Division in the Body

“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” – Romans 14:1-4 (ESV)

One of the most damaging impediments to Christian fellowship and growing in God’s service is the judgment and condemnation of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Allowing our opinions and perspectives on issues of lesser consequence divide us from one another weakens our effectiveness as the Body of Christ, and only seeks to enhance our own glory, not that of our Heavenly Father.

Thankful Thursday: In Your Divine Company

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

On the heels of our discussion yesterday Father, I’ve spent a good bit of time pondering Your promises to us contained in Scripture, and how You always remain faithful to those assurances, even when we fail to recognize it.  And I think Lord, that much of the feeling of “disconnect” we experience in our daily lives may stem from the simple perspective that we believe our trials are ours to face, not roads on the journey You’re walking with us…

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.” – 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)

Through our new life in Christ Jesus, the presence of the Holy Spirit and Your continuous grace in our lives, You provide us the guidance and resources to live as You intend us to; to participate in Your divine company, and resist the forces of this world that seek to draw us from You.

Thank You Lord, for being my constant companion as I walk these roads…

Guiding my footsteps,

Catching me when I stumble,

And reminding me that throughout this journey I’m on…

I’m never alone.

As I continue to count my blessings today Father, I’m reminded that even when the road ahead seems barren and the going gets rough, signs of Your gracious love still abound.  And while I know I fail to recognize Your many gifts more often than not Lord, this past couple weeks I’ve been especially grateful for:

611. A wonderful network of people I can reach out to when I need expertise or advice.

612. Finding inexpensive options for purchasing the medications that my family needs.

613. Learning more about Your grace in my life each day.

614. That Shannon and the boys are able to spend a couple weeks visiting her mother in Florida.

615. Finding some significant cost-cutting opportunities for my business.

616. Encouragement and inspiration from other clergy and believers I interact with on the Internet.

617. That the drive Shannon and the kids took to Florida went smoothly and everyone arrived safely.

618. An engaging discussion Tuesday evening with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

619. A fun afternoon at my father’s “Jimmy Buffet Theme BBQ” spent with family and friends.

620. Dear friends who reach out to me and keep me company while my family is away.

And so many more…

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the Blessings you grace us with each and every day.  Please open our eyes and guide our hearts that we may recognize Your Glory in the world around us, and lead us to share those gifts more effectively with others.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil

For By Grace…

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

Through no obedience, efforts, or works of our own can we earn God’s favor in our lives.  Our salvation therefore, is not an achievement we may obtain, but instead is the ultimate expression of God’s divine love for us; received through our faith, and bought with the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Spiritually Bankrupt

“And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”” – Matthew 5:2-3 (ESV)

In His opening statement in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus laid this bombshell on the awaiting crowd; “Blessed are the poor in spirit…”  Now, He wasn’t using the term “poor” in a material sense, but instead was referring to the fact that we’re all spiritually bankrupt, and rely completely on the Grace of our Heavenly Father to complete and fulfill our lives.  By humbling ourselves in that realization, we will indeed be Blessed.

Father, Forgive Them…

“And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.” – Luke 23:33-34 (ESV)

Radical forgiveness; it’s what Jesus modeled for us on the cross, and what He calls for us to implement in our own lives as well.  Seeing beyond our anger, bitterness and hurt to forgive those that we feel have wronged us is certainly no easy task, however it’s exactly the type of unfaltering, unconditional love that God desires we strive to have for one another.