You never again have to question the way that you should act towards your wife in EVERY situation… Honor her. Respect her. Give yourself up for her (Ephesians 5:25).

There are good authority figures and bad authority figures operating in God’s authority structures, which are very good. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution. If they are foolish, silence their ignorance by doing good. If they are unjust, continue to entrust yourself to the one who judges justly. If you are mocked, do not mock or threaten in return. Christ is your authority and example in these things. Follow Him.

Toxic Charity – A Book Recommendation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 16:06:00 +0000

Johnathan Todd

Giving money away is easy. Giving money away wisely is difficult. One suggestion to encourage wisdom in giving decisions is to read the book Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton. Lupton has spent four decades ministering in the inner city of Atlanta and has seen firsthand how good intentions often have dire consequences. He offers insight and suggestions for charity to be given in a manner which encourages and builds instead of destroying.

Here at Grace Evan, the Grace Venture Strategy Committee works hard to investigate and steer our giving to be wise, not toxic. The committee has implemented a vetting process which seeks to capitalize on the wisdom gained from men like Robert Lupton. So know that as you follow the Grace Venture Lifestyle (Live More Simply, Give More Sacrificially, Accomplish the Great Commission), a group of your peers works hard to make sure our charitable giving is done wisely.

Teaching at Fall Creek Falls

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:56:00 +0000

Johnathan Todd

This past week, I engaged with 100+ Jr. High students at the Fall Creek Falls camp and challenged them with the question from Jesus: “…but who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29)

Who do you say that Jesus is? This question is of the utmost importance and one that every human will answer. I aided the students in answering this question by looking at four passages from the Gospel of Mark; let me encourage you to do the same.

We find that Jesus is God in human form in Mark 2:1-12.

We find that Jesus’ perspective is eternal in Mark 4:35-41.

We find that Jesus is the keystone…he makes everything work…in Mark 9:2-8.

We find that Jesus is a suffering savior in Mark 8:31-33.

Who do you say that Jesus is? If you are a parent, how are you instructing your child to answer this question?

Christina’s World (And Ours)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:52:00 +0000

John Ottley

Our daughter gave us a poster of Christina’s World by Andrew Wyeth. We finally had it framed and I hung it the other day. Wyeth painted the original in 1948. “Christina” was Anna Christina Olson (1893-1968), a friend of Andrew and Betsy Wyeth in Cushing, Maine. That’s her home in the painting. She lived there her whole life with her brother, Alvaro.

Christina had a degenerative muscular disorder that left her crippled. Rather than use crutches or a wheelchair, she crawled around the house and grounds. Wyeth saw her “crawling like a crab on a New England shore” and was inspired. "The challenge to me,” Wyeth said, “was to do justice to her extraordinary conquest of a life which most people would consider hopeless."

Here’s a broken woman. She’s alone in the middle of a field. She’s dragging herself along on the ground by her hands. “Crawling like a crab on a New England shore.” She’s gaunt and bony. Not much to look at. A cripple.

Some of the women I know best are broken. Maybe all women are broken. Bob Dylan wrote, “Ain’t no use jivin’ / Ain’t no use jokin’ / Everything’s broken.” Some women are alone. Many feel lonely. Anita Lustrea, host of a popular radio show and author of What Women Tell Me, wrote, “I sense that loneliness is epidemic among women, especially Christian women, even those who go to church every Sunday.”

The woman in the painting is crawling home. Where has she been? Maybe she spent the morning with her friend. Maybe they drank coffee and played Bridge. Maybe they prayed and laughed together. She may be gaunt and crippled but she’s strong. Nobody’s carrying her. And she’s been somewhere. How long has it taken her? Do her shoulders ache?

There’s real beauty here. And strength in weakness. Maybe even grace. That’s what I like about the painting. It reminds me that God’s grace can make brokenness beautiful. It portrays the attitude of Paul who had learned “the secret of being content in any and every situation through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Understanding Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 21:27:00 +0000

Dr. Jimmy Young

Understanding other people is a real art form. But understanding myself is next to impossible. The Bible helps me understand myself. Numerous are the times when I get an insight to my own heart just by reading the Bible.

