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Ephesians 4:29 More often than not, when we talk about the use of our tongue and the words we speak, we focus on not speaking those things which are harmful, such as lies, slander, gossip, cursing, etc. Well and good, but scripture also teaches us that we need to use our tongues in a helpful and uplifting way to “give grace to those who hear.” It seems to me that, in general, we don’t do this very well. We aren’t very generous in expressing words which edify and encourage others. What are we talking about? The first thing which comes to mind is that we don’t express our “thanks” very much or very well. We just have an expectation that people will do certain things and never consider how much thought, time, effort and spiritual energy were given to what was done. Do you thank the brother who led that prayer? What about the song leader for leading that uplifting song? Somebody prepared the Lord’s table. Did you appreciate the bulletin this week? The website and Face book are kept updated with blogs, podcasts, notices, etc. Someone decorated the building. Somebody paid the bills.... Closely associated with our “thank yous” are words of praise. “Nice job!” “Your words touched my heart.” “Keep up the good work.” “Your smile always warms my heart.” “Your faithfulness is an inspiration to me.” Similarly, words of encouragement are so needful. “I know you’ve been going through a rough patch right now, and we’re keeping you in our prayers.” “Everybody fumbles with their words now and then. It’s what’s in the heart that matters.” “We heard about your trouble. How can we help?” “Remember, Jesus loves you.” And what better words of grace than if we have opportunity to share the gospel with somebody? “Jesus is still the answer.” Like the rest of our lives lived for Christ, our words are not simply to be void of evil and harm, but to be filled with grace and love.Speak words which “give grace to those who hear.”

1 Corinthians 15:45-58 We hear sermons and read articles that the cross was not the end of Jesus. Jesus’ adversaries among the Jewish religious rulers thought they had dealt decisively with this trouble maker. Pilate was just thankful to be rid of a potential disruptor of the peace. The devil danced with pompous glee. But the first day of the week dawned with the tomb empty - Jesus was alive again! Victory was His! Yet, the cross was the end of many things. Lest we forget, the victory was won at the cross. The empty tomb was the proof. At the cross, Jesus brought an end to sin. Yes, I know that we all still sin, but Jesus had broken the power of sin. As the “last Adam,” Jesus lived a life without sin, rendering to God what no human being had ever done before - perfect obedience. Thus, He could become the propitiation, the sacrifice, the Lamb of God on the cross to take away the sin of the world. Now, in and through the blood of Christ, people can be forgiven of all their sins and be brought into a right relationship with God. Through faith, repentance and baptism into Christ, this is now possible (Romans 6:1-11). The cross was the end of law as the standard for determining our eternal destiny. Jesus had kept God’s law perfectly and so overcame sin. Now in Him, we have His righteousness (perfection) and stand justified before God. Our task is to listen to His word and follow Him with complete devotion. The cross was also the end of death. Yes, I know that everybody still dies, but Jesus had broken the power of death and had returned from Hades (Revelation 1:17-18). His promise to all mankind is that in Him you can live again, and in fact have life eternal! It is His gift to us. The cross was the end of the devil’s reign on earth. Yes, he’s still our there setting traps and sniping at us, but he’s been whipped. Jesus now has all authority over all things. He is Lord and King. Through the cross, Jesus gained victory over all things which were in opposition to humanity. Thank you, Jesus, for your cross!

Exodus 3:1 - 4:17 “Excuses are a dime a dozen.” We’ve all heard that one. How about this one? - “Excuses are little lies we tell when we don’t want to tell the truth.” Hmmm? When Moses was called by the Lord on Mount Sinai to lead His people out of Egypt, Moses was reluctant to go and offered his excuses. “I’m just an ordinary guy and not qualified to do this.” (Ex 3:11). “If I show up in Egypt in front of all those people, who will I say sent me to do this great thing?” (Ex 3:13). “What if they won’t believe me?” (Ex 4:1). “I’m not an eloquent speaker. You need a good talker for this task.” (Ex 4:10). Then Moses finally told the truth. “Please, Lord, send somebody else to do this. Anybody.” (Ex 4:13). In other words, Moses finally admitted that he just didn’t want the job! Period. People are no different today. We all offer our excuses when we don’t want to do something. Our “little lies” are a smokescreen for the truth, which is usually: “I don’t want to do it.” We’ve all offered them. Do any of these sound familiar?

Colossians 3:1-4 In the midst of such troubling situations as this corona virus pandemic, we search for answers. “Where is God?” “What is God doing in all of this?” “What lessons does He want us to learn?” Although we can never know for certain, it has come home to me through observation, listening to others, and considering the Word that one thing God most likely wants us to learn is to slow down and refocus on the things which truly matter. Our helter skelter lives keep us running constantly from one activity to another. Work schedules, school schedules, kids’ activities, club meetings, church meetings ... Car needs an oil change ... Need to get to the grocery store ... Our program is on tonight - I think we have three on DVR ... Doctor appointment Tuesday ... Yours is next week ... I need to check e-mail; Did you? ... Jackie needs a new pair of shoes ... Is it time to refill your prescription? ... Did you walk the dog today? ... Remember, tomorrow I start yoga class ... I have to work Saturday ... Isn’t your mother’s birthday next week? ... I’ve got to get on-line tonight and make that order ... Gloria has been texting all day ... I need to see what’s happening on Face Book ... Were you serious about wanting to see that movie? ... Did you check the mail? ... Was that your phone or mine? ... And so it goes. “The world is too much with us” wrote William Wordsworth about 1802 as he objected to the materialistic focus which the First Industrial Revolution brought to the world. The world will always work to exact its “pound of flesh.” The world is against us and not to be loved (1 John 2:15-16). Let’s turn this virus thing around and see it as an opportunity to refocus on and reconnect with things of greatest value: Jesus Christ Himself, your spouse, your kids, family, church family, friends, worship, prayer, the Holy Scriptures, doing good, the gospel, the glory of nature, the gifts of God... Remember: Life isn’t about time management - it’s about what you do with your time.

Ephesians 5:22-33 Well, this must be a cutting edge article you’re thinking. What can we possibly learn from a clothes hamper? Let me explain. We have a clothes hamper in our bedroom. It fills up with dirty clothes on a regular basis, pretty much every week. And I am one of the main contributors to that. But always, always, when it begins to get full and overflow with dirty shirts and socks, something marvelous happens. All the clothes disappear! And in a day or two, they reappear all clean, neatly folded and ready to be put away. All this, of course, is the doing of my wonderful wife Shirley. Never once do I say anything to her about doing the laundry. (By the way, I do put my clothes away in the drawers!) Now please don’t get the wrong idea that I think she was put on earth just to take care of me. She wasn’t. Nor was I put on the earth just to take care of her. However, we did agree to be companions in life and to take care of each other. And that is what we do - day in and day out; week in and week out; year after year. Meals, cleaning, trash, lawn care, snow removal, grocery shopping, auto maintenance, banking, house repairs, et al - we do for each other. We also pray together, read and discuss scripture together, encourage one another, support one another emotionally, look out for each other’s health needs, etc. We are two acting as one. Such is God’s design for husbands and wives. Do we do it perfectly? Of course not. But we’ve learned through the years, and we get it right more often than not. Every now and then, couples should sit down, face to face, and talk heart to heart. Perhaps on your anniversary? An especially good opportunity is after you’ve had a pretty severe “bump in your road.” But the main theme of this sit down is: “Have I been true to you as I said I would?” All of those “little things” done which go virtually unnoticed would stand as silent markers along side of the major problems you’ve overcome together to testify that “I have kept my word to you because I love you.” Do you have a clothes hamper?

Ephesians 5:6-17 In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul outlines pretty much everything which has to do with being a Christian: the blessings of salvation, freedom in Christ, the power working in the believer, the call to unity, Christ’s gifts to the church, the purpose of the church, the need to put off the old person and put on the new, the great battle between good and evil, et al. Soon after reminding them that they are to “walk as children of light,” he writes: “Awake sleeper, and arise from the dead. And Christ will shine on you.” In light of all he is saying, these are words of exhortation for these Christians to get with it and do what needs to be done in their own lives! Even they tended to be lulled to sleep by the things of life, just as we do today. Paul’s exhortation is as needful for us just as it was for them. We need to awake to the fact that we are in a full blown war with the forces of evil in which people are dying without Christ! We need to awake from our attractions to the things of the world and turn our hearts back to God. We need to awake to the power of the prayers of a righteous person. We need to awake from some of our traditions and “understand what the will of the Lord is.” We need to awake to the power of the Holy Spirit to help us overcome our own personal weaknesses. We need to awake to the power of the gospel of Christ. We need to awake to our own personal abilities given to us by the Lord and put them to use in the kingdom. We need to awake to the teachings of the Word and stop being lulled to sleep by the smooth talking of the world. We need to awake from the satisfaction of our own salvation and open our eyes to the "lostness" of others. We need to awake to the depth of the love of Christ. Awake, sleeper. Awake!!

Ecclesiastes 5:10-12 The lure of happiness may be one of the most insidious devices of the devil. Webster defines happy as 1) favored by circumstances; lucky; fortunate; 2) having, showing, or causing a feeling of great pleasure, contentment, joy, etc. It is the world’s (i.e. the devil’s) constant theme that a person should pursue what makes him/her happy. So an individual immerses their self in those things which are perceived to provide this feeling of joy and pleasure. For example, if it’s the “stuff” of life which we think will bring us happiness (whether in the form of fun, comfort, status, or popularity) then money becomes a key for bringing us the “stuff” - bling, flashy cars, trendy clothes, latest video game, etc. But in time (maybe even a few months), that hot-off-the-showroom-floor crossover which was to be the “best thing ever” begins to lose its luster and appeal - especially when those newer models come out with more bells & whistles promising more horses under the hood, fewer stops at the pump, and a better financing arrangement. Happiness now takes on a new look. And so it goes as the illusive “blue bird of happiness” flits from limb to limb mocking the one who tries so desperately to catch it. How insightful and wise was Solomon! (Ecclesiastes 5:10-12) The Holy Spirit has a much richer word for “happiness,” and that is blessedness. This is a full and satisfying state of inner joy which can only come from God, the One who knows exactly how to bring every one of us peace and contentment. God invited the thirsty to come to Him and buy water, wine and milk without money! (Isaiah 55:1) Jesus said that He was the bread of life (John 6:35), and He cried out in the temple that if anyone was thirsty they should come to Him and drink (John 7:37). These verses along with many others point humanity to that which only can satisfy its deep hungers and desires and bring more than elusive happiness, even a rich blessedness - the true and living God and His Son Jesus.

Psalm 139:13-16; Proverbs 6:16-17 Let’s say that you had a canvas on an easel in some corner of your home, and you had begun painting a scene on that canvas. You had laid in some background, hills and trees, and were just starting to put in the little cottage which was to be the centerpiece of your picture. Let’s say I came into your home and grabbed the canvas, broke the frame, threw it on the floor and stomped all over it. Would you be upset with me for destroying your painting? Let’s say that you had started to make your Mom’s recipe for lasagna. You had all the noodles boiled and had begun layering them in the pan with the cheese and her special blend of sausage and seasonings. Let’s say I came into your kitchen and took the pan and dumped out its contents onto the floor. Would you be upset with me for ruining your lasagna? Let’s say that you had poured the footer and the concrete floor for your new garage. You had laid up the cement block and had it almost framed up. Let’s say I came over to your place with a bulldozer, knocked the whole thing flat and ran my dozer all over it. Would you be upset with me for demolishing your garage? Let’s say that you were putting in a vegetable garden. You had planted seed and set out some seedlings. The beans were up, and so were the peas, carrots, and lettuce. The peppers were taking root. Let’s say I came over to your yard and dug up all the plants, piled them in a heap, poured gasoline on them and burned them all. Would you be upset with me for wiping out your garden? Let’s say that God had begun carefully and lovingly to create a child in its mother’s womb. He had fashioned its various parts and was knitting them all together: a tiny head, hands, feet and body. The heart was beating the rhythm of life. He was weaving it ever so intricately to be a one of a kind masterpiece of human life. Let’s say a doctor intruded into God’s workshop and tore that little body limb from limb and dragged those parts out of its mother. Do you think God would be upset about the killing of His baby?

1 Corinthians 15:58 Scripture contains numerous exhortations and words of encouragement for living the Christian life. There are sentiments about loving others, service, good works, resisting temptation and a host of other aspects of righteous living. When I consider this subject of “pressing on” in the faith, three words come to my mind: endurance, steadfastness and perseverance. These words are very similar in meaning, but to me each one carries a bit of a different idea about what it means to continue to follow Jesus. Maybe I’m “slicing these a bit too thin,” but here are my thoughts. Endurance tells me there is something to be endured. The devil continually opposes us. Temptations are all over. Persecution is real. Troubles and hardships of all sorts proliferate. Our own sins trip us up. So we must endure all of these types of things. We will be hurt, we will be disappointed, we will be beat upon, we will be pummeled by the adversities of life - so we must endure the pain. Steadfastness tells me that when any of these troubles are pounding on me, that I must not be moved. Like a tree bending in a gale but not breaking. Like a seawall holding up during the pounding of the waves. During such times, I will remain faithful to the Lord. I will hold to His word of truth. I will not blame Him nor rail against Him for my troubles. I will honor my covenants. I will not be moved. Perseverance tells me that despite such adversities and troubles of life, I will continue to “fight the good fight of faith.” I will continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus. I will continue to serve, to help, to worship and to tell the gospel story. I will be renewed day by day. I will not quit, but rely upon the power of the Holy Spirit and the example of my Lord to move me forward. When adversity and temptation come our way, we must endure the affliction, be steadfast in our faith and continue to persevere in the fight. The Lord Jesus set this example for us. As His disciples we follow in His steps. He is faithful in helping us press on.

Philippians 2:3-4 “Look at me, Daddy! Look at me. Mommy, look at me! We have all heard little ones excitedly call out to their parents to watch them in some daring feat of acrobatics or stupendous moment of showmanship. They want recognition and approval, and they need it - lots of it. It’s an aspect of being loved. However, as the family grows, children must adjust to the arrival of siblings. No longer does one child receive all the attention and all the hugs from Mom and Dad. What once belonged exclusively to one child must now be shared. Even children without brothers or sisters encounter this situation with classmates in school, and every person soon learns that in the various spheres in which we function (work, recreation, church, etc.) that recognition must often be shared and even set aside at times in favor of others. Brother Jim McGuiggan has written this: “To know that your friend (or your God) cannot treat you as if your were the only person alive and to submit graciously to that truth is inspirational living.” What a great insight! Other people need to be loved besides myself. Other people have interests besides me. Others have feelings. Others have true needs. And as a Christian I am called by my Lord to step aside at times and allow the needs and interests of others to be taken care of. Yes, and sometimes I am even called to be the one to help take care of those needs of others! - even as I am desperately seeking recognition myself. To deny self is rarely an easy task. Paul put it another way: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” “O, Father, please help me to dethrone myself from my heart and firmly enthrone Jesus there so that He might direct me and help me to love others who have needs and interests as I do. In the name of the One who set aside His own privileges to take care of our need for saving grace. Amen.”

Ephesians 4:20-24, 28 Change is a scary word to most people. Folks live in their “comfort zones” and routines, and they get very uncomfortable (even fearful) when anything changes. But when a person comes face to face with Jesus Christ and sees his or her sins and faults for what they are, he/she realizes that change must come. Becoming a Christian involves more than receiving forgiveness for sins and going to church. True repentance is needed which leads to a life transformed into the image of the Son of God. Paul uses the picture of putting off the old man and putting on the new as he writes about this necessary change in Christ. Let’s take the thief, for example. He specifically tells the thief that he must stop stealing. This seems so obvious we wonder why it is even said, but when we reflect it becomes clear. Some people want to continue in their sinful ways and expect Christ to just keep forgiving them! Sin and evil of every sort must be forsaken. But simply removing sinful conduct is not enough. Christ looks the thief in the eye and says, “There is more.” The thief is to replace stealing with honest work. Good is to replace evil. One’s life must reflect the teaching and life of Christ. For the thief, he has to learn to work and be responsible. The liar must learn to tell the truth. The adulterer must learn faithfulness. Put off - put on. But Jesus is not done with the thief. The thief has pursued a lifestyle of taking from others for himself. As with all of us sinners, he has a heart problem as well. What if he works hard but consumes everything he makes on himself? This would not be like Christ. So the final instruction for the thief is that some of his honest work must go toward sharing with those in need. The thief must be “renewed in the spirit of ‘his’ mind” and learn to look beyond himself, jettison selfishness, and put on love and compassion. Putting off the old self with its corrupt ways can be a challenge, but Christ will help us get it done. He has the power!

Genesis 5:21-24; Hebrews 11:5 The LORD: Did you see the sunrise this morning, Enoch? Enoch: Yes, Lord - magnificent! But that sunset last Tuesday was just incredible. How do you do that? Well, that’s a stupid question, isn’t it? The LORD: Someday, I’ll show you how it’s done. And how’s the family? Enoch: Lord, you know. You know all things. We’re having some trouble with Abijam, but we think he’ll be OK. The LORD: I am really pleased with how you and your wife are bringing up your children. Enoch: Well, it takes a lot of work with all of the wickedness around, but we want them all to know you. The LORD: The wickedness is going to get a lot worse. Enoch: Lord, why will you let that happen? Things are so bad now, and so many people get hurt. The LORD: I have my reasons. Someday I’ll tell you. Enoch: What will happen to my children? The LORD: You have taught them well, but they will each make their own choices as you have. Enoch: Seeing all the evil in the world and the trouble which people are causing for others and bringing on themselves just torments my soul every day. The LORD: I know. Enoch: Of course you do. The LORD: How would you like to leave it all behind? Enoch: Well, I’ll do that when I die. The LORD: You won’t have to die. Enoch: What do you mean? Can you do that? The LORD: Enoch... Enoch: I know - another stupid question. You are God. The LORD: Enoch, come here. Let’s go home.