“This is the Way”

 “This is the way” is a phrase used by Star Wars’ Mandalorian character from the series of the same name. It’s also a saying that the sect of the Mandalorian’s character is a part of say to each other to remind them of why they do what they do the way they do it.

This is not an original saying. 

The early Christians were called followers of “The Way”. 

Acts 9:2 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%209%3A2&version=NIV

What is this way?

It is the way of Jesus. 

What does this look like? 

Start by reading:

Luke 4:18-19

Mark 1:14-15

Matthew 5-7 Sermon on the Mount

This is the way. It’s the way I choose to live. It’s the way I’m leading others to live. 

How about you?

Welcome 2021: The Best is Yet To Come

 I’ve often hear coach Dabo Swinney say when things don’t turnout well, “The best is yet to come.” After last night’s drubbing of Clemson by Ohio State, he may need to pull that line back out again. 

And he probably will. 

Because he has that kind of perspective on life. It’s not all about football. And it’s not all about my life or yours either. That’s why God let’s us lose sometimes. It’s why we he sometimes lets us crash and burn.

2020 has been a crash and burn year. Brutal. Tragic. Devastating. 

Once again, I am encouraged by these words: “The best is yet to come.”

Then recording artist Ben Rector posts this song today for all to hear. It’s perfect for this thought. This truth. Give it a listen and ask yourself, “Do I believe that the best is yet to come? Is there really this kind of hope?”

Ben Rector - A Song for 2021 https://youtu.be/aduZReLQeMM via @YouTube

Lyrics:

As I think about the rollercoaster year 2020 was, my emotions run the gamut. God has blessed us way more than we deserve. 

So many have suffered. You may ask, “Why?” Well, there’s a simple reason for that. Because sin has consequences. Evil was released. And we all give in to the temptation to selfishly live for ourselves. I know I often do. And while this is what we get when we live life on our terms instead of God’s, it’s not without hope. 

God made a way for us to get back to him; to be reconciled to him in the here and now AND the hereafter. It’s why we can say and sing that “The best is yet to come.” 

When we live in light of eternity—eternity with God—it does more than change our perspective. It releases us to live surrendered lives—for others instead of for ourselves. 

We often pass on this opportunity. But it is there none-the-less. 

Imperfect though we are, we followers of Jesus Christ, let us walk in the hope that the best truly is yet to come and rejoice in that no matter what. Because the path to that best goes through dark valleys...dark valleys indeed. 

So let’s keep the Son in our eyes as we walk through it. Welcome 2021. For good or for ill, we rejoice that the best is yet to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Take God at His Word

“What does Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭4:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬. https://www.bible.com/111/rom.4.3.niv

We are saved by grace through faith alone! (Eph 2:8-9) 

We are not saved by rituals, nor the sacrifices we give, nor by anything that we think is good enough to earn God’s forgiveness. 

The salvation we receive is a gift. We can’t earn it. Nobody can.

The reason the Old Testament saints are saved is because they believed God. That is, they believed all that God said to them in their past and present. 

So when God talked about a future Savior, they took God at his word and believed him. I’m not saying that it was easy for them. But that is what ultimately saved them. 

And it’s what ultimately saves us too. Taking God at his word and believing him.

Thank you God for saving me!

One race - the Human race

I love Tony’s sentiment here. This is such a profoundly beautiful picture of what Jesus calls his followers to exemplify. You sense their genuine ability to love and respect each other as family. It’s not that they don’t see their differences. It’s that they don’t think those differences don’t matter. They love each other and that’s what matters.

I’d like to simply say let’s remember the prayer Jesus prayed and what he said about the power of his people walking together in unity:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” -Jesus praying

‭‭John‬ ‭17:20-21‬ ‭NIV‬‬ #LoveYourNeighbor #LoveOneAnother