Braggart

Do you like people who brag on themselves? Is it enjoyable to be around people who constantly talk about themselves? Would you rather have your ears cut off than listen to them? Are you someone who boasts about yourself?

In general, we don’t really care to listen to braggarts. You have heard them. It doesn’t matter what anyone else has done, they have always done it better, faster, and in a more impressive fashion. To hear them tell it, they should be in a far greater place, but the world has purposely connived against them.

On the other hand, we like to talk about ourselves. We like to tell others about our experiences. We may talk about what happened at work, telling of how we accomplished some difficult task. Sometimes, we tell and retell stories of great plays we made while playing sports. We tell of adventures while we were in the military or on vacation or on a mission trip. We may think we don’t like to talk about ourselves until we stop, think about our conversations over the past few days or weeks, and realize we talk about ourselves quite a lot.

Now, there is nothing wrong with relating our experiences. The question comes down to why we are telling others about them. Is it to make ourselves look good? Or is it to relate an experience that we and/or others can learn from? Why is our motive important?

We see in today’s passage that Jesus did not come to glorify himself, but the Father was the one who glorified Him. What does that mean? It means the Father, working through the Son, was orchestrating events in such a way as to glorify Him. The Son was allowing the Father to control Him and the events around Him. The Son was doing what the Father had designated Him to do.

If we are to follow Jesus’ example, we must do the same. We must discern what it is God wants us to do and do it. We must allow the Father to orchestrate the events for us. This is called submission. Submitting to God, trusting Him, and following His plan for our lives will lead to glory. Oh, it may not lead us to glory in the way we think, but it will lead to eternal glory with Him.

I pray we all submit to God’s plan. I pray we allow God to orchestrate our lives. I pray each one of us trusts God and discern His plan for us. Don’t be a braggart. Submit to God. Trust God. Allow God to work in your life. Discern God’s plan for your life. Follow Jesus’ example.

John 8:54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.”

Love Through Obedience

Do you love? How do you know if you love someone? Do you love Jesus? How do you know if you love Him? Do you know that He stated there is a litmus test for your love for Him?

We most often think of love as an emotion. We think of love as a feeling. It may be strong for a while but can fade and disappear completely. It may come upon us quickly. It often includes a physical attraction. Yet that is not the type of love Jesus is talking about when He challenges our love for Him.

The love Jesus talks about is a committed love. It is a decision to love, no matter what. It includes trust and obedience. The love we are to have for Jesus isn’t a gushy, emotional love, but a love that is deep within our hearts and can never be wrenched away from us. It is to be reciprocal love, one that reflects the love God has for us.

So, what is this litmus test of our love? It is obedience. Jesus clearly states in today’s passage our love is demonstrated by us when we obey His teaching. When we disobey, we demonstrate a lack of love. Jesus continues by saying it is not His words He is speaking but the Father’s.

This is a hard teaching. We don’t really want to hear it. We like living in our ignorance, not wanting to hear we are not showing our love for God in our disobedience and doing whatever we want. We want to do what we want to do and continue to say we love God. Unfortunately, the old saying rings true in this situation, “You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.”

We are under a false impression of obedience to God equating to a boring life. That could not be further from the truth. Jesus promised and abundant life to those who follow Him (John 10:10). That abundant life includes a life that includes strength, courage, and all the fruits of the Spirit as listed in Galatians 5:22-23. It includes a life without the hardships caused by disobedience. No, it doesn’t mean there will be no hardships, but it does mean we have fewer hardships due to making better decisions.

I pray we all show our love through obedience. I pray we choose to follow Jesus. I pray each one of us commits to love Jesus and trust Him. Show your love for Jesus. Obey Jesus’ teachings. Trust God’s promises. Commit to Jesus today.

John 14:23-24 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”

Endless Spring

Have you ever been so thirsty your mouth felt as though it was full of peanut butter? Have your lips cracked with dryness from lack of water? Have you been unable to speak because your throat was so dry you couldn’t squeak out anything above a whisper?

