Exciting News

Do you like to spread good news? Does it excite you to tell someone when good things happen? Is there something you are looking forward to? Is your excitement bubbling out of you? Is it difficult for you to contain yourself?

There are times in our lives when we get so excited about something that has happened or will soon happen that we can hardly contain ourselves. It may be a promotion, an engagement, a birth of a child, or any number of other wonderful events.

As excited as we get about some events, it doesn’t last. Oh, it may last for a few days, weeks, or perhaps even months. But eventually the excitement wears off. Our minds are filled with daily tasks, chores, meetings, and discussions.

There is one event we should all be excited about. Actually, we might say two. The first is that Jesus died and rose again to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. We are forgiven as we repent of our sins because of what Jesus did for us.

The second is His promise that we will spend eternity with Him. God has made a way to redeem us to himself and reinstitute a perfect relationship with him—as it was originally intended. We will experience only joy and love forever.

Aren’t those two events something wonderful? If we believe they are, we should be telling others about them just as we would one of the other wonderful events we are so excited about. After all, they will never go away, never fade, never be lost. Definitely something to be excited about.

I pray we all are excited to know our sins are forgiven. I pray we are bubbling over with excitement for an eternity spent with God. I pray each one of us will tell others about our excitement. Be excited. Be joyous. Tell others about your excitement. Tell others about Jesus.

Luke 24:46-47 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Eternal Winning

Do you like to be on the winning side? Are you competitive? Does losing upset set you or make you cringe or fume? Have you taken steps to be a winner? Are you following the One who can lead you to an eternity of winning?

Many of us are competitive. Some are ultra-competitive. Losing is not an option. We will do whatever it takes to win…even cheating for some. If we fall short, we work harder to win the next time. When our favorite team wins, we cheer.

Competitiveness isn’t relegated to sports. It occurs in our workplace. One worker trying to outperform another to gain a promotion. It is prevalent in politics. We merely need to watch the news to see it. It even occurs in our families. One member competing with another for attention.

There is a much larger competition going on for our souls. God wants us to be with him forever. Satan wants us to fall and ultimately be destroyed along with him. It comes down to a choice—our choice. We can choose to join God or choose destruction. There is no middle ground.

As we see in today’s passage, Jesus has been given all authority. When we choose Him, we win for all eternity. If we do not choose Him, we face destruction—for all eternity. As we read the choices, it seems to be an easy one, but it is not.

Why is the choice hard? We face millions of choices throughout our lives, each one contributing to the bigger choice of choosing God or not. We are easily led astray by the world’s temptations. How do we combat making bad choices? We choose to know God more intimately by reading His Word, spending time in prayer, and participating in His Church.

I pray we all choose to be on the winning side. I pray we choose God over this world. I pray each one of us will ask Jesus to take charge of our hearts and keep us close to Him. Choose to be a winner. Choose eternal life. Read God’s Word. Know God more intimately. Ask God to guard your heart.

John 3:35-36 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

Desire to Learn

Are you willing to learn? Will you study to be better educated? Do you ask questions to become more proficient? Have you ever changed professions? Do you desire to live a better life? Will you seek to know life’s instructions?

We all go to school for a number of years. The amount of schooling we complete largely depends on the profession we choose. Yet, nearly every profession requires us to continue learning if we expect to be more proficient.

Some professions require college degrees. Those of us who pursue those professions go to school another four, six, or eight years. Even if our profession does not require a college degree, it is very likely we must go through additional training at various times. Some training may be online classes, while other is more hands on.

If we expect to continue to learn to be proficient in our chosen profession, shouldn’t we also expect to continue to learn to increase our knowledge of God? What is more important? Our profession? God? Eternal life? What do your actions reveal?

Unless we are professional theologians, we cannot spend hours upon hours each day studying the Bible. However, if we have ever chosen to change professions, we know it requires a lot of study, while not working, to be educated and qualified for the new profession.

Being a Christian is not a profession but a lifestyle. It is a choice to live a better life than we would otherwise. It is choosing to live as God would have us live. But we cannot live as he would have us live if we do not know his instruction. To know God’s instruction, we must study his Word, even if only a few minutes per day.

I pray we all choose to know more about God. I pray we decide to spend time studying God’s Word. I pray each one of us will decide to attend Bible studies to learn how God desires us to live. Decide to learn God’s Word. Spend time studying his Word. Choose to participate in Bible studies. Ask God to give you the discipline to study.

Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Astronomical Fulfillment

Have wondered why Jesus came to this earth? Why would God send his Son to walk the earth as a man? For what purpose would God’s Son teach, preach, perform miraculous signs, and be crucified? Are you ready for the answer?

There are many skeptics in this world. They do not believe Jesus was the Son of God. They do not believe He really came to be their Savior. They do not believe He fulfilled prophecy. Their skepticism may have infiltrated those who do believe.

