Peace and Love

It is easy to feel unloved in this world. Everyone is so busy with their own lives.  We live in a consuming culture. Buy this, buy that. Who has time to love when we are told to indulge ourselves in the world around us? Spend, spend, give in to your desires.

Another thing that's hard to find is peace. Because we are encouraged to "have things our way," someone else's way can be hard to swallow. I want, I want, give, give. We desire peace, and, if you don't give it to us, we will kill you.

Love and Peace. Just two small things, right? But they are everything. So, how do we get them? And where do we find them? Logical questions. I would suggest that neither one can truly be found on our own. Both of these things require someone else being involved. And they cannot be fully received until we give them away. Check out this Bible verse:

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid." - John 14:27

"MY peace?" Does Jesus really offer a peace that is different than OUR version of peace? I would say yes, yes He does.

And what about love? Does Jesus offer a different kind of love too? Let's take a look.

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

As Jesus has loved us, that is how we are to love one another. Are you kidding? That's impossible! He DIED for us!

Yessss..... 

Think about that for a moment. Jesus died, and through His death, our sins were paid for.

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, IN Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 6:23

In order the fully receive the peace and joy we desire, we must be "in Christ." So, how we become "in Christ?" What does that mean? Well...

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

So, in order to be "in Christ," He has to be "in us."

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." - Ephesians 4:30

And there it is. The conclusion of the matter. In order to have peace and love, the way God intended it, is to have The Holy Spirit's seal. The Holy Spirit living in you.

"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. ³⁸Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” ³⁹By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." - John 7:37-39

My Peace - Maranatha Singers

Pain & Suffering

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16

That verse holds the key that unlocks the answer to one of the most difficult questions in all of Christianity. "Why does a loving God allow pain and suffering in the world?"

Our church is having another youth group night in three weeks. By design we are turning our teaching in an apologetics direction - preparing our kids for life outside of their bubbles.

Turn your Bibles to Romans 9 and we'll look at a couple of questions that Paul asks the church. His questions turn into answers for our question about pain and suffering. Verses 22-24.

"What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction? ²³What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory— ²⁴including us, whom He has called not only from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles?" - Romans 9:22-24

Think about it. This is from my February Bible study for our church kids . . .

It is the beauty and brilliance of your hearts, in Jesus Christ, that witnesses to a dark and dying world, the glory and majesty of God, who sent His Son Jesus to die a death that we ourselves deserve to die. That’s called grace, and mercy, and the Gospel.

Here’s one last question for you to think about. Why does a holy God, who hates sin, even allow us to live? John 3:16. “For God so loved."

God allows pain and suffering in order to draw us closer to Him. This phenomenon is repeated time and time again in the Old Testament. When we feel wonderful all the time, we tend to ignore God. It's in our nature. We were created to worship Him. Our pain and suffering draw us near to Him. But take heart. God has also promised us this . . .

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:4

The Devoted Things

Shortly after Moses died, Joshua was charged with bringing God's people into the Promised Land. There's a major lesson to be learned in this.

God's people had just taken Jericho according to God's command. The walls came tumbling down and God brought about a great victory. However, not everyone obeyed what they had been told NOT to do. Joshua told them this:

"The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord." - Johsua 6:17

That seems pretty clear. And then Joshua emphasized this in the next verse too.

"But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it." - Joshua 6:18

Again, that's pretty clear. And note the word 'trouble.'

"But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel." - Joshua 7:1

Uh-oh. That's not good.

[Side note: Achan's name literally means 'trouble' in Hebrew.]

So, the Israelites were feeling pretty confident after taking down Jericho. TOO confident. They attacked the next town without consulting The Lord and were routed.

THEN Joshua talked to God to find out what was wrong and God let him know. They soon figured out it was Achan and confronted him. Achan was then stoned to death and the devoted things were burned. Yikes!

This story begs the question, "What are OUR devoted things?" And do we have anything in our possession from other religions or beliefs? What are WE devoted to? Let's think about it.

Do we have a yoga mat? Maybe you think I'm "stretching things" a bit too far but yoga is a religious practice. Let's look it up.

Traditional yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as practiced by the Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions.

