What is Your Creed?

Good morning to each of you.

Our text for this day is Luke 12:1-12.

When we hear the word “creed” usually what comes to mind is the Apostles’ Creed that begins with “I believe…” Among others, “creed” is derived from the Old English creda and the Latin credo and again, is the first word of the Apostles’ Creed. The Apostles’ Creed is the universal statement of belief of the Christian church and is an excellent summary, in my opinion, of the essential elements of our doctrine (and beliefs).

In one of the verses in today’s text Jesus said, “And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man shall confess him also before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8 NASB). Other versions use “acknowledge” rather than “confess.” In any case, according to Jesus, when we live out our faith we are to “confess” Jesus with our lives. That is, to embody the life of Jesus in who we are and what we do; to allow for Christ to set the pace for our lives; to allow for God through His written word to set the parameters in our being, thinking, and doing.

Jesus alerted his hearers of the danger to the contrary to this as well in Luke 12:9 – “But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person before God's angels.” In other words, just as there are ways that we can confess Christ (by who we are and what we do), there are also ways that we can deny him (by who we are and what we do).

What is our “creed”? May our “creed” be Christ-centered so that we can please God in who we are and what we do.

Prayer: Lord, I believe that you are my Lord and Savior and I thank you for loving me. I want to confess you in all that I am and do; give me the strength, faith, and courage to do just that. In your Name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Making the Most of Everyday...in Everyway

Good morning to all of you! I hope and pray that this week will be a week of blessing and joy for all.

Today’s text is Philippians 1:12-18. The Apostle Paul is imprisoned and is writing to the Philippians from prison. Paul was one of those people who apparently always tried to the make the best of every situation wherever he was…even if it was prison. Paul declared in Philippians 1:12-13:

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

The Apostle Paul was actually not a stranger to prisons, he’d been there before. However, the fact that it was “clear” to the “whole palace guard” suggests that Paul had been “preaching” to them in one way or another. Perhaps the palace guard heard him praying…for them, heard him read a letter from a brother or sister of a church, heard him telling about his conversion to a fellow inmate, etc. Whatever the case may have been, it was “clear” to those around him that Paul was a disciple of the Lord. By being a witness in prison, Paul made the most of everyday, in everyway.

We may not be in prison, but we do meet people everyday wherever we go. Let us make the most of everyday, in everyway as we live for Christ.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this day to make a difference in this world. Empower me to make the most of every moment of this day in every way. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

Doing Our Part

Good morning dear brothers and sisters in Christ! It is a beautiful and sunny day in Dallas. Let us keep in our prayers Diego and the Luna family as Diego went in this morning for further tests. Also, let us remember Rev. Finees Flores who is very ill in San Antonio; let us pray for him, his wife, and family.

Today’s passage is John 11:38-44 where we find the raising of Lazarus from the dead. A truly impressive miracle of Jesus. First, Jesus heard of his good friend’s illness and did not immediately respond. Then, he arrived too late (in the opinion of Martha and Mary) to help Lazarus. But after all is said and done, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Can you imagine that?

This is a very well known passage. One of the aspects of this account that has always intrigued me is John 11:44 – “And Lazarus came out, bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!" And prior to this, “they” were asked by Jesus to remove the stone - "Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them (John 11:39). What captures my attention is this – if you’re going to raise someone from the dead, why would you need “help” removing a stone and some garments?!? If you’re going to raise someone who has been dead for four days to life, why not just do the whole thing?

Seeing it as a whole, there are those things that we must do. God will always to His part, but we’ve got to do ours for our faith experience to be complete. We have to remove some “stones” from our way in order for Him to complete His work in us. There are some “garments” that we need to remove that will enable us to be truly free to love and serve Christ with our all. Could Jesus have done it all? If he was going to raise a dead man, yes, I think he could have. But he didn’t because I think there is a deeper lesson here for us. God has done His part of “raising us from the dead (sin)” through Christ, but we must do our part and remove those things from our lives that hinder a complete freedom to love and serve Christ.

What “stones” do you need to remove today? What “garments” are keeping us from serving Christ fully?

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you never arrive too late. You always step in right on time. Empower us to remove the “stones” and “garments” from our lives so that we may love and serve you in a more complete way. In your Name we pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

He Knows

Good morning to all! May the joy of the Lord be yours throughout this whole day.

Today’s passage is John 11:28-37 as we continue to read on from the story of Lazarus’ being raised from the dead. As we remembered yesterday, Martha was deeply sorry that Jesus had not made it in time to heal Lazarus and yet how at the same time she expressed hope in that Jesus could make the difference. And again, he did...and he continues to make the difference in us.

In today’s passage we find what many have called the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Prior to that John recorded that Jesus was “troubled” and “deeply moved” (John 11:33). As Christians one of our vanguard doctrines is the Incarnation the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus. God the Son became man; he became human. So much so that he broke down emotionally as he felt the loss of his dear friend Lazarus and the pain of his dear friends Martha and Mary. Jesus felt the pain; he knows the pain we go through.

The incarnation of Jesus is one of the most powerful sources of hope and challenge for us as disciples of the Master. It gives us hope because we know that Jesus is not a distant “high priest” who cannot empathize with us but just the contrary, he has lived in a totally human body and understands what we go through; therefore, it gives us hope that he can walk with us, strengthen us, and empower us to live for God.

As we live each day with it’s own challenges, let us remember that the One who walks with us has already walked that walk and is able to give us strength and courage.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for coming to this world and not only dying for us, but living life for us and in this way giving us a model by which to live by. Help me each day to find comfort in you, knowing that You know what I go through. In your Son’s name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David

If Only

Good morning brothers and sisters!

Today's text is John 11:17-27.

Have you ever had an "if only" moment"? If only this or that would have happened. If only I had more of this or the other. If only things could be better or bigger or clearer, etc. If only God had...

Martha had a similar feeling when Jesus arrived "too late" for Lazarus as he died. Martha felt that if Jesus had only been there - if only Jesus had been there, he could have saved Lazarus from dying. But even so, Martha said, "But even now I know that God..." Somehow in Martha's mind, she knew that there was still hope because Jesus had shown up...and she was right.

In our "if only" moments, let us be reminded that "even now" we can know that there is hope in God when Jesus shows up in our lives and makes things right.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the hope you give us daily. Be with us in our "if only" moments as we are assured that even then, You are with us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Glory in Pain...

Good morning brothers and sisters in Christ! I praise the Lord for the worship services we had yesterday and the way that God brought to mind those who have gone before us and have left us an example of faithful living.

John 11:1-16 talks about the time that Jesus received news concerning the illness of his dear friend Lazarus. At the time, Jesus did not show too much concern but rather assured his disciples that "this sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). And that is just what happened.

How can a time of illness glorify God? How a time of suffering, pain, crisis, etc., be a time where God is glorified? How can such times be times of edification for us? Of course, humanly speaking it is impossible to endure such things with any hope of any “good” resulting. After all, pain is pain and suffering is suffering. However, when our hope is in the “Higher Power”, then it is possible to endure such trials with a certain degree of confidence. Especially because the Incarnate Jesus can understand that pain with us since he himself felt our pain, sadness, suffering, etc. (i.e. his pain for Lazarus’ death).

Whenever we have trials to endure, God is glorified when we trust and hope in the fact that Jesus has endured those very trials and can be the one who strengthens us through it all.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you that you are not far from feeling my trials. Walk with me this day and everyday as I face life’s trials and as you strengthen me, glorify your Name in my life. In your Son’s name I pray. Amen.

Blessings on your day!

By grace alone,
Pastor David