Iron Sharpens Iron

I watched a sports story last night about the Wisconsin Badger's new head football coach, Luke Fickell. I instantly knew he was going to be a success. How? His shirt says it all.

I said to my wife, "Hmm. A Bible verse."

"What?"

"Yeah. The guy's shirt. It's a Bible verse from Proverbs. 'As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.' Something like that."

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17 NASB

Close enough. The point is the new Badger's coach is most likely a Christian, and 'winning games' is not his highest priority. That's a good thing.

The Bible also tells us to do everything as if we are doing it for The Lord (Colossians 3:23). The blessings will come. This coach has already done that in Cincinnati. And in 2021 he was voted coach of the year.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3:23-24

A lot of younger people these days feel like they should be given everything. Good things come to those who work for them. Not only short term but for one's entire life. And beyond.

A good coach will not only teach his players how to suceed in football, he will teach them the truth about God as well.

Worship

"Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now - and never to be equaled again." - Mark 13:18-19

That verse came to mind yesterday when our pastor played a video from our sister church in Ukraine. The video was totally dark, but you could hear people singing a worship song.

Ukraine is in the midst of a war. Many communities are without electricity. Without heat. And it's almost winter. 

What would WE do if we were in a situation like that? Would we go to church? Would our church even survive? Would we still worship The Lord?

We are so protected here in America. We are safe from the ravages of war and we tend to take it for granted. And to our detriment I think.

Think about the early church in the Book of Acts. The believers were persecuted because of their faith, yet they gathered together to worship. And so should we, whatever the circumstances.

Worship is an essential part of who we are. If OUR wants and comforts exceed that of our faith, we have a problem.

"Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!" - Psalm 95:6

"That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:10

A Nation Gone Under?

I am reading through the Book of Jeremiah right now. What a perfect example he is for us as Christians living in today's world.

Jeremiah was called "the weeping prophet," and for good reason. He was beaten, put in stocks, threatened, tried for his life, and thrown into a pit. No one listened to him about the coming judgement of God.

You and I can become quite frustrated, sometimes even to tears, by watching our society deteriorating right before our eyes. As Ronald Reagan once said, "Without God, a nation cannot endure. If we ever forget we're 'one nation under God,' then we will be one nation gone under."

It is extremely hard to watch our country falling apart. Increasingly, more and more people are turning their backs on God. Pew Research recently found that over the decade from 2009-2019 Americans who called themselves 'Christians' dropped 12% - the largest decline in our nation's history.

We as a nation are doomed if we do not repent. We face the same fate as Judah did when they were carried off to Babylon. Judah did not repent. Will we? I doubt it.

The entire world will be facing God's wrath soon because of our disobedience and our sinful behavior. Same-sex marriage and abortion are even embraced by some churches these days. Can our judgement and punishment be far off?

Thankfully, not everyone will be condemned. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus, the Son of the Living God, will be saved. 

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

If you really want something to be thankful for, be thankful for this: that you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. He is "the only name by which we are saved."

P.S. - The American flag, flown up-side-down, is "a sign of distress or extreme danger." A perfect image for today's story.

One Nation Under God - Ronald Reagan 

Empathetic Love

In the last story that was posted here we briefly touched on Jesus' prayer to God the Father saying, "Not my will but yours." Keep that in mind today as we explore the topic of love (something we need more of these days) and a deeper, more sacrificial love that I am labeling 'empathetic love.' Our scripture for today is found in The Book of John - The Story of Lazarus.

You can read the entire story by clicking the link above, but we will just look at some key verses today. The first of which is verse three.

"So, the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

The one you love is sick. This love is reaffirmed in verse five.

"Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister (Mary) and Lazarus."

By verses 11-14, Jesus already knows that Lazarus is dead. He waits two more days and then goes back to Judea to visit Mary and Martha, despite having the Jews try to stone him there previously.

Now we come to the key verse. After Jesus arrived at the home of his friends, He comforted them. Verse 33

"When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled." 

This culminates in verse 34, the shortest verse in the Bible and one of the most revealing verses about Jesus.

"Jesus wept."

When one of our friends is hurting and in need of help, what do we do? This story of Jesus and His love for His friends gives us a list of things to keep in mind.

1. Go to the person. Make the trip.

2. Comfort them. Give them a hug.

3. Mourn with them. Feel their sadness.

4. Pray for them. Don't just say you'll pray.

5. Cheer them up. Remind them of good times.

6. Love them, like Jesus.

This season of Thanksgiving and Christmas can be hard for people who have lost someone near and dear to them. Be observant. Take the time. Sacrifice yourself for the hurting. And glorify God in everything you do.

Love Them Like Jesus - Casting Crowns

A Hill To Die On

A "hill to die on" is defined as "an issue or course of action that one pursues with total and wholehearted conviction, despite the difficulty and potential consequences of doing so.

Recently, we had an election in our country. It was expected that the Republucan party was going to have "a big, Red Wave." It was hoped by many that the conservative party would take control of both houses of congress. They did not. The reason? Donald Trump. Let me explain.

When 'The Donald' was in office he appointed three conservative justices to the Supreme Court. This "flipped" the court to a more conservative one.

Later, after Trump was out of office, the Court overturned Roe v. Wade, giving power back to each individual state regarding abortion.

Although the ruling did not outlaw abortion, it had the effect of limiting it, which was viewed in the media as "banning abortion."

Recent polls had shown that 2/3 of America (62%) favored a woman's right to abort her baby. That's a big percentage to fight against and many Republicans lost because of that. Hence no red wave.

The question is, was it worth it? Was the Republic stance against abortion a hill worth dying on? Millions of babies say 'yes!'

My question for today is, 'What is your hill to die on?' For some it's abortion. For others it's the Green New Deal. Others say the economy, or sexual orientation. What is our 'hill to die on?'

Shouldn't it be our faith? Shouldn't Jesus be worth dying for? Many have died for their faith in Jesus throught history, and it is still happening today. They're called martyrs.

"So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Walking by faith often comes at a cost. The question is, are we willing to die for our beliefs? Our answer must be 'yes.' After all, Jesus died for us.

How May I Serve You?

"Be careful what you pray for. You just might get it."

Have you ever heard someone say that? I mean, if we pray for something, why would we ever regret receiving what we prayed for? Well.....let me give you an example.

Have you ever prayed to be more patient? God just might give you something that will test your patience. You will struggle, but you will also learn to be patient.

Recently I prayed, asking God how I might serve Him more. I was intentionally not very specific in that prayer, wanting God to choose the way for me to serve. That was Wednesday morning. Thursday afternoon my prayer was answered. 

I can't tell you specifically what happened. Clearly though, God had provided a wonderful way for me to serve Him. And I did so gratefully.

If you are a child of God and you pray earnestly for something dear to your heart, God will answer that prayer.

"Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4

How many times do we miss every day opportunities to serve God simply because of our own inability to see them? Or by our own selfish requests in our prayers?

Shouldn't we just pray for God to use is in whatever way He wishes? That's what Jesus prayed for when He said, "Not my will, but Yours be done."

Yes, Jesus did have a personal request in His prayer (take this cup from me), but He ultimately set that aside and prayed for whatever God wanted for Him.

It feels so good to be used by God. It is also an honor. So, why don't we pray that way more often? Good question.

"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." - 1 John 5:14

The Two Pillars

What is a pillar? It is either a supporting member of a structure or a supporting member of a society - a 'pillar in the community.' Keep those two definitions in mind as we read today.

Our first passage should be familiar. It's the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. The angels warned Lot and his family.

“Flee for your lives! Don’t look back,  But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt." - Genesis 19:17&26

Our second passage is from the Book of Revelation. Jesus is talking about the church in Philadelphia.

"I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name." - Revelation 3:11-12

We have seen two examples of pillars here. Lot's wife and a church.

Lot's wife was from Sodom. Living in sin and corruption was her way of life. When she looked back at Sodom's destruction she did so because she was going to miss it and that lifestyle.

The church in Philadelphia was at the other end of the lifestyle spectrum - the good end. And because of that Jesus wanted to make it a pillar in the temple of God.

The thing we should notice about these two examples is this: Sodom's wife CHOSE to look back. In Philadelphia's case JESUS wanted to make them into a pillar. He did the choosing.

There is a choice involved in each of our lives. What do we long for? Do we enjoy living a sin-filled life? Or do we want to be part of God's church?

Being a 'pillar of society' can be a good thing. But it depends on the character of the society. Being a pillar in Christ's church is a better. It depends on God's character, which is perfect.

The angels warned everyone in Lot's family not to look back. Their warning is for us as well. Quit looking back! Look forward! Look up!!

In the Book of Luke, Jesus spoke these words to His disciples about the time of His return:

"Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it." - Luke 17:32-33

We must lose our sin-filled lives and prepare our hearts for His return. He's coming soon!

The Cry of My Heart

We can sometimes hear our hearts beating, if we are quiet enough. Or if we exercise hard enough. But have you ever heard your heart weeping?

Just before leaving for church yesterday I checked Facebook and learned that a friend of mine had suffered a stroke. He's married, has two kids, and is just 34 years old.

My heart sank. A father and husband suddenly hit with a life-changing medical emergency. So incredibly sad. My friend has a long period of recovery ahead of him. I prayed for him and his family.

During worship we sang a song that had these words in it. They served as a reminder to me. Especially the last seven.

"It is the cry of my heart to follow you, all of the days of my life."

Each of us has both good days and bad days. We're supposed to worship God and follow Him ALL of the days of our lives. Not just the good days.

When we experience bad days in our lives, we should rejoice. Those are the days our hearts cry out to God the loudest. They are the days when we draw nearer to God.

What does 'the cry of my heart' sound like?

It sounds like a prayer.

I hope you have a good day today, but if you don't, take heart. And let your heart cry out to The Lord. All of the days of your life.

"In my distress I cried out to the LORD, and he answered me." - Psalm 120:1

Cry of My Heart - Terry Butler 

Ambush!

The Russian government just pulled its troops out of Kherson in Ukraine. The media says this is "a major military defeat for Putin." Really? What if it's a trap?

We all believe what we want to believe. Whether it is a trap or not, that remains to be seen.

Have you ever read the story of Joshua and how the Israelites caprured the city of Ai at God's direction? God said to Joshua, "Set up an ambush behind the city" (Joshua 8:2). Then Joshua commanded his troops:

"Pay attention. You are to lie in ambush behind the city, not too far from it. All of you must be ready. Then I and all the troops with me will advance on the city. When they come out against us as they did the first time, we will flee from them. They will pursue us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ So as we flee from them, you are to rise from the ambush and seize the city, for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand. And when you have taken the city, set it on fire." - Joshua 8:4-8

Putin recently put a new man in charge of his army in Ukraine. And this man's first move was to retreat? I don't think so. Not unless something else is going to happen.

Satan is a better strategist than any military general. He can convince us that everything is going to be alright as he draws us into sin after sin after sin. Jesus said this to His disciples:

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard;" - Matthew 10:16-17

Everything may seem like "pumpkin and spice and everything nice" but we are all in a war, a spiritual battle. Our general is Jesus. Following His commands is critical in this world we live in today.

This was God's command to Joshua before the Israelites entered The Promised Land: 

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:9

We need to remember that.

Esther's Example

One of the many things I enjoy about studying the Bible is discovering the hidden treasures that it contains. Gems of wisdom, waiting to be unearthed with just a little bit of digging. Like this little beauty in the Book of Esther.

I read through the book last month and didn't notice this. Then, during our pastor's sermon on Sunday about how we should approach God in prayer, the lightbulb came on.

We were studying Luke 11 in church but I was mentally pawing through the Old Testament book of Esther. There IS a connection. This was from Luke 11.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." - Luke 11:9

Our pastor then said this regarding Luke 11:9:

"Rudeness or inappropriate boldness should never be part of our prayer."

When Esther's people were threatened with annihilation she knew she had to ask the king for help. But to enter his court without permission meant certain death. UNLESS the king extended his scepter.

Esther approached the king anyway but she did so with a HUMBLE boldness. She was willing to sacrifice her life for her people.

Esther approaching the king is the perfect example of how we should approach God in our prayers.

The king loved Esther. And God loves us. But we cannot just blurt out our prayers expecting God to respond to our needs like some genie.

Shouldn't we bow down to our king and ask Him permission to enter His presence? And THEN seek His help by our knock on His door.

"On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.

Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” - Esther 5:1-3

Now THAT is an answer to prayer!

You will notice in verse 1 in the Esther passage it says, "On the third day." Esther and her people had already been fasting and praying for two full days before she went to see the king.

Do you and I prepare our hearts and minds before we pray as Esther did? Perhaps, if we first asked God for permission to enter His throne room in prayer, rather than barging in, God's answer to our prayer might be more readily given.

Definitions

We Americans have a common language - English. You'd think that communicating with each other would then be easy. Far from it. You see, although we speak the same language, our words often have different meanings and definitions.

Example: Do you believe in God? You might say 'Yes' but is it the same God that I believe in? Umm..... who knows?

Jesus needs to be defined these days because Jesus has several different meanings, depending on the religion. Jesus of the Bible is not the same as the Mormon Jesus or the Jesus of Islam. Make sure to define your Jesus!

Do you believe that Jesus was the result of a physical, sexual relationship between God and Mary? If you do you might be a Mormon. If you believe thay Jesus always was as part of the Trinity since the beginning of time, you might be a Biblical Christian. See what I mean?

And the Jesus is Islam was merely a prophet, not God. This Islamic prophet,  Jesus, was brought forth to proclaim the coming Messiah, Muhammad.

Make sure who you are believing in and praying to before bowing your head or worshipping with others.

"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." - John 1:1-4

I Don't Care

If anyone wants a really good name for a restaurant, try 'I Don't Care.' Half the people on the planet want to eat there.

"Honey, where would you like to eat tonight?'

'I don't care.'

See?

The phrase 'I don't care' can have multiple meanings though. First, a person might not actually care. They like all kinds of food, so it really doesn't matter to them.

Second, someone might be busy doing something and, when asked, they will say 'I don't care' just to make the conversation stop so they can finish doing what they were doing when they got interrupted.

Third, there is the rare person who doesn't really care where they eat, as long as they can be with the person asking the question.

Which one are you? I have been all three.

Jesus was that last person, I believe. It didn't really matter WHERE He ate. He wanted to talk with you about your sin and His Father in heaven.

"While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” - Mark 2:15-17

Jesus didn't care where He ate or what He was eating. Jesus was there for the conversation.

So, where do YOU want to serve tonight? And why?

Father, what is it that you would have me do for you? I don't really care what it is or where it is. If it is something you want of me, then send me. Encourage me along the way. Guide my steps. Open doors, or close them. Whatever it is that you want, Lord, that is what I want too. I don't care. I love you and want to serve you and you alone. Thank you for your sacrifice on my behalf. Help me to serve you. It is your wonderful name I pray. Amen.

First Sight

"No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known." - John 1:18

When we die, whose face will be the first to greet us? A mother? A brother? A child? A spouse? Or will it be Jesus? Impossible to say.

Who would you like to see? Because God knows our every one of our thoughts, would He send someone special upon our arrival? Another unanswerable question.

I watched a movie a few years ago about the apostle Paul, who was beheaded for His faith. Upon his arrival in the after life, Paul was greeted by a little girl who he had killed before he met Jesus. She gave him a great big hug. Wow.

Then the little girl's family and others also embraced Paul. Their forgiveness was pure and sweet and complete.

Then Paul slowly turned around. It was at this point in the movie, with tears in my eyes, that I blurted out, "Where is He?"

Then, there He was, standing on a nearby hill. Jesus. It was absolutely perfect.

I don't know who will be the first to greet me after I die. But I DO know this . . . I WILL see Jesus. And THAT will be absolutely perfect.

Paul, Apostle of Christ