Jesus’s To Do List

Posted on October 26, 2022 by Arrow

I know some of you love a To Do list while others despise the very thought. Just mentioning the things on my list stresses out my spouse!

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To Do lists typically include verbs, actions that we want to take or accomplish. Today, I thought it might be interesting to note what may have been on Jesus’s list as He journeyed this earth. This is by no means complete. Feel free to add to this list in Comments.

Jesus’s To Do List: pray, teach, visit the temple or local synagogue, attend a wedding, heal the sick, feed the hungry, rest, calm a storm, pray, walk on water, reach out to the unloved and socially unaccepted, forgive, travel, explain parable or teaching to followers again, pray, cast out demons, raise a dead friend, ride a donkey into Jerusalem, celebrate the Passover with my disciples, pray, surrender to unjust circumstances, carry cross, die for the sins of the world, wait, rise from the dead, visit followers (AKA freak out friends), ascend to heaven.

In the gospel of John, we find Jesus summarizing His To Do list. “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). Praise the Lord that Jesus accomplished all He was sent to do.

May we also stay on task and do the work God has called us to do. The apostle Paul encourages us with this, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

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Remind Me to Forget

Posted on October 19, 2022 by Arrow

Sometimes we pause to remember and reflect on special childhood memories, birthdays or holidays with loved ones, or the celebration of accomplishments or successes.

Other times, failures or poor choices made in our past sneak up to haunt and torment us. When that happens, what are we to do?

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The prophet Isaiah and the apostle Paul give great guidance:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13b-14).

When our failures sabotage our thoughts, we might pause to remember what we learned from them and that we are determined not to repeat them. Then, let them go. If Jesus taught that we should forgive others “seventy times seven”, then surely, He forgives us when we repent. The slate is wiped clean.

Meditate on this instead: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV).

Today is a day to move forward. Let us step into where God is leading us . . . even if we are afraid. Let’s replace regrets from the past with hope for the future. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

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Set in the Right Place

Posted on October 12, 2022 by Arrow

I love how a random verse from Scripture can speak truth to our heart. I experienced this recently while reading from the prophetic book of Ezekiel. “This is what the Lord GOD says: I have set this Jerusalem in the center of the nations, with countries all around her” (Ezekiel 5:5).

The note in my study Bible detailed how Jerusalem was perfectly located at the crossroads of Africa, Asia, and Europe. God had set her in just the right place to be a witness to the other nations that He was the one and only God. Jerusalem had the opportunity to demonstrate that life and blessings come from Him.

God’s hope for Jerusalem is described later in Ezekiel 16:14. “Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through my splendor, which I had bestowed on you. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.”

Unfortunately, the nation of Israel, as a whole, rebelled against God and rejected His laws and decrees. She turned to idol worship. God even accused her of being more unruly that the nations around her!

So, what truths and life application can we glean from these verses?

  • God has placed each of us in a specific place.
  • We are to be a witness to those around us.
  • We are to positively influence others and not be influenced by the evil in the world.

Look around. Others are watching and listening. May we reflect God’s beauty and His love wherever He has placed us.

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Thirst for the Best

Posted on October 5, 2022 by Arrow

This last summer I enjoyed making iced coffee at home. I love my decaf hazelnut with sweetened hazelnut creamer. Yum! When it finally cools down in this desert location, I’ll likely turn to the warmer edition to appease the taste buds.

The problem is I rarely can get enough of the tasty treat. The flavor is so good, I could drink glass after glass, but no one needs that many calories, or if caffeinated, that much caffeine.

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Have you experienced this kind of craving for something you can’t get enough of? Scripture teaches that this is how we are to yearn for the Lord. Psalm 42:1 says, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God.”

How often throughout our week do we long to just sit and be refreshed? Probably daily. Sometimes, multiple times a day! Face it, this world wears us down and we need replenished.

Jesus offered Himself as our remedy. “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him” (John 7:37b-38). Jesus was teaching that the Holy Spirit would live inside to satisfy believers.

So, let’s spend time with Him. Share our thoughts, worries, and fears. Be still and listen for His Spirit’s leading or encouraging Word. Experience His peace that is beyond all understanding. Take a few minutes to soak in His refreshing Presence and drink from the well that never runs dry.

