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We are currently in Moffett, OK where a historic flood damaged every home and building from major rains that happened upriver this summer. We're rebuilding 3 homes and also helping others as we can, trusting The LORD to help us keep our commitments. Unfortunately we've struggled to get volunteers, even locals to help us, which is truly sad. We're set up to handle volunteers so if you're interested in learning more about joining us, click here. There is also a volunteer availability calendar on that page. If you're interested in financially supporting Calvary Relief, click here.

To read our 2019 Review, please click here. To stay up to date with what we're doing, please see our Facebook account and/or our newsletters, links are above. Please pray that wherever we are and whatever we do, we'd be diligent as we share the love of Jesus with those around us in a tangible way. Please remember to keep us in your prayers and especially that we'd grow in our relationship with The LORD and draw others to Him in all we say and do! Curt & Mary Jo

Disaster Pastor

Curt Hencye

Is God's Grace Enough To Live Our LIves On Earth?

28 March 2022 Bible Studies Leave a comment 714 Views

For the [remarkable, undeserved] grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly (immoral) desires, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives [lives with a purpose that reflect spiritual maturity] in this present age, awaiting and confidently expecting the [fulfillment of our] blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who [willingly] gave Himself [to be crucified] on our behalf to redeem us and purchase our freedom from all wickedness, and to purify for Himself a chosen and very special people to be His own possession, who are enthusiastic for doing what is good.—Titus 2:11-14 AMP

In this passage Paul has given us some Biblical Principles for how to live our lives while here on earth. Though he writes these things down for us so we can know what we need to be doing or not to be doing, it seems as if he's saying that God's Grace itself should be enough to instruct us in how to live our lives.

If you're like me, you need to be told over and over again with how to live your life, I can be a little stubborn sometimes! Just ask Mary Jo!!

First Paul reminds us that we are to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, so anything that is NOT Godly! If it doesn't make us Godly, then what is it making us? If it is what the world desires and/or if we desire things in this world over things in heaven, then we're to stay away from them. Spend some time today going over what you spend your time, money, efforts, etc. on and ask yourself if any of it is ungodly and/or something from the world? Does any of it keep you from doing what God’s Word says we should be doing but say we just don’t have the time? (Matthew 10:34-39, Matthew 16:24-27, 1 Corinthians 3:1-17)

If there's anything in our lives that isn't what we're supposed to be chasing after, and ALL of us have something in our lives that would fall into this category, then we need to begin to replace those things with things that glorify God. Pray! (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:17-32)

Next Paul tells us what we should be doing instead, to live sensibly, righteously and Godly while we’re on this earth.

Sensibly-does it make sense to spend all that time doing that thing, all that money buying that thing, all that debt to get what we don't have and desire, etc.? From a heavenly perspective? Is it just temporal? (Hebrews 13:14, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Matthew 24:35)

Righteously and Godly-we know that none of us are righteous and that it is only Christ's righteousness that lives in us. (Romans 3:10, Philippians 3:9) Paul is not giving us religion. When we make decisions about what we do on this earth, are we filtering it through the lens of Christ's righteousness and Godliness, or is it all about what we want, what we think we deserve, the temporal?

If we really think about what motivates us to make the decisions we make and do the things we do, is it all about us or is it about Jesus and our lives reflecting Him so that all we do shows that we are REALLY looking forward to the blessed hope of Christ's return, as we're directed in our passage? Paul said that it would be better for him to be in heaven, but for our sake it was better that he remained on earth longer. (Philippians 1:21-25)

Personally, I can't wait to get to heaven! There is absolutely NOTHING on this earth that I want, want to do, etc., more than what I know waits for me in heaven, Jesus Christ! But I know that God still wants to use me on this earth. Notice I said He wants to use me, not I want to use Him or what He's given me. ALL we’ve been given from The LORD is not meant for our selfish desires! Remember it is Christ who gave Himself for us and everything else we have, not us who have given or can give anything to Him. (Ephesians 5:2) All we can do is to die to our selfish/fleshly desires and turn ALL of our lives over to Him to be used as He sees fit! (Matthew 16:24-27) After all, He is supposed to be our Master, we're supposed to be clay in His hands! (Isaiah 64:8)

Everything that The LORD has done for us, given us, and promised us is meant to spur us on to good deeds, to follow Him, to die to our selfish/fleshly desires. That’s dying to ALL our desires that are ungodly and worldly, that don’t promote Jesus in and through our lives!

When we know The Word of God and have The Holy Spirit living inside of us to guide us, knowing what to do is easy. We must decide for ourselves if what we’re doing is for the temporal or the eternal, as defined in God’s Word, not the world, and then we need to do something about what The LORD shows us! Thinking about and knowing it, is NOT enough! As James said in James 1:22, we need to do the what The Word says instead of just listening to It and quit deceiving ourselves that we are following Christ if we're not doing what God tells us to do. We cannot serve ourselves and God at the same time! Either God's our master or we are. (Matthew 12:30) Choose today who you will serve! (Joshua 24:15)

A Godly man that I had the pleasure of knowing went home to be with The LORD a couple of years ago with his loving wife by his side. This is what she said were some of his last words were, " I am so hopeful" and "Jesus loves me."

I know he’s missed here on this earth and we know we will see him in heaven if we KNOW Jesus like he knows Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14) The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21 and I doubt any of us will suffer what Job suffered on this earth).

I want to go to heaven, soon, and I am so hopeful and know that Jesus loves me! Do you know that He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you? If not, then please don't waste another moment without knowing The LORD!

Please don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions, prayer requests, etc. We'd love to pray with and for you and to the best of our ability answer any questions you may have soley using God's Word!

Love y’all and LORD Bless,

Curt & Mary Jo

Note-all Scripture references in parenthesis are direct links God's Word so that you can easily click and read what The LORD has to say about the section before the reference. I encourage you to click, read, study and even memorize these passages for yourself and NOT to just not just take my word for it. (Psalm 119)