Treasured Truth

When we realize that a fellow believer is trying to earn their salvation by obeying rules, we need to emphasize for them the freedom that they have in Jesus Christ.  We should encourage them to not let anyone bind them or limit their freedom, by having them do things that the Bible doesn’t tell them to do.  So, join us to find out what it means for someone to oppose themself as a believer on today’s Treasured Truth.

As we continue to consider the three-fold appeal we find in Galatians 4, Pastor Ford will explain that surface level Christianity robs us of our greater power to be able to live the Christian life.  And the greater power we are seeking doesn’t come through obeying rules.  Rules are not the end.  They are the means by which we reach the end goal, which is always greater fellowship with Christ.

Pastor Ford reminds us that despite our failings, we can end up better than we started out.  We can never go too low to escape God’s grace.  The most important thing is for us to seek to know Him and Him alone.  He will help us do what He’s designed for us to do.

As we begin a new study in Galatians, Pastor Ford will ask us how far will we go to help a brother or sister who has strayed from the truth of the Bible.  What does it mean, really, to bring someone back to the truth, when they have forsaken and abandoned the way of grace and are going in the way of the law?

Today Pastor Ford will take time to answer several listener questions on a variety of topics, which include whether or not it’s a sin to get a tattoo, what to do if you’re uncertain you should remain in a romantic relationship, and what it means in scripture when we read about “the keys to the kingdom.”

We have to remember that our attitude is crucial when we are seeking forgiveness from another person.  People generally judge the seriousness of our asking forgiveness based on the way our words come from our mouths.  If we don’t approach the conversation with humility, then it will definitely complicate the whole process.

As we continue to look at seeking forgiveness from others, Pastor Ford will explain how we often will make excuses for ourselves.  But he will remind us that  Jesus died for our sins, not for our excuses. And we need to remember what we’re talking about when we seek forgiveness—it’s not what we feel about what we did to the other person.  Rather, it’s about how they felt about what we did to them.

Pastor Ford will explain that forgiveness is a dialogue and saying your sorry is a monologue.  In other words, when we say, “I’m sorry,” there’s nothing else to say about what’s happened.  But, when we say, “Forgive me,” now we’ve included the other person and it’s going to take a dialogue to deal with what the issue is.

Pastor Ford explains that no matter how far you’ve fallen and no matter how much drama you’ve been through, God is faithful.  He’ll help you do what He has planned for you and you’re going to end up better than you were when you started out.

When our world is falling apart and we’re trying to keep it all together, we need to understand that everything in our lives needs to be all about Christ.  It has to be!  In Philippians 4, Paul says, "If you kill me, I’ll go be with Christ.  If you let me live, I’ll live for Christ.  And if you make me suffer, I’ll get a crown from Christ."  So, bring it on! It’s all about Jesus Christ!