Monday Musings ...

Yesterday was a very powerful day, at least for me personally it was powerful. Our time of singing seemed to really touch hearts. The Lord was really dealing with me as we sang. Some of our young children played a special song with handbells. It is always special to have children minister, to see their enthusiasm and willingness to serve is encouraging. Our attendance was good, which is usually encouraging and always good to see.

The message continued the series "The Lies We Believe", using Titus 3:3-8 as the foundation. This week I began the message with the question "What if Jesus meant the stuff He said?" (See yesterday's post.) and spoke about our preference to study about Jesus rather than follow Jesus, and how that leads to us so easily believing the lies. The Lie we examined is "You Can't Do Anything About It". This manifests itself with a couple of other lies. The first is "This is just way it is, or this is just the way you are". Our culture seems to love this lie and it has become a popular excuse for many things. It is really a lie of hopelessness. Martin Luther countered this lie many centuries ago when he said, "no one has ever fallen so grievously that he may not rise again". The other side of the big lie is the one that says "The problem is just too big for you". After all, what can one person do anyway? If everyone bought this lie then nothing of significance would ever be attempted, let alone accomplished.

The truth is that we have hope if we believe on Jesus. There is no need to live hopelessly because God is still God no matter what we are facing. The truth also tells us that we don't have to rely on our strength alone. Philippians 4:13 says, "I can everything through him who gives me strength." Another part of the truth to counter the lies is that God has been generous with us. Titus 3:5b-6 says "...by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior." God is not stingy with what he provides.

Mother Teresa said, "We can do no great things, just small things with great love."

I finished the message with these two questions, "When was the last time someone mistook you for Jesus?" And, "When was the last time someone saw Jesus when they saw you?"

Jesus has really been messing with me recently. As I really attempt to follow Jesus, not just study about following him, I am confronted by areas where I am certainly weak. As I have been confronted with that question "What if Jesus meant the stuff he said?" I have to compared my actions with those of Jesus. That comparison falls short way too often. Though it is not fun going through this process it is necessary if I really want to live a holy life. Kierkegaard said, "The Bible is very easy to understand...We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly."

So how are you doing?