Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“That is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” – Romans 1:12

The Apostle Paul recognized there was great value in coming together with other believers to encourage each other’s faith. He understood that life in a fallen world is difficult. He certainly understood suffering, sorrow, pain, and opposition. While he was an incredible apostle filled with the Holy Spirit, he still greatly desired to be with other Christians. He understood that when Christians gather and share stories about God’s goodness and faithfulness, reminding each other of the love and sacrifice of Jesus, that we grow stronger together. In that growth, we all have greater impact for God’s Kingdom here on earth.

If anyone could get by on their own without spending time with other believers, it should have been Paul. He certainly did know times of isolation that God used to prepare Him. Nonetheless, he earnestly desired to spend time with other Christians. This wasn’t just to teach and encourage them, but to be encouraged by them. It wasn’t just to build their faith but to have his faith built. If this was important to Paul, it should be important to every believer!!!

Every follower of Jesus needs to have a community of other believers where you genuinely encourage each other in your faith. This isn’t about casually hanging around. This must be a place where you truly know each other and share stories of God’s activity during both the good and bad times of life. Christians aren’t meant to go it alone for any extended period of time. Without other Christians in our lives, we stagnate in our faith. We wander. We get distracted. We inevitably drift away from God.

Don’t go it alone! If you aren’t already in meaningful community with other Christians, join one. If there isn’t one, make one. #FollowJesus

“For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the Lord will answer him myself. And I will set my face against that man; I will make him a sign and a byword and cut him off from the midst of my people, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” – Ezekiel 14:7-8

What is an idol of the heart? Anything that has replaced God as #1 in your heart. Anything you love or trust more than God. Anything that gives you greater comfort or meaning than God’s presence and love in your life. Anything you pursue with greater passion than you pursue God. Anything you let define you more than God’s love and image in your life. Anything that has greater influence on your emotions than God does. Anything you trust more than God and His Word. Anything you fear losing more than His favor.

Do God’s people continue to struggle with taking idols into our hearts? Absolutely! It often happens without our noticing and yet, it’s very common. Many Christians today are far more captured and captivated by politics, entertainment, money, sports, career, family, safety, health, status, accomplishments, or comfort than they are by Jesus. Most don’t realize it because it happens bit by bit when they aren’t paying attention. They’re still in church on weekends loving Jesus but even there, their thoughts are distracted by what truly rules their lives.

Have you been captured by a heart idol? Before you say, “No” spend some time thinking and praying carefully about the question. What drives your emotional life? Is it God or something else? When you’re at peace and full of happiness, where does that peace and happiness come from? God or something else? If you’re angry, what makes you so angry? If you’re afraid, what are you afraid of when God is on your side? What consumes the bulk of your time and treasure? Is your life focused on following Jesus or chasing something else? Is your day made or ruined by the outcome of a game, events at work, or the swirling currents of politics?

The answers to these questions may reveal that something else has come to have more influence, priority, or control over your heart than King Jesus. Recognize that. Admit that. Confess that to God. Ask Jesus to once again be king of your heart. #FollowJesus

“Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.’” – Ezekiel 11:16

Our limited perspective on time makes it easy to misunderstand God’s big picture. We see and feel our present situation very intensely. When the present hurts, it’s hard to imagine any good coming from it. We generally expect the future to be an extension of the present. So, when the present is disastrous, we assume the worst about the future. This leads us to doubt God’s goodness, wisdom, or power. We should not, because unlike us, God sees perfectly across all of time. He understands all things and how they weave together. He knows that the best future often comes out of the most painful present.

When people from Israel were taken into exile by invaders, that had to feel like a complete disaster. Many probably doubted God’s power or goodness in permitting that to happen. Staying home certainly would have seemed preferable to being ripped from their home and taken to a foreign land at the point of sword. However, God explained their perception of the situation was completely backward. He emphasizes that He caused this disaster (because of Israel’s unfaithfulness). Then He reveals that the exiles are the ones who are actually in the better situation!

God explains that it’s the exiles that He’s guarding, sheltering, and protecting. It’s the exiles that He’s refining, bringing to deeper faith, and planning to return home. Those left behind, who seemed so very fortunate, were actually the one’s who were in the hopeless situation. They were the ones who wouldn’t turn back to God, wouldn’t be redeemed, and wouldn’t be restored! The human understanding of the situation was the complete opposite of reality!

Learn from this and trust God more than your own interpretation of your situation. Recognize that even in the midst of what appears to be disaster, God is present, powerful, and active. Realize that what feels like disaster may actually be for good. Understand that what may look like a fortunate blessing for someone else might be the opposite and that what feels like a curse might be a blessing. Turn to God in good times and bad. Worship and follow Him closely at all times. Trust Him when things seems darkest. Know that He’s with you in that dark season and can bring forth rich blessings from deep sorrow. #FollowJesus

“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:14

What a glorious moment this will be for everyone who has ever felt the sting of death! As Jesus judges every person who’s ever lived, He also destroys death itself. This hated, feared, vile, and ancient enemy of humanity, will itself be wiped out!

As common as it is, death is an unnatural monstrosity introduced into creation by human sin. Once Jesus returns and completes His Holy work of judgment, sin will be gone. Because sin will be gone, death will also be gone. As the new creation dawns in Jesus Christ, death, the ravenous enemy that has stalked the old creation and everything in it is banished forever. What a joyous moment that will be for every follower of Jesus who has felt the sting of death when parted from loved ones!

It’s difficult for us to even imagine how amazing life will be after that without the presence of death. There will be no more grief and mourning because there will be no more death. We will enjoy God’s presence without having the awareness or fear of time winding down. We will be free to live life boldly and joyously in the light of God without the shadow of Satan’s vile contribution to the world! Look forward to and pray for that glorious day to come! #FollowJesus

“But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;”
– Lamentations 3:21-22

The prophet Jeremiah loved God and suffered for it. He was hated and reviled by everyone around him because He spoke God’s word honestly. He also loved his city and his country and was in agony over their fate. He saw the destruction of Jerusalem firsthand, enduring its conquest by a cruel enemy. In all this, he understood that God’s will was being done. He knew better than anyone that Judah was suffering God’s wrath for their sin. Jeremiah knew that what he was watching wasn’t really a foreign invasion. It was the people of God receiving their well-deserved punishment from God for their sin.

Jeremiah’s life and ministry saw horror upon horror. People stubbornly refusing to repent of their sin. People starving under siege because they wouldn’t listen to Jeremiah. People suffering for rebellion after rebellion against both God and man. His entire ministry was a long season of sorrow. And yet… Jeremiah had hope.

Jeremiah had hope that wasn’t rooted in people suddenly changing heart or worldly fortunes being restored. His hope was in the person and presence of God. He knew that the Lord was unchanging, merciful, gracious, patient, loyal, loving, faithful, kind, just, righteous, and holy. He knew that God’s love would never end and that God’s mercy was coming.

Always remember this, especially when things are darkest. Remember this when things seem to be falling apart. Remember this when God’s wrath seems to be pouring out and stubborn nations are receiving what they deserve. Remember this when even God’s people are refuse to obey Him and act like Jesus. Remember this when those who proclaim the true words of Jesus are rejected for false prophecies and false teaching. Remember that God’s goodness, love, and mercy is greater than all that. His love for His true people will never end and His mercy is renewed each day. #FollowJesus