Walking With Jesus

Forgetting Who the Real Enemy Is

“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are My followers. And many will turn away from Me and betray and hate each other.” (Matthew 24:10 NLT)

In Matthew 24 Jesus is outlining the things that will happen in the last days before His return. These are frightening words that point to disturbing events that will take place in the world and in our individual lives. Being hated isn’t a strong motivator when speaking to someone about receiving Christ’s invitation to follow Him. “And, one other thing, you’ll be hated and probably killed for your faith.”

That’s one of the realities of knowing Jesus that likely shouldn’t be foremost in our mind on most days, but nonetheless something that should inform our spirits as we do daily battle with the enemy of our soul. As Jesus followers we’re under constant attack from Satan and his emissaries as he relentlessly seeks to turn our thoughts and actions away from obedience to our Lord and Master.

Ron Hutchcraft spoke to this in a recent “A Word With You:” “Now, our enemy – the enemy of every believer in Jesus, every Christian church, every Christian family – has his way all too often. Not so much because he’s so strong, but because he exploits our tendency to fight each other and to forget the real enemy that threatens us all.

Someone said, ‘Christians are the only soldiers who form their firing squads in a circle.’ Isn’t it true! We shoot at each other so much; wasting our ammunition that should only be aimed one direction – at Satan and his forces.”

We’re so tempted to believe our spouse, or boss, or kids, or parents, or neighbors, or co-workers, or fellow believers or _____________ (and you can fill in the blank) is out to get us, to take advantage of us, to rob us of our way. We get so easily distracted by skirmishes that don’t deserve the time we invest in them, time that should be invested in reaching the very ones with whom we’re too often at odds.

Some of the most satisfying and redemptive conversations I’ve had with someone is when I’ve been willing to admit that I was wrong. Pastor Rick Warren wrote: “When you meet someone to resolve a conflict, you first have to confess your part of the problem. Then you need to listen for the other person’s hurt and perspective.

In every conflict—from our personal relationships to politics—we think we argue over ideas. But we actually argue over emotion. Anytime there’s a conflict, someone’s feelings were hurt; somebody felt abused or slighted. It’s not the idea that causes the conflict. It’s the emotion behind the idea.

Hurt people hurt people. The more someone is experiencing hurt, the more likely they are to lash out at everyone else. People who aren’t experiencing hurt don’t hurt others. People who are filled with love are loving toward others. People who are filled with joy are joyful toward others. People who are filled with peace are at peace with everybody else. But people who are filled with hurt are going to hurt others. They’re going to lash out.

As followers of the only perfect person who ever lived, we’ve got to keep our eyes, mind, heart, and strength focused on Him, realizing He’s the only Advocate we need to solve any conflict we’ll ever have.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Fresh Faith

Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.” (James 3:11-12 NLT)

One of our greatest challenges as a Jesus follower is to keep our faith fresh, free from encumbrances with which the enemy of our soul seeks to saddle us. Every day as I walk my neighborhood I pray for those in each house, in mine and the surrounding neighborhoods. Those whose names I know, I use their names seeking to make my prayers for them as personal and specific as I can.

One thing that enables me to keep my faith fresh is by praying as specifically as possible. Rather than something like: “Lord, please bless my neighbors,” I ask the Lord to “please draw Steve and Sarah to you. Help them to turn from the emptiness that’s so evident on their faces to faith in you who alone can give them hope, peace, and life.”

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

To me it’s as though the Lord is walking with me and He’s guiding me in how to pray most effectively. And I realize that even a walk isn’t realistic for some of you, so, pray from your favorite chair that may be by a window through which you can see your neighbors’ houses or watch as they pass by.

Prayer is the lifeline to our heavenly Father, through which we give love and express our concerns, but it’s also the source of our daily (sometimes moment by moment) strength. Freshness implies current, in the moment, but it also suggests attentiveness to the Lord’s presence. He enables us to see what we might miss or hear what might otherwise be jumbled into the background noises of our life.

Dr. David Jeremiah wrote in a recent Turning Point devotional: “We all long for a global revival, another ‘Great Awakening.’ We pray for that, but we cannot control the seasons God keeps under His own authority. But we do know this—He wants each of us to live in perpetual revival, constantly renewed in the spirit of our mind, keeping a fresh mental and spiritual attitude. Does that describe you? It should and it can!”

Intimacy with the Lord is the pathway to intimacy with every other person in your life. If your walk with the Lord is stale and dated, so will your life be, thus, crippling your means of expressing love to others effectively. Robert Lowry wrote: “The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart, a fountain ever springing! All things are mine since I am his! How can I keep from singing?”

Just as fruit picked from a dying branch isn’t as satisfying as what’s chosen from a vibrant and alive branch, so the “fruit” of our life, if we’re not walking closely with the Lord, is going to be ineffective, dull, and often meaningless as we seek to share our faith with others. The people in my life that I most admire and from whom I most easily learn, are those who spend time with the Lord and have an intimate and current connection with Him.

How fresh is your faith? Are you spending quality time (not leftover time) reading, studying, and memorizing His Word? Is your prayer life vibrant and alive with the freshness of a Spring flower, or stale like your breath when you first awaken? If you don’t like the freshness of your faith, only you can do something about it.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

A Final End

“So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.” (2 Peter 2:9 NLT)

Are there days you think will never end? How about seasons of suffering, heartache, or temptation? How about the seeming endless prayers for lost loved ones, for resolution to problems, or a solution to family issues? There are times in my life when I just want it to be over – the hassles, misunderstandings, stresses of getting old – all of it, over!

Then I think of Jesus’ words in John 14:3: “When everything is ready I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am.” The Lord sometimes reminds me of how badly I wanted to be 16 so I could get my driver’s license, but now it amazes me that anybody in their right mind would allow a 16-year-old to get behind the wheel of anything, let alone a machine that can go 100+ mph.

My “need for speed” now relates more to getting to the bathroom than driving a car, so, I see more clearly my need to see time and the issues with which I now wrestle in their proper perspective. There will come an end to everything, not only that cause us troubles and heartache, but the things about life on planet earth that we most enjoy.

Perhaps I’m weird in thinking these kinds of things, but when we first moved into the house in which we now live, I thought: “There will be a last time I’ll walk through this door, sleep in this bed, wash a dish in this sink, etc.” To me, that’s not morbid, it’s reality. I have a file on my computer to which I have directed my wife and son who lives near us. It’s heading is: “When I Die.”

It gives instructions as to what to do with my carcass, outlines who to contact, all of our bills, how they’re paid, and all essential information to help my wife and kids to move through the hassles created by my passing, as smoothly as possible. I’m also writing letters to my wife and each of my kids, letting them know how much I love them and how important it is to plan ahead for the inevitable end of their life.

It’s amazing to me that so few people think about death, even though last time I checked, the death rate for human beings is still 100%. We’re not getting out of this life alive – UNLESS we’ve settled accounts with the Author and Finisher of life, the Lord Jesus. My wife and I have a Trust that outlines what to do with everything we own, but more importantly, we’ve settled our eternal estate and know that when we die there’s a place in heaven for us secured by the Lord Jesus Himself.

Paul David Tripp wrote: “God’s promise is sure, there will be a final end to violence, suffering and sin and righteousness and peace will reign forever and ever.” There will also be a final opportunity to receive forgiveness for our sins and invite the Lord Jesus to become the Lord of our life. He’s the only way to heaven, so to postpone giving Him our life is essentially to sign our own death certificate: “See you in hell, because I waited too long!”

Please, dear friends, the most important decision you will ever make is to yield your life and allegiance to Jesus. My only regret is that I didn’t give Him my life sooner. Because of Him my final end will be the doorway to an eternal life the likes of which I don’t have the capacity to imagine just how good it will be.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

When Jealousy Isn’t Negative

“You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about His relationship with you.” (Exodus 34:14 NLT)

Jealousy can be a very destructive emotion in any relationship, even with God, but it helps to see it in context. The jealousy that God has for us isn’t selfish or self-focused, it’s healthy and liberating. It focuses on us and our wellbeing, not on Himself.

When I was in high school, I was very jealous. I didn’t want another boy to look at my girlfriend, she was “MINE.” It will likely come as no surprise to you, but my jealousy cost me my relationship with her. My greatest fear became her reality because she translated my jealousy as a lack of trust. And why wouldn’t she? At its root that’s essentially what jealousy is.

Believing another human being belongs to anyone but the Lord is destructive, debilitating, and damaging. It violates who a person is at their core. If I suspect or know you don’t trust me, there’s nothing upon which to build a friendship. Trust is a critical foundation for any relationship. Would you take your car to someone you didn’t trust? How about a doctor, attorney, anyone whom you were concerned wouldn’t provide whatever service you needed?

God isn’t jealous in the sense that He wants to “own” us to the exclusion of any other relationship, fearing He’ll never measure up or that someone or something else will bring us more satisfaction, contentment, or joy. He knows that ONLY HE can give us what we need to be everything He designed and created us to be.

His jealousy isn’t fearing we’ll find more of whatever life offers from another source, it’s concern we’ll settle for less and miss all He has for us. For example, let’s say our goal is to become a millionaire by the time we’re 35 years old. That’s our life’s mission, so, we commit to doing whatever it takes to get what we want. We’ll lie, cheat, bend rules, break laws – they’re all “fair game” if that’s what it takes to make our goal.

Finally, we turn 35 and we assess our life. We have lots of money, but our heart is empty. We have no real friends because we’ve driven them all away with our selfish obsessions. We may live in a fabulous house, but it’s empty of love. We drive a very expensive car, but it’s no fun because we don’t want to leave it anyplace for fear it will be damaged or stolen. We don’t own the things we have; they own us. That’s far inferior to God’s plan for us.

But there’s another kind of jealousy that can be constructive and positive. Leslie J. Barner wrote: “I didn’t realize my marriage was suffering or that my husband felt neglected until he shared his feelings and asked, ‘When are you going to make time for me … for us?’ … my husband had become jealous. He felt like I had allowed other things in my life to take his place. I discovered this kind of jealousy isn’t negative, it’s natural.

Our spouse, who is our number one priority after God, if we are married (see Genesis 2:24), can experience that same type of jealousy at times. Sure, life can get a bit hectic with many things, even good things, vying for our attention. But we can still make sure that the priority of our marriage doesn’t get lost. We can find ways—like spending time with her before gaming with friends or cutting back on time spent serving others to lavish attention on him—that communicates, ‘You are my number one. Nothing is more important than our marriage.’”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Does Obedience Lead to Comfort?

“Even though Jesus was God’s Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered.” (Hebrews 5:8 NLT)

My mind is being stretched as I consider the question above. My initial thought was Jesus on the Cross. His obedience led Him to suffer in ways that are incomprehensible to mere men. But you can’t think of the Cross without rejoicing in His Resurrection. The empty tomb is our promise that regardless of the pain and suffering we endure in our obedience to our Savior, one day all our suffering will end – FOREVER!

The reality is, obedience often leads to discomfort, at least initially. Perhaps that’s why so many professing believers continue to play it safe. It doesn’t cost me much to attend church, read the Bible, even pray, as long as I don’t let any of that effect my lifestyle. Once I learn the lingo I can “talk the talk,” but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to “walk the walk.”

For most of us, especially in America, suffering for Jesus isn’t an issue unless and until we put our life on the line and determine to submit to Christ’s Lordship regardless of the cost. I think of people like Hobby Lobby founders David and Barbara Green or , college swimmer Riley Gaines who was physically assaulted while giving a speech at San Francisco State University. As she argued against the inclusion of men in women’s sports, she was berated, threatened, and blockaded in a room until she paid a ransom.

Jackie Hill Perry wrote: “Being obedient to God rarely means you’ll remain comfortable.” It’s ironic that even as Jesus followers we tend to value comfort over obedience. It’s so much easier to smile and joke with my neighbors than confront them with their need of a Savior, but obedience demands surrendering our will to God’s. And if obedience led Jesus to a cruel Cross, it stands to reason we can’t expect to not have our comfort challenged.

If the Bible is true, and I believe it is, the days of coasting to heaven on the coattails of Jesus’ suffering are long past. A commitment to Jesus that doesn’t cost us our life is no commitment at all. Jesus said in Matthew 10:38-39: “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow Me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for Me, you will find it.”

And yes, I’m aware that He’s not demanding we give our life in death, but He is demanding we give our life in living for Him, relentlessly pouring ourselves out day after day so that He might be glorified and honored in and through everything we do, say, or think.

If Jesus isn’t ruling our heart and mind, who is? If our goal each day isn’t to pour ourselves out in His service, for whom are we pouring it out? If our goal is comfort, we’ll be comfortable all the way to the gates of hell! But if our goal is to be obedient to our Master Jesus, we will agonize in our spirit over the ones in our families, friends, neighbors, classmates, co-workers, and others who are headed to a Christless eternity.

There is a very real sense in which until we’re ready to die for Jesus, we aren’t ready to live for Him. We’re to die daily to ourselves, our desires for comfort and ease, our desire to be known and recognized for what a great person we are, or whatever else stands in our way of being all and only for Christ. Sacrifice will inevitably lead to pain and suffering in one form or another, but it’s a very small price to pay for all the Lord Jesus has done for us.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You a Rookie at Heart?

“Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man Jesus is not from God, for He is working on the Sabbath.’ Others said, ‘But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?’ So there was a deep division of opinion among them.” (John 9:16 NLT)

One of the people I most want to meet when I get to heaven is the “star” of John chapter 9. His name isn’t given, so, I only know him as the “blind beggar.” Of course, he isn’t blind now, and won’t be blind in heaven, but he impressed me so much because He was brand new as a Jesus follower, yet he stood toe to toe with the Pro-Pharisees and wouldn’t back down.

You may recall the scene: Jesus and His disciples seem to be passing by this blind man, so the disciples ask Jesus: “Rabbi, why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sin or his parents’ sin?” What’s the implication of their question? “Someone must be responsible for his blindness.” But Jesus, who saw this moment before the beginning of time, turned their attention to the real issue when He said: “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”

What’s happened in your life so the power of God could be seen in you? As seasoned, “veteran” Christ followers we’re all about blame, and far too often we become the victim of our own difficult circumstances. When all else fails, we blame ourselves. And understand, we’re all sinners and each of us has had a hand in where we each now stand, for good or ill, but ultimately, God allows circumstances in our lives to enable us to become willing vessels through whom His Spirit can freely flow.

This young blind man hasn’t simply been pining away feeling sorry for himself. Yes, of course, he’s been begging, but what real option did he have in those days. But the way he stood up to the Pharisees shows he’s got a sharp mind, and sharp minds don’t just happen. Perhaps he engaged learned men who knew the Scriptures, asking them questions, training his mind to reason and to draw logical conclusions.

The Pharisees, because of their blindness, tried to paint a picture of Jesus that didn’t square with this young, formerly blind man. He explained how Jesus healed him, but when these scholarly veterans of the Jewish Faith drew conclusions that were clearly wrong in his mind, he called them on it.

The Pharisees made the mistake of asking this young man his opinion, to which he responded: “I think He must be a prophet.” How would he have known that unless he’s been listening to others speak about the Prophets, or, perhaps, even of Jesus? So, they called in his parents, but when that fizzled out, they said to him: “God should get the glory for this (his healing), because we know this man is a sinner.”

Now, think about this for a second. In that culture, what respectable Jewish person would dare stand up to the Pharisees? Most would have kept quiet or responded with something lame, but not this “rookie!” No, he says what’s been on his mind all along: “I don’t know whether He is a sinner, but I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!”

Would to God that we could all become “rookies at heart” in standing up to anyone who will listen and simply explain: “Once I was blind, but now I see!”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Equipped to Serve

“In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.” (Romans 12:6a NLT)

How has the Lord wired you? What do you love to do? Hate to do? Do you enjoy being around people? Make instant friends? Love crowds – the more the merrier? Or do you prefer to be alone? Do projects on your own? Struggle in crowds, but find security being alone or maybe with a close friend? Are you a nerd? A jock? Love music? Hate to read? Love to dig into things and get to the root of the meaning of a Scripture or put things together with your hands? If you had to describe yourself in ten words or less, what would you say?

One thing to bear in mind, spiritual gifts and natural abilities are two separate things. For example, you may love to teach, but God may not call you to be a teacher of His Word. You may love to lead, but your spiritual gift may not be leadership. You may be outgoing, jovial, and love to be around people, but that may not necessarily reflect your spiritual gift.

So, how do you know what spiritual gift(s) you have? One of the resources that I used early on was a book by C. Peter Wagner entitled: Finding Your Spiritual Gifts. He also wrote: Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow. He lists several gifts and has a questionnaire you can take to get an idea of where your gifts might lie.

Depending on how long you’ve walked with the Lord, what your frame of reference is regarding church background, and other issues, I would recommend that you speak with your Pastor and get their recommendation as to how to pursue what gift or gifts you may or may not have.

Every believer has at least one spiritual gift, but most have more than one. But understand, knowing or having a good idea of what your spiritual gift(s) is/are is only the beginning. Test the proverbial “waters” when it comes to gifts. Don’t allow yourself to be pigeonholed because of your personality.

While it’s helpful to ask others who know you well what they think, it can also allow you to be pushed into an area where you don’t fit, or you just don’t like. Try many things on a volunteer basis. For example, rather than signing up to fill a position for a year, see if you can try it for a few weeks or a month. When it comes to your spiritual gifts, finding something you don’t like can be just as valuable as finding something you love.

Implicit in this whole process is laying yourself before the Lord and asking Him to guide you. No one knows you better or loves you more. Early on I sensed God’s call on my life to serve in full-time ministry, but it took years for me to find my “groove.” Even after retirement I’m continuing to discover ways the Lord can use me that I never considered while working in ministry as a Pastor.

For example, other than sermons, lessons, and things specific to what I “needed” to do, I didn’t take the time to write things like I get to explore in these blog posts. Neither did I have time to be involved in neighborhood ministry like I can now. The point being, regardless of where you are in terms of your age or stage of life, God has equipped you with gifts and abilities that are vital to where you are physically, spiritually, or otherwise.

If you have specific questions about any of this, please let me know. I’m not the proverbial “answer man,” but I may be able to point you in the right direction. I love that you’re reading my blog and I often thank the Lord for you and ask Him to lead you and enable you to sense His holy presence.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Equipped? (Part 2)

“In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” (Romans 12:6-8 NLT)

In yesterday’s post we began to look at how intimately God knows us, even if we haven’t chosen to be a Jesus follower. He knows even before we are born whether we will choose to believe Him and follow Him, because He’s literally with us in every moment of our existence as a human being.

Because He knows what decisions we’ll make, does that mean we don’t have a choice? That He’s assigned us to heaven or hell? Absolutely not! Of all of God’s creation we’re the only species that has free will. Every other species of being is subject to His demands and control, except human beings. He will not force anyone to believe in Him or follow His commands, that’s completely up to us.

Charles Spurgeon put it this way: “Now, beloved, when you hear anyone laughing or jeering at a limited atonement, you may tell him this. General atonement is like a great wide bridge with only half an arch; it does not go across the stream: it only professes to go half way; it does not secure the salvation of anyone.

Now, I had rather put my foot upon a bridge as narrow as Hungerford, which went all the way across, than on a bridge that was as wide as the world, if it did not go all the way across the stream. I am told it is my duty to say that all men have been redeemed, and I am told that there is a Scriptural warrant for it — ‘Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.’ Now, that looks like a very, very great argument indeed on the other side of the question. For instance, look here. ‘The whole world is gone after him’ Did all the world go after Christ? ‘Then all Judea went and were baptized by him in Jordan.’ Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem baptized in Jordan? ‘You are of God, little children,’ and ‘the whole world lies in the wicked one.’ Does ‘the whole world’ there mean everyone?

If so, how was it, then, that there were some who were ‘of God?’ The words ‘world’ and ‘all’ are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture; and it is very rarely that ‘all’ means all people, taken individually. The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts — some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted his redemption to either Jew or Gentile.”

Obviously, that will mean more to some than others, but I’m hopeful Brother Spurgeon makes it abundantly clear that anyone can choose Christ, but not all will. But, for those of us who have, the Lord has equipped us to fulfill the unique role to which He has called us. Which begs the question? Have you yielded your life and allegiance to Jesus?

If you haven’t, that’s the first step. Click on Ron Hutchcraft’s Bridge to God link and get that question resolved. But for those of you who are now walking with the Lord, how has He equipped you? How do you know which direction He’s leading you to serve? Let’s look at that more closely in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Are You Equipped?

“I am the Lord; there is no other God. I have equipped you for battle, though you don’t even know Me, so all the world from east to west will know there is no other God. I am the Lord, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:5 NLT)

This verse from the Prophet Isaiah gives us perspective as we evaluate how God has put us together as His child. Remember, He knew us before He laid the foundation of the earth. Every aspect of His creation was designed with us in mind.

Psalm 139:15-16 says: “You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” These verses can be confusing until we remember that God is ever present.

We ONLY see in this present moment, then have memories of past moments, but for God EVERY moment is present. How does that translate? My roommate in college believed that because God already knew what we were going to do, we didn’t have any choice, but that’s not true.

When I’m present with you, I can tell you what color shirt you have on. How do I know that? Because I’m present with you, so, I know because I can see it with my own eyes. But because I can see it in this moment doesn’t mean I influenced you in any way in the moments I wasn’t with you when you decided to wear that shirt. That was completely your decision.

Because God is ever present and all-knowing He is with us in every moment of our life – past, present, and future. His knowledge doesn’t change the fact that we have free will to make any decision we choose. However, with all of that knowledge that God has about us, He knows each decision we will make, thus, His knowledge of us enables Him to equip us with exactly what we’ll need to be everything He desires us to be whenever we decide to follow Him.

The Holy Spirit calls us, but we have the freedom to accept His invitation to follow the Lord Jesus or not. But once we do answer His call and yield our life and allegiance to King Jesus, then we can be assured that He has equipped us with everything we’ll ever need to be everything He designed and desires for us to be.

Christine Caine wrote: “God has equipped you with everything you need to do what He has called you to do.” He’s done that by giving you the personality you have, the spiritual gifts He’s chosen for you, even the physical, mental, and emotional makeup that you have. Sometimes we wrongly assume that God made a mistake when He made us. Surely He can find someone better suited to do what He’s called us to do, but we’re wrong.

He hand-picked you and me to do exactly what He’s filling, empowering, and calling us to do and be. But how do we know what that is? That’s a great question. Let’s look at that in tomorrow’s post.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Who’s Thirsty?

“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.’” (John 4:13 NLT)

Water is one of life’s essential elements. There are variables, but estimates give us 2-5 days to survive without liquids. The irony is, there are thousands of people all over the world who are well hydrated but are dying of “thirst” every day without Jesus.

Where I live it gets very hot in the Summer, so when someone comes to our house to work outside, usually they will bring water with them, but I always offer. We do things like that as a courtesy, it’s a thoughtful gesture that may make them more open to an invitation to church or to speak with me about Jesus.

Corky Calhoun wrote: “We live in a world of dehydrated people who would rather die of thirst than fully humble themselves, repent of their sin and drink from the well of living water, Jesus Christ.” In light of the number of people who are unhappy it seems many would be open to having a conversation about the Lord Jesus, but too often they don’t make that connection. That’s why we have to make it for them by living contagious lives; lives that are living examples of what it means to be a Jesus follower.

Every day as I walk the streets of my neighborhood, I encounter people who are dying inside. Their faces tell the story of loneliness, heartache, and grief resulting from the trials of life. They’re hungry for life, but they’re searching in all the wrong places. How can we make a difference for them? How can we effectively convey the message that we have an answer for their “thirst?”

Two things I’ve learned about ministry to neighbors: 1. It takes love. If you don’t love your neighbors, you’ll never reach them for the Lord. Love involves thoughtfulness and kindness. When we care about someone, we need to let them know. My love “language,” at least for my neighbors, is prayer.

I met a new neighbor on my walk this morning whose mom is struggling physically. As I was leaving our brief conversation, I let him know I would be praying for his mom. Years ago, someone told me: “If you want someone to love you, love what they love.” It was obvious that this man loved his mom, so, I want to do something loving for his mom, so I pray for her (and for him, of course), not necessarily only that he would love me, but ultimately that he would learn to love Jesus.

There are many other ways to express love to my neighbors. By taking them out for a meal, helping them with a project, expressing interest in their family, by encouraging them to participate in our neighborhood BBQ’s or potlucks, and by inviting them to church, especially at Easter and Christmas.

But secondly, it takes persistence. Neighborhood ministry isn’t a “one and done” process. We moved into our current neighborhood a little over three years ago, and on many levels, I’m just now beginning to see some fruit. A young man I’ve taken out several times for breakfast or lunch has finally agreed to come to church with me for an Easter service. Perhaps he’s finally getting thirsty.

Every Easter and Christmas, among other times whenever the Lord prompts me, I pass out notes and attach an invitation card from my church. The key for me is to not allow the enemy to discourage me. I didn’t respond the first time someone invited me to church, but they were persistent and now it’s been more than six decades since I gave my life to the Savior.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