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.