serve well

For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:13

Those who serve the church well are promised two unique blessings. I have had the unique joy of serving as a pastor in local church leadership for over thirty seven years now. My adult life and vocation has been, is, and I pray I may faithfully finish as a shepherd to the church of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In that lifetime of ministry I have seen so many serve the Lord well. No one is perfect. But deacons who give themselves to the Lord and to others create beauty in ministry!

They have the blessing of thankful recognition as they are the hands and feet of Jesus. I have witnessed this as deacons have fed the hungry, comforted the sick, ministered to the dying, wept with the grieving, assisted the impoverished, and encouraged the saints to join them in service. I’m beyond grateful for the ways deacons carry the daily load of helping the church gather safely and with joy, adorning the gospel with good works as we deal with a world in broken need.

They also gain the blessing of personal growth by their service. I have seen men and women grow as disciples through service. I have seen elders raised up from faithful deacon service. I’ve seen women recognized for their nurture and wisdom as they have faithfully cared for others with sacrifice and love. Jesus gains worship when men and women “serve well”.

The world needs faith and truth.

For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 1 Timothy 2:7

The “this” here in verse seven, which is the reason Paul was appointed and called by Jesus Himself into apostolic ministry to the Gentiles, is twofold. First, God “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God’s love for the world, forever shown in the death and resurrection of Jesus, required that the gospel go into all the world. God called Paul and gifted him for this task. Paul was a global-thinking, Great Commission, gospel preacher.

Secondly, Jesus “gave Himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:6). The very nature of the atonement required global commitment from the church. Paul was the first to model this kind of serious life-shaping obedience to the gospel call. He built his ministry team around this truth. He traveled, preached, planted churches, taught, and suffered for the sake of a world-wide vision of the gospel, knowing Jesus died to call all people to His saving grace.

Lord,

May the vision of my heart be as wide as the gospel clearly is. May my soul long for what You desire so that all can come to a knowledge of repentance and faith in the gospel. Give this world faith and truth, I pray! And may Your church thrive making disciples all around the world in this generation.

Amen

shame, Name, and fame

Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O LORD. Psalm 83:16

When God judges the wicked it is meant to draw them to recognize the power, authority, and glory of His name. It is a work of God to make Himself known so that wicked sinners opposed to God might repent and turn to Him. He shows His rule by disgracing and showing wicked humanity His power so that people might repent and believe in Him.

There is one outstanding Old Testament example of this: Ninevah under the warning sermon of Jonah. God had plans to shame Ninevah… to destroy the city and thus the empire. Jonah walked through the city reluctantly proclaiming God’s warning. And Ninevah sought God’s name. The city repented, acknowledged God’s authority from palace to stable, and sorrowed over sin. God saw it and chose to be merciful to them. God will shame sinners so that they might seek Him.

Lord with all authority over everything,

You rule the nations of this earth. Even now would You bring fame to Your name by judging with shame? Shine Your gospel light through the proclamation and lives of Your church to expose wrong, destroy the works of evil, shame the wicked, and show Your glory. Bring this wicked and rebellious planet, people group by people group, enemy by enemy, city by city, to the shame of their sin and to repentance we pray! May the shamed seek Your name!

Amen

first in line

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 1 Timothy 1:15

Paul’s humble attitude toward his own need for salvation was that Jesus came to offer salvation for sinners, and Paul was standing first in line. He was the foremost sinner in the greatest need. He did not judge others as more sinful than he was. Those days had passed. Once a Pharisee… once a leader of the Jews… once a judgmental persecutor of Christians, Paul now saw all that as part of His sin résumé and not anything to be celebrated.

Paul is showing us here how to see ourselves before the cross. We are the first in line to humbly admit our great need and unworthiness. We are first in line to confess sin and our need of a Savior. We are first in line to be aware of our lostness and our need for divine direction. We are first in line to express praise and gratitude for the salvation that we have in Christ. We are first in line to joyfully share the good news with all the rest of the sinners around us.

Lord,

May I humbly see my sin as putting me at the top of the list of those needing Your grace. I hold no sin secret, dear, or tightly to my heart. I am a sinner, foremost in need, foremost to receive, foremost to declare Your saving grace to other sinners!

Amen

global gospel, global God

Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations! Psalm 82:8

It is unbiblical, disobedient, and disrespectful to a sovereign God to assign His blessing or rule to only one nation or people group. God rules the world. God loves the world. God judges the world. The gospel is a global hope, the church is universal, multi-cultural, and Christians should be concerned with every soul on earth. No person on this planet is beyond God’s sovereign and absolute rule. No parliament can overrule Him. No president orders Him. No army will stand against His hosts. No sinner can defy His holiness. God has inherited all the nations and knows exactly what He will do for them for our good and His glory.

One of the problems with any nation claiming exclusivity as a “Christian” nation is that such a claim creates a conundrum in God’s sovereignty. All nations are under the rule of the King of Kings. Some may not accept it. Most people in the world scoff at the notion. Still, God rules the nations and will always do so. He judges us all. So let’s not forget then that praying “God bless Russia” is equally as important as “God bless the USA”. God will rule and bless all people. The gospel is global. We make Jesus know by preaching the good news everywhere to everyone.

God of this globe, Rule us all. Convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Turn nations to You! Turn leaders to You! Turn cities to You! Save now! Rule now. Judge the nations, Your inheritance!

Amen

Remember the chains.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Colossians 4:18

Living for Jesus

has joys and pains

sometimes a witness

puts us in chains

No persecution

will silence us

even a prison

is a church with Jesus

No bars of iron

make it impossible

to tell what He’s done

in the truth of the gospel

Telling about Jesus

bring His kingdom gains

often the witness

comes with cold chains

He brings joy in the sorrow

He delivers our pains

there is hope for tomorrow

remember the chains

Grace will be with you

as you sing the refrains

of mercy and forgiveness

Remember the chains

how we are holy

In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Colossians 3:7-8

There are two parts to sanctification (Christian holiness) that the New Testament clearly teaches. Paul is particularly clear instructing churches in his epistles on how it works. The first part of our holiness is positional. It is God’s part and is the biggest and most important part. Upon faith in Christ the old sinful self has died with Christ and new life comes in Christ (Colossians 3:3; Ephesians 2:4-9). We do nothing except believe the gospel. Jesus does it all. The Father sees us as forgiven and clothed in Christ’s righteousness. The Holy Spirit indwells and protects us as God’s beloved holy ones.

We are also called to live in that holiness by actively repenting of sin (putting sin to death) and obeying the call to live in holiness (Colossians 3:5-6; Ephesians 2:10). This is what is known as practical sanctification. We were created for good works to walk in them, pleasing to the Lord. This is why exhortations are always found in the letters of the New Testament. We work out (not work for) our salvation (a possession guaranteed by Christ) with fear and trembling (an attitude of love, reverence, and fear over sin’s destructive influence) (Philippians 2:12-13). God gives the gift of sanctification. We open it with obedience and use it through surrender to Christ’s Lordship so we can live like Jesus calls us. And though we grow in it, He holds us in the forgiveness of the gospel as we stumble forward, confessing, repenting, and obeying (1 John 1:9).

To be Christian is to live the forgiven and the forgiving life. It is to repent and to keep confessing. It is to be cleansed and to seek cleansing. It is to be made holy and to pursue holiness as we seek to be holy as He is holy. Anything less is confusion and lawlessness. Anything more is legalism.

