Tag: salvation

Work Out What God Works In: MT e66

When I was much younger there were occasional summers that we as a family would go to Curie Beach in NC. One very clear memory is my mother would always get me a new plastic bucket and shovel to use on the beach. 

But there was one condition, I could not use it until we got to the beach.  I had other plastic shovels that were older but why use them if the brand new one was right here.

I had ants in my pants every time.  I could not wait to use that new bucket and shovel.

Then finally, we would get to the destination, and I would be able to work with my new tools.  I could dig and rake until my heart was content.

Philippians 2:12-13 it says, “As you have obeyed . . . continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.”

When it says, work out your salvation, does it mean that we are to work to gain our righteousness?  Is Scripture saying here that God does His part and we do our part?

The short answer is no. 

We are saved by grace through God’s loving kindness and mercy.  Grace means gift.  You do not work for a gift.

In the process of being saved God changes us.  It is a miraculous change of heart.

Just like the younger me with my beach toys, just itching to get busy. This is the same picture for the believer.  We are excited to get busy with our new tools that God has given us.

We are not working to gain righteousness but because we are righteous.

Believers are WORKING OUT what God has WORKED IN us.  (repeat)

This is the ongoing desire for every believer.  Keep working out what God is working in. 

Why . . .because it is for His good purpose.  Our Lord always gets the glory. That is why I say:

S.D.G.

Come To Jesus: MT e46

A few days ago, I began reading through the book of Lamentations. To lament is to weep or an expression of sorrow or grief. 

In the Hebrew Bible, Lamentations is called “How” which is the first word in the book. 

“How lonely sits the city that was full of people!  How like a widow has she become, she who was great among the nations. . . She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks”

These opening words, referencing a widow, really hit home.  It was not long ago that my father passed away from this life leaving my mother alone.  They had been married for 69 years, has come to an end.

The past weeks I have heard and felt her weeping. She is experiencing deep sorrow and I can only imagine, the sounds of grief that only the walls the house they built, witness. 

The reason for the weeping, sadness and sorrow of Lamentations is the rebellious people of Jerusalem (the lonely city that was once full of people) are being taken into exile. 

The patience of God has come to an end. The city is being destroyed. It has come to an end.

The hundreds of years of God’s patience has come to an end.  The people are facing judgement by being exiled and their city destroyed.

The focus Monday was to encourage those in the faith or Christ.  Today, I would like to lovingly address any who hears this and you are NOT in Christ.

I am calling you.  I want you to hear me. 

On one extreme there are those raised in a church family, and you have abandoned the faith.  The other extreme are those who never sat foot inside of a church building.  The rest fit in between.  My words for you today, come to Jesus. 

God is patient.  God is loving.  God is merciful.  But for those outside of the faith, it will come to an end. 

For those outside of the faith, there will be a final day.  Just like those in Lamentations, there will be a final day, a final hour and a final breath.  There will be a day of judgement.

Being outside of Christ means, you will not have the righteousness of Jesus on which to claim.  That will certainly be a moment to lament.  Oh, how you will weep. 

If you would like to discuss this, privately and confidentially you can reach out to me at: