If this world and its squabbling kingdoms were all that there is, how pitiful an outlook we would have. These kingdoms rise and fall. History is littered with powerful kingdoms, empires even, that were cast aside by greater or at least different ones. Museums are filled with relics of their once great splendor and glory, but I think one of my church kiddos from many years ago summed their glory up well when we were looking at some pictures of the ruins of the once great city of Ephesus: they’re ruined (they pronounced it rurnt, ha)!
The writer of Hebrews rightly tells us that we should be “grateful”, and we should. That word translated “grateful” in the ESV is better translated in the KJV as “have grace” because it is a pair of words that are related to the practice of saying grace before a meal, praying to say thanks and give credit to God for providing the food that is about to be eaten.
We are to say grace, praying and giving thanks to God for giving us part in His Kingdom and for His power in saving us and making us right before Him (Colossians 1:12-14, 2 Corinthians 5:21).
We are to say grace, coming before God’s throne in reverence and awe as King of kings and Lord of lords, presiding over His Kingdom eternally and toppling those that are shaken, sifted, and cast away like chaff from wheat (Psalm 2:10-11, Matthew 3:12).
We are to say grace, thankful to God for His strength and might — His consuming fire burning through everything, eventually leaving only His Kingdom (Deuteronomy 4:24, Daniel 7:13-14).
We are to say grace because this great God and king humbled Himself to leave His throne and become flesh for us that we might be saved and enter into His Kingdom (John 1:14, Philippians 2:6-8, 1 Timothy 1:15).
Lord, thank you for being a consuming fire and for that fire purifying those you save rather than burning us up as our sin warrants. Thank you for shaking the lesser kingdoms of this world and reminding us You are God and we are not. Thank you for letting us worship and praise You. I want to say “thank You” like we do over the food, our bodies for Your Kingdom. Amen.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
These verses are a beautiful picture of God’s forgiveness and are good reminders for those who are saved to see what the “free gift of eternal life” is in light of the “wages of [our] sin” (Romans 6:23). We are going to briefly unpack these verses, and Lord willing, you will be moved to be thankful as well.
“He does not deal with us according to our sins nor repay us according to our iniquities.” This is a beautiful example of the otherness of God. I know that term sounds weird, but when we talk about God, it is important to remember that He is not like us. This otherness is really linked to His holiness, meaning that He is entirely set apart and above us in His worth, splender, and perfection. God is God, and we are not.
Human beings deal with each other according to their sin and iniquity. If someone has wronged us or someone close to us, it is likely that we will forever treat them differently because of it. Even if we forgive, we are quick to let folks know we won’t forget. If we catch someone in a lie, they will forever be defined as a liar (even though we have been guilty of the same). The sin is a defining point for us because we don’t want to fall victim of it again. Yet God does not deal with US that way.
That “us” is very important here because it is a distinction from how others are dealt with. This is not the us v. them where we make ourselves to be righteous (Romans 3:10-12). No, this is referencing the difference between those who have believed and put their faith in God and have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9) and those who have not (John 3:18). He does not deal with “us” according to our sin because Jesus has paid for our sin (1 Peter 2:24). Our sin does not define us because He defines us based on our relationship with Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Romans 8:1).
This qualifies the “us” from the last section because the “us” is made up of those who fear the Lord – those who follow and worship Him, those who have been saved by Him (Psalm 25:12-14). It also builds on the last section specifically because it shows that God not only has decided not to “deal with us according to our sins or repay us according to our iniquities” because He has paid the penalty for them (2 Corinthians 5:21) but did this because He loves us (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:4-5). This love is foreign to us because in our sinfulness we want to repay evil with evil, sin with sin (Matthew 5:44-45, 1 Peter 3:9). God is different. He loved us and saved us from our sin when we were still in it – when we still deserved death and hell; that “demonstrates” how much higher His love is than ours (Romans 5:8).
“…[A]s far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.” I love the contrast of imagery between the atmospheric levels of love in the last section and the global stretch of His forgiveness in this one. It is really cool to see how God specifically created the earth in such a way that it illustrates this, too. If His love requires a 6,000 foot view, His forgiveness requires understanding of what infinity is. You see, if you set out westward here on earth, you will go infinitely west. West will never start being east, and vice versa. God infinitely removes our sin from us. It is gone. Period. Finito. Over with. It is finished.
When Jesus forgives, He can allow Himself to forget because when He saves us He will not lose us. The eternal life He gives is, well, eternal. The change He produces in people’s lives is continual because it stems from His love and faithfulness, not ours. So, He doesn’t have to deal with us “according to our sins” because they have been infinitely removed. They have been paid for and we cannot repossess them. He has the receipt and is not taking returns.
