Find True Peace & Love with Us (11)

We are blessed by the Lord to be called God’s children, receiving His mercy and protection. This not only brings us peace and joy in this life but also the hope of eternal life.

Apostle Paul urges us to live a life worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1). Since we are God’s children, we should fulfill our duties as such to enjoy the blessings of His grace. A lawyer once asked Jesus, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded by asking, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The lawyer answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” In other words, we are to glorify God and benefit others, meeting the standards God expects of us.

Paul humbly shares his valuable experience in book Philippians 3:12-17. To help us follow, he clearly points out three key elements for obtaining the rewards of the kingdom: 1. Goals, 2. Methods, 3. Execution.

Setting valuable, meaningful growth goals is essential. The success or failure of anything is greatly related to its goals. For instance, few athletes in Taiwan set their sights on Olympic gold, so they can only envy others who achieve this victory. Recently, many people were laid off, and an analysis of several cases showed that these individuals had worked at the same job for five to eight years straight out of college and never changed jobs. When laid off, they blamed bad luck instead of realizing they set their goals too low to exceed their own growth.

Paul said to run straight toward the goal, which is to honor God and love people. He also said we should act according to our understanding to reach higher goals step by step. Paul’s life goal was clear: he considered knowing Christ Jesus as his greatest treasure, regarding everything else as loss, even rubbish, to gain Christ. Thus, he transcended worldly praise and criticism and became our example in behavior, faith, and love.

Since we have entered the door of grace, we should also transcend worldly standards of praise and criticism. People often criticize based on personal motives and preferences, rarely on objective and reasonable standards. The fable of The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey illustrates this: no matter what they did, people criticized them, showing that worldly praise and blame change depending on time, place, and person, and often lack consistency.  Let us embrace and put into practice of finding peace no matter what persecutions, rebukes and insults are thrown our way. It’s about surrendering to God and putting justice in His hands. Thus, we should focus on valuable, eternal goals like Paul, who treasured the blessings of the kingdom and was willing to give up cherished worldly values. While we may not yet understand as Paul did, we can pursue knowledge and set our goals through studying the scriptures and hearing the word. By the Holy Spirit’s power, we are strengthened in our hearts to comprehend the breadth and length and height and depth of God’s love, grounding our love (Ephesians 3:16-18) and fostering a desire to repay the Lord’s grace (John 14:15).

Finding the correct, effective methods is next. The wrong method can also affect success. To achieve ideal goals, choosing the best method is crucial. The story of Jesus at Martha’s house is a good example: Martha was busy with preparations and complained that her sister Mary was not helping but sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to him. Jesus said, “Only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better,” showing that focusing on what’s essential is the best method. Moreover, without practice, any discussion is empty. The Pharisees knew the scriptures well but did not put them into practice, which Jesus condemned as hypocrisy. Therefore, setting goals, emphasizing methods, and practicing not only helps in achieving success but also greatly benefits our faith life.

Jesus likened the wise who hear His words and put them into practice to a wise man who built his house on the rock, which stands firm against all tests, pleasing the Lord. According to Paul’s method, we pursue the foundation of truth to direct our efforts and spiritual life from understanding to practice. Additionally, training ourselves to be humble, gentle, patient, and tolerant, especially controlling our tongues; since people often judge others based on personal preferences, we should be careful in our speech to build others up (James 3:1-12). Toward our brothers and sisters and neighbors, we should devote our hearts and strength to care for, help, intercede for, and proclaim the Lord’s grace to lead many to Him, truly living up to the grace of our calling.

Come join us in experiencing the warmth of worshipping and serving God to achieve peace and love. Once you experienced it, you want to keep on going. Once you experienced it, you want to sing. Pass the peace and love of God on to others. Join us in the upcoming Fall Evangelical Service and Spiritual Convocation in September.

Thursday, September 26,2024 6:50PM to 8:10PM
Friday and Saturday, September 27-28, 2024 9:00AM to 8:10PM
Sunday, September 29, 2024 9:00AM to 1:00PM
Complimentary lunch and dinner will be served. 

Please find our church location below:

4N550 Church Road
Bensenville, IL 60106
 Google Maps

In the meantime, please feel free to join us for our regular Sabbath (Friday evening and Saturday) services online or in-person.

Friday Evening Service:  7:50PM – 9:00PM

Saturday Morning Service:  10:50AM – 12:00Noon

Saturday Afternoon Service:  1:30PM – 2:40PM

Email us at ilovejesus@tjc-chicago.org