Ordinary

Ordinary to extraordinary ~ that is what happens when you become a true believer in Jesus Christ.  The Lord chose ordinary people of different cultures, race and backgrounds and transformed them into extraordinary people.  All of Jesus’ disciples were ordinary men until the Master called them.

Some were so different that the people acknowledged the fact, as with Peter and John who had been with Jesus; in Acts 4:13 this is what it says, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

This took place after Peter prayed for the crippled beggar at the gate called Beautiful, when John was with him.  There had been such a transformation in Peter and John’s lives because of their relationship with Christ.  The Word says this in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Peter and John experienced this transformation and so should we if we are true believers in Christ.  There are things we are expected to do and one of them is to renew our minds, but this will only happen when the Holy Spirit enters our hearts and minds, and renews and redirects our way of thinking.  Then we can be spiritually minded and start renewing our minds through studying the Word and hiding it in our hearts.  

When a person is born-again there is no way they can be ordinary people again because they are new creations in Christ, the old things will be gone and all things will become new.  Think about Peter and John, they were known by the counsel in their day and they knew they were uneducated men.  They were amazed when they realized what being with Jesus did for them.

Think of Peter, not long before this healing took place, he had denied the Lord three times because of fear, and think about how all the disciples scattered when Jesus was arrested, tried and crucified.  But here Peter and John are standing and preaching boldly before all the people plus the people knew about the healing of the crippled beggar and they were amazed and maybe a little tongue tied.  This is what it says in Acts 4:14, “And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”  When the people who knew you and your lifestyle for years see such a change in your life and your speech, they might be somewhat shocked and even speechless momentarily.  

One of the greatest testimonies is a transformed life.  What about you, do people see you as extraordinary and are they amazed at the change that has taken place in your life?  Would they acknowledge the fact that you have spent time with Jesus?  If not, maybe you need to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.  If you have claimed to have been a believer for a while and you see no change in your behavior then something is not right because there has to be a difference, maybe you are just going through the motions but have never truly repented.  Maybe you just had a religious experience, or an emotional experience, that didn’t result in a changed life.  If so, you need to repent, which means to have a change of mind toward sin, then to ask the Lord to forgive you of your sins and to be your Savior and Lord.  Don’t take this lightly, it may mean the difference of where you spend eternity, so don’t put it off and be very sincere when you pray.  God bless a have a great day!!         

Goals and Dreams

As a child of God, what is your goal and what would you like to accomplish?  What would you be willing to do to accomplish your goals?  Would you be willing to go the extra mile, plus sacrifice, to meet your goals?

Accomplishing some goals will take a lot of determination, stamina, self-discipline and a positive attitude.  Consistency and dedication will be required along with a strong faith and commitment to overcome whatever the evil one may throw at you.  Reading and studying the Word and a consistent prayer life are essential for accomplishing the goals and dreams you are training for.

The Apostle Paul compared our christian walk to a race in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.  In the Boston Marathon, many runners run to win because that is their main goal.  Most of these runners are in great physical condition because they have been training for months to be able to compete, and many have run for years trying to condition themselves and their bodies and minds so that they will be as prepared as possible to be victorious in the race.  Some will spend hours studying the sport of running and competing with other runners, as well as how to eat, what to wear, how to breathe and the right exercises to perform to give them the edge they need to be the best that they can be.  Out of all the runners that run the race, only one can win the race.

Now compare these things to what you are willing to do to obtain your goals and dreams.  Think about these runners and how much they have to suffer to even get a chance to compete; twisted and sprained ankles, pulled tendons, knee, feet and leg problems and I could go on, but you got the picture.  To maintain your goals and dreams will cost you something also, most of the things that are worth doing don’t just fall together.

Now think of this, after a runner puts all the time and effort into their preparation so that they are ready to race, they don’t want to be disqualified for any reason.  That is the way the Apostle Paul felt about the race, called Christianity, he was running.  He said this in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?  So run, that ye may obtain.  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Paul was a preacher who loved to preach and he had specific goals in mind.  Preaching wasn’t just a calling to Paul, it was a privilege, something he loved to do even to the point of suffering, which he did quite often.  Paul wrote about three quarters of the New Testament and had a heart for the Lord and honoring Him.  I think his dream was to win the world to Christ, at any cost.  

Paul knew that if he was going to preach the Word, it was very important to live what he preached so that he would never be disqualified.  Paul was quite a remarkable man, he wasn’t going to be caught in the trap of disobedience, preaching to others but not taking his own advice; he not only preached, but he was careful to live what he preached.

We should let Paul’s life, and others like him, be an example for all of us.  Let me make this point, when Paul said he would be a castaway, he wasn’t saying he would lose his salvation he was saying he would be disqualified to preach the gospel.  This should give every one of us something to think about, so that we will try harder to be like Jesus.  I hope this will be a help to all who read it and also an encouragement.  May the Lord’s blessings be upon you and may you have a great day!!             

                                        

Witnessing And Belief

What would it take for you to believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?  If I asked some non-believers this question I would get different answers for sure.  Some may say that they would never believe.  Some might say if Jesus stood before them and showed them His hands and feet, like doubting Thomas did, or some might say if He showed them a miracle.

Now let me ask you a question, what did it take for you to believe?  First let me say this, no one will ever believe until God moves in their life.  I will back this up with some examples:

You may remember Lydia in the New Testament, she was a merchant who sold purple cloth in Thyatira.  It says this about her in Acts 16:14, “Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of  purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.”  When God did His work and opened her heart she became a believer.

What about Peter, it says this about him in Matthew 16:15-17, “He

said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’  Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’  Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”  God revealed to Peter who Jesus was to him.

     

And don’t forget what Jesus said in John 6:43-44, “Jesus therefore

answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.”  

God the Father has to draw people before they receive Jesus.  And another thing, for true conversion to take place, there has to be the convicting, conviction of the Holy Spirit.  It says this in John 16:7-9, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me.”

There are people that get discouraged when they witness to people but the people don’t respond the way they want them to.  Remember this, you can save no one, only the Lord can work that miracle.  Being ready in season and out of season is what is important; always being ready to give an answer for your faith and why you believe.  I think it will help you if you keep these things in mind when you are sharing your testimony and someone gets angry and doesn’t want to listen.  

Witnessing takes discernment, prayer, boldness and a willingness to suffer and be rejected if need be.  The Holy Spirit is very important in witnessing; Jesus said this about the Holy Spirit to His disciples in Acts 1:7-8, “And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”

Just like the disciples needed power and boldness to speak, all believers need that same power also, so if you are a born-again believer you have it, praise the Lord!  We live in exciting times, a time when people are asking questions and they want real answers.  So if you have an opportunity, give them the answers they need, trusting in the Lord to work His miracle and be faithful.  You may not see them all repent but if you get to pray with just one you can rejoice, and if you stay faithful, I believe that you will see many snatched from the darkness into God’s marvelous light and the Lord will be pleased.  God bless and have a great day!! 

Servants

Do you feel that you need a pat on the back, an ‘ad-da boy’ or a word of encouragement?  I think we all need these at times, even if we won’t admit it.  There is nothing wrong with a word of encouragement, but when we have an inferiority complex or we are too sensitive, we can get hurt far too quick and far too often and want, and tend to need, much more attention than people without these problems.  There are people that get hurt if you don’t acknowledge them when you see them, and some people seem to be needier than others.  

There are people, like my wife, that don’t seem to need any of these things, she seems to walk through life doing things and helping others without looking for any reward whatsoever, if someone speaks to her, great, but if not she doesn’t seem to be affected at all.  Most of our church experience has been that people tend to know me and my name, but her they call Jerry’s wife or they just don’t mention her name at all.  We went to a church for over 25 years and the pastor called her Joan instead of Joanne or she was Jerry’s wife but it never seemed to bother her.

I am the type of person that seems to be a bit more needy; it bothers me when someone doesn’t like me or I think someone is mad at me or if I say hi to someone and they walk by and say nothing.  It seems to me I have spent most of my life trying to please others, and believe me that is impossible.  When you are the kind of person I tend to be, it is easy to get hurt and to feel that most people don’t really love you, they just put up with you or use you and take advantage of you.  I know I am confessing some personal things here, but I try to be transparent, if you would take my name before the Lord when you pray, I would appreciate it and thanks in advance.

Think of this, there are all different kinds of people in the church having differing backgrounds, that need our prayers, sound teaching and, in many cases, good counseling from Christian counselors.  I am doing better in these areas but let me ask you a question; are you affected in the area I was talking about, do you always want to be acknowledged for all the things you do?  I am not condemning you, I have been there and I just want to read some of what Jesus said to His disciples about this subject.  Most of us know that if we are believers, we have certain ministries that we have been called to do and that we have been called to serve. If we are truly serving the Lord through ministering to other people, then we won’t need any of the credit, we will honor the Lord with our service.  

Jesus said this to His disciples about serving in Luke 17:7-10, “Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’? But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’? He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”

When we honor the Lord by serving, we should count it a privilege, and we will, if we have the right attitude and are doing it for the right reason.  Obedience should not be thought of as something extra we do; the better way to look at it is that it is our duty.  Jesus said that the greatest among you will be the servant of all.  I don’t think the Lord thinks of us as just slaves because He has set us free and we are His children, His ambassadors and His instruments that He chooses to use to further His kingdom on earth, and with the right attitude we will accomplish that task and when people see our good works they will glorify our heavenly Father and He will receive all the glory for He is worthy. Praise be to the King of kings and the Lord of lords!!  

I hope all who read this will see this as an encouragement and not a put down; because that’s the way I meant it.  If you have this problem, I think I have given you something to think about and I hope this will help you.  May the Lord bless you and yours and have a super day!!  PS give a shout out to the Lord and thank and praise Him.                      

Doubt

I think we all struggle with doubt at times, but that shouldn’t determine who we are or the outcome of our lives.  I think doubt is a good thing in certain situations; it can help us to dig in and seek out truth.  Doubt can also be very bad, and if not overcome, can cause us to live very negative lives.  What is very important is discernment, and I am talking about the spiritual kind, because having spiritual discernment will help us make sense out of what many times we do not understand and are not sure of. Doubt can turn victory into defeat and cause a contest to be won or lost.  People should have an ‘I can’ determination, if not they will probably wind up defeated in whatever they try to accomplish.

Take praying for example, if you doubt that whatever you are praying for will ever take place, more than likely it won’t.  In James 1:5-8 it says this about asking for wisdom, which every believer needs, but I think this could relate to anything we pray for, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

Doubt, or being unstable, is like going back and forth between believing and not believing and having a divided allegiance.  In Ephesians 4, Paul talks about unity in the church, about truth and the kind of people they should be and how they should receive the truth.  In verse 14 it says this, “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.”  These believers, along with us in our day, need to be committed to truth; the Lord and the Holy Spirit are truth and so is the Word of God.  And just like the Ephesians, we need to know and grasp the truth and not let anyone deceive us and cause doubt to spring up in our minds causing us to be unreliable and unstable in our thinking.

Have you ever been called a doubting Thomas?  Well, for all of you that don’t know where this saying came from, it is found in the Word in John 20:24-31, “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’  So he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’  And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them.  Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!’  Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side.  Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’  And Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’  Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’  And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Many people have a problem believing that Jesus arose from the dead, or for that matter, that He ever existed at all.  I want to challenge you today, if this is talking about you and you are struggling with believing who Jesus claimed to be, get a Bible that you can understand and start reading, beginning in the book of John.  If you are sincerely seeking to know the truth, ask the Lord to open your heart and your eyes and to remove the veil from your mind so that you will be able to know what the truth is and allow Him, through his Holy Spirit, to reveal it to you.  I don’t think you will have to go too far in the Word and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.  Try it and stop being a doubting Thomas.  May the Lord bless you and have a splendid day!!