Devotional for June 2009
Page 2
June 15
Weakness Is Good!
“For
when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:11
Jacob was a man who truly wanted the things of God.
He also deeply valued the things of God. His brother, Esau frustrated him;
because his heart wasn’t for the things of God, yet he was due to receive the
birthright and the blessing of their father. His mother had been promised by God
while the twins were still in her womb that the older would serve the younger.
Jacob’s name meant supplanter which meant to take the place of (another), as
through force, scheming, strategy, or the like. Jacob lived up to his name. He
tried to pursue the things of God for the right reasons, but in his zealous
pursuit he continuously chose the wrong methods. Rather than waiting on God and
trusting His ways and timing, Jacob used deception and relied on his own
strength to accomplish his desires.
After stealing his brother’s blessing with the help
of his mother, Jacob found himself running to his Uncle’s land to protect his
life from his brother’s wrath. There he spent 14 years working for Laban as he
reaped what he had sown—deception. He paid his time and began to learn to trust
the Lord which brought him prosperity even in his servant hood. It is at this
point in the story where we find Jacob ready to face his past mistakes and
reconcile with his brother. He had learned many lessons about not doing it his
way and trusting in God instead, yet he still struggled with totally
surrendering to God. There was still this battle within himself to do things in
his own strength.
Genesis 32:24-32
24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with
him until the breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail
against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was
out of joint as He wrestled with him. 26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day
breaks."
But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless
me!"
27 So He said to him, "What is your name?"
He said, "Jacob."
28 And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called
Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have
prevailed."
29 Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I
pray."
And He said, “Why is it that you ask about My name?"
And He blessed him there.
30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For
I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." 31 Just as he crossed
over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. 32 Therefore to this
day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the
hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that
shrank.
Notice that in verse 26 the Man said, “Let Me go, for
the day breaks.” I believe the Lord was saying, “Let Go! Surrender! It is a NEW
DAY! Today is the day of breakthrough. It is the beginning of something new and
different. From this day forward you will do things differently. You will be a
new man!”
Jacob continues to focus on himself as he says, “I
will not let You go unless You bless me!” Jacob still wants things on his terms
and his way. At this point the Man asks his name. In other words, “Look at who
you are! Look at your ways!” Then He gives Jacob a new name: Israel which means
Prince with God. A prince is the son of a King!
Now we suddenly see a change in Jacob. His focus
shifts off himself and asks the Man who He was. That was the proof of change.
Jacob finally set his eyes on God and sought to know Him and His ways! It was
then and only then that God blessed him.
Finally notice that in verse 32, Jacob limped because
when He touched the hip muscle it shrank. Less muscle means less strength. In
this wrestling with God, Jacob’s own strength had to go so Jacob would look to
God and God could bless him.
John the Baptist said it this way in
John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must
decrease.”
Paul said it this way in
2 Corinthians 12:11,
“For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
The Lord had told Paul,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."
When we try to do things in our own strength, we are
working against God. We are saying, “I don’t need you. I can figure this out. I
can accomplish this on my own.” Of course most of us don’t say this directly to
God, but we plot, plan, and program how to get things done rather than waiting
on His guidance and direction. Then we wonder why we are worried, panicked, and
exhausted.
Quit fighting God! If we continue to wrestle with
God, He just may touch us and shrink our muscles so we will lean on Him. I pray
that you and I are always conscious of our need of God in all things. However,
I’d rather walk with a limp with God as my support than to stand strong in my
own strength continually deceiving myself! God, thank You that You love us
enough not to leave us as we are. I give you permission to do what you need to
do to save me even from myself.
God is my strength and power, And He
makes my way perfect. 2 Samuel 22:33
Weakness is good in the eyes of God.
It is then that we recognize
the power that works within us to do exceedingly
abundantly above all that we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20
Give it all up so God can bless you!
Janet Fairbrother
June 16
Minister
Say the word minister to most people outside the church and they will
probably think of someone with a seminary education who wears a suit and tie or
a clerical collar.
They might picture a different ethnic background or age or even gender,
but the picture will be close. They will likely think of formal Reverend so and
so. Even within the church you will still see a lot of that imagery.
Is that what it means to be a "minister"? Perhaps in some circumstances
but it is really a very incomplete stereotype.
A minister is someone who helps point others to Jesus and meets their
need in the name of Christ.
You do not need a seminary degree or Bible college experience to
minister to others. You do not have to be ordained. You do not have to have the
title reverend; pastor, bishop, elder, evangelist or priest to be a minister.
There are some who are called to the ministry of pastoral leadership but
all believers are ministers. All believers are in ministry.
We are called to be ministers of reconciliation
2
Corinthians 5:16-21 NIV
So from now on we
regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in
this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who
reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the
ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the
world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has
committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's
ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on
Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for
us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God
We are called to minister by loving one another, visiting the sick and
lonely, helping widows and orphans, feeding the hungry and providing water to
the thirsty. We are called to minister by sharing our stories and always being
ready to share the reason for our hope.
By now many of you are thinking that you're not qualified to minister.
That's not true. It is true that we're not competent under our own power but it
is also true that God equips us all.
2 Corinthians 3:2-6 NIV
You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by
everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the
result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the
Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human
hearts. Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we
are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence
comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of
the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Anyone who serves another in the name of Christ is in ministery. That
person is a minister. Perhaps not in the sense of pastoral leadership but
minister in a true sense of the word none the less.
You have a ministry. You are a minister. Now go out and serve for the
glory of God.
Blessings to you as you go minister!
Darrel Mason
June 18
Wisdom
The wisdom of the world is often not as wise as we would like to think.
We all know the earth is the center of the universe... don't we? We know that
the edges of the earth are flat and if we sail too far we'll fall off... right?
A horseless carriage? Never. Travel to the moon? Impossible. Flying in
the air? The stuff of fantasy and pipedreams. The Roman Empire falling?
Incomprehensible. Todays impossible is tomorrow's commonplace. Sometimes the
wise and all knowing pundits are neither.
So it is with the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 1:20-25 NIV
Where is the wise
man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God
made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world
through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of
what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and
Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to
Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness
of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than
man's strength.
The resurrection of Jesus the Christ. What a marvel. What a miracle. Non
believers scoff at it yet it is wondrous news for those who will accept it
Bible teacher and Pastor John MacArthur makes this astute observation
about those who will not believe in the resurrection
"I say to you, people who deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ have not studied
it, have not studied the account of scripture. Or two, they rejected it because
they refused to accept the implications of it. When you see these liberals who
come along and deny the resurrection of Christ that has absolutely nothing to do
with theology. That has nothing to do with their great skills to deal with
scripture. That has to do with their desire to live an immoral, Godless life, to
continue in their sin without any accountability to a Holy God that's going to
make demands on the way they live. They refuse to accept that and so the will
deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a moral issue. It is a moral
issue."
I think he's hit something here. We believe many things on far less
evidence than the resurrection. Why is that? If we accept the resurrection we
must accept that Christ is who He clearly claimed to be. If we accept that fact
we must act on it.
Of course denying the resurrection doesn't change the truth of who God
is any more than denying gravity exists keeps you from falling when you step off
a roof. Our admission or denial of truth simply has no bearing on the truth of
something.
You can accept the wisdom of the world that denies the resurrection
despite the evidence. Or you can accept the plain truth that Jesus died for your
sins and mine and was raised from the dead.
As for me and my house we have chosen to believe in God, the Holy Spirit
and Jesus, the risen savior.
Darrel Mason
June 19
Talmidim
The Hebrew word for disciples is "talmid" (plural "talmidim"). Talmidim
followed their rabbi everywhere he went. They listened to all he said and they
emulated his life in every way. There was no such thing as a part time or casual
talmid.
Talmidim wanted to learn everything their rabbi taught and to be like
him in every way. It was a radical, life transforming way of learning.
In the times of Jesus, a young man would choose the rabbi that he wanted
to study under and then apply. If he was deemed worthy the rabbi would permit
him to join the school. If he failed in his task as a talmid he could expect to
be asked to leave.
There was great honor in being a talmid but grave consequences and shame
if you couldn't make the grade. Being a talmid was not something to be entered
into lightly.
Jesus is our savior, but he is also our rabbi, our teacher. We're called
to be his disciples, his talmidim.
The rabbi teaches and leads by example. We're expected to sit at His
feet and learn what He teaches. We're expected to look at the way He lived His
life and live the same way.
The whole foot washing account in John's gospel is an example of this
sort of teaching.
John 13:2-17 NIV
The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted
Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had
put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning
to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a
towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to
wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around
him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my
feet?" Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you
will understand."
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." "Then,
Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his
feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."
For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one
was clean.
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and
returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked
them. "You call me `Teacher' and `Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash
one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done
for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a
messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you
will be blessed if you do them.
The rabbi was teaching that his talmidim are called into humble radical
service.
Jesus washed the feet of his talmidim, not to institute a ritual but to
teach us that no one is above serving others.
Humble service. That's radically different than what most Christians
seem to want. We're into consumerism, me first church. We want programs that
meet our needs and others to serve us. We want to get just enough Jesus in our
one hour a week Christianity. We want Christianity lite - all the salvation but
none of the commitment.
Those things do not fit with what the rabbi taught us. He taught us to
love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbor as
we love ourselves. He taught us to count the cost, pick up the cross and follow
Him.
There are millions of Christians in name only out there. There are more
millions who are into the no-commitment Christianity lite. Are they saved? Only
God alone knows that. If my whole commitment to Christ was Christmas and Easter
along with a prayer when I was in trouble I'd be talking with Him and finding
out. If my whole faith walk is the one hour a week, I'd be wondering if I knew
Him.
Our salvation isn't by works, it's by faith. Yet that faith should
produce some change and make us more like our Teacher. If that isn't happening I
have to wonder where the faith is.
Until next time may you follow the rabbi and become more like Him.
Darrel Mason
From Religion to Relationship
At a secular meeting yesterday there was an opponent of Christianity
that voiced her opinion loud and clear which she was allowed to do. My problem
is that she didn’t have a proper view of religion versus relationship. So I will
say this also.
I'm not a religious person. I could care less about religion, but it is
difficult to imagine how. Actually that isn't true, religion often angers and
frustrates me. I pray that you're not a religious person either.
You see, I'm a Christian and despite many people's perception that has
nothing to do with religion other than by default. Christianity is all about a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Religion on the other hand is all about
the man made rules, the external trappings and rituals. Some of that has come to
represent Christianity, but that's not what being a Christian is about.
The Apostle Paul understood that well. He grew up as a very devout
religious person, "A Pharisee of Pharisees", but then he found freedom in a
relationship.
Later in life he found the truth. He was called to serve by a person not
a religious system. He understood that all Christians are set apart by Christ
not by a religion.
I Corinthians 1:1-2 NIV
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of
God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth, to those
sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those
everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours:
Our peace and grace aren't from a religious system. They are from the
person of God. Peace and grace come from a relationship with Jesus.
I Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in
Christ Jesus.
Paul understood that we're enriched, and made blameless because of
Jesus.
I Corinthians 1:5-7 NIV
For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your
speaking and in all your knowledge -- because our testimony about Christ was
confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly
wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.
He knew that it was about fellowship with Jesus not religion.
I Corinthians 1:8-9 NIV
He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be
blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into
fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
If you've made Christianity all about your "religion" rather than your
relationship with Jesus, you've missed the mark. If you think the "religion" of
Christians is going to save you, you are going to be disappointed.
It's not about tradition, buildings, religion or rules. Christianity is
all about a relationship with Jesus Christ. Do you know Him?
Until next time, I pray that you've been set free from religion and
given freedom and relationship in Jesus.
Striving daily to break
the
religious box and barrier,
Darrel Mason
June 22
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is
my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation
and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your
hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:5-8 NIV
Stress, what a word! Many times when using this word it has a negative
connotation. Mostly that is our fault for taking too much on us or trying to get
into things we shouldn't. Let me give you a different perspective on stress. The
world works because of stress, tension and pressure. These words have different
connotations, but they don’t have to be negative.
Atoms hold together because of the stress and pressure of varying
magnetic forces within them. Our galaxy would collapse if it wasn’t for the
effects of centrifugal force and gravity.
A nail does hold until it is hammered into something. A screw must bite
with its threads until it grips strongly enough to hold.
A staple must be bent to hold paper.
A pushpin or tack needs to be pushed in place to hold.
A clothes pin holds clothing up with pressure.
Even our relationships with others, and our daily lives, are described
in terms of forces and stresses. We fall in love. We are repulsed by something.
We are attracted to someone. We need a kick-start in the morning. We hold on for
dear life.
Of course, the over-riding force that holds it all together is God. If
He were to withdraw His presence, no amount of force could hold it all together.
No amount of hammering, nails, screws, glue or duct tape could keep the universe
and everything in it from collapsing.
He designed us to handle a certain amount of pressure, tension and
stress. We often take on more of all of them than He planned for us. When that
happens we try to hold it together on our own, with tools of our own making.
King David knew where to turn for refuge when things got too hard:
As you are facing the struggles of life, are you trying to hold it all
together with, self-made, homemade or man-made tools? Are you running around to
all your friends, calling everyone on the phone, or are you relying on the
strength of God?
May you find refuge in the true binding force, the presence of the
Almighty God.
Stop trying to duct tape together things God is trying to get you to let
go of.
When He works things out, it will always be to do the things,
You could have never seen or planned
because,
You were too stressed out.
Darrel Mason
(originally run Sept 2007)
Time to Invest
Relax, this
isn't a request for money!!
Almost
every time I visit one of the local restaurants there is someone in there
selling someone else insurance; mutual funds or any other of a myriad of
investments. Some seem perfectly legitimate others I would not even think of
placing money into. Now it's not that I intend to listen in on their
conversation but sometimes the sales pitch seems to be for everyone in there
eating.
I'm all in
favor of investing and planning for the future. It makes good financial sense
and we're called to be good stewards of what God has blessed us with.
I could
make a pitch for tithing at this point, because I firmly believe that all
Christians are called to tithe and give offerings above and beyond their tithe.
That's a subject for another day.
I could
make a pitch to giving to ministries and missions to spread the Gospel, but that
too is a topic best left for another day.
I could
take about benevolent giving, where the proceeds go to people in need. Like the
forgoing topics, it's not where I feel led to go today.
So where am
I going with this? I'm thinking about investing in your own spiritual growth.
Investing in your-self for eternity. Knowing the Word.
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me
stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not
sin against you.
Psalm 119:9-11 NIV
I rejoice in following your
statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and
consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
Psalm 119-14-16 NIV
How do we
make such an investment?
READ THE WORD
Read your Bible every day. If devotionals like
“According to your Faith” are the only time you get in the Bible, it's better
than nothing BUT it isn't nearly as good as reading the Bible for yourself.
STUDY THE WORD
Compare different translations.
Use any of a variety of commonly available Bible
studies.
Attend a Bible study or a Sunday School.
INVEST IN THE WORD
Invest your time, but also invest in a good Bible
dictionary, some commentaries, and a concordance. If you can't afford to buy
these tools, there are links to free downloadable Bible study software on the
internet.
MEMORIZE THE WORD
In case
you're unclear about what I'm saying .... BIBLE READING AND BIBLE STUDY ARE VERY
IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS IN YOUR FUTURE
Until next
time, may you spend some time finding out more about God and His plans for your
life through time in His word.
Letting God
invest in you and you in Him is the best investment you will ever make!
Investing
in me,
Darrel
Mason
Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me
Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
On You I wait all the day. Psalms 25:4-5
For complete understanding and learning to take
place, knowledge and experience must go hand in hand. My oldest son is now ready
to learn to drive, so we signed him up to take driver’s education. He is
learning all the rules for the road and we are discussing everything that is
going on around us as I drive through the city. He may have all the book smarts
of driving, but if I never allow him to get behind the wheel of a car and drive
on the road, he will never really learn to drive. So it is in our spiritual walk
with the Lord.
Think about this, if someone asked you what love
was, what would you say? You could give them a dictionary definition:
Use love in a Sentence
a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another
person. Would that give them a clear understanding of love? A teenager “in love”
would define love differently than a couple who has been married 50 years.
Experience adds a whole new dimension to understanding.
One can learn a lot of knowledge about God and His
character through the scriptures. Someone may have memorized much of the Word
and be able to quote it scripture and verse, but without experiencing the Lord
in intimate relationship, the person’s life will be lacking: lacking in power,
compassion, fruit, and understanding.
Remember even the devil knows the Word. He used it
against Jesus in the desert. Because Jesus had an intimate relationship with the
Father, He was not misled by the devil quoting the Word. Jesus had understanding
through experience that went beyond just knowledge.
Hebrews 5:8 tells us,
“though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.”
If Jesus learned to obey through experience, we will
too. Many times those experiences will be painful as we walk through trials and
afflictions, but if we keep our focus on God, we will experience and understand
His grace, His love, His faithfulness, His mercy, and His forgiveness that the
Bible teaches us about. Our experiences will increase our faith, our love, and
our trust in the One and Only who can save us in a way far greater than
knowledge ever could.
Our experiences with the Lord, will help us to
recognize how much trust in God we really have. They will test our knowledge to
discern good and evil.
They will either continue to teach us the same lesson
over again or build on previous experiences to move us to new levels of
relationship with the Lord.
As my son proves his ability to handle driving on
roads with fewer cars, distractions, and slower speeds, I allow him to
experience driving on roads with more cars, more distractions, and faster speed
limits. I would never put him in a place of danger for him or others before I
felt he was ready. The Lord does the same for us. He allows us new experiences
as He sees we are ready and have a greater understanding due to our experiences.
If
we want to grow, we must be prepared: prepared to experience that which we have
learned through knowledge, prepared to apply our knowledge in real life
circumstances, prepared to clearly understand what the Lord meant when He said,
“Take up your cross daily and follow me.” Teach me O Lord. Show me Your ways.
Help me to truly understand You as I walk out my salvation daily!
I have heard of You by the hearing of
the ear, But now my eye sees You. Job 42:5
God Bless,
Janet Fairbrother
June 26
Stormy Weather
Clouds the color of charcoal hung over the sky like thick heavy blankets. They
seemed to smother everything in their path. The rain pounded down relentlessly.
So much water had fallen that the ground couldn't absorb it, and fresh rivulets
formed, running everywhere, washing away topsoil and gouging little channels as
they went. The rivulets soon became streams and before long looked more like
rivers flowing everywhere you looked.
Thunder roared overhead. It seemed to go on nonstop for hours. Long before one
clap had faded new ones were following suit. Lightning. Words fail me as I try
to describe the frequency and intensity of the lightning.
Soaked to the skin and shivering, I wondered if the storm would ever end. The
story of Noah kept coming back to mind, and I kept reminding myself that God
promised never again.
As quickly as it had blown up, the storm was over. The sun was drying things up.
A look at my watch showed that the storm had lasted perhaps twenty minutes, not
the hours it had seemed like.
Storms aren't particular. Anyone in the storm’s path would have gotten wet.
Storms don't discriminate. They hit where they will hit and there isn't anything
we can do about it.
It's like that with life. Storms of all kinds hit people. They might come in the
form of illness, unemployment, loss of friends of family, financial distress or
a myriad of other things. However they are packaged, they come to all people.
That's a simple fact of life.
The Bible doesn't promise believers a life free of storms. In fact it's pretty
clear that we will have storms. Jesus said,
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is
like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams
rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall,
because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of
mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his
house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat
against that house, and it fell with a great crash."
Matthew 7:24-27 NIV
Believers don't get a storm free pass in life. We do get a solid foundation
which will let us stand no matter how fierce the storm. With Christ at the helm,
we can weather with confidence any storm we encounter in life.
Let the world do its worst. Jesus will keep me standing. Even if the storm takes
my life, I will still be standing with Christ when it's over. Nothing, not even
death can defeat us when we walk with the Lord.
Until next time, praise God in the midst of the storms and trials of life. He
will see you through no matter what.
Weathering the storms, standing on the rock!
Darrel Mason
June 29
Today I was speaking to my mom about the family farm that is in Texas. I have
many good memories of growing up and going out to the farm.
There is a memory however of old and rusted tools left in various places, the
chicken house, in the barn and even out in the fields.
Even now I find old homesteads to be fascinating places and often wonder about
the people who lived there. It is the story behind the remains that I find most
interesting. I often wonder what tales the buildings and equipment would share
if they had voices.
The last time I visited the farm, the barn was still standing, but barely.
Gaping holes filled large areas of the roof and walls. Scattered in with the
debris were a few old tools that showed the cumulative effects of age,
weathering and lack of maintenance. There was what looked like an axe head
covered in rust, with part of a rotten and broken handle still attached. A
knife, stuck point first in the wall looked dull, rusted and pitted beyond
repair. There was a rusty old handsaw with only half a handle left and a rusted
and broken blade. There were a few more things lying about, but most were in
such a sad state of repair that I could only guess what they might have been.
Even as I remembered back to my last trip I remember that the tools had been
neglected so long that there were of no use to anyone. Nothing would ever be
built with them again.
Sometimes Christians neglect the tools God has given us to aid in our daily
lives and grow His kingdom.
We don't take time for prayer. There isn't enough time left during the day to
spend with Him or in reading His Word. We fail to tithe and we find reasons not
to attend worship or fellowship with other believers.
We struggle and fight, but the tools He has provided just sit by the wayside as
we try and do it all under our own strength.
The church at Ephesus had neglected what God had given to them and He gave them
a stern warning:
Revelation 2:4-5 NIV
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember
the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at
first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from
its place.
Until next time, may you pull out those old tools and begin to work some of the
rust off them.
Refinishing, refurbishing and restoring the tools because I’m going to need them
soon.
How about you? Do you have a few tools you need to get back into shape?
Darrel Mason
June 30
Double Whammy
I noticed the flashy yellow sports car with a very impatient looking young
driver at once. It was pulled over at the side of the highway and the police
officer was obviously writing him a speeding ticket.
About three miles or so down the highway, the same car zoomed by me at an
incredible speed. He seemed to want to make up for the time he had lost while
getting the ticket. Less than a mile later, there he was again, nailed in
another speed trap. To say that he looked less than impressed would win an award
for understatement.
Sometimes we get caught in the same sin more than once. What we don't seem to
realize though is that many of our sins are double whammies. They impact our
relationship with God but also impact our relations with others.
I was reading through the book of Matthew the other day, and came across a
blatant example of this principle. The setting: Jesus has been betrayed by Judas
Iscariot
Matthew 27:1-4 NIV
Early in the morning, all the chief
priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death.
They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. When
Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with
remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the
elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."
"What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."
We could look at those priests and condemn them easily after all they used Judas
then turned their back on him. Worse yet, as God's anointed priests, they had a
responsibility to offer the sacrifices for repentant sinners and they refused to
do so. In their actions they showed their true hearts, sinned against God,
against Judas and belied their God given calling.
Yet we often do the same. You see every believer is a member of the Royal
priesthood.
1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV
As you come to him, the living
Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him -- you also, like
living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood,
offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ
1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV
But you are a chosen people, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the
praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you
were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received
mercy, but now you have received mercy.
When we encounter an opportunity where we have been guilty and refuse to make
amends and seek forgiveness, we're double- whammied. Our relationship with the
person is harmed and we've fallen in our God given mandate to forgive and offer
ministry.
Some might say that's not fair. Perhaps not in some ways, but Christians are
called to a higher standard of conduct. We're the ambassadors of the King to a
fallen and hurting world.
Until next time, examine your heart.
Is there un-forgiveness, bitterness or resentment that you need to deal with?
Are you racing ahead of God and getting caught in your own messes?
Are there people who are stuck in a place because you won’t come to the truth?
Look up, Look around because there are people watching, waiting and longing for
you to be who you say you are and what they need you to be.
Making amends and staying out of the double whammy!
Darrel Mason