* Myth Busters

And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
Titus 2:12-14 NLT

MythBusters is an American pop-science TV show that tests the validity of rumors and urban legends that are generally believed to be true. Items such as: 

A penny dropped from a skyscraper lands with enough force to either kill a pedestrian on the sidewalk below or embed itself into the sidewalk.

It is possible to pick up radio signals through a tooth filling.

Holding a large sheet of plywood will slow a fall from a building enough to make it survivable.

All of which have been accepted as believable, but none of which are true, by the way.

With the aid of the Internet, myths and urban legends are detrimentally rampant because lots of people will believe almost anything they read in written form. It's astonishing to discover how often a myth or rumor is widely accepted as truth simply because someone has heard it, read it or said it so many times.

The verses from Titus jumped out at me today. How often do we buy the lie that we'll never be able to overcome a sin in our lives because we believe we were 'born that way' or we've 'always been like this' or 'that's just the way I am' ? Verse 14 declares that Christ gave His life to free us from EVERY kind of sin. I don't see an asterisk that lists any exclusions. It doesn't read 'except for.' 

Let's bust a few myths today, shall we? It doesn't matter how many times you've tried and failed. It doesn't matter how many times someone has proclaimed that you will never be this or that. It doesn't matter how many times you've heard it, read it or said it... The Truth is this. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

God's Truth - His Word - is the original myth buster. Put it to the test. 

Prayer:

Father,
          Thank You for shining the light of Your Truth in our lives. Help us to understand Your Word and to overcome the myths and rumors and lies about our own lives and about You. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* What Will We Give?

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
Luke 6:38 NKJV

God is big about giving. As with everything, He set the example. He doesn't say, "I'm snatching your money from you." "I'm taking your tithes." He says, "Bring it..." and then promises to pour out more blessings than we can hold in return. (NEWS FLASH! Blessing does not necessarily mean money! It's a blessing when you stay healthy while coworkers around you are coughing and hacking. It's a blessing when you find the perfect gift and it's on sale. It's also a blessing when your old car just keeps going.)

Whether it's your money, your goods, your time, or your talent - it's not how much you give, it's the attitude in which you give it. Have you ever heard someone say, "How much to make you go away?"  That is not a generous or grateful heart.

Grateful hearts tend to be generous. They understand what it is to have a need and have it met. Philippians 4:6b reads, Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. It doesn't say, "Tell God go get it and wait until AFTER you get it to give thanks" although many times that's the attitude we see. People who say, I prayed and I didn't get it, and then they want to stop praying ever again. It's like a spoiled brat who throws a tantrum when he doesn't get what he wants.

God knows the difference between want and need, good and bad, right and wrong, and because He IS love and loves US, He will not trade our needs for our wants, or give us bad for our good, wrong for the right.

Scripture tells us that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights. Good and perfect gifts. Given to us from God. Our example. What will we give? What measure will we use? Our best? Or whatever it takes to make Him or others go away?

Prayer:

Father,
         Let us give good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over - with a cheerful disposition - and all for Your glory, not ours. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Two Out of Three

So why do you call me 'Lord' when you won't obey me? But all those who come and listen and obey me are like a man who builds a house on a strong foundation and upon the underlying rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it stands firm, for it is strongly built. But those who listen and don't obey are like a man who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it crumbles into a heap of ruins.
Luke 6:46-49 The Living Bible

We don't like to lose. How many times have you said, "Okay, best two outta three?" When we do, about 1% of the time, we're showing mercy on the opponent who lost the first time (usually a child), but 99% of the time, it's because WE lost the first time and we don't like to lose.

As a nation, we think two out of three is good enough. Tennis matches are comprised of three sets. Two out of three wins. Any competition where more than one game is played, it's often the best two out of three. Elections, government ordinances, proposals are all won or lost by a two-thirds vote. Two-thirds is considered a majority - enough to win. And as a general rule of thumb, we think doing enough is good.

What's my point?

Two out of three is NOT enough in God's government. I'm not into numerology or anything like it, but understand what I'm about to say. Three represents completion in the Word of God. On the third day... Father, Son and Holy Spirit, these three are one... just a couple of examples. There are many others you will find when you study it out.

In God's kingdom, we don't win with two out of three. Our Scripture today clearly defines three - all those who (1) come and (2) listen and (3) obey... We want to come and listen, but we don't know about that obey thing. It's not convenient. That takes commitment and usually affects our finances or cuts into our leisure time. 

Isn't it enough that I come to church and listen?
No, it's not.

Jesus said, So why do you call me 'Lord' when you won't obey me? We don't have the right to call Him Lord if we don't obey. So... best two outta three? You're going down...

It's all or nothing. Ask Jesus.

Prayer:

Father,
In a day and age when enough is considered good, please redirect our values. Birth and mature in us Your Kingdom principles. We know You gave all for us and we praise You for it and give You honor and glory. We want to give You all. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.

Word Origins

So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds." You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?
26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.James 2:17-20, 26 NLT

I was thinking about an interesting conversation I had with a former instructor who passed away in 2015. Although it was not an English-related course that he taught, we discovered over the years many common interests; such as we both enjoyed wordplay and word quizzes and etymology, not to be confused with entomology. One is the study or history of the sources and development of words; the other has to do with bugs. I don't do bugs.  

