What WOULD Jesus do?

My brother-in-law recently updated his facebook status with this:

Tip: Those cute little "WWJD" and vanity Jesus plates are canceled out by your aggressive driving. WWJD? Not drive like a {expletive deleted} I bet!

I commented back:
Jesus didn't drive. He walked every where. Even on water. ☺

He retorted:
oh my bad. I thought the 2nd 'W' in WWJD stood for 'would', not 'did'. So in that case... What (W)did Jesus Do? Probably not walk like a {deleted}.

My brother in law is an atheist. As Jesus put it, "In this world, you will have trouble." And my brother-in-law has experienced troubles. And he blames God. I wish I had the words to show him how much God loves him. How, yes, he would still have trouble even if he accepted God, but would also have the peace and hope that comes from a Savior.

What WOULD Jesus do? You know, I don't know. Jesus had a knack for always doing what was least expected. He worked on the Sabbath, healing. He sat alone with a woman, and a Samaritan woman at that. He was a king born in a stable.

What WOULD Jesus do? I don't know. There are a lot of things I wish Jesus would do, that He hasn't done. But that doesn't change who He is. "What would Jesus do" is a funny little phrase that we use to determine how we should act as Christians. We don't know what Jesus would do, and even though we think we know what he should do, we often get that wrong too.

What Would Jesus do? I only know what he did do. He did say, "In this world you will have trouble," but he continued, "But take heart! I have overcome the world." He died on a cross, taking on my sins, and yours, so that we may have eternal life. He doesn't end the trouble of this world. Christians don't lead a charmed life. But we have hope of overcoming the troubles of this world. We have hope of eternal life. We have hope.

What Did Jesus do? Enough.

Wait Training

I don’t particularly enjoy exercising. Okay, I don’t at all enjoy exercising. There are many kinds of exercise programs, but there are basically only two types of exercise. Aerobic exercise is meant to increase and improve oxygen consumption by the body to create endurance. Weight Training is meant to increase and improve muscle tone to create strength. But what about Wait Training?

I don’t particularly enjoy waiting. Okay, I don’t at all enjoy waiting. Anyone who has waited on God for anything knows how long and painful waiting can be. But is God training us? What is the purposed of this Wait Training? Could it be to increase our strength? Our faith? Our hope?

Meet me over at Titus 2 in Action , where I am a guest contributor every other Wednesday, to see areas where you might need improvement.

Spirit in the Sky

Goin' up to the spirit in the sky, That's where I'm gonna go when I die.
When I die and they lay me to rest, Gonna go to the place that's the best.
Spirit in the Sky, Norman Greenbaum, 1970

Do you ever think about death? Not in a morbid or morose way, but when a family member dies do you consider where they may end up, in heaven or hell?

How about when you die? Do you think you are going to the "place that’s the best?" What place is the best? Do you think heaven is a boring place where you’ll float around with wings and play a harp? I don’t think so! The bible paints very vivid pictures of heaven and hell, and clearly heaven would be the place that’s the best.

Hell is described as gloomy dungeon, a place where the fire never goes out, a place with weeping and gnashing of teeth, a bottom less pit where your soul is destroyed.

Heaven, on the other hand, is a place of great joy where we will worship God, there will be treasures and rewards, there is no death, sorrow or crying, and there is great beauty there.

The Bible is clear that there is a heaven and a hell. We all deserve to go to hell, because we are all sinners. However, we can go to the place that's the best, simply by believing the Jesus is God's son who died on the cross for our sinners. Confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9).

Then when you die and they lay you to rest, you can go to the place that's the best!

Musical Musings
1. Do you believe in the existence of heaven and hell?
2. Are you assured that you are going to the place that’s the best?
3. If you're not sure of your eternal life, why not pray the prayer below. Then talk to a faith filled friend or pastor to help you become sure of your eternal life.

Karaoke:
Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I do not deserve eternal life. But, I believe You died and rose from the grave to make me a new creation and to prepare me to dwell in your presence forever. Jesus, come into my life, take control of my life, forgive my sins and save me. I am now placing my trust in You alone for my salvation and I accept your free gift of eternal life. Amen.

Rock On: Read about the rich man and Lazarus’ experience with heaven & hell in Luke 16:19-31.

Master Plan

A Master plan is defined as a general plan or program for achieving an objective. I am a master planner. I plan my days, my schedule, my life very specifically.

A friend recently updated their facebook status with a quote from the book Jesus Calling. It said, "Glorifying and enjoying Me is a higher priority than maintaining a tidy, structured life. Give up your striving to keep everything under control - an impossible task and a waste of precious energy."

A tidy, structured life is so much what I have longed to create for myself; usually failing. I love the next line, "Give up your striving to keep everything under control." Give it up? Me???

You know, it's good to have a Master Plan. But what I am finding is that it is better to trust the Master's plan. Amen.

Proverbs 19:21 -- Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

Blinded by the Light

Blinded by the light, revved up like a deuce, another runner in the night.
Blinded By The Light, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, 1977

"Blinded by the Light" is a song written and originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen. It is best known as a 1977 #1 hit version recorded by Manfred Mann's Earth Band. It also has one of the most misquoted lyrics. What does "revved up like a deuce" mean? It's a car reference. By "deuce" he meant a hot rod, a little deuce coupe, like the Beach Boys sang about. It's slang for a 1932 Ford coupe.

There was also a Biblical runner who was blinded by the light. Before he was known as the Apostle Paul, he was Saul. Saul hated believers of Jesus. Acts 9:1 says Saul was breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He hated everything to do with Jesus. But in verse 3 a heavenly light flashed around Saul. The Lord asked Saul "why do you persecute me?" Jesus spoke to Saul from Heaven. And Saul was blinded by the light. I imagine he was also revved up like deuce after the encounter with Jesus.

This encounter changed the murderous Saul into Paul, a self described slave of Christ. (Romans 1:1). Paul spent the rest of his life traveling as a missionary converting people to Christ and writing much of the New Testament, (13 books).

Have you had an encounter with Jesus? Why not seek him, and see what changes he can make in you. And isn't it amazing that it took being blinded for Saul to be able to see?

Musical Musings:
1. Think back in your life. Have you had any encounters with Jesus, or "coincidences" that seem to happen to lead you on the right track?
2. If you can't recall any, pray and ask God to show you the way bearing in mind that sometimes God blinds us to help us see him.
3. God said, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13). You can't half-heartedly look for Jesus. Seek him today with your whole heart.

Karaoke:
Dear Lord, I confess that sometimes I am blind to your ways. Open my eyes that I may see you and know you. Help me seek you with my whole heart. And let me be a life changed like Saul to Paul. Thank you for being a God we can seek and find. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: Read more about Saul's change to Paul in Acts 9. You can read more of the Books of the Bible written by Paul (inspired by God): Romans, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy, Titus and Philemon.

Gossip? Me?

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Romans 1:29-31

The Bible is clear, gossip is wickedness and evil. As Christians we are to guard our tongues and keep from repeating gossip. But what about listening to gossip? Sometimes as Christians we think listening is okay as long as we don't repeat what we've heard.

Proverbs 20:19 says to "avoid a man who talks too much" in regard to gossip. So it is clear, we should not just guard our mouths but our ears as well. Not only that, but Proberbs 18:8 and 26:22 repeat the same warning, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts." What we hear goes in our "inmost parts." Or in the words of computer programming, "Garbage in, garbage out." We need to guard what goes in us, to protect what comes out of us.

Think you've got this one down? Meet me over at Titus 2 in Action , where I am a guest contributor every other Wednesday, to see areas where you might need improvement.

“I Shot the Sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy”
I Shot the Sheriff, Bob Marley 1973

"I shot the Sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy" sings Bob Marley in his 1973 hit song. I can't help but laugh, because it sounds like something I would say. "Yes, I admit that I did this bad thing, but I didn't do a worse thing." Or more likely, "Yes, I did that bad thing, but look what that person over there did. They are the bad guy!"

Why do we minimize our sins? Why do we negate the Biblical truths? Because the truth is, we don't really want to be sinners. We want to say we're really good people, and yes, we may have a few missteps, but nothing really big. Nothing bad like, you know, THAT guy over there. Nah, I sin a little, but I'm okay. I only need a little grace. Cause if my sins were BIG, God wouldn't forgive them, would he? Wouldn't I be a bad person?

The truth is, there is but one sin God doesn't forgive, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. I'm not sure, but I believe that means to reject the Holy Spirit and his efforts to get you to come to Christ. To reject God. Other than that, there is no sin that is too big for God's grace. By minimizing our sins, we not only are minimizing God's gift of grace, but are in fact raising ourselves up higher than we deserve. We are ALL sinners.

Why not embrace your inner sinner today? Why not say "yes, that whole wifely submission thing is impossible for me alone, and hard even with Jesus' help, that is why I need grace! That is why Jesus died for me, because I cannot get this one right." It's okay to admit it. We can't get it right alone. That's why Jesus died for our sins.

Keep striving to do better. But don't minimize your sins. Admit them, ask God to forgiven them, then work to change them. God's grace is big enough.

Musical Musings:
1. Do you admit you are a sinner, and in God's eyes no less a sinner than anyone else?
2. Why do you think we tend to minimize our sins?
3. Do you think there is anyone to sinful for God to forgive? Why?

Karaoke: Dear Lord, I am a sinner. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins and forgiving me. I don't deserve it, but you did it anyway. Help me admit, confess and repent of my sings, so that I may be a new creation in Christ. Thank you, Lord! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: Still concerned that God can't forgive your sin? Read Luke 15:3-7, and discover the great joy in Heaven when a sinner comes to Christ.