My wife and I were recently watching one of those British murder mysteries. The “team” was at the shipyard and needed to talk to the Port Authority. That got me thinking about authority, which led to Jesus being given all authority, including the port 😉.

If I just think I believe something and try to act on it, well, I’m just guessing. That’s not what God wants, and it rarely turns out well; trust me, I’ve had a few spectacular failures! Faith is a funny thing. For faith to be true, it must only be built upon Christ’s authority.

This is why Paul wrote in Galatians 3:26, “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” Our faith in the absolute authority of Jesus is the raw material for making hope. And faith is only real when we trust God for things we don’t know. Human knowledge is fallible, but Spirit-revealed knowledge is unshakable.

I may “know” a bridge is safe, but when I walk on it, it may collapse! But I know that Jesus is alive and seated at the right hand of God (Mark 16:19), and nothing can change my mind.

God’s response to our stepping out in faith may never be observed, but the only KPI (Key Performance Indicator) by which we will be judged by Jesus is our faithfulness. And true faith is anchored in the authority of Jesus.

I can testify that Jesus has never failed me when I have given my problems to Him and trusted in His authority. He may not do what I expect, when I expect, or how I expect, but in His way, Jesus has always brought me through every problem. How could I ask for more? I pray the same for you.

By the way, how can you trust what I have written? You can because all I’ve done is expound on Matthew 28:18 (NIV): “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” And Jesus was confirming the completion of the vision God gave Daniel.

Live for Jesus. That’s what matters.

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King Josiah initiated a major religious reform in Judah - at this time, Israel had split into two kingdoms. Israel and Judah. This revival culminated in the cleansing and restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem.

The temple had been ignored because the people had turned to paganism. This effort was part of a broader campaign to purify the land and the temple from idolatry, following years of pagan worship under previous kings such as Manasseh and Amon.

While overseeing the repairs, the high priest Hilkiah discovered the Book of the Law (likely Deuteronomy) in the Temple. Upon hearing its contents, King Josiah tore his robes in repentance, recognizing Judah’s covenant violations (2 Kings 22:11). He then convened a national covenant renewal, committing himself and the people to follow God’s law (2 Kings 23:1–3). This led to the systematic removal of idols, Asherah poles, altars to Baal and the host of heaven, and the destruction of pagan priests and shrines throughout Judah and Israel (2 Kings 23:4–20).

The cleansing of the Temple was both a physical and spiritual restoration, echoing earlier reforms by King Hezekiah and foreshadowing Jesus’ later cleansing of the Temple (Matthew 21:12–13).

Josiah’s actions marked one of the most significant religious revivals in Judah’s history, emphasizing Scripture and covenant faithfulness.

Notice that the temple’s condition was the result of Israel’s spiritual condition. You and I may try, but we can’t hide it if we drift away from Jesus. We lose the shine of God’s light in us, and we become picky, legalistic, and harsh instead of seeing the world through our Father’s eyes.

Don’t get me wrong, God loves justice and has commanded us to be holy. But God does not want us to perish. That is why He continually calls us to repent, so we can be reconciled to Him and revel in His great love.

When King Josiah heard God’s Word, he was overcome with remorse. He repented and changed the direction of his kingdom. If we have fallen into spiritual disrepair, we can do as King Josiah did. We can repent and turn back to Jesus. If you feel a tug on your heart, you’re not too far gone. That tug is the Holy Spirit. Live for Jesus. That’s what matters.

My wife’s family has a tradition that when the Uncle, Sisters, Cousins, Nieces, Nephews, Grandkids, and in-laws gather at Momma and Dad’s home for a family meal, we all hold hands and pray before we eat. Among this tribe are wildly different religious, political, and social perspectives, but we come together out of love. Along this line of thought is this favorite poem of mine:

No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; 
It tolls for thee. 
- by John Donne (1572-1631)

What an amazing statement, “If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less.” That line never fails to stir me.

During John Donne’s time, bells were rung to let people know that someone in their community had died. It was important for the community to know they’d lost one of their own. We need that kind of thinking in our world today. The constant barrage of headlines about death, harm, and betrayal has made us numb, desensitizing us to human suffering.

Dr. Jonathon Haidt, in his book “The Righteous Mind” (an academic book, not a Christian book), states that we have six moral foundations: Care vs. Harm, Fairness vs. Cheating, Loyalty vs. Betrayal, Authority vs. Subversion, Sanctity vs. Degradation, and Liberty vs. Oppression. From these, we should see that we have a moral imperative to care about people; to love people.

Whatever befalls any one of us affects us all. Life is precious. As sons and daughters of Adam, we are created in God’s image. Unjustly bringing harm to anyone is an attack upon Jesus through whom “all things were created.” (Colossians 1:15-20)

Now, you may say, “‘I love my family, but I hate people, especially slow drivers in the passing lane!” I care relate! But the fact is, there are at least eight times in the Bible where God tells us to “Love your neighbor as yourself.1”

So, take a deep breath and pray with me, “Oh God, my Father, help me to love (fill in a person’s name). In the Name of Your precious Son Jesus, I pray. Amen!”

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Coffee doesn’t ask silly questions. Coffee understands me. I take it black and bitter, like my mornings. I live in a walk-up, one-room apartment with a shared bathroom at the end of a dingy hall that hasn’t felt a wet mop since the Mets won the World Series.

The bathroom is at the north end of the hall. Any daylight that creeps in comes through a small, cracked window at the other end. The window has the kind of glass that looks like it has chicken wire inside. I think it gives us tenants a feeling of living in prison, something many of us have experienced. I hate walking that hall.

I hate walking the hall and finding the door locked, which it almost always is. As I shuffle to the door, I rattle the handle and slide down the wall to wait. I can tell a junkie is in there. For junkies, I let nature overcome nurture and piss under the door. The other tenants will think the junkie pissed himself. Sure, it stinks, but the hall already does; I don’t care.