The instructor was a direct descendant of the Funks of Funk & Wagnall dictionary fame. We had many a lively discussion over the origin of common phrases, proverbial sayings and clichés. At the time, he had not yet chosen Christ as his Savior, so he didn't like it much when I could prove to him that many of those common phrases, proverbial sayings and clichés are implied or have their basis in Scripture. However, like it or not, it's true. 

Did you know that the example of 'Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning' is found in Matthew 16:2-3? How about 'Better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt'? Look at Proverbs 17:28.

'Actions speak louder than words', and even St. Francis of Assisi's quote, Preach the gospel at all times...if necessary, use words, is based in our text for today. "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds."  

People can say they are Christian, but the Bible tells us in Matthew 7 that we'll know for sure by the fruit of their lives. What are they producing? A Bible on the coffee table doesn't make someone a Christian any more than standing in the garage makes them a car. After all, you can't judge a book by its cover, can you?  

Do our words imply or have their basis in Scripture? Is God's Word the origin of our words?

Prayer:

Father,
          If ever there is a warrant issued for the arrest of Christians, let me be found guilty beyond the shadow of a doubt for being known by the fruit of my life. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen

* All of It

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say."
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:16-17a, 23, 26 NLT

I have been amazed at how many times I see and read the words 'all' and 'everything' within Scripture.

God is not a god of half-measures. 1st Corinthians 15:28 NLT reads, Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere. Other translations of the Bible end that verse with God being all in all.

ALL glory, ALL honor, ALL power are His. He doesn't want half-measure from us, either. Mark 12:30 reads, And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. ALL of it.

Jesus Christ doesn't do anything half-measure, either. Every word He spoke was what He heard from the Father. Everything He did was the Father's will. Jesus Christ gave His all - sacrificed His life - so that we could be cleansed from ALL our sin (1st John 1). Not all the ones except for those things we might really like to do or the ones we consider aren't "that bad"... 

ALL of it.

Likewise, the Holy Spirit also doesn't deal in half-measures. Verse 17 of our text begins, He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. No half-truths; therefore, no deceit. He will expose every lie of the enemy if we will listen and obey.

In Ephesians 4, we are instructed, And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ALL of it.

Prayer:

Father,
We submit our lives to the Authority of Christ. We choose to walk after the Spirit so we can walk in righteousness. Father, be our All in all. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* The Point of Reference

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.
James 1:5-6a, NLT

Often, we think we need to either specialize in an area or have some working knowledge about a wide variety of life experiences in order to be able to minister effectively to those around us. And satan is all too happy for us to believe that. The Truth of the matter is, we tend to make following Jesus harder than what it is - which is ONLY true when we're trying to do it in our own power.

You think you can't relate to someone who is struggling with addictions because you've never been an addict? You think you have nothing to offer the one who has been abused or molested because - thank God! - you were never abused or molested? You've been faithfully married for 30 years, so how can you offer any advice or ministry to someone who is facing divorce or who has been divorced twice and needs something? You think you have no point of reference, right? Wrong!

Are you a follower of Christ? Do you believe Jesus is the Answer? This is that moment when it all comes together. You've had all the pieces - the knowledge of what you need to know - but all of a sudden the wisdom is applied and Voilà! You've got it! The generation twice removed might have exclaimed, Eureka! The next generation would say, Duh... and stretch it to at least two syllables.  Today, Emeril would just say, BAM!

Jesus has never been married. Jesus was never divorced. Jesus is not, has never been, will never be an addict. He was not sexually molested, nor did He molest anyone. (Just to name a few...)  But He bore the guilt, the shame, the penalty of all those sins and more, and paid for them all at Calvary with His death on the Cross. He overcame death, hell and the grave and set us free in the process.  Jesus has EVERY point of reference - no matter the circumstance. All we have to do is listen to HIM. Not only will He provide the answer; He IS the answer no matter what the question or who is asking.

Prayer:

Father,
         We come to You, according to Your Word. We need wisdom, and You said You will give it to us and not rebuke us for asking. And we declare, Father, that our faith is in You alone. Help us to minister Your all-knowing Truth, in wisdom, to a desperately lost and dying world. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Absolutely Thrilling

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,  your faithfulness in the evening, accompanied by the ten-stringed harp and the melody of the lyre. You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done.

Psalm 92:1-4 New Living Translation

When was the last time you can say you were thrilled with what the Lord has done for you; as in - you FELT the thrill? Has it been awhile? If so, why? Have you forgotten?

In the big scheme of things, if we compare ourselves to the God of the whole universe, how important are we? And then to think, our lives and everything about us is of GREAT importance to the Creator. There's no guess work in that -  no supposition.

God is the Great I AM. He breathed life into a dustball and created mankind. It's that God who sent His Son - Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, Lord of all and over all, our Deliverer, our Healer, and our Righteousness - to die for us; to create a way for us to be in relationship with Him. He makes a way when most can't even hope for it. How? Through His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ IS the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Scripture defines Him as Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Holy One of the Highest, Emmanuel. He is our Advocate, our Righteous Judge. He is all-powerful, omnipotent, omniscient. He's King above all other kings. Royalty to the extreme and He desires relationship with you. Aren't you absolutely thrilled about that?

Honey, if that don't light your fire, your wood's wet.

Prayer:

Father,
           There is no thrill like the thrill when we come to the understanding of Your love for us. Open our understanding to all You would have us see and know. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen