Grace for the Race

Pastor Tullian has given me the privilege of filling the pulpit for him this Sunday.  The title of the sermon is “The Gift That Keeps On Giving!”  The text under consideration for this message is Isaiah 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given . . . ”

It’s not uncommon during the mad rush of Christmas shopping to hear sellers proclaim that their product is “the gift that keeps on giving.”  Here are a few of the more common promoters of a “gift that keeps on giving.”

Jewelry stores

Health clubs

Book stores

Triple AAA Auto Club membership

Newspaper and magazine subscriptions

The list could be much longer!  In reality, however, there is only one Gift that keeps on giving—and His name is Jesus Christ.  You see, the Bible tells us that Jesus not only freely offers Himself to us as the gift of eternal life; He also gives Himself to us as the gift of everyday life.  This is the Gospel as it was given to us by God the Father, through God the Son, by the power of God the Holy Spirit.

Sadly, many in the church only see this Gospel as a one-time gift which graciously bequeathed us with eternal life.  They miss the power of the Gospel to keep on giving throughout life, moment by moment.  They believe they are saved by grace, but they also believe they are kept in God’s grace by their own good works.  If such people were completely candid, they might say that Jesus made the down payment on eternal life, but it’s up to us to make the installment payments!  Like Job’s friends, those “miserable comforters” who came to him in his time of grief and trial, they think that their good days merit God’s blessings and their bad days call down His curses.  This false “gospel” smells like smoke and comes from the pit of hell.

The same grace that saves is the grace that sanctifies us throughout this life.  God does not save us and then expect us to live the Christian life in our own strength.  He continually pours out His grace into our lives day by day.  The Gospel is the only gift that truly keeps on giving, because it never breaks down, expires, or wears out.  And God’s Gospel promises are never revoked, for “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). The Gospel keeps on giving us the grace we need to live the life God has called us to live. 

Grace grows us up into Christ.  Grace gives us strength to weather the storms of life.  Grace frees us from a broken past.  Grace empowers us to forgive.  Grace encourages us to rise and get back into the game every time we fall.  And grace grants that we will spend all eternity in the presence of our loving Savior.  It is all of grace, and it is a gift from beginning to end; Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith,  is the one who began a good work in us and will certainly complete it (Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 1:6).

What Jesus starts He finishes . . . and that includes you!  That is why we must preach the Gospel to ourselves each day.  We need to keep before us this gift that keeps on giving for the courage, strength, and motivation to keep pressing on toward the prize . . . even when we would rather not.

That indescribable gift was announced to a group of shepherds just over two thousand years ago: “Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . MERRY CHRISTMAS!

What’s in a name? 

When the Bible was written, names conveyed a great deal more meaning than they do today.  The Israelites often chose names for their babies based on a variety of different factors, such as the character or appearance of the child—such as Esau (hairy).  Some names were chosen based on a prayer of the parent—such as Zechariah (God has remembered).  Other names were given which identified objects in creation—such as Tamar (palm tree) and Tabitha (gazelle).  Still other names were given to identify the time of day they were born—such as Shaharaim (dawn) and Hodesh (new moon).

Jesus was named prophetically: “You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-23).  Throughout the Scriptures we find hundreds of appellations for Him that serve as divine descriptions of both His character and His calling.  Here are just a few.

Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8)

Bread of Life (John 6:35)

Bridegroom (Matthew 9:15)

Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20)

Firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15)

God (John 20:28)

Good Shepherd (John 10:14)

Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14)

Holy One (Acts 3:14)

Lamb of God (John 1:29)

Lord of lords (Revelations 19:16)

Messiah (John 4:25-26)

Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6)

Our Redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Resurrection and Life (John 11:25)

Righteous One (Acts 7:52)

Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4)

Savior (Ephesians 5:23)

True Vine (John 15:1)

Way (John 14:6)

Word (John 1:1)

These are just a few of the names and titles that tell us much about our Savior and King.  Yet there is one other that I would like to sharpen our focus on today: EMMANUEL—God with us!  As a pastor, I find that this time of the year is quite difficult for a great many people, for a variety of reasons.  A loss of a loved one is especially painful at this time of the year.  Fifteen years ago I received a phone call on Christmas Day that told me my father had just died.  For many people the Christmas season brings back childhood memories of a far better past than their bitter present, which is now marked by disappointment, disillusionment, and defeat.

I don’t know where this finds you.  I don’t know the pain of your past, yet I know there is pain for every one of us, because we are all broken people living in a broken world with other broken people.

