Our idols are not made of marble, but we are just as guilty of placing created things on the thrones of our hearts. What idols does your heart hold dearly? We cannot expect restoration in the city, full of folks who do not know Him, until our own hearts yearn for the Father.

It’s been said that work is the gracious expression of creative energy in the service of others. Your work matters to God! Redefine your boss and then do your work whole heartily, as unto the Lord! 

May we be reminded today of His enormous generosity in Christ Jesus. Every way that He has made us rich—community, love, time, resources, finances, giftedness, job, family, ministry—we in turn may be rich in our generosity on every occasion to the glory and thanksgiving of God. May we at LBC be a generous people who have hands opened wide with His good gifts.

The truth is that when God saves young people, it is not for them to sit around and wait until they’re ‘old enough’ to do something for the Kingdom, but that each young person has the potential to set the example in faith and devotion to those around them.

The Kingdom is not just for grown-ups, for those who have their lives and acts together. Christianity is the most inclusive movement the world has ever seen. CEOs and custodians, lawmakers and criminals, doctors and invalids, PhD’s and people with special needs, singles and married couples, locals and internationals… and yes, little children. 

In the short-term, sanctification can easily be a discouraging process. Sin’s influence in our lives is deeply ingrained and won’t easily be defeated. However, this is where the great hope of the gospel comes into play. Paul tells us in Philippians that God will be faithful to finish the good work he began in us. 

A disciple is simply a follower of Jesus. The word does not refer to an elite group of Christians who have achieved a special status, and it’s not about being perfect. Otherwise, there would be no need for spiritual growth toward maturity.

We live in the light of that gospel day, after Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit! How do we worship in spirit and truth?

We want the church to be beautiful, but it’s actually broken. We want the church to be full of saints, but it’s full of sinners. We want the church to be the image of a radiant bride, but really we’re just a band of misfits.

But Jesus loves the church like a good husband loves his wife, both at her best and her worst. That is good news.

We see in this passage that when we are rooted and grounded in a lifestyle of steadfast prayer, it is God who provides opportunities for evangelism and grants us wisdom as we interact with our friends and neighbors.

This is the nature of the Christian life: Trust, obey, follow Jesus. 

If you are struggling with doubt, plagued by fear that you aren’t strong enough to really trust God, take courage. You need only pray, “I believe; help my unbelief!” We can confess the weakness of our faith, comforted by our confidence that “God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

Jesus' compassion made him a “friend of sinners.” Let’s remember that we are the unworthy “tax collectors and sinners” in this account. The miracle of grace is that Jesus is the Great Physician who heals all who come to him in faith and repentance.

This is the good news; that the gospel comes first to the poor in spirit, the mourners, and the meek. If you’ve been living in shame, afraid that you aren’t worthy to receive God’s love, this good news is for you.