Who Is He?
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
“Who do people say I am?” Jesus asked His disciples. That was an arbitrary question with an inconsequencial answer. The real question was when He asked them, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter got a 100% for his answer, but what about you? “Who do you say Jesus is? Many people tread lightly over that question. Oh, He was a great teacher or a really good man. New agers say He is one of many spirit guides that you can channel?!? In this world, everything is not always black and white, there are many gray areas, but not this! The answer is black or white, not a tint of gray anywhere. Jesus is either who He said He was … or not. There is no middle ground. He is the Son of God or a majorly deluded person. He can’t be a great teacher and all around good guy if He was going around lying to everyone.You either write Him off or accept Him gladly. There are so many choices available today from models of automobiles, different fast food options, hundreds of tv channels, to thousands of apps for your phone, isn’t it nice that there is only one choice to get in to heaven? You accept Jesus’ redeeming grace or you don’t. Really quite simple. One day you will be held responsible for your answer to who do you say Jesus is. The smart money is on He’s the Son of God and my Lord and Savior. If that’s not your response, you might want to look into why it isn’t?
“Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, learn from Me, for I am lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30 This has always been one of my favorite verses, especially after trying to carry a heavy yoke for way too many years. The world and the enemy love to lay heavy yokes upon us, weigh us down with almost unbearable burdens. They love to see us discouraged and in despair. That’s what the relgious leaders were doing to the people, burdening them with laws and regulations that were impossible to keep, and that was one of the many things Jesus came to do away with! His yoke is easy! He came to be our righteousness, He nailed all man made religiousness to the cross, He is our propitiation, He bore our sins, He is mighty to save and save us He will! He only asks us to humbly follow Him and obey a few simple, common sense rules that are for our own benefit not His! His yoke is easy. Life is not a bed of roses or a bowl of cherries, troubles will come, but when they do, He wants us to cast all our cares on Him for He cares for us! He wants to help us! He wants us to come to Him first, in all things, He wants our hearts to trust Him! Don’t let the world drag you down, keep your eyes on the Lord, let Him give rest to your souls. Help others to know His yoke is easy and His burden light and that it has exceptional rewards!
How do you describe joy or what is joy to you? Is it determined by outside circumstances and influences or does it come from an inner peace? Do people or situations easily steal your joy? Webster defines joy as “a very glad feeling” but feelings are fickle and can quickly change, so does that mean your joy is fleeting? Worldly joy is a vapor that can evaporate in a heartbeat, but Godly joy, the joy of Jesus, the joy of the Holy Spirit in your heart, is a joy that will last for eternity. The joy of the Lord is our strength, one of the fruit of the Spirit is joy, Jesus wants His joy to remain in us that our joy may be full! The world may rage against us, but it can never take the joy of our salvation. The best example of never losing your joy is Paul and Silas, after being beaten, chained, and thrown into a filthy prison, rather than resting to regain their strength, they sat up praying and singing hymns at midnight! I wish I could say I’d do the same, hopefully I’ll never find out, but they definitely set the joy bar! So keep your eyes on the Lord, let His joy be your strength, and go out rejocing everyday because He loves you, He forgave you, and He made you His child. If the world starts wearing you down just start singing, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart, down in my heart to stay!”
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Listening, are we really listening or just watching people’s lips move? For those of us that are hard of hearing, we do both and still miss a lot. Some people seem to be listening but all they’re really hearing is yada, yada, yada. A select few have a gift, a skill that all Christians should be trying to develope, and that is the ability to truly listen. Pastor Wes nailed it yesterday when he said, “Listening goes far beyond words.” We need to stop listening and start hearing! When you ask someone how they’re doing, do you really want to know? If you do, pay attention to hear what they are saying. Sharing worries and concerns isn’t easy for many, listen, hear what people are saying and sometimes what they are leaving unsaid. Do you sit in church every Sunday listening to the sermon or do you really hear it? Our Pastors spend more time in prayer and study than we do so they can help us recharge on Sunday to face the world on Monday! Hear what they are saying! Most importantly, are you hearing what God is saying to you? Do you seek His voice in His Word? Do you listen to Him or do you do all the talking? The Psalmist knew what he was talking about when he wrote, “Be still and know that I am God.” Hear Him, hear His Word, don’t just listen! Another great point Pastor Wes made was, “If you listen but don’t really hear, your actions will show it!” That totally explains what’s wrong in many churches today, they listen but don’t hear! We all need to plug in our listening devices so we can clearly hear one another, but even more so, that we can hear what God is saying to our hearts! So be ready, if someone asks if you “got your ears on” you can quickly reply “I hear ya brotha/sista!
In much of Jesus’ teachings, He used the religious leaders as examples what not to do. They loved being the ones in charge, being looked up to, being honored at feasts and social events. They loved being feared and revered, loved their fancy robes and oversized phylacteries, having the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the market places. But they hated doing what they told the people to do! We could make a film about them and call it “Religioscity,” but it would hit too close to home for too many religious leaders today! Much has changed, but much is still the same. You will never win a soul to Christ by pompous religioscity. The world is full of phonies and hypocrites, and the world weary heart can spot them a mile away. You want to make a difference and be great for the Lord? Remember His words in Matthew 23:11,12. “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be abased and he who humbles himself will be exalted!” People don’t just want to be told you care, they want to be shown. Anyone who enters our church, regardless of their past failings, whatever they may be, should feel loved. Don’t go around telling people what a great Christian you are unless you’re going to live up to that statement. Prison vernacular says it best. Don’t talk the talk if you’re not going to walk the walk! More harm has been done to Christianity by pompous religioscity than anything else. So make sure from now on, you do your best to heal that harm by leading the way for being known as a Christian that walks their talk!