Music Announcement

I just wanted to take a quick second and let everybody know that my music is now available on iTunes, Spotify, and other music websites! Go have a listen and I hope your holiday season is wonderful! Blessings in the name of Jesus

-Grady Milligan

Millennials & Jesus

Below is the first article I wrote for the Jairus Collective! Check those guys out at www.jairuscollective.com

Here's our question:  WHAT MIGHT KEEP MILLENNIALS FROM FOLLOWING JESUS?

Before anything else I want to make some things about this post clear.  To even attempt an answer to this question is going to result in generalizations of a people group.  That being said, any and every hypothetical theory asserted in this observation is just that: hypothesis.    

With this in mind, I asked friends of mine of various faiths and belief systems to think about the aforementioned question and testify about their own experiences with Jesus.  And, as you may correctly assume, many of the stories go straight to the Church.  Now, there are obviously tons of other reasons a young adult may not believe in Jesus, but I'm going to spend my discussion time dealing with the millennial and the Church.  I encourage readers to check out all the other Jairus Collective posts to see what other writers focus on and discuss (shameless plugs, right?)

For me, the Church, using the "big C", cannot be removed from the conversation of man-to-Jesus relationships because it is the continuation of the faith and teachings of Jesus descended straight from the first disciples.  On its best day, I really do believe the Church exists to spread the teachings, love, and name of Jesus to a world that's racked by suffering and darkness. But more often than I like to be reminded of, the Church is also the root of some of the most personal and real problems that millennials (and all people) have with Jesus Christ.  

On a large historical scale, a person that cares for human rights does not have to dig very hard to find portions of man's story where corrupt individuals persecuted innocents under the flag of "Christianity".  There are far too many true tales of deranged men, parading as God's messengers, destroying entire families, villages, and (in the case of colonization) entire people groups.  I think most of us, Christians or otherwise, are unanimously repulsed when studying the numerous occasions where disease and genocide fly the banner of the Cross.  

In a more contemporary setting, their are many pastors that teach doctrines of prejudice and condemnation that are far, far away from sounding anything like the love, mercy, and forgiveness of Jesus's teachings.  For example, one friend I spoke to told me that she had experiences, growing up in her home-church, of being told that she was mentally unstable and, even more appalling, that her disabled brother was incapable of being saved.  COME ON!  Other testimonies included stories of money-laundering pastors, manipulative Sunday School teachers, and a general incapability to listen and respect the doubts or beliefs of anybody that doesn't subscribe to a certain brand of Christianity.  It KILLS ME to think how frequently young adults (and any demographic) experience these atrocities.  And the thing is, can you blame someone for rejecting an organization or deity that, as far as they may have experienced, might be responsible for any all hardships listed above?  Would I have found the peace and love I know in Christ and my church families if I had grown up in an environment of self-serving, manipulative, or even violent persecution tied to the name of Jesus?  Who can say?

And on a less malicious, but perhaps just as inexcusable note, the Church is often found seriously wanting in the areas of intentional thought, study, and reason.  Don't hear me saying that the Church and all those that comprise it are foolish, that's not even close to being true.  Some of the most prominent philosophers, scientists, writers, and activists in man's history were devout believers in Christ.  But, that being said, I do think people often wonder, "Where did those Christians go?"  Far too many thoughtful, wise, and socially conscious young adults are surrounded by Christians that seem almost afraid to ask important questions.  I know many friends that, when trying to discuss scientific discovery or difficult passages of scripture, face regular evasion or even scolding from close-minded believers, almost as if fear prevented the Christians from uttering taboos they made for themselves.  I know very well, from pretty fantastic experiences I've had, that there are still MANY Christians of varying doctrines that hold vast wealths of intelligence.  But in places like my backyard bible-belt, there is a disappointing percentage of Jesus followers that are almost illiterate when in comes to modern philosophy or EVEN THE BIBLE THEY CLAIM TO PROTECT!  It does make one yearn for more C.S. Lewis's writing ridiculously dense examinations of man and faith while still believing in mysterious things like God, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  I can find no way to fault anyone for being doubtful of the legitimacy of the Gospel when it's proponents sound like ignorant fools in a world of enlightenment, in fact I feel the need to apologize pretty frequently.

Lastly, and even when the Church around a person is intelligent AND compassionate, there is often a massive hole in the showing-people-Jesus-is-real-and-tangible-by-actually-doing-any-of-the-things-He-said-believers-can-do department.  It's important to me that you know I'm not talking about famous televangelists knocking hundreds of people over for profit here, the Spirit isn't a tool to use in a con and I believe it's unwise to be such a manipulator.  BUT, I do think that Jesus told the believers to be bold and seek opportunities to help a hurting world and that sometimes, and more often than many agree with, the miraculous is what is needed most.  This may be the part where I lose readers, but I personally testify to the reality I've seen of prayer healings, messages someone needed to hear coming straight from prayer, and Jesus speaking to people in pretty crazy ways.  And yes, I've also seen my fair share of people doing their own thing while claiming to be following God's will.  The point is, if the more spiritual, mysterious, and unexplainable aspects of Jesus (which are not more important than good teaching and social action) were properly and more frequently talked about or acted upon, there could be (at the very least) more for the jaded, bored, and simply skeptical to at least talk about.  More simply, it's harder to ignore a prophetic word or cured deadly disease than it is to ignore empty words and hearsay. 

Perhaps, because most churches and pastors I know are wonderful and compassionate and I don't want this to be a church-bashing post, it would be best to just lump all of these types of negative interactions and call them"FAILURES OF THE CHURCH".   I am painfully far from perfect and there may be people farther from Jesus than when I met them, and that is, maybe, more convicting than anything. It is an unfortunate reality that, even though most of us Christians believe Jesus to have been perfect, the humans that make up the Church are flawed and often fall short in the radical love and relationship department.

