A Holy God

Today I was reading Francis Chan’s book “Crazy Love”.  In the chapter I was reading, Chan referenced scripture passages from Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 in describing the majesty of the throne room of God.  Both biblical writers described an amazing scene of glory and majesty around the throne of the Creator of our universe.  

Isaiah recorded the words of one the creatures at the throne as this - “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3).  

John recorded these words - “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and is and who is to come.”  

John also recorded the words of the twenty four elders who threw down the crowns they had earned through their service to God.  They said, “Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

These words were spoken by glorious creatures who were in the very presence of God.  They were able to see Him and experience Him every day in all His majest.  In this presence, all they could do was worship a holy God.  I have read these verses many times, and I have tried to picture what this scene must have looked like.  I think I can come up with a fair picture of the beings that surround the throne, and they are magnificent.  However, I cannot form a picture in my mind that is God, the One seated on the throne.  The reason for this is that God is not worshipped for what He looks like.  He is worshipped for what He is, and what He is, is holy.

The most descriptive and consuming word used for God is Holy.  It literally means that God is set apart from us with nothing else that can compare to Him.  It is no coincidence that an Old Testament prophet and a New Testament apostle both heard God worshipped as “holy, holy, holy.”  God is an eternal God who has always been, and always will be.  He is powerful enough to create everything you can see with your eyes and everything you can’t see.  He is able to set the standard for how we should live because He is the standard.  

As I am trying to write these words, I am at a loss for words.  I cannot describe the God that created me.  Perhaps I am just not as adept at putting words together as many people that I have read.  I am frustrated because I cannot say what I want to say.  What I desire to express does not come easily.  

This is my witness.  God is God.  He is holy.  He alone is worthy of all praise and honor and glory.

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God almighty!

email: leapoffaithblog@gmail.com

Saeed Abedini

Saeed Abedini needs our prayers.  

In September, 2014, Saeed was imprisoned in his native Iran, ostensibly for undermining Iranian national security.  Saeed is an infidel of the worst kind - a convert to Christianity.  Although he was born and raised in Iran, Saeed’s home is now in Boise, Idaho, where Nagmeh, his wife of 12 years, grew up.  He is an ordained minister and pastor.  While in Iran to visit family and build an orphanage, Saeed was arrested, tried, and sentenced to eight years in prison.  He is now in a prison filled with violent criminals.  Among those criminals are members of the group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), now known as IS (Islamic State).  Although he is housed in a separate part of the prison from these men, Saeed has become fearful for his life, and believes that the ISIS prisoners plan to kill him because of his Christian faith.  This is just the latest issue he has faced in the two years of imprisonment.  He has been beaten over and over, and desperately needs medical attention because of this.  His contact with his family, both in Iran and the United States, has been severely limited.  Despite these conditions, Saeed has continued to serve God in an amazing way, as reports have come out about his witness to prisoners, some even coming to faith in Jesus Christ.

Saeed Abedini needs our prayers.  

Persecution against Christians is nothing new, and it shouldn’t surprise us.  Jesus warned His disciples that persecution would come.  He told them, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18).  He warned Peter “by what kind of death he would glorify God.” (John 21:19).  Jesus sent Ananias to the newly converted Paul with the message that Jesus “will show him how much he must suffer for My names’s sake.” (Acts 9:16).  The apostle James wrote, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3).  We have countless accounts throughout Christian history of faithful followers of Christ who were persecuted, many being put to death, because of their faith.  Even today we see wholesale persecution and killing of Christians in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and other parts of the world, all because they claim faith in Jesus Christ.  No, persecution of Christians is nothing new.  It has been happening for as long as there have been Christians, even when the faith was called “The Way”.  However, persecution rattles home a little louder when you can put a face to the action.  

Pastor Saeed, Nagmeh, Rebekka, and Jacob Abedini

Photo Credit - Joshua Springs Calvary Chapel, www.joshuasprings.org

Saeed Abedini needs our prayers!

The book of Acts tells of two instances where men were freed from prison by an act of God.  In chapter 12, Peter was arrested and put in prison, but then freed by an angel sent from God.  In chapter 16, Paul and Silas were jailed, but an earthquake shook the doors of the prison open and led to the conversion of the jailer and his family.  I believe that it will take a miracle of this type to free Saeed.  It is possible, but I believe unlikely, that he could serve his eight year sentence.  I believe it is much more likely that Saeed will be martyred barring miraculous intervention.  Regardless of the outcome, I am urging you to pray for God to give strength, comfort and peace to Saeed, his wife, and his children.  Whether he is released and comes home to Boise or dies in the Iranian prison, they all need to be lifted up by our prayers and by the heavenly Father who gave us our Savior.  Pray fervently for God to be glorified and the name of Jesus to be proclaimed and magnified.  Pray for all Christians around the world who are facing threats of any kind because of their faith.  Pray that God shows up, and shows off!

Saeed Abedini needs our prayers!

email: leapoffaithblog@gmail.com

Searching for Righteousness

All of us have worries.  Two of our chief worries are to have enough food and enough clothes.  Jesus addressed these worries in Matthew 6:25-34.  He compared us to birds and flowers.  Birds, He said, don’t grow food, but they always have enough.  Plants don’t make clothes, but they are always dressed beautifully, even more so than Solomon, who was perhaps the richest man who ever lived.  He summed up the teaching by telling us that if God takes care of birds and plants to this magnitude, He will provide just as well and better for His human children.

Jesus tell us this:  33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  34 So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Now, if you seek God’s righteousness, you won’t have to worry, because you will know that God is taking care of you each day.  How does a person seek God’s righteousness?  I believe there are three things we must do.

1.  Read the bible.  Paul reminded us that “All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  The only way you are going to know what God’s word says is to read it.  Don’t get bogged down over which translation is the “right” one.  Pick one that you can understand and dive in.  Start with one of the gospels.  I recommend John.  Then, just let God lead you.  Don’t try to read big chunks.  Just read a few verses, or, if you have a bible that has section headings, read a section at a time, and think about it.  This is how God reveals Himself in His word.

2.  Pray regularly.  Paul tells us to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).  This doesn’t mean that we pray every minute of the day, but that we maintain a constant conversation with God throughout the day.  We pray for situations, we pray for people, we pray for decisions.  In an earlier post I pointed out these things that Jesus instructed us to pray about in His model prayer in Matthew 6: provision of needs, confession of sins, and strength to live a life that honors God.  If you do this constantly during the day, you will see a difference in your life and that of your friends and family.

3.  Associate with other Christ followers.  The writer of Hebrews says that  we should not be “forsaking our own assembling together,as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.”  (Hebrews 10:25).  Jesus said that “where two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there in their midst.”  (Matthew 18:20).  He intended for the Christian faith to be a community where people gathered and encouraged each other, feeding off the joy and energy that each person brought to the gathering because of their faith in Jesus Christ to strengthen them.  Church attendance is important, but so also is gathering with friends outside of formal worship services in a church building.  You will fellowship with other Christ followers many more hours during the week that you will on Sundays.  Those gatherings could very well be the most important times of encouragement and accountability you will have.

In a nutshell, how do you find the righteousness of God? Read, pray, and gather!  This doesn’t guarantee that you will have everything you want, but it does mean that you’ll have everything you will ever need.

Are You a Judge?

I sigh every time I hear someone quote this verse: “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1).  I sigh, because most of the time that you hear someone use this verse, what they are really trying to say is, “Don’t tell me how to live my life.  Don’t tell me that I’m doing something wrong.  I’ll live the way I want, and you can’t stop me.”  What most people don’t realize is that this verse doesn’t say not to look at a person’s actions and make a judgement of right or wrong.  They make this mistake because the verse is taken completely out of context (I know, you would never do that.  Neither would I!).  For this verse to make sense, you have to read the entire passage.   Here are verses 2-5.

2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.  3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  4 Or how can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, and behold, the log is in your own eye?  5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.  

The instruction is to self-righteous, hypocritical people who want to tell other people how they are messing up, when in reality those same people are living sinful, messed up lives.  It would be like Dave Ramsey trying to give financial advice after he declares bankruptcy.  The integrity of the judgment just isn’t there.  Jesus instructs his listeners to examine their lives.  If, after examination, they are found to be living righteous, God-honoring lives, then they are free to approach someone who is doing wrong and point out the problem.  However, if they are not righteous and God-honoring, then they should be quiet until their own problems are cleared up.

This command cuts both ways.  If someone who is doing wrong is approached by a godly person who is trying to help fix a problem, then that person should listen to what is said and correct the issue.  That is what this is all about.  

This whole premise hinges around the idea that the person who is trying to correct the issue is a godly person.  Jesus exhorts us, commands us, even demands of us, that we examine our own lives to see if we are living a righteous, God-honoring life.  If the answer is no, then fix it before you try to tell someone else how to fix their life.  If the answer is yes, then expect some blowback if you’re trying to help someone.

So, in a nutshell, here it is - Don’t be a hypocrite!

What is important to you?

What is important to you?  That is a question that you have to ask yourself every day.  The answer to that question drives everything that you do each day.  It decides who you associate with and how you treat people.  It decides what kind of career you have, how you treat your family, and who your friends are.  It also decides what place God has in your life.

If you are like the hypocritical religious leaders of Jesus’ day, then what is important to you is hearing people tell you how great you are, whether at your job, or as parents, or even as a pious little church goer who loves Jesus so much.  You only want to hear that you are the best, the brightest, and the most important.  You are searching for earthly treasure.

Jesus tells you that your thinking should be just the opposite of this.  His statement in Matthew 6:22 says that your actions will follow what your heart longs for.  If you want earthly treasures, be it praise or actual money and possessions, you will get those.  But, you’ll not have anything else, because your heart is on the things of the world.  What you should be looking for is the light of the living Word of God to shine on everything you do so that you are truly living a life that reflects Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul told Timothy that “the love of money is a root of all things evil.” (I Timothy 6:10).  It is not the money itself that is bad.  Many faithful Christians are very wealthy in earthly terms.  Rather, it is the act of making money and possessions your idol that you worship that drives you to do whatever you need to do to make just a little bit more.  Jesus says the choice is perfectly clear - you can love God or you can love money.  You cannot love both.  One will have to take a back seat to the other.

It is your choice to make.  What is important to you?

My Story

I am probably the only person you know who can say that they got saved because of Bob Barker.  Let me explain.

Before I started classes at Mississippi State University, I had to take Trigonometry as a prerequisite to Physics.  There was a branch of Holmes Community College in my hometown, where I had just finished College Algebra, but they did not offer Trig.  So, I had to make the one hour drive each day to the main campus in Goodman to take the class.  Toward the end of the summer semester, my church held it’s annual revival services.  This was a one-week meeting.  The evening services started at 7:30 p.m.  My church was, and still is, the only church I know that has a morning service during the revival week.  This started 11:00 a.m.  This was important to me this year because my Trig class ended at 9:50, and I realized that if I could waste just a little time, I would arrive home after my mama had left for the church, and I wouldn’t have to go to the morning service.  The plan worked perfectly the first day.

Things changed on Tuesday.  I pulled in the driveway as mama was backing out.  She asked me if I was going to church.  I told her that I had things I needed to do, so no.  The “things” I “needed” to do was watch the last few minutes of the Price is Right, then whatever I could find on after that.  I thought I was going to have a pleasant day.  God, however, didn’t think the same.  For the next two days, God worked on me, showing me that I had a problem - my sin was causing me to put the things of the world ahead of Him.  I tried to fight this, but it was no use.  God won out.  

On Thursday night, I went to the revival service and sat on the right hand side of the sanctuary.  Instead of sitting toward the back like I usually did, I planted myself on the second pew from the front.  I sat there because it put me about 2 steps away from where the pastor, Norris Corley, would stand when the invitation was given.  That night, I was antsy for the sermon to end, not because I wanted to leave, but because I couldn’t wait to get to the pastor.  When the sermon finally ended and the invitation was given, I moved quickly to the pastor.  Had I been in the back, I probably would have run!  I took him by the hand, this man of God who had known me since the day I was born, and told him that I needed to be saved.  He lead me in that prayer there, and I have been assured ever since of having my sins forgiven and having eternal life in heaven.  

I say often that I couldn’t have picked a worse time to be saved, because about two weeks later, I left for MSU.  I came home every weekend, but I didn’t get discipled much at all.  Not from my church, and not at school.  For four years I lived about four blocks from the Baptist Student Union, but I never went to a meeting.  No one taught me how to have a quiet time or how to pray.  I struggled in my faith walk and in my obedience to God for about eight years.

Fortunately for me, God moved me to a new home in Louisiana, and there brought me to my wife.  She is one of the most godly women I know.  After we began dating, I learned how to speak to God, and how to listen to Him.  I surrendered to the ministry, and God moved us to Texas.  I still struggle in my faith walk, but I know that when I die, I’ll meet Jesus face to face, and I’ll live forever in heaven, along with my family and friends who know Jesus..

If you’re struggling with your faith, don’t give up.  You can draw close to God right now.  All you have to do is cry out to Him.  

If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Savior, don’t wait!  Now is the time to cry out to Him and ask Him to forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life.  He will also give you unspeakable joy while you are still on earth.  

If you have any questions about any of this, you can email me at leapoffaithblog@gmail.com.  Bob Barker helped me tell a story.  Let’s find yours to tell.

The Pretender

Do you consider yourself a hypocrite?  Well, of course not.  I would guess that not many people would admit to being a hypocrite, because to admit to being a hypocrite is to admit to being fake.  By definition, a hypocrite is simply a pretender, so if you admit to being a hypocrite, you have to admit to pretending to be something other than what you are.  So, I’ll ask again, do you consider yourself a hypocrite?

In the closing verse of Matthew 5, Jesus gave His listeners this charge: “Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  In short, Jesus is telling these people, quit pretending!  He is not telling them to be perfect as without flaws or shortcomings.  No one can do that, because we are all sinners by our nature.  We will inevitably mess up, no matter how hard we try.  Rather, He is telling them to work to complete their faith.  They should strive to have a mature faith because they have learned the ways of God.  This verse references back to Leviticus 19:2, where God said, “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”

Holiness simply means that we are set apart and consecrated for a particular use or function.  God is set apart as Creator and Lord.  He is the King of kings who is able to set the standard for all to attain.  We are set apart from the world to be the people who honor God with our service and our witness.  Our level of holiness and maturity is reflective of the quality and depth of our relationship with God.  It is revealed in our attitude toward service to others, and in our attitude toward prayer, which is our communication with God.

Jesus warned us not to be a pretender like some of the religious leaders that came to the temple each day.  These people would give offerings of money and service, but their motivation was strictly to be seen and to be complemented by others.They didn’t really care about the work they were doing or the offerings they were giving.  They just wanted praise.  In the same way, they were not really sincere in their prayers.  They just wanted people to see them giving long prayers with colorful language so that people would think that they were very pious and godly.  Some people even thought that by constantly repeating the needs or the names of the gods they prayed to, that they would have more successful prayers.  Jesus simply said that this was not the way to do it.

Many people call the passage in Matthew 6:9-13 the Lord’s prayer.  It’s not really, because these words are not what Jesus prayed.  Instead, it is a pattern to follow when we pray.  He gave this pattern in response to the disciples asking Him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1-4).  Here is the simple pattern:

1.  Worship God.

2.  Pray for the provisions of your needs.

3.  Confess your sins.

4.  Pray for strength to live a God-honoring life.

Having a prayer life that consistently follows this pattern will draw you into a deeper relationship with God.  Being consistent in your prayer life will help you mature in your faith.  You will live a life that reflects the fact that you have been set apart from the world and consecrated to the service of God.  When you can do this, no one will wonder if you are pretending.  Your faith and trust in God will be obvious for all to see, and God will honor you in return.

Pass the Salt, Please!

Yesterday I mentioned that Matthew 5 presents a big challenge to us in how to live our lives.  Part of that challenge is in being a witness to the world if you are a follower of Christ.  Jesus said that we are to be salt, and to not lose our flavor.  But what does it mean to be flavorful as a Christ follower?  Jesus said he is “the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6).  He said if you know Him, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32).  Finally, He said that He came “that (we) may have life, and have it abundantly.”  (John 10:10).  Jesus came to give us eternal life in the kingdom of heaven.  Our job is not to save people.  It is simply to witness to others what we know -  that Jesus is the Christ, who died for us!  

One of the ways that we can witness to people about our life in Christ is to live God-honoring lives.  I have heard people say that being a Christian must be boring, and that they don’t want to be a Christian because you have to give up all the fun stuff.  I could not disagree more with that thought.   have a beautiful wife and three wonderful daughters.  We have a lot of fun.  We go to the beach and to water parks, to ball games and concerts and movies.  We hang out with friends and talk and laugh and eat too much.  And yes, we go to church on Sundays and Wednesdays, and sometimes we help with mission projects or special events with our church.  We don’t do these things because we can’t have fun.  We do them because Jesus has set us free.  We are not in bondage to the things Satan says are fun.  Instead, we delight in the things of God that build us up spiritually.

The rest of the chapter talks about living an honorable life away from things that keep you in bondage to sin.  When you have hatred toward other people, when you lust after someone, when you swear that you will do something, or plot revenge on someone that has wronged you, you are in bondage to sin.  You are in bondage because you are either plotting to sin, you are sinning, or you are covering up the sin.  This consumes all your time and energy so that you cannot simply enjoy life.  The thing that Jesus really tried to drive home for us here is this fact - sin is not sin because we do it.  Sin is sin because it has manifested itself in our hearts.  He said, “everyone who is angry with his brother,” (v. 22) or “everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (v. 28).  You don’t actually have to attack your brother, or have sex with someone.  You have already sinned when you think about it.

So, what does this have to do with being salt, and being flavorful?  It is simply this - you cannot show the world how great life is for a Christ follower if you are living like the world.  You have to put sin aside and treat people with love, respect, and care.  You take the attitude that others are more important than you, and that your ultimate purpose is to love them.  It also means that life is fun, and full of love and laughs because you treat people in this matter.  This is an area of my life I have struggled with, and I am learning how to do this better.

I believe that Jesus had fun while He was here on earth.  I believe that He laughed, alot, and that He danced at weddings.  I believe He enjoyed spending time with His friends, and that He enjoyed joking with them.  I believe that He might have been a practical joker.  I know, because scripture shows us, that Jesus had what could be described as a cutting, sarcastic wit.  He used this to make His points and teach lessons, not to embarrass or humiliate people.  I believe that the best fun is fun that I can lift up to God and say, “Hey, Jesus, you want to join us?”  And I believe He would say “YES!”, because He’s just salty like that.

And, I believe that the best people in the world have more than a little salt in them.

Don't Mess Up Crap

Today’s reading, Matthew 5:13-48, presents an incredible challenge to believers.  In these verses, Jesus challenges us to lead God-honoring lives of integrity.  He begins by telling us how we should be a witness to the world concerning the Gospel.  

First, we are to be salt.  Salt at one time was used as a preserving agent, because there were no refrigerators, and no chemically enhanced, vacuum-sealed foodstuffs for people to put in the back of their pantries and forget about.  The salt helped keep the food, especially meat, so that people could store food for later use.  Salt also added flavor to food so that it wasn’t bland.  We still use salt like that today.  Now, Jesus was not talking about cooking in this passage.  Rather, he was talking about preserving souls and enhancing life by sharing with people the Good News of the Gospel.  Whenever the Gospel is shared and received, a soul is saved from eternal death in hell.  This is the primary responsibility of Christians, to go out and share faith!

Jesus said in this passage that salt that has lost its flavor is useless.  In fact, in Luke 14:34-35, He used a bit stronger language to describe salt that had lost its flavor:

14 Therefore, salt is good; become if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned?  35 It is useless either for the soil or the manure pile; it is thrown out.  He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Jesus says that flavorless salt isn’t good to throw on the ground or on a manure pile.  Francis Chan once said that a Christian who has lost his flavor will mess up crap!  That’s what manure is, and if you are that bad, you’ve got some issues.

The reason I referenced the passage from Luke and mentioned the Francis Chan comment is this - Christians have been commanded to tell people about Jesus.  We have to do this!  Before Jesus left the disciples and ascended to heaven, He told them, “...you shall be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8).  So, if we aren’t telling people about Jesus, then we have lost our flavor, and are useless.  We mess up crap.  And, we are failing in the second command here, which is to be a light to the world.  Letting our light shine means that we let people see the difference Jesus makes in our lives.  We can’t do that if we hide what we have and don’t share with people around us.

I close today with this.  Penn Gillette, of the Penn & Gillette magic act, and a strongly avowed atheist, made a video some time ago talking about a man that approached him after one of his shows.  This man shared the Gospel with Penn.  Afterward someone asked Penn if he was bothered by the man, and he said no.  In summary, his attitude is this - if Christians truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world, we SHOULD be telling others.  If we’re not telling people about Jesus, then he (Penn) can’t respect us for that.  I understand his attitude.  I have struggled with this for many years, because I do not share my faith like I should.  I don’t take advantage of opportunities, and I don’t make opportunities.  I am trying to be the kind of Christian that I need to be.  I hope you are as well.

If you believe it, you should tell it.  Be salt.  Be light.  Don’t mess up crap.

Are You Blessed?

In Matthew 5, Jesus begins His Sermon on the Mount.  In response to a large number of people who had come out to see Him, probably hoping to see some miracle performed, Jesus went up on a hillside where He would be better heard.  Once in place, He took the posture and attitude of a Jewish teacher, but His words were unlike anything the people had ever heard before.

In the first 10 verses of the sermon, Jesus effectively challenged every idea a first century Jew would have on how he or she should live.  What He said didn’t just have an impact on the people around Him the day He delivered the message.  His words also tell us how to live, and He tells us that we are to live exactly the opposite of what the world says is the way to go.

When the world says, “You can do it on your own,” God says, “No, you can’t.  Depend on Me.”

When the world says, “Suck it up and move on,” God says, “Let me heal your hurts.”

When the world says, “You’re the only one who matters,” God says, “Put others above you and be a servant.”

When the world says, “Do what feels good,” God says, “Fill your life with things that honor Me.”

When the world says, “Win at all costs,” God says, “Love people and help them.”

When the world says,, “There is no standard,” God says, Yes, there is.  It is me.”

When the world says, “Fight for everything you want,” God says, “Find a way to make peace.”

When the world says, “They’ll make fun of you for living like God says,” God says, Yes, they will, but you have Me.”

When the world says, “We will mistreat you to the point of death for talking about Jesus,” God says, “I’ll be right beside you.”

And what do we get by doing this and following God?

Joy!

Over and over, Jesus says, “Blessed are the…”  He is not talking about material prosperity.  That is a lie from Satan that has no place in Christian thought.  He is also not talking about happiness, because happiness depends on circumstances.  For example, a bride and groom are happy on their wedding day, because circumstances dictate that to be the case.  However, in the course of a marriage, there will be times when one or both parties, for whatever reason, are not happy.  But, if they are in a good, God-honoring marriage, they will have joy, because they know their spouse still loves them and is still walking through life with them.  So it is with a Christian.  In Philippians 4:10-13, the apostle Paul said this:

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.  11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (NASB)

Paul wrote these words from a prison cell, but he REJOICED!  He felt joy, because he knew that no matter where he was or what he was doing, Jesus was filling his heart, mind, and soul with the strength to do what needed to be done.  He knew that Jesus was walking with him.

May you all feel that joy that comes from knowing that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life!  May you all find that joy that comes only from Him!

Dedication and Temptation

Today’s reading was Matthew 3:1-4:11.  These passages talk about the ministry of John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism, and Jesus’ temptation by Satan.  These events preceded the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry, and were necessary for Him to be able to begin proclaiming the Gospel message.  

I am struck by John’s dedication to his calling and the message he was given.  John was the fulfillment of old testament prophecy of  “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness” (Isaiah 40:3).  His parents were told that he would be the one to announce the coming of the Messiah.  John lived a life that was dedicated to the simple declaration the Messiah was coming!  He included in his message a call for repentance, for the people to turn away from sin and turn to God.  He was not afraid of delivering this message to anyone.  He even called out the religious leaders of the day, blasting the hypocrisy of their message compared to their lifestyle as destructive to the people of Israel.  However strong his message and however large his following, John knew who he was and what he was about, for he immediately yielded to Jesus when the Christ appeared before him.

Jesus Himself was obedient to God the Father by going to John for baptism.  His was not a baptism of repentance.  He had committed no sin, and so needed no such action.  However, it was a baptism of identification, to let the world know that He was the long-awaited Messiah come to the people.

Finally, in Christ’s temptation, Jesus gave us the ultimate guide on how to handle temptation.  He fought Satan’s attacks with one weapon - the Word of God.  Each time Satan hit Him with a challenge, physical gratification, earthly treasures, or selfish action, Jesus quoted scripture that countered what Satan was trying to do.  He came out of the encounter with His body, His spirit, his integrity, and His perfection intact.  He walked with God through the trials by the very Word that He wrote and lived!  

Take the time each day to get into God’s written word so that you can know the Living Word, Jesus Christ!  It will change your life!

Searching for Jesus

An observation from from my bible reading today:

I read Matthew 2:1-12.  This passage details the visit of the magi to the young child Jesus.  Perhaps as much as a year and a half had passed since His birth, and these men had traveled from a country far to the east to see the child who was born king of the Jews.  What a trip for pagan men to undertake to worship a child that would have no direct authority over them, at least not as an earthly king.

Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."

These pagan men, who had dedicated their lives to watching the stars, had seen evidence of the Creator in the created.  They had acknowledged God, heeded His call, and, following His leading, searched and found Jesus!  

Now, I don't know if I will ever see these men in heaven.  I hope I do, because I would like to ask them questions about how they heard God call, and what it was like that day in Bethlehem when they worshiped Christ and gave Him their gifts.  But  I do know this - these men knew that they needed to find Jesus!  What a great realization to come to!  If you have never met Jesus, I pray that you would see God's irrefutable evidence that He  exists, and heed the call to come meet Jesus!

Trials by Fire

How do you approach God?

People have asked and tried to answer that question for many years.  Today I was given a very vivid reminder of how simple the answer is.  Today, sometime before 5:30 a.m., the education wing of our church building was engulfed by fire, damaging a large part of the building on both floors, and leaving the rest of the complex a smoky mess.  As of now, we can't use any of this building.  This fire has disrupted today's activities, and it has disrupted future plans.  This evening, I was able to walk through the building with my pastor, Rob Ray.  This is what I saw.



As you are walking through our gym from the undamaged area to the place where the fire started, this is what you see just to the left of the doorway leading into the hallway.  The wooden doors that were here were shut.  All that is left of them is the handles.  This is the place where the fire burned first and hottest. This cross apparently was on the wall behind the carpet and padding that had been placed on the wall.  As the fire burned away the carpet, the cross was revealed.  No one at the church knew this cross was here until today.  I thought it was quite a stunning picture - first you encounter the cross, then you encounter the fire!

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (I Peter 2:24)




This tapestry is hanging in the lobby directly off the gym.  Every surface in this room is black with soot.  You can see that at the bottom of the picture.  Every light fixture was melted or broken.  You could not see through the doors and windows in the room.  But this picture was perfectly clean.  It is a crocheted print of the Lord's Prayer.  It is as clean as the day that the picture was hung, which was at least 6 years ago, because it has been there as long as I have been a member of this church.  The frame is not dirty, burned, or nicked.  The print itself is white.  This print reminds us through the words of Jesus that God will provide for us and will protect us through all of life's trials, even a fire that destroys part of your church building.

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (I Timothy 2:5)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

So, the answer is simple: you come to God through the cross of Christ and through prayer. Nothing else is required. All God asks is faith. Faith that He gives forgiveness through the sacrifice of Christ, and faith that He will hear us in times of need. As a result, this is what we can expect:

For You have tried us, O God ; You have refined us as silver is refined. (Psalm 66:10)

The building will be rebuilt. It might not be the way we had envisioned yesterday, but that's ok. God will refine us and the plans for that building, and we will continue to serve Him. God will use this trial to His glory, and may all the praise go to HIm!

Three Things to Tell Your Wife in 2014, Part 3

Shelton Easley

                        3.  I am proud of you!

                        Guys, this last thing should be a natural extension of the first two.  If you love her, and you think she is beautiful, then you should be proud of her and you should let her and the word know.  In Ephesians 5:25-30, Paul describes what Jesus does for His bride, the church.  Jesus died for His church, giving up everything He had as the Son of God to come to earth an give His life for mankind.  Jesus put His will aside to do the Father's will and provide the way to salvation for sinners.  These sinners who trusted in Jesus are the church, the bride of Christ!

                         Paul uses the metaphor of a husband and a wife to paint a picture of what Jesus Christ has done and will do for all Christians.  He made this comparison while discussing the responsibilities of an earthly husband to his wife.  If Christ gave up His will and offered Himself up for us, thenn that is what every man is to do for his wife.  Men are given the greater responsibility in marriage as to what they are to do for their wives.  Men must be willing to give up everything they desire and everything they have in order to accomplish what God ceated marriage to be - a glory to Himself.

                         Men are to lead their wives in every facet of life, especilly in spiritual matters, to be godly and holy people.  If you are leading in this way, then you will have a wife tht you cannot help but be proud of.  Whether it is an achievement at work, a fitness goal, the way she handles the children, or something she has done at church, your wife will be a oman that you cn lift up to the world, and also someone that you can lift up to God.  That is certainly something to be proud of, and you shoulld let her know every chance you get.

                        These three things are not difficult to do.  However, if you are not accustomed to saying these things, you can have some difficulty expressing yourself.  With practice, you will find this easier.  When it is easier, it will become  habit.  Remember the words - I love you, you are beautiful, and I am proud of you!  It will make a difference in your marriage this year.

3 Things Men Need to Tell Their Wives, Part 2

Three Things Men Need to Tell Their Wives in 2014, Part 2

Shelton Easley

Every January 1, people all over the world sit down and make a list, either writing it out on paper, typing it in an article, or just thinking about it and keeping it in their own mind, the list of this new years’ Resolutions.  They do this because the new year brings the promise of a new start, and with it the chance to finally do the right thing in some part of their life.  Some people might think they need a complete do-over in life as a whole.  Whatever the case might be, they start January 1 full of hope and energy and determination.  This is the year they finally lose weight, or get control of their finances, and the list goes on.   There has been no success, but there has also been no failure.  It’s only January 1!  (Hey, everybody needs encouragement, whatever form that might take!)

I am no stranger or exception to the New Years’ Resolution game.  I have made many more resolutions than I have kept.  Most of them have been the classic Weight Loss! resolutions.  Many had to do with improving my relationship with God and family.  They were all well-intentioned and strongly desired.  However, like a dry forest in a hot summer, they almost all went up in smoke and flames, burned and buried in the ashes of lost years.  My habits didn’t change, and the things about myself that I hoped would improve did not get better, and sadly, in many cases became worse.

So that we don’t get lost in the drama and over-contemplation that seems to be chasing these thoughts, let’s move on to the real heart of the matter for today.  I am one who feels very strongly that a man should be the acknowledged and respected leader of his household.  This a God-given position from the very beginning of scripture.  Genesis 3:16 says,

“Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”  

This position was reiterated in the New Testament, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:23-24,

“23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.”  

Large libraries worth of works have been produced by people who want to argue this point, both for and against.  Many hours have been spent on talk and news programs doing the same.  A recent book released by Candace Cameron Bure (Yes, that’s Kirk’s baby sister), has stirred that pot again because in one passage, Candace discusses the fact that she is a submissive wife.  Now, I’m not trying to debate the merits of this argument one way or the other.  The main reason is because I am a Christian man who believes that God’s word says that man is to take the ultimate leadership role in the family, and with that, the ultimate responsibility for the outcome of family dynamics.  (Ladies, do you really want that?)  So, in keeping with that premise, I want to give you guys three things that you should resolve to tell your wives in 2014 that will go far in helping you to take control of your role as leader of the family.  

2.  You are beautiful!

So, have you gotten the hang of telling her that you love her?  Don’t worry, it is definitely one of those things that gets easier the more you do it.  Eventually, those words will be a part of your nature.  While you’re at it, the next phrase also needs to be a part of your nature so that you are telling her everyday, “You are beautiful!”

Now, before you say something crazy, such as, “Well, she’s really not that much to look at,” let me tell you something.  I don’t care if she weighs 800 pounds, has no teeth, and combs her hair in a combover.  You married her!  So, unless you really were forced into the marriage, there was something about her that made you think she was attractive.  Now, I’m going to assume that none of you would want to marry someone you think is ugly, regardless of other people’s opinions.  So, if she was attractive to you then, she should be attractive now.

In case you need some help finding the words to say, let me point you to some verses from the Bible that are great expressions of Solomon’s appreciation of the beauty of his young wife.  

Song of Solomon 1:8 - "If you yourself do not know, Most beautiful among women, Go forth on the trail of the flock And pasture your young goats By the tents of the shepherds

Song of Solomon 1:15 - How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves

Song of Solomon 4:7 - You are altogether beautiful, my darling, And there is no blemish in you

Song of Solomon 7:6 - How beautiful and how delightful you are, My love, with all your charms !

Now, Solomon is quite poetic with his feelings, and he uses phrases that to our modern ears sound very strange.  The sentiment, however, is exactly what you should be conveying to your wife.  You don’t have to be fancy in the words that you choose.  Just be sure to choose something that is appropriate and not coarse.  A sincere, simple compliment does more good than you can probably imagine.  So, the next time your wife asks you if some article of clothing makes her look fat, take a minute and think about what you are going to say, and make her feel like she is the most beautiful woman in the world.