Tag: Faith

Lessons from Moving Ms. Beth: MT episode 26

Have you ever been to Thurman’s Café? Oh my word, the biggest hamburgers in Ohio and they are delicious. I could give you many very delicious places to eat all over the state of Ohio.

Buckeye Donuts on south and north High Street? Dear soul, their glazed donut is perfectly baked with a firm outside and a soft fluffy inside.

Isn’t it odd how we are so quick to offer hints and advice on all sorts of things. It is not just food. Places to get the best craft supplies. The best scenic route to take from place A to place B if you have the time. The best thrift store, antique shop or place to buy flowers.

So, last week there were a number of people who helped Ms. Beth move into her new house. After loading the box truck, each of us paired up and drove separately from the old house to the new house.

Ricky and I were paired and on the way, we shared things that interested us. He pulled up a few songs on the YouTube and we listened together. Likewise, I pulled up a song or two. Ricky talked about what type of house he would like to have some day. He shared his likes and dislikes. We covered a lot of ground in 25 minutes from the old house to the new house.

This was just a regular conversation between friends. We share what resonates with us, things that are dear to us.

I was reflecting on this a day or so later thinking, why am I so quick to share music, burgers, movies and other similar things with my friends but miss talking about Christ. The friends of which I speak are those who are outside of Christ for I am certain Ricky and I can talk Jesus anytime.

Philemon 1:6 “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.”

Some of you may already do this, some may be hesitant. We are cautious because we do not want to offend anyone. There is the old saying, talk about anything but religion and politics.

However, it might not be good of me that I will quickly share with non-believing loved ones where to get the best hamburger but then be hesitant with matters of faith.

These are just some thoughts to consider. Maybe you and I can be more bold in sharing our faith. Afterall, if we really see it as a matter of life and death, and it is, there would be no hesitation.

To God Alone Be the Glory

Grace: MT episode 24

There is one word that appears in the book of Ruth. It is a word that one would not expect in this story. The word is grace, or favor, depending on the translation being read.

As we continued our study of Ruth yesterday, we found that word grace used not one time but three times. For just a few moments today I would like to focus on that word.

Grace defined is unmerited favor. That is a way of saying, unearned gift. You are given something, in this case, by God, and it is not pay back for something you did.

When you work at a job, your wages are not grace. Wages are paid for work rendered. If you do not go to work, you would not receive pay.

As believers, when we read through the Bible, it is very easy to place some of the Bible characters on a pedestal. In a way, they are like superheroes because many of them perform supernatural type activities.

By doing this a hierarchy is created, most often unknowingly. God, Moses, us. God, Noah, us. God, Abraham, us.

Yet Scripture teaches differently. Take Noah.

In the days of Noah, was Noah chosen because, on his own because he had a righteousness that pleased God? Did all the world descend into crazed evil but Noah (and family) were the only ones who did not?

Genesis 6:8 says that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah did nothing to merit this. Noah did nothing to earn God’s grace. It was not payment for something Noah did. Rather, it was God’s gift to Noah.

Noah was just like you and me. Even more, Joshua tells us that Abraham was an idol worshiper when God called him. Abraham definitely received God’s grace.

I take great comfort in this and so should you. Why? God has and does use small, weak and flawed men and women, all through Scripture and did mighty things through them. Those small, weak and flawed men and women did nothing to earn God’s grace or favor.

When we better understand these things, it not only takes the attention off us, but also it brings more attention and praise to our God. And rightfully so.

S.D.G.