Avoiding Calamity

Do you wonder if it is too late to turn things around? Do you want to be on a better path for your life? Do you wish there was a way? Have you considered trying to make a change? Have you made a change but not stuck with it? Do you know that God will bless your positive change?

We may be stuck in a rut. We may have gone down the wrong path and don’t know how to get out of it. We may desire a better life but don’t know how to obtain it. Making a New Year’s resolution may not have worked. Perhaps multiple attempts at change have failed.

Changing our lives is not easy, even if it is simple. We become accustomed to doing certain things and they become habits. We may like to have things a certain way, which we call obsessive-compulsive disorder. We hang out with a group of people we call friends who may not be a good influence for us. We have a yearning for change but don’t know how to begin.

If we really want to change and truly want a better life, there is only one thing to do—turn to God. It sounds simple, but it can be a significant challenge for us. We may need to give up hanging out with people we consider friends. We may need to ask God to remove bad habits. We certainly need to start communing with God and his people, meaning we need to go to church regularly.

When we decide to turn away from our former selves to be better, and we accept God into our lives, he blesses us. We may not see the immediate blessings. Just as God held back the calamity that was to befall the people of Nineveh, he may hold back something bad that was to happen to us. It is an unseen blessing. As we continue to follow him, we will start to see his blessings. It may take time to begin to see God working, but it will be well worth it.

I pray we all turn to God. I pray we ask God to help us make the change we need in our lives. I pray each one of us make a positive change in our lives with the help of God. Make the decision today. Give up your former life. Take on a new life. Accept God’s invitation. Accept God’s blessings.

Jonah 3:10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

Listen for God’s Plan

Do you do what you are told the first time? Or do you have to be told multiple times? Do you expect everyone else to do what you tell them the first time you tell them? How do you feel if they don’t? How many times does God need to tell you what he wants you to do?

In our individualistic society, we think we know better than anyone else. We don’t want to be told what to do, unless we want someone else to blame for things going wrong. If we ask what we should do, it is usually to confirm what we think we should do, not to get advice.

Coming together for the purpose of collective wisdom is rare. Our meetings are often filled with point and counterpoint and the one who speaks the loudest or is most insistent often has their suggestion implemented. Nothing about that is seeking the collective wisdom of the group. It is all about the individual, being competitive, and winning an argument.

We have forgotten collective wisdom is a means to make wise choices, keep us from making mistakes. In addition, we have migrated toward having people of like mind in our groups rather than diversity. It is through the diverse ways of looking at things that we often find our best options and solutions.

Not doing something we don’t want to do isn’t new. Jonah also did not want to do what God told him to do. However, God gave him a second chance and Jonah obeyed. Jonah discovered something we often say, “God’s plan is not my plan.” Yet, Jonah didn’t like it; and we often don’t either. Despite whether we like God’s plan or not, we need to obey as Jonah did. Yes, it took God telling him a second time, but Jonah finally obeyed. Rather than continuing to disobey, we need to accept God’s plan just as Jonah did.

I pray we all seek collective wisdom. I pray we listen for God’s plan in the diversity of suggestions presented. I pray each one of us decide to obey God’s plan just as Jonah did. Participate in collective wisdom. Listen for God’s plan. Obey God’s commands. Follow God’s plan.

Jonah 3:1-2 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.”

Voice from Heaven

Have you ever heard God speak? Not a few words in your head or a feeling in your heart, but have you heard him speak audibly? Have you heard stories of others who have heard God speak audibly to them? What do you think it would sound like?

God still speaks to us today. However, most of us will hear him speak through the Holy Spirit who nudges us through heartfelt feelings to act or an encouragement or phrase that comes to our minds. Very rarely will we hear an audible voice.

When Jesus was baptized, God spoke audibly to Jesus and the others who were there with Him. John the Baptist would have heard God’s voice. The others who had come out to see John would have heard him. Can you imagine what that might have sounded like?

James Earl Jones was regarded as a person who had one of the biggest narrative voices of our time. I love to hear him read the Bible. But I imagine God’s voice being so much bigger. I imagine it sounding like thunder, yet peaceful; it being overpowering, yet comforting.

God declared who Jesus was at His baptism. God also declares who we are at our baptism. We may not audibly hear him speak, but the angels in heaven do. And whether we think so or not, God declares he is well pleased with us. Not because we have achieved something great, but because we have decided to accept his gift.

