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Titus 2:11-14 We have all received them. You know, those pesky, irritating phone calls in which the caller wants you to support a candidate or cause of some kind. They always come at the most inconvenient times. Maybe you are sympathetic with the caller and maybe not, but one thing you must give credit for: the caller has a passion for his or her cause. You can tell by the excitement in the voice and by the fact that they won’t let you get off of the phone! I don’t know about the success rate for such calls, but they must prove worthwhile to some extent because they keep making them. Such type of calls remind me that in this area we the church have somewhat lost our way from what God desires. I’m speaking of passion or zeal. Paul wrote to Titus that the Christ gave Himself “to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” Looking at the entire range of good works in the New Testament, we can see that this would include everything from feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, equipping the saints, and encouraging the weak to unceasing prayer and proclaiming the gospel. All of these should be done zealously in the name of Christ. However, have we grown weary in doing good and fallen into a “hum drum” Christianity? A going through the motions? An “I’ll do it if I have to” mentality? Certainly nothing undercuts a Christian’s witness to the world more than a good deed done reluctantly with a sour face or a word of the gospel spoken half-heartedly without joy. From where do zeal and passion arise? At least two primary sources: our faith and our love. Do you really believe that what you believe is really real and true? Do you absolutely love Jesus Christ with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength? If we look here first and do some soul-searching (with repentance), we might find ourselves eagerly offering help and making some “calls” on behalf of our beloved Savior. ><> Jeff

Jeremiah 31:3 Without controversy, the understanding of what love is among people today is varied and often far removed from the love taught in the Bible. Out in the world, love is often nothing more than romance and the feeling of excitement which accompanies it. This idea is reflected in some wedding vows which use an expression like “as long as love shall last.” For some, love is an attraction of two people simply for mutual benefit. For others, love is seen as caring when someone is in need. The re would be nearly as many opinions and views as there are people. We readily acknowledge that love defies any simple definition. Nowhere do the scriptures attempt to define love, but characteristics and examples of love are provided so that we might get a comprehensive view of this vital dimension of life. When the Spirit says that “God is love” (1 John 4:8), we are pointed to the nature and actions of God Himself to unveil the meaning of agape. One of the central characteristics of love (which separates its true meaning from human concepts) is provided for us by the prophet Jeremiah. When Israel was in her final days and many of Jerusalem’s inhabitants had already been carried away to Babylon, God speaks to His people through Jeremiah and affirms that they shall return from captivity and God would build her again. This is because God loves them “with an everlasting love.” Love which is true and real reflects the love of God - it is everlasting. It is a love which perseveres in good times and in bad. It continues when it is hurt and keeps pouring out good on its enemies. It is ever available to provide comfort, encouragement and shelter. It is undeterred by rejection and stands ready to forgive and to welcome back the wayward and the betrayer. It is a love which is faithful in all the storms, celebrations and seasons of life. Father, we pray that our love for You and for one another might become like your love for us - an everlasting love. ><>Jeff

John 12:24-26 My grandfather Shirley (Yes, you read correctly) was an elder in the church and also a song leader. I remember on numerous occasions when we would go to visit him and Grandma that he would be working on a new song to teach the congregation. After we got in the house, he’d pick up his songbook and tuning fork and say something like, “What do you think about this one?” Then he would start to sing and try to work out the melody. Often our Dad would join in. It’s a special memory. One of the songs which I specifically remember Grandpa working on was called None of Self and All of Thee (#565 in our current hymnal). It was one of the first songs through which I realized that the writer was using all of the verses to tell a story. The song encapsulates the conversion of a person to Christ Jesus and his/her subsequent spiritual maturing in the love of God. The first verse finds the individual proudly saying to Jesus, “All of self, and none of Thee.” But a view of the cross and the sacrificial blood of the Lord moves this honest heart to faintly say, “Some of self, and some of Thee.” The love of God is relentless, however, and as there is more and more awareness of the mercies of the Almighty, the heart is brought lower: “Less of self, and more of Thee.” In the last stanza, the singer has been overwhelmed by the love of God, and the song builds to a mighty end with “None of self, and all of Thee.” We should sing it more often. The sentiment in this song is found throughout scripture. It is a foundational theme in the relationship of mankind to its God. The cross of Christ is a powerful demonstration of the love of God. He loved us first, and our response is to return that love by humble submission and obedience; to present our bodies as living sacrifices. Jesus said that those who loved their own lives would lose them, but those who hated their lives would keep them for eternal life. None of self and all of Thee. Easier sung than done. ><> Jeff

Mark 3:35 For some time now in our ministry meeting, we brothers have been discussing (and praying), about what our congregation ministries, Bible studies, etc. should be as we move out of this pandemic. In considering the will of God as revealed in His word, we have agreed that we have done some things well, some things not so well, and some other things hardly at all. It seems like this is a good time to refocus on what the Lord has revealed in scripture for us to be about and how to move further in the direction of becoming the people He wants us to be. We are looking for your feedback, so we’re going to share the scriptures which we have been considering. 1) Matthew 28:18-20 - How have we been doing at proclaiming the gospel and making disciples? How can we do better? 2) Romans 12:1-8 - Are you being given opportunities to use your gifts and talents? Would you like some help in discovering and using your talents? 3) Ephesians 4:11-16 - How have we been doing in training and equipping ourselves to serve and do the work of the Lord? In what areas would you like to be trained to serve? 4) 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - How good a job do we do in supporting our weaker brothers and sisters? How can we improve? 5) 2 Timothy 2:2 - How well are we training our brothers for leadership and teaching roles in the church and family? How can we do better? 6) 2 Peter 3:18 - Do you see yourself growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior? What else do you need? Please read and consider these words of the Lord prayerfully. Let one of the elders, deacons or minister know your thoughts. We want to be pleasing to Him in all things as we go forward.

Matthew 23:23 Jesus had a lot to say to the scribes and Pharisees recorded for us in Matthew 23. For the most part, it wasn’t good to say the least. Hypocrisy, lawlessness, oppression, upside down values - the list is grievous. One of the things which He singled out was that they were very meticulous in tithing the herbs from their kitchen gardens but had failed by neglecting the “weightier” (more important) matters or provisions of the law. These were such things as justice, mercy and faithfulness. We scratch our heads and wonder how they could do that! Well, it’s quite easy, because it’s easy! Consider. Which would be easier? To clip about 10% of the mint from your garden and take it with you the next time you went to the temple OR to get up early, go to the city gate, and plead the cause of a widow who was being ripped off by some shyster merchant? It’s so easy to take the easy road - unless we are devoted to God and the things which matter to Him. Then our heart and our conscience will move us to pursue the weightier matters. Let’s take a little survey. Be honest with yourself before God. Which bothers you more? The fact that hundreds of thousands died in the COVID pandemic, or the fact that hundreds of thousands died during the same time without Christ? Which bothers you more? The fact that millions on this earth go without enough food every day, or the fact that millions go without the word of God every day? For whom do you pray more? The sick or the lost? For whom do you pray more? The country or the church? So, how did you answer? We can fool ourselves, but not if we’re honest. Of course, we can never fool God. Jesus said: “...where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Are you focused on the weightier matters? ><>Jeff

Luke 16:13 Jesus is quite plain about it: “No servant can serve two masters...” He says it’s an “either-or” situation. It’s love versus hate; devotion versus despising. No in between. No part time. No straddling the fence. No back and forth. But here is the blessed gift from God: He let’s us choose! We have been given the free will to make these life choices, and He informs us of the blessings and consequences for our choices. So how well have you been choosing? What is it for you? Honor God or favor the world? Seek the truth or accept the lies? Do what’s right or practice what’s wrong? Love others or act selfishly? Pursue righteousness or engage in unrighteousness? Be diligent or act carelessly? Give or take? Follow the Word or listen to your heart? Obey the Lord or follow the devil? Share the gospel or keep it to yourself? Desire the good or crave the evil? Work hard or hardly work? Walk in the Spirit or indulge the flesh? Resist the temptation or give in to the urge? Forgive or hold the grudge? Worship God alone or keep some idols in your heart? Tend to your soul or build bigger barns? Humble yourself or strut your stuff? Speak wisely or just talk a lot? Love the Lord your God with your whole being or not? Serve Jesus or do what you want? Take these exhortations to heart or ignore them? ><> Jeff

John 10:7-10 “...I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” As the Good Shepherd, Jesus spoke these words to assure His flock that He will protect them from enemies and also provide for their needs. Even though Jesus will lay down His life for the sheep and thus give them opportunity for eternal life, His words also affirm that He wants His disciples to have an abundant life while they live on the earth. And if He wants us to experience such a life, He will help us live that life to the full. So... ...work like you don’t need the money. ...play like you don’t need the time. ...hug like you can’t let go. ...dance like nobody’s watching. ...sing like nobody’s listening. ...forgive like you’ve not been hurt. ...listen like you know nothing. ...speak like you have words worth hearing. ...rejoice like your future is guaranteed. ...pray like you’ll get what you ask for. ...worship like God is in the room. ...smile like you know a secret. ...laugh like you can’t help it. ...cry like it’s the last time. ...sleep like you have no cares. ...give like you have too much. ...receive like you have nothing at all. ...love like God loves you. ...plan like you have all year. ...live like there is no tomorrow. ...proclaim like Somebody’s coming. ><> Jeff

Luke 5:27-32 Leftovers are a regular fare at our house. Both of us enjoy them. There are several reasons I like leftovers. First off, they taste just as good (if not better) the second time around after all of the seasonings and juices have had a chance to really permeate the food. Second, leftovers do save money. I can’t image just throwing the food away. Third, and most importantly, leftovers allow Shirley to put a good meal on the table without near as much work as preparing something for the first time. If you recall, Jesus had the disciples pick up the leftovers after He fed the five thousand (John 6:12-13) saying “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” The spiritual application? The world doesn’t care for leftovers, but God loves them. After Jesus called Levi the tax collector to follow Him, Levi made a great feast for Jesus, and many were assembled in the house. However, the scribes and Pharisees complained because so many “tax collectors and sinners” were present. They did not want to associate with these outcast and “low lifes,” these “leftovers” of society. They did not want to become contaminated (become unclean) by being at the same table with them. But listen to Jesus’ words: “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Jesus wanted the leftovers. These sinners had been rejected as hopeless and of no value. Among the self-righteous, there was no love for them. They were willing just to let them continue in their sinful practices and disobedience. But Jesus wanted these rejects of the world. Those shunned by self-righteous churches and “pious” Christians are those whom the Lord cherishes. Jesus loves every person and died for all, but those who have been rejected by their own human family seem to have a special place in His heart. After all, He Himself was rejected by His own people and abandoned by His disciples. The world hated Him. It still does. The Lord loves leftovers. Do you?

John 7:37-38 It isn’t as if God isn’t trying to reach us. Nobody can rightfully claim that God has hidden Himself from the human race. In fact, if any one thing can be demonstrated over and over again in the march of history, it is that God has been and continues to be relentless in His reaching out to all those who dwell on the earth. David affirms that the “heavens are telling of the glory of God” and that “day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1-4). Similarly, Paul declares that God’s “eternal power and divine nature” are clearly seen in the created world (Romans 1:20). The evidence is manifold and points to a Supreme Being behind this magnificent universe. Throughout history, God has also made special appearances and sent His messengers to reveal Himself and to direct the affairs of mankind. He called Abraham to whom He made great promises. Jacob encountered God at Bethel and wrestled with Him at Peniel. At the burning bush, Moses was called by “I AM” Who later appeared to all Israel on Sinai. His angel went before them through the wilderness. Later, when Israel began to slide away, the Lord sent prophets with His word and signs to call them back to Him. Most significantly, the Father sent His Son Jesus to reveal Himself to all people and to give us His word for humanity - eternal life (John 12:49-50). We can almost hear the frustration in Jesus’ voice when He stood up in the temple on a feast day and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.” So many walked away and did not come to Jesus for live giving water. Today, we have the Holy Scriptures which tell us all of these things and more. The Bible is the book of God which has the power to stir and convict the soul, spirit and heart of every person (Hebrews 4:12-13). It is a living word which will resonate in every honest heart. But as we look around us at the evil and confusion which permeates the world, we wonder, “Is anybody listening?” Are you?

1 Samuel 17:31-52 “What is Saul doing now?” “He must be mad.” “Who is that, anyway?” Such mutterings were heard from the ranks of the Israelite army as the young man wound his way down the side of the mountain. He carried no weapon to speak of - just his staff and sling. When he reached the bottom, he could be seen walking along and picking stones out of the brook on the valley floor. There was another pair of eyes carefully watching the young man. The Philistine giant had challenged the Israelites to send a champion to fight for them. It was to be winner take all. As the youth came closer, and the giant became aware that this was to be his challenger, he became insulted. “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” The curses flew hot and heavy. But from the other champion came praise. “I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel...the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.” The giant rose and moved toward the young man, and the young Israelite began running toward the Philistine. Thousands of eyes were watching from both hill tops. The tension was tangible. The young man pulled a stone from his bag, loaded his sling and let it fly. It found its mark in the Philistine’s forehead and sank in. The giant collapsed face forward. The son of Jesse took the giant’s sword and cut off his head with it. The Philistines fled. Israel pursued and gained a great victory. The stone had overcome the bronze. The shepherd had beaten the warrior. The man of God had toppled the man of the gods of the world. The Lord had defeat the forces of evil. The battle belonged to the Lord. It always does.

Job 12:7-10 From time to time there is a man who comes to the field across the street from our house with his metal detector. Now this fellow is not doing this on a casual basis. He is all decked out with a belt with his digging tools, knee pads for kneeling and some other paraphernalia. And of course he has his electronic metal detecting device. (I’m not sure of the technical term for such things.) You can watch him walking very slowly while swinging the detector back and forth over the ground. He has on earphones to listen for the machine’s signal that something has been detected. If this is the case, he’ll go to his knees and start digging around in the dirt to see what he can find. Sometimes he digs something up and puts it in a pouch he has on his belt. Sometimes he doesn’t find anything. He does this in all types of weather - even in drizzling rain. Such metal detectors are certainly amazing pieces of equipment to be able to detect metal objects below the surface of the ground. I’ll not pretend to know the science behind it, but the people who thought up, designed, and built such technology truly have great intelligence. Even the person using the device must be able to understand how it works and be able to use it properly if it’s to be effective. In reflecting on this fellow, I was reminded of the robin. The similarities are just too obvious to ignore. The robin walks across the ground in order to “detect” worms, grubs, etc. beneath the surface. (I’m not sure that ornithologists really know how they do it.) When it senses something, the robin stops and pecks the ground with its beak to get its dinner. Sometimes he comes up with something, and sometimes he doesn’t. So, here’s the point.We all agree that it took a great measure of intelligence to design, assemble, and use the metal detector.Why is it that so many people, then, believe that the robin just came into being by a process of random mutations called natural selection?Why do they believe there was no intelligent Designer?

Luke 8:40-56 Whether it was just some playful teasing (often that even hurts) or perhaps something more abusive, everyone has been laughed at. It is always unpleasant and often very hurtful. In Luke 8, we have the account of when Jairus came to Jesus and begged him to come and heal his dying daughter. While on the way to the house, Jesus became involved in the healing of a woman with a discharge of blood. As this was occurring, someone from Jairus’ house arrived and reported that his daughter had died. This news did not deter Jesus. Upon arrival at Jairus’ house, He found everyone mourning and weeping but went on to say: “Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep.” The response to these words of hope are not what we might expect. “And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died.” Evidently some had thought that Jesus could heal the girl and keep her from dying, but no one believed that He could raise her from the dead. Some translations here render the Greed as ridicule which means to make one the object of scornful laughter. Others say “laughed Him to scorn.” Scorn means extreme contempt or disdain. Let’s understand that these people were not just chuckling to themselves about what Jesus said. They were making fun of Him and laughing at Him as if He were an idiot! But Jesus pays them no mind and goes on to raise the young girl from the dead. Amazing! Here, Jesus shows us how to handle sharp and hurtful speech which comes because of our faith. Just ignore it and continue to live according to your faith. What is the key to this? Jesus absolutely knew what was true. He knew that His Father had given Him the power to raise the dead. Do we sometimes not speak up for our faith to avoid ridicule? Maybe it’s because we aren’t fully convinced that what we believe is absolutely true. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that His words are truth, what does it matter that anybody makes fun of you? Truly, what does it matter?