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Monday, May 22, 2023

Amish buggy
We always enjoy seeing the window open in the back of the buggy and the kids looking back at the cars that follow, often waving at passengers as they eventually pass the buggy.

"Grace Teaches"

Message summary: As recipients of God’s grace we allow it to teach us. It teaches us to “say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions”, which abound in this fallen world of which we are inhabitants. As those who seek to please the Lord we are called “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age". This is what grace teaches us! The question is are we learning? And, if so, are we obeying?

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“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It (grace) teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:11-14).

Yesterday I met an older man who sat behind me in the church service whose name is Titus. Now I can't recall ever meeting a man named Titus, which is unusual since the other named Pastoral Epistle recipient is Timothy and I've known many Timothys.

When I meet someone with a Bible name I often ask them if they know  a verse I have memorized from the Bible book bearing their name or about the Bible character they are named after. Earlier yesterday morning in the foyer I met a young man named Isaiah so I asked him if he was familiar with  Isaiah 26:3. He wasn't but when I started quoting the verse his grandmother recognized it right away!

When I met Titus I asked him if he was familiar with Titus 2:11-14. He wasn't so I hope my question prompted him to look it up. It's a verse I memorized early in my ministry and meeting Titus yesterday also prompts today's study from this wonderful text.

Grace is a great teacher about God’s power. Grace also teaches us to fear God and it speaks to us of the consequences of sin. Consider this familiar line from the hymn, “Amazing Grace”, “’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear".

But today let us consider another aspect of grace as a teacher. It seems to us that many in the modern church have lost this message and too often see grace as a mere “get out of hell free card”. 

The text begins, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.” We thank God for His unmerited favor or as the familiar acrostic states:

God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense


God’s grace indeed brings salvation. It is the free, undeserved gift available to the entire human race. Our response is to accept, believe, and follow Christ. (John 3:16)

Grace transformsBut the full teaching of Holy Scripture concerning grace includes the truth that God’s
grace will transform us as a result of salvation. “Transforming Grace” is the title of an excellent book written by the late Jerry Bridges I read many years ago.

We both have committed the daily Scripture portion to memory and encourage you to do the same. It is a solemn reminder of the very essence of living a life that pleases God as a result of God’s grace. I find it helpful to slightly reword it to make it personal:

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to me. God’s grace teaches me to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live a self-controlled, upright and godly life in this present age, while I wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of my great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for me to redeem me from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a person that is His very own, eager to do what is good.”

The barrage of ungodliness that abounds in this world can easily pull us down in our emotions and spirit when the sordid details of evil fill the pages of the news. It’s hard to look upon evil after we have been redeemed from such wickedness. We must choose to keep a heavenly focus by living a self-controlled, godly life so that the dark things of this world will be overpowered by the bright light of God’s glory and grace!

As recipients of God’s grace we allow it to teach us. It teaches us to “say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions”, which abound in this fallen world of which we are inhabitants. As those who seek to please the Lord we are called “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age". This is what grace teaches us!

The question we need to ask ourselves, are we learning? And, if so, are we obeying?


Be encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Praying manDaily prayer: Father, we thank You for Your grace that meets our most pressing needs. It also helps us to say “no” to those temptations that are common to all and purifies us to be Your holy people who are eager to do that which is good. Your grace helps us to rise above the struggles of this world and most especially when we focus on the perfect, everlasting life to come when the glorious appearing of Jesus takes us up in the air to be with Him forever in glory. Fill us with anticipation and expectancy, Father. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"  Click to listen on YouTube  Sovereign Grace Music

Brooksyne's Note:  I find in my life a regular, ongoing need to renew and sharpen my focus. It seems I so easily lapse into making perishable things and prevailing troubles of this earth my focal point. One of the first choruses I recall singing shortly after I turned to Christ was “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” It has a line that states “Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” That’s sure what I need, for it is a glorious perspective by which to guide my thought process. Interestingly, Helen Howarth Lemmel, who wrote the hymn grew blind in her latter years and so she knew from personal experience the process by which one loses physical sight.  She also found sufficient grace to take hold of that which is seen only in the Spirit realm by refocusing her heart and mind on the imperishable, immortal God seen through eyes of faith.

An Inspiration Of Song - the story behind the song "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"
Click to listen on YouTube

CALVARY CHURCH WORSHIP: THREE SONGS 5/21/2023   Click to listen on YouTube   (See if you can find Brooksyne!)



Young men at church
Stephen mentioned that he met Titus before the church service began yesterday. Our choir led in worship so I was on the platform and met up with Seth Linford (front) and Silas Werner (back). They play the percussion instruments which adds so much to the instrumentation of the orchestra. Both are homes-schooled and Silas will graduate in just a couple weeks or so. Interestingly, he is #8 of ten children in his family and his mother home-schooled every one of them! It was also interesting that he lives just a couple streets up the road from us here in Mount Joy. I looked on Facebook and came across The Werner Family Band where you can see that Silas joins his brothers and is playing yet a different instrument. He didn't even mention that his family has a band. What talent, skill and discipline! I applaud this amazing family and their commitment to Christ. These boys are on loan to Calvary Church since we don't have a percussionist this year in our orchestra so we are grateful to these boys, their parents and churches as they assist our choir when we lead worship.

''Are You Lost in Sin''  Click to listen on YouTube  Werner Family Band

Finally today:

Friday's message dealt with the impact of "little things" prompted by our loss of water pressure due to a dirty water filter. Bob, a longtime friend, shared his story.

This March we woke up, and it felt chilly in the house. Checking the thermostat, it was 64 degrees. We prayed, turned it "off" then back "on" but with no response from the furnace. Called our heating guys who came right out. The technician came to my office door holding the furnace filter which looked clogged and bowed in. "You are not going to like the news I have for you," he said. "The clogged filter caused the duct to collapse which shut down your furnace. We need to replace the ducting and put in an additional intake box." Neglecting a $12 filter change resulted in a multi-thousand dollar repair to bring the intake system up to code!

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.



Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."



 
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