Picture a church fellowship meal in the middle of a hard week. Somebody brought three casseroles because she figured somebody else would forget, a man who just lost his job is laughing at the dessert table, and the widow who almost stayed home is getting more hugs than she can count. Nobody announced that this was a ministry, but every person in that room went home a little less thirsty than they came.
Jesus met a thirsty woman at Jacob’s well “about the sixth hour” (John 4.6), which is high noon, so you may as well expect the heat. The diagnosis, the layoff, and the empty chair at Thanksgiving are going to find all of us sooner or later, so get ready now.
Here is the good news. You do not have to face the dry season by yourself, and God never meant for you to try. When the heat comes, most of us reach for a puddle first, whether that is the phone at midnight, the shopping cart, or the “I’m fine” we say at the door. God calls those “broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2.13). A church family is not the spring, because only the Lord is “the fountain of living waters.” What a church family can do is walk you back to the spring when you are too tired to find it on your own. They can help you walk to the Living Water.
The woman of John 4 shows us how it works. Once she drank from the living water Jesus offered, she left her jar and ran into town telling everybody, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did” (John 4.29). One thirsty woman became a guide to water for a whole town.
What can you do this week?
- Pick one person in a dry stretch and call them, write them a card, or save them a seat on Wednesday night.
- Pray with them before you talk about the weather, and when they ask how you made it through your own drought, remind them to drink from the Living Water.
Just some thoughts.
Call it slothfulness, call it inactivity, but call it what it is – laziness.
In chapter one of his letter, James makes it clear, “Be doers of the words, not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1.22) We should remember that James is writing to all his readers, not a select group. James is writing to Christians. His reminder is one of action.
In the second chapter, James says, “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2.17) If we are faithful people, our actions will accompany our faith. Our faith and actions will work together to shine our lights and cause others to ask questions regarding our faith. (See Matthew 5.14-16 and 1 Peter 3.15)
It is the responsibility of all Christians to grow. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James writes that we must be doers. It is not enough to just hear the word, but the second part is to actively begin taking actions upon the words heard.
The Hebrews writer takes a different approach than most in his challenge to his readers in Hebrews 5.11-14 by showing them what happened when they did not grow.
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14)
The early church struggled with this laziness as well. One of the most outstanding verses regarding this principle would cause a huge battle if our world practiced it today, “If a man is not willing to work, let him not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) Those are tough words, but those words combat laziness.
The church needs to rise to the opportunity to share the message that the Almighty God wants active children, not slothful ones.
Just some thoughts,
Last week, we looked at the importance of baptism in Romans 6.1-5. As Romans 6 describes baptism as the action that creates a new life. It is important to remember that Romans is written by the apostle Paul. (Romans 1.1)
Paul was a changed man from the road to Damascus forward. His life before the Damascus Road was steeped in Judaism and the goal of crushing Christianity. His life after the Damascus Road was about the spread of Christianity and its superiority to Judaism.
When Paul spoke of the gospel of Christ, Paul spoke of baptism. In his encounter with the Jewish crowd, Paul recounted his travel on the road to Damascus to the people seeking to kill him. (Acts 21.31) As Paul told them of his conversion account to Christianity, he spoke of the Damascus Road and his discussion with Ananias which lead Paul to baptism. Notice what Ananias told Paul,
And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’ (Acts 22.14-16)
Notice Ananias words. Remember this was the man that Jesus said, “Rise and go into Damascus, and there you till be told, all that is appointed for you to do.” (Acts 22.10; see also Acts 9.6)
When Jesus told Paul to go into Damascus, Ananias told Paul what to do and it included baptism. (See Acts 22.16)
Don’t you think that was important?
Just some thoughts,
In 2018, James Clear’s book called, “Atomic Habits” was released and became best seller. The book was listed as one of Fast Company’s best-selling business books of 2018.
On page 38, James Clear makes the statement, “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” To expound on the point, Dr. Raymond McHenry says, “You may not want to be financially strapped, but overspending demonstrates you’re actually voting for escalating debt. That second helping of dessert probably doesn’t seem significant, but it’s really a vote for weight gain.”
In the same light, when we read or study from God’s word, we are working toward a greater relationship with the Almighty. When we fellowship with the saints, we are working to build a greater relationship with brothers and sisters in Christ. Your attendance at services shows that you are desiring a greater relationship with God and your spiritual family.
If James Clear’s words are true, “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become”, then what type of person receives your vote?
- Do your actions show that you are voting to become a greater person? (Consider Philippians 4.8)
- Do your actions show that you are voting for a greater relationship with your spiritual family? (Consider Hebrews 10.24-25)
- Do your actions show that you are voting for a changed life and a better hope? (Consider 1 Peter 2.9-10)
If your actions were votes, what or who are you voting for this year?
Just some thoughts,
Every week, across our brotherhood, sermons are presented, and Bible classes are taught. During those few hours each week, some people gain more insights than others. While it may be said that we should not come “looking for something”, we should come ready do worship the Almighty. If we have the proper mindset there is still something to be gained from the lessons.
Consider these few questions to see if they can help you “get something” from the lessons:
Why did you come to worship or Bible class?
The way we approach worship will determine our experience and our learning capacity. Ask yourself, “Am I coming to join with the saints and worship God the Father?” Are you coming together with others to praise God or just to “get something” out of the day? If someone comes to worship to find a self-pleasing ritual, then worship will not be God-centered.
What are you putting into the sermon or Bible class?
When you come to the assembled worship or Bible Class time, have you prepared your mind to learn? Our mindset will say much about our ability to learn. Are you opening your Bible and following along, or even taking notes to examine later? The old saying is, “you get out what you put in.” Are you putting effort into learning?
Where was your mind during the sermon or Bible class?
When you are listening are you thinking of how to apply the points of the message in your daily life? Once again, listening goes back to mindset. Are you focusing on the worship of God or things outside of worship?
Just some thoughts,
“You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19.14; ESV)
Most will read over this verse and never pay it much thought, but upon considering the ramifications of this verse, the eternal nature of the Lord is clearly seen in the actions of the obedient.
Consider this, if you curse a deaf person, will he even hear it?
The answer is, “No.”
Leviticus 19.14 is a relationship verse; both our relationship to God as well as our relationship to each other.
Clearly a deaf person will not hear a cursing from your lips, but the Lord will. The Lord will see when you do not respect your fellow man and when you are not doing what is right before Him. Our words regarding others when they are not around is nothing more than a reflection of our hearts.
Our words are a reflection of our relationship with the Lord!
God is clear in His word about how we are to treat others. Gossiping and speaking behind others backs does nothing but fuel the fires of negativity and destroys everything. Yes, I said everything.
Each of us know relationship which have been utterly destroyed because of gossip and backbiting. I am sure some can name families that have split, marriages divided and congregations destroyed over gossip and backstabbing. Even King Solomon knew this when he said, “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases” (Proverbs 26.20; ESV)
Questions for a lifetime:
1. Each day, do you spend more time talking about people or to people?
2. When you pray, do you spend more time praying about others or more time praying for others?
3. Do you spend time tearing people down with gossip or building them up with exhortation?
Remember, a “true friends says nice things behind your back.”
Just some thoughts,
