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The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” 1 Corinthians 1:18-19
In ‘Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” there are a couple of instances where ‘Willie’ implores certain misbehaving children to come back, or to stop some activity. It’s humorous because he makes no effort to stop the child. He simply asks them to stop and leaves the ultimate decision up to them. Each child to whom this admonition is given refuses to listen and finds themselves in some predicament needing rescue…and expulsion from the tour.
We can laugh at those antics and choices, but we also need to be aware of the truth exhibited in human nature. The Old Testament story of Noah and the Ark is similar. In Luke 17:27, Jesus is quoted as saying “In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.”
Will it be the same for us? Paul says that we are without excuse in our refusal to follow God. He has shown us through the heavens (which we have explained away as chance); He has shown us through his Word (which we have labeled as irrelevant stories and information); He has shown the ultimate example through his son Jesus Christ (who we executed, not because of his crimes, but because of his refusal to follow the status quo).
One of the last things Jesus told his disciples is that someday he would return for us. The Apostle John tells us more details about this when he says that every eye will see him and every knee will bow before him, regardless of whether they believe or not.
So we are met with two challenges. First of all, will we reject the offer of eternal life with Christ because we’ve refused to accept his free gift? No one will go to hell because of their sin. That was taken care of on the cross. However, we will go to hell for rejecting the free ticket to heaven.
The second challenge is for those of us who know we will enjoy eternity with Christ. Right up until the day Noah entered the Ark he pled with people to accept God. Will we do the same? Will we pray for our enemies and plead with those we love to come to Christ? Or will we simply watch them continue on a path of self-destruction and utter the words of Willie Wonka “No. Stop. Please Don’t.”
There will be many who will mock us during our walk on earth, just as they did Jesus. How will you respond?
PRAYER: Father God. Thank you that I can know I’ll spend eternity with you. Give me the passion to reach others and the opportunities I need to share Jesus. Amen.
*Photo courtesy of Google Photos
But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you. James 1:5 (NCV)
“There’s no such thing as a stupid question.”
We’ve all heard or said that at some point in our lives. The intent of the saying is, at least from my perspective, that asking questions is not only okay, it’s to be encouraged. Asking questions allows us to grow in knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways.
Still, we all know people who we avoid asking questions to, people who make us feel like a total idiots because we don’t know the answer to something. It could be a boss, a spouse, a professor, even a friend. It only takes one sarcastic comment, one condescending remark, to keep us from ever asking questions again.
How a person responds to our questions is usually a sign of their character. Responses that shut us down or attack our self-esteem are intended to hurt us, not build us up. In a real love relationship questions are never met with sarcasm, anger, or condescending responses. Even if the answer can’t be given, a person of Godly character will always respond in a way that builds up, never tears down.
You can come to God with your questions. He’s proven over and over again that he will never be angry with your questions. Look at the lives of Job, of Moses, of Jonah and others. These were men who at some time or another questioned why God did what he did, or even argued with God about what he was doing. Yet he never attacked them for their questions.
Your Heavenly Father may not answer your questions the way you hope but he will never criticize or use sarcasm in response to your request. You don’t need to be afraid to ask God the hard questions. First of all, he knows the questions you ask before you verbalize them. Secondly, he made you the way you are. He realizes that your mind can’t comprehend the vastness of his wisdom.
God will give you the wisdom you need for the moment. Godly wisdom that may not seem ‘wise’ in the eyes of the world, but is always best for you. Wisdom you can trust when circumstances are tough. You can always trust him to listen and respond in love.
PRAYER: Father, I have so many questions about life and direction. Thank you that I can rely on you for the answers I need for life. Give me courage when the answers I get don’t seem to come fast enough or aren’t what I want to hear. Amen.
We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 1 John 4:16 (NLT)
I like how Max Lucado describes God’s love in his book “The Eye of the Storm”.
“Water must be wet. A fire must be hot. You can’t take the wet out of water and still have water. You can’t take the heat out of fires and still have fire. In the same way, you can’t take the love out of [‘God’]…and still have him exist. For he was…and is…Love.”
God is our ultimate example of what love is. How we view love is how we view God. How we define God is ultimately how we define love.
If God is truly love, how does he respond to those who struggle with addiction? If God is love how does he respond to someone in an adulterous relationship? If God is love how does he respond to you during those times you are feeling lonely, depressed, overwhelmed or frustrated?
We need only look at Jesus to know that answers to that question. Jesus said, if you what to see what the father looks like, look at me. See how I treat people who reject me. See how I treat people caught in the trap of sin, of abandonment, of disease. See me. See God. See love.
There are some who prefer to see God’s love in the light of his wrath. They live their lives in fear of what God will do. They pattern their lives according to the world’s standard of love, a standard that says, “My love for you is based on your performance. If you do as I say, I’ll love you. If you don’t meet my expectations, my love for you will die”.
That’s not Gods love. God’s love for you says that even though you aren’t the richest, or the most beautiful, or the strongest. I love you. Even though you struggle with life, can’t be trusted, put things off far too long and too often. I love you. Even though you may be going through the consequences of poor decisions, even that doesn’t take away the fact that God loves you more than ever.
Don’t allow the worlds view of God’s love to take away from the facts about God’s love. God’s love doesn’t spew hatred for anyone. God’s love doesn’t dwell on fear. God’s love doesn’t seek revenge. God’s love seeks what is best for you. Our human form of love can die, but God’s love will never die. You can trust him to always be there for you regardless of how bad life gets.
PRAYER: Father God, I’m so undeserving of so great a love. It’s so hard to fathom what your love is like because we humans have diluted it so much with performance, fear and demands. Empower me to live in the light of your love without distraction from the world. Amen.
And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs. Philippians 4:19
When I was growing up in the church I was always amazed at the stories of great missionaries that gave up all they had to go to foreign lands to preach Jesus to the unsaved. I would watch Billy Graham speak to thousands and then watch (sometimes with tears in my eyes) as hundreds would come forward to ‘accept Jesus’.
To this day I read books by some of my favorite authors, watch my well-known pastors and teachers on TV and video sharing the gospel story and am, to be honest, just a little jealous. I’d love to be able to speak to 1,000’s about what Jesus has done in my life. What a rush it would be to have hundreds come forward and kneel at the altar because God has used my words to touch their hearts and bring them to him.
Before you think me too full of pride, does not Jesus himself tell us to ‘Go to all the world and preach the gospel?’ Doesn’t Luke tell us in his letter referred to as the ‘Acts of the Apostles’ that we would receive power from the Holy Spirit to preach the good news to the ‘uttermost parts of the earth’?
Many of us who have grown up in the church may have felt like I have. We were emotionally charged to win the earth to Christ as the result of some missionary speaker or a bible story or testimony that motivated us to consider full-time service for the Master.
So, what is the missing ingredient in fulfilling the Great Commission in your world, or is its fulfillment reserved for those called into full-time Christian service (i.e., missionary, pastor,BibleCollegepresident, evangelist, etc.)
When Jesus was on earth he spent his time with the common folk. His challenge (which we call the Great Commission) was given to a group of uneducated, blue collar workers with no formal education at all, much less training in cross-cultural ministry. Most of them were fishermen!
Want to be an effective Christ-follower? First of all, consider this. Jesus does not tell us to go win converts to the good news. In fact, in the 3 years we read of Jesus ministry his main focus was on physical, emotional and spiritual healing, not on winning friends. The relationships Jesus built were the result of his meeting the needs of people, not demanding their allegiance.
So what does he ask of us? To make disciples. Disciples are made over time through open, honest relationship, not through seminary training or programs. Jesus didn’t give lessons ON life; he showed the lessons IN life.
Each of us is called to make disciples as we go on our way. That’s what being fruitful as a Christ-follower means. The key to this is growing closer to Christ, not adding activity to our days. Our ability to be fruitful Christians comes from the depth of our relationship with Jesus not the level of our Spiritual activity.
Want to be a great missionary? Follow this simple rule. Grow closer to Jesus. He’ll do the rest. Our power as Christ-followers comes from his riches, not ours.
PRAYER: Lord keep me from thinking that the only way I can be used effectively by you is by having titles and numbers in my bag of tricks. Help me draw close to you so I can reach others. Amen.
Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love drives out fear. It is punishment that makes a person fear, so love is not made perfect in the person who fears. 1 John 4:18 (NCV)
As my children approached the age where they could drive, we made a family rule. It was a simple rule intended to instill the importance of safety, not intended to cause pain or harm. The rule was that if, in the first month of driving on their own, they got a speeding ticket, they would lose driving privileges for one week. I’d get their license and their keys.
One night my daughter was returning from the city with some friends. As she came off the interstate and onto the highway leading home she instinctively hit the cruise control. Within a mile she was back up to the interstate cruising speed. Within a couple more miles she saw the dreaded flashing red lights in her rear view mirror.
The problem was, the interstate speed was too fast for the highway speed. She was given a ticket for speeding. I still remember the night this all happened. She walked into the house license and keys in hand and gave them to me. She then told us what happened (her version of course). In the course of the conversation she mentioned that one of her friends asked if she was afraid to come home and tell me about the ticket. My daughter told her “No, I know what will happen.” That was the end of it.
I wish I could say this was an example of every disciplinary action at our home, but it wasn’t. It does given an example of God’s love though. My daughter knew well in advance of the consequences. There was no yelling or screaming, and there were no surprises. In a love relationship that’s how ‘wrongs’ are handled.
When the Father came looking for Adam and Eve for his evening walk, they hid in the bushes. Why? They were afraid. Did they have reason? Well, they thought they did. However, God certainly wasn’t surprised by their actions. There is no indication in scripture that the interaction between God and the couple was full of anger. He was harsh with the serpent, but he was gentle in handing out the natural consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin.
That first account of sin is a perfect example of love without fear. Even though God handed out consequences, he also handed out healing. When God took away the fig leaves and clothed them with animal skins it was a symbol of taking away the shame and offering emotional healing.
God’s not into punishment. What he is into is doing whatever is necessary to bring us into a loving relationship with him. A loving relationship built on trust, mercy and grace. A relationship that drives out fear and brings peace.
The phrase “Just wait until your father comes home” is sometimes used when punishment is inevitable. But when it comes to your Heavenly Father there is no fear in his return. He loves you. The sin you bear need only be a temporary glitch in the relationship. A glitch that can be forgiven through Jesus.
PRAYER: Father God, I praise you for your love and patience with me. I thank you for the fact that your love is a love that harbors no fear, no revenge and no anger. Empower me to live free of the lies the enemy tells me about your anger with me. Help me to show love to others the way you have shown love to me. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 