Tag: Grace

Morning Musings: Jeremiah 3:25

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“Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us.  For we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and we have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

Genuine, heart-felt repentance is tough to do.  It requires a couple of things that we are pretty loathe to give.  It requires first a recognition that we have done something that was not right.  It was wrong, not in an abstract way, but in a way that was deeply personal for us and also for the other people who were affected by it.  This is tough in and of itself.  Often, when we have gotten caught doing something wrong we recognize the abstract, but not the personal.  We are inconvenienced by the attention to our misdeeds, but not truly sorry we did it.  This is the politician’s apology.  In other words, we are more sorry that we got caught than that we did whatever it was we have been caught doing. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Ephesians 6:12

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“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

Does it feel like it is more and more of a battle to be a follower of Jesus in the U.S. these days?  Welcome to life for most of the rest of your brothers and sisters in Christ around the world and throughout history.  Jesus followers have always tended to be more of a persecuted group than not.  This really shouldn’t be much of a surprise either.  Jesus Himself guaranteed it would happen. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: Ephesians 4:29

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Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  (ESV – Read the chapter)

Paul’s focus here is on our words which is pretty important.  Most of us have a tough time staying out of trouble there.  James makes a convincing case for this in his letter (read it here).  We are able in most cases to whip up a mean batch of foot stew at a moment’s notice. Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Ephesians 6:4

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“Father, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

As a father of three boys, this verse has always struck me with a particularly strong force.  The first part of this little section important, to be sure.  My children should obey me because that is right and life will go better for them if they do.  But, am I being the kind of father who invites obedience? Read the rest…

Morning Musings: Ephesians 2:8-10

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For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship; created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.  (ESV – Read the chapter)

For anyone who would argue that our salvation has in even the tiniest of ways to do with our good works, this verse puts the lie to their position.  Any individual, church, or even whole faith tradition that says otherwise is mistaken.  That’s a pretty strong way to put it, but there really isn’t any other way around what Paul says here.  Salvation comes by grace through faith and not by works.  Period.  We didn’t have anything to do with it being given to us beyond receiving the gift by faith. Read the rest…