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
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.
If forced to get rid of all but five of my writing books, The Creative Call, An Artist’s Response to the Call of the Spirit would be one of five.
It’s a practical and insightful workbook with eight weeks of material, plus a bonus retreat guide for group or individual use. Janice Elsheimer helps writers learn how to recognize, develop, and respond to God’s creative call as we grow in our relationship with Him.
Did you know…J. S. Bach regularly inscribed the beginning of his scores with the letters J.J., which stood for the Latin “Jesu, Juva,” or “Jesus, help.” At the end of a composition, he often wrote S.D.G. for “Soli Deo Gloria,” or “To God alone the glory.”
With Scripture, wise quotes, and tidbits of Bach-type stories peppered throughout the book there were many “Wow!” moments, to say the least.
Yep. It’s a keeper and a favorite for sure.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“How are you?”
“I’m fine.”
The dialogue between myself and a young woman sitting beside me at church on Sunday continues to swirl about in my mind and conscience.
Neither of us were fine that morning.
Tears were wiped from her face more than once while her husband gently patted her leg. My pain wasn’t as obvious but it was still there. And yet we both put on our fake-o happy faces and took the easy way out.
Fake-o:1 Transparency:0
I’m not saying we should spill our hearts to anyone and everyone, but if I could have a do-over, my response would be I’m struggling this morning and I’d appreciate your prayers.
Only hours later, God graciously gave me that opportunity and this time I didn’t scram to find my mask. Instead, I shared openly with the women in our life group. As it turned out, my transparency prompted another woman to share a similar struggle. We closed in prayer, opening wide the channels of our souls to receive God’s restoration power.
Fake-o:0 Transparency: God only knows
No doubt about it. The cost of transparency is high. It can be messy, scary, and risky — but its rewards will be measured throughout eternity.
How will you choose transparency over fake-o today?
It’s great to be sharing snippets from our Sunday’s service at Summit Upstate once again.
There is one dilemma, however. Jason’s sermon was so riveting that I forgot to take notes for a good part of the service. Yes, it was that good. My snippets-attempt doesn’t do the sermon justice, but here goes:
Ways to become more intentional in sharing our own story:
A
lot of people say the Church is no longer relevant — that we need to
be hipper or trendier for people to want to come and camp out at the
Church’s door. It’s not about making God “cooler” — it’s about the
Church living intentionally.
It’s
arrogant of us to think God has become irrelevant and that it’s our job
to make Him relevant. -Jason Malone (I’d say this is tweet-worthy,
wouldn’t you?)
To hear the sermon in its entirety, please visit Summit’s site. Jason’s sermon should be posted by Tuesday/Wednesday.
I skimp on some things but two splurges bring an immediate worth-every-penny kind of smile to my face:
