Category: Faith - Jethro TOOLS

Courage in the Culture

1/11/2026

Ephesians 3:12-21
Obstacles and opposition; these are the problems that courage overcomes. However, as I stood shaking, my courage was gone. Zip, zap, gone. It all started with an invitation to an obstacle course. Two unimposing poles stood in the clearing. The challenge was to climb the first pole, stand on the top and then jump and grab on to the second pole. Sounds easy, right? Even with safety ropes and a harness strapped to me the pole still swayed. Somehow I managed to climb up and stand on the flat top of the pole that was no larger than a small dinner plate. That is when it hit. I lost all courage and excitement for this insane adventure. It is amazing how I could stand on almost nothing and the eight feet to the next pole was an impossible leap of faith. I froze in fear. I had lost my courage to overcome the obstacle. The same in true in our lives. Fear keeps us from moving forward, while faith motivates us with the knowledge that nothing will harm us. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church, chapter three is the transitional hinge from theological truths to practical application. Paul closes the first half of the letter with a prayer for their inner strength (16). He does not pray for external or physical solutions, instead, he prays for their inner perspective. He desires that they know Christ and His power and love for them (17-19). At the point of salvation the believer in Jesus positionally comes into instant possession of all the resources available in Christ. Paul is challenging His readers to not only believe in their head, but know experientially by faith, the vast resources of Christ that give freedom to live courageously for Christ. Knowing Christ is like the safety line on the obstacle course. That relationship allows us to courageously take steps of faith in obedience to Christ call. That perspective and practice is counter to our culture.

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Christmas Time: Appropriate

12/14/2025

Galatians 4:1-7
One day a little turtle decided to climb a tree, while two crows watched with interest. Inch by laborious inch the little turtle made his way to the top to the tree. Upon reaching the top he flapped his little arms as hard as he could and promptly fell straight down. Undeterred he decided to try climbing the tree again. As he moved toward the tree one crow says to the other, “I’d sure hate to see him hurt himself. Do you think now is a good time to tell him that he is adopted?” Being adopted often carries with it some residual questions about the past, but the ultimate question that is asked is … Where do I belong? That question was answered at the time of adoption, and that question for each one of us is answered at Christmas. Galatians chapter four tells us that at just the right time God sent His Son Jesus to purchase our freedom from sin and give us the full right to be called His children (4). He gives us a place to belong in His family as one of His rightful children. As believers we can experience freedom from the past slavery of sin. We now experience blessing from God who faithfully keeps His promises and makes adoption possible. He sent His son at just the appropriate time so we could be belong to Him. Just as turtles can never climb trees, or fly on their own, so we can never be good enough to be made acceptable to God. The good news of the gospel message is that Christ makes this possible for us. Those who are outside God’s family are extended the offer to no longer be slaves, but sons, through faith in Christ. Being a son changes everything. We now have access to the Father, who has made it appropriate for us to be His children. Jesus is the best and most appropriate gift at just the right time.

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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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Greatness

11/9/2025

Mark 9:30-37
The other day I anonymously completed an act of service for the second time. If I told you what I did, it would cease to be service, because I would then be boasting. I could have been paid for the task, but if I had been paid, then it would become a job, and not service. Yes, it actually happened and it met a need, but it was never acknowledged or appreciated. The act was costly in terms of my time, energy and resources, yet I did it anyway. The action was something prompted by God that, by faith, I believe God will reward in the future. So for now it will remain an anonymous act of sacrificial service that I get no credit for accomplishing and gain no benefit from completing. In Mark 9 Jesus defines greatness in terms of service, not in terms of status or high position. He did this to answer a question and a brewing argument between His disciples. Jesus says that greatness is defined by voluntarily lowering yourself and serving, not just a select group, but all, without any thought of personal benefit (35). In other words, in God’s economy, sacrifice and service define greatness that will be rewarded by Him alone. Earlier in Mark 8:34 Jesus lays out the cost of following Him in terms of self denial and picking up a cross. In His day, under the rule of the Roman government, picking up a cross meant that you were walking to your certain death. Jesus wants His disciples to be ones that understand His assignment and take action to serve to promote Him, and not themselves. This can only be done with the attitude of a servant that places themselves last and others first. The greatest servant will never place themselves above any assignment or action with an attitude of superiority. Greatness is eternally defined as serving all, which was embodied by Jesus and should be imitated by us.

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Spiritual Maturity

10/26/2025

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
All grown up. That is a phrase used by grandparents to describe grandchildren who have surpassed them in height, but are they mature? Two years ago I planted several cranberry bushes in the yard. With much water and some fertilizer they are now taller than I am. Are they all grown up? Are they mature cranberry plants? Not yet, they still have to produce cranberries. Even though the plants have flourished and look healthy they have not produced the fruit that marks them as mature. The same is true regarding spiritual maturity. Our spiritual age and general spiritual health make it clear that we are getting enough to eat spiritually. However, if we are only measured by what we take in we still have some growing up to do. In 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul commends a group of believers for their spiritual growth and the maturity of their faith, love and hope (3). The work of faith in their lives, by God, looks to the past and guides their present living (4-5). Their labor of love matures them through their personal practice and witness of their faith under pressure (6-9). Their hope remains steadfast and matures through the confident expectation of God’s future regardless of the present reality (10). These believers had a faith in God that changed them. They possessed a love that caused them to serve as active witnesses while possessing a hope in Christ that was exercised under pressure. That is a growing and maturing spiritual life. They did not allow their circumstances to limit their growth. Instead they allowed their hope and faith to direct their life to be lived as a loving witness for Jesus in all circumstances. The problem is that often we allow our circumstances to limit our spiritual growth. We look at the size of the problem rather than the greatness of our God. Ask God to mature your faith, love and hope through your circumstances.

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Hope

10/19/2025

Lamentations 3
What is hope? Hope is a very strong emotion that gives meaning and purpose to life. Hope is the expectation of something better in the future that helps us overcome problems or pain in the present. Hope is essential for a well balanced life and mental well being. Without hope people often give up and ask, “What is the use?” Hope looks to the future and desires something good while at the same time it shapes our present thinking and action. The problem is that when we use the word hope we often lack the certainty and confidence that what we hope for will occur. However, Biblical hope is based on faith in God plus the certainty of the all powerful God that we serve. Being human, we live in this continuum of time and space and we become discouraged when hope is not fulfilled. I appreciate what Jeremiah the author of Lamentations writes in chapter 3. In spite of the past sins and the present situation because of sin Jeremiah finds a renewed perspective of hope that only God can give (21). He describes God as never failing (22) and faithful (23). A confident faith in the character of God shapes our present perspective when, like Jeremiah, all may seem hopeless. Are you filled with hope? Where do you place your hope? If we are attentive we may examine our life and see ways that we have placed our faith and hope in other sources rather than God. The people of Jeremiah’s day wrestled with this just like we do. So what is the solution? A mature faith with a clear God honoring perspective will look past the present to the faithful and unchanging God who is at work bringing about His desires in the present. Our hope is to be based on Him not the solution to our circumstance. The message of the gospel is that we find hope in Christ alone.

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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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God of Faith

9/14/2025

Habakkuk 3:1-2
Where do you turn when life falls apart? If you have a fire, you would call the fire department. If you have a broken water line, you would call the plumber. In each instance, you have a belief, based on the facts, that this person will provide the solution. Confidence is defined as a firm trust or belief that is founded in something or someone. You could say you have confidence in a chair, but never prove it until you act and sit down. We see this confidence in God in the life of Habakkuk. The first two chapters of this book deal with Habakkuk questioning God’s actions, which are then followed by God’s responses. However, in turning the page to chapter three, Habakkuk models how we should pray in confidence for God’s action. He may not fully understand why God chooses to act the way He does, but he believes God and turns to God in prayer (1). This is the third cycle of conversation between the prophet and God, and it begins with Habakkuk’s emotional prayer. It records a deep cry for God to act in justice against sin while addressing God as the only sovereign LORD who is capable of dealing with national corruption. We often approach prayer with a lack of confidence because we can’t see God and do not see His action. Habakkuk tells us that confidence in God is found in who He is as God and the faithfulness seen in His Word (2). Habakkuk prays, remembering that God is in control and that He alone has provided the answers and hope. In his prayer, Habakkuk seeks God’s desires of revival and spiritual renewal within his country, and he prays for God’s mercy to transform rebellious hearts and lives. We must remember that prayer rarely practiced, is rarely continued, and rarely missed. Habakkuk models how to confidently pray when all seems when all seems hopeless. Are we praying?