There are TONS of other things that could and should be written about within this discussion.  It's outside of the time I have and, honestly, the number of perspectives and people I've talked to and lived with thus far.  Millennials are a strange, entrepreneurial, and active demographic.  We are very convicted about what we believe and feel a need to better ourselves and our community.  Faith, no matter what culture or age-group it's affecting, is incredibly difficult to unravel mathematically or empirically and I'm probably not the guy to attempt it anyways.

I do want to issue a challenge to any believers reading.  Many of the variables I mentioned above are beyond your control and people will believe what they believe.  But I DO BELIEVE, with intense conviction, that Christians are charged with living and loving in such a way that anyone that comes in contact with them will see a genuine, radical something within the believer that brings healing, understanding, and hope in a very dark world.  I believe, with all my millennial heart, that that something is Jesus Christ.  

Thanks for reading and please talk, pray, or yell at me at grady.milligan@gmail.com, my blog gradymilligan.blogspot.com, or just on good ole' Facebook at facebook.com/gradymilligantunes 

Blessings and Peace,

Grady Milligan

Loving The Other Side (part 2)

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:19-20, 26-27 ESV)

If you read the last blog-post from Nick Hillard, you'll know we're talking about how we live, love, and minister in relationship with the people around us, particularly those that think or believe differently than we do. Nick did a great job so check out the last post and look for more guests soon.

As for me, I just wanted to meditate on one specific part of this broad and important topic, that part being LISTENING.

If you know me at all, you know that I struggle with using my mouth and ears in proportion.  And though I've got miles to go, I've been learning a great deal these last few years about how to TRULY LISTEN to those around me.  And I will say, firstly, that real and compassionate listening is more than just not talking.  Many of us are far too good at politely refraining in conversation, but in truth we are usually just waiting our turn to say the next thing we have on our mind instead of hearing, evaluating, and even praying about what to respond with in our conversations.

I don't want this post to sound, simply, like an old mother teaching manners to unruly children.  I believe listening with the ears of Christ is HUGELY IMPORTANT for any effective friendships and ministry. If REAL, LIFE-CHANGING, DISCIPLE-MAKING, FRIENDSHIP-BUILDING ministry comes from a place of true, genuine care for the other person(s), then hearing the person's heart is CRITICAL.

Don't pretend to know their pain, LEARN their pain by listening to their troubled stories.  NEVER put a person or the situation of that person into a general category or template if you hope to see real fruit or change. The people in my life that inspire me, with their outrageously successful love, are the people that let the hurting soul cry on their shoulder and weep with them, NOT the person that sifts through his stock answers and callously whips out the first answer he can find.

And this is super important, WE CAN NOT BE AFRAID OF LISTENING, ESPECIALLY FOR FEAR OF LOSING FAITH.  What I mean by that is this: if your faith is real and deeply rooted, you should never fear the differing opinions of other people groups and belief systems.  It is not Christ-like to, when a friend of another faith begins testifying about their religious journey, get up and leave a conversation with someone you supposedly love because you fear they'll destroy your personal faith.  How strong is a faith if it can be completely deconstructed in the face of one different opinion.  Jesus and the gospel seek out people of uncountable numbers of understandings. Believe in Jesus and ignore fear. Fear keeps us from love and the ones that need love. And DO NOT be impatient or have agendas in your listening and relationships. You may spend YEARS walking in life with a person before (or if) he or she ever gives a serious consideration to YOUR faith or belief. The goal is to show real love, not to mark salvations on your sanctification scoreboard. If you really love someone (and you're a Christian) you'll want them to know Jesus, but that's REALLY UNLIKELY if you're just a fake with an agenda and no interest in that person's heart.

We must go to the broken, the widowed, the lost, and the wicked for the purpose of loving them with Christ's love that He has freely given us. BUT WE MUST GO WITH TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH, using them in the proverbial proportions. Don't guess at their pain, LEARN IT. Love by listening so that you might see where their joy and pain comes from. Who knows, maybe the Lord will speak to them in the silence you're afraid of. That awkward pause in conversation might be the moment where Jesus speaks to an intimate wound that neither you nor that person were aware of... BECAUSE YOU WERE LISTENING!

Listen to the Word, Listen to the beliefs and stories around you, and THEN speak as the Truth gives you instruction. The religion God desires is effective and genuine love to the lost and hurting, not our practiced speeches, foolish fury, or careless words.

Blessings to any that read this

---Grady Milligan 

Loving The Other Side (part 1)

WHAT'S UP FRIENDS! As I've announced recently, I will be sharing the load of this blog with several friends and believers to provide added perspective on topics and allow more frequent posting. Below is the first of those posts! We hope you're blessed and enjoy this meditation from Nick Hillard. Nick is great friend of mine who has recently moved away from our hometown of Knoxville, TN. He's a huge dork, a killer skateboarder (and my coach in that sport), and a drummer of legendary skill. Sorry for rambling, here's Nick's post and as always feel free to chat with Nick, myself, or anyone that posts on social media if you need conversation or prayer.

---Grady Milligan

One of the most relevant topics among christian conversation is, how do we share the gospel and interact with nonbelievers? 

The first thing I would delve into is how weird what we believe really is. The next time you talk about drinking the blood of your savior or the afterlife called heaven, take a step back. That's some creepy stuff. Moreover, how weird does this sound to someone who doesn't have a Christian faith or background? I guess the transition here is, don't go straight for the 'eating the flesh of our savior' part of discipleship quite yet. Bad foot to start on.

