Small Acts of Grace

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”   – 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

“I’m good enough, I’m smart enough and doggone it, people like me” – Al Franken  (aka. Stuart Smalley), SNL 1991

This quote came from a Saturday Night Live skit back in the 90’s called Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley.  It was trivial, simple and meaningless, but people grabbed ahold of it and it carried on for years.  The need for affirmations in our life is an inherent characteristic in all of us.  Most of us lack the confidence in our own abilities and draw upon the encouragement and affirmations of others to give use strength in our lives. 

I’m reminded of a story about a beggar selling pencils from a small tin cup for 25c and a successful banker.  Every day the banker would pass by the beggar and drop a dollar into his cup, and take a pencil.  He would nod and simply state, “Pleasure doing business with you.”  One day the banker came to work and the beggar wasn’t on the street in his normal spot.  The next day and the next the same.  Eventually the banker forgot about the beggar.  One day when the banker walked into a public building nearby, he saw the beggar running his own concession stand, selling newspapers and gum.  He walked over to by a newspaper from his old acquaintance.  The beggar straightened up and thanked the banker, “I always hoped you would come by.  When I was a beggar you always reminded me that I was doing business, and it changed my thinking and helped me actually start this small business.  I want to say thank you for helping me.” 

We all have the ability to use our life as a light to others or as a burden.  We can choose to be positive in our interaction with those we meet or to be critical and negative.  Small tokens/words of encouragement go a long way in helping to shape and change the minds of those who are struggling in life.  Do not let moments slip by when you have the opportunity to provide grace and love to another, whether they deserve it or not.  Every day you awake is a new opportunity the Lord has provided for you to influence and change the lives of those you come in contact with.  You don’t have to solve their problems, you simply have to give them hope and encourage them to press on.  It’s your choice how you are going to use the day He has given you.  It is not to be wasted.  As God has encouraged you and provided you grace for the day, so in turn share it with others.

The Blind Still See

 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."- 2 Corinthians 4:18 

 

Stop, right where you are, take a visual inventory of your surroundings.  Look at all of the different colors, objects, depth, sharpness, and brightness.  Of all of the things you are looking at, what is unknown?  Most likely, you are familiar with all of your surrounding elements.  Eyes and ears are the primary input for your brain, for your thinking and decision making.  You see, you hear, you analyze, you decide.  These God given senses are so important in our day to day life.   

Now, close your eyes, and visualize what you were just looking at.  You can still see those things because your brain has built a graphical image of everything you looked at.  It’s an amazing interaction across your neurons and synapses.  Your eyes are made up of over 130 million cells that are uniquely designed to capture information and communicate to your brain.  This was not done by accident, or co-incidence, it was by design when God created you. 

With your eyes open, tell me how many what the wind looks like?  What does oxygen look like?  How about natural gas or propane?  You can’t see these elements, you can see the result of them, but you can’t see the actual element.  What color are the radio and cellular waves that are transmitting all around you?  You realize that there are waves of multiple frequencies around you at all times - 5G, Bluetooth, Cellular, Radio, and Sound waves are not visible to the human eye, but we know they exist. 

So, you realize that there are things that you cannot see, but you know they exist.  This is also true in the spirit world.  You are comprised of a flesh body, bones, and organs, as well as a spirit filled soul.  This spirit is invisible to sight, but as real as your external body.  This soul is eternal by design.  Your body will die, your heart, brain, and organs will stop working, your flesh will decay in a grave one day.  It is a destination that we all must endure at some point.  At that point though, your soul moves into an eternal state of being.  Your soul carries on into eternity with the Father, or absent from the Father, based on your choice in this world.   

Hell is a very real eternal destination for those without Jesus Christ.  It is not about the pain and suffering within your finite fleshly body, but the eternal suffering of your soul in a constant state of anguish and longing for the love of the Father.  You can’t see it (eternity), but you can know about the two different destinations, based on scriptures.  We know that eternity with God is filled with love, peace, joy, praise and worship; and we know that eternity without God is filled with pain, suffering, gnashing of teeth, wailing, and endless sulfur and ash.  You have free will to choose your destination, and it is the most important decision in your entire life. 

