Page 4
The bad news and the good news
BY “SHIRLEY I IIFEPOINT CHURCH
My fn'end received a speeding ticket and
went to court in hopes to have the fine re-
duced. She Was seated inthe waiting room,
scoping out the others waiting with her. She
immediately categorized most of them as
shady characters due to their somewhat
scrappy, unkempt outward appearances.
However, once inside the courtroom she
listened to their stories as they appeared
before the presiding judge and realized
they were all there for similar offenses to
her own. She felt embarrassed to have
misjudged them when in fact they were
guilty of the same crime. Shewas reminded
of Christ’s instructions in Matthew 7:1 "Do
not judge, or you will be judged.”
I’ve met individuals who believe they
are part of God's jury—when actually he
doesn’t have or need one. They unfortu-
nately tend to categorize and labelquite
quickly. The book of James describes God
as the only one Lawgiver and Judge. He
alone has jurisdiction over our universe to
administer justice. His divine laws do have
consequences, but so does His love; that is
the bad news and the good news.
Three traits converged to cause our re-
demption, saving us from a guilty verdict.
Three traits found in fullness in God: His
great wisdom found a way to meet the
requirement of His great holiness through
His great love. His love for us had the con-
sequence of His decision to send His Son
to pay the penalty for our sins as Christ
became our Advocate. Of all the people
in the history of earth there was only one
perfect to represent us: the imperfect. It
‘ was Christ. Yet as He came to earth know—
ing he would take our place on the cross as
a perfect sacnfice He declared, "For did
f Lake Stevens Granite Falls
not come to judge the world, but to save it."
John 12:4 7b.
IfJesus chose not to judge, so much more
should we as Christians. My parents were
a living example of a Christian balance of
holiness and humbleness.
Even though they have both led lives
consistently making righteous decisions,
their actions and decisions have not caused
them to feel or act superior.
For instance, I remember a family meal
with an individual who expressed at length
his great accomplishments and moral
superiority. After dessert we waved as he
finally drove away. My dad turned to 'us and
simply said, “People shouldn’t toot their
own horns.” It was his own short definition
of humility summed up well.
There are two wrong ways of viewing
God’s holiness. One is to take it too lightly
and not realize its importance and spiritual
impact.
We are not to ignore God's laws and take
liberty doing whatever we please. The
closer our relationship with God grows the
more we desire to please him and live as
holy as humanly possible.
The other equally incorrect perception is
to believe we are so sinful that God could
never redeem us. One need only to take
into account the life of Paul to realize the
error of this way of thinking. Although
he persecuted and killed Christians Paul
became one of the greatest followers of
Jesus, writing much of the NewTestament.
Perhaps he had a great grasp of the truth
found in Romans 3:22-23: The bad news
“ForALL havesinned and come shortofthe
glory of God" prefaced by the good news,
‘Righteousness for God comes through faith
in Jesus Christ to allwho believe. There is no
difference.”
Meeting at the‘Lake Stevens Boys Girls Club
1609 E. Lakeshore Drive WA 98258
FConI' .Hinf
Religion 59» Spiritual Thoughts
' 4.2
Keep on Going
BY PASTOR COLTIIJITT NASH I CONTRIBUTING WRITER
One day a painter sold a Picasso paint-
ing to a friend. The friend, who knew
Picasso, took it to him to verify it. Picasso
took one look and said, “It's a fake.”
The next day the seller was accused of
V fraud but he protested to his friend that
it was genuine. The friend believed him
but wanted to be sure.
Since he already owned a genuine Pi-
casso, the man teck that painting to the
artist. Picasso looked at it quickly and
said, “That is also a fake.” “But I saw you
paint this canvas,” the man said. Pica-
Lake Stevens Journal August 24, 2011
sso shrugged, “I sometimes fake Picasso
myself."
It appears that the great painter was
embarrassed that some of his work was
not up to his standards and so did not
want to claim it. Who hasn’t felt like that?
It is not easy to always be at our best, in
fact, some days the spark is just not there,
even in living the Christian life.
Paul encourages us not to lose our-
selves in regret, but to forget 'what lies
behind and reach forward to what lies
ahead and "press on toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call of God in
Christ.” (Philippians 3:13, 14)
We all fall short, but motion and direc-
. tion are the keys to success. Keep moving
toward Him who is teaching us the les- '
sons of His life.
On joining the Over-the—Hill gang
BY REY. JAMES L SNYDER I CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A friend of mine said to me recently,
“Old boy, how’s it feel to be a member
of the Over-the-Hill gang?" 1 mumbled
something as politely as I could, but on the
inside, Iwas a little furious. I may be getting.
older, but I definitely am not old! In fact, I
plan to get older every day.
Once I got myblood pressure under con-
trol, I looked into this a little more closely.
I, am not quite sure I want a membership
in such an organization. I checked out
the dues and I am not quite sure I am up
for it.
In order to be a part of this elite group,
if elite is the word I want, there are certain
dues required of each member. I under.-
gstand that every organization has its dues,
Sunday Services
Summer in
Schedule E
10:00 a.m. only
Programs for all ages
SUNDAY MORNING AT 10:15 AM
Bible Classes, All ages at 9:00 am
Meeting at:
Zion Lutheran School (425) 377-2173
3923 103rd Ave. SE Lake Stevens, WA 98258
www.lambofgod-lakestevens.org
Rick Johnson
WorshipIYouth Leader, JanyNovak
‘enezerLutfiern ch
V ' 425-334—0421
», The following masses are now at our new site at
Lochsloy on SR 92 (1/3 mile E of Soccer fields) 353g
5pm Saturday’s
Sunday’s at 7:30am, 9:00am, 10:30am,
' 12:00pm (Spanish), 5:00pm Mass
Rel. Ed & 'Youth Programs also on Sundays
360-691-ANIEN (2636)
www.holy-cross-parish.com
ASSEMBLY
'r .
‘ nus!”
Advertise your church or place of worship. in
V Home of Ebenezer Lutheran ,
Preschool- 425-397-6374
www.gbgnegerlgkestevgnsorg
real help ' real friends
one
COMMUNIW CH
but some dues may not be worth the
membership.
Here are some clues associated with the
Over-the-Hill gang.
First, I must complain about something
every day. I know there are most days where
it is easy to find a half a dozen things to
complain about. But what about those days
when everything seems to be going right?
What about those days, rare though they
may be, when there is nothing to complain
about? ‘ '
According to the rules manual, I must
find something to complain about every
day I get out of bed and the more vehe-
mentlyI complain the better. This may ex-
plain why many members of this infamous
SEE HILL 0N PAGES
Sunday School: During service
Newborn Grade
Youth Group: Wed: 7:00 pm. .
9015 Vemon Rd.
Sundays 10:00 am
Pastors Paul and Barbara Mazzio
(425) 397-0515 www.TheLakeChurch.org
9015 Vernon Rd. ( 1 Mile North of'Haggen)
real faith real adventure
JOIN us on SUNDAYS
SERVICE TIMES:
9:00am and 10:45um
. 4
T3622 Dubuque Road
'Snohomish WA 98290
425-334-9] Bl
www.5nocommthurth.org
Sewing lake Stevens, Snohomish, und'beyond "
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Contact the Journal at 425-334-9252 or classifieds@lakestevensioumalcom
Sunday 10:00 a.m. Morning Worship with Russ Larson
6:00 pm. Evening Worship . Wednesday Groups 7200 pm.
9 am; Sundays (& various in week): Bible clas’ses/sm. grps
9805 31st PI N.E. « 425-334-3700
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