What is your eye of the needle? What don’t you think can possibly happen? When Jesus told His disciples that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle then for the wealthy to enter heaven, they were shocked. To them, wealth was a sign of God’s blessing, so if the wealthy were having trouble getting in, were did that leave them? But God is the God of the impossible or as Jesus said, “with God all things are possible.” He created all things with such intricate detail. He holds all things together, He hears your heart! What can He not do? Heal an addict, a cancer, a heart? Save a child, a relation, a friend? Restore a relationship, a marriage, a country? There is nothing He can’t do, but sometimes He does require us to have patience and perseverance. It’s a bummer, but He works on His timetable not ours, and His timing is always the perfect timing. To reiterate, what is impossible for God to do? Nothing! So keep persevering in prayer, praying for His will (not yours) to be done, and praying expectantly, knowing His will, will be done! I can see the eye of the needle getting bigger already!
In these politically charged times, there is not much room in the middle of the road. Each party is so diametrically opposed, there is not really any space to put a foot on both sides. So it is with God. You believe in Him, or you don’t. You accept Jesus and His gift of grace, or you don’t. You believe His Word, or you don’t. There are no suites on the 14th floor, you’re either going to the penthouse or straight to the basement. So the question is, are you in or are you out? If you’re in, are you living in a manner that will attract others to the Lord? It’s so easy to get caught up in heated discussions on hot topics, but words spoken rashly can drive people from us and put a bias on Who we represent. Out of the heart, the mouth speaks. Are you speaking from your heart or from emotion? We all need to have a weekly spiritual checkup and pray as David did, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” Then, let our heart not only control our mouth, but our actions also. Show kindness and patience wherever you are, be ready to lend a helping hand to strangers and friends if needed, and always remember Who you are representing. You never know when your words or actions will make the difference of a person spending eternity on the roof top or in the cellar!
Something that has always bugged me is how people make such a big deal out of Valentine’s Day. They wine, they dine, they buy expensive romantic gifts, they treat each other like royalty, for ONE day, and then like Cinderella the rest of the year! Is that how to show love? Is that how we show Christ’s love? Do we go out of our way to show Jesus’ loving kindness and forgiveness every day or only on Christmas and Easter? How did Jesus live His life … lovingly and sacrificially! The world doesn’t need to see imitators of itself, it needs to see imitators of Jesus. It doesn’t need to see people flapping their lips with empty dialog. (we have politicians for that) It needs to see people moving their feet into action to back up their words. We need to be in the world, but not conformed to the world. We need instead to be transformed by His renewing love. Don’t show love to the world only on the night of the ball. We don’t want the world to think of Christians as the evil step-sisters. We are children of light living in a dark world. Let them see His light, His hope, in you, and who knows how many you will help to live happily ever after!
What really matters? Most people are quick to tell you what they think matters and that you’re wrong, stupid, or a hater if you don’t agree. But what really matters? Is it climate change, political and racial unrest, the economy? Is it technology, sending a probe to Mars to see if there may have been water there millions of years ago? Is it winning a faux Stanley Cup or NBA title? Is it amassing billions of dollars to spend on yourself or raising millions of dollars to give to charities? What really matters? A wise old (er) pastor said yesterday, “Great achievements don’t compare to great relationships,” and the greatest relationship you can have is with Jesus Christ! You can develop a cure for COVID, cancer, and the common cold, but if you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, you’ll have done it all for naught. When you stand before God’s throne, He isn’t going to ask to see your resume, He’s going to ask you about your relationship with His Son. In this fast paced, instant everything world, full of legitimate needs and causes, don’t get so distracted by the urgent and that you miss the essential! There is no accomplishment that won’t be buried by the sands of time, but there is one relationship that will last for eternity. Make sure to seek out and accept that relationship and take time daily to nurture and appreciate that essential relationship which is Jesus!
As Christians, giving should be a reflex action, it’s part of our DNA! God gave His Son, who gave His life to give us salvation, which then, we in return give Him our hearts, and the giving keeps going from there. We give our love to one another, we give of our income to help the church and those in need, and we give of our talents and time to encourage, build up, and serve others and the church. We’re Christians, that’s what we do! The beauty of giving to God is that He doesn’t look at the monetary amount we give (we all aren’t wealthy) or how we use our talents (we all aren’t Carrie Underwood), but He looks at the spirit in which they’re given and used. As Paul said to the Corinthians, “God loves a cheerful giver.” Many people probably think the poor widow who put two mites into the treasury left there in a black hood and totally depressed but I have no doubt she was skipping and singing all the way home for the joy she had of giving back to God! So should we all feel as we give our tithes, serve using our talents in some capacity, or in giving to someone in need. Proverbs 9 says, “The generous soul will be made rich and he who waters will be watered himself.” God is so good, the more you give Him, the more He gives back. You just can’t out give God!
How can people call themselves a Christian but never read the Bible? If you’re going to align yourself with something, shouldn’t you know what it’s all about? Do you blindly believe what you’re told about a subject without doing any research to see if it’s true? (a definite need these days) A problem in many churches today is that the congregations are spiritually anemic from lack of personal nutrition from God’s Word! The Bible, is to be treasured more than gold or silver. Peter tells us to desire the Word that we may grow. Paul writes to Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man (woman) of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He began all His rebukes with, “It is written …” Best way to defeat the devil’s attacks is with Scripture, but how can you if you haven’t been spending time in it? I love our Pastors, trust them totally, but just because they say something, doesn’t mean I’m not going to go into the Word and verify it. They would be the first ones to tell you to do the same. Calling yourself a Christian means a lot more than just a name. It is a lifelong relationship of talking (prayer) and listening (reading the Bible). I think the Psalmist puts it best in Psalm 119 when he writes, “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Finding yourself stumbling in the dark? Get into the Word and turn up those floodlights!
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By, Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
Something that has always bugged me is how people make such a big deal out of Valentine’s Day. They wine, they dine, they buy expensive romantic gifts, they treat each other like royalty, for ONE day, and then like Cinderella the rest of the year! Is that how to show love? Is that how we show Christ’s love? Do we go out of our way to show Jesus’ loving kindness and forgiveness every day or only on Christmas and Easter? How did Jesus live His life … lovingly and sacrificially! The world doesn’t need to see imitators of itself, it needs to see imitators of Jesus. It doesn’t need to see people flapping their lips with empty dialog. (we have politicians for that) It needs to see people moving their feet into action to back up their words. We need to be in the world, but not conformed to the world. We need instead to be transformed by His renewing love. Don’t show love to the world only on the night of the ball. We don’t want the world to think of Christians as the evil step-sisters. We are children of light living in a dark world. Let them see His light, His hope, in you, and who knows how many you will help to live happily ever after!
What really matters? Most people are quick to tell you what they think matters and that you’re wrong, stupid, or a hater if you don’t agree. But what really matters? Is it climate change, political and racial unrest, the economy? Is it technology, sending a probe to Mars to see if there may have been water there millions of years ago? Is it winning a faux Stanley Cup or NBA title? Is it amassing billions of dollars to spend on yourself or raising millions of dollars to give to charities? What really matters? A wise old (er) pastor said yesterday, “Great achievements don’t compare to great relationships,” and the greatest relationship you can have is with Jesus Christ! You can develop a cure for COVID, cancer, and the common cold, but if you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, you’ll have done it all for naught. When you stand before God’s throne, He isn’t going to ask to see your resume, He’s going to ask you about your relationship with His Son. In this fast paced, instant everything world, full of legitimate needs and causes, don’t get so distracted by the urgent and that you miss the essential! There is no accomplishment that won’t be buried by the sands of time, but there is one relationship that will last for eternity. Make sure to seek out and accept that relationship and take time daily to nurture and appreciate that essential relationship which is Jesus!
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team