Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.” – Acts 27:43b-44

There were 276 people on board that ship and 275 of them were certain they were going to die! Then there was Paul who knew otherwise because the Lord had told them so. Though foolishness had led them into a terrible and potentially deadly storm, God preserved every one of the souls on board. But He did far more than that…

After safely swimming or floating ashore, every crew member, passenger, guard, and prisoner got to see Paul work miracles and teach about Jesus for several months before they could resume traveling. What an opportunity God provided! He not only rescued them from certain death but gave them unhurried time to consider His offer of new and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ!

We would certainly hope their recent brush with death by drowning gave them ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to receive the good news of Jesus Christ. If they did, they were truly rescued. If they didn’t, their fate was no better than if they’d drowned at sea. That can be hard to swallow, but it’s true.

Regardless of how we die, we’ll all die unless Jesus returns first. Those who die in Christ will enjoy an eternity in the glorious presence and love of God. Those who die apart from Christ face the horrors of eternal separation from God in a place of unending suffering called Hell. This fate can only be avoided by hearing about and believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as Lord. Who in your life needs to hear and believe this good news to be truly rescued before their own encounter with death?

“And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.” – Matthew 20:9

This verse is the turning point in a parable that vividly illustrates God’s gracious nature. Jesus tells this story about workers hired throughout a long day of work. The workers are then paid in reverse, beginning with those who’d only worked for one hour. To everyone’s surprise, they receive a full day’s pay. Likewise those who worked a few hours longer. And those who worked longer still. And those who worked the full day.

This story can rub us the wrong way, as it did His original audience, because it doesn’t feel fair. Too bad! This isn’t about “fair” because fair was paying those who worked all day a day’s pay. The owner was fair and kept his word. What’s highlighted is that the owner is tremendously generous, kind, and graciously gives most people far more than they deserve. That’s God!!!

This parable illustrates how God deals with us when it comes to salvation. Those who come to know Jesus late in life are just as saved as those who met Jesus as kids. This is a wonderful and glorious thing! Why? Because everyone who is saved through faith in Jesus is an entirely new creation, adopted and beloved by God. Everyone saved by faith gets to join the heavenly multitude praising and worshiping God. Everyone saved by faith enjoys complete and full satisfaction and joy in heaven forever.

This is truly good news because nobody deserves to be saved. Nobody gets saved because they’ve earned it. We aren’t made new creations in Christ because we got good grades, worked extra hard for Him, or will do great things in the future. We’re made new because God is loving, kind, and gracious toward us, crediting us with the righteousness of His Son through faith in Him. Every Christian is a beneficiary of God’s grace – we’re given infinitely more and better than we deserve. As such, we should always applaud when God displays His extravagant grace by saving those who seem hopelessly set in their ways.

“But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.’” – Acts 26:25

There’s a good chance that if you take your faith seriously and follow Jesus with devotion and sacrificial dedication, someone will eventually question your sanity! When taking up your cross to follow Jesus (as He commands) leads you to give money away generously for the Kingdom, change careers for Jesus, or tell everyone you know the real meaning of Christmas people may begin to doubt your mental state. Well-meaning Christians who haven’t yet taken up their cross can often be among those, so don’t be surprised.

Feel free to regularly remind yourself that your faith is true. Jesus demonstrated that through His well-attested death and physical resurrection. By His miracles. By the nature of His teaching. He continues to prove it that through the small miracles most believers can testify about. By the answers to prayers. By the awareness of Christ’s ongoing presence. The transformation that’s happened to you by the Holy Spirit.

Since your faith is true, there are very rational implications which should radically alter your behavior. Such changes are perfectly rational! Since Jesus is, “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” then of course you should be desperate to make sure everyone on earth, including those you care about most, hear about the certain hope you have in Jesus. Since Jesus did command us to make disciples of all nations, it’s only rational that some will feel God’s call to change careers to more fully devote their gifts, talents, and energies to making disciples. Since Jesus told us to store up treasure in heaven rather than on earth, it’s quite rational to give generously, joyously, and sacrificially to the Kingdom work being done in our community and to the ends of the earth.

People may question your sanity as you follow Jesus. Don’t be discouraged. Recognize that such questioning is an opportunity to share your true and rational faith even with those professing to be Christians!

“I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.”
– Psalm 40:10

The Christmas season is one of the times we’re most visibly reminded of God’s deliverance, salvation, faithfulness, and steadfast love. After all, God sent His eternal Son into our world as a baby, born of a virgin, and laid to rest in a manger in Bethlehem so that we could experience these blessings.

If you’ve put your faith in Jesus, that baby, long since grown, crucified, raised from the dead, and ruling from heaven, then you’ve received these extraordinary blessings from God. You’ve been delivered from the penalty for your sins and set free from the permanence of death. You’ve received God’s salvation and experienced His steadfast love and faithfulness through Christ.

Are you, like the psalmist, telling people about that? Are you hiding these blessings in your heart or are your naturally speaking of them as you meet people or wind up in deep discussions about life? Is Christ’s love and faithfulness a secret you’re keeping to yourself or a blessing and invitation you’re freely sharing with others who need hope and salvation this season?

Followers of Jesus should be talking about Him, not just with fellow believers (for encouragement and exhortation) but with those who don’t yet believe. They need these blessings too, so please don’t keep them from hearing about experiencing them through faith in Jesus!

“I said, ‘I will guard my ways,
that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
so long as the wicked are in my presence.’”
– Psalm 39:1

Have you made this commitment? It doesn’t seem that many have in our culture that celebrates “owning” our opponents, “mike drop” moments, going viral, and getting the last word. As followers of Jesus, we must carefully weigh whether our brilliant words to “win” a conflict or debate actually bring glory to God or if we’re just sinning with our tongues.

It’s not OK to “win” through sin! Every follower of Jesus must recognize that sinning with our tongue is not only possible, it’s really, really easy. Jesus said the wisest, strongest, most astonishing words without ever sinning. We aren’t Jesus, so we must be very thoughtful about our words BEFORE we say them to make sure He’ll be pleased with them.

Sinful words in defense of Jesus don’t defend Jesus. They make Him look false, petty, and just like everyone else. Sinful words in favor of God aren’t favored by God. Silence is better than sinful sound. Learn to tell the difference between strong words with and without sin. Learn how to present your position well, accurately, passionately, and without sinning.

You’re mistaken if you think you have to sin to win or if you’re excusing hurtful, ugly, cruel, obscene, profane, demeaning, or false words by claiming they’re for a good purpose. Regardless of their purpose, sin is sin and a muzzle is preferable to an open mouth!