After relieving myself, I walk past my apartment. There’s no reason to go in. I slept in the clothes I have on, and the junkie at the end of the hall made sure I’m indistinguishable from every unhoused person I’ll pass as I make my way along the sidewalk that leads to the homeless shelter where I’ll squeeze in and get my bitter coffee and a hard breadroll.

I like the roll’s toughness. It makes me feel like I have more to eat. I hope some do-gooder didn’t decide to donate donuts “for the poor.” Donuts are two bites worth of puff-and-air. We all leave hungry when a do-gooder wants to feel good about themselves. I’m hungry. I want a hard breadroll.

A kind, grey-haired woman at the shelter gives me two donuts, a small paper cup of coffee, and a smile. There’s sadness in her eyes. She knows. Reaching for them, I look at my hands and try to remember when I last washed them. Yesterday? No. Longer. If it’s not too late, I can make it to the Salvation Army’s Corps Community Center before they stop serving breakfast. It’s a long walk. They serve “healthy” meals. I’d rather have a hard breadroll.

As I begin to walk, I pass an alley and see a young woman flirting with an older man in his business suit and polished wing-tips. Nothing to worry about. Just a transaction; a brief moment, then both will feel sorrow, included for free.

Devotional

What I wrote is a snapshot of too many people’s lives. For most of us, their lives are hard to imagine and possibly a bit scary. Through myriad difficulties, they are hardened, but they are not soulless. They are in survival mode. They are loved by God, so we must love them, too, and be ready to talk with them and share the Gospel. How can we be followers of Jesus if we do not follow what Jesus taught?

[Speaking to the leading priests and elders] Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins. - Matthew 21:31-32

Live for Jesus. That’s what matters.

#Christianity

Brothers and Sisters,

There are so many needful things, all demanding our attention. We ask ourselves, “Does God not hear them?” We know He does. Still, if we’re going to cast ourselves into the fray, it helps to know whether we’re in the right “fray.”

You or I may pray, “Bless Your work.” But if we are in the wrong place or at the wrong time, or doing the wrong thing, then we will find ourselves frustrated, waiting on God’s blessing that won’t come. It’s not a matter of doing “good things” or even “great things,” rather it is a matter of doing the “right things.” How else can Jesus say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:23)

From my walk with Jesus, the only works that will hold up under God’s inspection are those assignments He gave me and those I completed under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist said, “…A person can receive only what is given them from heaven...’” (John 3:27)

Receive What is Given

Take a moment, put on your “quality inspector’s hat” and inspect the work you’ve done. Will it withstand our Lord’s scrutiny? I know that many of the works for which I’ve been commended are just chaff that will burn up. Many of my accomplishments, which I hold dear, will not survive the fire of God. Thankfully, there were times when I didn’t hinder Jesus.

There have been times when a garden of peace sprang up from the work Christ gave me to do. And I’ve received a phone call from a long-forgotten workmate, telling me they've finally accepted Jesus as their Savior. These will withstand God’s inspection. (1 Corinthians 3:12-14)

“A person can receive only what is given to them.” It’s fruitless to frenetically try to create a ministry. Rather, we must walk in the Spirit, and then we will receive the assignments which Jesus calls us to. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:13)

Corrie Ten Boom, a Christian survivor of the Holocaust, Hitler’s “final solution,” had this to say about working for Jesus:

“Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.” - Corrie Ten Boom

No assignment is too small. A smile to the person working the drive-up window, a pleasant comment about a bamboo plant sitting on a person’s desk, a positive comment during a tense conversation. These come from the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and are as vital as organizing a church banquet.

It is never about big or small, but only about obedience.

Blessings,

Gary

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I happened to read a story written by a senior citizen who reminisced about her childhood. She was quite adept at painting a picture of her youth with words. It was fun to read her accounts of playing hide-and-seek with her siblings and cousins and the joy she experienced playing on her front porch. She wrote about a church across the street from her home. Then, suddenly, I read something she intended to be joyful, but it made me sad.

So Many Questions

This author had included a picture of her mom, dad, herself, and siblings, all dressed up and standing outside in “their Sunday best.” She wrote that her parents had a photographer come to their home around the same time each year to take a picture of them.

There was a church right across the street from them, but they never attended. It seems that the only impact the church had on the family was to dress like the parishioners once a year and immortalize the annual event with a picture.

I wondered, did the parents die unsaved? Did none of the siblings receive Jesus as Lord and Savior? Was the author ready to face eternity without the blood of Jesus covering her guilt? Did anyone from the church ever invite them to church? Did people in the congregation ever pray for the families around their church? I have so many questions, but no answers, just a deep sense of sadness.

How it was for Me

From her picture, it was exactly how my parents had us “dress up” on Easter Sunday - that’s what we called it back then. Resurrection Sunday is better. Each year, Mom would tell my sister and me that Jesus gave His very best for us, so we should meet Him in our very best. This made sense, but I hated wearing a tie, being a boy full of energy.

Anyway, when Mom corralled Dad, Sister, and me, we’d pile into our red and white 1956 Chevy Bel Air and drive into town to our church to celebrate the Good News of Christ’s resurrection with our congregation. At some point during our pastor’s Easter sermon, he would quote the verse that would become my joy and strength:

Hope

I understand now, but as a boy, I didn’t fully grasp the Good News preached on Easter Sunday; I could tell it held a power that knit our small congregation together. Mom and Dad clung to the words of the sermon. At the time, I didn’t understand how deeply Mom and Dad had been hurt as children, having both lost their mothers during the Great Depression. But it wasn’t just my parents who fed on the Good News; each (saved) “grown-up” in the congregation was filled by the Holy Spirit with strength and renewal of commitment to Christ Jesus, their Savior. However, this wasn’t true for the author of the story I read. For her, it seems that there was no Resurrection Day.

