daddy4ms

Let's be honest.  Bible memorization is hard.  Kids do it so easily, but as adults we struggle.  It is so encouraging when that verse comes to mind on that rough day.  Or you have a verse to share with a friend as you meet for coffee or lunch? Bible memorization is a good thing.  What matters most is the motivation.  Are we doing it to prove we are better Christians than someone else? Are we doing it to make God love us more?  Or are we doing it out of gratitude and joy for what God has DONE for us? As a pastoral staff, we are memorizing Colossians 3:1-17 because we want to go deeper in our relationship with Christ.  So, I thought I would share these amazing verses as it might just help me memorize a few more words. 3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3  For you died, a...

Jefferson Bethke has written an excellent book on the differences between religion and a relationship with Jesus.  I am sharing more quotes from the book today: Many Christians don't really care about God; they just want to use him to get what they truly want--status, a nice job, a car, forgiveness--you name it. . . .We have elevated the gifts above the Giver.  Thankfulness is the quickest path to joy. He owes us nothing, but he gives us everything. It is clear in Scripture that he is not the source of evil, nor did he cause it, but he promises he can use it. . . .Suffering is never from God, but he can redeem it. Again, when you are suffering, God is not punishing you. I am so sure of this because God promised that he has already laid all punishment on Jesus on our behalf. When I'm struggling, one of the most encouraging things is to just have my friends and family be there for me. Their simple presence--saying nothing, simply sitting there with me--a...

gcmcollective.org The gospel needs to be at the center of all our community.  The gospel is for eternity and for the here and now. How can we grow in our gospel fluency? The gospel is not just facts about Jesus. It should affect all of our life. Everything comes from the gospel (marriage, parenting, work, service, church) We usually teach the gospel from Genesis 3 to Revelation 20. What about Genesis 1-2 & Revelation 21-22? We need to teach about God who is good and restores all things.  It's a better message than you suck and you are going to pay for it. Shame and self-righteousness are poor motivations for the kingdom. Where does our identity come from? We need to "be to do". As a disciple, our identity comes from the Trinity. We have a Father so we are a family. We have a King so we are servants. We have a Holy Spirit who is powerful & sent so we are missionaries. We can choose not to live out of our identity in Christ but it is still true of us! We exist to sh...

I finished the first chapter of Creature of the Word on Thursday. I can already tell this is going to be a good read. Here are a few quotes from authors Matt Chandler, Josh Patterson, and Eric Geiger: "The gospel isn't just individual and cosmic; it is also deeply corporate." "The gospel precedes the Church, informs the life of the Church, and sustains the growth of the Church." "It is an absolute and unique teaching in all the world to teach people, through Christ, to live as if there were no law or wrath or punishment." "So no longer should the fear of rejection and God's vengeance be the motivating factors in our pursuit of holiness, but rather the delight of being loved, pursued, and saved by a gracious Father whose "kindness leads us to repentance." "Our motivation to obey the commands of Scripture can finally become a delight when we see the reasons almost always center around God's love and provision for...