THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR?

Christmas. "The most wonderful time of the year" or at least what it is supposed to be, isn't it? We may sing "Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright" but for so many families, this Christmas is anything but calm or bright. 

Celebrating Christmas is supposed to be focused on the birth of Jesus Christ who came to the earth tell us the good news (the gospel) in order that we could be saved from our sins. Apart from Jesus Christ, we are all doomed to hell. But thanks be to God for this most amazing gift. Right?

Or are we totally missing the point of Christmas because we are too busy focusing on other things such as arguing about how much money to spend or where you need to be on what day, worried about how we are going to pay for all of the gifts that we bought or trying to make sure that you put up more decorations than anyone else in your neighborhood?

The next time you are tempted to fight about decorations, how many gifts to buy or where to go on Christmas day, think about the many families in our community who are suffering the loss of a loved one this week. People who are wishing they had one more Christmas Day with someone that they love but now is gone. Be grateful that the "biggest problem" you are facing is money or travel arrangements. Be thankful that you get to see your loved ones again this Christmas. Pray for those who are hurting this Christmas because of an empty chair. 

Too often, we are tempted to be selfish at Christmas. We think it is all about us when it's really all about Jesus. It's His birthday, not ours. So put away your selfishness and pride so that you can experience what Christmas is really all about. "O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!" 

HOUSE OF PRAYER OR DEN OF ROBBERS?

Matthew 21:13 (ESV) — 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

Do you remember the context of this verse? When Jesus went into the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers... those who were selling the animals needed for sacrifices instead of treating the Lord's temple with respect and awe?

Is it possible that Jesus is saying the same things about our churches today? Each week when we gather together, is Jesus saying "‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers."? Sure we are not selling animals in the sanctuary to be used as sacrifices unto God but are we praying like we should be? Are we robbing God somehow?

What are some of the ways that we may be robbing God? How about our motives when we gather? Are we gathering for His glory or for our wants? Are we stealing the attention that is due Him because we want people to notice us and give us what we want? 

Another way is rebelling against Him. If we are obedient to Him, not only are we blessed for doing so but so are those around us. For example, Luke 5:3–4 (ESV) — 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Jesus taught the crowd while He was in Peter's boat. Notice that Jesus did not dismiss the crowd when He finished teaching. He just turned to Peter and said “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Peter did as Jesus said and they caught so many fish that the boat began to sink. What a miraculous catch! But understand this... if Peter had disobeyed Jesus and not gone fishing, he would have robbed Jesus of the opportunity to show His power to all who were watching. Jesus wants to work through you. Don't rob Him of that opportunity.

One more way that we may be robbing God is through our giving. Malachi 3:8–12 (ESV) — 8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the LORD of hosts. 12 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.

The next time you gather with your church family, ask yourself "Am I really trying to communicate with God through prayer today? Am I doing anything that would rob God of anything that belongs to Him?"

WHEN WE PRAY FOR YOU

Last night, I mentioned Colossians 1:3-14 in my last post. This morning, I would like to share with you that passage once again along with some notes showing how Paul was praying for this church. This will give you another example of how we should be praying for each other...

Colossians 1:3–14 (ESV) — 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 
4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 
5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 
6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 
7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 
8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 
10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 
11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 
12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 
14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

WHEN WE PRAY FOR YOU, 
WE THANK GOD FOR YOU 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
WHY? 
1. BECAUSE OF YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus
2. BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE FOR ALL OF THE SAINTS and of the love that you have for all the saints, 
3. BECAUSE OF YOUR ETERNITY IN HEAVEN 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. 
4. BECAUSE YOU HEARD THE GOSPEL Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world
5. BECAUSE THE GOSPEL IS BEARING FRUIT IN YOUR LIFE it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,
6. BECAUSE YOU HAVE HAD FAITHFUL TEACHING 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 
7. BECAUSE WE HAVE HEARD ABOUT YOUR LOVE IN THE SPIRIT 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 
8. BECAUSE GOD HAS SAVED YOU 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 
9. BECAUSE GOD HAS DELIVERED FROM THE DEVIL AND TO HIS SON, JESUS. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 
10. BECAUSE YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 


WE HAVE NOT CEASED TO PRAY FOR YOU
11. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S WILL asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 
12. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL LIVE A LIFE THAT PLEASES GOD 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, 
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?
fully pleasing to him, 
bearing fruit in every good work 
increasing in the knowledge of God. 
13. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL BE STRENGTHENED BY GOD’S POWER 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, 
A. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL HAVE ENDURANCE for all endurance
B. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL HAVE PATIENCE and patience
C. WE ASK THAT YOU WILL HAVE JOY with joy, 

I QUIT, HOW ABOUT YOU?

"That's it! I am done. I quit. I am tired of business as usual and just going through the motions. I want more. I need more. God wants to me have more."

That's been my focus for the last few months. As a Christian and as a pastor of the gospel of Jesus Christ, I am so hungry for another mighty move of God... not just in my life, not just in my family or my church family, but however big God wants to make it. And not for my glory or our church's glory... but all for God's glory. I really feel a strong passion to focus on two things: God's Word and prayer. That may sound very elementary to you or too obvious but think about it for a moment. Are we really hungry for God? Is our hunger for God being shown in our Bible study and in our prayer lives?

I used to play the keyboard for a quartet called Greater Desire and tonight, I am reminded of a phrase that Kendall Bush, our tenor singer, used to say quite often. The phrase was "living beneath your privileges". If I remember the context of that saying, Kendall was referring to those who didn't know Jesus and was explaining that they are missing out on so much that God has to offer because they have not committed their lives to Christ yet. Tonight, I am thinking about the phrase in the next context which is focusing on those of who are Christians but are satisfied where we are spiritually instead of hungering for more of Him. When we pray, are we really praying to God or just mumbling some memorable phrases that we have rehearsed? When we read God's Word, do we really meditate on it or do we just rush through it so that we can get on with our busy schedules?

So what about the "That's it! I am done. I quit. I am tired of business as usual and just going through the motions. I want more. I need more. God wants to me have more."? Instead of flying on auto-pilot, I want to stop and focus more on connecting with God through reading His Word and through praying to Him. Acts 6:4 (ESV) — 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” Instead of thinking "I have to read this much today", I want to focus on "What am I doing with what I read today? Have I applied His Word to my life? Have I meditated on His Word and have I prayed His Word instead of just praying the same things that I usually prayed for?" I want to experience more of God's presence in my life so that those around me will know God. What did Jesus say in Matthew 5:16 (ESV) — 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Do you see it? By letting our light shine before others (living the life that God wants us to live), they will see our good works and give all of the glory to God. Don't you want that to happen in your life too?

Will you join me in seeking for more of God's presence in our lives, in our families and in our churches? Think about the impact that our lives could have if we lived every day for His glory and asked God to make us more faithful and more fruitful. Before I close this post, I want to share with you the passage that we read tonight in our Bible study and I would encourage you to read through it slowly and pray these words for yourself and also for whoever God puts on your heart...


Colossians 1:3–14 (ESV) — 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. 11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE MIDDLE?

Last night, our Bible study group looked at the middle part of our motto which is “BRINGING IN, LIFTING UP AND SENDING OUT TO IMPACT OUR WORLD THROUGH THE POWER OF JESUS CHRIST” so the attention was on the phrase “LIFTING UP”. The purpose of this study was to remind all of us that we must make sure that what is happening in the middle of that motto is driven by love… the kind of love that God tells us to have.

First notice some key words in Ephesians 4:1–3 (ESV) — 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [underlining added]

We are to humble towards each other which is the opposite of being arrogant. We are to have a spirit of gentleness towards each other as well. Adding to that, we are to be patient with each other and bear with one another in the spirit of love making sure that we are promoting unity and peace in the body of Christ.

Next notice some key words in Ephesians 4:4–6 (ESV) — 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. [underlining added]

One. One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. One. We are to think in terms of one. Thinking about the oneness in verses 4-6 and the key words in verses 1-3, we then spent most of our time together looking at verses 11-16 and asking the following questions…

Ephesians 4:11 (ESV) — 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

• WHO IS “HE”? God. 1 Corinthians 12:18 (ESV) — 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
• WHO DID “HE” GIVE “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” TO? To the church, first the "universal church", which means all of those who are born again, and then more specifically to the "local church" which means each group of born-again believers that meet together to worship and become more like Christ. 
• WHY DID “HE” GIVE “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers” TO THEM? " to equip the saints for the work of ministry" from verse 12

Ephesians 4:12 (ESV) — 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

• WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “equip”? To train and prepare someone for something.
• WHO IS TO BE EQUIPPED? The "saints" which means the born-again believers of Jesus Christ. "Saints" does not mean perfect people. If you are a true Christian, you are a saint.
• WHAT ARE THEY TO BE EQUIPPED FOR? "the work of ministry". Every Christian is to be busy serving God in addition to worshiping God. And yes, ministry is "work". It doesn't happen automatically. It takes prayer and hard work but what greater thing could we hear being said to us than "Well done, My good and faithful servant"?
• WHY ARE THEY TO BE EQUIPPED? "for building up the body of Christ"
• HOW ARE THEY TO BE EQUIPPED? VV.15-16 Through "love". By "speaking the truth in love" and by "build[ing] itself up in love"

Ephesians 4:13 (ESV) — 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

• WHO ARE “we all”? All believers. Regardless of title or position or lack of either, we are all to growing up in Christ.
• WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THE SAINTS BEING EQUIPPED FOR MINISTRY? Unity, both in faith and in knowledge of Jesus. Spiritual maturity, "to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" 

