If you take a pig, wash it, scrub it, make it look pretty, then let it go, it will run right back into the sty and roll around in the mud. But, if you take a slimey, slug-like caterpillar, let it spin its cocoon, leave it alone for a bit, suddenly it will emerge as a beautiful, delicate butterfly, unable to return to its previous slimey existence because it is a new creation. That’s what happens when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we become a new creation! Our old man is gone, he was crucified with Jesus freeing us from being slaves to our former slug-like existence. Now we are being renewed in the spirit of our minds. Our thoughts should be more on heavenly things than earthly things. We should be putting on our new man (woman) daily, we should be merciful, kind, humble, patient, bearing with one another, forgiving one another, and above all, we should be putting on love! We need to let the peace of God rule our hearts and the word of Christ dwell richly in us. So, get out of the cocoon, let the world see you are a new creation, that the old man has passed away, and then, be the butterfly!
How many times have you heard someone, or yourself, say, “I can’t preach, I can’t sing, I can’t dance, I’m useless, how can I serve?
What does God say about you? You are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works. What does Jesus say about you? You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world (now that He’s left)! What do you do with a handcrafted tool? You use it for the special job it was made for. What do you do with salt? You season things! What do you do with light? You let it shine and drive away the darkness! So you can’t sing or dance, that’s not what He created you to do, but you can use your special hand craftiness to season and shine with His love! Quick side note. We didn’t do or don’t do good works to get saved, only God’s grace through Jesus can do that. We do good works after we’re saved to show our love and gratitude for being saved. So, take your special craftsmanship and let it shine, to our brothers and sisters in the Lord and then to the world. You may shine by praying, making a simple phone call of encouragement, or by acts of thoughtfulness and kindness wherever you go.
There are endless ways to show His love and they don’t have to be epic and world changing, they can change just one life at a time. So, take your personal handcrafted talent and get out there and start throwing some salt around!
I don’t know about you, but all the hatred & lies & violence & pandemic & prejudice in the world is really getting to me. I just want to say, “Beam me up Lord, take me home!” The Apostle Paul felt the same way, and after all the beatings, stonings, rejections, and shipwrecks, he had good reason. But what did he say? “For to live is Christ, but to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor … nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.” He chose the high road. Whether the world knows it or not, it needs us. We have eternity to live in glory, only a few years to make a difference here. We aren’t all world changers, we don’t have to be, we only need to be willing to try to change the world around us. These are hard times, not a lot of love out there (where’s Jackie DeShannon when you need her?), they were for Paul too, but what did he say in 2 Cor? “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed … for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us as a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ” or a little pain will result in a whole lot of gain. For many of us, our “tents” are wearing out ( I upgraded to a yurt). We can’t do what we used to do, but God knows that. He knows all our struggles and He will help us through them and to do what we can. The point is, don’t give up, keep your eyes on the eternal not the temporal, you’ll be beamed up when the time is right, don’t let the world weary you, and keep on keeping on!
The violence going on in our country, the lack of trustworthy media or politicians, the destructive weather events, could all combine to shake your world, but it should not shake your faith! Though the world may revel in its madness, what does God tell us to do? Cast your burden on Me, I’ll sustain you. (Psa 55) I will not allow your foot to be moved, I who keep you will not slumber! (Psa 121) Cast all your cares on Me because I care for you! (1 Peter) There may be whirlwinds rushing around you, but He is there for you, keep your eyes on Him, keep your trust in Him, keep your faith in Him! Whenever possible, turn off the telly, go outside and watch the beauty of the sunset, let it cleanse away the dirt of the day, and prepare your heart for a brand new tomorrow. Don’t go to sleep until you have turned all your angst over to Him. Then go to sleep securely meditating on Deut 31:8. “He is the One who goes before you, He will be with you, He will not leave or forsake you, do not fear or be dismayed.” Remember too, Jesus’ last words in Matthew, “… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” You can rest assured He will never leave or forsake you, so keep casting those cares on the Lord, and then walk without worry, confidently with Him!
Respect, a thing that is sorely lacking in the world today. There is a lack of respect for individuals, political leaders, the environment, personal property, personal opinions, but worst of all, is the lack of respect for God! Too many people have lost the awe, the reverence, the fear of the Lord. The Psalmist writes, “The fool says in his heart there is no God,” and Proverbs 9:10 counters with, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Take a look about you. Do you see more fools or wise men running around? When Isaiah was commissioned for his prophetic work, seeing the glory of God he humbly stated, “Woe is me, for I am undone. I am a man of unclean lips.” He quickly recognized his sinful nature before the magnificence of the Holy Creator of all things. Sadly, most people would rather revel in their sinful nature than repent of it! The saddest thing I’ve heard people say is, “It’s okay, when I get to hell all my friends will be there.” God is comprehensible. His glory unimaginable to finite minds. He is loving, kind, forgiving, compassionate, and giving, but He is also holy and just, and as His rewards for obedience are marvelous, His rewards for disobedience are not! It is hard to explain Godly things to those enamored by worldly things, but we need to try. Time may or may not be short till the Lord returns, but regardless, we need to be wise, walking closely and in the fear of the Lord, and to share Him with a disrespectful, foolish world. Not an enviable task, just ask Isaiah, but like Isaiah, we should say, “Here am I, send me!”
How big is your God? Is He big enough to part the Red Sea, collapse walls with a shout, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, walk on water, feed thousands with a few loaves, rise from the dead, forgive you? Yeah, He’s that big, even much bigger really. We should never be amazed at what He does, we should expect it! We need to go to Him with prayers of faith, believing, expecting Him to do great things. We’re told in Hebrews to come boldly to the throne of grace. Jesus said we don’t receive because we don’t ask. Now, we’re not talking like Janis Joplin, “Oh Lord, won’t You buy me a Mercedes Benz, my friends all have Porsches, I must make amends.” But when you pray, don’t put God in a box, limit Him with small prayers, He’s big, He knows what you need, ask Him! He can do big things. If the widow with Elisha had a countless supply of jars, the oil would have kept flowing. How big and how many jars do bring for the Lord to fill? The days ahead will probably get worse before better, but don’t focus on them. Keep your eyes upon the Lord, watch His mighty hand at work, and pray without doubting for Him to do big things in your life!
If you take a pig, wash it, scrub it, make it look pretty, then let it go, it will run right back into the sty and roll around in the mud. But, if you take a slimey, slug-like caterpillar, let it spin its cocoon, leave it alone for a bit, suddenly it will emerge as a beautiful, delicate butterfly, unable to return to its previous slimey existence because it is a new creation. That’s what happens when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we become a new creation! Our old man is gone, he was crucified with Jesus freeing us from being slaves to our former slug-like existence. Now we are being renewed in the spirit of our minds. Our thoughts should be more on heavenly things than earthly things. We should be putting on our new man (woman) daily, we should be merciful, kind, humble, patient, bearing with one another, forgiving one another, and above all, we should be putting on love! We need to let the peace of God rule our hearts and the word of Christ dwell richly in us. So, get out of the cocoon, let the world see you are a new creation, that the old man has passed away, and then, be the butterfly!
Author: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team
The violence going on in our country, the lack of trustworthy media or politicians, the destructive weather events, could all combine to shake your world, but it should not shake your faith! Though the world may revel in its madness, what does God tell us to do? Cast your burden on Me, I’ll sustain you. (Psa 55) I will not allow your foot to be moved, I who keep you will 
By: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team.
Author: Tim Irving – Evangelism Team.