Are you or your kids dressing up for Halloween? What as? Or do you like Taylor Swift? Lots of people do. Read this from an article in the Christian Post about Taylor Swift:

"As Christians, who are filled with the Spirit, should we be entertained by, sing with, and expose our kids to lyrics that aren't just different than what you believe, but are actually mocking what you believe?"

Look what's covering Taylor's costume in the picture above. Hmm. Looks like a bunch of . . . SERPENTS. Or am I wrong?

Are we devoted to God? Or are we devoted to the world we live in and the things in it?

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

Taylor Swift - The Christian Post

A Slap and a Hug

I woke up this morning to a slap in the face, followed quickly thereafter by a loving hug. No, my wife is still sleeping. Let me explain.

First, some background information. I used to be a youth leader at my church. Lots of high schoolers to shepherd and love, as a father loves his children. And I still love them to this very day. Even after some of the choices they have made.

The Slap - I opened up Facebook (I know, there's a mistake right there) and I saw a picture of one of those youth group kids, a girl. She was lovingly being embracing by her same-sex partner. That kind of hurt.

A quick prayer from me, followed by continued scrolling.

The Hug - Suddenly there appeared a video from one of my favorite pastors. He was speaking about suffering for the Gospel. So, I watched it.

I was reminded how Paul suffered for the Gospel.

"Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea." - 2 Corinthians 11:24-25

Paul goes on from there to list many other sufferings, not to mention that he eventually died for the sake of The Gospel.

We who follow Christ will face decisions in our lives, sometimes daily. How will we face those decisions? How will we answer those tests from God?

Recently, Alistair Begg, a prominent pastor in Ohio, was criticized for advising a grandmother to attend a gay wedding. His marriage advice podcast was pulled from USAToday. He was rebuked by his fellow pastors. Begg refuses to repent.

This generation has perverted the wedding ceremony as if it were only for themselves. Is not an earthly wedding a foretaste of our soon-coming heavenly wedding? The bride (The Church) and the bride groom (Jesus)? Did not God create us men and women for a purpose?

For those who choose to stand firm in their faith, they are sure to be chastized and rebuked by those living in "the world." It hurts. But the pain does not breed contempt in the heart of the Christian. Rather love leads to compassion, and that compassion leads to impassioned prayer.

We all have people in our lives who make poor choices. We only have to look in a mirror to see an example. We are ALL sinners. But those who have chosen Christ must follow HIS path, not the path that this world has taken. Sin leads to death!

"Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake." - Philippians 1:27-29

And again . . .

"To live is Christ, and to die is gain." - Philippians 1:21

And . . .

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Repent + Jesus = New Life

Suffering For The Gospel- Voddie Baucham

First Love

So, like, umm, have you been busy lately? It's a good thing we have our phones and computers to help us meet our busy schedules, right?

The computers that once filled entire buildings now sit on our laps or are worn on our wrists. The phones that once sat on countertops or hung on walls are now in our pockets.

Our flatscreen televisions of today would seem like science fiction compared to the console models that contained radios and record players. In short, we have made it really easy for us to become distracted. From what? God.

In John's Book of Revelation Jesus tells the church in Ephesus that they have "forgotten their first love." That's Jesus. And we have done the same.

"You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. " - Revelation 2:4-5

And just to be clear, having Jesus come and "remove our lampstand" is NOT a good thing.

Our "first love" should be Jesus, God. And we truly have forgotten Him it seems. We tend to worship ourselves and our "things." Or we might worship A god, but not THEE God. And if we don't like the One True God, we just change him to our liking. We create our own versions of god.

For example, our current president, Joe Biden, claims to be a Catholic. Yet he is in favor of abortion and same-sex marriage. How can THAT be? Isn't he modifying the god he believes in for a political purpose?

And, speaking of Catholics, the Pope has come out and said that priests can "bless" same sex marriages now. Even though the Lord, Our God, would never do this. He calls same-sex sex an abomination.

"You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination." - Leviticus 18:22

Our first love should not be ourselves nor should it be our own selfish desires. Do you remember "the first and greatest commandment?"

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself." - Mark 12:30-31

We have become so incredibly focused on ourselves and our own desires that we truly have forgotten our first love - Jesus.

So how do we correct that?

The first thing we must do is examine ourselves. Make note of the parts of our lives that are not honoring to God and eliminate them.

Next, we need to change the focus of our lives. Quit reading the news and read the Bible. Stop worshipping "reality" and DIY shows and make worship a reality in our lives. Change the direction of our lives and set our G.P S. to G.O.D.

It's doable, but is it likely? Sadly, I don't think so. Not for society anyway. But it's not too late for us indivisuals to make a change. But a time is coming when it WILL be too late.

Place Jesus first in your life today. He loves you! He loved you before the creation of the world. And He died so that you may live. Live in Him . . . the Love you had at first.

God's Will

A lot of people (including me) spend a lot of time trying to discern what "God's will" is. We wait months, even years, hoping for some kind of sign or confirmation from God. Yet it never seems to come. Why is that?

Well, it's because God has already told us how to figure out what His will is. So, the problem actually rests with US, not with God.

The solution to all this confusion, of course, is already written in God's Word, the Bible. Here's a good example:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. THEN you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

God gave us two things to do here so we can figure out what His will is.

1. Don't conform to the world.
2. Renew your mind.

THEN. Then we will be able...."to test and see what God's will is.'

Look at the world we live in. Who controls it? Satan. This world therefore is satanic in its ways. So why do we conform to it?

"The god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ" - 2 Corinthians 4:4

Have we become spiritually blind? Have we conformed to the world? Are we acting in Satan's will? Or God's?

For example, there are pastors in churches who are support same-sex marriage. The bishop of the ELCA church is a lesbian. Why has this been allowed? They are conforming to the pattern of this world even though it is against God's will!

According to God's Word, it is very clear what His will in this is and what needs to be done.

"Expel the wicked person from among you.” - 1 Corinthians 5:13

We the people have allowed the redefinition of the phrase "a Christian nation." Therefore we need to repent as a nation. This has nothing to do with Biden or Trump. It has everything to do with us and Jesus.

We have forgotten the first and greatest commandment that God Himself gave us,  and that Jesus Himself reaffirmed in the Book of Matthew. THAT is God's will for our lives. There is nothing to figure out or wait for. Our problem as individuals, and as a nation, is in the application of God's will.

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ - Matthew 22:37-39

God's will is to love Him and to love others. The real question then is, what does that look like in our individual lives?

Compassion, sacrifice, giving, unconditional love, encouragement. If we are not doing these things as Christians, we have a much bigger problem than trying to figure out God's will in our lives.

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." - Galatians 5:22-23

Victory!

We live in a world of increasing turmoil these days. Our nation, and the entire world for that matter, has divided. America is no longer the "united" states. We have become divided by our individual theologies, ideologies, and political beliefs.

We are now red and blue states, a people separated by skin color and political parties. We, as a nation, are going downhill faster than the number of people drinking Bud Light. Why?

Our main problem is that we have stopped asking the 'why' question and have instead surrendered ourselves to the 'Well, that's just the way it's going to be' mentality. 

But why? Here's an example.

I saw a statement on Saturday from the NFL that, for the first time in NFL history, three of the first four players selected in the draft were black quarterbacks. That statement is an indicator of a much bigger problem.

Why? Well, why was the word 'black' used? Think about it. Isn't it being used to make note of an accomplishment of a particular race. But why?

In my opinion, the National Football League is trying to show how 'diverse' and 'inclusive' they are. That's called 'virtue signalling' these days.

They're basically saying, "Look how virtuous and diverse we are! We have selected black men!"

No!

Dr. Martin Luther King once said that he had a dream. That we "will not be judged by the color of our skin but by the content of our character." Those are good words. Unfortunately, they are still just a dream in some people's hearts.

I would submit to you that all of the players selected in the draft were not selected 'by the color of their skin' but by their ability on the field. The coaches and GM's don't have a 'race problem.' It's the NFL leadership, or the person who wrote the statement, that needs prayer.

When asked how he felt upon being selected #2 in the draft, quarterback C. J. Stroud first gave all glory to God. Therefore, in my opinion, he will be blessed. But how do we stop the division and hatred in this world?

There is a song that we will be using in our church's Vacation Bible School this summer. The song contains the key to defeating any 'worldliness' we might encounter in life. Here's a line from the chorus.

"Faith is the victory that overcomes the world."

Faith in God, that is. Our faith in The One True God is the only thing that can save us.