the fruit of thanks

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

I received Christ Jesus the Lord

when I heard the gospel Word

and trusted then in what I heard

I began to walk with Him as Lord

Roots began to deeply grow

as His truth I sought to know

listening to gospel taught I show

His grace revealing where to go

Built up, growing in what I believed

established in the gospel I received

knowing it was what Jesus alone achieved

that has kept me living the truth perceived

The fruit of thankfulness abounds

as with joy God’s Spirit surrounds

my life in gratitude resounds

with gospel songs… true peace I’ve found

Jesus… Lord and Savior dear

receives me, loves me, always near

teaches me in His Word ever clear

glory now and always… I will not fear

Rooted, established, Savior bought

growing, thankful, gospel taught

I can live now as I ought

in the victory that Jesus fought

ultimate rule

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. Colossians 1:16

Jesus is Creator, Controller, and King. Paul’s great sermon in Colossians one — the pre-eminence of Christ — is firm on these facts. Everything that exists, both physical and spiritual, was made through Him and is for His purposes. Nothing in the entire universe is outside of Him. It all bows to Christ’s control and pales in the magnificence of His glory! Everything that is seen and unseen submits to only one authority: Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Paul specifically focuses on authority in this verse. Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth just as He claimed in His last words to His disciples at His ascension (Matthew 28:18). Paul uses four words to express the complete nature of the authority of Jesus Christ:

1. Thrones — All earthly kingdoms, countries, and kindreds belong to Jesus. No human outranks Him.
2. Dominions — no realm of rule encircles Jesus. His empire universally surrounds everything that is.
3. Rulers — a term referring to spiritual forces. No angel or demon has more spiritual power. All submit to His power.
4. Authorities — a term for any human power and influence. Jesus’ jurisdiction supercedes all man made institutions.

O Lord over all, we submit only to You! Rule over us! Lead us in this present age! Bring Your Kingdom rule to bear in Your people. Break Satan’s principality apart! Show us the folly of human politics, positions, and purposes. Bring kings on their knees before you, judges into Your justice, lawmakers under Your law, and armies under Your command. Come quickly Lord Jesus so that Your Kingdom rule comes, Your Kingly will is done on earth as in heaven.

Amen

getting “reasonableness” right

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; Philippians 4:5

Reasonableness (epieikes). appropriate (by implication) mild: — gentle, moderate, patient. seeming, suitable, equitable, fair.

Reasonableness is crucial for maintaining community; it is the disposition that seeks what is best for everyone and not just for oneself. ESV Study Bible

Why be reasonable in this way?

The Lord is at hand emphasizes the fact that Jesus will surely return as judge and will hold us responsible for our deeds. ESV Study Bible

Reasonableness is the corporate characteristic of the Christian church whereby the experience of being loved by fellow believers creates an atmosphere where everyone seeks the best for one another. It is what happens when the exhortation of Philippians 2:3-4 (… in humility count others more significant… look not only to self interest but also the interests of others…) is obeyed and enculturated among believers.

Sadly, the Church is often very unreasonable. We twist preferences and opinions into hard convictions. We make dogma from our differences. We turn ourselves upside-down in our selfishness! We appoint worldly concerns as the standard of judgment over one another. We exalt self-interest over corporate care, love, and gospel proclamation. We miss out on community and the divisiveness of a fallen world destroys unity and scars the beauty of the Bride of Christ. We are called to live out Philippians 2:3-4; 4:5. Let’s look out for each other! Let’s repent of our divisions and selfishness! Let’s be reasonable!

Press on… hold true.

Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Philippians 3:16

This short verse provides some powerful insight. That insight is unlocked when we look to the context to answer two questions about this exhortation.

1. What is it we have obtained? If we back up to Philippians 3:12, Paul says there is an ambition that was his daily pursuit in following Christ. He was seeking to obtain it… and wasn’t perfect about the pursuit… He just kept pressing on to make it his own because Jesus first made Paul His own. It was a goal that was always in front of Paul—one he daily chased wholeheartedly. The process was repeatable: Forget yesterday with its losses, failure, problems, or short gains. Strain forward to the goal and press on knowing that in following Jesus one day Paul would hear an “upward call” that would bring him into final and ultimate communion with God in Christ (Philippians 3:13-14). This journey and any gains in it were what was attained.
2. What does it mean to hold true? The word translated as “hold true” is a military term. It describes soldiers marching in formation… keeping step with their orders… stepping in rank and file as the commander directs them. It is a word to describe direction, purpose, and obedience. When we hold true, we are directly obeying the command of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The bottom line for me is this: every day I discipline my thinking and actions to follow Jesus. His grace DOES change and empower me to do this. Only His sanctification enables me to hold to what is attained. Only His power enables me to press on. Only His orders determine my direction. But I must also frame my attitudes and my choices under only one authority: The words and wishes of my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Then I can press on. Then I can march until that upward call. Then I can hold true to His direction. Then I can eventually attain all that He has always had for me.

two humble servants

I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious.

Philippians 2:28

After a call to Christian humility, character and service (Philippians 2:1-17), Paul gives three real life examples of men who sought to embody these characteristics. First to come out in the text is Paul’s own experience of imprisonment as he was “poured out” for the sake of the believers in Philippi. He suffered so with rejoicing, calling them to rejoice with him that the gospel advanced in such sacrifice. Paul then commends the contributions of two other men who served with him… men known to the Philippian church.

Timothy. This young man had “proven worth”. Paul saw Timothy like a good son in the faith, an heir to Paul’s ministry legacy and a fellow servant of the gospel. He wanted to send Timothy because he knew the young man would cheer the souls in the church and also cheer Paul with a report back. Timothy embodied self-denial and love for others that Paul called Christians to in Philippians 2:3, 20-21. Timothy’s humility and joy were contagious.

Epaphroditus. Another ministry partner that the Philippians had sent to Paul became a faithful friend and servant alongside Paul. When it came to the gospel, he was a hard worker, a soldier, a messenger, and a minister. And through his own sickness and hardship God spared him so that he could return to Philippi as a servant who risked his life to complete the gospel call upon him.

May their examples enlighten our own humble service to the King. Lord, may I be a servant of Yours of proven worth, of hard work, of comfort, and of commitment. May I pour out, encourage, and risk whatever it takes to make the gospel known today. Amen

Yearning

For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:8

When I am not with you

i definitely miss you

separated as we must be

circumstances do not have me free

and yet there is a longing

to return to the belonging

of fellowship as one

because of what Christ has done

will bind our hearts together

in His church forever

My soul desires to live

with those whom Christ forgives

The affection of our Lord

the direction of God’s Word

binds us to one another

makes us sisters and brothers

the gospel binds us near

to the heart of God so clear

His truth sets us free

we are one through eternity

so I long to be with you

I yearn to worship beside you

one day before God’s throne

finally together we will be His own

brighter than dark cosmic powers

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

We have this vivid and sobering reminder from Paul’s closing remarks to the Ephesian church that the gospel advances against a grim kingdom of death beyond what our eyes can see. We are called to stand against the devil’s own war plans (Ephesians 6:11). It requires defensive spiritual armor and skill with God’s Word, the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:13-17). It means we seriously implore the Almighty God of Heaven to help and protect us, keep us alert, and to embolden us with gospel proclamation (Ephesians 6:18-20).

Yesterday was a shocking display of the intensity of that spiritual battle as a bold Christian voice that actively interjected the gospel with clarity in the deepest and the darkest of our current cultural conflicts was cut down by the cosmic powers of this present darkness. Political motivations aside, the gospel is still very much the light, God’s truth still is a burning bright spotlight against the forces of evil, and if anything, the gospel declared and lived by that voice will only grow. A clear contrast between darkness and light can be seen.

The question for us becomes this: Will we don the armor of God, stand firm, boldly love others by declaring through gospel conversations the liberating truth of the death and resurrection of Jesus, and pray like the battle-commanded soldiers we are called to be?

