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Good Monday Mornin!
The Apostle Paul wrote. . .
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not
from
yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can
boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9
I had the privilege to go over to Germany here a couple of years back and
preach to the military in Frankfurt. It was a great time of ministry and
God
really showed me some things through that trip. Now I could sit here and
tell you that it was my skill in preaching that got me over to Germany. Or
I
could tell you that I called the military and told them I wanted to come
so
they sent a plane for me. Or I could tell you that the president got a
flyer
advertising that I would come and preach to the troops. The only problem
with all these scenarios is they would be lies.
Back when Open Range first started one of the first people who ever came
through the door was a man named Joe Green. Joe works for the military and
manages commissaries all over the world. About a year or so into our
relationship Joe was moved to Germany where he met Scott Brown. Scott
Brown
was the chaplain at the Army base there in Frankfurt. Joe started to go to
services with Scott and they formed a relationship.
One day as Joe and Scott were talking Joe told him about me and the
church.
Scott said that he was very interested in the Cowboy Church thing and
wanted
Joe to see if I would come over and preach for them. And so out of that
relationship I was invited to come to Germany and preach to the Army! Not
because of who I am, not because of the skills that I have, not because I
knew the Army handbook (if there is such a thing), not because of what I
had
done but all because I knew Joe Green I was invited to come to a place,
all
expenses paid, that I otherwise would have never gone.
So why do I tell you this story? Some of you have already picked up on it.
So many of us, I would venture to say all of us on some level or another,
are trying to gain God's approval. But the truth of the matter is God is a
place that you can never get to on your own. You can't buy your way there,
you can't get to know God good enough to be there, you can't read the
Bible
enough to get you there, and you sure don't have any talents that God
needs.
It is only through a relationship with Jesus Christ that you can get to
Heaven.
Now once I was in Frankfurt I made relationships, I learned about military
life, and I got to know what it was like to live as a German for a week.
Being a Christian is more than just saying you know Jesus, being a
Christian
is a life change. And I am not talking about a morality list, I am talking
about being in love with Jesus. I don't do things for Jesus to try and
gain
His approval, I do things for Jesus because I am in love with Him.
Guys once you realize that you are accepted by God because of Jesus and
not
because of you, then you can be released from the burden of trying to gain
God's approval, and move on to living for God out of love. Will you sin?
You
betcha! Will God forgive you? He already has! Will you make stupid
mistakes?
Fo sho! Will you make bad decisions? Without a doubt! Does God make
chicken
salad out of chicken poop? Without a doubt! I am living proof! I make a
mess
of my life every single day. I make bad decisions, I sin, I say things I
shouldn't but you know what? Somehow or another God brings them all
together
and uses them for His glory. And you know what else? He is constantly
changing me to look more like Him. So I don't make as big of a mess, or
make
as many bad decisions, or sin as much or say as many of those bad things I
used to. But not because I want to gain approval by Him, I already have
that
through Jesus, but because I love Him.
I hope this helps you guys understand grace a little bit better. I love
you
all. Have a great week.
Pastor Jason Lyle
The Open Range Church of Henry County
Many are the plans in a man's
heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.
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