Local Area FCA Blog

Mary and Martha: Worship and Serve

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:54:21 GMT

Written By Dave Pound

Mary and Martha: Worship and Serve

By Dave Pound

Today I would like to share some thoughts and teachings from the book of Luke 10: 38-42. “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.’ And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’”

It's amazing how many different directions you can be pulled before your feet hit the floor. And yet, when the noise quiets and your heart whispers “There must be more…”, that's the Holy Spirit calling you back to what matters most. You and I were not made to live under busyness but to have a better portion. Our intimacy with God–His highest priority for us–determines the impact of our lives. God created human beings with fellowship in mind. First with Himself and then with others. We cannot fully love one another until we ourselves have experienced the love of God. We experience His love when we are willing to surrender to His call, surrender to Him as our Savior, our Lord, and our Friend.

Two reasons why God seeks our surrender:

The Lord loves us and desires our fellowship and worship.

It is vitally important that we spend time at the feet of Jesus every single day, and letting Him share His Word with us. The most important part of the Christian life is the part that only God sees. Unless we meet Christ personally and privately each day, we will soon end up like Martha: busy but not blessed. In order to know someone intimately, you cannot just know what they do, you must know their character and heart. You have to know what motivates them. You have to spend time with them and make an effort to get to know them. The same is true for God. The Lord desires our fellowship, for us to seek and worship Him wholeheartedly. This fact alone should inspire us to pursue a deep meaningful relationship with Him.

Our heavenly Father desires the very best for us, and He wants each of us to realize that His plans for us will always be above and beyond all we ask or imagine. As we draw near to God, He will guide us, giving us strength and wisdom to handle our circumstances in a godly way. Therefore set your heart to know all of God; His works, His ways, and His will for your life. He promises in Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” When you focus more on listing and accomplishing tasks than spending time with Jesus, your soul becomes thirsty. God never meant for you to serve Him while ignoring Him. When your calendar is full but your heart feels distant, you are living like Martha while your soul is hungry like Mary's. What if you and I paused more often to ask, “Is this feeding my spirit or just feeding my schedule?” That question has the power to reshape your days. In Psalm 27:4 David says, “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that I will seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord…” David in essence is saying that one thing is needed, the better portion, to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His Word. Is that your one desire? The one thing that you seek?

The Lord wants our service for Him to be effective and fruitful.

Mary and Martha are often contrasted as though each believer must make a choice: be a worker like Martha or a worshipper like Mary. Certainly our personalities and gifts are different, but that doesn't mean that the Christian life is an either or situation. The key is to have the right priorities. Jesus first, then others, and then ourselves. We can take a warning from this account. Perhaps, in all our busyness, we have been ignoring the Lord. Martha's problem was not that she had too much work to do, but that she allowed her work to distract her and pull her apart from the one thing that was needed. If serving Christ makes us difficult to live with, then something is terribly wrong with our service.

Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” The Lord's response was gentle, but pointed. Maybe even a mild rebuke to Martha for her concern for so many things, so many trivial things. I believe Charles Wesley said it perfectly in his hymn “Lo! I Come with Joy”:

Lo! I come with joy to do

The Master's blessed will

Him in outward works pursue

And serve His pleasure still.

Faithful to my Lord's commands

I still would choose the better part

Serve with careful Martha's hands

And Mary's loving heart.

The more we know and love Jesus the more effective our service will be. The closer we draw near to God, the more impact our lives will have. The more energetically we nurture our relationship with the Lord, the greater the positive mark we will leave behind. In John 15:4-5, Jesus says, "Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit for apart from me you can do nothing." If you keep your relationship right with Jesus, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour "rivers of living water" through you. For the saint, direction and guidance come from God Himself, not some measure of that saint's usefulness. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him. All that our Lord gives His attention to in a person's life is that person's relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. In Oswald Chambers book Utmost for His Highest one devotional entitled “Usefulness or Relationship” he writes, “There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus. We have to learn to abide in Him wherever we are placed.”