I pray this word today will provide great comfort for you as we approach Christmas Day.  Emmanuel is with you and has been with you from before the foundation of the world.  He is with you in your pain and your pleasure.  He is with you in your failure and your victory.  He is with you in your sickness and your health.  The Holy One, the King of kings and lord of lords, is with you now and will be forever.  “For he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).

Use your eyes of faith to go back down to Bethlehem; join the company of weary, wandering shepherds and see this little baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  Marvel at this God-man, who would enter a sin-stained world that would one day crucify Him . . . who came on a rescue mission for you!  You are so precious to Him that He gave His all for you.  In fact, you are the object of His greatest desire!

May this truth fill your heart this Christmas season, and may it encourage and empower you to press on into the perfect plan and purpose Emmanuel has for you.  He is with you now, and one day you will be with Him forevermore. 

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

What is your first priority in life?  Is it your family?  Your profession?  Your reputation in the eyes of others?  Your hobby?  The answer to this question can be found in the confession of your life.  Remember the old saying: “What you do speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you say!”

The Apostle Paul wrote an epistle intended to build up the church in Colosse, which was mired in heresy, empty religious ritual, ungodly asceticism, and false mysticism.  In the third chapter and eleventh verse of that inspired letter, Paul provides the answer to every question . . . the solution to every problem . . . and the strength to overcome every obstacle in both life and death: “Christ is all, and in all.”

Is Christ your all?  If Jesus Christ is your all, He is to be in your all—all that you think, all that you do, all that you say, and all that you desire.  Paul sets forth his reasoning behind why Christ is all. 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church.  He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.  (Colossians 1:15-18)

Paul provides seven proofs to the preeminence of the Lord Jesus Christ and why He is to be our first priority.

1. Jesus is the image of the invisible God.

2. Jesus is the firstborn of all creation.

3. All things were created through Him and for Him.

4. Jesus is before all things.

5. Jesus holds all things together.

6. Jesus is the head of the church.

7. Jesus is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead.

In a word, Jesus Christ is ALL!  When Jesus raised you from death to life, He desired to sit upon the throne of your life—all of your life!  Notice I said “desired,” not “demanded.”  He will not demand your obedience or your love.  To be sure, He has every right to demand all things from everyone, but He loves us far too much to do that.  He does not desire morally restrained hearts that beat out of a sense of duty and obligation.  He desires hearts that have been transformed by the truths of the Gospel, hearts that beat out of a sense of devotion and love. 

When we understand what Jesus has done for us by His life, death, and resurrection, it changes the “why” behind everything we do.  Love becomes the motive and motivation in all we think, do, and say.  This is the point of preaching the Gospel to ourselves every day.  The more we hold the preeminence of Jesus before the eyes of our faith, the more we will be transformed—in thought, word, deed, and desire—by the power of the Gospel.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN! 

It’s hard to imagine that majestic oak trees start out as tiny acorns.  Master storyteller Max Lucado teaches that each one of us was created for a special purpose in his book, The Oak Inside the Acorn, a heartwarming parable that inspires, motivates, and encourages children of all ages to be the absolute best they can be for God by living for His glory. 

In the story Little Acorn sees himself as small, insignificant, and unsure of his purpose in life.  Even after he grows into Big Oak, he still wonders what he is here to do.  He tries to produce flowers like his friend Pink Petunia and to grow oranges like his friends the orange trees, but to no avail.  Little Acorn finally discovers that his mighty branches were created for a very special purpose in God’s kingdom.

The same is true for you.  Regardless of where this finds you right now, you have been created by God for God.  And God doesn’t make any junk; you have been “fearfully and wonderfully made” to be used by God to accomplish His purposes in this world.

So . . . what kind of tree has God made you to be?  What talents, abilities, and gifts have you been given that God is calling you to put into faithful service in His kingdom? 

Perhaps your critics have convinced you that you really don’t have much to offer or that your goals and dreams are beyond your reach.  This was the beginning of Joseph’s story. 

They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer.  Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits.  Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams.”

(Genesis 37:19-20)

You remember the rest of the story don’t you?  When God gives you a dream . . . a goal . . . a burning desire to be more than you are . . . to be a big Christian . . . you can be assured that He will give you everything you need to get it done.  Sure, you can expect a few detours.  You will encounter obstacles.  Some waves of challenge will wash over you.  But you can be assured that when you are pursuing what God wants for your life, nothing can stand in the way.  Not even angry brothers with intent to kill!

