Simple Thoughts

Students graduating. Couples getting married. Babies being born. New beginnings. Exciting possibilities. Great expectations. What advice do we give them? Follow your heart. Pursue your dreams. Go for it. Nice words. Spoken from the heart. But let’s be real, too. Life is hard. Sometimes plans A,B, and C don’t work out. Work hard for a company and suddenly they let you go. We work hard, strive to do our best everyday. Toiling, raising a family, pursuing the American dream. It is hard. Exhausting.

What does King Solomon say in Ecclesiastes 1:2 ““Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” (NKJV) The NIV uses the word “meaningless” instead of vanity. ““Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

Life is meaningless, vanity, futile… unless you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Working for Him. Giving Him the glory. Thanking Him for all your blessings. Seeking His wisdom. Our life is but a vapor. Are we trying to collect the most material possessions, have the most followers on social media, be popular? Or, while we are here on earth, seek meaning beyond what we can see, feel, touch? As Psalm 119:37 says, let us “Turn my (our) eyes from worthless things, and give me(us) life through your word.”

And as King Solomon summed it up in Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

For those of us old enough to remember pulling up to the gas station, being waited on by an attendant and saying, “Fill up, please.” Cars, people all need a fill up. Gas, water, food. Yes, physical needs. But ask yourself, ” How is your spiritual well being?” Are you in need of being filled? Yes please! Dig into God’s word. Be reminded of his promises. Be steadfast in your prayer life. Walk according to the Spirit’s leading. God dependance each and every day.

I used to find it hard to understand why Elijah was afraid, in fear of his life after God’s great demonstration and power the day before ( 1 Kings 18:20-40). I get it now. As a human, I am weak. If I walk under my own power, I tire. I worry. I fear. But when I am in the word, being filled, encouraged, reminded, it is God’s power working in me to face each new day. So, yes please! Fill me up, Lord. More of You and less of me!

“Each day I pray for God to fill me anew as I spend time with Him.” (Rebecca Manley Pippert)

Junior High. Going off to basketball camp. Goofing off, throwing rocks. Breaking a window. Terrified of disappointing my dad. I don’t say anything. Until… a repair bill arrives in the mail months later. Then I pour out the whole story. Pay my parents for the repair from my paper route money.

As adults, we too, face problems, trials, difficulties. How do we deal with the financial struggles, the health issues, relationship difficulties? Focusing on God, our Creator, is where I begin. Then, I open up His word and am reminded of His promises. Filling my mind, my heart, my lips with His truths. Singing praises to Him in my struggles. Not in my own strength or power. But His. “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). He already knows my struggles. God wants me to humbly submit to His authority, His will. To walk in faith and obedience according to His word.

“We are created to be God-dependent, not self-sufficient…But recognizing our inadequacy and dependence on God isn’t shameful, it is what sets us free… Being creatures who love, obey and depend upon God without shame is glorious.” (Rebecca Manley Pippert)

We have Palm Sunday, celebrating the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We have Easter Sunday, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. And now, we have a new Sunday upon us. Are we back to an ordinary Sunday, back to our old routines? Or, did the last two Sundays change our view of Jesus?  Through our church attendance and scriptural readings, was our heart awakened to Jesus, our Savior? Over the course of the past two weeks did we question our faith? Did we look into God’s word to seek evidence of the events of the final days of Jesus’ life here on earth? Have we taken stock of our heart condition, examined closely to see that we belong to the faith? Or have we come to a brand new realization that what I once thought true I now see with eyes of faith? I believe Jesus is the son of God. I believe He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death for me. I believe He rose again on the third day and is seated at the right hand of God. I believe that I am a sinner and there is no good enough in me to warrant my entrance into heaven. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as Savior and Lord of my life. This Sunday I want everyone to know of my change: change of heart, change of direction, change in my eternal destination. Praise God! This is no ordinary Sunday! It is a new beginning. A new walk of faith.

Acts 4:10-12 “ let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. ¹¹ This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ ¹² Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Who are you today on this Good Friday? Are you one of the women named Mary who stand at the cross of Jesus? Or are you a Peter that when asked if you are a follower of Jesus, you say no or give a non-answer? Maybe you are a bold follower like Joseph of Arimathea who asked for the body of Jesus from Pilate? Perhaps you are a nay-sayer?

On this Good Friday, as we re-read the gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion, may we examine our own hearts, confess sin, and prayerfully come to Jesus. Maybe you need to recommit your life to Jesus after wandering astray. Or you are already a faithful follower and you desire to continue to grow and mature in your faith so you may encourage and teach others. If you have never known Jesus as Savior and Lord of your life, today may be the day.

Jesus’ death on the cross is not the end. Praise God Sunday, Resurrection Day, is coming!

Gospel accounts: Matthew 26-28; Mark 14-15; Luke 22-23; John 18-20

Why does it do that? Where does it go? What is that? Why? Where? How? When? What? The endless questions of a toddler. They are searching, questioning, discovering, learning. Curious of the world around them. Trying to make sense of it all.

As adults, aren’t we doing the same? Working, going to school, interning, reading, questioning, watching. What do I want to be? Can I turn my passion into a business venture? What is the purpose in my life? Of course, our questions are much deeper than that of a toddler. We are looking for meaning. Seeking truth. Pursuing.

King Solomon had it all. Wives. Children. Riches. Wisdom. Chariots. Horses. A large kingdom to rule over. To the average Joe, he had it all. What could possibly be missing from his life? God! In the beginning of his reign, he sought God. And “Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the Lord his God was with him and made him very powerful.” (2 Chron 1:1) He was successful in all he did. But when it came right down to it, at the end of his life, King Solomon wrote these words, “Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.” (Etc 12:13) The meaning of life was not in stuff. Not in accomplishments. The meaning of life was found in his relationship with God. Our meaning in life is found in a saving relationship with Jesus. Ask yourself, “Do I have a relationship with the Son of God?” “Do I pursue Jesus best, placing Him first in my life?”

“We will never spend our time more valuably than in the pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ.” (Beth Moore)

You didn’t make the cheer squad. You went to sit at a table with friends and they quickly called over to others to fill the seats. Rejected. Alone. Hurt. God develops in you other talents. Sends new friends. Your heart mends. How many of us have had to deal with rejection? In today’s world, with many technological advances, scientific discoveries, people become enamored with knowledge. With those of us living under a biblical worldview, however, our faith in God, our beliefs can be rejected by those who want to live according to their own truths. Do not be discouraged, friend. They are not rejecting you, they are rejecting God. As God told Samuel, “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me not you.”(1 Samuel 8:7 NLT) Samuel was old and the last judge. The nation of Israel, instead of looking to God, looked around at other nations and desired to be ruled like them.

Today, is it not the same? Instead of turning in faith to God, to serve Him, let Him be Lord of our lives, people seek to do their own will, their own way. As they please. Dear Christian, do not be discouraged. They are not rejecting you, but God. Continue to dig deep in His Word, worship, pray. Let your light continue to shine in a darkened world, desperate for Light! Be encouraged by these words in Hebrews 13:15 “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.”

Sitting on my porch. Feeling the breeze. Watching the trees sway. It is a changing wind. Warm today. Stormy tomorrow. We know the old saying for March: “In like a lion, out like a lamb.”

In our daily life, we experience winds of change. Maybe God has brought a new relationship into your life. Or a health change. Or a career change. But what does not change, or Who does not change, I should say, is God. Regardless of what we are going through, we know God is there with us. He is our Rock. He is our sure foundation. His promises are true. When He says in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” believe this. As John MacArthur interprets, “There is absolutely no way whatsoever that I will ever, ever leave you!”

Television ads. Yard signs. Email. Texts. Snail mail. Your senses have been under attack. Watching the news. Listening to podcasts. Reading up on current issues. Not only was it hard to keep up with, it was exhausting. If I am being honest, I was distracted. During this past election cycle, I took my eyes off God and my daily time with Him. I lost focus. My mission, the Great Commission, did not seem as great, as urgent. Upon being convicted of this, I confessed my sin to God. For putting other things, people above Him.

As a Christian, I am to hunger and thirst after righteousness. I need to be sharing God’s word with loved ones. Sending texts and emails proclaiming the greatest victory ever to take place on planet Earth. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news we all need to hear, share, accept, believe with our whole heart.

As I reevaluate what I spend my time watching, reading and listening to, let me “hunger and thirst for righteousness for they (me, you) shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5: 6)

Psalm 42:1-2a “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God.”

“And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord…” Judges 2:11

The nation of Israel, in the time of Judges, was a mess. Giving in to the gods of the surrounding nations. Disregarding ALL God had done for them.

As Christians today redeemed by the blood of Jesus, have you, we, me, disregarded ALL God has done for you, us? Are you walking after the gods of this world, having left your first love? If so, call out to Jesus in your distress, repent and return to Him. As King David declares, “He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what He has done and be amazed! They will put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:2-3

Will you let Jesus lift you out of the pit? Will you allow Him to place your feet on solid ground? Will you sing a new song, with a new heart and a new desire, giving Him all your praise? If so, put your trust in the Lord today.