Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” – Matthew 13:29-30

The parable of the wheat and the weeds gives insight one of the most challenging questions Christians ask in times of injustice and suffering – why does a all-good, all-knowing, and all-powerful God permit evil people to continue to exist in and amongst His people?

The answer isn’t that God is unaware – He clearly knows the weeds are present. The answer isn’t that God is powerless – He could pull the weeds any time He desires. The answer is that God permits the weeds to continue growing for a time because in His perfect wisdom, He knows that pulling them too soon could cause greater spiritual harm to the wheat (His people).

As much as the weeds cause evil and pain, their sudden removal from this world for judgment would somehow cause greater harm. On this, we should simply take Christ’s word for it, for there are many things we’re simply incapable of understanding in your finite nature. One obvious way, of course, is that in God’s grace, weeds can actually be transformed into wheat through faith in Jesus Christ. God in His perfect wisdom and goodness permits the weeds to continue growing for a time and we must trust Him.

However, make no mistake – ultimate justice is coming for every weed and every stalk of wheat. Judgment Day will come when Christ returns and those who are weeds will be cast into eternal punishment away from God and His people. Followers of Jesus will be blessed with eternal joy in God’s presence. In the meantime, there will be weeds in the world, in your community, and in your life. Know that Jesus is with you every step of the way and grow in His strength to be an excellent and fruitful stalk of wheat. #FollowJesus

“Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” – Genesis 18:14

Is anything too difficult for God? Absolutely not!!! God’s promises are certain and will be accomplished when the time is right. Generally, they’ll be accomplished in a way that makes it clear that He is the one at work. He will fulfill His promises in such a way that nobody can think it’s just luck or a coincidence. Such was the case for Abraham and Sarah.

More than 25 years earlier, God promised that all nations would be blessed through their descendent. However, after all those years, they still hadn’t had a baby and were quite elderly. It would seem impossible for them to have a child at their age and with their record of infertility. Sarah doubted God’s promise of a son to be born to her in her old age, while Abraham had long before been tempted to try and help God along by having a child with Sarah’s slave. Thankfully, God’s patience is much greater than ours and His timing is always perfect!

Within a year, their miracle child Isaac would be born. He would be one of many miraculous children born throughout the history of God’s people. Samson…Samuel…John the Baptist. Ultimately, there is the miracle child of all miracle children: Jesus of Nazareth, the eternal Son of God, born into this world through a virgin. Truly nothing is too hard for God!

Remember this truth when you’re struggling with situations that seem impossible. What seems hopeless to you can be dealt with by God in dramatic and unexpected ways. What feels like too long to wait for you may well be God’s perfect timing. Trust in God’s Word and His promises. Obey God’s commands with the faith and knowledge that God is worthy of obedience. Pray and #FollowJesus.

“And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.)” – Genesis 14:18

This very ancient encounter, over 4000 years ago, between Abram and the mysterious Melchizedek is a powerful, early pointer toward Jesus. The name Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness”. He was the king of Salem (what would become Jerusalem), a name meaning “peace”. So Melchizedek, who was a priest of the one true, living God before anyone else ever recorded was also a king. He wasn’t just any king, he was the king of peace and king of righteousness. Does that sound familiar???

Psalm 110, written by King David some 3000 years ago says another priest-king like Melchizedek would come. The book of Hebrews explains that when Jesus, the eternal Son of God, stepped into our world as fully God and fully human, walking among us, demonstrating He had the power of God, teaching the truth of God, living a perfect life without sin, dying as a sacrifice on our behalf to pay the penalty for our sins, and rising from the dead on the third day, that He was, is, and forever will be that high priest and king like Melchizedek.

Jesus is the King of absolute righteousness. He is the King of perfect peace. He is our high priest who made atonement for our sins with His own body and blood. What Genesis pointed toward and Psalms predicted, Jesus fulfilled. This is a powerful reminder that the Bible is all one great story, the glorious story of God’s creation and redemption through His Son Jesus. This is why it’s so valuable for followers of Jesus to be reading, studying, meditating on, and delighting in the Bible every day.

Today, as we remember and honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, we are reminded that in the face of great evil and injustice, the most powerful force for change for God’s people is the deliberate, determined, public practice of peace and righteousness. #FollowJesus

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” – Matthew 10:28

Jesus is very direct with His followers in this verse. Don’t fear people. Fear God. Jesus clearly explains that to follow Him will result in some controversy and pressure in your life. For some it will be terrible while for others it will be minor. Nonetheless, we should all expect to encounter some. There may be pressure to keep quiet about your faith within your family, your classroom, your workplace, or your social circle. Jesus makes it abundantly clear in Matthew 10 that following Him could cost you friends, family, opportunity, freedom, or life.

All of which means you will have times in your life when you can either keep quiet about Jesus (and gain some earthly benefit) or speak up about Him. For most of us, our natural inclination will be to go for the temporary, visible, earthly benefit and just keep quiet. However, Jesus warns us not to make that decision! Don’t be motivated by fear of those who can impact your earthly life relationally, socially, educationally, professionally, or physically. Though your fear is real and the risk may be very present, don’t give in!

Develop such a high view of God that your love, respect, and awe for Him will never permit you to compromise your Great Commission disciple-making mission in life. Recognize that His rewards are eternal and trading the eternal benefits of following Jesus for the temporary benefits of a fallen world is a terrible deal. Grow in your knowledge of God. Grow in your awareness of God. Grow in your respect for God. Grow in your awe of God. Grow in your submission to God. Grow in your relationship with God. Grow in your holy fear of God and discover how much your fear of other people shrivels up! #FollowJesus

“When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” – Matthew 10:19-20

Do you worry about what to say about your faith in stressful moments? Many do and it’s certainly natural. Does that anxiety tend to keep you from putting yourself out there for Jesus? Do you hold back from sharing Christ because you worry you won’t say the right thing, will forget a key point, or will completely mess up so that nobody will ever believe in Jesus? Are you afraid to be bold for Jesus because you don’t think you’ll know what to say if someone opposes against you? Don’t be.

If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, then the Holy Spirit lives within you. Trust this truth. Trust the Holy Spirit. Trust that if you’re speaking up for Jesus that the Holy Spirit will give you the right words for that moment if you’ll let Him. He really will! This isn’t an excuse to be unprepared or to not practice how to share or defend your faith. It’s simply an invitation and instruction to relax and stop fretting about messing up.

Sharing Christ and defending your faith in the face of opposition are fundamentally spiritual acts. To do them effectively is about the spirit and not your natural abilities. You don’t have to be a slick defense attorney for Jesus because He doesn’t need one! He’ll give you honest and true words to speak if you’ll let Him. Be prepared, but don’t be anxious. Don’t be surprised when the Spirit gives you something very different than what you could have ever come up with, planned for, or practiced! He’s like that and it’s wonderful.

Trust the Spirit! That can be hard for many of us. Though we believe the spiritual truths of Scripture we still struggle to live spiritually. Nonetheless, if you can bring yourself to begin doing so, He’ll quickly reveal Himself and build your confidence in letting go and letting the Spirit of God speak through you. #FollowJesus