Perhaps you have been listening to a fearful inner voice.  It’s true, nobody wants to fail, but living a life of safety is no way for a child of the Most High God to live!  Such a life is marked by growing into only a fraction of the person God is calling you to be.  Theodore Roosevelt gave a speech 100 years ago that has inspired generations of Americans:

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.

Some people spend a lifetime dreaming dreams but never wake up.  They go to their graves with their music still inside of them.  I cannot imagine anything worse than to reach the end of one’s life, knowing it was spent on the sidelines watching instead of out on the field playing. 

Big oaks grow from little acorns.  God is calling you to grow up into Christ and make an eternal difference in this world, and that starts by growing right where you are currently planted.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!   

Ever have a well-intentioned friend or family member say “I know how you feel” as you were going through a season of struggle?  For the most part those words provide little comfort; we appreciate their attempt to encourage, but reap very little benefit from it.  As a pastor, even when I feel like I know a little of what someone is going through, I am careful not to use that phrase—because I truly don’t know.  But there is One who does know what you are going through, regardless of what it is you are experiencing, and His name is Jesus Christ.

We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus went through everything we are going through . . . and so much more!  He felt the weight and pain of sin, yet He was sinless.  He endured God’s wrath, something we will never have to endure.  He was separated from His Father as He hung on the cross, something we never have to experience.  Regardless of what you are going through, you have Someone who can truly sympathize with you and will intercede on your behalf.

• Betrayed by a friend . . . so was Jesus
• Abandoned by family . . . so was Jesus
• Alone and disregarded . . . so was Jesus
• Slandered and gossiped about . . . so was Jesus
• Despised and hated . . . so was Jesus
• Unwelcomed and unwanted . . . so was Jesus
• Tempted and tested . . . so was Jesus
• Mocked and laughed at . . . so was Jesus

There is absolutely nothing you can experience that He has not experienced on your behalf.  What a source of great comfort to know that our Lord and Savior knows exactly how we feel, because He willingly went through it Himself.  

So . . . what are you going through today?  What winds of change are blowing your way?  What season of struggle are you in the midst of?  If you pause long enough and be still before God you can hear Him whisper, “I know how you feel”—and that will make all the difference in the world!  It will provide needed wind in your sails, strength in your steps, and hope for your heart. 

Oh, the next time you come across someone in the midst of a season of struggle, don’t tell them you know how they feel.  Tell them Jesus knows.  

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

You’re probably familiar with the famous axiom given to us from the technology field: GIGO—Garbage In, Garbage Out.  It was devised to call attention to the fact that computers will unquestioningly process the most nonsensical of input (garbage in), thereby producing worthless output (garbage out).  What you put in, you will inevitably get out.

What is true for computers holds true for people as well, which is why Scripture reminds us to think good thoughts.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about such things.(Philippians 4:8)

God’s Word makes it clear that what we put into our minds shapes our lives.  If we put garbage in, we can expect to get garbage out.  We are shaped by what we watch on television and in the movies.  We are shaped by what we view on the Internet.  We are shaped by the music we listen to.  We are shaped by the people we habitually associate and converse with.  We are shaped by what we read . . . and what we don’t read.  The law of exposure says whatever we are repeatedly exposed to will ultimately shape us.  That is why Paul tells us to think about “such things” that will glorify God and benefit others, including ourselves.   

So . . . where in your life has the law of exposure been affecting you lately—for good and for bad?  Are there any changes you need to make regarding “Garbage In, Garbage Out?”

“Let us test and examine our ways,” Jeremiah urged, “and return to the Lord!” (Lamentations 3:40.) Prayerfully consider what you have been consistently ingesting lately.  Are you taking in any garbage?  Without making time to inventory what you have been exposing yourself to lately, it’s easy to miss the negative influences that so easily creep in. 

Rarely will negative influences knock you right off course.  That would be easy to detect and appropriately respond to.  Instead, the negative influences in life gently nudge you off course, one small step at a time, one step here . . . another step there . . . and before you know it you find yourself in a place you never intended to be and not even fully understand how you got there!

I often tell the students that sin will take you further than you ever wanted to go and keep you there longer than you ever wanted to stay.  That is why we must be intentional about what we put into our minds on a daily basis.

So here is a new GIGO mantra for you to keep with you wherever you go: GOSPEL IN, GOSPEL OUT.  Keep preaching the gospel to yourself everyday and watch what God does with your life for His glory and the good of others—including your good! 

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

We are all addicted to approval.  We want approval from our family.  We want approval from our friends.  We want approval from our colleagues at work.  We want approval from our neighbors.  We want approval from our church.  We want approval from the stranger on the street!  The problem with approval addiction is that it is never enough, and when it’s withheld, you go through withdrawal.

