The House is Burning...

Scripture:

John 15:1-5

Matthew 10:27-33

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Yesterday I mentioned that through Christ we have life after we pass from this life.  John 15:1-5 talks about Christ being the vine and we are the branches.  Our lives here and now needs to be filled with Christ.  He is our life here and now as well.  For we cannot bear fruit without Him.  

All of us has life after death.  The question to ask is were do you want to live eternal life, in heaven or hell?  As Christians we need to follow Jesus's command Matthew 28:19 "¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," tells us we cannot just idly sit by.  We must bear fruit or as in John 15:1-5 says we will be pruned from the vine.

I once heard a story, parable, about a house on fire.  Think of yourself walking on the sidewalk in front of a friend or family member's house.  The house is on fire and you knew everyone was home inside.  No one was coming out of the burning house.  Would you just keep walking by?  Or would you go inside & bring them out?  Everyone who is not saved through grace given by Christ is in that burning house.  We are walking on the sidewalk just watching the house burn down around them.  Are you going to go in and and get them or just let them burn?

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Mark 12:41-43

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Yesterday's message at church was on giving.  As our pastor was coming to the end of his sermon he commented on Jesus gave his life.  He gave us everything He had.  A thought came into my mind about how hard was it for God to give His son?  After all Jesus knew He was going to rise from the dead.  So death really didn't have much meaning.  Then it hit me.  As Christ returned from death and has life so do we through Him.  We have life after death because of grace given at the Cross.  Jesus said "It is finished" just before he died.  He paid the wages of sin so that we might have life.  After life here on earth we have eternal life in heaven.  Death no longer has a hold on us.  As Christ is risen so shall we be.  

Jesus gave us everything.  What do we give him back?  Are we cheerful givers or do we horde?  As Nancy and I struggle with our finances we have decided to tithe.  Several months ago I felt God confirm or convict me of what I needed to tithe.  At one point Nancy and I were struggling so much I didn't think we could tithe anymore.  I had enough and was ready to quit.  It appeared to me God wasn't holding up his end of the bargain.  Malachi 3:10 

¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."

 

God tells us to give and he will give us abundantly.  Nancy and I were giving more than we could afford.  We reached a point where we just didn't have enough to give.  I was ready to call it quits.  Thanks to a few friends I managed to pull myself back together.  As I sought forgiveness and God's support he changed my heart.  He also provided a means for us.  We are not swimming in financial richness but we are blessed and rich beyond what this world can see.

God does keep his promises.  Malachi 3:10 is not a get rich scheme.  It is a promise from God.  If we are faithful and give with the right heart, He will pour out His blessings on us.

Are You Lost?

Scripture:

Luke 14:4-6

Philippians 4:19

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I remember a story another scout leader once told me.  The scouts were on a hiking trip and were using a personal GPS to navigate.  As they were walking my friend told me he was using his map and land marks.  H noticed they had come to where they were suppose to turn.  Instead they walked past the turn.  He waited for a bit before making a comment.  He suggested that they might have passed the turn off.  Everyone else was positive that the turn off was up ahead.  A couple of more times he commented that they should turn back.  They refused to listen stating that according to the GPS they didn't reach their destination yet.  Finally the path ended with no turn in site.  Another leader finally said maybe that was the turn.

The boys scouts and leaders put all their trust into a device to tell them where to go.  My friend used the tried and true method of reading a map.  Unfortunately too many people today get lost in their own ways and caught up in themselves.  We are busy buying new gadgets that we think will fill a void in our lives.  We look to new and supposedly better ways to fulfill our lives.  Jesus is back there waiting for us to turn around and to say "Jesus I am lost show me the way."  

Jesus is the way, John 14:5-7

⁵Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"

 ⁶Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷If you really knew me, you would know^[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

How much rejoicing there is when we finally get it right and we are finally found.  At one time in our lives each of us are all lost.  Jesus is walking with us quietly saying let us look at the map and I will show you the way...

The Greatest of These Is Love...

Scripture:

1 John 3:16-24

Titus 3:4-7

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Love, how do we define it?  What do we consider love?  We have all heard that the greatest two commandments are love.  We are to love God with all our hearts and strength.  We are to love our neighbors as ourselves.  

1 Corinthians 13:3-5

³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,^[a] but have not love, I gain nothing.

 ⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love."  God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.  Throughout the entire Bible we are taught about love.  

So why do we find it so hard to show love to each other.  We are quick to anger and quick to condemn.  Why is it so hard to find love in our hearts.  We tend to get caught up in this world.  Due to man's sinful nature we are self absorbed and tend to be selfish.  it is only through the Holy Spirit can we overcome this nature and embody God's perfect love.  We have to open our hearts to Christ and allow him to fill our hearts.  We have to remove the self to make room for Christ in our hearts.