I venture to say we all have been thirsty. We likely have been thirsty enough to chug a bottle of water down within a few seconds. Yet, it is rare a person has been thirsty enough to answer my questions above in the affirmative.

Oh, we might like to think we’ve been there, but the vast majority of us have not. Our over exaggeration of our condition only goes to prove how soft and posh our society has become. Now, that is not to say we don’t get thirsty, nor to say we don’t need to drink water. We certainly do. Yet, to be parched to the point of being nearly unable to speak is very rare.

Yet, for some of us, our souls are parched to that degree. We have not accepted the endless spring into our lives. Or, if we have, we have capped it, covered it with a mound of dirt, and forgotten it is there. Then we wonder why we are thirsty. Or, worse yet, we don’t even recognize our soul thirsts for refreshment.

We can say all the right words, go through the motions, and perform the actions, yet still be thirsty. To be refreshed, we must stop quenching the Spirit and accept Him in our lives in all situations. We must allow Him to refresh us, guide us, fill us, and satisfy our thirst.

If you have not accepted the Spirit, you need to make that your first priority and take the first step. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, fallen away, and feel the drought in your life, you need to reverse course and turn back to Him. If you have restricted the Spirit to a trickle, open the tap up to wide open. Allow Him to flood you with refreshment.

Folks, God has given us the free gift of His Holy Spirit for those of us who believe. We have the option to disregard Him. As I have observed the Christian brotherhood and sisterhood, I have seen far too many who have pushed Him into the back corner of their lives. Our souls long for us to reverse that decision, allowing the Holy Spirit to flood us.

I pray we all seek to be refreshed by the Holy Spirit. I pray we allow Him to flood us with His presence. I pray each one of us will tap into the endless spring. Quench the thirst of your soul. Be refreshed. Tap into the endless spring. Turn the Spirit loose in your life.

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Scam Calls

What is your reaction when your phone rings? Do you answer it? Do you first look to see who is calling? How do you react when someone is calling out to you in a store? What if you don’t remember who the person is who is calling you?

Many of us have caller ID on our phones today. This is especially true of our smartphones. Phone producers are updating the software to better identify scam calls, so we know not to answer the phone. They also use our contacts list to identify who is calling, which is helpful if we are waiting for a specific person to call.

We prefer to skip those scam calls. We don’t want to hear about an extended car warranty. We have learned about multiple scams ranging from taxes to law enforcement to insurance. The scammers use common services we would typically be interested in to trick us into giving personal information that allows them to steal our money. We do our best to stay abreast of the schemes so we can protect ourselves.

Unfortunately, we often miss a very important call. God is calling us as well. He has been calling humanity to Him for thousands of years. His calling did not start with Jesus. As we see in today’s passage, God was calling humanity long before Christ came to this earth.

Why do we miss His call? It is a call to our spirit, one that we don’t always listen for. It is not a physical phone that rings, but a longing within our soul to fill a void. Rather than answering God’s call to fill us, we hear and fall for the scams of the world. We hear the messages stating we deserve this or that, and we give them a try, only to be disappointed. We hear the messages attempting to sell us products that will fill our need, and we end up disappointed.

Why not answer the call of God? He is the only One who can truly fill the void within us. He will feed us. He will give us water that never ends. His blessing comes at no monetary cost to us. In fact, if we follow Him as He desires, we find we actually save money due to no longer chasing after those scam products that don’t really satisfy. God’s call is the one call we should answer.

I pray we all answer God’s calling. I pray we accept Him filling the void within us. I pray each of us forgo the scams of the world and answer the genuine call. Answer God’s call. Deny the scams of the world. Be filled by God. Feed your spirit. Drink from the endless fountain.

Isaiah 55:1

“Come, all you who are thirsty,

come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without cost.”

Surrender to Achieve

Are you striving to be a better person? Do you set goals you want to achieve? Are you willing to consider different goals? Are you willing to be radical in your thinking and developing your goals?

