heart – Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: heart

Romans 9:2 – Continual Heartache

Posted on May 8, 2018 by Will

that my sorrow is great and I have continual grief in my heart.

Truth to Learn

Paul had deep seated and continual emotional pain because of his unbelieving brothers in the flesh (Jews).

Behind the Words

The word translated “sorrow” is lupē, which means “sadness, grief, heaviness, or sorrow.” But this is not just common sorrow, Paul says it is megas, meaning “great or large.”

“Grief” is translated from odunē, meaning “grief, pain, or distress.” And he says that this grief is adialeiptos. This word is made up of a, meaning “not” and a form of dialeipō, meaning “to leave spaces,” that is “to be intermittent.” Hence, we can see that Paul has unceasing or continual grief in his heart. Now this doesn’t mean that every waking moment of Paul’s life is filled with sorrow; it means that it is a constantly recurring event for him.

The word “heart” is from the Greek word kardia (from which we get our English word cardiac). It refers to the seat and center of human emotion and life.

Meaning Explained

We saw in the previous verse that Paul is declaring an oath to the Jews. The current verse is the content of that oath. The thing he is swearing an oath about is his continual sorrow and great grief. He will tell us in the next verse that this great grief and unceasing sorrow are for his kinsmen in the flesh, that is, Jews. He will also say in the opening of the next chapter that his heart’s desire and prayer for Israel is that they be saved. Paul is saying that he cannot shake this feeling of grief and sorrow whenever he thinks about the lost condition of many, many Jews. After all, they are the ones that God separated out and who received the books of Moses and the Prophets. God has given special attention to them and special revelation of Himself to them as well.

But, alas, Paul knows that many of them are lost because they are relying on satisfying a set of legal requirements to be saved. Paul has spent a great deal of time and effort in the earlier chapters of this letter explaining that obeying the rules will not produce righteousness. Only the grace of God through faith in the Anointed One (the Messiah, the Christ) will produce the righteousness they seek.

Application

Now, let me ask you, are you relying on obedience to a set of rules or on certain church doctrines to save you? Are you depending on your baptism or your membership in the church to save you? If you are, you have missed the whole point of what Paul has been teaching in this letter to the Roman Christians. Paul will tell us in the next chapter “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” We will get into exactly what this means when we come to that verse. For now, my message to you is to not depend on your church or your behavior to save you because they will fail you. Instead, fall on your knees confessing your inability to save yourself, believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, and confess Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, as your Savior and your Lord (Master).

Only then will you be saved and know that you have been chosen. Then, get off your knees and praise God for His mercy and His grace, for He is worthy!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Thessalonians 2:17 – Comfort For Our Walk

Posted on August 25, 2016 by Will

comfort your hearts and may He establish you in every good word and work.

Truth to Learn

Comfort is God’s doing, but walking in faith is up to you.

Behind the Words

“Comfort” is translated from the Greek verb parakaleō. This word has the same root as the word translated “consolation” in yesterday’s verse. It means “to comfort, encourage, and challenge” just as a coach does for an athlete. It is expressed here in the rare optative mood; there are less than 70 uses of the optative mood in the New Testament. The optative is the mood used when a writer is expressing an action as possible.

Kardia is the word translated “heart.” The English word “cardiology” (the study of the heart) is obviously from this Greek word. It refers not only to the physical heart, but figuratively to “the seat and center of human life, including thoughts and feelings.”

The word “establish” is from stēridzō, which is derived from histemi, meaning “to stand or to set in place.” Stēridzō means “to make firm” or “to place securely.” This verb, as a parallel verb with parakaleō (comfort), is also expressed in the optative mood.

Agathos is the word translated “good.” This word refers to the general character or quality of goodnesaying.”

Ergon is the Greek word translated “work.” It refers to “something done or performed, an act or a deed.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is directly connected with the previous one. In fact, grammatically, verse sixteen is the subject of the sentence and this verse is the predicate. You will recall that in the previous verse Paul equated the Father and Jesus Christ as one by using singular verbs with the plural subject. He continues that form in today’s verse. Though this sentence has a plural subject (Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father), the verbs “comfort” and “establish” are singular verbs.

There are two key lessons to learn from Paul’s prayer. The first is that our God is the one who comforts our hearts and who makes our standing firm. In his teachings at the Last Supper in the upper room, Jesus said this to His disciples:

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hss or usefulness.

“Word” is from the Greek noun logos, which refers to “an expression of intellect.” That is “a word or a

eart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

In other words, He said, “Don’t allow your hearts to be troubled or afraid.” Modern day psychology indicates that worry and fear are the results of our own minds; that is, we do it to ourselves. Comfort and peace, on the other hand, are the result of outside agents working on us to sooth us. Paul is praying for God to be that outside agent working on us both to comfort us and to make our standing firm.

The other thing we learn from today’s verse is that the Christian life is not just about what we claim to be. We all know people who profess to be Christian, but the manner in which they live their lives does not demonstrate true faith. In other words, don’t just talk the talk, also walk the walk. Let your Christian witness be the way you act and the way you treat others. You may know the words of Christianity, but do you do the works?

Application

Think about your faith this way: If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Remember, don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk!

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:17 – Indwelling Christ

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Will

that through faith Christ may dwell in your hearts; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Truth to Learn

Christ dwells in the heart of every Christian.

Behind the Words

“Dwell” is from the Greek verb katoikeō, which is made up of kata, meaning “down” used here as an intensifier, and oikeō, meaning “to dwell” or “to reside.” Thus, katoikeō means to dwell permanently or to settle down in one place. In Greek it represents a distinct difference from paroikeō, meaning “to dwell temporarily.”

The Greek word translated “hearts” is kardia, from which we get the medical term “cardiac” referring to the heart.

The word “rooted” is from the Greek verb rhidzoō, which is based on the noun rhidza (from which we get the botanical term rhizome, meaning “a root”). It is expressed here in the perfect tense indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, where the emphasis is on the effect.

“Grounded” is translated from themelioō, which is indirectly based on the verb tithemi, meaning “to put in place.” Themelioō means “to put a foundation in place.” Thus, themelioō means “to have a solid foundation.” This word is also expressed in the prefect tense.

Meaning Explained

Paul is in the midst of worshipping God through prayer. It is a prayer specifically for the Christians in the church at Ephesus, but in general it is intended for all Christians. As we noted in yesterday’s verse, there are five specific petitions contained in this prayer. The first, which we looked at yesterday, was that God the Father would strengthen our inner man; this is to be done by God the Holy Spirit.

The second petition of Paul’s prayer is for Christ to dwell in our hearts through faith. There is some disagreement among Biblical scholars regarding this particular petition. On the surface, it appears that Paul is asking that the Ephesians might be saved (for Christ to dwell in their hearts). However, back in Ephesians 1:1, Paul referred to the Ephesians as “saints.” In other words, they were already saved (a saint is a person who has been set-apart by God because of his or her salvation). According to Greek scholar Dr. Kenneth Wuest,

The personal presence of the Lord Jesus in the heart of the believer is not in view here. That is taken for granted. The word “dwell” is katoikēsai, made up of oikeō, “to live in as a home,” and kata, “down, thus “to settle down and be at home.” The tense is aorist, showing finality. The expanded translation is; “that Christ might finally settle down and feel completely at home in your hearts.”

Notice, also, that from verses fourteen through seventeen Paul is praying to the Father to strengthen by the Holy Spirit and that Christ (the Son) might settle down and feel at home through faith. All three persons of the Godhead are at work together here in the lives of believers. It is particularly important to note that throughout this prayer Paul is asking that the Ephesian Christians (and, by extension, all Christians) might have a deeper commitment and closer fellowship with God.

Based on the Greek grammatical structure of this and the following verse, the second half of this verse is actually part of the next verse, so we will look at it tomorrow.

Application

Are you truly saved? Does Christ dwell in your heart? Are you part of God’s family? I hope that is true, but it mustn’t stop there. God wants to have a close personal relationship with you. You are not simply a member of God’s team; you are a member of His family. And, like any loving father or mother, He wants to settle in and get personal with you. Too many Christians today believe that since they have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, they have “punched their ticket into heaven,” and that’s all there is to Christianity. How sad! Even though life as a Christian will have plenty of tribulations and trials, we can walk through this life with peace and joy if we have a close personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. In other words, it’s more than just a saving faith, it’s a living faith! Is that what you have?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 1:18 – Two Great Truths

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Will

the eyes of your heart being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Truth to Learn

There are two great truths here. The first is that the Holy Spirit reveals spiritual truth to us. The other is that you are highly valued by God and will be cherished for all eternity.

Behind the Words

The word “heart” is translated from the Greek word kardia. Although this word is used to describe the physical heart of a person, in the New Testament it is used exclusively in a figurative sense in reference to the seat of the desires, feelings, affections, passions, and impulses. Some Greek manuscripts do not contain the word kardia here. Instead they have the word dianoia. This is made up of dia, meaning “through” or indicating division, and a form of the verb noeō, meaning “to exercise the mind.” Therefore, we see that dianoia indicates something that has been thoroughly thought through, thus “understanding.” This word does not appear in most Greek manuscripts; instead, kardia (heart) is used. So, “heart” is the preferred reading.

“Enlightened” is the translation of phōtidzō, which is derived from phōs, meaning “light.” Phōtidzō means “to shine the light on something” or “to make something visible.”

“Hope” is from the Greek word elpis, meaning “that which is hoped for.” The meaning of this word, however, is not simply something wished for; it includes a full expectation of it actually happening.

The word “calling” is translated from klēsis, a shortened form of the verb kaleō, meaning “to call.” Thus, klēsis refers to “a calling” or “an invitation.”

“Riches” is from ploutos, which refers to “wealth made up of things of value.”

Meaning Explained

This verse contains the continuation of Paul’s prayer for all saints. In the previous verse he asked that God the Father might give us wisdom and revelation through the Holy Spirit. Now he tells us about some of the effects of that revelation provided by the Holy Spirit.

He tells us here that it will produce enlightenment. The Greeks believed that the heart was not just the seat of the emotions, but of understanding and determination as well. So, Paul is saying that the eyes of our heart should receive light. We all know that in the darkness we cannot see or recognize things very well; however, when something is illuminated we can see with both our vision and our perception. That’s exactly what the Holy Spirit does for us. He shines the light of truth on things that we see and hear. Because of this illumination, we can understand spiritual truths which we otherwise would not have understood.

There are three particular spiritual truths which we can know as a result of the Spirit’s illumination. Two are in this verse and the third is in the next verse. Here he tells us about the hope and assurance we have of eternal life as a result of God’s invitation. He also tells us how great the glory of His inheritance is. This is not a reference to our inheritance, which we talked about in verse fourteen. This is a reference to the rich inheritance that Jesus Christ will receive in heaven: all the saints, who will spend eternity with Him.

Application

You may not think or yourself as being worth very much, but God sees each one of us as extremely valuable. We, the bride of Christ, will be the Father’s gift to the Son for all eternity.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Thessalonians 2:17 – Comfort For Our Walk

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Will

comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

Truth to Learn

Comfort is God’s doing, but walking in faith is up to you.

Behind the Words

The word “establish” is from stēridzō, which is derived from histemi, meaning “to stand or to set in place.” Stēridzō means “to make firm” or “to place securely.”

Agathos is the word translated “good.” This word refers to the general character or quality of goodness or usefulness.

“Word” is from the Greek noun logos, which refers to “an expression of intellect.” That is “a word or a saying.”

Ergon is the Greek word translated “work.” It refers to “something done or performed, an act or a deed.”

Meaning Explained

There are two key lessons to learn from Paul’s prayer. The first is that our God is the one who comforts our hearts and who makes our stand firm. In his teachings at the Last Supper in the upper room, Jesus said this to His disciples:

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

The other thing we learn from today’s verse is that the Christian life is not just about what we claim to be. We all know people who profess to be Christian, but the way they live their lives does not demonstrate true faith. In other words, don’t just talk the talk, also walk the walk. Let your Christian witness be the way you act and the way you treat others. You may know the words of Christianity, but do you do the works?

Application

Think about your faith this way: If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Ephesians 3:17 – Indwelling Christ

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Will

Ephesians 3:17 – Indwelling Christ

that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Truth to Learn

Christ dwells in the heart of every Christian.

Behind the Words

“Dwell” is from the Greek verb katoikeō, which is made up of kata, meaning “down” used here as an intensifier, and oikeō, meaning “to dwell” or “to reside.” Thus, katoikeō means to dwell permanently. In Greek it represents a distinct difference from paroikeō, meaning “to dwell temporarily.”

The Greek word translated “hearts” is kardia, from which we get the medical term “cardiac” referring to the heart.

“Grounded” is translated from themelioō, which is indirectly based on the verb tithemi, meaning “to put in place.” Themelioō means “to put a foundation in place.” This word is also expressed in the prefect tense.

Meaning Explained

The second petition of Paul’s prayer is for Christ to dwell in our hearts through faith. In translating from any language into another language there are situations where the exact meaning of the source language is difficult to express in the target language. This is the case here. It appears from the translation that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith, but then again, He may not. That is NOT what the Greek text says. In fact, in the Greek the verb translated “dwell” is expressed as an infinitive, so a literal translation might be “that Christ to dwell in your hearts …” but that doesn’t make sense in English. This particular infinitive is an aorist infinitive which indicates completed action, so we could actually translate this as “that Christ dwells in your hearts …” Paul is praying to the Father for all those in Ephesus to be born-again Christians.

Notice, also, that from verses fourteen through seventeen Paul is praying to the Father to strengthen by the Holy Spirit and to indwell the believer with Christ (the Son) through faith. All three persons of the Godhead are at work together here in the lives of believers.

Based on the Greek grammatical structure of this and the following verse, the second half of this verse is actually part of the next verse, so we will look at it tomorrow.

Application

Does Christ dwell in your heart (a completed action)? If you have accepted His blood, through faith, as payment for your sins, then He does. This indwelling is not a process; it doesn’t gradually happen. It happened once and for all the moment you believed the gospel message.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:

Romans 10:10 – Heart and Mouth Connection

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Will

Romans 10:10 – Heart and Mouth Connection

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Truth to Learn

True belief and confession go hand in hand.

Meaning Explained

According to this verse and the previous one, the things required for salvation are belief and confession. It’s as simple as that, and yet not so simple, for I fear that there are many who have professed to be saved who really aren’t. They may claim to be Christians, they may even believe themselves to be Christians, but they really aren’t. Let’s see why.

Paul says here that “with the heart one believes unto righteousness.” In the previous verse he told us what it is we must believe: “that God has raised Him (Jesus) from the dead.” The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the proof that He is more than mere man. It is proof that He is God in the flesh. Implied in the belief in His resurrection is the belief that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins and mine, for the sins of all of mankind. Also implied is the recognition that we are sinners and in need of salvation. Why is all this true? Because if He was resurrected from the dead, then He is God and everything that He said is true and, therefore, everything that is written in the Bible is true.

What does Paul mean by believing with the heart? This means more than mere head knowledge. It implies more than an act of understanding. It takes in the consent of the will, an inward, hearty, sincere, and strong consent.

Notice that I said consent of the will. This believing requires submission of our will to His. If we truly believe that Jesus is God, then we must recognize that we are the creatures whom He created and He is far above us in power, intellect, holiness, majesty, and glory. We are His subjects, not the other way around. We are here to do His will. He is not here to do ours. If we have not subjected our will to His, then we don’t really believe that He is God.

When we believe, according to what Paul told us in the earlier portion of this letter, God freely grants to us the righteousness of Christ. That is, in His record book we are recorded as being forever without sin!

But the second half of this verse says that “with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Does this mean that if you believe with your heart but don’t confess with your mouth, you won’t be saved? Let’s think about this. If one truly believes with the heart, then a verbal confession is the natural outcome. When we first get saved we want to tell others, especially other Christians. None of us who has any kind of exciting news ever wants to keep it to ourselves. We want to tell others! This is the case when we get saved, we want to confess it to someone; we want to tell others that we have been born again.

Application

As I said earlier, I fear that there are many who know about Jesus, who know the fact that he died on a cross. They may have even “asked Jesus into their heart” but have never submitted to the Lordship of Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, the Judge of all mankind. To these, I fear, God will one day say, “Depart from me you worker of iniquity. I never knew you.” That will be a tragedy!

How about you? Are you submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:

Romans 10:9 – Resurrected Lord

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Will

Romans 10:9 – Resurrected Lord

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Truth to Learn

Christ must be both your Master and your risen Savior.

Behind the Words

“Confess” is translated from the Greek word homologeo, which is a compound word made up of homos, meaning “together or the same” and a form of logos, meaning “something said.” Actually it is more appropriately the thoughts or ideas behind what is said. Hence, homologeo means “to agree with, or to have the same thoughts as someone else.”

The word “Lord” is the Greek word kurios, which means “one who is supreme in authority.”

“Saved” is from the Greek verb sōdzō, meaning “to save or to deliver and protect from harm.” It is expressed here in the future tense. In other words, it does not mean “you are saved” but “you will be saved.”

Meaning Explained

This verse and the next comprise another of the pinnacles of the book of Romans. This may, in fact, be the highest of the peaks. Paul proclaims here how the righteousness of faith is obtained. Remember, Paul has told us that all of us are sinners.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Romans 3:23)

And that the result of sin is death, that is, separation from God.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

Now, Paul tells us that the way to gain the righteousness of God, that is, the way to be saved from the death that sin has caused, is to confess and believe. We are told that we must agree with God that Jesus is our Lord.

Putting this all together we see that Paul is telling us that we need to agree with God that Jesus is the supreme authority over us. That is, He is our Lord, which requires submission on our part. We also need to believe that God has raised Jesus from the dead, which is proof that He is the sinless Son of God, and that His death was sufficient payment for our sins. If we do these things Paul says that we will be saved.

If we do not do both of these things, that is if we do not submit to Jesus’ supreme authority or if we don’t believe that He is risen from the dead, then we will not be saved. All those people who believe that Jesus was a good man, perhaps even a prophet but who is now dead, will not be saved. Those who believe that Jesus was raised from the dead but have not submitted to His lordship over their lives will not be saved.

Application

Have you confessed that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Master? Do you believe that God has raised Him from the dead? Those may be the two most important questions you will ever answer!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:

Romans 9:2 – Continual Heartache

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Will

Romans 9:2 – Continual Heartache

that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart.

Truth to Learn

Paul had deep seated and continual emotional pain because of his unbelieving brothers in the flesh (Jews).

Behind the Words

The word translated “sorrow” is lupē, which means “sadness, grief, heaviness, or sorrow.” But this is not just common sorrow, Paul says it is megas, meaning “great or large.”

“Grief” is translated from odunē, meaning “grief, pain, or distress.” And he says that this grief is adialeiptos. This word is made up of a, meaning “not” and a form of dialeipō, meaning “to leave spaces,” that is “to be intermittent.” Hence, we can see that Paul has unceasing or continual grief in his heart. Now this doesn’t mean that every waking moment of Paul’s life is filled with sorrow; it means that it is a constantly recurring event for him.

The word “heart” is from the Greek word kardia (from which we get our English word cardiac). It refers to the seat and center of human emotion and life.

Meaning Explained

Application

Now, let me ask you, are you relying on obedience to a set of rules or on certain church doctrines to save you? Are you depending on your baptism or your membership in the church to save you? If you are, you have missed the whole point of what Paul has been teaching in this letter to the Roman Christians. Paul will tell us in the next chapter “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” We will get into exactly what this means when we come to that verse. For now, my message to you is not to depend on your church or your behavior to save you because they will fail you. Instead, fall on your knees confessing your inability to save yourself, believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins, and confess Jesus the Christ, the Messiah, as your Savior and your Lord (Master).

Only then will you be saved and know that you have been chosen. Then, get off your knees and praise God for His mercy and His grace, for He is worthy!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:

Romans 2:29 – He’s Watching and Listening

Posted on October 13, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:29

but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Truth to Learn

True Christianity is an attitude produced by humble faith.

Behind the Words

The word translated “inwardly” is the Greek word kruptos, which means “hidden, concealed, kept in secret, or private.”

“Letter” is translated from gramma, from which we get our English word grammar. It is derived from the word graphō, which means “to write.” Gramma refers to “that which is written.” Hence, it could refer to a letter of the alphabet, a book, a note, or anything else that is written.

Meaning Explained

Paul has just told us that the true spirit of Judaism is not in outward appearance or actions. And we cannot please God by being born into the right family, by having had the correct surgery, or by obeying a set of rules. Rather, he says, it is an inward attitude. We can only please God if we have the right inward attitude.

Paul says here that the true Jew is the one who is a Jew inwardly. Remember how the religious leaders of the Jews, the Pharisees, acted? They did everything for show so that people could see how spiritual they were. There are many Christians today whose faith is just the same way. They are the ones who are always parading their Christianity around for all to see, making a show of their good works so that everyone can see what a good Christian they are. And people are probably saying of them, “Wow, she sure is a good Christian!” How sad that is.

Paul says that circumcision is of the heart, not in the flesh. It’s an inward attitude, not an outward action. It is in the spirit of the Law that we need to act, not the letter. If we exhibit our Christianity in order to impress the people around us then we will have what we are looking for, the praise of men. But Paul tells us that our goal is not to receive praise from men, but praise from God.

Praise from God will only come as a result of a heart that is submitted to Him and committed to doing His will. That may mean that in this life we never receive the recognition that we deserve. If we truly deserve the praise, then we will get it someday, not from men, but from God.

Here’s how Paul said it to the Galatians:

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:7-9)

If we do not lose heart we may one day hear:

“Well done, you good and faithful servant!”

Application

Previously we noted that it’s easy to learn the “rules” of Christianity. It’s also easy to learn all the right things to say and do so that you appear to be a Christian. Real Christianity is walking by faith with a humble attitude. It’s living your life daily as if God was watching everything you do and hearing everything you say. You know what? He is!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, you can call the church phone (618) 614-3070 and leave a message telling us your name and e-mail address or you can send an e-mail to: