Category: A Christian life

1 Corinthians 15:8

…as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

The apostle Paul never met Jesus face to face when He was alive on the earth during His three and a half years of ministry. Jesus’ life was witnessed by many beginning with the group of shepherds who visited Him as a babe in a manger and climaxing with as many as 5000 men plus women and children who Jesus fed and ministered unto. Many, many people saw or experienced firsthand the miracle working power and loving presence of Jesus, God’s son, upon the earth. But, not the apostle Paul, who would have then been known as Saul. 

However, after Jesus’ crucifixion, He rose from the dead, and presented Himself to many: Mary Magdeline, the eleven disciples, the two on the road to Emmaeus, and the 500 who stood amazed as Jesus ascended into the heavens. But, not the apostle Paul, still called Saul. 

Before conversion, Saul went about persecuting any who declared the name of Jesus. Saul even stood by and held the coats of the men who murdered Stephen by stoning. Saul watched Stephen proclaim, “…I see [Jesus] standing on the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55) As Stephen looked up into the heavens and saw Jesus, Saul, not yet Paul, did not. 

Thank the Lord for He is good, and His mercy endures forever (Psalm 106). Finally, as Saul made his way to Damascus to bring charges against the Christians, he saw Jesus. Jesus appeared to Saul along the way, spoke to him, and changed his path forever. Saul took on a new character and a new name, Paul. Paul resells this life-altering encounter every opportunity he can. I especially love this particular phrase found in 1 Corinthians 15: “as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw Him.”

Paul may not have had the opportunity to walk with Jesus like the disciples. Paul was not there among the shepherds who found Jesus as a baby. Paul did not experience the fanfare of the wise men. Paul was not even present to witness Jesus crucified. None of that matters because Paul had a personal encounter with Jesus in his own time, and that experience reshaped Paul’s future. 

You, too, can experience Jesus for yourself. It is His desire to dwell with you on a daily basis. You can see Him through the pages of His Word. You can see Him in the nature around you. You can see Him in the eyes of a loved one. You can see Him in the generosity and kindnesses of others. And, sometimes, when Jesus deems it necessary, Jesus reveals Himself to people in dreams, in person, or in spirit. 

I encourage you to look for Jesus today. 

Go to YouTube and listen to You are Holy, Oh so Holy by Christ for the Nations. It’s one of my favorite worship songs. 

John 9:2 (NLT)

“‘…why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parent’s sins?’ 

‘It was not because of his sins or his parent’s sins,’ Jesus answered.”

We cannot explain away the world’s problems so easily. On my, how I’ve tried! I am guilty of thoughts such as these: “If only I hadn’t _____________, then my children wouldn’t have suffered _________________.” (fill in the blanks multiple times over)

I have witnessed other people suffering in the hospital after heart attack, stroke, or infection. Many times people ask, “What did I do to deserve this?”

It’s especially difficult when we are faced with the death of a loved one. The heartache seems unbearable at times. Those of us who are left behind question, “Why would God allow them to die?”

So many questions all with the same unfulfilling answer: “I don’t know.”

But, one thing I do know: God is still God. He loves me. And, if during these dark, lonely, confusing moments, I will run into His arms instead of blaming Him, I will find love, healing, and unexplainable joy.

Easy right?

Absolutely not!

It’s a daily battle: a battle against despair; a battle against reason: a battle against the “norm”. Daily we battle with confidence that Jesus has already won the war.

Tribulations are certain but victory is guaranteed!

John 16:33 (KJV)

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me he might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 

John 8:58

Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth….”

Beginning in verse 12 thru verse 59, Jesus refers to “truth” twelve times. If 1 Corinthians 13 is the love chapter, then surely John 8 can be called the truth chapter. Verse 44 proclaims, “…[the devil] has always hated the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (NLT)

So many people have heard the lies of the devil and believed them to be truth. We must use caution when reading the news, social media, and the like, so that we distinguish the truth from lies. Embellishments and here-say have a way of misinterpreting truth. Do you remember the game we played as children called telephone? Children line up, and the first whispers a message to the next, who whispers to the next, and so on until the final person reveals the message aloud. Usually the message changes considerably from the start. 

The only way to reveal truth is to hear it from the source. John 8:58, “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I AM.'” Jesus tells the truth because He is the source. 

John 8:8 (NLT) 

Then He stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

Man, I want more information! What did Jesus write? Could He have listed each man’s sins? Perhaps He just drew a picture? Maybe, He just wanted an excuse to kneel eye-level with the accused? That last thought sounds like Jesus to me. 

This woman, not only was accused of committing adultery, but she was “caught in the act.” In my mind, I can only imagine she was set up as a way to try to test Jesus and His knowledge of the law. The men proclaimed that Moses commanded that she must be stoned to death. 

Where was the man? If this woman, thrown to the ground as a spectacle for all to see, was caught in the act, then where was the man? For the law of Moses commanded that both of them be stoned to death (Deuteronomy 22).

Jesus stopped and wrote on the ground. I’m thinking the woman could sense His presence close to her as He brought Himself to her level. What did He write? Oh, how I want to know! 

We just don’t have a record of what Jesus wrote on the ground or why, but thankfully we know what He said to this woman, clearly a sinner: “…let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (Vs. 7) One by one the accusers dropped their stones and walked away. Jesus told the woman that He didn’t condemn her, and that she should, “Go and sin no more.” (Vs. 11)

We are not called to judge others but to show the love and mercy of Christ thanking Jesus that He had mercy upon us and showed His love for us by stooping to our level and becoming man. He bore our sins upon the cross, not bringing condemnation, but instruction to go and sin no more: continue living and stop sinning. We must live our lives differently now that we’ve encountered the Lord.

There are many questions for which I do not have the answers, but I choose to focus on the truth I know: Jesus loves me. Jesus forgives me. Now, I must daily go and sin no more. 

1 John 4:10 (NLT)

This is real love-not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Please, please, please take time today to read the passage 1 John 4:7-21.

If only I possessed the talent necessary to adequately compose a description of the revelation of God’s love I so strongly felt in service yesterday morning, then perhaps you, too, could bask in His life-changing, unrelenting love. I will attempt to relive the moment with these mere words on a page. Imagine you are in attendance.

Sunday morning praise flows smoothly. The crowd seems a bit low today perhaps the threat of rain kept some people home this morning, although the only raindrops came in a brief afternoon shower. Speaking of rain, Jeannie begins worship service describing her Saturday night dream. With emotions high in her voice, she pushes through the tears to share her experience: “I stood to lead worship, and the children flooded the altar area without prompting and soon all of the adults followed. The altar was filled with people. Everyone was shoulder to shoulder, too many to count. I looked out over the crowd, and it began to rain. I could hardly see for the rain was falling so heavily saturating everyone.”

Wow! Such a powerful dream! I am so glad Jeannie shared.

Our first worship song, “Jesus, We Love You” by Bethel music, feels easy and joyful, as if we are singing our very own love story to Jesus. The song ends, the presence of the Lord blankets us in warmth. Something shifts. Instead of transitioning into the next prepared song, Elias begins singing “Oh How He Loves Us” by David Crowder Band.

“He loves us

Oh how

He loves us…..”

I’m overwhelmed. It’s so simple, yet it changes everything. “He loves me. Oh how He loves me.” Regardless of anything I’ve done or could ever do, God loves me.

The revelation of God’s unconditional love changes everything! Because He first loved me, I learn how to love Him, how to love others. Because He loves me, I desire to please Him and live my life for Him. Because He loves me, I am changed.

I know the scriptures by heart. I am taught of God’s love. But, the overwhelming flood of assurance, just like the rain in Jeannie’s dream, washed over me in a new way Sunday morning. I experienced love from the inside out, and you can, too. 

Take time to read 1 John, listen to David Crowder sing “Oh How He Loves Us” on YouTube, and invite the presence of God to shower you with His love.

What determines your value?

Your career

Your title 

Your spouse or lack of spouse 

Your children or lack of children 

Your home decor

Your clothes

Your weight

Your height 

Your skin color, hair color, eye color…

Your wealth 

Your status

Your past

???

An item has value if it is desired by someone else. First and foremost, you have value because God desires to spend time with you. He desires to make His abode with you. God wants to communicate with you daily. Your prayers are as incense before Him, a sweet, precious, priceless, one-of-a-kind aroma. (Revelations 8:3-4)

That is enough, but it’s not all!

You are valuable to your family- parents, spouses, children. You are valuable to your friends! Value is increased with use and memories. What’s valuable to one may seem obsolete to another, and that’s why we cannot compare one to another. 

Look closely at the Santa bank in my photo. This Santa is valuable to me because it’s from my childhood. Every Christmas it sat upon the mantle of the fireplace, and I knew it was mine. Memories of decorating and celebrating Christmas with my family flood my mind when I joyfully set my Santa out with my decorations each year. He’s battered from years of service. Notice the ring of glue upon his boot. Many people would bypass the broken Santa at a yard sale as an item of little value. But, for me, he is priceless due to the memories he holds so perfectly gift wrapped in hand. 

Now, consider if I were to actually use this Santa for the purpose he with which he was created: a bank. If I filled my Santa with coins, he suddenly becomes valuable for everyone. Who wouldn’t want a Santa filled with money??? 

I propose if you work to fulfill God’s call upon your life, then value is added to you. When you do what you’ve been created to do your value intensifies. Working with others in mind, takes your vision from yourself. The “woe is me” attitude that often accompanies your pity party is non existent when you focus on the needs of others rather than your own. 

If you are feeling worthless today, examine your service to the Lord and others. Have you been allowing the Lord to use you? Be bold in your actions for the Lord. 

What constitutes working for the Lord? Is it just standing in the pulpit on a Sunday morning delivering a message to a congregation? Who fulfills the work of the Lord? Is it only pastors and teachers or those on the church payroll? 

God forbid! If the world depends solely on the efforts of the ministers in full time positions of ministry, then millions of people will remain unchanged and unmoved. Ministry and outreach to others requires action on the part of all believers. 

The work of the Lord can take on many descriptors. Certainly, for the pastor, this does look like the traditional Sunday morning message. But, it is also demonstrated by the Monday morning repair of a wheel, or the Friday decorating for a Valentine’s banquet, or the day-to-day management of the church office. The work of the Lord takes on many forms throughout each new day. 

For some, the work is accomplished as a volunteer. Little glory is received as men and women take the time out of their daily routine to pick up groceries or move tables to prepare for an upcoming food service. Tearing down tables and chairs from one occasion in order to set up others for the next event seems a daunting task, but generous hearted people accomplish it with a smile. 

The work of the Lord does not need to be extraordinary or overly difficult. This work can be performed by all on a daily basis. This work can be accomplished by multitasking. I can perform the work of the Lord. You can perform the work of the Lord, too. The possibilities are endless. 

Wherever you are today, as you fulfill your daily “to do” list, maintain a pleasant disposition, show kindness to others, lend a helping hand when possible, live your life with a smile. You will bring joy to those who work alongside you. You will be an example of Jesus’ love for others. And, you will accomplish the work of the Lord every single day.

Colossians 3:17

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.