The Bank of Jesus Christ

I look up to the mountains—
    does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

He will not let you stumble;
    the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
    never slumbers or sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.

The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.  Psalm 121

 

Good people always put more into you than they expect back.  I’m not saying to ask to borrow $20 from them with the expectation to not pay it back.  In fact, I’d argue perhaps you might pay it back with interest much like the parable of talents (see Matthew 25:14-30).  However, these individuals see more in you than at times you see in yourself.  My wife saw something in me when I was ready to give up on school, and she pushed me through when I had little strength.  I liken it to the analogy of a bank.  She invested me believing I could be someone special.  It was more about me than her, and for that, I am forever grateful to her.

Most people invest in others with the expectation of a return.  However, it is not like one expects a direct payback.  Instead, they expect the return on investment to be the joy of seeing you fulfilling your potential.  Those are the people you want to not only surround yourself with but also be like.  Why?  Because like Jesus, they give freely and unconditionally.  Not with strings attached or expectation.  Furthermore, what if you have people in your life fail to support your vision and dreams and yet are in constant need of yours?  As a pastor asked, “Why are you expecting a return from friend who has insufficient funds?” 

We must be willing to put into our relationships the love that God puts into us.  Those who need someone in their corner to believe in them must trust in God to provide for them.  My initial thought about my wife is I might be too reliant on her and how much she invested in me.  That I might fall into a trap that she became ‘God’ to me.  However, the more accurate picture is as David pointed out in the 121^st Psalm God is watching over me so much so that He put her in my life even when I did not know I would need her.  Note the difference is I am not reliant on Loretta for strength.  I am reliant on God for strength for when I am weak, He in His infinite wisdom put someone in my life to build me up.  God worked through her to help me, and she is not God.  She is a constant reminder of just how amazing God is!

Additionally, as followers of Christ we are committed to be people who invest in others.  We can be counted on to give of ourselves toward others as Christ gave to us.  If we look to our relationships based on what we can get, we just are doing relationships wrong.  This is not to say we may need to end a relationship (see 'Toxic Relationships').  But a healthy relationship with Christ means we give all to Him not because of the price He paid on the cross.  We do so simply because we love Him so much!  In the Book of James, it says, “So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” (James 2:17)  Our love for God produces those good deeds that we ‘invest’ in others, which in turn produces good deeds from them they too will invest in others.  In the bank analogy, this is like the Law of Compound Interest, but it grows God’s Kingdom.  Not our personal account.

We serve a God of abundance.  He gives us love, grace, and protection.  If we are to truly grow in our faith, we must give those very things to others for they are gifts to be shared from God.  It is true that we must invest wisely in giving those things, but if we invest, we gain far more than lose.  Let us remember that God invests in us, and then, give freely and wisely to others with the hope they too will invest like we invested in them.  Who invested into you mentally and spiritually that you can give thanks to today?  How can you focus on being more reliant on God for your strength?  Who will you invest those gifts God gave you in?  My prayer is that we are continually investing in the Bank of Jesus Christ.  Amen. 

Lost And Found

 

I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.  You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.  Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.  John 15:1-4

During my workday, I saw a news update that flashed on my phone.  “The Michigan – Ohio State football game has been cancelled,” it read.  Great.  Another thing lost to 2020.  I laughed writing that because when you think of the term 2020, that of course is an optometrist term for perfect vision.  How many of us saw this year coming?  Nonetheless, that news flash was indicative of a year that has been by far the most challenging for me, and I don’t think I would be out of bounds to say it has been equally challenging for you as well.  Whether it be lost quality time with family and friends, lost employment, a lost season for a child, or a lost loved one, we have experienced a level of loss this year that at times might be overwhelming to reflect upon.  Many of us have lost fellowship at church to maintain social distancing guidelines.  I would fall into this category minimizing my contact with others as one of the high at-risk categories to COVID-19.  Yet, I still miss my connections at Sunday services.  It is reasonable to say I may have even lost a bit in my connection with God.  Not in the sense that I am no longer aware of His presence.  Rather, there have been more days where I really must fight to feel that deep connection that once was natural.  With so much loss, one might very well give up hope, but I won’t.  In fact, today I feel stronger even as I know another holiday will be far different from any other.

You see through all that I’ve lost, I have found a lot as well.  Through losing greater connection with friends, I’ve gotten closer to my wife, my youngest daughter, and family as a whole.  I am grateful to my new small group I found this year that I’ve maintained contact with as they have also become my family.  I don’t say church family because being honest, they mean more to me than that.  And while I have struggled at times to connect with God, my awareness of His provisions, protection, love, and grace has grown exponentially.  I shared with someone when asked what I have gained out of this year is that I have found a greater capacity to love than I ever thought I could.  When I said it, I paused not because I questioned it.  It was because I was amazed by it, and that is so awesome about God.  He uses time, space, and situations to grow us in ways we never would on our own.

God never loses focus on our spiritual growth even as we may not at times see Him.  In reading today’s verses, I began to reflect on Jesus’s ability to share His wisdom.  Many of us lost so much this year.  But as we look at the things we lost, yes, there are some we mourn over such as a losing a loved one.  However, if we look at the bigger picture, some of the things we lost were part of God’s pruning of branches that might not help us grow.  Thus, what we might have found is something God intended for us to see.  I think of Isaiah 43:19 where it says, “For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”  Perhaps now is a time for us to see things we would not have seen had we not gone through this challenging season.  A new friend, greater faith in God, or a positive habit forming (my making dinner for family?) might be ‘something new’ God has planned for you at this time.  Some of you may have been deceived that you have lost sight of God.  Understand a couple of things.  First, God knows exactly where you are.  He has never failed you, and knowing that, focus on Him as David did here:

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. (Psalm 94:19)

Second, trust there is something to be gained in all that you have endured thus far.  There are too many verses that underline this, but Paul said it best in Romans:

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  Romans 5:3-5

As we get closer to celebrating the birth of Christ, we realize that is also the sign that the year is over.  For all we have endured in the year of ‘perfect vision,’ it could be easy to dwell on what we lost.  However, I would challenge you to look for all that God has shown you this year.  Look for the new things God has shown you, and then, use them to build your faith toward a stronger relationship with Him.  What strength have you gained from God’s power?  How much favor has He given you in a time of such uncertainty?  Where has He taken your fear of the future and shown you confidence to move forward?  My prayer for you today is to take a different look at what God has placed both on your heart and in your spirit to see what is lost and found.  Amen, and I leave you with these words of Jesus:

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

Pouring In

 

A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.” John 21:17-19

 

Every Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I write about what I am thankful for.  More times than not it is about a person such as my wife or mom.  Other times, I have thanked the people who read our team’s devotions and the encouraging words you all offered me.  After hearing a sermon this past week, I am incredibly encouraged.  Encouraged that God knows and loves us so much.  And of course, I am thankful for that as well.  But there is a group of people who I am especially thankful for this year.  They are the people who helped mold me into the person I am today.  Let us call them people who poured into me all they could to make me who I am.

There were the teachers who saw something in me.  There was the high school principal that knew there was something worthwhile in me that I could not recognize.  There was an owner who saw talent in my abilities to lead others.  And of course, there were people in my current job role who built me up and encouraged me throughout.  This is not to say there were not a slew of family members who supplied their love and knowledge onto me.  They did.  But there are the ones who just saw me as some kid from Detroit and had nothing to gain from helping me yet gave me so much.  I am so incredibly thankful for them today.  They poured into me without any expectation of receiving anything.

God pours in to mold us into the person we become.  I think of the story of Simon Peter.  In a sermon, I was listening to how Jesus chose to go into the boat of Peter, but we miss the part that Jesus had a choice between two boats.  In Luke 5, it says:

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.  He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.  Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.  Luke 5:1-3

He had to know Peter was the one who would help to spread the Gospel, but much like we do not know God’s purpose for us, Peter did not.  Jesus saw something in Peter, and poured out His wisdom, love, and knowledge to him as well as the other Disciples.  But note where we are in today’s verses.  It is Peter, the one who denied Jesus three times yet loved Him more than the others, being asked three times how much he loved Him.  The reason if we think it through is not because Jesus wanted to make sure Peter loved Him because even Peter understood that He already knew that.  The greater rationale led me to believe a couple things.  First, the purpose was to humble Peter’s heart to focus on the task of minding the flock as Jesus was soon to ascend to Heaven.  Second, it was to pour into Peter a high level of confidence to ‘feed the sheep’ and ‘follow Him.’  Peter needed nothing more.  We often will question why God has put us in a situation.  However, as Peter found our question is not, “Why are you asking me this, Lord?”  It is to ask, “How do I follow you, Lord?”

