Good morning everyone and praise the Lord for another day and another chance to walk on the straight and narrow path of righteousness. Let’s thank the Lord for the freedoms He has presented us with.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Father, as we look around the world we see chaos, discord, and famine. We find our own nation a microcosm of the world and its problems. As we face changes proposed to create a “cultural shift” in our nation, help us not to be too quick to discard our past heritage. Instead, let us re-study the dreams, foresight, and the dedication of the founders of our nation, predicated on the Judeo-Christian ethic. Give us a desire to know the truth, lest we indeed “perish from lack of knowledge.” Help us to search out history books written before they were “cleansed” and re-written to fit today’s scholars’ self-serving agendas. Wake us up as a nation, and as Christians to see that we need to reclaim our Godly heritage. Help us to realize that Christianity is always in danger of extinction in every generation unless it is kept viable and passed on to our youth. Oh Lord, give us courage, for it will not be easy. And guide us as we seek to know and to live within Your will. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Let’s eat.
FREEDOM IN CHRIST
(An admonishment from Paul)
New Living Translation
Galatians 5:1-15
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom. This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough! I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you. Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves. For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Our love for God is tested by the question of whether we seek Him or His gifts.
Ralph W. Sockman
WITH HOPE AND FAITH; follow us on the foundation community site: http://facebook.com/therelationshipfactory
REV. ELDER G E STERRETT
FOUNDER
GCKRS HELPING HAND FOUNDATION & THE RELATIONSHIP FACTORY