This week I have been in more of a learning mode than a teaching one and have been devouring devotionals.  That said, I am sharing a good teaching that really opened my eyes and spirit.  This hit home. –

Whatever Christ Commands He Gives

Article by Matt Bradner Regional Director, Campus Outreach

“Matt, would you grab the rest of the groceries from the trunk of the car?”

The familiar words fell on me with greater irritation than normal because I was immersed in my favorite childhood hobby, sorting through my collection of sports cards. What I initially interpreted as a demand (and interruption!), however, was actually an expression of my father’s love for me, because his request was an invitation in disguise.

After delaying for far too long, I finally dropped the cards and made my way to the trunk, expecting to find eggs, lettuce, and cereal. When I finally fulfilled my duty, I realized that I had been duped — in the best way possible. Sitting in the trunk was an unopened box of 1986 Fleer Basketball cards. This may not seem significant to you, but my adolescent brain instantly knew that I was moments away from adding a Michael Jordan rookie card to my collection. I grabbed the box of cards and ran inside the house to find my father eagerly waiting to join in my joy. I will never forget the sweetness of those moments with him.

As the years have passed, I have come to believe that Jesus would have appreciated my father’s approach. While Jesus extends many invitations through plain and explicit language, the Gospel narratives also include invitations that begin in disguise. The pathways Jesus chooses to give us more of himself often begin with Jesus asking something from us.

‘Give Me a Drink’

Jesus, wearied by his journey, sits down beside a well in Samaria. Moments later, a woman comes to draw water, and she hears these words from Jesus: “Give me a drink” (John 4:7).

At face value, this may appear to be a reasonable petition from a thirsty man. In reality, though, these words will open a bottomless fountain for a thirsty woman. His demand is an invitation in disguise.

“The pathways Jesus chooses to give us more of himself often begin with Jesus asking something from us.”

She is surprised that Jesus would ask her for a drink. Her cause for pause is undoubtedly focused on the cultural, ethnic, and religious barriers that Jesus crossed by engaging with a Samaritan woman. As real as those barriers were, Jesus points her to the true reason she should marvel: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water” (John 4:10).

Do you see the invitation in his request? What starts as an appeal to get something FROM her becomes an amazing offer to be something FOR her.  What Jesus demands from her, he desires to give to her, if she would just ask and receive.  It doesn’t take long before the woman asks Jesus to give her this living water. She then leaves to tell her village about Jesus, believing that she has met the promised Messiah. Strikingly, she leaves her water jar behind, suggesting that Jesus has given to her the very thing he asked from her.

‘You Feed Them’

After a day of Jesus teaching the crowds about the kingdom of God in a desolate place, his disciples ask him to send the people away to find lodging and food. Jesus looks at his disciples and says, “You give them something to eat.”  Luke 9:13

Not sensing the invitation in his words, the disciples immediately feel overwhelmed by his demand. So, knowing they could never afford to buy dinner for this many people, they gather up the little food they have (a few fish and some bread) and put it into Jesus’s hands. Placing what they had in his hands allows them to participate in something greater than they could have imagined. They are about to experience, loaf after loaf and fish after fish, the marvelous reality that what Jesus demands from them, he desires to be for them, if they would just ask and receive from him.

Jesus has the masses sit down in groups, and after giving thanks, he begins to give food to the disciples to serve the people. The food continues to multiply until all eat to their satisfaction, and twelve baskets are left, each full of food. What a scene this must have been. When Jesus said, “You give them something to eat,” they barely had enough food for themselves. Now, when everyone had eaten, each disciple was left holding his own basket, powerfully demonstrating that Jesus had done for them the very thing he asked from them.

He Will Be All He Asks

One cannot read the Scriptures without noticing the many demands that Jesus places on his followers. He gives commands like, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” Mathew 5:48

What are we to do under the weight of such demands? Do we engage in the futile attempt of trying to fulfill them on our own? Or do we recognize that these demands are invitations from Jesus in disguise? Jesus desires to be for us whatever he demands from us, if we will ask and receive.

We are meant to hear demands like (Matthew 5:48) and place them back in Jesus’s hands, confessing, “I can’t meet your demands without you,” and asking, “Will you be for me what you have asked from me?” This exercise of faith is not only the foundation and hope of our standing before God, but also the grace we need for every circumstance we face along the path to glory.

