Mission Faithwalk

              But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (I Corinthians 12:9)             The context of this verse was that God had sent Paul great visions, but also a “thorn in the flesh” designed to keep him from exalting himself. It’s never revealed what that thorn is, and I sometimes think that’s because if we knew, then people with similar thorns would consider themselves as being equal with Paul, and people who think their own thorns are worse would say, in effect, “Hold my beer.” Paul asked God to take this thorn away three times, and God finally answered as is quoted above.             But the real focus today is the often-asked question of “Why would a good G...

                And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.    For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.   What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:28-32) He works for the good of those who love Him He works for the good of those who have been called according to His purpose He foreknew and predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son So His Son wo...

                           You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.         (Romans 5:6-8)           Look in a mirror and say it out loud (or at least say it aloud). “Christ was born for me. He died for me.” Repeat it a few times. Perhaps you feel entitled. Of course He was born and died for you. You’re worth it. Or, possibly your reaction to this idea is more along the lines of, “Well, of course He did. That’s His job. And He wasn’t born and didn’t die just for me. I’m just one of the worthless cull ewes/sheep that tag along. I’m the price He had to...

              I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my father, I have made known to you. (John 15:15)           I don’t understand this verse. It seems to me that servants often know more about what’s going on than anyone else in the household. Even if they only know one small step in their masters’ business process, they know that much. But, this much of it makes sense: an average servant would not likely to be invited into the confidence of the master as the master’s friends were. The rest of it, I put down to my cultural ignorance.           The issue here, however, is not how servants were not treated, but how friends were and, more importantly, that Jesus was declaring His disciples to be His friends. How does God see us? If we are walkin...

                 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— (John 1:12)           Rights “represent essential claims that individuals possess simply by virtue of being human, enabling them to develop their full potential and live with dignity. Unlike privileges, which are special advantages enjoyed by a select few, rights are universal entitlements that belong to all members of society regardless of their background, status, or circumstances.” ( What Are Rights? A Comprehensive Explanation • PolSci Institute )           We tend to assume that we have certain rights as people or as Americans, and we sometimes mistakenly believe that those rights are granted to us in the Constitution. What the Bill of Rights actually does is acknowledge rights that humans already have ...

                 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?   Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?   “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.    If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’   For the paga...