Coffee With The Lord

A brief, but very important post from my time of “Coffee with the Lord” this Thursday morning…

A direct apostolic warning from God to those in our culture who practice sin. Tragically, some of these are religious leaders! Equally tragic is the fact that some religious leaders deceive those they should lead into righteous living by telling them their lifestyle doesn’t matter – God’s grace will cover their sin regardless. Here is Apostle Paul’s inspired warning in that regard!…

“Do you not know that THE UNRIGHTEOUS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? DO NOT BE DECEIVED: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD!”

The good news however, it that through what Jesus accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection, a person can experience forgiveness and transformation of their life! What an incredible message of hope for ALL! Here is what Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit went on to declare in the very next verses…

“AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. BUT YOU WERE WASHED, YOU WERE SANCTIFIED, YOU WERE JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD!” (From 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV)

Matthew 18:1-6

The Greatest – The “GOAT”!!! Who would you expect to see?

A child? That’s right … A CHILD!!! Kinda takes all the pompous, self-exalting, arrogant, prideful inclinations out of you if you care at all about your place in the “Kingdom” that really matters… The Kingdom of Heaven! “Whoever humbles himself/herself like this child IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN!” Who sez so? The One who really is The “Greatest of All Time”

Isaiah 54… Oh, what a wonderful chapter in the Bible; written to a nation and people who demonstrated by their wayward, rebellious behavior they were unworthy of God’s mercy and grace!  It speaks a wonderful message, not only to God’s Covenant People in the Old Testament, but to the “People of God” – redeemed gentiles under the New Covenant!

I can’t force you  to read it, but strongly encourage that you do so!  To help today,  I’ve posted below  what I underlined as especially significant in my Bible this morning…

“Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.  For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called… ‘For a brief moment I deserted you, but with great compassion I will gather you.  In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,’ says the Lord, your Redeemer…

“’For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you…  ‘All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.  In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.  If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from me!  No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord!’”  (From Isaiah 54 ESV)

Here’s the brief comment I put in the margin of my Bible this morning after reading it: “Oh the mercy, grace, and favor of the Lord on undeserving people!  I am incredibly grateful!”