kingdom travelin'

On Wednesday I gave a teaching in Szeged

on HOW we might invest an hour in prayer using 12 – 5ish minute segments.

You can watch the YouTube video here…

https://youtu.be/2ITsbrqOEXU

Notes are here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_IEgMHzmjg35bSAtwgcwCOfJ32vjIbCddPBTKPQq-L8

In my life, work and travels, I may be having lunch with a democrat today, breakfast with republican tomorrow, coffee with an independent the next day, all dear friends and fellow disciples. I may meet with a Presbyterian today, a Baptist tomorrow, a Pentecostal the next day. We are fellow disciples who are urging one another on toward a stronger personal discipleship.

I try (and fail, but keep trying – I am such a sinner) to be careful so as to make the conversations I’m a part of worthwhile. It is my hope that conversations will be focused upon those things that will give glory to God.

This is confirmed for me by the following:

“So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” ‭‭(1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:21-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

May our conversations find meaning as we point one another to the greatness of God rather than the allegiances of men. May we focus on Christ who unified rather than things that divide.

… is hard. Now I must wait another year to gather with groups of brothers in the village of Mátrakeresztes. Here’s an early morning view of the village.

But wait we must.

Waiting is harder from some of us than for others of you.

Consider the psalmist:

“But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.” (Psalm 38:15‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

I think that waiting is good for our spiritual development because is helps to develop our trust in God.

In fact, it would seem that there is a direct connection between our ability to wait and the level to which we trust God.

“But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.” (Psalms‬ ‭38:15‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Trust and wait.

Here is grace, friend: God bestowed peace, that is, salvation.

The Lord bestowed righteousness upon us. Paul made much of this. But consider these words of grace:

“He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (Psalms‬ ‭37:6‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

He brings and gives us righteousness, it’s a gift made possible by Jesus’ work.

We don’t earn it, had nothing to do with gaining it, so once we’ve got it, or, rather, He’s got us and so we’re secure.

But be careful, you may think you’ve got something by earning it, by your works, by your attendance. you can lose all of that with the snap of a finger, that false sense of religion, and surely you will if that’s what you’re trusting in.

Trust only in the grace of God for righteousness, only He can satisfy.