Easter Is Coming

We are only a few weeks away from one of those times when people are more likely to accept an invitation to a church gathering. It’s Easter. There are people in your life that you want to know Jesus in the way you do. You want them to experience His love, grace, hope, and forgiveness. Easter gives you an opportunity to invite them to join you for our Easter Celebration. There is a month until our Easter Celebration. Now is the time to pray for your friends and for opportunities to invite them to join you. Jesus is more concerned about your friends and family than you can imagine. He loves when we pray for people to come to faith. The Apostle Paul wrote: God “wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4 (NLT) The Apostle Peter wrote: “The Lord … is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) Jesus sacrificed Himself for the people you are praying for. He is working in their lives and desires to use you as a messenger of compassion and mercy. God “brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (NLT) Jesus gave me a couple opportunities to talk to people this week about Him. During our conversation, I invited them to join us for our Easter Celebration. It’s never too early to invite people to our Easter Celebration.

God is in the Cleaning, Transforming and Restoring Business

I’m a collector of quotes and sayings. I have thousands of quotes saved. My Dropbox folder of “Teaching Resources” has 688 sub-folders, as of today. Each of those sub-folders has multiple files of quotes and sayings ranging from “abortion” to “zealots.” Anytime I’m reading and find a useful or memorable statement, I collect it. Recently, I saved a couple of quotes that have been running over and over in my mind. They have to do with God’s desire and ability to work in and transform our lives. He desires reconciliation with every person. “All our bad does not make us harder to save, and all our good does not make us easier to save. What saves us is Christ, and therefore all we contribute is honesty—admitting we are sinners and casting ourselves on him.” Dane Ortlund Someone else has said, “You can’t do anything to cause God to stop loving you and you can’t do anything to cause Him to love you more.” He loves us despite who we are, and not because of who we are. He loves us because of who He is. “No matter where you have been, what you have done, or what has been done to you, the grace of God can wash you clean, consecrate you as his child, and restore what sin has stolen.” Garrett Kell God is in the cleaning, transforming, and restoring business. Admitting we are sinners and casting ourselves on Him paves the way for Him to do what we have deep down wished could happen. Who doesn’t want forgiveness, freedom, cleansing, a new life, hope, purpose, and destiny? Don’t wait. Admit you are a sinner and cast yourself on Him. “Cast all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (MEV)

Though He Falls, He Will Not Be Overwhelmed

I’ve recently been thinking about a song I learned early on my journey of following Jesus. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord … though he fall, though he fall, he shall not be cast down.” The lyrics are taken from Psalm 37. “A man’s steps are established by the LORD, and He takes pleasure in his way. Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD holds his hand.” Psalms 37:23-24 (HCSB) I frequently tear up when I see videos or read stories of a runner who stumbles or falls and gets back up and finishes the race. These stories illustrate the Psalmist’s word in Psalm 37. Every follower of Jesus has tripped and even fallen. The promise of the Psalm is that even when a Jesus follower falls, he will not be overwhelmed. She might have some “road rash” and pain, but she’s not out of the race. I also tear up when I see videos or read stories of someone coming to the aid of a struggling runner. Maybe they pick the racer up and help them to the finish line or run alongside the struggler and offer words of encouragement. Isn’t that how followers of Jesus are called to respond? To pick up a fellow runner and run alongside them in the tough part of the journey? The Psalmist said “he will not be overwhelmed, because the LORD holds his hand.” Every runner has fallen either in training or in an event. Most runners (I wanted to say ALL but that would be exagerating) get up when they fall, brush off the dust and gravel, and get back to running. Every runner has also been helped by a fellow runner and if they are worth anything have helped other runners. I wish I could say the same for every Jesus follower! Some followers have tripped and fallen and then stayed down. Other followers have watched fellow followers struggle and looked the other way. We can do better! If you recently stumbled, get up and put one foot in-front of the other. If you’ve looked the other way when a fellow follower is struggling to get up and continue, don’t do it again! Help the struggling follower. Help her finish the race. “Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:1-2 (HCSB)

Living the "Christ Like" Fragrant Life

Followers of Jesus find themselves in a world much like the pagan world of the First Century Roman Empire. That, of course, means we have many of the same challenges that the ancient church encountered. The ancient church of the First Century was “pre-Christian” and we’re living in a “post-Christian” world. The message about Jesus’ resurrection, forgiveness, transformation and hope to the “pre-Christian” world appealed to people, and the church grew by leaps and bounds. The message about Jesus’ resurrection, forgiveness, transformation and hope to the “post-Christian” world is less appealing and unfortunately, the church is losing ground in the Western world. Many have accepted the message down through the centuries, but many more have rejected it. Paul wrote about the appeal and rejection of the message about Jesus to the believers in First Century Corinth. “Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?” 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (NLT) The challenge for Jesus' followers, in this “post-Christian” world, is to live a “Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.” Followers should not worry about being “perceived differently by those being saved and by those who are perishing.” Some in your life will appreciate the “Christ-like fragrance.” Others will scorn the “Christ-like fragrance.” How people respond to the “Christ-like fragrance” is not the follower’s responsibility. Living a “Christ-like fragrance” is. Simply put, to some, the smell of the faithful follower of Jesus will smell exceptional. To others, it is putrid. Don’t let people’s response sidetrack you from faithful living. Hopefully, my thoughts encourage you. Let's live the "Christ-like" fragrant life.

Every Spiritual Blessing

As I’ve read over and over the first part of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in the Roman city and region of Ephesus, my heart and spirit have been filled with awe and wonder. Paul identifies, in vivid color, God’s rich blessing upon followers of Jesus. God “has blessed us with every spiritual blessing,” and He “decided in advance to adopt us into his own family,” because “this is what he wanted to do,” and “it gave Him great pleasure.” (Ephesians 1:3-5 NLT) As the parent of adopted children (they are adults now) I understand what Paul wrote. When parents who have adopted a child meet other adoptive parents, there is a sense of camaraderie. A common response is “I have an adopted child too!” If you have adopted children, you know what I’m talking about. Think about it! God decided to adopt YOU into HIS own family, because it is what HE WANTED TO DO! And it gave him not just pleasure, but GREAT PLEASURE! And He has blessed you, his adopted child, with every spiritual blessing! Paul continues, God has poured out on his adopted children his “glorious grace!” Grace is the idea of undeserved help. God pours out his “glorious” help, even though we’ve done nothing to deserve it. Not only have we done nothing to deserve it, we’ve done plenty to motivate God to withhold His help from us - but he doesn’t! And there is more! Paul tells us that God is “so rich in His kindness and grace.” He has “showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.” If you are following Jesus, Paul’s words are a description of what God has done for you, and to you. He’s done all these things because “this is what he wanted to do!” He wanted to! He wanted to, for you! Doing all these glorious things “gave Him great pleasure.” How can you not want to love, praise, and serve Him? After all, He’s blessed you with every spiritual blessing! I encourage you to open your Bible to the letter from Paul to the Ephesians and read it over and over. Your spirit will be eventually overflowing with thanksgiving and joy.