YOU’RE STRONGER THAN THAT!

 

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

 

YOU’RE STRONGER THAN THAT!

 

2 Cor 12:9

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 

          If you have ever been injured or have had surgery and needed physical therapy, you know the dread of having to strain those relaxed joints and muscles. You know the therapist is going to challenge you – really challenge you. The therapist is going to push you till it hurts. He is going to manipulate those wounded areas and get the blood flowing again. What he is really saying is: “You’re stronger than you think.”

 

          If you have ever experienced an emotional or spiritual hurt, you may be afraid to try again. You have found a level of discomfort you think you can live with, and you just hang out there. God then comes along and challenges you – really challenges you to walk by faith one more time. He will ask you to move ahead in uncertainty and risk manipulating those wounded places once again. You don’t think you can endure it, but God thinks you can because He is going to add His strength to yours. What He’s saying is: “You’re stronger than you think.”

 

          So, when the challenges come, don’t think of them as enemies to your comfort zone. Think of them as therapy. You are on the road to recovery and God is your therapist.

 

Eph 3:14-16

14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

 

Dear Lord, someone today is afraid to try again. Give them your strength and your Spirit. AMEN

 

CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER

 

Monday, April 29, 2024

 

CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER

 

1 Cor 12:25-26

25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

 

Luke 10:33-35

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

 

          What would it be like to be truly carefree? What would it be like to have no anxiety about anything or anyone? Our first response, I think, is always wrong for we think it would be heavenly. Upon further contemplation, however, we would discover that we love only ourselves and that all our pleasant things no longer satisfy us. God built into each one of us the capacity to care. The first man – even before Eve – was given the task of naming all the animals and “taking care” of the perfectly formed garden. Man without a care is not so carefree after all.

 

          The word and concept of “care” is different in our two portions this morning. The word used in Corinthians which talks about mutual care of each other is the Greek word merimnao and means “to be anxious about or to take thought.” The idea is that someone is on my mind and that I desire them to be happy, healthy, and well looked after. Now, imagine that there is nothing or nobody in your heart that causes you to care! It is hard to wrap your mind around the concept, isn’t it? We care for our spouses, our children, our friends, and a host of others. It means that we have the capacity to love someone other than ourselves. Thank God for that!

 

          In the story of the Good Samaritan the word care is the Greek word epimeleomai and means “to minister to someone physically or practically.” This is when concern springs into action. It is always costly! The Samaritan cared because he had compassion. He felt the pain of another. He allowed himself to be inconvenienced and to suffer a small financial loss. It was not an investment – it was a gift!

 

          God gave us the capacity to care and the energy to do something about that concern. He knows that when we minister to others it costs us something physically, psychologically, and often financially. However, he does not want us to be burdened down with care. 1 Peter 5:7 invites us to “Cast all our care upon him; for he cares for us.” In this verse the idea of care is that we are distracted. When it gets too heavy give it to Him.

 

          Is someone heavy on your mind? Pray for them! Do they have a need? Minister to them in a practical way! Is it so heavy it is driving you to distraction? Give it to Jesus!

 

Dear Lord, I care for many of my friends and loved ones this morning. When possible, let me minister to them in a practical way. When the burden gets too heavy, please lift my load. Thank you. AMEN

 

DOES JESUS CARE

 

Sunday, April 28, 2024

 

DOES JESUS CARE

 

1 Peter 5:6-7

6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 

          Perhaps you are experiencing less than the best of everything. Perhaps it is poor health and physical pain, or maybe resources that are insufficient for your needs. Maybe friends have disappointed you. It is at these times we are tempted to think that God is busy with other matters or others less fortunate than we are. We feel uncared for or abandoned. Well, there is a song for that!

 

          In 1901, Frank E Graeff wrote the lyrics to an old but familiar song called Does Jesus Care.

 

Does Jesus care when my heart is pained

Too deeply for mirth or song,

As the burdens press, and the cares distress,

And the way grows weary and long?

 

Refrain:

Oh, yes, He cares, I know He cares,

His heart is touched with my grief;

When the days are weary, the long nights dreary,

I know my Savior cares.

 

Does Jesus care when my way is dark

With a nameless dread and fear?

As the daylight fades into deep night shades,

Does He care enough to be near?

Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed

To resist some temptation strong;

When for my deep grief there is no relief,

Though my tears flow all the night long?

 

Does Jesus care when I’ve said “goodbye”

To the dearest on earth to me,

And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks—

Is it aught to Him? Does He see?

 

Ps 34:15

15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

 

Dear Lord, remind me that you are with me even in the dark times. AMEN

 

WEIGHTIER MATTERS

 

Saturday, April 27, 2024

 

WEIGHTIER MATTERS

 

Matt 23:23-24

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

 

          It is interesting to me that in the original language, both judgment and mercy are preceded by definite articles making the reading THE judgment and THE mercy. These religious leaders were fastidious in paying their tithes, and teaching others to do the same, but they had no time for correct decisions and no heart for mercy.

 

          How many faithful church folks have developed careful habits of keeping certain rules but have missed the reason for keeping them? There is no data, but we occasionally see it.

 

          Jesus did many things that appeared to some as being unfaithful to the sabbath. He walked through a “corn” field and ate on the sabbath. This was witnessed by the Pharisees, and they shamed Him for it. Moreover, Jesus healed a man’s hand on the sabbath, in church no less. What they could not see was that Jesus was LORD of the sabbath and had a keen understanding of what was the weightier matters of the law.

 

          Faithfully perform your religious duties but do not forget judgment, discernment, and showing mercy.

 

Mic 6:8

8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

 

Lord let me never be confused regarding my duties to You and to my fellow man. AMEN

 

 

INDIFFERENCE!

 

Friday, April 26, 2024

 

INDIFFERENCE!

 

Matt 24:37-39

37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

 

Just like the world of that time, we have made great progress. But great luxury has produced scandalous immorality, cruelty, and widespread indifference to the claims of God. Confusion is preferred and so confusion is the result.

 

Our age is not moved by the gory details of the death of the Son of God on the cross. “The Passion of the Christ” was highly touted as the film that would turn America to revival. Theaters were packed with popcorn eating people who casually watched the Christ lacerated by the whip. Indifference was the result and the response.

 

Great tragedy has not turned our stony hearts into flesh either. The visual images of airplanes exploding into the World Trade Center shocked and frightened us. Mid-week services were packed with people who would never have considered a church prayer meeting, but it did not last. Tornados, floods, volcanoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes have not shaken us from our lethargy and unconcern. We were not prepared for such things and we still aren’t.

 

Few people plan to reject Christ ultimately. They plan to accept Him by-and-by, but they want the morning for themselves. They will turn to Christ in the afternoon or evening of their lives. Their thought is that life is too full of color to choose the drab of religion too soon. George Morrison puts it this way: “"Betwixt the stirrup and the ground, I mercy sought, and mercy found."

 

Matt 24:39

39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

 

The verse says “knew not” but the meaning is more “cared not” – were not aware of the danger. Why did they not know? Was the building of an ark by a family of fanatics for a voyage on a stormy sea not sign enough? Was the preaching of an old weary man not clear enough? No, the flood came, and took them all away.

 

Dear Lord, remove from me the indifference caused by luxury and cultural carelessness. Make my heart your home and renew a right spirit within me. AMEN

 

GROWING ANTISEMITISM

 

Thursday, April 25, 2024

 

GROWING ANTISEMITISM

 

John 16:1-3

16 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

 

          If you search for the historical roots of antisemitism, you will notice that there are two perspectives, and each tends to blame the other. The Jews blame the Christians, and the Christians hold the Jews accountable for the murder of Jesus. But then enters the Muslims. What is their complaint? All, I think, belong to the clan called the ignorant.

 

          The forensics go much deeper and highlight the spiritual and the demonic aspect of all sorts of racism. When Cain killed his brother Abel in Genesis, was it not because of religious jealousy? Abel’s offering of blood was accepted while Cain’s donation of vegetables was rejected. God tries to reason with Cain telling him that there was a lamb at the door. An available offering which was rejected by the petulant Cain. In anger he offered the blood of his brother.

 

          In Egypt, when they were killing all the Jewish boy babies, Moses was spared by a trusting mother. But what was the spiritual source of this evil? Was it not to hinder the birth of a race and ultimately to circumvent the birth of Messiah?

 

          In Germany, when an entire nation was afflicted with the same mental illness, some six million people died horrible deaths simply because they were Jews. We are still trying to understand the indescribable. It was viral insanity.

 

          Now we see this virus spreading again. Do you suppose that the demonic warfare has begun again? Do you not suppose that God will win? Do you think God is ready to inject Himself into the chronicles of man once more? I do.

 

Shakespear, in The Merchant of Venice, wrote, “I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us do we not bleed? If you tickle us do we not laugh? If you poison us do we not die? And if you wrong us shall we not revenge? (3.1.49-61)”

 

Dear Lord, protect those who are right and prosecute those who are wrong. Vindicate yourself in this current insanity. AMEN

 

GRACE OR WORKS?

 

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

 

GRACE OR WORKS?

Titus 2:11-14

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

 

This is another of my favorite portions of scripture. It makes you think. It stretches your mind. It begins with grace and ends with works! Maybe that’s the way it should be!

 

In the English New Testament grace is always a translation of (charis), a word that occurs in the Greek text over 170 times and in both Biblical and secular Greek it is used with far more meanings than can be represented by any one term in English. But the word has abundant use in secular Greek in the sense of unmerited favor, and Paul seized on this meaning of the word to express a fundamental characteristic of Christianity.

n  International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.

 

For the Apostle Paul, GRACE was defined by experience.

 

Acts 9:1-5

9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain and perilous resistance].  AMPLIFIED

 

Paul’s spiritual and emotional condition remained vile and violent. He travelled with evil authority, letters from the high priest. He was obsessed with a wicked intent, to bring believers into captivity. SUDDENLY, and without any initiation of goodness on his part, the resurrected and glorified Jesus met Paul and CHANGED him forever. That is grace!

 

But our original portion ends with the words… a peculiar people, zealous of good works. What about that? How do we reconcile the seemingly opposite aspects of grace and works? Well, one is the prod, and the other is the product!

 

Put on your thinking cap because Adam Clarke explains it this way.

 

Jesus gave his life for the world, and thus has purchased men unto himself; and, having purchased the slaves from their thralldom, he is represented as stripping them of their sordid vestments, cleansing and purifying them unto himself that they may become his own servants, and bringing them out of their dishonorable and oppressive servitude, in which they had no proper motive to diligence and could have no affection for the despot under whose authority they were employed. Thus redeemed, they now become his willing servants, and are zealous of good works-affectionately attached to that noble employment which is assigned to them by that Master whom it is an inexpressible honour to serve.

n  Adam Clarke's Commentary

 

More simply put – Jesus purchased us away from a cruel and abusive master, cleaned us up, healed our wounds of abuse and gave us honorable assignments. What servant would not joyfully engage in labor for such a kind Master as Jesus? So, beginning with GRACE we engage in WORKS.

 

Dear Lord, thank you for purchasing me away from a cruel task master and giving me duties that are a joy to perform! AMEN

 

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE!

 

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

 

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE!

 

James 4:5-7

5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 

2 Cor 12:9

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

 

          Only once, in James chapter 4 do we see this phrase. It is very interesting to me because James can sometimes come across as a bit harsh in his application of truth. Grace might have been reserved for John, or even Paul, but James also admits both the need and the supply. I don’t like being – or even feeling – weak. Neither did Paul! But in his weakness Paul experienced and learned to appreciate the grace of God.

 

          Your automobile is equipped with a gas pedal, or what we old timers used to call the foot-feed. When going uphill or in times of stress or strain the foot- feed fed more and more fuel to the engine which enabled the car to proceed. So, it is with the grace of God. It seems there is always sufficient grace for every need.

 

          Grace can be defined as God’s favor, kindness, and friendship. Dr. Charles Stanley said it is God's kindness toward humanity, without regard to the worth or merit of those who receive it, and without their deserving it. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 the word “sufficient” has the idea of “raising a barrier.” So we see that God raises a protective barrier against those things that distress us.

 

Ann J. Flint has written an old song that I think is simply called He giveth more grace.

 

1.    He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

2.    When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

3.    Fear not that thy need shall exceed His provision,
Our God ever yearns His resources to share;
Lean hard on the arm everlasting, availing;
The Father both thee and thy load will upbear.

4.    His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

 

Dear Lord, all I can say this morning is thank you for your sufficient grace. AMEN