"I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel...." (Galatians 1:6)
The problem here, as with all heresies throughout the centuries is, "turning away...from Him...." I tell you, my friend, if anyone or anything replaces Jesus as the dominant "theme" of our lives, if anyone or anything ever becomes a greater priority in our lives, our churches, our missions, our worship than Jesus, the reason is only that we are, "turning away...from Him...." It does not matter whether it be worship, praying, teaching/preaching, missions, helping the poor, evangelizing, "sowing seed," what or whoever, the path always, yes, always, leads sooner or later to, "turning away from Him." First, it happens from the pulpit. Those entrusted with the ancient and everlasting Gospel either slip in their relationship, "from Jesus," and/or they see trends in the host culture and adapt the "message" accordingly. They, "turn[]...to a different gospel, which is not another...." No one should ever leave a gathering of the Church and wonder just who we are, and Whose we are.
My first sermon I preached 55 years ago was from John 15, "Jesus, Our Friend." I remember quoting one of my favorite hymns, "Oh, how could I this Friend deny when He's so true to me?"!!? From the lost of Stephen Paul, through the "renewal" of the sixties, seventies, and eighties, the many missions which took me to some "scary" places, etc., there has always been Jesus, "The Lord...my Shepherd." I shall never forget, and can still "see" Him so vividly as He "stood" before me in the summer of 1970 and spoke those life-liberating words to me, "You can sit here the rest of your life and pity yourself, or you can get up and follow Me." By Jesus' mercy and grace I'm still here, still serving Jesus' Church, Jesus' Kingdom, and you, my friend, serving and calling you and me to never be found, "turning away... from Him."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for sustaining me, keeping me in You. You certainly have been over these nearly 72 years "so true to me."
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New Articles at: jhs58.blogspot.com
The problem here, as with all heresies throughout the centuries is, "turning away...from Him...." I tell you, my friend, if anyone or anything replaces Jesus as the dominant "theme" of our lives, if anyone or anything ever becomes a greater priority in our lives, our churches, our missions, our worship than Jesus, the reason is only that we are, "turning away...from Him...." It does not matter whether it be worship, praying, teaching/preaching, missions, helping the poor, evangelizing, "sowing seed," what or whoever, the path always, yes, always, leads sooner or later to, "turning away from Him." First, it happens from the pulpit. Those entrusted with the ancient and everlasting Gospel either slip in their relationship, "from Jesus," and/or they see trends in the host culture and adapt the "message" accordingly. They, "turn[]...to a different gospel, which is not another...." No one should ever leave a gathering of the Church and wonder just who we are, and Whose we are.
My first sermon I preached 55 years ago was from John 15, "Jesus, Our Friend." I remember quoting one of my favorite hymns, "Oh, how could I this Friend deny when He's so true to me?"!!? From the lost of Stephen Paul, through the "renewal" of the sixties, seventies, and eighties, the many missions which took me to some "scary" places, etc., there has always been Jesus, "The Lord...my Shepherd." I shall never forget, and can still "see" Him so vividly as He "stood" before me in the summer of 1970 and spoke those life-liberating words to me, "You can sit here the rest of your life and pity yourself, or you can get up and follow Me." By Jesus' mercy and grace I'm still here, still serving Jesus' Church, Jesus' Kingdom, and you, my friend, serving and calling you and me to never be found, "turning away... from Him."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You for sustaining me, keeping me in You. You certainly have been over these nearly 72 years "so true to me."
*****************
New Articles at: jhs58.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