This is good news. It is nearly incomprehensible for us because we know the weight and evil nature of our sin (Psalm 51:3-5, Jeremiah 17:9). Yet He loved us and became the propitiation (wrath bearing sacrifice that trades the punishment due our sin for the favor due His Son) for our sin (Romans 3:23-25; 1 John 2:1-2, 4:10).
What about you? Have you experienced the forgiveness of God? Will you stand before Him and have Him see Jesus’s blood and righteousness or stand before Him in your sin?
Thank You, Lord, for offering forgiveness and salvation through Your Son Jesus.
Thank You, Lord, for Your astronomical love and the way you help us to see what You have done for us.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
Friendship is something that I hope I never take for granted. It is something that I cherish more than I can express with words because, for many years, I did not have friends – at least not many or any at all who match the quality of today’s passage.
The imagery in this verse makes me picture entering a room and smelling something that reminds me of someone. You know how that works. God created our senses so that they work together specially for different purposes. The sense of smell is linked to emotion and memory – hearing, too, to a lesser degree – in a special way that one whiff can bring on waves of nostalgia, jog a memory, take you to a certain place, or remind you of a specific person.
The “oil and perfume” here produces an emotional response or memory that makes “the heart glad”, and immediately takes that emotional reverie and ties it to the “sweetness” of a specific aspect of friendship. That aspect is the “counsel” of a friend.
Most of the time, when we think of what makes friendship sweet, “counsel” probably isn’t it. It is often the camaraderie of friendship or company. That is the counterargument that came to my mind. But God in His wisdom tells us that there is something better. This let’s us know that there is more to friendship than meets the eye – something sweeter than just what we want. God’s wisdom points us to friends who are willing to give us earnest counsel.
Now, some folks just shove their opinions in any old way. This ain’t that. Earnest counsel is advice or counsel that comes from a sincere place of intense conviction. This is not run-of-the-mill stuff but rather a rare willingness to be with people in tough times as well as good and offer help that they may not want but definitely need. This is not friendship that runs from disagreement but thrives despite it. This is friendship that loves in a way that will risk their own feelings to help the other. It is sacrificial and special.
But keep in mind that counsel is not all this sort of friendship has to offer because friendships are more than its parts. As I write this, I am still overwhelmed by a show of friendship I experienced earlier in the week. Some of my friends whom I love and cherish dearly came to surprise me at a revival service I was preaching. They all have a lot going on in their lives right now. They are all tired. They are all stretched. Yet they decided to show they care and support me – despite their tiredness and busyness. They are friends that will offer counsel when I need it because they love me. There is a sweetness there that I am not conveying in my words because it is so intangible and unexplainable. You just know it when you’ve got it. In the same way that smells or sounds jog emotions is so vivid yet often unexplainable, this sort of friendship is something you know if you’ve got it.
I’m thankful I do and hope I am half the friend they are to me.
Lord, thank you for my friends. Thank you for seeing fit to put us together and to build a bond deep enough to give needed counsel and broad enough to cover the range of emotions that our lives contain. Bless them and keep them, and help me to be such a friend to them. Amen.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
At Christ Community Church, we are blessed to have John Goldwater, LG Schmitz, and Burt Schmitz as three of our pastors. These men love Jesus and work hard to serve Him and point us to Him. A lot they do never gets noticed, but whether we see it or not, Jesus does.
I’m thankful for John’s handling of the Word. He preaches tirelessly, every opportunity he gets. He preaches the gospel weekly at Christ Community, The Foundry, Jesus Saves Bro, Kirk Chevy, and Burger King. Throughout each month, you can find him preaching at the Carroll County Jail, the Emmaus camp, and anywhere else that will listen to him preach Jesus! In addition to all that preaching, he ministers to people in ways that are too numerous to mention.
I’m thankful for LG’s heart for Jesus and passion to let people know that Jesus has a plan for their life. A lot of times, folks in their 80s slow down and lose some of what can be called youthful vigor, but LG still preaches when called on and serves to encourage and disciple folks as often as he can. He serves Christ Community on our Finance Team and gives more encouragement behind the scenes than I could begin to describe or enumerate.
I’m thankful for Burt’s many hats. Burt keeps our media and sound going (which is difficult because tech and equipment glitches are a way of life in church life). He also teaches our kiddos the Word on Sunday mornings and Wednesdays. I love hearing Xander come home talking about what Mr. Burt taught him from the Bible. Furthermore, nothing tops his Wednesday boot camps in the eyes or our kiddos where he weaves fun games and Bible study together seamlessly. He even manages to find time to text our Bible verses and encouragement to many people every day.
