Category: Belief - Jethro TOOLS

Steps of Faith

5/31/2026

Genesis 12
In September of 1846, Sir John Franklin’s expedition to find the Northwest Passage came to an ominous halt in ice. The two ships, Erebus and Terror, began the journey in 1845, but now they were ensnared in the ice of northern Canada around King Island. Franklin, the expedition leader died in 1847. By April 1848, the remaining crew decided to avoid a similar fate by walking across the frozen ground. They were lacking in proper provisions, and preparation, and as a result, they all died trying to escape. Have you ever looked at your situation and realized that your resources were short and your strength was limited? In Genesis twelve, God spoke to Abram and told him to leave where he lived and relocate (1). This was not a move across town, but a move across literal countries. Abram responded by faith and arrived safely (4-5) under God’s faithful provision and protection. His response upon arriving was to build an altar and worship God (8). Like Abram, God still calls us to leave our comforts and follow Him by faith. The difficulty is that we want God to tell us where He is taking us and how it is all going to work out. That is not faith. God desires that we trust His plan completely and follow His process obediently. The struggle of practicing our faith is that we have a tendency to only go halfway with God. We want to know that we have at least one foot on solid ground while we gingerly test God’s direction with the other. God is all powerful and always faithful. We can trust Him at all times in every situation. Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek God and His righteousness first and He will provide all that is needed. How is your faith? Are you taking the steps to follow God in obedience to His direction? We believe by faith and live by faith because God is always faithful.

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Appearing of the King

4/5/2026

John 20:19-23
A new movie was released in December 2019 called Togo. The setting is the 1925 diphtheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska. A dog musher by the name of Leonhard Seppala was sent to pick up a bundle of medical serum. Together with his dog team, that was led by Togo, they raced over 250 miles to bring the life saving serum to the dying people of Nome. Like Seppala we as believers face many problems in this life. John writes, in John 20, that Jesus sent His followers out with a task to deliver the life saving message of forgiveness and salvation through Him. His presence with them brought peace regardless of the present problems. Jesus promised His continued power in their lives through the present working power of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were sent to live out His purpose in their life as they proclaimed the message of forgiveness through Jesus to those dying without Him. We too have been sent to deliver the life saving message of Jesus. Like the disciples we may wall ourselves off from society out of fear of confrontation, and accusation of being connected to Jesus. Notice that Jesus shows up when least expected and most needed. The disciples were filled with fear. Easter Sunday reminds us that because of the resurrection of Jesus we can live a new life with God’s power. Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave to change everything? The reality that Jesus is alive changes everything. The peace that comes through believing Christ overcomes fear. The power to serve is found in God’s enablement. We are given a purpose to live for Him and proclaim freedom and forgiveness through Jesus. As you look at your life and your world, what is unsettling and uncertain for you? Jesus came to forgive sin and give new life and new power to live for Him. What we believe will change the way we live.

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Presentation of the King

3/29/2026

Matthew 21:1-11
In 2023 England crowned a new king. It was fascinating to observe the coronation, the regalia and ceremonies tied to becoming king. In some ways it seemed like quite a drawn out process. Charles immediately became the king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth. However, he had to go through a very formal ceremony where he was officially given the title of king. Then on May 6, 2023, Charles was officially crowned the king in a special coronation ceremony. His whole life led to this moment. The ceremony was the culmination of expectation that ended with the presentation of the king. Matthew 21 records a far less spectacular presentation of a king, yet it is even more important. Matthew records Jesus entering Jerusalem before the Passover and His death. Before He enters the city, he stops outside a small village, and displays His kingly power through His command to His disciples (1-3). He then presents Himself as the King (6-9) by fulfilling the prophetic record of Zechariah chapter nine (4-5). However, the crowds were interested in a political king and a military savior. They could not accurately tell who Jesus was (10-11). Their answer lacked the insight and belief in Jesus as God’s promised savior. They desired a king for their purposes who would do their bidding. In the same way our message of Jesus must include that He is the one sent by God to save us from our sin. Jesus presented Himself as the King who came to sacrifice Himself, to serve us, and to save us. That leaves us with several questions. What do we believe about Jesus? Do we believe Him to be the promised one from God? What will we do for the King? Will we serve Him obediently? What will we say about Jesus? Will we accurately declare Him to be the Son of Gd and savior of the world? The world needs to know about Jesus the greatest King.

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The Pattern

2/22/2026

Genesis 1:3-31
Have you ever failed at making something good? It may be a craft project, a carpentry project or a cooking project. From my early years, I remember one time when my mother made a German Chocolate birthday cake for my father. Everything was going well, until Mom had to assemble the layers. Everything started to slide. It was not good, but Mom had a creative solution. She reasoned that a rubber band can hold all kinds of things together. Therefore, it should be able to hold her cake together. It partially worked. The problem came when she went to cut the cake and could not find the rubber band. In Genesis 1 we see God record His process of creation. These verses contain the repeated pattern of: a command from God, a response to God’s command, a statement naming what has been created, followed by an assessment and marking of sequential order. In six days God created the heavens and the earth. The later days are used by God to fill what He had previously made. The heavens are filled with the moon and stars. The waters are filled with fish, and the earth is filled with animals. But, on the sixth day we see God’s crowning achievement of creation: people. This is noted as distinct and different as humanity is created in God’s image (26). God, the originator, still brings order and purpose to our lives and our world. God, as the source of all that is good, makes what is good. As people, we can worship and praise Him for giving our lives purpose and meaning. We worship Him for His goodness. God has formed our lives, and our world so we can be His representative image bearers who display His goodness. By faith, we believe God is our creator. Today, our belief in Jesus, as our Savior, makes it possible for us to celebrate His goodness for all eternity.

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Call to the Culture

1/18/2026

Ephesians 6:19-20
What is an ambassador? If you are a car enthusiast you will recognize that Nash Motors and later AMC produced a full size car called the Ambassador. There is also a widely popular Indian vehicle named the Ambassador. However, an ambassador is more than just a car. An ambassador describes a type of person who plays a specific role as an official appointed representative. On the governmental side, this requires a wide array of knowledge, language and communication skills and then being sent to a specific country. A person could also be a brand ambassador who promotes a certain product as an influencer. In general, an ambassador is sent by an official, to represent them, and communicate for them. In Ephesians six, Paul states that he is an ambassador (20). He understands the role of an earthly ambassador and he transfers that idea into the spiritual arena. Paul is asking that the Ephesian believers would pray for him to be a faithful ambassador of Jesus (19). He has a responsibility and a privilege to be given the role. Paul has gained this position because of his belief in Jesus as His Savior. He now carries the gospel message of good news that Jesus forgives sin and reconciles the sinner to God. The sole desire of Paul is to complete the mission as an ambassador and deliver the message of Jesus faithfully, with boldness. But notice that Paul is in chains. He has been imprisoned because of his belief in Jesus. Even though his circumstances are limiting, his only concern is fulfilling his duty and carrying the message of Jesus to others. We, as believers, are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19-20). We are to be like Paul and faithfully deliver the message that Jesus has changed our life. Our purpose as ambassadors is to be on God’s mission, delivering His message of hope and forgiveness to our culture. Our world is waiting. We must be faithful ambassadors.

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Counter to the Culture

1/4/2026

Ephesians 1:17-23
Fitting in, as people we are created for relationships and desire acceptance. Yet at times we are willing to compromise our values and beliefs to gain the fleeting praise and acceptance of others. This is simply called peer pressure. We often think of this term in relation to teenagers who are pressured by their peers into making unwise decisions. However, we can be pressured to conform even when we are older. It is often said that, “Everything is for sale and everyone has a price.” The book of Daniel records perhaps the best recognized examples of a response to peer pressure. The first chapter records Daniel and his three friends in a foreign land in training to serve the king. Daniel resolved in his mind not to defile himself with the food that was unclean and unacceptable by God’s standards (Daniel 1:8). Later in the book the three friends of Daniel are threatened with death if they did not worship the gold statue of the king. In the face of immense pressure they reaffirm their belief in God to deliver, and their resolute refusal not bow to the statue (Daniel 3:16-18). Where does that kind of confidence come from? In Ephesians chapter one Paul prays that the Ephesian church will know God better (17). He prays that they will know the hope, riches and power found only in knowing God (18-23). Our hope is based on Christ and not on what we dream to achieve. Our wealth is found in a merciful God who lavished on us the gift of His Son who died for us to make it possible for us to become part of His family. The same unmatched power that God used to raise Jesus from the grave is now resident in the one who places their faith in Christ to save them. Through God’s power we can withstand temptations and live counter to the pressures found in our culture.

