Sunday, January 15, 2017

How great

1 John 4:9-10 "God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we may have eternal life through Him.  This is real love--not that we loved God , but that He loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins."  

Ephesians 2:1-10 
"1Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.a He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  


Thank You for the way
That You love us, how You love us
Thank You for the way
You have made us

We were created
For Your pleasure, for Your presence
For the glory of Your name
Thank You for the way that You love us

Jesus, faithful King
Lord, with grateful hearts we sing
How great is the love
How great is the love of our Savior

The weight of the cross, the curse of our shame
You carried it all and rose from the grave
How great is the love
How great is the love of our Savior, of our Savior

Thank You for the grace
That has saved us, You forgave us
Thank You for the way
You have freed us

We have been ransomed
We've been rescued, we've been purchased
With the price of Your own life
Thank You for the way that You love us

Jesus, faithful King
Lord, with grateful hearts we sing
How great is the love
How great is the love of our Savior

The weight of the cross, the curse of our shame
You carried it all and rose from the grave
How great is the love
How great is the love of our Savior, of our Savior

Thank You for the way
That You love us, how You love us
Thank You for the way
That You love us, how You love us

Thank You for the way
That You love us, how You love us
Thank You for the way
That You love us

Jesus, faithful King
Lord, with grateful hearts we sing
How great is the love
How great is the love of our Savior

The weight of the cross, the curse of our shame
You carried it all and rose from the grave
How great is the love
How great is the love of our Savior, of our Savior

How great, how great is Your love
Jesus, how You love us
Your great love, Your great love



 

Meredith Andrews Ft. Paul Baloche - How Great Is The Love

Another very pretty song by Meredith Andrews, this one featuring Paul Baloche.
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Tuesday, January 10, 2017

He did shouldn't we?

Friday night I was reading Luke 6 and these two verses got my attention.  But first for those that may have never known this John chapter 17 is Jesus praying for us and his disciples.  He prayed for you.  In Luke 6:12-13 I want you to catch something.  "One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night.  At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles."  Here's what I want you to stop and think about.  It's been said Jesus ministry lasted about 3 years he goes on to spend all his time investing in these people.  Before he does so he prays.  We have a lot of people we interact with in our lives.  Isn't it time we start praying for them?



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Monday, January 9, 2017

Mos Eisley church

  

There's a line in Star Wars A New Hope where Obi Wan tells Luke about a Spaceport.  "Mos Eisley spaceport you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."  Jesus was sent for a very particular mission one that churches often try to overlook.  I've heard it said the church is not a hotel for saints but a hospital for sinners.  We often seem to miss this and judge those in church around us but look what Luke 5:27-32 says.

 27Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.
29Later, Levi held a banquet in his home with Jesus as the guest of honor. Many of Levi’s fellow tax collectors and other guests also ate with them. 30But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?e”
31Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. 32I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”
The Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus day had missed the mark they wanted perfect people in their church and well it's not exactly going to work.  See the song says "Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me."  Jesus came to be the Great Physician and perform a radical surgery on the cross for our sins.  We exist as Christians to bring sick sinners to the Great Physician.  Don't lose the goal.  Sometimes we forget we used to be part of that "wretched hive of scum and villainy."  The church is for the citizens of the Mos Eisley Spaceport.  Why? Because we used to be them!  


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Sunday, January 1, 2017

95-2017

When I graduated high school in 1995 there was not a lot of hoopla.  I had been home schooled from fourth grade on.  We had a small party at my parents and family and friends showed up.  I remember someone gave me a cassette of a song called the Class of 95 by Christian musician Wayne Watson.  With the start of 2017 I wanted to start us off in a special sort of way and end the year on an encouraging note.  As a comic book fan I see a lot of reboots and rebirths.  The start of a new year is a restart element of sorts.  Wayne Watson had it right when he penned these words for his song "God has surely been most faithful he's been so much more than kind.  So get ready to test your wings and fly away but when you do remember you are loved and somebody here is always praying for you."  Yes you yeah you the person reading this I pray for you.  I pray before and after posting each Bible study blog that God will use his words and my feeble words to bring you closer to Him because all this I type up prepare and share it's not about Zac it's about bringing glory to God.  Last week my Dad read the blog and told me i was thinking like my Father.  I asked what he meant and he said "Call no man Father except for your Heavenly Father.  You're choosing to make much of Jesus."  That's the goal!  So as we start a new year and close an old one I want to urge you to continue seeking God and putting Him first in all things.  How many things?  ALL!  Numbers 6:24-26 Moses is told by God to tell Aaron to bless the people with a special blessing.  So as you start the year .........."May the Lord bless you and protect you.  May the Lord smile on you.  May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace."  

If you want to start the New Year off right Joshua can tell you how.  Joshua 24:14-15 "So fear the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly.  Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates river and in Egypt.  Serve the Lord alone.  But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve.  Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates?  Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live?  But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."


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