Breaking The Chains

Today I was overwhelmed by God's goodness. After a wonderful Thanksgiving week holiday, the LORD topped it off with an amazing blessing. After spending the weekend with my parents I headed home to get ready for church. I got a call asking if I wanted to go hear my brother, Chad, preach. Of course, was my quick answer!

We headed up to Newton Pres. and on the way I couldn't help but think of how good God has been to our family. It was such am amazing blessing to worship under the leadership of my very own brother. He is a gifted preacher, filled with the Holy Spirit, and bold in proclaiming the Gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ. It was an amazing sermon from John 15, and it pierced my heart as the Holy Spirit convicted me through his wonderful teaching. 

As church ended there were so many people who came up to us, singing Chad's praises. One, in particular, asked my dad if Chad got his gift of preaching from my daddy. My dad could only humbly give the credit back to the LORD! He truly has a gift, but it's not of him, as he preached. There is nothing that my brother has to offer, but Christ in him and Him crucified!

It is an amazing blessing to see how Christ has broken the chains of unbelief in our family. My brother and I are the second generation of believers in the Scott family. And what a blessing to share that tie that binds us together, Jesus Christ our LORD! 

And even now, we are enjoying the third generation, Wyatt and Raney, believing that God will call them unto Himself in His timing. The chains have forever been broken, praise His Name, hallelujah! God is so good, and so faithful to His children!

As the passage in John said so clearly: "you didn't choose me, I chose you..."; there is nothing special about our family, nothing good or great that we have done to merit salvation and break the chains of sin and death, there is nothing about us that is holy and righteous, there is nothing good or upright that we have done to bring all of this about. It is only God and His goodness and mercy that saw fit to call my parents unto Himself, and then my brother and I, and my wonderful sister too! It is only by God's grace that the sins from generation to generation have been broken! It is only by God's grace that we now have a family deeply rooted in the LORD and His Word. It is only by God's grace that Chad is an ordained Reverend and preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is only by God's grace that Kelly lives out the Gospel and teaches Wyatt and Raney of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. It is only by God's grace that Momma and Daddy will return to the Philippines to serve in advancing His Kingdom. It is only by God's grace that we now belong to another family, the family of God, saved, redeemed and adopted through the precious blood of our Brother and Co-Heir Jesus Himself!

Praise God for the sacrificial blood that breaks the chains of sin and death! Praise God for His goodness and mercy that chose to shower grace and love upon us, His children, the Scott family! 

Thank you LORD for the wonderful gift of Your Word through my brother!