29 Dec On Mission Warrior (8 of 12)
THE ON MISSION WARRIOR (8 of 12)
Continuing our year-end series on “The On Mission Warrior”…check our previous posts for the first seven if you missed them! 
EIGHT (8 of 12): I will serve God and others with gratitude because my Master, Jesus Christ, first loved me. I determine to keep my eyes focused on Him.
“…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (Ephesians 5:20, ESV)
To test for their Brown Belt at OMMA, our students are expected to work on memorizing portions of the Second Book of Ephesians. Two of my favorite verses of Scripture, and perhaps one of the best descriptions of the Gospel message are contained in verses 8-9 of that chapter. Paul says, in the passage that many of us are very familiar with, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” We know that we are not saved BY any of our good works, but only through the work of Jesus Christ, who by His death and resurrection, offers reconciliation to God.
However, immediately following the statement that we are in no way saved BY our work, the Holy Spirit speaks through the apostle, telling us in Verse 10, that, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” We are not saved BY our works, but we were created FOR them, God expects His children to serve in His Name!
Since we are saved by grace, our only appropriate response is GRATITUDE! I would say that if we don’t feel an incredible sense of gratitude, we are not fully realizing what a great salvation He has accomplished on our behalf, such a terrible future He saved us from, such a glorious future He secured for us and what an incredible price Jesus paid on our behalf. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jesus! In fact, Pastor Tim Keller says the acid test of a Christian is the “wonder” we have in our salvation – another way to express the fundamental nature of gratitude to our faith in and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
“And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Savior’s blood!
Died he for me? who caused his pain!
For me? who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be
that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”
(https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/h/296 )
I know there are times (too many), that I take my eyes off my Master and lose my grip on gratitude. Thanks be to God; His grace is big enough even for my ingratitude for that very grace. Perhaps you will join me today in re-affirming gratitude for the Greatest Gift and re-purpose to, moment by moment, keeping our eyes fixed on Him (Hebrews 12:2)!
Pastor Tim Keller: https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/acidtest.html
“Saved to Serve”: https://bible.org/serie…/lesson-1-saved-serve-1-timothy-11-2
Gratitude & Humility: https://billygraham.org/…/october-2…/gratitude-and-humility/
Keep Fighting the Good Fight!
Blessings,
Marco
OMMA Founder/Senior Instructor
Yondan – 4th Degree Black Belt
P.S. – As we “press on” toward our goal to fulfill the Mission the Lord has given us, we need your help to get our 3rd OMMA Location in Central Florida open and continue growing the other two locations. Click here (https://onmissionmartialarts.com/gi…/increasing_capacity2017/) to make a Year-End donation to our “Increasing Capacity for 2018” Fundraiser. Thank you!
Attachment: on mission warrior.pdf (116.2kB)