Walking With Jesus

Seeing Our Work As Sacred

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)

We’re tempted, especially as a new believer, to view what we do to earn a living as “ours,” and what we do in and through the church as “God’s,” but that is a grave misunderstanding. It’s the difference between being a “servant” and being a “slave.”

In Scripture, the word translated “minister” or “ministry” can also be translated “serve” or “servant.” Our inclination is to see professional, paid clergy as “ministers,” while we view ourselves as volunteers or those who choose to “serve” in some capacity. The truth is, as believers in the Lord Jesus, we’re “bondservants.” What does that mean? The short answer is a “slave.”

A servant negotiates a certain wage for a certain job or responsibility. They may answer an ad or respond to an invitation to work for an individual or family as a servant. They work a given number of hours and have time off to do as they please.

On the other hand, a slave belongs to whomever has purchased them. They have no rights, no days off, no life except as it’s given by their master. And please don’t misunderstand, I’m not advocating slavery in any way, shape, or form, I’m simply seeking to help us understand the difference to make a point.

The Apostles Peter, Paul, James, and Jude, the Lord’s half-brother, all began their letters by referring to themselves as “slaves” of the Lord. The longer I serve the Lord, the more clearly I see His heart of love for me, the more “enslaved” to His Spirit I long to be.

The only context in which I can possibly view myself as a “masterpiece,” is as a child of God. What does that mean? It essentially means a 24/7 commitment to seek to honor and glorify my Savior with every thought, word, and action. But is that even possible? Jesus did it, and even though I can never achieve it on this planet, that’s my goal.

That’s how we begin to see work, relationships, recreation, parenting, marriage, every area and dimension of our lives as being avenues of opportunity to let Jesus shine and be known through our lives. We can’t be one person at work and another person in our home or at church. We’re one integrated and whole person who belongs to Jesus, under the leadership of His Spirit, all day, every day.

Pastor Rick Warren wrote: “Once you are saved, God intends to use you for his goals. God has a ministry for you in his church and a mission for you in the world.” Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

You can’t swindle someone in a business deal, sleep with people outside of marriage, then pretend to be a saint on Sunday in front of your church friends. There’s got to be consistency across the board. Love Jesus, shout His praises, and worship Him enthusiastically on Sunday, but carry that same Spirit into your work environment.

There’s a very real sense in which we must view our work and other activities of our week with the same sense of commitment and as the same sacred trust as we view our life in worship on Sunday.

Let’s dig into this a little deeper in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Everything You Need!

“These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” (Matthew 6:32 NLT)

When you think about “needs,” what comes first to mind? If you’re a Jesus follower, hopefully, you’ll recognize your overarching need of Jesus. But when it comes to practical, everyday needs, what’s first? Food, clothing, shelter, transportation, safety, competent medical care – the list can be very long. But honestly, these are the things that dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, not children of God.

Notice the verse that follows the one above, verse 33 says, and remember these are the words of Jesus: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” Notice He didn’t say “in place of all else.”

It’s not about being religious, serving sacrificially, giving generously, loving everyone well – it’s all and only about seeking Jesus with everything within you. Only then will serving, giving, loving, and all the other facets of our life on earth as a believer begin to make sense, and become, not a burden, but a joy!

Have you ever been white water rafting. I have, and it’s a blast! But it can get scary. I’ve been rafting with both of my sons when they were growing up. You’re all “wired” to get in the raft and get moving, but before they’ll let you begin your exciting journey down the river, you have to gather around and meet a very special person who is going with you on your trip. He or she is your “guide.”

My first trip, there was a part of me that was thinking: “Why do we need a guide? Duh! The rapids only flow one direction. The river will take us where we need to go!” Very dumb! The “guide” is the Pro. They’ve been through what we’re heading into dozens of times. Why is that vital to know? Because your life can literally depend on it.

That’s why it’s so critical to know, trust, and obey Jesus. He’s the One who lives where we want to one day be. He’s the One who can anticipate danger in the next “bend in the river.” He’s the One who can issue commands and directives above the roar of the waters, giving you needed wisdom that can mean the difference between safety and suffering, between life and death.

God has given each of us an assignment. It’s based on our gifts, abilities, frame of mind, disposition, level of maturity – spiritually and otherwise. He’s specifically chosen each of us to carry out the assignment He’s given us because He has designed and created us to carry it out better than anyone else on the planet.

Often, we’re tempted to believe that serving Jesus is just too scary. We’re tempted – yes, tempted by Satan – to believe that someone else, perhaps anyone else, would be a better choice than us. But God knows better than anyone, what needs to be done and who the best choice to do it will be. And because He knows that, He knows exactly how to equip us to fulfill the “mission” on which He’s sending us.

He doesn’t very often fill me in on the assignments of others, but He makes crystal clear what He wants me to do. What’s interesting in this season of my life, I “hear” Him loud and clear, but then I procrastinate. I’m thinking, “Okay, Lord, I’m in…just not right now!” But He lovingly persists, and when I get it done it renders honor and glory to Him and a deep, fulfilling sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to me.

Whatever He’s telling you to do – DO IT! You’re equipped with everything you need to accomplish everything He’s asking you to do. Just DO IT! He is with you and will guide you every step of the way. If the “river” gets rough and you’re tossed out of the proverbial boat, crawl back in the raft and keep on rowing. He’ll guide you safely to your destination.

Jesus gives us everything we need to be everything He’s called us to be. Trust Him! He NEVER fails!

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Exponential Effects of Your Witness

“When He (Jesus) saw the crowds, He had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36 NLT)

To me the most vital characteristic a Jesus follower must have in order to influence others for Him, is compassion. We fret and make excuse for not reaching out to our neighbors, friends, and even our family, because we put so much emphasis on ourselves. “What should I say?” “What if they get upset with me?” and on and on we go.

We’re asking the wrong questions. What if we asked things like: “Could that little rascal that let’s his dog do its business in my yard be the next Billy Graham?” “Could God be grooming that shaggy haired little girl to be a spokesperson for the homeless?” “Could that crotchety old man down the street be a channel through whom God could fund ministries to help people in my city?”

Our responsibility isn’t to determine if someone “deserves” to be invited to Jesus, but simply to be obedient to Jesus and invite!

“The story of Billy Graham’s conversion is well known. In the fall of 1934, Mordecai Ham, a Kentucky-born Baptist revivalist, came to Charlotte and preached a powerful sermon. The revival stretched over weeks, and for the first week or so, the Grahams didn’t attend. Billy was persuaded to check out Ham by Albert McKain, one of his father’s most trusted employees. There, in response to Ham’s powerful teachings about sin, Billy famously made a decision for Christ.”

You very likely haven’t heard of Albert McKain, but God used him to help one person to find Jesus. And because of Albert’s faithfulness it’s estimated that 2.2 Billion people heard Billy Graham preach the Gospel. Untold millions have yielded their lives to Jesus because of Albert McKain’s willingness to be persistent in inviting a young farmer’s son named Billy, to church.

We berate ourselves because we’re not a “Billy Graham,” leading thousands to Jesus, but the truth is, few and far between are the caliber of men of God like him. Yet, we’re also reluctant to see ourselves as an “Albert McKain.” But, you’ve got to wonder, had there not been an Albert McKain, would there have been a Billy Graham?

My college roommate was a Golden Gloves champ. He was only about 5’7” but he was fast as lightening. We had many conversations about the Lord, but he was resistant. It wasn’t unusual for him to come in all hours of the night, but one morning about 2 a.m. I was awakened by a knock on the door. I didn’t think it was Dale because he had a key.

But when I opened the door, he literally fell into my arms. It was evident he’d been drinking, and based on how he looked, he’d been fighting. But he said: “I’ve got to change. Please pray for me.” We knelt and I prayed, and he gave his heart and life to Jesus. I’m not going to lie; I had my doubts anything would come of it. Given his condition, and based on our previous conversations, I wasn’t optimistic.

