| Many years ago I was given a writing assignment. In ten pages or fewer I was to put on paper my creed. You know, something like the Apostles Creed, “I believe in God the Father Almighty….” I was to write what I believed about God. I managed to just about fill up the ten pages.
You see, in those earlier days I thought I knew a lot. I certainly thought I knew plenty about God. And what I knew became the basis for what I believed. But as I have aged…. Well, I now know that I don’t know as much as I thought I did. And my 2008 creed might not need ten pages.
I do believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I do believe God sent his Son, Jesus, to die for our sin—for my sin. I do believe Jesus rose from the grave. And because he lives, we live. I do believe Jesus is coming back. I believe in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
There are a couple of other things I believe to be true. As we begin our journey together, I would like to share them with you.
First, I believe it is all about grace. It is all about grace. Amazing grace. All have sinned. The wages of sin is death. But the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is by grace we are saved. We sin, and God responds with grace. God deals with us graciously. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me….
It is all about grace. And if God interacts with us according to his grace, then that is how we interact with one another and with the world. Our lives give witness to the grace we have experienced.
Second, we win. We win. To borrow something I heard someone say a long time ago, “I read the end of the book, and we win.”
It is a tough world we live in, and it seems to be getting tougher. We all encounter trial and tribulation, pain and sadness. There may be some days when we feel defeated. But as followers of Jesus…well, we have read the end of the book. We know how it all comes out. And the conclusion is victory. But this victory need not be something we look forward to experiencing one day. It is a victory we can enjoy today.
God has blessed the ministry he has given me with these two truths. I trust we never tire of hearing them, as together we experience God’s grace and victory. It is all about grace. We win.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Dan
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