Ephesians 4:14 (ESV) — 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

• WHY SHOULD WE SEEK “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”? "so that we may no longer be children" We are to be growing in our spiritual walk so that we don't chase after every fad that comes along. For example, some churches are always changing their identity to copy somebody else whether it be Rick Warren's "purpose-driven church", Bill Hybels' "seeker-sensitive church", etc. We are to pattern our church after God's Word and how He shapes us.
• WHAT CAN CAUSE US TO BE “tossed to and fro”? "by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes" Again, what does God's Word say? Anything we consider to be "doctrine" must be based upon the Bible and nothing else. We must not follow people's "cunning", "craftiness" or "deceitful schemes".
• HOW CAN WE KEEP OURSELVES FROM BEING “tossed to and fro”? By being grounded in God's Word so that we are seeking to "attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"

Ephesians 4:15 (ESV) — 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

• WHAT IS THE “truth” THAT WE ARE TO SPEAK? God's Word
• HOW ARE WE TO SPEAK THAT “truth”? "in love" Love that shows that we care for each other and not just for ourselves.
• WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN IF WE SPEAK THAT TRUTH IN LOVE? We will be able to "grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ". [Underlining added]

Look at the key words in Ephesians 4:16 (ESV) — 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. [underlining added]

The whole body, not just part of it, being joined and held together. Each part being equipped and working properly. The body growing up and building itself up in love. That is what is supposed to be happening in every church.

WHAT COULD KEEP THIS PASSAGE FROM HAPPENING IN OUR CHURCH?

• WHAT IF THE PREACHERS/TEACHERS WERE NOT EQUIPPING THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY? Then the whole ministry load would be saved for or fall upon the preachers and teachers. That would keep the church from growing and it would keep the saints from being able to serve and develop their spiritual gifts.
• WHY WOULD THE PREACHERS/TEACHERS NOT WANT TO EQUIP THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY? Pride (not wanting to share the ministry with anyone), not having confidence in the saints to be able to learn it or do it, not willing to take the time to train someone to minister, being burned too many times from training someone and then that person turned on you or left you, etc.
• WHAT IF THE SAINTS DIDN’T WANT TO BE EQUIPPED FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY? Then they would be disobedient and rebellious towards God and the church. They would act like "consumers" who only come to church to get what they want and then leave, etc.
• WHY WOULDN’T THE SAINTS WANT TO BE EQUIPPED FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY? They don't want the responsibility, they are too focused on themselves, they don't feel like they are qualified to minister, they think somebody else will do it, etc.
• WHAT IF THE CHURCH WASN’T SEEKING “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”? It would be full of divisions and conflicts. It would have no appetite for God's Word and no desire to see any growth.
• WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS THAT A CHURCH IS NOT SEEKING “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”? Not reading your Bible, not attending Sunday School, the worship services and the Bible studies.  Arrogance instead of humility. Being focused on self instead of the whole body. 
• WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIGNS THAT A CHURCH IS ACTING LIKE “children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes”? Always chasing after the latest celebrity preacher or author. Not being serious about your commitment to God and to His church. Not being consistent with what you believe and why you believe it. Fighting for position, power and recognition.
• WHAT CAUSES A CHURCH TO ACT LIKE “children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes”? Not seeking "the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ"
• WHY WOULD WE NOT WANT TO SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE? This quote is very powerful. “Truth without love is brutality, and love without truth is hypocrisy.” Warren W. Wiersbe Some people don't want to speak the truth in love because they feel better about themselves by pointing out the faults of others. Some people are more concerned about what they say than how it will affect whoever they are talking to.
• WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T “speaking the truth in love”? We will cause more divisions and more folks to leave the church.
• WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DON’T WANT TO GROW UP? Disobedience to God. We are to be making disciples, not making divisions. We cannot please God if we refuse to grow up.
• WHAT HAPPENS IF WE THINK WE ARE GROWING UP BUT REALLY WE AREN’T? Then our talk won't match our walk. We will say that we are Christians but our lifestyles will scream the opposite. Jesus said in several places that we will be known by our fruit. If our fruit is not matching what we are saying, we are only deceiving ourselves.
• WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT THE WHOLE BODY BE “joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped” AND “each part is working properly”? Simple, if we are not joined together, we are falling apart and that will happen if each part is not working properly.
• ACCORDING TO VERSE 16, WHY MIGHT BE ONE REASON THAT THE BODY ISN’T “joined and held together” AND “working properly”? If there is no true love for each other.

Let me close this post with verses from the King James and the New American Standard Bibles (because of the beautiful word "edify" which we should be doing...)
Romans 14:19 (KJV) — 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
1 Corinthians 8:1 (NASB95) — 1 …Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
1 Corinthians 14:12 (KJV) — 12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Ephesians 4:29 (KJV) — 29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (KJV) — 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

CAN A TRULY BORN-AGAIN PERSON WALK AWAY FROM HIS SALVATION? Part 2

Same question as the last post, but this time from a different series of verses. Can a person who has been truly saved by God walk away from his salvation? This time, let's search for the answer through a series of questions and Bible verses.