When I first moved to Louisville Kentucky I worked at a pizza place called Spinelli's for some extra money to get situated. There are 5 locations in Louisville and not one of those pizzerias had a Christian employee, which isn't that out of the ordinary. Spinelli's had its own culture of not only being non-Christian, but they also hated the ficticious Jesus. Misfit, Punk rock, Jesus haters. The jokes rolled in everyday when they knew I was an actual Jesus freak. The main thing I heard from them was simple misunderstanding of what we (Christians) actually live by. These people called me crazy and insane to believe those things. It was a true mission field. I made friends with these guys really quickly considering our music and craft beer tastes. Not because of our faith. So I was able to reflect Jesus, eat pizza, and drink beer with my non-believer bros. But as a christian that's not quite enough. if you care for your brothers you will yearn for a transformation.

So, to simply put it. Sometimes the only way to witness is being a light and reflecting Jesus as best we can. The root of being a christian is simply loving God and loving people. Non-believers don't want to sit down and be told they're wrong. Don't be thick. It will push them so far away in most cases. Instead, Pray that God would soften their hearts because you can't. You can't give them that grace and understanding. Just love 'em, be a bro, and pray for them.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9

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.

 

John 13:34-35

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

 

Stay posi, guys

-Nick Hillard

The Light of the Gospel

I hope this pre-Thanksgiving week finds you blessed and safe in Jesus Christ.  Remember that I'm always interested in any reader's life and if you need prayer don't hesitate to message me (Grady Milligan) on facebook or at grady.milligan@gmail.com.  Without further ado, let's jump into what the Word has to say.

"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."       2 Corinthians 4:1-6

As cliche as it may seem to the jaded reader, the reoccurring theme of dark vs. light is so evident in the scriptures.  I suppose you could say the Bible is the realest version of that theme, if you believe it to be the true account of God's story with man.  The passage from 2 Corinthians 4 is such an example of those two forces in opposition.  

First I want to remind myself and anyone reading that we are far from hopeless.  In the Light of Jesus, and the turning away from our old ways, we are given strength to take the Gospel to the world.  I'll say it enough times in this post to sicken you probably, but we must believe that we're in a winning battle.  More accurately, WE ARE IN A BATTLE ALREADY ONE!  Jesus has defeated darkness in the past, present, and future and (being the Eternal God, not even bound by time) He has given us victory over sin and death.  But, as we experience daily, this knowledge does not whisk us away from all troubles in the day-to-day walk of Christian life.

Each new morning, we are presented with the opportunity to live, as Paul hopes in his letter, in such a way that the open-handed nature of our honest and sincere love for others would show them the sincerity of the Gospel.  Not only that, but by relying on Christ as the source of life and wisdom, we have the power to be in relationship with the saved and lost alike and do so in such a way that we are above reproach and even our enemies struggle to bring negative accounts of us to mind.  However, it is never so simple a thing to see quick or immediate freedom blooming in those we encounter and minister to, and that is largely due to hold that sin and the enemy have on an individual's life. I don't mean to sound overly dramatic or cliche, but it is critical to understand that we are LITERALLY in a battle with powerful forces when we do ministry.

The enemy, as Paul observes, actively blinds the eyes and minds of those that have not been reborn through Jesus Christ.  It's critically important to remember that the struggle for our souls is not passive and not just due to our sin (though that is ultimately the biggest part in my opinion), but the spiritual death we live in prior to Christ is encouraged by the plots and temptations of the enemy.  And maybe the most important thing of all to remember is this:  the darkness has absolutely no chance in the face of the Light.  Though we exist in a broken world of our making, and our old lives fight to make us disobey, the Lord is not threatened by the power of the evil one in the slightest.  As we can easily observe, humans are not proficient in the art of living in righteous obedience and are quickly blinded by darkness.  But with Christ, the sight and life we receive is eternal, complete, and saving.  Though we must grow into that identity each day and repent (turn away) of the old life, it has no eternal or lasting power of the Lord in us.  And we MUST believe that that is God's hope for the other lost ones around us.  We must live and love with the purpose of seeing the trapped enemies of God become God's friends through the blood and resurrection of Jesus!  I DON'T CARE IF IT'S CLICHE, it is, as I understand it, the very point of my continued life.

And just like in the creation of the world (whether you subscribe to the 6 day understanding or slow and evolutionary understanding of God's meticulous and beautiful creation), the Lord has all the power required to bring Light our of the darkest souls. We have a responsibility, not for our own name's sake and whether we believe in a select number of invitations or an open-ended one (in regards to who can be saved) to speak and act out the Gospel for the glory of God and the resurrection of the dead that He calls to Himself.

Exciting Changes

Just wanted to post to anyone that reads DTD real quick.

Starting very soon, I (Grady) will be bringing in some friends to write content for the blog.  My hope with this idea is that, by using the brains and ministry of others, I can make sure that this blog gets much more frequent postings and that more perspectives are shared for the purpose of a more complete look at scriptures.

Can't wait to explore God's word further with any of you wonderful readers and with a team of Jesus peeps as well.

Transformed With Unveiled Faces

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:12-18 ESV)

First off, I'm gonna start with huge celebration at the last two lines of the passage. I don't see the "glory to glory" transformation reflected in my actions most days, BUT MAN DO I WANT TO! 

And don't get me started thinking about the unveiled faces bit, I #canteven (I went there) begin to comprehend the joy of seeing our Lord face to face. What really gets me about that particular part of this passage is the marriage symbolism, which is where my romantic brain goes first at any given chance. We, as the beloved bride of Christ, are welcome to grow in closeness and righteousness daily with the Savior..........BOOYAH!

But I need to calm down and meditate on the harder part of the scripture as well. 

