Happy 4th And the freedom that is given in Christ Jesus

Today we will have a picnic at the Quarry, our tree farm, with the family. Have a wonderful 4th of July.

Jesus, that He would sanctify us with His own blood, was crucified outside the city walls of Jerusalem. Now as believers, we honor the Cross of Christ, as Jesus suffered unimaginable pain and death for our salvation. All the sins of mankind were laid on Him and on Him God poured out His wrath and His mercy. 

Jesus willingly took on the sins of the world. 

For here we are strangers but we look forward to our citizenship which is in heaven. We are God’s ambassadorson on earth. We are to do good and offer the sacrifice of praise for His grace and mercy. 

Pray for the truth of the Gospel of Grace to be offered to all who will accept it. 

The Bible contains the Gospels but it is not the Gospel. The Gospel of Grace is the salvation given in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins. Believe it! And you will not perish but have everlasting life with Him. God did not send His only begotten Son to us to condemn us but that through Him we could be saved. John 3:16

Proverbs 26:4-5 helps us discern how to answer someone who is acting foolish. At first, these verses may seem to suggest answering a fool but then contradict that instruction with counsel to do the opposite. On closer inspection, the idea is that when it comes to insignificant issues, it's often unwise to argue. However, when someone spouts folly regarding important topics, such as how to receive eternal life, they need to be answered correctly.

All of us make foolish decisions sometimes or fail to follow God's wisdom, instead trusting our own. So let's check ourselves to see where pride, self-righteousness or spiritual blindness may have crept into our lives. Each day brings new opportunities to seek God and apply His wisdom in our decisions. First5

In truth, I can be enamored by self-sufficiency, reputation, accomplishments (and yes, stuff). But deep down, I know that life can be lived without all of these things. But I can’t be fully human or fully alive without friends. And I can’t be fully human and fully alive without connection with fellow journeyers.

I find it interesting that Jesus kept pointing this out to his disciples. He cautioned them from rejoicing in their resumes. And he invited them to be his friends. He didn’t tell them what to believe. He invited them into a relationship.Sabbath Moments 

What would it take to restore your hope? Three answers come quickly to mind. The first would be a person who knows the way out – someone you can trust. And from him you need some vision – someone to lift your spirits. Perhaps most important, you need direction. If you have someone who can take you from this place to the right place, now you’ve found someone who can restore your hope. Jesus offers to do this for you. Or, to use the words of King David: “He restores my soul” (Psalm 23:3). Max Lucado