Good Shepherd - Strong Shepherd

See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd:
Isaiah 40:10-11a, New International Version

Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.
1 Samual 17:36, New International Version

Yesterday, my focus was on the gentle shepherd. The Lord knows each of us and the degree of care we need. He takes the time to tend to each of us individually for our good. This is the gentle side of His heart. However, there is another side to the Lord as our shepherd. He shepherds us with both power and might.

Initially, we may be fearful of this imagery. In the same scripture, we saw the tender heart of God, what precedes it is the Lord in His mighty power. But here is the point. God's power, might, recompense, and even wrath are not ever directed at His flock. It is reserved for thieves and wolves.

Sure, the Lord will discipline the sheep who wander and He will use His staff to keep us near Him, but He reserves His "mighty arm" to protect us. This is how Jesus puts it: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:10-11). There is nothing Jesus will not do to protect us from the thieves and wolves that seek to harm us.

We not only do not need to fear the shepherd, but we can rest in the peace of knowing that all of His power is directed to protect us. With the "Sovereign Lord who comes in power," we can be assured that we will find ourselves safe in His care.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Good Shepherd - Gentle Shepherd

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:11, New International Version

The verse above has warmed my heart through many seasons. It was spoken to the people of Israel during a time when they were without hope. The entire chapter speaks of God's comfort, power, and restoration. Like so many promises of the bible, it reveals the amazing eternal character of Father God.

As we were reminded this past Sunday, the Lord is a shepherd. A shepherd is one that cares for each of his sheep with a passion to see them be healthy, safe, and prosperous. When we read that He tends us, His flock, like a shepherd, we should immediately come to a place of rest and peace, because we no longer have to control our world. That is His role.

The beautiful imagery of the shepherd gathering the lambs in his arms and carrying them close to his heart may be a revelation for you. I had the blessing of sporadically attending a church as a child that had a stained-glass image of Jesus carrying a lamb right over the altar. I have no idea what the pastor said, but I remember meditating upon that picture over the years and that memory, to this day, brings me peace.

The tenderness of the shepherd is the dominant theme of this verse. He gathers, he carries, he has us close to his heart and he gently leads us. So many people have a picture of God in their minds as a taskmaster or judge. This is a far cry from the image Isaiah gives us. God wants us close. He wants to care for every detail of our lives.

If you have been weighed down by worries, fears, guilt, or shame because you feel that you have failed the Lord or that He expects more from you than you are giving, take a look at the Gentle Shepherd. Let Him gather you and allow you to hear His loving heart. This is His desire for you today.

Love, Pastor Stuart

The Good Shepherd Is My Shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Psalm 23:1-4a, New International Version

This week we look at Jesus, the Good Shepherd. The imagery of a pastor/shepherd is one that should evoke peace, rest, safety, and tranquility. Unfortunately, the emotional life of many Christians is the opposite of this. During this pandemic, many Christ-followers have given into the spirit of fear. The powers of darkness continually use the messages from the world system to take us away from our simple and safe relationship with Jesus.

We can always tell when we have strayed from the care of Jesus. We begin to forget the basics of this song. We forget that He is enough, and He will always provide enough for our well-being. We don't rest but feel that we must continue to strive to survive. We don't take time to be quiet and stay refreshed in our souls. Lastly, we forget that no matter how dark it gets, we never need to move towards fear because... He is with us.

The Good Shepherd, who has laid down His life for us, is the same shepherd who will always sacrifice for us what is needed to keep us near Him. All He desires for us is to listen for Him and to follow Him. Everything else is a mismatch to our relationship with Him.

Though this Psalm is read at many memorial services to remind us of heaven, it was meant to encourage those of us who are living. As we progress in our week, let Him lead you, guide you, and refresh you as you spend time in green pastures. He is with you now. Go ahead and tell Him you are present.

Love, Pastor Stuart

What a Year!

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
James 4:7, New International Version

What a year it has been. We can all probably remember where we were when they told us we were going to lock down for 14 days to "flatten the curve." Well, 365 days later we are still trying to flatten the curve. As I was meditating upon this, the verse above came to mind.

There are many verses on patience in the bible and none of them are immediately appreciated. However, all verses on patience are meant to be a blessing, not a curse. Patience is what the Lord uses to train us and shape us into the image of Jesus.

Imagine Jesus having to wait for 30 years before He could reveal the fulfillment of God's ageless promise. It would be hard for me to keep a secret for that long. Imagine Jesus waiting three years to finish training those who would carry the message of the Kingdom of God and waiting to complete His mission as the sacrificial Lamb. Now imagine Him waiting over 2000 years for you to come fully into His presence someday.

Waiting is one of the chief developers of our spirituality. James reminds us that we are like farmers. We plant and then wait. Our challenge is that we live in a world of "hacks" that try to circumvent the patience process. We want to lose weight, get flat abs, get rich, and get really spiritual all in the promised 14 days to flatten the curve. Let's remember, waiting is part of the promise.

As we come to the weekly Sabbath, remember that the Lord built rest into our life rhythms as a way to teach us patience. Take the day. Whatever is more important than the Sabbath, "It can wait." The promise of His coming stands true. Let's trust Him in our waiting.

Love, Pastor Stuart

The Shepherd's Plan

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10, New International Version

The verse above has been the foundation of my life and ministry from the day Jesus found me. Coming from a broken home, filled with anxiety, and turning to drugs and alcohol, Jesus took the strategy of the devil and replaced it with a life, a purpose, and a message. I praise Him every day that the second part of this verse won out over the first part.

I am sure it is the same for you. If you look back at your life, you are quite aware that Satan had a plan for you. The enemy may have started working on destroying your life by infiltrating your grandparents, parents, or beyond. His overarching plan to steal, kill, and destroy isn't confined to one generation. The warfare is for you and your children, and grandchildren.

The strategy of Satan is always the same, "steal, kill, destroy." He wants to do as much harm to us as he possibly can. We know he targets relationships, our spirituality, and our resolve against our sinful nature. Once he has an opportunity, he will take it as far as he can. Our lives and our world are filled with stories of his victories.

Jesus has another plan for us and it is the opposite of Satan's with a twist. Where Satan destroys, Jesus recreates. Where Satan kills, Jesus brings life. Where Satan steals, Jesus restores. But this is not a one-to-one proposition. When Jesus does His saving, He overcompensates for our losses. The word, He uses is "beyond measure." Jesus longs to give us life that is beyond measure.

No matter what Satan has been able to accomplish in your life, Jesus promises to restore that beyond measure. He is our Good Shepherd. Let's follow Him into the abundant life He offers us.

Have a wonderful day.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Following Strangers

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
John 10:4-5, New International Version

We need to be aware of the voices we listen to. There are so many competing messages and interests that want to capture our attention and beckon us to follow them. In this passage, Jesus reminds us that we are to stay tuned to His voice and flee the voice of the stranger.

Jesus uses the contrast of the "stranger" with the "shepherd" in this passage by telling us three qualities of the shepherd. The first is that the shepherd "brings out his own." There is a tenderness to the term, "his own." As a parent loves and protects their child, so Jesus identifies us as "His own." There is also a "together" component to this. Loving and being loved by Jesus in "the flock" is one of the blessings of being "His own." We can lose His voice when we wander from each other.

The second quality is that the shepherd "goes on ahead of them." Jesus keeps leading us. He is always in front of us to protect us and always advancing into our future as our forerunner or scout. We never have to worry about our direction, safety, or future, because He is going ahead of us.

The third quality is that the shepherd has a distinct voice that the sheep know and follow. We all know the voice of Jesus, because we have answered His call and have been following Him for some time in our life. We may lose track of His voice in the crowd and noise from time to time, but we can always return to His Word, to reconnect with His distinct tone.

These qualities are in contrast to the "stranger" shepherd. This is the voice of Satan. While his voice is smooth and plays into our selfish nature, we know his intentions are always to do us harm in the long run. We must be on our guard to the tinniness of his voice because he likes to imitate the voice of Jesus.

Don't be fooled by the voice of Satan. The voice of Jesus is sweet. He loves us, leads us, and cares for us. He doesn't compromise the moment as a trade-off for our future. The best way to discern His voice is to check in with Him often and let Him speak to you. That way you will never be fooled. When you do not recognize Him, it's time to run away.

Have a wonderful day.

Love, Pastor Stuart

How Safe is Safe?

"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”
John 10:9, New International Version

This week we looked at Jesus as the door or gate to the sheepfold. He uses this metaphor to tell His listeners that He is the entrance to salvation. Any other way into the sheepfold is illegitimate. This is such a powerful statement that the Pharisees could not comprehend what He was saying. Jesus had to tell them three different ways in John 10 to get His point across.

What caught my attention was verse 9. He makes this definitive and exclusive statement. "I am the entryway." That's it. There is no other way. However, along with the declaration comes an invitation. "Whoever enters through me will be saved." Let's take this statement slowly.

"Whoever..." This is an open invitation to everyone. While Jesus is the exclusive way to heaven, the invitation goes out to all people. You can hear the encouragement to come within the words.

"Enters through Me..." We have to come in. Throughout the gospel of John, there are strong words against casual following. Just as we are to "love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, and strength," we are to follow Jesus with a passion. Come in, jump in, follow closely.

"Will be saved..." There is a little asterisk on that word in my bible. The reason for this is that the word, "saved" can have three meanings. I think all of them are fitting and significant for us. The first way we can see being saved is the most complete. We are saved eternally. We are saved from our sins. We are saved.

The second way to translate this word means to be "safe." When we come to Jesus and enter His sheepfold, we are now safe. Safe from the wolves and robbers. Safe from the enemy of our soul. Safe from care. Most people live in a perpetual state of anxiety. We now have drugs, meditation, breathing apps, and "hacks" to keep our anxiety levels from being overwhelming. While I understand these may help, knowing we are safe in Jesus is a good way to take the anxiety level down.

The last way to look at this is to be "rescued." The word saved means that when we come through the gate of Christ, we are now rescued from our sin, self, and Satan's influence over us. He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us to His Holy Kingdom.

A great way to start today, and every day, is to celebrate that we have been saved, we are safe, and we are rescued from the darkness. Take a moment to thank Jesus today for being our gateway to heaven.

Have a wonderful day.

Love, Pastor Stuart

What Do You Know?

He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
John 9:25, New International Version

Near the end of the story of the man born blind that we looked at yesterday, he is questioned again by the Pharisees. It is a great illustration of how different people view Jesus. Some don't know what to think, some diminish who He is (maybe a sinner, prophet, or good teacher), and some receive Him as Lord of their lives. Even today, the world is still confused about who Jesus is.

Everyone must determine for themselves if they will allow their eyes to be opened. Thankfully, we have the truth of the bible and the testimony of other believers to help us understand who He. However, the reality of this man's story and ours is that we know we had an encounter with Jesus.

Most believers feel like they don't have enough "bible knowledge" to lead someone to Christ, These Pharisees had the whole Old Testament memorized but were unable to see that Jesus was the fulfillment of those scriptures. It is not knowledge that one needs, it is an encounter with Jesus. Once you meet Him, all the study and practice simply bring us closer to Him.

I love how this man answers the Pharisees. "One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see!" His knowledge was his experience. In the same way, walking daily with Jesus is the answer to sharing Jesus with others. Everyone is looking to meet the living Jesus who lives in us. Let's continue to pray for opportunities to share His life with others. He will open their eyes.

Have a wonderful day.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Why Did this Happen?

