Who to Trust

Where do we put our trust? What do we trust in? Who do we trust in? Are there consequences if we put our trust in the wrong person or wrong things? We have “In God We Trust” on our money, but to we really? Or are we trusting in ourselves or someone else?

Trust can be given quickly. It can be taken away quickly. It can be challenging for us to put our trust in anyone, especially if we have been burned in the past. We may not trust our vehicle if has broken down on us before. We may no longer trust a friend who has betrayed us.

As we go through life, we will trust and stop trusting. There may be people we trust who we rarely interact with because we no longer live close to them. Those people may have played a key role in our lives at one point but now are distant. Our trust has not waned, it simply isn’t as active as it once was.

On the other hand, there may be people who we once trusted but no longer trust. Perhaps they were a close friend who turned against us. Maybe they are a parent who betrayed our trust long before we discovered their deeds of mistrust. They may be a co-worker who we confided in and ratted on us.

The prophet Jeremiah records words he received from God that tells us if we put our trust in people, we are cursed. What does that mean? Are we to never trust anyone? No. It means we are to trust God above all. If we continually trust in people over God, we will turn away from him. Think about it. Isn’t this evident in our society today? We need to put our trust in God. He needs to be who we rely on.

I pray we all are careful who we trust. I pray we put our trust in God. I pray each one of us will rely on God, knowing he is always with us, even when others desert us. Be careful who you trust. Put your trust in God. Rely on God. Know that God is always with you.

Jeremiah 17:5

Thus says the Lord: 

Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals 

and make mere flesh their strength, 

whose hearts turn away from the Lord.

Rule the World

Do you want to rule the world? Have you played the game, “If I was king/queen for a day?” What are the things you would do? How would you change the nation or the world? How do you think you would wield that power? Would it be good?

Almost everyone complains about something our community, state, or national leaders are doing. We make a case for why we would handle it differently. However, when people do obtain the power to rule, they are often changed by the power they have.

Jesus tells us that if we will hold onto Him and continue to His works, we will rule the world with Him. The good news is that He will be with us every moment and we will not allow the power of ruling to go to our head. By ruling beside Jesus, our ego is kept in check. Otherwise, we may be derailed by the infatuation with power.

The full consummation of this rule will come when Christ returns. However, we share in it preliminarily now in that we have His power to speak His truth. We have His power to bring people to Him and to His church. We have His power to carry His plan in this world today. He has already given us that.

This concept of ruling the world with Christ is not new to John, who authors Revelation. In Daniel 7, Daniel is given a vision of “one like a son of man” who comes before the “Ancient of Days”, which is God the Father, and He is given authority over all the nations. Additionally, the holy people (those who belong to Christ) will rule with Him. 

I pray we all look forward to ruling the world with Christ. I pray we know that we have power from Jesus here and now. I pray each one of us use Jesus’ power to speak His truth to expand His kingdom. Hold onto Jesus. Continue Jesus’ works. Rule the world beside Jesus.

Revelation 2:26 To everyone who conquers and continues to do my works to the end, I will give authority over the nations;

Fishing

What are you catching, other than a cold? Are you even out looking to catch something or someone? If you are looking to catch someone, who are you seeking to catch? What are you using to attract them? Have you considered what they might be attracted to?

Whether we admit or not, we are fishing. We may be fishing for a complement. We may be fishing for a promotion. We may be fishing for a mate. We may be fishing for a business partner. We may be fishing for some thing or some person. We may be fishing for fish.

Peter, James, and John were fishermen. They had had a long night of fishing with no luck. Their nets were empty, they were tired, and they were ready to quit. But Jesus had another idea. He told them to go out to some deep water and let their nets down. Peter objected but ultimately agreed. The result? They caught so many fish it took both boats to haul them in.

Yet, Jesus wasn’t done with them. He told them they were no longer going to fish for fish but would fish for people. He called them to follow Him. He would instruct them over the next three years and send them out to bring people into the kingdom of God. They would tell the good news of Jesus.

So, back to our questions. What are we fishing for? We should be fishing for people just as the apostles were sent out to do. We should be seeking to bring people into the kingdom of God. That is our mission. That is one of the reasons God had Jesus’ life and teaching chronicled. So, we could learn from Him and seek the lost.

I pray we all know what we are fishing for. I pray we learn from Jesus’ teachings. I pray each one of us will speak the good news of Jesus and seek to bring people into the kingdom of God. Learn from Jesus. Know what you are fishing for. Speak the good news. Bring people to Jesus.

Luke 5:10b Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”

Believe the Witnesses

Do you believe in resurrection? Do you know that many people do not believe in it? Do you know Christians who are unsure about it? Are you unsure about it? Have you ever thought about what it would be like to see someone who had been resurrected?

We mention resurrection often when talking about Jesus. Yet, we don’t really discuss it much. We don’t go into much detail about how it occurred or will occur for us. In fact, we discuss it so little that many Christians may not fully believe that we all will be resurrected.

Why is it so hard to believe? First, I would venture to state that none of us have encountered someone who has been resurrected. We may be aware of people whose heart had stopped and had been resuscitated, but not someone who had died and been resurrected. To think that someone had been dead for three days then resurrected is far-fetched for our human medical knowledge. But that is exactly what God did through Jesus.

How can we be sure? Scripture tells it happened. We have eyewitness accounts. Not only do have eyewitness accounts but we have appearances to large numbers of people at one time. We know Jesus appeared to His disciples in an upper room. Likely it was at least the remaining eleven apostles but could have included other followers of His. The Apostle Paul tells us Jesus appeared to more than five hundred disciples at one time.

Some will still want to doubt. Doubting eyewitnesses does not make it any less true. We would be far better off to believe their witness. We would also do well to believe Jesus’ promise that we will be resurrected and that He will come back to take us to be with Him.

I pray we all believe that Jesus was resurrected. I pray we believe the eyewitnesses of His resurrection. I pray each one of us believe we will be resurrected, and Jesus will come for us. Believe in the resurrection. Believe Jesus. Believe the eyewitnesses. Know that you will be resurrected.

1 Corinthians 15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

Remember Jesus

How often do you need to be reminded of something you heard? Are you gifted to remember everything you hear? Or do you need to be reminded from time-to-time? Can you remember the history lessons you learned in school? Can you remember what your spouse told you yesterday?

Our memories are often good when we are young but are less dependable as we grow older. It may be due to the aging process, but I somethings wonder if it is not the sheer volume of things we have stored in our brains. Regardless, we need to be reminded of things.

The Apostle Paul is reminding the members of the church in Corinth of the good news he had proclaimed to them. He reminds them that Jesus died for their sins. He was raised on the third day. That Jesus’ death and resurrection fulfilled the prophecy in Scripture. He also reminds them that Jesus appeared to the apostles after He rose from the dead.

Why is Paul reminding them of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection? Perhaps they had gotten wrapped up in unimportant trivial debates or arguments. If so, this message applies to us today. I often witnessed members of churches getting wrapped up in ancillary topics, even creating division over them. They have forgotten that Jesus should be our main focus.

Churches have divided and split over how to serve communion, who can become members, who is leading the church, who the church hires for staff positions, and even who the pastor is. They forgot that Jesus is the head of the church. They forgot they all are sinners and need His forgiving grace and mercy. They forgot that every member’s purpose is to serve Him.

I pray we all are reminded regularly of the good news of Jesus. I pray we make Jesus our main focus. I pray each one of us remember our purpose is to serve Jesus by the grace He has given us. Remember the good news. Make Jesus your focus. Serve Jesus. Live in His grace.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.

Kings Shall Bow

What is your perception of your nation’s leaders? Do you believe they have good leadership skills? Do you believe they have the country’s best interests at heart? Do you believe they were put into power by God? Do you believe they have put their faith in God?

