On March 26, 2019, British
Airways Flight 3271 took off from London City Airport in route to a
destination. Which destination? Well, that depends on who you ask.
All the passengers had purchased
a ticket to Dusseldorf, Germany, but the pilots, flight crew and air traffic
controllers were operating off of another flight plan. The pleasant jaunt
became tense when the plane landed in Edinburgh, Scotland. The safety of
the passengers and crew was never an issue, they just followed the wrong plan
and ended up at the wrong destination - about 520 miles from where the
passengers expected.
London City Airport apologized
via Twitter stating, “As pleasant as Edinburgh is this time of year, we’re
sorry that passengers traveling to Dusseldorf on BA3271…initially landed in the
Scottish capital.” The plane was refueled and took off again “after the
involuntary stopover in Edinburgh.” **
Such events are reminders that
you can be simultaneously sincere and wrong. When it’s a plane, you can
eventually get to your destination, but what about eternity? Each of us should
be sure we have the right guidance to get us to our destination. Your eternity
is at stake. There is no rerouting once you land in eternity.
Remember the apostle Peter’s
words, “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling
and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”
(2 Peter 1:10)
Are you sure of your final
destination? If so, are you following the right flight path?
From grocery lists, shopping lists and “Honey Do” lists our lives might be full of various lists scattered on sheets of paper in our houses, cars, books, etc. This week, let’s add another one to the list, but let’s call it a “Congregational Family To-Do List.”
Many people use lists to help us stay on track and even remember what we are to do. Let’s use this list as a starting point to reach out to others and strengthen ourselves this week.
Here is your “Congregational Family To-Do List”
Read two chapters of the Bible each day. (grab a Daily Bible Reading Schedule to help)
Apply two things I learned from reading the Bible.
For the past two weeks you have watched both political parties duke it out in the National Spotlight. Watching the volley of this political tennis match is daunting, but necessary to me. I am concerned with the state of our country and the future of my children from a national standpoint. The Bible is clear that we should pray for our leaders and I am sure people are praying every day. Lately, I have been praying for a leader like Josiah. I believe we need more “Josiah Leadership” than a leadership which pleases the masses.
We need Josiah!
“And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, and he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.” (2 Kings 22:2; ESV)
While the beginnings of Josiah may not be known to everyone, it should be known that he became king at 8 years old (2 Kings 22.1). A greater point to Josiah’s legacy should be the Biblical fact that he did what was right in the sight of God. (2 Kings 22:2). He lived in the spiritual heritage of his forefather David (2 Kings 22:2). What a powerful statement of heritage because we know that David was a man after God’s own heart. (Acts 13:22)
We Need Leaders to Stand Like Josiah!
“And the king went up to the house of the LORD, and with him all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the priests and the prophets, all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.” (2 Kings 23:2; ESV)
In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, the book of the Law was found (2 Kings 22:8). Take special notice of Josiah’s emotions when the book of the law was found. (2 Kings 22:11). He knew the history of the nation and how his forefathers were evil in their acts (2 Kings 22:13). As the nation’s leader, He took a stand of dedication to the Lord more than his fathers (2 Kings 23:2-3).
Did you notice that Josiah stood before the people and read the Book of the Covenant? Josiah did; not the priests, not the king’s servants, but the king! We need more leaders reading the Bible instead of talking about the Bible.
We Need a Leader to Stand!
“And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the keepers of the threshold to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel.” (2 Kings 23:4; ESV)
Here is where Josiah stood: The idols to the false gods from the temple were removed (2 Kings 23:4), the false priests that were ordained were put down (2 Kings 23:5), the wooden image was burned (2 Kings 23:6), the booths of perverts were tore down (2 Kings 23:7), Josiah defiled the place of Molech. (2 Kings 23:10), horses dedicated to the sun were removed, and chariots burned. (2 Kings 23:11) and He commanded the people the people to keep the Passover. (2 Kings 23:21)
We Need Leaders Like Josiah!
“Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.” (2 Kings 23:25; ESV)
We need leaders to take a stand on the ultimate code of law and morality – the Bible. The Psalmist understood the power of following God (Psalm 33:12). Our country needs leaders to read and see what the Bible says about life.
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:34; ESV)
The Choice Begins with You!
The choice to build dependable leadership is by building dependable people of morality, conviction and truth. Each of us must make the change in our lives to begin changing the world. Are you making the change?
Will you put away false gods? (Those things taking the place of God)
Will you put away from you those false teachers? (Those teaching what God does not want?
Several years ago I ran across this poem and have found it to be a reminder of how quickly life happens. Let us use today and contact those around us to lift them up and see how we can assist them.
Around the corner I have a friend,
In this great city that has no end;
Yet days go by and weeks rush on,
And before I know it, a year is gone,
And I never see my old friend’s face.
For life is a swift and terrible race.
He knows I like him just as well
As in the days when I rang his bell
And he rang mine. We were younger then,
And now we are busy, tired men:
Tired of playing a foolish game,
Tired of trying to make a name.
“Tomorrow,” I say, “I will call on Jim
just to show that I am thinking of him.”
But tomorrow comes—and tomorrow goes,
And the distance between us grows and grows.
Around the corner!—yet miles away …
“Here’s a telegram, Sir,”… “Jim died today.”
And that’s what we get and deserve in the end:
Around the corner, a vanished friend.
—Charles Hanson Towne
“For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14; ESV)
Schedule Time for Each Other –In the midst of a hurried and mobile society it may seem like an exaggeration to schedule time for your marriage, but consider it for a moment. Many of us are so highly involved in our careers, our children’s school, church activities, coaching sports teams, working out, running and reading we might not have time for our marriages. Well, it is time to make time. Schedule a date night with your spouse or even some time to grab a cup of coffee. Make Time!
Pray for Each Other – You might already do this, but evaluate your prayer life. Stop praying about how God should change your spouse for your benefit and pray that God will change you both for His benefit!
Stop Using the Word “I” – Try an experiment, when you are discussing your marriage, stop using the word “I.” (You may only use the word “I” when you are describing the mistake or fault you have.) Instead of “I” use the word “we”.” This simple change creates an encouragement and unity to build your marriage.
Have a Devotional Together – A devotional does not have to be a theological discussion of the variants of the Greek text; it may be a time where you read a passage and discuss what it means in your relationship.
As I give these tips, I leave out the things I take for granted:
Telling your spouse you love them
Hugging and kissing your spouse
Going to Worship with your spouse
I give these tips in addition to what you do as a couple. Finding time and using that time to grow closer together is a quality many couples talk about, but they are only done when the bottom begins to fall out.
A few years ago, I was asked to speak on a Men’s Retreat and I challenged the men to be…
Men of God
Men of Morals
Men of Leadership
Men of Passion
Men of Responsibility
Today, have things changed form a few short years ago? Not really.
Men are needing to step up more today than they ever have before. In a changing world, men nee to rise to the occasion. Whether it is politically correct or not, men need to stand up.
Christian men are needed today; not just men, but Christian men. Those men who are God fearing, need to stand firm. This firmness must be one based on the morals taught in the Bible.
So, what are Christian men to do? Let me offer a few suggestions…
Biblically Educate Yourself
Hosea 4.6 – “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.”
Deuteronomy 6.4-9 – The education must come at every opportunity.
As men, we are to be the leaders of our family. The pressure is on us. (Ephesians 5.25-34; Ephesians 6.1-2)
It is hard to teach others if we are not Biblically educated.
Shield Your Family
As men, our duty is to get our families to heaven. Imagine what would happen if everyone saved their family? How the church would grow.
Shield your children by teaching (Deuteronomy 6.4-9)
Do we know their friends?
Are we spending time with our children teaching them Biblical values?
Do What is Right
Men, are we choosing our family over football? How much will the football scores matter in eternity?
We must do what is right, even when others are not doing it.
Acts 4.12 – The apostles chose the right way in difficult circumstances.
Love the Brotherhood
1 Peter 2.17 – “Love the brotherhood.”
As men, we lead the brotherhood and to lead, we must love the brotherhood.
We must love those who take the life out of us (loving the unloving).
Regarding our wives, are we just telling them we love them or are we showing them we love them?
God not only told us he loved us, He showed us. (John 3.16)
God said He loved us and SHOWED it.
Do we only tell our wives we love them, or do we show them?
Do we only tell our children we love them, or do we show them?
Support What You Believe
Back up your words with your actions. (Note James 2.14-26)
If you believe in supporting the church, are you doing it? For instance, if we believe in our congregation, are we supporting it financially? Are we supporting it with our time?
What we support is usually what we value?
Our wives and children need to see what we believe by the things we support.
Do you believe in your family? Are you supporting them?
Supporting what we believe will take our time and our finances, but the legacy we will leave is powerful.
Serve Humanity
Jesus called on us to serve, not the government. (Matthew 10.42)
Serve others as you would serve the Lord. (Colossians 3.17)
Involve your children in areas of services. Involving them shows that you are a person of your word. Many times, we talk about serving the world, but our children never see us doing it.
Serve where you have the ability (Ephesians 4.11-16) – Some people have great ability for carpentry and others do not. There are some people you want to deal with an electrical problem and there are some you do not. Figuring out our area of service is a must to serving the people around us.
The adage, “Charity begins at home” can be adapted to “Serving begins at home.”
Pray Daily
This point can never be stressed enough, pray always.
God’s people were people of prayer and we must be so as well.
