Bullseye

Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” 

Acts 24:24-25 NIV

Sometimes you can get involved in a conversation with someone and it works it's way into being an opportunity to share the gospel. A few months ago the family had gotten together for a weekend and someone brought a friend. He was a nice guy who enjoyed talking about just about anything, including politics and religion. 

When I was talking to him we started talking about religions which of course led to Christianity. The thing about intellectual and skeptical people is they tend to assume they speak from the moral high ground. In other words they see themselves outside the argument and therefore above it. 

Christianity is about personally dealing with Jesus. Even discussing the historical accuracy, authority and validity of Christ and the Scripture will naturally become a direct encounter with Jesus Christ. So, the friend suddenly got a bit defensive because it was no longer just an idea we were talking about. When Christianity is seen as what it is, people are confronted with a life changing choice. That makes them afraid. 

Felix the governor had Paul leave when it got a bit real. The friend of the family wanted out of the conversation as soon as Christ was spoken of as real. Bullseye. 

How To Recognize the Spirit

I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

1 John 2:21-23 (NIV)

Some people just struggle with everything. A very good friend of mine used to think that everyone else at church was doing great, had great faith, overcame every trial with great joy. The reality is quite different. Most people who go to church are struggling with their marriage, kids, jobs, addictions and just the world in general and they smile because they don't want to break down in tears publically. 

In the midst of the pressures of everyday life in the twenty first century we can often miss, as in not detect, the Spirit of God working in our lives. The Apostle Paul reminds us that "no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:3). The reformers realized that the effects of sin reached our entire beings (total depravity) and that the grace of God did also. Any thought we have of God can only come from the Spirit of God working in our inner beings. Do you get that? Each thought that you have of God is God calling you to himself. Don't let the enemy turn the conviction of the Spirit of God to pray, read the Bible, or love someone specifically in action, into condemnation. 

John didn't write to the believers so they would doubt their salvation or mire themselves in condemnation, but he wrote that they might, we might live in the light as he is in the light. Remember that as you go about your business today that every thought you have of God is the Holy Spirit calling you to walk in the light with Christ. 

Father, thank you for every thought of you. Help us to thankfully recognize the Holy Spirits work in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

WILL LEARN VS WON'T LEARN: Titus 3:5-7

"He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Titus 3:5b-7

Did you notice that everything in those verses is what God does? All we do is receive and reap the benefits. Now, there is a process that we are active recipients in. Yes, he saves us. Yes, he washes us through rebirth. Yes, he renews us by the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But, we must let God do those things in our lives. 

For the last couple of years I have been working with middle school students who struggle with their English language skills. What it usually boils down to is those who "will do" and those who "won't do". If a student will give any kind of effort they will learn something. But, if they choose not to learn there isn't much I can do. I can work with them one-on-one, set up individualized software programs, and allow them extra time, but, if they choose to not learn, they won't.

Isn't that how we are with God working in our lives? God speaks to us in ways that only we could understand, sets up individualized learning experiences (trials), and even patiently allows us extra time to learn. And yet... The point is that God is not done with you. God is still patiently teaching you that he loves you and is sovereignly in control of your life. There is hope. 

Father, help us to learn the lessons you put before us. Open our eyes to see your gracious, sovereign hand in our lives. Praise be to you in us today!

NEED HELP? GOD HAS UNFAILING LOVE/ Psalm 44:26

"Rise up and help us;
     redeem us because of your unfailing love."
 Psalm 44:26

Remember, it's all about redemption. Christ died to redeem us from our sins. Sins of the past, present and future. His unfailing love is our help. Think about that: unfailing love. We may fail, he will not. Keep your focus on Christ. When you fail, seek Christ. When you succeed, praise him. In all things and at all time seek him. 

Father, help us to seek you always. Thank you for always being there and for your unfailing love! Praise be to you in us today!

Shhhhh! / Titus 3:1-2

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable, and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." Titus 3:1-2

The past few years have held a bit of a dilemma for me. A couple of people I worked with operated in a manner I just didn't agree with. I had to deal with them and the backlash of how they treated other people. The difficulty is not in telling the truth. The challenge of grace is to tell the truth in the spirit of grace and love. For me that has meant there were times when I had to bite my tongue and not interject a comment about them into some conversations. Sometimes, in the middle of a statement I could sense the Spirit convicting me that I was going over the line. Shhh!

Two interesting thoughts here. One, the word for slander in the Greek is where we get the word blaspheme. It also has a sense of to vilify. To be honest, I kind of look at these people as villains.  But, I don't need to go on and on about how bad they are. Frankly, their actions have spoken louder than anything I could say and their reputations are set in stone. My response is to be peaceable and considerate with a healthy dose of humility. Shhh!

I think it was the movie Jumanji where a character tries to cheat the game by rolling early and his penalty is to be turned into a monkey. Another character asks him if he cheated and he replied something like he just tried to get ahead and she said, "That would be cheating." Sometimes we want to say, "I just..." and the Spirit says, "That would be wrong. Shhh!"

Trust God to deal with others, you just do what is right. 

Father, help us to do what is right by faith and to do what is good. Praise be to you in us today!

STAY IN THE CHAIR! / Titus 2::13-14

"While we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that his very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:13-14

While we are waiting we don't remain stagnant. We are redeemed and purified. Our salvation isn't just about getting to heaven someday in the by-and-by when we die. No, now, while we wait, we redeem the time and seek to live pure and holy lives here on earth. 

When I was a kid I must have been the worst case scenario for every barber my parents took me too. I am very ticklish and I would squirm and wiggle every time the barber would touch my neck. It was torture for us both. Finally, my dad start cutting my hair and I just ended up with a butch - I believe now called the buzz cut. 

Believe it or not I am going to relate the wonderful process of God redeeming and purifying us (sanctifying us, if I may) to that of getting a haircut   The barber cuts our hair, but, we must remain in the chair and let him do his work. In a similar way, the Holy Spirit redeems us and purifies us, but, we must remain in Christ. Yes, sometimes we will be in some uncomfortable situations and we may squirm around a bit, but, we must remain in Christ and trust him to do his work within us. 

Lord, help us to remain in you as you work within us, redeeming and purifying us everyday. We wait for your blessed return. Praise be to you in us today!

ACTIONS THAT SPEAK: Titus 1:16

"They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good." Titus 1:16

You have heard the old saying, "Actions speak louder than words." As Christians our actions are our testimony. My pastor speaks about having a redemptive conversation each day. I would like to suggest that every interaction is a possible redemptive "conversation". Jesus told us that if we want to be great in his kingdom we should be the servant of all. So, whatever you do today remember that it can be used by the Spirit of God to draw people to Jesus Christ. 

Who will you interact with today? Remember, even the simplest action can be redeemed by Lord.  

Lord, may our actions to God and bear witness to our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Open our eyes to see you working in and through us today! Praise be to you in us today!