If you are reading this and have a pastor, reach out to them and thank them for their service to the Lord and shepherding of you and yours. Be specific in your encouragement!
Lord, thank you for the pastors you have give us at Christ Community and the Foundry. Bless them and keep them. Help us to appreciate them and follow their example and teaching. Amen.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
I don’t know what I would do if I did not have assurance that Jesus loves me and has prepared a place for me. It is too easy to get distracted by all of the trouble in this world — to get burdened and downcast — to get focused on myself and difficulties, faults, and failures. But God has made a way for me.
I think about the men and women Peter wrote 1 Peter to; he called them “elect exiles in the Dispersion”, writing to Jewish Christians who had been dispersed for various reasons, including persecution, all around the NT world (1 Peter 1:1-2). Here in 1 Peter 3:15, we see Peter encouraging them to be ready (prepared) to “make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you”. Read that again. Peter wrote to people experiencing trials and tribulations and persecution and difficulties of all sorts — people who were a long way from home in foreign lands — people who had reason to be downcast and distressed and told them to be ready when people asked them why they had hope. This means that, despite their difficulties, they would not only have hope but that Jesus, their “living hope” (1 Peter 1:3), would have such an impact on their lives and their outlook that people would take notice and ask.
That’s good news!
As we saw yesterday, the hope that “has been poured out into our hearts” stems from God’s love and “does not put us to shame” (Romans 5:3-5)! That hope is in spite of our circumstances and proven through God’s faithfulness amid our circumstances.
So, tonight, whatever is bothering you or beating you down, whatever difficulties you are in the midst of (even if those difficulties won’t end today, tomorrow, or soon), know this, beloved Sojourner: this world is not our home, the troubles that plague us have an expiration date, and Christ the Lord gives us a hope that will carry us through and bring us home to Him. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Take Jesus’s.
In John 16:33, Jesus was talking to His disciples on the night He was arrested, tortured, and mocked before being crucified the next day. He told them about how He would send them a Helper, His Holy Spirit, and gave them hope by telling them that He would prepare a place for them in His Father’s house and praying for them. John 16:33 falls kind of toward the middle of that conversation.
Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.”
Those words give me hope. Peter was there that night, and the hope Jesus offered clearly impacted him as he wrote all those years later to dispersed believers dealing with trouble. I hope they help you as well. I hope you find hope in the fact that He has already overcome the world, your troubles, and made a way for those He loves.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
I’m thankful to God for giving hope in the midst of suffering.
Sometimes, we can be fooled into thinking that being thankful is all about happy things, but the joy we have in Jesus is not because we have no sorrow and trials but despite our sorrow and trials.
The way Paul talks about this in Romans 5 bridges the hope we have in Jesus to Him being “justified by faith” in Him (Romans 5:1). There is a peace that comes through Him saving us — a peace that settles eternal matters and gives a necessary eternal perspective on troubling temporal (and sometimes temporary) matters (Romans 5:2).
That does not make the temporal or temporary suffering easy, though. It just reminds us Whose hands we are in, Who has taken care of our future, and how He will carry us through to the end. The progression in Romans 5:3-5 illustrates this.
For those who are in Christ, suffering produces endurance because He will carry us through; His strength is enough to endure whatever we need to get through. Enduring through His strength produces godly character because more time spent with Him and being carried by Him makes us reliant on Him and grow more like Him. Becoming more like Him gives us hope because we are used to looking to Him — now not just in trouble but in everything. And looking to Him in everything is not shameful because that is how we are designed; we were never meant to be self-reliant but Christ-reliant!
So, today, has plenty of trouble. Our lives here on earth are full of troubles and suffering. The longer we live, the more those can multiply. But the longer we walk with Christ, the more we realize that He carries us through. In that good news, there is hope in the midst of sorrow and trouble!
Lord, thank You for taking care of me and mine. You know that I let trials and sufferings hijack my mind too often, but even in the midst of my forgetfulness and stupidity, you are still holding me together and carrying me through. Thank you for holding me together until I can remember who You are and that I belong to You, and I look forward to the day that my forgetfulness is overwhelmed by the memory and character You are producing in me. You know I have friends and loved ones overwhelmed in temporal and temporary trials and suffering. Please help them remember you carry them, too. Amen.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
Sometimes when Christ-followers say Jesus is our everything or that He is everything to us, it can sound a bit cliche. But for those who are in Christ, it is not just a statement we make; it is the foundation of our hope — the foundation of our life in Him.
When we are saved, He takes us from death to life (Ephesians 2:1-5). He takes our sin and exchanges it for His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Our old life passes away in His death and new life is born through His resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:17-24). He builds us up and establishes us (Colossians 2:6-7).
Not only is Jesus faithful in salvation, but He is faithful in keeping us and protecting us. Think about it: if we can trust Him to do what He says and save us — if He can bring us from death to life in Him, isn’t He powerful enough to protect us and “guard [us] against the evil one”?
The answer is yes.
As the author of Hebrews put it: “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23). And I sure am thankful He is!
Thank You, Lord, for being the One who never fails, never lies, and never changes. When He say You will do something, You do it. When You promise, You fulfill it. When You love, You don’t let go. There is no one else in the universe faithful like You — definitely not us! Thank You for being faithful to build us up and protect us from evil. Amen.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
I say this a lot, but it is because I am blessed. Much to my regret, I have not always realized this and took it for granted for too long. Lord willing, I won’t forget — or let her forget it!
This passage from Genesis 2 is when Adam awoke from the sleep God put him in and saw his bride for the first time. I love the phrase “at last” there because it communicates the worthiness and excitement that comes with his declaration. He had named all the animals and there “was not found a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:21).
At last God parade something in front of him worthy of him. If you’ll forgive the pun, Adam’s reaction was “Woah, man!” He was excited and happy to meet his bride. It was a match made in Eden.
I can still remember the first time I laid eyes on Candice. I can remember the glint of the sun on her hair on the afternoon I asked her to marry me. I remember seeing her on our wedding day when the doors of the church opened. And I get to look over to my left and see my beautiful bride right now as I type this. Woah, man, I’m blessed!
If you are blessed to have a wife, let her know. It doesn’t hurt to do it on social media, but it is best to be done regularly and rightly in person. Recognize how God has blessed you with her, thank Him for giving her to you, and thank her for putting up with you as well!
Lord, thank you for Candice. Thank you for letting me spend every day with my best friend and for waking me up to realize the gift you have given me in her. Let Keri, Xander, and me tell her often that we love her and show her more than we say it. Help others who are reading this to be thankful for their wives, too, and move their hearts to tell their wives they are thankful as well as showing them. Amen.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
So many are filled with anxiety right now as they watch the election results roll in. Honestly, I feel it, too. But there is One we can trust no matter the outcome of this election, or if He tarries, the outcomes of the next or the next. His name is Jesus, and He is truly trustworthy.
I chose this passage today because it is a good reminder of why we should trust the Lord rather than put our trust in worldly things.
To trust in “chariots” and “horses” was trusting in military prowess. Their might is contrasted with the “saving might” of God’s “right hand” in v. 6 and compared to the way His people can continue to stand when their worldly trusts “collapse and fall” in v. 8.
Psalm 20 is appropriate as it is a prayer for their nation’s king. As we pray tonight for the King of kings to grant us the president we need, we can stand in our trust of the Lord. If everything collapses, we can stand in our trust of Him. He won’t move. I’m reminded of the lyrics of the hymn: “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus / how I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er.” The good news isn’t that we have proved Him but that He has proved Himself “o’er and o’er” and will again and again.
As you watch the election coverage — or if you are reading this once the results have come in, don’t put your trust in donkeys or elephants. They will all collapse and fail you one way or another. Put your trust in the name of the LORD our God. His name is Jesus — the King of kings, Lord of lords, and the Potentate of presidents. He will never fall or fail.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
Keri and Xander are such a blessing to me. I’m thankful I get to be their daddy. Seeing them grow, mature, and change is amazing. More than that, I have a front row seat view of the Lord working in and through them.
Keri is kind and, although she hates the spotlight, she loves to serve the Lord and others. She genuinely cares about others and notices those who typically go unnoticed. She is quiet until she decides to let people in, but once she does, they get to see her corny humor and bubbling wit. Keri has also inherited some of her mama’s fire, which makes me happy because she is becoming a force to be reckoned with while balancing that with her typical kindness, care, and thoughtfulness.
Xander is kind, too, and protective of his people. He loves fiercely and often wears his heart on his sleeve. This is not a weakness as those who are loved by Xander can attest. Seeing him with his younger cousins and other littles sees this fast-paced flash slow down and be immensely patient and caring. His infectious laughter is only matched by his growing wit and love for puns. As he loves and serves others, I get glimpses of the man he is growing to be and cannot wait to see what the Lord continues to do in him.
Keri and Xander are not perfect by any means. They inherited that from their father. But I could not be more proud of them or thankful to get to be their daddy.
All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).
This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!
Just Keith Harris 