Where Is Your Mission Field

"And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled." - Mark 5:18-20

The demon-possessed man had been living in the tombs - in isolation - when he met Jesus. His deliverance was an incredible - unimaginable event. He was ready to join up with Jesus, to go wherever Jesus went. But Jesus had another mission for him. "Go home to your friends and tell them." His mission field was at home. He was to be a living testimony to those close to him. You don't have to go to a foreign land to serve God and be faithful to your calling.

Did you notice that Jesus told the man to tell others what God had done for him. That is called a personal testimony. 

"But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." - 1 Peter 3:15

What has God sent you to do and where has He sent you to do it? Since God told me to lay my uniform down and follow Him, Martie and I have been on a remarkable journey - living like gypsies often times - (I call us Gypsies for Jesus). Today, although our traveling days may be behind us, our mission and ministry continue and will until we are called home. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

We All Need Help To Understand

"And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples." - Mark 4:33-34

Jesus spoke in parables. Speaking to people about spiritual things by using analogies - stories. The people could hear the words but did not understand their meaning. And so, it is with the Word of God. The disciples, as close as they were with Jesus, did not understand either - they needed some help. In the same way we need some help to understand spiritual truth. Before Jesus ascended, He told the disciples - 

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." - John 14:26

Like Jesus and the disciples, it is the Spirit of God that reveals spiritual truth to us. To the unsaved - the Word is just words - stories - parables.

"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." - 1 Corinthians 2:14

Read the parable of the seed in Mark 4. Our place is not to prepare the ground but to cast the seed. The result is spiritual - super-natural if you will - beyond our influence. As I have written before, you cannot explain spiritual truth to someone without the presence of the Spirit of God. We are merely the messengers - as if that were not amazing enough!

A thought just occurred to me. One of God's traits is that He is omniscient - all knowing. Man's undoing was the desire to be like God - more to the point to be "God" and not need the Creator. Just recently artificial intelligence (AI) has gained traction in nearly every facet of commerce, social networking and education. The knowledge of the world is now at our fingertips through it. Helping man to be omniscient, more like God, if you will. (Now if you asked Bill Gates, I am pretty certain that he would not agree with that as the motivation.) There is some concern that AI could evolve on its own and become malevolent. To "take over" - and man could lose control.  The thing is - AI is limited to what is known - what has been revealed in the natural - but not what is unknown - only revealed in the super-natural. That is the Creator God's domain. www.GodIsInControl.hvn (I made that website up)

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

The Challenge Of Having Dual Citizenship - In The World But Not Of it

"Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you. Who are my mother and my brothers? he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother." - Mark 3:31-35

Does that seem odd to you, that Jesus would essentially ignore his family - His earthly mother and brothers in favor of the people sitting at His feet - listening to His teaching? There is an undeniable tension for those who are born again and in ministry in particular. The tension is between devotion to biological family and the natural world and the family of God. For all of us adopted as sons and daughters of the Creator God by faith in Jesus who is God - the Father's first born among many. Intentionally living with an awareness that, as Christians, we all have been adopted out of the world into the kingdom of God.

"having predestined us to adoption as sons [and daughters] by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved." - Ephesians 1:5-6

Jesus was teaching a spiritual truth. when He didn't say, "Oh sorry folks, my mom is here - see you tomorrow!"  His point being - we must look beyond the physical to the kingdom of God. Since, as Christians, our primary citizenship is in heaven. 

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." - Philippians 3:20

Our loyalty is first to God and then to the world. Did Jesus have affection for his mother and brothers? Of course He did. But there was a greater point to be learned. I see pastors and Christian leaders struggle with this issue - often. Not with loving God first, but with managing the ministry God has called them to with the demands of their personal family. Both require time and attention. Is there a point of balance - yes. Finding it can be a challenge. We often tend to think of the tension in terms of all or none. One or the other. Too often we end up choosing the world over God, convincing ourselves that we really haven't. The Bible says you cannot love both the world and God. You will love one and hate the other. (Matthew 6:24) Choosing God first is not the same as forgoing a ministry meeting so you can spend time with your wife, son or daughter. Neglecting your responsibilities as a husband or father - wife or mother -  to your spouse and children is actually sin. 

"I [Jesus] have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." - John 17:14-16

There is a saying that goes, "Christians are in the world but not of the world." That is not actually a verse but a paraphrase of verses in John 17.  Having spiritual awareness of your standing in the world and your need to keep that in its proper place is critical to a successful walk of faith. Keep in mind ... 

"We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" - 1 John 4:19-20

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

What It Takes To Make It

"Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one." - Matthew 6:11-13

One day at a time, dear Jesus. That is all I am asking of you. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray - that is what He told them to do. Ask God for enough for today. Our daily bread or portion. A little later He said this ...

"seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:33-34

Focusing on today. There is a saying in Haiti, "Ti pa ti pa", meaning gradually, small steps or step by step. Put another way, answering the question, "How do you eat an elephant?" Answer, "On bite at a time." Ask God to provide for what you face today. Then tomorrow, and then the next day. 

"Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." - John 6:32-35

"You can have all this world. More than silver, more than gold. You are the treasure that I hold. Now that I've tasted of Your goodness. Nothing else will satisfy. Just give me Jesus." Give Me Jesus, Fernando Ortega.

When we think of our daily bread, I think most often, our minds go to the natural - physical, relational, financial issues. But, on reflection, I think it must start with a hunger for the "Bread of Heaven." - the spiritual. everything else is subordinate to that - don't you think so? We say that we love God with our all, but when we are faced with the fires of life - when we feel the heat from them - it is in our nature - our old nature - to give those things primacy in our minds. It is not wrong to pray for those things - but it is wrong to let them dominate us.  

Seek first His Kingdom. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Obedience and Trouble

"As he [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." - John 9:1-3

I think some Christians live with the false assumption that the troubles that come their way are a result of some sin on their part. If they were living "rightly" then they would live a trouble-free life. The fact is that spiritual obedience does not mean you will avoid the troubles of our natural lives. Jesus said, 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

Notice the words. "You WILL have trouble" Trouble in this life is unavoidable, but don't lose heart - trust in Jesus. 

"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:5-7

How you respond in times of trouble is a testimony of faith - or at least it can be. It is possible to be at peace and yet be up to your ears in turmoil. It is all a matter in where you have placed your faith and trust. Proverbs 3:5-8 speaks to what we should do and then what we often do.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones." - Proverbs 3:5-8

Do you see it? We are supposed to trust God and not ourselves. Not be wise in our own eyes but understand Who God is and trust Him!

God's purposes can and will be accomplished in and through us in spite of the troubles we face.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." - James 1:2-3

There is, or was, a building materials store in Jacmel, Haiti with the name, Perseverance - like a little Home Depot in Haiti. Each time I drove past that store - or when I would stop in to buy materials, my heart was warmed because the name caused me to remember James 1. We faced considerable adversity during our time in Haiti, small in comparison to what the Haitians face every day - but God proved Himself faithful at every turn.

Someone once said, "There is no testimony without a test." 

"I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." - Psalm 121:1-2

I encourage you to read that entire Psalm. And then ... 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

The Difference Between good and GOOD

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - Ephesians 2:8-10

I am certain that many of those reading this recall at least hearing about Vince Lombardi. 

"It was the summer of 1961 and Vince Lombardi started Green Bay Packers training camp holding something that needed no explanation and said…“Gentlemen, this is a football.” In five words, he communicated his point: if you want to be successful, we’re going to remember the basics and make sure we’re executing the fundamentals. You never graduate past the basics. Yes, you build on them but you never move past them."  (Mark Tiderman, Jr.)

So I would hold up Jesus and say, "This is the source of our salvation and right standing before a holy God." The basics of our faith. Saved by grace through faith not by our "good" works. In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul wrote that 

"And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace." - Romans 11:6

Grace is unmerited favor. Mercy, on the other hand, is not getting what we do deserve. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus that we cannot be good enough to merit God's favor. Once we are born again by faith then there are good works that God has prepared us to do by the power of His Spirit. If what we do does not have, at its root, a spiritual seed, then it will not accomplish God's purposes. I recall telling a group of what they called "Ex-patriots" (meaning that they were living in one country - Haiti - but were citizens of another - the United States) that if they were in Haiti and God had not called them to the work, then they should go home. That was not well received. Each one was doing a "good" thing in their mind - but if they were doing it without the prompting of God merely out of a desire to do a good thing, then they should not give God the credit. It was a work of the flesh not faith.

"So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." - James 2:17-18

Good works are a natural result of faith. God purpose it. Faith apart from works is a dead faith - meaning it is not producing the fruit it was intended to produce. Doing good things apart from faith is like an apple tree producing oranges. The tree branches do not decide what fruit will be produced - the Root does.

 "A certain ruler asked him [Jesus], Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Why do you call me good? Jesus answered. No one is good—except God alone." - Luke 18:18-19

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Don't Just Clean The Outside Of The Cup

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.  In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." - Matthew 23:27-28

The tendency of human nature - our sinful nature is to become more sinful - not less. Transformation happens on the inside and is demonstrated on the outside. The United States is not a Christian nation, although the majority of the world thinks it is, at least in name. Our country was founded on Biblical precepts but also declared the right for people to believe whatever they wanted to believe - to practice the religion of their choice. I read this report from NBC news recently.

"the U.S. has grown even more secular in the eight years since Obama left office, with a record 28% of adults now identifying as religiously unaffiliated, according to the Pew Research Center, surpassing evangelical Protestants and Catholics to now be the largest religious group in the country. As recently as 2007, when Obama was preparing his first presidential run, the religiously unaffiliated — who include people who identify as atheists, agnostics and “nothing in particular” — made up just 16% of the country in Pew’s data. And presidential historian Michael Beschloss said Americans have grown more cynical about their politicians and what their religious affiliations might say about their character. “We’ve learned a lot about a lot of politicians who seemed to be very religious but did not necessarily follow the tenets of their faith in one way or another,” said Beschloss, noting religion has become as much about policy as personality. “So, for many people, religion may no longer say much about someone’s personal character.” NBC News

That is not just a problem for politicians. To be a politician you must be willing to compromise. So too for people who are not politicians. Or at least that is what one might be led to believe. Go along to get along. Cooperate and graduate. The Pharisees promoted a faith that they, themselves, were unwilling to practice. Do as I say and not as I do. What the world needs to see are people who are demonstrating their faith by the way they live and the choices they make. Being as vocal about what they are for as they are for what they are against. 

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." Matthew 23:25-26

As a Christian you do not hold the majority view on issues of morality and justice. And you shouldn't. You will always be part of the minority. 

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 7:13-14

While we were serving in Haiti, we often hiked into remote areas. On one such trip I saw the gate shown in the picture included in this post. It reminded me that as much as I want all to believe, not all will believe. But some will. Be the light. Resist compromise. Stand for the truth, as God has revealed it, not as our culture defines it. Let your life be a reflection of your heart and faith. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Can These Dry Bones Live

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:35-39

Martie and I travel by road a good bit and are, admittedly, totally dependent upon the GPS in our vehicle. Years back we used a Road Atlas and would plot our route on a physical map before ever leaving the house. Then as one of us drove the other would follow along on the map. Those days are long gone. Now, we just hop in the truck, type in our destination and "voila" the route appears. As I drive, I don't pay much attention to the map, just listen for the voice to say something like "turn right at the next exit and you have reached your destination".

I am getting a little "long in the tooth". My personal odometer rolled over 74 years a couple of months back. I am watching as people in my generation are passing, having reached their destination. Some are people I know, both Christians and lost. People that I have had a personal relationship with at some point in my journey. It is a stark reminder of the verse.

"And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment" - Hebrews 9:27

I don't stay up at night worried about life and death. But I do understand that more of my life is behind me than is ahead of me. And one day I will hear the words, "turn right at the next exit, you have reached your destination." 

I recently saw an article about how archeologists found the bones of some Vikings in Scotland. My roots go back to northern Scotland in a town named Elgin (pronounced with a "hard" G like gun). Yes there is a family connection. Anyway, there is also some history with the Vikings in that area and so I am drawn to those articles when I find them. But I digress. The article included a picture of a man's skeleton being uncovered. Seeing that I was reminded of another verse. 

"The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God, you know." - Ezekiel 37:1-3

One day these bodies that we have will be nothing but dry bones. But we are sons and daughters of the Creator God, because we have been adopted into the "family of God" by faith in the Son. God formed us out of the dust. Dust that He created as well. One day we will be like the Viking. But unlike that Viking, our "dry bones" will live - for eternity. But in the meantime, while we have another breath, join me in resolving that we will continue live the rest of our lives well. Faithfully pressing on with the strength the Lord provides for His purpose and the proclamation of the Gospel through deed and word. 

"For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." - 2 Timothy 1:12

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Being "That Kind" Of Christian

"You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." - James 4:4

What does friendship with the world look like? It does not mean that you are a friendly neighbor. It means that you embrace what the world believes. And if that happens to contravene what God has said is truth, then if you want to continue to be a friend of the world, then you must reject God's truth. Pretty simple. Have you ever been with a group of friends when something was said that you did not agree with, but the majority did? And you decided to keep your opinion to yourself, or risk being ridiculed or worse, ostracized.

Don't be surprised or dismayed that what you believe is contrary to what the world embraces. So long as you don't disagree with the world you will be tolerated. But take a stand against something that the "world" espouses, and you will quickly be labeled "that kind" of Christian. Intolerant. You might even be part of the Conservative Christian Right suggesting that must be a Liberal Christian Left. 

Pastor Greg Laurie spoke at a conference I attended some years ago. He spoke to this very issue and the possibility of being accused of being judgmental when the Bible says to not judge. He said, "you are not a judge, merely a fruit inspector".

"Now the works [fruit] of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." - Galatians 5:19-24

Like the bank teller that learns to identify counterfeit money by examining real money. That done, it is simple to call out the counterfeit money when they see it. It just doesn't match the real stuff. It is flawed.

I am intentionally not addressing any specifics because I want to encourage you to examine those things in this culture that you may be embracing as acceptable, perhaps even preferred. To test them against the Word of God as your standard for what is truth. That is always my motivation for writing these devotions. To encourage you to be willing to stand on the truth even in the face of rejection by the world for doing it. To be "that kind" of Christian.

These are perilous and dark times that we live in. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Living In Caesar's World

"And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." - Romans 1:28-32

As Christians, we live in morally perilous times. But that is nothing new. Previous generations have faced the same challenges. [Paul was writing to his current generation] The solution for some has been to withdraw from the culture and live in Christian enclaves. But for most it means living in a spiritually foreign land and trying to "not get muddy as you walk through the mud puddles of life."

"Tell us [Pharisees' disciples and Herodians], then, what you [Jesus] think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." - Matthew 22:17-21

There are civil laws, enacted by the local, state and national governing bodies that are contrary to the Word of God and laws that are not. Taxes are needed to fund the governments, therefore pay your taxes. The money you use was minted by the very same government asking for their share of your wages. But the government did not "mint" your heart and morality. God did. Later Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment.

"And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22:35-39

I have dedicated my life to service. I love my country, but not more than I love God. My faith and love for God requires my primary devotion be to Him, secondly to others, then my country as an institution, then my political party, among other things. Our primary citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). That creates a dilemma for us Christians. Especially during election cycles. Politicians represent their constituents, the majority of whom are not Christians. That means that the laws they support and the decisions they make will, at times, be contrary to Biblical values but will reflect the majority view of the people. It does not matter which party the politicians represent. When asked who the best choice for president in this election was the Pope said it is a choice of the lesser of two evils. He did not say which one was less. In other words, both parties represent their constituencies which are for the most part carnal. There are no candidates that put God first - the United States is not a theocracy it is a democracy or, more correctly a republic. [Our country was founded on the idea that the power to govern was held by the people rather than a monarch. Democracy is to republic as monarch is to kingdom. Webster Dictionary]

So, in my view, as a Christian the dilemma really is to vote or not vote. In my humble opinion, to not vote is to vote for the greater of the two evils. We all need to pray and then act according to our conscience. Trusting that God is still sovereign, and our responsibility to be His ambassadors in all circumstances still stands.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Like The Angels In Heaven

"Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”- Matthew 22:29-32

Now and again, I will write something with the intent of challenging your thinking about some spiritual truth. This is one of those times. You may not have thought much about this but we all should. after all, we have an eternal destiny. My hope is that this post will motivate you to do some personal study on the topic. Have you ever been in a conversation when you notice the body language of the other person sends the message that they do not like or even want to hear what you are saying to them.  The same is true with the Word of God. There are many parts of the Bible which are easy to receive - but then there are those that challenge our thinking and perhaps our hopes and expectations.  Marriage is one of them.

It is natural for us to project what we know in this life to what we imagine life will be like in Heaven. Many of us spend most of our lifetime with our spouses. We experience the "oneness" that Genesis tells us about. "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." -Genesis 2:24

It is also why Jesus words in Matthew 22 can rub us the wrong way. Based upon my conversations with others over the years, there is an expectation that once we are reunited with our spouse in heaven, we will pick up our relationship where we left off. Seems reasonable, doesn't it? But perhaps there is a little more to the words "until death do us part" than what we thought. Where we might think it is only a temporary interruption to our being together as man and wife, in fact, it is the beginning of a new relationship. There is a greater supernatural oneness that Jesus talks about as He is praying to the Father.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me, and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." - John 17:20-21

Our oneness with Jesus and the Father supersedes our oneness as husband and wife. Our earthly marriage and natural union are to be a reflection of our spiritual oneness with the Father. Give you an idea about why God hates divorce. [Malachi 2:16, NASB] I can distinctly remember my mom asking me if Don, my stepdad, remembered her since he had passed before her. The Bible does not speak directly to the issue of continued marital relationship after death, as much as we would like to know. Why we want to know, in some ways I think it is a bit like Lot's wife looking back a Sodom - leaving what she knew and loved for the unknown. I don't want to carry that analogy too far! But when you have been married to someone for so long - in our case this year marks 52 years - it is hard to imagine that our relationship will be set aside for a greater one - but I think it will be. Will, we regret it? I don't think so. The Bible says "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away" - Revelation 21:4

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Memorization Not The Same As Transformation

"And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” - Hebrews 10:15-16

As a new Christian one of the first things I was exposed to in my faith training was something called the topical memory system. Introduced by the Navigator Ministry, it was, and is, a simple method of memorizing scripture. It laid a great foundation for my spiritual walk.  

I can point you to a number of verses in the Bible that encourage the memorization or assimilation of scripture. For example ...

"Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You." - Psalm 119-11

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." - Joshua 1:8-9

One might be tempted to think that if you memorize scripture that somehow scripture will keep sin out of your life. Memorization does not, by itself, result in transformation. It is the application of scripture that brings about transformation. Certainly, the Word must be in you and not merely in your living room sitting on the coffee table. Next you should be thinking about the word during the day - meditating on it - and then using it like a sword - fending off the temptation to sin. Recall that the Word is one part of the full armor of God. 

"In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication." - Ephesians 6:16-18

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan - with each temptation Jesus responded with the Word. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."; "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test."; "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve."

Transformation happens when the Word is applied in the face of temptation and what life brings your way.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:2

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

When Faith Is Confronted by Life

"Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” - Mark 9:20-24

Do you believe that what you believe is really real? That is a quote from Dr. Del Tackett, The Truth Project from Focus on the Family. Jesus was asking the father of the young boy that question. The father was making it plain to Jesus. He believed but, at the same time, he had doubts. Imagine that all you had to do was believe hard enough and whatever you wanted to happen - happened. Most of our prayers have to do with getting relief from some life issue. So wouldn't that be great!

Do you believe that God wants the best for you? Of course. But what is the best for any of us? Not a trick question. Eternal life found by faith in Jesus. So, what about living our mortal lives on this planet? I can only speak for myself and what I have observed in other people. That coupled with the rest of the Bible. To quote the sage, Loretta Lynn. "I beg your pardon, I didn't promise you a rose garden. Along with the sunshine there's gonna be a little rain sometimes." Sometimes it might be a hurricane.  

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." - James 1:2-4

As Christians we live in two realities - one mortal and the other spiritual. The question is which one dominates our thinking and how we respond to the here and now? The truth is that from time to time, we need help with our weak faith when that faith is confronted by the certain unpleasantries in this life. 

"Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm." - Matthew 8:24-26

Those guys were in the boat WITH Jesus, and still they were fearful. Trouble can do that - i.e., cause you to lose perspective and awareness. Don't be surprised if and when it happens to you. Read Psalm 121 - happens to be my grandma's favorite psalm and for good reason.

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. - Psalm 121:1-8

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

They Can Always Imagine

"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools." - Romans 1:20-22

I make it a habit to read the news on-line each day to get a sense of what is happening in the world. A few days ago, I read an article published by Space.com. This is an excerpt.

"Why haven't we found intelligent alien civilizations? There may be a 'universal limit to technological development’..... In less than seven decades, humanity went from having no active flight technology to walking on the moon. It took only a little over a century to get from the first basic computer to a pocket-size device that enables widespread access to nearly the entire body of human knowledge within seconds. Based on that technological trajectory, there is a persistent assumption that our technological capacities are unbounded. This notion, along with the discovery that habitable worlds are common throughout the cosmos, has influenced a question that has perplexed scientists and others for decades: "Why is the universe so quiet?" - Space.com

As Paul wrote, man has indeed become futile in his thinking. The driving force behind that futility is that sinful man does not want there to be a God. People through the generations have not wanted the Bible or Jesus to be God's revelation to mankind. Before I break down what Space.com had to say, let's talk about Darwin for a moment. I am certain you are familiar with his Theory of Evolution - The Origins of Man. Darwin was seeking to explain creation and specifically why homo sapiens are so distinctly different from other creatures on this planet. So, he came up with a theory. You know what a theory is, right? It is an "unproved" assumption. BTW as I was typing the word "unproved" the word "theory" appeared to assist me with my typing, I suppose so I don't use up my allocation of zeroes and ones. :)  The only thing missing to make Darwin's theory fact is what is known as the "missing link". The link that is still missing. So, in the meantime, many people have accepted Darwin's theory to be fact because it fits their world view. That being one without a Creator to which they would be accountable. The theory is even taught in the schools so our children will think it is fact. The thinking is that the missing link is real, we just have not found it - yet. In the meanwhile, we will just have to keep looking until we do and are proven right.

So, to Space.com. Is there life on other planets? Yes - in their minds. But the technological development on any world has an upper bound which prevents any creature from reaching beyond its planetary system. Doesn't that seem to be a reasonable explanation as to why there is no proof of intelligent life on other planets. And IF it is true then it makes the missing link not quite so important. And it debunks the idea that the universe has our planet at its center. And Homo Sapiens as a unique creation in all of the universe. Listen, there are people that will "go to the mat" over these theories. They are vehement about their allegiance to their claim that "There is no God of the Universe" theory. As convinced and vehement as I am about the fact that there is.

I read another article about Mars exploration and how scientists are convinced they will find proof of life even if it is microbial and existed billions of years ago. The world wants so desperately to believe there is no God.

NASA is set to launch a spacecraft to Jupiter's moon Europa, considered one of our solar system's most promising spots to search for life beyond Earth, to learn whether this ice-encased world believed to harbor a vast underground ocean is habitable.

And the beat goes on! Footage from the Tiangong (Chinese) space station shows Shenzhou 18 crew members — commander Ye Guangfu and crewmates Li Cong and Li Guangsu — engaged in research on the adaptability of anaerobic archaea. (micro-organisms) The research aims to test their survival under Mars-like conditions and extreme cosmic radiation, contributing to the search for extraterrestrial life, according to a report from CCTV. (that was a quote) And so ....

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. They can always imagine, but it doesn't change the Truth, and on that day when they stand before a holy God they will be found to be without excuse. Pray for the lost.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Fake News

"While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So, they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day." - Matthew 28:11-15

Probably the most often quoted verses in Matthew 28 are verses 18 to 20. The Great Commission. - Go therefore. As I was reading Matthew 28 again this morning, I was struck by the direction of the chief priests and elders. The guards were told to lie to promote the plans and intentions of the religious leaders. I suppose that I am sensitive to "fake news" because of this election cycle. The idea of truth and fact have little to do with each other, then and now. I think that is what Pilate was suggesting when he was interrogating Jesus.

"Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, What is truth?" - John 18:37-38

Truth can be what people are willing to believe what they are told and act upon it. Having little to do with what is fact. Jesus said He had come to bear witness to the truth - what was eternal fact. That truth is immutable - it will never change based upon who is elected - who happens to be in political power - who is in power - they like all mortals will pass with time. They will wither and fade.

"The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." - Isaiah 40:7-8

Probably the most effective lies are those told that are seasoned with some truth. Truth twisted to accomplish the purpose of the one telling it. For the chief priests, they wanted to refute the idea that Jesus was the Messiah. They conspired with the guards - their guards - not the governors that they were sleeping when Jesus body was stolen. So - riddle me this Batman - (sorry - flashback!) if they were asleep how did they know it was the disciples. And if they woke up, why didn't they stop them? It is not like they had a get-away car waiting. Oh, and what is truth that Jesus was bearing witness to? Pilate did not know that he was speaking to the Truth - the Creator God's revealed Truth.

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." - Proverbs 19:20-21

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Poured Out Wine - Just Like Jesus

"Even if I [Paul] am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all." - Philippians 2:17

Can you pray this to God? "Pour me out for your purpose - use me up - I can do nothing less for God and others than the Savior has done for me." Does that seem extreme to you? The idea that you would be a sacrifice. We too easily read verses in the Bible that encourage us to do that very thing.

"I [Paul] appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:1-2

Pouring out the right to choose to live any way you want. Instead to lay your nets down and follow Jesus. To abandon the priorities and desires of this world for the sake of the Gospel. Just like Jesus.

"And he [Jesus] took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." - Matthew 26:27-29

Just like Jesus. Does that fit with your idea of what it means to be a Christian? This is not a call for a few "elites" but for everyone who has been born again by faith in Jesus. We sang a song at a church we are visiting which sparked my thinking about this. When I go to church - I am there for more than the music or the preaching. I am there, listening. For what? A word from the Lord. It can be through the music or the sermon - something else that is said or done. But my prayer is "Lord speak, your servant is listening." Try it - you might be surprised. Here are a couple of verses from that song.

"Pour me out, Lord, use me up. When You’re done I know You will refill my cup. Take this life, use the rest of my days. Make me a holy instrument for Your praise.

I’m yielding to His Holy Spirit. If He’s not in it, no need to get near it. I’m His vessel since He cleansed me. I’m ready to go wherever He sends me

Purge my heart of any other love. Affections set on only what’s above. I’m grateful for the love he’s shown me. I’m using all the gifts He’s loaned me." - Pour Me Out, Rev Spig Davis.

I encourage you to make this your prayer - every day

"Pour me out, Lord, When You're done I know You will refill my cup. Take this life, use the rest of my days Make me a holy instrument for Your praise." 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Trusting In Yourself

 "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same." - Matthew 26:30-35

The disciples had said that if Jesus was going to be killed then they would die alongside Him. But when it came to it, they all fled. Jesus told them that "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (v41) It is not that the disciples did not want to support Jesus, but rather, it would be impossible if they were relying on their personal commitment to Jesus. Their determination. What was happening was intensely spiritual. It was beyond the capacity of mere mortals. The disciples did not understand that, but rather saw it as something worldly when it was, in fact, other-worldly.

It is the same for us. This new life that we live we live by faith. It reminds me of what Paul wrote in the church in Corinth.

"From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." - 2 Corinthians 5:16-18

To live with that perspective - that of being a new creation - requires that we be intentional about our faith and circumspect with respect to our daily living and response to what happens to us - moment by moment. Remembering what the angel of the Lord told Zechariah, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts." - Zechariah 4:6

Something that we should all keep in mind when we say we will follow Jesus wherever that leads us - even into the mouth of the lion or the pit of despair.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." - Proverbs 3:5-8

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

Pursuing Your Purpose

"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money." - Matthew 25:14-18 

In the book, "Purpose Driven Life" pastor Rick Warren wrote, "it's not about you - "You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that, life will never make sense.” So many of make our new life about us. What we are going to get out of it - not what we are going to put into it. How we can manage our sinful nature - the hope of eternal life - not so much to be present with our creator but to escape judgment and hell.

The parables of the bags of gold is about using what you have been given by God for God and His purposes. Each of us has been given a place and a purpose in the Kingdom with the intention that we would fulfill our purpose for the glory of God and the good of others. The intent is not that we should just hunker down and live a comfortable life doing what makes us happy and fulfilled with only a token acknowledgement to the One who has called us and saved us. 

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." - 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

Every Christian has been empowered by God with spiritual gifts, "think bags of gold", that have the purpose of edifying the Body of Christ and bringing glory to God - a light shining the grace and mercy of God in the world. 

"But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor" - 1 Corinthians 12:18-23

Some have received more gifts and some more visible gifts - but any gift from God is important. Someone once said that God said not call the equipped - He equips the called. What has God equipped you to do. The question I have for you is "Are you fulfilling your God-given purpose?" If not, what are you waiting for?

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

The Cost Of Discipleship

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." - Matthew 10:34-39

Do you know someone who has been shunned by their family because of their faith? If not shunned, then perhaps minimized and relegated to the "one religious fanatic" in the family. Maybe you are that person. It is difficult to make a distinction between how the lost culture treats Christians and how your blood relatives do. On the one hand it is cultural - a conflict of world views. On the other it is personal - people you love having rejected you because of your newfound faith.

The truth is you are a living witness and constant reminder of their sinful nature, whether it be the world or your family. Your witness may not be verbal. You may not talk to them differently or love them less - but you are no longer one of them. In the twinkle of an eye, you have become an alien in a foreign land. It is a spiritual thing.

"If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." - John 15:19

Jesus said, " I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household." Easy to read - hard to live. It leaves a hole in your heart that cannot be filled, except by faith. You may not be sorry that you chose Jesus, but you will be sad that you lost the closeness of relationships that mattered. I suppose, in a small way, it gives us a taste of how God feels about His being rejected by His greatest creation and more the rejection of His Son.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone 

True Religion

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him." - Matthew 21:29-32

One who said he would but didn't and the other said he would not but did. Which one went to heaven? It takes more than having a right attitude or good works. It requires faith in Jesus. We cannot wish or hope anyone into heaven.

"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - John 14:6

There are many who believe there is more than one path to get to heaven. That is not what the Bible says. There are some who believe that trying to be good is enough to not go to hell. That is not what the Bible says. It is in the sinful nature of mankind that believes there must be another way - that, like in the Garden, "God didn't really say .... " Uh, yes, He did!

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9

That doesn't leave much room for interpretation. There is only one choice. Martie and I have been watching a show on British television called the Repair Shop. So many people come in to have heirlooms repaired because of the memories that they bring to mind. So many people are obviously blessed by the repairs. Very emotional on the part of the owners and the ones who do the repair. 

One thing I hear very often is "If they are looking down, they will be so pleased." Meaning that they have an idea that the relatives who have passed are watching from heaven. It caused me to wonder why those left behind imagine they are in heaven. Is it that they believe that anyone who passes goes to heaven. John 14:6 says that is not so. Do they believe that if they are Christians that they are watching those left behind and would actually care that the chair just repaired is now fixed? I can't find that in the Bible. Most likely, they are looking for consolation from the loss of someone they loved, and it helps to imagine that they are indeed looking down and are pleased. It is a sobering thought that people we love have passed and were not saved.

"The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever."  -1 John 2:17

We have a tendency to project what life is like on this planet onto what we imagine life will be like in heaven. The Bible gives us glimpses but not a clear picture. Whatever it is, I believe that it will be different. But this I am certain, "It will be good!" Really good!

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Being Grateful

"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So, when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?" - Matthew 20:8-13

To bring this into perspective, a person becomes a Christian when they are young and live faithfully until the end of their days. Another person lives a life of sin far from God and on their deathbed pray to receive Jesus as Lord and find eternal life through him. Both receive the same reward. In light of the parable, the ones who have "toiled" their whole life might wonder why the one who has lived apart from God until just before their last breath receives the same reward.  Is that fair? Think about it. When the person on their death bed finds salvation by faith there is as much rejoicing in heaven as there was with the young person. 

The cynic might ask - how do you know the person about to die was serious, there was no proof in a changed life. That is true. But I would remind you that salvation is between that person and God - not you. We have fulfilled our responsibility by seeking that which was lost and sharing the Good News that Jesus saves. We will know about the veracity of that prayer when we see Jesus face to face. 

"When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Matthew 20:24-28

Have you ever marveled at a preacher or teacher - perhaps placing them in a place of higher standing in Christendom than yourself? I know that I have. There is nothing inherently wrong with acknowledging the effective manner in which another Christian exercises the gifts given them by God for His purposes. They are just being faithful with what they have been given. For that they can be credited. But there is nothing eternal that they might convey through word or deed that does not find its source from God. Those two brothers were seeking recognition and position among the Saints. Jesus made it clear that the one who is recognized as being great in the kingdom of God must be last - a servant - just like Jesus. That does not leave any room for pride or position.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Living With A Godly Perspective

A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them (the Pharisees and Sadducees) and went away... From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." -  Matthew 16:4,21-23

The Pharisees, Sadducees, and the disciples all struggled with spiritual truth - 2000 years later and nothing has changed. We also struggle. The lost are incapable of understanding what is spiritual. Christians were made capable the moment they were saved and God, the Father, sealed us with the Spirit of God. Jesus referred to the Spirit as our Helper. But we still struggle with seeing the world and the affairs of this world from God's perspective.  Oh, that we might be like the sons of Issachar, some of the mighty men of David. 

"Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were expressly named to come and make David king. Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command." - 1 Chronicles 12:31-32

Everything has spiritual context. Even as the world embraces its own wisdom and what it deems to be right in the sight of man. God has spoken to that in His Word which is His spiritual revelation. We might be dismayed to see events play themselves out. We, without doubt, would rather the world see the truth and embrace it, turning away from the works of the flesh. The world is blind to spiritual truth.

"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." - 2 Corinthians 4:3-5

When Jesus gave sight to the blind - certainly it was good for the person who received sight, but it was metaphorical. A spiritual truth being revealed through the healing. 

"And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him [Bartimaeus].” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way." - Mark 10:49-52

And just like Bartimaeus, we too were blind and hoped one day to see. It was faith that finally gave us sight. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

What It Means To Follow Jesus

"Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." - Matthew 8:18-22

Are you familiar with the song, "I have decided to follow Jesus"? It is one of those "old timey" songs. Great message, but it falls short of Jesus' intent. For many people following Jesus is more of a mental exercise than actually following Him. Living a life of worldly abandon. Consideration for and deference to the will of God being first and foremost in the Believer's life. In the verse above Jesus responded to the first person with "Really?" (today's vernacular) I am certain that Jesus saw the person's heart and knew that they were concerned about stability - a place to live and sleep. He was asking, "Are you willing to abandon that to follow Me? I don't think so."

To the second, I suspect that the person's father may not have died yet. Restated - "Once I no longer have any family obligations, I will be free to follow You." Jesus' reply was - "Following me must be primary - your priority." Loving and following Jesus can look like you are being irresponsible and unloving toward your earthly family. Loving God first and with your whole being means that everything else is subordinate to that. 

"And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." - Luke 9:23

It is a choice that we must make very day - every moment really.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone