Quickly, Tell Others

 December 31, 2024

Tuesday

Matthew 28:7 (ESV) ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”

Christians for the most part have become consumers looking what what Christianity will do for them. They have become complacent with the gospel. There is no urgency to quickly tell others of the saving power of a faith in Christ. Much of that may have come from an easy "believism" that has infected their faith. 

They believe that by acknowledging Jesus as God's Son, they are saved. That is not the same as having faith. Faith involves repenting from a trust in the world and its desires to trusting in Jesus as their life. It is more than believing that there is a heaven or hell. It is more than going to church. It is more than looking to find a place that is comfortable or good for your family. It involves the infusion of the Holy Spirit into the life of the new believer. It involves being changed from someone who looks like those who do not believe.

I acknowledge that Putin is the president of Russia but it has no effect on me. If asked, I will respond with him being the president of Russia. I do not consider Russia as my home or even retirement home because I believe he is the president of Russia. Yet, this appears to be the faith of many people who call themselves Christians. They think by calling Jesus Lord they are Christians. Why? Because we told them that they don't have to do anything to be a Christian. So, they don't.

There is no reason for a person who doesn't truly believe in the salvation that Jesus brings to tell others of the life changing reality that Jesus brings. They aren't urgent with the message because they don't have a message to tell. 

What are you doing to bring the reality of Jesus into the lives of others? Are you serving them? Are you showing them love? Are you forgiving  so that they understand forgiveness? Are you praying for them to come to Christ?

The people who found an empty tomb were told to quickly tell others. Time matters. Quickly, tell someone who Jesus is to you today. Start with someone who is already a believer. You might find that they have only acknowledged Jesus as Lord.

The Superior Christian

 December 30, 2024

Monday

1 Corinthians 3:4 (ESV) ⁴ For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

There has always been a desire to be superior to others. Two of Jesus disciples asked to sit on His right and left side when He came into His kingdom. They sought status. The rest of the disciples weren't so happy with their request. That maybe because they also wanted those positions.

Things aren't any different now. People will join a certain church because of the status of that church. They will brag about the size, the theology, or any other thing that gives them a leg up on other churches. They will state who the pastor is based on his fame. They will claim that they are the only ones doing the Lord's work. They are acting in a very immature way. They are acting like people who don't know Jesus.

People who know Jesus may love their pastors, their churches and even the ministries their churches provide. This is only natural. However, they should never see that they are more pure or of a greater status because they are part of their churches. 

Some church growth models teach that a church should market what makes them different from other churches. So, churches spend untold hours trying to come of with a mission statement and motto that will draw people in. There is only one mission statement and motto for all churches. It is found in the Great Commission. We make disciples.

Some churches say they are seeking to be a multi-generational or multi-ethnic church but that can't be the center of the mission. Any church that doesn't have discipleship as its main goal misses the point of the Great Commission. This doesn't mean that a certain area can't be focuses on. Surely, making disciples must be done locally. This will not divide church but can unite them when each one is trying to make disciples. 

Not so long ago, a church of the same ilk as ours tried to plant a church across the street. They had asked a faction of the denomination where to plant a church and that was the best place because, they were told, that a good church is needed there. Of course, this is marketing and human understanding. It is immaturity at the highest levels of leadership. I cannot believe God will bless such immaturity. In the end, the planting church withdrew because, I believe, they realized the  ungodliness and wanted to be godly. They had no desire to "put us out of business." Praise God for them and their pastor.

Yet, when the flesh prevails, there will be jealousy and strife. 

Therefore, we all need to admit that we are not the most righteous, the most loved by God nor the most coveted by others in our position with God. We are bond-servants rather than lords. We are followers of Jesus Christ rather than the idols of others. 

We must watch ourselves. The flesh has a way of sneaking up on us and declaring that we are superior.

Will Your Relationship with Jesus Grow Next Year?

 December 29, 2024

Sunday

1 Corinthians 9:27 (ESV) ²⁷ But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

For too many, coming to Christ is the end of the road rather than the beginning. They come to church with no expectation of purpose. To many church is like a buffet line. They pick up what they like and leave the rest. One serious act of service is enough to live off of for years. They will point out that the painted the Family Life Center or Sanctuary, they will speak with pride of the class they led at one point, they will remark on their own faithfulness to give. Meanwhile, they are unchanged.

Too many Christians think that being a Christian is going to church and taking studies. Thus, they are full of knowledge with notebooks lining their bookshelves. But do they understand that it isn't knowledge that Jesus is looking for? The real question is whether people obeyed the Lord. The real question is if they know Jesus. The real question is if they have walked with Him. And when they are asked, they have no definitive answer. So, they point back to the things they did years ago.

A Christian testimony must be kept current. It should not be what you did last year or ten years ago. It should be an encounter you had with the Lord and His word yesterday or today. Beyond that, it is ancient history for a testimony. While constant introspection can be unhealthy, no evaluation where you are with the Lord can be disastrous. 

It is as simple as this: Are you growing closer to the Lord at this minute or not? Do you know what it means to grow closer? Are you having encounters with the Lord in prayer, in God's word and with other people who stimulate those encounters? The answer to these questions tell us where we are.

Many Christians don't think of spiritual things until they must. They are forced into them by an encounter with someone who demands a spiritual answer. It may be one of their children or someone who calls them a Christian and looks to them for advice. Unfortunately, spiritual strength comes from practice rather than knowledge. And wisdom comes from the Lord, not what happened years ago.

Will this next year be different? Only if they decided to walk with the Lord. It will start with confession, commitment and lead to constant communion. It isn't easy since the world is doing its best to draw you closer to itself.

And then, will you stand next year saying, "I meant to change this past year but I fell into my old patterns?" Be determined. Every serious Christian must be.

The Greatest Praise You Can Ever Have

 December 28, 2024

Saturday

John 13:16 (ESV) ¹⁶ Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

I bake. Lots of people say I am a great cook. The truth is that I just follow recipe's. I suppose those people who are not great cooks don't want to follow recipe's. I am just copying what another did before me. I consider it a success if I can imitate something good that another person did.

Being a follower of Jesus should never be trying to get ahead of Him. It should never be trying to do something that He hasn't modeled. It must be what He did. It is truly being compliant to His will. It receives His power as the follower is simply an instrument of His will.

With everything that has been done by humans, there is a desire to do it better than the best. Races are run trying to beat the best time ever. Yet, when it comes to Jesus, our best hope is to fully do what He has done. We can preach but not better than Him. We can encourage but not better than Him. We can draw crowds bigger than His but we cannot do anything more than He has done with a crowd. No matter how pure in heart we attempt to be we do not approach His purity.

If not careful, we can think we are greater than Jesus without the nerve to actually say it. We can sin with the excuse of being greater than Jesus. We can even criticize what Jesus said once we think we are greater than Him. It is here that we must be very careful. Arrogance can sneak up on us. We may say that we are not greater than Jesus but act like it in every way.

John the Baptist was the prevailing preacher before Jesus. When John's disciples pointed out Jesus, John knew who Jesus was. He knew who he was too. He knew that he wasn't worthy to tie up Jesus sandals. He said that Jesus must increase while he decreased. 

So, when anyone says that you have done something great you might say, "I just followed the recipe'." Or, I just did what my master did. That will be the greatest praise you can ever have.

Only One Master

 December 27, 2024

Friday

Matthew 6:24 (ESV) ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

While money is the prevailing example of serving two masters, this principle applies to everything. This is why Jesus said that you must hate father and mother, wife and children and even your own life to be His disciple. There can be no list of bosses. Making God the primary master will defeat the principle. He is not the primary in the list of other masters.

Preachers are often evaluated in how they produce. So, they preach and wait for people to flood the aisles with decisions. Preachers check on Monday to see if the attendance is up or down. By Tuesday the preacher is checking to see how the offering went for the week. The preacher might say that he is not serving two masters because his own personal gain is not a consideration but he is serving all who are trying to evaluate him. He has another boss even if he doesn't notice who that is. It could be his elders, deacons or even himself. (It will be himself if he has a huge ego.) He can say that he is not trying to serve two masters but when any other master is considered, there are at least two masters.

What about an employee? There is a difference between trying to please the boss and pleasing the Lord. The Lord wants us to work as if we are always working for Him. That goes way beyond if the earthly boss notices the work. Working for the Lord encompasses working for an employer. It still means the follower of Christ has only one master.

Now, of course we can say the same thing about our spouses, children and ourselves. Even a hobby can become a master. This just can't happen. God is not first in our list of masters. He is the only one so there is no list.

Every time we choose to follow one of our masters, we despise the one(s) we choose not to serve. Just about anyone will tell you that you can't please everyone. However, the truth is that you only have One to please. So, please Him.

Pray to the Lord of the Harvest

 December 26, 2024

Thursday

Matthew 9:36–38 (NASB 2020) ³⁶ Seeing the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. ³⁸ Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Has another year gone by without seeing another soul come to Christ? 

The problem isn't with people not coming to Christ. The problem is that we are not sharing our faith. We hide in our houses hoping that we will not be disturbed. We encase ourselves in our vehicles without noticing the people on the outside. If we do notice, we criticize them for not being like us. Our problem is that we have no compassion for the crowds. Most of the time we don't even see them.

O, we have excuses. We claim we don't know how to tell people about Christ. That's like saying, "I don't know how to warn people that the bridge is out." Do you really care how you do it if it will save their lives? You do what you can. You do what you know you can do. You act because not acting means that you have made a decision for them. They won't hear the gospel if you don't tell them. You made their decision for them by not telling them.

As time progresses and we seem to take up causes for just about everything and everybody, we appear to becoming more callous toward each other too. We don't need to engage with others because we have all the people we need to engage with. We are spammed so much that we have learned to be rude. We protect our space and don't let others in. We have no compassion for others. While we may pledge $100 for what we consider a good cause, we won't cross the street to tell our neighbors the gospel. The $100 is such a short term fix when considering the eternity of the gospel.

Those who are laborers will see the people who need the gospel. They will be the ones praying to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers. They will be the ones who will see the fields ripe for harvest.

One news article after another comes out saying that people are attending church in lower numbers. Of course they are! The older generations continue to die out and the gospel is not being shared among the younger. Attendance will continue to drop unless the Lord of the harvest sends more laborers.

However, the gospel will not die. It will continue to shine in the darkness whether we participate or not. Yet, it is to our advantage to participate. We will participate with God in birthing new souls into His kingdom. We, therefore, can live today but touch eternity.

An Alternate Version of the Christmas Story

 December 25, 2024

Wednesday

Luke 2:10–12 (NASB 2020) ¹⁰ And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹ for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Was the story of Christ's birth really like nearly all of the Christmas plays we have seen this year? I really don't think so. The story told by these Christmas plays resemble fairy tales. They tell the story of the humble hero being honored. This is true. But they also make the story a bit inconceivable.

There is no record of people needing to go to their family origin for a census. However, there is a case for being there to see that property taxes are paid. A census could do both of these. This would mean that Joseph might have had property in Bethlehem which he needed to affirm a claim to by paying taxes. 

Joseph was not so dim-witted that he would take his nine-month pregnant wife across the treacherous terrain from Nazareth to Bethlehem. He probably would have taken off a couple of months before and stayed with relatives when he arrived. (The middle eastern people have no bounds to their hospitality. I personally have been invited to stay in a middle eastern home for a couple of months.) Naturally, other relatives would come to pay their taxes and stay in the same relative's house. It was probably packed.

Was there really a mean, ole, innkeeper who didn't make a place for a woman who was about to have a child? The word for "inn" is not the word used for a place rented for lodging. (That word is "pandoxeion." That is where the Good Samaritan took the man beaten up and robbed to recover. Luke 10:34) The word used is "kataluma." (Luke 2:7) It means spare room. So, the time came to give birth and the room where all the relatives were staying had no privacy to birth a child. They took to the stable because it was considered a part of the house and, though very humble, was suitable for a child to be born.

The shepherds would have come that very evening for they found the child in a manger. The Magi would have come much later because they found Jesus' family in a house (Matthew 2:11) One last thing, we have no idea how many Magi came. There were three mentioned gifts but that doesn't mean there were three Magi. Plural words are used to describe them so that we know that there were at least two. But three gifts doesn't necessarily mean three Magi. 

Since Herod ordered the babies two and younger to be murdered, Jesus was somewhere between birth and two. My estimation is that He is one or so. Since Herod died in 4 BC, Jesus would have been born sometime between 6 BC-4BC.

Does this change the majesty of His birth? I certainly hope not! 

Reading the Christmas Story

 December 24, 2024

Tuesday

Philippians 2:5 (ESV) ⁵  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

When we read the story of someone, we may feel like we know that person but we don't. We only know what was written in the story. That is all that many people know of Jesus. They don't know Him. They don't know His characteristics. They have never spoken to Him and they have never had Him speak to them. He is more of an imaginary friend that a real friend. He doesn't appear to exist for those who do not know Jesus. He disappears as soon as the book is closed.

The goal of reading the Christmas story in the Bible is not so that we can make a tradition that our children will remember. It is to help them understand that Jesus is a real person that they can personally know. They can know Him through experience beyond the times they have read about Him in the Bible. If we continue to speak to Him, obey Him, act like He acted with the humility that He had and listen for Him for wisdom, we will have a mind like His. We will know Him as well as we know anyone.

These words will scare many people. They do not believe that Jesus exists outside of the stories recorded in the Bible. They know Him in His literature but they do not know Him personally. Theirs is a religion full of rituals but without encounters. 

Of course, there are also those who make up their stories of encounters with Jesus. They tell stories of Jesus coming to them which are more than fantastic. They can't be refuted because no one else is there. And your own experience may be different from theirs. So, they may or may not have had these experiences. but we won't know for sure. We simply accept them until we hear otherwise.

So, go beyond the Christmas story when you read it this year. Ask the question: Do you know Jesus? He came so that we would know Him and have an eternal life with Him. It goes beyond knowing about Him. So, go beyond knowing about Him. 

Finding a New Church

 December 23, 2024

Monday

Romans 12:6 (ESV)⁶ Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them

Are you looking for a new church? First, let's check out good reasons for leaving your present one.

1. You have moved too far away from the church building to reasonably attend regularly. You will need a new church. You might think you are going to continue the drive but it will get so hard that you will be spending time you could be doing something more productively at a closer church building. Also, you will start getting infrequent with the things you used to attend.

2. Your present church started preaching heresy. If you have gone to the elders and they are fine with it, you will need a new church. You do not need to stay and tear the church apart.  Heresy will do the job of making that church ineffective.

3. Your ministry there has ended. There comes a time when you know that your ministry has ended and there is no opportunity to get into a different ministry within your spiritual gifts. God moves ministers who are employed by the church. He also moves ministers who aren't employed by the church. Everyone should be a minister.

Now let's look at some bad reasons for leaving the church you are in.

1. It's not exciting. Honestly, that shouldn't ever be the reason for coming to or leaving a church. It may be the number one reason why immature Christians choose the church they attend. Surely, you know that some preachers can bring volumes of solid Biblical teaching and never crack a smile. While on the other hand some preachers can say "dictionary" and make everyone cry. Delivery is a fairly superficial reason for leaving or joining a church.

2. All my friends are at another church. So, you will be drifting from church to church. Good luck with that!

3. The church voted down my great idea. That's still not a reason to leave. Maybe you did have a great idea, but aren't you supposed to consider others greater than yourself? This sounds more like you didn't put it in God's hands.

4. I'm not being fed. This generally goes along with the first two bad reasons for leaving the church.

5. I need to go where my family is best suited. Didn't Jesus say something about following Him meant "hating" your family?

Finally, Let' address the good reasons for finding a new church.

1. Your ministry ended at your last church and you are searching for a new ministry.

2. You have an opportunity to start a new ministry in this location.

3. You know that God is calling you to this new church. This isn't only for paid ministers.

In a nutshell, God gifted you with a spiritual gift(s). He expects you to use them. If you are still effective in your present church, you should not leave unless you have a definite word from God to do so. Otherwise, you are just a consumer shopping for a new church.

The Convenience Bible

 December 22, 2024

Sunday

Matthew 7:13–14 (NASB 2020)¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Nowadays, you can find a Bible for just about anyone. There are Bible for people who are fans of preachers: The Criswell Bible, John McArthur Bible. There are Bibles that emphasize a certain topic: The Experiencing God Bible. There are Bibles for people who don't want to read the Bible: The Passion Bible. So, I have an idea. How about the "Convenience" Bible?

This Bible will come with explanations of hard passages that allow the reader to conveniently excuse himself from doing anything difficult. It will have excuses like: "Family is more important than what Jesus really wants you to do," and "You never need to forgive anyone who doesn't ask for forgiveness." This way the Bible reader will never need to feel guilty when he does what he wants to do. He'll have his excuses built into the commentary.

I suppose some of the translations of certain scriptures will need to be changed to. That one about hating mother and father, wife and children and even your own life could use some work. Maybe it should say, "Love your family with all your heart and soul. Always love those who love you." This Bible needs a few things added too. "Leave when things get difficult." "Stop giving when it is inconvenient." "Give to God after you have given to yourself."

Of course, that saying of Jesus when He claimed He came to give an abundant life has got to go. Surely, the real abundant life can be found without Him. Right?

Okay, let's admit it. The Bible is true. It will open our understanding of real life. It will challenge us beyond anything else in this world. And it is worth it.

Those who live in a convenient world stay on the road to destruction. This road is smooth. It is easy to travel because it is so wide. Most of our friends will be there. In the short run, it seems best. But those who choose the road the Bible describes find life. This is something those on the broad road dream of but never really find.

Honestly, would you buy "The Convenience Bible?" I guess it depends on what road you are on.

Don't Blame the Devil for Everything

 December 21, 2024

Saturday

James 1:14–15 (NASB 2020) ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. ¹⁵ Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.

The devil gets blamed for some things that he didn't do. He has no power to make us sin. He is not irresistible. The lust for sin is present before we are ever tempted. It will carry us away if it is not arrested before it gains momentum.

I helped a friend load a train car with grain while I was in high school. We had a simple system of using a stationary auger to load a car, then move the next car under the auger to fill it. I cannot imagine how much a train car full of grain weighs. Moving the cars seemed easy. We simply took a tractor, hooked up and chain to the cars and moved them one space. We had measured the space and placed a large log on the tracks to stop the cars. We didn't notice that the train cars were on a slight decline. My friend hooked up the tractor and I released the brakes on the last car. Everything was going fine until the cars quickly started going faster than the tractor. The log was split as if it were a toothpick. We had runaway train cars with no possibility of unhooking the chain from the tractor. So, I ran until I caught the last car and turned the brake until it stopped everything.

Our lust is like a heavy load on a decline. The first problem is that we can't understand how it could ever get out of hand. The second problem is that we don't notice it is out of hand when it is. It is conceived and gives birth. It takes us away from a close relationship with the Lord. It doesn't eliminate the relationship but there is no intimacy. It is like a estranged marriage. The couple remain married but there is no intimacy. Death is the lack of that relationship. 

Jesus said that He came to give abundant life. That life is one of a close relationship with the Lord. The lack of that life is a type of death.

We cannot blame the devil for all of this. We are the ones who should have evaluated the load and the decline. We should never try to resist temptation. We must flee from it. That is our responsibility. We must keep our eyes open and our ears tuned to hear the Lord tell us that we are on a slippery slope. 

Sin is no more of an accident than breaking through the barriers that warn that the bridge is out. 

Christ, the Head

 December 20, 2024

Friday

Colossians 1:18 (NASB 2020)¹⁸ He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

Some time back, people asked, "What would Jesus do?" It became very popular but it often missed the point. When considering the sick, Jesus would have healed them. When considering the mentally unstable, Jesus would have cast out the demons. When considering how to get from point A to point B, Jesus might have started walking on the water. As close as we would like to be to Jesus, we will never be Him. There are many things that He would do that He doesn't expect us to do. He wants us to be disciples of Christ, not Christ Himself.

That means that He must truly be at the center of our lives. This is when we understand what it means to abide in Him. This is when we understand what it means to call Him Lord. He is the head. The rest of the body should respond to the head. 

After having back surgery a couple of years ago, I couldn't lift my foot when I walked. I would try my best to raise it, but it would not obey. After physical therapy, I could again move the foot but it took a lot of work. Even today, there is some resistance. Unfortunately, that is how we appear to Him at times. He commands and we refuse.

Jesus is the beginning- He takes priority in time. He is the first-born from the dead- He takes priority over death. He is first in all things in the sense that there is no one above Him. He is not kept first by us, He is first no matter what we do.

That means that the question of what we should do in any situation is not to ask what Jesus would do but what I should do to remain in Him. What will keep Him the head of my own life? What will keep Him the head of the church? Obviously, it is not simply following a marketing plan that draws people in. It is following Jesus individually and corporately.

Constant introspection is not healthy. It takes our eyes off of Jesus and places them on ourselves. But inspection is healthy. Here, we ask Jesus what our standing with Him is like. Are we going the right direction? He must be the one who inspects. He speaks to those who are His friends.

Jesus is the head of the church. The believers are the church. If believers don't recognize Him as the head, how will the church ever do so? He is the head.

Being Somebody

 December 19, 2024

Thursday

Luke 19:2-6 (ESV) ²  And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. ³  And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. ⁴  So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. ⁵  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” ⁶  So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.

My wife and I went to a concert in Washington D.C. recently. The musical director of this concert also played keyboards and acoustic guitar in the band. We had known him almost thirty years prior at another church. So, we decided to say "hi" and to really see if he even remembered us. Well, he didn't recognize us by out looks. (Thirty years will do that for you.) But as soon as we said our names, he smiled broadly and said "Wow, I'll have to tell everyone I saw you when I get back." 

I guess all of us want to be somebody. We may not want to be famous but we want to be recognized. We want to hear that we are valuable to someone. So, can you imagine what Zacchaeus felt when Jesus called his name. He had merely climbed a tree so that he could see Jesus passing by, but the Lord Himself called him by name.

Never believe that you called on Jesus before He called on you. He made the invitation for you to know Him. He came to stay at your house. You just had to climb down out of your tree and welcome Him.

There is something else I realized. The musical director in that concert (and tour) lifted me up rather than dismissing me. I have greeted several people I knew in the past who knew me but made it very clear that they were too famous to greet me back. I know I am not famous but I still do not ever want to make people believe that they aren't important. They were all important enough for Jesus to die on the cross. How can I dismiss them?

Make sure you make people as important as you are to the Lord.

Rewards in Heaven

 December 18, 2024

Wednesday

Matthew 19:27-29 (ESV) ²⁷  Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” ²⁸  Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Somehow we have come to believe that while we are living on earth, we should expect to be paid what we are worth. Then, we expect that when we get to heaven everyone will be paid the same. Thus, many people ask, as Peter asked, when do we get our reward because our reward must come while we are on earth. 

Though this may be what we are taught, it is not what the Bible teaches. Jesus, Himself, said there would be great rewards for those who have followed Him. This is not merely for salvation which was given to us. It is after salvation as we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit. The work of the Spirit within us requires that we walk in the Spirit. Though the reward is not here on earth, it is not egalitarian in heaven either. There are rewards waiting for those who have truly followed Christ.

It is often said of the dead, "They are going to their reward." While they may be going to heaven, they may not have any rewards. They have been as selfish as those who do not know the Lord. They have essentially denied  knowing Jesus by the way they have lived. They will receive heaven from the faith they received, but they did nothing with that faith afterwards. Thus, when they stand in front of the judgement seat of Christ they will receive nothing.

Many Christians who hear this think that they are being selfish by following the Lord with the expectation that there will be rewards in heaven. Of course, they can be. If they have done this for themselves rather than following Jesus they are no better than the Pharisees who expected to be rewarded for keeping the law. However, that does not negate what the Bible says about those rewards in heaven. The rewards that are placed in heaven cannot expire but they can be lost. 

The rewards in heaven are greater than our imaginations. It seems ridiculous to put a monetary value for a place where money means nothing. Obviously, Jesus wasn't telling the Peter that the rewards in heaven would be a hundred mothers and fathers along with land and houses. It is more than we can grasp so Jesus put it in some terms we could.

So, make sure that you do everything with the Lord in His name. Yet, know that there are rewards waiting on you.

"Gut" Decisions

 December 17, 2024

Tuesday

Genesis 25:29-34 (ESV) ²⁹  Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. ³⁰  And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) ³¹  Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” ³²  Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” ³³  Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. ³⁴  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

There is something to be said for "gut" reactions:

The "science of gut reactions," often referred to as the "gut-brain connection," explains how signals from the gastrointestinal tract, via the vagus nerve, can directly influence our brain function, impacting emotions, mood, and even decision-making, essentially allowing us to experience "gut feelings" when processing information or facing situations; this connection is facilitated by a complex network of neurons in the gut, sometimes called the "second brain," which communicates with the central nervous system through neurotransmitters produced by gut bacteria.  (from an AI on the internet)

It appears that Esau had a gut reaction. He was hungry, possibly extremely hungry. He was willing to sell something that was his for his lifetime for something that would only satisfy him until the next meal. He let his "feeling" overrule any rational thought. Thus, he lost something much more valuable than a meal.

Isn't that true for a lot of things? People will trade their health for drugs. They will trade their future education for a new car. They will trade their children for a nice house (they work too long and never see their children). They will decide against salvation to continue a hedonistic lifestyle. 

Life is always about trades. You are always deciding to do one thing over another. You are always asking whether something is worth it. "Gut" reactions can lead you to emptiness. All things need to be evaluated at the moment of decision and good decisions involve the future.

If Esau had truly considered what he was giving up, he would have gone hungry a little longer. Was there no place he could get something to eat? Weren't Isaac's servants likely to give him something if he asked? It seems that he overreacted to his starving to death.

Jacob took advantage of the situation. He asked for something great that he could not get any other way. He asked for the older son's birthright. And he got it for a single meal. Later, Esau will say that Jacob cheated him out of his birthright. It appears that Jacob knew his brother all to well. He knew when to ask and what to ask for.

How many people will fill their lives with regrets because they traded off something valuable for something so temporary that it won't hardly be remembered later? 

Press On toward the Goal

 December 16, 2024

Monday

Philippians 3:14 (ESV) ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

There is a lot of talk of people being distracted. They are distracted by their cell phones while they drive. People pick up their cell phones the moment they are stopped at a light to check their messages. People try to text as they drive. They browse the internet while at work. They miss their children's ball games to win the approval of those at work. Are they simply distracted by their cell phones, computers and work? I don't think they are distracted so much as they lack focus.

Once you have lost your focus, anything else will take your attention. Those who forgot that their focus should be arriving at their destination safely can text all the way where they are going. Those who forget why they are at work, can use any unsupervised moment for personal reasons.

The Christian life should be focused on being a disciple of Jesus and making disciples for Jesus. It can't focus on entertaining the members of the church. It can't focus on pleasing the members of the church. It can't focus on feeding the members of the church. It can't focus on anything but discipleship.

One of the problems with this is churches will spend an untold amount of money to advertise and make themselves look attractive without making any disciples. Many pastors would be content to have ten thousand in attendance but not make even one disciple. They have lost their focus.

On the other hand, many Christians don't know what a disciple is. They think that a disciple is simply someone who claims Jesus as Savior and attends church more than others. They can't imagine taking up their crosses daily because they have no idea what that is. The same is true for loving others, forgiving, knowing God's word and obeying God's word. They are scared of those who say that God speaks to them for they have never had that experience. They come to church to hear an uplifting message. They love to be with people who are just like them.

We all must focus on the Lord. We must all focus on obeying Him. We must all focus on what it is to be a disciple. We must all focus on making disciples for Him. We should do this with such force that we "press on. toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God."

We All Have a Shelf Life

 December 15, 2024

Sunday

2 Timothy 4:6 (NASB 2020) ⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.

We all have a shelf life. Some have a longer time than others. We try not to think about it. Some of us are forced to recognize it. Whether it is our age or a catastrophic illness, we know the time of our departure is around the corner.

Some people work so that they can retire. They want to retire when they can do whatever they want for the rest of their lives. There is no retirement from the Lord. There may be a time that whatever you have done for Him can't be done anymore. For instance, there will come a time when you will no longer be able to dig wells for people who do not have an adequate water supply. You will be unable to make trips around the world to preach. You may come to a time when you aren't able to preach. This should be an impetus to buy every moment to do what you can for as long as you can.

The question you must ask yourself is: Am I being faithful in doing what the Lord has told me to do as soon as the Lord told me to do it? You can't put anything off until tomorrow because tomorrow isn't promised to you.

God gave us warning signs to help remind us that we have a limited amount of time. We see the lines in the mirror. Our hair turns grey or turns loose. Our joints make noises. Our energy level drops.

Being poured out as a drink offering represents a life that is totally used for God's glory. It is more than anticipating death. It is running to the very end.

And yet it is always knowing that the end might just be around the corner.

Do You Hear Me, Now?

 December 14, 2024

Saturday

Mark 4:9 (ESV) ⁹ And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

A cell phone company advertised with the question, "Can you hear me, now?" They were saying that you could be heard on their network and not on others. Essentially, Jesus is saying the same thing.

Nearly all of the people who were around Jesus' teaching had ears and could hear. If they were deaf, Jesus healed them. They could hear, but did they? As a preacher I am bombarded by people who will repeat the truisms of the world after I have preached the word of God that refutes that truism. Their past understandings drown out the word of God. So, they may have physically heard me but hearing is more than a physical response to sound waves. The hearing that Jesus speaks of involves the heart.

Jesus made this statement at least twice. We do not know how many times He may have said it without it being recorded in the gospels. He said it when speaking of John the Baptist. (Matthew 11:15) He told them that John was Elijah that had come. Most of the people evidently didn't hear Him because Jesus was plainly saying that made Him the Messiah.

The other time He said it was after the parable of the soils. He spoke of the seed being distributed on the path, on the rocks, in the weeds and on good soil. These were two times that people really needed to get what He was talking about. Too many times, someone will say, "That was a great sermon, preacher, " when they didn't understand a word of it. They interpreted it in their own way which may not have been the message that was intended.

People assume they will understand or that they won't understand. They do not recognize the effort that may be needed to really hear the message. If the message isn't understood, they will ignore it, explain it in their own terms or think it is about someone else and, therefore, doesn't concern them. I wonder how many times Jesus heard, "Too bad the people who really needed to hear your message today weren't here!" The people who need to hear the message are always here. They just don't always hear the message.

Sometimes the immaturity of people keeps them from receiving a message. Paul certainly addressed that when he told the Corinthians that they weren't able to handle the deeper teaching he would love to give them. In other words, Paul could teach it but they wouldn't hear it.

People who don't hear the message but attend worship leave the church building the same way as they walked in. Their main goals were to sing the songs that are familiar and see the people who are just as familiar. They think this is what the Christian life is all about. They gossip, backbite and hate in the name of Jesus. Thus, they prove they haven't heard the message.

"Your preaching to the choir, preacher!" Yes, I know. Those who have taken the time to read this blog are tuning their ears to hear. But think about this for just one moment: Is there more that you haven't heard and would hear if you stop and contemplated what was said? 

You just might find that you'll hear better, too.

What Is That to You?

 December 13, 2024

Friday

John 21:20-22 (NIV) ²⁰  Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") ²¹  When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?" ²²  Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."

It is common to point out what others are doing wrong and how they are privileged because we want to be told that we are better than them. People fill the internet with each error made by preachers but do not tell how these error finders are making disciples. They leave out the part of how they are following Christ. Yes, the Bible says there are false prophets but it spends most of the time telling people how they can follow Christ. The Bible urges us to follow Christ beyond taking on false prophets.

Maybe there is a Youtube channel that says, "Here are the preachers and churches that have it right," but I haven't found it. It seems that anyone who has any notoriety will get on one of these negative channels as having gotten it wrong. It seems that preachers that I admire sometimes are a part of castigating other preachers. Those of us without these channels need to say, "What is that to me? I just need to follow Christ!" 

I can find no place where that Bible encourages people to criticize others as part of being a disciple. I find that being a disciple is a full-time effort. Hating mother, father, wife, children and your own life doesn't really leave room for criticizing others. Giving all that you have to the Lord and going wherever He leads takes a focus on the Lord that few others have. Pointing out the errors of others intensely must cause us to take our eyes off of the Lord. And without Him we can do nothing.

We aren't known to be followers of Christ because we are better than others or are better at pointing out the errors of others. We have been given a "new commandment." It is one of love for each other. I find none of that in these criticisms.

I hope this blog is not a criticism of those who criticize. I hope that it is urging all who read it to pay attention to how they follow the Lord. I pray that we will focus on the truth so well that the lies are evident. That is really the problem, isn't it? People have flocked to those who are teaching errors because they haven't adequately heard the truth. How will they know the truth if we don't teach and preach it? How will they hear the truth if the Holy Spirit doesn't bring conviction? How will they see the truth if we aren't living it?

So, there are preachers and churches and attenders of these churches who aren't doing what they should. What is that to you? Just follow Jesus.

The World's Peace vs. Jesus' Peace

 December 12, 2024

Thursday

John 14:27 (NIV) ²⁷  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

People don't think of peace unless they have lost it. Therefore, peace is no problems or, at least, unaware of problems. This peace is fleeting. It is not theirs to possess. It belongs to circumstances. This is the peace the world gives.

Jesus gives a different kind of peace. It comes from Him rather than from circumstances. This peace will not come if it is simply put in a storeroom to be retrieved when needed. At that moment, the stored peace can't be found. 

No, this peace is one that comes when fully engaged with Christ. It is a peace for the disciple of Christ. The average Christian who calls Jesus Lord but cannot demonstrate Jesus' lordship does not know this peace. This is the peace of abiding in Him. This is the peace of hating father and mother and wife and children and even your own life. This is the peace of taking up the cross daily. This is the peace of owning nothing because it all belongs to the Lord. This is the peace of being a slave to all.

This peace is rare only because those who truly follow Christ are rare. This Christian has both feet in God's kingdom. The world cannot take anything that this Christian values because it all belongs to Christ. This Christian has all of his or her treasures stored in heaven. This Christian has received Jesus' peace.

Of course, those who look at the cost of this peace sometimes say that it is too expensive. It is like anything else that you choose to buy. Are you willing to pay the price? If not, it is, indeed, too expensive. 

Thus, trouble and fear frequently remain with those who depend upon the world's peace.

You Don't Really Need to Go to Church; Do You?

 December 11, 2024

Wednesday

Why aren’t people coming to church? It’s simple. We told them not to.

We told them that they could never earn their salvation. We told them that their works were like dirty rags. We told them that there was nothing they could do to get God to love them more. And they believed us.

What is the use of going to church after you have faith in Christ and have been baptized? We certainly told these people incorrect information. However, we may never be able to correct our errors. They aren’t coming to church so that we can.

Some people come to Christ, get baptized and stay at that level of maturity all of their lives. They will admit that they don’t know what the Bible says and, therefore, believe all the junk that comes from social media and friends. They will adopt the values of the society they are in because that is the easiest way to get along this their society. They know they are going to heaven, so why not live this way?

They do not realize what believing in Christ really is. They are merely not objecting to Christ as Savior. They have no intention of following Him. They hear the words of self-denial and think that is giving a couple of dollars to the guy begging at the corner.

These people cannot imagine an abundant life that includes going wherever the Lord leads, giving whatever the Lord asks for, doing whatever and whenever the Lord calls, and putting all others ahead of themselves. They are like people receiving the greatest gift that could ever be given but they think the box is so exquisite that they don’t want to open it.

Going to church is something that is done when it is convenient. It should never be a sacrifice. And if it isn’t fun, it shouldn’t be done that often. And what’s the harm? It isn’t like there are any rewards for sacrifice in heaven, are there?

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NIV) ¹⁰  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Knowing God's Grace

 December 10, 2024

Tuesday

Hebrews 12:15 (NASB 2020) ¹⁵ See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

The person with the root of bitterness has held onto his or her hurt. That might mean that there is a lack of forgiveness. It may mean that there is a lack of recognition that these hurts are being held onto.

Life is not always sweet for any of us. There are disappointments that may start out small but grow bigger and bigger. The person who never got married may resent the loneliness. The person who considers himself ugly may resent the perceived rejection received from that ugliness. There may be no one to forgive. And that's why it is so hard to recognize.

Most people grew up with either an expectation in their lives in how their lives would turn out. The circumstances they have faced have prevented that expectation. Those who saw themselves as bosses are extremely discouraged to find that they have never been a boss. Those who saw themselves as rich are filled with despair in their poverty. Those who thought life will be grand when they have children running around in the house cry out to God, asking "why?" when they can't have children.

Noticing that others have those things they only hoped for makes things worse. It isn't that they necessarily begrudge those around them getting their hopes, they simply become bitter over the fact that these others got what they wanted and they didn't.

At the base of the root of bitterness is a belief that they didn't deserve the life they have. They see themselves as good as those who received what they never had. The bitterness comes against circumstances rather than others.

This is why an assessment of what has been given to them must always be addressed. Counting only the bad things that happen will bring about a root of bitterness. Acknowledging the good things that happen will dispel that bitterness. 

Recognize that all people have bad things happen. Those whom you know that don't appear to have bad things happening are not showing those bad things that have happened. They may be rich but have relationship problems. They may be famous but have no friends. They may appear to be the happiest people you have ever known but have been betrayed by those close to them. Their happy faces may be facades that cover up their disappointments.

What do you truly deserve? The answer will be different for each person. Some will say good health and enough money to make ends meet. Some will say a happy family and friends. The truth is that we think we have been good enough to deserve these things. But our own goodness has nothing to do with what happens in our lives. 

And so we miss God's grace. The very fact that you are reading this blog is a testimony to God's grace. Somehow you have had access to a computer. Somehow you went to school and learned to read. Somehow you have the leisure time to read this blog. God's grace is all around you. It is yours to share with others.

Knowing God's grace kills the root of bitterness.

Trying to Find a Life

 December 9, 2024

Monday

Matthew 16:25 (NASB 2020) ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Many people are looking for a life. Some try to find it in their careers. They sacrifice everything to climb the ladder of success. If or when they reach the top, they don't find it fulfilling. It certainly isn't abundant.

Others may try to find a life in the lives of an idol. They will change their schedules and pay enormous amounts of money to sit in an audience among thousands of other fans. They will stand in long lines just to get an autograph. Not ever really getting to know their idol keeps them going. It is the fantasy of knowing their idol that becomes their lives.

Still others try to find a life in money and possessions. They want the best of everything. They want the big bank account that goes with it. In the end they realize that it isn't everlasting. They take none of it with them when they leave this world. So, they donate to charitable causes that will put their names on buildings or name funds after them. But even this is left behind.

So many people want to be famous themselves. The internet has placed this within their reach. They have YouTube channels and podcasts and fill Tik-Tok with their experiences and opinions. Others know their names but they know very few people. Being famous isn't a life.

Yet, as long as people can't see the life that Christ offers, they will hold onto lives that are not lives at all. They cannot understand how giving away their lives will actually gain them a life. They think that faith in Christ is going to boring church services, living lives of self-sacrifice and serving others. They cannot imagine that this can have more meaning than they can find in anything that they chased. They can't imagine that church services will become exciting. The Bible will become something read daily. Sacrifice won't seem like sacrifice. And serving others will become meaningful. 

In short, people can't imagine that the Holy Spirit will come to inhabit them and real, abundant meaningful life will emerge without those pursuits that promised life but never delivered. They can't imagine being changed.

The world has set a trap for people. It tells them that life is found in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. It seeks to conform Christians into this image if it loses them at some point. But this life is like driving down a road making good time with little traffic not knowing that the bridge is out ahead. The destination that is hoped for isn't the destination that will be reached. People who drive off a bridge don't realize that until it is too late.

Forgive Even If You Never Forget

 December 8, 2024

Sunday

Matthew 6:14–15 (NASB 2020) ¹⁴ “For if you forgive other people for their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive other people, then your Father will not forgive your offenses.

You forgive but you can't forget. Some think that forgetting is the true test of forgiveness but it isn't. Forgetting a wrong is dementia not forgiveness. Forgiveness would mean very little if it was merely forgetting. The wrong that was committed against you has left a deep wound. The wound must heal. It will never heal without forgiveness. Healing is more than forgetting the pain. It is knowing that the pain was caused and never bringing it up again. That is much more than a human can do by himself.

Every human being was created in the image of God. That image has been indelibly imprinted on us with the characteristics of God. However, each and every one of those characteristics were corrupted when we sinned. Yes, all have that sin nature passed down to them from Adam. We have made justice into revenge. Revenge is never satisfied. Revenge does more than remembers. It consciously brings up the hurts and rehearses them to make them worse than they originally were. Those who hold onto revenge have corrupted the image of God who forgives so severely that they cannot come into His presence. They reject the forgiveness of God because that will require that they forgive.

Do Christians have trouble forgiving? Absolutely, but they will be chased by their unforgiveness if they truly belong to the Lord. He will continue to remind them. He will continue to convict them. They will be tortured by their unforgiveness. 

When the moment comes that they forgive, they will still remember. They will also remember that they have forgiven that hurt against them. They will accept the characteristic and strength of God to forgive. It will be a testimony of God working inside of them. They will know His presence and His strength will flow through them. They will be released from their torment. They will still remember what was done if they are asked about it. They just won't force themselves to bring it up. They won't rehearse the pain. They won't continue to fall into the pit of revenge.

Don't expect to forget what happened to you. Your ability to forgive yet remember will be the true strength of God's forgiveness in you. When you know how He forgave what was done to you, you will know what His forgiveness is like when He forgave you. 

Hearing What You Have Never Heard Before

 December 7, 2024

Saturday

Hebrews 5:13 (NASB 2020) ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.

There are times for all of us that we read familiar passages from the Bible and see something we have never noticed before. Where did that come from? Why didn't we notice this before? It is the same reason that people will hear something taught and ask why I have never taught this significant revelation before. I have, but they weren't ready for it.

Just like a juicy steak won't appeal to a baby, some of the essential spiritual teachings won't appeal to us. We filter these things out because we have no means of processing them. As we mature, or I should say, if we mature, we become ready to "hear" what we haven't heard before.

Since Paul and the author of Hebrews chastise people for not being ready to hear after they have had a sufficient time to mature, we should recognize that we have something to do with our readiness. It isn't like a child simply not being "reading ready" before we teach them to read. Peter encourages his readers:

1 Peter 2:2 (NASB 2020)² and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,

Craving the word of God is not natural in the flesh. It is essential in the Spirit. It is a discipline that must be maintained. Disciplines themselves are not natural. It is not natural that a person exercises. The body would rather sit at rest. It takes discipline to exercise. It takes time with discipline to make a significant change. The same is true of our spiritual selves. We have lived in the world among a people in the flesh more than living with Christians who are themselves disciplined to be in the Spirit. Thus, we must make the decision to set our minds on the Spirit and crave the word of God. This is when our eyes begin to be opened and we become ready for the solid food of God's word.

The positive note on this is that "hearing" something that you believe you never heard before proves that you are maturing or you would not have heard it now. So, continue to "hear" what you have never heard before.

Don't Put Jesus First

 December 6, 2024

Friday

Luke 14:26 (ESV) ²⁶  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

It is common to hear Christian leaders urging people to put Jesus first. I think that is a misconception of our relationship with Him. It isn't so much wrong as it is limited. To put something first is to put it at the top of a list of other things. It may give it value or even priority but that isn't what Jesus seems to be saying here. There is no mention of love in this verse. Hate is the central word. It places everything on the list that Jesus gave us in a different category. He is not first among the loved but "the Only" set apart from the other things that may be loved. In other words, He is in a category all by Himself. He is not on a list with other people or things.

This is why we don't understand the word "hate" used here. Jesus wasn't telling people that His disciples must refrain from loving family, others and even their own lives. He was setting Himself in a different place from that love. He is central to all that we are if we are His disciples. That is beyond simply stating that a person is saved. This is truly following Him. Very few people get to this place in their lives even if they are saved.

Matthew 10:37 (ESV) ³⁷  Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

This verse speaks of being worthy of Him rather than being a disciple. The word here for love means "a strong kinship type of love." A person is not worthy of Jesus if their kinship with their family is stronger than that with the Lord. The word "worthy" means deserving of. Of course, none of us is deserving of Jesus. When it comes to love, we must make sure that our love exceeds that of all other people or things. Again, this is not the conception of first. This is the ranking of an amount. While I may put someone first because I love them more, it still refers to an amount of love rather than a place with others in that category. 

So, we should place Jesus in a whole other category. It is so different that those whom we love do not rank in this category. Otherwise, we will be making excuses when we choose to be disobedient to the Lord. We will say, "I love you, Jesus, but I can't give like you have told me to because my family wants something," or "I love you, Jesus, but I can't serve you because my family needs me now."

Remember there was a man who told Jesus he needed to bury his father before he could follow Jesus. Most don't understand the Lord's attitude here. It seemed that Jesus should have allowed him to bury his father before he followed Jesus. That wasn't the case. Why not?

Have You Noticed How Much You Have Sacrificed to the Lord?

 December 5, 2024

Thursday

Matthew 19:27 (NASB 2020) ²⁷ Then Peter responded and said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?”

If we have served the Lord we wouldn't notice what we have sacrificed to do so. We would be so amazed to be in His presence that nothing we do will seem like a sacrifice. There are rewards that go beyond our imaginations in heaven but that is merely the result of serving. It is not the glory of His presence.

When people are in love they hardly notice the sacrifices that are being made for the ones they love. Our response to the Lord is one of love. Noticing the sacrifices turns the attention back on us. We notice our sacrifices and want to know what is in it for us. We have forgotten the privilege of having someone who loves us deeply. 

When people are in love, they lose track of time. They only notice what they are doing at that very moment in the presence of the one they love. It doesn't matter how much sleep or expense or sacrifice or work that needs to be done to please the one they love. 

It is natural to think that you have served the Lord much more than others and there should be some payday coming soon. In fact, it is natural to think that you are the only one truly serving the Lord. Elijah would think that. Peter is thinking something like that. He is thinking that this small band of disciples are the best of the best when it comes to serving Jesus. 

When the married couple continue to evaluate what they should receive according to what they have done for each other, the relationship takes a turn from loving the other person without measure to loving with measure. This is true in our relationship with the Lord. We have essentially lost the love we had for the Lord when we first came to know Him. We are seeking the benefits and thinking we have paid way too much for what we are getting.

This is the moment we are vulnerable to leaving the Lord even if it doesn't look like it to others. Sure, we may continue in church but we back off from having the fervency that we once had. Yes, we are present but our hearts are not all His anymore.

Is it time to sell out again? Is it time to admit that the love you once had is not the love that you have now for the Lord? Is it time to cry out to the Lord asking Him to restore what you once had?

Just one more question: Have you been noticing how much you have sacrificed for Him?

Did I Abide in Christ?

 December 4, 2024

Wednesday

John 15:5 (NIV) ⁵  "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

We should never be elated or sad because of the observed results of our work. Whether we win ten people to Christ or no one comes to Christ for weeks on end, our attitude toward it all should remain the same. The question after seeing what appears to be a failure should be: Did I remain in Christ? If I did, there will be fruit. If I didn't, any fruit that appears will be no fruit at all.

Abiding in Christ is remaining with Him. It is walking with Him, listening to Him and absolutely obeying Him. It has no room for own ideas that spring up because we want to do something creative. All of the creativity should come from the One we are abiding with. 

That doesn't mean that we won't study and work very hard. But that study and work will be done with the Lord rather than separated from Him. We can't say: Lord, you remain here while I go do something fantastic for you. No, our response is simply, "Here I am Lord, send me."

Of course, the work must be covered in prayer. We should pray, "Lord, don't let me try to get ahead of You. Don't let me get behind You. Lord, let me stay with You." Then, if the result is good or bad, it is the Lord's result. Then, you can honestly give Him the glory regardless of the results. Sometimes we can't see the results. In fact, we may never see the results while on this earth for some of the things we do. We simply remain in Him and trust that we will bear much fruit because of Him rather than us.

So, the next time you evaluate your work, don't look at the results. Always ask, "Was I abiding in Him the whole time?" Then, praise Him for He will do something great even if you can't see it.

Emptying Yourself from Self Loathing

 December 3, 2024

Tuesday

The Oxford Dictionary defines narcissism as: excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one's physical appearance. 

Now, I have a twist on this. Many people have trouble forgiving themselves for the things they have done. In fact, they think of this frequently and lament over their failures constantly. They are spending time think of themselves negatively but they are still dwelling on themselves. Is this a back-handed way of being a narcissist? 

I have often tried to convince people they are forgiven. Some simply do not accept it. They have locked themselves in a prison in which they can't escape for the jailer will not give them the key. I have wondered: Do they remain in this condition to keep themselves from repeating their mistakes? Regardless of the reason, they will not let themselves out of their own lack of forgiveness.

I have often told them that they are forgiven on the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus. If God accepts this payment for their sins and they won't, they have a higher standard than God. In other words, there is no way they can ever forgive themselves. They have given themselves a life sentence.

But this morning I was thinking of someone who won't forgive himself. He spends time trying to put himself down and calling himself a failure at every opportunity. He is spending so much time condemning himself that he has little time to consider others. If a narcissist focuses too much on himself, this man has nailed it as a narcissist.

Humble people are not people who think little of themselves. They are people who think of others more than they think of themselves. Thus, not forgiving self is a form of pride. While normal pride seeks to tell others how much better a person is. This one spends the same amount of time telling others how bad he is. The truth is that the unforgiving narcissist hasn't emptied himself of himself. He is continuing to fill himself with himself.

The person who refuses to forgive himself must admit that he is focusing on himself. He must accept the payment of Jesus to God as the forgiveness that he needs. He must know that God has forgiven him and quit thinking of himself so much. He must set his mind on the Spirit who thinks as God thinks. The failures of the past cannot continue to be dug up and hung around his neck. For if God has declared him forgiven, who can legitimately condemn him.

There is no way a person can look to the interests of others as long as he is constantly thinking of himself. Therefore:

Philippians 2:4-7 (NIV) ⁴  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: ⁶  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷  but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

What Has Your Heart?

 December 2, 2024

Monday

Matthew 19:16-22 (NIV) ¹⁶  Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" ¹⁷  "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." ¹⁸  "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, ¹⁹  honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" ²⁰  "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" ²¹  Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." ²²  When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

If this young man came into the church today, we would be so excited just to have a young man who appears to be fervent for the Lord that we wouldn't challenge him in what keeps him from the Lord. We would have run after him saying, "That's okay. Just come to church when you can." But Jesus was willing to let him walk away rather than remain at a distance because of his money.

Many times I have been told that I shouldn't mention money in the church because that might run people off. I disagree. There is no might about it! It will run people off! But is attendance at church the main goal? Is it better to have a full church building who have something between them and the Lord or a sparsely attended church with people truly committed to the Lord. And even that is a dilemma. A fully committed church will not be sparsely attended because it will attract people who are coming closer to the Lord. A fully committed church isn't satisfied with leaving people in the state they are in. It seeks to remove the obstacles. It seeks a deeper walk with the Lord. It is full of testimonies because God has worked in the lives of the members.

I would have liked the story of this young man to have a happy ending. I would have liked to hear that he repented, gave away all that he had a followed Jesus. We have no record of this and I believe the Bible would have recorded such an event. He went away sad because he loved his money more than Jesus. Money had his heart.

On the other hand, a widow came and gave her last two cents. What happened there?