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Feeling Down?

Posted on September 28, 2022 by Arrow

Feeling down? You are not alone.

When the Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah, was given the task of proclaiming doom on the nation of Judah because of their rebellious lifestyle, he had few friends, was received with hostility, persecuted, and even imprisoned.

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Let’s face it. Sometimes, people are just not nice. Their rudeness, self-centeredness, and harsh words hurt our heart and crush our spirit.

How did Jeremiah respond? The book of Lamentations, most likely written or dictated by Jeremiah is a collection of five laments. In it, this “weeping prophet” grieves over the destruction of Jerusalem, its temple, the loss and exile of its residents, and the manner in which he has been treated.

But in the middle of the book, while Jeremiah is recounting bitterness and hardship, his thoughts change. “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23).

The chapter continues with encouraging words to cling to:

“The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him” (3:25).

“Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love” (3:32).

“You came near when I called you, and you said, ‘Do not fear.’ O Lord, you took up my case; you redeemed my life. You have seen, O LORD, the wrong done to me. Uphold my cause!” (3:57-59).

Our remedy is to call on the Lord in our despair and know that He hears our plea (3:55-56). May we turn to Him, lifting up our hearts and hands (3:40-41).

When feeling down, look up and be blessed.

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This Is My Blood

Posted on September 21, 2022 by Arrow

After last week’s devotion, “This Is My Body,” I had to follow up with the communion remembrance “This Is My Blood.”

The symbolism may sound gory, but the grape juice or wine we take during the Lord’s Supper represents the blood Jesus shed on our behalf.

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Prior to Jesus’s death on the cross, according to Old Testament law, a blood sacrifice was required to pay for sin. The sin offering typically involved the sacrifice of a young bull, ram, goat, lamb, dove, or pigeon. The animals offered were to be the very best, without defect or blemish.

The wonderful thing about Jesus’s death was that He was the better and final sacrifice. The author of Hebrews beautifully writes, “But when the Messiah arrived . . . He also bypassed the sacrifices consisting of goat and calf blood, instead using his own blood as the price to set us free once and for all. If that animal blood and the other rituals of purification were effective in cleaning up certain matters of our religion and behavior, think how much more the blood of Christ cleans up our whole lives, inside and out. Through the Spirit, Christ offered himself as an unblemished sacrifice, freeing us from all those dead-end efforts to make ourselves respectable, so that we can live all out for God” (Hebrews 9:11-15 The Message).

Trace His steps as Jesus bled from the garden to the cross, from Gethsemane to Golgotha.

  • As Jesus prayed earnestly in the garden, His sweat was like drops of blood.
  • At the house of the high priest, Jesus was beaten by guards.
  • Pilate had Jesus flogged, receiving at least 39 lashes.
  • The soldiers jabbed a crown of thorns on His head and then repeatedly struck His head with a staff.
  • Finally, Jesus was led to Golgotha to have spikes driven through His hands (or wrists) and feet.

Jesus truly bled out to pay for our sin and provide forgiveness for the world. When we believers stand before the Father, He will see us as perfect because of the sacrifice of His Son.

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This Is My Body

Posted on September 14, 2022 by Arrow

We all have a body. You have one. I have a different one. We probably don’t even remember a time when we didn’t have a body. But we do understand that to currently live on earth, we need a body.

In God’s perfect plan, in order for God to come to earth as a human, He would need a body. Jesus, God’s Son, agreed to do just that. He left His exalted throne in heaven, put off His glory, put on human skin, and made the huge step down onto planet Earth. The Creator became a created being.

With His human body, Jesus experienced the following:  temptation, frustration, grief, a grueling schedule, homelessness, hunger, exhaustion, sleeplessness, criticism, hate speech, an attempted stoning, rejection, mockery, and being misunderstood by family, friends, and religious leaders. He was betrayed, falsely accused, judged as guilty, beaten, flogged (receiving at least 39 lashes), nailed to a cross, and left to die a criminal’s death.

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Paul described Jesus’s transformation this way, “Who, being in very nature God . . . made himself nothing, . . . being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8).

The night before Jesus’s crucifixion, during the Last Supper, Jesus broke bread and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24b).

When believers participate in the Lord’s Supper or Communion, we are to remember the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. The immense cost and act of love from the One and Only God is difficult to comprehend, but impossible to ignore.

(Watch for next week’s devotion: “This Is My Blood”)

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I Hate Church!

Posted on September 7, 2022 by Arrow

“I hate church!” Those words stung as I heard them, but clearly that is how some people feel. Whatever the reason, that is their mantra and they’re sticking to it.

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So, I can’t help but brainstorm how to respond to that viewpoint. I recently heard someone say, “People will always hurt and disappoint us.” That’s a good point to consider when thinking about the church, which is really a group of people. We’ve all had bad experiences with others, but in most instances, we don’t choose to quit altogether.

Have you ever had a bad date, been disappointed with a movie, or eaten a crummy meal at a restaurant? Did you decide to never date, never see another movie, or never eat out again? Of course not.

Another idea may be to point out that church is basically a hospital or triage for sinners. Most are there because we recognize we need help. We cannot live the Christian life alone. Unfortunately, like any place, there will be people at church gatherings who say and do hurtful things.

Sadly, we may need to inform others that everyone who calls themselves a Christian may not truly be one. True Christians should be bearing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, etc. (Galatians 5:22-23).

The only other response I can think of is for us to love those “church haters” with everything we’ve got and pray for God to change their hearts. Jesus instructed us to be salt and light. “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Finally, I hope God will provide just the right opportunity for us to be a witness and eventually invite them to church.

Let’s be winsome to win some!

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Are You Sermon-Proof?

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Arrow

We see new recipes and try them out. Hear the latest fad diet, and give it a whirl. Follow the latest advice regarding finances. Jump into a new-fangled exercise craze. And, are easily persuaded by peers, co-workers, and social media.

We allow many things to influence our time, routines, attitudes, and thought life. So, what about sermons? When you attend a Bible-based church or listen to godly online preachers, does their message make any difference in our life?

When we open our Bibles and read sermons from Jesus, prophets, or apostles, does it change the way we think or live? Or, are we sermon-proof?

(At this point, I envision someone walking into a church service not even aware that they are wearing a blindfold and earplugs while cloaked in impenetrable bubble wrap.)

The author of the book of Hebrews writes, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

If God’s Word is touching our hearts, it should be reflected in our actions. “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Simply put, if we are living in disobedience, STOP! Stop whatever we are doing that does not align with God’s Word and do all we can to live right. Of course, we are not going to do it all right, but we can start by applying the truths we’ve heard, one day at a time.

May our lives display proof or evidence that we are hearing and doing what He says.

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Listener Beware!

Posted on August 24, 2022 by Arrow

Let’s go back in history . . . way back. Jeremiah, one of God’s prophets in the Old Testament, had the assignment of warning God’s people in Judah that if they didn’t change their behavior and attitude, they would be besieged by an enemy army and taken into exile in Babylon.

As God describes how He will punish His people for their rebellion, idol worship, and detestable sins, Jeremiah provides God an excuse for Judah. (Apparently, Jeremiah felt the people were at a disadvantage because of what other prophets were predicting.)

Let’s listen in: “But I said, ‘Ah, Sovereign LORD, the prophets keep telling them, “You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place”’” (Jeremiah 14:13).

Hear God’s response: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds” (Jeremiah 14:14).

Simply put, God did not accept the excuse that Judah had been deceived.

Fast forward to today. What messages are we hearing from the news, social media, and perhaps even some churches? Are we responsible for discerning what is true and false? Do we have a pass on consequences if we blindly follow those who are purposely trying to mislead us?

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Listener, beware. Are we filling our minds with truth from God’s Word? Or, lazily allowing the world’s lies to linger and bloom into full blown delusions in our minds?

I don’t think we will get away with rebellion and unfaithfulness just because someone suggested it’s the right thing to do or promised there would be no consequences.

It’s time to be wise listeners and live what aligns with God’s Word. Our future is at stake.

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