Who Are You?

“In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will” (Ephesians 1:11 (NIV).

Years ago, I did a Bible study based on the 307 questions in the Bible that Jesus asked. Each one offers us the opportunity for self-reflection and growth. I think these questions are particularly profound because they give us a greater insight into Jesus and ourselves.

As I think about all of the questions asked by Jesus, my mind is drawn to Matthew 16:13-17. “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus said to Him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

I think the first question is important because it reminds us that others may have an incorrect understanding of Jesus. (Note: If somebody has an incorrect understanding of Jesus, they will not be able to have a proper understanding of themselves or others.) Our relationship with Jesus is personal and should not be based on the opinions of people that don’t truly know Him. Yes, we are called to love others and be in community with others but our relationship with God is one on One.

The second question is critical – Who do you say I am? How you answer this question will profoundly shape your Christian walk and inform your sense of self.

Jesus disciples witnessed His many miracles but yet after He calmed the seas in Luke 8, they still struggled to understand the true identify of our Lord. In fear and amazement, they asked each other, “Who is this?” We have the benefit of having the Old and New Testament so we all should be able to answer the second question.

Pop psychology is wrong when it tells you to look inside yourself and find your value. Scripture teaches that you are good simply because God made you in His image. Period. You were made so He could love you. 1 John 4:19 reads, “We love before He first loved us.” 1 John 4:9-10 reads goes a little bit deeper by reading, “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” The sacrifice allows us to be presented pure and without blame to the Father. Moreover, the blood of Jesus ensures that nothing can come between us and God (Romans 8:39). The love of the Father and the sacrifice of the Son is fundamental in understanding ourselves and God.

Once we begin to realize how much God loves us, then we are better equipped to “consider it all joy” (James 1:2), “be content in any and every circumstance” (Philippians 4:12), and “be content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

So, once we understand who God is, then it helps us to understand who we are and gives us a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment in life. True satisfaction happens when you engage in your role as an image bearer of God. Such was the view of King David. “As for me,” he wrote, “I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness” (Psalm 17:15). David was on a journey to have more of Christ in him. He knew that God was working in him to burn away the impurities just as a refiner of silver as described in Malachi 3:3. The refinement is done when the refiner can see his face in the silver. The Holy Spirit resides in you, but can a stranger look at you and see God?

Ephesians Chapter 1 is our basis for understanding who we are and our relationship with God. We (1) were chosen, (2) are holy and blameless, (3) have been adopted, (4) have redemption, and (5) were granted forgiveness, and (6) were sealed with the Holy Spirit.

The issue of our identity is also connected to the very same question that Jesus asked of His disciples, “Who do you same I am (Matthew 16:15). If our answer is You are Lord and Savior, then we can claim our identity in accordance with :17 which teaches, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, “

Do not let yourself be defined by society or unhappy people on social media but instead commit yourself to living and knowing you are a child of God that was made in His image so He could love you. The Bible teaches us that the enemy comes to deceive, divide, and destroy. The destruction occurs after we are deceived from our true identity and divided from the Body of Christ. The sniper is a pawn of the enemy.

When I encounter bitter and unhappy Christians, I realize that they do not know the truth about God nor themselves. That is the sad result of a poor choice. There is joy and freedom when we understand why God loves us so much. It has everything to do with whose we are – we are His. You are free to choose bitterness and hate, but as for me, I chose faith, hope, and love. The choice is yours. Choose wisely.

Prayer: Dear God, There is so much hatred and bitterness in this world. We are a people divided and often over things that really don’t matter. Forgive us for failing to forgive and love others as You have loved us and free us for joyful obedience to You. Amen.

Meet the Author

Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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You Have A Husband Now

… “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Matthew 19:5 NIV).

Several years ago, I was talking with a female friend, let’s call her Sally, about marriage. Sally told me an interesting story about her first marriage. Sally got married many years ago to her first husband. Her father, let’s call him Dick, did not like her husband because he was a “loser.” Sally was very close to Dick, and he was always her first phone call when she needed advice on anything.

A few weeks after she got married, Sally called her father for advice. Sally told me what sort of advice she was seeking from her father, but I forget the details. What is more important, to me, is the response she got from her father. Dick calmly and politely responded to her question, “Have you asked your husband about this?” She indicated to her father that she had not asked her husband about the situation. The father said, “Honey, you have a husband now so go ask him.”

Sally’s father was not a deeply religious man. He had been the main man in his daughter’s life for her entire life. Remember, he did not like her new husband. However, he wanted what is best for his daughter so he did everything he could do to support her and her marriage. Sally’s father had always loved her and would continue to love her. I think it was because of his love for Sally that he realized the best way he could support his daughter’s marriage was to let her know that “she has a husband now.”

Sally’s father had many reasons, some valid and some invalid, to not like her new husband. He had advised her before the wedding to not get married. However, he knew that a marriage bond is sacred so after the wedding he kept his thoughts regarding his son in law to himself and did his best to be kind and pleasant to his daughter’s new husband. Sally’s father wanted to give unsolicited advice to Sally and her husband regarding how things should be done in their house.

Again, Sally’s father was not a close follower of Jesus. However, he knew that he did not want another man to undermine his authority in his house, so he knew he had to respect the authority of his new son in law. Perhaps he had attended Sunday school as a young boy and remembered the Gospel lesson of a house divided cannot stand.

Perhaps Sally told me this story because she knew I had a young daughter, and she knew that I love my daughter with all my heart. I wonder if Sally was giving me a warning to prepare myself to take a step back if and when my daughter gets married. I want my daughter to have a husband. I know that any husband that she finds will be a sinner, and my initial reaction will to be find fault in him and try to maintain “control.” So, I have decided to control what I can control, what I should control. I will control my words. Also, I will control my prayers and begin praying now that God will send a husband for my daughter that will love, provide, protect, and lead her spiritually in far better ways that I ever could or did.

As men, many of have jobs in which we have some sort of control over people, budgets, or projects. At home, many men have control over their young children, and this may continue later in life for unmarried daughters. Men don’t like to be told what to do, but some fathers have no problem telling their married daughter and son in laws what to do because of a deep-rooted desire to maintain control of their daughter.

I completely understand this desire for control. I have a beautiful, intelligent, and kind daughter and will always view my daughter as a sweet and innocent child, and I would love to “control” her in an attempt to protect her. But, as much as I want to have control over her life, I realize that is futile because that is not in her best interest or mine. I want to be available to give advice, when asked and with respect to any future husband, but I want to raise my daughter in such a way that she will be able to make wise decisions without me because someday I won’t be here.

Matthew 19:5 teaches that “….a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” The same is true for a woman. She will also leave her father and mother and become one flesh with her husband. There is a leaving and cleaving that occurs during marriage. As we leave our parents, we still love them and regularly talk and visit with them, but they no longer have access to the inner workings of our lives, marriage, or our new family regardless if they demand access or feel entitled to private information. The marriage consists of three – husband, wife, and God.

It is understandable for a daughter to want to cling to her father after marriage. The love for any child for a parent is strong and should be respected. However, it is not respectful for a father to allow his daughter to cling to him once she is married or to continue to demand control over his daughter once she is married. Fathers can support their daughter and her marriage by keeping negative opinions and unsolicited advice to themselves. I hope I can do this if and when my daughter gets married. I know that the time to speak my peace is before the wedding, not after.

Ladies, remember, once you are married, you have a husband now. Fathers, remember, once your daughter is married, she has a husband now.

Prayer: Thank you for the Holy Covenant of marriage. Help us as husbands to love our wives as you so loved your church. Help us as fathers to best support our daughters by recognizing the sacredness of their marriage. Help us as brides to remember that once we are married, we have a husband now. Amen.

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10 NIV).

There was a hit song in 1967 by Aretha Franklin titled “Respect.” Respect is important for both husbands and wives, and Scripture calls each partner to respect the other. Husbands are specifically called in 1 Peter 3:7 to respect their wife and are given reasons. “Husbands, also live with your wife the way you know is right. Respect her because she is a woman. She is not as strong as a man. Also respect her because God has given her, as well as you, the blessing of life. In this way, you will not stop God from doing what you ask him to do.”

Husbands and wives both need respect and love. I think the most important thing a wife can show her husband is respect, and the most important thing a husband can show his wife is love. Ephesians 5:33 reads, “However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” This is the final verse of a section of Scripture dedicated to instructions for Christian households. This verse is also the basis for the best-selling book, “Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, the Respect He Desperately Needs” by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs.

Many wives feel that they cannot respect their husbands because their husbands are not worthy of respect. This is a terrible situation for any wife. Peter wrote to first-century Christian wives, and wives today, “even if your husband does not obey the Word they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wife when they behold your respectful behavior…” (1 Pet. 3:1-2, emphasis added). It should be emphasized that in the book “Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires, the Respect He Desperately Needs,” husbands are encouraged to give unconditional love and wives are encouraged to give unconditional respect. So, even if you feel that your spouse does not deserve or has not earned your love or respect, you should give it anyway. Remember, we have done nothing to deserve our salvation, but Christ gave that to us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).

Now, let’s return to our song about respect. Aretha Franklin spelled out R-E-S-P-E-C-T and then sang out, “find out what it means to me.” Rev. Larry Stockstill is a distinguished pastor and author from Bethany Church in Baton Rouge, La. He once wrote, “Respect for a husband, according to that verse, is based not upon his “performance” but his “position.” God made him to be head and leader of his family whether he knows it or not. Treat him that way, regardless of his faults, flaws, and failures, and you have a real chance of winning him to Christ.” I don’t think any woman can do this on her own. However, I know that a wife of noble character as described in Proverbs 31 can partner with the Holy Spirit and do this and much more.

Some women read Proverbs 31:23, “Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land,” and wonder was the Proverbs 31 woman’s husband a man worthy of respect when they got married or did he change into a well-respected man during their marriage? Hillary Bernstein, Christian author and blogger, suggests, “Instead of wondering what comes first – a husband or a well-respected man –we need to be more concerned about how we are helping our husbands and treating them with respect.”

Dr. Gary Chapman wrote THE book on Christian marriages, “The Five Love Languages: The Secret To Love That Lasts.” Dr. Chapman identifies the five love languages as words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service, and receiving gifts. Many wives assume that the preferred love language for their husband is physical touch, and this may be true, but some wives may fail to recognize the importance of words of affirmation for their husbands if they focus on physical touch.

If a wife demeans or disrespects her husband, he will likely feel either anger or despair. He may quit on the marriage, look for opportunities to leave or stay gone for extended periods of time, use drugs or alcohol as a means of escape, or look for another woman that makes him “happy” and gives him the respect that he is desperately, although foolishly, seeking.

A better option for women is to encourage their husbands. His efforts may fall short of your expectations, but they will never measure up if you don’t notice his effort. Find out what is important to him and try to respect those things. Hint: His job, hobbies, and mother are likely very important to him. Make a mental picture in your mind of the type of husband that you want him to be and pray boldly, confidently, and with thanksgiving for God to transform him into that man. As you wait for God, continue to model good behavior for him according to 1 Peter 3:1-2 and praise him for his progress rather than complain about his shortcomings.

Everybody has heard the old expression that a dog is man’s best friend. The attribute that men love in dogs, and in their spouse, is loyalty. A loyal wife supports and encourages her husband and does not speak negatively about him to others or allow others to speak negatively to her about her husband. A loyal wife is showing respect.

We live in a visual society and temptation and graphic images are everywhere. The temptation for wives is to focus on outer appearances. However, a wife respects her husband, and herself, when she shows him her inner beauty. 1 Peter 3:3-4 teaches, “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” I don’t think 1 Peter 3:3-4 is meant to discourage women from wanting to look nice but rather to remind women that true beauty is what is inside of you and God, and a godly husband, will recognize and honor true beauty.

If any husband has read this blog, and thinks he has the right to intentionally be unloving to his wife and then demand respect from her, he has misread this blog and is sadly mistaken. Wives should respectfully and clearly decline to follow their husband into anything that is against Scripture, illegal, or immoral. If either party is violent, immoral, unstable, or addicted, then then by all means the other must protect themself and the family. The Proverbs 31 woman will love, honor, and pray for her husband even as he faces the consequences of poor choices.

The right next step is for wives to show their husbands unconditional respect, and for husbands to show their wives unconditional love. If one party is not reciprocating, then continue to do what you can do and leave the rest to God.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the blessing of marriage. Help us to model your love and grace to each other, especially our spouses. Amen.

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We All Are A Child Of Peter AND Judas

“Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me’” (Luke 22:34 NIV).

^“Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over (Matthew 26:14-16 NIV).

Judas and Peter are two of the most well-known disciples of Jesus. They were both called and blessed to have been disciples of Jesus. Although they were similar in many ways, we typically think of them as opposites.

Peter was among the earliest of Jesus’ disciples (with James and John) and had been with Him the longer than the others. The Bible does not say why Jesus chose Peter, James, and John as His inner circle, but it is evident that they were closer to Jesus than the others. These three men were present with Jesus during special events and witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration (Mark 9:2–3), raising of Jairus’s daughter from the dead (Luke 8:49–56), and were with Him while He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to His crucifixion (Matthew 26:36–38). Peter saw Jesus’ greatest moments of glory and His darkest trials.

