Journey of Shawn Peoples' Walk in Grace!

Last week, I began studying Ephesians for my quiet time. I began just to blow through it and read all of the chapter then go back and do partial chapter studies but soon found myself just wanting to go verse by verse. I thought I would share part of what the Spirit showed me while studying the Aorist Tense verbs in Ephesians 1:3-14. I know many people struggle with the thought once and for all saved. Last year I learned that an Aorist Tense verb in the Greek meant that that action was once and for all completed and done. Compare this to Colossians 1:12-14 when Paul writes that the Colossians are once and for all: Qualified, Transferred, Rescued, Given Redemption and Given the Forgiveness of sins. All 5 of these words indicate that as a believer in Christ Jesus, I cannot lose these actions given to me at the moment of my salvation. All 5 show us that these action are bestowed on us through the Grace of Christ and we cannot loose these. Today I saw the same theme in salvation. It all...

One of the constant battles we have faced in coming to Hawaii and recruiting others to join our journey is this stereotype that we are coming because of Hawaii (vacationing the rest of our lives). I have gotten all sort of responses when telling people about our journey here like: "oh I bet you are suffering in Hawaii aren't you",or  "Mission trip to Hawaii, oh course we want an easy vacation", or "really tough living in Hawaii isn't it". We get all sort of responses. The other day all of them came to an overwhelming flood of emotions as I began to do research for our summer church hangout. I was looking up the rules of one of the beach areas (what is allowed and what is not). As a church, we like to grill out and we thought taking a Sunday to worship together then hangout together would be a great way for us to grow together. As I looked for the rules on taking a grill to Ko'Olina (a beach resort area that we go to as a family) I was shocked...