Can You Hear Me Now?

Several years ago, there was an ad campaign with the catch-phrase, "Can you hear me now?" It is quite something how God created us to be able to hear the sounds around us. With my ears I can hear the sounds of the music coming through the speakers praising our Great God! With my ears I can hear the sounds of birds singing, squirrels squeaking and dogs barking. With my ears I can hear the sound of finely tuned engine revving its engine. With my ears I can hear the cry of a newborn baby, and wonder at the miracle of new birth. With my ears I can hear my children ask me questions and tell me what is in their hearts. With my ears I can hear the concern in my wife's voice as she tells me about a problem she's facing. With my ears I can hear the sermon from my favorite pastor encouraging me to keep going and fight the good fight.

Ears are pretty amazing things. God has created us to hear. But He's also created us to listen. And those two things are not the same. I can hear my wife speaking, and still not be listening to her. I can hear my kids trying to get my attention, but I don't always listen to them. And that's a problem.

Proverbs 10:19 tells us that "when words are many, transgression (or sin) is not lacking." This simply means that when we use too many words, there is no lack of sin. But when we stop talking and listen...really listen...then we stop a lot of our sins before they have a chance to sprout.

This Sunday we will be talking about the importance of listening. We will be talking about the importance of not speaking too much. And we will be talking about the importance of keeping a lid on our tempers. God wants us to live lives that are worthy of Him and that show great promise when it comes to holiness. And so, we see that when someone asks the question, "Can you hear me now?" what they may really be saying is, "Are you really listening to me?"

And if we are going to live the holy life that God wants us to, the answer had better be "yes!"

Please feel free to comment as we would love to hear your take on this. And we'll see you Sunday!

Celebration Week 4

Today is another celebration day!

Take time today to let God know how thankful you are that He has overcome the world, that He has made you a new creation through Jesus Christ, that with Him you can do anything, and that when you need Him most He'll be there. These are just a few of things that you can think about throughout your day!

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Temptations

Today I want to remind you that temptation is real. I love that I have so many kids because I get to watch kids shows and not feel guilty about it (insert laugh track here).

But one of my favorites is VeggieTales. If you've never seen it, first off, where have you been, and secondly, it's amazingly well written and funny. But what I love are the teachable things that are found in these shows that I am able to draw out and share with all of my kids (even my older ones).

Take, for example, Larryboy and the Bad Apple. Take a look at the clip below where Petunia Rhubarb is being "tempted" to forget about her job to play video games by the Bad Apple. When you're done, continue reading, because I want to make a point...

Here's what I want you to notice about this clip. Now I know it's a VeggieTales show, and not the Bible, but I love what they've done here. You will notice that the Bad Apple wants to come into their home/trailer. But she can't come in until she's invited. She didn't come in to get Petunia until Petunia told her to come in. And the web was disguised as something they desired, and when she "walked right on in", she was caught.

Now to the point I want to make. Temptation, while it comes from inside of us, is a tricky little thing. It says, "What's the problem? You deserve to be happy, to take a break, to compromise just a bit." But once it has you, you're caught. There isn't anywhere you can go to find freedom, except from Jesus. In this story, it took Larryboy and others to help those caught in their temptations to get away from them. And when that happened, temptation was no longer an issue.

So, as you look at your list of those things that tempt you to be discontented with the things that God has given you, how are you going to flee these things? It may take some drastic measures on your part, but whatever it is you have to do, do it. It will be well worth it!

Please feel free to leave a comment below. Or if you want to ask a question, feel free to do that, too! And we'll see you Sunday!

Gifts

If you were with us on Sunday, you were challenged to think about all of the things that "The Father of Heavenly Lights" has given to you. The verse we looked at was James 1:17, which says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Now if you've made your list of the gifts that God has given you, that's great. I'm glad you have. Keep going back to that list and remind yourself of the blessings of God in the midst of the trials you may be facing.

But today, by way of continued challenge, I want to point out another portion of this verse that we did not have time to discuss yesterday...and that is God's IMMUTABILITY. This $47 word simply means that God doesn't change. Who He was in Genesis 1:1 is who He is in Revelation 22:21 and who He continues to be today. The character of God is consistent throughout history. He doesn't change the way He feels on a whim, or on a dare. He is God...and He always will be.

