A friend of sinners and outcastes

December 18, 2021

Jesus was often accused of being friends with sinners and outcastes by the religious leaders of His day. They could not understand why a man who claimed to be a religious leader would possibly have time for people that were considered sinners or outcastes by the religious “elite” of society.

Jesus loved all people and as He travelled around with His disciples, He made connections with people that most “religious” people would avoid while walking down the street. The thing I love about Jesus’ interactions with the people most considered sinners or outcastes is, they didn’t stay that way for long. After spending time with Jesus, they knew there was a better way. The Bible is full of stories of people who turned their lives around after an encounter with Jesus. Mary Magdalene, Zacchaeus, and the Samaritan woman at the well to name a few.

Why did Jesus take the time to do this? Luke 19:10 tells us this very clearly. It says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Jesus mission was, and still is, to seek and save the lost. Today He uses you and me to do this. We are His hands, His feet, and His mouthpiece to tell people just how much He loves them.

My heart is to not be like the “religious elite” of Jesus’ day, but to be a normal every day guy who loves people and points them to Jesus. Maybe instead of walking the dusty roads of Palestine, we sit at a desk in an office and share our faith when the opportunity arises, or we drive long distances to visit with people who need a listening ear, or we talk with our neighbours over the side fence?

However we do it, we just need to remember that our mission is to continue Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank You that You came to seek and save the lost. Thank You that You found me. I pray that I will be able to continue Your mission. I pray You will show me people who need You. I pray You will give me a love for them and give me the right words to say when I speak to them. Use me to seek and save the lost. I ask this in Your name, Amen.

When I say I am Christian

December 17, 2021

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting, “I’ve been saved!”
I’m whispering, “I get lost sometimes
That’s why I chose this way”

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I don’t speak with human pride
I’m confessing that I stumble –
needing God to be my guide

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong
I’m professing that I’m weak
and pray for strength to carry on

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success
I’m admitting that I’ve failed
and cannot ever pay the debt

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I don’t think I know it all
I submit to my confusion
asking humbly to be taught

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect
My flaws are far too visible
but God believes I’m worth it

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartache
which is why I seek God’s name

When I say, “I am a Christian”
I do not wish to judge
I have no authority
I only know I’m loved

Poem by Carol Wimmer.

Store up in the right place

December 16, 2021

In Matthew 6:19-34 there is a section titled, “Teaching about money and possessions”. This is part of Jesus’ sermon on the mount. In it Jesus shares four key things about our money and our possessions.

Store your treasures in heaven – verses 19-21 talk about earthly treasures versus heavenly treasures. We see that earthly treasure can be damaged or stolen, but heavenly treasures are safely locked away with God. We need to build “eternal superannuation” by supporting God’s work with our finances.

Let God be your only Master – verse 24 says “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other”. As Christians we need to let God be our sole master, we can’t focus on building wealth and possessions to the detriment of our relationship with God. God must always come first in our hearts and in the way we live.

Don’t worry about daily needs – verses 25-32 looks at our daily needs of life like food and clothing. These things can cause us great worry if we allow them to. However the text tells us that God supplies our needs like He supplies the needs of the animals and birds. It says that we are of far more value to Him that they are (v26). We can trust Him to supply our daily needs because He loves and cares for us deeply.

Seek first the Kingdom – in verse 33 it says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need”. As Christians our primary focus needs to be on God’s Kingdom and what He wants us to do with our daily lives. God promises that if we seek His Kingdom first and live right, that He will give us everything we need to live both now and into the future.

We can see from this passage that we don’t need to worry about money and possessions. God wants us to focus first and foremost on His Kingdom. When we do that He promises to take care of our daily needs as we trust and follow Him. God loves you and I very deeply and He knows what we need daily to live. He will supply all.

Showing Empathy plan

December 15, 2021

I have just finished a plan on the YouVersion Bible app called “Showing Empathy”. It reminded me that showing empathy is actually compassion in action.

Here is a snipped from day 5 of the plan…

“If you find yourself truly not grasping how to live empathetically, here are some ways to help adjust your mindset so that you can see the needs in front of you:

  • Pray daily, “God, give me Your eyes to see who’s hurting near me.”
  • When you hear that someone is going through a challenging time, imagine that you’re the one going through that. Your heart will soften, and as it does, find a way to help lessen their burden with a prayer, kind word, or selfless act.
  • Make a regular habit of just listening to people without offering any words. As they talk, seek to understand what’s happened in their past and is currently happening in their present that’s led them to where they are now.”

If you are interested, you can search for it on YouVersion and look for the image above.

Blessings,
Dave

Two verses for two new roles

December 8, 2021

Next year I am starting two new exciting roles. One in my church and one in our wheatbelt communities. In the later I will be driving about 700km a week.

To keep me company I am going to listen to worship music, podcasts and the Bible. I am also going to keep some Bible verses on the dashboard of my car.

The two I am going to start with are Ephesians 3:20 and Matthew 5:16…

Ephesians 3:20 NLT – Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Matthew 5:16 NLT – In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

I was already thinking about these two verses and then they came up as verses of the day of two of my Bible apps. Co-incidence or God-incidence?

Next year I am going to let my light shine and imagine big things. I am going to play my part and let God do His. Yes I am nervous but I know God has got me and I have Him.

God Bless,
Dave