May our speech and our actions always reflect the love of God for His creation. We are all made in Gods’ image some just don’t realize it or acknowledge it. Some have never heard the Gospel of Grace. Some have only seen the hypocrisy inherent in those who use it for their own monetary gain. Some feel that there is no way they could ever be loved by their Father because of their past. John 3:16-18
God wants every person to come to Him for His healing love.
Colossians 4:2-5
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. The New King James Version
Our actions speak volumes about our beliefs. The love of God speaks through them. Jesus frees us from the law and places us in the power of His grace. Love is the constant and it alone covers the multitude of the sins of humanity. Cain was inspired by the devil and he was not willing to follow God’s direction but Able believed God, followed His direction and was righteous. The faithless live precarious lives in their unbelief. The faithful put their trust in God and rest in His peace. When we love our neighbor we have passed from death into life. We cannot hate others who were made in God’s image and love God. The love of God laid down His life for us. We need to care for all people, in all nations, especially those that are being persecuted for their faith. Good works show our love for Jesus and the salvation that God gives to all who believe in Him.
1 John 3:10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
God told Moses the value of keeping His covenant and if the people of Israel would keep it they would be a nation of priests. They agreed to it. It was system of works. In the salvation to the Gentiles we are in the Gospel of Grace and under the direction of Holy Spirit. It is a system of grace, unmerited and undeserved, and not of works.
Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
The council of Jerusalem made the decision that Jewish believers would be under the direction of Peter and the Gentiles according to Paul’s gospel. Jesus revealed His truth to Paul that the Gentiles would be included in His salvation. James, Peter and John agreed that Paul should go to the Gentiles and that they should remember the poor. It was hard for the Jewish believers to accept that the Gentiles were included in salvation without becoming Jews.
Galatians 2:7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do.
The Colossians must stay alert for false teachings that contradict the gospel message. Jesus gave His disciples a similar warning prior to His arrest). Paul encourages the Colossians to partner with him in his preaching ministry through prayer. The mystery of Christ refers to God’s plan of redemption for creation and humanity. This mystery has been revealed through Jesus Christ and the teaching of His apostles. Paul wants the Colossians to understand that his imprisonment is a result of his gospel work, and that it demonstrates his love for them. Paul refers to practical and transformational wisdom, not intellectual insight. Those who apply such wisdom can reflect God’s values and character. Faithlife Study Bible
Paul encourages the Colossians to be diligent in thanksgiving and prayer, especially praying for himself and his coworkers as they worked at spreading the gospel. Even the apostle Paul requested and needed the prayers of others to support him.
Early Christians were often viewed with suspicion, distrust, and disdain. They were considered atheists because they would not worship the gods of Rome and Greece. Many labeled them as unpatriotic because they would not burn incense before the image of the emperor. Some accused the early Christians of participating in orgies because of their talk of “love feasts” (Jude 12). Others harbored suspicions that Christians were really cannibals, who ate and drank the blood and the body of the Lord. With such misrepresentations of Christian belief and practice running rampant, it was very important for misunderstandings to be dispelled by the virtuous and impeccable lives of Christian believers. The NKJV Study Bible
Ephesians 5:15–17 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil…
Ephesians 6:18–20 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel…
Acts 14:27 Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Ephesians 3:3–4 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
Sabbath (sanctuary, the permission to stop) allows us to hear the voice of Grace. And Grace says simply, "You are accepted. Period. Deal with it.”
Paul Tillich elaborates, "You are accepted by that which is greater than you, and the name of which you do not know. Do not seek for anything. Do not perform anything, do not intend anything. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted.”
If that happens to us, we experience grace. This means that I can live and choose and commit "from acceptance" and not "for acceptance." I'm not in the business of needing to impress anyone or earn points.
Grace is the fuel that allows us to “get in” this life.
To live from hope and for hope.
To live with, and from, an open heart, even when life gets wobbly.
This is a fundamental paradigm shift. “We are promoters of the culture of encounter,” Pope Francis reminds us. And he practices what he preaches (he gets in), each encounter filled with compassion and power, a message of presence to those who are, or feel, marginalized, or on the outside.. Sabbath Moments
This is why the cross of Jesus is so important. At the cross, Jesus fulfilled God's law so we could be set free from sin. "Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God's people. For the person who has entered [Jesus'] rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his" (Hebrews 4:9-10, CSB). Jesus' finished work on the cross frees us to be obedient daughters and sons of God who work from the rest we have received.
Friend, rest isn't simply what you need; it's what God longs to give you. And it's not something you need to achieve; it's something Jesus accomplished on the cross. Our world today may feel more like a wilderness than a garden … but the path to true rest is found in Him (Matthew 11:28-29). It's time to leave exhaustion behind and step into the rest that our good and gracious God gives us in Christ Jesus through the power of His Spirit. First5
Our God is a covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He does not lie. He cannot lie. He can no more break a promise than you and I can swim the Pacific Ocean. The Scripture says, “God is not a human being, and he will not lie. He is not a human, and he does not change his mind. What he says he will do, he does. What he promises, he makes come true” (Numbers 23:19 NCV).
God is not like us. We remake our decisions and reconsider our opinions. We are prone to make a promise only to break it due to unforeseen circumstances. Not God. He sees the end of history. His decrees are not his desire for the future, they are his description of the future. We are on a divine trajectory governed by his promises. What God has set out to do, he will do. Max Lucado
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