Grace Travelers

We Saw With Our Own Eyes

When athletic records are broken they are pinnacle events in the world.  Witnessing the event is something we take away with us and when we’re telling stories around the campfire, we recall it.  Usually it’ll be something we witnessed a decade or two ago.  We remember the surroundings. Who was there.  The weather.  Where we were at the moment.

The apostle Peter said, “I, James and John, saw with our own eyes a mysterious sample of His coming glory.”  

Join us as we look into the eyewitness account!

Scriptures: 2 Peter 1:16-19;  Matthew 17; Revelation 11

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God

The epistle of Jude is addressed to all believers in the gospel. Its design appears to be to guard believers. Believers are cautioned against being surprised at such deceivers arising among them.  Jude tells us mockers will come and how to recognize them. He then turns the discussion to what we should be doing instead. 

Scripture: Jude 17-25

Just Give Me the Bandaid

Kids who get a cut or splinter or injury often just want the band-aid.  Don’t wash it.  Don’t pull the splinter out.  Just put the band-aid on.

We can be like that.!  We come to Christ with our sin, but all we want is a covering.  We want to skip the treatment.  We want to hide our sin.  We want others to say our sin isn’t really sin.  

And one wonders if God, even in His great mercy, will heal what we conceal?

Scriptures:  John 1:8-2:6; Lamentations 3:19-41

But I Have This One Thing Against You

Jesus said to the Church in Thyatira, ".. you are full of good works and great compassion.. excellent!.."  but, there is a thing I have against you.  Listen in to find out what that was.

Examine our hearts today to discern whether we are a sponge or a scrubby.

Scripture:  Revelation 2:18-29

Wisdom from the King

Ecclesiasties 8 and 9

Lessons from the Wilderness

The Spirit, God, led the Son into the wilderness to be tempted. Right after the baptism. Why? Why then?   To prove that the Son was sinless and thus a qualified Savior.

Job was also tested, but he sinned.  Jesus can do what humans can't do. 

When we are tempted we will often fail. Is this failure? Not if we are abiding in Christ. Not if we confess it and clear the slate. But if we let temptation germinate into sin that goes unconfessed, we are putting a barrier between us and God.  We know it, God knows it.

Be ready with these answers to temptation... {listen in}

Matthew 4, Deuteronomy 8, Job 1

Be Fruit not Fuel

John the Baptist's message was to repent. Repentance was a needed step in preparing for the Lamb of God. The “change of the mind produces a change of the way.”

Matthew 3

In Christ Alone

In this day and age can we answer the question, “What is the truth?”  Where do we go to find all of our answers? I know you are tempted to say, Google, or Wikipedia, or Siri, but that is wrong.  :)   Life’s answers are found in only one place, a Person.

Colossians 2

Thriving in the Kingdom of Heaven

Life is full of choices. The greatest choice is what kingdom you are going to live in. What if I think I can successfully live in both the world and the Kingdom simultaneously?  How do we live in the kingdom and not the world?  “Pastor, it sounds like you’re saying we should isolate from the world?”

You cannot be a kingdom person enmeshed in the world and expect God to work miracles through you.

Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:1-9, 10-17; Matthew 10:7; 13:10; Luke 14:26; Colossians 1:13; 2 Peter 2:7,8; James 1:27, 4:4; Titus 2:12; 2 Peter 1:4; 2:20; 1 John 2:15-17

In the Game or on the Bench?

James writes his letter because…he is encouraging us to live out our faith, be a doer not just a hearer. James was Jesus’ brother and by this time he was a leader of the church in Jerusalem.

There was and is a social conflict between the rich and the poor, and a spiritual conflict between factions in the church. James is rebuking his church, and by extension, us, for their worldliness, and is challenging them to seek divine wisdom in working out their faith.

James 5:7-12