There is an answer to approval addiction, and it comes from the pages of Scripture:

[W]e have been approved by God.  (1 Thessalonians 2:4)

 The only key that unlocks the door leading to a life released from approval addiction is the certain knowledge that you are approved by God.  Knowing we are approved by God frees us from running on the perpetual performance treadmill of other people’s opinions.  We are no longer driven by what other people think of us because we know that we are the objects of God’s desire—so much so God sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.

When the approval of others is no longer driving your life, you can stop comparing yourself with others to see if you measure up.  In God’s eyes you always measure up . . . even when you don’t . . . because of what Jesus did on the cross. 

For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.  (Jeremiah 31:34)

I heard a saying many years ago that has stuck with me: “You wouldn’t care what others thought of you if you realized how little they did!”  We spend far too much of our time worrying about what others think of us, without ever realizing they are far too busy worrying about what others are thinking about them to be thinking about us!

Peter found himself obsessed with the approval of others (Jewish legalists) because he forgot the approval he already had in Christ. Paul explained,

When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.  (Galatians 2:11-12)

We all have a bit of Peter in us, giving someone more power over our lives than we entrust to Omnipotence.  In those moments we are living purely godless, horizontal, anxiety-filled lives, devoid of the power of the Gospel. 

Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?  Or am I trying to please man? 

(Galatians 1:10)

Living in the knowledge of God’s approval frees us to live for God and not for man.

So . . . who have you been living for lately—at home . . . at the office . . . in your church—God or man?  It is only by resting in the truth of the Gospel that we can live lives marked by the worship of God and service of others, because we know we are approved of God.  That can never change, and will never change . . .

“For I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6)

“I act and who can reverse it?”  (Isaiah 43:13 NASB)

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The world says, “Bigger is better!”  A bigger house . . . a bigger car . . . a bigger bank account . . . a bigger slice of the good life.  These are the things to strive for in the world’s economy.  In God’s economy, however, what is bigger is not what is better, but rather whatever God is in. 

Aaron’s staff was not bigger than the staff of Pharaoh’s magicians, yet it was better.  Why?  Because God was in it!  Gideon’s band of 300 was not bigger than the army of thousands of Midianites, yet it was better.   Why?  Because God was in it!  David was not bigger than the giant Goliath who was taunting the Israelite army and blaspheming God, yet he was better.  Why?  Because God was in him.  The little boy with five loaves and two fish was not bigger than the marketplace in the surrounding villages, but he was better.  Why?  Because God was with him.  In God’s economy, what is better is whatever God is in. 

This should be a word of great comfort to you today.  God delights in using the small and insignificant to accomplish His work in this world.  You may not be “big” in the eyes of the world because you do not occupy a place of power and prestige.  You may not be “big” in the eyes of your coworkers because you aren’t invited to the important social events in your industry.  You may not be “big” in the eyes of your neighbors because you do not serve on prominent charitable boards in your community.  However, if you are working to glorify God and advance His kingdom, you could not get any bigger in God’s eyes. 

Zechariah provided a great reminder of this principle when he penned, “For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice” (4:10).  Christians are not to use the world’s standards to judge God’s work.  Gideon could not imagine beating the Midianite army with only 300 men, because he was judging God’s work by the world’s standards.  The apostles could not imagine feeding 5000 men, plus women and children, with 5 loaves and 2 fish because they were judging God’s work by the world’s standards. 

So . . . where in your life have you been judging God’s work by the world’s standards?  Where have you been thinking bigger is better?  You don’t need to be any “bigger” to be better in the Kingdom of God.  All you need to be is faithful to use what God has given you to advance the cause of His kingdom.

Jesus said, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10).  Whether you can see it or not, when you are faithful to put in whatever little God has given you, the difference you are making is an eternal difference—and that’s what’s better! 

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Traditionally, today’s rhetorical question has been used to assign people to one of two groups: optimists and pessimists.  The question highlights two contrasting points of view when looking at the very same thing.  The optimist sees the glass as half full, demonstrating an attitude of gratitude and abundance.  The pessimist sees the glass as half empty, demonstrating an attitude of thanklessness and scarcity.

How is it for you?  Do you see your glass as half full?  Or half empty? 

Some people are uncomfortable with the question and respond tartly with phrases like, “It all depends on whether the person with the glass is in the process of filling it up or drinking it down . . . Just because I see the glass as half empty doesn’t make me a pessimist . . . Half of the glass is full of liquid and the other half is full of air.”

