Walking With Jesus

Persevere in Prayer

“Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (Romans 12:12b NLT)

While reading Scott Walker’s book, Glimpses of God (page 48) I read these words: “When I was a boy, I heard my father preach about a perilous moment in the life of the evangelist, Dwight L Moody. Moody had been in Europe and was sailing across the Atlantic to New York City. In the midst of the voyage, a boiler exploded and the wooden shop caught fire. The passengers formed a bucket brigade in a desperate attempt to extinguish the blaze.

At the very height of the crisis when it seemed that the fire could not be contained, Moody was passing buckets when he felt one of his young ‘preacher boy’ associates tap him on the shoulder. With panic in his eyes the young man gasped, ‘Mr. Moody, let’s go to the other end of the ship and pray. Only prayers’s gonna save us now.’

Moody spit and roared, ‘Boy, you can pray and pass the buckets. Get with it!’”

Photo by SHVETS production on Pexels.com

One thing the Lord is teaching me is how critical it is to stay calm in difficult situations. My wife can tell you, I’m not there yet, but what I’m discovering is, by God’s grace, prayer calms our spirit and enables us to trust God as we persevere in prayer. What does that mean?

It essentially means, pray while you’re passing the “water buckets.” It may seem more pious to ignore the crisis and devote your whole time to prayer, and, honestly, sometimes that’s the right course of action. But there are times when you don’t have a choice. It’s not an “either or,” but more a “both and” circumstance.

Perhaps you’ve heard the expression: “Prayer is the work. Then God works.” When we think of prayer as an ongoing conversation with God, it’s easier to understand why and how “prayer is the work.” Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.” Couple that with what he wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Never stop praying.” The word Paul uses there that’s translated “never stop,” literally means to pray without intermission, incessantly.

Another way to think of it would be to pray without distraction. Panic, worry, turmoil are all distractions that by God’s grace and His Spirit’s help, we can learn to redirect and keep our focus on prayer, even while doing seemingly insignificant things. How is that even possible?

Some of the most fervent prayers I’ve ever lifted to heaven were while under a car. I’ve learned never to begin anything without first seeking the Lord’s help. Then, while the task is in process, I’m constantly seeking the Lord’s direction.

A friend and I had repaired a transmission in an old car I had and were trying to lift it back in place, when we just started laughing. We were tired and the transmission seemed like it weighed a thousand pounds, but there we were, holding that transmission on our chests, laughing so hard we were crying.

What does that have to do with prayer? Everything. That was a “God-moment” the Lord arranged for two friends to share, as it turned out, for the last time. Doug deployed shortly thereafter and was killed in action.

Perhaps this Christmas hasn’t been a happy one for you. Take your feelings, your heartache, grief, anxiety, whatever you’re struggling with, to the Lord. Talk with Him in every moment, whatever else you may be doing. He hears you. He loves you. He’s working in and through every detail of your life to bring you good. Trust Him. He is with you and for you.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Language of Prayer

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3 NLT)

Jesus told a story in Luke 18:9-14 about two men who went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, a very religious Jewish man, and the other was, in Jesus’ words: “a despised tax collector.” The Pharisee prayed this prayer: “I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.” Then in verse 13: “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’

Then Jesus said in verse 14: “I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

What can we learn about the “language of prayer” from this story?

Religious “pedigrees” and “credentials” don’t impress God. Years ago a man came to preach at a church I served. He came highly recommended, had served as a pastor for many years, and was well respected as a leader in the Church Organization in which I was credentialed. At that time we had a very godly and humble man who led our worship, and who also had pastored many years, but in a different denomination. When the man who came to preach learned that our Worship leader was from a different group, he refused to be on the platform with him. That kind of nonsense grieves the heart of God (and mine). To believe we can impress God by our spiritual or theological credentials, and treat a brother in Christ like we’re somehow better than they are, closes the ears of God as fast as anything I know.
The words we use only have meaning to God to the extent they are: a) truthful and b) flow from a humble heart. The Pharisee’s claims, for the most part, were simply not true. To claim he wasn’t “a sinner” and to exalt himself above another person, regardless of their lot in life, violates God’s Word, but equally important, violates the intent of prayer. The purpose of prayer is to open a lifeline between us and God, giving us opportunity to see God for who He is and ourselves as we really are – sinners in need of a Savior and Lord.
Humility is the Language of Prayer. The longer I live and the more clearly I see who Jesus is, what He’s done and what He continues to do in, through and on my behalf, the less I find to “brag” about in my life.

Through the years God has given me opportunity to be in the presence of some truly godly and gifted people. After they spoke or performed in whatever area they excelled, I’ve never heard any of them say: “Oh, that wasn’t me, that was only the Lord.” Although I’ve heard people with lesser talent and a lot of false humility say things like that, people who are walking close to the Lord recognize every good and perfect gift comes from God. They understand that “apart from Jesus they/we are nothing,” so they don’t have to give expression to the obvious.

Prayer, like so many other dimensions of our walk with God, is a gift He gives us, that when used as intended, opens avenues for us to learn and be more than we ever imagined possible. Over the next few days we’ll be exploring other dimensions of prayer.

Blessings, Ed

Trouble at the Inn by Dina Donohue

For years now whenever Christmas pageants are talked about in a certain little town in the Midwest, someone is sure to mention the name of Wallace Purling. Wally’s performance in one annual production of the Nativity Play has slipped into the realm of legend. But the old timers who were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly what happened.

Wally was nine that year and in the second grade, though he should have been in the fourth. Most people in the town knew that he had difficulty in keeping up. He was big and clumsy, slow in movement and mind. Still, Wally was liked by the other children in his class, all of whom were smaller than he, though the boys had trouble hiding their irritation when Wally would ask to play ball with them or any game, for that matter, in which winning was important.

Most often they’d find a way to keep him out, but Wally would hang around anyway – not sulking, just hoping. He was always a helpful boy, a willing and smiling one, and the natural protector, paradoxically, of the underdog. Sometimes if the older boys chased the younger ones away, it would always be Wally who’d say, “Can’t they stay? They’re no bother.”

Wally fancied the idea of being a shepherd with a flute in the Christmas pageant that year, but the play’s director, Miss Lombard, assigned him to a more important role. After all, she reasoned, the Innkeeper did not have too many lines, and Wally’s size would make his refusal of lodging to Joseph more forceful.

And so it happened that the usual large, partisan audience gathered for the town’s yearly extravaganza of crooks and crèches, of beards, crowns, halos and a whole stage full of squeaky voices. No one on stage or off was more caught up in the magic of the night than Wallace Purling. They said later that he stood in the wings and watched the performance with such fascination that from time to time Miss Lombard had to make sure he did not wander onstage before his cue.

Then came the time when Joseph appeared, slowly, tenderly guiding Mary to the door of the inn. Joseph knocked hard on the wooden door set into the painted backdrop. Wally the Innkeeper was there, waiting.

“What do you want?” Wally said, swinging the door open with a brusque gesture.

“We seek lodging.”

“Seek it elsewhere.” Wally looked straight ahead, but spoke vigorously. “The inn is filled.”

“Sir we have asked everywhere in vain. We have traveled far and we are very weary.”

“There is no room in this inn for you.” Wally looked properly stern.

“Please good innkeeper, this is my wife Mary. She is heavy with child and needs a place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her. She is so tired.”

Now for the first time, the Innkeeper relaxed his stiff stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense with embarrassment.

“No! Be gone!” the prompter whispered from the wings.

“No!” Wally repeated automatically. “Be gone!”

Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary, and Mary laid her head upon her husband’s shoulder and the two of them started to move away. The Innkeeper did not return inside the inn, however. Wally stood there in the doorway watching the forlorn couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, and his eyes filling unmistakably with tears.

And suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all others.

“Don’t go Joseph,” Wally called out. “Bring Mary back.” And Wallace Purling’s face grew into a bright smile. “You can have my room.”

Some people in town thought that the pageant had been ruined. Yet there were others- many, many others- who considered it the most Christmas of all Christmas pageants that they had ever seen.

Blessings, Ed 😊 (This has been my favorite Christmas Story for many years)

*Trouble at the Inn (first appeared in 1966 in Guideposts Magazine. Written by Dina Donohue)

God Is With Us

“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name Him Emmanuel, which means, ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:23 NSRV)

Over the last few days, we’ve been looking at the birth of Jesus and asking some questions. For example, knowing it was Jesus in the manger, we’ve been trying to get to the bottom of exactly who is Jesus? Biblical evidence is irrefutable in verifying that the Jesus of the manger is none other than God in human flesh, “Emmanuel, which means, God is with us.”

So, today, Christmas Eve in America, I’d like for us to ponder, not in deep theological jargon, but in practical terms, what it means that God is literally with us?

Anne Graham Lotz said it this way: “The Seed of the woman, Who would open heaven’s gate and welcome any and all who place their faith in Him . . . had been given!

If you could ask God for anything for Christmas, what would it be? A trinket or a Treasure? Jesus, Emmanuel, didn’t come to be our sacred “Aladdin’s lamp” to provide our every whim.

A mom went to check on her little boy during a storm. When he told her he was afraid, she tried to reassure him by letting him know that God was with him. To which he responded, “Mommy, I need God with skin on.” That’s who Jesus is to us, and whether we realize it or not, He’s what we desperately need.

So, let’s look briefly at what it means that God is with us. He is with us in the Person of His Holy Spirit to give us:

HOPE. Matthew 12:21 quotes Isaiah: “And His name will be the hope of all the world.” Hopelessness is among the most debilitating conditions we can experience. God’s Spirit fills, empowers, and enables us to know with certainty that our life matters, not only to God, but to the multiplied millions of Jesus followers across the world. We have hope, not only for this life, but for the next, because He gives us brothers and sisters to walk with us. Because of Jesus, your life matters to me. I’m praying that even as you read these words you can sense His closeness.
PURPOSE/MISSION. Just as every part of my body has purpose and must coordinate with the other parts to enable me to function as a human, our spirit, filled and empowered by God’s presence with us, enables us to join with each other as members of the Body of Christ to accomplish things none of us could ever accomplish on our own. Our mission for God matters. There are people who need to know Jesus that only we can reach.
RELATIONSHIP. We become a member of God’s Family, the Church, when we are “born again” by God’s Spirit. That’s made possible by the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of the babe in the manger. Jesus is with us every second, but He becomes “Jesus with skin on” as He places us in a local family of believers who are committed to Him and to each other.

Sylvia Gunter has a weekly devotional called The Father’s Business (https://thefathersbusiness.com/) that I’ve been receiving for years. Let me close with these words of Sylvia’s I read on 12-04-2019:

“You may often wish that you could have met Jesus when He walked this earth. How amazing would that have been to look into His eyes and see His smile! While we may not have that privilege in (2021), Jesus is still Immanuel. He is still with us. Regardless of what this Christmas brings you, whether it is sorrow or joy, Jesus knows. And more important, He cares. He is still the active expression of the extravagant love that God your Father has for you. He is still with you.

This Christmas may you drink deeply of the truest gift you have ever received… God loves you so much that He will go to any lengths necessary to show you that He is Immanuel, God with you.” (Sylvia Gunter)

May you sense the presence of Jesus with you as you celebrate His birth in this sacred season.

Blessings, Ed 😊

No Longer Alone

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:23 NLT)

In the opening verses of the Bible, we see the process of creation. The pre-existent Jesus, long before He would allow Himself to become a baby in a manger, was Creator and Sustainer of all that is. Jesus spoke life into existence with the power of His Word. He conceived in His mind and brought to life on the earth He formed perfectly to accommodate mankind, a man, created in God’s own image. Genesis 2:7 says: Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

Then in Genesis 2:18 God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” God brought all the wild animals and livestock, and the birds of the air, for Adam to give them all names. But none were suitable companions for the man. So, God took a rib from Adam and formed a woman and brought her to him to give her a name.

It was a glorious day in Adam’s life as he embraced God’s gift of a woman. But, the next chapter describes their failure to abide by God’s directives and how they were banished from the Garden of Eden. The point is simply this: God’s plan has always been for us to live in harmony with each other and with God in complete openness and trust. When Adam and Eve failed, they became the parents of all humanity, who then would be born with Adam’s bent to sin.

For thousands of years mankind has sought to bridge the gap between man and God, created by our sin, but have never able to find a way. Solomon, among the most brilliant men who ever lived, said in Ecclesiastes 3:11: “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”

God’s desire from the beginning was to have a relationship with mankind. He walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening in the Garden, not because He was lonely or in any way needed them. He wanted a relationship with them for what He could contribute, to make their lives richer, fuller, and more meaningful.

That’s why Jesus chose to humble Himself and be born as a man, certainly not because He needed anything from us, but to be a bridge over which we could come to know God. To experience firsthand what it’s like to be loved unconditionally, not for anything we could ever do to earn it, but simply because that’s who God is. Jesus was born to give us a relationship with God; to be “God with us!”

Blessings, Ed 😊

Why Mary?

“’Don’t be afraid, Mary,’ the angel told her, ‘for you have found favor with God!’” (Luke 1:30 NLT)

Try to imagine being a young girl, likely not more than thirteen, engaged to be married to a man your parents have chosen for you, when an angel suddenly appears to you and announces you’re going to have a baby. It’s no wonder the angel was seeking to dispel her fear. But as the angel continued to explain the purpose of his visit, Mary joyfully responded: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” (Luke 1:38 NLT)

Only God could conceive such a plan. Identifying and selecting all the right people, at exactly the right time, in just the right way. Then engineering circumstances to put them in the right place at the right time to fulfill words describing their movements and events hundreds of years before the fact. It’s literally unbelievable. Yet, it happened. It’s true. It’s historically verifiable. So, the question remains – WHY?

Have you ever wondered why God chose Mary? Mary’s name in Greek is Maria (Mar-ee’-ah) and literally means “their rebellion.” Please don’t read too much into this, but in my mind, ANYONE who chooses to follow Jesus must be a bit of a “rebel.” How so? Think of all Mary stood to lose by submitting herself to the Lord. Had Joseph, to whom she was engaged, chosen to reveal her pregnancy was not by him, in the eyes of the law of Moses, Mary could have been charged with adultery and killed. Yet, she chose to risk everything to please and honor God, knowing in her spirit that God would protect her.

Mary was a peasant, with no social pedigree, but God saw within her, the heart of a warrior; someone He could trust to care for and love His Son. In her “Magnificat,” Mary’s song of Praise in Luke 1:46-55, we gain insight into why God chose her. “O, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For He took notice of His lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.” Who at thirteen has that kind of spiritual depth and insight except one who has often been in God’s presence, seeking His holy will for her life.

Wait, there’s more. What if Jesus had been born of an influential, royal family? Might we have concluded: “God must be for the ‘haves,’ unlike most of us who have chosen to follow Jesus, who are the ‘have-nots.’” Had Jesus lived among and been born only for the “elite,” as He surely deserved to be, where would that have left the vast majority of humanity?

Aren’t you grateful Jesus loves and was born for everyone! Mary continued in verse 49: “For the Mighty One is holy, and He has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear Him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.”

Does she realize the One whom she exalts and proclaims holy and powerful is the One who now resides in her womb? I suspect she does, but this one thing I know – she was God’s choice, because of her faithfulness and humility. God knew He could trust her with the most precious Gift God could ever give to mankind: HIMSELF.

God revealed to Isaiah the prophet hundreds of years before Jesus was born: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Birth of Jesus

“In the beginning the Word already existed.” (John 1:1a NLT)

Today, and for the next four days, I want to build on yesterday’s post by Chuck Colson, by continuing to explore the birth of Jesus. We’ll look at how the Gospels approach His birth and what His birth means to us, as inhabitants of planet earth. This is my 74^th Christmas, yet I approach it with more awe and wonder than perhaps any other Christmas of my life. But why? Walk with me through the miraculous wonder of our Savior’s birth. Who is this tiny infant whose name is Jesus?

John, one of Jesus’ twelve original disciples, describes Him this way: “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John 1:1-5 NLT)

“Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

Does this mean that the baby born in the manger in Bethlehem is God in human form? How can that be? That’s impossible! Yes, humanly speaking, it is. But nothing is impossible with God. The Bible is God’s absolute truth, delivered to us to give, not only an understanding of who He is, but who we are and what He desires to do and be in our lives today.

Just like their “Author,” the words of the Bible aren’t “ordinary,” as they record the words of God as He “spoke” them to forty authors over the span of about 1500 years. Yet they find fulfillment and explanation in the headlines of our daily news. Why is this important for us to understand? Because the baby born of a virgin in a dirty, smelly manger isn’t any “ordinary” baby. He is God’s one and only Son. How do I know that?

The miraculous birth of Jesus doesn’t make sense unless and until we understand that God did exactly what He said He would do hundreds of years before it came to fruition. The odds of the dozens of Messianic prophecies being fulfilled in one person in history are literally astronomical. Yet, every detail of Jesus’ birth is exactly what the prophets explained would happen hundreds of years in advance.

“But for a person to be born of a virgin is impossible!” Yes, it is. That’s why God chose that way to introduce us to Himself in the flesh. Even as I write these words, it’s difficult for me to conceive of why God would come to earth and experience the same joys and sorrows that we suffer in our lives. To me there’s only one explanation. Love!

For the most part, the world’s religions all seek to define a way for man to reach God, typically by seeking to be good enough through the works they perform. God knew the futility of that plan, that’s why He poured Himself into human flesh, was born in very humble surroundings, lived with us, not as a man of wealth, military might, or governmental clout, but as a Servant-King. He came not to be served, but to serve, heal, and ultimately lay down His life in our place, so that we might stop our futile efforts to reach Him and simply open our hearts to Him, who came to us!

