You are here: Connect » Pastor's Update

Pastor's Update

Geoff Chapman

The Bible exhorts us: "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you" (Romans 12:3). 

  

 

 

Our faith in God allows us to be honest with ourselves because we are confident that he does not judge us harshly for our failings and weaknesses, rather he is gracious and compassionate toward us.  Sober self evaluation is very helpful.  It allows us to identify where we need to grow, it encourages us to seek the empowering of the Holy Spirit in areas where we fall short of the call of God, and it gives us opportunity to identify and deal with sin in our lives.  Through such activity we deepen our dependance upon our Lord and set ourselves free from the disappointment of not living up to our expectations.

  

The goal of such self-evaluation is not to burden ourselves or affirm self-loathing, or feel condemned.  Instead we have the opportunity to seek change through God's gracious empowering.  He seeks to release and rescue us from ways of being and behaving that cause us pain, harm and dismay.  The problem with sin is not what it does to God, but what it does to us.  God hates sin because it always dismays, always destroys, always disfigures and always ultimately robs us of fullness of life.

  

 

 

Acknowledging our limitations and shortfalls in the light of faith, will always bring us to joyful dependance on our loving Father.  We depend on him to forgive, to comfort, to love and to empower us so that we can be set free from having to "make the grade". 

 

 

  

Such healthy honesty in our inner being is the opportunity of faith.  Its culmination is the seeming tragedy of "Good" Friday and then the abounding joy of Easter Sunday.  All our sins are forgiven!  The Kingdom of God is breaking in on the world, and the power of God is poured out upon all who believe and receive.  Let us make the most of God's gracious offer of life and discover in a new way His goodness and love.  Hallelujah, "the old has gone, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

  

 

 

Have a blessed start to the Fall.


Last Updated Feb-24-07