Pass it On!

 

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All who call out to the Lord will be saved.
How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?

Romans 10:13-14

I was working on a sink on the morning of September 11, 2001 when my wife called and told me she had just heard about an airplane hitting one of the World Trade Towers in New York. I got to a television quickly and was able to see the second plane hit on live television. It didn't take long until the news had spread around the world.

When important things happen, news travels fast and it is not simply because we have radio, television and the internet. Even without the electronic media, if one man tells two people the news and those two people do the same, it only takes 30 levels of those repetitions for almost everyone on earth to hear! It surely did not take long before most of the people on earth heard of the 911 attacks.

So why does the Good News about Jesus travel so slowly around the earth? Why are so many people still ignorant about the story of Jesus Christ. If Jesus is who the Bible says He is and did what the Bible says He did then the news about Jesus is far more significant than a thousand 911's!

The Gospel travels slowly today because followers of Jesus are timid and shy and for whatever reason believe that they should not be bold in proclaiming the news about Jesus, who He is and what He did.

If you don't want to "offend" someone by telling them about Jesus, how offended do you think they will be when you stand next to them on the Day of Judgment and they ask you why you didn't tell them?

"Lord, forgive me for being so quiet about the news that everyone needs so desperately to hear. Help me to forget about how people will feel about me if I call them to repentance and faith. Give me an opportunity today to pass the news about Jesus on to someone else! Amen."

Let it Burn!

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I came to set fire to the earth, and I wish it were already on fire!  I am going to be put to a hard test. And I will have to suffer a lot of pain until it is over. Do you think that I came to bring peace to earth? No indeed! I came to make people choose sides.

Luke 12:49-51

When I need to burn a bunch of sticks or even make a fire to cook on in my yard I am required to call the fire department and let them know. That way if someone sees the smoke and reports a fire in my yard they will know not to respond. I suppose that is a good idea, but it is a lot of trouble. They also insist that I call them when the fire is out.

Everyone knows that if the land is parched from lack of rain that even one small spark can ignite a fire that will burn out of control over thousands of acres.

Jesus said He came to set fire to the earth. Jesus did not come to oversee a controlled burn. Jesus wants the fire that He sets to burn out of control all over the earth.

The problem I have is this: When Jesus lets one of the sparks of His fire fall into my heart and it begins to burn with His love I find some way to put out the fire! Later it flames up again and I do the same. Over and over again Jesus keeps fanning His spark in my heart and I find some way to quench the Spirit in my heart.

"Lord, I confess to You that I have continually put out the fire that you lit in my heart. Lord, give me the courage to let that fire ignite again and burn brightly, and then burn out of control. May no one but You be able to direct the fire of God in my heart! May the breeze of the Holy Spirit keep that fire alive and growing today! Amen."

Hiding Place!

You are my hiding place!
You protect me from trouble,
and you put songs in my heart
because you have saved me.

You said to me,
“I will point out the road
that you should follow.
I will be your teacher
and watch over you.

Don't be stupid
like horses and mules
that must be led with ropes
to make them obey.”

All kinds of troubles
will strike the wicked,
but your kindness shields those
who trust you, [Lord].

Psalm 32:7-10

If you live in an area where tornadoes are common wisdom would dictate that you find a place to hide from the storm when it comes. It is important that you know where to hide before the tornado comes, because when it does you may have only a few seconds to find a place of safety.

The storms in life itself are very often like a tornado. They may come without warning and in seconds destroy everything you hold dear. A tornado in your life can blow away everything and leave you with only the clothes on your back.

The bad news is that if you live on this earth you will experience storms that will literally shake your world. But the Good News is: Jesus is the place to hide in a storm! An old song says, "Safe in the arms of Jesus. Safe on His gentle breast!"

When you have a "safe room" you can run to it when the storm comes. But if you rest in the arms of Jesus you are already there when the turmoil explodes.

"Lord, I choose to leave my safe room in this world and rest in the safety of Your arms. While others are running from place to place trying to find where to go in the storms of this life I am resting in Your love! And Lord, how marvelous it is that in the rest and peace of Your arms there is room for everyone! Amen."

The Rope of Hope!

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God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed. We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us. This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. In fact, hope reaches behind the curtain and into the most holy place. Jesus has gone there ahead of us, and he is our high priest forever, just like Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6:18-20

The rope tied to the anchor of hope is wrapped around those who trust in Jesus Christ and call Him Lord!

The wind may blow and the waves crash against your life but hope is a "firm and steady anchor for your soul."

When two friends are separated on this earth the communications between them often include the words "I wish you were here." That's the way it is between a disciple of Christ and Jesus. We all wish He was here and He longs for us to be there! Truthfully, Jesus said "I am with you always" and so He is here today living in your heart! The Bible also says that we are "seated with Christ in heaven." So in a sense we are already there as well.

Human hope might simply be a vague desire that something may happen in the future. Heavenly hope is the solid assurance that what God has said is as good as done! To hope in Christ Jesus is like jumping off of a cliff and hoping you reach the bottom! When you hope in Jesus you can have no doubt that Jesus will fulfill every promise!

"Lord, help me today to cling on to the Hope I have in You. Wrap that rope around me so that no storm in this life can disturb the peace that goes beyond understanding. Amen."

Your Unknown God!

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So Paul stood up in front of the council and said:

People of Athens, I see that you are very religious. As I was going through your city and looking at the things you worship, I found an altar with the words, “To an Unknown God.” You worship this God, but you don't really know him. So I want to tell you about him.  This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands.  He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people.

From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be.

God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. “We are his children,” just as some of your poets have said.

Acts 17:22-28

Do you worship an unknown God? Is God someone you "know" or "know about?" There are many people who know about God, but there are few who know Him. The people of Athens were at least very honest in that they recognized that there was a God that they did not know. They even worshiped this unknown God.

Do you worship an unknown God? Do you know much about God even though you have not been alone with Him long enough to get to know Him?

When you read the Bible do you hear His voice? When you come to a crossroads in life, do you sense the Holy Spirit nudging you in the direction you should go? When you pray do you know that the Almighty, Creator, God is bending His ear in your direction? Do you see His footsteps in the sand all around you? Have you found the Bible verse that He wrote specifically with you and your needs in mind? Can you feel God's presence as much in the storm or in the desert as you do in the plentiful calm?

Let knowing God and bringing Him praise be the goal of your life and more specifically the goal of this day. Open your eyes and watch God work all around you and even through you. Notice how He responds to other people. Make sure your prayer time is a two way conversation and you let God do most of the talking!

"Lord, in so many ways You are an "Unknown God" to me! I ask You Lord today to lead me to know you more! May You be the Hand that moves me and the Friend who comforts. May You be the One that I live for and reason to die! Hold me close enough that I can feel Your heartbeat strong against my breast! Amen!"

Special Name for You!

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Jesus decided to ask some of his disciples to go up on a mountain with him, and they went. Then he chose twelve of them to be his apostles, so they could be with him. He also wanted to send them out to preach and to force out demons. Simon was one of the twelve, and Jesus named him Peter. There were also James and John, the two sons of Zebedee. Jesus called them Boanerges, which means “Thunderbolts.”  Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus were also apostles. The others were Simon, known as the Eager One,  and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus.

Mark 3:13-19

When my children were small I had nicknames for them all. If I were to tell you what the names were you would think me silly and my children would be embarrassed and upset at their father. A nickname is a term of endearment and is often used between a man and woman who are "in love."

Jesus had nicknames for at least some of His disciples. Peter's real name was Simon and Jesus called James and John "Sons of Thunder."

When you are quiet and alone with Jesus does He have a special name just for you? Is there a word that when you hear it you think of Jesus and it reminds you of being alone with Him?

Or has it been a long time since you were with the Lord in a secret place? Maybe you have never been alone with Jesus. The secret place is where you will hear His special name for you!

"Lord, teach me how to be alone with You and help me to listen to every Word You say with the sole desire of being obedient to it. And Lord, call me anything You like, but call me! Amen."

Murphy’s Law!

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Fig trees may no longer bloom,
or vineyards produce grapes;
olive trees may be fruitless,
and harvest time a failure;
sheep pens may be empty,
and cattle stalls vacant—

but I will still celebrate
because the [Lord] God
is my Savior.

The [Lord] gives me strength.
He makes my feet as sure
as those of a deer,
and he helps me stand
on the mountains.

Habakkuk 3:17-19

In western culture today it is called "Murphy's Law." There are a number of ways to state it, but the simplest is this: "If anything can go wrong, it will!"

Things break, plans do not succeed, other people disappoint and crops fail. It is all a part of living in this fallen world. If you are still looking for "Utopia" here on this earth, let us all know when you find it!

Truthfully, the perfect "thing" you are searching for is God Himself. The satisfaction and contentment that comes from knowing God draws you quickly away from all the problems in your life! Knowing God and having Him live in your heart is the ultimate success. That success is not something for which you must strive and dedicate yourself for years to achieve. Knowing God begins when you hear about and accept Jesus Christ as the Lord of your life! It is quite simple and yet amazingly profound. Hear the good news about Jesus and call out to Him. You die to this world, even as He did and are buried with Jesus. Then like Jesus, you rise to walk a new life!

Are your problems and the failures of this world still there when you come out of the grave? Yes they are, but they no longer have mastery over you. You have stepped into a destiny that is called "eternal life." None of the problems on this earth can go there with you!

Then comes the daily walk with Jesus. Every minute of every day is filled with the excitement of close fellowship with Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Father. You will begin to see and expect the power of God to address the issues in your life. He will be the answer to every problem.

Jesus will come back and bring everything to a grand conclusion here on this earth. But until He does, He is waiting for you to turn your heart to Him and embrace the life that will thrust you into Heaven where there will be no Murphy's Law and nothing will ever go wrong! Amen