I dare say most of us want to be a better person. However, we may not be able to fully define what that better person looks like. Our idea of that person is vague, based on a variety of characteristics we’ve seen in other people. Wouldn’t it be nice to have those characteristics listed for us?

The list is provided for us. We may not think about it. We may have been told we cannot achieve it on our own. We may even think it is unachievable. Yet, the list is there for us to read and set as our goal. What is the list? It is the fruits of the Spirit found in today’s passage.

Let’s dive into the question of whether it is achievable or not. We cannot achieve it on our own, in our own strength, or by force. Okay, how do we achieve it? We must let go. Stop trying to force ourselves to be the list. Instead, we must surrender to God, allowing the Holy Spirit to make the change in us. It’s not easy. It requires us to trust God. It requires our willingness to change.

Have you ever tried to force yourself to be joyous? It just doesn’t work. Oh, you can fake it, but usually others can see right through it. What about self-control? We might call it discipline. It’s very difficult to discipline ourselves, to have self-control. It requires a very strong and well-trained individual, and even then we may not be able to accomplish it.

On the other hand, when we ask God for His Holy Spirit to work in our lives, producing these fruits in us, it becomes achievable. Notice I did not say it was easy. Why? It still requires us to be willing to change and surrendering to God’s desire. Surrender is especially difficult for us Americans. We are bullheaded, stubborn, hardheaded, or whatever other term you want to call it. We don’t like to give in to someone else. It is easier to give up one of our goals than to surrender to someone who can help us accomplish them.

I pray we all decide to surrender to God. I pray we ask the Holy Spirit to help us be better people. I pray each one of us is willing to change into the person God intended us to be. Surrender to God. Allow the Holy Spirit to make the change. Follow the Holy Spirit’s lead. Achieve your goal of being a better person.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Unity

Are you tired of seeing division wherever you look? Do you ask, “Can’t we all just get along?” How do you look at someone who is different than you? Are you willing to accept a person who looks different, comes from a different culture, or disagrees with you?

It is no secret that we are attracted to and migrate toward people who think and act as we do. We feel comfortable with people of like mind. We prefer to be with people who like to do the things we like to do. This is human nature.

However, we are called to unity with everyone who is in Christ. This means we are to be in unity with people who may not agree with us on any number of topics. Isn’t it sad that we can worship in unity with Cubs or Cardinals fans, but we struggle to do so with democrats or republicans? We allow different viewpoints to hinder us from worshiping in unity.

Let’s go a step further. We may not be willing to worship with someone from a different denomination. We may be unable to be comfortable listening to a message from a Catholic Priest, Methodist Pastor, Baptist Pastor, Presbyterian Pastor, or Church of Christ Preacher. We disagree to a point of division over the liturgy, or the way communion is served.

Why is unity in diversity important? God is diverse. He created us to be different, yet to be unified in Him. He created different cultures. It is true that God has set a few rules. But He did not write a liturgy nor tell us how to worship, other than to worship in truth and with our whole heart. 

If we are in Christ, then Christ is in us. That means all of us. Therefore, when we reject someone who is in Christ, we reject Him. Our rejection may not be obvious. It comes in the form of complaints, gossip, being standoffish, or simply refusing to talk to someone else. We reject others in both blunt and subtle ways.

Christ has called us to complete unity (John 17:23). It is in our unity that we properly represent Him. It is in unity that we can do mighty works in His name. It is in unity we operate as one body. It is in unity we can truly celebrate Christ, worship God, and defy Satan’s schemes.

I pray we all seek to accept one another in Christ. I pray we unify as one body, just as Christ intended. I pray each one of us discard our old ways to be a new creation in Christ. Be unified in Christ. Accept one another in Christ. Be one body. Celebrate as one. Worship as one. Work as one.

Colossians 3:11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Eternal Spring

Have you ever been hungry—I mean truly hungry, having not eaten for a couple days? I have you ever been thirsty—your mouth so dry you can’t even swallow? Have you ever thought your soul may be starving and thirsting?

We all experience hunger to some degree. Otherwise, how would we know it was time to eat, to feed our bodies, to give it the energy it needs to function? We all experience thirst. We know we need liquid, especially water, to keep our bodies from shriveling up like a prune.

Our souls, or spirits, need to be fed as well. Jesus uses the analogy of food and water to make this point to people as He taught. In today’s passage, He is talking with the woman at the well. Now, this isn’t just any woman—she is a Samaritan. If you know Jewish history, you know the Jews and the Samaritans do not like each other.

Samaritans resided in the region known as Samaria. They were a mixed race, consisting of Israelites, Mesopotamians, and Assyrians. They followed the Pentateuch from a religious perspective, which is the first five books of the Bible, also known as the books of Moses.

As you may know, this interaction between Jesus and the woman was quite revealing. Jesus knew she had been married five times and the man she was living with was not her husband. He also knew she needed what He was offering to make her whole and bring her into the kingdom of God.

Jesus knew what her soul needed, and He knows what our souls need. We need to be fed. We need to be given fresh water. Our souls need these to be energized, strengthened, and sustained to be who He desires us to be. Jesus freely offers what we need, even when we don’t realize we need it.

We feed and give drink to our bodies. Yet, we often starve and dehydrate our souls. We feed them junk food and toxic drink. We allow our souls to be corrupted by the world rather than providing them pure spiritual food and drink.

We can only strengthen our souls by turning to Jesus. We do that not only by committing to Him, but by reading and studying God’s Word. We feed our soul by interacting with other Christians. We get a cool drink of water in prayer to God. We are refreshed, strengthened, and energized to continue the work He has designated for each of us.

I pray we all feed our souls with spiritual food. I pray we turn to Jesus to drink from the eternal spring. I pray each one of us give up the junk food of the world in exchange for the healthy diet of God’s Word. Be fed. Drink pure water. Turn to Jesus. Cleanse your soul. Strengthen your soul. Be energized. Be refreshed.

John 4:13-14 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

All Can Be Saved

Do you wonder if you can be saved? Do you know someone who thinks they cannot be saved? Do you think there are people in this world who cannot be saved? Do you know who God is? Do you know He is all-powerful and capable to doing whatever He pleases?

There is no doubt there are people in this world who do some horrible things. There is no doubt there are people who willingly and purposely disobey God. We may know some of those people. We may see them in the news. We may experience them at some point in our lives.

Yet, God can save anyone no matter what they have done. The person in question must turn their heart to God. They must repent of their wrongdoings. When they do, God is willing and able to save them from their past and grant them a future of glory.

The Apostle Paul was once a persecutor of those who followed Jesus. He stood by while Stephen was stoned to death. He was carrying permission/orders to persecute more followers of Christ in Damascus when he was confronted by Jesus Himself and turned from his wrong ways. Jesus saved Saul and made him a mighty preacher of the gospel.

With this in mind, we must know that God can save the worst person we can think of. He can turn that person into someone who proclaims the good news in a mighty way. There is no one we can think of who is outside of God’s power.

How can we help in turning these people to God? The first thing we need to do is pray for them. The next thing, if we are able to meet with them, is tell them the good news. Explain to them what Jesus has done for them. Tell them they can be saved from a wretched life and live an abundant life in Jesus. Express to them the glory God has for them for eternity.

Paul gives us an example, himself, to show us what is possible. He wanted Timothy, who had grown up a devout Jew, having learned the Scriptures from his mother and grandmother, to know that God can save anyone. He wants us to know the same is as true today as it was then.

I pray we all spend time in prayer for those who are lost. I pray we tell others about Jesus. I pray each one of us take every opportunity to tell the good news and pray for those we long to be saved. Pray for those who oppose God. Pray for friends. Pray for family. Tell others about Jesus. Tell others of God’s saving grace. Tell them about the glory that awaits them.

1 Timothy 1:15-16 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

A Simple Work

If you were asked, how would you answer someone who wanted to know what God wanted them to do? Do you know how to answer that question? Can you tell someone what God expects of them? Would you like to know?

The answer to the question is simple—believe in Jesus. However, belief in Jesus and choosing to follow Him will initiate a change in behavior. When we recognize Jesus as truth, we will be spurred on to take action. The simple answer becomes one that motivates us in numerous ways.

Why is this important? First, our belief in Jesus Christ is our unifying force. This is what creates unity in the body of Christ. Our belief in the Son of God, His life, burial, and resurrection pulls us into a relationship with one another. It is the common denominator. It is the reason for loving and caring for one another as brothers and sisters.

Unfortunately, we often allow the motivation to work in numerous ways to show our love to separate us. We allow our interests in doing other works to cause division. We forget we have a common belief in the One sent by God as our salvation, and this to our own detriment.

The work God asks of us is simple, believe in His Son. We are to make it a priority in our lives. Our belief in Jesus is to be first, at the forefront of our minds, and deep within our hearts. As we put Him first, everything else falls into place. Our priorities are set correctly, and division does not occur.

The action we are spurred on to takes shape as automatic as our action based on the sun rising the next day. We have confidence to take on the work God puts before us without the disgruntlement about someone else taking on different tasks. Our confidence in Jesus allows us to take on tasks we know we can’t do without His intervention. We praise God for all He does in our lives and His empowerment of us to complete His work.

When we fully believe in Jesus, we follow His commands. Most importantly, we follow His two greatest commands—love God, love your neighbor as yourself. Love, love, love. The love of God drives out hate and fear. The love of God inspires us to show His love toward others.

I pray we all believe in Jesus Christ. I pray we believe with all our heart, mind, and soul. I pray each one of us seeks to keep the unity created in our belief in Jesus. Love one another. Trust God. Believe in Jesus. Keep the unity of the body of Christ. Praise God for His blessings.

John 6:28-29 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

God Is For Us

Are there times when you wonder who is on your side? Does it feel as though you are left standing alone? Does it seem like you are continually pushing an oversized ball uphill? Are you aware that you are never left alone?

Sometimes we feel as though we are fighting an uphill battle by ourselves. There are times when we feel as though we are Rudolph, floating on a slab of ice across the water taking on the world by ourselves. Sometimes we feel as though we have been abandoned by all others.

Sometimes we have put ourselves in those situations through our own life choices. We may not think it was our choice, blaming our situation on false friends, family, co-workers, classmates, or even a stranger. Yet, we all make choices every day that can slowly contribute to situations we would rather not find ourselves in.

Yet, there is good news. Even when we’ve made bad choices. Even if we intentionally put ourselves in bad situations. Even though we may feel as though the world is against us, God never leaves us so long as we continue to believe in Him. We may not feel Him there. We may think He has abandoned us as well. But God never leaves us nor abandons us. He doesn’t always work on the same timetable we prefer. He is often working behind the scenes, setting up a blessing when we least expect it, yet at just the right time.

You see, God knows what is happening in our lives each moment of every day. He knows exactly where we will be and when we will be there. He knows exactly what we need, whether it’s what we want or not. God is always for us. He is always on our side. He doesn’t always give us what we want, but He does give us what we need. This is just one reason we can trust God.

He doesn’t promise we will never go through tough times. He does promise we will not go through them alone and He will pull us through them. I suppose that is why we see so many people, when they hit rock bottom, turn to God to get them out of the hot water they find themselves in. It is in those moments we realize there is only one answer, there is only One who can get us back on our feet. It is unfortunate it comes to this point, but God is always there.

I pray we all realize God is always there for us. I pray we turn to God in all situations. I pray each one of us works to improve our relationship with God before the tough times come. Turn to God each day. Know that He is always with you. Trust God at all times. Trust God in all situations. Be thankful He never abandons you.

Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?