I am turning over the weekly text to the great orator, Linus Van Pelt to give us the "True Meaning of Christmas." It's not just for Charlie Brown, ya blockhead, it's a free gift given for all to receive!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!
Weekly Text 12/18/2024
Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV
[6] "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."
It's very easy as we look at our circumstances and the craziness of the world around us, to read verse 7's proclamation-"Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end"-and say, "God, I'm not seeing it."
This is the moment we need The Holy Spirit to remove the scales from our eyes so we can have a God's-Eye view of history and our present day.
Philippians 2:9-11 gives us a glimpse of this prophecy's fulfillment....
[9] "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
This Advent and Christmas Season, allow The Holy Spirit to clear and expand your vision to see the full reality of God's Promises unfolding in our midst today and all the tomorrows to come!
Be blessed and be a blessing!
Weekly Text 12/11/2024
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19
Early in His ministry, Jesus
returns to His hometown of Nazareth. While there, He went to the synagogue and
took his opportunity to read from the scroll of Isaiah. He went right to
the verses quoted above and had a mic drop moment. This caused quite a
reaction from the crowd to the point of taking him to the cliff's edge with the
intent of throwing Him over! Jesus survived the uproar and went on His
way.
The point of Jesus' reading and
testimony was to declare His Mission to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah
regarding the coming of the Messiah.
In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus,
"The Light of The World", informs us that, we too, are to be
"lights of the world." Then in John 14:12-14, he makes the
astonishing claim that in His Name and in the power of The Holy Spirit, we will
do far greater things than He!!
The takeaway? His Mission
is now Our Mission!
*Proclaim Good News to the
poor.
*Proclaim Liberty to the
captives.
*Give Sight to the blind.
*Bring Liberty to the oppressed.
*Bring the Favor of the Lord.
This is the message of the
Christmas Season and our daily mission!
Now, let's break out into a
round of "This Little Light of Mine!
May your Christmas Season be
blessed as you bless others with the Light of Christ!
Weekly Text 12/4/2024
The
presence of the Lord is always in our midst. This is a powerful reality that we cannot, and
should not, ignore. Take a stroll with me past a few of the scriptural
landmarks.
1In
the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth
was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the
deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2
And they
heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the
cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from
the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8
Then the
cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of
the Lord filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34
But the
Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him. Habakkuk 2:20
And the
Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace
and truth. John
1:14
1When the
day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2And
suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it
filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3And divided tongues as
of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4And they were
all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the
Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4
19 Or do
you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom
you have from God? You are not your own, 20for you were bought with a
price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Creation>Tabernacle/Temple>Incarnation>Pentecost>Our
Body. God is with us. He is above us, around us, and in us!
In writing
about the John 1:14 passage, J.D. Walt says this.... “Made his
dwelling” fails to capture it. The Greek word is skay-no-o (phonetic spelling).
It means, quite literally, “He pitched his tent and tabernacled among us.”
Jesus is the tabernacle of God—in human flesh, just like you and me. And do you
remember his calling to us? “Follow me.” (Wake Up Call, Nov 30,2024,
Seedbed.com)
Christ
with us. Christ in us. Follow Christ. Bear Christ to the world. That is our
worship and our mission.
This Advent
season, may we all renew our grip on the truth that God is among us and in
us-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In the wilderness of this world, He is
with us as we, like John the Baptist before us, proclaim "Behold!
The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29b)
O come, O
Bright and Morning Star, and bring us comfort from afar! Dispel the
shadows of the night and turn our darkness into light. (Advent Hymn: “O Come, O Come,
Emmanuel,” v.6)
Be Blessed
and Be a Blessing this Advent Season!
Weekly Text 11/20/2024
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. Proverbs 11:25
I am sure you have experienced the moment as have I. The moment, when in the midst of serving another, you are filled with the joy that flows from the privilege of serving. You are humbled by the experience of it. Maybe you even feel a twinge of guilt for the pleasure you are experiencing from serving the needs of others.
Yet, the joy and pleasure you receive from serving is exactly what God wants us to experience. It is that special moment when our human nature ascends to the heights of our divine nature. In other words, we are acting as we were intended to act.
Being created in the image of God means we bear His Divine Character within us. We were intended to express that character in our thoughts, words and deeds. One of the significant aspects of God's character is His generosity. He is generous in giving all things--Love, Grace, Mercy, Blessings, Wisdom, the list goes on and on. When we give to others that which God has given to us, we are blessed by the quickening of our divine nature.
Beyond the blessing of the moment is the fact that God will see to it that as we water, we will be watered also. The world calls it karma. In reality it is a spiritual truth that is always at work.
give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38
Jesus is teaching on the subject of forgiveness as He offers this spiritual principle. Forgiveness is another gift that our generous Father offers us. I believe the same principle applies whenever we are generous with any quality that flows from our divine nature that is being nurtured in us by faith and the outworking of the Holy Spirit within us.
Yet the "give to get" principle is not the primary motivation of our service. The Bible offers much insight into what happens when we distort the generosity principle for our selfish gain. In humility, we acknowledge that the blessing we receive from being a blessing is simply God's truth at work. We also acknowledge that the nature and timing of additional blessings is in the hands of a Sovereign God and is not dictated by our wish list. But, we can be assured of the blessing of encouragement that comes from the divine experience of serving!
Be Blessed as You Bless Others!
Weekly Text 11/13/2024
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity." Psalm 133:1
It happens too infrequently right now because the gang/political situation in Haiti makes it unsafe to take mission teams there. But, from 2017-2020, I had the pleasure of leading several mission teams per year to serve with Real Love Ministries International in one of the world's poorest countries. Despite the harsh realities and challenges of life in such a locale, the end of the week would bring with it a desire by many to extend their stay.
One of the reasons for this, I believe, was the unity the team found in serving together. It was something that was missing from other aspects of our lives. I would especially experience this on our Christmas Week "Mission Haiti" trips. This was an open trip that brought together people from different communities and churches who would meet in person, often for the first time, at the airport en route to Haiti. These teams would quickly come together, bound by their faith in Jesus and their mutual sense of purpose in serving. In quick time, a strong sense of unity was built into the team, and with our Haitian staff we were serving with and the Haitians we were serving. Then, when the last day came, many, though missing loved ones at home, would express a desire to stay a little longer. I know for me, it felt like we had just received a taste of what Heaven is like.
It makes me wonder why the unity that develops on a mission trip seems elusive in our everyday life and experiences? I think Philippians 2:3 offers a clue....
"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."
It's easier on a mission trip because the very purpose of going is fueled by a desire to "count others more significant than yourselves." But, back on the home-front,"selfish ambition or conceit" easily move front and center for us.
Could the antidote be to have a mission-trip mindset for everyday life?
Something to ponder as you worship the Lord today!
Weekly Text 9/29/2024
For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! Psalm 143:11
Last week, I shared with you how I have been challenged of late to allow God to clean out the "selfish, sinful garbage that is stinking up my heart." (based on Psalm 51:10). Continuing in this vain, this week I am specifically challenged to examine the meditations of my heart especially, when I am overwhelmed by life circumstances.
In his devotion New Morning Mercies (highly recommend this, btw), Paul David Tripp writes: "Biblical faith looks reality in the face and does not flinch." Instead, "...it examines reality, but it makes the Lord its meditation." Last Sunday, our church's pastor touched on taking your thoughts captive in obedience to Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).
King David's psalm written thousands of years ago, has given me the perfect prayer to set my heart on God. I share it with you now as our devotional today. I encourage you to make it your prayer as well. In my Bible, I highlighted verses 1,4,6,8,10, & 11.
Psalm 143
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled.
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
Selah
7 Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.
As you pray and worship God today, lift up a prayer for the people impacted by Hurricane Helene this past week. My heart is particularly focused on the people of Western NC where I have many friends and is like a 2nd home for my family. May the good people there make God their meditation in the midst of their trouble!
Have a great day in the Lord!
Weekly Text 9/22/2024
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10
You are familiar with the backstory of this Psalm and the leading characters of David and Bathsheba and later the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel11-12). You also are aware that the condition of our heart is of paramount importance to God (1 Samuel 16:7). And that relationship with God and bearing the image of Christ is the primary purpose of His Grace and not our minimum score on the righteousness scale. (Romans 8:15)
However, we often fall into the trap of measuring ourselves on the righteousness scale. There we either overestimate our score and underestimate the score needed thus, easily satisfied with our "right-standing" with God. Or we are anxious about our relationship with God, what He thinks of us, and what all that means for us.
Recently, I have been challenged again and again in my Scripture readings and devotional readings to not be content and easily satisfied in my relationship with God but, to desire Him more and more. To know Him, to know His ways and to be transformed because of that knowledge (Romans 12:2). I am also being shown how much more work needs to be done to create a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. King David knew, and you know, and I know, that the content of our heart is the ink that outlines the image of Christ that is being painted on the canvas of our life for all the world to see.
For me, there is still a lot of selfish, sinful garbage that is stinking up my heart. It shows itself in my hidden thoughts, the words that flow out of my mouth and my actions (and inactions) that I engage in. It is overwhelming to think about but, not the least bit overwhelming to God.
Something to be thankful for today.
Even more, we can be thankful that while He is cleaning up and sanctifying the very essence of who we are (His child, His Image-bearer), He continues to pour heaps of His gracious love upon us.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:5-6
Have a great day in the Lord!
Weekly Text 9/15/2024
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Exodus 3:11-12
Moses was drawn to investigate a simple yet amazing phenomenon, a burning bush that was not consumed. Out of this bush, He heard the voice of God. God was calling him to serve in a monumental way. Moses was being tasked to lead the Israelites out of slavery and into the Promised Land. You know the backstory that led to this pivotal moment.
Moses questions his fit for the role. It’s interesting to note, He doesn’t question the plan or the intent. Likely because it matched up with his own desire. You remember the anger over the treatment of the slaves that led to murder that led to him fleeing to this desert place. Many times Moses must have wished his people could be out there with him living in the freedom that he enjoyed.
But, surely it shouldn’t be him???
There probably were a lot of reasons bouncing around Moses’ brain at that moment as to why it shouldn't be him.
To us, God’s response is familiar….”I will certainly be with you.” But then God offers confirmation….the return to this very mountain with all the Israelites. Did you notice the confirmation comes after Moses’ participation not before??? Sure, he was witnessing an amazing spectacle which confirms that he is dealing with a powerful, amazing God. But, he had to step out and actually do “the thing” to confirm that he was the one to actually “do the thing!”
And it was no small thing that he was asked to do!
“If it can be done with a strategic plan and a gazillion dollars, it is not big enough for God.” –J.D. Walt
Jesus has asked us to do a monumental task. You know what it is….Matthew 28:18-20. In that task, he has given each of us assignments. In fact, multiple assignments.
Allow me to not belabor that point, and just give you my big takeaway from this passage:
Go Big (with God), Go Small (be humble), Go Home (Heaven). This is the sum of the Christian life (or at least 1 way to look at it).
Have a great day in the Lord and be both blessed and a blessing!
Earthly Good
And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Revelation 21:3-5
This past week, I attended a funeral to celebrate the life of a dear saint of our church. Marge was (is) a woman of deep faith, full of grace, kindness, and spunk. For all the years I pastored and now attend my church, she is one of my favs.
During the visitation time, I talked with another saint of the church. We spoke of many things including the heavenly homecoming of Marge which is something she herself will experience sooner than later. As we spoke, the tears moistened her eyes as they gazed 'beyond the veil" and a confident smile came across her face. She was given a glimpse of the eternal gift that Jesus sacrificed for her. It was a holy moment to share with her.
There's an old saying to not be "so heavenly-minded that you are no earthly good." I get the point of not longing for heaven so much that you ignore the purpose of your days here on earth. To be more about the Lord's work than sitting on the sidelines of life while you await your call home. Yet, I would contend that we must be heavenly minded to be of any earthly good.
We must live our lives with Heaven in our view. The beauty of Heaven in the presence of God and shared with all the believers gone before us will inspire, encourage, and properly motivate our daily living here on earth. Certainly not to gain our place there, because Jesus has sacrificially taken care of that on our behalf. Rather, to give focus, clarity, and purpose to our Kingdom life now. Eternity is now! Living for the Glory of God, loving Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and our neighbor (Mark 12:30-31) is now!
As you worship God this Sunday with your brothers and sisters in Christ, gaze forward to the glories of Heaven and draw strength and inspiration from all that awaits that you may be a compelling witness and Kingdom worker in the here and now!
Weekly Text 5/15/2024
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9
If you have served in Kingdom Ministry for more than a day, you have experienced weariness! It doesn't matter if you are volunteer or paid staff, pastor or nursery worker, missionary or greeter; serving in God's Kingdom is not for the faint of heart. Yet, left to our own devices, we will "grow weary." The reasons are many but, I'm not here to rehash that list. Let's stay focused on what Paul is focusing us on--the good that we are doing.
First, let's be clear, experiencing weariness is not a sin. If we invest ourselves in the calling that has been placed upon us, we will and should experience weariness. Paul is not admonishing us to avoid that. What He is admonishing us is not to stay weary. The key word I see in this verse is "grow". We all experience weariness but, we should not all ways BE weary. Elsewhere, Scripture reminds us that these moments and seasons, if surrendered to God, will strengthen our perseverance and advance our spiritual maturity so that, we can "keep on keeping on" in the good that we are called to do.
Quickly, let's look at the nuggets that Paul leaves for us all over chapter 6 to avoid growing in weariness. In parentheses are the verses to read.
- Bear and Share the burden (1-2). Confession, Forgiveness, Restoration, Transformation are at the heart of The Gospel message we are proclaiming. So let's live what we are proclaiming. While the focus here is on sinfulness and rightly so, I think Paul would agree that the notion of "Bear and Share" applies to the actual work of ministry as well. Be a team player.
- Be humble and avoid the comparison game (3-4).
- Stay in your lane. Avoid the temptation to go outside of your calling (5). As an aside, don't use your calling as an excuse not to step up when needed regardless of job description. Be a team player.
- Be generous (6). We serve a generous God who blesses our own generous spirit because it bears His image to the world.
- Be Kingdom-minded and not worldly-minded (7-8). This is not to neglect yourself or be neglected but, do keep the greater good as your focus.
- Remember, fruit takes a long time to grow (9).
- Let doing good be your calling card especially, among your own family and the church family (10).
- Avoid superficial faith and boast only in Christ because that is what all of us are called to do regardless of position (11-15)!
- If we don't GROW weary, peace and mercy will be upon us and extended to those we encounter (16).
- Finally, Jesus is The One who suffered under the greatest of burdens and it is He who dwells in us and it is His Holy Spirit that empowers us. We live in His Grace in the good times and the bad. In the easy times and the hard (17-18).
Blessings in your labor my friends!
Living In Contrast
Titus 2:11-12
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
Paul, through his letter to Titus, instructs us that Salvation in Jesus Christ is visible to all. Yet, we know that for as many of us who have taken hold of His Grace, there are countless numbers who have seen yet ignore, dabble in it, pursue other means or outright reject salvation. We also know that daily we face the choice of pursuing ungodliness and lusts vs. sober, righteous, godly living.
Sober- clear-minded, discerning and focused.
Righteous- abiding by the moral laws and principles of God.
Godly-applying Spiritual Truth and Wisdom to our life.
When these 3 words define our lives,
It increases our witness.
Gives opportunities to plant Seeds of Grace.
Brings hope and encouragement to those beaten down by sin and its consequences.
Allows the full experience of God's Blessings.
We also know that such a way of living is in stark contrast to the lifestyle of many around us. It can cause others to respond harshly, with much criticism and disgust. Yet, it is exactly the way God intends us to live. It is the transformational lifestyle for which Jesus died and it is exactly what the Holy Spirit empowers us to do. As I wrote 2 weeks ago, we are called to live the Message of Easter loudly. Sober, Righteous and Godly is as loud as it can get!
Are you ready to crank up the volume?
Easter Lived Loud
Psalms 98:1, 4 NKJV
[1] Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
[4] Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
Last Sunday, I hope you had a wonderful day of worship. Being Easter, your church was likely filled with extra people. Maybe some special music and other elements were added into your service flow, and the message of Salvation in Christ was proclaimed. We are uplifted by moments like these as we we are doing what we are created to do-- Worship Our Lord.
However, I am sure by Monday you were well aware that you are living in a world where many do not worship or even acknowledge the existence of God.
While discouraging to us, it is even more devastating to them. In Romans 1:18-32, Paul, in clear, stark terms, describes the evil that grows in the hearts of those who suppress the truth. Foolish and arrogant, they deceptively think themselves wise.
Yet, the evil heart is still a worshipping heart. Paul goes on to describe the immoral ways their heart worships. The end result is that they become the objects of God’s wrath.
As you worship today, surrender your hearts to be further sanctified, and your faith made strong that you may not be led along the the same paths of evil. Then pray for those you know who are ignorant of God, His Love, and His Grace. Pray for their repentance and transformation. Finally, be resolved to join together with other Christ followers to point the way back to God and rescue the lost and deceived. The message of Easter needs to be lived loud!
Weekly Text 3/31/2024
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
23For I received from the
Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when
he was betrayed took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it,
and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance
of me.” 25In the same way also he took the cup, after supper,
saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as
you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread
and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
So, what is accomplished in the Death of Jesus Christ? Let’s list some of the significant victories that were won at The Cross.
• First, let’s remind ourselves of this. It was more than Jesus who went to The Cross that Good Friday. And I am not talking just about the 2 thieves. You and I went to that cross. It was our sinful selves that died on The Cross that day. Galatians 2:2, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Paul is saying, “It was my sins that went to The Cross that day and that sinful self is crucified and now it is Christ who is alive in me. I am living now by faith in the One who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Because of what Jesus did, we have….
• Freedom. Romans 6: 6, We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
• A new way of living. 1 Peter 4:2, 'so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. '
• The love of God & a Conquering Spirit. Romans 8:37-39, 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• God’s Grace & Peace. Galatians 1:3-4, 3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
• A Living & Eternal Hope. 1 Peter 1:3-5 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Revelation 21: 1-5, 1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also, he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
• And until that day we have God’s Strength & Power. John 14:12, Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
The list goes on and on. But these are the significant things that we are to remember when we partake together of The Bread and The Cup. With humble gratitude, let us celebrate the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Weekly Text 3/21/2024
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
I read these verses on Monday. The night before I had returned from a wonderful few days in North Carolina with my friends and ministry partners at RLMI, Michael Sineus (Founder & Haiti Director) and Pastor Jonathan Reece, U.S. Director. It was the first time in 2 years that we had been together in person. It was good to be together to plan for the current and future ministry of RLMI in Haiti. We met against the backdrop of the recent tragic turn of events in Haiti.
Hard times are nothing new in Haiti. And the current situation has been brewing for several years with a significant increase in tension, violence, and hardship since the assasination of the President in July 2021. But, what has transpired in the past few weeks is pure evil being unleashed in the country at a level not seen in a long time. It has brought greater and much-needed attention to the plight of the common people of Haiti. The very people I have had the privilege to meet and to serve.
Opening my Bible and reading these verses on Monday morning immediately drew my thoughts towards Haiti. The people I know who are hungry, hurting and broken-hearted. Surrounded by darkness, seeking protection and relief yet, faithful to God. For many I know, God is all they have. He is their only hope. They have not wavered in their faith and their praise! Many of our brothers and sisters in Haiti would tell us today that...We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
Friends, please pray for the people of Haiti. Pray for your fellow Christ-followers. Pray for peace, stability, and security to come to the country. Pray for the provision of food, clean water, and shelter. Pray for godly leaders to step up and serve the greater good of the country by bringing freedom, prosperity and spiritual revival to the country. May Haiti be the "foolish" nation raised up to shame the "wise" nations of this world! Also, pray for Real Love Ministries International to continue to be one of many light-bearing, Gospel-sharing, life-giving ministries standing side by side with the Hatians in these dark days and to be ready when the brighter days come as they surely will. The Lord God Almighty will make it so!!
You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
Psalm 97:10-12
But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. Jude 1:20-21
When I read these words from Jude, I am drawn to the phrase "keep yourselves in the love of God". It describes the sweet spot where we want to be as followers of Jesus Christ. Why? Allow me to tick off some reasons (as a sidenote, I am going to avoid a lot of depth for the sake of space and challenge you to add the depth in your own ponderings).
*It brings honor and glory to God.
*Our faith it is more than transactional, it is a living, breathing, active, transforming (us and those around us), and HOLY (set apart) kind of faith. Saving faith is a continuing faith.
*The love of God is the conveyor of the mercy of God "that leads to eternal life" with God. That's our destination!
*It is also the conveyor of the blessings of God, the place where we witness and experience the power of God, and the place that was always intended to be our home. It is the home of the "beloved".
Now for the how? By building ourselves up. We are active participants in living in the sweet spot intended for us. God has given us the tools....Scripture, Worship, Prayer, Fellowship with Him and the larger Family of God and Service & Proclamation to others. As we engage in all of these, God uses these moments to strengthen and expand our faith. We work side by side with God building our faith in Him. That is why Jude reminds us to be "praying in the Holy Spirit". It is not merely self-effort rather self-surrender to the work of God through the Holy Spirit of God that transforms us into the "temple" of God!
Enjoy the sweet spot!
Weekly Text 2/7/2025
2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
Even though sin's corruption surrounds us in this world, we are being transformed so that we "may become partakers of the divine nature." Divine beings in a corrupt world.
It is the Triune God who acts upon us, but we are not just passive receptors. No, we are to act upon that which we receive by faith. Side note: remember A.W. Tozer's definition of faith -"a continuous gaze of the heart at a Triune God." (The Pursuit of God).
Peter goes on to give us the building blocks of faith for us to use in verses 5-7.
*supplement your faith with virtue
*virtue with knowledge
*knowledge with self-control *self-control with steadfastness *steadfastness with godliness *godliness with brotherly affection
*brotherly affection with love
Why? "For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (8)
And the reward for our diligence? "For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Divine beings in a corrupt world with a Divine Kingdom awaiting us!
Have a great week in the Lord!
Weekly Text 1/25/2024
Hebrews 11:1 NKJV
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Last week, I shared some insights from A.W. Tozer and his book, "The Pursuit of God" which I highly recommend to you. Allow me to offer more.
Prior to his discussion on the unity and effectiveness of a church that I shared previously, he observes that he finds no clear definition of faith in Scriptures except Hebrews 11:1. He describes the definition as "a statement of what faith is in operation, not what it is in essence." Tozer then paraphrases Thomas à Kempis, "I had rather exercise faith than know the definition thereof."
He then uses the account of the brass serpent in Numbers 21:4-9 and Jesus' teaching on it from John 3:14-15. From this, he concludes that "looking" in the OT is equivalent to "believing" in the NT. Thus, Tozer defines faith as "the gaze of a soul upon a saving God "
Tozer continues by speaking on Psalm 123:1-2, "Here the man seeking mercy looks straight at the God of mercy and never takes his eyes away from Him till the mercy is granted....From all this we learn that faith is not a once-done act, but a continuous gaze of the heart at the Truine God."
All of this begs the question of you and I this morning, "Where or upon whom is your gaze fixated?" The answer will give you insight into your faith and draw you closer to the God of Mercy.
Be blessed and be a blessing as you serve The Kingdom!
Weekly Text 1/19/2024
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25
This is a familiar passage that is often used as a spiritual cudgel to compel faithful church attendance. It certainly is valuable and vital for Christ-followers to be actively involved in worship, study and fellowship with other Christians. It does "stir up love and good works" yet, sometimes it stirs up the exact opposite. A reason many cite for not attending. So what is the determining factor that makes an assembly of Christians a place of stirring and exhorting so compelling that participation in it is irresistible? Could it be the spiritual pursuits outside the four walls of the church greatly enhances the quality of the collective spiritual pursuits within them?
Let me borrow a passage from A.W. Tozer in his book, "The Pursuit of God" (Chapter VII, "The Gaze of the Soul"), the Sunday School class I attend has been studying this book. I highly recommend reading it. According to Tozer, faith is the "continuous gaze of the heart at the Triune God." Now, here is the relevant passage that I found to be most powerful:
Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshippers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other then they could possibly be were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship. Social religion is perfected when private religion is purified. The body becomes stronger as its members become healthier. The whole Church of God gains when the members that compose it begin to seek a better and a higher life.
Unity that stirs up love and good works results from individuals gazing upon God first and not each other. It's the continuous gaze Monday-Saturday that enriches the "Sunday experience". It's something worth pursuing and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
May your day be blessed!
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