No Purpose

Paraphrasing her account, “We’d get dressed up in our Sunday best. The photographer would take our picture, and then we’d get back in our play clothes and enjoy the spring day.” Her family did not go to church, not even on Easter Sunday. Across her street were people who knew the power of “He is risen,” but she and her family were just dressed up with nowhere to go. I don’t think I’ve ever read a sadder story.

How many people do we know who are like the five virgins who had dressed in their finest but found themselves unprepared, dressed up with nowhere to go? (Matthew 25:1-13)

Good News

Whether your local church performs a cantata or your pastor preaches his Easter sermon, if we have placed our faith in Jesus, we are brothers and sisters with hope and a future because Christ Jesus has risen, just as He said.

When my wife and I were first dating, we went to a concert by “The 2nd Chapter of Acts,” and heard them sing the “Easter Song.” Enjoy!

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Writing Bloopers 🥹

Writing is an adventure, occasionally punctuated by “thought” train wrecks. This time I mistakenly wrote: “At the time, I didn’t understand the depth of the pain Mom and Dad had experienced as children, both losing their mothers and lives as children during the Great Depression.” Yikes!

God is incomprehensible

God is big and complex, with story arcs that span millennia. He has created things so tiny we’ve yet to find the smallest. He made a universe so immense that humanity’s best minds are continually astonished by every device they send to study it. And still, God knows the number of hairs on my head, which, for me, decreases each day!

The beauty of oceans, rivers, and mountains is indisputable. The joy of Mom and Dad at bringing home their baby is indescribable. The treasure of the stories told by Grandma and Grandpa is inspirational. Yet none of these even approaches the wonder of God Almighty. He is more. He is the Great I Am. He is beyond our wonder.

I am reminded of the song “God of Wonders”:

Verse 1:
Lord of all creation
Of water, earth and sky
The heavens are Your tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on High

Chorus
God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy
The universe declares Your majesty
You are holy, holy
- by Chris Tomlin

God is marvelous

In Job the oldest book in the Bible, God told Job that “He stretches out the north earth on nothing.“ (Job 26:7) And in Isaiah 40:22, we learn “It is he [God] who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in.”

God told us these things some 3,000 years before there was a picture of Earth from space. I’ll let you in on a weird question a couple of nerdy Christians asked each other. This relates to the wonder of God. Jon: “Can God make a pizza so big that He can’t eat it?” Amy: “Yes, and then He’d eat it!” I’m serious; that was a real conversation. God is amazing, and His love for us exceeds our understanding.

God is wondrous

God is not a big cuddly teddy bear. He is fearsome (Jeremiah 20:11). He is furious with humanity (John 3:36). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10). Still, the Scriptures tell us that God is love (1 John 4:8), that, in God, we can find the refuge we so desperately seek (Psalm 62:8), and that He will cover our sins (Psalm 32:1). How wondrous, how powerful, how compassionate is our God.

God is complex

If God weren’t complex, He wouldn’t be God. The greatest scientific minds alive or ever were have been unable to manufacture a single living cell, yet God made the human body, which contains 30 trillion living cells! We discover encouraging truths in the names of God that are used in the Bible. A few of His names are:

• Abba – Daddy – Mark 14:36

• Adonai – A Divine name, translated “Lord,” and from its derivation, “sovereignty.” – 1 Kings 2:26

• El Elyon – Most High God – Daniel 7:18

• El Elohe Yisrael – The mighty God of Israel – Isaiah 60:16

• El Roi – The God who sees me – Genesis 16:13

• El Shaddai – God Almighty, the Overpowerer – Job 40:1–2, Matthew 19:26

• Yahweh – “I am” or “He is” or “His name” – Exodus 20:7

God is beyond our wonder

Truly, we serve an incomprehensible, marvelous, wondrous, complex God who loves us so much that He sacrificed His Son to provide a way of escape from His wrath and judgment. He is the true source of joy. What a mighty God we serve!

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Many Christians dismiss Adam and Eve, believing them to be fictitious characters made up by Moses. We need to understand that the narratives, historical accounts, prophecies, and commands in the Bible are all built on Jesus, and that Jesus affirmed their truth. He is in all of God’s Word, for He is the Word (John 1:1), which is health to our bodies (Proverbs 3:8) and renewal for our minds (Romans 12:2)

Eve’s Faith

For the first time in history, a woman, Eve, became pregnant. How challenging it must have been for her to go through this unknown process of pregnancy and childbirth. She didn’t have any friends with children. I wonder what Adam and Eve did for a nursery without an Ikea store !?

Even though Eve had sinned against God, we find that she had faith in God and acknowledged Him to be the author of the precious gift she had received. How many times have you heard people “write off” Eve as worthless? It takes a lot for God to do that. He is the God of second chances.

Eve’s Hope

The name Cain (Hebrew: קַיִן, Qayin) means to “acquire” or “possess.” So, we see that Eve understands God is at work in her. Cain is the firstborn son, a type of Adam. As the firstborn son, Cain occupied a special place within the family.

Here in chapter four of Genesis, we find Jesus! Eve is looking toward the fulfillment of God’s promise for her offspring to bruise Satan’s head (Genesis 3:15). She may have hoped Cain would fulfill God’s prophecy, but that was the job for Jesus. She doesn’t know when God will fulfill the promise God made to her, but she’s looking for God and, unbeknownst to her, to the man Christ Jesus.

It is likely that Eve hoped Cain would regain what was lost. Some of us have had hopes for our children that were unfulfilled. It’s painful. I’m sure Eve felt that pain with Cain.

Learning from Eve

We can learn a lot from Eve. She was used by Satan to commit the first sin (1 Timothy 2:14), bringing sin into everyone. Perhaps, no one has committed a greater sin. Yet, God did not give up on her. He gave her a promise of hope, and she believed in Him. She testified that God had helped her in childbirth. Her baby was named Acquire (or Possess), perhaps pointing to God’s promise to her.

If God didn’t give up on Eve, then He hasn’t given up on us. We, too, have hope, even a greater hope than Eve, for Jesus has now paid the price for our sins. God’s love still pursues us. We are never too far away from God for Him to restore us. Trust in Jesus, for He is our mediator to our Father (1 Timothy 2:5).

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In the account of the “rich young ruler,” the Scripture reads, “And as he (Jesus) was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’” (Mark 10:17)

Running to Jesus

The young man ran to Jesus. This man had intent. He had determination. He had identified the source of what he had been seeking. We know this because he didn’t just run to Jesus, but caused Jesus to stop His journey. His action is significant. Abraham did a similar thing. We find this in Genesis 18:2: “Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.” Many theologians consider this encounter a Christophany, a visible manifestation of the Son of God before He became flesh (John 1:14).

How similar these two accounts are! Both men spotted Jesus walking. Both men hurried to meet Him. Both men stopped Jesus and implored Him for His attention. Both men bowed or knelt before the Son of God. Both men made a request of Christ. But here, the similarity stops.

Letting Go

God called Abram (Abraham) while he was still an idolator, living in the city of Ur. God called him to leave his family, friends, and the familiar behind and to go into the wilderness to a land God would show him. Abram took God up on His offer, but the rich young ruler did not.

Jesus, in whom the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9), asked the young man to get rid of the things that tied him to his family, his world, his life, and to come and join Jesus as a disciple. What a privilege Jesus extended to the rich young ruler, but the young man declined.

It’s not enough to run to Jesus, to get Christ’s attention, to fall on our knees before the King of kings and the Lord of lords, to seek His favor. For the first thing Jesus requires of us is to surrender all, to let go of the corpse of the world which we drag around with us. There can be no life as long as we remain in death.

Choose Wisely

Christ calls us out, but the decision rests solely upon us. Just as Abram was renamed Abraham, Simon was renamed Peter, Saul was renamed Paul, and James and John were renamed the sons of thunder, someday, when we arrive in heaven, God will give us a new name, but not the rich young ruler; not on that day, for he cared too much for this world to let go. Like a monkey whose hand is trapped in a jar, this young man grasped his riches so tightly that he could not escape.

Abraham and the rich young ruler: Two men whom our Lord offered unimaginable joy and a place in the foundation of God’s kingdom. One man chose correctly, and one did not. What will we do when Jesus asks us to let go of our most precious thing in the world? Will we, by God’s grace, place our faith in Jesus? Will we let go of death, or will we try to hold on to a trinket of death and bargain with Jesus so that we may possess both death and life, a bargain that cannot be made?

Everytime. Choose life. Choose love. Choose Jesus.

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Living in the Midwest, I am eager for Spring to come. I don’t enjoy getting in my car and it feeling like a meat freezer in a butcher shop. I’m just not a Winter person. Perhaps that is why, when I woke up today, I was thinking about swimming. Swimming pools are fun; they just are. Swimming alone provides great exercise, but people bring the fun; many, but not too many!

The ruckus of people talking, toddlers in their water wings, kids competing to see how long they can hold their breath underwater, guys cannonballing to splash water on girls sunbathing. It’s packaged happiness. One consequence is that a lot of water splashes out of the pool, leaving the concrete wet near the pool and damp further out. This euphoria makes a good metaphor for our lives in Christ Jesus.

We can properly use a swimming pool as a type for us, because Jesus said that He will give us living water (John 4:14) and rivers of living water will flow out of us (John 7:38). So, if we now truly live in Jesus and He in us (John 14:20), then we should be as full of living water as a swimming pool is of tap water.

How horrible it would be to arrive at a pool and find it half-empty and covered in algae! Yuck! But that’s what happens when a swimming pool is not maintained. The stagnant water begins to evaporate, and the remaining water becomes unhealthy and even dangerous. A pool’s water must be circulated, filtered, and treated to remove toxins. The same is true for us to be healthy followers of Christ.

Our filtration system is alive. The Holy Spirit lives in us, and He helps us to be healthy. Among many other things, He shows us toxins that have crept in, He guides us on the path of righteousness, and reveals to us the life that is in God’s Word. Our responsibility is to exercise self-control and continually grow in holiness, separating ourselves from worldliness.

Just as explaining a swimming pool is nothing like an actual swimming pool, so telling people we are Christian is nothing like being a Christian. To experience a swimming pool, people must jump in. As believers, we are both set-apart from death, and draw people to leave their death and “jump into” the life within us, Christ Jesus, our Lord.

A refreshing swimming pool naturally draws people of all ages. We are walking souls overflowing with Living Water, so people are drawn to the Life in us. Some will hate us because they hate the Water, but others will be drawn to come in.

Some will feel a deep need to jump in, to experience Living Water. Our purpose, the reason why we don’t just zip up to heaven when we receive salvation (John 17:15-16), is to carry the streams of Living Water. The reason we exist is so people do not just step on damp concrete or walk on wet concrete, but dive in and are immersed in the Living Water of God.

This brings us back to the packaged happiness of a swimming pool. Around it will always be people who like to be near the water, but never want to get wet. Others will dangle their feet in the water, but never jump in. But there will be some who will jump in and experience the refreshment only found by being in the water. Jesus is the Water, and we are those swimming pools.

So, stay healthy, stay refreshing, stay attractive (spiritually 😉). The God of all Creation lives in those of us who believe in Jesus, and we live so that others will join us as children of God.

Photo by: Brandon Hoogenboom on Unsplash

Growth seems to be a natural progression of all God creates. Whether we look at kittens, calves, kids, or children, they all start small, but with the right care, feeding, and environment, they grow to be healthy and to fulfill God’s purpose for them.

Growth is a Lesson That God Teaches

All of God’s creation testifies to His existence, and growth is a lesson that teaches us about God’s intended process and purpose for His children. I am reminded of a problem my dad had when I was a teenager.

We lived on a small farm with either a tiny lake or a huge pond stocked with fish. About two years after we moved there, the fish I caught looked like aliens from outer space. Every fish had a full-size head, but its body was small and underdeveloped. The fish seemed very strange.

Dad contacted our county’s Conservation agent. We learned that the fish were starving for oxygen and nutrients. Fertilizers were running off our fields and into our lake, messing up the lake’s whole ecosystem.

Baby Christians

As Christians, we can experience a similar problem. When we are first saved, we’re babies who require extra attention, proper feeding, and protection from damaging food. We also need exercise to grow up strong and healthy. If we lack any of those, then we will not grow up as God intended. Instead, we will be stunted, just as my dad’s fish were. I pray you've grown to be healthy.

We can read an account of this in 1 Corinthians 3:2-3 (ESV):

When we meet a new convert to Jesus, we should make sure God’s new baby receives careful instruction (feeding), gentle guidance (protection from dangerous food), and opportunities to find and use their gifting (exercise), so they grow properly. By doing so, the new addition to God’s kingdom will avoid being like my dad’s fish and instead become a mighty tool in God’s hand.

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Follow Me

The people where Jesus grew up had a very deep understanding of Scripture, and most lived according to God’s teachings. The Mishnah describes the educational process for a young Jewish boy in Jesus’ time.

“At five years old [one is fit] for the Scripture, at ten years the Mishnah (oral Torah, interpretations) at thirteen for the fulfilling of the commandments, at fifteen the Talmud (making Rabbinic interpretations), at eighteen the bride-chamber, at twenty pursuing a vocation, at thirty for authority (able to teach others)” - That the World May Know. (n.d.). Rabbi and Talmidim1

In the New Testament, a Rabbi would call a new disciple by saying, “Follow me.2” It meant from that time forward their life would change drastically as they would be dead to their old life and alive to their new life3. This is why Jesus used the phrase, “Come, follow me4,” when he called the apostles, and His apostles understood what He was doing. We all see that the timing for the start of Christ’s ministry, at 30 years old, was another testimony that Jesus was truly a rabbi5.

Dry as Dust

We

know that Israel, like much of the Middle East, has very arid places. These places that receive little water are hot, dry, and dusty. So, a common admonition to the disciples of rabbis, during Jesus’ earthly ministry, was, “Cover yourself in the dust of his feet and drink in his words thirstily.” This meant to follow your teacher so closely that the dust from his feet covers you, and to drink in his words as you would water in a dry and dusty land6.

In reading Matthew 10:42, the Jews would have understood “these little ones” as referring to scholars of a rabbi, and the rabbi was Jesus. So, in the context in which Jesus is speaking, He is telling the listeners that His “little ones” would appreciate a cup of cold water, meaning any help someone would give them, since disciples follow in the dust of the feet of their rabbi. A disciple’s focus is not on providing for themselves, but on learning from their master.

Elevated Believers

Later, we gain a deeper understanding in Matthew, when Jesus states:

From Matthew 25:40, we learn that Christ sees acts of kindness done to even the weakest believer and rewards them as if they had done the kindness to Jesus Himself. For believers, our love and compassion must not be limited to fellow believers, yet it must first be shown to those of the household of faith.

God does not dismiss acts of love, no matter how seemingly insignificant, especially towards His children. God loves all, but elevates His children.

Two Thoughts

There are two thoughts I hope we all take away from this lesson. The first is that we who have received Jesus should follow Him so closely that we taste the dust from His feet. The second is that Jesus knows our sacrifices and has made provision for us, so much so that He established a binding law. That law is whoever gives even the smallest help to one of His “little ones” is counted as a person who directly did it for Jesus. I thank God for that.

Photo credit: Chris Yarzab on Visualhunt.com / CC BY

Footnotes

Years ago, I did a project in San Bernardino, California, where I learned the world was not asymmetrical. It was a massive project, so I spent six months living bi-coastal – well, coastal and cornfields. Anyway, the buyer hired a consulting firm to ensure my employer did everything the client expected.

At one point in the project, I had a very different perspective from the auditing consultant. We went into an empty office, closed the door, and I prepared to show the consultant the section in the contract that validated my perspective. Instead, the consultant stopped me and said, “I know the contract, I know the company you work for, and I know my client. The client is the big dog. This world is not symmetrical.” That was the end of the discussion. I was right, but the client was still going to get what they wanted.

I learned a lot from that conversation. And, I’ve reminded my kids many times that this world is not symmetrical. When wrestling with a “big dog,” there will be times when you have to let go. Never in regard to God’s word, but about things we know we deserve, but won’t get.

When it comes to Jesus, there can be no compromise

When it comes to Jesus, there can be no compromise. However, there’s a broad range of issues that we can damage the advancement of Christ’s Gospel if we dig our heels in. Here are a couple of examples:

2 Timothy 2:14 (ESV), “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.”

You’re right, you’re right, you know you are right, but will your “rights” compel people to advance the Good News of Jesus Christ?

Acts 16:1-3 (ESV), “Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”

Timothy, a Christian of good reputation, was known by the Jews. Paul intended to preach in synagogues on his upcoming missionary trip, so he had Timothy circumcised even though Paul could have argued that Timothy only needed to obey the instructions in Acts 15. We could dig deeper and compare Timothy with Titus (Galatians 2:1), but that’s a lesson for another time.

Not Everything is Beneficial

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 says, “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.”

A dear missionary mentor once told me, “Others can, but you cannot.” Here’s the truth: this world is not symmetrical. There are times when the right thing to do is give up our rights, so we are not hindered from proclaiming salvation through Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.

The Gospel comes before our rights. Compromise Truth; never! Go to the back of the line when we are next in line? Sure, why not? The time I have belongs to God. If he wants to promote me, great; if not, I’ll catch up on some emails while I wait.

Photo by Melanie Pongratz on Unsplash

God’s will is always accomplished, but He mostly uses people to carry it out, like the many people who work for a team's head coach. We can see this in what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:

That Person

These ministers live to help all of us become who God sees us to be, not who we presently are. It may seem impossible to us that we can be holy (set apart to God) and be wholly dedicated to God’s purpose for us. But that is God’s will, and he has provided all we need to “be that person.”; for you to be how God sees you.

This can be a rather frightening realization: we must die to our own will. But this is God’s desire for you. I have a friend who is a missionary. When my family and I moved to Romania, she left behind her whole life and came with us. Later, she moved from Romania to Zambia to minister there! She is no longer in foreign missions, but she is “that person.” You can be too!

It Takes Faith

Consider this: it takes more trust in God that we will be resurrected into eternal life than it does for us to die to ourselves now and fulfill God’s call on our lives.

Whoa! First, are there really “amounts” of faith? Yes. In Matthew 8:10, Jesus speaks of the “great faith” a Roman centurian had. In Matthew 8:26, Jesus says to His disciples, “You of little faith…” and in Acts 6:5, Stephen, the martyr, is called “a man full of faith.”

Second, how can faith for our resurrection be compared to our faith required to daily die to ourselves and live wholly committed lives for Jesus? Well, in 1 John 4:20, the Apostle John wrote: If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?”

So we understand that it takes more faith to obey what we don’t see than to obey what we do see.

The Endgame

When Jesus speaks of faith, He is referring to belief in God that is put into action. Belief itself doesn’t mean anything. James wrote, "You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe—and shudder." When we put our faith in God, at that moment we die to ourselves. This is the symbol and reality of water baptism. We die, are washed clean, and rise into eternal life.

God’s endgame is the establishment of a people who gave up their lives, as His Son gave up His life, in obedience to Him. For these people, God has created a paradise, even greater than the Garden of Eden. And we will live with Him forever. This has been established by the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, our Lord, Brother, and Friend.

Live for Jesus. That’s what matters.

Michael W. Smith’s lyrics to the song, “All About You,” remind us that Jesus isn’t found in our works, even when those are praising or worshiping, unless they are directly in response to Jesus in us.

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about you, it's all about you Jesus
I'm sorry Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about you, it's all about you Jesus

Finding the heart of Jesus is very personal for me. This imperative is something I’ve wrestled with many times in life in Christ. I will reach a place where I’m walking with Jesus every day. My life is firing on all cylinders; then life becomes more complex, time more compressed. I pray more, read Scripture more, but those begin to become works that I do in place of seeking, finding, resting, and being renewed in Christ. I drift from seeking the heart of Jesus to living by works, and that’s a form of legalism.

A Problem With Legalism

The Apostle Paul addressed the issue of legalism among Jewish Christians. I encourage you to read chapters 1 and 2 of Colossians to gain the full context of these verses, but consider these today.

Paul tells the Jews, and us, that outward religious acts, even if they were valid before Jesus of Nazerith, no longer provide a way for us to draw close to God. Now, the only way is to live in Christ Jesus Himself. It is especially important to understand the lie of asceticism — the denial of material possessions, food, sleep, or entertainment to kill the temptations that would lead us away from God. Asceticism cannot change anyone's soul.

Finding a cave and living in isolation, as some monks do, will not change us. Only a dynamic, personal, uninterrupted life in Jesus changes who we are. The fire Jesus ignites in us is intended to be shared. We are to be in the world but not of the world.

Here is a Surprise

Finding the heart of Jesus does not just happen, and we cannot achieve it through asceticism. To find the heart of Jesus, we must strip away everything that insulates us from Jesus, our Lord.

The surprise is that finding the heart of Jesus is achieved through obedience. All of the joy and peace and hope that Jesus desires to give us are accessed through obedience because God sees obedience as love. How do we know this? We know because Apostle John wrote, in 1 John 5:3: “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome”.

My discovery of this surprise should not have been unexpected, but it was. Somehow, when I received Jesus as my Savior, I didn’t make the connection that “living for Jesus” meant “learning His many commands and obeying them.” I was enthralled by His love, but had only a superficial understanding of the responsibilities loving God contained.

Obeying the commandments of Jesus is not about religious acts or legalism. It is about who we are. Jesus laid out, within His commands, a narrow path that shows us not just what we should do but, more importantly, who we should be. Let me expand this point. For Jesus, His focus is on who we are to become, for He sees the end from the beginning.

The Key

So here is the key to finding the heart of Jesus. It is obedience that comes from the changing of our souls by continually being in the presence of the deity of Jesus. We cannot please Jesus by any works we decide to do. We can only find the heart of Jesus by abiding in Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us. Our obedience to His commands must be acts of love that come from thankfulness, not forced acts of self-punishment.

You will find the heart of Jesus when you live in Him and He in you. Of becoming like Him. Of learning to live in His kingdom.

To obey is to love and to love is to obey. If we live this way, we will find the heart of Jesus.

This is a partial checklist I imagine Jesus had when He prepared to arrive as the Last Adam1. Feel free to add any that I missed in the Comments. 🙂

[✔︎] Descend from heaven. John 3:13
[✔︎] Be born of a virgin. Luke 1:26–38
[✔︎] Go to people of my natural nationality. John 1:11
[✔︎] Do these miracles: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Luke 7:22
[✔︎] Tell people how vital it is for them to put their faith in Me. John 12:44
[✔︎] Help people understand that My Father, I, and the Holy Spirit are One God. 1 Timothy 2:5, Matthew 28:19, Matthew 3:16–17
[✔︎] Communicate that the first step towards forgiveness is repentance. Matthew 4:17
[✔︎] Preach the kingdom of God. Matthew 4:17
[✔︎] Build a team that will become a community and grow to be My Bride. Matthew 4:18–22, Acts 2:1–4, Revelation 19:7
[✔︎] Teach people that love is never optional. Luke 10:25–37
[✔︎] Let people know that I often give second chances. John 21:15–25
[✔︎] Make it clear that my actions are fulfilling all of the prophecies about Me. Luke 13:32
[✔︎] Tell people that there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. Matthew 7:13–14, Matthew 10:28
[✔︎] Reveal to people that believers have a home waiting for them in heaven. John 14:2
[✔︎] Teach people that this life is full of troubles. John 16:33
[✔︎] Help people know the value of deferred gratification – Luke 14:33
[✔︎] Ask My Father to send the Holy Spirit so my believers will not be left as orphans. John 14:16, John 14:26, John 14:18
[✔︎] Be humiliated, cursed, spit upon, nailed to a cross, receive the wrath of My Father, be separated from My Father for the first time in all eternity, become sin so My Father cannot even look upon Me, and die as a sacrifice to provide the way for sinners to be forgiven and reconciled to God. Matthew 27:32–56, 1 John 2:2, 2 Corinthians 5:18–19
[✔︎] Rise up from death to become the resurrection for my followers. Luke 24
[✔︎] Ascend back to heaven. Acts 1:9
[ _ ] Return a second time to gather my people. John 14:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:16
[ _ ] Fulfill the prophecies about Me that I told John to write in the Book of Revelation as well as in Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, and Zechariah.

Image by Tumisu, please consider ☕ Thank you! 🤗 from Pixabay

God answers prayer. To be counted among God’s children, we must believe that He answers prayer, for there is no purpose for prayer if we lack faith in God. “And without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6a) In fact, our journey in Jesus begins with a sinner’s prayer. “…they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.” (Acts 26:20) And we have assurance in God’s Word that He does answer.

1 What mighty praise, O God,
 belongs to you in Zion.
We will fulfill our vows to you,
2 for you answer our prayers.
 All of us must come to you.
3 Though we are overwhelmed by our sins,
 you forgive them all. 
- Psalms 65:1-3, emphasis added

We also have historical proof that God answers prayer.

¹⁴ “But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains…”

^{18 “}Pray that it may not happen in winter.” - Mark 13:14-18 ESV

The event that Jesus prophesied was fulfilled when the Romans destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem on August 30, 70 AD. It was in August, not in winter! God answers prayer. Jesus said, “Pray.” He didn’t say, “Hope it’s not in winter.” Jesus, the Son of God, called upon people to pray. We should learn from this.

If ever the reliability of prayer was demonstrated, it was demonstrated by Christ Jesus. Jesus didn’t just encourage His followers to pray; during His earthly ministry, he lived a life of prayer. He sought out solitary places to pray (Mark 1:35), and He prayed during great suffering (Luke 22:39-46).

Because God answers prayer, Jesus taught us how to pray. “The Lord’s Prayer” sprang from His disciples seeing Him pray.

“Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
- Luke 11:1

Jesus spent a great deal of time teaching about prayer. Included in His teachings was the instruction not to seek attention or to pray with empty words. In Matthew 6:5a, Jesus said, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly.” And in verse seven, Jesus said, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.”

God, our Father, anticipates us praying sincerely and humbly to Him in faith, with persistence, forgiveness toward others, and according to His will, not as a show for other people, not with flowery words, but trusting His character, His Word, and His timing. Truly, we can trust in the God who answers prayer.

Several times in my life, a random person has used a battery as a metaphor. Once, on a frigid, pitch-black night, I was riding on the back of a friend’s black motorcycle, traveling to a prayer and praise meeting. At a stoplight, I asked why we were riding a motorcycle in freezing weather, in the middle of the night, to a home that “might” be hosting a Bible study. He turned to me and said, “We don’t have self-charging batteries.” His metaphor stayed with me.

Self-Charging Battery

My friend’s statement is true. Being a Christian is not something we are intended to do by ourselves. Sure, there are situations when we may be isolated - perhaps we’ve been captured while being a missionary in a hostile land - but nearly all Christians find fellow Christians, even in the most oppressive governments. This is because God makes a way. And He makes a way because it is His will that Christians fellowship, praise, and worship with one another. Jesus told us, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20) When Jesus is there, we can be sure our batteries will be recharged.

Most unhappy people who call themselves Christians are self-imprisoned, living by rules and rites they have created; their own religion has the appearance of Christianity, but without the Church. Their lives are devoid of the life of Jesus because self-isolation is against His will. Their batteries slowly discharge in the dark, never showing the light of life (John 8:12).

If we want to have the morality of Christianity, and the blessings of Christianity, and the hope promised by Christianity, we must let go of pride and publicly, sincerely, and happily live for Jesus and in fellowship with fellow Christians. We can’t be an island, always holding everyone at arm’s length. If Christ is alive in us, His nature will draw us to connect with other believers.

Guilt, depression, indifference, anger, and self-loathing all fall away when we do as Apostle Paul instructed us:

“Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” - Colossians 3:16

It’s vital that we not only get our batteries recharged, but we also, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, help fellow believers recharge theirs.

Life’s Low Battery

Shortly before her passing, my wife talked with her mom, who was in his nineties. Afterwards, she said, “Her battery is nearly drained.” This was terribly sad news. But when her battery could no longer hold a charge, she entered the glorious life Jesus had prepared for her in heaven. We all grieved our loss, but none grieved for her.

