A big word

Justification. Its an English word. 13 letters. 6 vowels, 7 consonants. Simple enough. But for me, its much more. Its eternal. Its mysterious. I'm a sinner, I'm guilty, yet Someone looks at me and says otherwise. Says I'm clean. Says I've been washed white as snow. Because of Jesus Christ, I am not condemned anymore. I hope and pray the same for you.

Justification - He died in my place.

A Long Way Down

Silas is two and a half. And Silas learned today that its a long way down when you fall out of a grocery cart! Sometimes we seem to get too close to the edge in life. Not the edge of adventure or stepping out in faith; that's a good leap. But I mean too close to the edge of playing with fire, testing the waters of sin and appeal, and the edge of thinking we know what's best. And before we know it, we're diving face first onto the floor next to the clothing section at Target. At least Silas did. And then we wish we hadn't played around the edge so much.

Small picture lesson - don't lean over a grocery cart.

Big picture lesson - stay close to Jesus.

Irrelevant lesson - Target does have nice carts

Touch Louisville

Excited about the last night of our "Touch" study at the Post. Tonight is "Touch Louisville", and that's what we want to do together tonight as a community. So excited that together, we can go out amongst the city and touch lives.

Everyday, every single day, we are all surrounded by our neighbors. And not just the people who happen to live right next to you. That's where it starts, but it continues throughout our days in places like the carpool line, the line at the coffee shop, the student sitting next to us and the teacher teaching us, the guy in the next cubicle over, the boss, our parents we live with, and so on and so on. We are surrounded by neighbors. We are surrounded every day by people who are broken, who are hurting, and who need the love and hope of Jesus Christ.

After Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10, He says, "What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robber?" "The one who treated him kindly," the religion scholar responded. Jesus said, "Go and do the same."

Are we being neighbors to those around us? Do we hear Jesus say, "Go and do the same."

May we be salt and light to those around us!

May we live out the love and justice of Jesus Christ!

May we love and give because the Name of Jesus is the greatest cause, the greatest truth we could ever live for!

May we sacrifice comfort and energy and money and time because Jesus taught us to sacrifice!

May we serve others because its an act of worship and its Biblical!

And when we are tempted to doubt; tempted to cave in to the pressures; tempted to think we aren't worth anything and couldn't possibly help others out, may we remember I Peter 4:11 - "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."

Strength God provides!!! Its Him. Its all about Him. Its from Him and for Him. He is our purpose! God wants us to receive the joy of service, and He wants to receive the glory of service.

May this become a lifestyle. The way we live. The neighbors we are to our neighbors.

Micah 6:8 - "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."