First of all, HOW DOES A PERSON BECOME SAVED IN THE FIRST PLACE?

In the last post, you saw 2 Peter 1:10 (ESV) — 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. and I want you to focus on the words "calling" and "election". Before you can be saved by God, you have to be "elected" by God. Paul says election is not based upon our works, but upon God Himself [Romans 9:11].

Before you can be saved by God, you have to be "called" by God as shown in the following verses:

Romans 1:7 (ESV) — 7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:30 (ESV) — 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

1 Corinthians 1:9 (ESV) — 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Bible is very clear that we must be called by God to be saved. We cannot and will not initiate the effective request to be saved apart from His calling. Romans 3:10–11 (ESV) — 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. God initiates the action. Ephesians 2:1–10 (ESV) — 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 

QUESTIONS SO FAR:

1. Will all of the "elect" be saved by God and if so, how can a person "unelect" himself?

2. Will all of the "called" be saved by God and if so, how can a person "uncall" himself?

3. If God takes a spiritually-dead person and makes him alive with Christ [v.5], how can a person become unalive? Does that mean that God's saving power is not eternal?

WHAT ABOUT 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17?

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) — 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

MORE QUESTIONS:

4. Can a person who is really in Christ be able to "come out" of Christ?

5. If a person is truly a new creation, can he really become the old creation again?

WHAT ABOUT JOHN 3:3?

John 3:3 (ESV) — 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

ANOTHER QUESTION:

6. Can a person who has truly been "born again" become "unborn"?

WHAT ABOUT MATTHEW 7:21-22?

Matthew 7:21–22 (ESV) — 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

ANOTHER QUESTION:

7. Does this passage show that you can lose or walk away from your salvation? No because look at Matthew 7:23 (ESV) — 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Why would Jesus send them away? BECAUSE HE NEVER KNEW THEM.

I hope that these questions and Bible verses will help you to process your thoughts and help you know where you stand with the Lord. I leave you today with these words from Paul:

2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV) — 5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

DOES JESUS THINK YOU ARE DOING YOUR "SELFIES" WRONG?

If you have facebook, twitter or any other form of social media, you have seen selfies every day, haven't you? The "bathroom mirror" shot, the "duck-lips" shot, the "look-down-my-shirt" shot, the "I'm-laying-down-and-looking-sexy" shot, the "look-at-my-new-shirt" shot, the "look-how-long-my-tongue-is" shot, ...you know what I am talking about.

One website I saw described taking too many selfies as "selfitis" and here is how to tell how bad you have it...

• Borderline selfitis : taking photos of one’s self at least three times a day but not posting them on social media
• Acute selfitis: taking photos of one’s self at least three times a day and posting each of the photos on social media
• Chronic selfitis: Uncontrollable urge to take photos of one’s self round the clock and posting the photos on social media more than six times a day

Why are people so obsessed with selfies? Is it because nobody else is taking their photos as often as they want them done? Is it because we are so obsessed with ourselves? As if selfies weren't popular enough, now you can use a "selfie stick" to get more angles of perspective in your photos! 

Would Jesus Do A Selfie?

At first, you may quickly respond with a "no" but think for a minute about how He lived here on earth. Yes, I agree that He wouldn't take photos of only Himself and post words like "Look at how great I am" or "Who can walk on water? THIS GUY!" But what if He used selfies for another reason? (I know, this is a stretch but hang with me for a minute.)

Matthew 19:13 (ESV)  Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, 14  but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” 

When the people were bringing their children to Jesus, the disciples tried to stop them but Jesus said to leave them alone. In fact, look at what He said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them. I can see Jesus reaching out to the kids and laughing at their excitement. I think Jesus would say to them, "Hey, let's take a selfie together!". Why? To show the kids how much He loved them and to show the disciples that He valued everyone, no matter how old they were. 

How about Matthew 20:29 (ESV)  And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30  And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31  The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32  And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33  They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34  And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. 

The blind men were crying out to Jesus for help but the crowd rebuked them and told them to shut up. Jesus didn't treat harshly like the crowd did, He had pity on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they had recovered their sight! If you were one of the blind men, wouldn't you have been excited? Can't you just see them smiling and thanking Jesus for taking the time to help them? And can't you see Jesus smiling back at the two men who previously could not see anyone smiling at them? Maybe Jesus would say something like, "I am glad you two are so happy. I am excited for you. Hey, let's take a selfie together!" Why? To show the two men how much He cared about them and to show the crowd how you are supposed to treat people.

Let's do one more. John 21:15 (ESV)  When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16  He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17  He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 

Here is the touching story of how Jesus had focused on Peter after Jesus had been raised from the dead. If you think back in the scripture, you will remember that Jesus had warned Peter about the fact that he would deny knowing Jesus in Luke 22:31 (ESV)  “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32  but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33  Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34  Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” 

Peter denied Jesus just like He said he would in Luke 22:54 (ESV)  Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55  And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56  Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” 57  But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58  And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59  And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60  But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61  And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62  And he went out and wept bitterly. 

So in the passage from John 15, Jesus is showing love to Peter even though Peter had denied knowing Him. Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love Me?" The scripture doesn't show Him asking the rest of the disciples questions like that. I can imagine Jesus saying, "Soon I will be leaving here and going back to My Father but before I go, I want you to know something. I am proud of you and I am glad you are back." Maybe Peter was having a hard time believing that Jesus could forgive him for doing such a thing. And then to reassure Peter, Jesus might say, "Let's do a selfie to be a reminder of My love for you."

Now you may think that I am being sacrilegious but I promise that my intentions are pure. I am not trying to distort scripture, I am trying to emphasize to you how much Jesus loves us... even when others try to push us away. When we include others in our selfies, we are telling them "I love you".

Before I end this post, I want to validate something to you. Even though I have never seen Jesus take a selfie with someone or heard about Him doing so, I know that when I have taken a selfie with someone, I can feel His love flowing through us. Keep smiling. Here are a few of those selfies. And yes, I love these folks.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES?

Luke 6:27 (ESV)  “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 
28  bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 
29  To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 
30  Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 
31  And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 

Very few of us have taken the time to really understand the depth of this passage. Aren't we tempted to just skim through the passage and recognize the fact that we need to love everyone even if they are not nice to us? If we look closer at the wording, we will find this passage even more challenging to obey and also have a better understanding of how much we need Jesus Christ.

TRUE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS ARE SUPPOSED TO SET THE EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS TO FOLLOW.

Looking at the phrases one at a time, we will see what kind of example we are supposed to be setting for others.

 

"Love your enemies," 

The word used for "love" here is the Greek word, agapao [ag-ap-ah'-o], which means "to seek the highest good in the one loved."  [The Bible Knowledge Commentary] Perhaps you are more familiar with the noun form of this word which is agape. Some people explain agape as a "God-kind of love". Agape is a much higher form of love than the Greek word, "phileō" which means to "to be a friend to, have affection for". Now contrast agape to the Greek word used here, "echthros" for enemies and you will discover that it means "to hate, to be hostile, an adversary". JESUS IS SAYING THAT WE ARE TO SEEK THE HIGHEST GOOD IN THOSE WHO ARE HATEFUL AND HOSTILE TO US. Let that sink in for a minute. That person who is hateful to you and acts hostile towards you is the very person that Jesus is telling you to love.

"do good to those who hate you"

Now we have the "kalōs" which means "well (usually morally)…honestly" and "miseō" which means "to detest (especially to persecute)". JESUS IS SAYING THAT WE ARE TO TREAT PEOPLE WELL EVEN IF THEY DETEST US AND TRY TO PERSECUTE US. Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 10:22 (ESV)  and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. If we are true followers of Jesus and we living like Jesus, then we are going to rejected and hated like Jesus was.

"bless those who curse you" 

The original word for “bless” as it is used here is "eulogeō" which means "to speak well of... to bless (thank or invoke a benediction upon, prosper)". The word "curse" is from "kataraomai" and means "to curse, doom, imprecate [OR CALL FORTH] evil upon". JESUS IS SAYING THAT WE ARE TO SPEAK WELL OF PEOPLE AND PRAY FOR THEM EVEN IF THEY ARE ASKING FOR EVIL TO FALL DOWN UPON US.

"pray for those who abuse you." 

"Proseuchomai" is the Greek word used for pray in this passage and it means to "pray earnestly for". The "epēreazō" is the Greek word for "abuse" and it means "to insult, slander:— use despitefully, falsely accuse" JESUS IS SAYING THAT WE ARE TO PRAY EARNESTLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE INSULTING US AND FALSELY ACCUSING US.

"To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also" 

JESUS IS SAYING THAT WE ARE NOT TO SEEK RETALIATION OR REVENGE. Read these next passages and see what you discover. 

• Romans 12:17 (ESV)  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20  To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
• 1 Peter 2:19 (ESV)  For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20  For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21  For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22  He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23  When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

"and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30  Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back."

JESUS IS ALSO SAYING THAT WE ARE TO GIVE GENEROUSLY EVEN WHEN WE FEEL THAT WE ARE BEING RIPPED OFF. Why would Jesus say that? Because when we give, we are following God's example and we are to focus on pleasing Him instead of trying to keep score with those around us.

"And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." 

JESUS IS SAYING THAT WE ARE TO TREAT OTHERS AS WE WOULD HAVE THEM TREAT US. Many people call this the Golden Rule. But let's be really honest here. How many of us are really doing a great job with the Golden Rule? How many of us are loving our enemies the way that Jesus was describing? How many of us are truly blessing those who are trying to curse us?

SO HOW CAN WE LIVE OUT THIS PASSAGE?

Before we answer that question, read two more passages of scripture.

• Romans 5:1 (ESV)  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3  Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5  and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
• Galatians 5:22 (ESV)  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25  If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. 

How do these passages answer the question "How do we love our enemies?" and the other phrases we looked at earlier?

1. BY REMEMBERING THE GRACE THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED. Romans 5:2  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand--I have sinned, you have sinned, everyone of us have sinned. We need to remember that before we start to look down on somebody else. What if God was only as merciful to us as we are to other folks? What is He was only as forgiving to us as we are to others? Remember that grace that God has shown you and then show that kind of grace to others.
2. BY REJOICING IN ALL SITUATIONS. Romans 5:2-3 and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3  Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings-- This doesn't mean that we are glad that someone hates us or that we are having a problem with someone but it does mean that even during our hard times, we are rejoicing in the fact that God is with us and will take care of us.
3. BY RECOGNIZING THE BENEFITS OF SUFFERING WHICH ARE ENDURANCE, CHARACTER AND HOPE. Romans 5:3-4 knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope-- Though we do not want to have trials and stressful situations, we need to remember that we grow stronger through them. We have more endurance, stronger character and brighter hope to help us get through the next battle.
4. BY DESIRING MORE OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT TO BE EVIDENT IN OUR LIVES. Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.-- This is what God is looking for in each one of us. These qualities enable us to love those who are hateful towards us and wish the worst for us. As we focus on God instead our "enemies", we will please God more through our thoughts, words and deeds.
5. BY LIVING IN THE SPIRIT AND NOT OF THE FLESH. Galatians 5:24-25  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25  If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.-- Romans chapter 8 is a great passage to give more explanation to this section of scripture. Look at Romans 8:1-11. 
6. BY NOT BEING CONCEITED, AGITATING OR ENVIOUS. Galatians 5:26  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.-- Isn't it easier to get upset with someone who is arrogant towards you and agitating you than it is with someone who is humble and giving you some privacy? Sure. This verse tells us not to be arrogant, agitating or envious towards anyone else because it only leads to problems. 

Loving our enemies is obviously not easy but Jesus commanded us to do so. Who are you having a hard time loving right now? Would you pray about that situation and ask God to help you reconcile it? Would you pray for that person who has offended you and ask God to bless them? Remember, if we don't forgive others, God won't forgive us.

ARE WE GOING TO KEEP WASHING OUR NETS OR LET THEM DOWN?

I just saw this pic from Logos Bible Software and I had to share it. Why? Several reasons...

One, because one of the themes in that passage is RECOGNITION. Peter recognized that there was something about Jesus that got his attention. This passage begins in Luke 5:1 (ESV)  On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2  and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. Peter and the other fishermen were washing their nets after an unsuccessful night of fishing. Jesus was teaching a large crowd and as the crowd gathered in, Jesus wound up on the shore and was running out of room so He got into Peter's boat and asked him to move out into the water enough that He could still teach the crowd. And Peter did what Jesus asked him to.

Has Jesus gotten your attention yet? Do you realize how different He is from everyone else?

Two, because one of the themes in that passage is SUBMISSION. Look what happens in verse 4. Jesus said "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Imagine that you are Peter and you are washing your nets and are disappointed in the fact that you didn't catch anything and now a teacher is going to tell you, the professional fisherman, how to catch some fish. Many of us would have said something like, "Look, man, you are a teacher and i am a fisherman. You take care of your stuff and I will take care of mine." but Peter didn't do that. Look at what Peter said to Jesus.  Luke 5:5 (ESV)  And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 

"Master"? Peter had heard enough of His teachings to realize that they weren't on the same level, didn't he? He gave Jesus a quick report of the fishing conditions from the night before ("we toiled all night and took nothing"), but then says "Because You say so, I will let down the nets." Wow! Can you imagine how much that took for a man like Peter to say that? We find several places in the Bible where Peter says some things that get him into trouble with Jesus but not this time. He submitted himself to Jesus. 

What about you? Have you submitted to Jesus yet or are you still trying to do things your way? Peter didn't catch any fish the night before. Maybe things in your life are not going so well either. Submit your life to Him and watch what happens.

Three, because one of the themes in that passage is OBEDIENCE. Now we see that Peter did what Jesus told him to and Jesus was absolutely right about catching some fish! Luke 5:6 (ESV)  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. They not only caught some fish, but they caught so many that their nets were breaking! Think about that for a moment. These men are not just some guys who fish occasionally as a hobby, they are professional fisherman who do this for a living. They must have had the type of nets that professional fishermen would use and yet these nets were breaking because of the number of fish being caught. 

They caught nothing the night before but because they obeyed Jesus, they caught so many fish that they needed the other boats to help them bring the fish into shore. As if that wasn't dramatic enough, verse 7 says that the boats were so full of fish that they were beginning to sink! I can' help but smile at that one. When you obey Jesus, BIG things happen!

Are you obeying Jesus? If not, what's keeping you from doing what you are supposed to be doing? Excuses like "we toiled all night and took nothing"? Rebelling by saying "but we have already cleaned the nets for today"? Or maybe "What do you know about my life? I know what I am doing."