National leaders in countries all around the world have different perspectives. Some of them are dictators. Some are monarchs. Some have led military coups. Some are elected. They come from a variety of backgrounds and rule based on various government structures.

When we see what some of the national leaders do, we wonder if they have even heard of God. Yet, God certainly knows them. He knows them better than they know themselves. God knows what they will do. He knows how to coerce them into doing what he needs done to accomplish his plan.

Regardless of how infused with power these leaders are, they will all bow to God and praise him. The question is not if. It is a matter of when and whether they will do so as faithful followers of Jesus or as antagonistic, rebellious, opposers to Him. That promise has been made many times over throughout Scripture.

Therefore, we should all pray for our leaders. Pray that they know Jesus. Pray that they follow Him. Pray that, if they don’t know Him, they choose to learn about Him. Pray that God moves in their lives. Pray that God grants them wisdom and discernment. Pray for them daily. Encourage others to pray for them.

I pray we all take a serious look at our national leaders. I pray we ask God to use them to accomplish his plan. I pray each one of us pray specifically for our leaders at all levels. Pray for national leaders. Pray that God works in their lives. Pray that God uses them to accomplish his plan.

Psalm 138:4-5

All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, 

for they have heard the words of your mouth. 

They shall sing of the ways of the Lord, 

for great is the glory of the Lord.

Volunteer for God

Do you volunteer to take on tasks? Do you volunteer without knowing what the task is? What kinds of tasks are you willing to volunteer for? Are they only tasks that you know will be simple to accomplish? Will you volunteer for a task that stretches your abilities?

Most of us volunteer for tasks, whether we think we do or not. Yet, we won’t often volunteer for unknown tasks, those that are not fully explained. We often will volunteer for those that we are confident we can accomplish. Yet seldom will we volunteer for more difficult tasks.

I remember when I was in the Marine Corps, we learned not to volunteer during training classes. Usually, it was because we did not want to be brought to the front of the class and made to look foolish. Instructors wizened up to this and would sometimes ask for a volunteer, then tell the brave soul who volunteered that they could choose someone to replace them. Of course, there would be groans and grumbles.

God asks for volunteers. In today’s passage, Isaiah volunteers. Not only does he volunteer but he volunteers for an unknown task. God is asks who will go and Isaiah speaks up to say he will. He doesn’t know that God is going have him take a message to his countrymen they do not want to hear. Though the message ends with hope, it consists of doom and gloom.

The message was a forecast of the future. It was a warning from God that things were going to get worse before they get better. But the message was reassuring to the nation of Israel. Though there would be destruction, the nation would not be completely wiped out. There would be a remnant to rebuild with.

The same message could be delivered today to the church. There may be people within the church who fail to listen. There may be people who leave. Yet, there will be a remnant who will rebuild the church. The rebuilding will be done according to God’s plan.

I pray we all heed God’s message. I pray we seek to follow God’s plan. I pray each one of us will volunteer to carry God’s message, take on his tasks, and build the church in Christ’s image. Heed God’s message. Follow God’s plan. Carry God’s message. Do what God asks.

Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

Our Mission

Do you ever wonder what your mission in life is? Do you believe it is to work, pay bills, get married, have children, and look forward to grandchildren? Have you thought that is only a piece of your mission? Where does your mission come from? Ever wondered about that?

We all need purpose in our life. We need something that drives us. Far too often we search for it for our entire lives. However, some of us find our purpose earlier in life. Some find it somewhere in between. Ultimately, our mission comes from Jesus.

In Luke 4, Jesus goes into the synagogue, is given the scroll of Isaiah, unrolls it to what we call Isaiah 61 and reads the first couple verses. He then declares the prophecy is fulfilled in the presence of those there. But Jesus doesn’t end there. He goes on to speak of Elijah helping a widow and her son during a famine (1 King 17) and Elisha helping an enemy army general (2 Kings 4).

What does it mean? It means God has been sending prophets to gentiles for thousands of years and continues today. It also means God has been reaching out to the outcasts, the marginalized, those being oppressed, and the brokenhearted from the beginning of time. Jesus says this is His mission. When He gave the apostles the Great Commission, He gave them this mission as well.

