It isn't HAVE TO!

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."

 Rom 12:9-15

This is good advice given by Paul that we are all familiar with. However, there is part of this that we often either overlook or maybe we even downright ignore. In the application of abhorring evil, loving one another, being patient in tribulation; did you notice the part about contributing to the needs of the saints?

We all apply this to money, and any time we use our money in service to God, it draws us closer to God. However, this is not all that it applies to like we want to make it. Any time send a card and write a note of encouragement, I've just invested in the plan of God’s will. When another believer is discouraged and needs somebody to talk to and I buy give a shoulder or an ear, I've done God's will. John writes, "Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God."

When we invest our money in developing relationships within the Church, it points others to God and gets us closer to one another and to Him. In other words, when you invest in the fellowship of God's house, it helps everyone involved and helps bring people to Christ. Heb.10:24,25 teaches, "encourage one another and provoke one another unto love and good works,  not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Don't get caught up in "the day," that's another discussion. Pay attention to two things in this passage, encouraging and not neglecting meeting together. Many have been taught that "not neglecting meeting together" is like attendance at school. They make it a "have to" thing and this isn't what God wants at all. It should be a "want to" in our lives as Christians to not only invest in our own spirituality, but to want to do everything that I can, every time that I can to contribute to the needs of others. To not do this is to be self serving and not to consider the will of God above your own.

Do you see a need in God's house?  What are you rising up to do about it? Are you afraid to reach out to others, to invest in their lives? Ask God for help to overcome your fears and trust him with your efforts. Remember, "Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."

Jim 

When The World is Falling Apart!

"Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!   Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven..."

Lamentations 3:40,41

There are days when life seems as though it is falling apart at the seams. We all want to know what we can do different, do over, what we can change to make things better.  We CANNOT change the past, nor can we change what HAS been done. You can’t change your parents, family, children. They are who they are and you are who you are.  You can’t change the gifts and talents God has or hasn’t given you. You can’t change a handicap you’ve been given. You can’t bring back someone who is dead.  The fact is, there are a LOT of things about life you cannot change. Peace in the midst of troubles can be found when you accept what you can’t change. Otherwise, you’ll make yourself and the people you love miserable. All of this said, there is  something important you can change: you.

The prophet Jeremiah, about 20 years of age, in the 13th year of King Josiah (Jer.1:2; 25:3), in the year 627 BC. He was active in this capacity from this time on to the destruction of Jerusalem which occurred in 586 BC. Even after the fall of Jerusalem,  he prophesied in Egypt at least for several years, so that his work extended over a period of about 50 years in all. The most devastating period of his life was when Jerusalem fell, during which time he wrote the Lamentations. To that, the verses quoted at the beginning of this article was a reflection of a breaking heart spoken about things that he could not change. His sentiment? Lamentations 3:40: “Let us examine our ways and turn back to the Lord”

We can't change the past, but we can change the present. Jeremiah's reflection shows that if he could have gone back and changed something that would have prevented Jerusalem's destruction, he would have. The same for us, we all lament when things go awry, and in wondering what we can change or what could we do; ask yourself what’s happening  in your life that doesn’t line up with what God wants? After all, God can see what we can't, and can do what we can't. To re-order your life God’s way, it’ll take some deep self-evaluation of every area of your life. You’ll need to take a look at your relationship with God, your spouse, your kids, and your co-workers. You’ll need to look at hurts, habits, and hang-ups that may be bringing you down. Nothing can be off limits in this. We cannot sugar coat this, and it is not and will not be easy. You WILL find things you don't like, and there are some things that as Jesus said to cut out of your life. It’s always tough to turn from sin even when it’s tearing us down.

Healing apart from repentance won't happen. When your world is falling apart, you can’t change everything — but you can change you. At times, that can mean everything.

What can you change right now that will make a positive impact on yourself and others? Ask yourself the hard questions about your priorities, relationships, and secret sins as you try to change your world.   "If you hear the message and don't obey it, you are like people who stare at themselves in a mirror and forget what they look like as soon as they leave.   But you must never stop looking at the perfect law that sets you free. God will bless you in everything you do, if you listen and obey, and don't just hear and forget. (Jas.1:23-25)."

Jim

UNMANAGED LIFE AND SPIRIT = UNGODLY!!

Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. They get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control.

Pro 5:22,23 

This proverb says a lot about people. One of the things that you hear a lot is how people suffer, how difficult things are, how they can’t manage, how that they have no joy in life. Granted, there is a lot of suffering that is well beyond our control, however there is a LOT of stuff that we go through that is simply brought upon ourselves. Many times, it is our own lack of self-control that gets us into the jams that we face. This is why the Bible spends as much time as it does talking about why we need to learn to manage and control what we do, how we feel, and how we express those things.

Proverbs 14:12 states, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”  Emotion is an unreliable thing, and “your gut” is often wrong. As much as we do not want to hear it, it is our own feelings that lead us down a blind alley. Not everything you feel is right or authentic or will lead you in the right direction. This is why God tells us here in this proverb, that not controlling things like this could even lead to my own death. As a diabetic, controlling my sugar is paramount to my overall health. If it goes unmanaged, it could permanently damage kidneys, my liver, my eyes, my vascular system and more. Grossly unmanaged, I could even die.  That is why for me, self-control is a key to my survival. This is also true regarding my overall life and spirit too.  That is why we need God in our lives, because there are times simply as a human, that I cannot manage myself.  As Jeremiah stated long ago, “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.  Correct me, O LORD, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. (Jer.10:23,24). “

Bullying is a hot topic these days, and no one likes to be or feel manipulated. We consider it degrading, demeaning and disgusting. However, we are our own worst judges and critics. The plain fact is that if you don’t control your emotions, they WILL control you, and you will be manipulated by your moods. What many people do not understand, is that in the background of these feelings, Satan’s favorite tool is negative emotions. He is the master of using fear, resentment, and worry to wreck our lives. This is why Peter, a man well acquainted with having this happen in his life, tries to teach us, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Pet.5:8) God cannot rule your life if you and your emotions rule your life. Peter had learned that well, the night Jesus was on trial and he denied Him.  Paul reminds us too, because he did the same thing, “If we follow our desires, we cannot please God.” (Rom 8:8)

Even our own self-help gurus and motivational speakers tell us that you need to learn to manage your emotions if you want to succeed in life. How many people do we know who ruined their reputation because of something said in the heat of anger? Or missed a job opportunity because of their lack of self-control to get up on time? Study after study shows that our emotional quotient is far more important than your IQ when it comes to success. When you give your heart to Jesus that includes your emotions to be managed by Him. Giving our lives to God is not just what you think and do. He wants to be Lord of what is inside you too.  Again, Peter reminds us, “It means you have turned from your own desires and want to obey God for the rest of your life. (1 Pet 4:2)” 

What about your emotions do you need to surrender to God today?

Jim

Emotions - Intellect? Which Does God Like Better?

Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

Mk.12:28-31

Many when they hear these words, hear commandment. DO THIS! It is the Shema after all, the affirmation of God above all things.  Yet, have you ever stopped to consider the depth of what Jesus is saying here, that is THE greatest thing of all the Bible?  LOVE….yes, simple word, yet deep. How much do you love life, eating, breathing? Jesus states that our love for God should be more.  Not just kind of love him, He wants you to love him passionately. ALL of your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. God doesn't want to just be in your head. He wants an integral, deep, emotional relationship with you.

This isn’t difficult to understand, when we comprehend that just because God is a Spirit (Jn.4:24) does not mean that God has no emotions. Read the scripture and you will see it is replete of descriptions of God’s feeling joy, grief, pain, and hatred toward sin and many other things. He gets frustrated with people, feels joy, compassion, pity….and the deepest of all love

Your ability to feel is a gift from God. The ability to love, create, be faithful and loyal, kindness, generosity are all emotions that are attached to the good things in life. While emotions may not always seem like a gift, but even the negative ones have a purpose. In this, as with all things, there are some things that we need to learn to avoid.  Emotionalism is the extreme of saying the only thing that matters in life is how you feel. This view is very egocentric, where everything is based on you. Everything in life is based on your emotions without thought of intent or basis of faith. Yes, God wants us to feel, because He feels. Yet, it is not how we feel that is to control our lives. That is why Jeremiah states,, “I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” (Jer 10:23).  If left to myself and my emotions – I would self-destruct. Man does not have that capacity within himself.  That is why we need a compass, to point the right direction, give the right wisdom, and share the right advice (Psa.119:105; Jn.17:17; Rom.10:17; 2 Tm.3:16,17).

