I greet you in the lovely name of Jesus and call on you to join me in our journey of faith for the year of our Lord 2024.
It is interesting to investigate the scripture through the eyes of the apostle Paul as he writes to the Galatian Church. It is as though in his letter he is encouraging them to regain lost ground of faith. Listen to Galatians 1:6 ESV: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel.” It was as though they had lost their way. He is calling them back to a life of faith as we see in Galatians 3:1,2 ESV: “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?” It is as though a lack of faith is causing them to lose out on their relationship with the Lord. Aren’t you glad that Paul calls the followers attention to this again and again in his letters? It is as though he is instructing to keep them from having a wobble. Paul does it like this here: “Let me ask you this?” “Having begun in the Spirit are you ending in the flesh?” Galatians 3:3. Paul makes it clear that a 2nd Adam came to the fight and to the rescue came. This is a matter of a Life of Faith; in Adam all die, but in the 2nd Adam, all men are made alive. Christ is the head of a new race. He paid sin’s penalty and in doing so, at the Cross we are set free. So, it can be said, as we confess our sins we are pardoned, and we become joint heirs with Christ.
Freedom Bells started ringing, the Angels started singing, another weary traveler saw the light. Stop for a minute and lift your hands and thank God for His Word.
Romans 6:6: “Jesus has also destroyed sins Power.” That word defined means; to be stripped of authority or reduced in the ranks. When Jesus died on the cross, it was not only a penalty paid, it was a victory won. Let me show you what the Life of Faith is all about:
Galatians 2:20 MSG:
19-21 What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that, what God expects from us is for us to live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us.
I AM SINGING THIS SONG AS I WRITE THIS LETTER TO THOSE WHO I SERVE. I AM BELIEVING FOR GREAT AND MIGHTY THINGS IN YOUR LIVES AND FAMILIES.
Through faith in the Father
Through faith in the Son
Through faith in the Bible
Battles are won
I will just take a promise
Believeth in Me
If you’ll only have faith
of a small mustard seed
The mountain of doubt
The mountain of fear
The mountain of sickness
Will soon disappear
So I’m trusting the Lord
And believing today
And I’ll say to that mountain
Get out of my way.
“For every look you look at yourself, take ten looks at Jesus, this is what Faith makes us do.”
-- Robert Murray McCheyne
GayNell and I love you and count it the greatest privilege to spend our lives with you and to be called your Pastor.
Serving you and the family of God called Heritage,
Cleddie Keith, Senior Pastor