Author: Mojo Ministries

Luke 17, beginning in verse 11, the Bible says, “And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. ¹² And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: ¹³ And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. ¹⁴ And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. ¹⁵ And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, ¹⁶ And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷ And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? ¹⁸ There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. ¹⁹ And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.“

Though Congress has decreed Thanksgiving Day to be held on the Fourth Thursday of every November, it is my belief that Thanksgiving should be a daily way for life for the believer.   

In our Scripture, we find Jesus on the border line between Galilee and Samaria. There was a band of ten lepers that met him there. Normally the Jews had no dealing with the Samaritans at all.  Samaritans were a “mixed race” contaminated by foreign blood and false worship.

Not only were these men Samaritans, but even worse, they were Lepers.  Lepers had to live separated from their homes, their families and society.  They wore clothing over their faces and whenever someone approached them, they had to yell out “UNCLEAN, UNCLEAN.”  They were outcast of society.

When they heard Jesus was coming their way, they went to Him for healing.  And after Jesus healed them, only one came back and gave Him thanks. Nothing by societies standards said Jesus had to come and help them, or have compassion on them.  Though He didn’t have to care – but He did care. 

And though they were unclean, unkept and no doubt a wretched mess, Jesus was moved with compassion.  But what prompted Him?

• The Religious “Right” certainly didn’t prompt Him;

• Society Definitely didn’t prompt Him.

So what is it that moved the LORD?  It was love.  “For God so loved the world . . .,” “But God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

I am thankful for the day that when I came to Jesus, and all I had to offer him was the filthy rotten, tattered clothing of my sin-ridden life, He loved me enough to remove those filthy rags and He put on me His Robe of righteousness.  So to my Lord and Savior, I give Him a Leper’s Thanks.

I came across an old missionary card I had from friends of mine in years gone past, and the card stated their family name and then it had this statement under their name “Living a life on Mission.”  I was instantly reminded of Matthew chapter 5 where you and I are to be the “salt of the earth” and “light of the world.”  Do you realize that salt wasn’t meant to stay in the shaker?  Although it is comfortable in the shaker and although there is safety in the shaker, salt serves no purpose in the shaker.  It has to be poured out.  And in our case, we are to be “poured out” on all the world.  My prayer for you and for me is that we will each purpose in our hearts that we are going to live a life on mission, we are going to live outside of the salt shaker.  I pray collectively that we will fulfill the purpose of our lives that God has left us here for. 

In Acts chapter 18, we are introduced to a husband and wife team (and in my opinion God’s Missionary Dream Team) by the name of Aquila and Priscilla.  They were not preacher’s, they were not leaders in the local church, but simply a husband and wife that were willing to do whatever God wanted them to do.  At a time when Paul was discouraged by his journey to Athens, he made the 50 mile trek from Athens to Corinth, where by God’s sovereign plan – he meet up with this couple.  Every time you see this couple mentioned in the Scriptures, they are always shown “Pouring their life out on the world..”  Let me share 4 things that I believe are indicators of “Pouring your life out on the world:”

1.  If you are going to pour your life out on the world, you will utilize your vocational calling as part of your daily ministry.  In Acts chapter 18 and verse 3, we learn that they were Tentmakers.  They did not separate their vocation from their ministry.  Though you may not be called to preach, or to go into the mission fields of the world, God has placed you right where you are for a reason and your mission is no less important to the Kingdom work than anyone else.  When you go to work tomorrow, you will either be an instrument that God uses to touch lives or you will not.

2. If you are going to pour your life out on the world,  you will see personal burdens as bridges of opportunity.  Verse 2 tells us that Aquila and Priscilla were literal thrust out of the city of Rome.  Persecution of the Jews drove them away.  They were forced out of their homes by law by the decree of Claudius.  But rather than be bitter about their circumstances, they allowed God to take them on a journey, and that journey lead them to a Divine intersection with the Apostle Paul.  They allowed the circumstances of their lives to build a bridge of opportunity for all that they would come in contact with.  Everybody has a story.  Everybody has a hurt.  God wants to take your life and your hurts and use them as a bridge to reach someone else.

3.  If you are going to pour your life out on the world, you have to be willing to be spent for the sake of the Kingdom.  In verse 18, Aquila and Priscilla leave their new home in Corinth and follow Paul to Ephesus.  And what does Paul do?  He leaves them go and heads back to Antioch and Jerusalem.  What do they do, they set up tent and just encouraged the believers there in Ephesus.  They decided to be used by God no matter where they were.  And because of, Paul wrote in I Corinthians 16:19, “The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.”  What did they do?  They built a church in their living room.  They gave themselves, they gave their time, their tithes and their talents, and even gave their home for the Kingdom work.  They were willing to be spent.  Listen to what Paul says about them in Romans 16:3-5, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: ⁴ Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵ Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.”  Let me ask you this question – what are you spending for the sake of the Gospel?

4.  If you are going to pour your life out on the world, you will invest yourself in the disciple- making process.  If you are a Christian and you are reading this, I can promise you, that at some time in your life, someone took the time to disciple you.  Someone made the conscious decision that they were going to come along side of you and help you.  Aquila and Priscilla decided they were going to do that for people.  Acts 18, beginning in verse 24, the Bible says, “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. ²⁵ This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. ²⁶ And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”  They helped Apollos become one of the early leaders in the church.  I believe that Christianity is one generation away from extinction.  God has called each one of us as Christians to disciple somebody else, to pass the baton.  Who are you bringing along with you to disciple, to build up and encourage?

Heavenly Father, thank you for the mentors you have given me in my life.  I pray Father that you help us to get out of the shaker and pour ourselves out on this beautiful world you have created.  In Jesus name, AMEN.

When I was attending Bible College years ago, my Homiletic’s professor made a statement that I have chewed on over the years.  He said, “If we’re not careful, our tendency is to sometimes take ourselves out of the Bible stories.”  What that means to me is this – sometimes, because we’ve become so familiar with some of the stories of the Bible, they have simply become “just stories in the Bible” and we tend to forget that they were just people, like you and I are people today.

• They had emotions and feelings back then, just like you and I have emotions and feelings today;
• They had trials of their faith back then, just like we have trials of our faith today;
• They battled their sin nature back then, just like you and I battle our sin nature today;
• They had times of failure, just like you and I have failures;
• They had moments of anger, just like you and I have moments of anger;
• They had moments of great joy, just like you and I have moments of great joy;
• They had some mountaintop experiences, just like you and I have had some mountaintop experiences;
• They spent time in the valley, just like and I have spent time in the valley.

 I say all of that to say this, when we read the stories in the Bible, whether they are about Joseph,, or David, or Peter, or Paul, our tendency is to say, “Well they’re just different than us.”  And the truth is, they’re not.

Consider these  verses from Genesis 39.  Beginning in verse 20, “And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. ²¹ But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. ²² And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. ²³ The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the Lord was with him, and that which he did, the Lord made it to prosper.”

So here is Joseph, he’s been thrown into prison, yet verse 21 and 23 say, “The LORD was with him . . .”  These verses also tell us the LORD “shewed him mercy and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”  So much so, that the keeper of prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners in the prison.  Nothing happened in prison without Joseph’s approval. 

It is easy to look at these verses and say, “Well Joseph was just different than us.”  Yet, can I remind you that the same LORD that was with Joseph is the same LORD that is with you and I today.  And over and over again He has shown us mercy and He has shown us favor, and many times He has shown us favor in the sight of our “keeper of the prison,” whether that prison be the prison of shame or failure, the prison of addiction, the prison of some horrible disease like  cancer, or the prison of divorce or a broken home.  Over and over again He has shown us mercy and favor.  Don’t forget folks, when you are reading the Bible, don’t just read the “stories” of the people back then, but own those Scriptures in your personal life. 

On this pilgrimage of life, as we journey from the cradle to the grave, our task as a Christian should be to glorify God.  Paul said, “…Of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities” (2 Corinthians 12:5).  Even in our sickness, we should glorify God.  I pray that through these meager words, that God will open our minds and touch our hearts.  I am praying the Lord will lead us from the dungeons of darkness and doubt unto the marvelous light of confidence and conquest.  There are no impossibilities with the Lord, for He can never fail. He stood by the golden gate of eternity and shouted His triumph, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18).  Even in the midst of trials and troubles, we are not to question, but glorify God.

So how do we turn a tragedy into a triumph? How do we turn every Calvary into an Easter? How do we turn a minus into a plus?  I believe it can be done, and suffering, sorrow, trouble and tragedy are the raw materials out of from which we, as believers, can weave a garment of praise for the glory of God.  The greatest opportunity you will ever have to glorify God will be in your hour of stress and storm.

God tells us in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” God is working on a different thought level. At best, our understanding is fragmentary and finite. We can only see through a glass darkly.  We make mistakes and view life with a narrow vision, while God looks from a different vantage point.  He knows the end from the beginning.  In the very beginning, God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth.  It was corrupt and filled with violence.  

Do you know why? God said, “…Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). It says in Proverbs 23:7, “For as he (a man) thinketh in his heart, so is he…” Isaiah 55:7 tells us, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts…” In Psalm 139:23, David said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts….”  The apostle Paul told the church at Ephesus that he was serving the Lord with all “humility of mind” (read Acts 20:19).  He told the church at Corinth to have “a willing mind” and “a ready mind.” He beseeched the brethren in Rome to present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is our reasonable service, and be not conformed to this world, but to be transformed by “the renewing of your mind” (read Romans 12:1-2). What was Paul saying?  “Get your mind out of the gutter!”  One look at our world and it is evident we have come a long way in many areas.  We can put Rovers on Mars to study if there are any signs of life.  At the same time we are killing innocent life here daily.  Danger stalks our land! Fear grips our heart! Satan battles for the minds of men and women.

Folks, we need to get back to seeing what Isaiah saw when he saw “the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up …”  And when he did, he said, “woe is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5). Then when the Lord said, “…Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah had no problem responded, “Here am I, send me” (Isaiah 6:8).

 A great evangelist once asked, “Have we ceased to believe in the power of the Gospel?  Have we forgotten there is a power that can change the minds and the hearts of men?  There is a power that can make our enemies footstools. There is a power that can turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones.  There is a power that can turn harlots into missionaries.  There is a power that can turn cursing men into Gospel preachers.  There is a power that can open Red Seas.  There is a power that can furnish manna from on high.  There is a power that can confound the enemy on the battlefield.  There is a power that can feed 5,000 with a little boy’s lunch.  That power is available to us. For He who has called us and sends us, has not, and will not leave us nor forsake us.” He promises that, as we go, there will be strength for the day, and courage for the battle.   

Heavenly Father, I have to pray just as Isaiah prayed, “Woe is me, for I am undone.  I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people with unclean lips.”  So LORD, when it comes to me, I WILL NOT GLORY in myself, or my talents, or my abilities, but I will glorify in You, even in my infirmities.  I praise You and exhalt You, because You and You alone are worthy!  In Jesus Name.  

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (II Tim. 3:16-17)

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (II Peter 1:21)

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (I Peter 1:23)

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

No wonder the Psalmist said, “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” (Psalms 119:89).  And may I add that it is settled here on earth as well.

And that is why daily we are to be “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”  (Philippians 2:16).

What a privilege you and I have to hold in our hands the very breathe of God. God only wrote one Book – and what a book it is.

• It is a Book of Prominence – being widely and favorably known;
• It is a Book of Promise – a promise to never leave us or forsake, a promise to lift us and forgive us when we’ve fallen, a promise to strengthen us in times of weakness, a promise of hope when everything looks hopeless, a promise to do the impossible when everything looks impossible, and a promise to save (these are just a few of the many promises in God’s Word)
• It is a Book of Power – God didn’t give us the spirit of fear – but of power! The power to stand on our faith, the power to witness for Christ. The Greek word used for power is dunamis, which we translate as D-Y-N-A-M-I-T-E. Aren’t you glad God’s Word has the power to blow some people right into the Kingdom of God?
• But mostly, it is the Book of a Person – from Genesis to Revelation, we are introduced to the Lamb of God that would forgive our sins and heal our land.

Though the cover is worn and the pages are torn and places bear traces of tears, yet more precious than gold is this Book worn and old that can shatter and scatter my fears. This old Book is my guide, It’s a friend by my side that can lighten and brighten my way. And each promise I find soothes and gladdens my mind as I read it and heed it each day.

I’m glad that God’s Word is enough!

Beginning in Ecclesiastes 4, “⁹ Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. ¹⁰ For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? ¹² And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him;  (Now look at this famous words from Soloman) and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Eccl. 4 is written in the context of friendship.  We know that one strand on its own is easily broken.  Even two strands are somewhat easily broken – but three strands is very difficult to break.  Why, because there is a synergy in that bonding together, that weaving together.  I don’t know that you can find a better description of true friendship than these verses here.  One of the greatest joys of being a Christian are the friendships that cross our paths on this life’s journey.  Outside of our families, these friendships should be the most faithful friendships of all. 

I believe that God has given us the local church so that we can develop these connections, these intertwined relationships that are woven together in an unbreakable bond.  Hermit relationships, or solo relationships within the church are just not fruit bearing.  From a Biblical perspective, I would venture to say that God intended for people to invade our worlds.   God intended for you and I to open up our circle – and not just to allow other people in, but even to bring other people in. 

In the New Testament alone, the term “one another” is used 100 times.  59 of those times specifically deals with the relationship we are to have with “one another.” Here are a few of those: 

• We are to love one another;

• We are to be devoted to one another

• We are to honor one another above ourselves

• We are to live in harmony with one another

• We are to edify (build up) one another

• We are to be like-minded with one another (walk a mile in their shoes)

• We are to accept one another (yes, with all of their flaws, with all of their baggage)

• We are to admonish one another (verbally challenge and encourage one another)

• We are to greet one another (verbally hug one another)

• We are to care for one another

• We are to serve one another

• We are to bear one another’s burdens

• We are to forgive one another

• We are to be patient with one another

• We are to speak truth in love to one another

• We are to be kind and compassionate toward one another

• We are to speak to one another with Psalms, and hymns and Spiritual songs.

• We are to submit to one another

• We are to bear one another

• We are to comfort one another

• We are to teach one another

• We are to encourage one another

• We are to stir up good works in one another

• We are to employ our gifts for the benefit of one another

• We are to clothe ourselves in humility toward one another

• We are to pray for one another

• We confess our faults to one another

• We are not to lie or be dishonest with one another

• We are to stop passing judgement on one another

• We are not to provoke or envy one another

• We are not to slander one another

• We are not to grumble or complain against one another

You and I as the body of Christ are joined together in one body.  We are brothers and sisters.  The purpose of the church is to raise up and show the world what one body looks like.  So, the simple truth is, we need one another.  “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (Prov. 18:24)

To those who follow me, my apologies for not writing in several weeks. I have been heavily involved in curriculum development for a Bible Institute that I will be very excited to share information about in the very near future.

Acts chapter 20, beginning in verse 7, the Breathe of God says, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. ⁸ And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. ⁹ And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. ¹⁰ And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. ¹¹ When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. ¹² And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.”

I find this story about Euthychus to be quite interesting (and in certain points, humorous). Let me explain. We find in this story that this man Euthycus fell asleep and fell 3 stories to his death. There are a number of reasons this could have happened:

1. He could have fallen asleep because of the lengthy sermon. In fact, one translation said that Paul preached on and on and on. Sounds like many of our church folk today complaining about long winded sermons.
2. He could have fallen asleep because there were lot’s of lights. Just imagine you are sitting in church, the heat is at that right temperature, the sun is shining through the stain glassed windows and your eyes are getting heavier and heavier.
3. Maybe this young man had a long day. Maybe he either worked the sheep or worked the farm, or worked in the carpenter shop. Now he is at the assembly of God’s people and the preacher is preaching on and on and on.

Though I don’t know exactly what caused this young man drift off to sleep and fall, what I do know is that he fell and he died. That word “dead” in verse 9 is translated to mean “corpse.” In other words, he was stone cold, graveyard dead.

I’m afraid there are many people in our churches today that have fallen asleep for whatever reason – but that is a message for another time – just throwing that out there as food-for-thought.

I would like to focus on these words in verse 11 “. . . come up again. . .” The truth is, as we are all humans, I don’t know anyone that hasn’t fallen. I know plenty of people that believe they haven’t fallen, but the Bible says, “For ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” But I am thankful today that God has a Plan for Recovery, for Revival, and for Redemption. God has made a way that we can “come up again.”

History is full of people that have fallen, yet were able to get back up:

1. Do you know that Albert Einstein was four years old before he ever spoke his first words. He also failed his first college entrance exam – yet got back up and became one of the greatest scientist in the world.
2. Henry Ford’s first company bankrupted, yet he got back up and his vehicles are probably some of the best in the world.
3. Milton Hershey had three candy company’s that were a complete failure, yet he got back up and now his chocolate bars arguably some of the best in the world.
4. Harlan Sanders, at the age of 62, with only $105 dollars social security check to his name, and after being turned down hundreds of times, but he got back up and every preacher says, “Thank God for Kentucky Fried Chicken.”

What I know about everyone of us, is that at times, we feel like we’ve fallen and can’t get back up. But, with the grace and power of God, we can “come up again.”

Euthycus fell asleep, and because he fell asleep, he fell to his death. Interestingly enough, Euthycus was able to “come up again” under the power of God. So that brings up this thought – why did God allow him to “come up again?” I don’t think God does anything without a reason. So I think there are two reasons God allowed Euthycus to get back up:

1. He allowed him to “come up again” to Authenticate His Divinity. God can use anyone, or anything, at anytime or anywhere. Anytime He wants to, He can show His Divinity and accomplish His will. He used a Burning Bush to Communicate His will to Moses; He used fire from Heaven for Elijah on Mt. Carmel; He used a stone and a slingshot for David; He used an earthquake to communicate His Divinity to Paul and Silas in a Roman prison; He used a donkey for Balaam; So I’m glad that if God can use a burning bush, or a fire, or a slingshot, and earthquake and even a donkey – God can use me – and He can use you to communicate the authenticity of His Divinity.
2. He allowed him to “come up again” to Abolish the Doubters. Verse 10 says, “Paul went down and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.” Now, there were spectators there that had been there the entire time. Some of them saw that this young man was dead and so as far as they were concerned – that was it for him, that was the end of the road. The world’s view is this – after you observe something for a certain period of time – you can take it as fact. For instance, the world sees someone that was born on the “wrong side of the tracks,” and as far as the world is concerned, that person will always be from the wrong side of the tracks. The world will see someone who has had an addiction, and as far as they are concerned, that person will always be an addict. The world may see someone who once lived a vibrant life for Christ fall into sin, and as far as they are concerned, you will always be “that fallen Christian.” So the world may look at you and accept your predicament as fact.

Here are some facts for you out of this Scripture: This young man fell and he died. That is a fact. But aren’t you glad that when it comes to God, facts are not final? The world would say that Abraham and Sara couldn’t have a child. The world would say that you couldn’t cross the Red Sea on dry ground, or eat manna from heaven, or get water out of a rock. The world would say that once you’ve been dead and buried for three days, you couldn’t get back up again, but aren’t you glad that God can abolish the doubters? I don’t care where you are, or how far you think you’ve fallen, brothers and sisters in Christ you can always “come up again.”

In Acts chapter 1 and verse 8, just before Jesus ascended into Heaven, he said to His disciples, His followers, His closest allies, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.“

In Acts chapter 4, Peter and John are being commanded by the religious “right” not to ever speak again in the name of Jesus.  I love their simple, yet profound, answer, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”  As a direct result of their boldness and faithfulness, a multitude believed.  Then in Acts 5, after a great multitude believed and after miracles were performed, the Bible says that the high priest and Sadducees rose up with indignation, laid hands on them and had Peter and John thrown in Prison.  However, God wasn’t having any of that and immediately sent His angel to open the prison cell and set them free. 

If you thought the religious crowd was mad before, they are fuming now.  I believe if they themselves were not in fear of their own lives, they would have immediately put Peter and John to death.  But, they brought them in for questioning, saying, “Didn’t we tell you not to speak in the name of Jesus ever again?”  I love Peter’s answer beginning in verse 29, “We ought to obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. ³¹ Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.”

Now stay with me as I promise we are going somewhere!

At the end of Acts chapter 21, the crowd Paul was speaking to tried to kill him, but he was saved by the Roman Centurion and his soldiers.  Then in Acts 22, Paul begins giving his personal testimony.  As part of that testimony, he tells the story of how he had lost his sight on the road to Damascus.  He tells of how Ananias came to him and said in verse 13, “Brother Saul , receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. ¹⁴ And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. ¹⁵ For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.”

As I read this passage, these words just kept jumping off the pages at me – “WITNESSES UNTO ME” (in the case of all those who witnessed His resurrection), “HIS WITNESSES” (in the case of Peter and John) or “HIS WITNESS” (in the case of Paul).  What do they all have in common?  They were all chosen by Christ Himself.  Jesus did not choose Peter and John to save them from a life of fishing, he chose them to be HIS WITNESSES.  Paul was not chosen on the Damascus Road to become the great High Priest – he was chosen  to be HIS WITNESS.  And what a witness he was.  But that witness was not to end with them, but is to live on in the hearts of every believer.  You and I have not been chosen to sit around on our religious laurels, we have not been chosen to be judgmental, we have not been chosen to be self-righteous – we have simply been chosen one reason and one reason only – to be HIS WITNESSES.

But, we have to realize that if we are going to be HIS WITNESSES, we first have to “see and hear” ourselves.  We can’t be a witness to something we are clueless about.  In order to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ, you have to have a personal relationship.  You have to understand where He has brought you from, and what He has brought you out of.  It has to be personal.  I can’t be a witness of what Christ has done in the heart of Peter, or John or Paul – I can only be a witness of what He has done in my heart.  I can “only speak the things which I have seen and heard.”

To be HIS WITNESS means exactly that.  We are not chosen to be witnesses of how great we are, or what great things we’ve done, or how robust our programs are, or how talented our singers are, or even how great our preaching is (in the case of us preachers), we are called to be HIS WITNESSES – Period!

If we are going to be HIS WITNESSES, who are we to witness to?  Our witness can’t be to a select few that fit the bill of what “we” are looking for in our churches.  It is not simply for those we perceive have a lot of money (though they are certainly included).  It is for both the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, the sick and the healthy, married, single and the divorced.  We are to be HIS WITNESSES to WHOSOEVER WILL. The same calling that Peter, and John and Paul had over 2000 years ago is the same calling that you and I have today.  Isaiah 43:10 says, “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”

 

 

 

Genesis 35, beginning in verse 1, the Bible says, “And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. ² Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: ³ And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. ⁴ And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem. ⁵ And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob. ⁶ So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him. ⁷ And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.“

As I was reading this passage of Scripture, my mind (and thoughts) kept going back to verse 1, “. . . Arise, go up to Bethel, make there and altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.”  The thought occurred to me that this wasn’t the first time Jacob had been to Bethel – he had been there before.  Apparently, just as God did with Noah and humanity, and just as He did for us with His “Only Begotten Son,” God gave Jacob the opportunity to hit the “reset button” in his life.

Why do pencils come with erasers?  Because EVERYONE makes mistakes writing or drawing.  Erasers give you the chance to hit the “reset button.”  Do you remember “back-in-the-day” when we had VHS tapes? When you rented them, before you turned them back in, you had to rewind them or be charged a fee.  It is amazing the technology we have today that allows us to hit the reset button at anytime on our electronic gadgets.  On my smart TV, I can hit the rewind or even the rest buttons even during a live show.  How awesome is that?

You know what is even more awesome, the fact that God has given us the ability to hit the reset button in our lives.  Maybe you are having problems in a relationship.  I have someone close to me whose marital relationship was hit with a bombshell.  My friend, Scripturally, could have walked away from that relationship, but instead, he looked at himself, realized it takes two to make a relationship work, and asked God to give him a “reset” on his marriage.  Folks, it’s OK to hit the reset button.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve been struggling with my health (several broken bones, blood clots), and gaining a little more weight than I would have liked.  So, my wife (bless her heart), knowing I can’t resist a challenge, signed us up to run a Spartan Race (you can’t even imagine the shock on my face).  My wife, realized that if we continued down the road we were going, we wouldn’t be around to see our 10 grandchildren grow up, so she hit the “reset button” on our health.  For the past 3 weeks, we have gone to a complete plant-based diet and are exercising every day.  Feeling the challenge himself, my son Joshua is exercising daily with us, and we are now running the Spartan race as a team, and more importantly, as a family.  Folks, it’s OK to hit the reset button.

Recently, our family has left the ministry we’ve been involved with for 3 years.  We left the church we loved, the friends we’ve grown to love, and I’ll tell you, it’s been very difficult, and at times very painful.  But you know what?  God didn’t tell us that the journey to get to the place He wants us to be, the place that He has espied for us, the place that He knows He can best use us, our talents and our abilities, would be easy or pain-free.  So I am extremely grateful that God gives us the ability to hit the “reset button.”

Father, this morning, there may be someone reading this blog that desperately needs to hit the “reset button” in their life, maybe it is concerning a relationship, or a personal failure, possibly their health or even their relationship with a church.  Father would you give them the opportunity to hit the “reset button” and start over!  Thank you for always being there for me and for always allowing me to hit that button.  We love you and we praise you, in Jesus Name – AMEN!

 

“19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.  20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.  22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.  23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.  24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord.” (Acts 11:19-24)

Here in Acts chapter 11, the Christians have begun to disperse after the stoning of Stephen.  And as they go, they go preaching and teaching the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Bible says in verse 21, “The hand of the Lord was with them.”  And in fact, the Bible records for us that “a great number believed and turned to the Lord.”

So, word of their success comes back to the Mother Church in Jerusalem, so they decide to check it out.  They send Barnabas, one of the early church leaders as far as Antioch to see what is going on, and then to come back and report his findings.  So, when he had gone as far as Antioch, the Bible says, “He came, and had seen the Grace of God.”  Right in the midst of heavy persecution on the church, right here in the middle of turmoil, the Bible says Barnabas saw “the grace of God.”  The Bible says that when he had seen God’s grace – HE WAS GLAD – He was happy.

Have you ever sat around and really thought about Grace?  I hope first off that you understand what God’s Grace means, and simply put, it is defined as “The unmerited favor of God.”  It is the gift of His Son Jesus Christ who died for us.  He who knew no sin became my sin.  It’s God’s unmerited favor – you can’t be good enough to deserve it and you can’t work hard enough to earn it.  Someone said the letters of GRACE stands for God’s Riches at Christ Expense.

I got to thinking about that and thinking about how great God’s Grace is.  And you know what?  We can’t even be saved apart from God’s Grace!  “For by grace are ye saved through faith . . .”

Though I can’t speak for you, I am grateful for the day when I was a little boy, that I came to my senses, I went running slap into the arms of God’s Amazing Grace.  And I’ll tell you folks, Grace will ALWAYS take you to Jesus!  And I’m so grateful that “where sin abounds, GRACE does much more abound.”

Verse 23 goes on to say something else that I really want to focus on for just a moment.  It goes on to say that after he had seen the grace of God and was glad, he “exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.” He Exhorted Them, He comforted them, He encouraged them.

Barnabas’ name is translated as “son of consolation,” or “son of encouragement.”  What and honor to be recorded in the Bible for all eternity as Mr. Encouragement!  When Barnabas goes to God’s people and he sees what God is doing, when he sees the lives being saved, the Bible tells us that he “Exhorted them all.”

He was saying to them:  Whatever you’re doing – keep doing it; don’t stop; don’t get discouraged; just keep on keeping on! I’ll tell you what’s a shame, is for people to get saved at an early age, live 50-60 years as a Christian and never encourage one single person in the faith.  What a waste of a Christian life.

If this journey was all about the destination, why didn’t God just kill us when He saved us?    He didn’t because He wanted us to bring others into the family of God.  He wanted us to encourage one another along this life’s journey.  I don’t know about you, but some days, I just don’t need anybody to tell me what I’m doing wrong – the Holy Spirit does a pretty good job of doing that for me!  Some days I don’t need anybody telling me what I ought to be doing!  Some days I just need a handshake, or a hug around the neck and have somebody say, “I love you brother and I’m praying for you.”

I’m just saying that some days, when we’ve been with God and seen his Grace, we ought to want to be helpful to others.  Our problem is that we can’t get our eyes off ourselves, or off our problems or circumstances to see the needs of others.

• We get our eyes on stuff;
• On our problems;
• On our situations;
• On our circumstances.

We get so caught up in “our thing” that we can’t see the needs of others.  I pray to God that when I die, when they bury me in the ground, I pray somebody standing there around that grave can say, somehow, someway, that I encouraged them along their life’s journey.  I love this old song by General William Booth:

Others Lord, yes others, let this my motto be

Help me to live for others that I might live like Thee!

Heavenly Father, help me to get my eyes off of ME and keep my eyes on Jesus so that I can be a helper, and exhorter, and encourager to others, in Jesus Name – AMEN.