It was near graduation, and though I tried to stay in touch, I lost track of him. Years later I met someone who knew him and his family, so naturally I asked about him. It so happened that our miracle working God turned this drunken, fighting, “wild man” into a preacher who served for many years to the praise and honor of our wonderful Savior.

Rather than beat ourselves up because we’re not a “Billy Graham,” let’s rejoice because we can be an “Albert McKain.” We just have to get over ourselves, submit to the Lord’s directives, obediently reach out to the people He puts in front of us, and leave the results to Him.

Think of all the people who will line the balconies of heaven in your honor because you chose to share with one person, who shared with another person, who shared with another person, and on and on it goes.

Whose heart might God be preparing to receive an invitation from you? The next Billy Graham? Or, perhaps, the next Albert McCain? Both are vitally important in accomplishing God’s Kingdom business.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Why We Often Miss the “Harvest” Window

“He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.’” (Matthew 9:37-38 NLT)

In yesterday’s post we looked at a scene from Jesus’ life when He had a conversation with a Samaritan woman that began with a simple request, but led to the salvation of many from her village. Today I’d like for us to consider those the Lord has placed in our “Mission field,” and how we might reach them to His honor and fame.

As we begin, I have a word from the Lord: He will never ask you or me to do anything He’s not willing and able to equip us to do. When it comes to helping others it’s essential that we shift our thinking from what we think we can’t do, to what, with the Lord’s help, we can do.

As we learned from the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus obviously has insight and understanding that we don’t have, but that He will gladly give us if we’re open to receive them. Let’s draw a few crucial truths from the verses above that I pray will help us be more vigilant when it comes to speaking freely with the people the Lord puts in our path.

First, notice to whom Jesus is speaking: “to His disciples.” We can’t give “living water” to someone if we don’t possess it ourselves. If you have any doubt about your own connection with the Lord, have a conversation with Him and ask Him to search your heart and point out any wickedness in you. If you have anything hindering your walk with Him, seek His forgiveness and let Him cleanse and purify your heart and especially your motives for sharing Him with others.

Next, ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes to the greatness of the “harvest” all around you. I realize that some reading this post may have serious issues with which you’re wrestling. Here’s some good news for you – when you allow the Lord to help you focus your attention and prayers on others, often your concerns with yourself are lessened

We can’t harvest a “crop” we don’t know exists. Until you begin to grieve for the people in your spheres of influence who don’t yet know Jesus, allowing Him to break your heart because of all the people you see every day who are headed to a Christ-less eternity, you won’t see any need to do anything about it.

As believers our tendency is to pour ourselves into those who are already saved, which is all well and good, but we can’t expend all our energy there. Yes, of course, be faithful in serving in your local fellowship, but not to the exclusion of reaching those who are lost. To a large degree that’s why there are so few “workers” to harvest.

That’s why we must “pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask Him to send more workers into His fields.” The Lord alone can equip you to reach those in your spheres of influence, but as a rule, the most effective way to reach someone is to develop a friendship.

Patience, kindness, and thoughtfulness are very important “tools” for someone who wants to see their friends and loved ones come to Jesus. It’s critical that we stay in prayer, not only praying in general for lost people, but praying specifically that our eyes and ears will be tuned to the Holy Spirit as He brings different ones into our spheres of influence. Pray for them by name!

We often feel like we’re not being effective if we don’t lead a lot of people to Jesus, but did you notice what happened when Jesus shared with just one woman? That ONE helped many in her community come to Him.

There’s a story I want to share, but I’ll wait until tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Harvest Is Urgent Business

“Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’” (John 4:31 NLT)

While I have very little experience with farming and literal crops, other than flowers and a few plants we had in a small garden, I know enough to realize that harvesting in a timely manner is critical. To pick the ripening fruit or vegetables before they’re ready can be just as bad as picking them too late.

There’s a “window” of opportunity for harvesting that when forfeited or ignored can lead to eternal consequences. Yes, I’m speaking of the “harvest” of lost men and women in our spheres of influence.