Wisely under control

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:17

It is wise to be under the control of the Holy Spirit. Paul already says to live as wise people in an evil day (Ephesians 5:15-16). He is going to go on to say in this passage that Christians aren’t controlled by substances or worldly influences, but are instead filled with the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18). The result of that wise control of the Spirit turns Christians into singing, thankful, submissive, grace-filled, peaceful saints who in the wisdom of God show the power of God and the salvation of God to the world (Ephesians 5:19-21).

If I want to be wise, I must let the Word of God and the Spirit of God dwell richly within me. I must let the outflow of that life bring me joy, worship, thanksgiving, and unity in the church community. I must look carefully at how I choose to live… not selfishly, but spiritually. I must drink in the work of the Holy Spirit of God to be transformative where God has placed me.

And so, Lord, I pray now that I would let the Spirit of God now shining the clarity of Your Word given to me for today help me to live wisely under Your control. I worship. I sing to You the song You give. I am thankful for the joyous salvation I have in Christ. I seek the vibrant love of Your community with fellow transformed, Spirit-filled saints. Amen

beyond how I think I feel

When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.

When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.

Psalm 94:18-19

How I think about my life is more than just a rational exercise. I “feel” my way through my day. I may plan my agenda but I cannot plan my feelings and emotional responses. I cannot plan for the unexpected misunderstandings, frustrations, moments of disregard, and inevitable emotional bumps and bruises that might accompany a day’s experience. These things come from family, friends, co-workers, ministry partners, and people to whom I wish to display my love and care. Even my closest loved friends and family can impact positively or negatively with actions or with inactions how I will perceive myself and my experiences. It is part of being human. An important part of how I think is how I feel.

I love the observations in these two verses of Psalm 94. They describe two types of regular feelings that come our way. The first is a feeling of “out of control” uncertainty: “my foot slips”. Notice that the psalmist “feels” like he is losing control… losing footing… losing direction. Yet underneath that feeling he finds by faith a greater assurance: God’s faithful love upholds even in the uncertainty. God’s faithfulness can remedy my loss of emotional balance and my fear of instability. Let’s face it, I know I am a control freak when it comes to what I want. Most people are. I need to know God holds me even when the footing starts to get slippery and I am not in control!

The second feeling is anxiety: “the cares of my heart are many”. In the grip of fear we can forget God as pulses pound and thoughts race a million ways to disaster. Yet we are reminded to KNOW that God comforts, consoles, and cheers the soul. Neither uncertainty nor anxiety can remove us from God’s faithful and constant care. God holds us up. God cheers us up. God will direct our thoughts beyond how we feel if we have faith to trust Him and His Word!

many years and many days

So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 11:8

Many years in which to rejoice

such is the gift of life

Many years to discover

the joy and meaning in life

Many years to remember

past joys and pains

Many years to experience

warm sunshine and cold rain

Many days in those years

will be dark and dreary

Many days of toil and sorrow

long nights unhappy and weary

Many days full of questions

pointless nights with nothing to show

Many days where sickness weakens

endless long nights of the soul

Let me remember in these years, Lord

the joys You have given, the victories won

In Your perspective in my darkness

I will still trust that You have overcome

without You with me in all times

this life would feel worthless and vain

but in Your grace both light and darkness

are gifts of goodness through both joy and pain

futile minds

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

Ephesians 4:17

There are four characteristics of Christ-less, futile thinking that are no longer the way that Christians should think. They are the practice of minds without Jesus. Paul describes them in Ephesians 4:18.

1. ”They are darkened in their understanding…” An unregenerate mind is dark. The very disposition of an unbeliever cannot approach the light of God’s holiness. Our culture is thus dark and ruined as collectively sinners only have dark thoughts. And it is getting even darker.
2. “…alienated from the life of God…” Not only is life outside of Christ devoid of light, it is also cut off, cast out, alienated of life. The mind of humanity is death bound as a result of sin. It is void of any hopeful, life-giving thought. It is a zombie brain. It creates a culture of death.
3. “…because of the ignorance that is in them…” The unregenerate mind is spiritually uneducated. It cannot know God unless God draws the thoughts of the ignorant to the truth of His revelation. Only the gospel can begin to address what humans need in order to know God fully and possess eternal truth.
4. ”…due to their hardness of heart.” Hard hearts reject God. Hard hearts are trapped in the stone crypts of sin. Hard hearts are encased in the concrete of rejection of God, addiction to the domination of sin, the blinding limitations of Satanic assault and worldly lies, and the worship of self.

