True relationships are risky. There is great risk in being known, because there is the possibility of being denied or judged. But when relationships are first rooted in the gospel, our fear of being judged is eclipsed by the beautiful truth that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. When we understand how sinful we are, and yet God forgave us, we can be open and vulnerable with our relationships, yielding the reward of being fully known and fully loved.
Deacons play a vital role in the church. They are shock absorbers. When the road gets bumpy (when times get tough in the Church), deacons keep all four tires on the ground so the elders can steer.
Life has dark moments when God seems conspicuously absent. Its in those moments that He is doing 847 things you can't see. The book of Ruth show us that God is worth waiting for.
The Church is God's chosen people. We are not called as His Church to huddle in a building, we are called as His Church to go and be a blessing to the world.
We use technology everyday. But is it beginning to take the place of actual human relationships? Are we filling the moments of quiet reflection with the noise of social media? Are we connecting with our Facebook friends more than our Creator? Learn how we are losing our humanity to technology, but also the hope Christ gives us to get our humanity back.
We belong to a local church on the same basis we belong to the future Kingdom of God. Jesus covered our sin with his blood. On the Cross, he was cut off, excluded, driven outside the fellowship with his heavenly father not because he deserved it, but because I did.Church, since we were invited in through Jesus, we can invite others in as well. Then let’s consider, stir up, and encourage one another so that our love and good works in this City show people the future city of God.
