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I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. Galatians 2:20 (CEV)
I don’t put bumper stickers on my car. I’ll tell you it’s because of my fear of damaging the paint, etc. but there’s another reason. The only kind of bumper sticker I’d consider putting on my car would be one about my faith in Christ.
I’m not blaming those of you who have your car plastered with ‘Honk if you Love Jesus banners, or the cute little fish. I’m not being judgmental or critical if you are one that has some of those really quite clever sayings about faith and practice or God.
The reason I don’t want to put up any indicators of my faith on my car is really quite simple. Sometimes I get driving and forget to watch my speed. I thank God daily for cruise control! Sometimes I’m thinking about other things and don’t pay close enough attention to what’s going on around me. That’s why I may have cut you off that day on the interstate. (Sorry by the way). Then again, there are times when I’m not sure where I’m going and suddenly realize that this is my corner. Sorry for slamming on my brakes back there. I really did think it was my turn. My bad.
So what does all this have to do with bumper stickers? I don’t want my reputation as being a bad driver (sometimes) to be a reflection on who Jesus is and what he means to me.
Perhaps that’s a rather mundane example of a rich spiritual truth, but I wonder what life would be like among us if we lived as though we were dead and Jesus Christ had taken over our bodies. Not just the driving but the thought processes when we are treated poorly; or how our schedule would change when a friend in need interrupts what we think is extremely important; or when our child asks to play ball when the lawn needs mowing; or when our spouse needs a listening ear and not a lecture on how to do things.
What would our worship be like if Jesus were in control of our thoughts, our actions or our attitudes? When we leave a tip for lousy service would the server, who was up all night fighting with her spouse, watch you leave, look at your tip and say “That must have been Jesus!”
Every day Jesus took time from his schedule to show people the love of God. Every day Jesus put aside his own needs for rest and food to feed the hungry and encourage the tired. Every day He calls us to do the same. The banners of action we wear will do far more to spread the love of Christ than any ‘bumper stickers’ we wear in life.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus empower me with your Holy Spirit to live everyday as though you were in complete control of my actions, my thoughts and my feelings. Take control of every part of my body for your name’s sake, Amen.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26 (NIV)
You weren’t an afterthought. When the Creator God formed the universe, hung the sun in place and separated the water from the land, you were on his mind. When he spoke the word and thousands of plants and animals came into existence, he knew he wasn’t done. With a word, the Father spoke all this into existence. But when he made man, he stopped and thought about it.
Why? Was it because God was confused as to how to make man? Were we too large a task for him to handle? Of course not, God paused after making the other animals because this was something special. This ‘man’, these humans as we call them, were going to be set apart from everything else in creation.
These beings were going to be made in his image. That means that unlike other animals, human kind would have the ability to reason, speak choose. He would give them the power within themselves to do great and mighty things.
God made the world (the plants, the universe, and the animals) for mankind to tend to. He made mankind for his own personal relationship. Did the world need man to be complete? Probably not. The angels could have tended to the tasks at hand. Without man, God wouldn’t have been complete. He needed man to be his special object of love. He desired to create for himself one being that would be the most like him.
It’s no wonder then that when we shun God there is a part of us missing. We were created to fellowship with him and the absence of that fellowship causes and emptiness.
Oh, we can try to fill it with religion or spirituality. We can try to dull the pain with human relationships and materialistic endeavors. But nothing will fill that God-shaped hole in our hearts except for God himself.
God, the creator of the universe, the one that controls everything you see created you because he desired to have a passionate love relationship with you. Nothing you can do will make him change his mind about you. Nothing you can do will allow that love relationship to happen. There’s only one thing to fill the void and that’s Jesus Christ.
The forgiveness Jesus offers you through the cross allows you to a restored relationship with your creator.
PRAYER: God, I’ve been taught that you aren’t real. I’ve heard that all I see around me happened by chance. I thank you that I didn’t happen by chance. I thank you that I was intentionally made so I could love you. I’m tired of trying to fill this void in my life. Help me to find the peace only Jesus can give. Amen.
“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Malachi 3:6 (NIV)
I’ll admit it right from the start. I hate change. Always have and most likely, no matter how hard I may try, I always will. Maybe hate is too strong a word, but I miss gas prices at 25 cents a gallon. I miss movies that made you laugh, not blush. I miss music you could understand the words to…okay, I guess my parents said they couldn’t understand the words to my music either now that I think about it.
Change is inevitable in our lives and seems to come faster and faster every year. For example, it’s impossible to keep up with technology. I don’t feel that old but I remember when telephones had one use only…talking to people. Now you can fry an egg with them! I remember when the only way to change the channels on the television was to actually have to get off the couch, walk ALL THE WAY across the room, and turn the dial. In my rural area that also may involve moving the rabbit ears (you who are younger than 30 may not understand that statement. Google it!)
I also am not a fan of change because of what I see it do in our society. Families were a source of stability and commitment when I was growing up. Now the definition of family has changed and most of them are anything but stable. Kids are forced to grow up much faster than they used to and endure much more pressure than in the past.
Most times change comes into our lives because of failure. The thing that changes either changes for the better or the worse, either way, it’s not the same as it used to be. Sometimes the change is forced upon us. Other times it comes willingly, or even at our hands. Some changes are reversible, some aren’t. But once change happens, the thing changed is never ever the same.
In a world of inevitable change, is there anything that stays constant? Anything you can count on to be consistent every time you try it? Thankfully, the answer is yes! God never changes. You can count on him to react to you the same way every time. Human relationships will fail or fade. Technology will continue to change. Health and environmental concerns will continue to perplex us. But God will never ever change.
The real beauty of God’s unchanging character is that even though he never changes, he never becomes outdated. No matter how much other things change, he’s always just what you need. He’s been perfect in the past, he’s perfect now and he’ll be perfect when you need him tomorrow! And that’s something you can count on!
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for the promise I have that I can always count on you. I see the things going on around me and get confused, scared or frustrated. It’s so comforting to know I can always rely on you to be just what I need. I praise you! Amen.
“Master,” Simon answered, “we have worked hard all night long and have not caught a thing. But if you tell me to, I will let the nets down.” Luke 5:5 (CEV)
He was an expert in his field. He knew the lake, he knew the seasons, he knew the patterns of the fish and the moon. He was a fisherman. Some of us fish for hobby and some are successful at it. Peter was a professional fisherman. His very livelihood depended on his ability to catch fish.
Because so much depended on his ability to catch fish, having an entire night without a single catch must have been very demoralizing for Peter and his crew. They had bills to pay. They had a family to feed. They had a reputation to uphold. A night without fish for Peter was like a business owner without a single customer entering the business on a given day.
I’ve never fished with nets before but I can imagine that cleaning them was no fun. Cleaning nets after a whole night of catching nothing must have been even more unpleasant. All that work for nothing! It’s no wonder that Peter was a bit hesitant to drop those nets back into the water. It wasn’t the right time or place for a catch. They’d just spent all night fishing and caught nothing. They were tired, perhaps hungry and that male ‘conquering spirit’ had been wounded by the lack of success.
On top of all that, Jesus was a carpenter by trade. What do carpenters know about fishing? Most people in Peter’s position would probably be thinking, “I wouldn’t waltz into his carpenter shop and tell him how to adjust that table or form that yoke for the Oxen. Who does he think he is?”
Peter didn’t do that though. He followed the request of this carpenter turned teacher turned fishing expert. He went against all he knew professionally to follow Jesus’ command. The result amazed him and his crew. So many fish were caught that day that there was concern that the fish would break the nets. And, as mentioned earlier, fish meant cash!
When you follow Jesus you have to be willing to step outside of common knowledge and your comfort zone. Jesus works best through us when we work outside the box. Everything he asked Peter to do was against common knowledge, but Peter was blessed mightily for his faith.
What steps might Jesus be asking you to do in your home, workplace or church? Are you basing your actions on human understanding or divine leadership? The outcome depends on your decision. Act outside the box and see what Jesus can do for you.
PRAYER: Lord, so much of my thought processes revolve around what I know and not what you can do through me. Give me the courage to think outside the box so you can do amazing things through me. Amen.
Everyone who sees me makes fun and sneers. They shake their heads, and say, “Trust the Lord! If you are his favorite, let him protect you and keep you safe.” Psalm 22:7-8 (CEV)
It’s a small thing, something I decided to do on a whim of sorts and thought little about it until one day a few weeks ago as my daughter looked over my shoulder at an email I was writing.
The auto signature on my email account has a motto, a statement of my philosophy. It reads, “ENLISTED by His Grace; FORGIVEN by His Blood; EMPOWERED by His Spirit; SUSTAINED by His Resurrection,” and is accompanied by the Built with Grace Logo.
She pointed to that and asked me, does everyone you send an email to get that? I assured her they did. She simply nodded her head and went changed the subject.
I thought about that situation later and about how I’d never realized that ‘everyone would see’ this testimony of my faith with every email. Those who know me probably think nothing of it since they know my faith is important to me. Others may look at it and think I’m some religious fanatic. There may be many, unfortunately, who don’t have a clue as to what it means.
That little incident got me thinking about how many things we do, or don’t do regarding our faith out of fear or uneasiness at the reaction of others. It pleases me when I’m at a restaurant and I see a group at a table thanking God for their food. They aren’t making some statement to the world that they are better than anyone else (at least I hope not), but they are refusing to change their convictions and behavior because of others.
Here in theUnited States of Americawe are blessed with the freedom to openly express our faith in Jesus Christ. I fear for some of my brothers and sisters in Christ who risk their lives if they are caught even mentioning the name of Jesus. I fear the day may be approaching in which we may need to be cautious of our profession of faith.
The Psalmist tells of those who mock and jeer him for his faith. The original language implies that these are words of sarcasm and harassment. They are meant to ridicule, not encourage.
In response to the attacks, the Psalmist reaffirms his faith in God. Like the Apostle Paul states in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (NKJV)”
That doesn’t mean I’ll drop a dump truck load of Christianity on everyone I meet. It does mean that I will refuse to change my words or my actions for others. My faith in Christ isn’t an ‘add-on’. It’s a part of my DNA. Sure, I’ll fail from time to time, but my goal is to show the love of Jesus in everything I do regardless of the smirks, the condescending smiles or outright harassment for my beliefs. It’s the least I can do for my Jesus.
How about you? What changes do you make in your behavior or words because of the crowd you are with? Do you stop and say thanks at a business luncheon? Do you live one way with the church crowd and another in the workplace? Be willing to risk the mocking of this world for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ. I am not ashamed of my faith in you. I thank you for all you have done for me. Show me on a daily basis areas of my life in which I unintentionally change my behavior in ways that may hide my passionate love for you and others. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 