Ron was a neighbor when I was a teenager growing up in West Virginia. I came to the Lord at 15 and as any teenager, I wanted to be liked and accepted. But I found that when I received Christ and began to make an effort to live in a way that was pleasing to Him, it put me at odds with some of the guys I’d been hanging with.

My friend Ron, while a professing “atheist,” became an unlikely advocate as he defended me in the presence of ridicule and badgering of the other teens. He was very intelligent and, honestly, I was intimidated to speak with him very much about the Lord.

We graduated from high school and went our separate ways. I went to college in Indiana, and he commuted on his small motorcycle to a school closer to his home. While home on a break I learned that Ron had been killed on his motorcycle, apparently in a hit and run accident. It saddens me to this day that I didn’t make more effort to help him find Jesus. I didn’t understand that harvest time has an expiration date, and we never know when that is, when it comes to someone who needs Jesus.

Like the disciples in the verse above, we get so enthralled by the task at hand, we lose sight of the “big picture” unfolding before our eyes. Jesus had had a conversation with a Samaritan woman who had come to draw water, that was life changing for her. She ran back into her village telling everyone she saw: “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could He possibly be the Messiah?”

As a result, the Bible says: “the people came streaming from the village to see Him.” Unsaved people who otherwise would have been unlikely candidates for salvation, like my friend Ron, were eagerly seeking an audience with the King of kings, but all the disciples could see was Jesus ignoring His lunch.

How like us when we go through our day with such “tunnel vision,” seeing only what we want to see, ignoring those around us who are desperately in need of the Savior we’re taking for granted.

Harvest is urgent business, especially when we’re talking about someone’s eternal destiny. We literally never know if the person sitting next to us on a plane or a bus or in a coffee shop is moments from walking into eternity. “But what should I say?” seems to be the reverberating question on our minds.

Jesus asked a woman to whom, culturally, He should never have addressed: “Please give Me a drink.” What if you took a few seconds and asked the Lord: “Lord, open my eyes to the opportunity you’ve put before me; open their heart to receive what you’ll give me to say; and open my mouth to be your voice to this specific person.” Then just be obedient.

What you say to open a conversation doesn’t have to be earth shattering. I’ve said to someone, “You look sad, is there something I could pray with you about?” Or on a plane I’ve asked – and you may want to write this down, it’s DEEP – “Is __________ (wherever the plane is headed) your home or are you just visiting?”

Let’s look at this more closely tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Price of Love

“So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to Him but a few days.” (Genesis 29:20 NLT)

Love, like faith, is in many ways an intangible. It becomes visible only when acted upon. How many times a day do we tell someone that we love them? How about Jesus? Do we “love” Him? What is the “proof” of that love?

In my humble opinion, I believe love carries a very high price. For example, in John 15:13, Jesus said: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Few have opportunity to do that literally, but we all have numerous opportunities every day to illustrate love by laying down our lives for someone. How so?

The Apostle Paul defined “love” on a grand scale in 1 Corinthians 13, but I believe we can boil down what he wrote in a few words – put others before ourselves! How do we do that in practical ways. One definition of love I read a long time ago simply said “Love = Time.”

I’ve seen people work 12-16 hours a day for years, and if you asked them why? They would say some variation of: “Because I love my family and I want to provide well for them.” I’m sorry folks, but that’s not love. “Love = Time” doesn’t mean time at work, it means time with the person you love. Absent fathers have contributed to the creation of a whole generation of men who have lost their way.

In a recent BreakPoint article John Stonestreet wrote: “As NYU marketing professor Scott Galloway mentioned recently on Bill Maher’s show Real Time, ‘The most unstable nations in the world have one thing in common — and that is that they have too many lonely, broke, and alone men.’ And yet that’s exactly the type of person modern culture is producing.”

There’s a tremendous price to pay for giving love, just look at the Cross of Christ, but there’s also a great price to pay if we haven’t received love. What’s the answer? Jesus! “Whoa, isn’t that a little simplistic?” you may be thinking. Not if we take our walk with Jesus seriously. How so? How can we possibly reach a whole generation of “lonely, broke, and alone men?” The same way more than 2 billion people in our world have been reached for Jesus – one man at a time!

I love my church. In my nearly sixty years of walking with Jesus, it’s the best church I’ve ever been privileged to be a part of. Are they perfect? They might have been before I showed up, but certainly not now, but they do a lot right. I love their transparency, especially from the Pastors and leaders. They’re not afraid to share their flaws and challenges, but they’re also not afraid or ashamed to declare their dependency upon Christ and each other. We’re a family above all else, and we love each other and are determined to love others to Jesus.

Our heart is to reach this generation of men and women with the love of Jesus. Not exclusively, of course, but we’re seeking not to let young men and women fall through the proverbial “cracks.” The Pastors have asked older men and women who are determined to make much of Jesus, to seek out younger men and women and pour ourselves into them. One of our younger Pastors has initiated a ministry to young people 18-25, and the response has been really positive.

Folks, we’ve got to let Jesus not only love us, but love others through us. What might that look like? Kindness, courtesy, thoughtfulness, unselfishness, but most of all – TIME!

By devoting time to writing notes, extending invitations through whatever means you have available, inviting young people into your life. We can begin with our own kids, grandkids, neighbor kids, who are speeding aimlessly through life headed for a Christ-less eternity. We must do all we possibly can to show them what love looks like by willingly pouring ourselves into them and out for them, to the honor and fame of our Savior.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Our Former Ignorance

“And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.” (Ephesians 4:30-31 NLT)

Ignorance, as I’ve often said, isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Think of looking for a coin when it is pitch black, so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face. No one is going to shame you for not being able to find it.

That’s how ignorance works. Yet, when the light of Christ’s life and love fill our lives, the things we couldn’t see before, because of the darkness of our heart and soul, now become crystal clear in the light of the Spirit’s instruction. And even as we walk with the Lord, there are ways of thinking and acting that are caused by our ignorance of the words and ways of the Lord.

It takes time to learn, not only what the Bible teaches, but how to apply what we’re learning to our new life in Christ. There are things of which each of us will remain ignorant as long as we’re in this life, and there’s no shame in that, it’s simply a fact of life. Problems occur when we ridicule or judge others for not knowing something that we didn’t know either when we first began our walk with Jesus.

That’s when we bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit – when we forget our former ignorance and, instead, criticize a brother or sister who is new to the faith, rather than encouraging them by letting them know we had to deal with the same issues when we were just starting our faith journey.

A website I’ve discovered that I really enjoy and appreciate is called Glimpses of Infinity by Ray Majoran. (GlimpseOfInfinity.com). Ray features a photo each day and share’s a brief prayer. I’ve come to look forward, not only to the beautiful photographs, but his thoughtful and challenging prayers. His prayer was the inspiration for this post when he prayed: “As obedient children, may we not be conformed to the passions of our former ignorance, but as You who called us is holy, we also must be holy in all our conduct (1 Peter 1:14-15). Thank you for being so gracious as we work to do this.”

Any progress we’ve made as a child of God is by grace alone. God, in His mercy and kindness, walks with us each step of our journey as His child, thus, we never – ever – have an excuse for not being patient, kind, loving, and helpful to our brothers and sisters who are struggling to find their way. Our attitude must always be, “there but for the grace of God go I.”

I readily admit that I’m ignorant of a lot of things that the Lord teaches in His Word. I read, study and pray, but it seems the revelation of His Spirit is silent. Yes, of course, I listen to or read other’s insights, but I rarely assume their position as my own until the Spirit confirms the truth of what they teach, in my own heart and mind.

The Lord continues to encourage me to walk in the light He has given me, realizing He will guide, equip, provide, and instruct me and you, as His followers, at every juncture of our journey. It’s critical that we understand that He has a very good reason for walking with us step by step, not mile by mile. For one, it would overwhelm us. He tends to point out one thing at a time for us to “conquer” before He has us move to the next step.