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Corinthians 15:57

Faith Is The Victory - Answers In Genesis VBS

C. J. Stroud Interview

You're Upside Down

There is a scene in the 1972 movie What's Up Doc? where Ryan O'Neil is at a cocktail party. He had mistakenly put his name tag on upside down. People kept walking up to him and, after looking at his name tag, would say, "You're upside down." Funny.

However, it is not so funny when when our understanding of God, and who He is, is 'upside down.' In fact, it can be quite deadly.

"I am who I am" - Exodus 3:14

God is. He always was and always will be. It is not His job to make Himself known to us, although He does. We must seek Him and learn who He is. And if we do, God has promised us that we will find Him.

God created us. Why? To worship Him and to bring Him glory.

God does not exist to answer our prayers, protect us from evil, or heal us when we're sick. Yes, He can do all those things, and more. But God does those things because of who He is, not because of who we are or what we want.

God answers prayers, He extends grace and forgives sinners, He performs miracles every day! He even offers eternal life to those who repent of their sins and believe in His Son.

Take a step back and look at the world we live in. Are we not upside down in our beliefs? In our lifestyles? In our desires?

"They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." - Romans 1:29-32

God loves His children. He disciplines us when we do wrong, but He also forgives us. His grace and mercy await anyone who will come to Him on their knees. 

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord." - Romans 6:23

The concept of God in that verse is relatively simple to understand, yet we keep getting it wrong. Are YOU upside down? Let go of the world and find out.

The Lord is in control. Things are NOT falling apart, they are falling into place. Share the Gospel. Love everyone you meet. And keep your eye on the sky for His return it certain and is coming very soon.

End Times Logistics

The Bible is very specific about the timing of end time events. For example, according to the prophet Daniel, there will be a 7-year tribulation period. It will be divided up into (2) 3-1/2 year periods. Then there will be an event between these two periods when the Antichrist will set up "the abomination of desolation" in the temple. We read:

"He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him." - Daniel 9:27

In order for this to occur there has to be a temple, right? Currently, there is none. That's where logistics come in. How long does it take to build a temple? Where do you get all the supplies? The altar? The lampstand?

Well, the altar, the lampstand, the utensils, the preistly garments, etc., already exist and are waiting for the temple to be built. See The Temple Institute.

It has been said that even the whereabouts of The Ark of The Covanent is known, awaiting the return of The Messiah. But He won't fully return until AFTER the tribulation.

While all of the end times stuff is really interesting, it doesn't really matter to the Christian all that much because we won't be here when any any of it happens, but it does provide us with a logistical time frame of end time events.

We see all of these things happening and know with out a doubt that time is short. That in itself should be an encouragement to us, as the return of our Lord to remove us from all of this craziness is very near.

Getting back to logistics, the average construction time for a church or temple is 25-48 months. That 2-4 years, depending on size and complexity.

God's third temple has already been designed (Ezekiel 40-48). According to Isreal365news, the stones for the temple are already being cut. Can the removal of God's chosen ones and the construction of the temple be far off?

Logistically speaking, the rapture is the next step in God's prophetic timeline, and we have been called to be ready. Are we?

"What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. For this world in its present form is passing away." - 1 Corinthians 7:29,31

Not of This World

It's hard watching our nation crumble from what it once was to what it is now. I'm not talking about any kind of Trump or Biden thing. The problems of this world are far greater than any one man can dish out. And sadly we haven't seen the worst of it yet.

This will be hard to take for many but the verses I am sharing today are from Jesus. And He is ultimately where our hope is found. This first verse should get you thinking.

Jesus was praying to God The Father about His disciples shortly before His death ....

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." - John 17:13-16

Are you of this world? Does the world seem strange to you lately? When you express your concerns about it, do people attack and condemn you for your observations?

Congratulations! You too are 'not of this world.' That should be a badge we wear proudly.

Things can seem pretty dark when we watch or read the news stories these days. Here's a reminder from Jesus ....

"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus had this exchange with Pontius Pilate. 

"Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” - John 18:36-37

We should have hope when we see these crazy and evil things happening in this world. Why? Because it means that Jesus will be coming back very soon! In the meantime, remember what Jesus said.

WE ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD!

Common Sense

Back in 1775, Thomas Paine wrote a 47-page pamphlet called Common Sense. Apparently, our forefathers had some of that back then. These days common sense seems harder to come by than baby formula and cheap gas.