Conclusion

We can feel crunched for time to get everything done; studies, work, friendships, sports, family, and already crammed schedules. Sometimes we feel even more pressure to pack in our Bible reading, church, and prayer time. However, knowing who we are in Christ Jesus, finding our identity in Him and Him alone, and living out of God's unconditional and unchangeable love gives peace that transcends all pressure we place on ourselves to keep up or perform.

How do we apply this to our lives and live out this principle of our intimacy with God–His highest priority for us–determines the impact of our lives. You and I must understand and realize that we were created for fellowship and intimacy with God. The difference your relationship with God makes in your life cannot be overstated. His highest priority for you is to be involved with Him in prayer, study of His Word, and praise and worship. Do you want to live a life that is fulfilling and significant? Do you want to make a difference in the world? Then surrender yourself completely to Jesus Christ and ask Him to open your heart to His infinite love and mercy. It's only through your fellowship and communion with God that you can truly affect other people's lives in a way that lasts eternally. Your genuine intimacy with Jesus Christ will become evident in every area of your life and that will positively affect the influence that you have with every person you encounter. When you shut off the noise and prioritize Him, when you ask Him to handle your day, you will receive direction and peace. I encourage you to pause and with a deep breath choose that good part which will not be taken away from you. When faced with the option to be busy or to be present with God, choose His presence. When your phone pulls you one way and the Word calls you another, choose the truth. When performance threatens to define your self worth, rest in who you are in Christ Jesus and receive His assurance. Spend some time with the Lord in prayer asking Him to draw you into intimate communion with Himself and to transform your life so that you can affect the world for the sake of His kingdom.

Resources:

Charles Stanley Study Bible

The Wiersbe Study Bible

The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: NT

Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Charles Wesley Hymn “Lo! I Come With Joy”

Remember Who Delivered You

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:42:23 GMT

Written By Dave Pound

Remember Who Delivered You

By Dave Pound

The Bible tells amazing stories of deliverance. The Hebrews rescued from Egyptian slavery. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego delivered from the fiery furnace. Daniel saved from a den of lions. Those are just a few of many.

However, the deliverance described in Romans is beyond any instance of deliverance we can imagine. We read in Romans 3:23-24, "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." And Romans 6:22-23, "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

When we were trapped in sin and completely helpless to rescue ourselves, Jesus came to save us and give us a life of meaning and purpose - both in this life and for eternity.

One of the most famous or dramatic examples of conversion that we read about in the Bible is that of Saul of Tarsus. In Acts chapters 9, 22, and 26 we read the narrative of Paul's testimony from living a life of a pharisee to that of a believer and follower of Jesus Christ. I would like to share four principles we can draw from Paul's testimony and apply to our own so that it will have the maximum impact on those who need to hear.

First, do not be intimidated by the testimony of others. Paul definitely had a powerful pre-conversion story, he was the modern day equivalent of a hit man, responsible for the deaths and imprisonment of many innocent Jewish believers in Christ. Of course, he thought he was doing the work of God (Acts 26:9; 1 Timothy 1:13) but it was dramatic nonetheless. Those of us who were raised in church environments do not have such dramatic stories to tell, and we think our testimonies are less important or interesting than others. Nothing could be further from the truth! Every lost sheep that is found by the Good Shepherd has a story that results in praise to His grace. Every testimony is important, including yours, if you truly know Christ as Savior. We can get anxious about how to express ourselves, what reaction we will get, and whether we will be able to answer questions adequately. We are responsible only for planting and watering the seeds: the Lord will take care of the growth (1 Corinthians 3: 6-9).

Second, do not get lost in the details. Remember the three parts of every testimony: what you were, how you met Christ, and what you are now - the basic elements of any "before and after" story. Those three points provide an excellent outline for anyone's testimony and can help a person stay focused and on track. The people who are listening do not need to know all the details, as there is nothing new under the sun. The truth is that "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23). Expressing that fact about ourselves conveys the sense that we know what is important for others to hear.

Third, do not forget the details of your salvation experience. No one evolves into being a Christian. The basic process of salvation happens with everyone the way it happened with Paul: at one point we were not a Christian, and a few moments later we became followers. Becoming a Christian happens at a specific point in time. The events leading a person to accept Christ might have been a process, but the moment at which anyone makes a conscious decision to place his or her faith in Christ and submit to His Lordship as Savior is the moment a person becomes a Christian.

Fourth, Do not let the enemy persuade you that your story is unimportant. Satan would love to convince each of us that the story of our salvation is insignificant or irrelevant to the rest of the world: "You are not a famous person...You were not a bad person before meeting Christ...You are a terrible public speaker" - and so on. Here is the secret to remember; Satan is not trying to keep people from hearing about us, he is trying to keep people from hearing about God! If we are the channel for the message of God's grace and forgiveness, then Satan wants to shut that channel down by trying to convince us to remain silent. If we yield to the pressure not to speak about the grace of God that saved us, the people who need to hear of His grace may never hear. Do not let the enemy persuade you that your story is unimportant. Be sure to give the glory to God.

God wants us in heaven with Him, but our sinfulness is a terrible barrier. That's why He sent His perfect Son to earth. Jesus came to suffer for our sins and to open the door for us to have a relationship with God and the eternal life that goes with it. You can have a part in reducing the number of people who may experience the judgement of God. Having such a gift, I don't know why we are so hesitant to share it with people who are still trapped in sin. Rather than shake our heads, let's extend an invitation to change. Let's illuminate a path forward, free from despair. The reason God has given us breath is so we can tell how Jesus rescued us from the pit of our own sin.

Every one of us has a story of deliverance to tell. What are you waiting for?

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son to save me from the curse of sin and death. I praise You that, through His sacrifice, I have been made righteous, I have received life, and I have entered into blessing. Empower me with courage so I may boldly go and tell others of all You have done for me and have made available to them. In Jesus name. Amen.

References:

World Outreach Church., Pastor Allen Jackson devotional 6/19/25

David Jeremiah Study Bible

Turning Points devotional 6/27/25

In Touch devotional 6/27/25

Joyful Humble Gratitude to God

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 19:29:36 GMT

Written By Dave Pound

Joyful Humble Gratitude to God For All He Is Doing In Your Life

By Dave Pound

Have you ever felt a surge of joy when you accomplished something difficult? Did you feel like telling someone or everyone about what you achieved? That's a natural response, and it's not wrong to feel satisfied by a job well done. Our feelings can often give way, ever so subtly, to pride. How do we stay focused on the goodness of God and embrace His glory instead of our own? How can we be sure we value our status in the kingdom of God more than our position in this world?

Feeling an overwhelming desire to seek status is a challenge for many people today, believers and non-believers alike struggle with the temptation. If you've ever felt the need to promote yourself or protect your position, it's an understandable feeling. However, God has so much more for you than living in fear of missing out or being left behind. Seeking status in the world will always leave you feeling empty, but turning your life over to the Lord - your status included - will be more fulfilling than you can imagine.

You may immediately think, "Well pride isn't a big problem for me." Yet status-seeking comes in different forms, and some are quite subtle. For instance, have you ever felt superior to someone else? Are there certain jobs or tasks you've considered to be beneath you? Are there people in the church you'd rather not associate with because of their background, education level, looks, or even how they live? Or maybe you harbor an unhealthy desire to be noticed for the good things you do?

Whether we mean for it to be or not, status-seeking is an attempt to exalt ourselves. Sometimes it's accomplished by putting another person down. We can all easily fall into this trap if we're not careful. That's why it's important to stay close to the Lord in prayer and reading Scripture, allowing the Holy Spirit to search our hearts.

Humility is not low self-esteem, but an accurate viewpoint of oneself from God's perspective. It means I can love myself as He loves me with full trust and confidence in how He sees me. That I can embrace my place as a beloved child created in His image, saved and sustained by His grace. That doesn't make us better than anybody else; God's children are equal in His eyes. There's no need to compete with anyone else because our position in Him is eternally secure.

Jesus is our model for humility. And when we walk intimately with Him, we grow in His likeness. Humility shows up in the way we speak and act, especially in how we give our time and resources for the sake of others. The world may focus on status, but the Lord focuses on service as Jesus says in Matthew 23:11, "The greatest among you shall be your servant." As we serve others sacrificially, placing their needs above our own, we emulate our Savior.