A young man, new in His walk with Jesus, came to me one day almost in tears. He was frustrated with himself because he couldn’t seem to stop using inappropriate language. I said to him, “Praise the Lord!” A little taken aback, he said: “What do you mean ‘Praise the Lord?’ I shouldn’t be using this kind of language.” To which I respond, “When you weren’t walking with the Lord, did it ever bother you.” “No.” he said. Then I told him, “I’m not excited about your language, I’m excited that the Lord has finally enabled you to recognize your need to do something about it.”

Our former ignorance often blinds us to our need for change in our walk with the Lord until He turns on the light of His Spirit’s willingness to enable us to do something positive about it. That’s always worthy of praise for our strong and understanding Savior.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Mystery of Wonder

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of Your fingers – the moon and the stars You set in place – what are mere mortals that You would think about them, human beings that You should care for them?” (Psalm 8:3-4 NLT)

Do you still wonder? As a boy, my neighbor and I would lie on our backs at night, staring at the stars and the magnificence of space. What’s out there? How far does it go? What would it be like to be able to fly to the far reaches of the universe, and beyond?

It wasn’t a question I pondered then, but as an adult, especially as a child of God, I wonder why God created the vastness of space? Galaxies so vast our strongest telescopes can’t catch a glimpse! Will we one day be able to explore the things that now are such a mystery? Will God commission us to visit a spot 10 trillion light years away, just to behold its extraordinary beauty and splendor?

I read in a recent Turning Point devotional by David Jeremiah: “The Scottish missionary, David Livingstone, is the first-known European to view the massive waterfalls on the Zambezi River in Africa. Livingstone named the falls Victoria Falls in honor of England’s Queen Victoria. He recorded in his journal, ‘Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.’” (Turning Point The Source of All Wonder– 09-07-22)

What is wonder? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as: “astonishment or surprise; marvel; miracle; a feeling (as of awed astonishment or uncertainty) aroused by something extraordinary or affecting; amazement, to feel curiosity or doubt.”

There’s a sense in which nothing surprises or amazes us anymore. At the point we feel like we’ve “seen it all,” whether of good or evil, we’re astonished by another invention or an act of evil so heinous we wonder how anyone could have conceived it.

Photo by Free Nature Stock on Pexels.com

G. K. Chesterton wrote: “The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder.” What does that mean? I can’t pretend to know with certainty, but to me it means “miraculous” things are all around us, but we’re so preoccupied by the harried concerns of life, we miss them.

The birth of a child, the joy of a puppy (most of the time 😊), the splendor of a sunset, the mysteries of the human body, or the magnificence of God’s creativity in nature all boggle my mind. Yet, the greatest wonder upon which the Lord points my heart and mind is the thought: what could God accomplish in and through one person, completely yielded and devoted to Him?

We catch a glimpse in the life of Jesus, but I’m talking about today, in 2022. What if we could shift our focus from ourselves, our minuscule existence, our “blip” on the proverbial radar screen of life, to consider what full commitment and devotion to Jesus might look like.

What would God be able and willing to do in a life in which He exercised full control? What if our heart, mind, soul, and body grew so accustomed to carrying out God’s will and desires that our will and desires became a distant second in our thinking. What if constantly thinking “how far can I push the line and still not ‘sin,’” became “how closely can I approximate my obedience, love, and commitment to Jesus’; to His submission to the Father?”

The third verse of I Wonder as I Wander says: “If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing, A star in the sky, or a bird on the wing, Or all of God’s angels in heav’n for to sing, He surely could have it, ’cause he was the King.” (words and music collected by John Jacob Niles)

He’s still the King and can give us whatever we need, to be all He desires us to be. I wonder…?

Blessings, Ed 😊

Children and Divorce

“Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are His. And what does He want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. ’For I hate divorce!’ says the Lord, the God of Israel.” (Malachi 2:15-16a NLT)

Having been divorced I’m convinced that no one hates divorce more than someone who has been through one. On some levels it’s worse than death, because it’s like your spouse is “dead” to you, but especially if you have children, you need to continue to see them. It’s like you have a zipper on your chest and every time you have contact your chest is “unzipped” and your heart is ripped out anew. But the greatest tragedy for couples with children is what happens to the kids.

