Lean Into It

 

[Youth Group Bible Study from 8-20-26]

Most of you have seen this video before, as it went viral rather quickly. But this video is a great example of what we’re going to be talking about tonight.

In this video we are going to see one young man (age 10) who is literally being pounded by a force stronger than he is – the Pacific Ocean. When the video begins, a lifeguard (age 16) is already on the scene, trying to pull the victim out of the surf. Things are not going well. Something nasty is about to happen. You can see it beginning at the top of the screen. A massive wave is coming. What is the lifeguard going to do? Will the young swimmer survive?

(Watch the video)

Open your Bibles to Acts 17 and scroll down to verse 16. The Apostle Paul is in Athens, Greece. He is waiting for two of his friends, Silas and Timothy, to arrive from Berea. Let’s read.

“While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols.” – Acts 17:16

Those statues were idols in Paul’s eyes, but they were gods in the eyes of the Athenians. The Greeks would not take kindly to Paul telling them that they were wrong in their beliefs. Was Paul afraid? Was the lifeguard in the video afraid? Paul did what the lifeguard did.

What did the lifeguard do just before the wave hit? He leaned into the wave. Why? He was trying to reduce the surface area of his body so the wave would have a reduced impact.

Time for a little lesson in physics. Have you ever stuck your hand out of a car window like this? (Flat) A car that’s going 65 mph? What happens when you go like this? (Vertical) It just about rips your arm off, right? Whoa! The lifeguard was making himself “aerodynamic” by leaning into the wave.

Paul was really “leaning into” his missionary work. He didn’t know when Silas and Timothy would arrive so he got busy sharing the Gospel. In the lifeguard video we can see a few people coming to help. Maybe they’re named Silas and Timothy. Lol! Not likely. But none of them were as determined as the teen holding onto that kid. It’s the same with Paul. He was a determined evangelist - just as we should be.

Let’s take a look at Paul and see exactly what he did. Maybe we can learn something. What’s the first thing he did when he got to Athens?

He observed. He went around the town, observing what they did. He learned their customs, their habits, their gods, and their traditions (v16).

He was distressed by what he saw. He cared deeply for the people he met there and wanted to help them come to know Jesus. (v16).

He reasoned with them. This took the form of debates – a back and forth discussion with unbelievers. Are WE up to doing something like that? (v17).

He met with them.  And this was wherever and whenever. The Areopagus, the synagogue, the marketplace (v19, 22).

He redirected. He used one of the Athenian’s own statues to preach Jesus to them (v23).

So, what are WE to do when talking to others about Jesus? Where do we even begin? Well, we can start by getting to know those we are taking to, just like Paul did. But before that we can pray for opportunities and for the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and words. And remember, the first and greatest commandment is to love God and love others (Luke 10:27). And we are also called to love our enemies. These “enemies” have a tendency to suddenly appear when we are talking about Jesus.

“’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Luke 10:27

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” – Matthew 5:44

 “If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home and shake the dust off your feet.” – Matthew 10:14

Train yourselves. Spend time reading God's Word. It will get you ready for the big wave when you leave home and go out on your own. Back to sharing the Gospel for a moment.

Not everyone is open to hearing the Gospel message. Turn to 2^nd Corinthians 11:24 This is what Paul endured.

“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked." - 2 Corinthians 11:24-28

We may lose friends, family members might get angry with us, but the key is to never give up, like that lifeguard.

“Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.” - 1 John 3:13

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9

"For when I am weak, then I am strong." - 2 Corinthians 12:10

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." - Philippians 1:21-24

Paul was eventually beheaded in prison because he kept on preaching the Gospel.

And how do we know whether or not what we say might work on someone and, over time, they would come to believe?

There is a cool story from a man named Lee Strobel who was sharing the Gospel one day at work. God's message of grace and hope did not return void (link below).

“My word that goes out from my mouth, shall not return to me empty; but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing which I sent it.” – Isaiah 55:11

Is there anyone in YOUR life who needs to hear the Good News about Jesus? Is anyone “drowning” in worldliness and in need of a rescue? In need of Jesus? Speak to them. Follow Paul's example. Lean into sharing the Gospel with God's Word and the Holy Spirit. Save a life, right here, right now.

Cool Lee Strobel story

The Jordan

I think just about every Christian knows that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. But "The Jordan" was involved in quite a few other Bible stories as well. And the connections are amazing!

"In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan." - Mark 1:9

But let's go back into the Old Testament for a Jordan River scavenger hunt. The "first mention" of the Jordan is in the Book of Genesis. Lot chose "the plain of the Jordan" to settle when he split from Abram (Genesis 13:10).

The cities located there were Sodom and Gomorrah. God judged them and destroyed them. Yet Lot escaped. Why? Because two angels saved him. Was one of them Jesus. Hmm.🤔

How about when the Israelites wanted to cross the Jordan after Moses died?

"Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over." - Joshua 3:1

There are a few nuggets here. Let's dig. First, Joshua. Joshua is a Hebrew name meaning "YHWH is salvation" and is derived from (are you ready for this?) the name Jesus. 

And why were the Israelites crossing the Jordan? To get into the Promised Land! And "the Promised land" is synonymous with Heaven for the Christian.

And why didn't Moses get to take the Israelites across the Jordan? Because he disobeyed God (sinned) by striking the rock. Moses is synonymous with "The Law." And "The Rock" is another name for Jesus. And life-giving water came out of the rock, right? 

"Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” - John 14:4

The Jordan is synonymous with judgement. Moses was punished at the Jordan because he sinned. So will we be. Unless we have a Joshua (Jesus) to take us into the promised land.

One more. Where did Jesus raise Lazarus back to life? In a little town called Bethany. And where IS Bethany located? Across the Jordan.

"This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing." - John 1:28

Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead right near the Jordan. Right where He was baptized.

There are SO many stories in the Old Testament that link to Jesus! All we have to do is read them and marvel at the cohesivness of God's Word.

Where Was Jesus Baptized? - GotQuestions.org

Job On Jesus

In the Book of Job, supposedly the oldest book in the Bible, there are a few verses that made me stop and contemplate them again this past week.

Job was talking with his friends about God...

"If only there were someone to mediate between us (God and man), someone to bring us together, ³⁴someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more." - Job 9:33-34

Well, Job, let me tell you about Jesus. That's exactly what He does. He is a mediator between God and mankind. Jesus intercedes for us with God the Father. He also removed "God's rod" from us by sacrificing HIS life for ours, taking God the Father's punishment upon Himself.

 Here's another verse from the Book of Job.

"I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand on the earth." - Job 19:25

That's right, Job. Our Redeemer surely does live. He rose from death to life on the third day. And you are right again when you say "that in the end He will stand on the earth."

All this stuff is from the oldest book in the Bible! And it's talking about Jesus!!

"I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, ¹⁰Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’" - Isaiah 46:9-10

God is simply amazing! He knows our hearts. He knows what we are thinking before it comes into our minds. The sooner we repent and seek Him, the better off we will be.

"To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Timothy 1:17

Impaled?

You know, we read the Bible and believe that what it says is truth. At least we should, right? I would like to add an asterisk to that statement, and it reads like this:

The Bible is 100% true *

* in the original text

Example: The Thief on The Cross passage found in Mark 15:27. If you go on BibleHub.com and explore the 43 different Bible translations for this verse, many different words describing who was crucified next to Jesus appear - robbers (25), thieves (5),  bandits (4), criminals (4), rebels (2),  revolutionaries (2), and outlaws (1).

So which one is right? They're all similar. "Robbers" seems to be the most popular. If you look up the verse in a Greek Interlinear Bible you will find the Greek word 'lēstai' which translates as "robbers." That coincides with the most popular translation. But why did other translators choose the words they did if "robbers" was the best choice? Unknown.

Here's another example from the same verse, just two words before "robbers." The word 'crucified.'

"With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left." - Mark 15:27

Look at this screen shot from the interlinear Bible. It says 'impalling' in the blue colored text. What? Jesus was impaled? Okay, what is the definition of impaled then? Because I thought impaling was like what happened to Haman in the Book of Ester. He was impaled on a pole.

Merriam Webster - "to pierce with or as if with something pointed. To torture or kill by fixing on a sharp stake."

That's what happened to Haman alright.

I enjoy digging into the Bible's words to see what their true meanings are. And each time I do, I always come away with a new, deeper understanding.

In this case, Jesus was crucified. Exactly how it was done is up to human interpretation. He died. Does it truly matter how? Nailed to a cross or to a tree (which the Bible says elsewhere), or impaled on a pole, He died next to two men. Truth.

He died as a sacrufice for OUR sins, rose again from the dead, spent 40 days walking and talking with the disciples, then He ascended into heaven. The Gospel, the good news, is pretty simple. We should keep it that way.

God's Promises

This past Friday night our church held another Youth Night. It was our fourth (one each month). This last one was different than all the previous ones in that we were teaching the kids about apologetics and preparing them for life outside "The Bubble."

As an aide, and as an encouragement, we gave them each a book entitled God's Promises For Your Every Need. The book contains only scripture but the verses are arranged by topic. The Bible is a big book, abs it contains ALL of verses, but, if you are looking for a verse dealing with a certain topic, the one you are looking for CAN be hard to find.

After one of the boys received the book, I noticed him flipping through the pages, searching for something.

"What are you looling for?" I asked.

"Something about confidence," he replied.

"Try the index up front," I suggested.

[He was really looking for this! And then he found it!]

"You Need Confidence! Page 146!"

Flipping, flipping, . . . then he arrived.

"I can do all things through Christ to strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13

"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." - Hebrews 10:35, 36

"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." - Philippians 1:6

There were several verses as well. 

The teens of today need to be prepared for when they leave home and set foot in this worldly world. What better way for them to be ready then by arming them with God's Word.

If you would like to arm yourselves with this weapon for use against the forces in the spiritial realms, it's on Amazon for less than five bucks. That said, it is actually priceless, if it can help save just one of these little ones.

God's Promises For Your Every Need - Amazon

The Bubble

There is a danger in the church today, but it is not really new. It has been there for 2,000 years. But it's getting far worse.

We don't like all of the woke garbage being taught in our pubkic schools so we home school our children, right? That's good and all, but there is still a danger.

I watched an apologetics video recently that began by talking about a remote Brazilian tribe called the Nambikwara. 

The Nambikwara were first contacted in 1770 (256 years ago) but did not experience prolonged contact with Europeans until the early 20th century, when Brazilian army official Marechal Cândido Rondon passed through Nambikwara territory to extend the telegraph lines. He estimated that there were around 10,000 Nambikwara. Shortly after contact with European Brazilians, epidemics of measles and smallpox decimated the population to only 500 around 1930. - Wikipedia

A similar thing is happening in the church today as false teachers bring their "disease" of false doctrine into the flock. This is not good as church members soon start exhibiting symptoms and their beliefs deconstruct. So, what can we do?

Read and study your Bible. It is the best source of truth out there. God does not lie.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." - 2 Timothy 3:16

Teach the next generation about the dangers of these false teachers. 

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." - 1 John 4:1

Educate yourself about these false teachers and their doctrine so you will recognize it, should it sneak in.

"Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way." - Psalm 25:8-9

Things in these last days are only going to be getting worse. Be on your guard. Watch out for the wolves. Protect your bubble!

And pray.

How Deep?

"Who am I that you are mindful of me?" - Psalm 8:4

This is going to be an emotional story for me. I hope I can properly write down what my heart is dictating to me. Several things are prompting me to write. First of all, this verse you just read. I read it this morning in my daily reading. It asks a good question - Who are we that the God of the universe cares about us?

