Mud Pit

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world"- James 1:17 (NIV).

My mother used to say, "You can't play in the mud without getting mud on you." Wise words! As Christians, we know where the "sin line" is drawn and crossing it becomes disobedience. The question Christians need to ask themselves is not where the line is drawn, but how close you stand to that line? Are you a "line-hugger?" Do you stand with your toes right up next to the line or do you take measures to ensure you won't be pulled over the line by the temptations of lies, lust...or leaning so far over you are either, in the mud pit before you are even aware of it, or being splattered by flying mud from those already playing in it? Wouldn't it be wiser to set yourself a great distance from that line? Do you want your white-clothed children playing on the plush grass-covered lawn of obedience or standing on the edge of the mud pit? Neither does God the Father. 

The Answer

"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"- Matthew 11:28 (NIV).

How did our society become so consumed with work and driving ourselves to make a profit? It seems there is no answer. We get up before the sun rises and then stay up late trying to complete all our work. It's useless! "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat-for He grants sleep to those He loves (Psalm 127:2). Jesus worked hard, as did His disciples, but He knew the importance of rest. One such day, so many people were surrounding them with various needs, they didn't even have time to eat. I've seen many give up their lunch breaks because of their work load. Jesus intervened, "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mark :31). Burdens and cares are unavoidable if we are to exist in this world, but Jesus is the answer. He said, "Come with Me." Those precious moments with Jesus replace the world's hard and heavy yoke with the Lord's easy and light yoke. In the process you find rest for your soul (Matthew 11:29-30).  

Hand-Wringer

"They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord"- Psalm 112:7 (NIV).

Watching the evening news can make you feel anxious about this world: terrorism, earthquakes, disease, storms, abuse and cruelty...the list goes on and on. The morale decline of this world will continue. Christians are not to be hand-wringers. We are to show courage in the face of bad news or circumstances, letting the world see Who supplies our strength and courage (Psalm 27:14). The world takes notice of such courage in the face of crisis: those who take a stand when others flee; who stand firm in their belief when the battle does not appear to be in their favor. In fact, many times it gives onlookers courage. The same is true of the opposite: a hand-wringer can be just as contagious. The righteous are to be bold as lions (Proverbs 28:1). The One True God is with you. He says, "I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10). Jesus was never a hand-wringer and neither should His disciples be.  

Justified

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins"- 1 John 4:10 (NIV).

Do any people, known or even well-known, come to mind who committed such atrocities that it's hard to conceive God could forgive them and invite them in through the pearly gates of Heaven? What if they are evil up until the moment of their death, then they repent and accept Jesus into their heart? Scripture says, "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). How can they be justified? The definition of the word justified, which believers are, can be remembered with this simple statement: "It's 'just-if-I'd' never done it." Jesus wiped our sins away...as far as the east is from the west. But, what if that death bed declaration was only self preservation? Don't underestimate God. He knows a man's motives (Proverbs 16:2). We aren't to act the part of the older brother in the story of the prodigal son. God demonstrated His love for all in this: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Go into your Father's house and rejoice that a brother has returned home (Luke 15:31-32), wearing the same banner we all wear: Justified.  

Be Encouraged

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am"- John 14:3 (NIV).

"The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord" (Acts 2:20). Preceding the sun becoming black as sackcloth and the full moon turning the color of blood, there will be a great earthquake. The heavens will proclaim the return of Jesus by casting the stars down upon the earth. Every mountain and island will be removed on this fateful day (Revelations 6:11-14). Sounds frightening, but there will be a triumphant smile on every Christian face. We know what comes next! That day, the trumpet will sound and Jesus will descend from heaven with a commanding shout! The dead will rise and the living will be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air. "Therefore encourage one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). 

Priceless

"Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being"- Genesis 2:7 (NIV).

There can be no stronger instinct than survival. We would, will and do fight to keep living. A bigger war exists than fighting to keep ourselves alive in this world. The Lord's Prayer says, "Deliver us from the evil one." This is the war worth fighting, because the evil one wants to destroy both our body and our soul (Matthew 10:28). We live in fleshly tents that will one day return to the dust; true, but we can throw off these perishable bodies and put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53). Our soul belongs to God; but, the soul who sins will die (Ezekiel 18:4), because, death is the punishment for sin. Eternal life can only be found in Christ Jesus our Lord; a free gift from God the Father (Romans 6:23). Jesus has already paid our sin debt. We are free to live the abundant life now and forevermore, when we accept Christ into our hearts. Earthly life is precious, but eternal life with Jesus is priceless. 

WWJD

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord"- Joshua 25:15 (NIV).

There comes a day when you have to choose what your beliefs are and who, or what, you serve. The world continues to entice us: super technology and social media; advanced, yet habit forming, foods and drugs; exciting, scintillating, entertainment; fast and reckless living and spending. The world offers a plethora of sensational distractions that could easily become elevated to things we crave, things we serve. The book, In His Steps, by Charles M. Sheldon, is a fictional story of a church that challenged its members to a one-year commitment to do everything as Jesus would do. How much of your life would change if you considered every aspect of your life, every choice you made, as to whether Jesus would do it differently or do it at all. We serve the Lord God by emulating His Son. "What would Jesus do" was not a passing fad, but a challenge to examine yourself, in every area of your life to determine what or who you are serving. Joshua made it clear who he and his family would serve. Do you?    

Actions Speak

"Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord"- Leviticus 19:32 (NIV).

God mandates respect for elders (Ephesians 6:1). Sounds like the onus of action is on the younger people, but God has mandates for the gray-headed as well. An elder's actions speak God's sound doctrines. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women are also to be reverent in their behavior, not gossipers and slanderers, or drinking too much wine. Our actions teach the younger brothers and sisters what is good and acceptable to God. We are to say "No" in this present age of ungodliness and "No" to worldly passions, while we all wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus. By redeeming us from this wicked world, God has set aside a people for Himself who are eager to do what is good (Titus 2:1-5, 11-14). Elders' actions should imitate Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1) and the younger, who have heard and seen the word of God in action, are to consider their way of life, and imitate the faith of the elders, learning to revere God (Hebrews 13:7).

Still There

"In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent"- Acts 17:30 (NIV).

Our pastor told the story of visiting a small church to preach one Sunday. He noticed and asked about a commode sitting in the vestibule area. The deacon told him that it had been there so long they didn't even notice it anymore. It had become part of the landscape, but it was still there. Sin is just as desensitizing. We become accustomed to its presence, and after being exposed to it for a length of time, sin makes its home with us, accepted by us. Don't be ignorant; sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). We have to identify those sins we've become desensitized to and repent. God said, "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). Don't allow sin to become part of the landscape of your life, unnoticed, but it's still there. 

Careful Words

"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of"- Luke 6:45 (NIV).

It is truly a wise person who acquires the art of listening; to be slow in responding (James 1:19). Many a lie has been discovered by remaining quiet while the liar spins his polished story. Peter listened as Sapphira lied about the money they received from the property they sold. She told the same lie her husband, Ananias, had told earlier. He was struck down by God, dead and removed, and she followed right behind him. Peter said they hadn't lied to human beings, but to God himself (Acts 5:1-10). Once the art of listening becomes habit, then the focus should be on what comes out of the mouth. Seek to speak words that build others up and give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29). If lying is directed to God and not man, then words filled with grace are spoken to God as well. We must remember that on judgment day we will give an account for every careless word we have spoken (Matthew 12:36).    

Our Report

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come"- Matthew 24:42 (NIV).

There's an event on my calendar for tomorrow. Tomorrow is the fall bird count, so I'll participate by counting the numbers and identifying the birds I see. I prepare by having my field glasses, notepad and pen handy, plus I will be alert. You can't turn in a good report if you aren't prepared and watchful. We don't know on which day the Lord will come, but we're to be watching. Scripture warns us not to allow our attention to be draw away by carousing, drinking and the worries about this life. That will make a bad report. The day of Jesus' return is compared to a trap suddenly closing with no escape. We need to persevere, always be ready, watching and praying, so that we may be able to stand before the Lord when He comes (Luke 21:34-36). We will want our report to be filled with the best possible for the King of kings.  

Believe

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away"- Revelation 21:4 (NIV).

We've all had to release someone into the clutches of death's cruel hands. Believers look on death differently than the unbeliever does. We believe Jesus is in control of life, death, and resurrection. Jesus promises that those who believe in Him, even though they die, will live again (John 11:25). God's love for us was the reason for sending His Son. Those who believe in Jesus will have eternal life with Him and will not be judged (John 3:16; 5:24). Belief is the key component to being saved from a life separated from God. We are to confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9). Jesus defeated the clutches of death's cruel hands. He has demonstrated the power of resurrection for those who believe. But those who refuse to believe who King Jesus is, and why He came, will die in their sins and face judgment one day (John 8:24). We don't deserve, nor can we ever earn, eternal life with God. We simply have to believe Jesus is the only Way, the absolute Truth and the crown of eternal Life.