Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
2 (1) How long, Adonai? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 3 (2) How long must I keep asking myself what to do, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long must my enemy dominate me?
4 (3) Look, and answer me, Adonai my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death. 5 (4) Then my enemy would say, “I was able to beat him”; and my adversaries would rejoice at my downfall.
6 (5) But I trust in your grace, my heart rejoices as you bring me to safety. (6) I will sing to Adonai, because he gives me even more than I need.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
That God Given Gift of my Frustrated Heart
Psalm 13 The Message
13 1-2 Long enough, God— you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough. Long enough I’ve carried this ton of trouble, lived with a stomach full of pain. Long enough my arrogant enemies have looked down their noses at me.
3-4 Take a good look at me, God, my God; I want to look life in the eye, So no enemy can get the best of me or laugh when I fall on my face.
5-6 I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms— I’m celebrating your rescue. I’m singing at the top of my lungs, I’m so full of answered prayers.
This lament of David is a cry of the heart from someone who feels that he is alone and forsaken.. isolated, forgotten and cut off from the favor of the Lord.
Young Shepherd, Mighty King, Husband, Father, David’s soul is crying out in bitter anguish of mind and inner confusion of the soul because the Lord seems to have forgotten all about him, apparently hidden, His face from His servant.
From deep within himself David’s heart and soul could not understand why the Lord was now delaying that help he desperately needed.. and so his heart was grieving and his soul cried out in bitterness and distress – how long O Lord?
David felt that the enemy , we do not know who, or even when or why, was triumphing over him while the Lord seemed to have distanced Himself far away from His faithful servant.. so he challenged the Lord with multiple questions:
How long O LORD.. will You forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
David wanted to know how long the bitter trial and manifold difficulties that were flooding into his life would go on, before the Lord would finally step in.. to reveal His face, reveal His Justice and right the wrong and comfort His servant.
And we look upon these days of disaffiliation, division, and dysfunction, and in this day which the Lord just gifted unto us and or these God given gift days of highest distress and difficulties we too often find ourselves in David’s position..
calling out in desperation to the Lord as we become increasingly submerged by the struggles and sorrows of our day – as we all cry out to an iron-clad heaven and we find ourselves wrestling inwardly with the same rhetorical questions that burdened David’s heart and flowed from his pen, three thousand years ago.
A Heartfelt Prayer for those Moments When God’s Great and Greatest Things Feel Too Small for You
Psalm 118:17-29 The Message
17-20 I didn’t die. I lived! And now I’m telling the world what God did. God tested me, he pushed me hard, but he didn’t hand me over to Death. Swing wide the city gates—the righteous gates! I’ll walk right through and thank God! This Temple Gate belongs to God, so the victors can enter and praise.
21-25 Thank you for responding to me; you’ve truly become my salvation! The stone the masons discarded as flawed is now the capstone! This is God’s work. We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it! This is the very day God acted— let’s celebrate and be festive! Salvation now, God. Salvation now! Oh yes, God—a free and full life!
26-29 Blessed are you who enter in God’s name— from God’s house we bless you! God is God, he has bathed us in light. Adorn the shrine with garlands, hang colored banners above the altar! You’re my God, and I thank you. O my God, I lift high your praise. Thank God—he’s so good. His love never quits!
How often we too find ourselves feeling that God has forgotten us and that like David we seem to have been vigorously scissored off from the favor of the Lord?
How often we now find ourselves, experience deep depression, discouragement of heart, anguish of soul, bitter taste in our mouth, heartache as the enemies of our soul seem to be attacking us from every side.. and we discover ourselves to be increasingly alone, overwhelmed by all that is coming on the earth today.
But David is a man after God’s own heart.. and although that does not preclude him from having to go through the inevitable trials and tribulations of life- his confidence stands firm in the goodness of the Lord and his bitter pleas for help.. came from a man who trusts in God’s loving-kindness; and rejoices in the joy of his salvation. “For this is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice in it!”
However, it was not long before the bitter lament of David in Psalm 13 turned into a hymn of high praise when he remembered the many precious promises of the Lord – for he knew that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the true glory that is to be revealed to us in the days to come.
The same is no less true today.
Indeed those difficulties, dysfunctions and dangers that we face in life today.. should be considered as momentary, light affliction, which are producing for us God’s Gift of an eternal weight of glory far beyond what we could ask or think.
Pondering and Praying those Greatest Gifts of God
James 1:13-18 The Message
13-15 Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.
16-18 So, my very dear friends, don’t get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing He bled and died to take away my sin
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Music:How Great Thou Art Swedish folk melody, adapted by Stuart K. Hine.
Have you ever looked at the gifts God has given you or the life God’s given you and wondered, “Is this really it?”
This is a spiritually deep, heart and soul searching question; it’s typically laced with all our worrying about what lies ahead, wondering what you could’ve done differently, and filled with vast wishful thinking of what you thought would be.
I believe it’s safe in the arms of God to assume we’ve all been here, but the truth is we can’t stay in these thoughts for long. It will deliver each of us to a place of questioning who God is, what He’s doing, if He really wants good things for us.
“Why would God bring me here? Do I really have something meaningful to offer to the Lord, to the Creator of my very life and Author of my Salvation?
David in the Bible was a shepherd boy, the youngest of his brothers, and nothing was set to come of his life in a big, outlandish way.
Imagine how that felt day after day, might after night, imagine the thoughts that constantly went through his mind on guard, at night. I wonder if, while keeping watch over his sheep for long periods of time, he found himself asking My God (in the same way we do), “Is this really all you have planned for me?”
Little did David know God had many plans for his life.
Plans that David could’ve never imagined for himself.
Plans that could only unfold by the hand of God.
David’s small beginnings and small gifts were just the start of God’s incredible future for His life.
That said, even if the only plan God had for David was to be a shepherd, that would’ve been the perfect life God had penned for his days. But, because of how his life had panned out, we can look unto David’s life to be truly encouraged and know we can trust that no matter what the plans are, they will be for our good.
1 Samuel 16:10-13 New American Standard Bible 1995
10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and [a]bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
David Anointed
12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
Here, we see the plans unfolding.
Wow, I can imagine that after this encounter happened for Jesse and his older sons, they found themselves sitting in complete disbelief, probably asking:
“How could God choose the youngest boy?”
“How could God choose the shepherd boy?”
“How could God choose the one who doesn’t look to have a great life ahead of him?”
This might be how you feel about yourself, asking how God could ever choose you and how God will ever open doors for your gifts to be used.
This goes back to what I shared at the beginning; asking these questions are fine only for a moment – lest we find ourselves digging a ditch for daily rest.
We can’t stay stuck here because God wants to use you right where He has you.
God wants you to see that every single day, He is giving you an opportunity to minister and labor and work, sweat, as his shepherd for the Kingdom of God.
I want to invite you to trust what God is doing in your life and to trust that He will continue to open doors for you to use the gifts He’s given you.
It may look radically different than what you pictured; it may even look smaller than what you were hoping and praying for, but the way God pans out and the “small size” of its unfolding doesn’t discount the faithfulness of God to use you.
He is faithful to use His children’s gifts in big and small ways.
Like David, He makes a way in His perfect timing.
Trust Him with your life and with your story.
Trust Him when you’re sitting at the table feeling like the “lesser” one.
Trust Him when you cannot stop feeling looked over.
Psalm 139:23-24 The Message
23-24 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong— then guide me on the road to eternal life.
Let Him investigate your life.
Let Him find out everything about you.
Let Him cross-examine and test you.
Let Him get a clear picture of what you are all about.
Read His Report Card of His findings … make those adjustments.
Let Him lead, guide, and direct your steps.
Follow Him boldly.
He will be absolutely faithful to use you no matter how you feel now!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 23 The Message
23 1-3 God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.
4 Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure.
5 You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.
6 Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future]. 14 He will glorify and honor Me, because He (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Because of this I said that He [the Spirit] will take from what is Mine and will reveal it to you.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Can we bear to hear what the Spirit of Truth is saying?
12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear [to hear] them now.
Can the Body of Christ, the Church, Christ’s Church 2024, handle the truth?
Your doctor tells you, after an MRI scan, that there are spots on your lungs.
The Cardiologist tells you that your Widow Making Artery is 99% blocked.
You receive an Email from your Corporate CEO that says Your company must soon file for bankruptcy after you have given them 45 years of loyal service.
Your teenage or your young-adult new graduate must live with you because the job market has flat-lined – after you just received notice of your job collapsing.
Let’s be honest, the truth can sometimes slam us in the gut with the might of Hercules and send our lives reeling into places we never would ever imagine.
We have to admit that the truth is hard to handle without help.
But Jesus helps by providing a helper, the Spirit of truth.
Jesus was preparing to leave his disciples and return to his Father, and his disciples were afraid.
They imagined themselves spending much time with Jesus, learning about his kingdom and having many fruitful years with Jesus finding their places in it.
The truth they could not handle was that Jesus had to leave them. Their lives had to transition from the God they could see to the God who would be in them.
But Jesus gave them truth they could handle.
The Spirit of God would remind them of the truth of Jesus as the only Savior whom they—and we—will ever need.
The Spirit takes us by the hand and helps us to live into the words and actions of the Father and the Son.
Do we have the spiritual capacity, spiritual maturity to handle that truth 2024?
Has the Spirit of Truth been speaking to you this past week, month, year?
Am I, are you, is the Body of Christ, the Church, Christ’s Church, taking his counsel to heart? Letting the Spirit lead you, guide you every step of the way?
Is Our Heart Broken or Strengthened By the Truth?
John 14:1-6 Amplified Bible
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
14 “Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. 4 And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “[a]I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Through the Twentieth Century, church membership in America stayed at roughly 70% of adults.
In the last two-and-a-half decades, church membership has declined from 69% down to 48% today.
This shocking schism, this people leaving Protestant denominations, has a direct correlation with politics issues: LGTBQI, morally right or morally wrong; sin or not a sin, ordination of gay clergy, same sex weddings, parental control, parents have a say in what schools teach versus educators making all of the decisions; authority, national versus state control of rights; family formation, live together versus marriage; the right to life, pro-choice versus anti-abortion.
Rather than settle these disagreements (by Philippians 2:1-4) the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Methodist and Lutheran denominations have chosen to divide their churches. Many are the laity and pastors that ask, “What to do next?”
Last night, I read a stark quote from one Reformation leader, Martin Luther, “The sin underneath all our sins is to trust the lie of the serpent that we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into our own hands.”
Luther was writing about the Roman Catholic Church losing its way.
Do we Protestants have a similar problem today?
Is the schism because some Protestants have trusted in “the lie of the serpent” and taken “matters into our own hands” (Isaiah 53)?
Is the schism about what the scriptures say versus what some want them to say?
To answer these questions, I looked at the denomination with which I have spent my last couple of decades, the United Methodist Church.
In 1786, John Wesley, the foremost leader in the Methodist movement, said,
“I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. However, I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both [to] the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.”
In my well or ill considered (depending on whose theology you ask) opinion, John Wesley’s fear is now real; we have abandoned “the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.” We are guilty of defection, apostasy.
John and Charles Wesley, both clergy in the Church of England, started a movement within that church based on the idea being a real Christian rather than a nominal Christian required more than attending church on Sunday.
Real Christianity required “simple living, ministering to the poor, the infirmed and the incarcerated.”
After much thought, after much prayer and study of the truth revealed through the Scriptures, after much conversation with my wife, a ‘fired’ local Pastor in the United Methodist Church, it pains us greatly to accept that our beloved United Methodist Church has moved much too far away from the Methodist movement started by the Wesley brothers and their Holy Club.
Reverend John Wesley’s Stance: Scripture is the primary source and standard for Christian doctrine.
Wesley said, “If you need no book but the Bible, you are got above St. Paul.”
We have gotten above St. Paul.
I am now going to address briefly some of the questions leading to this schism.
There are several articles posted online by some in the United Methodist Church saying that Paul’s words from Galatians 3:26-28 make LGBTQI lifestyles okay.
Galatians 3:26-28Amplified Bible
26 For you [who are born-again have been reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified and] are all children of God [set apart for His purpose with full rights and privileges] through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union with the Christ, the Anointed] have clothed yourselves with Christ [that is, you have taken on His characteristics and values]. 28 There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority].
My findings:
In that scripture Paul writes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Scholars have long disputed to what extent the verse actually means to negate all those differences between Jews and Greeks, women and men, and so forth.
However, there is near unanimous agreement that this scripture certainly means that all people who believe have the opportunity to become Christians.
Just Leave it all to God?” Does Galatians 3:26-28 also make LGBTQI “okay?”
Some pertinent illustrations counter this absurdity:
A man engaged in adulterer confesses Christ and joins a church. Is the church to say, if feels good to know that the church says to keep on committing adultery?
A gossiper confesses Christ and joins a church. Is the church to say, you do not have to give up your gossiping, after all, it is amusingly, certainly entertaining.
A person practices one of the LGBTQ lifestyles confesses Christ and joins a church. Is the church to say, continue in that lifestyle?
Thomas a’ Kempis summed up our current dilemma 600 years ago,
“Many people, although they often hear the Gospel, feel little desire to follow it, because they lack the spirit of Christ.”
Look at what the scriptures say about LGBTQ for yourself.
Here is one example:
Drag queens, Deuteronomy 22:5, “A woman shall not wear a man’s apparel, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for whoever does such things is abhorrent to the LORD your God.”
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”
I am not citing LGBTQI activities because they are different from other sins, no worse no better, but because these are culturally trendy in our time. Do not feel high and mighty because you do not committee these particular sins.
Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Paul makes this hardcore in your face statement of truth knowing that Jesus gave every sinner a goal, “Go and sin no more”.
After we have accepted Christ, Baptized into the faith, one of our goals is to stop sinning. We, sinner all, are to do our best to grow in sanctification.
“I will rescue you from your people and from the gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
God calls us to be sanctified and open the eyes of others that they may be turned from darkness to light.
Are We “too busy being too rigid” in our Orthodoxy?
Matthew 23:1-12 Amplified Bible
Phariseeism Exposed
23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in Moses’ chair [of authority as teachers of the Law]; 3 so practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do; for they preach [things], but do not practice them. 4 The scribes and Pharisees tie up [a]heavy loads [that are hard to bear] and place them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger [to make them lighter]. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their [b]phylacteries (tefillin) wide [to make them more conspicuous] and make their [c]tassels long. 6 They love the place of distinction and honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues [those on the platform near the scrolls of the Law, facing the congregation], 7 and to be greeted [with respect] in the market places and public forums, and to have people call them Rabbi. 8 But do not be called Rabbi (Teacher); for One is your Teacher, and you are all [equally] brothers. 9 Do not call anyone on earth [who guides you spiritually] your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 Do not let yourselves be called leaders or teachers; for One is your Leader (Teacher), the Christ. 11 But the greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be raised to honor.
Are we so “heaven bound that we are no earthly good” to our Good Shepherd?
Are we too rigidly legalistically “earthly good that we aren’t heavenly bound?”
That we too soon forget the truth of these words spoken by our Good Shepherd?
John 10:11-18 amplified
11 [a]I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd [b]lays down His [own] life for the sheep. 12 But the hired man [who merely serves for wages], who is neither the shepherd nor the owner of the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, deserts the flock and runs away; and the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The man runs because he is a hired hand [who serves only for wages] and is not concerned about the [safety of the] sheep. 14 I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]— 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My [very own] life [sacrificing it] for the benefit of the sheep. 16 I have [c]other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will listen to My voice and pay attention to My call, and they will become [d]one flock with one Shepherd.17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life so that I may take it back. 18 No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and have power to lay it down and to give it up, and I am authorized and have power to take it back. This command I have received from My Father.”
Looking carefully, studiously at verse 16 I have [a]other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will listen to My voice and pay attention to My call, and they will become [b]one flock with one Shepherd.
Who exactly did Jesus have so deeply, futuristically, weighing on in mind?
In 2024 and beyond, Who exactly do we think and/or believe are all of those;
“other sheep that are not of this fold, whom he MUST bring, who will then listen to his voice and pay attention to his call and become one flock with one Shepherd?”
Do we too easily forget that Jesus entered the taboo vigorously hated Samaria to talk to the woman at the well about the severe gravity of her sins and invited her
JOHN 4:7-14 AMPLIFIED
The Samaritan Woman
7 Then a woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink”— 8 For His disciples had gone off into the city to buy food— 9 The Samaritan woman asked Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me, a [a]Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (For Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew [about] God’s gift [of eternal life], and who it is who says, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him [instead], and He would have given you living water (eternal life).” 11 She said to Him, “Sir, [b]You have nothing to draw with [no bucket and rope] and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father [c]Jacob, who gave us the well, and who used to drink from it himself, and his sons and his cattle also?” 13 Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. But the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life.”
That when she acknowledged this as truth, that she was known by Jesus even in the depths of the long taboo region of Samaria, she went and told others of Him.
john 4:19-26 amplified
19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I see that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place where one ought to worship is in Jerusalem [at the temple].” 21 Jesus replied, “Woman, believe Me, a time is coming [when God’s kingdom comes] when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You [Samaritans] do not know what you worship; we [Jews] do know what we worship, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ—the Anointed); when that One comes, He will tell us everything [we need to know].” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you, am He (the Messiah).”
The taboo Samaritans already knew that “Messiah is coming, He who is called the Christ-the Anointed, was coming, who would tell them everything they needed to know” but the message of that truth would not be coming from the Jews because it was strictly taboo, strictly forbidden, strictly “all hands off.”
Not caring one inch about was is strictly taboo, strictly forbidden, strictly “all hands off,” Jesus entered beyond that border straight into “no man’s land!”
And Jesus calmly said to her:
26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you, am He (the Messiah).”
If as the Body of Christ are covenanted by God, revealed through the indelible authority of His Holy Scriptures alone, to imitate, to be Imitators of Christ;
1 corinthians 4:14-17 Amplified
14 I do not write these things to shame you, but to warn and advise you as my beloved children. 15 For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation]. 16 So I urge you, be imitators of me [just as a child imitates his father]. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my way of life in Christ [my conduct and my precepts for godly living], just as I teach everywhere in every church.
1 Corinthians 11:1-3 amplified
Christian Order
11 Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.
2 I praise and appreciate you because you remember me in everything and you firmly hold to the [a]traditions [the substance of my instructions], just as I have passed them on to you. 3 But I want you to understand that Christ is the head (authority over) of every man, and man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ.
Should there exist any place which is taboo, forbidden, untouchable, hands off, to mission and ministry as commanded by Jesus Himself (Matthew 28:16-20?)
You, Me, Church: Confronted by the Spirit of Truth
Matthew 16:13-15 Amplified Bible
Peter’s Confession of Christ
13 Now when Jesus went into the [a]region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah, or [just] one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Considering what has just happened within the United Methodist Church, with disaffiliation, the truth of what has happened with the Methodist Church of the Ivory Coast, birth and beginning of the coming together of the Global Methodist Church denomination, the unquestioned complexities and divisiveness of those issues which has vigorously brought us to a point in the history of the Church,
We, who are the current manifestation of the Body of Christ, the Church, of whom Jesus Christ is the only head and the only single absolute authority,
For the sake of all those generations of “Great Clouds of Witnesses” yet to be;
Hebrews 12:1-8 Amplified Bible
Jesus, the Example
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of [a]witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God’s absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, 2 [looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, [b]disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].
3 Just consider and meditate on Him who endured from sinners such bitter hostility against Himself [consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
A Father’s Discipline
4 You have not yet struggled to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have [c]forgotten the divine word of encouragement which is addressed to you as sons,
“My son, do not make light of the discipline of the Lord, And do not lose heart and give up when you are corrected by Him; 6 For the Lord disciplines and corrects those whom He loves, And He punishes every son whom He receives and welcomes [to His heart].”
7 You must submit to [correction for the purpose of] discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons; for [d]what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 Now if you are exempt from correction and without discipline, in which all [of God’s children] share, then you are illegitimate children and not sons [at all].
As believers, as the Body of Christ, the church, looking and considering and studying and praying the Word of God, at the forbidden borders of Samaria,
Regardless of personal Ideologies and Theologies, alongside, standing with the disciples on the hill top or the mountain top, looking at Jesus, listening to Jesus, ‘hearing’ Jesus looking down and into the [a]region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
Are we able to truthfully answer the question of “Who do we say Jesus is?”
Whether a “faked, foolish, fraudulent, fabrication of our culture?” (Psalm 14)
Whether “John the Baptist (with and without his head attached)?”
Whether “Jeremiah or some other Prophet, free, or imprisoned in a cistern?”
Or as Peter so courageously confessed at the prompting of the Holy Spirit,
Matthew 16:16-17 Amplified Bible
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of the living God.” 17 Then Jesus answered him, “Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, favored by God] are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood (mortal man) did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Then, regardless of our Ideologies and Theologies accept the responsibility, under the authority of God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, accountability;
Matthew 16:18-19 Amplified Bible
18 And I say to you that you are [a]Peter, and on this [b]rock I will build My church; and the [c]gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ]. 19 I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth [d]will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth [e]will have [already] been loosed in heaven.”
Without regard for our personal Ideologies and Theologies, without completely melting down, or at the will of God, surrendering unto God, then melting down, handle the weight, the burden of what truth is revealed by the Spirit of Truth?
Without regard for our personal Ideologies and Theologies, can we Koinonia?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 51 New American Standard Bible 1995
A Contrite Sinner’s Prayer for Pardon.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David, when [a]Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
51 Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For [b]I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You [c]are justified [d]when You speak And [e]blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. 6 Behold, You desire truth in the [f]innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. 7 [g]Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; [h]Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 [i]Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create [j]in me a clean heart, O God, And renew [k]a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will [l]be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. 15 O Lord, [m]open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. 16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18 By Your favor do good to Zion; [n]Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You will delight in [o]righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then [p]young bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Psalm 139:23-24New American Standard Bible 1995
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there be any [a]hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not [a]take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
In a Season of Missions: Caring for People in Need
Matthew 25:35-36 New American Standard Bible 1995
35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
Summer is just around the corner which means schools are off until the fall and the children have three months or so of fun in the sun or freedom of mountains.
It is a time families will spend all year planning for those well earned vacations.
Please do enjoy yourselves in whatever those fun and freedom adventures are.
However, fun stuff is never going to be the only business opportunity in town.
For churches, it is also the time to be about the business of helping and caring for others – whether it be in local missions, driving or flying to another region or state for in country missions or going abroad to another country to help out.
News reports have noted that the world has an overabundance of used clothing.
In many ways, that is a good thing. Even the poorest of the poor can have access to clothing! But does that make Jesus’ statement irrelevant in the 21st century?
No. The clothing that people may have is not always suitable. A warm parka in subzero weather is a necessity! There is also another sense in which people who sleep inside a wet cardboard box in the dead of winter are in need of “clothing.”
We do not have to walk far, extreme poverty still exists. There are countless people in the world with insufficient resources to pay for housing, buy food, and access medical care—not to mention paying for education and other costs to maintain a livelihood. What should our response be in the face of poverty?
The world is blessed with many organizations that strive to meet urgent needs and to uproot the causes of poverty. Issues are complex, and solutions are difficult to find. Though we may feel, and maybe often be, powerless to create completely effective solutions to these issues, a godly love for mercy calls for prayerful compassion, a missional heart when tempted to turn two blind eyes .
We genuinely need to seek God’s help and wisdom in caring for people in need.
Matthew 25:40. The fragrant aroma of your heart
40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it for Me.’
This verse is often used in teaching that we are to aid, help the poor and less fortunate people — and we absolutely should at every Kingdom opportunity.
However, there’s a part of this verse that is almost not noticeable.
Jesus says, “inasmuch [to the extent] that as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren…”
So, who exactly are His brethren?
Did He mean the disciples?
His half-brothers that Mary and Joseph had after Him?
His earthly relatives?
Those who sat down on and around the Mount of Beatitudes to hear his words?
Those whom Jesus had compassion for, whom he told his disciples: “you feed them!” those thousands upon thousands who came, showed up to receive the abundance of bread and fish from the meagerness which the disciples brought?
All those whom the Gospel Narrative identified, considered to be, untouchable?
How about all those folks called “Samaritans” who were avoided at all costs?
And if we were to go over to Matthew 12:50, we find that “Whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
His brethren are His followers who seek to do God’s will – just about everyone.
We should care for all those “least of these.” We should treat His brethren with humble compassion as we recognize they are His servants carrying out His will.
How we treat them expresses our love for and commitment to Jesus Himself.
But when we treat them harshly, it exposes our lack of devotion to Him.
Jesus holds us accountable in how we live our lives.
If we claim to live for Christ but our actions demonstrate differently, we need to examine the validity of our salvation.
With Christ living in us, we should be a mirrored reflection of His character.
Jesus cared, treated others with love, kindness and grace – and so should we.
When His character shows through our actions, we put Him on display to the world around us.
Jesus commanded too in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Ways our Actions will Speak Louder Than our Words
James 1:19-25Amplified Bible
19 Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; 20 for the [resentful, deep-seated] anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God [that standard of behavior which He requires from us]. 21 So get rid of all uncleanness and [a]all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth]. 23 For if anyone only listens to the word [b]without obeying it, he is like a man who looks very carefully at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he immediately forgets [c]what he looked like. 25 But he who looks carefully into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and faithfully abides by it, not having become a [careless] listener who forgets but [d]an active doer [who obeys], he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does [in his life of obedience].
Most of us are familiar with the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.”
This is a true saying and something that we need to reflect on in our daily lives.
Although this saying is not in the Bible, it is in full agreement with the Bible.
As James tells us, we cannot only read the Bible; we have to also do what it says. (James 1:19-25).
In this way, we can see that our actions speak louder than our words.
Just as James says that we need to do what the Bible says rather than to just read it, we also need to also convey in, and through our actions, what our words say.
Words don’t mean as much if our actions fall flat, fail to show them to be true.
If we claim we love someone, yet we are mean to them, put them down, and speak badly of them, then we are not really showing them love. Instead, we are merely claiming we love them while our actions are doing the exact opposite.
As Christians, can we see how this can get dangerous.
We need to always ensure that our actions and our words are in alignment with the commandment of God; to Love God and each other with all of our strength.
In other words, we don’t need to say one thing and do the exact opposite.
This is true for our dealings with loved ones, acquaintances, people we don’t know, and God.
In everything we say and everything we do, we need to make sure our words and actions are in maximum agreement with God and each other.
With this said, there are also times when our actions speak louder than words.
This can be seen as both a good thing and bad thing, depending on the context.
If your actions are speaking louder than your words in a good way, then it is going to be something positive in your life. However, if your actions are speaking louder than your words in a negative way, then it is going to be a negative thing in your life.
As we look at these things, we can see that your actions speaking louder than your words may or may not be a good thing.
Depending on the circumstances and the situation, you should be able to tell if it is a good thing or a bad thing.
As Christians, we need to always strive that our actions speak louder than our words in a good way.
Here are five suggested ways our actions are speaking louder than our words.
1. In Apologies
Phillipians 2:1-4 amplified
Be Like Christ
2 Therefore if there is any encouragement and comfort in Christ [as there certainly is in abundance], if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship [that we share] in the Spirit, if [there is] any [great depth of] affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, having the same [a]love [toward one another], knit together in spirit, intent on one purpose [and living a life that reflects your faith and spreads the gospel—the good news regarding salvation through faith in Christ]. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves. 4 Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Considering the weight and the burdens of the fallout from General Conference 2024, the weight of the negativity of rhetoric, accusations being thrown about and the vast ranges of offence perceived and emotionally delivered, expressed, it is probably not a bad idea that someone break into those impasses that now exist between all sides and simply humble themselves before God and repent.
One way your actions speak louder than your words is in your apologies to God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit for grieving them so badly.
Anybody can cry, say, and repeat ad nauseum “I’m sorry,” but your actions before God and His throne room are what determines if you actually mean it.
Crying, Saying, “I’m sorry” does not prove anything. Many of us are taught to say “I’m sorry” from the time we are children, even if we don’t mean it at all.
This is something we need to exercise greatest initiative to change because we should not be saying we are sorry if we don’t actually repent and truly mean it. (Individual and Corporate Church Psalm 51 measure of genuine repentance!)
If we are truly sorry, we will show it in our actions. As an example, maybe a man was unfaithful to his wife. He couldn’t just come up to her and say he was sorry.
Apologizing is appreciated, but it doesn’t help in his case-it must go far deeper.
Instead, he has to repent before God whom he offended, show in his prayers, his humility and actions exactly how sorry he is. He should still apologize to all aggrieved parties; however, he also has to authentically show it in his actions.
He can do this by being extra caring with his wife, taking any steps she needs to heal, and going to couples therapy if this is something she wants to do. He also has to be willing to step aside and accept her decision to end the marriage.
While this would be painful for both of them, he has to absolutely respect her decision, continue to show in his actions how sorry he is, even after the divorce if that is how they decide their relationship comes to a mutual conclusion.
It could be that if he showed in his actions how much he loves his wife and is sorry for what he had done, perhaps she will be able to forgive him, and he will forgive her, they’ll be able to continue to work on the hardcore healing process.
2. Being There for Others, Bearing others burdens.
Proverbs 27:17-18 Amplified Bible
17 As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion]. 18 He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit, And he who faithfully protects and cares for his master will be honored.
A second way your actions speak louder than your words is when you are there for someone.
After we have gone through a difficult time, we often need someone to be there for us while we are just trying to make heads or tails out of all of that adversity.
We can say all day that we would be there for someone, but when the time would actually come, would we really be there?
I had many friends who said they would be there for me no matter what, only to have no visible source of support in my early days of my heart surgery recovery.
As you can see, their words and actions did not match. Through their actions, I was hearing the message that I didn’t always matter to them the way they did to me. Maybe you have also been through the same thing, and it really hurts you.
Know that your feelings are valid even if other people have invalidated them in the past. It was wrong of your friends not to be there as, when you needed them and as you can see, in that moment their actions spoke louder than their words.
This is why we need to ensure our actions are speaking louder than our words in a good way. Being there for others can be difficult, but as much as we truly love them, we should make every possible effort not see them as an inconvenience.
At times I saw myself an inconvenience because of how my friends treated me.
Pray! We need to ensure that we never make anyone feel bad about themselves through our actions. This is what happens when our actions hurt others. People observe us, assess us, pay attention to what we all do — not to just what we say.
3. In our steady march towards the Faith of Abraham
Hebrews 11:17-19 Amplified Bible
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested [that is, as the testing of his faith was still in progress], [a]offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises [of God] was ready to sacrifice his only son [of promise]; 18 to whom it was said, “Through Isaac your descendants shall be called.” 19 For he considered [it reasonable to believe] that God was able to raise Isaac even from among the dead. [Indeed, in the sense that he was prepared to sacrifice Isaac in obedience to God] Abraham did receive him back [from the dead] figuratively speaking.
A third way our actions speak louder than your words is in our faith journey.
The Apostle John tells us, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18).
1 John 3:18-20 Amplified Bible
18 Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words]. 19 By this we will know [without any doubt] that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart and quiet our conscience before Him 20 whenever our heart convicts us [in guilt]; for God is greater than our heart and He knows all things [nothing is hidden from Him because we are in His hands].
As the Apostle John teaches us, we do not need to love only with words but in action and in truth. This applies to all areas of our lives, including in our faith. We can’t claim to be a follower of God if we are denying Him in our actions.
We have to listen to what the Bible says and obey it.
It is of no benefit if we do not follow what the Bible says.
If our actions are speaking louder than our words, then we should be showing in our lives our love for Christ rather than occasionally saying we are Christians.
Individuals should know we are Christians based on our actions.
As the Gospels teach us, following Jesus means loving others, respecting them, and extending forgiveness to them as God extended His forgiveness unto us.
Matthew 9:10-13 Amplified Bible
10 Then as Jesus was reclining at the table in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and [a]sinners [including non-observant Jews] came and ate with Him and His disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, “Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but [only] those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this [Scripture] means: ‘I desire compassion [for those in distress], and not [animal] sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call [to repentance] the [self-proclaimed] righteous [who see no need to change], but sinners [those who recognize their sin and actively seek forgiveness].”
Through all these things, we will be able to ensure our actions speak louder than our simple words. We would not be known as followers of Christ just by “proclaiming” ourselves to be true Christians in the New Testament times.
Rather, the Lord tells us by their fruit we will recognize them (Matthew 7:16).
Matthew 7:15-20Amplified Bible
A Tree and Its Fruit
15 “Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus]. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the unhealthy tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore, by their fruit you will recognize them [as false prophets].
If we take our faith in Jesus seriously, it will decisively show in our daily lives.
However, if we choose to not take our faith seriously, we will be giving a bad name to our Savior and Lord.
4. Listening to Others
James 1:19-22Amplified Bible
19 Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; 20 for the [resentful, deep-seated] anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God [that standard of behavior which He requires from us]. 21 So get rid of all uncleanness and [a]all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls. 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].
A fourth way your actions speak louder than your words is in your listening skills. If you are truly listening to others, you will respect what they say.
On the other hand, if you only say you are listening to others, but deny it in your actions, your negative actions will be conveyed in your dealings with others.
People are quick to notice if you are not truly listening to them. If a loved one kindly asks you to be respectful of their space and you claim to say you will, yet then later invade their personal space, you are not really listening to them.
In the same way, if a wife tells her husband she feels she is not being heard, he needs to start paying attention to what she is saying.
His wife is saying she is not feeling heard because her husband is not displaying in his actions what she has spoken to him about.
As we can see, yet again, it is important that our actions speak louder than our words because they can easily go in the opposite direction.
Listening to others is a good way to show that you are truly taking time out of your day to be present with your loved ones.
Don’t only listen to them — fully engage yourself in what they are saying and allow your actions to reflect what you listened to.
If your loved one asked you to give them a drive home from work, do this.
In the same way, if your loved one asked you to pick up some groceries from the supermarket or medicine from the pharmacy, you will show in your actions you were listening when you returned home with the bags of groceries, medicine.
All of these things cause our actions to be louder than our words.
We just have to make sure they are louder than our words in a good way.
Never allow your actions to speak louder than your words in a negative way because it can really hurt people in your life.
Invest in spending time with your loved ones and truly listen to them.
By listening to them, it will shape your actions in a way that you can fully show them you love them.
5. Serving God together in Mission and Ministry
Acts 2:43-47 Amplified Bible
43 A sense of awe was felt by [a]everyone, and many wonders and signs (attesting miracles) were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] [b]were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole]. 45 And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need. 46 Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts, 47 praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.
A fifth way your actions speak louder than your words is in the way you serve God. If we claim to be serving God, we must likewise prove it in our actions.
Anybody could say they are a follower of God, but their actions for the Kingdom of God are what will truly tell us if they are or are not serious about serving God.
Living for God is not a one-time thing.
Rather, it is an everyday life decision.
If we are truly focused on serving God, we will show it in our actions.
If you want your actions to be louder than your words in your service to God, you have to obey God’s teachings in the Bible.
They should become part of your life and it will not be a burden if you are genuine in the way you want to serve God.
The Lord tells us to not lie, cheat, steal, or endorse sin.
We cannot say we are truly living in a way for our actions to speak louder than our words if we are doing these very things.
Living for God by serving our neighbors in their neighborhood , will be shown in our actions if you are genuinely wanting to serve Him. Don’t only claim to serve God — make sure you are actually serving Him with your entire heart.
You will have a much better life , a more abundantly blessed life if we choose to serve God with our life rather than just “claiming” to know Him in your words.
Your actions will speak louder than your words if you are faithfully living in accordance with God’s Word.
God will take definitely notice of this and He will be pleased with your actions.
Matthew 25:14-28 Amplified Bible
Parable of the Talents
14 “For it is just like a man who was about to take a journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his possessions. 15 To one he gave five [a]talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and then he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he [made a profit and] gained five more. 17 Likewise the one who had two [made a profit and] gained two more. 18 But the one who had received the one went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 And the one who had received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted to me five talents. See, I have [made a profit and] gained five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’
22 “Also the one who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have [made a profit and] gained two more talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’
24 “The one who had received one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a harsh and demanding man, reaping [the harvest] where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed. 25 So I was afraid [to lose the talent], and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is your own.’
26 “But his master answered him, ‘You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap [the harvest] where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed. 27 Then you ought to have put my money with the bankers, and at my return I would have received my money back with interest. 28 So take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’
Obey His teachings, such as the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).
Considering the weight of current circumstances of the church, this can be a challenging daunting subject for many, yet it is something Jesus calls us to do.
Concerning ministry and missions, we can only serve Him by either going ourselves, sending/being with others, or donating to mission organizations.
God wants us to be involved with missions because it involves helping the lost come to know Him. You can demonstrate in your actions that you are truly serving God by obeying all aspects of His teachings, including the hard ones.
Your actions always speak louder than your words, and this is why we need to ensure that our actions are speaking louder than our words in a positive way.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
133 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil [of consecration] poured on the head, Coming down on the beard, Even the beard of Aaron, Coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body]. 3 It is like the dew of [Mount] Hermon Coming down on the hills of Zion; For there the Lord has commanded the blessing: life forevermore.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
2 Timothy 3:10-17 New American Standard Bible 1995
10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, [a] perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is [b]inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for [c] training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Transformation Through the Word
2 Timothy 3:16-17 New American Standard Bible 1995
16 All Scripture is [a]inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for [b]training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
The study of God’s Word is the secret discipline for spiritual formation.
Other books may be useful for information, but the Bible was given for transformation.
Timothy had the privilege of reading, studying, and memorizing God’s Word from infancy. He learned firsthand how the much Scriptures transform us.
Paul explains that God’s Word is profitable “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
It is a guide that helps us fine-tune every part of our being.
Teaching focuses our mind and shapes our thinking.
Rebuking pricks our conscience so that we don’t travel the wrong direction.
Correction molds our will so that we see the wisdom of God’s plans.
Training in righteousness shows us how to act more like Christ.
In this way the Word of God initiates a four-step process of transformation.
Put simply, teaching tells us what is right, rebuking tells us what is not right, correction tells us how to get right, and training shows us how to stay right.
The Holy Scriptures are the breath of God.
If you want to be productive, useful, and fertile as a Christian, get into the Word of God. Reading the Bible for its teaching, studying Scripture systematically, meditating on God’s Word devotionally, and memorizing it faithfully—each of these are invaluable transforming activities that you will truly not want to miss.
For Example: Those Verses Surrounding John 3:16
John 3:16 Amplified Bible
16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.
One of the most well-known Bible verses is John 3:16.
This is such a powerful message, but it is always important to look at the context. If we just focus on John 3:16, then we miss out on the whole picture. Have you ever wondered what was said right before and after John 3:16? Today, we are going to learn about the incredible verses which surround John 3:16.
John 3:1-21 is often titled, “Born Again.”
The famous verse comes smack dab in the middle of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.
Nicodemus was a dedicated Jewish Pharisee who would have known the law and the Old Testament accounts.
Nicodemus was looking for the Messiah, but missed the fact that Jesus was ultimately who he was searching.
In this secret meeting, Jesus revealed the truth:
John 3:13 Amplified Bible
13 No one has gone up into heaven, but there is One who came down from heaven, the Son of Man [Himself—whose home is in heaven].
Jesus says here that He is God.
This is a huge deal.
Sometimes people will argue that Jesus never claimed to be God.
But, this verse is one example He, the Son of Man, came down from heaven.
This is also significant because He uses the phrase “no one has ascended.”
At that point in history, not a single person had gone up to heaven.
There was no forgiveness for sins by the Messiah.
No person could get back to God without the help of God Himself.
We could no longer approach Him after the garden; we were exiles.
However, Jesus came to us.
Here we read of Jesus revealing His deity and salvation plan without Nicodemus even minimally catching on to the huge significance of what he had just heard.
John 3:14-15 Amplified Bible
14 Just as Moses lifted up the [bronze] serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must the Son of Man be lifted up [on the cross], 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life [after physical death, and will actually live forever].
Here, Jesus points Nicodemus toward Old Testament Prophesy.
Jesus knew His audience. Nicodemus was a scholarly Jew.
He would have known the story of Moses backwards and forwards.
Jesus refers to Numbers 21 when the Israelites were bitten by venomous snakes in the wilderness.
The only solution was to look at the snake on the cross.
Everyone who did not look at the cross died. Everyone who gazed upon the bronze snake on the cross lived. This is such a powerful representation of the living gospel. Jesus became sin for us so we could have His righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 Amplified Bible
20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. 21 He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].
Jesus was perfect, but He took on our sins so we could be freed and forgiven.
When we ponder the parallels of the garden here – the snake, the bite, and death – we cannot help but be amazed at the fulfillment of His covenant.
Jesus was revealing Himself as the Savior in how He was about to fulfill the prophecy of the past and provide the way to eternal life in the future.
During this current moment, He was on this earth well before His death and resurrection. He was in the middle of His time on earth. Nicodemus was given the true answers to His greatest questions, but he had a response to decide.
Jesus Gives Nicodemus the Promise of Eternal Life
John 3:16 Amplified Bible
16 “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] [a]only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life.
After this, John 3:16 says,
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus shares that God loved the entire world in the way that this snake on the cross was provided for the Jewish people.
God gave His only Son for everyone who believes in Him.
There is a promise of eternal life.
Just like the people with the snake bites were all doomed for death, we are all doomed for hell and eternity away from God.
However, Jesus became the “snake” for us and everyone who looks to Him (Jew or Gentile) will have eternal life with Him and be spared eternal death.
This is a huge deal.
We need to realize the weight of what Jesus is saying.
We need to be busy pointing others towards the cross of Christ in hopes that they too will look and be rescued from the coming death.
Just like a venomous snake bite means death unless we receive the antidote, we are hopeless.
Science Nordic reveals that it takes on average between 20 minutes and 72 hours to die from a venomous snake bite.
This means that when we ponder the time of the Israelites in the wilderness, death was occurring all around them at different rates.
Just like here on earth, we are all destined to die, but Jesus steps in and provides the way to eternal life.
We all have the “bite” of sin, but we do not all have to die and go to hell.
Jesus provides a way for all who look to Him to go to heaven and be restored.
This is the hope of the gospel.
Jesus Has Already Given Us the Victory
John 3:17-18Amplified Bible
17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because [a]he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him].
Here we read of God’s heart. He did this not to send judgment, but to send salvation. We read of another visit from Jesus in the second coming, which will be a time of judgement, but this visit to earth was for hope and forgiveness.
Jesus makes it clear that anyone, meaning any person who believes in Him, is not condemned.
I love how this is present tense.
There is a peace that every believer can have right now that Jesus has already given them the victory. There is no reason to wait to celebrate.
Instead, we invite others.
Jesus here describes Himself as the one and only Son of God. In other words, He is the only God. He is the only Way to heaven (John 14:6).
6 Jesus said to him, “[a]I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Jesus Shares the Ultimate Truth
John 3:19-21 Amplified Bible
19 This is the judgment [that is, the cause for indictment, the test by which people are judged, the basis for the sentence]: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the [a]darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For every wrongdoer hates the Light, and does not come to the Light [but shrinks from it] for fear that his [sinful, worthless] activities will be exposed and condemned. 21 But whoever practices truth [and does what is right—morally, ethically, spiritually] comes to the Light, so that his works may be plainly shown to be what they are—accomplished in God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence on Him].”
Jesus does not hide this truth.
He shares that darkness is real and the light (Himself) has come into the world.
People chose sin, but He is the truth that sets them free.
His life and sacrifice would be done so that people would know that He Himself truly was who He claimed.
Jesus was and is and always will be God.
These verses surrounding John 3:16 are powerful.
As we reflect on the beauty of Jesus claiming to be God, acknowledging the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, the salvation plan is revealed.
The gospel is, no exceptions for everyone, and Jesus is the Light of this world.
Glory to Jesus our Savior and thank you Lord for Your Holy and Perfect Bible.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 119:1-16 The Message
119 1-8 You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me.
* * *
9-16 How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
5 1-3 I have a special concern for you church leaders. I know what it’s like to be a leader, in on Christ’s sufferings as well as the coming glory. Here’s my concern: that you care for God’s flock with all the diligence of a shepherd. Not because you have to, but because you want to please God. Not calculating what you can get out of it, but acting spontaneously. Not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way.
4-5 When God, who is the best shepherd of all, comes out in the open with his rule, he’ll see that you’ve done it right and commend you lavishly. And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for—
God has had it with the proud, But takes delight in just plain people.
6-7 So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
A Word to the Church: Seeking His Kingdom First?
1 Peter 5:1-7 Amplified Bible
Serve God Willingly
5 Therefore, I strongly urge the elders among you [pastors, spiritual leaders of the church], as a fellow elder and as an eyewitness [called to testify] of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory that is to be revealed: 2 shepherd and guide and protect the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not [motivated] for shameful gain, but with wholehearted enthusiasm; 3 not lording it over those assigned to your care [do not be arrogant or overbearing], but be examples [of Christian living] to the flock [set a pattern of integrity for your congregation]. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd (Christ) appears, you will receive the [conqueror’s] unfading crown of glory. 5 Likewise, you younger men [of lesser rank and experience], be subject to your elders [seek their counsel]; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another [tie on the servant’s apron], for God is opposed to the proud [the disdainful, the presumptuous, and He defeats them], but He gives grace to the humble.
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, 7 casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].
Anxiety can creep up at times when we least expect it and quickly overwhelm us.
Or it can take up unwelcome and apparently permanent residence in our lives.
Few people do not experience it; few Churches will not have to contend with it.
All those inevitable cares and concerns will take on different faces, manifest themselves very deeply throughout the life of the church and may be propelled by different circumstances, but overall, the issue itself is remarkably common.
When we face anxiety, we often try to ignore it by distracting our minds:
“Let me listen to some different liturgy, or to worship music. Let me go for a drive, look for a church that meets my vision of the correct Kingdom of God. Let me run one mile or a marathon. Let me do something… just let me run away!”
Notice, though, that in verses 6 and 7, Peter does not say we are to deny, ignore, or flee from anxiety. Instead, we should be “casting all [our] anxieties on him.”
The Greek word for “cast” here is a decisive, energetic action word.
It could be used to describe vigorously throwing out a heaping bag of trash.
We don’t put painstaking effort into moving it; we simply grab it and hurl it with great force into the bin. Likewise, instead of going through our days pressed down by the burden of anxiety, we throw it, we hurl it, upon the Lord.
To do this requires us to give up our pride—our desire to control and triumph over circumstances – seek Ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Being humble is what enables us to give our worries to God: humility’s presence leads to anxiety’s absence.
When, with our own perverted righteousness, we attempt to take matters into our own hands through too much worry, we indicate an absence of humility.
We are significantly more concerned with ourselves than with our heavenly Father, or more determined to navigate our own course than to leave it to Him.
There will always be a circumstance that can make we the Church very anxious.
Peter doesn’t address any specific circumstances, though; rather, he addresses the anxiety produced by the circumstances which are specific to his own time.
Considering How We Grow and Mature in Christ?
Luke 12:13-34 English Standard Version
The Parable of the Rich Fool
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Do Not Be Anxious
22 And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a]26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,[b] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his[c] kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
We the Church of today, have to navigate with God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirits guidance and direction – the complexities of our stuff.
The vast complexities of our anxieties being gender issues, sexual orientation, racism, clergy sex abuse and the Boy Scouts sex abuse against our children, the shrinking and closure of our churches, and left – right theological extremism, the right to life, the freedom of choice, abortion, false teachers, and much more.
Our mountains and oceans of anxiety itself is what we ought to be casting upon the Lord, doing exactly what the Bible says to do: repenting, bowing, kneeling, humbling ourselves under God’s hand, saying, “My Father knows best. He cares for me better than I can care for myself.” When worries weigh us down, we can refuse to be burdened by them by calling to mind the Lord’s willingness to help.
Churches, their leaders and their congregations are very definitely struggling through today, seriously wondering how they’re going to make it to tomorrow.
Perhaps it’s been a long time since they knelt beside their altars and truly cast their burdens upon the only One who is able to carry it, saying, “God, I cannot, my Church cannot live its life with this burden on our back. Take it. It’s all Yours.”
If that’s you, if that’s your Church, for Kingdom’s sake don’t hesitate any more.
Pray, seek God’s Will, Kingdom first, Cast your anxieties into the loving arms of your heavenly Father and to experience the freedom, peace only He can provide.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 91 tHE MESSAGE
91 1-13 You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: “God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!” That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God’s your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
14-16 “If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble. I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party. I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
46 Then they *came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” 50 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “[a]Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has [b]made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
What Do You Want Me to do For You?
Bartimaeus was in the dark, a blind man who had to beg—until the day Jesus came by on his way to be crucified in Jerusalem (Mark 10:32-34).
32 They were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him, 33 saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be [a] delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will [b]hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34 They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.”
Shouting above the crowd, Bartimaeus calls to the Savior,
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
People tell him to be quiet, but he shouts all the louder,
“Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Graciously Jesus responds: “What do you want me to do for you?”
Jesus had just asked James and John the same question (Mark 10:35-39).
35 [a]James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, *came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “[b]Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.
They had said they wanted places of honor in heaven with Jesus.
And he had replied, “You don’t know what you are asking.”
But Bartimaeus only pleads,
“Rabbi, I want to see.”
And Jesus does not disappoint.
Bartimaeus knew what he needed; Jesus’ followers were the ones in the dark.
They wouldn’t see the light of Jesus until later.
This incident has raised a question ever since: Who is truly blind, anyway?
And after Jesus restores Bartimaeus’s sight and sends him away, the man sees what he must do next.
Bartimaeus is a model disciple. No longer blind, he unhesitatingly follows Jesus.
Jesus’s question echoes through history: “What do you want me to do for you?”
As we consider his words, can we say, “Rabbi, we want to follow your way”?
“Take Courage, Stand Up! He is Calling For You!”
Mark 10:46-49 New American Standard Bible 1995
Bartimaeus Receives His Sight
46 Then they *came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”
All around the blind man, the Passover was approaching, and the crowd was building.
There was a great sense of anticipation.
For most in the crowd, there was no time for stopping—certainly not for the ever-present beggars that lay around at the city gates.
They were always there, known well to the people on the outskirts of Jericho.
Many of the crowd likely would have seen this blind man, Bartimaeus, so often that they didn’t even notice him anymore.
The crowd was so consumed with Jesus that Bartimaeus was probably regarded as a dreadful inconvenience.
Their reaction to his cries for mercy—to rebuke him and attempt to silence him—suggests that they thought this marginalized member of society clearly could make no useful contribution to what Jesus was doing – so give him no chance.
In seeking to quieten him, seeking to push him aside, out of the way, however, they became a barrier to the mission of Jesus—to the very one they claimed to be following and the very cause they claimed to be so very zealously pursuing.
This long bullied, ignored marginalized particular blind man didn’t have merely a minor interest in Jesus, though, so he continued his crying out louder to Him.
Mark’s narrative demonstrates Christ’s perfect compassion with a simple phrase: “Jesus stopped”—two words of grace.
Can you imagine the crowd’s reaction when Jesus said to the people who had been rebuking the man, “Call him”?
That surely brought a measure of deserved embarrassment!
Perhaps there are people in your life for whom you struggle to pray.
Maybe there are some you just want to rebuke or ignore.
Maybe you just don’t want to deal with the inconvenience.
It can seem like such a nuisance to invite somebody to church, sit with them, eat with them, and be involved in their lives.
It is messy, and it demands time and effort.
We’d rather such people heard the gospel from someone else.
It is so easy to slip into this way of thinking without really noticing; but when we do, we become just like the crowd: a barrier to people meeting their Savior.
Jesus says to us, Don’t rebuke them. Call them. This is precisely why I came.
May God forgive us when we, the contemporary church like the excited crowd, are full of high indignation at the interference to our plans and inconvenience to our traditional preferences caused by those who are crying out for His mercy.
Christ alone does the work of opening blind eyes, but He has entrusted us with the missional responsibility and privilege of ministry of our proclaiming these words: “Take heart he is calling you!” Take Heart he has heard you, seen you!”
Dear Church, be on notice, take heart Jesus is calling you, Jesus has heard you, Jesus has most definitely seen you – take that all in for what it is worth to you!
“What Do You Want Me to do For You?”
Good, bad or indifferent, logical or illogical, rational or irrational, right, wrong,
Considering the state of being we believe it is in,
What could be the churches response
What should the churches response be?
What will be the churches “politically correct” response?
Just my thought … “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom?”
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Son of David, like Bartimaeus we cry, “Have mercy on us!” Give us eyes to see your way, ears to hear your Word so that we can live as your disciples. In your holy name, Amen.
Psalm 42 New American Standard Bible 1995
BOOK 2
Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.
For the choir director. A [a]Maskil of the sons of Korah.
42 As the deer [b]pants for the water brooks, So my soul [c]pants for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and [d]appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng and [e]lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you [f]in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? [g]Hope in God, for I shall [h]again praise [i]Him For the [j]help of His presence. 6 O my God, my soul is [k]in despair within me; Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan And the [l]peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. 8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life.
9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning [m]because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 11 Why are you [n]in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? [o]Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The [p]help of my countenance and my God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [b]godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who [c]enter into households and captivate [d]weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the [e] knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.
10 Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, [g] perseverance, 11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is [h]inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for [i] training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
What do we believe is the meaning of 2Timothy 3:1-5?
2 Timothy 3:1-5Amplified Bible
“Difficult Times Will Come”
3 But understand this, that in the last days dangerous times [of great stress and trouble] will come [difficult days that will be hard to bear]. 2 For people will be lovers of self [narcissistic, self-focused], lovers of money [impelled by greed], boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane, 3 [and they will be] unloving [devoid of natural human affection, calloused and inhumane], irreconcilable, malicious gossips, devoid of self-control [intemperate, immoral], brutal, haters of good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of [sensual] pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [outward] godliness (religion), although they have denied its power [for their conduct nullifies their claim of faith]. Avoid such people and keep far away from them.
What is the meaning of 2 Timothy 3:1-5? I don’t know about you, but I have too often heard people recite these verses as evidence that we are living in the End Times. If you look at this following list, you would be hard-pressed to disagree.
Let’s go through the list quickly:
Difficult times – certainly many would say our 2024 times are difficult
Lovers of self – people sure do look out for number one over everything else
Lovers of money – we are a money loving world
Boastful, arrogant, revilers – all true of people today
Disobedient to parents – scarily true, thanks to Dr. Spock for this one
Brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited – all true
Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – It’s all about what makes people feel good and God has been removed from all areas of life
Holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power – Everyone thinks they’re good people and going to heaven, though they want nothing to do with the God who is in Heaven.
There we have it. These verses are evidence that we are living in the End Times.
There’s only one problem.
These verses are not speaking about society in general. They are speaking about a very specific group of people.
The People Mentioned in 2 Timothy 3
Here’s the reality: people have always been like this. Go through the list again and think of a time that those types of people did not exist.
We see them today, for sure, but they were around 100 years ago as well.
They were there in the time of Jesus; just look at the Pharisees.
They were there in the times of the Jewish Kings and the Jewish Judges.
They were there when Joseph was thrown into the pit and then sold into slavery.
They were there when Noah was building the Ark.
So if these people have always been around, then why would God give us this passage from Timothy ?
It’s like saying, “The End Times will come about when people are walking and talking.”
The whole entire world itself cannot be the subject of these verses.
Although it is sufficient to acknowledge there is no shortage of these people living amongst us as our neighbors, governing authorities, business leaders. and a whole host of other common places including of our own workplaces.
But, the “whole world,” It makes no sense.
We just cannot rationally lump everybody into these categories Paul mentions.
He must have something else in mind.
God gives us these verses to look at ourselves, The Church.
Christians are the subject God has in focus in these verses.
The Church in History
Throughout her history, the Church has been known as sanctified.
In other words, she was separated out from the world.
She did not look like the world, sound like the world, or act like the world.
This was why people were drawn to her in the first place.
She was different from anything else in the world.
Here is one view of what Christians looked like, from a Greek convert named Aristides:
“They love one another. They never fail to help widows; they save orphans from those who will hurt them. If they have something, they give freely to the man who has nothing; if they see a stranger, they take him home and are happy, as though he were a real brother. They don’t consider themselves brothers and sisters in the usual sense, but brothers instead through the Spirit, in God.”
“The Christians’ God expected that His followers would acknowledge His love by sacrificing themselves for others. They were to extend God’s love not merely to their families and friends but to their enemies as well. “Love one another” became their standard… (Regarding those who had fallen ill due to the plague) The care Christians showed often did result in their succumbing to the plague themselves. But paradoxically, their compassion did not deplete Christian ranks in the long term – quite the reverse. Tending to the sick increased the disease survival rate by as much as two-thirds and this witness attracted many new converts. By acting on the teachings of Christ, without regard to their own welfare, these Christians, against all expectations, progressed from being a small sect to the dominant cultural group.“
This is what the church looked like – loving selflessly, persecuted unto death, giving sacrificially.
Testing Ourselves and Testing the Church
2 Timothy 3:10-17 Amplified Bible
10 Now you have diligently followed [my example, that is] my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, 11 persecutions, and sufferings—such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, but the Lord rescued me from them all! 12 Indeed, all who delight in pursuing righteousness and are determined to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be hunted and persecuted [because of their faith]. 13 But evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced [holding tightly to the truths], knowing from whom you learned them, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness]. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the [a]man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
We go back to the passage in 2 Timothy 3 and review these aspects again.
However, this time with an eye to the Church today rather than the world as the subject of Paul’s writing:
Difficult times – Christians are the most persecuted people group in the world, even now in America
Lovers of self – Unfortunately, most Christians now look like the world, putting themselves and their families before others
Lovers of money – As Christians look more like the world, they also act like the world. Ask them to put all the money that is in their wallet into the offering. Good luck with that.
Boastful, arrogant, revilers – just check out the social media of many Christians
Disobedient to parents – scarily most Christians raise their children using the wisdom of the world rather than the wisdom of the Bible, resulting in Christians who always spare the rod
Ungrateful, unholy, unloving – Can you be a Christian and be ungrateful, unholy and unloving? Look at the members of your nearest megachurch and it will be easy to find them.
Irreconcilable, malicious gossips – I’ve met many Christians who are unforgiving and gossips
Without self-control – Ask a Christian to fast for a day. How about pray for an hour? Or study the Bible for an hour? Too hard, can’t do it. Zero discipline.
Brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited – Christians hate those who disagree with them. They can be brutal in their thought, words and deeds. Most Christians hate the idea of Discipline, Humility, Meekness and Sacrifice – all good things. Many are thoughtless. Most are proud.
Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – How many Christians would rather go to a 3-hour church service or prayer meeting than to a movie or ball game?
Holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power – Most Christians more resemble the Pharisees of Jesus’ time than they resemble Jesus. Jesus called them white washed tombs.
Matthew 23:25-28 Amplified Bible
25 “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and robbery and self-indulgence (unrestrained greed). 26 You [spiritually] blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the plate [examine and change your inner self to conform to God’s precepts], so that the outside [your public life and deeds] may be clean also.
27 “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which look beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. 28 So you, also, outwardly seem to be just and upright to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
What is to be our Response
Are we in the End Times?
Does the Church, our home church, look like 2 Timothy 3, Matthew 23:25-28?
Maybe, maybe not.
The more important question is what are we to BIBLICALLY do about this?
2 Timothy 3:14-17 Amplified Bible
14 But as for you, continue in the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced [holding tightly to the truths], knowing from whom you learned them, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings (Hebrew Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus [surrendering your entire self to Him and having absolute confidence in His wisdom, power and goodness]. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed [given by divine inspiration] and is profitable for instruction, for conviction [of sin], for correction [of error and restoration to obedience], for training in righteousness [learning to live in conformity to God’s will, both publicly and privately—behaving honorably with personal integrity and moral courage]; 17 so that the [a]man of God may be complete and proficient, outfitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.
If we think or believe that the Church today indelibly proves we are living in the End Times, how then will you and I and the Church conduct ourselves today?
Will you reach out to a lost person to share the gospel before it’s too late?
Will you or I or we the church repent and confess and decide to become obedient to the word of God in all ways, not only just those things that you can do easily?
Here’s the truth: whether we are in the End Times or not, Jesus has given us a playbook to live by.
Matthew 9:35-38 Amplified Bible
35 Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship].
36 When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion and pity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
He expects that we will follow it regardless of how soon His coming might be.
The reason He did not give us a Time and Date of His coming is so that every day, we might live as if it was the last day.
Acts 2:43-47 Amplified Bible
43 A sense of awe was felt by [a]everyone, and many wonders and signs (attesting miracles) were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed [in Jesus as Savior] [b]were together and had all things in common [considering their possessions to belong to the group as a whole]. 45 And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing the proceeds with all [the other believers], as anyone had need. 46 Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts, 47 praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.
If every Christian did these things, the Church would look completely different.
It would look more like the early church that we read about earlier.
We may not be able to change the Church in a day, but we can change ourselves.
Let’s live like Biblical Christians (Acts 2), even as we watch, wait for His return.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 84 The Message
84 1-2 What a beautiful home, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! I’ve always longed to live in a place like this, Always dreamed of a room in your house, where I could sing for joy to God-alive!
3-4 Birds find nooks and crannies in your house, sparrows and swallows make nests there. They lay their eggs and raise their young, singing their songs in the place where we worship. God-of-the-Angel-Armies! King! God! How blessed they are to live and sing there!
5-7 And how blessed all those in whom you live, whose lives become roads you travel; They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks, discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain! God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and at the last turn—Zion! God in full view!
8-9 God-of-the-Angel-Armies, listen: O God of Jacob, open your ears—I’m praying! Look at our shields, glistening in the sun, our faces, shining with your gracious anointing.
10-12 One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship, beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches. I’d rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin. All sunshine and sovereign is God, generous in gifts and glory. He doesn’t scrimp with his traveling companions. It’s smooth sailing all the way with God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these [a]signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born [b]again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born [c]again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
The Word of God for the Kingdom of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Are We Just as Intrigued by The Teacher From God?
John 3:1-3 Amplified Bible
The New Birth
3 Now there was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (member of the Sanhedrin) among the Jews, 2 who came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), we know [without any doubt] that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs [these wonders, these attesting miracles] that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”
Nicodemus was intrigued by all that Jesus was doing.
So he went to talk with Jesus.
“We know that you are a teacher who has come from God,” he politely began.
And Jesus seemed to agree, for he went on to teach Nicodemus things from God.
However, at that time of the might, the very first thing Nicodemus heard from this teacher threw him completely off guard, woke him up. Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
Nicodemus certainly looked for the coming of God’s kingdom—every pious Jew did. He believed that God was coming, and that everyone would see his coming.
But Jesus told Nicodemus that he wouldn’t see God’s kingdom at all unless he was born again—not in the sense of becoming a baby once more, but in being “born from above.” (The Greek word for “again” also means “from above.”)
Jesus means that entering into God’s Kingdom we need new eyes if we are to see God’s presence, new ears to hear his voice, and a new heart to love and obey the Lord. We need to be reborn, this time from above, by the power of God’s Spirit.
For me, this is an ongoing project. (See 2 Corinthians 3:18.)
2 Corinthians 3:12-18 Amplified Bible
12 Since we have such a [glorious] hope and confident expectation, we speak with great courage, 13 and we are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites would not gaze at the end of the glory which was fading away. 14 But [in fact] their minds were hardened [for they had lost the ability to understand]; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed [only] in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil [of blindness] lies over their heart; 16 but whenever a person turns [in repentance and faith] to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
Each morning I need to pray for new eyes and new ears and a new heart to see and hear and respond to God. I’m thinking we all do too. Would you join me?
Are we just as Intrigued with Entering God’s Kingdom
John 3:4-12 Amplified Bible
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot [ever] enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh [the physical is merely physical], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be surprised that I have told you, ‘You must be born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified].’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be possible?” 10 Jesus replied, “You are the [great and well-known] teacher of Israel, and yet you do not know nor understand these things [from Scripture]? 11 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, we speak only of what we [absolutely] know and testify about what we have [actually] seen [as eyewitnesses]; and [still] you [reject our evidence and] do not accept our testimony. 12 If I told you earthly things [that is, things that happen right here on earth] and you do not believe, how will you believe and trust Me if I tell you heavenly things?
When we read the Gospel Narratives, we discover that a large part of Jesus’ earthly ministry involved him preaching the good news of God’s kingdom.
He traveled through towns and villages telling people, essentially teaching us, There is a kingdom, and I’m the King. You’re not in the kingdom yet—but if you’ll give it all up, follow Me, you will be the King’s subject and a citizen of the kingdom.
Jesus teaches that when we pray “Your kingdom come” (Luke 11:2), therefore, our very desire should be that men and women would be brought into Christ’s kingdom by new birth—that they would become committed followers of Jesus.
Luke 11:1-2 Amplified Bible
Instruction about Prayer
11 It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them,
“When you pray, [a]say: ‘[b]Father, [c]hallowed be Your name. [d]Your kingdom come.
We pray for those who still live in rebellion against God to be “delivered … from the domain of darkness and to be transferred … unto the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13-14).
Colossians 1:13-14 Amplified Bible
The Incomparable Christ
13 For He has rescued us and has drawn us to Himself from the dominion of darkness, and has transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption [because of His sacrifice, resulting in] the forgiveness of our sins [and the cancellation of sins’ penalty].
Jesus made it perfectly clear that the only way to enter into His kingdom is by this new birth.
Jesus’ encounter with High Rabbi Nicodemus in John 3 underscores this truth.
Nicodemus was a highly educated highly respected religious man, a man of high authority and great influence—yet he was still restless, intrigued, still seeking.
As he secretly engaged Jesus in this 2 or 3am shadowed conversation, Jesus pointed out the necessary prerequisite for both seeing, entering His kingdom: to be born again by the Spirit.
This new birth is brought about, Jesus said, not by nature but as a result of God’s Spirit working a miracle in the human heart.
No one is able to enter the kingdom without Him working in them and through them; that no one is too far away from the kingdom for Him to work in them.
When we pray for God’s kingdom to come, we are asking for eyes to be opened and ears to be unstopped, mouths to be shut to just sit or stand still to just listen so our wisest wisdom and our personal, well taught, “understood,” “practiced” orthodoxy is thoroughly challenged, and so men and women may be born again.
God’s Truth is The King is coming to usher in His everlasting kingdom, and the King is at work today by His Spirit to bring men and women into that kingdom.
Until the day of our King’s return, may your measure of intrigue be raised, may your interest in people, awareness of the way people enter Christ’s kingdom, produce an increasing awe and wonder over your own conversion and a burning passion to pray the Spirit would do what only He can in the hearts of we the lost.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
You are right, Jesus. I desperately need different eyes and ears and a new heart to live with you and for you today. Grant them to me, pray raise higher my intrigue of You. raise my awareness of You, my interest in my neighbors, far deep into Your heavens.
Psalm 119:1-23 New American Standard Bible 1995
Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God.
Aleph.
119 How blessed are those whose way is [a]blameless, Who walk in the law of the Lord. 2 How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. 3 They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways. 4 You have [b]ordained Your precepts, [c]That we should keep them diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be established To keep Your statutes! 6 Then I shall not be ashamed When I look [d]upon all Your commandments. 7 I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments. 8 I shall keep Your statutes; Do not forsake me utterly!
Beth.
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. 10 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. 11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. 12 Blessed are You, O Lord; Teach me Your statutes. 13 With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth. 14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, [e]As much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on Your precepts And [f]regard Your ways. 16 I shall [g]delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.
Gimel.
17 Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. 18 Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. 19 I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. 20 My soul is crushed [h]with longing After Your ordinances at all times. 21 You rebuke the arrogant, [i]the cursed, Who wander from Your commandments. 22 Take away reproach and contempt from me, For I observe Your testimonies. 23 Even though princes sit and talk against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
Daleth.
25 My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word. 26 I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; Teach me Your statutes. 27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will meditate on Your wonders. 28 My soul [k]weeps because of grief; Strengthen me according to Your word. 29 Remove the false way from me, And graciously grant me Your law. 30 I have chosen the faithful way; I have [l]placed Your ordinances before me.
23 Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus [a]by the will of God,
To the [b]saints who are [c]at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before [d ] Him. In love 5 [e]He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the [f]kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In [g]Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He [h]lavished on [i]us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He [j]made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His [k]kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration [l]suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things [m]in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 [n]also we [o]have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in [p]Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In [q]Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also [r]believed, you were sealed in [s]Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is [t]given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Extravagant Grace
Ephesians 1:1-2 Amplified Bible
The Blessings of Redemption
1 Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), by the will of God [that is, by His purpose and choice],
To the [a]saints (God’s people) [b]who are at Ephesus and are faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Extravagance. Now, that’s something few of my friends accuse me of!
I am guilty of many things, but as miserly as I tend to be in these cash strapped days, wasting money or spending lavishly is not among them. That’s too bad, because I’ll never be fully like Jesus until extravagance is a part of my behavior.
Extravagance can be a good great and wonderful thing.
In opening his letter to the Ephesians, Paul immediately writes of his own acknowledgement and recognition of God’s personal extravagant blessing;
1 Paul, an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative) of Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed), by the will of God [that is, by His purpose and choice],
Paul writes that God has blessed us with “every spiritual blessing.”
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before [d ] Him.
God’s grace is “freely given” to us.
“The riches of God’s grace” are “lavished on us.”
Look at the stories of Jesus.
Aren’t 180 gallons of “the absolute very finest of wines” saved for the very end of a seven day wedding and wedding reception extravagant? (See John 2:1-11.)
Jesus didn’t think so.
Feeding all the gathered thousands with a few loaves of bread and small fish, Aren’t twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish an extravagant miscalculation of what it takes to feed a crowd? (See Mark 6:30-44.)
Jesus didn’t think so.
Isn’t a miraculous catch of fish, where none had been the previous night, that breaks the nets and then begins to sink boats extravagant? (See Luke 5:4-11.)
Jesus didn’t think so.
We might casually think, “If God really knew what I am like, he wouldn’t be so extravagant toward me.” But God does know exactly what we are like. Paul notes that God lavished his grace on us “with all wisdom and understanding.”
As with the people who enjoyed wine and bread and fish with Jesus, there are only two reasons for God’s extravagance—our forever need, his forever grace.
12 While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the Lord gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron: 2 “From now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you. 3 Announce to the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each family must choose a lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice, one animal for each household. 4 If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat. 5 The animal you select must be a one-year-old male, either a sheep or a goat, with no defects.
6 “Take special care of this chosen animal until the evening of the fourteenth day of this first month. Then the whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight. 7 They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the animal. 8 That same night they must roast the meat over a fire and eat it along with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. 9 Do not eat any of the meat raw or boiled in water. The whole animal—including the head, legs, and internal organs—must be roasted over a fire. 10 Do not leave any of it until the next morning. Burn whatever is not eaten before morning.
11 “These are your instructions for eating this meal: Be fully dressed,[a] wear your sandals, and carry your walking stick in your hand. Eat the meal with urgency, for this is the Lord’s Passover. 12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the Lord! 13 But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.
The grace of God for His people knows no bounds and remains within no limits.
To know the truth of this, we need look to nowhere else than the cross of Christ, by which as the Apostle Paul writes “we have redemption through his blood.”
In the book of Exodus, God instituted the Passover, which painted a picture of freedom bought at a price.
He instructed the Israelites to sacrifice a family lamb and spread its blood across their doorposts to prevent a visit from the angel of death as he passed through Egypt. The residents of each of those faithful households avoided God’s judgment of the death of the firstborn son only because a lamb died in his place. (Exodus 12:3-13).
The Israelites were enslaved to Pharaoh.
Similarly, all of us enter this world as slaves in bondage to sin and to death.
The price of our forgiveness was the very blood of Christ, who accomplished redemption as the great Passover Lamb for all who might believe in Him.
It is the power of His blood alone that frees us from death, for life, eternally.
Christ did not come to earth to tell us how to live, to make ourselves Christians.
He did not come to tell us what we have to do to save ourselves.
He came to do what we could not—to save us.
He acted on our behalf, offering forgiveness that is free to us but costly to God.
2 Corinthians 5:11-21 New Living Translation
We Are God’s Ambassadors
11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 12 Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us,[a] so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. 13 If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us.[b] Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.[c]15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin,[d] so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
We dare not believe that God simply decided to overlook our sin; rather, Christ’s death on the cross absorbed the judgment that you and I deserve. God’s purist holiness requires sin’s penalty to be paid—and His Son provided that payment.
As he considers this, Paul is moved to exclaim, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” (Ephesians 1:3).
Considering God’s grace should always move us to praise.
But notice the phrase Paul uses in verses 7-8: “the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us.”
God’s grace is torrential. It is overwhelming. He has poured it out over each one of His children, holding nothing back. And He will continue to do so for eternity.
Imagine that you have just finished your first meal in a high-end restaurant and someone picks up your check, saying, “I’ve got you covered—I’ll pay.”
That’s precisely what God has said to you, me on the grandest scale imaginable.
That is exactly what God is saying to me, to you, to His badly fractured church.
He isn’t saying there is no payment to be made.
He’s saying He has already made the payment.
God’s grace is beyond all limits, extending further than the eye can see or the human heart and soul can possibly grasp.
So, although as you look back on the last day or week, or even the last minutes, you will know that you are 100% sinful, you can also know this: you cannot sin as much as God can forgive, and you can be confident that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).
Will you believe that the experience of God’s matchless grace in with you NOW?
Will we finally enter our dusty attics, open the long neglected “God in the Box?”
Will we enjoy the experience of grace upon grace upon grace for all of eternity?
Do we want to enjoy the experience of grace upon grace upon grace for eternity?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God of abounding extravagant grace, we thank you today that you do not give in moderation but that you pour your grace lavishly on us. Through Jesus Christ, Amen.
Psalm 23 New Living Translation
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley,[a] I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
2 When the day of Pentecost [a]had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire [b]distributing themselves, and [c]they [d] rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other [e]tongues, as the Spirit was giving them [f]utterance.
5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own [g] language. 7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, “[h]Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we each hear them in our own [i] language [j]to which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and [k]Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and [l]visitors from Rome, both Jews and [m]proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” 12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of [n] sweet wine.”
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
God’s Growing Kingdom 2024
On the day of Pentecost, God-fearing Jews from many nations were staying in Jerusalem.
They were gathering to celebrate the Feast of Weeks that God had established for his people Israel some 1,500 years earlier (Deuteronomy 16:9-12).
9 “You shall count seven weeks for yourself; you shall begin to count seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. 10 Then you shall [a] celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with a tribute of a freewill offering of your hand, which you shall give just as the Lord your God blesses you; 11 and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite who is in your [b]town, and the stranger and the [c]orphan and the widow who are in your midst, in the place where the Lord your God chooses to establish His name. 12 You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.
They all converged on the temple on Pentecost (fifty days after the Feast of Passover) to bring their offerings of the best firstfruits of their harvests.
That day people from many nations heard the good news of Jesus for the first time. And about 3,000 believed and were baptized (Acts 2:41).
Scholars estimate that the world population was about 300 million people at that time.
That is 1/27th of today’s population.
At the time of his birth, the earth’s entire population was just 300 million, smaller than the U.S. by itself today. The United States 2023 population is estimated at 339,996,563 people at mid year. the United States population is equivalent to 4.23% of the total world population. the U.S.A. ranks number 3 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
In biblical times it is estimated that about 45 million of those people, including Jesus himself, had lived in the Roman Empire, whose borders stretched in Jesus’ time from modern-day Portugal in the west to Turkey in the east.
From there, it took 1,800 years for the world’s population to grow to a billion.
Prior to the 1800s there were few formal immigration laws.
But with the world’s population at over 8 billion today, almost every country has decided to regulate immigration.
Christians are free to differ and disagree over the details of immigration laws.
However, as immigrants, migrants, refugees, and others cross borders today, many hear the gospel for the first time.
God’s people have the opportunity and responsibility to share the gospel with them. As the gospel is shared, many people continue to enter God’s kingdom each day! That of course is a good thing—regardless of views on immigration.
What Are those Radical Demands of Following Jesus?
Luke 14:25-35 The Message
Figure the Cost
25-27 One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.
28-30 “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’
31-32 “Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce?
33 “Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.
34-35 “Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it’s useless, good for nothing.
“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”
Without any doubt, there are a great number of the teachings of Jesus that are often easy to remember and even memorize, a bit more difficult perhaps to understand, discern, then extremely challenging to live out in our daily lives.
These lessons are frequently, but not always, described by Jesus through parables, as was his way of teaching. For example:
The parable of the talents. (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28)
The rich young ruler. (Matthew 19:16-23; Mark 10:17-27; Luke 18:18-30)
God or money – we each have to choose. (Matthew 5:38-42)
Forgive others, or God won’t forgive you. (Matthew 6:14-15)
Serve the poor and needy – or go to hell. (Matthew 25:41-46)
Blessed are the poor, the hungry, those who weep, and those who are hated. (Luke 6:20-23)
Woe to the rich, and those who are well fed, and those who laugh now, and when everyone speaks well of you. (Luke 6:23-26)
And we could go on. “Turn the other cheek.” “Love your enemies.”
In these and many—perhaps most—of Jesus’ parables, he taught about the life we are called to live—the real terms of discipleship.
He taught about what it would mean to truly follow him.
Perhaps, though, one of the most compelling is when Jesus taught that we must count the cost of becoming his disciples.
Luke 14:25-35 New International Version
The Cost of Being a Disciple
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
34 “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Wait…what? Hate father and mother, wife and children? Hate our own life?
If those are the terms of discipleship, then we would certainly each be smart to measure that cost, wouldn’t we? But…is that really what Jesus meant?
An Argument Against Cultural Christianity
During his ministry, Jesus had a great many crowds following him, very often thousands upon thousands.
Everyone had heard about the miracles, the healings, and free food!
But Jesus knew their hearts were not always with him. He knew they desired the benefits of what he did.
They wanted to reap the rewards.
They loved his gifts—but not him.
They loved the idea of Jesus without understanding who he truly was.
We see them even today.
Jesus is the one who is going to get us into paradise when we die, right?
He died on the cross to pay for our sins and to give us our forever home in heaven. Right? That’s all, folks! We have our mansion in the sky waiting for us!
Leave it to Jesus to mess up our comfortable lives. Jesus knows our hearts; clearly, a comfortable easy chair life here on earth was not his expectation.
How many today speak the words yet don’t live them out?
How many today can memorize the teachings but not apply them to their lives?
How many put on the show of performing deeds in and for church yet don’t know Christ in their hearts?
We see them even in church.
They have the verses memorized and repeat them as if they believe the words to be true. And maybe they do believe them – but the words don’t move from their heads to their hearts. But God will not be mocked, and Jesus will not be fooled:
Matthew 7:21-29 New International Version
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
The lesson certainly seems directed at those who do the work and go through the motions but have never given their hearts to Christ.
Or perhaps they made the claim, knowing the expectation, but had never actually lived out the words.
After all, if indeed they had prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles in his name, then Jesus would indeed have known them.
Either way, the lesson is that mere words or mere acts without faith—without heart—are not the discipleship Jesus is looking for.
James, the brother of Jesus, put it this way:
James 2:14-24 New International Version
Faith and Deeds
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[a]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[b] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.
In other words, if you claim to have faith but it has no impact on how you live your life, your faith is worthless.
If your life isn’t following the teachings of Christ, then you are still lost despite your words.
So many today say they believe.
They love the idea of eternal life, escaping hell, and being able to pray whenever they need anything.
But they are unwilling to give up their earthly desires and the life they now live.
They are more in love with their sinful habits than with Jesus.
1 John 2:15-17 New International Version
On Not Loving the World
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
The Cost of Discipleship
So what is it that Jesus expects of us…really?
Jesus often uses hyperbole to make his point.
Clearly, Jesus would not expect us to “gouge out our eye” or “cut off our hand” if they cause us to sin. (Matthew 5:29-32)
Neither are we to truly “hate” our father and mother, our wife and children, or our brothers and sisters.
We know this, as we are called to hate no one.
But Jesus is unmistakable in what he does expect: He wants everything from us.
He wants our full commitment, our entire hearts, entire souls, all our strengths.
Luke 9:21-25 New International Version
Jesus Predicts His Death
21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?
We often tend to understate the meaning of “bearing our cross.”
But when Jesus spoke those words, his listeners thought of the cross only as a means of execution.
We use it as a metaphor.
Jesus was asking them to put to death their prior lives and follow him.
To die to themselves, to life as they know it, to everything they hold near and dear – to follow him to the cross.
Jesus often spoke volumes with just a few words – this being one of those times.
When he calls us to “count the cost,” he does not want us to think we can go halfway naively or be surprised later with the expectations.
And there is no negotiating.
The gift of eternal life is free to anyone who asks and believes (John 3:16) – but it is not a free welfare program.
It requires a commitment on our part – a transfer of ownership of our lives, if you will, to him.
To follow him and follow his commands and teachings.
We can no longer simply follow our own selfish desires – we must give up our “me-first” attitudes and approach to life.
Jesus once described the kingdom of heaven in this way:
Matthew 13:44-51 New International Version
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
Yes! They Replied … Reality would later prove radically different in the Garden of Gethsemane and again in the courtyard and again at the Hill called Calvary.
In each parable, the man sold everything he had.
Each gave up everything to gain the valuable treasure he had found.
That is what Jesus asks of us – to give up all we have, all we are, to be called his disciple.
What Is the Reward?
The disciples of Jesus are either all in—or they are not in at all.
Jesus has laid down some pretty high costs, but with those costs come some incredible rewards.
Matthew 7:24-29 New International Version
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
When we simply give lip service to giving our lives to Christ, the words become like political talking points written on cardboard.
They have no strength, no foundation.
Like a house built on sand and cardboard, Christianity cannot stand against the storms of life.
But when we build the house—build our lives—on the rock of faith in Jesus Christ, we can withstand anything and everything that comes against us and will not fall.
We will not fall because our faith is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ.
By losing our lives, we save them. (Luke 9:24)
When we give up ourselves and give up our lives, we will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous. (Luke 14:14)
In other words, what we think we lose here is nothing compared to what we gain with Jesus in eternity.
Paul expressed it very well when he said:
Philippians 3:7-11 New International Version
7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
This Pentecost Day of 2024 and in the days, months ahead, May we each say,
“I consider everything I have lost garbage that I may gain Christ.”
In the name o God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 16 The Message
16 1-2 Keep me safe, O God, I’ve run for dear life to you. I say to God, “Be my Lord!” Without you, nothing makes sense.
3 And these God-chosen lives all around— what splendid friends they make!
4 Don’t just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I’ll never treat god-names like brand-names.
5-6 My choice is you, God, first and only. And now I find I’m your choice! You set me up with a house and yard. And then you made me your heir!
7-8 The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake is confirmed by my sleeping heart. Day and night I’ll stick with God; I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.
9-10 I’m happy from the inside out, and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed. You canceled my ticket to hell— that’s not my destination!
11 Now you’ve got my feet on the life path, all radiant from the shining of your face. Ever since you took my hand, I’m on the right way.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 