I pray we all seek to hear God speaking to us. I pray we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal himself to us. I pray each one of us know that God is pleased with our decision to follow His Son, Jesus Christ. Listen for the Holy Spirit to speak. Know that God is pleased with you. God has declared you his child.

Mark 1:9-11 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Bold, Humble Servant

Who do you look up to? Who do you revere? What are their qualities? Are they great leaders? Are they people of high integrity? Are they a person who would give you the shirt off their back? Are they humble? Are they servants? Would you revere a humble servant?

There are many kinds of people we look up to or are in awe of. They may be extremely gifted athletes. They may be world leaders. They may be a person who has broken through a glass ceiling. They may be trendsetters. They may be people with great integrity.

Yet not many of us look up to a person who is a humble servant. No, a servant is likely the last person we will hold in high esteem. They are often near invisible. They come and go quietly and do nothing to bring attention to themselves. In royal palaces, they often know far more than anyone else. Their integrity and discipline to hold their tongue is uncanny.

But that is a human viewpoint of a servant. God’s viewpoint of a servant is different. Take a look at John the Baptist. He wasn’t quiet. In fact, he tangled with the religious leaders. He proclaimed loudly the Messiah was coming. He warned the people to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. He proclaimed something new.

John was a humble servant. He submitted to God’s plan. He did not hold himself in high esteem but, instead, lifted high the Lord Jesus. John saw himself as being lower than a servant. For a servant would remove a rabbi’s sandals. John didn’t view himself worthy to do that for Jesus. Yet he loudly proclaimed His coming.

A humble servant of God’s is a person who sits quietly in the corner. They submit to God’s plan and carry out the tasks God lays before them, even (perhaps especially) when those tasks are counter to their personality. Did you know a large percentage of pastors are introverts? They answer God’s calling on their lives despite feeling inadequate to do so. Each of us are being called by God to carry a task. Whether we feel equipped or not, we are to submit to God’s plan humbly and become his servant.

I pray we all humbly submit to God and his plan. I pray we seek to be a servant of God’s. I pray each one of us will boldly go with the confidence of God to perform the tasks he lays before us. Be humble. Be a servant. Seek to know God’s plan. Perform the tasks he gives you. Go with God’s boldness.

Mark 1:7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.”

Baptized by the Spirit

How quickly do you react to something you have heard? Does it depend on what it is you hear? If it is bad news, do you have an immediate reaction? If it is good news, do you first want to verify it before you react? How quickly did you react to the good news of Jesus Christ?

Reacting to good news or bad news can be immediate or delayed. Our reactions can depend on whether the news is expected or unexpected. When the news is expected, we may have already thought about how we will react, and our reaction is a little more predictable.

When we receive unexpected news, our immediate reaction can run the gamut from shock to excitement and anything in between. Unexpected bad news may cause us to be in shock for a moment or two while we process the information. Unexpected good news may cause us to jump for joy, scream, and throw our hands in the air.

Reacting to the good of Jesus is different, though, isn’t it? Many of us have grown up hearing about Him. We may have heard of Him from our parents and been the church our entire lives. Or we may have heard from a friend or other kids in school without really knowing who He is. Regardless, very few of us grew up without hearing something about Jesus or God.

The people Paul encountered in Ephesus had heard about God, but not Jesus. They had been baptized in John’s baptism of repentance. When they heard about Jesus, they immediately decided to be baptized into His baptism. Once Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit, amazing things happened.

We receive the same Holy Spirit. But how joyous are we? Our reaction should be one of joy and excitement. We should be exuberant that the Son of God has been gracious enough to send the Holy Spirit to be with us. The God we worship is not only in heaven but resides within us as well. How amazing is that!

I pray we all know the Holy Spirit resides within us. I pray we are amazed that God would take up residence within us. I pray each one of us are overjoyed that Jesus saw fit to send God’s Spirit to us. Know God lives within you. Be overjoyed. Be amazed. Give thanks to Jesus for sending the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Holy Spirit Given

Are there things you don’t understand? Do they seem to be beyond your understanding? Is the Holy Spirit someone you aren’t quite sure how he works? Do you feel his presence at time and not at others? Have you ever felt his presence in your life?

There are many things in our lives that can be hard to understand. For some of us, higher level math such as algebra, trigonometry, or calculus may be difficult. For others, breaking down a sentence into nouns, verbs, and adjectives may be confusing.

The Holy Spirit is often someone Christians have trouble understanding. Some will describe him as our conscience. Others describe him as Jesus living in us. Still others claim he is mystical, and we can never fully understand how he works because he is also God. None of that gives us a full understanding.

We may go through life never fully understanding who the Holy Spirit is. After all, we cannot fully comprehend God. Yet, we can gain a better understanding. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to the apostles and to us after He had returned to the Father. He did that on Pentecost.

Through the teaching of the apostles and in the example of Jesus’ baptism, we now know the Holy Spirit comes to live within us at our baptism. This awesome gift from God was not available to the Israelites prior to Pentecost. The Holy Spirit wasn’t often talked about among the early Christians. Even some of the early preachers, other than the apostles, didn’t know about the Holy Spirit. In today’s passage we have an example of Paul rectifying their lack of understanding.

Though we may not be capable of fully understanding God nor how the Holy Spirit works, we can gain a better understanding. Reading about him in Scripture and asking God to reveal himself to us are two ways to improve our knowledge. Seeking to understand how he is and how he works will improve our following of Jesus Christ.

I pray we all seek to better understand who the Holy Spirit is. I pray we seek to understand how he works in us. I pray each one of us will read Scripture and ask God to reveal his Holy Spirit to us. Seek understanding. Read Scripture. Ask God to reveal the Holy Spirit. Become a better follower of Jesus.

Acts 19:2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Strength and Peace

Do you need strength to overcome an obstacle or to make your way through a challenge? Are you looking for peace in the midst of chaos? Do you long for some quiet amid the noise? Have you turned to the one who can give you both? Have you asked God for what you need?

Overcoming obstacles can be difficult. The obstacle may be a physical ailment, a workplace struggle, or a rocky relationship. We are faced with challenges regularly. For the most part, they come and go. But there are some that linger and are far more difficult.

Finding peace in the middle of the hustle and bustle can be near impossible. Of course, we may mean peace to be quiet. We may say we want peace but may be looking for some down time. Peace comes in different forms. There is an agreement for peace in a war time situation. There is peace, meaning quiet downtime. Then there is the peace of God.

When we ask God for what we need, whether it is strength or peace, God provides. Strength comes in many forms. It may be physical strength, endurance, discipline, or the will continue the battle we face. Regardless of what we need, God provides within his will for us.

God also provides our peace. We may not always get the quiet and downtime we desire, but God will grant us inner peace. That peace can be far more important than the quiet time, even though quiet time can restore us. There may be times when getting quiet time is not conducive to God’s plan, but he provides the serene inner peace that helps us through a given situation.

Trusting God to provide is our first step. In our trust, we submit to his will, humbling ourselves before him. When we are in an attitude of humility, God rewards us with the strength and peace we need. Putting our faith in God, even if it takes us being at the end of our rope, tugs at God’s heart. Putting our faith in God is the best we can do.

I pray we all put our faith in God. I pray we trust him to provide us with strength and peace. I pray each one of us will humble ourselves before God and ask him to fulfill our needs. Put your faith in God. Trust God to provide. Ask God for strength. Ask God for peace. Humble yourself before him.

Psalm 29:11

May the Lord give strength to his people! 

May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Powerful and Majestic

Do you know someone who can stop anyone in their tracks with just their voice? Does that person have a commanding tone to their voice, even if it is not loud? Do they have the ability to make their voice loud as well? Do you give them your full attention when they speak?

There are some people who have a commanding voice. Some of them come by it naturally. Others have learned it through training. But when they speak, people will listen. In some cases, they can stop a person in their tracks, even if they do not speak loudly.

We sometimes hear narrators of commercials who have a commanding voice. There are people who make a good living with their voice. They do voice overs, become DJs on the radio, and even read books for audiobooks so we can listen rather than read. Most of these people have voices that grab our attention and retain it. But are their voices majestic?

God’s voice is powerful and majestic. He can stop or start anyone or anything with his voice. When he speaks, those who hear him are in awe. Is it any wonder the Israelites no longer wanted to hear him but told Moses to speak to God alone on their behalf? No. His voice was overpowering to them. He spoke straight to the heart.

Though we may not hear God speak audibly, we can still hear him speak through his word. He Word is just as powerful and majestic if we really listen to it. He only gives a few commands, but he provides a multitude of wisdom sayings—sayings that will make our lives much better. We merely need to open our ears (or eyes to read) to hear him speak.

I pray we all seek to hear God’s majestic voice. I pray we listen to him speak through His Word. I pray each one of us spend time reading God’s Word and listening for him to speak to our hearts. Hear God’s powerful voice. Listen for God’s majesty. Spend time in God’s Word.

Psalm 29:4

The voice of the Lord is powerful; 

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

Paying Homage

What do you think of when you hear someone paying tribute? What does it mean to give homage to someone? Do you believe it is respecting and honoring the person verbally? Do you believe it is presenting the person with gifts? Could it be both?

It is awards season, which means there will be several awards shows on our televisions. We may not watch them all, but there is a good chance we will watch at least one of them. The premise of all of them is the same—giving performers a trophy for being the best in a category.

In those awards shows, there may be a special tribute to someone for a unique achievement or a lifetime achievement. Those people receive special trophy and typically have multiple people speak about their accomplishments. Those awards mean a lot, but the presentation is usually done in about two to three minutes. Imagine, a lifetime of work wrapped up in such a short time.

It was different for Jesus. When He was born, there was a celebration at multiple locations. First, Mary and Joseph celebrated His birth. Having heard the stories of many mothers, I’m sure Mary was relieved, tired, and joyous all at the same time.

Next, the shepherds in the field were shocked at the appearance of angels, overjoyed, and so excited they had to go tell everyone they saw about what they had heard and seen.

Finally, the wise men from three different places of origin came to pay tribute to Him. Their places of origin are modern day Spain, Yemen, and Sudan/Eritrea respectively. We don’t know if they knew one another beforehand or happened to travel and arrive at the same time. We do know they came out of respect and to honor God’s anointed Son. Though we do not know exactly when they arrived, we do know it was within the first couple years of His birth and likely within a couple months.

All of this took place for an infant who had not begun God’s ministry yet. The homage they gave was for what He would do. If they paid homage for what was to come, how much more should we honor Him for what we know He did? We can learn a lesson from the angels, shepherds, and wise men. We are to honor Him as the Son of God, the fulfillment of God’s promise.

I pray we all follow the example of the angels, shepherds, and wise men. I pray we honor Jesus for who He is and what He has done. I pray each one of us are in awe of who Jesus is—the Son of God and our Savior. See Jesus for who He is. Honor Him. Pay homage to Him. Be in awe of Him.

Psalm 72:10

May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles 

render him tribute, 

may the kings of Sheba and Seba 

bring gifts.

God’s Gifts

How carefully are you when it comes to picking out a gift? Are you more careful with people whom you love than your co-workers? Have you ever purchased a gift for someone very special? Did you purchase an expensive gift? Or did you give them something that was special to you?

Gift giving can be a challenge. We want give a gift of equal value to the gift we receive from someone else. It can become a competition. One person trying to outdo another. Choosing a gift for someone special can require us to put a lot of thought into it.

It doesn’t matter if the gift is for a birthday, Christmas, or a special occasion. Giving the appropriate gift for someone we care for causes us to spend time thinking, looking, and finally choosing. The more special the person is to us, the more time we spend seeking the right gift. We put a lot of thought and love into choosing the gift and hope the person receiving it loves what we have chosen.

The wise men likely put thought into the gifts they brought to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. They brought three gifts that were fit for a king. The gifts were valuable and expensive. Though the wise men brought the gifts because they knew who Jesus was, those gifts also would provide a means of traveling and living for Mary and Joseph as they escaped to Egypt.

God provides us with gifts, we call them blessings, that prepare us for the future. We may see them as small blessings or large blessings. We may not even recognize them until later. Why does God bless us? He blesses us because he loves us, and we are special to him.

I pray we all see the blessings God blesses us with. I pray we know that God loves us. I pray each one of us realize that we are special to God and he cares for us very much. See God’s blessings. Know he is preparing you for the future. Know you are special. Know that God loves you.

Matthew 2:11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.