God seeks the One who is Lost
Jun 6, 2020 18:40:24 #
The religious leaders in Jesus’ day had structured their system to exalt the self-righteous and exclude anyone who did not live up to their often arbitrary standards (Matthew 23:28). They had added so many rules and regulations to God’s law that no one could keep them all, including the very ones who had drafted them.
When Jesus came along, His methodology confused them. He seemed to be from God, yet He rebuked the outwardly righteous and welcomed the wicked. How could this man know God?
As was His custom, in order to explain spiritual truths, Jesus told them a story,
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:12–14).
Everyone has lost things and had to search for them. Ever lost a contact lens by dropping it on the floor, then descending to your hands and knees seeking until you found it? Remember how glad you were when you found that lens – especially if it was your last pair of contacts and you are as blind as a bat without them?
We have all lost our car keys – and what do we do? We think of all the routine places we might have placed them and we look first in those places. If unable to locate them, we retrace our steps to other locations where we have been. Remember your relief upon finding them?
Ever lose something really valuable? Your wedding ring, your high school ring, a purse or a wallet, or even a considerable amount of money? Remember how you felt? Remember what you did?
In the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin, Jesus emphasizes one point: the extent to which God will go to find us when we are lost.
The gospel of Matthew and the gospel of Luke include the identical story of the lost sheep. in addition, Luke includes both the parable of the lost sheep and a parable of the lost coin.
Matthew’s account is in Matthew 18:11-13. This is Luke's account:
Luke 15:1-7
“Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
"So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!"
Jesus continued with the Parable of the Lost Coin.
Luke 15:8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver *coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it?
So, a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. She lights a lamp and sweeps the entire house and searches carefully until she finds it. And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” (Luke 15:8-10)
*The word translated in English as “coin” is drachma in Greek. A drachma was the equivalent of a full day’s wage. Thus losing such a coin was of much greater value to them than the loss of a penny would be today.
A friend lost a valuable ruby and sapphire ring. She looked everywhere for it. Her husband took the dryer apart to look for it in case it accidentally went through the wash in an article of clothing. It was nowhere to be found. She even reported it to the police in case someone would turn it in.
Two years later, she went to her father-in-law’s house for a birthday party. Unexplicably, the subject of her lost ring arose. She described it, and how she had searched for it everywhere. To her surprise, her father-in-law said, “Huh, the cable guy found such a ring in my guest room when he was installing my cable.” Sure enough…it was her ring! Found!
The ring likely slipped off her finger while she was packaging a gift for him for his birthday, and there it had stayed until the cable guy saw it. She was so excited that she had found her ring! Not just because it was valuable, but because her husband had given it to her on a special birthday, years before.
We all rejoice when we find objects that are precious to us. But what about finding people we love who were lost to us?
Think about a time when you lost a child in a public place. Most parents have endured that at least once. Your heart sinks when you realize your child is no longer by your side. You can feel the blood drain from your face as you frantically scan the area around you and don’t see them anywhere. You start calling their name. When they don’t answer, you shift into full search mode moving quickly through the crowd, asking everyone if they’ve seen your child.
A mother lost her child in a cabinet store when he was about two. They were building a home, and she was trying to select kitchen cabinets. The salesperson was giving her a "sales pitch", and suddenly she realized he wasn’t right next to her anymore.
She quickly looked around and down the aisle in which she was standing, and didn’t see him. One minute he was right there, the next he was gone. How could he disappear so quickly? Her heart skipped a beat as she ran around to the next aisle to see if he was there. He wasn’t. She started calling his name; and when he didn’t answer, she seriously thought she would faint. The salesperson quickly locked all the exit doors and called a “code yellow” over the loudspeaker – which meant there was a missing child. Now she was almost in tears. With the doors locked, everyone working at the cabinet shop went up and down the aisles looking for him. He was nowhere to be found. She thought she would have a heart attack.
Suddenly, a small cabinet door opened and out popped his little head.
At that moment, she had to sit down on the floor. He’d never gone far. He simply opened a cabinet door right where they were standing and silently climbed inside. She pulled him onto her lap and hugged him tightly while trying to catch her breath.
Jesus describes the way God feels about each of us. He loves us more than we love our own children – and when even one wanders away or is lost to Him, He searches for us and pursues us until he finds us. Just as when the shepherd searched for his lost sheep, the woman searched for her lost coin, a friend searched for her lost ring, and a mother searched for her lost son...
God searches for each of us, and all heaven rejoices when we are found.
If you are wondering, “When have I ever been lost?”
In reality – we have all been lost.
Romans 3:23 says: “All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
We have all been lost in our sin. Sin separates us from God – like the mother was separated from her little boy in that store. Sin prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God’s love and forgiveness. Imagine sin as being like that cabinet into which the little boy climbed. When we live in our sin, we are lost to God like the little boy was lost to his mother. We’re doomed to living a life here on earth without God’s grace; and doomed to an eternity apart from God.
Lost.
Thank goodness God searches for us when we’re lost –
Luke 19:10: “Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost.”
As much as we love our lost children, God loves us more.
John 3:16: “God loved us so much that he sent his only Son, Jesus, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Romans 5:8: “God showed his great love for us when Jesus died in our place while we were still sinners.”
God loved us so much that he created a way for us to become found, just as we are, without requiring us to become better first. He sent Jesus to find us so that we could experience abundant life now, here on earth, and eternal life forever in his presence.
Have you been found or are you still hiding from God?
God is searching for you. He has made a way for you to be found and He’s calling your name.
You have only to answer. Open that cabinet door and allow God to embrace you!
Being someone found by God has many implications.
Remember that the parable of the lost sheep appears in both the book of Matthew and in the book of Luke?
Luke focuses on evangelism: seeking those who are lost; those who are outside the fold.
Matthew focuses on restoration of believers who have gone astray: seeking insiders who have wandered from the flock.
Both have implications for us as disciples of Christ – as "found" people.
The body of Christ, the church embodies the continuing ministry of Jesus in we, His disciples.
As Jesus’ disciples, our objective is to imitate our Master; in both reaching out to people who are estranged from God, and to fellow Christ-followers who have lost their way to God.
We have been found.
Now let’s go find others who are lost.
"Found" people find people.
There are two implications.
1) Evangelism:
In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus told his disciples,
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
As disciples, we are called to find His lost “sheep” and missing “coins”on behalf of the Master we serve.
The woman who lost her coin lit a lamp, and searched carefully as she swept. We can shine the light of God’s love, as we spend time with those who have not yet received Jesus as their Savior, meaning we must spend time with people who are not yet believers.
Look at the first few verses in this passage. Luke 15:1-3. “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
So Jesus told them this story…” - to explain to the religious leaders why he spent so much of his time with sinners. These sinners were the lost ones. They were the ones who needed to be found; they were the reason Jesus came!
It is important to be in community with other believers. We grow best in community, and when the flock is together, they are far safer, but we must be willing to leave the flock – the 99 who are found – to search for the one who is lost, just as Jesus did.
2) Restoration
As disciples, we’re called to restore other believers who’ve wandered away from the flock; believers who diverted from God's narrow and straight path.
Galatians 6:1: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.”
Jesus calls His followers to serve one another as He has sacrificially served them, to value them and seek them out whenever they go astray.
Concern against being overly “judgmental” is very much in vogue these days. To counteract that, our defensive tendency is to "mind our own business," and turn a blind eye toward those among us who are perishing by wandering away from God.
There is a difference between discernment and judgment.
Discernment is recognition of the difference between right and wrong, as determined by God's Holy Scripture.
Judgment refers to determining someone's punishment as if appointed that person's presiding judge.
We’re called to be discerning and to gently guide a fellow Christian back to the flock when they’ve wandered off – by pointing out how God's written standard differs from that to which they have strayed, and to assist them to return to their Shepherd.
James 5:19-20: “ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
We need each other. Were I the sheep who wandered off, I hope at least one of my fellow sheep would come alongside me and guide me back.
The shepherd in the first parable was more concerned with one lost sheep than with the rest of the flock. Not because the one is more valuable, but because the other 99 are already safe! We too should be more concerned with the one than with the 99. Our concern for those who don’t yet know Jesus should be more urgent than our concern for those who are secure.
Sometimes, churches overly focus upon themselves, i.e., their flock, paying too little attention to the lost people who are still lost and in need of Christ. This does not mean the spiritual well-being of the church members can be ignored – for Jesus said make disciples, not just converts. Discipleship is important.
To reach the lost, we must go to those who aren’t yet part of the church, to draw them in, and then make them feel welcome when they do come through our doors.
Jesus ate in the homes of sinners. He spoke their language. He met them where they were and then called them to follow Him and, thus, to find an eternally changed reborn life.
We are to imitate Him.
This doesn’t mean compromising the message of Christ's gospel or watering down the sacred word of God. It means creating an atmosphere welcoming and accepting to new people.
We are Jesus's fellow sheep, let us be willing to step out from the flock – from the safety and comfort of church members and buildings – in order to find the ONE that is lost.
Remember what God sacrificed to find each one of us.
We are found!
Now we must go find someone else!
gotquestions.com
extravaganthope.com
When Jesus came along, His methodology confused them. He seemed to be from God, yet He rebuked the outwardly righteous and welcomed the wicked. How could this man know God?
As was His custom, in order to explain spiritual truths, Jesus told them a story,
“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:12–14).
Everyone has lost things and had to search for them. Ever lost a contact lens by dropping it on the floor, then descending to your hands and knees seeking until you found it? Remember how glad you were when you found that lens – especially if it was your last pair of contacts and you are as blind as a bat without them?
We have all lost our car keys – and what do we do? We think of all the routine places we might have placed them and we look first in those places. If unable to locate them, we retrace our steps to other locations where we have been. Remember your relief upon finding them?
Ever lose something really valuable? Your wedding ring, your high school ring, a purse or a wallet, or even a considerable amount of money? Remember how you felt? Remember what you did?
In the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin, Jesus emphasizes one point: the extent to which God will go to find us when we are lost.
The gospel of Matthew and the gospel of Luke include the identical story of the lost sheep. in addition, Luke includes both the parable of the lost sheep and a parable of the lost coin.
Matthew’s account is in Matthew 18:11-13. This is Luke's account:
Luke 15:1-7
“Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
"So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’
In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!"
Jesus continued with the Parable of the Lost Coin.
Luke 15:8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver *coins and loses one. Won’t she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it?
So, a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. She lights a lamp and sweeps the entire house and searches carefully until she finds it. And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” (Luke 15:8-10)
*The word translated in English as “coin” is drachma in Greek. A drachma was the equivalent of a full day’s wage. Thus losing such a coin was of much greater value to them than the loss of a penny would be today.
A friend lost a valuable ruby and sapphire ring. She looked everywhere for it. Her husband took the dryer apart to look for it in case it accidentally went through the wash in an article of clothing. It was nowhere to be found. She even reported it to the police in case someone would turn it in.
Two years later, she went to her father-in-law’s house for a birthday party. Unexplicably, the subject of her lost ring arose. She described it, and how she had searched for it everywhere. To her surprise, her father-in-law said, “Huh, the cable guy found such a ring in my guest room when he was installing my cable.” Sure enough…it was her ring! Found!
The ring likely slipped off her finger while she was packaging a gift for him for his birthday, and there it had stayed until the cable guy saw it. She was so excited that she had found her ring! Not just because it was valuable, but because her husband had given it to her on a special birthday, years before.
We all rejoice when we find objects that are precious to us. But what about finding people we love who were lost to us?
Think about a time when you lost a child in a public place. Most parents have endured that at least once. Your heart sinks when you realize your child is no longer by your side. You can feel the blood drain from your face as you frantically scan the area around you and don’t see them anywhere. You start calling their name. When they don’t answer, you shift into full search mode moving quickly through the crowd, asking everyone if they’ve seen your child.
A mother lost her child in a cabinet store when he was about two. They were building a home, and she was trying to select kitchen cabinets. The salesperson was giving her a "sales pitch", and suddenly she realized he wasn’t right next to her anymore.
She quickly looked around and down the aisle in which she was standing, and didn’t see him. One minute he was right there, the next he was gone. How could he disappear so quickly? Her heart skipped a beat as she ran around to the next aisle to see if he was there. He wasn’t. She started calling his name; and when he didn’t answer, she seriously thought she would faint. The salesperson quickly locked all the exit doors and called a “code yellow” over the loudspeaker – which meant there was a missing child. Now she was almost in tears. With the doors locked, everyone working at the cabinet shop went up and down the aisles looking for him. He was nowhere to be found. She thought she would have a heart attack.
Suddenly, a small cabinet door opened and out popped his little head.
At that moment, she had to sit down on the floor. He’d never gone far. He simply opened a cabinet door right where they were standing and silently climbed inside. She pulled him onto her lap and hugged him tightly while trying to catch her breath.
Jesus describes the way God feels about each of us. He loves us more than we love our own children – and when even one wanders away or is lost to Him, He searches for us and pursues us until he finds us. Just as when the shepherd searched for his lost sheep, the woman searched for her lost coin, a friend searched for her lost ring, and a mother searched for her lost son...
God searches for each of us, and all heaven rejoices when we are found.
If you are wondering, “When have I ever been lost?”
In reality – we have all been lost.
Romans 3:23 says: “All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
We have all been lost in our sin. Sin separates us from God – like the mother was separated from her little boy in that store. Sin prevents us from experiencing the fullness of God’s love and forgiveness. Imagine sin as being like that cabinet into which the little boy climbed. When we live in our sin, we are lost to God like the little boy was lost to his mother. We’re doomed to living a life here on earth without God’s grace; and doomed to an eternity apart from God.
Lost.
Thank goodness God searches for us when we’re lost –
Luke 19:10: “Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost.”
As much as we love our lost children, God loves us more.
John 3:16: “God loved us so much that he sent his only Son, Jesus, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Romans 5:8: “God showed his great love for us when Jesus died in our place while we were still sinners.”
God loved us so much that he created a way for us to become found, just as we are, without requiring us to become better first. He sent Jesus to find us so that we could experience abundant life now, here on earth, and eternal life forever in his presence.
Have you been found or are you still hiding from God?
God is searching for you. He has made a way for you to be found and He’s calling your name.
You have only to answer. Open that cabinet door and allow God to embrace you!
Being someone found by God has many implications.
Remember that the parable of the lost sheep appears in both the book of Matthew and in the book of Luke?
Luke focuses on evangelism: seeking those who are lost; those who are outside the fold.
Matthew focuses on restoration of believers who have gone astray: seeking insiders who have wandered from the flock.
Both have implications for us as disciples of Christ – as "found" people.
The body of Christ, the church embodies the continuing ministry of Jesus in we, His disciples.
As Jesus’ disciples, our objective is to imitate our Master; in both reaching out to people who are estranged from God, and to fellow Christ-followers who have lost their way to God.
We have been found.
Now let’s go find others who are lost.
"Found" people find people.
There are two implications.
1) Evangelism:
In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus told his disciples,
“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
As disciples, we are called to find His lost “sheep” and missing “coins”on behalf of the Master we serve.
The woman who lost her coin lit a lamp, and searched carefully as she swept. We can shine the light of God’s love, as we spend time with those who have not yet received Jesus as their Savior, meaning we must spend time with people who are not yet believers.
Look at the first few verses in this passage. Luke 15:1-3. “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!
So Jesus told them this story…” - to explain to the religious leaders why he spent so much of his time with sinners. These sinners were the lost ones. They were the ones who needed to be found; they were the reason Jesus came!
It is important to be in community with other believers. We grow best in community, and when the flock is together, they are far safer, but we must be willing to leave the flock – the 99 who are found – to search for the one who is lost, just as Jesus did.
2) Restoration
As disciples, we’re called to restore other believers who’ve wandered away from the flock; believers who diverted from God's narrow and straight path.
Galatians 6:1: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.”
Jesus calls His followers to serve one another as He has sacrificially served them, to value them and seek them out whenever they go astray.
Concern against being overly “judgmental” is very much in vogue these days. To counteract that, our defensive tendency is to "mind our own business," and turn a blind eye toward those among us who are perishing by wandering away from God.
There is a difference between discernment and judgment.
Discernment is recognition of the difference between right and wrong, as determined by God's Holy Scripture.
Judgment refers to determining someone's punishment as if appointed that person's presiding judge.
We’re called to be discerning and to gently guide a fellow Christian back to the flock when they’ve wandered off – by pointing out how God's written standard differs from that to which they have strayed, and to assist them to return to their Shepherd.
James 5:19-20: “ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”
We need each other. Were I the sheep who wandered off, I hope at least one of my fellow sheep would come alongside me and guide me back.
The shepherd in the first parable was more concerned with one lost sheep than with the rest of the flock. Not because the one is more valuable, but because the other 99 are already safe! We too should be more concerned with the one than with the 99. Our concern for those who don’t yet know Jesus should be more urgent than our concern for those who are secure.
Sometimes, churches overly focus upon themselves, i.e., their flock, paying too little attention to the lost people who are still lost and in need of Christ. This does not mean the spiritual well-being of the church members can be ignored – for Jesus said make disciples, not just converts. Discipleship is important.
To reach the lost, we must go to those who aren’t yet part of the church, to draw them in, and then make them feel welcome when they do come through our doors.
Jesus ate in the homes of sinners. He spoke their language. He met them where they were and then called them to follow Him and, thus, to find an eternally changed reborn life.
We are to imitate Him.
This doesn’t mean compromising the message of Christ's gospel or watering down the sacred word of God. It means creating an atmosphere welcoming and accepting to new people.
We are Jesus's fellow sheep, let us be willing to step out from the flock – from the safety and comfort of church members and buildings – in order to find the ONE that is lost.
Remember what God sacrificed to find each one of us.
We are found!
Now we must go find someone else!
gotquestions.com
extravaganthope.com
Jun 7, 2020 10:31:10 #
Amen and Amen an excellent article Zemirah thanks for posting this I loved the one about the little boy that was precious.👍👍👍👍👍
Jun 7, 2020 14:14:38 #
Thank you for taking the time to read it, bahmer,
I saw those same Scriptures on finding the lost on several newsletters and Christian websites this week, so they are all hearing the same message from the Holy Spirit, which I would summarize as:
"Seek ye the lost now, for the hour is late, and the time is short!"
- or as it says in Revelation 22:6:
"And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place."
...and in Hebrews 10:37:
"For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay."
I saw those same Scriptures on finding the lost on several newsletters and Christian websites this week, so they are all hearing the same message from the Holy Spirit, which I would summarize as:
"Seek ye the lost now, for the hour is late, and the time is short!"
- or as it says in Revelation 22:6:
"And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place."
...and in Hebrews 10:37:
"For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay."
bahmer wrote:
Amen and Amen an excellent article Zemirah thanks for posting this I loved the one about the little boy that was precious.👍👍👍👍👍
Jun 7, 2020 14:26:29 #
Zemirah wrote:
Thank you for taking the time to read it, bahmer, ... (show quote)
Amen and Amen that is the message that I also received from life church this AM as well. They were talking about the church after the covid-19 pandemic and where will it be and what will be its role in America.
Jun 7, 2020 14:29:56 #
bahmer wrote:
Amen and Amen that is the message that I also received from life church this AM as well. They were talking about the church after the covid-19 pandemic and where will it be and what will be its role in America.
I saw that Doc110 was back on OPP and I welcomed him back but he apparently wanted to continue the discussion/fight that was waging when he left and was having a hard time letting it go after all of this time.
Jun 8, 2020 02:08:24 #
bahmer, one of the most interesting things about participation on any debate forum is the diverse personalities one encounters.
God, in His infinite wisdom, gave us guidelines for how we conduct ourselves. We are not responsible for how others choose to conduct themselves.
If we are wise, we will not allow ourselves to be distracted from our goal, which is to glorify God and to send people to His word for all their answers about life in general, and His answers to this life and the life to come, through the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Here are a few verses I try to keep in mind:
"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Timothy 4:16)
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12)
"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine." (Titus 2:1)
"This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
"Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:4)
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)
God, in His infinite wisdom, gave us guidelines for how we conduct ourselves. We are not responsible for how others choose to conduct themselves.
If we are wise, we will not allow ourselves to be distracted from our goal, which is to glorify God and to send people to His word for all their answers about life in general, and His answers to this life and the life to come, through the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Here are a few verses I try to keep in mind:
"Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Timothy 4:16)
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12)
"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine." (Titus 2:1)
"This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
"Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:4)
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)
bahmer wrote:
I saw that Doc110 was back on OPP and I welcomed him back but he apparently wanted to continue the discussion/fight that was waging when he left and was having a hard time letting it go after all of this time.
Jun 8, 2020 02:29:04 #
I just read several different news blurps speculating that many of the universities in the country may never reopen, for among other things, they are resisting refunding the tuition and dorm and dining room fees for all their students for the three months they were just completely closed down, and may all be bankrupted by lawsuits...
https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/04/17/signals-your-college-might-not-reopen-fall-opinion
The times, they are a-changing, and God is surely shaking everything that can be shaken.
"At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
"This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken - that is, things that have been made - in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain." (Hebrews 12:26-27)
The church, i.e., the body of Christ, in God's good time, may also soon be out of here!
https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/04/17/signals-your-college-might-not-reopen-fall-opinion
The times, they are a-changing, and God is surely shaking everything that can be shaken.
"At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
"This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken - that is, things that have been made - in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain." (Hebrews 12:26-27)
The church, i.e., the body of Christ, in God's good time, may also soon be out of here!
bahmer wrote:
Amen and Amen that is the message that I also received from life church this AM as well. They were talking about the church after the covid-19 pandemic and where will it be and what will be its role in America.
Jun 8, 2020 09:22:48 #
Jun 12, 2020 11:02:19 #
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