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Christmas Time: Explained

12/24/2025

John 1:1-8
We are now into the Christmas season. Your mind and your calendar may be full with all the things that you need to accomplish between now and December 25. In our busyness we often forget or neglect the real meaning of Christmas, Jesus born as Savior of the world. The cradle does not exist without the cross. However, the Christmas story begins before the cradle. As John begins the fourth book in the New Testament he highlights six essential truths about Jesus the savior born in the manger. John opens the first chapter by explaining that Jesus is God’s personal communication to us (1). Second, he explains the preexistence of Jesus in the beginning (1). Thirdly, John explains that Jesus is God (1-2), who fourthly gives life (3-4). Fifth, John explains the opposition of the darkness and evil to the light and truth of God’s communication of Jesus as Savior (5). This finally leads John to explain his role as a messenger who declares that belief in Jesus is essential (6-8). God designed and planned to personally reveal Himself to mankind through Jesus. John writes these things so that we, his audience, may believe that Jesus is the Savior and by believing we may have life in His name (John 20:30-31). This message is true for the audience of John’s day and for us today. Has the power of God displayed to us through Jesus overcome your darkness? Belief in Jesus is essential for life in Him. It is only through belief in Him as savior that we find our true purpose in life. We have been designed to reveal His greatness and light to people lost in a dark world in need of the light and life found only in Jesus. May the joy of Jesus fill you with His message. May the light of Jesus guide you as you daily walk with Him. He came to give His life so we can have true life by believing in Him.

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New Life New Future

11/16/2025

John 14:1-7
Forever together, this is the thought forms the desire and plan for a wedding. Love motivates a young couple to begin thinking about the future and the celebratory start to that relationship called a wedding. In different cultures the process that moves toward the wedding will look different. When we look at the Bible and see a wedding we must realize that there are differences between now and then. In Jesus day the husband would make a promise to his future bride that he would come back for her. In the mean time he would go and build a house attached to his fathers house. When the house was completed the husband would return for his bride and take her to his fathers house for the wedding and its celebration. In John 14 Jesus speaks with His disciples regarding His departure. They are deeply troubled (1) but He reminds them that He will prepare a place at His fathers house for them (2) so that one day He will come back and bring them to be with Him (3). Jesus is using the cultural example of a wedding to explain the spiritual truth of the future for those who believe in Him. The only way to become part of God’s family is through a relationship with Jesus, His son. While waiting for His return those who believe have the joy of telling others of their wonderful savior. Do you know Jesus as your savior? Have you placed your faith in Him as your only savior? Jesus tells His followers, and us today, that belief in Him is the only way to gain entrance into heaven, His fathers house (6). Belief in His salvation is essential in order to be included in God’s family for all eternity. Each of us must answer the question, What will you do with Jesus? How we answer will determine our future for all eternity. Will you spend life with Him or separate from Him?

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Security

9/28/2025

Psalm 20
Some years ago I ended up with appendicitis. After a trip to the doctor’s office I was told go to the hospital immediately. My day and those following were turned completely upside down. After surgery there were some complications that led to a longer than expected recovery. The problem was that up to that point I was generally healthy, now I was confined to a bed in a hospital room. I was walking through the deep waters of troubling times. Perhaps you have been there. I could have, and did pray for God to return my health. However, I also prayed for God to use my unexpected problem and pain to gain His victory for His purpose. God answered that prayer, and over the next week or so I had multiple opportunities to talk with doctors, nurses and other staff about Jesus. Life is not about us and our problems, rather it is about how God is magnified through them. Psalm 20 opens with people praying for the king (1-4). Their prayer was not for the removal of the troubles but that David, the king, would believe God’s power and see His perspective. David and the people respond in complete confidence trusting God (5-8). The prayer for the king in troubling times was key for his confident faith in following God. How do we pray for others during times of trouble? Do we pray for their release from trouble or their practice of faith when in trouble? When we face times of trouble ourselves, do we invite others to pray for our spiritual perspective and a commitment to continue trusting God? We help others and ourselves grow in faith in times of trouble when we pray for God’s presence as we practice a Godly perspective of the problems at hand. Our prayer and praise turn our attention from the problem to our God who gives security in times of trouble.

