Comforting Spirit,
We experience You in so many ways: in the kind word from a friend, in the gentle touch of a child, in the care of a community, in the embrace of a spouse, and in the power of Your unexplainable Presence. There is so much about Your love, O God, that is beyond our understanding, yet there are times when we feel Your embrace. We are then comforted and filled with hope. May we be a conduit, Loving Lord, extending Your comfort and peace to those in need. In Jesus’ name we pray. AMEN.
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There is a huge youth event at the church this evening. Close to 150 youth and their sponsors will descend on Central for a Regional Lock-in. Some of the evening will be spent at the YMCA. May we be good hosts. May they have a marvelous time.
Please continue to pray for our hospitalized and for the two boys in OKC.
The scripture for today is Galatians 3:1-14:
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing? —if it really was for nothing. Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?
Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, “so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.”For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.”Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law will live by them.”Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Grace and peace,
John McLemore
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