Settng the Record Straight

Romans 12:19

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath:  for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith The Lord. 

"Those people will get what's coming to them... You're gonna pay for that!"  This seems to be an everyday theme. We somehow get bent on getting even with people. You hurt me, I'll hurt you. We feel that we should set things straight sometimes. 

The word of God tells us that Christ will set things straight. God tells us that we should give place to wrath and let Him handle things. You will find that God setting things straight is not the same idea as ours. You see, He sets it straight and makes things even once and for all. We sin, we hurt, we do all this against God and he sets the record straight. What would you do to set things even?  

Do you know how God set things straight?  How he evened the score?  He loved you through your sin against him. He sent His Son to even the score. God gives redemption and not revenge. Don't get this wrong, God will have justice someday against all those who oppose Him. But right now, He sends salvation!  He sends love!  He sets the score even!

  

On Calvary, Jesus was brutally beaten, spat on, kicked, beard plucked out, just to even the score. Think about it, He settled it all. 

John 15:13

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"  

You Didn’t Learn that from Jesus

Ephesians 4:20-24
But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Don't you just love it when a child misbehaves and the mom shouts, "He didn't learn that from me!" Usually that is followed by an echo from the dad with the same phrase. Often we pick up things from time to time as we are growing up. Sometimes it's words or sometimes even a look or facial expression. As soon as we see it we are tempted to say those words... "She got that from her mom!"

I remember, as our boys were growing up, sometimes this happened. Okay, maybe it was many times that it happened. One problem that I created (yes, me) was the word "crap". Whenever something would anger me, or even just playing basketball and it not falling into the hoop, I would say this infamous word of mine. I never paid much attention to it because I wasn't saying the other slang word right? Then one day my innocent two year old walked up and said it. Immediately I knew that he had been hanging around his momma too much.  Hahahaha no that's not true, it was me. I must admit that sometimes I was a bad example and it came from not truly following the right example myself.

Think about something this morning. Think of how you are living right now. Your daily actions and even words that you use. Where did you learn that from? If it's sinful, don't you dare blame that on Jesus. Our scripture says that "ye have not so learned Christ;" If we are in Christ, and know Christ, then we are to put off the old man with his conversation and deceitful lusts. We should put on the new man which is IN Christ. The way some Christians are living, well let me just say... You didn't learn that from Jesus.

Stopped in my Tracks

Hebrews 12:3
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Stop what you are doing right now for just a moment and think of something. Take a few minutes this morning and think about Jesus. When I think of Him my mind immediately goes to grace and a love that I've never known before. In our scripture today it makes me stop in my tracks!

He tells us to take the time to consider. Consider means to ponder or give specific thought to something. Look at what he tells us to consider. He tells us to consider Jesus and what He endured. Jesus, who come to give His life, endured the contradiction of sinners. They were totally against Him and contrary to Him. It almost seems as if Jesus could never get His head above the water. The constant infliction of contradiction from sinners against everything He said or did.

Have you ever felt this way before? I have and I'm sure there will be more of those days. When they come we must stop in our tracks and consider Jesus. Think of Him and what He did. Think of what He thought. Ask for the mind of Christ to be in you. Why? Because of the end of this verse. "Lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds."  Sometimes we spin around in circles instead of stopping in our tracks and considering the one who endured such contradictions. This causes spiritual fatigue.

Lord help me to stop in my tracks and consider you.

Picking Teams

James 2:1
My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.

Can you think back to those childhood days? You are standing on the playground during recess and everyone is lining up for red-rover. Team captains are being chosen and now the anticipation is building. "Billy!" is shouted out first. "Carl" is the second one chosen. "Sally is on my team!" Wait a minute. Why in the world would they pick Sally over you and the others? She is the most frail and petite beauty queen of the whole class. There is no way that they could win with her. Why would they pick her? (May I say Billy-Bob is a lot smarter than he looks? He wasn't interested in winning the game. Just gathering a few points with Sally)

The next name is called, then the next, and the next. One after one the best fit for the team is chosen. Some who were in the 3rd grade who were the size of 5th graders and some who looked as puny as 1st graders. Over and over people were picked out because of their ability or talent until the final one was picked. Didn't it seem like the game wasn't the struggle but the pressure of picking and being picked?

God tells us this morning that it is not so with Him. Yes there are many scriptures that point to Him choosing us but it was not because of our talent or skills. It wasn't because of our beauty or riches. It was, and is, because He loves us. He loves the world and is not willing that any should perish. He didn't choose Peter because he was a strong fisherman. Nope it was because he loves him. The same love he chose and offered to Peter is also that same love that he chose and offered to Judas Iscariot. "Have I not chosen twelve of you and one of you is a devil..." said Jesus.

Why would you think you can choose who comes to Christ? Have not faith with respect of persons. A good friend of mine once said, "Character is how you treat people that you don't need." - Junior Hill

Makes Me Smile

1 Thessalonians 2:13

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Do we miss the truth sometimes because we give people our advice? Because we give people our opinions?  I believe that could be answered with a yes. I know God loves to use us and uses our advice and opinions at times, but when it matters to what truth really is, we need to give the words from our God. 

So often we want to report ON the word of God instead of reporting THE word of God. With our commentary lifestyles and our shelves full of CliffNotes, we tend to try and sum things up for people. We should do as the old preacher man used to say... "Give them what Thus Says The Word Of God". (my dad is that old preacher man)

What if Paul would have given his opinion or thoughts on what God wanted to do with the people of Thessalonica? They would have received PAUL's word, or the words of men, and not God's. But Paul said they received it not as the word of men, "but as it is in truth, the WORD OF GOD". 

When we share what God's Word says and people receive it.... It causes us to be thankful without ceasing. All because we know it was nothing that we said, but the very words that God spoke concerning the truth to our hearts, He has just spoken to theirs. Makes you smile doesn't it?

Not One!

John 7:13

Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.

Not one? Not one person spoke in favor of Jesus because of one thing...fear. They were afraid of their lives being taken away from them by the Jews. How sad of a shape are we in when will no longer stand for the truth? Are we today in that same mind frame? People are afraid to call unrighteousness by its name of evil because they are afraid. They will no longer preach the bloody truth of the death of Christ because they are afraid it may offend. What is wrong with us?

I can't believe that we would not share who Jesus is and what He has done because of fear. Let me ask you this question today. What are you actually afraid of? In the last few months we have had many, many people whose lives were taken from them because of their direct connection with Christ Jesus and the other peoples direct connection with Satan. Gunmen entered into schools asking people of their Christian faith and shot them on the spot. Coptic/Egyptian Christians have been taken to the shores of the sea, lined up as herds, decapitated in the name of Christ and in honor of Satan. 

What will you do? Will you be afraid and not speak of Jesus to your family because you don't want to ruffle feathers while they draw closer and closer to the flames of Hell? Will you keep quiet while the aborted babies are slaughtered to the god of convience? Will you rejoice in the proposition of worldly love, while trampling on the foundation of marriage that God instituted all because you are afraid? 

Listen to those words again... "Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews." No man! Well through His grace, I will stand for Jesus and let the world go by. 

Very Impressive

Isaiah 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:

it shall not return unto me void,

but it shall accomplish that which I please,

and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

How many highlight reels have you seen of football, baseball, basketball, softball, etc...?  It's always some kind of miraculous breakaway from a defender to make a touchdown pass. It could be a last minute buzzer-beater shot to win the championship. Or a down by three grand slam to walk away with the trophy. It could also be some amazing throw from third base behind your back to second to make that out. We have become accustomed to desire these kind of plays in our sports. We feel if we don't do it this way then the impact of the game will not mean anything. They will become forgettable. 

This kind of thought process is bleeding into our churches and pulpits. Some feel if there is not a joke to break the ice then something will be missing (I'm all for laughter by the way). We feel if our preacher isn't entertaining then he can't relate to us. We feel if our music program isn't modern and fresh that we aren't powerful. But this isn't true. 

How many times have you seen an out from third to first? Were they effective? Did the player make an impact on the game?  Did the player always throw it behind their back?  You see, it doesn't matter if the player is talented. God has always used people that weren't talented. At times they have made spectacular plays or we've had great services but the main thing God wants us to do is get the ball there. 

We spend too much time on preparing our delivery than praying for His power. We spend much practice on our "behind the back" moves than just being behind the cross. Preachers used to pray, "Lord let them see You and hear Your Word". Too often the players want to be seen or heard. 

Gods word is what we need.  Not pumped up or pimped up preachers. Don't misunderstand me, if you've ever heard me preach you would know that I get very, very excited but let me tell you why!  It's because He can use someone like me to throw the ball from third to first. Someone that has no skill, but has the Spirit of God to deliver it. Someone who understands that it should always be about Him and His Word!  Someone who would rather make an IMPACT than to be impressive! Well, I've gotta go now I'm about to shout!  

Thank you Jesus for using FALLIBLE men to preach your INFALLIBLE Word! God's Word is enough!