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Faith and Work

6/8/2025

Hebrews 11:7
Work involves thought and analysis tied to physical effort in order to see a desired result. The pay that is given when a job is finished is the result of completed work. When we are hired to do a job we work toward its completion with the resources that the employer provides. Hammers and saws may be provided for the contractor building a house, or pots and pans for a chef in a restaurant. Each worker gains more than just a paycheck, they gain a sense of purpose as they work toward the goal of finishing the house or feeding hungry customers. Employee trusts the employer to continue to manage the business in such a way that their work and its results matter. The same is true of our faith and relationship with God. In Hebrews 11:7 Noah’s faith moved him to work and build a boat because believed God. He believed that God was worthy of his loyal obedience and responded to God instruction to build the ark (Genesis 6:14). Not only did God provide the instruction, He also provided Noah the ability to work because had found favor with God (Genesis 6:8). Faith was the difference between Noah’s life and everyone else. He believed God’s message of judgment (Genesis 6:13) and he worked by faith with unquestioning obedience. Noah could have listened to the voices of reason, reality and reputation. Reason says, Why build a boat when there is not enough water? Reality says, Why start a seemingly impossible task that will take years to complete? Reputation says, What will everyone else say? Faith does not listen to the voices of distraction. Instead, faith listens to the reliable voice of God, and works to do the seemingly impossible. Our life of faith finds its purpose in honoring God and working to finish His task through His strength. Like Noah, our work of faith matters to God.

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Supremacy of Faith

5/11/2025

Hebrews 11:1-3
Have you ever been on a trust walk? The idea is simple. One person covers their eyes with a blindfold and the other person leads them in, around and under obstacles of varying degrees of difficulty. The question that is asked the blindfolded individual is, “Do you trust me?” A wise person will select a faithful and reliable person before attempting this activity. The deeper question is, why is faith difficult? For starters we want to know what is know what is ahead before making a commitment. In a way we lift the blindfold, take a quick look, formulate a plan, then drop the blindfold and follow. In John 20:24-25 we see Thomas doubting the reports that Jesus is alive. He basically says, “I need to see Jesus and touch him or I will not believe.” The following verses record Jesus appearing to the disciples again. This time He turns to Thomas challenging his unbelief (27). To see and believe is one thing, but to believing without seeing, that is completely different (29). Faith is difficult because we like to see what is ahead so we can plan appropriately. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is “being convinced of what we do not see.” Like a blindfolded game participant we must have complete calmness that the one leading us will accurately provide directions. Yet, along with that calm assurance in the leader, we must be convinced that what they tell us is accurate. Just like the game, faith is to affect every area of our life. Faith changes the thinking in our head from doubts to belief. Faith challenges our heart to find Christ completely reliable, and that will change our action to willingly do what we are told. In a blindfolded game of trust many will freeze in fear. In life God calls us to confident assured faith in Him that does not lift the blindfold.

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Belief in One

4/13/2025

Luke 23:26-48
Good news and bad news are on the opposite spectrum. The doctor calls and says the health report is not good, or you get a call about the birth of a grandchild. We enjoy the good, but our life is build around the bad. Our brain has a way of paying attention to what is bad and looking for a solution out of the predicament. Very simply we become people that want to find the good in the midst of the bad. God has intentionally created us to be searchers. Why are we like that? We are born into a broken world as people needing answers to life and we spend a lifetime working to provide those answers. We think, read, and search for God’s good in the bad. In the crucifixion of Jesus we see the bad news play out. Some mourned (27-28) while rulers and soldiers mocked Jesus (35-37) as he was placed on a cross between two thieves (32-33). The bad news and the reality of death seemed hopeless. Yet Luke records the change that occurred in one of the thieves , the centurion and even the crowd. God was at work bringing His good out of the worst bad that could ever happen. 1 Peter 3:18 states that, “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God.” The broken world of Jesus day contained people looking for something better. The centurion found a righteous man in the midst of corruption and death (47). The thief found new life at the end of his own life (42-43). God even worked in the crowd to change their thinking (48). The good news is that Jesus has taken the bad news of our sin for us. Our broken world can only show us more brokenness and death, yet Jesus came to be the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Belief in Jesus is good news for a broken world.

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Hope for One

3/30/2025

Luke 19:28-40
Words have meaning and sometimes the smallest words have greater meaning. Scripture mentions three important words by stating, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13).” We often talk about faith and love, but what about hope? What is the significance of hope? Little girls are given the name Hope and towns are named Hope. Why? In hope there is a belief and desire that something better will happen. Thus, little girls are named Hope and towns in new locations are named Hope. We as people are looking for and hoping for something better. The same was true in Jesus day. The people had correctly understood the Old Testament prophets as they spoke about a coming savior (e.g., Isaiah 7:14, 9:6-8; Micah 5:2). Now, as Jesus entered Jerusalem in Luke 19, the people saw Him as the king that had come to save them. They recalled the miracles that Jesus had performed and began praising Him (37). The crowd praised Jesus as the king who had come to save them (38), while Jesus acted as a king by giving commands (28-31), riding into the city (35) and accepting the praise (39-40). Hope moves us to act. Yet why do we lack hope and become hopeless? Perhaps we believe only what can be seen rather than in God who is unseen and at work. Perhaps we believe that nothing will change because even God has not done anything about the problem. Faith in Jesus changes our perspective by helping us see beyond the problems to the new life and hope filled reality that God offers. Hope challenges us to believe differently in the midst of hard times. That is why we name children Hope, and live in towns called Hope, and have hope in only one Savior. Jesus is the saving king who has come to give hope to a world that puts hope in all the wrong places.

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Rejected

3/9/2025

Isaiah 52:13-53:12
The unison trumpet like blast startled my peaceful quiet walk. Immediately I shifted my eyes toward the lake and scanned for the source of the racket. There, through the trees I saw four swans cruising the shore line looking for open water. Their arrival and their thunderous trumpeting honks announce the arrival of spring. The problem is, we may look around and see little evidence of that. Snow is still in piles and ice is still on the lake. We face a choice. Will we believe the message of the swans that spring is coming or will we reject their message and dismiss them as nothing but silly swans. In the book of Isaiah the people faced a similar situation. In chapter 1-39 Isaiah records God’s message of judgment for their sin and rebellion against Him. Then beginning in chapter 40-66 Isaiah records God message of hope and restoration for sinful people. And within this Isaiah records “Who has believed our message…(53:1).” Isaiah tells us that very few people have believed God’s message that a savior will come to take their sin upon Himself. The first twelve verses of Isaiah 53 describe what this suffering servant will do. Through Isaiah’s eyes the nation is to see the hope and restoration to a right relationship with God through a coming savior that is ultimately Jesus. This message of hope and restoration was declared to the these people yet many looked around and did not believe. Today, we need to hear the message and believe the message that a Savior has been sent to save us from our sin and restore us to a right relationship with God. That is a message of good news and hope that is worth believing regardless of our surroundings. Isaiah trumpets a message of hope for sinners just as swans trumpet the message of hope for the end of winter.

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The Gift

12/15/2024

Isaiah 9:3-7
Gift giving is on our minds at this time of year. At times we all struggle to determine what to give that certain someone. If you ask others for advice on what to give, you may hear a wide range of answers including something to eat, something to wear, something to do, or even time with you. Helpful as that list of suggestions may be, we are still left scratching our heads, puzzled by what to give. Perhaps we need to simplify the process. Rather than thinking about what to give the other person, it might be better to think like the other person. Once we begin to think of a great gift from the receivers perspective we will see what they need and value most, then give accordingly. That is exactly what God has done for us. In Isaiah 9 we see that God clearly understands us as people and gives us exactly what we need. Isaiah, under God’s direction, records God’s promise that a child will be born and a son will be given (6). God is making a grand announcement proclaiming what He will do for us. This simple verse describes the human side of a child being born and also the divine side of God giving His son. What is this? This is God, through Isaiah, building in the people the belief that God will come and live with man as God with us, Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). The rest of Isaiah 9:6 goes on to describe how this gift from God is exactly what lost and sinful humanity needs. At Christmas our gift giving is a very small imitation of the gift of Jesus himself, that has been given to us. God knew exactly what we needed and gave His Son to forgive us, restore us and give us new life (John 3:16). In Jesus, God has given the perfect gift of salvation that we have deeply desired.

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Confidence in Crisis

12/1/2024

Isaiah 7:1-17
The musical honk of geese grabbed my ear and turned my attention to the ice covered lake. On this wind blown cold winter day the lake had just begun to freeze over. Yet there was a distant silver silhouette of steam that marked open water in the otherwise frozen lake. I strained to see if the geese were there. They were not. Then again and again I heard them until finally they appeared over the trees. There were hundreds of them, all in their signature “V” formation, heading to a warmer climate. Just because I did not see them did not mean they were not there. In the same way, just because I do not see God at work does not mean that He is not there and able to do the impossible. In Isaiah 7 we see that the king has just faced the opposition of two neighboring kingdoms (1). In the process of the failed attack, the prophet Isaiah appeared and challenged king Ahaz and his belief in God (1-9). Ahaz had the opportunity to calmly experience God’s peace in the problem (4), yet he did not have the faith to stand firm in the trial (7-9). In the following verses this plays out in his refusal to believe that God can work (12-13). Regardless, God promised an impossible sign that would challenge this stubborn king and encourage us today. The promise is the birth of a baby who would be called Emmanuel, meaning God with us (14). Like Ahaz, our belief in God for the impossible is required. The only way to find peace in a conflicted world is to trust in God and His salvation. Fear can control us, but God offers His assurance if we believe in Jesus as Savior. Remember that God’s perspective is completely different from what we can see. Just like geese, when He shows up to save us, it is a beautiful sight.

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Closing Comments

11/17/2024

1 Timothy 6:17-21
How would you end a letter? What would be your closing comments to a dear friend? Today, we have lost the art of writing letters. So, let’s review the basic parts of a letter. First, there is the greeting and opening comments that draw the reader into what will be said. In our study through 1 Timothy we have seen this in the first two verses. Following the opening is the main body of the letter. This is the main content of the letter where the author addresses the important matters to the reader. Then there is the closing. This often gives the writer a chance to summarize what has been said and perhaps provide some encouraging and hope filled comments. That is exactly what Paul does as he ends this first letter to Timothy. In closing this letter he says, “Grace be with you.” (1 Tim. 6:21). Paul reflects on how he had trained Timothy (see 2 Tim. 1:13), and how Timothy had been taught the truth of God and His word since he was young (see 2 Tim. 1:5). Now Timothy needed to be encouraged to persevere in a difficult ministry in Ephesus. Grace is the undeserved favor of God that is poured out at the point of salvation through Jesus and His payment for sin. Timothy knows that but, he needs to rely on God’s unmerited favor in the present difficulties. God is working graciously in the present problems which gives hope for the future. Like Timothy, our hope as believers is based in Christ’s work of grace on the cross, plus His continued grace through all of life which extends to eternity which is all because of grace. We need God’s abundant enabling grace each day. Timothy was reminded of God’s grace; past, present and future. Grace be with you, is a really good closing comment for us to ponder today.

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Learning the Word

6/30/2024

2 Timothy 3:14-17
Our days can be busy, seemingly impossible, and at times we might even be disoriented and in need of direction. Through all of life directions are given to us in order to guide us. Drivers follow road signs and road maps. Carpenters follow blueprints for building a house. Pilots are trained to follow the instruments in their plane. Even if we are lost in the woods we know that moss grows on the North side of trees in the northern hemisphere, water always flows down hill, and the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. In life we have resources that provide direction and keep us from being disoriented. In much the same way God has given us His word to keep us from being spiritually disoriented. As Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3, he reminds this young pastor that his life has been influenced by Scripture (14). Previously he reminded Timothy that his mother and grandmother faithfully instilled Scriptural truth through their teaching and example (2 Timothy 1:5) leading him to salvation in Christ (15). Like Timothy, we can see that God has given His word to equip us with a spiritual roadmap. It comes down to believing that God is God and His word carries His authority. He, as the true supreme authority, inspired and directed the Biblical authors in their writing (16) to write His exact words. When we value God and His word we will allow it to teach us and equip us for His service (17). Our life and service will only have substance and direction when we base our lives on God and His word. Reading the word of God daily, pondering its truth and doing what it says will strengthen our faith and keep us from being disoriented as we focus on Christ.

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What do others say about us?

6/16/2024

Ephesians 6:21-24
Over the years people have sought to memorialize themselves or others through witty phrases etched on their tombstone. One of those sayings that has been used by several is, “I told you I was sick.” What would you think if you saw that on a tombstone? You might think the person had a sense of humor, or perhaps someone else was doing their best to describe this character. When a person passes away it is a serious time for remembrance and reflection. This should cause us to pause, with some sober thought, and ask “What will others say of us when we are gone?” I believe that question is the challenge behind the closing verses in the book Ephesians. In closing out this letter Paul begins his conclusion to Ephesians 6 by describing a faithful brother, Tychicus (21-22). This man was noted as a dear brother and faithful servant. One who is deeply appreciated and loved as a brother, and one who dutifully and consistently meets the needs of others through his service. Tychicus was the one who carried this letter to the church and Paul used him as an illustration of unity and service in the body of Christ. This beloved servant of the church had been changed through his belief in Jesus as savior and sought to continue to show his love for his savior through his dedicated service. In our world today, the temptation is to make our efforts about ourselves and for our benefit. Paul noted just the opposite about Tychicus. His faith in Jesus transformed his life and his love for others. Tychicus served because the grace of God, and Jesus as his savior made all the difference in his life. Just like Tychicus, may others remember our love and service for our savior.

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The Unifying Bond

4/7/2024

Ephesians 4:1-6
Have you ever glued your fingers together? You may have been working on a project and accidentally gotten some on your fingers. That, is a problem! Glue is not the normal unifying factor for our fingers. Glue on our fingers is a false form of unity. In reality, our fingers are held together and supported by muscles, bones and skin. But, our fingers are not isolated. They are an essential part of our greater body. They must be properly united to the rest of our body for the health and proper functioning of the body. Glue on your fingers is a false form of unity that will not allow proper function. The same is true in the church. In the book of Ephesians, Paul leads the church to understand that unity comes through belief in Christ and what he as done for them on the cross. In writing Ephesians 4:1-6 Paul addresses three important factors of unity. First, our unity to Christ will influence our personal life (1). Paul was writing from prison. He was placed there because of his beliefs and teaching about Jesus. Second, our mutual unity with other believers is practical (2-3). A true believer is Jesus will live a life of faith in Christ through the practice of humility, gentleness and patience with others. Finally, our unity as believers has one foundation, Jesus Christ (4-6). Here, Paul lists seven foundational requirements for unity. Our world will seek unity based on human standards and arbitrary preferences. However, unity within the church, God’s body, is based solely on His work and His standards. Problems in the church arise when we as people decide that our unifying connection is something other than Jesus Christ. By using the glue of false unity we find that our faith has lost its true unifying connection to Christ and the ability to live using His strength and power in our life. May Christ alone be the one that connects and empowers us for His service.

FOR MORE SEE EPHESIANS

Transformation: Can God Change Me?

3/31/2024

Luke 24
If you want to spark a conversation try asking this question… “What would you do if I gave you a million dollars?” The answers are as varied as people and their individual personalities. However, underlying the answer is a root belief that something will change because of this new reality. This gift has the ability to remove concerns and worries. It changes ones perspective. The same is true of Easter. In Luke 24 the followers of Jesus were confronted with the resurrection of Jesus and that changed everything. The disciples who first saw the empty tomb (1-12) were confronted with God’s reality and the choice to believe that Jesus is alive. The troubled men walking on the road were presented the open Scriptures (13-27). The searching of the scriptures changed their perspective. The death of Jesus was necessary for true change to be offered and salvation to be a reality. Jesus opened the eyes of these men to see (28-32) that he died and returned to life. The reality that Jesus is alive and that he accomplished salvation moved these men to excitedly tell others of this new reality (33-36). Not only did they hear about Jesus being alive, they believed because they saw him. They were filled with joy and that changed their communication with others. For us today, it is easy to talk about what brings us joy. However, the joy of these disciples moved them to tell others who doubted about Jesus. The opening of our mouth as a witness naturally occurs because of our joy in Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus should challenge our doubts; change our beliefs about salvation; our understanding of God’s word; and our communication about Him. Jesus is alive and our belief in Him changes everything.

For more see LUKE or EASTER

That is Good

3/24/2024

Luke 23:26-48
There is an old story, from an unknown author, about an old king and his friend. This friend always had the habit of saying, “This is good,” in response to any and all situations. One day the king and this friend were out hunting and the gun exploded blowing off the king’s thumb. As expected the friend replied, “This is good.” The king became angry and sent his friend to jail. About a year later the king wandered into enemy territory and was captured. However, upon examination the enemies found him to be unacceptable because he was missing his thumb and thus not whole. So, being superstitious, they decided not to kill him and instead released him. On his way home the king thought about his life and his old friend. He immediately went to the jail and apologized to his friend. His friend replied, like normal, “This is good.” The king became upset, “How can being in jail be good?” The friend replied, “If I was not in jail I would have been with you.” Just like that story, the bad of Jesus crucifixion is good. His forgiveness changed people and changes us. In Luke 23 we read of the changed criminal (39-43) as he believed that Jesus was sinless, unlike himself. We also see the change in the hardened centurion (47) as he watched a righteous man die. Finally, we see changes in the crowd (48) as they return home with remorse having witnessed the Savior die. Jesus displayed grace to those in sorrow (28), forgiveness to the soldiers killing Him (34), and pardon to the convicted criminal (43). All this was accomplished in the moments before His death. It was His sacrifice and pain that purchased our pardon from sin. Jesus died for us and that is good. We can be forgiven and find release from the burden of sin through believing that His death was for our good.