To be sure, your answer to this question is ultimately irrelevant; the important issue is your disposition as a child of the Most High God.  What is relevant is the way you live out your faith before others and how you reflect the joy of the Lord. 

“Half-fullers,” as I like to call them, see all of life as a gift from God.  They realize that everything they have is a gift—not because they deserve any of it, but because God is so gracious to give it to them.  “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever!” they exult; and the more they have, the more they give thanks and praise to the One who has given it to them.  We should always see our glass as half full, because it leads to living a full life before the face of God.

“Half-emptiers” are never satisfied with their portion, because they fail to see the Lord as their ultimate portion.  They are focused on the “stuff” of life.  If they have a job, they want a better-paying one.  If they have a home, they want a bigger one.  If they have a spouse, they want a newer one!  They view life with dissatisfaction, always hoping for something better to come along.  They live in the gloomy light of Murphy’s Law: anything that can go wrong, will!  Half-emptiers have the proverbial dark cloud hanging over their head. 

But this is not for you!  We do not need to speculate about what our attitude should be about the glass; Paul’s letter to the Philippian Christians provides clear instruction:

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.  (Philippians 4:11-13)

Those who preach the gospel to themselves every day always see the glass as half full.  In fact, they are simply thankful for whatever God has chosen to pour in their glass at that moment.  The celebrated Confederate general, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, once said, ““I have so fixed the habit of prayer in my mind that I never raise a glass of water to my lips without asking God’s blessing.”  “Stonewall” was standing on the Rock! He knew full well that we deserve nothing but judgment and condemnation; instead, if we have trusted in Christ’s atoning death on our behalf, we receive mercy and grace.  We should be overwhelmed that, while we were still sinners, God would raise us from death to life!  We should be awed by the inconceivable love of Christ and receive whatever comes our way with a heart of thanksgiving.  Does this describe you? 

Please don’t misunderstand me; I am not suggesting that we are to live lives devoid of dreams and desires.  God created us for increase and we should desire increase in every area of our lives that further the purposes of God.  What I am saying is that while we are dreaming, desiring, and doing everything we can to expand the cause of Christ for the glory of God, we should maintain an attitude of thanksgiving for whatever portion He delivers to us.

The glass is always half full for those who live Gospel-saturated lives, and their attitude of joy and abundance is evident to all who come in contact with them.  This is the best picture we can show a broken and hurting world of our good, glorious, and gracious God. 

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

Today’s message is about the biblical theme of “Rock & Roll”—not the one popularized by the music industry in the 50’s and the 60’s.  There are many metaphors applied to God in Scripture; one of them is a Rock, which reveals aspects of God’s character. 

By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.

(Genesis 49:24)

The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice.  A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.  (Psalm 71:3)

The Stone which the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone.

(Psalm 118:22)

Rocks and stones are highly valued as building materials because of their strength and stability.  They are incredibly durable, hard, and resistant to erosion and weathering.  To be sure, even the hardest rocks and stones will eventually deteriorate over time, but this change is virtually imperceptible, making them great visual symbols for our eternal God.

The primary aspect of God’s character expressed by this metaphor is His immutability (unchanging nature).  This is beautifully set forth in the book of Malachi and echoed by the author of Hebrews.

I am the Lord, I do not change.  (Malachi 3:6)

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.  (Hebrews 13:8)

When Jesus is the Rock upon which we have built our lives, we stand solidly upon an unchangeable and unmoving structure.  The respected Bible expositor Matthew Henry put it this way: “God is the rock, for he is in himself unchangeable, immovable, and he is to all that seek him and run to him an impenetrable shelter, and to all who trust in him an everlasting foundation.”  The strength and stability of our Rock is able to sustain us and strengthen us, regardless of the storm winds that are blowing. 

Instead of running from the storms of life, when we have built upon the Rock, we are empowered to roll with every difficulty life delivers.  Our Rock empowers us to roll over every obstacle.  Our Rock empowers us to roll through every problem.  Our Rock empowers us to roll around ever stronghold.  Is Jesus your Rock?  Is all of your life built upon Him?  Or are you holding back in some particular area?

The Scriptures present us with only two choices for building; one on sand, the other on Rock.  Sadly, many in the church build their lives on the shifting sand of professional success, personal relationships, the applause of man, or the pursuit of pleasure.   

If you want to live a Rock-solid life and roll with the punches, commit all of your life to building only upon the Rock.  When the storm winds blow, you will no longer have to run for higher ground . . . because there is no better ground upon which to build than the Rock of Ages.

This is the Gospel.  This is grace for your race.  NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!