On the other hand, to go all Mr.Spock from Star Trek and obsess on stoicism is equally bad. To say feelings aren't important at all, and the only thing that matters is your intellect and your will is to ignore the fact that faith while based on verity of testimony of scripture, is an emotional response.  It is the answer of the conscience in response to what God has put before the soul (1 Pet.3:21).  Paul reminds us,  “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Rom 10:10). Did you notice the progression?  When the heart is convinced and believes, the mouth cannot keep from confessing. Why? Because it is the emotional response!  Some Christians have decided that it doesn't really matter how you feel and downplay emotions. That’s not right. God gave you your emotions for a reason, and he wants you to worship him emotionally — with all your heart and all your mind.

All of you…that is what God wants. Including your knowledge and your emotions. He doesn't want one over the other…He wants them BOTH!  Are you giving them to God? 

Jim

Wanting To

But from there you will seek the LORD your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Dt 4:29

As much as we like to call ourselves adults, we never really grow up. The same tantrums, demeanors we displayed when we were children, make their way into our adult selves – just under a more controlled circumstance. The way we behave toward people now, is a repeat of the way we interacted with other children when we were growing up. And, unfortunately the way we act toward God or choose to listen to what God has to say is the way we listened or didn't listen to our parents when we were small.  The truth? We listen when we want to.

You’re not going to hear God unless you really, really want to listen.   David wrote, “My God, I want to do what you want” and “What I want most of all and at all times is to honor your laws” (Psalm 40:8, Psalm 199:20).  David was passionate in his declaration that what he wanted most of all was to honor God. These things weren't options for him. He used words for seeking God (“I long for it,” “I crave it,” “I hunger for it,” and “I’m like a dear panting for water.”). The question is, is this what you hear in your own vocabulary?

A lot of people talk to God, but they never hear from God. Prayer is a monologue for most people, and monologues do not convey relationship. In a marriage, when only one spouse talks the marriage is dysfunctional because that’s not a relationship. Relationships require communication, and it is just as important as talking to God in prayer. Prayer is not just talking to God, but listening to God and letting Him talk to you. God doesn't tell his dream for your life if you want to debate it. God doesn't tell his vision for your life if you want to discuss it. God doesn't tell you what he put you on Earth to do just so you can say, “Let me think about It.” You've got to want it more than anything else.

David’s words have to become ours. We have to say, “I've got to know why. I've got to know what You want me to do with my life. I've got to hear Your voice. I've got to have Your vision.”

What is the thing you want most in life? Do you long for God’s voice?  Would you say that you are passionate for Christ in the same sense that when you are thirsty that you crave water? When you ask God or talk to God, what attitude do you talk with Him? Is it the three year old in you, or that part of you that realizes that God is everything? Are you prepared to respond in obedience?

Jim

Ever Thought That God Has Faith in YOU?

I have people ask me all the time, “How do you know good steel from inferior steel when making a knife?” The answer is relatively simple – the one that has the most purity of steel, that contains the least alloys, the one that has the dross removed – that is your best blade steel.  It is material that is pliable enough to be worked, molded, shaped and honed.

The same is true regarding a Christian.  Peter wrote, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Pt.3:21).”  The first step is admitting my sin and state of loss without Christ, then professing Him in answer to my heart’s cry for salvation by being immersed into His death (Rom.6:4). While this is indeed the first and best step, it is by far not the end. The difference between faithful people and unfaithful people is unfaithful people give up at the first sign of difficulty. Faithful people are persistent. Faithful people don’t know how to quit.

   

God is more interested in what you’re becoming than what’s happening to you. God often allows trials, troubles, tribulations, and problems – not to torment us but to bring out of our lives those things that we do not need in an eternal soul and to teach us diligence, determination, and character. That problem you’re going through right now? It’s a test of your faithfulness. Will you continue to serve God even when life stinks?  When you feel like you’re ready to toss in the towel, here are a couple of scriptures to keep close by your side:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).

“For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”(2 Cor.4:15-18)

When it comes to you, and Satan comes before God and accuses you and says, “God - you’ve put a hedge around _____ I can’t get to him/her. But I bet if I could, they would deny you to your face!” remember that God is not “betting” that you will lose. He is confident, that YOU will remain faithful, true, and come out on the other side better than when you began. God – has faith in you!

Jim

How Much Faith Do We Have?

 "...some people brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a bed. When Jesus saw how much faith they had, he said to the paralyzed man, "Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven."

Matt. 9:2

Matthew 9 contains the insight mentioned above, where Jesus heals a man that is paralyzed. While this in itself is amazing, there is another amazing thing that we can witness from this event.  The man who is paralyzed has friends who care enough for him that they want him to be healed by Jesus, and go to great lengths to get him in front of Jesus. 