Using my wife’s metaphor, God has given each of us a battery that can only be recharged a fixed number of times. None of us knows what that number is. I can say, “I plan on living to be 100,” but that is just foolishness. Jesus spoke of a foolish farmer who had filled his barns full of crops. So, the farmer said:

“And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’”
- Luke 12:19-20

God’s Word tells us that each of us has a set time when our life will end, when our battery will be dead. (Job 14:5) For those of us who live in Jesus, how much time is still on our batteries should not be a concern. Instead, we should focus on living consistently for Jesus.

Dead Batteries

If we have repented (Acts 3:19), if we have publicly declared that Jesus is Lord, and if we have believed that God raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 10:9), then we will enter heaven when our batteries run out. At that time, we will have no need for a “battery.” Being in God’s presence will eternally energize us.

It's sobering to realize that we must give an account of ourselves to God (Romans 14:12). But, I can imagine there might be time for us to look over His shoulder as He turns each page of the “photo album” of our lives, stopping from time-to-time to reminisce about events, giving us the backstory of how He intervened for us, and explaining to us how He “recharged our batteries” throughout our lives.

When it comes to attitude or sin, it’s easy mistake suppression for change. Years ago, I was sitting in my car, listening to a sermon on my radio. The preacher made a great analogy that has always stuck with me. He said that sin is like a beachball. If you are in a swimming pool, you can try to hold that beachball underwater.

Pressing down on that ball works for a while, but eventually, your arms get tired, someone does a cannonball into the pool, and someone bumps you. Pop! That beachball is back on the surface of the water. It may have looked like it was gone. You may even have thought, “I have this,” but it always comes back. Change, on the otherhand, is when all the air -- sin -- is let out of the beachball. You no longer have to strain to suppress it. It doesn’t pop back.

My Suppression

Most stand-up husbands joke about how their wives don’t let go of things. I heard a comedian say, “She’s like an alligator, eyes just above the surface, waiting. It may be three years, but out of nowhere, bam! She nails you with some mistake you made.”

It’s not just wives. Husbands do that too, just clumsier; we have no finesse. My wife and I were on a long drive back home. We were chatting when a topic came up, and bam! Some bit of a memory came to mind, and I started to say something, but stopped. She said, “Just say it!” So, I did. Husbands, if your wife says, “Say it.” Don’t! It’s a trap! She’s five moves ahead of you on your marriage chessboard.

I said it. Immediately, I realized that I’d been holding that beachball underwater for a very long time. So long that I’d forgotten I was suppressing it. I had told Jesus I’d forgiven her, but in that instant I saw that there had been no change in me, just suppression.

We Need Discipline and Change

As those of us who are in love with Jesus, we need change, not suppression. I am not saying that we are not to put our full effort into holiness.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. - Hebrews 12:14

We must “make every effort.” We must apply discipline to our lives, our thoughts, our intents. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.“ (Mark 8:34) In the Biblical Greek, “deny” means to deny utterly, as in disown, abstain. That sounds like suppression, but discipline is creating “spiritual muscle memory.”

Still, that “deny” is not exactly the same as a change within us. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 NLT) Real change must take place in us; it must start with a brand new life, like that of a baby.

We start out as a newborn, but as we continue to live in this world, Jesus only allows us to collect some dust on our feet; dust easily and regularly washed off. However, we often collect thoughts, attitudes, and unrighteousness that we add to the “light burden” Jesus gave us. This extra weight weighs us down, makes us weak, and causes us to fall behind in our race. These extra weights can only be removed by changes in us; suppressing doesn’t work.

Repentance Transforms

And how do we effect change? How do we let the air out of our beachball? This change only comes through repentance. Repentance transforms suppression into change. Even if the seed came from someone else, its fruit of sin can only be removed by repentance, for only repentance brings true change. The word repentance in the Bible literally means “to change one’s mind and purpose, as the result of after knowledge.” (Easton’s Bible Dictionary) And, Eerdmans Bible Dictionary defines repentance as: “In its fullest sense it is a term for a complete change of orientation involving a judgment upon the past and a deliberate redirection for the future.”

Repentance is change, but this change requires a supernatural intervention from God. In 1 John 1:9, we find, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“ Notice the “cleansing.” That’s God’s supernatural intervention. Only He can do that.

Jesus as Our Lord

So, the question is, “How long will you hold that beachball underwater?” Letting the air out means letting that “thing” out. Once you release it, it is no longer yours to use or control. Releasing it removes it as a burden in your life. I pray that we all find the things in us that we are suppressing and release them to Jesus. Only by allowing Him to replace suppression with change will Jesus be our Lord.

I pray, Father, that this will be a year of victories. I pray that this year we will not fear or shrink back from our battles. I pray that our homes will be covered, like a dome covers a decorative cake, showing its beauty while serving as a barrier from dust, dirt, and disease in this world.

Father, make this a year of small victories and big victories, victories inside us and out, victories we face and victories unseen. I pray Your overflowing victories in us, on us, around us, and through us, going before us and behind us and ‘round about us.

But how can there be a victory without a battle? How can there be a battle without a foe? How can one overcome unless one engages? Why would one engage unless one’s belief is proved to be faith? And what is faith but undeterred action in obedience to the One who is able.

God, our Father, is Victory. I pray you, and I am confident in His victories. He is able! He is available! He abides with us! He is with us in our coming in and our going out. The battle is our God’s. By the blood of His Christ, His Victory was won.

What will we see when we look back on 2026, if Jesus doesn’t return this year? We will see the victories of our Mighty God arrayed as jewels piled higher, deeper, and wider than any of us can imagine. That is what we will see.