Pastor David Keuss - Hope without Compromise

T here is a conference called Together for the Gospel.  What an apt title though in general for the work of the Spirit of Christ among God's people?  God calls people from every tribe, tongue, and people group.  More than any conference, the gospel crosses barriers beyond backgrounds and countries of birth and denominations.  So when the church assembles anywhere in the world, it is a refreshing thing, because God overcomes barriers that man or woman might set up such as "how they were raised," and instead replaces our petty issues with the greatness of His Son, Jesus and the doctrine of His person. It is a great reminder in Scripture when Paul, a Jewish educated semi-well off man in seasons of life, writes to his friends the Philippians from the city of Philippi who were doing ok, but definitely not Jewish, "therefore my brothers whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved."  He speaks as if they are family, though they...

I n the newly captured territory of ISIS, Christian residents are being called and told they only get protection if they pay a special Islamic tax that Muslims do not have to pay.  This tax is part of the teaching of Islam, and it is against non-Muslims of the Christian faith.  This is unjust, immoral and a witness against following all of Islam's teachings (obviously in the West, as a minority group of the population, such a tax is never brought up nor can it be forced).  In places throughout the centuries taken over by Islam, this same tax has been forced upon Christians in many places and times. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/06/25/a-troubling-new-report-regarding-christians-in-an-iraqi-city/

T oday I attended the funeral of my last grandparent who was alive, my Grandma Alice.  What do you do with a funeral?  As Christ followers we believe in the resurrection of our bodies from the dead when Jesus returns, so that we may reign and rule with Him.  But we talk at funerals much too about how a person lived, as a witness this side of heaven.  My grandma, born in the early 1930's had a perspective many had of that generation.  It is one that is just hard to find today.  She was for instance very optimistic, which showed as she exuded a welcoming and outgoing personality that was uplifting whenever you would visit her.  She believed the best about a lot of people, and would really have her heart go out to them.  Alice would reach out to anybody and make them feel at home with hospitality.  There are so few people like that in our hurried society.  Perhaps there are lessons in this about hospitality and kindness and patience (1st Co...