Dear friends in Christ,

A few years ago, the Reverend Jimmy Bakker was again in the news. His first wife has divorced him and since has died. He now lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his second wife. He is now 71 years old. How well I remember his downfall. Financial mismanagement, improper relations with both men and women. He is the man who used contributions from members of his church to buy an air-conditioned house for his dog. He was truly a scoundrel. The papers said that he was "disgraced." Saying he was disgraced is quite a thing. I looked up the "dis" in the dictionary learning that it can mean either "opposite" or "depraved." In a flash many words race through my mind--disable, discontent, disarm, dissatisfaction, disinter. They mean no longer content, without fire arms, unhappy, dig up a body. You can probably add some of your own.

I want you, however to concentrate on "disgrace."

What a horrible thought --without grace. To be opposite of grace or deprived of grace is to condemn a person to be separated from God. Jimmy Bakker did many terrible things for which he was degraded in public, divorced by his wife, and sentenced to prison. But to say that he has been deprived of grace is quite another thing.

Grace is God's unconditional gift to us. Grace is also God's gift of His Son to save the world, a gift we did not earn. To say someone has been "disgraced" may describe the horrendous acts but it DOES NOT describe the person. No one is separated from God's love.

The Bible tells us of the thief on the cross who asks for and receives God's forgiveness. Paul tells us that nothing can separate us from the grace of God. It seems to me better to say that Jimmy Bakker did many disgraceful things but not that he is disgraced. We are not separated from God's grace in the eyes of God. Moreover, some words the "dis" words of contend, able, inter and arms can be reversed by self discipline. Martin Luther writes “God's grace abides still."

Grace and truth come from the Lord and He does not disgrace us.

Thanks be to God.

Dear Friends in Christ,

This weekend Carolyn and I went to our safe deposit box to review some papers. While going through the box we found several savings bonds which we had purchased for our grandsons. We know that they will be pleased with this "windfall".

Moreover, we learned that since they had gone beyond ten years they had accumulated interest beyond their face value. For our grandsons a bonus added to a surprise. We are happily sending them the gift they did not even know they had.

For many people outside the Christian church gifts are waiting from their heavenly Father. It is for us the members who know where the treasure of Christ lies to take it out of the darkness into the light.

Have you shared God's gift with friends and family?

Peace, GJK