Godly Sorrow

2 Corinthians 7:8-10 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while.  Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

There are times when we approach the Word of God with prideful hearts, only to find our hearts pricked with conviction as we realize how far short of the mark we still fall, despite all of our best efforts to live righteously.  Instead of feeling condemned, however, we should take heart, for it is a sure sign that we are not calloused to sin, but that we are all the more conscious of our relationship to the Father.

Previously, we viewed sin as a set of laws we must adhere to, or risk the severest of punishments.  It was this fear that kept us striving toward the straight and narrow, but such fear was only concerned with our well-being.  1 John 4, however, tells us a different story.  "God is love" John writes, and "such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.  If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not experienced His perfect love."

Godly sorrow, instead, is the remorse we experience over grieving our Father's heart.  There is no fear in that kind of sorrow, only an acute awareness of the momentary loss of intimate fellowship with God by own own actions.  It is not that He has withdrawn from us; we have withdrawn from Him.

The Good News is that this perfect love "keeps no record of wrongs," and is faithful to forgive us every single time we come to Him.

You know you have experienced the perfect love of God when sin no longer invoked a sense of pending wrath upon you, but a deep sense of sorrow for what you've done.  Such sorrow will steer you much farther away from sin than any fear-based legalism ever will.

Love in Christ,
Pastor Joe

A Quote on the Riches of God’s Grace

"To despise the riches of God's grace is the blackest of all sins. It far outweighs the sins that are a violation of righteousness. Fallen man has a fallen nature. That is why the Lord seemed to overlook the outbreaks of the flesh, knowing man's frame and remembering that he is but dust (Psalm 103:14). You who boast, perhaps, that you are not guilty of the great fleshly sins should realize that the despising of God's goodness is a sin that far transcends an act that might be called a crime under human law.

"Why is God so good toward the lost? He declares that the purpose of the riches of his goodness, forbearance and longsuffering is to lead man to repentance; and he further declares that man does not know the object of God's goodness. Is this not a further picture of the state of man by nature? Can it not be seen that the dark ignorance of unbelief has brought a further fruit of ignorance of the grace of God? You are in good health? Why does God permit it? The answer is that he wants you to turn to him and acknowledge his goodness and accept the riches that he has for you. You have other blessings that come from the common grace of God. The purpose of such riches is to cause you to turn about-face and come to Him for further blessing."

~ Donald Grey Barnhouse

Forgiveness (Matt Chandler sermon jam)

Amen!

“Mary, Did You Know?” – Sung by Pastor Shelly Grabowski

A Quote on Christmas

“There is no connection between the worship of idols and the use of Christmas trees. We should not be anxious about baseless arguments against Christmas decorations. Rather, we should be focused on the Christ of Christmas and giving all diligence to remembering the real reason for the season.” ~ John MacArthur

One Flesh, One Heart, One Calling

I am proud to announce that my wife, Michelle Grabowski, has been ordained by the National Association of Christian Ministers!  Although she is only now receiving the official recognition, the truth is that she's been doing the work of the ministry for a long time now. From day one of Acres of Hope Christian Fellowship (back when it was a home fellowship without a name), she has been my co-laborer in Christ, serving and ministering to the people in our congregation with authentic love and compassion.

Jesus says of married couples, "They are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate (Matthew 19:6)." God Himself looked at me, and determined that "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him (Genesis 2:18)." For almost 17 years, I have had been blessed to share my life with the one who has been made for me, and I for her.

I don't know where I would be today without her not just standing behind me, but beside me. I do know that I could not do what I do today without her. I could not possibly be any prouder of her than I am this very minute.

"The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the LORD (Proverbs 18:22)." 

Any time that I ever doubt that I have God's favor, I need to look no further than Shelly to cease all doubts. She is living proof of God's goodness to me, my family, and our church family.

Love in Christ,
Pastor Joe

Justified! (Matt Chandler sermon jam)

Matt Chandler on our justification -- "You have not earned right standing in front of God by your effort or your cleaning up of your life.  We have been made pure, standing blameless in front of God, not because of any religious or moral pursuit, but because Christ has died, and in His death, He absorbed all of God's wrath for you and I."