Fourth, because one of the themes in that passage is CONFIRMATION. How do you respond when something like that happens? What should you say? What should you do? Look what Peter did. Luke 5:8 (ESV)  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Peter recognized the power of Jesus and acknowledged his sins. He knew that he was not worthy to be in His presence but remember? Jesus came to him. Jesus sat down in his boat. Jesus asked him to pull away from the shore Jesus told him to let down his nets. 

Luke 5:9 (ESV)  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10  and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11  And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.  These men were so amazed at what had just happened that when Jesus said "Follow Me", they left it all. They didn't say, "Wait, can we sell these fish first?" They just walked away from it all and followed Jesus.

That is why that picture is so powerful to me. As we prepare for this new year, we need to ask ourselves if we recognize His holiness and power? Are we willing to submit to Him as we should? Will we obey Him with all of our lives like never before? I hope so. What about you?

Would you pray right now and ask God to forgive you of any unconfessed sins that you may have? Then would you commit to serving Him this year, even if it means "letting your nets down again"?

WE CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER

The time is now. We can't wait any longer. We must begin at this very moment. We must seek the Lord while He may be found.

Isaiah 55:6 (ESV)  “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7  let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

We need to decide today to wholeheartedly seek after God, not waiting until New Year's Day to make resolutions that we don't keep. Now. If there is anything in our lives that is not pleasing to God, let us repent (reject that sin and turn around to God) which is shown in verse 7 "let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD,". 

We must ask God to forgive us. We must seek His compassion and His pardon (forgiveness). If we don't, we will still be in our sins and our prayers will not be heard. Psalm 66:18 (ESV)  If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. "Cherished" means "loved" and "iniquity" means "sin". So that verse is saying if we love our sin, then God would not listen to us. Why? Because we chose that sin over God.

BUT we must realize what our sins will cost us. Judgment. Punishment. Eternity in hell. Every time we sin, we EARN something. Romans 6:23 (ESV)  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. "Wages" are what you earn or deserve for your work. Your sin and my sin have earned us death BUT God has given us an opportunity to have eternal life instead. Not by being "good" or being "nice". Not by some rituals or routines. God will give us eternal life if, and only if, we have received it through Jesus Christ.

This opportunity is a "free gift". You and I don't deserve it. We can't earn it. We can't achieve it on our own. We must ask God to give us that eternal life through Jesus.Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.  We can only receive this eternal life by putting our faith in Jesus.

How do we put our faith in Jesus? Great question. It is not easy and it is not a quick-fix to our problems. Putting our faith in Jesus requires our total commitment and our lifetimes to develop. 

First, we must recognize that we are sinners and apart from God's gift, we are headed for hell. Not because He doesn't love us but because we REJECTED Him. 

Second, we must ask God to forgive us of all our sins and to rescue us from the penalty of our sins by giving us eternal life through Jesus Christ. 

And third, we must commit our lives to Jesus and live our lives in accordance with His Word, the Bible.

Again, it's not easy and that is why we are blessed with other believers to help us and teach us and warn us when we are off track. We find these other believers in our churches. When we gather together, we are to seek God as we saw earlier in Isaiah 55. We are to focus on God and not ourselves. We are to ask Him to teach us, guide us and make us more like Jesus everyday. 

Have you put your faith in Jesus yet? If not, we would like to help you. You can reach us at brucenichols@rollingforkbaptistchurch.com  Please don't begin this new year without God. 

 

"HEY, MOM, I POURED OUT THE RED WATER FROM THE CANDLE FOR YOU"

Throughout our house, we have candles sitting around and some of them are various forms of cinnamon which is my favorite scent. When we light them, the house smells so good. When I saw one of those candles today, it reminded me of a funny story that features our son, Blake. Blake has always been know as a caring person. He loves to help others. Rhonda and I have been told for years what a loving young man he was and still is. 

One night, Blake said to Rhonda, "Hey, Mom, I poured out the red water that was in the candle for you." At first, we laughed because little Blake Thomas called the melted wax "water" but then quickly asked "WHERE did you pour out the red water???"

The candle that he was talking about was in the bathroom and he poured the "red water" into the sink. Still being warm, it poured very easily and he felt confident with his good deed. But as you know, when wax cools, it hardens. And it did. It clogged up the bathroom sink. After the pipe was cleaned out, Blake apologized for what he did. He really thought he was doing a good deed. 

We still laugh about that now but there is a very powerful lesson in that story. Sometimes we think we are doing something good but God shows us that we should always ask Him first. Isaiah 55:8 (ESV)  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. From our perspective, our choices usually make perfect since but God sees the whole picture at the same time and only He knows what is the right choice or not. 

That is why we should constantly be asking God for wisdom. Look at what James writes in James 1:5 (ESV)  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. God wants to give you wisdom. God wants you to do the right thing. God wants you to fully trust Him.