According to Wikipedia (so you know it's true), "Paine connected independence with common dissenting Protestant beliefs as a means to present a distinctly American political identity and structured Common Sense as if it were a sermon. Historian Gordon S. Wood described Common Sense as "the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era."

We could use some "common sense" in both our government and our personal thinking.

I look out at the woods that my wife and I live in. A gentle breeze blows in through the open windows, birds are singing and a doe and her fawn walk through the yard. None are in a particular rush.

Contrast that setting with a big, bustling city or a political assembly of differing viewpoints. Totally opposite.

Something has changed in our society. Our world is different now than it once was. I believe that the distance we have placed between ourselves and God in our daily lives is the cause. We are without excuse, as Paul says in his letter to the church in Rome.

"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 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen." - Romans 1:20-25

Only God can save us from this mess we have placed ourselves in. Only God.

The Bible says that Jesus will return and remove His church, then there will be seven years of tribulation (much worse that anything we have ever experienced). After that, God will create a NEW heaven and a NEW earth. In short, things are not going to be getting better for the earth and those who do not believe in Jesus.

We need to quit looking at the world and trying to figure out ways to save it. Instead, we need to look at ourselves and figure out ways to save US!

There IS only one way to be saved. Jesus. Common sense tells us that we should seek to find that way . . . before it's too late.

Martha! Martha!

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed - or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” - Luke 10:41-42

This is a great promise from God and an answer to many questions. First, in verse 42 Jesus tells Martha only one thing is needed in this life - Him!

The second thing He tells Martha is "it will not be taken from her (Mary)." What is the 'it'? Her faith? Jesus? Her salvation? I think it's the latter.

When doubt and insecurity creep into our thoughts we can begin to question everything. One big question that often gets asked is, "Am I truly saved"? Which begs another question, "How do I know if I am truly saved"?

Remember this: Martha knew who Jesus was. But she didn't REALLY know Him.

Let me ask you THIS question. Have you been changed? Do you have a 'before' and an 'after'? When people meet Jesus, they ALL become changed.

'Before I met Jesus' should be part of every testimony we have.

Before I met Jesus, I was very self-centered and self-absorbed. After I met Jesus, I changed. I am more concerned with others than I am with myself.

In the passage above, Martha is concerned with the things of this world. Mary's only concern is with Jesus.

Do we look at our busy lives and only concern ourselves with work, the next party or what's on television? Or is our primary focus on God and doing His will here on earth?

Do you remember that part of The Lord's Prayer where it says, "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"?

Well?

Be a 'Mary' in this world, not a 'Martha'. You will be blessed for it, and that blessing, Jesus and your salvation, will never be taken from you. Ever.

Give Me Everything

No, this isn't a story about American Communism. Today's story is about the cost of discipleship. The cost of following Jesus in a world that refuses to even acknowledge His existence. A world that refuses to bend a knee in obedience to Someone it doesn't think it needs.

There is a tendency for people to forget about God when they are doing well. When life is wonderful and things are comfortable we all tend to ignore the commands of God and the things that He requires from His children.

A friend and I were having a discussion the other day about the twenty-something generation and it's unwillingness to "give up everything," even though Jesus demands that from ALL of His followers.

Jesus is quite clear in His teachings that we must be His and His alone. We are to be holy (set apart) and have nothing to do with the world which is controlled by Satan. We are to be IN the world, not OF it. Speaking to His disciples, Jesus said this:

"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

Are we Jesus' disciples? Then why do we look so "worldly?"

Jesus often referred to Judah and Jerusalem as "harlots" who had prostituted themselves to other gods. Are we any different than they? What are the "other gods" in OUR lives? Our phones? Our schedules? Our ministries?

I used to be a youth leader in my church after I first became a born-again believer in Jesus. That was a great time, but it was also a dangerous time for my marriage. I was so caught up in my youth ministry that I ignored my wife. That was bad.

In the Book of Ephesians Paul wrote about the role of the bride (that's us) and our devotion to Jesus.

"Wives (that's us), submit yourselves to your own husbands (that's Jesus) as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." - Ephesians 5:22-24

Everything!

The way we dress, the way be talk, the way we act. EVERYTHING should be with God in mind. That's where many fail in their "religion." They are unwilling to sacrifice everything. WE are unwilling.

Let us be willing to give up everything to Jesus. He gave up everything for us.

"And when they had brought their boats ashore, they left everything and followed Him." - Luke 5:11

Too Good To Be True

I watched a little bit of the World Series Thursday night. A commercial came on for Amazon Prime. The ad featured an old Four Seasons song - Too Good To Be True. Being a child of the 60's I started singing along as it played. However, my singing stopped rather abruptly when they skipped some of the words. "And I thank God I'm alive."

What a sad, sad world we live in. Wouldn't want to offend anyone, but let's offend the Christians. We don't fight back. We're always turning the other cheek. Why??

38“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." - Matthew 5:38-39

As frustrating as this world gets, as much as we want to fight back, we must remember one thing. We are not of this world! And we have a God who fights battles for His people. And there IS a battle coming. And a big one at that.

So take heart my brothers and sisters. Even though these times keep getting more and more ridiculous, we WILL be leaving soon. Our ticket has already been purchased. I wonder what the Amazons and Apples of the world will do when all of the Christians are gone. That will be up to them and their God - money.

In related news, "Amazon Jeff Bezos will reportedly drop to the No. 2 spot on the list of the world's richest people after Amazon's stock price tumbled in after hours trading on Thursday." - Fox News

Let us not take our eyes off You, Lord.

Can't Take My Eyes Off You - The Four Seasons

The Tick

Yard work in Central Wisconsin often comes at a cost. If it's not the mosquitoes and biting flies that get you, it's the bees, wasps and snakes that get your attention. But by far the worst backyard nemesis has got to be . . . The Tick.

The tick is a silent killer that stalks the tall grass. They just hang out, waiting for something tasty to come along, and they hitch a ride . . . on their dinner. And that "dinner" awaits for them if they can remain undetected on their clueless victims.

It's not hard to draw the comparisons between the parasitic life forms in our backyards and Satan. All are distractions to our normal, preferred way of life. They want to suck the life-giving blood from our bodies and prevent us from doing what we were created to do - love and worship.

These pests, and I include Satan amongst them, bring disease and discomfort into our lives. They also can bring death. Such is the way of the Devil.

So, we basically have two choices. The first is the least dangerous and probably the smartest - never go into the tall grass again! Stay away from the sinful world and its entanglements. The farther we are from it, the better the chance we have from becoming consumed by it.

The second option is the best option, in my opinion. To be IN the world, but not OF it. God placed us here in this world for a reason. To simply lock ourselves in the closet and not engage with others in the world seems contrary to God's plan for us.

I believe we should be right in the middle of "the tall grass", fighting against the parasitical elements it contains, while spreading the best pest repellant the world has ever known. Love and The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you." - John 17:14-21

Greater - MercyMe

Blessings R Us

photo by Blaise-Von Lanthen

Have you ever heard the same thing multiple times during the course of a day? Once is normal, twice is interesting, but three times or more comes across as, "Okay, somebody's trying to tell me something."

This morning I'd like to talk about something I heard twice on Sunday. It's something I could have easily heard three times, and in a way, maybe I did. In my memory. See if you recognize the following. Perhaps you have heard it yourself at the end of a church service.

 "The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace."

That is a standard blessing given at the end of many Christian worship services. It was also in my daily reading on Sunday. Numbers 6:24-26. I also heard it at a funeral Sunday afternoon. It's called "The Priestly Blessing" in the Bible. And what a blessing it is!

Has the Lord blessed you? Has He looked with favor upon you? Has He been gracious to you? Has He smiled at you and given you peace?

How would you answer that question?

My answer is a resounding "Yes!"

Here's a tougher question though. Have you been those same things to others? Have you blessed others, has your face shone on others? Have you been gracious? Have you brought peace into people's lives who are not experiencing any?

My answer to that question is not so enthusiastic, nor is it as positive. All I can muster is a meager, ". . . umm, sometimes."

Does the way I live my life reflect the life God wants me to live? Am I imitating Christ as I walk through this world? Or do I look so much like "the world" that people can't tell the difference?

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; ² and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." - Ephesians 5:1-2

We are Christ's ambassadors for His kingdom. Will we love others as He first loved us? Will people look at us and think of Him?  You and I are here for a reason - to love God and love one another. Imagine a world filled with sacrificial love and you will begin to see that God's plan is perfect. Let us begin today by being a blessing to someone in our lives. That will be a "fragrant aroma" to our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

My Jesus - Todd Agnew

The Cost of Our Faith

One of the reason I love my church is that our pastor tells it like it is. He doesn't sugar coat scripture. He gives us the precise meaning of the text and leaves the rest up to God's Holy Spirit.

There are some churches that alter scripture to make it appealing to their congregations. They change their theology to match the way of the world. (sarcasm alert) We wouldn't want to make anyone feel guilty. They might not come back.

There are also churches who feel they need to entertain to keep people's interest. They need to have the finest music and the right lighting. They tend to give topical sermons about things like counseling or divorce or, my personal favorite, giving.

What's wrong with God's Word just as it is? There are plenty of lessons in the Bible to provide years of teaching. Like today, Our pastor spent 60 minutes on six verses. Was it boring? No. Were we entertained? No. Were there video clips to drive the pastor's message home? No. We have the truth of God's Word and that is sifficient.

Yesterday's message for example was about the cost of our faith. Although we are currently going through the book of 1st Peter, the title of this blog's story came from Matthew. The words of Jesus.

³⁴ “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; ³⁶ and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ ³⁷ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹ He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." - Matthew 10:34-38

Do we love Jesus more than anyone we know? Anyone? More than your boy friend or girl friend? More than our spouses? More than our own lives? I wonder. 

Here's another verse that could be used in conjunction with the verses you just read:

^"21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:21

Is Jesus our treasure? Our our genie in a bottle?

So many of us want to keep living the lives we lived before we got saved. We want to keep our same friends. We want to do the same things. I have found myself drifting back at times.

Our faith will cost us. In some cases it will be loved family members because we have "changed." Which means, we don't like you anymore.

"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?" - 2 Corinthians 6:14

These are hard sayings but they are in the Bible foe us to follow. Are you being picked on by your "friends" because you are a Christian? We need to love Jesus more than our friends. And if a friendship leads us into sin, we need to terminate that friendship. Jesus must come first.

Examine all that comes at us from social media, television, movies, newscasts. Is it worthy of God? No? Then why do we have it in our lives? Would we be better off without it? These are all questions each of us must answer for ourselves.

Personally, I am going to limit my Facebook use. I am going to limit my television consumption. And here's my challenge for myself. Beginning November 1 I am going to track my time. Facebook, TV and movies versus reading the Bible, praying and serving. I challenge you to do the same.

Jesus must come first. Or we will find ourselves running last in His eyes.

Churches Using Carnal Means To Attract Visitors - Paul Washer
The Growing Cost of Faith In America Today - Alliance Defending Freedom

Need To Breathe

Why do we have a tough time returning back to work after a particularly enjoyable weekend? That's kind of a useless question. The answer is obvious. Work is tedious & boring. Weekends are fun and exciting! We'd much rather be on vacation than chained to our desks doing pointless, boring things. Feeling depressed Monday morning makes perfect sense. Then why do we keep doing it again and again?

Our faith can be the same way. When we first come to believe in God we get SO excited. We're on fire for Jesus. We can't get enough of Him. We read. We worship. We praise. But then . . . we all tend to return to our old way of living. We all tend to slide back into the person we used to be. Why? We're humans, we're flawed and we all tend to ignore our Creator.

Our faith lives shouldn't be that way. We are told in the Bible that we are to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength." We fail at that. Why? There are several reasons.

Persecution. When we come home from church or a Bible study we can be met by an unbelieving spouse who wonders why we waste so much time at church.

Propaganda. We watch television and get seduced into thinking that sin isn't so bad. We see violent television shows that thrive on sex and murder and "self." It is all too easy to absorb their thinking into our minds and hearts.

Procrastination. There are times when we don't feel like reading the Bible. Those are precisely the times we SHOULD be reading it. We become accustomed to a way of life and we feel comfortable just wallowing in it.

People. We all have friends who are non-believers. We want to be friends with them yet they always tend to suck us back into doing sinful things. We tend to go along with them because we like having friends.

So, what can we do about it?

When a person is drowning they crave one thing. Air. We need it to survive. Without it we die. Shouldn't our faith be like that? Shouldn't we crave God's word? Shouldn't we NEED to be in it?

When someone is drowning and has no way to save themselves, what do they need? The need someone to save them. They need someone who can throw them a life preserver. Don't we have that in our faith lives? His name is Jesus. He saved us on the cross.

We live in a fallen world. We are in danger of drowning each and every day. When a friend is having a bad day we need to be ready to throw them a life line. Who knows . . . tomorrow the roles might be reversed and WE will be the ones in need.

We all can learn how to swim my immersing ourselves in God's Word, thereby keeping ourselves afloat with every word we breathe in. Spend time serving others, spend time in worship and praise, spend time doing those things we need to do in order to remain afloat in a world that keeps pulling us under.

We need to breathe. God is our oxygen.

"16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God[b] may be complete, equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Washed By The Water - Needtobreathe

Mushroom Syndrome

Do you like to eat mushrooms? I do but not everyone does. My sister doesn't like them. She calls them "fungus among us" and keeps her distance. I like mushrooms on a nice piece of steak, in a salad or just by themselves with some veggie dip.

However, there are some mushrooms that don't like us. They are actually poisonous. Not knowing what they look like, I tend to only eat mushrooms that are sold in stores.

I never eat any mushrooms I find in the woods. Some of them might look good, and maybe they are, but I don't want to take that chance. Except for morel mushrooms, of course. That's them in the picture over there. Yumm!

Early May is a good time to look for morels in the woods. Of course, one has to know WHERE to look, and WHEN. And the conditions must be JUST right.

Have you ever experienced mushroom syndrome? It has nothing to do with mushrooms really. Mushroom syndrome is more of a workplace thing. According to the Urban Dictionary Mushroom Syndrome is . . .

"A syndrome where you're fed (explitive) and kept in the dark. Derives from the method of cultivating mushrooms: they add a lot of fertilizer and keep them in the dark and damp."

We are often kept "in the dark" at work. Lots of office politics going on. Sadly, that happens in our churches as well. Have you ever been a victim of something like that? It's a sad thing to see happening . . . in God's house.

"4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?

 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you - who are you to judge your neighbor?" - James 4:1-12

There is no "mushroom syndrome" with God. All we have to do is ask. Mushrooms like the darkness, living in the shadows. But God will not keep US in the dark. In Him there IS no darkness - only light! We are NOT mushrooms!

Until The Whole World Hears - Reagan Ferris
Until The Whole World Hears - Casting Crowns

Focus

Trying to write a story for my blog during a Packer game is not the easiest thing to do, nor the smartest. It seems like just as I get an idea or a thought about what to write I get distracted, lose my focus, and end up watching the game.

If I were sitting here all by myself, the decision about what to do would be easy. I'd turn off the television and focus on the task at hand - writing. But I am sitting here with my wife - the Packer fan in the house. She is also a God-honoring recipient of my attention. What to do? That's easy. I spend time with my wife. And I type when I can. I'll be back later . . .

Jeopardy Theme

There, the game is over. My wife is ironing. We have eaten dinner. The Packers are 6-0. Life is good. Now what was I writing about? Oh, yeah . . . . staying focused. Oops.

This world we live in has so many things that distract us from God. I personally cannot go through a single day without something distracting me from reading my Bible . . . which I haven't done for two whole days now! Yard work, taking walks with my wife, those are a few GOOD distractions but there are other things that distract us more sinful ways. Television, movies, shopping, reading (books other than the bible). I struggle devoting enough time to God in my daily life and that bothers me. God should be my number one priority and so often God gets brushed aside in our lives. It should NOT be that way. It CANNOT be that way.

It is so hard to get this world we live in out of our lives. We are saturated by it. It is everywhere. It sticks to us as we walk through it and we simply cannot get rid of it.

Whoa. That's not exactly right. We CAN get rid of it, at least the power it has over us. We cannot get rid of it on our own but Jesus can help us loosen the chains by freeing us from sin. Thank God for Jesus!!!

If we think of who were are, who we were before placing our faith in Christ, there is really no need for despair. We have been chosen, hand-picked by God, to be one of His children. Yeah, we're misfits, broken, failures at being perfect. But guess what . . . :)

There is power in the name of Jesus. He heals the sick, He raises the dead, He can make the blind see and the lame walk. There is no other name by which we are saved! So rejoice!! Place your hope in Jesus. Keep your focus on the finish line and not on the crowd. Finish the race!

"When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” - Matthew 11:1-6

Name Of Jesus - Chris Tomlin