Wednesday Thought – September 30, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:43-45)

What kind of fruit do you see in your own life? Jesus says that a heart truly aligned with His heart will produce good fruit and a heart that is not aligned with His heart will produce bad fruit. So if you don’t see any good fruit in your life, then what does that say about the true state of your heart?

What is good fruit? Paul identified some of the characteristics of good fruit when he wrote his letter to the Galatians: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

How many of those characteristics do you see in your own life?

Perhaps the best way to judge the fruit of your life is to think about whether you are seeing more of that kind of fruit now than you did in the past … or less. In which direction is your life headed? A life aligned with Jesus isn’t perfect, but His work in our hearts does help us to move in the right direction as we get to know Him better and allow Him to work more fully in our lives.

Do an honest review of your words … your thoughts … the way you treat your family and friends … how you respond to others. Do you see good fruit or bad fruit?

His, by Grace, Steve

Tuesday Thought – September 29, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Luke 6:41-42)

We are often quick to see the problems in the lives of others and slower to see the issues in our own lives.

Jesus offers an instruction about how to avoid that. When you see a problem in someone else’s life … take a good look in the mirror first. That look in the mirror may accomplish several things:

It may help you choose not to mention the other person’s problem at all, overlooking their problem because of the number of problems you have.

It may help you see a problem in your own life that needs to be dealt with before you start criticizing anyone else.

You may still decide the other person’s problem needs to be addressed, but the look in the mirror may soften your approach to the other person.

The truth is, all of us have problems. So we need to treat each other with grace and kindness, not with harshness and criticism. The goal is to treat the other person in loving ways. The goal is to treat the other person in the way you would like to be treated if the situation as reversed.

There are times when love does involve the confrontation of their problems, but love dictates a different approach than what often comes naturally.

His, by Grace, Steve

Monday Thought – September 28, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38)

There is a principle at work in our world … the principle of reciprocation. It is not a universal principle and you will find some times when it is not the way things work, but it is the common way that the world works. The principle can be stated in this way: you get back what you give.

Paul stated the principle this way: “A man reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7)

Solomon phrased it this way: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again.” (Ecclesiastes 11:1)

Jesus put it this way: “Give, and it will be given to you.” (Luke 6:38)

When you treat people kindly, they generally treat you kindly in response. When you treat people harshly, they generally respond similarly. When you are generous, you receive back generously. When you are selfish, there is very rarely a generous response in return.

If you act in righteous ways, there will generally be positive results in your life. When you act in unrighteous ways, there will generally be negative results in your life.

When you give generously to God’s work, you will generally find blessings that come in return. When you withhold your finances from God, you will generally find problems ensue.

So, the question is: What do you want to get in return? From God? From your spouse? From your family? From your friends? From your boss and co-workers?

What you want in return … take the initiative to give first.

His, by Grace, Steve

Friday Thought – September 25, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

"Do to others as you would have them do to you. 'If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.'" (Luke 6:31-36)

How do you treat the people you love? How do you treat the people who agree with you? How do you treat the people who treat you well? Those are not the tests of a heart that is modeled after the heart of God. The test comes in how you treat the people you do not like, how you treat the people who disagree with you, and how you treat the people who treat you poorly. If you respond to them in ways that mirror the ways they have treated you, then you are acting like the world. If you respond to them in ways that demonstrate love and mercy, then you are acting with the heart of God.

How does God respond to those who treat Him poorly? How does God respond to those who disagree with Him and disobey Him? How does God respond to people who ignore Him and do not love Him? You can answer that by thinking about how God has responded to you, because you fit all of those descriptions, or did at one time. God demonstrates patience, waiting for them to turn to Him. He demonstrates compassion, continuing to provide for them. He demonstrates mercy, always offering forgiveness and restored relationship with Him.

The question is – are you responding to others like God has responded to you?

His, by Grace, Steve

Thursday Thought -- September 24, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets." (Luke 6:21-23)

The story is not over yet. That's the truth that seems so clear to me from the blessings Jesus pronounces. There is a future tense in the blessings Jesus promises.

Many of Jesus' followers are financially poor now. But the story isn't over yet. The kingdom of God belongs to the followers of Jesus. It is an invisible kingdom now that exists in the hearts and souls of men. A day is coming in the future when the kingdom will be obvious. It will belong to the followers of Jesus. The blessings may not happen here -- but they are on the way -- promised in the future.

Many of Jesus' followers are hungry now. But the story isn’t over yet. The followers of Jesus are promised satisfaction. The desires of our hearts will be fulfilled in the future. The blessings we will know then will make the deprivations of today seem minimal. Satisfaction may not happen here -- but it is on its way -- promised in the future.

Many of Jesus' followers are hated, excluded, insulted and rejected because of our connection to Jesus. But the story isn't over yet. There will be rejoicing and great reward in heaven for all who follow Jesus. Here and now it may seem like we have chosen the wrong side, but a day is coming when our choice will clearly be the right one. The reward may not happen here -- but it is on its way -- promised in the future.

The story isn't over. The best is yet to come. The reward is in the future. Heaven awaits.

His, by Grace, Steve

Wednesday Thought – September 23, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

"One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor." (Luke 6:12-16)

Peter became the most dominant leader of the early church after Jesus went back to heaven. He was a powerful and persuasive preacher.

James became an early martyr of the church. He gave his life for what he believed. He gave his life Jesus.

John lived the longest of the apostles. He died a very old man. Before he died he became the one through whom Jesus would send His message about the end times -- the Revelation. He also became a biographer of Jesus, writing one of the accounts of Jesus' life.

Matthew also became a writer. He also wrote an account of Jesus' life.

The Bible tells us little about the other apostles, but church history tells us that all but one of the rest became preachers of the Gospel, carrying God's message around the world. All except John died an early death and a violent death because of their faith in Jesus.

That brings us to the last of the twelve apostles and Luke's Gospel gives just one word to describe him: "Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor." There was a traitor among the earliest followers of Jesus. One of the twelve would sell Jesus for a few coins.

All twelve had the same opportunities. All twelve heard the same messages. All twelve saw the same miracles. Eleven became leaders of Jesus' movement. One became a traitor.

You have opportunities. You hear messages. You see God at work. What will you become?

His, by Grace, Steve

Tuesday Thought – September 22, 2015

Good Morning Friends,

"One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, 'Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?' Jesus answered them, 'Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, took the consecrated bread and ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. He also gave some to his companions.' Then Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.'" (Luke 6:1-5)

For Jews, working on the Sabbath was an affront to God. The Sabbath was to be set aside for Him. Even what the apostles did, just grabbing some grain in the field and eating it, was considered work. There were extremely strict rules for Sabbath-keeping.

American Christians don't struggle with that end of the pendulum. Almost no one is concerned about doing something productive on the day we set aside for worship. We don't mind cooking, doing a little cleaning, shopping, or pursuing other activities that require exertion.

We are at the other end of the pendulum on these issues. We are sometimes too cavalier about what we allow to take our focus off of the Lord on the day we set aside for worship. If it's a warm and sunny day, then a trip to the beach takes precedence over worship and fellowship with the church. If there is something that needs done around the house or yard, that takes precedence over worship and fellowship. A hundred other things that we want to do can take precedence, too.

"The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Would Jesus think He is Lord of our Sabbath? Does the way we treat the time set aside for worship and fellowship reflect that we are listening to Jesus and doing what pleases Him. Are we too cavalier about it and allow too many things to take priority over the time devoted to Him.

Is Jesus Lord of your Sabbath?

His, by Grace, Steve