Paul's letter encourages the believers that the veil over our spiritual understanding will be lifted when we turn to Christ, amen, but it's heartbreaking to read his report that "to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts."

As is the unfortunate tendency of man, many of the Israelites did not understand the gravity and truth of Jesus as the Way and their Hope.  Paul's letter tells us that, even as the church grew and people were seeing Christ for what He was, there were still many people reading the Old Covenant without the understanding that Jesus was the fulfillment of God's promises and the sacrifice that sealed God's new covenant with all that would believe in His Son.

I want to note that I am not in any way saying that the teachings and stories of the Old Testament are less relevant or less a part of holy scripture (they are still God's word), I'm just examining that, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians, we are made free and unveiled through faith in Jesus and that His Holy Spirit gives us the ability to understand God's will and Truth for the purpose of ministry and transformation. 

So I pray that our minds would not be hardened like those before us, but that we would seek the glory of the Lord in ludicrous amounts and desire to be made more and more like our Maker. Walk with joy as the unveiled bride of Christ and look to the lost around you that they might know God's love and power through the light of the Holy Spirit transforming you!

Gospel Until Death

I was flipping through my bible app and my old bookmarked passages this afternoon and stumbled upon a statement from the apostle Peter that just rocked me. So, in my recent fashion, I decided to post a little something and pray that someone gets stoked on this stuff with me.

LET'S DO THIS

Read 2 Peter 1:5-15 paying special attention to the passage copied below.

"I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. (2 Peter 1:13-14 ESV)"

This is so impressive to me! I don't know about you, but I don't know how I would react if I was informed that my hour of death was approaching. The boldness of Peter to encourage and keep focused on teaching and instructing his disciples is inspiring.  It's just like a good father or pastor to think of his flock before his own limited time. Matthew Henry, in his popular bible commentary, observes a truth about any concerned pastor (including Peter) in the quote below: 

"If ministers be negligent in their work, it can hardly be expected that the people will be diligent in theirs; therefore Peter will not be negligent" 

If the followers are expected to stand through adversity, the teacher must be a diligent example.

Jesus Christ did such a work in Peter (remember that this is the guy that denied Him three times) that Peter has a powerful desire to see the Church stand firm in Christ's teachings.

My prayer today for myself and all of you is that we, even in the face of trial or death, would stand firm in the ministry of the Gospel. That, like Peter, our present circumstance of stage of life would always be second to the need of the lost and broken around us so that the love of God pours incessant from us.

"The nearness of death makes the apostle diligent in the business of life."  -Matthew Henry 

Greater Glory in The Spirit

"Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory."(2 Corinthians 3:7-11 ESV)

 WE SHOULD BE SO STOKED ABOUT THIS PASSAGE!  It's probably unprofessional to use the word "stoked" in generally serious blog about scripture, BUT SO WHAT?!
(all caps is a problem too...)

If the glory that made Moses' face so overflowing with God's presence that the Israelites couldn't look at him was incredible (and of course it was), then what kind of awesome holiness are we dealing with here?  What do we do with the knowledge that Jesus, in His resurrection and new covenant, is doing a work of even greater glory than the giving of the Commandments or splitting the Red Sea?????

WE CELEBRATE WITH CHRIST!  Jesus Christ poured out His Holy Spirit and the magnitude of that ministry is too big for man to comprehend, and it's too big for the darkness to overcome!

The one comparison that REALLY BLOWS MY MIND is when Paul says that the glory of righteousness and the Spirit is so overwhelming that it not only SURPASSES the ministry of death and condemnation but it makes the former glory look like NOTHING!

A believer's heart should fill with joy, knowing that God has invited us (and even used us) to show the universe how great and glorious He is.  He never weakens or shrinks in magnitude. You could say that God only ever seems BIGGER AND BETTER as He continually reveals His plan and love for His children.   AWESOME!

One last thing that I think is worth mentioning:  this passage reminds that there WAS in fact glory in the older ministries of the Law.  The wording of "ministry of death" can be a bit off-putting, but we need to remember that the Law did reveal how bad we are at following God's commands (and that essentially equals a death sentence, and rightly so).  Humanity had no right to forgiveness and death and condemnation were wholly within God's righteous judgment of a wicked people.

BUT EVEN IN THE OLD TESTAMENT God showed His unparalleled Grace and constantly forgave the Israelites.

So if God was doing a mighty and wondrous thing then, how much more so must the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus rock the very core of reality?

GOD IS MIGHTY, GOD IS JUST, GOD IS LOVING, AND HE IS THE MOST GLORIOUS THING IN, AROUND, AND ABOVE ALL REALITIES!

Give Him the Glory and praise Him today people!  HE'S DOING MASSIVE STUFF AND YOU'RE A PART OF THAT MINISTRY!

Commended by Christ

Blessings in the name of Jesus Christ! I pray this post finds you well and joyful. And if you find yourself in a time of struggle, I pray that the Spirit of God empowers you with all you need for the battle.

For today's meditation, please read and examine the following passage from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians:

"Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God," (2 Corinthians 3:1-5 ESV) 

If you're like me you may have found yourself exposed and convicted by this chapter's opening question.  Are we commending ourselves as believers?  I would hope not.  I believe God wants His children to delight not in pride or praise of self, but in the Christ-centered testimonies of God's miraculous fruit that He is growing and displaying in the lives of those around us. I do not mean to put too much emphasis on the works of others either, since glory given to anyone other than Christ is misplaced. But I do think we should be confident in Jesus acting through His body, and that DOES include all of us and our imperfections.

So it's about celebrating the beautiful grace that trades our insufficiency for the ULTIMATE SUFFICIENCY that the Spirit of God empowers us with to spread His Truth.  Even more, we are a letter written BY the Spirit to transform hearts as ours have been made new through  His love.

He is our advocate and all the recommendation we need, and in turn, He makes us a living decree of His goodness for the world.

Love The Prisoners (My Kairos Experience)

If you're a friend of mine on various social sites, you may have seen some celebratory posts about a ministry weekend I was a part of recently called KAIROS.  This program, that ministers to incarcerated persons around the world, was an incredible blessing to me and I wanted to share a bit about my experience and testify that THE LORD IS GOOD AND LOVES THE PRISONERS.

To start, check out this passage from the gospel of Matthew:

Matthew 25:37-43

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

Convicting, right?  Believe me, I'm no great example of self-sacrifice or faithful service to the broken and destitute, but I know from even a little firsthand experience that there is so much power and love in Jesus for the ones the world forgets.   

Though I'll go into much more detail (as any of you that read this blog may be expecting haha), I could almost sum up the Kairos ministry experience with this: SHOWING THE "UNLOVABLE" THE LOVE OF JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING!  I know I'll get distracted and unorganized so feel free to contact me if you want more details, stories, or prayer about anything.

Seriously, that's a massive revelation to me.  If you've lived a spoiled life like I have, it can become so easy to be desensitized to the "Jesus Loves You" stuff we hear everyday in a church environment. BUT I've never seen transformation so obvious/absolute/emotional/freeing as I did on the Bledsoe County Correctional Complex last weekend, and from something as simple and profound as genuine love for the men there.

THINK ABOUT IT, if you're told (like these men have been) that you're scum, worthless, evil, disgusting, and worthy of condemnation for years and years then that's what you'll believe about yourself. These men live in a world of fear with almost no control over what they do, all within the confines of a glorified cage.  NOW I'M NOT SAYING A JUSTICE SYSTEM IS BAD, there are a lot of biblical reasons a society should have a system of punishing crimes within that society, I'm just saying it's a tough environment (especially for any kind of redemption to grow).

But when some of the participants saw genuine smiles on the team's face, or received hugs, good food, laughs, and sincere fellowship, you can't imagine the change that came upon many of the men. And you may be surprised by how much love you receive in return. The men in that group of Kairos participants showed more kindness and grace than the team could've ever showed them.  God is awesome! 

IF YOU EVER WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH PRISON MINISTRY remember this:  Jesus died for us while we were still sinners and He loves those incarcerated as much as you or me. Showing someone that they are loved by Christ and His church can kick the door to salvation and transformation wide open!

And even though Christ's forgiveness is the same level of miraculous for all of us weary sinners, there is something indescribable about watching a person with decades of regret and suffering believe, for the first time, that JESUS STILL WANTS HIM AND HAS A PLAN FOR HIM!

 I know I'm word-vomiting and just typing sporadically, IT'S JUST DIFFICULT TO ORGANIZE MY THOUGHTS OR WRAP AROUND ALL THE COOL THINGS THAT HAPPENED! I'm not exaggerating when I say that every single person (team or inmate) was drastically changed by the gospel love of Jesus last weekend. 

To find some way to stop rambling in excitement, I'll make a little list below of things you should know and celebrate about ministry to prisoners:

1.  YOU ARE NO DIFFERENT OR MORE INNOCENT THAN PRISONERS. 

2.  Jesus is the ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED for any of us so the playing field is even here.

3.  We are called by God to set the captives free, showing someone Jesus is the free-est free there is!

4.  DON'T BE AFRAID, God gives us the words to say and sometimes a bag of cookies or a real hug is all you need.

5.  DON'T FOCUS ON WHAT THEY DID, what's important is Jesus' forgiveness and the NEW life!

6.  Make a friend and be a friend.  Having an agenda is nothing compared to genuine relationship with a person (a good rule for any encounter, not just with a prisoner)

7.  ENCOURAGE AND PRAY CONSTANTLY, these men and women live in a harsh world where persecution as a believer is real and often violent.  Pray for their safety and ministry to other inmates.

To close I'll just ask you to celebrate with me that there is so much life-changing ministry happening within the world's prisons BECAUSE OF THE PRISONERS.  There were some men I met in the program that were hardcore believers that are already fighting the battle for their brothers' lives, so pray these people up all around the globe.

LET US ALL PRAY THAT EVERY PRISON BECOMES A SANCTUARY FOR THE GOSPEL AND ASK THE LORD WHAT HE NEEDS US TO DO.

None of this is intended as a guilt-trip, I just want to testify (as a noob) that prison ministry is nothing but a blessing to everyone involved.  Pray and ask Jesus boldly if there's anything He wants you to do for the souls that live behind bars.  We were all sinners in need of Christ, so let His grace go past any wall, cage, or barrier to reach the lost.

Ask me questions on facebook or otherwise.  God is good.  Praise Him for lives changed forever!

-----Grady Milligan

Triumphant Fragrances (2 Corinthians 2:14-17)

To start today's devotional, consider this passage from 2 Corinthians chapter 2.  Meditate on the meaning of the sensory words like "aroma" and "fragrance".  Ask God to open your hearts and eyes and ears to what He may have for you in the scriptures (which might be completely different than what I needed to hear from Jesus today).

2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-17
"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ."

So I wanna talk about 3 cool chunks of this passage:
1. Triumphal procession
2. The fragrance and aroma business
3. Believers as commissioned spokesman of Christ

First, I just want to quickly celebrate how gloriously humbling the that parade image is to me.  The Savior of weak and awful sinners, through His power, transforms us into a new creation that He is proud to display for all the world!  HOW AWESOME IS THIS??? Also, the word TRIUMPHAL is huge because our God is not eventually going to win, HE'S ALREADY WON IT ALL.  We are part of God revealing the glory of Jesus through the Holy Spirit and the VICTORY that is one from the Resurrection and the power of Christ in our lives. It's a celebration with no fear of defeat!

