“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

This week we honor God for blessing all of our lives with the beautiful life of Karman Storset. The verses above from 1 Corinthians so wonderfully describe Karman’s life of devotion to God that spilled out in great love for everyone. Today he rejoices with exceedingly great joy in Heaven with God and all the rescued sinners from ages past. We must never think that Karman’s kindness gained him a place in Heaven. No amount of human goodness can ever be enough to merit Heaven because God is absolutely perfect with no sin at all. That is why He sent Jesus to die for our sin; so we could be forgiven with the penalty for all our sin paid in full. Once anyone comes to point in their life where they embrace this truth (as Karman did), then God’s beautiful love begins to flow into their soul and out to other people. No life could be more flourishing than this! “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Friday afternoon at 12:30 you are welcome to Karman’s memorial service at Harborview Fellowship in Gig Harbor. We anticipate a glorious time of remembering Karman and giving glory to God.

Also, the day before on Thursday morning our Ladies Bible Study will be meeting as usual. We will be considering the very verses I posted at the top of this blog as we complete the discussion of Lesson 5—Pray, Love, Serve.

Using Your Gift to Serve

1 Peter 4:10  “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.”

How much thought have you given to this verse as it applies to you? The message cannot be mistaken; everyone who has received God’s forgiveness has also been given a gift to use in serving other people. God intends that no one that belongs to Him would be an idle observer of what He is doing, but, rather an active participant. The statistic that reports that generally 20% of the people do 80% of the work (in any organization) should never be true with God’s people. Clearly, 1 Peter 4:10 tells us that 100% of the people of God do the work of serving Him.

Consider Spurgeon’s wise thoughts concerning this giftedness. ”Whatever ‘the gift’ is, whether it be money, or talent, or grace, ‘even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.’ God gives much to you that you may give it to others; it is only meant to run through you as through a pipe. You are a steward and if a steward should receive his lord’s goods, and keep them for himself he would be an unfaithful steward. Child of God, see to it that you faithfully discharge your responsibility as one of the ‘good stewards of the manifold grace of God.’”

This coming Thursday we will be discussing questions 1-4 of Lesson 5 in our study books. I’m looking forward to seeing you. Bring along a cozy little blanket if you would like to be a bit warmer as one of the heaters in our meeting room has not been working.

Pursuing God in our Hearts

Every instruction God gives us about life is for human flourishing and His glory. Psalm 34:4 “Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy;… The pursuits of the world have to do with personal happiness and personal fulfillment; these goals end sooner or later in disappointment.  But, God sets us free from such pursuits to find our “exceeding joy” in Him!! This is why we cannot neglect connecting with Him every day--because our soul’s desire for satisfaction will start looking elsewhere for delight. 

An interesting phrase in 1 Peter 3:15 connects with what I have just said. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,...” Are you not fascinated with these words also? Matthew Henry commented rather briefly (for Matthew Henry) concerning this phrase. “We sanctify the Lord God in our hearts when we with sincerity and fervency adore him, when our thoughts of him are awful (awe full) and reverend, when we rely upon his power, trust to his faithfulness, submit to his wisdom, imitate his holiness, and give him the glory due to his most illustrious perfections. We sanctify God before others when our deportment is such as invites and encourages others to glorify and honour him;...”  This sure sounds like the foundation for “exceeding joy” to me.

May your soul be blessed as you listen to this wonderful song we sang at church on Sunday. https://sovereigngracemusic.bandcamp.com/track/o-lord-my-rock-and-my-redeemer-2

Plan to join us this Thursday morning at 9:30 to discuss the first half of Lesson 4 where we will tie together the pursuit of God and suffering.