Secondly, I am also reading two other books along with the Bible right now. Both are nearing their end, but one struck a sympathetic note with me today, dealing with the subject of compassion as it relates to evangelism.

The author related a story about a college student coming up after the talk he had just delivered, asking him, "Could we talk?" And talk, they did. This is from the book:

"I realized that this wasn't just an intellectual puzzle to figure out, it was an emotional knot to untie."

I go back to when Jesus was talking to Nicodemus (picture above). I can picture that conversation whenever I am about to talk to someone about Jesus. Speaking in love. Asking questions. Telling the truth. It's a very intimate time.

I recently reached out to someone who was struggling. And there came a thankful response.

The timing of me reading this chapter along with this new person in need of encouragement agreeing to meet and all, is simply amazing. The Romans Road to Salvation is one thing but offering to walk along the road WITH THEM and to ENCOURAGE THEM as you walk down that road, is an entirely new ball game.

Again, who am I Lord, that you are mindful of me?

There is a bridge on that Romans Road. Its a short, narrow bridge that takes the traveler from death to life. We cannot cross the bridge without first acknowledging that it exists. And that it spans an immensely deep chasm. The bridge has a name written on it. "Jesus. King of kings, and Lord of lords."

The person we are walking with is uncertain about the bridge. Why? Because they can't yet see it or understand it. So, what do we do?

Your friend can see YOU. Your friend can hear YOUR voice and understand YOUR words. So, what's next? How can we tell our friend that they can trust the bridge and not fall?

Tell them how YOU crossed the bridge!

Tell them YOUR fears and doubts before YOU crossed it. Tell them what awaits them on the other side. It is YOUR healed heart that makes others want the same. Share. Trust. Love. Pray.

Sin separates. Love binds us together.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

How Deep The Father's Love - Fernando Ortega

The Thing About Love

Today's story is all about love, and . . . the problems it can create. Let's start out in "a perfect world." In my opinion, this is how we will experience love when we get to heaven. Let's begin with "The Love Chapter," 1st Corinthians 13 - a description.

"⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ⁸Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

That sounds pretty good to me. Unfortunately, right now, we do NOT live in a perfect world so can we truly find that perfect love? Yes, but only in one place. Jesus.

"Nobody is perfect," so the saying goes. Except Jesus of course. That beings me to a theory of mine, and today's story. If we Christians truly follow Christ, and obey His commands, shouldn't our earthy relationships be perfect?

We all sought, or are seeking, that "perfect" someone to spend the rest of our lives with. We soon discover that we, and they, are not perfect. So, what do we do? What's the answer? Two things.

First, we should NOT become unequally yoked. In otherwords, don't get into a relationship with someone who is not a believer. It sounds like a small thing perhaps but if our spouses are not believers, our relationships are already doomed, in this life and the next.

Secondly, love unconditionally. This is 'agape' love. It is a sacrificial, Ephesians 5 love. And we should do this realizing that no one in an earthly relationship is perfect. All of these instructions (commands) are in the Bible.

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." - 2 Corinthians 6:14

"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

The love Jesus has for us is perfect. It is sacrificial (He already died for us). And His love will NEVER leave us.

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” - Hebrews 13:5

So, what happens if we have no one to love right now? What do we do then? First, learn to be content. If it is God's will that you remain single, submit to that. But if not, fear not. God will provide.

"There is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear." - 1 John 4:18

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." - Matthew 6:33

We all desire to be loved. And we are! But our FIRST love must be God. We cannot forget about Jesus when searching for love in this place. Find another believer and grow closer to Jesus, together.❤

"You have abandoned the love you had at first." - Revelation 2:4

Subliminal

It's hard to see perhaps, due to my poor photography skills, but the above picture is a hand-drawn cross on one of my disc golf putters. Inside the cross are the words to Psalm 23.