Through this parade of the Lord's power, we spread the "fragrance" of the knowledge of God. 

The word "aroma", found in the next phrase of the passage, reminds me of a passage from the old testiment.  Check this chunk of Numbers out:

Numbers 29:8

"but you shall offer a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma: one bull from the herd, one ram, seven male lambs a year old: see that they are without blemish."

I think it significant that the verse from Numbers deals with sacrifice as an aroma to the Lord. In a final and more perfect sense, Christ and His sacrifice on the cross give us the ability to be pleasing to the Lord. The defeat of sin through Jesus and the ritual sacrifice of animals (which God established before Christ paid our debt in full to make a new covenant) are both means that God's people had to come in contact with Him in righteous and clean communion. Through death in Jesus, we find life, much like the sacrifice of animals showed us the severity of sin and God's promise to forgive the repentant.

It's interesting to me how death and life, on either side of Jesus' offer of salvation, both react INCREDIBLY different to the aroma of Christ. Read this part of the Corinthians passage again:  "to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life."

 Perhaps one of the reasons that the enemy, the world, and our flesh react so violently towards Jesus is the fact that death (the state we live in because of sin and before gracious atonement) is so completely defeated by another kind of death (the crucifixion of our old life with Christ). This reaction is the antithesis of the one we, as believers, experience when another person(s) that loves the Lord enters our space. In that moment, both parties are encouraged and grown through fellowship and common devotion and worship of Jesus.  The connection of the Holy Spirit within the believers is a powerfully binding force, the very Spirit of God affirming Himself in another of His Children.  The fragrance and essence of Christ is the most powerful thing in creation (since He created it), so it will always cause a reaction.

This is why we can say we are not "peddlers of God's word" as Paul writes, but we are ambassadors with authority speaking on behalf of a King. The last point of interest in this beautifully dense passage reminds me that we do not carry a light or fruitless burden in the gospel. I'm also saddened and little angered by the reminder that there are in fact those that would use the gospel cheaply, for personal gain, or without truly knowing the power they speak of. I pray that we seek to be genuine in carrying the truth of Jesus, that we would not be like the pharisees in Jesus' day (who profited off God's teachings without having His love in them). In Jesus, we are speaking the Truth of life and life everlasting.  As Paul says, we speak as the Body of Christ Himself, we are called to be the light of the world in that triumphal procession we talked about earlier.

I've rambled too long, so thank anyone for reading, but I hope that you and I would seek this day, this week, and this season to be the sweet aroma of Christ to God and to the world that He loves enough to die for.

Be bold and courageous, YOU'RE NOT A PEDDLER OF USELESS GOODS, you carry the light and word of Jesus' Gospel!

Much Love

- Grady

The Gift Of Undeserved Everything

I think the best gifts are the ones that we don't earn.  There aren't many things that feel as good as the joy and surprise of an unexpected treasure. 

Recently, my father-in-law bought my wife a really fancy gaming laptop completely out of nowhere.  Brandy was totally blown away, since a computer of that caliber felt like an unattainable dream.

Now I'm NOT AT ALL saying that expensive gifts and earthly  belongings are the best way to show love (it all fades away to dust).  But seeing how happy Brandy was at receiving something out of a father's generosity reminded me of our Heavenly Father pouring out HUGE and UNDESERVED gifts on His children.

And when you get right down to it, EVERYTHING the Lord gives us totally and completely undeserved. From the breath we take each moment to the freedom from sin in Jesus, all of the things we should be thankful for are given to us out of GRACE ALONE.

Think about it, nothing you work for is really a gift.  In the same way, our blessings are not a payment for our wages.  Jesus AND ONLY JESUS completed the work of salvation, so He's the only one who should receive anything.  BUT HERE'S THE KICKER:  Christ shares His inheritance and life that He bought on the cross with us!  Praise the Lord.  You probably know all of that, but man do we need to stop and thank Him constantly for such a blessing!

SIDE NOTE:
Another part of what defines a gift, at least in my understanding and interpretation, is the choice to receive it. I know that the very word "choice" is a theological debate hot-button (which I will typically avoid in these devotionals), but I really think that the choice to thankfully receive a gift given is part of what makes a gift fundamentally different than a mandate.

But I don't think our human nature likes being told it's unworthy.  In our flesh we don't want anyone or anything (God included) to question our well-deserved earnings.  When we work or do ministry, it is easy for us to desire the praise and affirmation we believe we are owed by the world.  WE HAVE TO FIGHT THIS. In every success we must thank Jesus and turn our praise, and hopefully those around us, towards the true giver of every good gift.

Now I don't think we are being sinful when we are happy after receiving a compliment or if we get excited when somebody enjoys a piece of art we create, God delights in our accomplishments too.  It's just a matter of perspective and understanding that we couldn't do what we do without the gifts and skills the Lord has blessed us with. Jesus really, REALLY loves us.  He loves and desires us enough to give Himself WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS.  So don't think for a second you are not valued or beautiful.  In Jesus we are made a wonderful fragrance and a blessing to His heart.  We just HAVE TO REMEMBER that all of those realities are only made possible by His love for us before we ever loved Him. The second we believe He is our Lord and forsake the world's offer, we are made children of the King and inheritors in His family!

I want to finish with a thought that filled me with a great amount of joy this morning.  If I deserve nothing of what I have been given or will be given in the future, then HOW MUCH MUST GOD LOVE ME that He constantly pours out the gifts anyway???  Seriously, I think I'm MORE confident in my worth knowing that God doesn't have to give me anything, but He CHOOSES to give me more than I could EVER ask for or earn.  Not having the capacity to repay God means that we should receive His gifts humbly and thankfully BUT WITHOUT ANY GUILT, HE WANTS TO BLESS YOU

HE LOVES YOU ALL SO FREAKIN' MUCH.  Jesus deserves everything and Jesus lives in you, so you get to share in the greatest treasures in all of reality.  God's love is awesome and we didn't even have to work for it.  Pretty cool stuff.

Here are some scriptures for the day.  I hope something blessed you.  I'm not a great theologian, but I hope some nuggets of truth and encouragement find you in today's devotional.


Romans 5:8
 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

James 1:7
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Romans 8:28
 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

1 Peter 4:10
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

1 Corinthians 12:7
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 10:30-31
 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.





Ephesians 3:7
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.

Build Unity Through Forgiveness: 2 Corinthians Chapter 2 stuff

I want to write a little bit about appropriate church discipline and forgiveness, as demonstrated in the second chapter of 2 Corinthians.   So read these verses to start:

2 Corinthians 2:5-11 (ESV)

"Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs."

First off, in a strange way, there's a strange sense of connection when I read this passage for one big reason: THE EARLY CHURCH WAS NOT PERFECT OR DRAMA-FREE!

I don't mention that to condone sinful actions or make light of problems within a church, but sometimes I think we need to remember that (though our technology and culture changes) humans aren't that different from age to age. We're not any worse or any better than the people that made up the early church in Corinth. We have victories, struggles, healing, and hurting alike, and we must surrender to Jesus' leadership.

In light of those observations, Paul speaks to the church about how to appropriately deal with a(n) individual(s) within the congregation that causes harm. And in the interest of not typing a overly long devotional, I think this passage of scripture boils down to one word: FORGIVENESS.

How do we punish the one that hurts us?  WE FORGIVE THEM! Even if you're new to this Jesus business, the old "turn the other cheek" idea is probably burned in your brain. GOOD! I am convinced, based on many of the toughest struggles I've been through with brothers in Christ hurting me, there is nothing that speeds healing and mending like FORGIVENESS.  Seriously, it opens floodgates of healing into a broken moment.

Now, forgiving an offender in our family does not mean we act stupid and don't learn from the experience and put measures in place to prevent repeat offenses, but it does mean we grant him or her the SAME STANDING OF GRACE as God gives us when He forgives us.  As a matter of fact, God tells us that He demands forgiveness when asking for forgiveness.  So holding sinful grudges while wanting God's forgiveness for our own many mistakes doesn't cut it.

I've already typed too much (I really am trying to make short devotionals, dang it), so just remember that forgiveness, especially within the Body of Christ, is not just so we all get along, FORGIVENESS TEARS DOWN THE PLOTS OF THE DEVIL.  The enemy hates the Church like he hates Christ, so let's not give satan any help when it comes to tearing a church apart.

If the Spirit is alive and active in the hearts of your church brothers, then the conviction from God will do most of the disciplining. After taking the appropriate measures to rectify whatever wrong was done, FORGIVE, FORGIVE, FORGIVE, and move on as a family moving towards Jesus Christ.

Reaffirm your love for your brother after his moment of attack and don't treat the person like he's any less of a believer (you'll want the same forgiveness and mercy when it's you screwing up later).

Love and peace guys,
-Grady

For the "YOU" you!

God's timing is always perfect.  He speaks and gives us what we need when we need it most.  For example, I had the privilege of working as a staff on a wonderful youth and college retreat this past weekend, and during a moment of prayer with a good friend, I was reminded of a reassuring truth...

GOD LOVES ME!   And even more incredible, HE LOVES "ME" ME (not just the different hats of me that I wear).

What am I talking about, you might ask (or maybe you don't, I'm gonna type along anyways)?
I am simply praising God and reminding myself and any of you reading that Jesus Christ saves/loves/protects/enjoys YOU at your deepest and simplest level.  I'm not talking about your ministry, your family life, your work, or your dreams (though all of those are beautifully made).  I'm talking about YOU.

Before the very foundation of the world was formed, YOU were DESIGNED by the Creator to be a unique and never-seen-before-or-after work of art.  And you've heard this all before, especially if you're a church kid, and possibly to the point of nausea, BUT YOU NEED TO HEAR AND BELIEVE IT TODAY!

I'm definitely an example of someone that "knows" this truth of God's acceptance and love, but often acts in a way that would reveal a "saved by works" mentality.

If somehow, by now, you don't know that I'm a musician (now you do), you might not know my struggle with motivation and purpose.  I am a Christian that is a musician, so most of my music and poetry draws its strength from my faith journey. But, I battle almost daily to keep proper prioritization of my work.  Do I write and play just for the Lord's enjoyment, do I play for ministry to others, or do I play simply to honor my commitment to put food on the table?

No matter what doubts assail me each day, I know that the Lord has called me to use music as a big part of my ministry.  BUT HERE'S THE THING/THE KICKER/THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS DEVOTIONAL:

MY BIGGEST CALLING FROM GOD (and yours too) IS TO LOVE HIM WITH MY EVERYTHING AND BE THE ME HE LOVES!

When I break down life to it's core purpose, my highest purpose is the pleasure and glory of GOD!

And the amazing thing is that this truth, that Jesus wants me for me and not for what I do, should take TONS of pressure off.  I'm not giving an excuse to not work, because we are all created for good works for His Kingdom, but I'm saying His love and joy around us is not dependent on what we do as much as WHO WE ARE.

You can turn off your theology alarms.  Yes, I believe that if someone is truly saved than good fruit must come from them.  Yes, I believe that Jesus demands obedience.  All that is true and a joy!