Our mission is the continuation of Jesus’ mission and the apostle’s mission. We are to continue to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give sight to the blind, heal the wounded, and welcome everyone who wants to come into the kingdom of God. We are not to just take the message of Jesus to those we like but to everyone. We are not to pick and choose. Jesus paid too high a price for us to do that.

I pray we all understand our mission. I pray we take up our mission with the same vigor as Jesus and the apostles. I pray each one of us know we cannot pick and choose who comes to Jesus. Know your mission. Take up your mission. Do not pick and choose. Jesus paid the price for everyone.

Isaiah 61:1-2a

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, 

because the Lord has anointed me; 

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, 

to bind up the brokenhearted, 

to proclaim liberty to the captives, 

and release to the prisoners; 

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,

Hometown Return

Do you believe God fulfills his promises? Do you believe Jesus will fulfill His promise of eternal life with Him? Do you believe Jesus fulfilled prophecy while He walked this earth? How does your belief affect your daily life? Or does it?

We can say we believe something while not fully believing it. We may think we believe, but when put to the test, our belief turns out to be shallow and fails us. Only a deep down in the gut belief will sustain us when everything seems to turn against us.

Jesus has just read from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue. He then states that the passage He just read was fulfilled in their presence. His implied meaning was that He was fulfilling it. Their initial reaction is one of patting Him on the back, being proud that one of their very own had done well.

Jesus responds to their accolades by stating they will turn on Him. He tells them that they will want more from Him. He continues by stating that He is not welcome in His hometown. He gives examples of how God worked through the prophets Elijah and Elisha.

Ultimately, Jesus is pointing out to those in the synagogue that they will need to come to Him to be saved. They did not want to hear that. After all, they knew Him as Joseph’s son, not the Son of God. They could not fathom the little boy they saw running in the neighborhood was who He claimed to be. Therefore, they decided to run Him out of town. In fact, they intended to throw Him off the cliff. Yet, He walked right past them without harm.

I pray we all choose to believe Jesus is who He says He is. I pray we believe Jesus is the Son of God deep within our heart. I pray each one of us will choose to follow Him, rather than toss Him out. Believe Jesus is who He says He is. Believe Jesus is the Son of God. Choose to follow Jesus.

Luke 4:21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Truth and Rejection

Do you know what it is like to no be accepted in your hometown? Have you seen others who are not accepted? Were they not accepted because they had risen too high? Had they become something more than anyone thought they would be? Were they rejected because of jealousy?

Being accepted in our hometown can be very important to us. Unfortunately, it can also mean our wings are clipped and we do not fly as high as we could. There is an inner gauge that tells us we will be rejected if we become a superstar. This is especially true in small towns.

Jesus grew up in a small town. He had run around the dirt streets with the other boys. He was a builder’s son. He likely grew up learning the trade. The expectation for Him was that He would follow in Joseph’s steps, become a builder, and would live out His life in Nazareth. As we know, that was not the future God had planned for Jesus.

Once Jesus started His ministry, the people of Nazareth became offended. They thought, like many small-town folks would, that Jesus had grown too big for His britches. He was proclaiming to fulfill Scripture Himself. He told them the truth from God’s Word. He implied God was expanding His kingdom to include the gentiles. All this was unwelcome news to the people. He was rocking their boat, and they didn’t like it.

The same can be true of us. If we rock the boat by telling the truth, people can reject us. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t tell the truth. It simply means we need to be ready to accept the rejection. It also doesn’t mean the truth must be presented harshly. Jesus presented truth in parables and stories. Jesus planted seeds. Those who want to know the truth will get it.

I pray we all tell the truth tactfully and with love. I pray we are ready to accept the rejection that may come. I pray each one of us are willing to follow God’s call on our lives. Speak the truth. Be tactful. Speak with love. Be ready to be rejected. Plant seeds. Watch them grow.

Luke 4:24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown.