Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Nov 09

God Is All Around

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I love this time of year: the warm days and cool nights, the leaves changing colors, and the early morning fog rising from the mountains around us. Fall is a beautiful time of year.
During this time of year  I am reminded of the fact that God is all around. David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psa. 19:1; see also Psa. 8:1-4). When we open our eyes and look around, we are able to see God in the beauty that surrounds us during this time of year. Friends, God is all around!
The apostle Paul tells us that no one has an excuse when it comes to believing in God because His existence is seen all around. He wrote, “Because that which is known about God is evident within them, for God made it evident to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:19-20).
No one, not even those who have never heard of Jesus or the Bible, has an excuse for not honoring God, because all of creation reveals Him. The next time you go outside, take time to stop and look around. You will see God in the beauty of His creation. Friends, God is all around!
Nov 05

Get Out of the Boat

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Often times we are afraid to do so many things because we are afraid to get outside our comfort zones. For instance, I debated for months whether or not to start a blog. My main hesitation was, “Who am I to start blogging? What do I really have to say? Why would anyone read what I wrote?”

 The other night I was reading, and the author made a point that I was able to relate to. He said, “Sometimes I feel inadequate.” My first thought was, “What? You feel inadequate? Why?” He went on to explain several reasons for feeling this way. The more I read what he was saying, the more I found myself feeling just like him. There are so many times that I feel inadequate. This is the main reason I hesitated to start blogging. I felt inadequate, and blogging would be way outside my comfort zone.
There is an occasion in the Bible where one of the apostles got out of his comfort zone. In Matthew 14:22-33, we have the account of Jesus walking on the water. As He is walking, His disciples are in a boat.  Not realizing it was Him, the Bible says, “When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, ‘It is a ghost!’ and they cried out in fear” (v. 26).  The disciples didn’t know what to think. After all, no human can actually walk on water, right? “But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.’ And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus” (vs. 27-29).
If the story ended there it would be a feel good story. Peter had enough faith and trust in Jesus to get out of the boat and walk on the water to where Jesus was. However, the story doesn’t end there. The next two verses tell us what happened next, “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord save me.’ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’ “(vs. 30-31).
This is the part of the story that we all remember. Peter walking on the water, then taking his eyes off Jesus and noticing the winds and the waves around him, thus, beginning to sink. For this we often criticize Peter. How could you doubt? You were actually walking on water. Although Peter does deserve our criticism to some degree, think about this for a moment. Where were the other disciples while Peter was walking on the water? They were in the boat. Peter was walking on water and the other disciples were sitting in the boat. My question is, “Why didn’t the others get out of the boat too?” Once they saw Peter walking on the water, why not join him? After all, that would be a really cool thing to do, right?
We may often want to criticize Peter for beginning to doubt while walking on the water, but at least Peter was willing to get out of the boat. None of the other disciples were willing. Perhaps they were scared. Maybe they had their doubts. Whatever their reasons, they trusted in the boat more than in Jesus. Peter step out of the boat, most likely way out of his comfort zone, and did something none of the others were willing to do. What a great lesson that is for us.  We would accomplish so much more if we were more willing to get out of the boat.
I never would have started this blog if I was not willing to step out of the boat and take a chance. I never would have ended up working with such a great congregation as Karns had I not been willing to get out of the boat and leave a place I was so comfortable. Some of the sweetest and most caring people in the world I know would not be Christians today had someone not been willing to get out of the boat and teach them the Gospel of Jesus. Sadly, some people may end up spending eternity away from the presence of God, because so many of us are afraid to get out of the boat. Maybe it’s time for us to learn from Peter. Perhaps it’s time for you to get out of the boat, even if everyone else stays in it.
Now that’s Something to Think About! Justin 
Nov 04

Learning from the Election!

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It never ceases to amaze me how passionate some people are about politics. These people go to great lengths to promote their party, views or the candidate they are backing. For the last six months, I have seen and heard more about politics and this election than I ever could have imagined. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with politics and voicing your opinions and concerns. In fact, although another election has come and gone, there are a couple of lasting lessons that we can learn from this election that we can use in our Christian walks.

First, if we Christians were as vocal and passionate about Jesus Christ as we are about our party or candidate, we would be sharing the message of Jesus with our friends and neighbors whether they wanted to hear about it or not. I love the passion that some people have for politics. All they want to do is talk politics. They want to tell you why you should vote for their candidate whether you want to hear it or not. They are passionate about politics and elections. I just wish they had the same passion about sharing the love of their Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus commanded His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20). In order to do this, the disciples had to share or vocalize their feelings and the message of Jesus to others. They literally had to be witnesses for Jesus. Jesus did say, “You shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). As Christians (followers of Christ), we should be going around sharing the love and message of Jesus with others. We should have a great amount of passion and be very vocal about the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf. If some Christians had the same passion about Jesus as they do about politics, they would be sharing the message of the Savior even if people did not want to listen.

Second, if we Christians paid as much attention to the people we hang around as we do to the candidates we endorse, we would have more positive, encouraging influences in our lives. When election time rolls around, a lot of Christians (at least I would hope) research their candidate so they know his or her views and what he or she stands for. This way they are able to make an informed opinion as to whether or not this person deserves their vote.

When it comes to the people we hang around we should be doing the same thing. We should get to know (research) them. We should learn about their views, what they stand for, etc. We should want to know how they live their lives. In the process if we find out they are not people who are going to help build us up, then maybe we should walk away. Paul said, “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals” (I Cor. 15:33).

In politics, an informed voter will walk away from voting for a candidate when they realize this candidate is not the best choice for our country because of his views. Why don’t we do the same thing with the people we hang around? If a person is not positive, encouraging, and exemplary of Christian values, perhaps we should turn and walk away. If this person isn’t going to help me be a better child of God, stop endorsing them by hanging around with them. After all, their bad influence can corrupt our good morals and values.

Even though another election has come and gone, the lasting lessons we can learn from it can carry over into our Christian walk. Just as people who are passionate about politics are willing to talk about their candidate and research his views and values, we Christians should be willing to do the same when it comes to our friends and their relationship to Jesus Christ. After all, it just might affect not only their eternal destiny, but our eternal destiny as well.

Now that’s Something to Think About! Justin

Nov 03

Is Your Christianity A Costume?

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This past weekend many children went out and trick or treated around their neighborhood. Most all those who did this dressed up in a costume or put on a mask and pretended to be something they are not. Some of the costumes were cute, some were funny, some were scary, while others were flat out hideous.  Yet, it does not matter how different each costume may have appeared, they all had one thing in common; they all were used so people could pretend to be someone they are not.
            Many times I’m afraid people do the same thing with their Christianity that children do during Halloween. They dress up in a costume and pretend to be something they are not. Each Sunday they put on their best clothes, grab their Bibles (if they can remember them), put a smile on their faces and attend worship service. They try to trick people into believing they are devoted followers of Christ although the kind of life that they live during the week is anything, but one that is devoted to following Christ. They say things they shouldn’t say, do things they shouldn’t do and neglect things they should be doing. Then they come to church on Sunday and pretend to be someone different than they really are the rest of the week, someone who is holy, hoping no one will notice that their Christianity is nothing more than a costume that they put on that morning.  
When God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his sons as king, Samuel was sure God was going to anoint Eliab as king. However, God told Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Sam. 16:7).
God passed on Eliab and chose David, the youngest son of Jesse to be the next king because God saw in David what Samuel could not see, his heart. When we come to church on Sunday we must remember, we may be able to trick most of the people that we see, but we can never trick or fool God. For He does not see as man sees, because God can see our hearts!
Friends, God knows whether our Christianity is genuine or simply a costume. Let’s make sure the kind of lives that we are living during the week match the kind of lives we live on Sundays.  
Now that’s Something to Think About! Justin
             
Nov 02

>Giving It A Try!

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>I have gone back and forth now for several months as to whether or not I should start blogging. After all, who would really want to read what I write? After much consideration, I decided that I would be blogging mostly for myself anyways so I decided to give it a try. The purpose of this blog will be for me to have a means to express my thoughts in writing. It is my hope and prayer that in the process of this, the things which I write will be helpful in some way to someone else. So…I’m giving it a try!