Dec 07

When God Has Enough!

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I love getting mail, in particular, I love getting letters in the mail. There is just something nice about opening a piece of mail and reading what someone has written to you, at least most of the time. However in Jeremiah 29, that’s not the case. The exiles of Judah received a letter from Jeremiah while they were captives in Babylon. Imagine their delight when they realized that this letter was on behalf of the God of Israel. They were probably thinking, “Finally, we are going to get some good news. God is probably going to tells us that everything will be okay and that we will be out of here in no time.”
As optimistic as that seemed, that was not what the letter was about. The letter began like this: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon” (Jer. 29:4).  Now, wait just one minute. Did that say what I think that said? Is God actually taking credit for them being captives in Babylon? They thought it was Nebuchadnezzar who was responsible for their captivity (2 Kgs. 24-25). They probably had built up hatred toward this evil king because they thought it was him who was responsible for their present situation. However, in this letter they find out that God is responsible for their current misery.
The question that we must ask is, “Why did God allow Nebuchadnezzar to invade the land of His people and take them away into captivity?” The answer can be found in Jeremiah 25. There we are told that God spoke to the people of Judah through the prophet Jeremiah and said, “These twenty-three years the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. And the Lord has sent to you all His servants and prophets again and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear, saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell on the land which the Lord has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever; and do not go after other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands and I will do you no harm.’ Yet you have not listened to Me, declares the Lord, in order that you might provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm” (Jer. 25:3-7).
We find out the reason for the people being in captivity is because of their own sins and failures to heed the words of the Lord. Jeremiah told them that God sent them prophets, but they still would not listen. God gave them plenty of opportunities to repent and turn from their sins, but they failed to do that. So God did something that would get their attention. He used Nebuchadnezzar as His servant (Jer. 27:6). Nebuchadnezzar was an evil king who didn’t worship the one true and living God. In fact, he and his people were more evil than Judah, but God used him as His servant to make Judah pay for their sins.
 Judah found themselves in some unpleasant circumstances because they failed to do what God expected them to do. They didn’t listen to Him, they didn’t obey Him, they didn’t worship Him, they worshipped idols and they even executed some of the prophets that God had sent to them. Judah had removed God from their way of life so God punished them!
Friends, let us learn from the example of the people of Judah. We may choose to turn our backs on God and ignore His commands and will for our lives. We may choose to live as though He doesn’t exist, but remember this…the time is coming when God will have had enough and those who fail to obey His commands will pay the ultimate price, eternal separation from the presence of the Lord.
 The apostle Paul wrote, “For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9).
Now that’s Something to Think About!
Dec 03

Blessed With Friends

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It has been almost two weeks since my pawpaw passed away. By no means have these two weeks been easy. They have been hard for me and my entire family. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him or reflect on something that he has taught me. He was a very important fixture in my life and now he’s gone.
Since word first got out I cannot begin to count the number of cards, messages, and kind words people have spoken to me. It was in reading and listening to those words that I was reminded how blessed I am to have great friends like that in my life. The wise man wrote, “A friend loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17). During a dark hour in my life, my friends made their love for me known by their kind words and actions.  
I received hundreds of messages from friends telling me that they were praying for me. Now, I know that there is not a lot you can do when someone you know loses a person of great importance to them. However, one thing we all can do is pray. James wrote, “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jam. 5:16). When I read all those messages saying that people were praying for my family and me, I knew that the Lord was going to help us get through our dark hour, because prayer is powerful. Praying is such a wonderful thing to do for those who are suffering from the loss of a loved one.
Sending a card is a nice gesture toward those who are hurting. It has been almost two weeks now since his passing and I am still getting cards in the mail. Every time I open those cards and read them, I remember how loved I am by the person who sent it to me. Each of the cards I received will be kept because they will serve as a reminder to me of how thoughtful people were during my time of loss.
While we were away with my family, some very dear friends of ours checked on our house and got our mail. This probably doesn’t seem like that big of a deal at first, but when you consider that we were away for an entire week, it’s a wonderful gesture. Our friends didn’t have to take time to do this, but they did and it gave us a feeling of peace. I am thankful that I have friends in my life who will do something for me that seems so insignificant to most people.
Perhaps, the gesture I will forever cherish is the fact that so many people came by the funeral home to pay their respects to my pawpaw and our family. Over 500 people took time to stop by and visit with us. I have friends who traveled a good distance just to spend five or ten minutes with me and then got back in their cars and drove home. Those few minutes will add up to a lifetime of memories for me.
The apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). Through all the words and acts of kindness I feel as though my friends wept with me. Words cannot express how truly grateful and appreciative I am to everyone for their words, actions and prayers. I am truly blessed to have wonderful friends in my life.
Now that’s Something to Think About!
Nov 24

Can You See Him In Your Blessings?

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I have often wondered how much people notice God in their lives when things are going great. If I am honest with myself, I would say I don’t notice God in my life enough when life is good and my problems seem few. If you are honest with yourself, you probably would admit the same thing. When life is good we tend to notice God less. It’s as if we don’t see God in our blessings.
The sad part of this is that the reason our life appears so good is because of God. It was James who said, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). Every blessing that we enjoy in life comes not from our own hand, but from the hand of Almighty God. With Thanksgiving Day only hours away, consider some of the blessings in our lives that we often forget come from God.
Think about your health for a moment. Yes, some people have better health than others, but we all have a great deal of health to enjoy. If you’re still breathing, and you must be because you are reading this, then you have a degree of health that some people will no longer have after today. Have you ever taken time to stop and see God in the blessing of your health? He’s there. In fact, we enjoy the measure of health that we do because God has blessed us. When Hezekiah became sick even to the point of death, he prayed, “O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit. Oh restore me to health and make me live!” (Isaiah 38:16). Hezekiah knew that the blessing of health was from God. Every day that you wake up healthy and enjoy all that this life has to offer, remember to thank God for the blessing of health that you enjoy.  
What about your children if you have any? Aren’t they a blessing from God? The Psalmist said, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate” (Psalm 127:3-5). Here the Psalmist tells us that our children are a heritage from the Lord, and we are blessed to have them. The children that we have in our lives are given to us by God. Every day that you look at your children, you should see the blessing of the Lord.
As I think about blessings that I take for granted, I can’t help but think about the job that I have. I am working with the Karns church of Christ, not because I have accomplished so much on my own, but because God has blessed me with certain talents and abilities that I am able to use for His glory. I am where I am today, not because of who I am or what I have done, but because of who HE is and what HE has done. If you have a job or career in which you are doing well, take time to say a prayer of thanks to God for blessing you with that talent or ability.
I could go on and on about all the blessings in my life, everything from my life to my wife and my family to my friends. God has given me so much in my life that I consider a blessing, as He has blessed you. Let us never lose sight of God in our blessings. We are what we are and we have what we have because of Him!
Now that’s Something to Think About!
Nov 18

>Someday!

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There are just some things that I don’t like to do and want to put off as long as possible.  One of those things is going to the doctor. When I begin to feel sick the first thing I do is go to the nearest market and buy some medicine. If that doesn’t work, I will normally go back to the market a second time and try to find some different medicine that might help to make me feel better. If the second medicine doesn’t work, then I will usually start thinking about going to the doctor. There is nothing pleasant about going to the doctor’s office and waiting for several hours for him to see me and then giving me two or three different kinds of medicine that are going to cost me a lot of money. I want to put that visit off as long as possible.
I am sure that you can think of a few things that you have put off a lot longer than you really needed to as well. Maybe it’s going to the doctor, the dentist, the hospital, the graveyard, apologizing, etc. It can be a host of different things that we put off. However, I’m afraid that a lot of us are guilty of putting off the Lord Jesus Christ. Most people in our society seem to find the time for all the less important things in life and very little if any time for Jesus.
Felix is a great example of putting off the Lord. In the book of Acts, we read, “But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, when Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case. So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him. And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.  Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him.Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound”            (Acts 24:22-27).
In this particular passage we see Felix almost make time for the Lord, but in the end he was too busy. Felix, like some sinners, had a “more perfect knowledge” of the truth (Acts 24:22). Felix was the governor of Judea and Samaria. There is very little chance that he could have done this without becoming familiar with the place and activities of the Christians. Paul even came in and reasoned with Felix concerning righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. Felix heard about sin and the consequences. He was told the importance of self-control. Paul even tried to teach him about the judgment that comes to all men (Heb. 9:27). When Felix heard these words from Paul, he became afraid.
At this point it would seem that Felix is going to change his life and make Jesus a part of it. But then we read one of the most disheartening passages in the Bible. Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you” (v. 25).
After hearing Paul preach a sermon on sin and the judgment to come, Felix decided to ask Paul to leave until another time. He wanted to wait for a more convenient season. His whole thinking was centered around, “Someday.” Someday, I will obey the Gospel. Someday, I will live my life for the Lord. The sad thing about this whole passage is that we never read about Felix finding that more convenient season, “Someday.” He left office and left Paul bound behind in prison (Acts 24:27).                                                                                                                   Edward Young said, “Procrastination is the thief of time.” I have often heard it said, “Why put off tomorrow what you can do today?” Folks, a lot of us are just like Felix. We spend way too much time procrastinating, especially when it comes to God and our relationship with Him. We need to forget about “Someday” and get our life right “TODAY.” We need to stop and realize that life is short and the worst thing we can do is put off God until tomorrow because there might not be a tomorrow for us.
           A preacher once commented that, “Someday is not on the calendar.” The longer we put something off the better chance there is that we will never get around to doing it. The wise man said, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Pro. 27:1). Friends, take time today to make your life right with God and don’t put Him off any longer.
Now that’s Something to Think About!
Nov 15

Can You See Him?

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I love youth retreats. Each time I have the opportunity to go off with a group of kids and adult volunteers for a weekend of worship, praise and study, I always come back spiritually uplifted. This past weekend we had the opportunity to take our middle school and high school students away for such a weekend. What an awesome event it was. We spent the weekend studying the theme, “Can You See Him?”
We talked about seeing the Lord in several different aspects of our lives.
First, we discussed seeing Him in our blessings. Many of us are guilty of failing to see the Lord in our lives when everything is going great. It’s almost as if things are so good we have no need for God. James said, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). Our lives are as good as they are, because God is as good as He is. Every blessing we enjoy is because of Him.
The second aspect of seeing Him in our lives that we discussed was seeing Him in our struggles. When life is good we generally forget about God. When life is bad we generally ask the question, “Where is God?” Friends, God never leaves us. The Hebrew writer reminded us, “I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6). When our lives are filled with sorrow, pain, struggles and burdens, God is there. He is waiting for us to turn to Him. Peter wrote, “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you”     (I Peter 5:7).
Not only is the Lord in our blessings and struggles, but He should also be found in our friends. Some people spend more time with their friends than they do with their own families. If we are going to spend a large amount of time around a certain person, that person needs to be someone who exemplifies Christ. Paul said, “Do not be deceived: bad company ruins good morals” (I Corinthians 15:33). The people we are friends with influence us. That’s why it is important that we spend time with friends who help us see Jesus.  Their positive influence will have an impact on our spiritual life.
Of all the places for people to see the Lord, perhaps the greatest place of all would be in our own lives. When people see us they need to see Jesus living in us. Our behavior and actions need to be like those of Jesus. In fact, Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16). When people watch our conduct or hear us speak, they need to see actions and hear words that bring our Father in heaven glory. Your life may be the only sermon some people ever hear or read. Make sure it’s a sermon that will glorify God and make Him proud.
This past weekend was very special. It was the first of what I hope is many more youth retreats with the Karns congregation.  We had a great retreat. The kids and adults who attended made it better than I even imagined. We even had one of our girls respond to the invitation on Sunday night when we returned home. My hope and prayer is that all the students were as blessed by the retreat as I was. I hope all those who attended look for opportunities every day to see Him.  
Now that’s Something to Think About!