God knows us.  We often spend too much time questioning ourselves and choosing to see only the ugliness that makes us who we are.  We simply forget that God knows everything about us, and no matter what ugliness you see, He still chose you.  On that basis alone, there must be plenty good within us because God does not make mistakes like that.  Let us be thankful for the love God pours out on us daily to see us grow into what He sees fit.  Are you glad God sees something in you?  How can you commit to follow Him closer today?  My prayer is that we are thankful for all God and others have poured into us.  Amen, and hoping your Thanksgiving was wonderful and blessed!

Just Trust

 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

 

Do I trust you?  One of my favorite stories years ago was about a little girl named Starla Chapman, who was once stricken with cancer.  There were two things that brought her joy; God and the Alabama Crimson Tide football team.  On the night before she was to undergo chemotherapy, she uttered these two words to her parents.  Just trust.  She was only three years old, but clearly, she understood there was a higher power involved.  One might ask how could a three-year-old understand God better than others particularly at a time like that.  God after all gave us a wonderful mind for which we can use the process of deduction, put together ideas, be informing, and numerous other things.  With all this, could we be trusted to know what God needs us to know?  Then I remembered what Jesus said about children.  “Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”” (Matthew 18:3) The heart of this verse (become like little children) referred to dependency and trust.

 

Being a servant of God deals with our ability to trust in Him and His word.  One of my favorite bible verses comes from 2 Corinthians 5:7, where Paul says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (KJV) The reason it has always resonated with me is that it explains what many people would not understand.  We choose to believe in God’s existence unequivocally and without question even though we have never physically seen God nor heard Him speak literally to us.  In a world that creates false heroes and imaginary people for relationships, one could certainly understand the world’s skepticism.  This is where our own understanding can be a stumbling block.  Logic would dictate I have not seen Him, thus, how can He exist?  No one has ever come from the grave.  How could Jesus?  We could continue to go down this path of deductive reasoning to ultimately stop to say God cannot exist.

 

But our experiences with God teaches us how real He is for there are so many testimonies as to how He just showed up where no other explanation makes sense.  How many of you have heard these testimonies?  “I was at rock bottom, I had nowhere to go, I was ready to give up,” are among many of the opening stories about where God found someone.  Each of those stories end with, “I have a brand-new life, God brought me home, and now I live for Him.”  There is no doubt that despite what people have said about God, no one can create true life transformation like Him.  None of us can admit to truly understanding that, but deep to our core we know it is true.  It is why when then atheist questions my faith, I simply remind them that God is not just one thing or experience.  He is a lifelong relationship that is a constant.  He is always with me, and as the verse says, “Make your paths straight.”  Ask the drug addict or alcoholic who turned their life to God or the homeless person having found a job and apartment to live at. What about when one needed a miracle, and then God delivered abundantly in their favor.  It is hard to imagine from the outside what God can do, but for those of us who know Him, we accept and submit to Him unconditionally not because of our understanding.  Instead, it is because of how He shows up not only consistently but also without fail

 

Trusting God is as important an aspect of our faith as loving Him.  We often hear loved ones say, “If you love me, you will trust me.”  Many times, that is done to manipulate others, but if you love someone, why would it be necessary for that to be said?  God is faithful to His word, and through our journey of faith, He has proven repeatedly just how committed He is to us.  Why would we have doubts now?  Let us trust Him and be worry free for as Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing,” (Matthew 6:25) Where does God require more trust from you?  What causes you to question God’s faithfulness today?  My prayer is that when we have questions or doubts about our situation, we follow little Starla's example and simply 'Just Trust.'  Amen,

 

Starla’s story: https://www.espn.com/college-football/bowls12/story/_/id/8812751/aj-mccarron-special-bond-starla-chapman-college-football

Relationship Building

 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20 

Do you ever go into a pre-planned conversation and it changes midstream?  Every so often, I will get into a situation where I am focused on a specific discussion, and then right in the middle of it, something changes.  Either the mood shifts, or maybe you hear something that makes you say to yourself, “You know?  Now is probably not the best time for this to be said.”  It could be with a spouse, child, friend, and even coworker.  No matter the person, there is a sense that causes us to shift gears on the fly.  Why is that?  It has to do with the relationship built with that person.  Sure, there are time where we can clearly see it’s a bad time to ask someone to hurry up when they are sobbing.  But other times, we know the other person well enough to gauge the timing of something good to say vs. bad.  When to console instead of being critical.  When to have a lighthearted laugh instead of bringing up a serious conversation.  You are committed to that person’s wellbeing even when they are not directly in your presence.  The deeper it is, the greater all of the above applies.  It’s all about relationship building. 

We should continually check where we are in our relationship with God.  I picked the verses today not because of its focus, which most would know is ‘The Great Commission’ or the end of the book of Matthew.  Today, the view is the culmination of a well-established relationship built between Jesus and His disciples.  They had been through so much together.  There was the beginning where each of them chose to follow Him.  The many miracles witnessed like turning water into wine, watching Gentiles call Him the Messiah, the many healings, and yes, the betrayal and eventual crucifixion all were part of their journey.  There was a lot of joy and pain all in a relative short period of time.  Yet, after the resurrection their bond was stronger than ever.  And Jesus leaves them with the words of, “go and make disciples of all the nations.”  I ask myself when I think of Jesus, do I think of Him just when I need Him?  Kind of like my daughter when she wants the new AirPods?  Or am I laughing when He teaches me something?  Like when my wife shows me she is my better half in a funny way?  You see, when we are only doing God as a ritual and when something is wrong, that may be honoring Him, but it is not a growing and fulfilling relationship.  If you have a dull day and look to God and say, “You know what?  This was pretty bland, but I know better days are ahead.  I am grateful you are with me.  I pray I have done good by you today, and just know I’m thinking of you.”  That does not have a lot to it, but a relationship is not about excitement or fireworks.  It is about showing up each and every day and acknowledging the other’s presence.  While decorum and respect for God is an important part of our relationship, being loving and kind I would argue rates higher because one, they are fruits of the Spirit and two, it comes from a heart for God.  I noted ‘for God’ as Ezekiel 36:26 says, “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” 

God is delighted when we are invested in Him.  Earlier this week, I read about the baptism of Jesus, and how God said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” (Mark 1:11b) While we are not the Son of God, we are God’s children, and He delights in us.  Our journey of faith is a continuous relationship building exercise in understanding why He loves us so much, and in doing so, we find an even greater love for Him, ourselves, and others.  Let us focus on our continual spiritual growth to build a healthy relationship with Jesus just as His disciples did.  Where are you in your relationship with Jesus?  Are you focused on ritual-based or authentic relationship with God?  My prayer is that we do some additional relationship building with Jesus today and beyond.  Amen. 

Meeting Them Where They Are

 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.  Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.  But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.  1 Timothy 1:12-16

 We all have different strengths.  People have told me that I tend to be very good at reading people.  It’s not in the sense of reading someone playing poker as to whether they are bluffing or not.  Instead, I continually work at getting to know someone.  Before you know it, I would become very good at understanding what someone would and would not like.  I trust God to guide my instincts and literally feel what they feel. It explained why some people were willing to share their pains and anxieties to me after an hour what they would not share with their close friends in a couple of years.  I tried to understand that.  Someone said that people see me at their level.  They said if you want someone to trust you, don’t bring them to your level.  Understand them at theirs.  For example, I honestly cannot relate to someone having to worry about where they would sleep at night because that’s not be in my world.  That does not mean I don’t have empathy for them.  Furthermore if I just listen to understand, I can connect it to the last time I was afraid at night or fearful for my life.  Is it the same?  Of course not.  But by listening and just being honest with both them and yourself, you can achieve a level of trust.  That is how you meet them where they are.

The key to having God use you is realizing exactly how far you have travelled with Him.  I read these verses of 1 Timothy over and over again to understand what Paul was trying to convey.  He held Timothy in high regard as a young apprentice, but he also realized he was a spiritual mentor to Timothy.  How would he best guide him?  He took this moment to lower himself to Timothy’s level in today’s verses.  The goal was not for Paul to make himself seem worthless.  Instead, it was to help Timothy understand that anyone could be used by God if their heart was transformed.  Thus by sharing where his journey began, Paul met Timothy at his level.  “I am the worst of them all.  But God had mercy on me,” he said.  This was not only an invitation to Timothy but also all of us.  No matter how far we may have strayed and whether it was a moment, a day, months, or even years, God will patiently wait so eventually His will is done.  We could not possibly know when, and that is not our focus to begin with.  Ours is to prepare for when He will use us and be ready to allow Him to do so.

Understanding servitude to God takes time.  As I mentioned about reading others, it does not happen right away.  But over time, you become attune to what God is looking for.  It will at times require you to look back at where you once were like Paul.  But in seeing just how great God’s mercy is, you too will be able to share your story of transformation with others.  Do not forget the goal is for you to grow spiritually in addition to helping others find a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Not boast of your transformation.  Let us harken to our own journey to humble ourselves and allow others to see they too can serve Him as we now do.  How well do you know your story?  What listening skills are needed for you to understand another’s story.  My prayer is that we are able to trust God’s guidance to help us meet others where they are.  Amen.

A Sacrifice For Others

You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’  But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.  If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.  If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.  Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.  Matthew 5:38-42

From many of my devotions, one would be able to gather that I have a decent sense of the civil rights challenges of the 1960s.  This became a topic this week as the last living speaker at the March on Washington from 1963, John Lewis, died over the weekend.  It was of course a somber moment, but also one to pause and reflect on the great contributions he made.  He was only 23 when he made his speech in Washington, which was a pretty good speech.  In fact, it was a great speech for such a young man, but of course, there was another speaker who would steal the show that day.  However, he would be remembered most of all for being beaten by police in a peaceful march in Selma, AL, but taking a beating was but a small piece of the story.  The beating he took was to him a small sacrifice for what he wanted; freedom for the people of his cause. And once that beating was seen across the world, it would become the catalyst that pushed the Civil Rights Bill to be passed later that year.  Would any of us be willing to take a beating for that?  We serve a God who did more than that as Jesus allowed Himself to be placed on the cross for our sins.  You see we gain far more for giving our lives for others than we would for ourselves.

In serving God, we gain far more serving Him than ourselves.  In reading today’s verses, it talked about not taking vengeance out on those who would do us harm.  But as I looked at it today, it occurred to me that this is not necessarily just about our taking vengeance into our own hands. It’s about realizing God’s plan for our lives.  It’s about the gift of grace that only He can give.  These verses don’t explicitly say it, but it is clear what the intent is.  We cannot find fulfillment in vengeance at all. However if we surrender our will to God and are willing to give rather take in those circumstances, we gain God’s favor, and our hearts become filled with His Spirit.  That explains why we feel so much better when we give rather than receive.  Our willingness to sacrifice for the benefit of others takes on a closer walk with God.  It takes our focus away from others (man) and puts it squarely on Him.  That is something we all aspire to do.

Being able to give our lives to God in all things is the true sense of life living for Him.  Jesus also said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)  There is a reason the old hymnal goes, “Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus.”  He laid it all down for us.  All we offer in return pales in comparison, and while He certainly did not do it with an expectation of something in return, we owe it to Him to not waste the opportunity given by His willful sacrifice.  That is why I am grateful for the sacrifice of a John Lewis.  It is why we should willing give of ourselves to Christ to help those who so desperately need a savior like ours.  Let us show others the love as Jesus has shown us.  Who can you commit to give more of yourself for Him?  What areas of your life could you give more to help others?  My prayer is that we take from the example of others who came before us and give for others. Amen.