Gateway Fellowship

God won't force this on us, but neither can we do it without Him. Thankfully, I'm never without Him, He's always within me.

What we listen to and say matters more than what we might currently understand. When we tune into and broadcast what God is saying we align with and co-create with God. The sober and contrasting truth is that when we align with and broadcast carnal things we often accidentally destroy! It's so important to saturate ourselves with God's words until they penetrate deeply into our very being.

Something about the doubt of the disciples after Jesus' resurrection really grabbed my heart this year. It's so easy to be hard on oneself for doubts, but even they did -- with Jesus standing right in front of them! And why? I guess because life's taught us that things fall apart, and if it seems too good to be true, it's probably some sort of scam. But that's how good the good news really is. It just seems too good to be true. (But it is.)

This chat is about today; Holy Saturday.

But oh, so important.

Tragedy? Certainly. Gruesome? Oh yes. Difficult to face? For me, definitely. The greatest single sin in all human history? I believe so. But on God's side of the decision it was also on purpose. Jesus walked into Jerusalem, knowing what would happen if He did. What's more, the Father asked him to. The question is, "Why?"

I don't think we stop and consider this enough.

People have -- and need -- some sense of a significant future, even if they have to "live on" through their children, the species, or just the universe itself. Our expectations of the future order our present.

I woke up this morning with Isaiah 50:4 on my heart. "The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary."

These need to be kept together but we often think of them separately or even worse, at odds.

Words create worlds. This chat was sparked by Galatians 3 where Paul says that all who rely on works of the law to find life are under a curse, but those who live by faith are under the blessing given to Abraham.

2 Cor 3:6 "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."

Psalm 44, that is.

Ever wonder why people who are in love with God one year aren't several years later? Top of the triangle - God's Spirit working (essential and also out of our control) Left Bottom - Trials (right understanding of our life's story in view of God's love and faithfulness) Right Bottom - The disciplines (we only mentioned the foundational ones: solitude and silence, study and worship)

This chat is from Isaiah 40.

But most of us don't really believe what we claim to believe. This chat was sparked by 1 Peter 1:21, which says, "Through Christ we have come to trust in God."

Whenever we set ourselves to do God's will we immediately attract two opposite spiritual forces to our position. Heaven draws near to assist, and hell attempts to resist. This chat is about that, based on Nehemiah 4.

1The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

Bob spoke with us about Luke 15.

Try Harder Good Enough Surrender