You Can Take It with You! (How the Gospel Changes Everything) March 18, 2023 Larry R Evans Introduction As we near the close of this quarter’s study about stewardship, it might be helpful to summarize three important foundational principles of biblical stewardship that explain why we bring our offerings to God. Three reasons for our practice of bringing offerings to God are: 1. God’s persistent activity to save us from sin. No matter how bad we are, or what we have done, said, or thought, God works to save us and offers us more than we could ever expect. (John 3:16) 2. God’s faithfulness to His promises. The Lord is reliable and dependable. The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.-- (Lamentations 3:22-23) 3. God’s pattern of generosity sets an example for us. The God who gave Himself for us also entered into a covenant relationship with us. This relatio
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Counterfeit Gods -- The Deception of Greed & Covetousness
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Counterfeit Gods The Deception of Greed & Covetousness March 4, 2023 Larry R Evans C.S. Lewis wrote, When I invited Jesus into my life, I thought he was going to put up some wallpaper and hang a few pictures. But he started knocking out walls and adding on rooms. I said, ‘I was expecting a nice cottage.’ But he said, ‘I’m making a palace in which to live.’ --Mere Christianity Such a statement by C.S. Lewis gives added meaning to Psalm 51:15-17. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. Few would deny a “palace” if offered to them or a close relationship with God, but who wants “a broken spirit?” Yet even secular authors recognize that while “the world breaks everyone” it is also true that “afterward many are strong at the broken places” (Ernest Hemingway in Farew
The Call to Mercy: Unto the Least of These
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The Call to Mercy Unto the Least of These February 18, 2023 Larry R Evans Introduction He [Jesus] stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:17-18) These are the words Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth when he announced the beginning of his ministry. He was identified as “the Servant of the Lord” of whom Isaiah spoke. (Isa. 42:1-7, Isa. 61:1-3). We know that Jesus came to bring forgiveness, grace, and assurance. What we sometimes fail to realize is that the very gift of forgiveness, grace, and assurance produces or motivates within our hearts the desire for the correction of injustices that are contrary to the character of Jesus.