Slave to fear

Chloe has been going to bed scared once again for the past 2 weeks even though her father, that's me, tells her their is nothing to be scared of and that I am with her. In prepping for this sermon I was reminded that I am just like Chloe way to often when it comes to living by faith instead of fear.  If my father is really the father that Jesus revealed what do I have to fear.  Why do I doubt his love, his promises, his presence and his strength. "I am no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God," is the line from a song called " No longer slaves."  I can't get this song out of my head based on Romans 8:15.  O father remind me that the wind and the waves still know your name and give me more faith. I am your son.

Think about it

This week I have been considering not referring to things as natural, but instead created. We talk a lot about nature but why not refer to it as creation. I might be digging to deep on this choice of semantics.  Yes in God's creation thing naturally take place but living in America in 2016 nature and natural are talked about so much I am thinking being mindful of this semantic choice can go along way. Think about it. "All things were created by Him and for Him. That is Jesus."

teachability

I have just been wowed again, humbled again, by the brilliancy Jesus and His scriptures. Specifically, Luke's sermon from Luke 18:9 through Luke 19:10.  Humility is a virtue which God constantly speaks of for His children and exemplifies in Jesus.  My working definition this week for humility as compared to pride is having a teachable spirit.  That is having a spirit that is able to say I don't know everything, in fact bottom line is I am not perfect but also the ability to fall under Jesus as not just my Savior but also my teacher.   Sermon is coming this Sunday.  Go to trinityutica.com to listen to past sermons.

immeasurably more of what?

In Ephesians 3:20 God's word proclaims that God's Spirit which is at work within us will do the immeasurably more.  Just what is the immeasurably more?  Within the direct context the immeasurably more seems to be experiencing God's love which surpasses our knowledge.  An experiential knowledge of His love that grows more and more when we pray prayers like this, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."  If I want the immeasurable more of God in my life, I need to pray prayers led by the Spirit (His word).  Prayers like this; search me, break me, and fill me.  Simply, I need to confess more.  Jesus said that if we are forgiven much (broken and filled much) we will love much.  We will respond lavishly, the immeasurably more way.