Faithful people share their faith. Today’s verse comes from the story in Matthew 9 about the friends of a man who was sick and paralyzed. They wanted him to be healed, so they brought him to Jesus by lowering him on his mat through an opening in the roof. When Jesus saw these  friends and what they were doing, Matthew records, "Jesus saw how much faith they had.."  

A good question to ask ourselves, is how much faith do we have?  We might answer, "I have great faith!  I come to church on Sunday, I'm busy in the community and spread good deeds. I give regularly and pray often!" God may then turn to us and ask, "But have you brought your friends to me?"  Just like this man, we too have friends who are paralyzed and can’t get to Jesus. They may be paralyzed by fear, guilt, doubt, pain, or maybe even resentment over being hurt in the past by someone professing to be a Christian. They can’t get to Jesus on their own.

Are we going to be faithful enough to bring them to the Lord?  

We need to take care in coming to the point that we quit "being about the Lord's business."  Serving God is more than "church" and pretending to be religious. The moment we say in our heart that we do not need to grow anymore, we're saying they don’t care about the world.  When we get to this point, God’s blessing is removed because God does care for the world (Jn.3:16).

When we continue to bring people to Jesus, God will bless not only our church family, but also our real families, our businesses, and our lives. God honors the faith of those who share their faith, and not only do you receive a blessing, you become one. 

Jim

FAITH or FAITHLESS?

Jesus spoke a parable of a master who asked his servants to handle his money and trade while he was away. He gave each of them a sum of money, and then went off to his venture. When he returned, the servants came and met with him, bringing  a report of what they had done in his absence, with what he had entrusted them with.

The first servant told the master he’d doubled the money through investments, and the second said he’d made fifty percent profit for the master. They key here was that they had taken what they had been entrusted with and brought back to their Master more than what they had been given.

The third servant however, said he’d been afraid the master would punish him for making mistakes. So, he hid the money in the cellar until the master returned so that he could give it back. He made nothing and gained nothing.

The first two servants were rewarded, the Master saying those who handle small matters well will be given greater responsibility. But he rebuked the third servant, saying, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away (Lk.19:26)." 

The question here is what are you doing for your Lord who has given you salvation, and gone to the Father to receive His kingdom? He is returning and He has entrusted you with the greatest of gifts that could ever be given to anyone. He has stated, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Mt.28:18,19)." 

When we do not live by faith, we live faithlessly. When we who have been given the gift of salvation, refuse to hear the Lord's teaching to GO MAKE DISCIPLES and to GO TEACH, to become "Christian ostriches" sticking our heads in the ground because we are afraid that we will make a mistake, WE BECOME THE ONE TALENT MAN!  

Are you sure you want to make that decision?

Jim

MAKE - not find!

Making Disciples! It has captivated my interest lately that Jesus tells his chosen apostles to go "make" disciples, not "find" disciples. Now, for the forensic among us, let's get into some basic language to make sure our understanding is correct, after all, most "versions" of the bible do not translate it like this.   Most versions say "teach all nations."  So - which is it?  

The term used in  the original Greek language is "μαθητευσατε (mathateusate)."  This term corresponds to the original Hebrew word "talmid" which means "to become a pupil" or if it is talking about you enacting upon someone it means "to enroll as a pupil or apprentice."  "Teach" is not an incorrect representation of the word, but it does not convey the essence of what Jesus is telling them.  To "teach" is used in Mt.28:20 and is the term " διδασκοντες (didaskontes)."  His instruction is to go to enroll and make pupils - not "find." We hope to find someone with maturity and gifts already - to be honest, so that we don't have to teach or train them. We forget that Jesus told us to go make them. Not find them. Making disciples is long, hard work.

2 Timothy 2:2- "You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others." 

Discipleship is about shared truth, the passing on what God has taught us to another. This is the environment of face to face discipleship, that in turn creates fellowship within the church. 

1 Thessalonians 2:8- "We loved you so much that we shared with you not only the gospel of God but our own lives, too." 

Discipleship is also about doing life together. It's about shared experiences and inviting people into the opportunities and activities that you do and letting them be a part of them and learn with you and from you. 

We often wonder why we no longer have "dinners" and "get togethers" things like we used to, and wonder why people have lost interest. Perhaps it is because we have chosen the "easy way out" of what God told us to do.  We are no longer sharing lives, experiences, frailties, etc, to generate relationships, friendships, bonds and fellowship.  We are sequestering ourselves in isolation, keeping people at arms length and "telling" people what to do instead of showing them what to do.

There is quite a difference in what Jesus said, and what we in our modern times "do."

Jim