Blessings, Ed 😊

*For a much more in-depth explanation of what the verses in John 1 mean, I invite and encourage you to listen to Pastor Vance Pitman’s message from 12-12-21. Just click this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtaQ8Ht7D8A (This is the entire service, but you can move ahead to just the message if you like.)

It’s Not About the Manger

“She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. (Luke 2:7 NLT)

*The following words are from the late Chuck Colson, more than a decade ago. Enjoy!

“The manger scene inspires a sense of awe and comfort to the hearts of Christians everywhere. But we often forget the staggering implications of Christmas. What image does the mention of Christmas typically conjure up? For most of us, it’s a babe lying in a manger while Mary and Joseph, angels, and assorted animals look on.

Heartwarming picture, but Christmas is about far more than a child’s birth – even the Savior’s birth. It’s about the Incarnation: God Himself, Creator of heaven and earth, invading planet Earth, becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

It’s a staggering thought. Think of it: The Word – that is, Logos in the Greek, which meant all knowledge that could be known, the plan of creation – that is, ultimate reality, becomes mere man? And that He was not born of an earthly king and queen, but of a virgin of a backwater village named Nazareth? Certainly, God delights in confounding worldly wisdom and human expectations.

Thirty years after His humble birth, Jesus increased the Jews’ befuddlement when He read from the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor…to proclaim release to the captives…to set free whose who are downtrodden…’ Jesus then turned the scroll back and announced, ‘Today, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’

In effect, the carpenter’s son had just announced He was the King.

So yes, the birth of Jesus is a glorious moment, and the manger scene brings comfort and joy and Christmas cheer. But it should also inspire a holy terror in us – that this baby is God incarnate, the King who came to set captives free, through His violent, bloody death on the cross as atonement for us, His unworthy subjects.

It’s through the Incarnation God sets His grand plan in motion. He invades planet Earth, establishing His reign through Christ’s earthly ministry. And then Christ leaves behind an occupying force, His Church, which is to carry on the work of redemption until His return and the kingdom’s final triumph.

Do we get this? I’m afraid most of us are so preoccupied and distracted by last-minute Christmas shopping and consumerism, we fail to see God’s cosmic plan of redemption in which we, as fallen creatures, are directly involved.

Well, the average Christian may not ‘get’ this announcement, but those locked behind bars do. Whenever I preach in the prisons, and I read Christ’s inaugural sermon, Luke 4:18, and when I quote His promise of freedom for prisoners, they often raise their arms and cheer. The message of Jesus means freedom and victory for those who once had no hope. They’re not distracted by the encumbrance of wealth and comfort.

People in the developing world get it, too. Whenever I’ve shared this message with the poor and oppressed people overseas, I see eyes brightening. Stripped of all material blessings, exploited by earthly powers, they long for the bold new kingdom of Christ.

Go ahead, enjoy singing about and celebrating the birth of the Savior. Set up a manger scene in your home. But don’t forget this earth-shaking truth: The birth of the Baby in the manger was the thrilling signal that God had invaded the planet. And that gives us real reason to celebrate Christmas.

Hope you enjoyed Chuck Colson’s powerful message.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Finding an Outwardly-Focused Church Fellowship

“And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8b NLT)

Since I never know who will read these posts, I’m trying to cover a lot of bases, but with what I shared yesterday and what I’ll share today, I’m focusing on two groups of people. First: Those who have been hurt in some way by a church or by someone who professes faith in Jesus. Second: Those who are comfortably sitting in a seat at church biding their time until Jesus comes. While you may come at it from different angles, you both need essentially the same thing – a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led church body that will challenge you to give whatever you have left of your life, “all in for Jesus.” With that in mind:

Find a church fellowship, whether it’s large or small, where you can get involved in 1. Ministry and 2. A Small Group. The Bible refers to whatever you do for the Lord as “Ministry.” It just means “service.” Find a place to serve. And notice I didn’t say “places.” Find “THE BEST” place to serve and give it all you’ve got. What might that look like? Find an area of service that enables you to maximize the use of your spiritual gifts and natural abilities. You may need to investigate a few options before you settle on what’s best for you, but find your place and serve to the glory of God. A small group can be age, gender, stage of life specific or center on something in which you have interest or need, but it should be an environment in which to find one or two people with whom you can grow a Christ-honoring, and close friendship. My closest friends are people with whom I’ve served the Lord. Interest may lead you to a small group that focuses on “Singles,” “Couples,” “Missions”, “Bible Study,” etc. Need may lead you to a “Grief Recovery” or “Divorce Recovery” or an AA type group that has a Christ-centered focus such as “Celebrate Recovery.” You’re looking for a few kindred spirits whose first love is Jesus.
Find a fellowship that is outwardly focused. Find out why the church exists. What are they doing with the money they ask you to give? As important as “loving Jesus” and “loving each other” is, it’s not enough. If my love of Jesus and the people with whom I’m worshipping and serving don’t push me beyond the walls of the church and the confines of my own comfort to reach and bless people of my community and beyond with the love of Jesus, it isn’t helping us accomplish Christ’s Great Commission.

I read a startling statistic that said nearly 90% of people who don’t know Jesus, don’t know anyone who does. What does that mean? It means we who profess faith in Christ need to find as many people as we can who don’t know Him. We need to let them know someone who DOES know Jesus. As the Body of Christ, we MUST be about our Father’s Business of reaching those who are without a meaningful, personal relationship with Jesus and those who are hurting or feel trapped in lifestyles that are literally killing them.

Find a fellowship of believers who are not all like you. My Pastor recently shared that we have more than 50 language groups represented in our church. My heart rejoiced! I thought I must be in heaven. What’s my point? Find a church where all the people aren’t like you. Share your story and let them share their story with you. God loves diversity. So should we. If you don’t like diversity, you’re probably not going to like heaven.

Our lives on earth are “practice” for our life in heaven. If you’ve been hurt by someone who professed to know Jesus, but wasn’t acting like it, or if you love Jesus, but are sitting idly watching opportunities to be useful pass you by, consider these words of Christine Caine: “Life is too short, the world is too big and God’s love is too great to live ordinary.” Or these words by Dr. David Jeremiah: “There is no restriction on race, age, class, or gender as to who can come to Christ. As the Holy Spirit said at the end of the book of Revelation, ‘Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.’”

Blessings, Ed😊

When You’re Seeking to Reconnect”

“For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus.” (I Timothy 2:5 NLT)

By God’s grace my wife and I have found a church that, to me, is the closest to the Biblical standard as any church of which I’ve been a part. Ask the Lord to lead you to a fellowship of Jesus followers who love Him, love each other and are seeking daily to live out their faith in practical ways by loving the community in which God planted them. They exist. We found one.

Many churches of which I’ve been a part, had one thing in common. They all said: “We’re very loving here.” Momma bears love their cubs, but they’ll hurt anyone who messes with them. I’ve been hurt a few times by these “loving” churches, so be careful.

Finding a church family is sometimes difficult. Why is that? Because they’re comprised of imperfect human beings. I had to come to the realization, even if I found a perfect church, the moment they opened their arms to me, they’d cease to be perfect! Having said that, I do believe God specializes in reconciling human beings, not only to Himself, but to each other.

Not knowing your specific situation, I can’t address all of your personal concerns; however, I can share things that I’ve learned about churches and what I was looking for in a church family, as they come to my mind.

I was looking for a family to whom I could belong. If all I wanted to do was attend, I could watch services online. I wanted to know beyond a surface level, not only what the church believed, but what they “walked” in their daily lives. There’s only one way to know that – get involved.
Find a place of service right away. My wife is a retired nurse, so she volunteered for the Medical Team. My heart is to meet people, so I volunteered as a Greeter. Every church, regardless of size, needs volunteers. If they have a “Guest Services” area, or a card you can fill out, do whatever you can to get connected with someone. Everyone you meet will give you a “flavor” of what the church is like. If you attend more than three or four weeks and can’t find an avenue to help you get connected, move on.
The messages should be Bible-centered. The speaker may not explain the Bible “verse by verse,” but should focus on God’s Word, seeking to give you a better understanding of what the Bible says and what application(s) God has for us based on His Word.
Take notes of what happens during corporate worship. If you want to know what a church believes, listen to what they sing. When I came to the Lord it was in the 60’s, so we sang hymns and choruses. Where I worship now the songs are contemporary and I LOVE it! Our worship is joy-filled and Christ-centered, and I’ve made it a practice to carry tissues with me to church, because I rarely experience a time of corporate worship without crying. If you can’t sense God’s presence when you worship, first check your own heart, and if your spirit is in tune, ask the Lord to let you know what’s wrong.

There are a few more things on my heart I’ll share tomorrow.

Blessings, Ed 😊