Sunday, July 20, 2008

Speaking of Grace

I had the privilege this morning of preaching on the very topic of what this blog site is all about; God's grace. My text was 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. Though the word is only found in v 10, the idea undergirds Paul's understanding of his call as an apostle and of salvation itself. God's grace is what reached down and saved the man who persecuted the church and its Savior and it was that same grace that sustained and empowered him in his work for the church he once aggressively persecuted and the Savior he hated.

Paul lived and moved in the atmosphere of grace. He realized that God had given him what he didn't deserve and as a response Paul gave every ounce of his energy and every moment of his life to the Lord who had taken him out of his life of self-righteousness into a life of imputed righteousness. 

May we see our salvation and our lives through the same grid Paul did; grace. May we realize that every breath we take, every move we make, and even the faith by which we embrace Christ, is all of grace. As Paul says so eloquently, 'by the grace of God, I am what I am. 

Friday, July 18, 2008

Study on the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements

During the Sunday School hour at my church I'm teaching through a series entitled "Thirsty for the Spirit". It is a study on the history and theology of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements. When I am done, I hope to provide my notes and powerpoint to all who may find the study helpful.