There are spiritual warfare going on all around you.  You don’t see it, but I can assure you with the state of society, the war is very active.  Let us focus on the Word, and our relationship with Jesus Christ to stand against the evil at the door. 

More than Just a Number

"You believe there is one God. Good! But the demons believe, too! And they shake with fear. ”
- James 2:19

If you walked down the street in any metropolitan city today and asked the very basic question:
"Do you believe in God?"
What percent of the people would respond with an answer of Yes?

Would you expect 80%, what about 75%, or 50%?
In 2020 statistics from Barna Research in a global study indicated that 32% of all those surveyed indicated they did not believe in God. This means that 68% would answer yes to the above question. Is this higher than you thought?  This is down from 80% in 2009 with the increase in personal devices, social media, and institutional influences on the youth and young adults.

With the majority of people believing in God (albeit their version of God), why does the moral fabric of our world continue to spiral downward? James summarizes it very clearly in his scriptures - even the demons believe, and even they shudder in fear of the Lord. It comes down to what those of us who believe are doing with the faith we have in God. How do people realize that you are a believer? Do your actions represent your beliefs? There are those who believe in God, yet have no fear or concern of the consequences of their actions.  There are those who say they believe in God but have no fruit in their actions; there is no evidence.  

The decline of our moral fabric and unrighteousness we see continues to propagate throughout the world, despite such a large percentage of individuals who recognize there is a God. Consider that Satan believes in God, yet continues to fill the minds of individuals on this earth with the notion that God isn't the One in control - we are. He fills our mind with selfishness, pride, arrogance, lust, and addictions (to money, power, food, sex, drugs, alcohol, work, . . . ). His intent is to create uncertainty in the eyes of God's children, and an independence away from God.  He knows all too well that he can defeat you and me when we stand by ourselves. Yet, when we are in the Word and living with and for God, his task is unsuccessful.

Verse 20, states "..faith without works is useless." If there are 68% that believe in God, how does the truth of God come through? Your actions, when led by the spirit, will represent to the world who God is. This is what differentiates your faith from others. We must live by faith, a faith rooted in Jesus Christ through listening and following His examples and teachings. Then share that with the world through our daily walk, actions, and love.  Do not become part of the next statistical analysis.  Stay strong in your walk with Christ, and help others come to understand His love, peace, and grace as well.  

Watch Your Tongue

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” – James 1:19-21

Very seldom do any of us go from joy to anger quickly.  You can normally feel it building, sense that the emotions are slipping down the hill of control.  It’s often times little things, the things that happen to us over a period of time that cause the volcanic eruption of anger and in many cases words that we wish we could take back.  That’s just it though, once those words leave your mouth and fall upon the ears of those around you, the impact has been made.  And like toothpaste, it can't be put back.  Then, others will fire back with a volley of their own which only insights further degradation and stimulates the beast within to engage even more in the battle.  Before you know it, you are in a full-out war of words, and the anger is out of control.

You and I both know that these outbursts demonstrate a lack of control and should be avoided.  We fully comprehend the destructive nature of losing our tempers, yet how often do you find yourself regaining your composure before the damage is done?

Peace, love, and humility come from the Lord.  These are not characteristics that are of the world, but of God.  Inherent in each of us from the moment of our conception is the love from heaven and the peace of God Himself.  From birth, we begin a slow decline into the ways of the world, which can only lead us to unrighteousness, pain, and suffering.  We can watch the slippery slope of tolerance over the last 20 years through our acceptance of perversion, crude and lewd behavior, lack of respect for others, and the selfishness that has become our human race.  We’ve stood on the sidelines and watched as the media, movies, television, and the internet have invaded our homes with disgusting filth, language, and immoral behavior.  We have accepted it as freedom of speech and allowed it to become commonplace.  Who’s taking a stand against the onslaught and manipulation of our minds?

I hope it’s you.  I hope as God-fearing, loving Christians, we are all taking a stand for truth and justice.  The Holy Spirit dwells within you and is in a constant battle for your awareness. It’s not a battle with Satan, though; it’s your own mind.  Your mind is filled with whatever those with the microphone want you to believe.  Most of us are too busy to question or challenge the injustice in this world, and so we tolerate it and move on with our busyness.  These messages, these images, these words, and these lies are filling your mind and heart and challenging the very nature of the spirit the Lord has placed inside of you.  You know right from wrong, good from evil, and what unrighteousness looks like; yet we continually allow it to push God aside for the sake of our own interests. 

James is telling us, from 2000 years ago, to focus on God’s word, the Holy Spirit, and find the peace, love, and righteousness that can only come from above.  You will not find it from one another, from the media, or the internet.  It comes from the word of God and the relationship you have with the Father.

Follow Me

 “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” – Mark 8:34

  

What a powerful scripture verse in the New Testament. It seems so easy to be a committed Christian when life is good, but I've come to realize that the cross becomes much heavier to carry when I am faced with trials in my life. I assume you're a lot like me and struggle when the times get tough. As it would have it though these are the times we should be looking more toward God for answers and help in our situations. 

This scripture calls out three things: 
      1.   Deny yourself
      2.   Take up your cross
      3.   Follow Christ

It takes a focus in all 3 of these areas to walk with Christ. So what does each mean.
Deny yourself - put aside your desires, your plans, your worries and your sinful lusts. Seems simple when you read the words, but putting them into action takes a consistent effort and watchful eye. Do you have it in you? Are you able to turn away from your current lifestyle, ownership and control and pursue His plan for you?

Take up your cross - This is certainly not intended in a literal manner, so we must look deeper to understand what is meant by the phrase in question. The cross symbolizes pain, anguish and most importantly death.  In the 1st century AD the cross had one meaning - the criminals would bear the weight of the cross and be hung on it.  So now rethink the meaning of the phrase ... willing to die for the name of Christ.  Wow, that seems extreme.  But be honest, would you be willing?  This is reality in several countries around the globe even today (Pakistan, Ecuador, Nigeria, Somalia, Indonesia, Ethiopia to name a few)

Follow Christ - There is a huge cost to do this. Have you thought about that? Are you willing to lose your family relationships over this decision?  What about your job, your reputation, your closest friends or your financial stability?  For to follow Christ in a non-superficial manner takes more than lip service it takes action.  Many times this decision will contradict comfortable areas of your life and you will be forced to choose. 

Now you see why this is such a powerful verse. The disciples that were walking with Christ and heard these words from His very mouth struggled to live up to this edict. How therefore are we expected too? We need to have a full comprehension of the depth of this commitment, but realize that these requirements can only be met through a full trusting, faith filled, and dependent reliance on Jesus Christ to carry you. It cannot be done without Him. 

The Greatest Gift

 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” – 1 John 3:16

His little eyes were brown as they looked up at the doctor.  He wasn’t afraid anymore, because he knew in his heart that he would be holding Jesus hand very soon.  The accident had occurred earlier in the day and small town of less than a thousand people all knew of the dire situation within a few hours.  The man involved in the accident was in critical condition, and the doctors and ER staff were doing all they could to, but it wasn’t looking promising.  People began gathering at the hospital to provide moral support, and as the young family pulled into the parking lot, a line was wrapping around the building.  As they walked toward the building, the young boy asked the simple question, “What are y’all doing in that line?”  One elderly woman in line said matter-of-factly, “Why, we’re giving blood to save Mr. Stanton.”  The boy proceeded to the end of the line, which made his parents proud, so they followed and stood with him.

The doctor was walking down the line of people standing there, asking a few questions of each person, and one by one, they were all leaving the line.  Finally, he came to the boy.  Looking up at the parents, he asked, “Do you know what his blood type is?”  The mother answered, “It’s ‘O’ negative.”  This got an optimistic response from the doctor, who replied, “He’s the only one in this whole line with O negative, and that’s exactly what we need.”  The mother looked at her boy, the doctor looked at him as well, and asked, “Do you want to give blood to save Mr. Stanton?”  Without a moment of hesitation the boy looked up to the doctor and said “Yes”  Then he looked to his Mom and Dad, and with a small tear on his cheek he handed them his stuffed giraffe and said, “Mom – give this to Betsy when she’s older, and tell her I love her and I’ll see her in heaven.”  To which the mother broke down in tears and hugged her small boy, while the dad and doctor stood there amazed at this young boy’s compassion and willingness to die for another person to live.  They calmly explained to the boy that he wouldn’t die, but it was just a procedure to take a little bit of blood from him and give it to Mr. Stanton.

Jesus Christ, when asked to take on the sins of the world and die for these sins, said to the Father – “Yes, I will die for them.”  With unbelievable and profound love for people he had never even met, He took upon Himself the sins of all mankind and became our sacrifice.  Let this story be an example for you to hold onto as you consider just how much God loves you.

Our Hope Lies in a Savior

"O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" - Isaiah 25:1

The battle is 2000 years old.  The players have changed, but the contest has not.  One side will claim that the other is close-minded, while they rest upon their own laurels without a full investigation of the truth.  From the very lips and actions of one of the most revered missionaries of all time, Saul of Tarsus (Paul the Apostle), to the Jewish religious leaders of the 1st century AD, to the Roman Empire through the 4th century AD, and from Islam from the 7th century on, the Christian church has suffered persecution, torture, and even death.  Through the years, other religions have come along.  Some sustained time, others did not; some denying the very existence of this man Jesus Christ, others acknowledging him as a great prophet or kindly man, but denying His deity.   The question(s) have never really changed: “Prove that He lived”; “Prove that He was born of a virgin”; “Prove that He died, rose again, and ascended to heaven”; “Prove that He is the Messiah foretold in the Prophecies.”

Many have now resorted to disputing the very existence of God at all, and thereby deducing that there is no Son of God.  Atheism is defined as the rejection of belief in deities.  The first known acknowledgement of atheism came in the late 16th century.  It actually has some scriptural reference as far back as 62 AD, by Paul in his letters to the Ephesians (2:12), where he clearly calls out those who believe that there is no God within the world. It’s evident that even in the days of Jesus followers in Colosse, Ephesus, and Corinth, there were those who also believed in a world without God.

So, for all of these years, the growth of Christianity has spread into countries all around the globe.  People of every race, creed, culture, and economic class are following this One called Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives.  What is it that ties all of these believers, including myself, together?  The stories of Jesus paint a picture of a loving God, a compassionate lover of the oppressed and helper of the weak.  A miracle maker who could turn water into wine, raise the dead, heal the lame, and even forgive sins.  The scriptures tell of His glory, His demeanor, and His mercies.  His wisdom is evidenced through His teachings and knowledge of the scriptures and customs of the time, well before He was mature.  He wasn’t educated in the Universities like the Sadducees and Pharisees, nor was he skilled in money collection like those who worked for Rome.  His knowledge was far superior and came from somewhere beyond human capabilities.  This is the man Jesus Christ that the scriptures tell us about.  So to deny Jesus Christ means two things: A) the person has no belief that the scriptures are true, and B) the person has no ability for faith in things unseen/unproven.

Some are looking for facts, proof of this man’s existence and position in God’s Kingdom.  Yet, to what benefit is there in proving these things?  Christianity is a monotheism, indicating that there is one and only one way to God the Father, and that is through Jesus Christ the Son, as stated plainly in the scriptures in John 14:6.  What is required then is to have faith in something that you cannot see, and hope in something beyond our understanding.  People continue to look for proof though; – the Shroud of Turin, the tomb of Mary, or Veronica’s veil as examples.  These people are seeking verification that A) their heart is not lying to them; and B) substantiation that their hope is well-founded.

By nature, we are constantly looking to solve life’s mysteries so we can check that box and move on.  I think there are those in life who would like to put a checkmark in the salvation box and then get on with living their life unchanged, unmotivated to pursue righteousness and satisfied that they would still receive heaven in the end.  This is not following the Savior and Lord of our lives.  Faith and Hope are often tied together as basic tenets of Christianity along with love, because they are beyond our perception and physical acceptance.  Hope is essential.  It keeps us focused on the end game.  It gives us reason to wake up and live one more day to fulfill God’s plan for that day.  Faith is essential.  It provides the confidence that what we know in our heart is the truth, and without proof, we are still willing to accept it and live up to the expectations therein.  Love is essential.  Christ loved us through His redeeming grace and suffering on the cross.  Likewise, we are to love others as He has loved us.  FAITH – HOPE – LOVE; the building block of your walk with God begins here.