A Sentence on a Page

In the book of Genesis, we see the story of Abraham seeking a wife for his son, Isaac. Wanting to 'keep it in the family', Abraham sends his servant to his home land to bring a wife back for Isaac. That's where we meet Rebekah; a young woman chosen by God for Isaac. To preserve the line of Abraham's family, and ultimately to preserve the line of the Savior. The servant was welcomed into Rebekah's home, and he began to explain his journey to her family:

"The Lord has greatly blessed my master, so that he has become rich; and He has given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and servants and maids, and camels and donkeys. Now Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master in her old age, and he has given him all that he has. My master made me swear, saying, ‘You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father’s house and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son.’ I said to my master, ‘Suppose the woman does not follow me.’ He said to me, "The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful."

- Genesis 24:35-40a

When it's God's will, He will lead. When it's His plan, He goes before us. Abraham's servant must have had fears when we left his land to find the family of Abraham. He must have had doubts that his trip would be successful, and that he would find a woman who would travel back with him. He thought he was obeying his master Abraham by seeking a wife for Abraham's son, but really he was doing the Lord's work. God had chosen Abraham to be the father of many nations. He blessed him and Sarah with a son after their childbearing years to remind them that it was by God's authority and not their own that they would have a son. God has a specific young woman in mind for their son Isaac, because His plans stretched far beyond their lives. From Isaac and Rebekah would come Jacob, would come Judah, all the way to King David, and eventually Joseph, the husband of Mary. And then, would come Jesus. 

Just a timid servant, seeking a wife for his master's son. Yet so much more. An important mark in history that he couldn't have possibly comprehended at the time. When God calls us to something, His purpose always stretches farther than us. His plans surpass our lifetime, and his ultimate will is vast. If God has put something on your heart, no matter how small or scary or impossible or difficult it may seem, it's important to remember that we can't see the end of the story. We will never know what God is really up to, and what His ultimate will is. But if we are willing, we have the amazing opportunity to be a part of history in the making. A sentence on a page by the Author of Life. What an amazing privilege!

How will you leave your mark?

Genesis 24:10-27

Hospitality as a Sign

Abraham’s wife Sarah had been buried. Abraham was older than dirt. (I mean well advanced in years.) Isaac was becoming an adult. He needed a good wife.

In those days, dating, living together for a while, having a child and then perhaps getting married didn’t happen. Isaac’s father Abraham enlisted his chief servant to find a wife for Isaac. Abraham had him make a solemn promise though, that he would not get Isaac a wife from the Canaanites they were living among, but from Abraham’s own country. He wanted to be sure that Isaac’s future wife came from the same spiritual foundation as his family. Abraham was aware of the importance of both the husband and wife having a heart for the Lord in order to work together to build a marriage relationship on the solid ground of God and the teachings of the Bible.

Have you ever prayed to God with words something like this; Father, please help me to know your will. I pray for your guidance and direction. Lord please clearly reveal to me my path that I may without a doubt know the message is from you.

That is in a way the prayer of the chief servant of Abraham. Upon arriving to the town of Nahor, the servant prayed; “Oh Lord, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, “Please let down your jar that I may have a drink, and she says, “Drink and I’ll water your camels too” – let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.”

Hospitality accompanied by sincerity is very welcoming. That is exactly what the girl offered the servant. She was the type of person Abraham asked the servant  to bring to him. In this case, the warm and welcoming spirit she exuded made the choice clear. She was just what the servant was looking for!

As Christ followers and lovers of the Word, we too must hold out our hands in welcoming hospitality to others. All others. The feelings or vibes we give off, may make a difference in the life path of another. Our outreach may be just what they needed.  

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou

Read/Listen to Genesis 24:10-27

The Promise

Genesis 24:1-9

 

 

There comes a time in every person’s life when they look back to see what they have accomplished; how they got to where they are today; how they will be remembered.

 

This past week I turned 65, so these are the thoughts that came to my mind. Ultimately, it has to do with how has God worked in my life, and how has He used me in the lives of others. In the final analysis, all that matters is what is eternal.

 

In the passage today, it states that “Abraham was now very old”. He had just buried his wife who had born their only child Isaac. He was living in a land that belonged to others. In fact, he had to buy a field with a cave in order to bury his wife. He was a foreigner; an alien in the land. He was alone with his son and his faithful long time servant.

 

So it was natural for Abraham to look back on his life and remember the promise that the Lord had made to him. When Abraham was a young man God had called him to a life of faith with these words from Genesis 12:

 

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. ² “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

 

Abraham believed in God’s promise and faithfulness. He wanted to make sure that the

Lord’s promise continued through his son Isaac. So Isaac was very much a continuance of that promise from God to Abraham... as are we.

 

Therefore, as I look back on 65 years of living, I can see how God has been faithful; how He has always been at work in my life; how He has always been with me; how He has always loved and forgiven me. He has kept His promise.

 

I hope and pray that you can see God at work in your life as well, and that His promise and faithfulness are evident to you.

 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis%2024%3A1-9&version=NIV;TLB
https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/Gen.24.1-Gen.24.9

 

 

 

 

Ready to Entertain an Angel?

Genesis 23:10-12 (MSG)
  Ephron was part of the local Hittite community. Then Ephron the Hittite spoke up, answering Abraham with all the Hittites who were part of the town council listening:
  "Oh no, my master! I couldn't do that. The field is yours—a gift. I'll give it and the cave to you. With my people as witnesses, I give it to you. Bury your deceased wife."
  Abraham bowed respectfully before the assembled council

When reading the interchange between Ephron and Abraham, one would think the grieving man was not thinking straight. Ephron offered to freely give him the land, but Abraham insisted on paying a fair price. But this was a custom in that time. Each man knew how this transaction would end. Each man was honoring the other.

Hospitality isn't merely the nice thing to practice. No, there is an entire Hospitality Industry in our world. When was the last time you stayed in a motel? How were you welcomed? What did you find when you entered your room? Did you find any indication that you were not only wanted but expected? Was there a mint on your pillow, or maybe even a complimentary coupon for breakfast?

Part of extending hospitality to another is to show respect. A stranger may seem strange, but that is only because they are not familiar to us - yet. Once we take the time to get to know them we are able to embrace our similarities and appreciate the differences. Sometimes, it is those very differences which make the person endearing.

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2 (NIV) 

Hospitality is defined as the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Hospitality is not only making a stranger feel welcome, it begins by noticing them. We all want to be acknowledged. It is important we feel welcome and accepted when entering a new environment.  Everyone was once a stranger until we got to know them - even our best friend.

Genesis 23:10-12

What Can You Do? What Will You Do?

Have you ever been in an unfamiliar place and someone made you feel welcome? Maybe you were anxious and somebody put you at ease?

Forbidden City, Beijing

 

I was in Beijing several years ago, on business. We were trying to see if our product line could be sold in China. Our team consisted of myself, a few Chinese people residing in the United States and our Chinese hosts.

 

A few street signs and shop signs had their English meaning in small letters underneath, but for the most part I had little idea what I was looking at. Since Chinese is a tonal language, I was warned not to speak any words in Chinese. I was as likely to insult somebody as to get help.

 

The second full day there, as I was beginning to get over jet lag, my hosts took the entire team out to dinner. It was quite a feast. We had tilapia, squid, jelly fish, crab, turtle soup, bird’s nest soup, scallops, oysters and other things I purposely ate without asking.

 

I liked the crab legs; they preferred the liver and roe. It seems the legs are considered garbage food in Beijing. So I was known as “man who eat garbage.” (And they graciously gave me their ‘garbage’ to devour!)

 

By the end of the day, I was at ease and felt very welcomed.

 

Today’s reading is Genesis 23:1-9. Abraham’s wife, Sarah, had just died. Living in Canaan, a foreign land, among the Hittites, Abraham needed a place to bury his wife. Because God promised Abraham that his descendents would inhabit Canaan, the Promised Land, Abraham wanted is wife to be buried there.

 

The grieving Abraham was no doubt anxious. Would the Hittites sell a foreigner some land?

 

The Hittite leaders did sell him land, giving him his choice for a burial plot. Abraham must have been relieved.

 

When we meet someone new to the faith, or is exploring the faith, they might be anxious. After all, Christianity is new to them. In a sense, they are in foreign territory.

 

What can you do to reach out to a new face at church and help put that person at ease?

 

What will you do?

Laughing out loud

Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him....  Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”  Genesis 21:6 

On a couple of occasions as a boy, I became overly sensitive to laughter directed my way.  My young mind assumed it was mockery.  Recognizing my misinterpretation, my mother explained, “They aren’t laughing at you, Paul; they’re laughing with you.”  What I understood to be rejection and ridicule was actually friendship and joy.  It was great relief to me at the time and I have come to understand her distinction at a deeper level.  For over the years, I’ve been laughed at and laughed with, and I’ve directed both toward others.

We tend to think of laughter as signifying humor or elation, but this quite often is not the case.  A nervous titter betrays a situational awkwardness or stress, while disrespect trickles out through a snicker.  And oddly enough, it is not uncommon for bitterness or disdain to find its voice in a cackle or a guffaw.  Laughter proceeds from whatever we harbor in our soul. 

Like distrust, for instance.  A year before Isaac’s birth, an eavesdropping Sarah overheard the Lord say to her husband Abraham, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son” (Genesis 18:10).  Sarah laughed.  Hers was not a boisterous burst of joy, but a cynical slip of disbelief.  She laughed at God’s promise. 

Isn’t it good to know that God is patient with us in our times of bitterness?  He is faithful to his word even when our hearts are faithless toward him; he redeems our despair and turns it into hope and joy.  So even though Sarah had laughed at God in doubt, she would laugh again with others in the joy of his grace and an impossible promised fulfilled. 

So we ask ourselves, Do I laugh in contempt from a heart skeptical about God's love or disillusioned by slights from others?  If so, let’s turn in faith to God for forgiveness and rejoice in his promises.  For our God is forever faithful; we will laugh again with him.

“He will yet fill your mouths with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”  Job 8:21

[Click here to see the daily reading in Genesis 21:1-7.] 

Abraham Shows Hospitality

At this moment as I begin to write about hospitality, my doorbell rings. The young man at my door is canvasing for a political candidate. This is rare in my neighborhood, and especially at this time of day. He has a lot to say. I listen and answer his questions, while thinking I need to be back at my desk. It’s a warm afternoon. As he walks away I ask if he would like a bottle of water. With a smile he says “Yes, thanks so much.” As I return to my desk, I’m reminded of the simplest ways we can show hospitality, and I ponder the timing of this unannounced visit.

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”  Matthew 10:42

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews13:2.

As Paul exhorted the Roman believers to be given to hospitality, Romans 12:13 he was referring to the Greek word for hospitality “filoxenia”, “showing love to strangers.”

Simply put, hospitality is making strangers into guests, making people feel they matter. Hospitality is a gift and a responsibility at the same time. We are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves. If hospitality is not one of our gifts, we can learn and model the practice of it until it flows from us as a gift to others. My parents and my son had the sweet fragrant gift of hospitality. Surely they must be part of heaven’s hospitality table.

Genesis 18:1-10 is one of many Bible stories of hospitality. The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day --

Don’t miss this story, and please don’t miss sacred opportunities to practice hospitality and be given to hospitality.

Assembly Required

Ever wonder what the Lord really wants of you? I do. Some days I feel like a great Christian, and other days I feel like a complete mess-up. It can be difficult to navigate through the challenges (or mundanes) of every day with a clear head. We often wonder what we're doing and where we're going. We wonder how to make this life we're living feel more complete. Do our desires match up with the Will of God? Do our lives prove that we are His?

In Deuteronomy 12, verses 12-13, we are given five clear instructions as God's children. And don't be that stubborn fellow who sets aside the instruction manual and attempts to assemble on his own. Oh, you know who you are! Obedience to God's instruction does require assembly on our part, and the finished product is a masterpiece! But we need to follow the instruction of the Master Craftsman:

"...what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?"

1. Fear the Lord

2. Walk in Obedience to Him

3. Love Him

4. Serve Him

5. Observe His Commands

There are verses throughout the Bible that speak about each of these topics individually. For example: 

#1. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." - Proverbs 9:10. 

#2. "And this is love; that we walk in obedience to His commands." - 2 John 1:6.

#3. "But whoever loves God is known by God." - 1 Corinthians 8:3. 

#4. "My Father will honor the one who serves me." - John 12:26b. 

#5. "In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands."

While these instructions may not clear up the bigger questions of 'what am I doing, and where am I going', they certainly offer direction and God's desire for each of us. He desires growth in our wisdom of life and of Him. God is love, and He wants to see love come to life in us. He desires to be known by us. He wants to honor us when we honor Him by serving Him. Those are all good starting points to fulfillment and better understanding of what God's really seeking from us. 

Questions to Ponder:

1. Which of the 5 instructions comes most easily to you?

2. Which do you find most challenging?

3. How will you consciously obey this week?

1 John 5: 13-21

Assurance of Eternal Life

 John is the ultimate encourager. “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may KNOW that you have 

ETERNAL LIFE.”

Me? Really? Forever? Though we have heard and read time and again John 3:16 (Whoever believes in me will not perish but have eternal life) we continue to doubt ourselves, and hope for the miracle of salvation to happen to US. We feel as though these promises are for others, but may not hold true in our situation. Why is it we view ourselves as unworthy? What makes us doubt the word of our 

GOD?

John assures us that whoever is born of God, though he may fall into sin, will not

 commit the unpardonable sin. We should never cease to pray for our brothers and

 sisters in Christ, especially when we know of their sin. No Christian is beyond the

 reach of our prayers, and no one born of God will ever fall from grace but will be

 kept safe in the name of  

CHRIST JESUS.

Sinless perfection is beyond our reach for the time being because our old nature has

 not yet been wiped away, yet the cross has 

SET US FREE.

Being a true believer means a lifestyle change has taken place. Sin does not dominate

 us any longer. By faith, self-control, and obeying the Word, sin has become the lesser

 influence on us. 

ALLELUIA!

May we trust in the words of John breathed by our Lord and Savior and set our hearts

to rest on the lovely promise of 

ETERNITY! 

Read/Listen to 1 John 5:13-21

The Speed of Change

Hebrews 10:1-25

 

When I was in college the campus computer that was used for class took up most of one room and required using stacks of punched cards to run it. Today, some 45 years later, we carry computers around like a wallet.

 

In the mid 90’s it was uncommon for people to have a cell phone. If they did have one, it was bulky and inconvenient to use. Today, it seems like everyone has a pocket size cell phone, and many of those are smart phones with a computer chip in them. So much for the college computer I used. The speed of change is staggering.

 

Some people embrace change, but my impression is that most people resist change. Historically, change has come on the heels of great violence. You need look only at our American history with the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Even the decade of the 60’s had a lot of violence with race riots and the assassinations of JFK, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy.

 

People resisted change in Jesus’ day too which also resulted in much violence. Jesus was truly a revolutionary of his day. He systematically changed the focus from law to grace; from ritual sacrifices to the sacrifice of one for once and all; from following the religious rules to following Jesus; from excluding everyone but Jews to including all. He literally changed the world.

 

From Hebrews 10 we learn three things:

•  First that the old system of Jewish laws and ritual sacrifices didn’t work.

"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.”            Verse 1

•  Secondly, that through Jesus’ dying we have been forgiven and made clean.

“And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”                       Verse 10

• Finally, we can go into the throne of grace with hearts fully trusting him to receive us because Christ has taken our sins away.

… ^“let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”  Verse 22

 

The speed of change today is amazing, but what Christ did 2000 years ago forever stays the same. It cannot be changed. But it can change us. The result is that no matter how fast the world around us is changing, our faith in Christ remains the same but changes how we relate to our friends, family, work and the daily grind of living. It gives us an eternal perspective, not pie in the sky, but for here and now.

 

Geared to the times, anchored to the rock. Let us follow the Revolutionary Jesus!

 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+10%3A1-25&version=NIV;TLB
https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/Heb.10.1-Heb.10.25

 

God's timing breathes life

John 11:17-23The Message (MSG)

When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. Bethany was near Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away, and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house.

Martha said, “Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you.”

Jesus said, “Your brother will be raised up.”

The last time we saw Mary and Martha, there was a squabble about who should be helping prepare the house for company. There was much to be done, food to be prepared and one of the sisters was tired from all the work while the other seemed to be relaxing in the main room. 

Today it is Martha who is front and center and Mary who is back in the house - perhaps Mary is having some quiet time remembering her beloved brother or maybe staying with those who came to mourn his passing. Both these women, these sisters of Lazarus, loved and respected Jesus. They know who He was and they understood His power and relationship with Father God.

This story is all about timing. God's plan was carried out to perfection.  His timing, though questioned by faithful followers, proves perfect and necessary. There are a couple of noteworthy happenings here.

First, Jesus didn't need to be at Lazarus's side to heal him. “Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died." Jesus could have healed His friend on the spot, in the instance He knew of the illness. Which, of course, was before even Lazarus first experienced any symptoms.

Second, even though Martha knew of the power of Jesus, she grasped who He was, it seemed she thought He arrived too late to do anything. Did she really understand?

Do we truly understand and believe when it comes to our loved ones? Do we know God only has our best in mind; He only wants good for us? Can we even come close to believing in God's timing being perfect?

Faith...only faith can comfort those who mourn. Only belief in God, believing He is who He says He is, can give us what we need to get through the disaster’s in life.

  

John 11:17-23

Better Than Ice Cream

I love ice cream!

 

When my kids were young and growing up, an almost nightly summer ritual got them very excited. They would hear a bell, and perhaps some music. Immediately they would stop whatever they were doing and come running home, yelling, “The ice cream man! The ice cream man!”

 

I would grab my wallet, and we would all go outside, flag down the truck, and happily enjoy ice cream.

 

Today’s reading is John 1:1-12.

 

Prior to Jesus beginning his ministry, John the Baptist is sent to tell everyone that the Messiah is here. He “came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.”

 

What an awesome responsibility John had! What a great joy to be God’s mouthpiece to announce the coming of the promised Messiah!

 

The Baptist certainly had a large following. He had to remind his disciples that he was merely God’s mouthpiece, and not the Messiah. He even told them he was not worthy of untying Jesus' sandals.

 

Most of his life must have been happier than my family having ice cream. (Yes, I am sure John did not enjoy his beheading!)

 

My kids announced the coming of the ice cream man. John the Baptist announced the coming of Jesus, the Messiah.

 

We are a lot like John the Baptist. We have an awesome responsibility. We can also be the Church’s, that is God’s, mouthpiece.  

 

John told the world that Jesus is coming and what he would be doing. We get to tell the world that Jesus has come, and what he has done for us. And Jesus has done a lot for us.

 

The forgiveness of sins. Bodily resurrection. Eternity in heaven.

 

It is even better than ice cream.

Light and easy

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Jesus Christ

I heard a joke.  How do you create a small company?  Answer: Over-regulate a big one and wait a few years!

[Good one, eh?  I'll wait for you to catch your breath.]

Bureaucracies have a tendency to make things more complicated than they need to be, don’t they?  A free-market economy, for instance, offers people wide-open opportunity to pursue their financial dreams, creating goods and services – and jobs – in the process.  And open-market competition protects consumers from pricing excess.  (“She's charging you a dollar?  I'll do it for 98 cents!”)  When constraints are imposed through administrative overreach, however, costs and prices rise while risk-taking and employment dwindle.  And somewhere a golden goose detects its doom! 

As much as we bemoan the burdens that arise from regulatory excess, we do the same thing to ourselves in a spiritual sense.  Don’t believe me?  Ask yourself these two questions:  Does Jesus’ yoke feel easy to me?  Does Jesus’ burden feel light to me?  If you could not answer “yes,” at least you have plenty of company.  We might share a new one-liner:  How do you create a heavy burden?  Answer: Take Jesus’ light one and wait a few days!  [OK, so we’re not laughing this time.]

So what happened?  How did easy bog down into difficult?  How did light expand into heavy? 

When Jesus walked the earth, his daily agenda was clear: he said only what the Father told him to say and did only what the Father told him to do.  He listened for his instructions and simply obeyed them.  We, on the other hand, tend to over-regulate ourselves; we add our own agenda items to God's to-do list.  And so our yokes become burdensome.  

So here are a few suggestions that might help us live “light and easy.”  Instead of dreaming up what we want to do for God, let’s limit ourselves to what God wants to do through us.  (No worries; there will be plenty.)  Rather than doing everything ourselves, let’s trust God also to work through others as he has called and gifted them to do.  And why not try this: take a blank calendar, schedule Bible and prayer time with God on each day, and then – and only then – fill in the rest of our schedules. 

One more thing.  Believe.  Read how much God loves you and believe him.  Read how Christ has made you one with him and believe him.  Read that Christ lives in you and believe him.  Read about how he has completely forgiven you and believe him.  Read about the power of Christ working in and through you and believe him.  Read how he goes with you and believe him. 

For when we simply trust God and then obey his directives in faith, his yolk is actually joyful and his burden, an honor.

[Click here to read the daily devotional in Matthew 11:25-30.]

Refusing to See or Hear

As Jesus delivered the parable of the sower and the seed, He was familiar with Old Testament scriptures concerning those who could not hear or see. He knew those in His audience whose hearts were indifferent, and would not be able to accept His teaching.  Jesus was proclaiming an operative Mystery encrypted in biblical history.  Matthew13:35  “This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world."

While knowing that some had not been given ears to hear, still Jesus taught for the sake of those to whom the Father had given ears to hear.  He set out the mystery and principle of sowing and reaping for those who had been given a teachable spirit.

We struggle to understand why God would harden the hearts of people. It is not asserted in Scripture that He hardens hearts to cause people to go against His will and become obstinate.  Having been given free will we are allowed by personal choice to reject relationship with God if we choose.

As we learn from this parable, we know that our sharing of the Gospel may sometimes fall on deaf ears.  Through the working of the Holy Spirit we are enabled and encouraged to share the Gospel for the sake of those who have been given ears to hear.

Following Jesus’ example we can boldly proclaim His teachings concerning controversial moral issues of our time.  We are not afraid to speak the Word of God.  

It is a magnificent calling to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for to us it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, and to make known to all who will listen and accept.

Matthew 13:10-17

A House Divided

Think back to life when you were growing up. Was home a peaceful, warm and safe place? Was there turmoil and conflict? Our upbringings and childhood experiences shape the adults we become and the choices we make. Our histories often ripple into our own parenting and our own homes. And our children will be either blessed or challenged by that. With 3 young children, I am in the full swing of motherhood. Every day I am faced with my own shortcomings and struggles, because they surface in both my parenting and my marriage. The peaceful, safe environment I so desire to give my family is often rather chaotic and conflicted. Parenting is hard. Marriage is hard. Yet Jesus points out a hard truth, found in Mark chapter 3:

If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to last.

Mark 3:24-25

Conflicts happen, fights break out, harsh words are spoken and regrets are inevitable. But we need to remember the importance of unity within a home.  

"Do not let the sun go down on your anger." - Ephesians 4:26b

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, 

forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." - Ephesians 4:32

It is our duty to take responsibility for the condition of our homes, no matter what our upbringings may have looked like. Whether in the midst of raising children, empty-nesters, married, single or widowed, please hear me...God does not require us to make Him our family's foundation. But that decision will either make or break everything we build upon.

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." - Matthew 7:24-27

I don't know about you, but I'll take a shack on a rock over a castle in the sand! May God bless our families this week, and may we consciously reflect the Lord in our interactions with one another. 

1 John 5: 1-12

The Cross

The Lord knows our heart, whether those in the world have that same understanding does not matter. It is He we will answer to.

1 John 5:11-12 states “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. “

Is it possible for people to know for sure they have eternal life? John’s answer is unquestionably, “yes.” He states this truth positively and then negatively. If we believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead to basically save us from ourselves, we are assured this promise of eternity. Those who do not believe this is so, do not have an infinite life with God to look forward to. That is pretty straight forward.

Deep within our heart we know what we believe, but there is no one else who does except God. It is a type of intimate secret that only two are privileged to know.  We in the world may judge the intentions of others by our view of their actions, yet cannot know their true heart.

My husband came home one day with a half smile on his face telling me of a bumper sticker he had seen that day. It read; “Jesus may love you, but I think you’re a ____ . I had to laugh because it is so true, and in all honesty many people think my husband is that _____ because they do not know his heart or his true intentions. I thank God that He does.

If eternal life were something we earned by our good deeds, none of us could ever be sure that we’ve done enough. John 3:16 is frequently use to help people understand God’s intentions and guide them to earthly peace and freedom in Christ. “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Our creator made each of us who and what we are in His image. We were placed in our own unique environment and given experiences to shape and mold us. Through no fault or credit of our own, we are who we are.  God knew this world would challenge and beat us up, therefore he has offered us a happy ending. No matter what we’ve done or been through, the cross is what we need.

        "No mater the bumps, no matter the bruises, no mater the scars still the truth is.                                                           The cross has made, the cross has made you flawless."

These lyrics by Mercy Me in the song “Flawless” remind us of the significance of the cross and God’s Amazing Grace.

Watch band member Bart Millard's Story behind the song; Flawless

Read/Listen to 1 John 5:1-12

Defining Moment

2 Timothy 4:1-8

 

 

Frank Gifford died this past week. He was 84 years old. He played in the NFL for 12 years and later was one of the original announcers on ABC when Monday Night Football debuted. One of the current ABC news announcers said that “he was a good man and a good person”. That was his eulogy; his defining moment.

 

According to my NIV Study Bible, Paul wrote 2 Timothy after his fourth missionary trip. At the time he was in prison. This was nothing like the rented house he lived in the first time he was a prisoner. This was a cold hard dungeon where Paul was chained like a common criminal.

 

He seemed to believe that he was near the end of his life, and with that in mind gave his own eulogy when he wrote, “⁶For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

 

You get the sense that Paul is looking back on his life and remembering his friends at all the churches where he ministered: Ephesus, Corinth, Galatia, Philippi, and others. He is remembering how God has used him in the lives of so many people for his Lord and Savior.

 

With that in mind, he gave Timothy some final instructions. “I give you this charge: ² Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

 

Previous to this in chapter 3 he also wrote, ^“16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

 

Paul seems to be preparing Timothy so that when he reaches the end of his life, he too can say like Paul, “I have fought the good fight”. Indirectly, Paul is preparing you and me for the same defining moment.

 

If we follow Paul’s instructions, then we too can say with him, “⁸ Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

 

In the meantime, let us live life, one day at a time, with faith in Christ so when we

arrive at that defining moment, we too can say like Paul, “I fought the good fight”.

 

 

 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20timothy%204%3A1-8&version=NIV;TLB

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/niv/2Tim.4.1-2Tim.4.8