“What life demands from me, Jesus desires to be for me, if I will just ask and receive.”

The Christian life is full of demands. I face demands to be a sacrificial spouse, a present father to five children, a loving neighbor, and a faithful employee. I have a choice every morning: I can rush into the day attempting to meet the demands of Christ on my own, or I can call to mind that his invitations often begin in disguise. What life demands from me, Jesus desires to be for me, if I will ask and receive.

So, like the disciples with their few fish and bread, I start each day acknowledging that I don’t have what it takes to meet all the demands, but I believe that Jesus can be for me everything the world needs from me. This is the heart of what it means to live empowered by the Spirit of God. As Paul tells us, “We have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12). The Holy Spirit is ready to remind us of all that Jesus desires to be for us. Your daily needs are, in reality, divine invitations to experience more of Him.

What is Jesus asking FROM you that He wants to GIVE you?

I have not found an article as detailed and precise on the subject of Gossip like this one.  I thank the Lord that we do not have this problem in our Church.  It is good to define and know exactly what gossip is though, for future consideration and to keep ourselves in His Grace. I love you ALL! K.C.

What Is Gossip?  Exposing a Common and Dangerous Sin

You don’t want to be a gossip. There is no upside to being one. Gossips hurt neighbors, divide friends, and damage reputations and relationships. The Bible labels gossips as untrustworthy and meddlesome (Proverbs 11:13; 20:19; 26:20; 1 Timothy 5:13) — and even as worthy of death (Romans 1:29, 32). At your best in Christ, you don’t want to be one.

All too often, however, you and I do want to gossip. Gossiping can be fun and addictive and provide a short burst of guilty pleasure. The book of Proverbs likens the words of a gossip to “delicious morsels,” a tasty treat that promises delight to those who indulge (Proverbs 18:8; 26:22). We get bored and want to entertain ourselves by snacking on the shameful stories of other people’s lives. Or we get proud that we know something that someone else doesn’t and want to show off our inside scoop. Or we get mad and crave the satisfaction of character assassination from afar, sniping at our enemies when they don’t even know they’re in danger. Gossip can be hard to resist.

But gossip isn’t just hard to resist; it’s hard to define. We don’t always know when we’re being a gossip. It slips into our conversations, and its definition slips by us. So, what exactly makes gossip gossip? We need some handholds.

What Is Gossip?

The Scriptures do not provide a definition of gossip in one location. Instead, they describe gossip in action and intimately tie it to the character of the people participating in this tantalizing sin. The Bible often uses the word gossip to describe a kind of person more than just a pattern of communication.

My way of summarizing the Bible’s teaching on this topic is to say that the sin of gossip is bearing bad news behind someone’s back out of a bad heart. This functional definition considers the action itself, the content of the corrupt communication, the situation in which it occurs, and perhaps most importantly, the motivations of the people involved.

Bearing Bad News

Gossip is the opposite of the gospel. In the mouth and the ear of a gossip is a morsel of bad news, not the good news. This bad news — a story of someone else’s sin or shame — can be bad in at least two ways.

Bad information. The story may be false, and if you know that beforehand, then spreading it is not just gossip but slander (Leviticus 19:16; Psalm 15:3; Proverbs 19:5). Or you might only think the story is true (perhaps without good reason), but it turns out to be wrong — hearsay, a rumor, a half-truth (Proverbs 18:13, 17).

“The sin of gossip is bearing bad news behind someone’s back out of a bad heart.”

Bad news about someone. You might have been taught that “if it’s true, it’s not gossip.” But needlessly sharing shameful truth about someone else can be gossip. One biblical phrase for this kind of speech is “a bad report,” such as what Joseph brought against his brothers (Genesis 37:2). Just because someone actually did something wrong does not mean that we need to, or get to, talk about it with others.

Other times, we might spread a wicked story of what might soon happen to someone else. One time when King David was sick, his enemies acted concerned when they visited him but then secretly celebrated his projected downfall and spread the story that he was about to die (Psalm 41:5–8). That was gossip too.

So, in the back of your mind, when any conversation begins to steer toward the topic of other people, you can ask yourself, “Is this story true? How do I know?” “Is this story mine to tell? Is it his to tell me?” “Is this story bad news?”

Behind Someone’s Back

A gossip bears this bad news behind his victim’s back. By definition, gossip occurs only when the subject of the story is not present. It is much easier and more interesting to discuss others when they are not around.

Gossip is clandestine, hidden, furtive, stealthy, sly (Proverbs 25:23; Psalm 101:4–5). The English Standard Version often names a gossip as “a whisperer,” which emphasizes the secretive nature of this sin (Proverbs 16:28; 18:8; 26:20, 22). Sometimes, you can catch yourself gossiping when you suddenly lower your voice, look around to see who might be listening, and step closer to your friend before speaking.

We might ask ourselves in such moments, “Would I be telling this story if he were here? Why or why not?” Am I hiding this conversation from anyone? Am I ashamed of it?” “Would I want someone else to talk this way about me if I were not in this room?”

Certainly there are times when we can, and even must, speak about people who are not present. You are not being a gossip when you call the police about a crime you witness, when you earnestly seek counsel on how to relate to someone in your life, or when you carefully warn someone else about a dangerous person (2 Timothy 4:14–15; Romans 16:17; Philippians 3:2). The presence of gossip depends in large measure on how you talk about people who are not present and why you talk about them. Which brings us to the heart of gossip.

Out of a Bad Heart

Gossip arises when something has gone wrong with us at the worshiping core of our beings.

The Lord Jesus taught us that all of the words we speak, good and bad, flow up and out from the abundance of good or evil stored in our hearts (Matthew 12:33–37). The same is true for why we want to listen to gossip. Like calls to like. We are attracted to evil because of evil already inside of us (Proverbs 17:4, Matthew 15:18–19).

Therefore, the most important queries to have running in the back of your mind when you’re talking about anybody who isn’t present are the key questions of motivation and intent: “Why am I saying this?” “Are these words loving toward the person I’m talking to?” “Are these words loving toward the person we’re talking about?”

Our heart motivations are not always obvious and, on this side of glory, will always be mixed (Proverbs 20:5). You might not be able to discern your own motives in the heat of the moment. Sometimes you will need to prayerfully go back over them, or even ask a wise friend to help you conduct a post-game analysis of a previous conversation.

“We will give an account for every careless word we have spoken, not just for the malicious ones.”

Some bad motivations are more wicked than others. Backstabbing gossip bent on revenge is birthed in malice and threatens to sink whole fellowships (2 Corinthians 12:19–13:2; 3 John 9–10). That kind of gossip is worse than being a busybody who is too interested in other peoples’ business (2 Thessalonians 3:11; 1 Peter 4:15). Yet Jesus said that we will give an account for every careless word we have spoken (Matthew 12:36), not just for the malicious ones.

Thankfully, our motivations also can be good and loving. Not all conversation about others, even about their sins, comes from a bad heart. It is possible for us to talk truthfully about other people’s bad news with a desire for their good and a hope for justice to be done. Jesus did so without ever slipping into gossip, and he will enable us to do it too. Christ also empowers us to speak edifying words that give grace to listeners and to redirect conversations that turn toward gossip (Ephesians 4:29–5:17). We can bear good news, be up-front with others, and speak and listen out of a changed heart that loves God and loves people who are made in his image.

Better News

The good news is that you don’t have to be a gossip. Not only can you be forgiven for having indulged in your past, but by faith, you also can be found in Christ, standing in his gossip-free righteousness (Philippians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus himself bore all of our gossip “in his body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). He died the death our gossip deserved.

And what’s more, the feast of his gospel provides us with greater and more precious promises than anything the poisonous fare of gossip has to offer (2 Peter 1:3–4). The gospel furnishes all of the resources you need to regularly resist gossip in real time (1 Corinthians 10:13).

With every temptation to gossip, God provides a way of escape through the promises of the gospel. The temptations may not go away easily — the delectable morsel on offer may continue to make your mouth water — but as you trust in God’s grace, you do not have to give in.

Matt Mitchell is the author of Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue. He has served as the pastor of Lanse Evangelical Free Church in central Pennsylvania since 1998.

“put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-23

It has been so dry here in Florida that any plant we desire needs to be watered. Though we DON’T water our lawn! Therefore, I was shocked when a neighbor crossed the road to ask, “what do you put on your lawn to keep it so green?” I didn’t have any answer that could help him because, the truth of the matter is, all I’ve REALLY got…is WEEDS!

When I couldn’t give him an answer, Paul then asked me what KIND of grass I had…Bahia? Augustine? All I could tell him is that I USED to have Augustine, but it had died off years ago. I presumed that what we were looking at was it’s green and thriving murderer! He said I was more lucky than HIM. MY weeds had grown uniformly and taken over the entire yard. I realized, being complimented for something I didn’t even know I had made me feel appreciative…sorta!

It IS true that weeds just seem to grow greener and more prolific than grass. There are lawn service businesses that will come and spray chemicals to remove the weeds. When I called one, the guy shook his head and said, “no can do! If I spray your yard, you’ll have no yard. It’s ALL weeds!” So we decided to just let the weeds be!

I looked up the definition for weeds and grass, and discovered that, “taxonomically, the term weed has no botanical significance.” Yeah?? Well they sure SEEM significant to ME! The best description I found stated that ‘a weed is a plant that is considered undesirable in a particular situation.’ Kind of like what the Bible calls ‘deceitful desires.’

If God could have been advised on His plan, I am SURE humans would have asked to have those sinful desires REMOVED when they got saved. Leaving such a dangerous and unpredictable creeper like ‘the flesh’ to continue on beside ‘The Spirit’ seems so much a waste of space. But God didn’t ASK for advice. Apparently battling weeds is just a necessary part of the process of a Godly life. So suggests today’s verse!

‘Put off’ and ‘put on’ are not suggestive terms, but come as commands. They presume that a ‘corrupted self’ should WANT to be rid of ‘deceitful desires.’ But alas, I have to admit that I have grown partial to some of my weeds. To which the Master of my Heart rings my doorbell and reminds me, “Um…that lawn is no longer yours…it’s MINE! Let’s get to work! And He carries more weight than my neighbor!

What are YOUR weeds?

“It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when He comes. Truly I tell you, He will dress Himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.” Luke 12:37

It had been a busy and hectic week! And for Katie, Saturday was not going to slow down. As she headed out for an all day event, I began to think about what we might do for dinner. It had been a while since we had stayed at home and eaten a pile of ‘peel and eat’ shrimp. So when she got home, I floated the idea past her and she liked it. When I told her I WASN’T getting the Old Bay seasoning on it because ‘I’ didn’t really like it, she quietly said, ‘oh…ok!’ Immediately, my mental Husband meter screamed out an alarm!

When we first met I took her out for dinner and persuaded her to try Oysters on the Half Shell. That means ‘RAW! She feigned pleasing discovery for a while, but after we were married, finally admitted she really didn’t care for them. Having, for YEARS, eaten Old Bay flavor cooked shrimp because SHE likes it…I finally admitted that I didn’t. Then THIS Bible verse hit me in my conviction bone.

What to DO?? I CERTAINLY didn’t want to be selfish and NOT get my wife what she likes. But it was not ‘in me’ that night to pretend to like something I really didn’t. It was then that a crazy idea hit me…so simple, and yet so profound! Why not please BOTH of us? Since shrimp was on sale, I ordered 2 pounds of the stuff…with 1 pound cooked in Old Bay seasoning! She was happy…and so was I!

The scene of the Bible verse today is The Return of Christ for His Bride at the end of the age. HE IS RULER AND KING! The One to be worshiped and adored. And yet it says that HE will ‘dress Himself to SERVE!’ And the one He SERVES will be His Bride! THAT’S YOU AND ME…The Church! It only stands to reason that in His position, and being All powerful, He can and ‘WILL DO WHAT HE PLEASES,’ (Psalm 115:3). It is OBVIOUS to ME that serving His Bride PLEASES HIM!

I know it SOOO well! And yet my fleshy ‘man brain’ seems SO quick to forget, far too often. Pleasing my wife…pleases ME! It is a sense that cannot be described or recreated in human arenas. But it IS a FACT! When my wife is honored and pleased with me, I feel like I have hit my destiny! And NO explanation is needed!

Jesus WILL SERVE ME! It is a thought that is so embarrassing that I can hardly wrap my heart around it. I want to scream, “NO NO Lord!!! It is I who should be serving YOU!” It is ALSO a thought that could EASILY be construed as prideful humility! But then I heard Him respond in His silent, but still small voice, “If you WANT to serve me, then serve me by loving YOUR Wife!” Now how can I pass up an opportunity like THAT? ‘Old Bay Honey?’

Who is Jesus calling YOU to serve? If you’ve a significant other…you already know!

I saw this today and wanted to share.  The FACTS are on God’s side.  Are YOU?

JOHN STONESTREET WITH SHANE MORRIS

Three Scientific Discoveries that Call for a God Hypothesis   In the book River Out of Eden, Oxford biologist and atheist superstar Richard Dawkins famously wrote: “The universe that we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but pitiless indifference.”

Dawkins and other “new atheists” have long insisted that science has excluded the possibility of a creator or has, at least, rendered it unnecessary. Turns out this belief may be scientifically out of date. According to a new book, the biggest discoveries of the last century challenge a materialistic worldview and call science back to its theistic roots. Cambridge-educated philosopher of science Stephen Meyer wrote two books, Signature in the Cell and Darwin’s Doubt, that both argue against materialist accounts of biology. His latest book, The Return of the God Hypothesis, makes an even more ambitious claim. Three key twentieth century discoveries, argues Meyer, challenge materialist assumptions and point, not just to an intelligent designer, but to a transcendent God. He recently joined my colleague Shane Morris on the Upstream podcast to talk about the book. Not only were most of the founders of modern science devout Christians, the scientific method itself emerged from assumptions found only in a Christian worldview, such as the intelligibility of nature and the need to constantly test our fallen intuitions against the facts. Tracing science from its theistic beginnings, Meyer shows how it gradually lost its way and became tethered to materialism. Famed scientists like Laplace, Hume, and Darwin came to believe that the “God hypothesis” was no longer necessary to explain the natural world, that the universe required no cause beyond itself. Given the opportunity and enough time, living things could arise and evolve on their own. Since the conditions for life were simple and the universe had existed from eternity, here we are.

These assumptions went largely unchallenged until the twentieth century. However, breakthroughs in astronomy, physics, and biology began to undermine materialism.  For example, telescopes began to challenge the proponents (Einstein being one) of a steady-state universe. More and more evidence mounted that the universe was, in fact, not eternal, as many scientists had long assumed. If instead the universe came into being at some point in time, it must have had a cause outside of itself, To be clear, there must be a cause outside of space, time, matter, and energy. Another discovery was how finely tuned the universe is. The very laws that govern the cosmos, such as gravity, electromagnetism, nuclear forces, and the cosmological constant, are precisely calibrated in such a way that makes life possible. There’s not a compelling way to explain this “Goldilocks universe,” one “just right” that could have been otherwise, within a naturalistic worldview. As English astronomer and former atheist Fred Hoyle put it, “A common sense interpretation of the facts suggests that a super-intellect has monkeyed with physics…” And then, there’s the discovery Meyer has already devoted two other books to exploring: Materialists long thought that Darwin’s theory was a silver bullet against design arguments. Darwin, however, knew nothing about DNA, the inner structure of the cell, or the crucial role information plays in the existence and propagation of life. The more we learn about them, the more outdated this “God is no longer necessary” hypothesis seems to be. Simply put, Dawkins got it wrong. The universe we live in has properties one would expect if it were, in fact, designed by a God who had us in mind when He made the place. As Myer’s book shows, this assumption was an original conviction of many who launched and drove the scientific revolution. It’s the conviction of a growing number of scientists today who are willing to challenge the powers that be and admit the design they see in the heavens, the laws of nature, and under the microscope. As Meyer puts it, “The evidence is crying out for a God hypothesis.”

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” Hebrews 3:8

I guess that my age had something to do with it…but when I went for my yearly physical, the technician said that he needed to get an EKG. He then pulled out a razor and started shaving spots out of my chest hair for the contacts to adhere to my skin. Later, when I got home, I looked in the mirror and didn’t really approve of the leopard look. So I started THINKING…and THEN…took matters into my own hands!

I’ve seen pictures of body builders and younger tough guys. One thing they seem to have in common is a developed chest and 6 pack abs…and NO Chest Hair! Having worked out at the gym for about 7 months, I realized I wasn’t going to be getting ‘The Look’ anytime soon! But I COULD, AND had REASON to, get the hairless thing going! And RIGHT NOW! So I grabbed my razor.

OK. I went a little crazy. As the hair flew to reveal my un-chiseled white body, I felt more like a 7 year old than an Olympic champion! When Katie got home, I puffed out my naked chest to welcome her! She laughed and said, “What have you DONE?” Receiving verification of a dumb deed humbles a man!

We were going along nicely. At least according to the Bible. Our Country seemed to be recovering nicely from the stupidity of heathens who did not regard God and His Word as Primary. Looking at our local and global conditions today has had the same effect on me as those little, hairless spots in the mirror. I’m sick and I’m tired. With the same mentality in grabbing the razor, I want to quickly, and simply, rid myself of this imperfect spotted beast!

Spending time in devotion this morning, I was ashamed that emails of new stories about antisemitism on the rise and an anti-God agenda had grabbed more of my attention than Jesus did. I had unintentionally been sucked in and fell for it. But as I said, I am sick and tired. But I’m MOSTLY sick and tired of being made to feel weak and hairless. What I NEED…is some CHEST!

Everyone knows the slogan that says “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” I have championed a lot of things and been involved enough to make LOTS of folks to not personally like me. After this last election, I felt like I should let someone else step up and step out in Holy battle. But after seeing myself in the mirror beside God’s Heroes of Faith, I don’t like what I see! And… I’m starting to HEAR things!

NO one likes to go right back into the ring immediately. ESPECIALLY after a Whoopin! It takes time to heal the body, mind and spirit. And while I’m far from the ‘lock-n-load’ stage, I AM thinking of looking for my sword sharpener to see if it still works. Because if what I am hearing IS coming from my Master…it ain’t the chest that matters as much as what’s BEHIND it!

What are YOU hearing?

“clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:12-13

For almost a year now our Church has been involved in an outreach ministry. Every Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9-10am, we stand on the busy corner of U.S. 41 and Laurel Rd. holding, what we call, Gospel Signs. Since Gospel means ‘Good News,’ AND since the world really needs it right now, we get lots of encouraging ‘honks!’ But yesterday, one particular HOOOOOOONK was not for us!

Travelers heading south can make a ‘U-Turn’ on U.S. 41. West bound traffic, though typically permitted to turn right on a red light, are cautioned with a sign saying ‘YIELD TO U-TURN TRAFFIC.’ And like today’s Bible Verse, MOST of us RARELY pay attention to the directive. Yesterday during our Good News ministry, someone who was wrong…HONKED at someone who was right!

I’ve seen it MANY times. The ‘Red Light Turner’ lets the ‘U-Turner’ know that they are imbeciles, morons or jerks by honking their horn at them! When in reality… the HONKER is the one who is legally in the wrong! Immediately I could ALMOST see Jesus flash a windshield sized message at the honker saying “YOU-TURN!” But then I realized “I” was wrong. Jesus doesn’t work that way!

Loving Jesus Christ as much as I do, I sometimes think that what I say, or the advice I give, actually COMES from Him! Often…it doesn’t! When my anger is border-line out of control, I often find myself standing BY myself all alone WITH myself. Screaming at the canyon only echoes noise…not help. When I realize I am honking alone, it humbles me to realize Jesus NEVER RUNS INTO my life with a sign pointing out that I am an imbecile, moron or jerk! Why??? Because I am HIS!

Because ‘I am HIS’ provides me with a TRUE vision of myself, Jesus Christ doesn’t approve of bashing fellow travelers on this road of life. EVEN when that traveler…is ME! I am called to look at myself as Christ sees me. And according to HIM… I AM MAGNIFICENT! Even when I’m honking! I am a child of the Holy, Mighty King! That He expects me to ACT like it is a given!

I pray the next time that honking person comes by, they will take the time and actually READ one of OUR signs, along with the U-Turn one. If we were all truly following the Master with the Holy Spirit as our guide and Jesus in our hearts, we’d all be sitting at the corning waiting on the other guy to GO! Which…come to think of it…isn’t THAT bad of idea!

Are ‘YOU Turn’ing toward Him?

“In Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.” Ephesians 2:22

Coming from the East I had an appointment on the Island of Venice. As I approached the first of only 3 roads to get there, I noted the traffic was backed up for half a mile. It was lunchtime and the bridge was up. Over the years I’ve come to believe that some rich slobs just enjoy yachting AND probably relish the fact that the whole Island has to wait just for them! So I took a detour.

Heading south on 41 bypass, I figured it would be quicker to go all the way down and come UP from the lower bridge. I hadn’t traveled a mile when I saw that road construction had shut everything down to a crawling 1 lane! Naturally I knew what I’d find. 1 crew of about a dozen men leaning on shovels…watching 1 guy run a machine! Disgusted, I shook my head, and suddenly felt God’s smack!

I was frustrated! So much so that I even blurted out loud in my truck, “HEY Look… I am busy! I’ve got places to go, people to see and ya’ll are IN MY WAY!” Then I felt the familiar smack AGAIN! As an experienced fool, there have been times I’ve had to get MUCHO smacked before Jesus had my attention. When I finally got it, I got it! It came in the form of this morning’s Bible verse.

I’m glad I’m not God. Among all the chaos and evil of the world, Jesus came down, slapped up a huge “Under Construction” sign in the form of a cross, and started interrupting everyone’s lives. Most don’t understand or CARE to understand WHY! Inconvenience pushes many toward the opinion of, ”How dare He! Doesn’t He know we have places to go and things to do!”

It was a genuine shock when I grasped this verse. ‘I’ am “being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit!” HUH???? Read it again only put YOUR self in there! Among ALL the turmoil, sin, despair, evil and chaos…God created a Construction site! And His purpose is FOR ME!!!!!! All so that HE can LIVE WITH ME! Oh.. and YOU TOO, of course! Are you shocked!!!!

It’s about now that the implications have actually HIT ME! There IS a rich slob on a yachting journey, holding everything up. And that SLOB is ME!!! Oh.. and YOU TOO, of course! That is if you belong to Him. He is using EVERYTHING in life to Build His home IN ME. And when I finally understand what all the FUSS is about, I am embarrassed at my whining. Because it really IS…all about ME! Oh.. and YOU TOO, of course!

Is God working on YOU?

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8

The pain in my eye started in the late afternoon on Friday. Saturday morning, I looked at myself in the mirror, a red eye staring back at me, and I had to finally admit I had a problem! Why do medical things seem to always happen on the weekend?? I called my Doctor, who is also my friend, and tried to describe my condition. “Send me a picture!” He said.

A stye is not something one hides. It was REDily apparent what was wrong when anyone saw me. And just by seeing, I started receiving free medical advice on how to get rid of the stye in my eye. I had already tried several remedies that hadn’t worked before I finally got smart and called my Doctor. He was kind and gracious to me, calling in a prescription for me on his day off. When I picked it up, I couldn’t believe what I saw!

The tube of stuff I picked up, when compared with chocolate syrup, wouldn’t even be enough to flavor my milk! Thinking he was joking, I could only chuckle at the pharmacist’s pronouncement of the cost! I knew he was serious when he didn’t laugh! He DID try to make me feel better by telling me the RETAIL cost of the stuff! NOT feeling like a prominent FBI Hostage negotiator, I shut my mouth and paid. After all, ‘I’ was the one with the stye!

A stye, I have learned, is a Staph infection. Katie did a study and told me that I’d probably picked my nose and then rubbed my eye! A thoroughly disgusting act that I could EASILY see myself doing. The ointment needs to be applied 5 times a day, is uncomfortable and makes my vision cloudy. But as the French say…”c’est la vie!” Such is life!

Sin is that disgusting stuff that gets in the way of my relationship with God and prevents me from seeing Him as He really is. Dr. Jesus has the remedy, which is FAR too expensive for me to pay. But out of His love for His Father AND for me, He paid it and gave it to me for FREE! But the way I see it, there’s more to the story.

God is a Gentleman. Which means He doesn’t FORCE me to ‘take my medicine’ like an angry parent might do. He KNOWS it’s for my own good, but then… so do ‘I!’ He sought, fought, bought and caught me to offer me the ONLY remedy for my stink eye! But He leaves the application up to ME!

It is shocking to me how many folks have home remedies for sin and death. I don’t have to have an opinion as to their effectiveness, because Jesus already stated, “My way is the ONLY way!” I don’t understand why so many folks refuse to take the time to actually seek, try and apply God’s medicine to their vision problem! Except that time and money are ALWAYS a part of the problem AND solution. But that’s another subject!

How do YOU see it?