Now the way God deals with His people is not constant. How He dealt with the Israelites is not how He deals with the Church. How he responded and used Paul will be different than the way He responded and used Peter. There is individuality in the midst of how God deals with people, but the character of God (who He is and His character) is completely unchanged for generation to generation.

Why is this so important? Because God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). This verse tells us that He's not like the "shifting shadows" that change with the direction of the light or the movement of the object that is casting the shadow. God is pure light and there is no darkness at all in Him (1 John 1:5). And so when it comes to the gifts that God gives, we can be assured that He will not change His mind about us. His love for us is just as strong today as the day we accepted His offer of salvation and eternal life.

So if you haven't made your list yet, get to it today. You'll be astounded and just how much His love shows in those things He has given to you!

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Ascent Week 4

As we ascend to Sunday this week, read this Psalm and remember that God's plans for you are good and right and pure!

Psalm 123

I lift my eyes to you,
   O God, enthroned in heaven.
We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy,
   just as servants keep their eyes on their master,
   as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.
Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy,
   for we have had our fill of contempt.
We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud
   and the contempt of the arrogant.

We'll see you Sunday!

The New Person

Today I want to talk to you about the New person that Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 5:17. In this verse, Paul tells us that "if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."

Paul tells us that those who have Christ in their lives become new people. The old person that was is gone and a new person takes his place. God has taken that which is of ourselves and replaced it with Himself. We are now a part of His body, and His Spirit lives inside of us. Because of this, we now are free to walk in obedience to Jesus Christ. We have been given the hope that is in Christ...the salvation of our souls. We now have the ability to live the life that God wants us to.

But as with anything new, there is a learning curve. Paul also talks to us about the war that is waged within us when we go about trying to do the right thing. In Romans 7, Paul says that the good things that he wants to do because he desires to obey God are in battle with the things that his body wants him to do. We are war within ourselves to continually do the right thing...and many times we fail in the capacity.

But God is rich in mercy. He has saved us from the death of the earthly body by giving us new life through the death of His Son, Jesus. I don't know about you, but that makes me feel like I could do anything that God asks me to do today.

So take the time today and tell God you are willing to do whatever He asks...no matter what...because of the new person He has created you to be!

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Do Not Love the World

This week we look at God. We look at God as the author of the good things that happen in our lives. We will also look at where temptation comes from. So in the days leading up to our ascent into Sunday, we will talk about two things: the world and the new man.

Before we begin, please read 1 John 2:15-17.

As we look at these verses, there are several things that come out here. I want to touch on three today.

1) Love for the world is hatred toward God. No please don't misinterpret what John is saying here. He is not saying that we should not love the people of the world (Jesus said that God so loved the world in John 3:16). This love of the world is a love of the things in the world. It is a love of the way that the world works and solves problems. It is a love that seeks to set the world as the final authority rather than God. A love for the world in this sense is akin to idolatry and we all know what God thinks about that.

But we are called to not love the world. We are called to love God, and His ways are diametrically opposed to the way the world handles the same problems. God doesn't want His children to make themselves at home in this world. He calls us to be separate, set apart, or holy. "Be holy because I am holy." He told the nation of Israel and the church through Peter (1 Peter 1:16).

2) The world's desires are contrary to the desires of God. Notice the list of things that are "of the world" in 1 John 2:16.

The Lust of the Eyes: This is everything that we set before our eyes that we could desire over God. Normally we think of things like coveting things and power or position when we think of this particular lust, but it could also be craving things to be different in a relationship, or even in one's church. These are things that we must avoid. It comes down to contentedness, and we need to be content if we are going to be holy.

The Lust of the Flesh: This desiring to fulfill our body's need for those things that expressly forbidden in the Scriptures. Things like sex outside of marriage, allowing ourselves to be focused on someone else besides our spouse, or even flirtation with another person who is not our spouse. It can also include sins like gluttony and being too focused on our appearances. We must avoid these kinds of things if we are going to be holy as well.

And finally, The Pride of Life: These are all the things in this life that cause us to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. We are called to be humble like Jesus (Philippians 2) and when we choose to puff ourselves up, we give in to the Pride of Life. If we are going to be holy as God wants us to, then we need to give up anything that might be considered pride...even our false humility.

3) Those who do God's will will live forever. The world and its desires are going to pass. God's will and those who do God's will are going to live for eternity. I want to be one of those people, and I know you do to.

Thanks for reading the blog today. I know it was long, but keep on reading and following us. And feel free to comment below. And we'll see you Sunday!

Celebration Week 3

Well, we've made it through another week! Look back at the last seven days and rejoice! Celebrate the fact that God has put you in your current circumstance in order to prove His power in your life through your weaknesses. Celebrate that God has blessed you so much for the country that we live in and the prosperity we have been given...it is so much more than we deserve!

And celebrate that you are a child of the King of kings! He has adopted you into His family and you now know that Jesus is your Brother! Have a great day celebrating what He has done, and we'll see you on Sunday!

Don't Give Up!

We all face difficulty. We all face trials and set backs and disappointments. We all get knocked down from time to time. But the truth of the matter is that God, who is rich in mercy, offers grace.

Grace, theologically speaking, is defined as "God's unmerited favor." That's a good definition, but for me, not complete. Grace goes beyond just God's favor on my life. It is God's power at work in me to do the work He has called me to do.

Paul explains it very well in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. He talks about being given a "thorn in his flesh." What this was, we do not know, but he described it as "a messenger of Satan, to torment [him]". Paul goes on to tell us in this passage that he asked God three times to take it away from him. But God told him this, and I believe He says it to us as well; "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

That's the key folks. God's grace (His power at work in us to do the things He has called us and wants us to do) is sufficient to get the job done. And I believe from the rest of this chapter that God is in the habit of putting His people in situations where they are at their weakest so that His power can be more mightily on display!

So here is another reason to rejoice (as we talked about yesterday) and to press on and not give up! When the situations in our lives are at their darkest, God's grace is at its brightest! So keep going! Don't give up! And don't give in!

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Rejoicing in Circumstances

It has been said that our circumstances do not define who we are. I believe that is true because in no way can the things that happen to us make us who and what we are. Our reaction to them is what does that. And so we come to the reminder of our first challenge of the week.

What circumstance do you find yourself in this day? Are you unemployed or facing a downsizing situation at work? Are you in a relationship that is abusive or just not going where you think it should? Do you have an addiction that you just can't seem to get control over? May I remind you today that these things do not define who you are, but your reaction to them will define who you are.

So today, choose to rejoice in your circumstance, whether good or bad. Choose today to be the man, woman, young person that God has called you to be. Choose to obey God's Word rather than follow after human logic. Choose to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ our Lord rather than the footsteps of men and women who have taken shortcuts to get where they are.

Rejoice...no matter where God has placed you today, rejoice. Thank Him today, because in your circumstance, you can find joy...if you choose to see it.

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Ascent Week 3

Ascent to Sunday:

Psalm 122

1 I rejoiced with those who said to me,
     "Let us go to the house of the Lord."
2 Our feet are standing
     In your gates, Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built like a city
     that is closely compacted together.
4 This is where the tribes go up-
     the tribes of the LORD-
   to praise the name of the LORD
     according to the statute given to Israel.
5 There stand the thrones for judgement,
     the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
     "May those who love you be secure.
7 May there be peace within your walls
     an security within your citadels."
8 For the sake of my family and friends,
     I will say, "Peace be within you."
9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,
     I will seek your prosperity.

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Of Elders, Young'ns, and Lions

The second passage of Scripture that we need to consider is 1 Peter 5:1-11. You can look that up here.

I want you to consider a couple of things that Peter says to us in this passage of Scripture. First is the fact that he addresses those who are older in their faith. He tells them that they are to watch over the flock to which they have been assigned. In this passage Peter is speaking to those who have authority in the church; elders, deacons, pastors, etc. The word translated, "elders" here is speaking directly to those people.

However, the basic term of "elder" may be referring not just to those with authority in the church, but also to those who are simply older in their faith. Those who have lived their lives in obedience to Christ in the years they have lived are by default, leaders in the church of Christ. They have much to give and much to teach. In this light, we see that Peter is encouraging those who are designated as leaders in the church and those who are older to watch over those whom they been given responsibility for.

So as we look at what Peter is challenging us to be and to do, we must understand that we are called to be shepherds...overseers of what is going on and to speak up when we must, and gently guide when we can.

Second, I want you to see that Peter also speaks to those who follow. We must submit in humility because God opposes those who are proud. We must humble ourselves so that Christ will lift us up. We must walk in humility as Christ did (see Philippians 2). We must also allow Christ to carry our burdens, because He cares about us.

