Tag Archives: Christ

Reaching Forward

Posted on by
Reply

One sure sign of stagnation in the Christian walk is a deepening desire for nostalgia – that sick sense of longing for the good old days.  Solomon reminds us that dwelling on an idealistic view of the past is pointless:

Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’
For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.”
                                             – Ecclesiastes 7:10 (NKJV)

As followers of Jesus, we need to keep looking forward if we ever expect to keep up.  We do not follow a Savior who stands still – much less one who walks backwards.  The future is the only time available for us to apply the lessons we’re learning right now.  The future offers the only opportunity there is to experience the result of our spiritual growth.

Paul realized that even he was a work in progress.  The Christian can always be sure that the best is yet to come.  Reaching forward is the only way to get to it.  The Lord has a future planned for you that you don’t want to miss.

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:12-14 (NKJV)

Palmer St. Podcast: Luke 22

Posted on by
Reply

We are now nearing the end of Christ’s earthly life and ministry.  In this chapter Jesus celebrates His last Passover and begins the custom we often call “communion”.  We also see Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial.  We’ll look at Jesus in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, His arrest and the beginning of His trial.

Listen: Luke22.mp3

Read: Luke 22.pdf

hcfc logo sm grn

Not Guilty

Posted on by
3

1 John 4:9-10 (NKJV) 9In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

All of us know what it’s like to feel guilt, some of it unwarranted, some of it genuine.  As to the false guilt, it’s, well, false.  We never really had to worry about that at all.  In the case of false guilt, that sense of feeling guilty was always a lie. 

The beautiful thing that God has done for us, by the offering of Christ for our sins, is that He has removed our real guilt.  When we, in our hearts, reject our sin, turn to Him and ask for His forgiveness, He cleanses us.  He declares us not guilty in His eyes. 

Christ is the offering that removes our guilt.  He is the propitiation for our sins – the offering that reconciles us to God.  If God views us as not guilty, then we truly are not guilty; no higher standard is needed.  There is no higher court that we will ever be tried in.  So Christ takes care of our all-too-real guilt.  And that is the kind of Savior we truly need.

Day One – The Title

Posted on by
2

Palmer St. is the address of our beloved Old School #18, the 100+ year-old building owned by our church. It’s where so much of our ministry happens.

Parentheses are qualifying or amplifying words, phrases, or sentences. They can also be asides or tangents or irrelevancies.

I hope the things I write here won’t be irrelevant. If successful, these will be “amplifying sentences”. Certainly, they won’t be the main thing. Jesus Christ will always be that. If anything I post here can cause someone to think about Him, then these little asides will have accomplished something worthwhile.

OK, so I’m just starting at this, but eager to learn. Expect more in the near future. For right now, though, there are a few pages to view on the right, including two with notes and mp3s from Sunday mornings.