Peter is often remembered as the disciple that walked on the water toward Jesus but began to sink when he turned his eyes off of our Lord. However, in the video “The Only Disciple That Got it Right,” Kristi McLelland indicates that another way to view Peter is he was the only disciple that got out of the boat and moved toward Jesus (Matthew 14:22-33). Moreover, Peter showed discernment when he sought confirmation that the voice calling him to leave the boat and walk on the water was indeed Jesus. “Lord, if it’s you, Peter replied, tell me to come to you on the water” (Matthew 14:28).

Peter is also often thought of as impulsive, and Jesus even referred to him as “dull” (Matthew 15:16). However, Peter showed humility when he fell to his knees and said to Jesus, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!’” (Luke 5:8).

Peter was impulsive and dull and did make mistakes, but Jesus, as is His nature, loved Peter wholeheartedly and continued to disciple him. Jesus reminded Peter of his identity and importance in Matthew 16:18, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The story of Peter gives hopes to us all because we are also sinful and make mistakes, but Jesus can use imperfect people to do His perfect work.

Judas is always portrayed as the “bad guy” in contemporary Christianity. According to Scripture, Judas went to the chief priests before the Last Supper and agreed to hand over Jesus in exchange for 30 silver coins. Judas later was filled with remorse and attempted to return the money. It is ironic that Judas used a kiss to identify Jesus to the soldiers of the high priest, Caiaphas, who later handed him over to the soldiers of Pontius Pilate.

Indeed, Judas Iscariot is one of the most enigmatic, but also one of the most important people in the ministry of Jesus. Unfortunately, the Bible does not tell us nearly as much about Judas as it does Peter. By identifying Jesus to the Jewish authorities, Judas set into motion a series of events that became the foundations of our Christian faith: Jesus’s arrest, trial, death by crucifixion, and resurrection. Is it possible that these events may not have occurred if Judas had not betrayed our Lord? The sin of Judas many years ago provides the way for not only the forgiveness of our sins but for the opportunity upon our healing to eventually be presented to the Father as “holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation (Colossians 1:22).

For me, the key similarity is that both Judas and Peter denied Jesus before his Crucifixion. They committed the same sin, but the difference was the way each reacted to his failure. Judas focused on his sin and not the forgiveness of God. His remorse overwhelmed him, and he ultimately took his own life.

But when Peter realized his sin, he prayed, repented, and asked God for forgiveness. Then Jesus chose Peter to preach on Pentecost, and 3,000 people were saved the first day (Acts 2:14-42). Jesus chose to build the church on the one that denied him three times.

We are all similar to both Judas and Peter because we are all disciples of Jesus, but we are all also sinners. However, the sin is not what defines us as Christians, but rather our sinful flesh provides us an opportunity to choose our future direction. Judas was unable to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (Hebrews 12:1). Judas did not have the benefit of reading the gospels, but he did have the unique blessing of watching them unfold as Jesus revealed Himself as Lord and Savior to His disciples.

Sadly, Judas became the fulfillment of the first part of Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Peter’s story can be summed up in the second party of that verse because Peter focused on Christ, rather than his sin, and found forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for the inspiration that we receive when we learn about Your ability to use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. Help us to throw off our sin and redirect our focus on You. Amen.

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The Holy Spirit Meets Us In Our Loneliness

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:1-4 NIV).

We all love Christmas and Easter, but Pentecost is important too because it is the birthday of the bride of Christ, His Church. Most pastors will use the second chapter of Acts as the basis of their sermon during Pentecost. I love the imagery of the chapter as the Holy Spirit came upon the Israelites and gave them “tongues of fire.”

These tongues are with us today as we all go about in our efforts to fulfill the Great Commission. In my lifetime, one of the most successful and recognizable evangelists for the Great Commission was the late Rev. Billy Graham. I enjoy watching old YouTube videos of him preaching the Word at large revivals. Surely, the Spirit of our Lord was present in the tongue of Rev. Graham as well as the ears and hearts of the crowd. I am convinced of this.

The Spirit is not limited to those with the spiritual gift of teaching and preaching. You are a son or daughter of God and upon your baptism into the Church universal, the Spirit has not only entered you but also equipped you for your ministry. At the baptism of our Lord, the Father said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). I think God said something similar, although perhaps not as easily discernable, at your baptism and mine.

I am concerned that many of us, myself included, have a poor understanding of the Spirit. Yes, we understand the Holy Trinity, and we understand that the Spirit is moving during a God-breathed sermon. We also know that the Spirit is our Advocate and provides intercessory prayers to the Father when all we can offer are “wordless groans” (Romans 8:26-27). It is because of the presence of the Spirit and our faith in the Spirit, that we can do far greater things than Jesus. John 14:12 reads, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Indeed, the same Spirit in Act 2 is with us today, but some people sadly refuse to accept this gift. Scripture teaches that, “The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you (John 14:17, emphasis added). A result of a Spirit-filled life is that the fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) are manifested in our words and actions.

So, if the Holy Spirit is with us and in us then why are so people lonely when they are alone? It is no secret that humans are social creatures and are made for community. In the book Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection, University of Chicago social neuroscientist John T. Cacioppo writes about his research on the effects of loneliness – “a sense of isolation or social rejection which disrupts not only our thinking abilities and will power but also our immune systems and can be as damaging as obesity or smoking.”

It should be understood that the pain of loneliness is raw and real for anybody, regardless of their religious affiliation or lack thereof. It is damaging and hurtful to downplay the emotions of a lonely person.

Let us circle back to the late Rev. Billy Graham. He said, “It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.” Perhaps Rev. Graham was referring to John 16:8 in which our Lord promised to send the Holy Spirit. “When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment.”

The Holy Spirit has convicted me that my job is to love. Jesus taught in Matthew 22: 36-40 that the Law and the Prophets hangs on our ability to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and Love your neighbor as yourself.”

I think we have a unique opportunity to show our love for God in our loneliness. Do we chase companionship at the bottom of a whiskey bottle or do we accept the Truth of the Psalmist when he wrote, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Do we accept that if our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit, then He lives within us? Do we accept the power of God, love of Jesus, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit, particularly in our loneliness, brokenness, and sin?

The truth is we can partner with the Spirit to have victory over loneliness because He is always with us – in the valley of the shadow of death, in hospitals and nursing homes, and most certainly in our loneliness.

Earlier, I mentioned my love for old-time sermons by Rev. Graham. I am sure he would agree that there has been no greater sermon preached than the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5:4, Jesus addresses the lonely and broken-hearted and offers the greatest gift possible, His blessing. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” The Holy Spirit has convicted me of the truth and victory of this verse, and I pray the same for you.

Prayer: Dear God, We know that through Jesus you have experienced the human reality of isolation and rejection. Thank you for sending your Holy Spirit to live within us and advocate for us. Thank you for the fellowship we have with the Body of Christ. Help us to embrace the fellowship of the Spirit, and to always remember that we are never alone. Amen.

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The Spiritual Gift of Presence

“Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” (Job 2:13 NIV).

Spiritual gifts are something every Christian is given when they receive the gift of salvation. Just as the gift of salvation is by grace through faith, so are the spiritual gifts.

There are several different spiritual gifts. These gifts are not something we possess; they are God’s supernatural ability to act in our lives in various ways. There are ministry gifts, manifestation gifts, and motivational gifts.

According to Scripture, the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. As a Methodist, my denomination recognizes the following as spiritual gifts: administration, apostleship, compassion, discernment, evangelism, exhortation, faith, giving, healing, helping, interpretation of tongues, knowledge, leadership, miracles, prophecy, servanthood, shepherding, teaching, tongues, and wisdom.

I think the spiritual gift of presence is often overlooked. It is not one of the seven that is directly mentioned in Scripture, nor is it specifically mentioned by my church. However, the Bible has several examples of the spiritual gift of presence.

One example comes from the book of Job. He was a prosperous man of great piety. Satan tested Job to determine if Job’s piety is merely rooted in his prosperity. Job suffered tremendous losses at the hands of the enemy (possessions, family, and finally his own health), but Job still refused to curse God. Job’s friends came to comfort him in his time of sorrow. When they finally arrived, Scriptures tells us that they, “sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was” (Job 2:13). This is the spiritual gift of presence in action. It was not necessary for the friends to say the right thing or bring the right gift.

Paul traveled throughout the Mediterranean area. Most biblical scholars agree that Paul would have traveled over 10,000 miles – by foot! That would be equal to walking between New York and Los Angeles nearly four times! Several books of the Bible are based on his letters to the new church in various cities. Another example of presence comes from Paul’s letter to the new church in Rome. He wrote, “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith” (Romans 1:11-12). One thing is clear: giving the gift is tied to Paul’s visit. He is the conveyer, and recipient, of the gift because he understands the gift of presence, and it cannot, therefore, be given by letter or proxy. Paul also knows that we must be present to “greet each other with a holy kiss” (2 Corinthians 13:12).

In this post-pandemic world, people are more than ever hungry for human contact. When we show up and support our friends during their time of crisis, we are using our spiritual gift of presence and bearing one another’s burdens. In the book “Caring Enough to Hear and Be Heard: How to Hear and How to Be Heard in Equal Communication,” David W. Augsburger writes, “Being heard is as close to being loved that for the average person they are almost indistinguishable.” Be blessed as you are a blessing to others.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for all of the spiritual gifts that you have bestowed upon us. Help us to boldly and courageously use the gifts that you have equipped us with and to do the good deeds that you have prepared in advance for us. Amen.

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Different Roads but the Same Destination

“Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us? ” (Luke 24:32 NKJV).

“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’” (Acts 9:3-4 NIV).

Each of us has our own personal story of how we came to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. For some, the journey to Christ is sudden and dramatic as what happened to Saul, later to be known as Paul, on the road to Damascus. For others, the journey to salvation looks more like the road to Emmaus – a gradual realization that Jesus has been with us before we even realize it or accept Him due to His prevenient grace.

The Road to Damascus is an exciting story as detailed in Acts 9. Saul was a Pharisee on his way to Damascus to bring followers of Jesus to the high priest for persecution. On the road, God revealed himself to Saul in a dramatic fashion and Saul immediately submits himself to our Lord. I love the imagery in Acts 9:3-6. “As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? . . . I am Jesus. . . .’ So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’” Saul was blinded for three days after the encounter, and I suspect that this experience later prompted him to write, “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Scripture tells of other “Damascus” experiences in which a person has a sudden revelation or epiphany that radically changes their beliefs. For example, God appeared to Moses in a burning bush (Exodus 3) and meets Isaiah in the temple (Isaiah 6). Mother Theresa has talked about her Damascus road experience when she was on a train at 16 years old.

The Damascus road experience is exciting and captivating. Many Christians feel disappointed if they do not have a similar testimony. The problem with waiting for our own Damascus road experience is that we may miss our walk to Emmaus experience. Remember, God does not always reveal Himself in a dramatic fashion. Sometimes, He is not in the wind, earthquake, or fire but rather speaks in a “gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:11-13).

The walk to Emmaus story is detailed in Luke 24:13-35 and describes how Jesus can gradually and subtly reveal Himself to us. The story describes how two of Jesus’ followers were sad as they walked to Emmaus because the person (Jesus) that they thought was the Messiah had died three days earlier. Jesus comes along side of them as they walk. He walks and talks with them and interprets the Scriptures to them, but they do not recognize Him until at the end of the day when He blesses bread and gives it to them. Then, they finally recognized our Lord.

As I read the Emmaus story my mind takes me to the story of the LORD calling a young Samuel into ministry in 1 Samuel 3. God called Samuel three times, but Samuel did not recognize His call, and Scripture tells us the reason. “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him” (1 Samuel 3:7). Samuel did not recognize God because Eli was still teaching him about God. Now, with regards to Saul, clearly, the word of the Lord also had not been previously revealed to him. So, what about the men walking to Emmaus? Had the word of the Lord been revealed to them? Scripture tells us that the men were followers of Jesus and had hoped that “He was the one that was going to redeem Israel.”

Even though the Emmaus travelers were followers of Jesus, they too were “blind” to His presence because they did not fully understand Scripture. Their lack of understanding prompted this response from Jesus. “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! (Luke 24:25). Perhaps the word “blind” could be inserted for “foolish”?

The people in both the Emmaus and Demascus stories have issues of blindness. After Saul encounters God, he loses his sight for three days until a disciple by the name of Ananias lays hand on him and heals him. The two men on the road to Emmaus, were already followers of Jesus, but their spiritual sight was poor, so they failed to recognize Jesus as they walked.

Now, let’s go back to the number of times that God called Samuel – three. Numbers have symbolic purposes in the Bible, and number three stands out as one of the more prominent numbers featured in Scripture. Scripture tells us that the journey to Emmaus occurred three days after Jesus was crucified, which is the same number of days that Saul lost his sight after his encounter with God. You may recall that Jesus rose three days after His crucifixion. There are other examples in Scripture regarding the number three but perhaps none more significant than the three in one Holy trinity.

I have spent more time journeying to Emmaus than Damascus. God will often move on my heart in a gradual, incremental, almost imperceptible or “Emmaus” way, and looking back after days or even years I might eventually realize that my risen Lord was truly walking with me. Or after a moving sermon or a powerful small group session, I might look back and realize that God was using somebody else’s tongue to talk to me. Your calling may not come at one of the extremes (Emmaus or Damascus) but rather somewhere in between. Just as each of us are uniquely called into ministry by our baptism and profession of faith, we are also uniquely called and gifted to our unique positions within the Body.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for walking with us. We ask of You what the Psalmist asked – “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” Forgive us as we fail to recognize you and remind us of the promise of the Psalmist – “The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” Amen.

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Can Prisoners Be Free?

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV).

Perhaps the greatest benefit that we have as American citizens is our civil rights and liberties as identified in the Bill of Rights. We enjoy the freedom of speech, assembly, due process of law, etc.

The early Israelites were required to follow 613 Commandments from God as provided to Moses. The Mosaic Law begins with the Ten Commandments and includes the many rules of religious observance given in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, called the Pentateuch.

God made a new Covenant with us through the blood of His Son, Jesus. As Christians, we enjoy true freedom due to His sacrifice. Romans 8:2 reads, “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” We have freedom over sin and death, and we will enjoy life everlasting with the Father.

However, I see many people each day that are walking the streets but are not free. They are enslaved to their sins, unwilling to repent, and unable to enjoy the freedom that comes from the Spirit. Some are enslaved to drugs, work, fear of the future, etc. This begs the question, how can a baptized Christian that is an American citizen be enslaved if they are walking down the street?

Sadly, these people have imprisoned themselves in their minds. This is the worst sort of prison because they have no hope. Perhaps Jesus was addressing those without hope when He read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

So, what does hope have to with faith in God? Everything. The connection between hope and faith is explained in Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Those without hope do not truly understand that our God is the God of victory, power, and miracles. Those without faith are not able to walk through the darkest valley and fear no evil as the Psalmist writes in Psalm 23:4.

Sadly, these people have imprisoned themselves in their minds. This is the worst sort of prison because they have no hope. Perhaps Jesus was addressing those without hope when He read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

I have been blessed to participate in a national prison ministry known as Kairos. This ministry brings a Gospel message to people that have committed very violent crimes and are unlikely to be released back into society. At my first visit to the Angola Prison near St. Francisville, La, I was struck by the freedom of several of the inmates. I heard joy in their voices and saw it in their eyes. I was initially surprised and then I listened to testimony after testimony from the inmates about what God has done for them. Years ago, this prison was one of the worst in the country due to number of violent crimes occurring inside the prison. The warden at the time-built a church in the prison, introduced Kairos, and distributed Bibles.

In short, he pointed the inmates to Jesus. The Holy Spirit was welcome and as a result there was freedom. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17, emphasis added).

If you are seeking freedom, the right next step is to ask the Holy Spirit to search you and reveal any areas of your life that have you imprisoned. Confession and repentance are essential to forgiveness and freedom. Shame and fear are not fruits of the Spirit. 2 Timothy 1:7 teaches, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” May be all be so blessed as to live as freely as those prisoners I met in Angola.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for your Son and the gift that we have to live as Easter people. Thank you for the forgiveness of our sins and life-everlasting in your Church Triumphant. Send your Holy Spirit to search us and reveal to us those things that imprison us. Give us the courage and strength to rid ourselves of the sin and shame that clings so tightly and separates us from you.

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Is Your Peace Temporary Or Permanent?

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27 NIV).

I think we all want peace. Even the sound of the word is pleasing to the ear. We differ in how we go about trying to achieve peace. For some, peace is a quiet night with no children and no phone calls. Others may find peace by drinking coffee in the morning or wine in the evening. You might find your peace by owning a home security system and a gun!

The kind of peace the world gives is temporary. It has been reported that in the last 300 years, about 260 peace treaties have been signed—and almost none of them were kept. As Christians, we not only receive the forgives of our sins and life everlasting, but we also receive His peace. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27, emphasis added). Jesus specifies the type of peace that He is giving. This is not your typical peace, not conditional peace, and not earthly peace. This is His peace.