Proverbs 3:5 (ESV)  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.  Remember, His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. We need to trust Him with all of our heart instead of leaning upon our own knowledge, talents and resources. If we acknowledge Him continually then He will lead us the right direction. Instead of thinking we know so much, we should focus on God with all of our attention, respect and worship. 

So the next time you see a red candle, think about the Light that God is shining in your life. He will direct you the right way. Just like Jesus said in John 8:12 (ESV)  Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

IS CHRISTMAS NOT THE RIGHT TIME? OR IS IT?

In 2015, I will be taking two teams to the Philippines to preach and teach the gospel plus offer medical camps on the second trip through a partnership with the hospital in Davao City. This task is great and requires lots of resources. I am so thankful to everyone who partners with us. 

I am often challenged by some of my friends about the way we think about things such as “Why do we do things the way we do them?” or “Why do we believe that?”. Last night, one of my friends told me last night that “Christmas is not a real good time to be trying to raise funds…” Is Christmas not a good time for raising money for a mission trip… or is it?

WHAT IS CHRISTMAS? 
Many, if not most, people think about Christmas trees with lights and ornaments plus lots of presents under the tree. I remember a time in a K-mart store that a woman was showing her little boy a manger scene and she said something like “Look at that Christmas scene.” The little boy was confused and looked up at his mom and asked, “But where is Santa Claus?”

The true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Jesus as announced in Luke 1:30 (ESV)  And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

So if it is His birthday, shouldn’t we be focused on Him and what He would want us to do? Think about His words in Luke 19:10 (ESV)  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”. Or how about His words in Acts 1:8 (ESV)  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”?

I know you have seen the “WWJD” bracelets signifying “What Would Jesus Do?” but how about these questions:

WWJHMD?
“What Would Jesus Have Me Do?” Think about the original question in this post, “Is Christmas not a good time for raising money for a mission trip… or is it?” If Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost.” and we are the body of Christ, shouldn’t we be doing what He has been doing all along? Should we stop supporting missions in December so we can spend lots of money on material things?

How about these verses? Luke 2:10 (ESV)  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. The angel told the shepherds not to be afraid because he brought them what? “good news of great joy”! And what is that “good news”? The Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

So “What Would Jesus Have Me Do?” Simple, stay focused on what He was focused on. Seeking and saving the lost.

HMTDWH?
Another question to consider is “How Much Time Do We Have?” Look at the international news stories and you will quickly recognize that we are much closer to the end of time as we know it than we have ever been before. Do we have enough time to take December off?

Ephesians 5:15 (ESV)  Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16  making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Paul said we need to make the best use of time. Time is going by very quickly as if you hadn’t noticed. The next trip is in the spring and the second is in late summer. It won’t be long for it’s time to minister.

WAYWTD?
Last question for you in this post. “What Are You Willing To Do?” Are you willing to support a mission trip like ours as a gift this Christmas? A gift that sharing the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ? If so, visit www.gofundme.com/hmd2p8 and make your donation of any size. Some are giving so much a month. Whatever you give, thank you for helping us spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas.

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE OF ALL TIME!

Looking back now, I realize it was the best Christmas tree ever although I hated it then. At first I laughed at it because I was shocked that my dad would do such a thing. Now I wish I had a picture of that tree because it illustrates how much we get out of focus during Christmas time.

Since I don't have a picture of it, I can only describe it to you. Perhaps you have seen one of these trees too. I don't remember what year it was but I think it was around 1979 or 1980. Our tree was not the shiny silver tree that we had used for so many years prior to that Christmas. This tree didn't come from a store and it wasn't an evergreen tree that we picked out and cut down. It started with a block of wood for the base and part of a wooden broom handle that stood about three feet high. The broom stick was painted silver and had many holes drilled in it so that various lengths of metal coat hangers could be cut and inserted as "branches". As if we thought that didn't look bad enough, Dad brought out the next step. Packing peanuts! Packing peanuts like those pictured below...

 

Without making too big of mess, we were to push these packing peanuts onto the wires that were inserted into the silver broom stick that what was cut and fastened to a block of wood so that it would stand up. Got it? Well, guess what? THERE'S MORE TO THIS STORY!

Again, as if that wasn't bad enough, the final pieces of the Christmas tree were the nastiest, ugliest, fuzziest, green, plastic balls to used as ornaments to hang on the cut pieces of metal coat hangers covered by packing peanuts sticking out of a painted broom stick with lots of holes drilled in it and mounted to a block of wood to stand up. There now you get the picture, right?

When I first saw it, I just laughed at it and thought "there is no way that is really our Christmas tree this year!" BUT IT WAS. Dad had put all of that together to show us that we were missing the whole point of Christmas because we were so focused on the tree and the presents. I hated that tree... THEN... BUT NOT NOW. Now I realize it really was the best Christmas tree ever put up. 

IT REALLY IS ALL ABOUT JESUS.

Luke 2:8 (ESV)  And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15  When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16  And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17  And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18  And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19  But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.