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 9:1-5, New International Version

In John 9, Jesus continues His declaration of being the light of the world with an unusual story. It is the story of a man who has been blind from birth. He has never seen the light and yet he becomes the only one in the crowd to see the Light of the World for who He really is.

The episode begins with a question, "Teacher, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" The disciples had equated this man's challenge of blindness with a punishment from God. We have all probably had that thought at some time. Our reaction to painful experiences must be God punishing us for some sin. Jesus spends a moment to straighten out their theology.

Jesus states that "neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." Every challenging issue that comes into our lives is an opportunity for God to be glorified. As Paul reminds us in Romans 8:28, God is always working out His plans for good in our lives (Romans 8:28). God doesn't tie us to our sins, He sets us free from them.

Then Jesus tells us that we are God's solution to relieve the suffering in the world. "As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming when no man can work." There will always be pain in this world, but that is an opportunity for us, like Jesus, to touch the lives of others with our lives and ministries.

He finishes with this thought: "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." The disciples would now understand their role. We are to do the work of God while we are here, in the name of Jesus. This is our mission and purpose. As Jesus was the light of the world, now we are the light of the world.

Let's look for an opportunity to alleviate the pain of others and serve this world with the grace God has given us. We can always begin with a prayer to see what the Lord is asking of us. From there we simply can join Him in His work.

Have a wonderful day.

Love, Pastor Stuart

The Light of Confidence

The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
Psalm 27:1a, New International Version

David's song in Psalm 27 picks up the theme of the Lord being his light and his salvation. As we have looked in John chapter 8, when Jesus declares Himself as the "light of the world," his light is very much tied to salvation. Those who are "saved" by Jesus have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. (Colossians 1:12-14)

Everyone has had the experience of being afraid in the dark, or at least awkwardly cautious. We neither have the capacity to see what is near us and are without the ability to walk with safety and security. However, once our life is lit with the salvation of the Lord, not only does our fear disappear, we gather confidence in what is in front of us.

The Lord wants us to be able to walk in this kind of confidence. Without the saving grace of Jesus, we are stumbling, lost, and do not have security in this life. WIth Jesus, we find ourselves in His care, knowing that He is taking care of the details of our life.

The darkness we experience from living in this world can be dispelled by Jesus. He wants to "save us" from it by bringing us close to Himself. While we do not know the future, He is already there. When we are hurting because of the brokenness of this world, He will light our hearts to experience His peace. Because He is our light, we never need to be fearful of the dark again.

Love, Pastor Stuart

The Glory of Jesus

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Genesis 1:2-3, NIV

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.
John 1:9-10, NIV

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. Revelation 21:22-23, NIV

Today, I would like us to meditate briefly on Jesus and the role of light as it pertains to Him. As you read the three passages above, are you able to sense the drama that is unfolding in each passage? Jesus, the Light of the world, shining on everybody and everything.

The first act of creation was God declaring light. Just as there is no life without light from a physical standpoint, there is no life from a spiritual standpoint until we receive the light of the gospel. The world was cloaked in darkness without hope until Jesus came into it.

The second passage emphasizes the advent of Jesus as the light of the world in the same way Genesis reveals the advent of light in creation. Jesus came to bring us salvation, the ultimate life-giving grace. Yet, so many will not recognize Him for who He is.

The third passage emphasizes eternity with God. This is our destiny. One day, we will join others in His eternal kingdom that is filled with the glory of God and the shining presence of Jesus. There will be no darkness of sin or separation between us. Wow! What a vision.

We presently live in a time of growing darkness. Jesus is marginalized, and His salvation is missing in the lives of so many. We must pray that the Light of Christ will reveal His salvation to those struggling in the darkness. In the near future, we will be experiencing the light of the Lamb. Let's pray that the Lord will use our prayers, our lives, and our words to include many in that glorious eternity.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Where Can We Go?

From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
John 6:66-69, New International Version

While discussing this analogy of the Bread of Life, Jesus tells the people that they must eat His flesh and drink His blood. Tying the concept of eating bread to eating Him was a real put-off to them. Instead of trying to appease the people and make an explanation of His cannibalistic statements, He tells them, "the one who feeds on me will live because of me (vs. 57).

The disciples, missing the point, said this is a hard thing to accept to which Jesus reminds them that He is speaking about spiritual life, not the natural life. In essence He was saying that you must be "all in" to be a disciple. To this, it states that "many of the disciples turned back, and no longer followed Him."

As He is finishing, Jesus checks in with the twelve disciples, and gives them a chance to opt-out. "You do not want to leave too, do you?" They may have been thinking about their options when Peter says, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

I have contemplated this verse many times in the various seasons of my faith. When I not getting what I want from Jesus, I start to look for "another savior" or to myself (the worst kind of savior). And then I come to my senses. "To whom shall I go?"

When we are challenged, pressed, confused, or depressed about life, the whole point of the story about the Bread of Life is to take in more of Him. Don't run away. Don't go on a hunger strike. Instead, go closer to Him. Eat...Drink...Press in. Let's echo Peter. "To whom shall we go?" Only Jesus.

Love, Pastor Stuart

What Do We Have to Do?

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
John 6:28-29, New International Version

Too often our religious mind tries to comprehend God's all-sufficient grace. It does this by trying to add to it. You see that we are all hard-wired by our sin-nature to want to "do something" to try to be right with God. We want to "make sure," through our own works, that we are right with God.

Grace does not allow this. When Jesus addresses the people in John 6, they have one simple question, "What must we do to do the works God requires." They had been taught all their lives about the 10 commandments and the 613 "laws" in the Old Testament that would need to be followed. They were checking if Jesus had some other "work" for them.

Jesus answered their simple question with a simple answer, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent." This was just too much for them to fathom. How was it that everything they had to "do" could be "done" by trusting in Jesus? Could grace really settle the issue of a right relationship with Father God?

The Christian faith rests upon this truth. There is nothing we can do to meet the requirements of God except trust in Jesus. This again is the essence of the Bread of Life. When we eat physically, we trust that the food will be sufficient to nourish us. When we "eat" of the Bread of Life, we trust that it will be sufficient to save us, bring us into a right relationship with Father God, and keep us for all eternity in His presence.

Don't let anyone ever tell you that you must do anything to be in a relationship with God beyond trusting/believing in Jesus. Every cult has grace and a plus sign. Only true faith is faith in Christ alone. Let's take a moment to celebrate His grace today.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Seeking Jesus for Jesus

He answered, “Why are you looking for me? Is it because you saw miraculous signs? The truth is, you are looking for me because you ate the bread and were satisfied. But earthly food spoils and ruins. So don’t work to get that kind of food. But work to get the food that stays good and gives you eternal life. The Son of Man will give you that food. He is the only one qualified by God the Father to give it to you.”
John 6:26-27, Easy to Read Version

We probably all start our relationship with Jesus for what He adds to our lives. We may come to Him broken and He provides healing. We may be lost, and He shows us the way. We may be seeking to find ourselves and He provides the ultimate purpose for our lives. We may be weighed down in sin and He provides forgiveness and freedom.

While our motives may be about what we can get from Jesus when we first come to Him, our discipleship leads us to greater maturity. This is what these followers were challenged with. Jesus tells them, "You are looking for me because you ate the bread and were satisfied." We can get stuck following Jesus for what He gives us.

Jesus has a greater purpose for us. He says, "Don't work (follow me) to get that kind of food. Work for the food that stays good and gives you eternal life." The life that Jesus wants to give us is not about things, it is about Him. He is the prize. He is the Bread we seek. He becomes what we hunger for.

When we seek Jesus, we get so much more than the things He provides. We get Him. He is the Bread of Life. When we partake of Him our souls are full.

Love, Pastor Stuart

I Am who I Am

Then God said to Moses, “Tell them, ‘I Am Who I Am.’ When you go to the Israelites, tell them, ‘I Am’ sent me to you.” And God said, “Tell the Israelites that you were sent by Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. This will always be my name. It is how I want the people to remember me from now on.
Exodus 3:14-15, The New International Version

This week we began taking a look at the seven "I Ams" of Jesus. There is a specific reason that Jesus used this phrasing. It hearkens back to a familiar statement that every Israelite would know about. It is the language of God expressing Himself as a Lord, Savior, and Deliverer.

Most of you will remember Moses' encounter at the burning bush in Exodus 3. It is here that God reveals His heart to Moses and truly to all of us. "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, an I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land...” (Exodus 3:7-8)

This has always been Father God's plan for us. He wants to deliver us from the bondage of sin and Satan and to deliver us to a life filled with His promises and abundance. There was a problem though. The Israelites did not know Father God. They would be confused as to who "I AM" was.

Thus begins the conversation. "Then Moses said to God, 'But if I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors sent me,’ then the people will ask, ‘What is his name?’ What should I tell them?” 'Then God said to Moses, “Tell them, ‘I Am Who I Am.’ (Exodus 3:13)" This personal name of God, YAHWEH, also became similar to what the word, "Lord" sounds like. In essence, the name became synonymous with "the ultimate authority."

When Jesus used the I AM statements, He was revealing His connection and equality to the Lord of Israel. He was connecting His role as our deliverer, yet expanding it in their understanding. Here is the bottom line: I AM reveals Jesus a the very one that delivered Israel in the Exodus and now was going to ultimately be the deliverer of the world.

As we learn, meditate, and reflect over these next weeks on the "I AM" statements of Jesus, I pray that you will understand that from all eternity, your God has seen you and desired to bring you into a greater relationship with Him. We now know that I AM is Jesus.

Love, Pastor Stuart

The Power of God for Good

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21, The New International Version

The last verse of Romans chapter 12 warns us to be careful of becoming overcome by the evil in our world and in our hearts. I think we can all relate to this, especially in this pandemic season. It is easy to become frustrated and angry wondering sometimes if the evil in the world is going to take over.

The good news is that Paul reminds us of how we, as Christians, can overcome evil. The first step is to not allow it to take hold in our hearts. If we meditate upon the wicked and troublesome circumstances we face instead of meditating upon the Lord's truth and power, our hearts will be overcome. We instead can choose to pray and turn our burdens over to the Lord.

The second step is to fight back and gain victory with God's goodness and grace. We don't fight as the world fights. We present joy, truth, honor, love, peace, and uprightness into the world. Each day, as we see the enemy try to overcome our hearts and inject division and hate into the world, we can come to our heavenly Father and ask for His heart, wisdom, and strategy to inject love back into the world.

What victory shall we see? Will we allow our hearts to be overcome by the evil, or will we strike back with good and godliness? The choice is ours.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Taking it to the Next Level

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Romans 12:19-20, The New International Version

If we didn't allow the word to speak to us from yesterday's verse because we were overcome with emotions from a painful relational experience, Paul takes it to another level. He reminds us to not ever seek revenge. Revenge is worse than paying back evil for evil in that it adds insult to injury. This is our flesh and the devil seeking to disrupt the Kingdom of God.

Paul tells us not to do so for three reasons. The first is that all judgment is to be left in the hands of God. While the government may be able to pursue others to punish them (Romans 14), we are not able to seek revenge. God will take care of it, either in this life or the next.

The second reason for us to not take revenge is that it breaks the Kingdom code of "forgiving as Christ forgives us." We all deserve the punishment of hell for our sins and it is for love and mercy that Jesus came to us. We are to be conformed to the image of Christ in love, grace, and mercy.

The last reason to not seek revenge is that it removes the opportunity to be a blessing to the broken. Only hurting people hurt people. They do it because they have not experienced the love of God and others. Therefore, these are the opportunities for us to shine. "If our enemy...enemy...enemy... is hungry, feed him. We are called to give love in the name of Jesus to those who are least likely to love us back.

Hopefully, our lives are not met with many reasons to exercise this exhortation, but these experiences do come from time to time in everyone's life. Now we know. We can choose to be a blesser even in the worst of circumstances.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Payback

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:17-18, The New International Version

As Paul finishes out his final thoughts on relationships, he gives us some straight talk about handling things when we get hurt by others. He keeps it simple, "Do not... repay anyone..evil for evil." No matter how hurt we are, we must not try to get repayment of the debt by hurting others.

He begins to amplify this statement by telling us to be careful. We are to be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. First, this is in the eyes of God. Second, it is in the eyes of others. Third, it is in our own eyes. As forgiven children, we always hold, forgiveness, mercy, and blessing for others.

He then takes it one more level. "If it is possible...as far as it depends on you...live at peace with all men." The peace that we long for in all of our relationships is largely dependent upon our actions. Will we be Christlike or will we allow our flesh to direct our heart? Living at peace with all people is a choice we make.

There will be times when we get hurt and more times that people will not acknowledge the pain they inflict upon us. Of course, we will address it if it’s possible, but we are instructed to not allow it to heap up. Instead, we can set our debtors free. This is what Jesus did for us.

Let's make sure that we bless the Lord by extending His blessing, mercy, and grace to the other sinners in the world. That will keep us and other sinners humbly thankful for the way he has forgiven us too.

Have a wonderful day.

Love, Pastor Stuart

Tackling Pride

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited..
Romans 12:14-16, The New International Version

The last part of this relationship encouragement is a warning to check what is coming out of our own hearts. Paul gives us a list of three internal checks. He says, "Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited."

When we relate to others, the first thing we want to check is our pride. The word Paul uses means someone trying to get honor. Are we trying to prove our worth through our words? Are we trying to impress others? Our relationships are based on mutual love, not upon who we are trying to be. When we are content to be a child of God, there is no room for pride.

The second check is being willing to associate with people of low position. This is not simply an economic issue, it is an issue of the soul. This world is intent on dividing and differentiating based upon a variety of hierarchies. Economic, race, talents, appearances, etc. Christian relationships have no competition in them. They only have service. The question we ask is "how can I serve others?"

The third check has to do with the conversation of our heart as it relates to others. To not be conceited means to stop having internal conversations that need to rise above others or put others lower to be important to ourselves. It is the internal blindness that comes from pride. If you are not experiencing the overwhelming value of others when you are relating to them, conceit may be gripping your soul.

These words are convicting because we all can be subject to selfishness in relationships. As always, the Christian disciple is looking for the Holy Spirit's conviction in our relationships so we can be a greater blessing to others. That is our aim and the way for us to honor God.

Have a great day!

Love, Pastor Stuart

Coming Together in Jesus

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Romans 12:14-16, The New International Version

"Live in harmony with one another" Sounds easy enough while you are reading your bible, but when we begin to engage in our relationships throughout the day and things tend to start breaking down. The question that comes to our minds as we read this is, "how?" How can we live in harmony or as many translations say, "with one mind?" Let's see if we can answer this.

We do not have the ability to control anyone but ourselves. Our goal is not control, but a life that "harmonizes" with others. Like a song with three-part harmony, we listen to what the Lord is singing, find our own voice, and pray the third part (person) will come together.

Our role is to harmonize with Jesus and work at helping others find their voice. But what if they are singing out of tune? Love them. Forgive them. Serve them. What if they refuse to harmonize with you? We do our best to harmonize with them.

I am not talking about compromising our values or integrity. We are not called to "make nice." However, I know that we are called to be the difference makers. When we listen to others and seek to understand them first, we can then find ourselves coming together in the Lord.

Have a great day!

Love, Pastor Stuart