For more see LUKE or EASTER

Acceptance

3/18/2024

John 3:1-21
Have you ever wanted to get to know someone but were afraid to talk to them when others were around? In John 3 we see that Nicodemus was a religious leader with serious questions for Jesus. So, he arranged to met with Jesus at night, asking questions that people still ponder today. He began with a general statement regarding what people in the community were saying about Jesus. He then moved too much deeper questions in response to the truth that Jesus presented. His perspective about Jesus was challenged (2-3). His beliefs about Jesus and salvation were confronted (4-8). Through this, Jesus desired that Nicodemus would believe that He was the promised savior as predicted in the scriptures (9-15). The conversation concludes as Jesus emphasized that a new life is only the result of God’s transforming power (16-21). As we read this conversation we often miss what Jesus was modeling for us. Jesus was willing to take the time to meet with Nicodemus. From there He started with what Nicodemus knew and challenged his understanding of the truth. Jesus made sure that the truth was presented in such a way that it would lead to beliefs being challenged and to salvation. Today, we can do the same in our conversations with others. We can only tell others of the truth of the gospel if we know it by experience. Let us ask God to open the conversations and relationships so we can tell others of Jesus and point them to salvation in Him alone. Like Nicodemus, our acceptance by God is not found through what we know about Him or the things we do. We must come to God on His terms through Jesus our savior. In that, God begins a visible transformative process, moving us from spiritual darkness to spiritual light (21). Like Nicodemus, what we know will affect what we believe, and what we believe will affect the way we live.

For more see JOHN or EASTER

What is Prayer?

2/4/2024

Luke 11:1-13
When we think of prayer I believe that we often have three basic responses. First is the emergency prayer. This is treating God like the emergency room in a hospital or calling 911. We only pray in an emergency and about emergencies in our life. The second type of prayer is the memorized prayer. This is the bed time prayer that we might have been taught that is said every night or a repetition of the Lord’s prayer. This is simply a memorized prayer just moves through the words that are always said without seeking a real connection with God. This leads us to the third type of prayer and that is the relational prayer. This type of prayer is where the communication is open, honest and thoughtful. This is what Jesus wanted to teach His disciples about prayer. As we look at what is known as the Lord’s prayer in Luke 11 notice that the disciples asked to be taught how to pray (1). That opening statement is important because what follows is clearly an example of how to pray not what to pray, as in just repeating the words. In teaching the disciples how to pray Jesus noted that prayer is relational (1-2) and practices dependence (3-4), persistence (5-8), confidence (9-10) and faith (11-13). So, let us pray using what Jesus taught… Father, we come today declaring our relationship with you as the one who rules our life. We depend on you for all things because we believe that you are reliable. Help us to persist in prayer because we know that you care. Strengthen our faith to declare in confidence that you are in control even when we may not see what you are doing. Thank you, for displaying to us your consistent goodness. Thank you for guiding us by your Spirit in all things because you desire a continual relationship with us. We have all that we need in you because of what Jesus has done on the cross for us, amen.

For more see LUKE or QUESTIONS & ANSWERS or PRAYER

What is the Church?

1/28/2024

Matthew 16:13-20
“Throw the rocks into the woods and listen to the music they make… rock music!” We all groaned at the joke that our gym teacher had just made. It all started as the weather began to warm, the rocks began to show up and our Jr. High teacher who was also the track coach saw a need. The problem that needed to be addressed was that the gravel running track around the school was full of rocks that would cause tripping or twisted ankle hazards for the track team. His simple solution was to get each and every gym glass outside to throw rocks into the woods and thus clean the track for the runners. However, multiple rocks making multiple thuds is not music in any form. Yet, often we think of the church in that way. We look at what the church does and use that to define what the church is. The function of the church can never define the church. Instead the church finds its source in who God is as one who has a passion for people (Luke 19:10) and a desire for true worshipers (John 4:23-34). Out of that passion and purpose God created something new through the new promise given in the blood of Christ to create a new community of worshipers who are connected through belief in Christ and under the direction of the Spirit. A proper understanding of who God is leads to a correct definition of the church. This in turn directs the function of the church, one that has a passion to whole heartedly follow and worship God. In Matthew 16:13-20 Jesus states that He will build His church (18). Many people have misapplied this passage to historical or present day people. Notice however that Jesus words are a reference to Himself and His action of building His church. Still today we struggle with the idea that our actions are what build a church. In doing so we define the church by what the church does rather than by who the church is founded on. It is just like saying that rocks make music. When we believe that our actions build the church that is not music to God’s ears… it is just a dull thud, like rocks falling in the woods.

For more see MATTHEW or QUESTIONS & ANSWERS