Stop destroying your masterpiece!

“Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:9-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/eph.2.9-10.nlt

We live in a society that provides massive opportunities for people to “toot” their own horns. It is encouraged in the name of promoting a cause,  business, or political agenda. In my 57 years of life I have realized people aren’t that great. We are never as good as we think we are. It’s easy to focus on verses like this that claim we are a masterpiece. In reality, God did make us into a masterpiece but it’s not through anything we have done that helped create this work of art. As a matter of fact, our lives, the sin that controls us, is like taking a crayon to the Mona Lisa. Try as I might I am more likely to destroy God’s masterpiece than create it.

We all need to praise God his grace has saved us. We have been saved to serve the Lord. We serve the Lord by serving each other in love and compassion. The order is important . We are saved first, then we are driven to do good works. We are not saved through the Good works . They are the natural fruit of our faith. God wants our hearts. Once he has us he uses us for the good of his kingdom and extending his Love for the lost, the poor, those that are suffering. Stop destroying your masterpiece!

Arguers!

“Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭14:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/rom.14.1.nlt

I have never heard of anyone who was argued into becoming a follower of Christ. We can’t shame people into making an eternal commitment. Yet, I see more and more bold Christians trying to use that strategy. I see no where in the Bible that we are to share the gospel message with a sledge hammer. Love is the answer. Demonstrating our love with our actions, our words, and our thoughts are the only real effective method to bringing others to Christ. The hope of the world rests with our lives reflectI got the life of Jesus. 

I need this reminder often. Yes, I need the boldness, the lack of fear, and the strength to fight against evil, but our care and love of the lost are our greatest weapons the growing epidemic of sin in our world. Love God first. Love ALL peoples second. 

Boldness - The Good and The Bad!

“I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭20:20-21‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/act.20.20-21.

I have several character flaws. I’m not going to list all of them, I don’t have that kind of time. But, I share Paul’s boldness. It’s not always a positive trait. Paul was bold about sharing the message of Christ. He was focused on that singular message. I wish I could say that were always true about me. I am pretty blunt and don’t mix words. It can get me in trouble. I have been trying to be less bold. I have been quieter. I have bit my tongue do much in the past 7 months, it might fall off!  I am sure I have said this a thousand times before. If I don’t have anything good to say, I just won’t say anything at all. Reminding myself of that is critical nearly every moment during the day.

Lord, help me use my boldness for your purposes. Help me be a good witness for you and your kingdom. I want nothing more than to be a strong servant to bring others to your saving grace. I love you Lord. Forgive me for the times I forget to focus on you and your message of Love. If it weren’t for your mercy and grace, I would be lost forever. Amen!

Chosen to serve

“Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭6:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬
http://bible.com/111/act.6.3.niv

If you have an important job to do, call on a man/woman of God. I know this first hand. I love serving with my fellow believers. There are none more dedicated than those who truly follow Jesus. They are designed to serve. They can lead and be led. They will sacrifice themselves to complete a task and will leave no stone unturned in searching for perfection. They are filled with a keen spirit and their wisdom is so valuable in all they do.

We have an obligation to work hard for the Lord. I don’t care what job you hold. Everything we do as a Christ follower is for the Lord. Every job, every volunteer opportunity, EVERYTHING is for the kingdom of the God. It is not always easy because many places of employment are not godly places. They are filled with those who fight against the faithful. But, we were placed in our jobs by the Lord Almighty and we need to persevere and continue to serve through ridicule, turmoil and pain.

Praise God for the hardworking men and women of the Lord.

Not just food programs

“So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭6:2-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/act.6.2-3.nlt


I love serving the Lord. We are called to serve. But, our ultimate responsibility is to preach the Gospel message. We must maintain this balance in our ministry. We need to make sure we don't get so consumed by the servant mission that we forget to bring people to Jesus. At CMA we talk about earning the right to share the gospel through building relationships. Relationships are built through sacrificial service. But eventually we need to share the saving grace of Jesus, what it has meant in our lives and the power it brings to the world. During this Christmas season we can get lost in the moment and forget the purpose of celebrating December 25th. The birth of Jesus and God coming down to live with us is truly deserving of a celebration. But, this birth had a single purpose. The amazing birth of Jesus led to the ultimate sacrifice on the cross. 

So, yes, we need to run food programs, we need to take care of the homeless, the poor, the orphans, the widows, and the lost. That is what Jesus did and that is what we are called to do. But, we need to make sure it is clear, our purpose, our main goal is to let people know that Jesus died for them on the cross. If we confess our sins, repent and ask Jesus to be our savior, we will be saved from eternal death and live forever with Jesus in our Heavenly home.

PRAISE GOD FOR HIS POWER AND LOVE!

Be Ready!

“Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a murderer. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭3:12-15‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/act.3.12-15.nlt


How many times do I get an opportunity to share Jesus and miss it? Peter and John seized this opportunity and made the most of it. They made sure the focus was solely on Jesus and the power of their Heavenly Father. When we get a chance to share and all the sudden the spotlight is on us, how do we react? Letting God use you is not about bringing glory to you, it’s to bring glory to him. I loved this message. It was direct and clear. These two men let the spirit of the Lord shine through. They were just the vessel, the tool used by God. As our friends and neighbors know our heart for Jesus, we must make sure our message matches our walk and we need to take every opportunity to share in powerful and positive ways. We need to be prepared at all times.

Lord, open my eyes to the opportunity to be a witness to your grace, mercy, and love. Prepare my heart and my mouth to share in a way that doesn’t put me on a pedestal, but places you above everything. Destroy the pride in me and humble me when I get the opportunity. I love you Lord! Amen!

Actions = Faith?

““No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭16:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/luk.16.13.nlt


I teach a seminar to students studying the book “Designing Your Life” . The book describes a great method for learning how to decide what to do with your life. Students are asked to build a “Life view” and a “Work view”. These two essays describe what students value in life and then they do the same thing describing what they value in work. Then they ask “Do these two views conflict?” If we value money are we willing to sacrifice family to earn that money? Is our career first over God? And regardless what we say we value, do our actions match our words?

These verses ask the same questions. Do our life actions match our faith in God? Do we say one thing and do another? As Christians we need the help of our Lord to make sure we live in a way where our faith matches our life. We must make sure our money is used as a tool for the Lord. The things we have need to be used for the good of others not just ourselves. The number one criticism of nonchristians is the pure hypocrisy of Christians. Our witness to others is more about how we live than than the words that come from our mouth. I would also say how we spend our money may speak even louder.

Dear Lord, direct our finances. Direct our lives so that they match the real message of sacrifice and love Jesus shared when he walked this earth. Amen!

Elf on the Shelf?

“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/mat.6.6.nlt

My grandkids will be getting a surprise this morning. They have an extra pair of eyes watching them. This creepy little elf will do his best to remind us that Christmas is just around the corner and they better keep themselves OFF the naughty list.

I’m not sure what I think about this. As a kid, I knew my parents controlled the naughty/nice report to Santa. I was more worried about my dad than some cute little doll staring at me while I completed my homework. But, it’s all meant in fun and Christmas is such a fun time of the year. As a parent, manipulating your children can be fulltime entertainment,especially around Christmas.

As an adult, I am more aware of the eyes of my father watching me. I want to make sure my faith matches my actions. I need to pray,  not from a selfish attitude, but with the will of the father first on my list. I need to demonstrate God’s love and grace not to earn some type of reward or magical Christmas gift. I need to serve like Jesus served so that others will see His love and maybe, just maybe, decide to join the kingdom.

The elf on the shelf is great for young children. It reminds them that their actions have consequences. As adults, we also need to realize our actions have eternal consequences. God is watching us. He sees our actions and he sees deep into our heart. Work to please the Lord! Do his will, Love him with your hands and feet. Praise God for this wonderful life he gives us! God is watching!

Standing in the Gap

““I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one.”
‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭22:30‬ ‭NLT‬‬
http://bible.com/116/ezk.22.30.nlt

Much has been written about the infamous wall promised by President Trump. But walls are not new and walls are important to the protection of the people inside the country, or home. It is completely irresponsible to not take all possible action to protect yourself or your country. We need to build literal walls and virtual walls to protect our nation from those that have pledged to destroy us. I can't understand any argument against protecting ourselves. I can't understand anyone that accepts the violators of our laws with open arms. If the laws aren't fair, change them. If we keep out those innocents that need our protection then change the law, don't ignore it.

This verse struck a chord with me, especially considering the announcement of the acquittal of Kate Stinle's murderer. As a Christian I value the rule of law. I value the leadership of those willing to protect our country, my state, and my community. I need those that are willing to sacrifice themselves for the protection of all we value. Unfortunately, great leaders are so hard to find. The sadness that power breeds corruption is so evident in our leaders. I believe, maybe innocently, that their intent is good when they pursue leadership. But as they grow in power, it corrupts their vision. They forget their original calling and they no longer stand in the gap.

Can we not find great leaders that will stand in the gap for us? Is there no one out there to sacrifice their lives for our protection? Lord send them to us. We need them now!