My friend, the only status that matters is the one God gives us. You don't need to worry about what people around you think. The Lord sees your good qualities and cherishes them. What's more, God promises to lift us up in His way and His time (1 Peter 5:4). God, rightfully, gets all the glory. In a world that values self-promotion and ego-boosting, it's refreshing and liberating to embrace God's path. Living with Christ-like humility isn't about self-deprecation; it's about recognizing our true worth, not in our own eyes, but in our heavenly Father's. It's about trading anxiety for genuine joy. It’s about trading status-seeking for a deeper sense of belonging to the Lord and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Resource:

“From the Pastor's Heart: Timeless Teachings of Charles Stanley” In Touch Ministries Atlanta, GA.

The Authority of Scripture in Joshua 1:8

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 18:43:50 GMT

Written By Dave Pound

The Authority of Scripture in Joshua 1:8

By Dave Pound

Only God could command Joshua, "Be careful to do everything written in (the Book of the Law)," and then offer the guarantee “Then you will be prosperous and successful." Only He can promise that and we know it is fulfilled.

If a written document has any authority, it comes from only one place, its author. The authority of the Bible derives from the authority of the One whose words the Bible records, God Himself. God is truth and cannot lie (1 Samuel 15:29, John 17:17, Titus 1:2), the Bible itself is without error (inerrant) in its original manuscripts. Therefore to attack, discredit, disbelieve, or disobey the Bible is to attack, discredit, disbelieve, or disobey God Himself.

The "plenary" inspiration of the Bible refers to Scripture's complete authority. Plenary is a foundational theological term meaning "full" and the expression means that all of the Bible is inspired, the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. Paul affirmed this, saying that "All Scripture is God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16).

Jesus made the same point in even more detail: "For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished" (Matthew 5:18). Jesus announced that the inspiration and the authority of the Word of God extended to the level of the individual letters, not just the themes, paragraphs, facts, sentences, or words.

A helpful way to think of inspiration is that it is "God-breathed"- imagine it as the breath one expels when speaking. Scripture, therefore, is a written representation of God's spoken words. God did not audibly speak all the words written in the Bible, though He did speak very large portions of the OT through the mouths of prophets. When Scripture is referred to as "God- breathed" it conveys God's authority to "all Scripture” as if He had audibly spoken every word composed of all these tiny letters.

The notion of plenary inspiration touches the subject of authority this way: we are not allowed to pick and choose the portions of Scripture we will honor or believe. In a day when people often claim, "My God would never say, do, require, object to ...", the authority of Scripture comes center stage. There can be no disconnect between what the Bible says and what God says. A person cannot follow the words of Jesus, for example, but then pick and choose among the words of the apostles, or take to heart the Bible message about salvation and treat its message about sexual morality (or any other subject) as optional. Whether the subject is finances, marriage, sexuality, salvation, eternity, identity of Jesus Christ, civil government, or the prophetic future, what the Bible says is what God says.

While the authority of the Bible encompasses the whole book, it does not mean that every truth is in the Bible. Everything in the Bible is true and authoritative, but not every truth in the world is contained within its pages. The Bible is not a textbook on physics, zoology, astronomy, or other disciplines that God has left for humans to explore (1 Kings 4:29- 33) though it gives some truth to those subjects; ultimately, the Bible contains the story of redemption.

Finally, when it comes to seeking God's guidance on matters not covered in Scripture, divine direction discerned through prayer is not on the same authoritative level as the Bible. Whatever clarity a Christian senses through prayer and counsel must always be measured against the authority of Scripture. God will never reveal anything that contradicts Scripture (Galatians 1:8; Galatians 9:1; John 4:1-6). This makes it even more necessary for Christians to know the Scriptures thoroughly, so that any decision can be determined in view of its consistency with the teachings of the Bible.

Resource:

Jeremiah Study Bible (page 275) The Authority of the Bible

Dealing with Adversity: Part 2

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 15:07:06 GMT

Written by Dave Pound

Dealing with Adversity: Part 2

How Do I Handle A Difficult Trial Not Of My Own Doing?

By Dave Pound

Even those who maintain close, intimate fellowship with the Lord are not immune to disappointments, obstacles, challenges, struggles, and feelings of hopelessness. In fact, at times, God allows us to face impossible circumstances in order to test and try our faith. It is the adversity that motivates us to seek Him. When we do seek God, He faithfully strengthens and refreshes us.

God knows every emotion, need, and desire we have. He cares when we face difficult situations and grow weary. He hears our cries and understands exactly what it will take to bring us into a more intimate relationship with Him.

The apostle Peter addressed his two letters to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 3:1). If he were choosing a modern title for his letters, he might have considered "Encouragement for Times of Suffering" or "Hope for the Hurting" because encouragement and hope are exactly what Peter conveyed to these distressed believers.

These Christians faced all kinds of persecution. They were beaten, slandered, and assaulted. They often lost their lives for their faith in Jesus Christ. Peter called them "aliens" because their citizenship was not of this world but of the kingdom of God. They faced times of great discouragement and loss and needed the courage only available to us through Christ. Peter explained that they could rejoice even in times of trial because Jesus, their risen Savior and Lord, would always be the living hope within them (1 Peter 1:3). So long as we have the Lord Jesus Christ, no situation is hopeless.

Would you like to have eternal hope? Then focus your heart on Jesus (1 Timothy 4:6). He wants to bring His will and good pleasure to fruition in your life. Even if you find yourself in a seemingly impossible situation, remember that He has an entirely different view of the details. If you let Him, God will take your life, no matter how bruised and broken, and make something beautiful out of it.

Isn't this what hope is all about? Beauty for ashes, gladness instead of sorrow, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:1-3). This is the ongoing ministry of Jesus Christ in your life. Therefore, bring to Him your afflictions and disappointments. Tell God your sorrows and He will restore your hope.

Resource:

Charles Stanley Life Principles Bible page 1855.

Dealing with Adversity: Part 1

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:35:01 GMT

Written by Dave Pound

Dealing with Adversity: Part 1

By Dave Pound

Over the next several months, I would like to examine some of Charles Stanley's "30 Life Principles." Today, I would like to discuss Life Principle number 7: "The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us."

I have heard it said by several mature Christians that when it comes to adversity and trials, you are in one of three places: you are entering a time of adversity, going through a trial, or coming out of a time of adversity. In my personal life, I am walking through a time of adversity. Back on October 4th, 2019, I was diagnosed with Myelofibrosis, a rare blood cancer. The day I received the call from my doctor and he told me the news, it was my 56th birthday (what a birthday present!). Since March of 2020, I have been receiving care and treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.

If you want God's best for your life and desire to be used by Him, at some point you will have to travel the road of adversity. This means that God can and will use adversity in your life for a good purpose- and yet, sadly, many people view adversity as only negative and defeating. You don't have to be among them. When I first received the phone call that I had cancer, all these negative thoughts were racing through my mind. Was I going to die? How long do I have to live? How do I tell my family and friends? Should I tell my family and friends? I received the message at work and when I finished the call I went into shock, I was paralyzed, I couldn't move or say a word.

God has designed adversity, regardless of its source, to become a turning point from which you take your greatest leaps forward in spiritual growth. He allows adversity to remain in your life only until He accomplishes His purpose in you. He will not keep it in your life one second longer than is necessary.

During the summer of 2023, my cancer took a turn for the worse. After several trips in and out of the hospital and two rounds of chemotherapy, my doctor decided it was time for a bone marrow stem cell transplant. I spent three weeks in the hospital and received my transplant on November 3, 2023. A short time after the transplant, I reached my lowest point to date. I was physically, emotionally, and spiritually drained. One night I cried out to God (literally), telling Him I couldn't go on, the pain and the suffering were way beyond what I could bear. I kept asking "Why me Lord?" I didn't see or understand the purpose of everything I was going through. Like Jonah, I asked or rather told God it would be better off if He would take my life. None of my pain and suffering made any sense to me.

Having had time to meditate and reflect, being diagnosed and going through everything I have been through with my cancer, I can confidently and boldly say that the journey has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me. It has given me a new outlook on life and has given me a new and different perspective. There have been times when the trial has literally wiped me out and other times when the Lord has taught me to stand in the confidence of His faithfulness. I am overwhelmed with a sense of stability and immovable strength. It is a time of absolute certainty that God is going to see me through the heartache and bring me out whole, joyful, and more mature on the other side. Like the apostle Paul, He has said to me, " My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Adversity also shows us where we stand in our faith. Do we doubt God? Or do we thank Him for His faithfulness during the stressful, heart-wrenching times? Adversity is God's most accurate measure of our faith - it reveals our endurance level. None of us know how much difficulty we can withstand until we are in the midst of the trial. Right now, right where you are, remember this: God has put a limit on all adversity. Because you are a child of God, the Holy Spirit is living inside of you, and He knows how much you can bear. The psalmist said, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all." ( Psalm 34:19). When we learn and mature in the midst of tremendous adversity, God is pleased because He sees His purpose being fulfilled in us.

There are three principles we can learn when we face adversity. First, adversity is God's choice tool for building godly, spiritual character in our lives. Until we experience heartache, disappointment, and pain we are not properly equipped for service (see 2 Corinthians 1:3-7). Secondly, adversity usually comes in areas where we feel the most confident. He made us for a loving, intimate relationship and fellowship with Himself, and He uses adversity to remind us of the fact that we are dependent upon Him. Thirdly, God's ultimate design is to conform us to the likeness of Jesus. Through adversity, God develops the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) in us. Adversity gets our attention, reveals our weaknesses and strengths, increases our distaste for sin, demonstrates His faithfulness, strengthens our faith, removes our pride and self-centeredness, prepares us for future service, and enables us to comfort others facing adversity.

Through adversity, God is molding you into a mature and effective servant. When you know Christ as your Savior, God sees you as a saint. Sometimes struggling, sometimes falling, but justified, redeemed, forgiven, and reconciled to Him. In July of 2024, MRI results showed that the cancer had spread to my back, specifically my T-4 vertebrae. I had surgery to place screws and rods in my spine. On December 30th, 2024, I will begin my third round of chemotherapy. Through my journey, God has proven Himself to be faithful. He is continually reminding me that we need a Savior. Someone greater than our greatest fear, someone who can meet all our needs. Only through His grace can we learn the truth concerning suffering. God uses it to help us experience His immense love. So take comfort. Adversity won't take up permanent residence in your life. Therefore no matter what dark moments you may walk through, be confident that He's going to bring you into the light. And when He does, it will certainly be worth it.

I would like to leave you with this quote from the great preacher Charles Spurgeon: "God knows that soldiers are to be made only in battle; they are not to be grown in peaceful times. We may grow the stuff of which soldiers are made; but warriors are really educated by the smell of powder, in the midst of whizzing bullets and roaring cannonades...Is He not developing in you the qualities of the soldier by throwing you into the heat of the battle and should you not use every application to come off conqueror?"

Resource:

Charles Stanley Life Principle Study Bible

Here is the link to watch a video of Charles Stanley's sermon on Life Principle 7: https://www.intouch.org/watch/sermons/life-principle-7-the-dark-moments-in-our-life

Law vs. Grace

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 14:28:50 GMT

Written by Dave Pound

Law vs Grace

By Dave Pound

Today, I would like to discuss a passage of scripture found in Galatians 2:14-21. Galatians is the first book the apostle Paul wrote around 48 A.D.

In chapters 1 and 2 of Galatians, Paul talks about defining the gospel and about the grace and peace that we have in Christ alone. He warns the Galatians about false teachers and how they try to add keeping of the law to salvation when we are only saved by faith and grace in Christ Jesus alone. Paul explains to them that adding the keeping of the commandments to saving faith, they are perverting the gospel. He goes on to say that the gospel he preaches is not of human origin, rather he received it by divine revelation from Jesus Christ. To add laws to the gospel is to eliminate the gospel (v. 21).

When it comes to justification by faith we need to understand that it is essential to the gospel not just central to the gospel. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to live by grace, not works-based faith. In the book of James chapter 2, he was not contradicting Paul's view of salvation by faith. James' teaching compliments Paul's writing. Salvation is determined by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9) and demonstrated by faithfulness to obey God's will alone (Ephesians 2:10). James is calling attention to two ways of justification, by faith before God and by works before people. While one is justified (declared righteous) before God by faith alone, the other is believed to be justified (demonstrates his godliness) before people by his or her works.

