Jesus reminds each of us as His disciples that if we truly love Him, we’ll keep His commandments (John. 14:15). How many of us have dissected why, from time to time, we deliberately disobey our God? God gives us commands and reminds us that our reaction to those commands determines our love for Him. Could it be the reason we don’t obey God stems from the fact that we don’t listen to what He’s telling us? Could our actions be indications of less willful disobedience and more lack of love & respect for Him? The longer we spend with our spouses, the more tempted we are to take them for granted. How true that is of God as well! Another reason we so easily dismiss the commands of God is because of the uncomfortable nature sometimes associated with His requests. If we admit or acknowledge we have heard Him speak to us, it’s then up to us to obey. Either we do what He asks of us or we don’t. Given those two options, it’s sometimes easier just to dismiss the thought of God’s commands altogether! We’ve made it way too easy to dismiss God’s Word as truth but that His commands are optional and not imperative. God isn’t going to show up with bells, whistles and loud gongs to get our attention. He works to get our attention through the message of Christ and Him crucified. If the message of Jesus fails to impact you as it once did, make a recommitment to start listening to Him again today. Ignorance isn’t bliss; ignorance in the ways of salvation is death!
Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you! Kevin
0 Comments
The story of Moses is one of the greatest stories in all of scripture. At the time Moses believes he’s ready to defend his Hebrew brothers and sisters, he tries it HIS way; one slave at a time. God had different plans; 40 years of wilderness training, a more mature Moses and a non-consuming, burning bush. Don’t you just love how God operates? The least of all people you would anticipate leading a nation gets the call. It was never Moses’ strength that God needed; it was God’s strength that Moses needed! Abraham needed reminded a time or two that it was God’s plan to use his seed to bring forth a nation too numerous to count. Moses needed Aaron to hold his hand when going to talk to Pharaoh. Years prior to Moses’ burning bush encounter, Moses was trying to handle everything on his own. After the burning bush, Moses tries everything he can to avoid handling ANYTHING. Sound familiar? Ever been there? Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul: 2 Cor 12:7-9 “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”
Boasting about weaknesses isn't about ‘physical battle wounds’ like a scar or broken arm. Boasting about weakness is allowing others to see your tendencies to do the wrong thing and trusting God to pull you up out of the mire and give you a different direction. Just as with Moses, Paul and us…God’s grace is sufficient for each of us because HIS power is made perfect in our weakness! Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you! Kevin I’m sure you’ve experienced it. A shrewd word, a slanderous remark, an evil act. What hurts worse is when it comes from someone we’re close to. Personal acts of betrayal cut us the deepest. Joseph, the one known for his coat of many colors, knew what it was like to be betrayed. Not only did his brothers ‘sell him out’ but so too did those he helped in prison. After Pharaoh’s wife lies about Joseph’s intentions, which resulted in him wrongfully being thrust into prison, he’s even forgotten about by the cupbearer he interprets a dream for. You might be tempted to think that God would have intervened. You might find yourself thinking: “How in the world would God allow this to happen to Joseph when he had done nothing to deserve any of these things?” In reality, God was preparing Joseph for greater things…things well beyond Joseph’s scope of understanding. Truth be told, God was there all along intervening in ways well beyond the scope of human understanding. Joseph speaks volumes to us when in Genesis 50:20 he says, “You meant evil against me, but GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” One of the greatest tests we’ll ever face is allowing God to work all things out in His time and in His way. Ever been wrongfully accused? Ever been “thrown under the bus” by a beloved family member? You’re in good company. Even our Lord was left to bear His cross alone. The next time you experience being wrongfully accused or mistreated, ask your Creator: “Heavenly Father, even though others have meant evil against me, is this test from you meant for good?” (Romans 8: 28).
Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you! Kevin This past Sunday morning I was reminded of the ‘Light’ spoken of in first few verses of Genesis 1. Scientifically it gives us a picture of God creating light even before the sun and moon were created. (Genesis 1: 14-18). Theologically the light first given to expose darkness represents the true Light: Jesus Christ, a Light brought into a world of darkness. Darkness has a tendency to plague the earth because people live with a sense of frustration and futility as they attempt to please fleshly appetites that are never satisfied. God-shaped voids exist in each of us to remind us of the futility of such ventures. Unfortunately, many try to fill that God-shaped cavity with everything but what truly fits. The reason why so many choose everything but Jesus is because the light of Jesus Christ lets people see themselves as they really are: sinners in need of a Savior. Independence, ignorance and pride blind many from understanding how much we truly need Christ Jesus! We live in a world where so many are stumbling through life! Instead of wagging our heads in dismay, why not share our Light with them? Blaming the dark for being dark never really accomplishes what Jesus would ask of us. The reason the dark existed in the first place was for God to expose it to light. (Genesis 1: 2-3). Could it be the reason darkness surrounds us is for God to use us to His glory? Instead of us wondering why God doesn’t do something to right all the wrongs, who’s to say He didn’t create us for that purpose? Remind yourself: the Church of Christ is to be a light set on the hill for all to see. (Matt. 5: 14) YOU are that light! Shine!
Have a blessed day and remember the One who gave it to you! Kevin |
Kevin's KolumnKevin Lough is the minister at the Whitehall Church of Christ in Fairmont WV. Archives
September 2019
|