As part of the class I teach for the local Parks & Rec Department, we play "Best Shot" on some of the holes at the local course. I use this disc to mark what the kids think is the best shot. And everyone throws from its position. Everyone sees it.

I don't preach the Gospel or tell the kids about Jesus. But I do let my actions, and this disc, do my talking for me.

During the last class one of the dad's picked up my disc and looked at it. And I began to pray a quick prayer.

"What's this say?" he asked.

"It's Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want."

My "conversation starter disc" was working. Soon the dad was telling me about his faith and a program he supports called Project Bible Runners. They give out donated Bibles to anyone in need, anywhere in the world. Sometimes countries don't allow people to import their bibles. That's why they are called 'runners,' because they literally run them in.

Anyway I thought that was cool. Check them out at the link below.

My new friend had a daughter in the class. I taught her to throw a "roller." Soon she was out-rolling the older, stronger boys. You should have seen the smile on her face. 😁

Perhaps she will be the first Bible "roller," spreading to gospel of Jesus . . . and also the gospel of disc golf.

"And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." - Matthew 24:14

Come, Lord Jesus!

Project Bible Runners

Our Golden Calf

Today's story is probably going to be a little hard to swallow for some. That's because they have not taken the time to read the Bible or to worship God by going to church. This lesson is for those who THINK they know God, but whose actions tell a different story.

Did you watch The Ten Comnandments the other night? Much of it is taken from the Book of Exodus. The movie, although it is based on God's Word, does tend to stray from the truth from time to time. Still there  are many lessons worthy of remembering. Like when Moses went up on the mountain to get the ten commandments.

While Moses was gone, the people "corrupted themselves." They thought they knew God but they still made a new god to worship - a golden calf. This angered The Lord and He killed many in the camp for their disobedience.

But then read this:

"²⁵Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, ²⁶and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span." - Exodus 23:25-26

That is, IF you worship the Lord.

I see Facebook posts from some of the youth group kids that I used to shepherd. I must not have done a very good job. I read complaints about miscarriages with boyfriends or the inability to conceive amongst them. We need to have a talk. But they are too busy.

God tells us about what He will do IF we worship Him. Do these complaining kids go to worship? No. Well.....

None of us are immune to sin. We keep repeating our same old practices.

"Will I see you at church on Sunday?"

"Nope. We're going up north."

"Don't they have churches up there?"

"Uhh . . . <silence>."

We're all the same. We worship the gods of convenience and schedules. And yet we wonder why things don't go the way we want them to. Hmm.

"But I believe in God. Why won't He let me have a baby?"

"Have you read the Bible?"

"No. Not all of it."

"Well . . ."

I'm not saying that we all will live perfectly wonderful lives if we read His Word. Jesus Himself said, "In this life you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

All I am saying is that it will be better if we read the Bible and apply God's teaching and commands to our lives than if we don't.

"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." - Revelation 1:3

Everyone?

This past week, Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic church, came out with a statement that said all Catholics should embrace cohabitating couples (i.e. people living together and having sex outside of marriage). Is that biblical? What does the Bible say about this? First, a definition . . .

Fornication - sexual intercourse between people who are not married to each other, especially when considered as a sin.

Here's the quote:

"The Church does not close the door to those who struggle on the path of faith, indeed, she throws the door wide open, because everyone 'needs merciful and encouraging pastoral attention' [Amoris Laetitia, 293]," the pope said Monday.

[That's true so far... He goes on...]

"Everyone. Do not forget this word: everyone, everyone, everyone. Jesus said this when those invited to the wedding did not come, and Jesus says: 'Go into the streets and bring everyone, everyone, everyone — But Lord, all the good ones, no? — No, everyone! Good and bad! Everyone, everyone.' Do not forget that word 'everyone,' which is in a sense the vocation of the Church, mother of all."

The Pope referenced a parable told by Jesus found in Matthew 22.

"And again, Jesus spoke to them . . ."

Who is them? Who was Jesus talking to?

"When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that He was speaking about them." - Matthew 21:45

The Bible is all the proof we need.

Jesus goes on in Chapter 22 to the tell His parable. There's a link below so you can read the entire parable if you wish but here's Bob's condensed version.

Jesus didn't invite 'everyone' into heaven, as the Pope claims. The word 'everyone' that the Pope used so many times in his statement is not even found in the text. At least the ESV that I used.

"But they (the Pharisees and religious leaders) paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another town his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them." - Matthew 22:5-6

Who are Jesus' servants here? They are disciples. Let's continue reading.

"The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find." - Matthew 22:8-9

The 'invited' were the Pharisees and religious leaders who refused to hear Jesus' teaching. And the text doesn't say 'everyone' as the Pope claims. It says, 'as many as you can find.' These are the Gentiles.

From my MacArthur study Bible:

'This illustrates the free offer of the Gospel, which is extended to all indiscriminately.'

Conclusion?

The Pope does not know his Bible. Shame on him - the leader of his flock. He is a false teacher. His fate will be worse that those he is leading in the wrong direction. I'm no Biblical scholar either but at least I read and study my Bible. So should the Pope.

If you are a member of the Catholic church, I encourage you to leave it. Trust in the Lord and in His Word. Do not listen to mere men, including me. Trust God.

Jesus ends His parable with these words...

"For many are called, but few are chosen." - Matthew 22:14

Matthew 22

Pope Francis Article

Coming Soon

The Bible is a big book. SO big that there are 66 other books inside it. It was written over a period of 2,000 years. Yet, it is a perfectly cohesive story about one man - The God Man - Jesus.

The Book of Job is considered to be the oldest book in the Bible. Yet even Job eludes to Jesus when he said this:

"If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more." - Job 6:33-34

There is, my friend. His name is Jesus.

Jesus Himself said that He was around since the beginning. He didn't just suddenly appear at His earthly birth. He was there at the creation of the universe. He'll be there at the end.

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you a this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” - Revelation 22:12:16 

Jesus closes out His Words written in the Bible with this in verse 20: 

"Yes, I am coming soon!" - Revelation 22:20

While it has been 2,000 years since Jesus told those words to John, remember what the psalmist said . . .

"A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night." - Psalm 90:4

The Foundation

My wife "volunteered" me to help one of our mutual friends with some home fix up chores. One of them had to do with some old steps onto a patio.

The steps were worn and pretty beat up. And the patio . . .

"Did they put a foundation under the patio when they built it," I asked? (Obviously, by its condition, the answer was 'no')

"I'm not sure," she said. "Why do you ask?"

"Well . . ."

In Wisconsin where we live, winter frost can get pretty deep. All of the freezing and thawing that occurs during winter, fall, and spring causes movement. A foundation that extends "below frost" is needed to prevent unwanted movement and the resulting destruction.

My friend's entire patio will need to be replaced simply because the builder did not take the time to put in a foundation.

Our faith works the same way. Without a proper foundation in the truth and in God we will end up failing just like my friend's deck did.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock (a solid foundation). And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” - Matthew 7:24-27

Without a firm foundation our faith is useless. Trials will come in this life. We must be prepared for them with a strong faith in Jesus. Only then can we withstand the strongest of storms.

And should our faith ever get shaky, our foundation repairman, Jesus, is just a prayer away.

Words Fixed?

The world is still reeling from the presidential debate this past Thursday night in Atlanta. Wow. But as big a news story as that was, I am not going to be writing about it today. You're welcome.

Instead, I was reminded during my reading about who is really in charge in this world and just what we need to do to restore honor and respect to this country that we love so much. The solution is found in the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 11. Here's a summary:

1. Love the Lord your God. (v1)
2. Keep His requirements, His decrees, His laws, and His commands. Always. (v1)
3. Observe all the commands. (v8)
4. Love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul. (v13)
5. Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other Gods and bow down to them. (v16)
6. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds. (v18)
7. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. (v18)
8. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (v19)
9. Write them on your doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (V20)

Verse 22 then says this:

"If you carefully observe all these commands.  . ."