Finally, we are called in this passage be alert to the Devil. He is real and he will attack us if we let him. He is described here as a roaring lion. When a lion is on the prowl and looking for food, he doesn't roar...unless he can't kill his prey. What scientists have observed with lions is that the older lions, those who do not have the strength or (sometimes) the teeth to kill the prey will flank a grazing herd of zebra, antelope or whatever they may be hunting and roar so loudly it puts the herd in a panic. Thus the herd begins to scatter and the younger, more able lions, are then able to kill the prey and the feast begins.

Satan is toothless lion. He roars to put you in a panic. He wants you to run around, worried aobut what will happen next. This is because he knows he cannot kill you. He has been defeated on the cross by Jesus Christ. He has no power over you except what you allow him to have. So don't fear the devil. Stand firm against him, and run from temptation. You will be glad you did!

Have a comment or a question? Please share it below! And we'll see you Sunday!

Love Your Enemies?!?! Really?

Have you ever felt as though you were being singled out by God? That somehow what you were experiencing was unique only to you? Did you ever feel yourself getting angry at the circumstances of your life and think, "THAT'S NOT FAIR!"?

Well, if that's the case, get ready because we're going to be talking about this very thing this Sunday at Grace Church. It is my hope that we will find out what God wants us to really think about our circumstances and respond accordingly. But to get ourselves ready for that, I want us to look at two passages of Scripture...one today and one tomorrow.

The first passage is from Matthew chapter 5, verses 43-48. Go ahead and read that now. If you don't have a Bible with you, click here. Then come back to the rest of the post.

Okay, so what do you think about what Jesus says here? This is some of the most difficult teaching that I think Jesus gives us, because it so goes against our natural inclinations. Our default setting is to hate our enemies and do our best to get even with them. Most of your super villains fall under this category. There is some slight done to them and now they must get their revenge... muwahahahahahahahah (for those of you unfamiliar with the super hero genre, that's an evil laugh).

But God has a better way in mind, and that is for us to love our enemies. The best way to accept this teaching is by understanding what Jesus says in verse 45, when He reminds us that God sends the "sunshine on both the evil and the good..." He tells us this because we need to understand that people are all essentially the same. None of us is better than the other and we all need to be sensitive to this fact.

You and I all live under that same sun, the same sky, the same clouds, the same rain. God is not a respecter of persons, and He will allow things to come into each of our lives, both good and bad. So do not focus on what is "fair". Focus on Jesus!

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Celebrate! June 15, 2016

Take time today to celebrate what Christ is doing in your life today and throughout this week. Look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. Consider Him, who endured the hostility of sinners and considered it joy, and follow His example. Remember that your difficulties serve as a means to prove to yourself and the world around you, that you are His child, and that He is your Father! Celebrate today, and remember that the promises made to you today will be fulfilled...no matter what!

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Ask Believing

On Sunday, we challenged each other to seek God when we need wisdom. We talked about what that means, and the fact that God (through James) told us that He is not stingy when it comes to giving the wisdom we need...especially when we ask with a heart that believes He will answer.

I remember a time that my father promised to do something with me on a certain day. I looked forward to that day because we had not done anything together for quite a while. When that day came, I knew that my father would be there when he promised and that there wouldn't be anything that would keep him form spending that time with me.

When the Heavenly Father makes a promise to His kids, He is always going to keep it. There is nothing in this world that will ever separate us from His love and goodness. So, we need to make sure that all of our asking for wisdom is with the confidence that God will honor His promise to give it to us.

But where do we find God's wisdom? There are a number of ways that we can gain God's wisdom. We can find God's wisdom in the teaching of those who speak for God. I'm speaking here of pastors and teachers who love God and know Him well. Many of us listen to Christian radio where we hear truth from God through men and women who know God and His Word.

Another way is through fellow Christians who have experienced the things we are going through. Many times the perspective of others can give us wisdom from God.

But the best place (and the place we should always start and end) is with God's Word. If a teacher, friend or preacher says anything that is contrary to the written Word of God, we should reject it. It is the Scripture that is the final authority for our life and doctrine. It the Scriptures that we should always begin with and return to when making wise decisions.

So believe that God will and has given you the wisdom you need. And then move forward with confidence!

Please feel free to ask a question or comment below. And we'll see you Sunday!

Expect Great Things

This past Sunday we talked about how we can face rough circumstance in our lives with joy. We also talked about expecting God to show up in the midst of our trials. One of the challenges from yesterday was to face our trials with expectancy. I do not know what kinds of trials you are facing today. I do not know when or where your next trial may come. But I do know it will come. Take the time now to prepare yourselves for the next trial by remembering how God has working in your life in the past...and then expect Him to show up in the future.

Also, we need to remember to expect God's answer when we ask Him for His wisdom. His wisdom is always going to lead to our betterment and the betterment of those around us. So prepare yourselves, my friends for God to do something great!

Please feel free to comment below or ask a question. And we'll see you Sunday!

Ascent Week 2

Once again, remember that these verses were read to encourage the people of God on their journey to worship their God in His temple. Today, may these words encourage us as we look forward to the worship we have on Sunday together!

Psalm 121New Living Translation (NLT)

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

I look up to the mountains—
    does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble;
    the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
    never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.

On Trial

This week we are in James 1:2-8. The theme of this passage has to do with facing trials. When something or someone is on trial they are being tested to see if what is said about them is true. They are being examined to find out if the accusations are true. God, for one reason or another, decides to call the trouble and pain we face "trials". I think this speaks volumes to what God is all about. He is testing us not so that He can know that we have faith, or that our faith is right and pure, but to help us,... us to know that our faith is real.

God's passion is His people, and if you have a relationship with Him, you are one of those people. As a result, the reason He allows pain to come into our lives is so that, as James says, we might become mature and complete...now check this one..."not lacking anything." How many of you would like to be considered mature and perfect by God? I would. How many of us would want it said of us, "That person lacks nothing when it comes to living for Christ!"? Once again, my hand is up...as I'm sure yours is, too.

But here's the thing...and I love this about our God. He says that when we notice that we do lack the wisdom or the strength or the faith to do what we are supposed to do, He is not only able, but willing and excited about giving us what we need...and that is wisdom! God's grace grants us the wisdom we need to know how to handle the difficulty of this life. Every time we ask Him, He gives. He doesn't condemn us for asking. He doesn't say, "What's the matter with you? Don't know how to handle this yet? You should know this by now!" No! He is willing to give us what we need and He will always do so.

So be encouraged today, believer. Your God loves you, even in the midst of your trial. He is proving to you that you are His. And in that you can rejoice!!!!

Please leave a question or comment below, and we'll see you on Sunday!

Through the Fire

This week we will be looking at James chapter 1, verses 2-8. I want us today to look at what it means to have your faith "tested" as James puts it. The idea that I think James is referencing is that of refining of precious metals like gold or silver. When gold or silver is discovered one of the first things that happens is that it will be tested; that is, it is put through fire to see just how pure it is. As it melts down those things within the silver or gold that are not silver or gold will rise to the surface and then be skimmed off the top. Then it is allowed to cool down again and the metal is now more pure than before.

This process is done over and over again for the purposes of getting the gold or silver as close to "pure" as it possibly can be. The fire purges the things that are not precious and keeps that which is.

God does that with us when it comes to trials. We face the fire of difficulty, sickness, persecution, a wayward loved one, and we want to run from it. But friend, may I encourage you to do as James instructs us here...be joyful because you know that this pressure, this fire, is taking out of you things that God never intended to be there. He is bringing you closer to "pure" than you were when you started, and that's an awesome thing!

Read through James 1:2-8 one more time today and then thank God for the things in your life that are purging sin and impurity from your life.

Feel free to comment below or leave a question, and we will look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Celebrate! June 8, 2016

Take some time today to celebrate what God has done in your life over the past week. Look back and remember what has changed because you have made the decision to follow after Jesus and celebrate!

Seeing Ourselves as Bondservants

No one is comfortable with the idea of becoming a slave...especially given the state of our culture. As a society, we have endured the tempestuous horrors of a Civil War over the very concept of slavery. But the fact remains that the Scriptures call us to a life of indentured servitude. As we looked at on Sunday (if you were with us), God allowed in His Law to Moses an opportunity for the servant who loved his master to be his slave for life. In his former life, this servant was forced to work because his master had purchased him at a price. In the law given in Exodus 21, it is clearly spelled out that the servant had the right to "stay on" with his master and serving him not because he had to, but because he wanted to.

Read Exodus 21:1-6 again, and then come back and I want to open your eyes to two words that are especially important to this idea.

The first word is LOVE. This servant decides to stay because of his love for his master, wife and children. He is staying with the idea that he doesn't want to go anywhere else. This servant may have come into the situation he was in because of a debt he owed the master, or perhaps he just needed to have a place to live and survive. But when his six years were up, he had the option to go or stay. When he stayed, it was out of love.

The second word is FREE. This servant is free to go. He owes the master nothing at this point because he served him for six years. He is free to go without owing the master a thing. This freedom coupled with his love then makes his decision to stay all the more compelling. He doesn't have to stay, but because he loves he makes the choice of his free will to stay.

When we see ourselves in this way, we are telling God, "I know that I am free, but I also know that I love you and my family, and I want to serve you for the rest of my life."

As we have made the challenge to see ourselves as servants of the Most High God, let us remember that this decision comes as a result of our own free will born out of a love for God that is deeper than anything else we could hope for.

Please feel free to leave a question or a comment below. And we will see you on Sunday!!

Ascent Week 1

As you read this Psalm, remember that these are people traveling from their homes far from Jerusalem, and their thoughts begin from where they are. Eventually, these Psalms will begin to talk about the wonder of God's house and the glory of God Himself.

Psalm 120New Living Translation (NLT)

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

I took my troubles to the Lord;
    I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.
Rescue me, O Lord, from liars
    and from all deceitful people.
O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you?
    How will he increase your punishment?
You will be pierced with sharp arrows
    and burned with glowing coals.

How I suffer in far-off Meshech.
    It pains me to live in distant Kedar.
I am tired of living
    among people who hate peace.
I search for peace;
    but when I speak of peace, they want war!

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Getting to Know James

Yesterday we looked at James in the context of being one of Jesus' half-brothers. We looked at an account from the Scriptures that showed us a moment in time when Jesus' brothers and mother were trying to get in to see Him, but Jesus shut them out. I'm pretty sure that Jesus did love His earthly family, but He also knew that their thoughts about Him were not the thoughts that the Father had for Him.

This Sunday we will look more in-depth at that, but today I want you to read John 7:2-9. These verse share the account of Jesus' interaction with His brothers just before the feast of Tabernacles. His brothers want Him to go show Himself to the world at this feast, but Jesus says His time has not yet come. There is something here that is troubling, and as you read it, see if you can pick up on what it is. Then come back and read the rest of this post...

Are you done? Good. Did you see what it was? Jesus tells His brothers in verse 8, "I am not going up to this festival." But then in verse 10, he goes up to the festival. So this begs a few questions. Did Jesus lie to His brothers? Was there ulterior motive in what Jesus did here? Did Jesus not keep His word? These are questions that we will discuss more in detail and try to resolve Sunday morning, but suffice to say, we know that Jesus does keep His promises, that He is not a liar and that His sincerity is unquestionable. So there is definitely something else at work here, and we will talk about it Sunday.

But for today, I want you to think about those who would push you to do things that you know God does not want you to do...or to not do something that you know God wants you to do. I had a youth who told me that he wanted to go to Moody Bible Institute and become a youth minister some day. I cannot tell you the joy that my heart felt when I heard him say that. But a few weeks later I found out that he had told his parents and they discouraged him from it because "there's no money in that". I wish I could tell you that this young man listened to God over his parents, but he did not. Today he is an agnostic and has nothing to do with the church, and very little to do with spirituality.

So when God is calling you to something, do not settle to do something else easier, or more comfortable. Do what God is calling you to do.

Please feel free to leave a comment or question. And we will see you on Sunday!

Who Is James?

Welcome to week 1 of our journey into making Sunday the focal point of our week. These times together will be short, but will (hopefully) help you to focus on what we will be discussing together on Sunday morning. It will also help you to identify with how you may be challenged to respond, thus giving you ample time to mull it over.

This week, we begin our study of the book of James...a study that will take us slowly through a book that demands our understanding if we are going to live out God's purpose for our lives. Our Scripture this week will be James, chapter 1, and verse 1. We will be looking at who this "James" really is, and what he was like. So today, I will ask you to look up three passages and read them in preparation for this week's sermon.

The first group of passages (Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35; and Luke 8:19-21) all relate the same event. It is when Jesus mother (Mary) and His half-brothers (of whom James is one) seek to meet with him. As you read these passages, think about how you might have felt getting this answer from Jesus if you were trying to spend some time with Him...and He was your brother!

And what do you think of Jesus response in general? What does this say about His followers, and about you and me as we follow Him? Pray today and thank God for the spiritual kinship you have with His Son, Jesus.

Please feel free to leave a comment or question. And we'll see you on Sunday!