I just want to remind anyone reading today that you are EXACTLY who God loves, enough that He died for YOU!

Let Him shape you, let Him improve and grow your faith and ministry, BUT DO NOT ACT LIKE YOU HAVE TO EARN HIS LOVE OR BELIEVE THAT YOUR MINISTRY IDENTITIES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING!

Jesus is delighted by you, His child and beloved, adopted beauty.

Here are some scriptures to think about today.  Much love to you all  ----------Grady Milligan

Psalm 139:14
"I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well."

Romans 8:15
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”"

Romans 5:8
"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Ephesians 2:10
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Ephesians 1:4
"even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love"

Confidence in Our Conscience: 2 Corinthians 1:12, 1:21-22, and 12:9

Meditate, if you will, on these three passages of scripture:


"For this is our confidence: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshy wisdom but by God's grace."     ----  2 Corinthians 1:12

"Now it is God who strengthens us, with you, in Christ and has anointed us. He has sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment in our hearts"  ---- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  --- 2 Corinthians 12:9

I challenge both myself and the reader to stop and evaluate ourselves.  When we think of our daily walk and ministry, do we have a CONFIDENCE OF CONSCIENCE?  Next, if we do in fact feel confident, WHO ARE WE CONFIDENT IN?  Do we draw a sense of peace and security from our approval of our own works, or do we grasp the magnitude of His humbling grace and guidance?

Having grown up in church life and teachings, it's easy for me to immediately equate the word CONFIDENCE with a much more sinful one: PRIDE. But there is a vast difference between  humble confidence in the power of God's Spirit guiding our every moment and foolish hope in our own strength.

The passages from 2 Corinthians call the believer to rise up in Christ's power and live "with God-given sincerity and purity" and love the people around us without fear of our sinful weakness.  EVEN MORE, Paul said that he would "boast all the more gladly of (his) weaknesses" because Jesus is made EVEN MORE evident when contrasted with human failure.

THINK ABOUT IT!  How excited and fearless (while still humbly) should we live knowing that EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH Jesus will be glorified through His own confident authority within us.  How fantastic is that?!

The "down payment" that is His world-creating/life-changing/sickness-healing Spirit gives us the anointing to go and do His good works.  THERE IS NO OTHER STRENGTH NEEDED, the power of the MAKER is inside of the believer.  

So no matter where you've been recently in your walk, or how adequate you feel, pray that God would encourage you with grace to walk boldly, humbly, and CONFIDENTLY in the power to minister that He's given you through Jesus.  It isn't with your strength that hearts are changed, so don't worry about how strong you feel.  Be bold in weakness and conduct yourself above reproach so that the world would know Jesus is alive and strong to save!

Comfort: 2 Corinthians 1:3-11

Let me start today's post with Paul's prayer in the first chapter of 2nd Corinthians:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all COMFORT"

I want to spend this evening meditating on that word: COMFORT.   A dictionary definition of the word comfort might read as follows:

Verb  1.  to soothe, console, or reassure; bring cheer to   2. to make physically comfortable

Noun  1. relief in affliction; consolation; solace   2. a feeling of relief or consolation.

The opening prayer of the this chapter of 2nd Corinthians starts with, for me at least, an incredibly heartwarming depiction of God as "the Father of MERCIES and the God of ALL COMFORT".  What a joyful thought, that the maker of every brilliant star and every beautiful creature on Earth desires to see us comforted and brought to a place of peace in His presence!  Amen!

And, like most things that God does, this act of reassurance and peace has a more lateral purpose than just our personal enjoyment of Jesus (though that's not to be understated, IT'S AWESOME!).

Verse 4 of the same book and chapter tell us that Jesus "comforts us in all our afflictions" as a means of ministry to others.  The overwhelming love and protection of the Spirit, in our darkest moments and difficult battles, should cause us to pour out that same comfort "with which ourselves are comforted by God".   When we see the broken people that God has placed in our circles of influence, we should be contagious with His compassion and desire to see their pains relieved through grace!

IT'S ALL ABOUT SHARING IN EXPERIENCE!  Verses 5 and 6 teach us that we are to share in BOTH THE SUFFERINGS AND COMFORT of Jesus Christ.   Though many of us, especially in overprivileged America, do not experience the type of suffering or persecution as Paul and the early disciples (not to mention many modern martyrs in various parts of today's world), we are called to take joy in EVEN OUR DIFFICULTIES because they lead us to a better understanding and appreciation of God's salvation and providential comfort.  And in the evangelistic sense, suffering for or comforting our brothers and sisters in Christ (and suffering for those who need His salvation) is HUGELY IMPORTANT!  Don't forget that Christ said that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for his friends.  "If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation" (Verse 6).

I absolutely love the confidence Paul (and Jesus) have for the church in verse 7 when he says "Our hope for you is unshaken."  What do we have to fear?   If Jesus has raised us up with Him through the sharing in His death AND resurrection, what can come against His body?

To finish pondering this wonderful chunk of scripture, I encourage us all (since I need this reminder daily) to pray ferverently for each other in our ministry to the lost.  The rest of this passage down to verse 11 recounts Paul's struggles while in Asia and how the prayers of the church at Corinth made a massive difference in his deliverence from dangerous situations.  

IT IS CRITICAL for us to be aware of the sufferings of our brothers and sisters and JUST AS CRITICAL to pray for the sufferings of the unsaved, if we are to join in the comforting process of the Spirit for both parties.

Many don't believe God loves them because they have lived a life devoid of healing or comfort.  Let the hands and feet of Christ not be idle when God has given us comfort and power to make a change!

Blessings!

-Grady