Hitting on All Cylinders

Hitting On All Cylinders 

Ephesians 4:16

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Years ago, as a sixteen year old, I drove my dad's Chevrolet Chevette to football practice. Me, and three other guys, that made me look and feel small, would ride together. Now where we lived there were many hills. And the car had a problem... It was a 4-cylinder car that only ran on 3 of them. One of the cylinders was not firing. So as we would approach a hill, the car would struggle to get to the top of it. Looking back, I feel bad for that little car. (Haha)

If we could have torn apart the engine we could see that three of the cylinders were doing the work of a four cylinder. They were all tied together to the camshaft. And so what is cool... When one piston was up, the other one was down. If one of them were not firing then what would happen is that the other three took its place. 

How often do we see this happen?  20% of the people doing 80% of the work. God would have us all hitting at the same time. That way we could be ready to give full help that is full powered. We get bogged down and put stress on us when we aren't all hitting. It is a sad day when one cylinder thinks they can do it on there own. It takes teamwork. 

Pray today!  Lord if I have wronged you, I'm sorry. If I haven't been laboring in The Lord, and depending on others to carry me always. Please help me Lord. 

Can the Blind Lead the Blind?

Luke 6:39
And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

I find it so awesome that God speaks to people like me. I don't mean that I'm better than someone else and God takes the time to talk to me. I mean that He speaks to me in a simple way because I'm simple minded. God could come out with such an illustration and even prepare a PowerPoint presentation to speak to us. (By the way, that would be pretty cool to see a PowerPoint broadcast across the sky by the Lord) He can use any way and any means possible to share with us His truth. For those like me, and you know who you are, He chooses to just speak plain and simple.

This morning He says, "Can the blind lead the blind?" Pretty simple huh? There is no need for an exegetical breakdown of this scripture or an elaborate study on it. No, it's very easy to understand. If you are still in darkness (blinded by sin or lost in sin) how can you lead someone else who is in the same condition as you? I have no idea how you could mess that statement up. Jesus, as His manner was, took it a bit further. He says the blind can't lead the blind or they will both fall into the same ditch.

So let's think about this simple truth today. How can someone who is blind help another blind person across the street? They both lack in the certain skills to do this task. If one who has their sight comes along to help what are their chances of now making it across without falling into the ditch? I know what you're thinking... Some blind people have made it across the street without any help before. This is probably true, but also rare and very dangerous. Chances are that someday, because of their inability to see, they will stumble.

The same is said of those who are lost in darkness and sin. How can someone who is blind in their sin lead someone to Heaven? Occasionally they can do some good things on their own, but eventually they will stumble into the ditch.

Are You Playing the Part?

John 6:70-71
Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

Peter had just made a statement on behalf of the others with him. He said, "We believe thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." But what Peter didn't know was that there was one among the disciples that was just merely playing the part. Almost as if it was a role in a movie.

A very big disappointment to me is when I see actors take on the role of a Christian in a movie but then only to play a cursing, drunken fool in another. I ask myself how someone could just so easily play one part to another. I remember once in an interview with Charles Manson hearing him say, "I'll be the devil if you want me to, or I'll be Jesus Christ." How could this be? How can someone swap roles so easily? Because of just that, it's just a role to them.

Judas had every opportunity to be a child of God but instead he played the role. Pharaoh had a chance at repentance but chose to play the part. Cain, Esau, King Saul, all had the opportunity at becoming a true follower of God but did nothing more than play a role. Some roles were evil in life while some chose to play the good guy. It wasn't until the closing chapters of their lives that their roles were revealed for who they actually were.

Are you blending in with your role? Service after service you attend the house of God but only on a professional acting basis. It's simple to fit in and no one will ever know. But can I tell you that when you stand before Him, your role will be revealed. Don't play the part of a fool. Don't play the part of a Christian. No, understand that we aren't actors, we are children of God.

I’m Sure

Acts 1:3
To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

How great of a God do we serve that He is willing to show us His glory. He is willing to show proof of who He is. In a manger the shepherds worshipped Him because they found the words of the angels to be an infallible truth. In His walk on this earth He showed the infallible truths through miracles and the power of His words. The demons obeyed the voice of God as He commanded them to come out people. In the river of Jordan God the Father spoke up and told the most infallible truth of this being His Son when He declared He was pleased with Him. In the judgment hall He proved infallibly that He was the Son of God and the sacrificial lamb by not speaking a word.

One of the greatest places He showed this infallible truth is at Calvary. Here He laid down His life for sinners. He took our place in guilt and shame. He allowed the mockers to mock His deity. He allowed the nails to pierce His hands and feet. He allowed the soldiers to pierce His side and watch as the blood and water flowed from Him. The greatest truth was when He prayed for His Father to forgive them. You may say, "I need more truth, I need more facts." But these are the infallible truths that He has given. Truths of His salvation and love.

Did you know that these proofs of who Jesus was/is convinced even a Gentile soldier that He had to be the Son of God? He watched these infallible proofs of Jesus while He was dying, and the Roman Centurion soldier said, "Truly this was the Son of God." He needed no more proof, it was sufficient.

Then our scripture points out the proof of His resurrection. There were infallible proofs of His birth, life, death and resurrection.  I'm convinced. I'm sure! Take the time today to tell someone about these infallible truths.

I Know, It’s Crazy Awesome!

Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I have always found it one of the most remarkable things about being the the family of God. I have seen it beside the casket of a loved one. I have seen it beside the hospital bed of a spouse. I have seen it on a road out in the middle of the path of a tornado that has destroyed everything a family had on this earth. It's called peace.

Now we have to understand that when the world tries to describe peace it really comes short of what we are talking about today. Their definition is a calming attitude or place of quietness, but God's definition goes much, much deeper than this answer.

Our scripture this morning says that the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keeps our hearts and minds through Jesus. That may seem simple in its description but if we look closely we can see it a little clearer.

First of all it's God's peace that He gives us. It isn't some man-made or store-bought peace. It isn't found in a newspaper or magazine. It isn't drank or ingested, no it's God given. Second, it is something that we could never wrap our minds around. Every time we attempt to explain it we come short. It is so great of a peace that we have no idea how it works. We only know where it came from. Third, it has great capabilities of keeping our hearts and our minds. Although our hearts (spirit within) knows and trusts in God, our minds could be going in a hundred directions. But there again is that peace that keeps both of them established. Lastly, I told you that it was God given. It is given through His Son Jesus Christ.

The only real peace that I have dear Lord is in YOU!  I know, It's Crazy Awesome!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

John 7:18
He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

While we serve the Lord Jesus, don't do it with a bullhorn or a loudspeaker telling everyone what you are doing. Do it in humbleness, quietness and in adoration for him.  We should serve because we love him.

Can you imagine Jesus coming into the city of Nain yelling, "Where is that boy I'm going to raise? Y'all watch this!" Can't you just see him in the synagogue that day gathering everyone together... "Hey everyone! Is there a man in here with a withered hand? I'm gonna do something great today!"  Can't you see him beside the pool of Bethesda?  "Who wants the healing? Who wants the miracle?" No we don't read that because it wasn't the manner of Jesus. Neither should it be our character. The scripture said that he didn't make a reputation for himself.

C. H. Spurgeon said, "If you want to do a good thing, go and do it as naturally as ever you can. Be simple hearted and simple minded. Be yourself. Do not be affected in your piety, as if you were going to walk to heaven on stilts: walk on your own feet." 

So many want attention, glory and honor while serving our Lord. If Christ served with humility shouldn't we?  If he served in quietness shouldn't we?  If he didn't seek his own glory, but the glory of his father, shouldn't we? 

In Nain, he walked quietly over to a widow weeping about her son. He had compassion on her and told the boy to arise. In the synagogue he simply told the man to stretch out his hand and it was made whole. When he was beside the pool of Bethesda, he asked this man if he wanted to be made whole. He didn't make a big deal about stirring up the water and getting him in the pool.

You see when we serve Jesus, they will see Him. If we serve ourselves and pride, they will see us. Who are we serving right now?

Knowledge is Power

2 Peter 3:17-18
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Years ago, when I was a child, I used to sit and watch cartoons on a Saturday morning. Transformers, Heathcliff, and my all time favorite cartoon Thundercats. The one thing I remember about my Saturday mornings were those commercials. When Christmas time was upon us there would be toy commercials or ones about the new Nintendo Entertainment Systems. There was always, without fail, the commercials thrown in there for the education of children. The "knowledge is power" or the "now you know" commercials. Even in my G.I.Joe cartoon the phrase, "knowing is half the battle" still comes to my mind.

God has told us in our scripture this morning that we know these things. What things? He was speaking about the day of the Lord approaching. We, brethren (Christians), know these things. Since we know these things we should be careful in our walk. We don't want to be led away with the error of the wicked and fall from our steadfastness. What is the error of the wicked? To trust in your worldly wisdom and lean upon your own knowledge.

God says to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have the source for the knowledge that we need. I feel like I need to make a commercial. Show a picture of the Bible and all kinds of Christians reading it. Then bring in the slogan, "the more you know, the more you grow."

Spiritual Knowledge is Power. Don't make a mistake and trust in wisdom that the world can give. Trust in Christ Jesus and the wisdom that He gives from above.