You’ve Got Good News
Devotional from Sunday, February 19, 2017 Sermon: Good News by Pastor Robert Pineiro (1 Cor. 15:1-4) and Testimonies from Teen Challenge
In 1 Corinthians 1:26 we are told to “consider our calling.” That alone might not make much sense if we don’t believe we’ve been called. But the truth is we have been. The verse that follows greatly encompasses the heart of God. “He chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” We may not understand how or why he would choose us, but that’s part of the Good News. You and I are given another chance, our sins forgiven, through the blood of Jesus Christ.
Every testimony is insight into the glory of God. Some we hear touch us in such ways that we know God had to be a part of it. They break us, reaching deep within the core of our heart; others simply make us proud; some empower and encourage us to do more. This is the truth of the Gospel. Those who hear it have a choice to accept it or not. The men of Teen Challenge who battled years of addiction accepted what God offered and it changed their lives forever. Not because they said “Yes” one day and never made that same choice again. But because daily they choose Christ first, they choose Christ above all, and they choose Christ more than whatever they battled before every day of their lives. This is the journey of the believer. With each morning God’s mercy is renewed (for a reason) so that every day we have the opportunity for salvation. But it is a daily decision to choose Christ as your Savior.
Every day we must make an active choice to feed our spirit with the word of God, the voice of God, and the love of God. Pastor Robert said “We must render our heart (daily) to receive God’s glory.” Our faith will wade through the waters if we surrender wholly to him. Paul’s urging to the Corinthian church was a testimony itself. He knew what it took to stay grounded in the truth – an active pursuit of choosing what was supposed to be done (knowing there is a right way and that there is only one way to get there). It’s an echoed sentiment for the men of Teen Challenge as well – “whatever the issue is you must replace it with God and never cease from doing so.”
The Gospel is simple, yet revealing and life-changing. Pastor Robert concluded “we must put our faith in Christ and we must put our hope in Christ.” In that hope and faith God will reveal so many things to us, but it is not ours to own. He shared it with us to share with others and he gets all of the glory. It’s why we testify, as the men of Teen Challenge did. God revealed to them they are a part of the Good News. We have been called. We can live with the conviction of being loved and humbled by that same love from a mighty God.
Recent Sermons
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
March 02, 2017
You are Welcome Here
February 02, 2017
God’s Mercy
January 28, 2017