Yes, all these things listed above are COMMANDS from God. How are we doing with those commands? And notice that God says ALL.

I'm thinking that I'm at about 50%, on a good day. Do I have any Bible verses written on my doorframes? Anywhere? Uhh....

Are we teaching God's Word to our children? God is telling US to teach them, not pass it off to a pastor or Sunday school teacher.

IF we do ALL of these things, God tells us that we WILL be blessed. Otherwise, if we don't, we WILL be cursed.

Turn these nine commands from God into a daily to-do list. Can we check all the boxes each and every day? Probably not. That's why we're all still sinners. But we CAN try.

And then we can thank God for Jesus, "who takes away the sins of the world."

Deuteronomy 11

God Reveals Himself

Samuel. He was prophet, the last of Israel's judges. He lived during the time of Saul and David. Samuel was powerful and strong in The Lord from his youth.

"The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and He let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there He revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word." - Samuel 3:19:21

Did you know that there is an often dormant gift from God awaiting all those who believe in Him? There is. It's right there in bold for all to see. The last three words of verse 21 above.

"He (God) revealed Himself to Samuel THROUGH HIS WORD."

God will do the same for all of His children. However . . . in a recent Barna group survey, not many Christians are making the choice to read these days. Only 48% of Christians in 2021 read their Bible at least 3 times A YEAR.

How is God going to reveal Himself to us, THROUGH HIS WORD, if we're not reading, and studying, His Word, the Bible? Hmm.

In my previous story I talked about our need to be salt to those around us. God revealed that to me, through His word. I read the Bible. God revealed to me, through His Holy Spirit, that I need to get out of the house more and into the community in order to become that salt that hasn't lost its saltiness.

God revealed to me that I need to spend more time after church, hanging out with my brothers and sisters. I need to spend time listening to THEIR stories, not telling them mine.

What will God reveal to YOU today as you read His Word?

La Porte

Like lots of Packers fans on Sunday, my wife and I were watching the Vikings-Lions game which preceded our big game. The Lions have a tight end on their team named Laporta.

"Laporta?" I said to myself. "Why does that sound familiar?" Welcome to High school French class.

Back then, after we were all seated in our desks, our teacher would say, "Fermez la porte," which means "Close the door."

Why do I even remember that? I was 15 years old! That was 55 years ago!! Yet I knew, today, that "la porte" means 'the door.'

"I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." - John 10:9

Jesus told us that HE is the door. And what is a door? Is it not a means of entry through a wall? A barrier where there is no other means of access? Jesus is la porte into heaven.

But why did I remember that? It is because I heard it everyday in my French class for an entire semester. Repetition is how we train ourselves to remember things.

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates," - Deuteronomy 11:18-20

God commanded us to memorize scripture. How are we doing with that?

We're like, "I don't have enough time in my day to sit down and memorize a bunch of verses."

"Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" - Luke 6:46

"Fermez la porte et mettez-vous au travail."

It's Alive!

No, this story isn't about Frankenstein. But it IS about someone who was raised from the dead.

"The bible was inscribed over a period of 2000 years. In times of war and in days of peace. By kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers, fishermen, singers and shepherds. The marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive could have been produced by such a diverse crowd, over a period of time which stagers the imagination. Jesus is it's grand subject, our good its design, and the Glory of God is its end."

Think about it. The Bible was written from 1900-1700 BC to 54-68 AD. Yet the first book speaks of the last book and last book, the first.

In Genesis 5 we read the story of Noah - a picture of Christ. And in Revelation 1 Jesus says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end."

And the weird thing is, you and I can be changed just by reading its words. Some seemingly random verse finds a home in our hearts and it really sinks in. It changes us.

The more we read and study the Bible's contents, the more we become amazed by its construction, design, and beauty.

The song link at the bottom has a line in it that couldn't be more true.

