Stand Firm

Matthew 10: 22

²² You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Hate seems like such a vicious word, doesn’t it?

Hated by who?

Jesus used the word… “everyone”.

Who is “everyone”, anyway?

Is it possible it could be the same people we sing worship songs with on Sunday morning?

That seems to be the gist of things.

Have you ever been hated by anyone, for standing up to the truth of the Gospel?

The word hate, actually means… “to love less”.

That seems to be an easier word to swallow.

No matter who loves you less, if you can stand up to the test, it sounds like those people will be saved.

If you’ve never been hated, then is it possible you haven’t taken a real stand yet for Jesus?

·         What is this text of scripture, trying to teach me?

·         How am I currently falling short of the mark?

·         What am I really willing to change?

·         How can I make this change, a habit in my everyday life?

Anger

Ephesians 4: 26 – 27

²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold.

The word, “Anger”, was the key word we used during our prayer meeting at church on Sunday morning.

Many people seem angry today, even some of those in the church.

As a Pastor of a small church, it seems as though I have a few people every week, who are angry with me.

I’m not sure I give them reason on purpose, but it says a lot about how fragile people in the church are today.

When the sun goes down today, who have you refused to stop being angry at?

Talk about giving the devil a foot hold!

I don’t think the devil needs much of any excuses to screw people’s lives up.

So why do we fall prey so easily to his schemes?

As you pray today, let me  ask this one question…

What church leader or church person, do you need to stop being angry towards—and pray for instead?

·         What is this text of scripture, trying to teach me?

·         How am I currently falling short of the mark?

·         What am I really willing to change?

·         How can I make this change, a habit in my everyday life?

Hard Truth

John 6: 66

⁶⁶ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. ⁶⁷ Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

Jesus spoke a hard truth, and many people followed Him no more.

It seems as though many people in the Christian church today, are looking for an easy run at things.

Make no mistake about it—following Jesus isn’t easy.

Following Jesus will cost most people something.

What is your faith walk costing you these days?

There is always a cost of following Jesus.

We look for hardship only during the season of Lent.

Following Jesus isn’t just for 46 days—it’s for a life time.

How are things going for you these days?

·         What is this text of scripture, trying to teach me?

·         How am I currently falling short of the mark?

·         What am I really willing to change?

·         How can I make this change, a habit in my everyday life?

Surrender!

Joshua 24: 15 – 16

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve;

whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell:

but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods…

Are there times when you just feel like giving up on God?

It is suggested, that people who make it through one week of surrender during Lent, give up soon thereafter.

What we worship in life, we will serve wholeheartedly.

Often times, we serve ourselves more than we serve God.

God has a plan for us, and yet you’d be surprised at how many people never find out that plan.

Are you straining towards God’s plan for your life?

Christians today, are giving up one lap too soon, as they march around Jericho.

It’s for that very reason, that the walls never come tumbling down…

·         What is this text of scripture, trying to teach me?

·         How am I currently falling short of the mark?

·         What am I really willing to change?

·         How can I make this change, a habit in my everyday life?

Take a Stand!

Colossians 1: 29

To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

Today is the first day of Lent.

What will you plan to do during this season, that will show you love Jesus with all of your heart?

Will you labor with the things of God, or will your life remain the status quo?

The people who allow the power of Christ to move within, shows up in how much they strive.

If you’re willing to take a stand, consider these questions during this Lenten excursion.

·          What is this text of scripture, trying to teach me?

·         How am I currently falling short of the mark?

·         What am I really willing to change?

·         How can I make this change, a habit in my everyday life?

What do you currently love, more than you love Jesus?

It will show up, in what you spend the most time with.

May God shape you into His image, as you walk this road of denial

Balanced Decisions

Proverbs 18: 17 (NKJV)

The first one to plead his cause seems right, until his neighbor comes and examines him.

We’ve all heard the old adage, that… “There are always two sides to every story.”

And so if that’s true, then why don’t we take in all accounts?

Normally, we make a decision when only weighing one side.

Shouldn’t we examine both sides, before we make a final determination?

In this area, I always feel like I’m on the wrong side of the stick—and that the deck is stacked against me.

This is especially true when it comes to family. Blood is always thicker than water.

This is very much true in the church.

Sometimes I wished the people of the church, didn’t operate this way—but they do.

When folks have made a determination about me, I am normally very slow to defend myself.

Unless you’re willing to share all the gory truth and details, a person can look pretty guilty.

Honestly, I don’t need much help when it comes to making me looking silly.

I do a pretty good job of that, all by myself.

This much I do know—God does keep the final books.

We may not be vindicated in this life—but the one to come will reveal all the truth.

The first side of the story always seems right—but maybe we should weigh the whole account.

I am eternally grateful, for a fair and righteous Judge—who is always right—and always just… 

Fervent!

James 5: 17  (EVS)

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently…

Debbie and I just returned from the vacation of a lifetime.

We spent nearly 5 days on a ship, with 2,000 other believers.

Among them was Steven Curtis Chapman.

We had a few intimate conversations with him, and we found out, he’s just a man, like any of us are.

After getting to know him, we also found out that he is a fervently praying man.

Maybe that’s because he had to go through a terrible trial in his life.

We met people like, Dennis Rainey, and the boys from Tenth Avenue North, and Guy Penrod, and Bob Lepine.

They’re all just people, like all of us are.

Maybe instead of elevating super stars, we need to be reminded that all any of us are, are people who can be used of God.

We might not ever get a recording label, or even win a Dove Award, but how will you allow yourself to be used of God this week?

Blessed Revile!

Matthew 5: 11

"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely…”

Have you ever had anyone say anything false against you?

People who speak truth, can expect this to be a common occurrence.

The original meaning of, “revile” in the Greek, actually translates… “to defame”.

Honestly, I’ve had people try to defame me, that I’ve lost count on just how many.

Truthfully, I don’t need anyone to defame my character—I seem to do a pretty good job of that myself.

I actually don’t need help to prove, that sometimes I’m a complete moron.

The church as a whole faces these insults every day.

If you’re not being defamed, it might mean that maybe you’re not standing up for truth.

In every direction I look today, I see morals declining everywhere.

So is that truth, or is that judgment?

There is an all out frontal attack, on the church of Jesus Christ these days.

The forces of evil are powerful and look to enact destruction.

Making our voices heard, always seems to mean, that you’re in for an uphill battle…

Light Reflections will return on 2/16/2015

Door mat!

Luke 6: 29

If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also.

When someone spews hurtful things about you, is it really our first inclination to turn the other cheek?

I’d like to say that would be true of me, but I’m still working on that piece of the puzzle.

I can honestly say, that since I’ve been preaching the truth of the Gospel, I’ve never met more spiteful/hurtful people.

I guess that’s what it looked like for Jesus too.

Would a person from within the church, strike another person in the church?

One would sure hope you’re safe within the fellowship of the church, but that’s not always the case.

I’ve heard people misquote this Bible verse.

Some people have told me, that Christians should never be the door mat.

Really?

It seems to me that Jesus was a door mat.

So much so, we could literally wipe our feet before entering into His family.

Turning the other cheek is surely not within my nature.

I guess that’s the point. Our nature should disappear, while the nature of Jesus, should be the one that people witness…