The peace that comes from the world is totally circumstantial. If your peace is contingent on your income, home security system, or coffee, then what happens to your peace when these things are gone? The peace that comes from a life lived in Jesus and for Jesus is different. His peace is not contingent on your actions. There is no quid pro quo or contract. Jesus gives you a different kind of peace. The Bible calls it “peace . . . which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

The peace of Jesus is certainly hard to understand from a secular perspective. His grace allows us to be at peace when there’s no obvious or visible reason why we should be at peace. I have a good friend that lost his house and contents due to a flood a few years ago. His life was in chaos, but for some unexplainable reason, He was at peace. His confidence and peace at this terrible time was a strong witness to his faith.

The peace that Jesus offers us today is the same peace that He offered the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus told the woman, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).

Any areas of our lives that are full of worry, anxiety, or fear represent areas that we have not yielded to Jesus. This could include our finances, marriage, job, etc. Whatever it is, we have to let it go in order for God to take control. You may have heard the expression “let go and let God.” I think this is great, but I would make one slight change- “let go, let God, and rest in His peace.”

The right next step is to pray the prayer, or one of your own, below and then follow up with your pastor.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for your love and grace. Send your Holy Spirit to search me and reveal any areas of my life that I have not surrounded to you. Grant me the courage and wisdom to yield everything to you so I can truly rest in your peace. Amen.

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Why Are You Asking “Why?”

“I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I – and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me . . . I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance” (Job 42:2-3, 6 NLT).

I suspect the most common question that people ask God begins with “why.” Why was my house destroyed in the fire? Why am I so unhappy? Why don’t I have more money? We will never fully understand the ways of God, but we take comfort in knowing that God is good. This is the essence of the mystery of faith. It is important to understand that faith is not hoping for something or having a strong feeling about a future event or situation. Faith is based on assurance and conviction as described in Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

We do not understand God because we are not God. For us to try to understand God is as futile as it would be for the birds in my backyard to understand calculus. God addresses the fundamental different between Himself and us in Isaiah 55:8-9. “’For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

We all struggle with our faith in the midst of a storm. Questions that begin with “why” are a sign of fear rather than faith and trust.

In the first 37 chapters of the book of Job, we read time and again of Job asking God questions that begin with “why.” “Why is this happening to me? Why are you allowing this? Why so much pain? Why so much discomfort? Why haven’t you answered my prayers?” Does this sound familiar?

In chapter 38, Job stops asking “why.” God begins to ask some very difficult question to Job.

In the next two chapters, God asks questions to Job that only God could answer. He asks things like, “Where were you when I made the universe? Can you explain the law of gravity?”

After two chapters, Job realizes that he is just a man, and his knowledge is limited. It appears that Job has had an epiphany and his response is in accordance with Isaiah 55:8-9.

Job stops questioning—and starts trusting. He replies to the Lord, “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I – and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me . . . I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance” (Job 42:2-3, 6).

The strength of our faith is revealed when we don’t understand what is happening. Do we choose fear or faith when life doesn’t make sense?

Of course, we all know we should choose faith, but it is not quite that simple in practice. We don’t understand the situation, and we certainly don’t understand God’s thoughts, but we can remind ourselves of the things we do know about God to help us through the storm. As we return back to Scripture, we can learn from Job.

Even while doubting, Job affirmed what he knew to be true about God: God is loving (Job 10:12), God is all powerful (Job 36:22), God is in control (Job 34:13), God had a plan for his life (Job 23:14), and God would protect him (Job 5:11).

You may be experiencing a major problem right now and feel that nobody understands you or your problem, and you may be exactly right! However, you need to realize that the God of heaven and earth understands you and your problem better than you do! If He knows the number of hairs on your head (Luke 12:7), don’t you think He also is passionately and intimately aware of every detail of your life? As His children, we have the Holy Trinity on our side. Jesus Christ is interceding for us to the Father (Romans 8:34). The Holy Spirit is offering intercessory prayer to God through our wordless groans (Romans 8:27). And God is leading the way for us. “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

You may not understand what you’re going through, but you can still say this to God: “I don’t like this, and I don’t understand this, but I know you’re good. I know you’re loving. I know you’re powerful. I know you know the details of my life. I know you’re in control. I know you have a plan. I know you will protect me.”

We mature as Christians when we stop asking “why” and start trusting God—no matter what. There is freedom and peace that comes from trusting God all the time. We are each free to chose faith or fear. Choose wisely.

Prayer: Dear God, You have delivered us from slavery and captivity and made a Holy covenant with us as your children. Your love, wisdom, grace, and providence is impossible for us to understand. Forgive us for our doubt and help us to remember what we know about you. Use these periods of adversity as opportunities to grow our faith and draw us closer in ministry to you and each other until you come again in final victory. Amen.

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