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Living by Faith

9/7/2025

Habakkuk 1:12-2:20
As I walked toward the garden I noticed movement. Further investigation revealed several small green and yellow birds inside the netting that covered the berry plants. With a total length of about four inches they were small enough to wriggle through the mesh that kept larger birds from eating the berries. The problem is that once inside they could not figure out how to get out. Would I step into their world and release them, or would I allow them to continue to suffer? The book of Habakkuk records the on going conversation between God and the prophet Habakkuk. The author, Habakkuk, questions when God will put a stop to the sin, injustice and idolatry (1:12-17). God counters with the challenge to live by faith (2:4). Habakkuk, as one who was righteous, was to take his eyes off others and truly live a life of faith that contrasted the sin of others. He was to live this upright God honoring life because of his faith in God. When all others are being unfaithful to God Habakkuk was to live counter to his culture and display his confident belief in God. Habakkuk saw the problems of sin within his own country of Judah, but he also saw the greater sin of the coming Babylonians. This grieved him and caused him to question God. Do the conditions in our world deepen our dependence on God and commitment to Him? Like Habakkuk, God still calls us to live by faith trusting His sovereign power and plan. God is at work calling us to Himself and cleansing us to live a righteous life through faith in Him. Like the birds that were caught, we need a savior to step into our world and free us to live by faith for Him alone. God has accomplished that through Jesus. This passage reminds us that the righteous will live by faith trusting in the only sovereign savior, Jesus.

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Questions of Faith

8/31/2025

Habakkuk 1:1-11
Try picking up a copy of pretty much any news paper, and take a look at the headlines. Does it inspire confidence and hope? I recall observing others in various settings reading their news paper and commenting or even debating what is reported. They would praise to political stance of the leader fighting corruption while hoping that something would change. They would recall times of rebellion that led to reform, but all too often what was once good took the slow slide to corruption. Why is it that most of what we see in the news is not inspiring or hopeful? News organizations like bad news, because bad news sells and bad news is the reality of what is seen in our world. We see the reports of murder, violence, embezzlement, greed, wars and impropriety. Yet as we look back through time, not much has changed. Habakkuk faced the same situation as he looked at his country. The king was evil and wicked (Jeremiah 23:13-19), and he led the nation down the same path. In the Old Testament book named after him, Habakkuk records his questions directed toward God that could still be echoed today. Habakkuk cries out from a heart of desperation asking if God answers prayer (2) and if God is going to act against the sin and corruption (3-4). God responds by giving hope and by reminding Habakkuk that He is sovereignly at work in unexpected ways (5-6). God offers hope to the desperate and discouraged and help from His unlimited sovereign resources. He has the end goal in mind not just the immediate fix. Often we may watch the news and read the newspaper and become distraught and discouraged over the rampant sin that surrounds us. The book of Habakkuk reminds us to embrace God and trust Him in all situations, even in the times that are seemingly hopeless. God does answer prayer. Keep praying. God is at work. Keep trusting Him.

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Faith and Investing

7/20/2025

Matthew 25:14-30
It has been said that a dog is a great investment. If you have a dog you will gain eye and hand coordination from throwing a ball for the dog to chase. Your strength and balance will improve as you try and remain on your feet after your dog excitedly jumps on you. Finally, having a dog will increase your hand and arm strength as you try and wrestle a rope from your dog in a match of tug of war. Investing in a dog will save you money on gym memberships but you may need to see a chiropractor more often if you can get out the door before the dog jumps on you, wanting to play again. We can invest in many things, including a pet, but we need to think about investing in the most important things. In Matthew 25 Jesus tells a parable of three servants who were each given a large sum of money by their master. Two were driven by the importance of using the masters resources wisely and industriously set out to invest what they were given (16-18). Each of these two saw their investment double. However, the third man did nothing with what the master had given. The master returned and called his servants to account for what he had given them (19-30). The master praised the first two servants but punished the third. For those who believe in Jesus as savior, this is more than just a story about good versus evil servants. This parable emphasizes the importance of applying the word of God to our life. God has invested His power and grace in us through Christ’s work on the cross. In turn He desires that we reinvest what He has given us to grow His kingdom for His glory. The joy of being transformed by Christ leads to a joy of serving and investing in God’s kingdom building agenda.

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Faith and Resting

7/13/2025

Matthew 11:28-30
Musicians and carpenters understand the importance of a rest. In woodworking, a lathe is used to turn rough timber into round cylindrical shapes, perhaps making table legs or bowls. A rest is a steady braced arm on the lathe that allows the carpenter to continue working by using the cutting knives from a position of safety and control. Like wise, musicians also utilize a rest within a piece of music. A musical rest is a symbol that indicates silence and its duration. The utilization of a musical rest helps create the structure, rhythm and the melodic flow of words within a song. A rest for a carpenter and a musician is important for them to continue in their work. A rest for us as people is important to redirect us and reframe our work. In Matthew 11 Jesus addresses the people who have rejected Him and His message (20-24). He then turns and calls to His audience to come to Him and find their rest in Him (28). This kind of rest is spiritual salvation in which God gives rest to the soul (29). This then changes the work focus of the believer from self to serving Christ (30). Rest is found in Christ in the midst of living life for Him and under His leading. Like a carpenter or a musician the disciple of Jesus finds rest in Him alone in the midst of life. It is through this rest that Christ directs His followers in His ways to create His works of beauty through them. For the believer in Jesus, rest is a spiritual process that believes Him and practices dependence on Him at all times. This rest for the soul, that is found in Christ, changes our eternal hope, our view of physical work, and even our perspective of finances. We can find true rest in Jesus, who not only saves us but promises to walk with us and guide us.

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Faith and Giving

7/6/2025

Matthew 6:1-4
Road Construction Ahead… Now that summer is here we see those bright orange signs spring up like dandelions after a rain. Those highway signs warn us in advance about what lies down the road. If we disregard the sign and continue on our merry way we will wind up in some ditch with damage to our vehicle and have great difficulty explaining why we ignored the warning sign. In much the same way Jesus provides a warning to His audience, in Matthew 6, about what lies ahead and the practice of righteousness. He begins by highlighting the incorrect practice of righteousness in giving (2). Some people were drawing attention to themselves and their gift when they gave a tithe in the temple. The instruction of righteousness (3) follows the warning as Jesus points out how to give without drawing attention to ourselves as the giver. Righteous giving is rewarded by God who is righteous (4). To put it simply, we can either be rewarded by man or God. The reward of man is limited to earthly praise and recognition, but on the other hand the reward from God has lasting eternal value. Jesus desires for us, like His audience, to practice our giving as anonymously as possible. When we give this way we set aside the possibility of personal recognition here and now, and believe by faith that God offers a much better reward for a life of faithful righteousness. The righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). Self centered giving seeks to gain something from giving. God’s desire is that we give with a pure motive from a pure heart that seeks to bring honor to Him alone through the gift. Jesus closes out Matthew 6 with a call to seek His kingdom and He will reward the practice of our faith (Matthew 6:33). A warning well heeded will lead to the road of righteousness.

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Faith and Saving

6/29/2025

Proverbs 3:1-12
Returning home, the house was strangely silent. The flick of the light switch produced no result. The steady hum of the old refrigerator was nonexistent. These and more were the symptoms discovered today as we walked in the front door. The power was off. There was no electricity coming into my home to provide the power necessary to operate normal functions within my home. As with electricity, our lives need the connection to God’s power for successful operation. The book of Proverbs provides powerful word pictures that resemble life and give guidance on how to live a life of wisdom that honors God. Proverbs 3:9 tells us to honor God with our wealth. That is accomplished by giving back to God the first and best of what He has given us. This is a gift that reminds us of God’s rightful authority over our life. The very next verse tells us that when we apply this wisdom that honors God first it will lead to His blessing (10). The problem is that we as people want shortcuts to prosperity. We incorrectly think that righteousness leads to prosperity, therefore I will be righteous because I want to be prosperous. In doing so we love ourselves first and God takes a very distant second place. Prosperity should lead us to thankfulness and serving God with what He has given. When we save solely for our purposes we miss the security of God’s blessing. We must love God for who He is not what we want to get. God in His wisdom and grace has given us His best in Jesus. In Christ our perspective on the power of saving is changed. He saved us so we honor Him with the blessings He has given us. God wants His power to flow through our lives and bring honor to Him. Is it time to flip the perspective switch in our life from saving to honoring?

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Faith and Earning

6/22/2025

Colossians 3:22-4:1
Labor Day… We know it as a holiday, a day off work, a time for a vacation and the last weekend to get away before school activities take off. Labor Day was created as a national holiday to honor all the workers and their influence on our country and society. It is nice that workers have a day off and are recognized for their efforts, but most only look at the vacation not at the reason for the day off. Work is hard regardless of the job. It may not be physically tasking but a job can be mentally draining. Often you may hear someone stating how hard their job is or how bad the boss is. Did you ever stop to think that your work is one way to display your faith in God? In the book of Colossians, Paul seeks to apply the truth of Christ ruling as supreme in the believers life. Christ has changed the believers relationship to God, therefore all other relationships change because of Christ. Even in the work environment, the believer is to be a true image bearer of God who loves them, made them and saved them. At the time of this letter Paul addressed slaves (3:22-25) and owners (4:1). Each group was part of society, and people from each group were also believing members in the church. God desires that all Christians, who have been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, live differently. A worker is often self reliant, trusting in their abilities to perform. An employer is hoping that they can get a lot of work out of a cheap employee. Both are trusting themselves for their security through their abilities and management. However, Paul challenges the church in Colossae to trust God for their future, to work diligently and be fair in compensation. They were to live by faith, even in their work. May we do the same.

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Victory of Faith

6/15/2025

Hebrews 11:32-35
Hockey is one of the most demanding sports. The game is played for 60 minutes with the opposing team having one goal, your defeat. The opponent will constantly chase and harass you. They will try to knock you off your game, knock you off your feet, knock you into the boards, and knock the puck into your goal. The game is a constant battle. In the end there is only one winner. All the skirmishes and battles for the puck lead the strongest team to victory. This constant battle describes the life of faith for the believer in Jesus Christ. But what if you knew that that you were on the winning team? Hebrews 11 builds on the theme that belief in Christ is supreme. After previously covering a number of hero’s of the faith the author mentions six specific individuals plus the general group of prophets (32). These are ones who have lived a life of victorious faith in God in the battles of life when the opposition is fierce (33-35). However, unlike a hockey player, their faith views the impossible as possible because they are on God’s team. We struggle with this because we live life with earthly eyes that do not have an eternal perspective. The faith chapter of Hebrews 11 is recorded so we can see that victory is possible when everything points to certain defeat. This chapter and the examples of people who lived by faith are given to encourage us in living a life of faith that is based securely on Christ. You see, Jesus has already secured the eternal outcome on the cross. Through the example of these people we are encouraged to live by faith in our daily spiritual battles. 1 John 5:4-5 tells us that victorious people of faith are children of God who have complete confidence in God through their belief in only Jesus as their savior. Are you on His team? Are you relying on His strength for His outcome?

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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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Faith and Our Walk

6/1/2025

Hebrews 11:5-6
5:30am arrives once every single day. Like clockwork, I am awakened to the jingle of a dog collar and the click clack of dog toe nails on the hard floor. This is the morning routine of my old dog who wants to go outside for her morning walk. The consistent daily walks have gradually strengthened my dog and helped maintain her health. Old dogs need walks to maintain their health. The same is true for the believer in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that, “we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).” Like an old dog the walk of faith is essential for the believer in Jesus Christ. It is a daily action that proves spiritual life and health is based on the foundation of faith in Christ alone. This was true of Enoch in Hebrews 11. Enoch consistently lived for God (5) in contrast to his father Cain (Genesis 4:17). You see Cain had murdered his own brother (Genesis 4:8), who was Enoch’s uncle. Think about the family dynamics. The actions of Cain would have been known and perhaps retold. Out of this Enoch chose to live a different life, a life of faith, in contrast to his father. God rewarded Enoch and his faith by taking him from this life so he did not experience death. The continual persistence to live a life of faith was rewarded by eternal life with God. Enoch is listed is Hebrews 11 as an example of faith because he walked with God. He is also an example of what God can do in redeeming a life from the practice of sin. When we walk with God we consistently seek His presence and direction and faithfully allow Him to lead us away from sin and closer to Him, just like my old dog.

For More See HEBREWS

Faith and Worship

5/18/2025

Hebrews 11:4
A simple search of a dictionary or on line sources will often define worship by its elements or activities. For example worship is prayer or it is led by a worship leader. These and other elements simply describe parts of worship. So how are we as people to respond to God? How should we respond to all that God has done for us? In the first chapters of Romans, Paul addresses what God has done for sinful humanity to provide salvation through Jesus Christ. Then, in Romans 12 Paul shifts His approach by addressing the believers response. Because of all that has previously been said Paul urges his audience to give themselves fully to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). This is an act of worship that impacts and directs all of life. Paul uses the wording of living sacrifice to describe the ongoing daily practice of giving ourselves in obedient service to God through a life that is changed (Romans 12:2). This is what is good and acceptable to God. Worship is not a single event one day a week where we go to church to experience a worship service. Worship is a changed life that is directed by faith each and everyday. That is Paul’s message in Romans 12 and that was the practice of Abel in Genesis 4. Able, in faith, offered a better sacrifice than his brother Cain (Hebrews 11:4). He lived his life by faith believing that God was worthy of all his work. Therefore, everything that he did was done in worship and honor of God. All his work with his flocks was done in faith, in preparation for the day of sacrifice. Everything was done to present God with his very best as worship. Able’s offering was accepted by God because of his faith in God and desire for a righteous life. His faith changed his life, his work, his service and his worship. May the same faith be found in us.

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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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Foundation of Beliefs

4/27/2025

John 1:1-16
Growing up in the North, earthquakes were frequent occurrences. Dishes would rattle in the kitchen and you would feel the house lurch and bump. This all happened because the of movement in the ground. At a much later date, I lived in the South where the ground moved because of the water content in the soil. In the rainy season the ground would swell, but without water the ground would shrink. In both locations homes needed to have good foundations or else the structure would fail because of the ground movement. A well built house must be tied to a well built foundation. Like a house our lives need to be built on something solid. A house that has a weak foundation will crack and not be usable if it is not repaired. In the same way our lives are built upon what we believe. If our beliefs are weak then our actions will be weak and ineffective. There are five core beliefs that we must hold if we profess a saving faith in Jesus. Scripture teaches us that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone for God’s glory alone. The Bible provides an accurate witness pointing to Christ as Savior (2 Timothy 3:14-17). Grace is God’s process of giving salvation (Titus 3:4-7). Faith is God’s work enabling the reception of salvation (Romans 1:16-17). True belief is centered on Christ as the only source of salvation (Romans 3:22). This leaves God’s glory as the goal of all who are saved (1 Corinthians 10:31). The problem is that it is easy to say that we are involved in the Christian life and yet not live the Christian life. God wants us to not only know what we believe but act on our beliefs. Our actions will prove what we truly believe. So what do you believe? Our beliefs will affect the way we live.

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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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The Disciple's Vision

1/26/2025

Luke 19:1-10
Have you lost something? We have all lost something at some point in time like keys, glasses, or that important paper. But what about the times when we realize that what we have is something we don’t really desire like an old shirt, a broken chair, or out of style shoes. Our focus shifts from the invaluable things of the present, to a desire for some other thing. All too often we assign too much value to power, positions, and possessions, that we miss what is truly valuable. That is the story of Zacchaeus. Luke 19 tells us that he had power, position, and wealth (2), yet above those things he was motivated to see Jesus (3), and nothing was going to stop him (4). He had everything that a man could possibly get in this world, and yet he was an outcast searching for answers to the deep longings of his heart. He desired to be known and accepted. Zacchaeus had come to the point where he knew his life was not right. Yet, regardless of his sin, Jesus sought him out. He knew exactly where Zaccheus was in the tree and noted the change that faith had brought to his life (9). Jesus came to seek and save the lost (10). His focused vision for coming into this world was to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). Today, God works in us and through us to seek out the lost around us. We must believe and accept the salvation offered only through Jesus. It is His sacrifice on the cross that makes us right with God. As disciples of Jesus, we are to adopt His vision for the lost. Zacchaeus desired a new way to live with new values and a new vision for life. That drove him to search for answers and seek out Jesus. May we believe in Jesus as Savior, adopt His way of living, and help others do the same. Has Jesus found you and radically changed you?

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The Disciple's Connection

1/12/2025

John 15:1-8
The garden this past summer produced a bumper crop of sunflowers. In fact one was over sixteen feet tall. However, large objects like that do not handle the force of wind very well. Examining the garden after a bit of strong wind revealed sunflower damage. Several plants were down. Upon further inspection we saw that two of the sunflowers had broken stalks and were wilting because they lost their connection to the roots and the life giving nutrients supplied to them. The plants with the broken stalks were beyond repair. They wilted, died and had to be removed. Just as the connection to the roots is essential for a sunflower to grow so also the disciple must remain connected to Christ to grow. In John 15 Jesus tells His disciples that he is the true life giving vine (1). Spiritual growth and fruitfulness are only found though our connection to Christ as our savior. That connection is formed as we trust in Christ’s sacrificial payment of our sin. However, Jesus does not end the conversation with saving faith. He challenges the disciples to a growing faith that is spiritually productive (4). The production of faith and true spiritual life is never found through individual effort. Jesus says that apart from Him there is no life and no fruit (5). The challenge that Jesus leaves His disciples, and us, is to allow His power to flow through us to produce His results and His praise (8). God desires that we have fruitful spiritual lives known for righteousness, giving, serving, and witnessing. That can only be accomplished through a relationship with Christ as we are connected to Him as savior. That connection is maintained through time in the word, prayer, fellowship and worship. Are we connected to Christ? Remember, just like a sunflower, it is not how tall you grow, but that you remain connected.

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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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