I’ve come across an excellent resource that I want to share, and encourage you to share, with anyone who is divorced or is contemplating divorce. The following information is from their website which is: Children and Divorce – milavetzlaw.com/children-and-divorce/

Children and Divorce

Divorce is common in the United States, with nearly 50% of all marriages ending in divorce. In many instances, children of divorce tend to suffer the most, given their inability to process and cope with continued stress.

They have a particularly hard time learning to live without one of their parents, which in many cases is the father. Research has shown that, historically, fathers are less likely to get custody of their children, although this trend is changing.

Data show that, depending on the state, fathers were awarded custody an average of 35% of the time in 2018.

In some states, this figure was as high as 50%, and in others, it was as low as 21%. Although these are low percentages, they are far higher than in the past. For example, in 1994, fathers were awarded custody only about 16% of the time.

Table of Contents

Blessings, Ed 😊

Do You Like Jesus?

“The world can’t hate you, but it does hate Me because I accuse it of doing evil.” (John 7:7 NLT)

When Jesus walked this earth in human form, people were drawn to Him because of what He could do for them. They came with an agenda, usually, to be healed or ask Him to heal a loved one or friend. And who could fault them? Jesus was kind to those who sought Him and exhausted Himself in helping them. Yet, on the other hand, there were those who constantly sought Him, not for what they wanted Him to do for them, but for what they wanted to do to Him – to stop His ministry! To kill Him!

Things have changed, at least in America. People still seek Him for what He can do for them, but there are many who don’t seek Him, not because they don’t believe in Him, but because they don’t have a clue as to who He is. Yes, there are still those who would like to quiet the voice of anyone who seeks to spread His fame, but now there seems to be this vast middle ground where people think favorably about Him, they “like” Him, but they’re not willing to devote themselves to Him.

Kevin DeYoung wrote: “Just about everybody in America likes Jesus, but few like him for who he truly is.” When I was in college, I would often go to a neighboring university campus to talk to anyone who would listen, about Jesus. I had a very simple strategy. I would ask someone: “Would you like to talk about Jesus?” This was in the 60’s, in the Viet Nam War era, but I rarely had anyone say “no.”

Not everyone agreed with me or even liked what I said, but no one was ever rude or got angry. Today, people, though open to talk about Jesus, have very strong positions that once they see that Jesus may “rock” their proverbial “boat,” take quick offense when they realize following Jesus demands life-change and a new set of principles upon which to base their life.

Many today, though they profess “faith in Jesus,” have such a shallow faith because they rarely, if ever, read the Bible for themselves. They listen to sermons and podcasts and the like, listening to others give their opinion about what the Bible teaches. Or worse, the ones to whom they listen don’t read the Bible either, but spout these “self-help principles” that are “guaranteed to change your life.”

It behooves us as Jesus followers to read and study the Bible every day, not simply as the fulfillment of a spiritual obligation, but to allow the Holy Spirit to cement our foundation in Biblical truth. A lot of folks who “like” Jesus are going to miss heaven, not because they’re not nice people, but because Jesus doesn’t call us to just be nice, He calls us to be “fishers of men.”

Our calling as His followers isn’t simply to cloister ourselves away from the world, but to share with everyone we can that life has an expiration date, and to not know Jesus personally and intimately by that date will result in an eternity of regret.

Liking Jesus and being His fully committed followers are two very different things. We can think we’re being Jesus’ “bud.” We can “high five” the church and even participate in church sponsored activities, but if Jesus isn’t the center and focus of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, we’re allowing Satan to lull us into an eternal nightmare.

We’re never more than a breath from eternity, so to be so focused on making the most of this world, while ignoring Jesus is a fatal mistake. Please, I implore you, if you’re a Jesus follower, center your life on making the most of Him by sharing Him with anyone who will listen. And if you’re not a Jesus follower, make the decision today to become one. This life is all we have to prepare for eternity.

Liking Jesus isn’t enough. Our devotion to Him must be our highest priority.

Blessings, Ed