We have been told many times over that God has a plan. We have been told his plan has been implemented through Jesus and continues to be executed. But our daily lives rarely exhibit it. Our belief has waned or has not grown as it should through experience with Jesus. We are nearly two-thousand-years removed from Him walking the earth. Our belief is strained.

The book of Isaiah was written approximately seven-hundred-years before Jesus was born to Mary. God gave Isaiah the prophecy that Jesus was not only coming to Israel but to be the Savior of the world. The prophecy states that He would be a light to the Gentiles, non-Jews. It states He would be the salvation of the world.

Jesus came to fulfill that prophecy. Not only did Jesus fulfill the prophecy declared in today’s passage, but He fulfilled more than three-hundred prophecies from the Old Testament. There is no reason to doubt who He is. The odds of someone fulfilling all those prophecies are astronomical. The odds are so large we cannot begin to wrap our minds around it.

I pray we all believe Jesus fulfilled prophecy. I pray we believe He came to be our Savior as part of God’s plan. I pray each one of us put our faith in Jesus, believing with our whole heart. Know that Jesus fulfilled prophecy. Believe Jesus is the Son of God. Believe in Jesus as your Savior. Put your faith in Him.

Isaiah 49:6

he says:

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant

to restore the tribes of Jacob

and bring back those of Israel I have kept.

I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,

that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

All Authority

Who do you believe has authority? Who has authority over your life? Do you recognize the authority? Do you ignore authority? Do you acknowledge there is authority over you? Or do you think you are your own authority?

Many of us have questioned authority at some point in our lives. It is especially true when we are young. Yet, some of us continue to buck authority into our later years of life. Why? Perhaps we hate to admit we are not really in control.

We often wonder how some people came into authority. We scratch our heads. We talk about it with friends and family. Yet, it continues. It goes beyond our belief. It is as though there is a force behind it all.

Despite what we may think about authorities here on this earth, there is a greater authority. His name is Jesus. He has been given authority over it all. All the earth. All people. Even over life and death. He is the only one who can grant us eternal life.

The Father gave the Son all authority. Jesus has the authority to grant eternal life to whomever He pleases. And He pleases to grant it to those who believe in Him.

Jesus has the authority to carry out His will today. He can do anything that fits within His plan to draw people to Him. He can use any one of us who are willing to participate in His plan. Are we willing? May each of us be so.

I pray we all submit to the authority of Jesus. I pray we acknowledge His authority over our lives. I pray each one of us are willing to participate in His plan. Jesus has all authority. Jesus has authority over the earth. Jesus has authority over all people. Jesus is executing His plan. Be willing to participate with Him.

John 17:1-3 “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Be a Worker of the Harvest

What does it mean to work in the Lord’s harvest? Are there expectations for the workers? Who should be working in the harvest? Shouldn’t all of us?

The gospel of Jesus continues to be spread. It is not only spread on Sunday morning in a church building, but throughout the week. How is it spread? In more ways than we may know.

Have you seen the commercials about Jesus? Have you heard a co-worker, fellow student, or someone in the grocery store mention Jesus? God uses a plethora of ways to get the gospel to those who need to hear it.

We may be one of those who are planting seeds. We may be watering the seeds. We all need to be ready to harvest the fruit. When we hear that someone desires to commit their life to Jesus, we need to know what to do.

Planting, watering, and harvesting are all part of God’s plan for each one of us. We are to be willing to take part in each of them as God has called us to do.

To be an effective harvester, we must prepare ourselves. We must be attentive to what is going on around us. We must watch, listen, and be ready to act.

When someone desires to commit to Jesus, tell them how to do it. Tell them about baptism. Tell them to speak to the pastor. Be willing to walk beside them as they make the commitment.

I pray we all are ready to help someone commit to Jesus. I pray we are willing to walk with them. I pray each one of us will work in the harvest. Listen for Jesus. Plant seeds for Jesus. Water the seeds for Jesus. Be ready to help someone commit to Jesus. Be a worker for the harvest.

Matthew 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Compassion for All

How do you view other people? Do you view your family and friends one way while viewing strangers completely different? What about your co-workers? How do you view people who are less fortunate or in bad situations?

It is natural for us to view our family and friends in a better light than strangers. Our co-workers are often viewed favorably, even if there are exceptions. We may view those we know or hear about who are less fortunate in a different way.

I suggest there is one point of view we should have toward all people, and especially those who do not know Jesus Christ. I suggest we look upon them with compassion. This is no mere “I feel sorry for them” viewpoint. It is an emotionally painful way of viewing them. It includes a physical reaction to the emotion.

Much as Jesus had compassion on the crowd because they were harassed, helpless, and like sheep without a shepherd, we should have compassion on people of our current time. Feeling compassion for them should motivate us to pray for them. We should ask that God enter their lives and make a positive change.

It all starts with how we view everyone. Do we view them as someone in need of a Savior? Or do we view them as less than human? Perhaps we have never thought about our view of others. By no means am I implying criminals should not be punished nor that we should not be wary in certain parts of town. I am clearly stating we should view every person as a child of God in need of a Savior.

I pray we view every person with compassion. I pray our compassion compels us to pray for others. I pray each one of us will be wary when warranted, but view everyone as a child of God in need of a Savior. Be compassionate. Pray God enters every person’s life. See every person as a child of God.

Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Compassionate Prayer

Are you a compassionate person? If not, do you want to be or think you should be? Do you know how to be compassionate, even if you cannot be with the person in need? Will you join them in the struggle they face?

Almost all of us have compassion for our family and friends. When they experience a hardship, we feel sorry for them and may offer to assist in some way. We may feel sorry for people who are affected by a weather disaster or war. But what do we do for them?

We can join in the struggle. We join by praying for those in need. We can spend a bit of time imagining the situation they face, putting ourselves in the midst of it, and asking what we would need. By doing this, we can better understand and increase our compassion for them. As our understanding and compassion improve, we can pray more effectively for them.

We may think that praying for others is minimal. It can be if our prayers are two-second, less than heartfelt prayers. But when we feel compassion for others, feeling as though we have been sucker punched in the gut, our prayers become more effective. God knows our feelings and our emotional investment in others. Jesus had this feeling for the people He encountered.

Paul asks for the people of the church in Rome to join him in his struggle by praying for him. He asked that they be emotionally committed, offering heartfelt prayers for him. Paul knew from his own experience that God listened to those intentional and intense prayers. God still listens when we pray with intensity and compassion.

I pray we all put ourselves in the situation in which we are praying for others. I pray we have compassion for others. I pray each one of us pray with intensity and compassion being emotionally involved. Join the struggle. Commit to prayer. Be compassionate. Pray intensely.

Romans 15:30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.

The Importance of Prayer

Is your daily life extremely busy? Does it seem you are continually running at breakneck speed, and yet there is always more that needs done? Does your busyness steal your peace? Have you purposely set aside time to pray?

It seems we are busier now than we have ever been. There is a list of things to do longer than our arm. For some of us, it may seem as though that list is longer than our entire body. It seems to have gotten longer with staffing shortages.

We see “now hiring” signs in many business windows or on their electronic signs. Where have all the workers gone? The lack of workers puts more work on the shoulders of those who are working. The amount of work to be done has not lessened and may have increased. Though it may sound counterintuitive, this is exactly the type of environment in which we need to pray more.

In today’s passage, we see that Jesus was busy…very busy. Crowds of people came to both hear Him speak and to be healed of sickness. Think about that for just a moment. He was a teacher/preacher and a doctor. Talk about being busy! But Jesus took time to pray. Our passage states He often, underscore that word, often withdrew to quiet, isolated places to pray.

If Jesus took time to pray, shouldn’t we? Another point to make is that Jesus didn’t just pray for two minutes and get back to work. He would spend significant time in prayer, perhaps a few hours. To be as effective as we can be, we need to spend quality time in prayer. Jesus had plenty of work to do, but He knew two key points. First, there would always be work to do. Second, He needed to commune with His Father to have the strength for the work set before Him. We need to acknowledge and adhere to these two key points as well.

I pray we all commit to spending time in prayer. I pray we set aside more than a couple minutes to commune with God. I pray each one of us seek God’s guidance and strength to be more effective in the work set before us. Spend time with God. Ask God for his guidance. Ask God to provide strength. Commune with God daily. Be more effective in your work.

Luke 5:15-16 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

You Reap What You Sow

Have you heard the saying, “You reap what you sow?” Do you believe that saying to be true? If so, what are you sowing? Are you reaping what you have sown? Have you ever stopped, or at least slowed down, to think about it?

Most, if not all, of us have heard the saying. In fact, we may have even said it about others. We really like to say that when someone we know has done something very wrong and are now reaping the punishment or backlash from their wrongdoing.

But we must take stock in our own sowing. We must evaluate what we are doing, how we treat others, what we are saying about others, what we are reading, viewing, hearing. All of this is sowing. We are sowing ideas, whether false or true by what we read, watch, or listen to.

We also sow by our actions. When we go about doing good for others, we reap good. When we deny good or do bad to others, we reap the bad. When we complain about everything, is it any wonder we feel bad? When we talk negatively about others, is it any wonder others talk negatively about us?

More important than any of the above, we need to sow to please the Holy Spirit—God. Notice what we get in return as Paul tells the church in Galatia, we receive eternal life. Far too often we sow for the short-term gain of this life rather than for the long-term gain of eternal life. At some point, we reap what we sow. I don’t know about you, but I want to sow to gain eternal life. After all, it never ends, unlike this physical life we are living today.

I pray we all sow to please the Holy Spirit. I pray we sow to receive eternal life. I pray each one of us refuse to give up and sow to reap a harvest far beyond what we can imagine. Be mindful of what you sow. Sow to receive eternal life. Sow to please the Holy Spirit. Sow to reap a wonderful harvest.

Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.