A case in point is in Exodus 32. After Moses had been away for several days, the people get antsy and want to “get on with it.” So, they approach Aaron about making for them an idol. He obliges and verse 4 tells us that he took their gold and “fashioned” a golden calf. However, when Moses does finally get back, not in a very good mood, he approaches Aaron and basically asks him to explain himself. In verse 24, Aaron describes his actions this way: “…and I threw it (the gold) into the fire and out came this calf.” That’s not what he did! He fashioned the thing himself. But when caught, he’s looking for some explanation that will allow him to look less bad than he ought to.

I am a master of that same strategy. I so want you to think highly of me that lying seems better than owning my sin. But now my sin has been complicated by more sin. “Oh what tangled webs we weave.” And I think the motive underneath so much of my subterfuge is that I can’t stand you knowing what a doofus I am.

The only remedy is to return to my identity in Christ. My worth is due to my belonging to Him. And though my behavior is sometimes regrettable, my standing is unchanged.

Corner Pillars

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:20:00 +0000

Kim Killebrew

May our sons in their youth
be like plants full grown,
our daughters like corner pillars
cut for the structure of a palace...
(Psalm 144:12)

Did you hear it? Were you there Sunday? Did you hear our senior pastor take us to that verse in Psalm 144? If you didn’t, listen to it here. “A blessed culture” is one where the strength, stability, and weight-bearing is carried out by the women! That’s pretty exciting to me.

As I looked around the sanctuary, I saw women who I know are corner pillars. Women whose feet are immovable and whose hearts are strong even when the worst of circumstances surround them. When I consider the role of a pillar and what that may look like as I seek to live it out, I’m reminded of another verse - 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” Being the weight-bearing, godly women we are designed to be is not easy when we have not been entirely freed from our sinful nature. I know my feet grow restless and my heart sick and sore. But the comfort, freedom, and peace comes in knowing that this role is not a circumstantial result of sin. It is the design and purpose that a holy God has assigned to me. And if he has deemed it good and necessary, he will give me the strength I need to continue.

Last week, I received a blog post from Desiring God Ministries (video below). Johnathan Todd also shared it with us on GOL, so you may have already seen it. But I have been so moved by this story of Ian and Larissa. There is no doubt that this precious woman knows her design. I have been humbled and mystified by the conscious decision this young, darling, energetic woman has made to display the glory of God in her life and in her marriage. I want you to see them. The video is beautiful... dreamy. But poke around and read the letters that Larissa shares. Larissa is living in a real, broken world but with the purpose of stability, strength, and hope. Only in Jesus.

Truly, not every woman has a physical child in this world. However, every woman was equipped to be a nurturer, and we are all mothering all the time through our relationships with one another. I do not know Larissa Murphy personally, and I am older than she is. But she has mothered me by pointing me to the cross and encouraging me to embrace my design as a “corner pillar cut for the structure of a palace.”

May the Lord raise up our women to act and function as corner pillars. And may he give us the wisdom to encourage each other to keep our feet firmly planted in our God.

*The Story of Ian and Larissa (video w/ remarks by John Piper)

*Follow-up articles from Larissa:

Part 1: Why We Got Married
Part 2: Learning Contentment in Suffering
Part 3: A Daily Disabled Life

Hidden Service

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:52:00 +0000

John Ottley

When we set out on a consciously chosen course of action that accents the good of others and is for the most part a hidden work, a deep change occurs in our spirit. Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness. The flesh whines against service but screams against hidden service. It strains and pulls for honor and recognition. It will devise subtle, religiously acceptable means to call attention to the service rendered. If we stoutly refuse to give in to this lust of the flesh, we crucify it. (Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p. 114)

Stephanie is a nurse and a member of Grace Evan. She wanted to be able to explain the Gospel to her patients, so she listened to the Grace Evan Scripture Songs to help her memorize some key verses. As she chats with her patients, she tries to turn the conversation to the spiritual side of life, if they’re willing. Usually they are. If they’re interested, she tells them what the Bible says about eternal life in Christ.