Justification is an imputation or placing of the righteousness of Christ into a believer. There is a legal declaration, a legal document if you will, written on your soul (indwelling of the Holy Spirit) that you are now forgiven and your identity is now found in Christ alone. The whole book of Galatians encourages the church to step out of works-based faith into the freedom of faith living. Paul will tell us there are two ways to live as Christians. One is grace-filled living and the other is obligational living, where you feel the need to earn something. As Christians, we have a tendency to move back and forth from grace-based faith to works-based faith. However, grace-based faith is where we access resurrection power through faith in Jesus.

C.S. Lewis in his book "Mere Christianity" suggests there are three ways to live. First, you throw out all the rules, believing that by nature I view myself as king and choose to do things my way (atheist; agnostic). Secondly, you try to keep the rules (all 613) and by doing so you drive yourself crazy, hopefully realizing at some point it is literally impossible to do (pharisaical; perfectionist). Rules become like a tax, where you are obligated to pay for something. Keeping rules out of obligation, not out of love or relationship with Christ. Thirdly, when you choose to fall freely into the grace of God alone and decide to allow Him to live in and through you (Galatians 2:20). Everything that takes place is filtered through your life for Christ: your career, your relationships, your finances, and all other areas of your life.

There are questions that present themselves: what does it look like? How do I know if I am living out a works-based faith (obligation), or a graced-filled faith, out of love for God? Obligated living has a source, it's called the law, and those whose activities are performance-based choose to live this way. The power they receive is generated by flesh and their identity is found in their daily performance. They become a slave to the law believing and feeling they need to earn God's approval. The source of gospel living is the promise of eternal salvation and abundant living for those who believe (Galatians 5:16-18). The activity of the gospel is the believer's faith and their power is from the Holy Spirit who lives inside them and leads them into all truth (John 16:12-13). You find your identity in your relationship with Jesus Christ and Him alone. By your faith, you become a child of God (Romans 8:14-17).

How do we become a new creation? We find the answer in God's word. I would like to share a few of the many scriptures that support the transformation from old creation to new creation. In Ephesians 2:8-9, we read "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast". In Romans 3:22, we see "The righteousness of God is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." In the same chapter verses 23 through 25, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are Justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement through the shedding of His blood to be received by faith." And in verse 28, "for we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." In Romans 5:1-2, "therefore, since we have been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." In Romans 6:22-23, "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." In Galatians 2:16, "know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we too have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law because, by the works of the law, no one will be justified."

So then how are we justified? We are justified because of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. By Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross, the shedding of His blood, for without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin. Through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6)." But if God looks at me as I am, He will see a sinner. Romans 1:17, says "The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, the righteous man shall live by faith." Take the next step of faith.

Whatever it is God has shown you to do, stop allowing fear and indecision to hinder you. Just go forward, trusting that He knows what He is doing even if you're not sure. When Paul contrasts Spirit and flesh in Romans 8:4-9, he is not contrasting two parts or aspects of the human personality, rather he is contrasting dependence on God's Spirit (and on Christ's justification that provides the Spirit) with humanity that's left to its own devices. The point is that one belongs to the people who have the Spirit, and therefore their hearts are being transformed by God, or one belongs to those who are left to merely the best (or worst) of human effort without dependence on God's gift of the Spirit through faith in Christ.

We are not saved or reconciled back to the Father according to the law, but by Jesus Christ's substitutionary sacrifice, His atoning death on the cross. The apostle Paul said "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law Christ died for nothing” (Galatians 2:21). Therefore, discipline your mind to focus on this truth, because of Jesus' substitutionary work on the cross there is no record of your sin (Psalm 103:12). You've lived your life trusting your limited senses, but now it is time to rely fully on God's unlimited wisdom, strength, knowledge, and love. Prepare yourself by reading Scripture, praying, and remembering how He has helped you in the past. Then do what you know He desires of you. He will do whatever is necessary to lead you to triumph as you obey Him.

Resources:

Greg Majchrzak, Pastor at Calvary Christian Center in Harborcreek, Pa.
Trusting God with Today devotional "Step of Faith” page 344
The Moody Bible Commentary (page 1952). Moody Publishers, 820 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago IL 60610

On Servant Leadership

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 16:44:36 GMT

Written by Dave Pound

On Servant Leadership

By Dave Pound

Today, I would like to talk about servant leadership. The scripture for today's topic comes from John 13:12-15. "When He had finished washing their feet He put on His clothes and returned to His place. Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you do as I have done for you."

In the movie Remember the Titans, there is a scene in which two football players are arguing about one's attitude. The conversation ends with this statement "Attitude reflects leadership, captain." In sports and in life, we have to remember that in order to lead others we have to check ourselves first: our example, our priorities, our attitudes. People will never follow what they don't see.

The greatest leader of all time, Jesus Christ, showed a powerful example of leadership and servanthood found in the previous scripture (John 13:12-15). Why would the Son of God wash the dirty feet of His followers? He did so to show that you are never too important to lower yourself and serve even the least of whom the world deems worthy. Foot washing is not set down as an ordinance but as an example (v.15) of all forms of humble service modeled by the Lord's foot washing (1 Timothy 5:10).

Often we call ourselves a servant of Christ, but what happens when someone treats us like one? We get offended, think we deserve better, decide we are better than them, and choose not to serve that person in love. Is that what Christ did? No. One of the people whose feet Jesus washed was Judas. Jesus knew what Judas would do. Did that disqualify him from getting his feet washed?

Jesus knelt and served him anyway. Jesus has set the example that, no matter how basic the task, we should be willing to serve others at all times, even when it means getting our hands dirty. Jesus always dealt with tax collectors, the crippled, the lepers, the “dirtiest” of people, but we often think that these interactions are beneath us. We are naturally selfish creatures, and it takes work to put others above ourselves, but sometimes it is the lowest and most humbling of our actions that best show the love we have for others.

Lastly, I would like to discuss a very important biblical principle found in verses 9 and 10 of John chapter 13. The difference between relationship and fellowship. This principle is so profound that the inability to understand and discern will hinder your spiritual growth and maturity in Christ Jesus. Also, the inability to discern between relationship and fellowship will make certain passages of scripture confusing and frustrating. In verse 8, Peter told Jesus "No, never shall You wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me." Ongoing partnership or fellowship with Jesus is conditioned on the recurrent cleansing of the believer as he confesses his sins (1 John 1:9).

By asking Jesus to wash his whole body out of enthusiasm, Peter is then in companionship with the Lord. Jesus’ instructions to Peter about two distinct cleansings must not be overlooked. He who has bathed, a complete washing under the cleansed blood of Jesus Christ, this refers to our genuine relationship that occurs at salvation. A one-time cleansing.

He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, because he is completely clean. The bath represents the complete, unrepeatable cleansing of the new birth; the washing of the feet pictures the repeated cleansing needed for intimacy or fellowship with Christ after salvation. This intimacy requires walking in the light and confessing one's sins (see 1 John 1:6-9). To wash one another's feet (v. 14) includes laying down our lives for our brothers and sisters (John 10:11,14,17; John 15:13; 1 John 3:16).

Questions to Ponder:

Are there people in your life that you have trouble serving?
Is pride getting in the way of you allowing someone to serve you?
How can you serve others today?
How can you display servant leadership this week?
How can you "wash people's feet" in your life?

Additional References:

Matthew 20:25-28
Philippians 2:3-11
Deuteronomy 10:10-13
Joshua 22:5
Joshua 24:15
Ephesians 6:7
Colossians 3:17, 23

Resources:

FCA Bible Studies

Leadership and Attitude https://fcaresources.com/bible-study/leadership-and-attitude
How to Lead https://fcaresources.com/devotional/how-lead
The Smallest of Tasks https://fcaresources.com/devotional/smallest-tasks
The Moody Bible Commentary (page 1645). Moody Publishers 820 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago IL 60610

Father's Love Letter

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 15:38:15 GMT

For you from Dave Pound

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