"The Word is alive. And it cuts like a sword through the darkness, with a message of life for the hopeless, and the frail. Breathing life into all who believe."

The Bible, also known as God's Word, has another interesting twist when we read the first verse of John.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." - John 1:1-2

What? Now I'm confused.

Maybe this will help. Jesus is the Word.

The Bible is just men writing down what they heard from God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. It's not so much the written text as it is the meaning of the text. Does than make sense?

When we place of faith in Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit takes God's very words and impresses them on our hearts. We begin to see as we begin to understand. And then WE begin to live! Born again, alive in Christ!

The Bible is truly a miracle, available to anyone. Pick one up today. The rest of your life is waiting to be changed.

The Word Is Alive - Casting Crowns

Frozen To The Sword

I have a challenge for you today. It involves the love we have for our family and friends. Kind of strength test - a measuring stick if you will. First, read this:

"Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day." - 2 Samuel 23:9-10

How much do we love our family? What if someone was attacking someone we love. Would we step in and fight them? To the death?

We are in the midst of a spiritual battle in this world. Watch the news. Parents are having to fight just to raise their own children! Many school systems are indoctrinating our kids without the parent's knowledge. This is just wrong.

Some parents show up at school board meetings, some have actually gotten arrested, and some have gotten so frustrated that they have pulled their children out of the public school and are now home schooling them. Good for them.

Go back to that verse about Eleazar. He fought so incredibly hard for Israel. Even though others fled, he stayed and fought, and "The Lord brought about a great victory that day."

We must stand firm in these last days. We, the silent majority, have been silent for far too long.

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm." - Ephesians 6:13

Paul goes on to tell the church in Ephesus that "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17) is essential for fighting the schemes of the Devil.

Do we have a tight grasp on God's Word? So tight that it has become frozen in our hands?

Got Bread?

How often do you eat? Morning? Noon? Night? All of the above? Or do you only eat once each week? Each month? Umm... you're not hungry?

Of course my opening question is about Jesus. He is our daily bread.

"Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread." - Matthew 6:9-11

Our daily bread. Jesus is the bread of life.

"I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." - John 6:35

In the Old Testament book of Exodus we read how God kept His people alive in the wilderness. He gave them mana to eat.

"Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day." - Exodus 16:4

God gave them 'bread from heaven' every day. The bread represented what God would later provide in Jesus.

And how often do we need Jesus in our lives? Every day. So why do we leave our Bibles sitting on the shelf? Do we think we know it all? The Bible is a big book! Lots of bread to digest.

God wants us to read it every day.

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." - Deuteronomy 6:6-9

"They are not just idle words for you. They are your life." - Deuteronomy 32:47

"Experts" (whoever THEY are) tell us that the average human can survive anywhere from 8 to 21 days without food (bread). Three days without water.

Jesus has plenty to eat and drink. It's in His Word. He has plenty to eat. So, what are we waiting for? Aren't you hungry?

"Take and eat." - Matthew 26:26

Spiritual Anemia

I went to the doctor last week with symptoms of low energy and dizziness. They took some of my blood and called me later that day with the results.

"You're anemic," the nurse said. "We need you to take 325mg of iron each day and we'll check you again in four weeks."

Hmm. Low iron level. Maybe I should chew on some nails or eat more steak?

That got me thinking. What do they do to concrete to make it stronger? They add steel (iron) to it. Rebar we call it, in the construction industry.

How do we add "rebar" to our walk with Jesus? How do we add strength to our faith?

Read God's Word, the Bible. Study it. Memorize it. Having scripture at the ready can strengthen us when we feel spiritually weak. 

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17

Do you have a friend who keeps you sharp, spiritually? Do you talk about God together? Do you share one another's burdens? Do you pray together?

May God provide you with such a person if you have a need.

I started taking an iron supplement and now I am starting to feel better. If we supplement our faith by reading God's Word we will be spiritually stronger in no time.

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." - Isaiah 40:29