One of her patients was a scientist and an expert on light. He also had a condition that rendered him unresponsive at times. Sometimes he’s “on” and sometimes he’s “off.” When he’s “off” he appears to be asleep but he’s not. When Stephanie first met him he was “off” so she just started talking and sharing the verses she learned. Turns out Dr. G heard everything she said. Stephanie was startled when Dr. G said, “I’ve heard these things but never believed them. Now I want to believe.” He trusted Christ and poured out his heart to God and to Stephanie. As he confessed his sins, Stephanie said, “God can forgive that… God can forgive that too…” And “there’s enough grace for that…” On and on. God’s glory and the two of them hidden away in a hospital room.

Dr. G wanted more. Stephanie often returned to his room after work to read and explain God’s Word. She started with the Gospel of John. There’s a lot about “light” in John. “The light shines in the darkness.” Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” This made a big impact on a scientist who had studied light. Coincidence? Hardly. The nurse was letting her light shine.

She read Genesis (“Let there be light…”)... Luke... Ephesians... Philippians. He loved it. He drank it in like a deer panting for water (Psalm 42). He couldn’t get enough. Plus, he was lonely. He wondered if Stephanie had other friends who would be willing to come and read God’s Word to him. Stephanie mentioned this to Dr. Young during a recent Wednesday night supper. Dr. Young told her to talk to Roger. Roger and others came up to Dr. G’s room to read God’s Word. Roger set up a schedule to keep track of what had been read. Hidden service.

One day, before Roger learned about Dr. G’s “on/off” condition, he was reading Genesis. He thought Dr. G had fallen asleep so he stopped reading. Dr. G, with eyes still closed, yelled, “DON’T STOP!” It shocked Roger. He’d never heard Dr. G raise his voice like that. He kept reading!

Dr. G spent his last days listening to the reading of the Word of God. Two people hidden away in a hospital room. One in a bed listening. The other beside him in a chair reading. Hidden service. Dr. G died Monday morning.

The true light, which gives light to everyone…was in the world… He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:9-13)

Cut It Off!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:28:00 +0000

Brent Wilkins

In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, he tells his disciples that sin must be dealt with drastically because of its deadly effects. He goes as far as to say, “if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away, for it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell” (Matthew 5:30).

Jesus was not advocating self-mutilation. Cutting off your hand does not solve the problem of sin because sin lies in the heart of man. But Jesus is saying that we must abhor sin and take extreme measures to not mess around with those things which can tempt us to sin. If a part of the body is gangrenous, it endangers the whole body. If something is causing you to sin, then get rid of it! It would be more profitable to lose a member of one’s own body than to bear the eternal consequences of the guilt from such a sin.

Maybe you’ve heard of Aron Ralston, the young man who while canyoneering in Utah’s Blue John Canyon became pinned to the canyon wall by a shifting boulder. He spent the next six days trapped with his hand pinned under an 800-pound rock. In the end he cut off his arm to free himself and he survived to tell the story.

I still have the September 2004 issue of Outside magazine where Aron’s account of survival was first published. Since then, a book (Between a Rock and a Hard Place) has been published and a movie created (127 Hours) to tell the terrifying story. In the Outside account… day 6… Aron is near death and prepares to do the unthinkable. In order to live, he realizes he must amputate his arm. He describes the moment he realized “it” must be done in order to live [Rated R]:

“Out of curiosity, I poke my thumb with my knife blade twice. On the second prodding, the blade punctures the epidermis, like it is dipping into a stick of room-temperature butter, and releases a telltale hissing. Escaping decomposition gases are not good; the rot has advanced more quickly than I guessed. Though the smell is faint to my desensitized nose, it is abjectly unpleasant, the stench of a far-off carcass.

I lash out in fury, trying to yank my arm straight out from under the sandstone handcuff, never wanting more than I do right now to simply rid myself of any connection to this rotting appendage.

I don't want it.

It's not a part of me.

It's garbage.

Throw it away, Aron. Be rid of it.”

Friends, sin will destroy you. It will ensnare your heart! Flee from it. You don’t want it. It’s not a part of you. It’s garbage. Throw away the rotting appendage and be rid of it. Rely on the Holy Spirit who enables you to say no to temptation and strengthens you to be obedient.

Life Is Mundane

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 09 May 2012 16:18:00 +0000

Johnathan Todd

We are set up. We long for and are encouraged to experience grand, big, exciting, fascinating lives. Yet most of life is actually quite mundane…

…wake up so I can go to bed again that night.

…wash dishes so I can dirty them again.

…take a shower so I can get dirty again.

…eat, only to find myself hungry again.

Sadly, we discount all of this mundane part of life when in fact, we should treat it worshipfully. Huh? Let scripture speak here…

1 Corinthians 10:31

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the

glory of God.

Philippians 4:4

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

Romans 12:1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of

God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and

acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Give thanks in all circumstances.

So, as you go about those mundane parts of life, you can either be frustrated and disappointed because it isn’t the “exciting” you were hoping for, or you can choose - even in the mundane - to glorify God, rejoice, give thanks, and present your life as a living sacrifice.

Mythbusting Toward a New Day

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 06 May 2012 04:09:00 +0000

John Ottley

We had a terrific event for “Adults Over 55” (formerly known as “Seniors”) Thursday evening. If you were old enough to attend, but couldn’t for some reason, we missed you and you missed a great time! We had an excellent turnout… about 120 people. We had a great meal courtesy of the Germantown Commissary and plenty of great desserts. I tried to blow up three myths of “Seniors Ministry.”

Mythbuster #1: We’re not labeling anyone. We want you to be involved in the mission of Grace Evan to "reach an unchurched world through maturing believers." We want you to be what God wants you to be (a Christ-like servant) and do what God wants you to do (the good works spoken of in Ephesians 2:10). We want you to be content with your age but not complacent. We don’t want “adults over 55” to be discontent, defensive or in denial. “No stinkin’ badges.”

Mythbuster #2: We’re not trying to make busy people busier by giving them more to do. We do want “adults over 55” to prioritize their personal spiritual growth. We want everyone to have “a ministry in the church and a mission in the world.” We want to challenge and inspire each other to mature by “emulating Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Mythbuster #3: It’s not about you. We’re not here to make sure everything’s goin’ your way. Someone has said, “The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God.” And not just any god. The God who has spoken in Scripture and in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-3).

Lee Harrington and Jim Umlauf played and sang a great set of “oldies.” It’s rumored that people were dancing in the aisles, but of course, we can’t confirm this. Andrew Bryant brought the house down with his rendition of a Michael Buble’ number. Dr.Young gave an excellent message from Mark 8 about “the leaven of aging.” He challenged us about the leaven of bitterness, false guilt, fear, and feelings of regret or uselessness. Betsy Bryant capped the evening off with a great “prayer in song” to remind us that it’s a new day for adults over 55 at Grace Evan. Let’s make the most of it.

Father, I know that all my life is portioned out for me,

The changes that are sure to come I do not fear to see;

I ask Thee for a present mind intent on pleasing Thee.

Eyes Fixed

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:27:00 +0000

Morgan Martin

“Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth.” - Colossians 3:2

I’ve heard an analogy before: Just as a ballerina must focus her eyes on a fixed point to keep her balance while she is spinning, so we must focus our eyes on Christ to keep from getting distracted and “falling.” That picture is such a helpful one for me. Circumstances are constantly changing, and the world is spinning so fast around us. The only way to keep balanced is to fix our eyes on the One who never changes.

Beneath the Cross of Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:59:00 +0000

Kim Killebrew

Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
the shadow of a mighty rock
within a weary land;
a home within the wilderness,
a rest upon the way,
from the burning of the noontide heat,
and the burden of the day.

Beneath the cross of Jesus
mine eye at times can see
the very dying form of One
who suffered there for me;
and from my stricken heart with tears
two wonders I confess:
the wonders of redeeming love
and my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, thy shadow
for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
the sunshine of his face;
content to let the world go by,
to know no gain nor loss,
my sinful self my only shame,
my glory all the cross.

---Beneath the Cross of Jesus, by Elizabeth C. Clephane, 1868

I love this hymn. It seems to be the natural cry of my weary soul. When we sang it a few weeks ago, a few words caught my attention. Shadow. Home. Rest. Abiding place. I imagine the few people gathered at the foot of the cross, content in the shadow of it. I feel myself, thousands of years later, piled in a wounded and weary heap at his feet, desiring to be nowhere else but in the safety of redemption.

While I know that this abiding place ultimately is our eternal home with God, I wonder about the beginning of our eternal life here on earth. Shouldn’t these words describe the church? How often do we think of the church as our home within the wilderness? As we gather with other sick and sore pilgrims, aren’t we all seeking the same thing: the assurance of his redeeming love, despite our unworthiness?

But how do we treat these other pilgrims? Do we welcome one another into the shadow? Do we care to bear one another’s burdens? Are we brave enough to share ours? I wonder when people see Grace Evan, our church home, do they see the reflection of “the sunshine of his face.” I certainly hope so... don’t you?

Feed Your Soul

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:47:00 +0000

Erin Pearce

I'm learning more and more, the older I get, what a ministry music is to my soul. I remember in college days getting my very 1st RUF CD (Reformed University Fellowship) that had many of the hymns and songs that we sang in large group. As I would drive around, I remember just listening and meditating on the powerful, truthful words, and then Scripture would come to mind that would remind me of and confirm these truths. Music was such a blessing to my soul, as I was constantly singing these truths alone in my car on days that I was struggling, doubting, fearing, repenting, confessing, rejoicing, praising. Through all kinds of myriads of emotion, these songs would help me cling to the truth when I was having a hard time seeing straight. Even this morning as I was worrying about my grandmother who is in the ICU and several other people in my life that have had really bad turns in life recently, I heard this song playing as I was putting on my make-up:

Abide With Me by Henry Lyte

Abide with me; falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers, fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, abide with me.

Thou on my head, in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious, and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close Lord, abide with me.

I need Thy presence, every passing hour.
What but Thy grace, can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless
Ills have no weight, tears lose their bitterness
Where is thy sting death? Where grave thy victory?
I triumph still, abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross, before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, Lord, abide with me.

I was reminded yet again that our Lord is faithful even when we are not. That He is with us when help and comfort flee. He is our constant stronghold who cannot be moved when things seem to be falling apart around us. My soul was encouraged by these truths, and I hope yours is too.

Obedience and Feelings... in that order

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:44:00 +0000

By: Chris Leuck

We live in a “feelings-based” culture. We tend to operate as “feelings-driven” people. By “feelings” I mean one’s personal will, emotions, desires, motivations, etc.

In the current cultural paradigm, an individual’s feelings are seen as a trustworthy primary source for life direction. You have heard and maybe even used the sayings, “Just follow your heart” or “I just have a good feeling about this one…”

This is not the way we should live as Christians (or as human beings, for that matter). Your feelings are not a trustworthy primary source for life direction.

Why?
We are “fallen”… every last one of us. Sin has corrupted mankind and contaminated us to our very core. No man will experience complete freedom from his indwelling sin this side of the grave.

Christians ARE free from sin in another way (in the sense that we no longer have to serve sin as our master… the chains have been broken and we ARE FREE to serve our new master, Jesus Christ). However, we will continue to have indwelling sin as we serve Him.

Stay with me… we live in a time when popular thought says that your feelings ARE a trustworthy source of direction for your life. I am telling you that this is NOT TRUE because you are contaminated with sin down to your deepest parts, including your feelings.

At best, your feelings are often confused. Worse than that, they are often misleading and can be downright destructive. In fact, the corruption in this world has been caused by sinful desire (2 Peter 1:4).

The biblical paradigm puts your feelings in their proper place. Your feelings do not dictate your obedience to God. Your obedience to God dictates your feelings.

1 Peter 1:22-23
“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.” (I would recommend reading all of 1 Peter 1 to get the fuller context… Peter describes the great GIFT of salvation and the Christian’s responsibility in light of the gift).

Have you ever been faced with this dilemma? “I REALLY WANT to do ‘that thing’ but I know that God hates ‘that thing’ so I know I shouldn’t do ‘that thing’… but I really want to.”

If you have been a Christian for more than 5 minutes, you have had that dilemma. You have competing sets of feelings. Sometimes you are in touch with the PURE feelings that God has given you, but sometimes you are in touch with your SINFUL feelings. They wage war against each other inside of you. They compete for your loyalty.

Take heart… you ARE FREE from the slavery of service to your sinful desires. You ARE FREE to serve Christ. HOWEVER… please understand that your feelings are not trustworthy. They are NOT to be the primary source of direction for your life. The truth is.

What should you do in that dilemma?
Obey the truth not your feelings. Peter says that your obedience to the truth purifies your soul. Is Peter being legalistic? No. Peter is not talking about earning your salvation… he is talking about living out your salvation. If you are truly a Christian, you have experienced a second birth… born of an imperishable seed… you have been given salvation.

What are the makings of this second birth?
From 1 Peter 1:23 we at least know that it has come “… through the living and abiding Word of God,” also known as the truth. Elsewhere, we find more clarity into the fact that God has actually given His people HIS HOLY SPIRIT! See Ezekiel 36:25-27. God has given His people the inner means of obedience. If you are a Christian, he has caused you to be born again of the truth for obedience to the truth. Salvation IS a gift… and the means of your obedience is part of the package. Do not despair of your indwelling sin… live your life in the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit… live your life in obedience to the truth.

Ezekiel 36:27
“And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Regardless of the way you feel, obey the Word… and as you live your life in obedience to the truth, your soul will be purified. This is an important distinction. Your motivation for obedience is not to be the driving force of your obedience. Truth is. Truth dictates what you should or shouldn’t do and obedience to the truth purifies your motivations, or feelings. The more you follow God, the more you will want to follow God (and I would say that the more you live in sin, the more you will want to live in sin).

Think about the implications in the context of marriage:

Ephesians 5:24-25
"… as the church submits to Christ so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…”

But what if I don’t FEEL like it!?

Ephesians 5:33
“… and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

But what if he is being a jerk and he makes me mad? What if I don’t FEEL like it!?

These are not conditional commands… in fact, the call is for unconditional love. Put your feelings in their place. Husband, your call is to sacrifice yourself for your wife’s sake. Wife, respect your husband… submit to him in everything.

Obey God’s commands… He has given you the ability to do so. After a while, you will feel like it.

Chuck Colson

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:31:00 +0000

By: Dr. Jimmy Young

I was saddened to hear on the news Saturday night that Chuck Colson had died. You younger folk may not recognize that name, but, boy I do. Nixon’s “hatchet man” of Watergate fame, converted in prison, founder of Prison Fellowship. What a brother he was!

I had supper with him one night many years ago. But I most remember his books, of which there were several. The guy was brilliant. There were so many keen insights contained in his books, like this one:

“I was reminded of a young woman profiled in Psychology Today. Counseled to give up the endless round of parties, drugs, sex, and alcohol that was driving her into despair, she gasped to her psychiatrist, ‘You mean I don’t have to do everything I want to do?’”

He was full of the thought-provoking, and did it in a way that made Christianity appear as the most credible option that ever existed. In a day when we Christians are made to look as if we have committed intellectual suicide, Colson was a star. I will miss him.

No Stinking Badges

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:59:00 +0000

By: John Ottley

People wonder what I do at Grace Evan. A short answer besides “Not a whole lot” is “Pastoral Care and Senior Adult Ministry.” I’ve learned something about the latter. The word “senior” evokes a gamut of responses. Lots of people don’t want to be thought of as a “senior” and they don’t want to be rounded up, branded and herded off to a "Senior Adult Ministry." These folks aren’t mavericks. Many of them are galloping after the glory of God. (OK, no more horsing around with metaphors.)

Grace Evan exists to reach an unchurched world through maturing Christians. Maturing Christians are growing more like Christ who did not come to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). Maturing Christians reach an unchurched world by using their resources (time, talents and treasure) for God’s glory. And there are no age restrictions or limitations on this mission. It’s for everyone—young and old. “Junior” and “Senior.”

One of my goals as “Senior Adult Minister” is to encourage those 50 and older to mature, that is, to be what GOD wants them to be and do what GOD wants them to do (Ephesians 2:10: "created in Christ for good works…"). Many of these folks can inspire and encourage their peers to “get off the bench and into the game.” Some of these folks will challenge their friends to join a Sunday School class, Grace Group, or MIT. Others will build friendships with younger couples or serve in Amazing Graceland. Again, the issue, the goal, the mission is to mature in order to reach an unchurched world.

There’s a great quote about “badges” from John Huston’s The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Mexican banditos have cornered Fred Dobbs (Humphrey Bogart) and his gold mining cronies. The bandits pretend to be law enforcement officers to trick the prospectors into giving up their guns. Dobbs and his buddies see through their pretense and call their bluff by asking to see their badges. That’s when one of the bandits says, "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges."

So if you don’t like the “Senior Adult” badge, forget it. We don’t need no stinking badges. We just want you to be what God wants you to be and do what God wants you to do. And if you happen to be, you know, over… say… 50 and you want to have a fun evening with some other great people, then put May 3rd on your calendar. You’ll get great barbeque, great music and a great message. And we promise not to brand you.

Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead — since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:19–22

Living to Play Another Song

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:45:00 +0000

By: Kim Killebrew

I read this article today. Maybe you saw it, too. Israeli violin maker Amnon Weinstein of Tel Aviv lost 380 relatives to the Holocaust. He has spent the last decade scouring the globe for violins that were played in Nazi ghettos, work camps, and death camps. He has collected 18 instruments that will now be on display at The University of North Carolina, Charlotte: College of Arts and Architecture.

I did not realize that music was even a part of the Nazi reign of terror. Reportedly, prisoners were forced to play during the inmates roll call, marching time, work time, and even to showcase executions.

“Weinstein likes to tell of the violin he was working on one day in his shop in his native Israel. He found himself scraping away black gunk until he realized what it was. The violin had been played by an inmate in the orchestra at Auschwitz, a short walk from the gas chambers and chimneys. It was ashes.”

Naturally, many survivors wanted nothing to do with these instruments of death. So the violins were discarded and lost. However, Weinstein has searched them out, restored them to working condition, and now displays them in an exhibit called “Violins of Hope.”

Ladies, does that sound familiar? God designed us to be life-givers. Sin caused us to be life-takers. Christ’s redemption, the life he has given us, has restored our life-giving capabilities. Just like the violins. We were once instruments of death, but today we live to play another song. Will we?

I am challenged to see life through a new set of eyes. I can choose to gripe and complain and point fingers - tearing down the lives around me, celebrating the death of this world we live in. Or I can choose to pray, and wait, and deny myself, and encourage, and convey a message of hope for the future. Oh God, give us the strength to play a new song!

Songs That Prepare Kids to Meet Their Maker

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 04:08:00 +0000

By: Johnny Coggin

Have you ever wondered why we sing the songs we do? There are a number of factors that determine whether or not we use a song in our worship services at Grace Evan. Yet nothing factors higher than the content of the lyric, what the song is saying. Whatever pleasing qualities the tune or arrangement may bring, whatever emotions may be stirred up by the performance, we're wasting our time if what we sing together as God's redeemed people isn't calibrating our minds and hearts to the glories of who God is and what he has done.

John Bell makes this point in his book, The Singing Thing, in a discussion of children's songs:

...what we learn in childhood we retain all our life and [...] the images of God we receive from such songs will determine our faith and theology. That means that whenever anyone teaches a child a hymn or religious song, they may be preparing that child to meet his or her Maker. Does that seem too extreme?

Then consider the experience of those who minister to the elderly. A hospital chaplain colleague talks of how when she takes prayers in a geriatric ward, where people cannot read hymn texts, she uses songs they have in their memory. So they will sing "Jesus Loves Me" and "If I Come to Jesus, He Will Make Me Glad," both of which not only invoke the past but speak positively of the love of God.

Consider a child born in the 1970's, finding himself coming towards the end of his life in a geriatric ward in the 2060's, and as he prepares to make his peace with God summoning up such a deeply spiritual ditty as:

"If I were a fuzzy wuzzy bear,

I'd thank you, Lord, for my fuzzy wuzzy hair."

Children's hymns should never be seen simply as a form of entertainment to keep the kids happy. These songs, in the future, will be evocative of God.

It's true of kids' songs, but it's true of our songs too. Granted, music can simply be fun and entertaining. But as a church, we have a responsibility to use the divinely-designed power of music to teach and shape "our faith and theology" for the long haul. And the tunes and truths we sing together will often be what will come to mind in the trials of our lives.

- A loved one's death may bring to mind the reassuring words of "It is Well with My Soul."

- A season of grief and loneliness may be met with sweet comfort as you are reminded of the song "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."

- A fear of death and/or a nagging uncertainty of your standing with God may be put at ease as you recall the truths of "Before the Throne of God Above."

This is why we invest so much time and energy into Scripture Songs for the kids (and everyone else!). This is why we sing songs in our gathered worship that are rich with biblical truth about God. We're preparing ourselves - young and old - to meet our Maker, yes, but also to face life, now and future, with bold confidence in him.

Justice Smiles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:51:00 +0000

By: Jim Umlauf

Quite a few years ago, I spent about six months down at 201 Poplar. No, I wasn’t incarcerated—I worked there. On my last day, I thought it would be fun to get my picture taken in a judge’s chair, so I asked a court clerk friend of mine if he could make that happen. At 8:45 am, fifteen minutes before the whole “all rise” thing, I made my way into the courtroom through a door behind the judge’s desk. To my surprise, the place was packed. I mean shoulder to shoulder, crammed to capacity. As I sat down and looked out, what I thought would be a fun photo op turned somber very quickly. These people staring up at me had all been accused. They were going to be judged. They knew that punishment awaited them.

The sinner is in a cosmic predicament. God, the source of truth, good, and called by the Bible, “holy, holy, holy,” cannot allow the integrity of perfect justice to be compromised. If he did, he would be untrue to himself, which would mean he was imperfect, and you can see how it all unravels from there. Instead of meting out his justice upon sinners whom he loved, he poured it out on his perfectly just Son, the only possible substitute. What an amazing thing to ponder!

Here are some lyrics by John Newton that offer a fresh take on God’s justice:

Let us wonder; grace and justicejoin and point to mercy's store;when through grace in Christ our trust is,justice smiles and asks no more.

A courtroom scene is very familiar to most of us (thanks to television). We know what it means to throw one’s self on the mercy of the court. We know what it sounds like when the judge smacks his gavel. And we know the tension as the jury foreman says, “We the jury, find the defendant ________.”

Because of Christ, we not only hear the words, “not guilty,” but justice actually smiles.

Life-Givers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:06:00 +0000

By: Kim Killebrew

Well, she came. Susan Hunt, that is. She had a profound message for us. (If you happened to have missed it, you can listen to it here or on our Grace Evan mobile app (iPhone/iPad or Android)

Her message is simple. Women have a unique design, and redeemed women have unique gifts. We are the only ones who can be “life-givers” on this earth. The fall has made us “life-takers,” but Christ has restored our “life-giving” capabilities. What does that mean? How does it get fleshed out in daily life -- in our marriages, with our children, in our workplace, in friendships, our community, and our church?

Susan Hunt draws our attention to some of the women who knew Jesus. We find them in Luke 8:1-3:

“Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.”

There is much we can imagine about these women who worked and provided for Jesus and his disciples. Jesus was the only sinless one of the bunch, so it must have been rather interesting. But what we know for sure is that each woman who had been given life was moved to give life back to the One who had healed her.

I hope that we will consider this passage and pray for the Lord’s direction. May we be led to give life wherever we find Jesus.