God’s Kingdom

God’s kingdom in our lives rules even and especially in the face of opposition difficulties or weakness. He loves to prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies. The love of Christ is most powerful and most clearly seen when faced with suffering and will carry us all the way to the throne of God!

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37‭-‬39 ESV

Straight Paths

Some years ago I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Nepal. One of the most memorable events was visiting a church in the foot hills of the Himalayas. We stayed the night before in Birtamod and in the morning hired a 4 wheel drive taxi to take us. The first stop that day was to a church in a refugee camp about an hour from the city. That afternoon we continued up into the hills and bounced our way up an incredibly beautiful yet barely passable track. Every time we lurched back and forth between the side of the high hill and the drop off I closed my eyes while the driver and my pastor laughed. Eventually the vehicle came to a full stop where the road ended and we climbed another hundred yards up to where the church had been built.

While the road had been rough for me I was most amazed to learn that the congregation had actually spent the previous week repairing it so we could come. They normally simply walked to the church but they had sacrificially worked for days so we could come to visit!

In the letter of Hebrews I might have missed what God is asking me to do were it not for our good friends in Nepal. He expects us to prepare straight paths. Yes we re saved by grace but grace is not an invitation to stay at a 5 star resort. God is calling us to prepare with all our might for a visit far more important than of any person. We are to prepare with all our might for the return of Jesus Christ: the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings! We are to repair the path raise up the low places level out the rough road for the feet of Jesus to walk. What part of the road has God called you to work on today?

 

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Happy or Sad?

Sometimes church gets filled up with all kinds of different people who for all kinds of different reasons want tp come see Jesus. Do we feel happy or sad when we find someone else sitting in our pew? Will we go home joyful ot irritated if lots of different folks show up to worship? God so loved the world- the whole world that He gave His only Son. How will we respond when a small breeze of change begins blowing through our church? Why not check to see if our spiritual doors and windows locked? God wants to send a mighty rushing wing to fill His house. Be ready because God loves to use all kinds of people from all kinds of places to build His church!

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”
John 12:19 NKJV