Help Me Remember

Do you ever need help remembering things? We all do, and it seems the more birthdays that come and go, we get better at forgetting and worse at remembering.  

Each Sunday we share in the Lord's Supper with our church family and friends. Jesus says we do that "in remembrance" of Him.  He wants us to always remember his life, teachings, commandments, and especially his sacrifice.  There was another time when God's people were given instructions on remembering things. 

Read Joshua 4:1-9 

Do you remember any verses from the Bible that you can quote word for word?  Do these verses have a particular significance to you? The strengthening of your spiritual journey may be centered in these verses. They are a starting place for your remembrances. 

Jesus commanded us to remember him with our participation in the Lord's Supper. We are also warned to examine ourselves in our participation in this weekly event.  The memory of things pertaining to our sin, and God's grace and love and eagerness to forgive, center in the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. 

The Joshua passage tells us of 12 stones that were to be a memorial for the people of Israel forever. Further, if their children asked the meaning of the stones, they were to be told what the Lord had done. Here is your example to teach and train your children in remembrances of God's working in your life.

We keep family photos, love letters, school annuals, family Bibles and countless other mementos so we can remember good things and happy times. God wants us to remember our dealings with him, too, so today remember his goodness, his love, and his provision for you along your journey.

Your Choice

The Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5, 6, and 7, offers us a chance to see the teachings of Jesus on many of the choices we may be called on to make in life. There is teaching, for example, on having the proper attitude when we pray, how to handle worry, fasting, judging others, and numerous other choices we will face.  In your reading time, please read these three chapters in Matthew for some eye-opening teaching from the Lord.  The part I wish to look at today is the final six verses of chapter 7. 

Matthew 7:24-29

   ²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”  ²⁸ When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, ²⁹ because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. 

In the illustration of the wise and foolish builders, we have the opportunity to see  how important right choices are.  Examine some of the choices you have made........wise or foolish?

Notice also, in the illustration, regardless of your good or bad choices, the adversity of the storm is bound to come. When you consider all that Jesus taught in this sermon, he is giving us instructions on how to handle situations which may come to each of us.  Thus the importance of his opening line, "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice....."  and there is the key. It is not only learning the right choices to make, but practicing them as well. 

The crowds were amazed at the teachings of Jesus, because he taught as one who had authority. Here is a choice for us to make. We who recognize the teachings of Jesus and his authority, must make the choice of placing our lives under that authority. Making the other choice is foolish.

Another day of making the right choices is here. Where will you build? Will the storm be enormous? Is disaster looming?  The tough questions will be resolved by listening to the words of the Teacher who speaks with authority, then practicing what He teaches.  The choice is yours.

It's Saturday!

Yes it's the weekend and I know you are busy, but there is something I want you to read.

1 John 1:1-4
1 "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete."

I wanted you to read this today because of the sense of urgency with which it was originally written. Maybe it's just me, but I feel that urgency. John writes about Jesus and is saying, "We heard about him, we saw him, we touched him with our hands, and we must tell you about him." Can you feel the electricity of sharing the message of eter-nity? John goes on to explain to his readers the reason for being so excited about sharing Jesus is so they can experi-ence the fellowship. He further teaches them that the fellowship they enjoy is a fellowship with God and His Son, Jesus. Writing to these people with such energy, John says, "makes our joy complete."

The urgency and electricity in the message you share with a friend, could filter into his life, too.

John, in his message was witnessing. Can you picture yourself witnessing to the things Jesus has done for you?

Think of unique ways your life's testimony can be known to others. Tell them how you heard about Jesus, how you have seen him through eyes of faith, and how his touch brings salvation. Make your joy complete.

Stop, Look & Listen

Lots of the younger folks have been robbed of the sound of train whistles and railroad crossings. Many of the smaller towns were missed by the railroads, while other routes of the tracks were removed in the latter part of the last century due to lack of profits. "Stop, Look & Listen" became the key phrase around railroads. It was a motto of safety on how to cross railroad tracks. 

"Stop, Look & Listen" is also good advice on our spiritual journey.  In an age where we want to dictate the direction we should go, God may be calling us in another direction. The late preacher Charles Spurgeon related the story of his life without God, until he found himself bitter about being in a church on a Sunday morning. He says he was so bitter toward God he couldn't even look upward, in the direction he assumed God to be. The preacher that day used the following text  in his message:

Isaiah 45:22

²² “Turn to me and be saved,
   all you ends of the earth;
   for I am God, and there is no other.

Have you ever been so far away from God that you felt inadequate to "look toward him?"  Can you relate to that moment when you "turned" to him for salvation?  Have you ever written down your feelings about your conversion experience?

The gospel is for all.  ALL the ends of the earth.  I cannot impress on you the important roll we each play in ministering spiritual matters to all.  You can read the charge of Jesus himself in the great commission. Every human life is beautiful to God. They all need the cleansing that Jesus' blood supplies. Accept that as your responsibility. 

The final line of the verse above points us to God, and God only. "There is no other."  It's time for those of us who believe that, to live it and share it in our community and around the world. All it takes is for us to realize our spiritual direction is a simple "Stop Look & Listen."

God's Way, Not Mine

We used to sing an old song in church, "Have Thine own way, Lord; Have Thine own way. Thou art the potter, I am the clay. " It gives us the picture of one who works the potter's wheel with the moveable softness of the clay as the experienced potter uses his capable hands to actually form the clay into something of beauty.  The prophet Isaiah supplies the biblical text. You supply the eyes that read it and the heart that receives it. 

Isaiah 64:8

 ⁸ Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
   We are the clay, you are the potter;

Think of ways in your life where you have insisted on having your way, instead of yielding to the direction of God. Take a moment to reflect on the outcome.

Now think of something specific where you have followed God's direction. Describe the success which comes when we let him be in control. 

In the song mentioned above, there is a verse which says, "Have Thine own way, Lord; Have Thine own way. Hold o'er my being absolute sway. Filled with Thy Spirit till all shall see, Christ only, Always living in me."  Are we willing to allow God to hold absolute sway over our work decisions? over our checkbook? over the leadership of our family?  over our neighborhood? 

From his heart comes the greatest love we will ever know. He desires what is best for us and guides us in right paths. He is anxious for us to follow his course for us.  We should know by now, charting our own course doesn't lead to good results.  Pray with me, "O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter."

Valentine Kisses!

There are several Bible verses in the blog today, with opportunities for you to consider how they relate to your life.  Since this is Valentine's Day, the day of giving cards, chocolates, jewelry, or other gifts, let's consider some kissing in the Bible!

Read Luke 7:37-38     A woman that was a sinner, with an alabaster box of ointment, was at the feet of Jesus, weeping.  She washed the Lord's feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.  Surely a gesture of humility and love for the Master. But Simon, seeing all of this was outraged. Didn't Jesus know the poor reputation of this woman. Scripture calls her a harlot. Jesus responded by teaching a parable on forgiveness. Simon had not honored Jesus in the way the woman had honored Jesus. Her kiss on the feet of Jesus became a kiss of forgiveness, because Jesus spoke to her saying, "Your sins are forgiven."   Consider today the ways in which you honor Jesus, and know every decision, conversation, activity in which you honor him, you experience the "kiss" of forgiveness. 

Read 1Cor. 16:20; 2Cor. 13:12; 1Thes. 5:26, 1Pet. 5:14  These verses and a few others, encourage us to greet each other with a holy kiss. It was a cultural thing of that day to lightly kiss the cheek of friends and brethren when they met.  It is comparable to today's handshake or hug, a form of greeting those which share a relationship with us, especially those in the church.  Greeting someone in this way offers encouragement among fellow Christians. It is an expression of happiness to see each other and share in the fellowship of the Lord's People.  Using Bible terms, this is the "kiss" designating our oneness with another Christian in our love and devotion to the Lord.  Consider your relationships with those you see at worship or meet on the street. Greet them with the greeting that shows encouragement and oneness. 

 Psalm 85:10 "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."(KJV) How can this be? Truth is absolute; it is holiness without error or hypocrisy.  Mercy is the forgiveness of error and hypocrisy.  They kissed?  Yes, through Jesus death on the cross, error and even hypocrisy are forgiven.  When mercy "kissed" truth, your eternal life was sealed.  Consider the meaning of truth meeting mercy...and righteousness meeting peace. It's of eternal importance to you.

Happy Valentine's Day.....enjoy your kisses.