There is only hope in salvation in Christ. Only the gospel hammer, the Sword of the Spirit (the Word of God), and the Holy Spirit’s enlightening and enlivening ministry will break through futile thinking of hearts like these.

constant quest

…then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.

Ecclesiastes 8:17

It is impossible to fully know the mind of an almighty, all-wise, infinitely holy and eternal God. We will always be learning about Him… striving to know Him. We are given souls that live forever, but we are finite still and have a beginning. God has no beginning nor end. His mind always has been. And once He began His work it was impossible for created things to be greater than the Creator. We just have to accept that God exists, that He is in control of all facets of everything that is, and that He lives with us now and calls us to Him forever.

We cannot “find out the work” that God has done because it is all bound up in His eternal decree. We can accept it. We can believe what He reveals in the heavens and on earth. We can believe with the most clarity what He has revealed in His Word and in the Living Word, Jesus Christ. We can know God as He reveals Himself… but He will always be infinitely above us.

Faith simply abandons frustrating intellectualism in favor of satisfying worship when we accept this. We praise God and in faith trust God. We constantly exercise this by the work of His Spirit illumining scripture to us as we get glimpses of His glory at work in the universe and in our individual lives. In that way a rewarding quest is always our endeavor.

effective gospel preaching

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ…

Ephesians 3:8

There are three attitudes Paul displays in this short verse that must comprise an effective preacher of the gospel.

1. Humility in relation to the rest of the church. Paul calls himself “the very least of all the saints.” He doesn’t claim to be an apostle or even the least of the apostles here. He claims to be just the very least of all the saints. The preacher is the lowest member of the congregation. It wasn’t his superior attitude or boasting in his calling that led him to preach. It was this humble need for the gospel himself. Effective preachers are not above the gospel. No… they are in need of it the most and preach from that great need.
2. Grace is the gift. The very act of preaching the gospel is an act of grace. Paul did not “deserve” to proclaim it. God graciously gifted him to do so. Grace outpoured both in the message and the messenger.
3. The message is of infinite value. Paul didn’t compose cheap, easy, and pithy thoughts. To him, the majestic gospel that was given to him to preach was of the highest value. It had a wealth with no end. The riches were unsearchable. You could not place a value on the grace of God in Christ. Paul was enriched by the preaching as he enriched others spiritually by faithfully proclaiming the inexhaustible riches of Christ.

Lord, may I humbly proclaim through the grace given to me the unsearchable riches of Christ! Amen

Who does what God does?

For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?—

the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.

Psalm 18:31-32

God protects, secures, rescues, and strengthens His saints. That is the theme repeated stanza by stanza in Psalm 18 as David celebrates his deliverance by God from Saul’s relentless quest to kill him. In so celebrating. David is also recognizing his unique giftedness by God as the anointed king over Israel. And the God Who saves is the God Who calls and equips. David was rescued. David was strengthened. David was declared king and made blameless by a faithful, gracious, true King of Israel, the LORD his God.

These major themes are also known now through the gospel for believers in Jesus:

• God rescues. In Jesus our greatest enemies, sin and death, are no longer threats. Clothed in Christ’s righteousness and given eternal life, we are rescued.
• God protects. We are forever sealed by the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. Nothing takes away from what God has given in salvation.
• God equips. His Word and His Spirit teach us to follow Jesus and live out God’s unique call on us.
• God is worshiped. He gets the glory because He did it all as we believed Him! In grateful praise we too marvel: “For Who is God, but the LORD!”