John 13:35 11/24/15

John 13:35
³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Jesus says the proof the world will use to determine whether or not you follow Him, is how you treat each other.   

Based on that criteria alone, could you be convicted of being a Christian? 

If you had to take off the Cross necklace, the  christian T-shirt, the fish sticker off your car, and couldn't point to church attendance...would a jury convict you of following Christ because of your love for others? 

Strip away all the external trappings  -  and honestly consider that question.  

If , with no other information, the jury watched how you treat your family,  how you treat the waiter at the restaurant, what you put on social media ....would they think you treat others in a way that marks you as a disciple of Christ?

Jesus says that loving each other is the only admissible evidence that the world will consider.

Let's be guilty beyond a  reasonable doubt.... Lets go out and perform acts of kindness, give to those in need, offer forgiveness to those who have hurt us.  This, and this alone validates our witness in the world's eyes, and earns us the right to be heard regarding our faith.

By the way, the world is right.  If we love God, we will love each other - and  it will show.

"You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving" - Robert Louis Stevenson

Acts 19:13-15 Joshua 24:15 11/17/15

¹³ Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” ........ ¹⁵ One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”

The demon's answer is interesting .  The evil spirit obviously knew Jesus.  And there is a good bible study in the question "who are you?"...  But what I want to discuss today is that fact that the evil spirit had heard of Paul.

The demon knew about Paul because he was an impact player for the Kingdom of God. Paul was preaching the Word, planting churches, and living his life completely committed to Christ. He was focused on the business of God, and was being used by God to make a difference.

Let me jump right to the challenge.  Are you living a life so filled with the power of the Cross that the enemy knows your name?  Are you a difference maker?  Do you treat your family in a way that glorifies God?  Do you conduct business with an integrity that points to Christ?  Is making disciples "your" great commission?

It all comes down to focus....Jesus said you can not serve two masters....
Are you pursuing the shallow, meaningless trinkets this world offers, or are you running with reckless abandon toward the cross?

God has given you the power to do great things.. But it's your choice.  Choose today to serve one Master, start living in a way that advances the Kingdom of God, and by God's power the gates of hell will know who you are.

.... choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,.... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”  Joshua 24:15

Matthew 5: 23 11/10/15

Matthew 5: ²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Many people interpret this passage to say that you cannot properly give an offering to God when you are alienated from others.

 While that is accurate, in context, it may mean more.  These verses speak of the importance of never leaving disagreements unsettled.   Jesus is teaching on the commandment not to kill, and adds that even those who are "angry" with their brother are in "danger of judgement".  He then highlights the importance of reconciliation and says, no matter what you're doing, even if you have begun to worship... if you remember an offence ....stop, and go fix it.

 In our culture people say that "time heals all wounds", but that is not true. Time does not heal all wounds, in fact it deepens some . Small disagreements, left untreated,  become huge divides that never heal.  There are instances where people literally don't remember the original issue, but since it was never addressed,  their relationships remain broken.

Anger and bitterness need nothing but darkness to grow.

Jesus says immediately shine light on them.

No matter what you're doing, if you remember an issue, go deal with it.  Don't let it take root. If God brings it to your mind...go do what you can to fix it.

Nothing is more painful, than the realization that you have wasted years being too prideful or busy to go to a friend or family member and try to show them that you love them too much to be apart.

whatever it is....do it now.

Mark 4:37 Romans 8:39 11/4/2015

Mark 4:³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” ³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. ⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid?  Do you still have no faith?”

The last question in this passage sometimes goes unnoticed as we try to comprehend a man who can tell the sea to "Be Still!".  But the question is important.

Jesus asks His disciples,  "do you still have no faith?", and I think emphasis was on the word "Still".....At this point they had lived and walked with Jesus...they had watched Him drive out demons, heal the sick, tell the crippled to walk, and much, more

...yet when danger arouse they still panicked, and questioned his plan, power, and affection for them.

How many times, when our personal worlds are threatened, do we become self absorbed -  asking "God do you not care?" ....And how many times must He think "do you STILL have no faith?" Have you forgotten the times I have blessed you?  Have you forgotten the times I have delivered you?  Have you forgotten the price I paid to redeem your soul?

We have to resist the temptation to become self centered, and dramatic in our trials.

We must remember that the One we pray to tells the storm to "Be Still!" and it obeys. We must remember the miracles performed that have brought us to this point....and above all we must remember that His love for us is undeniable and limitless...." neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:39)

John 11:35 Psalm 56:8 1 Thes 4:13 Isaiah 25:8 10/27/15

John 11:³⁵ Jesus wept.

You probably think I didn't feel like preparing this week so I picked everyone's favorite memory verse. But this little verse contains an amazing truth.

Jesus' friend Lazarus had died and Jesus was going to his hometown to call him out of the grave. On the way Lazarus' sister, Mary, met them and fell at Jesus' feet and wept.

 ³³ When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled ³⁴ “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.³⁵ Jesus wept. (John 11:33-35)

The question is why?...what brought Him to tears?...He was coming to raise Lazarus from the Dead...why didn't Jesus just smile?... after all He was there to save the day.

Why would the toughest man in all of history, who will later be beaten, spit upon, and crucified without the slightest thought of himself, weep at that moment?

I believe the answer is in verse 33....His heart broke for her broken heart, just like it does for yours. God knows His plan, but that doesn't mean he ignores your pain.  Psalm 56:8 says of God that .."you have collected all my tears in your bottle".  That means your tears are important to Him, not one goes unnoticed.

So know that when you go through seasons of pain, God not only understands your tears, He is "deeply moved" and weeps with you.  His heart hurts for you

We "do not not grieve as do the rest who have no hope" (1 Thessalonians 4:13) because we have been promised that the day will come when we will weep no more.   "The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces"(Isaiah 25:8)

But until then never be ashamed to cry, and rest assured you never cry alone.

Prov 16:18 Galatians 2:20 John 3:30 10/20/15

Proverbs 16:18   ¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall

This proverb never fails, and God doesn't use the word destruction lightly.  

 It should be more ominous to us, we should fear it but we don't.  Pride is somehow subtle and seductive to us and accepted with a hint of self sufficiency, but that doesn't alter this proverb.

Pride is one of the most destructive forces on earth. It has destroyed things in each of our lives, and in the lives around us.  We have to learn to see it as the disease it is.  It is insidious, never satisfied, and uncontrollable.

Pride is part of our DNA.  It was the original sin,  and it comes as "standard equipment" when we are born in sin.

It takes a rebirth to remove it.  We can not be fixed, we  have to be replaced.   ..." I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20)  "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30)

Our only hope is a rebirth into the freedom of the Cross.

Let's recognize  the destructive power of Pride and  allow the Holy Spirit to wash and renew us until we see others as more important than ourselves.

....the only other option leads to destruction.

Jonah 1:1 Ephesians 3:18 10/13/15

Jonah 1:1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, ² “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” ³ But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

When we hear about Jonah we usually think of the fish...God providing Jonah a second chance to obey.

But the book is really about Jonah's disobedience and hardheartedness.

Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian empire and was a huge city, full of evil people. God sent Jonah to warn them to turn away from their wickedness and turn to God.

Jonah did not fear the people of Nineveh, and he wasn't afraid they would ignore him....he was afraid they wouldn't.  He was afraid they would listen.  He preferred God destroy them, and he feared his message would cause them to repent.

You see the people of Nineveh were not like Jonah.  They had different colored skin, different beliefs, different political views. They were wicked people that did not follow, or respect the laws of God. The simple fact is Jonah didn't like them, and felt that God's goodness was being stretched too far if it included them...

Let's pray this week that God will eliminate our narrowness, and give us the ability to see others through His eyes.  The ability to lovingly share the gospel regardless of our differences.

Let's Pray that what breaks God's heart, would break ours.....And that we " may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  (Eph. 3:18)

Philippians 2:3 Philippians 2:5 10/6/15

 Philippians 2: 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

There are two points in this simple verse, both equally hard to swallow.

1. We are to do nothing because it is best for us. Much like our speech should be for the benefit of others, so should our actions. What a change in my daily routine if I were to "do nothing from selfishness".

2.  We are to "regard one another as more important than ourselves."  Not equal , which would be a big step up in my mind for most, but "more important".  This seems unattainable. Can I actually value others more than myself?  Can I love at that level?

Later in this chapter it says "⁵ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus", and that brings it home.  I have a blessed eternity because Jesus loved me, and viewed me as more important than His right to be treated as God.  Instead He allowed Himself to be mistreated for my sake.  That is what Love does, and there is not an easier way.

Christianity is not a buffet where you pick and choose what you like. Servant-hood and selfless love are required courses.- " if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit" .... Then we must live this way.  It's not a suggestion.

I challenge you this week to try it....pick a day, assume everyone is more important than you, and act accordingly...you will experience encouragement, love, and fellowship like you have never known.
We have all  played sports with "reckless abandon"... I dare you to live your faith the same way.

Luke 1:15-18 9/29/15 *11/18*

Luke 17: ¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Ten men had lives full of pain and disease, and Jesus made them new.  I am sure if you asked any one of them, they would tell you Jesus did it.  I am sure they would have nice things to say about Christ.

But only one  "when he saw he was healed', came back to worship and give thanks.  One out of ten had a heart so full of gratitude that it changed how he acted, changed where he went,  and changed what he did.  It should be noted that he didn't return to "earn" his healing, only to thank God for it.

Jesus asks him a question that should pierce our hearts..."where are the other nine?"... because all of us,  at one time or another, have been the other nine.  All of us have had days when we forgot the "disease" from which we were delivered.

Only this forgetfulness can explain our propensity to judge and withhold forgiveness from others. Only this forgetfulness can explain our inability to schedule time to be still and worship.   

So I  will ask you, are you one of the other nine today ?

If so don't dwell on it  - just stop where you are...Turn around, run back, and "throw yourself at Jesus feet".  Thank Him for His unimaginable grace that would redeem your lost soul.  Then offer redemption to those lost souls he puts in your path.

Lionel Hampton once said, "Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind." Remember your condition when God found you and store that memory in your heart.  It will drive you back to Jesus and fuel a grateful life of praising Him.

Ephesians 4:29-30 Matthew 12:34 9/22/15

Ephesians 4
²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Why do you speak?...When I speak it is usually to benefit me... I need something, or I want something, or I want you to know something....But this verse says that when I talk it is supposed to benefit others.

Talking in order to  "benefit those who listen" instead of benefit those who are talking is so alien to us it is almost hard to take seriously.  So Paul emphasizes it by stating that we "grieve" the Holy Spirit when we speak in a selfish or unwholesome manner.

The impact of the tongue is a constant theme in scripture.  James references the rudder of a ship,  and the bit in a horses mouth, to show how words can influence our lives.

Still this concept that our words should help others, instead of ourselves is not the norm.
What if it was?....What if we only spoke words that built up and edified others? ..... how would it change our Homes, our businesses, our Facebook pages? "

...But It almost seems impossible doesn't it?

There is however, some insight in  Mathew 12:34  that may help.  It says"...For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart"...Why is the tongue so important?...because it is the thermometer of the heart...the tongue reveals its content.....The way to make our words beneficial,  is to fill our hearts with the perfect grace and love of God.

I once saw a sign that read   "99% of the worlds problems occur because someone uses the wrong tone of voice."  There is truth in that, and I would suggest the wrong tone of voice is an indication of the wrong content in the heart.

Clean up where they come from, and your words will "benefit those who listen".