by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Spotted by a delirious woman who was convinced she could dash into Target for just a few stocking stuffers on Black Friday — a plaque that read: One Way to Happiness Is To Follow Your Heart.
Back when I knew of God, but had no personal relationship with Jesus, [an eternal difference] I felt sure that God’s greatest desire for me was to be happy. It was only when I began growing in my knowledge of who God is and who He created me to be that I realized it wasn’t happiness He desired above all for me, but holiness.
Be holy because I am holy. 1 Peter 1:16
I have the bumps and bruises to prove that following one’s own heart leads only to disappointment and destruction. Why? Because the heart is deceitful above all things (Jeremiah 17:9) It cannot—nor should it—ever be trusted.
Being happy is a blessing from the Lord but the Word says that if we’re obedient in seeking His kingdom first and foremost, all else will follow — including a joy that plunges deeper and spreads wider than mere happiness could ever offer.
If given the opportunity, my favorite plaque would read:
True Joy Rests in Obedience to the Only Way
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Summit’s series on sharing our grace stories continued this week. Jason’s voice may have faltered a bit but his message did not.
Snippets follow, but I encourage you to listen to the sermon in its entirety when it’s posted Tuesday/Wednesday.
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Jason began by reminding us that there are many doomsday people out there but we’re to remember that nothing thwarts God’s plans. Nothing! (Job 42:2) We are not to put our hope in the wrong kingdom.
Luke 10:1-20
- To follow Jesus means to be on His mission, with His message, and the right motivation. We now have a church culture focused on me, my issues, my needs.
- Jesus says to His followers: I’ve given you a story of grace and there are needs out there that only you can meet. You’ve been sent. You’re on a mission with a message. Your grace story matters.
- Don’t rejoice in your ministry or significance. If you rejoice in anything you do, you’ll end up disappointed. Everything we say and do should be Gospel motivated.
- The Gospel is the love you’ve been searching for.
Sharing snippets from such a powerful sermon is a challenge, to say the least. I hope you’ll stop by for the entire sermon on Summit’s site.
Prepare to be blessed!
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Who would’ve known how a Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn to Say Please Tea Set could be used to convict, encourage, and glorify God?
It all began while shopping for Piper’s birthday this week. I spotted a sale on Fisher-Price play sets and took full advantage by purchasing an On-The-Go Nativity Set for her birthday and a Laugh and Learn to Say Please Tea Set for Christmas.
When I arrived home that day, I left the tea set sitting in the front floor board. Had I known that every tilting of the pink tea pot produced the sound of pouring water I would’ve kicked my procrastination to the proverbial curb. The first “pour” brought a smile to my face as I thought of Piper, but the continuous (and I do mean continuous!) pouring prompted a whole new meaning.
At one time
we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and
hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.
And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted
in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. -Titus 3:4-8
With every “pour”, my Savior came to mind — proving especially helpful when I became frustrated with the guy in front of me refusing to take advantage of a left turn signal, as well as the time my mind began wandering in a not-so-Christ-like-direction.
Fast forward to this morning when I spotted a Salvation Army volunteer bundled up in a heavy coat, swinging her bell in front of the local Belk. The Lord reminded me of the nearby Starbucks and how a cup of hot cocoa with whip cream could minister to most anyone—and of course, He was right.
I pulled up to the curb, hopped out, and handed the bundled volunteer hot cocoa. The wrinkles on her face glistened with delight as she proclaimed how she’d just told the Lord she could use something warm to drink. We gave God glory for His provision and wished each other a blessed holiday season while I climbed back in the CRV.
As I pulled away, the tea pot tilted and the water “poured”, immersing my heart in gratitude for a plastic pink tea pot and the magnificent ways God uses the simplest of things to bring Him glory.
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received
from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this
that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. – Acts 2:33
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
One year ago today
a new kind of love entered our family.
It is boundless
without conditions
and ever lasting.
It’s a kind of love
that blessed my life from first breath
and will continue
until my last.
It is the love of a grandmother.
Happy First Birthday, sweet Piper!
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Kyle Estepp continued our series on life practices we want to develop individually and corporately, with this week’s focus being on our own grace story. (2 Peter)
“Without Christ, we were all victims of a massive hijack and were being held hostage by our own sin and the power of Satan. The place of our
captivity was called “futile ways.” All was futile, the blowing up of bubbles that burst. Life may have been full of business and building, but it all signified nothing and would have ended in an eternal whimper. But Christ paid the ransom. He purchased our freedom by his own life.
As 1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” And now nothing that we do in his name is futile, but it all has eternal significance.” – John Piper
- Conversion to Jesus Christ is not simply due to believing some facts but about a new person being born of the imperishable Word of the Gospel.
- God makes eternal somethings from futile nothings.
- Conversion doesn’t mean that we’re perfect but it does mean there will be a hunger for Christ. The more we taste of Him, the more we desire. Our appetites may wane during spiritual dry times but our thirst for Him prevails.
- Our power to give a compassionate witness about Jesus to unbelievers will grow in direct proportion to how precious Jesus is to us.
- Jesus gives us a new story. It’s only in the Gospel where our stories find their meaning.
Is our storytelling of the grace of a loving God? What’s the story we’re actually telling through our lives?
If you’d like to listen to the entire sermon, please visit Summit’s sermon archives here.
