Church of the Living God - Traverse City, MI

We’ve been studying Paul’s second letter to Timothy. In it, he presents a pretty grim picture of what it looks like when people walk in the path of the flesh (which leads to chaos), and we are moving by implication to what it looks like to walk in the Spirit (which leads to peace).  One side can have the form of godliness – it can go through the motions and to at least some degree look good on the outside – but the other side has experienced transformative power. 

I’ve been coming back to a theme: When God calls you, he equips you. God never commissions anyone to a task without giving a gift appropriate to it.[1] Now I want to focus on a foundational way God equips all of us – through His Word.

Paul made between two kinds of people and their fruit:  those who love self,[1] money,, pleasure and lies, and those who love God, truth, and the path of life that follows repentance and surrender to the lordship of Christ. One side can have the form of godliness – it can go through the motions and to at least some degree look good on the outside – but the other side has experienced transformative power. The Spirit of God and the Path of God give us transformative power to mature in Christ and represent God well as ambassadors.

How do we experience the fullness of blessings in the sphere of the warmth of the love of God? How do we stay in the sunlight of the Son? We walk in obedience to His revealed will. The writers of Scripture tell us this over and over again.

The feast in the early church was intended to be a practical demonstration of unity, celebration, and common care that crossed all boundaries. This was meant to be life-giving “agape” socially, relationally, spiritually and nutritionally, not an unhealthy or sinful indulgence of the appetites of the flesh in which the rich flaunted their luxury and the poor were reminded of theirs.

What Cain, Balaam and Korah teach us about the heart of true worship.

The Ultimate Eulogy

Becoming a follower of Christ, and finding my identity in Him, brings with it blessings that can be found in no one else. It is a privilege to be a child of God.

But just like with my earthly father, I bear the image of my Heavenly Father, and I carry the name and reputation of my Heavenly Father. I must be about my Father’s business too. Why? Because God has entrusted the church, and that includes us, with His reputation. I bear the image and the name and the reputation of my Father.