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Day: June 4, 2019

Whom Should I Invite?

It’s really nice to reciprocate. If someone invites you over for a barbecue, it is nice to return the favor. Or, if someone lets you try out their new mountain  bike, you should return the favor in some way.

Reciprocating is a nice way of saying, “Thank you.” But Jesus calls us to go beyond that.

In Luke 14 Jesus says that when you give a luncheon or dinner, do not just invite your friends, your brothers, or relatives, and don’t just invite your rich neighbors.

Most likely when you do that, they will reciprocate. They will invite you back for a luncheon or a dinner. That’s the right thing to do—but Jesus says there is something even better. What could be better?

He says when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

Jesus is reminding us of something very important. Don’t only do things that are of benefit to you. Don’t only help people who, one day, will be able to help you in return. We should help people who can never repay us. That’s the right thing to do.

Of course, we will be repaid—at the resurrection.

That’s a great lesson for all of us. Every day we need to do things that may not be of personal benefit to us.

I carry a plastic bag in my truck. There are lots of dirt roads where I live. I love dirt roads and open spaces. We have lots of those in Oklahoma.

But one of the things that makes me sad is the trash people leave along dirt roads. It’s hard for me to understand how people would want to mess up God’s beautiful  country.

Well, I like to pick up that garbage. I’m not getting paid to pick up that garbage and put it in my bag. Nobody interviews me on the nightly news and tells everyone how nice I am—but that’s okay. I’m not doing it to get on the news. I don’t even want a part-time job with the sanitation department.

The lesson that Jesus is teaching is very important. Do the right thing. Nobody may notice. You might not get repaid in this life—but God notices, and does not forget.

Who Is a Fool?

What would you think of a man who says there is no such thing as thunder and lightning? He insists that there are no thunderstorms, dark clouds, wind, lightning and ear-splitting crashes of thunder that make you jump and drop your ice cream.

But supposing there was a big thunderstorm, with a lot of lightning and a lot of wind. Lightning slashed through the sky, the ground shook, and a powerful wind came and blew this man’s car over.

So, he gets out of his car, fixes his hair, smiles and says: “See, I told you. There is no such thing as thunder and lighting and big wind.”

What would you call a person like that? Would you want that person for your friend? Would you want that person to be your dentist?

We certainly don’t want to be unkind, but frankly, isn’t that person a fool?

Psalm 14 says this: “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.” We could change it a bit: “The fool hath said in his heart there are no thunderstorms—even though his house was destroyed by a thunderstorm.”

Our universe is absolutely amazing. There is design, purpose, and order. Two plus two equals four today, and two plus two will still be four tomorrow. Just as a computer must have a maker, so a wonderful universe must have a Creator.

The universe was designed for life of earth. Earth is just the right distance from the sun. If we were too close to the sun, we would burn up. If we were too far from the sun, it would be too cold for any living thing to survive. Furthermore, the tilt of the earth, and the speed of the rotation of the earth is just right to support life. Do you want to believe that all of this just happened by accident?

Our modern automobiles are amazing. They have heat and air-conditioning, a GPS device that talks to you and tells you where to turn. If I told you that your car just happened—like when a tornado went through a junk yard—you would think I am a F-O-O-L.

So, next time you hear some atheist telling you there is no God, just remember the man who said there are no thunderstorms.

A Tattoo for the New Year?

I wonder how many of you are going to get a tattoo for the New Year?

A lot of young people are getting tattoos What is a tattoo? A tattoo, according to the WebMD, is a puncture wound filled with ink. Would you like a puncture wound filled with ink?

Now I am not going to pontificate and get real preachy, but I do want to ask two important questions:

  • Is a tattoo a good testimony for a Christian?
  • Are you aware of the health risks?

The Bible tells us: “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). So, if you are thinking of getting a tattoo can you say, “I am getting a tattoo because I KNOW it is the right thing, and God wants me to get a tattoo?”

The WebMD has a slideshow: “Pictures of Tattoo Problems.”

The slideshow says people need to “Rethink Your Ink.” Though tattoos have been around for thousands of years, no matter how advanced the technology gets, “it still amounts to a puncture wound filled with ink.” For some people, that means possible allergic reactions, infections, and much more.

Some tattoo dyes, especially red, can cause an allergic reaction. The area around the tattoo might itch or swell. You could get a nasty rash. Check out WebMD and look at the slideshow. The pictures are—gross!

Infections are a real problem. If the tattoo artist doesn’t properly clean his equipment, or uses it on more than one person, you could get a bad infection. The skin can swell, turn red, feel tender to the touch—and can start oozing pus.

There’s another problem. It’s called a “granuloma.” Sometimes a person’s immune system thinks the pigment in the ink is an infection and sends cells to the area to fight the infection. These cells lump together around the tattoo and create unsightly bumps called “granulomas.”

And then—worst of all—there are blood-borne diseases. You see, tattoo needles get bloody. If your needle wasn’t cleansed, you could be exposed to diseases carried by blood—Hepatitis B or C, Tetanus, or HIV, better known as AIDS.

And what happens if you change your mind and want to remove your tattoo?

Laser removal technology has gotten better, but it isn’t perfect. It rarely leaves scars, but it can change the texture and color of your skin. Do you want a two-tone face?

So, I haven’t preached a hellfire-and-brimstone sermon against tattoos. I am just asking you to think and pray about what we have thought about.

And hey—no matter whether or not you get a tattoo—God loves you very much. Much more than you can even imagine.

Manners and Civility

Our society is really slipping. And we are slipping fast. One of the signs of this slippage is the lack of manners and civility that we see everywhere.

People want what they want, and they want it now. Road Rage, cutting in on a line at a checkout counter, coarse language and obscene gestures—yipes! What has happened to us! All too many people are behaving like monkeys and apes.

Oops, sorry. I’ve just insulted monkeys and apes. Some people behave worse than monkeys and apes.

So, what I want to do in this devotional is I want to talk about manners and civility. I’m not going to talk about some of the artificial, stuck-up manners of the eighteenth-century European nobility. When I talk about manners and civility I am talking about respect for other people, an attitude of helpfulness, and being aware of those around us, and their needs.

We see this in the letter that Paul wrote to Philemon. You probably know the story. The Apostle Paul is writing to Philemon about a runaway slave whose name was Onesimus.

Back in those days people had slaves. It may have been that Onesimus ran away from the household of Philemon, and Onesimus may have even stolen some of Philemon’s silverware. But now, as the Apostle Paul writes to Philemon, Onesimus has become a Christian. The Apostle Paul shared the Gospel with Onesimus, and he accepted Christ as his personal Savior. So, in the letter that the apostle wrote to Philemon, the apostle is asking Philemon to take Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as a brother in Christ.

I want to encourage you to read Paul’s letter to Philemon. It’s only one chapter, but it tells us a lot about manners and civility.

Paul, even though he is an apostle of Jesus Christ, does not command Philemon; but rather the Apostle Paul appeals to Philemon on the basis of love. You find that in verses 8 and 9. Paul could have ordered Philemon to take back Onesimus, yet Paul appealed to Philemon on the basis of love.

Hey, isn’t that cool? To have the right, and the authority, to give an order—“You better do what I say, or else!”—but instead of that, to gently appeal to a person on the basis of love. I’m impressed with the Apostle Paul. Now, that’s what I call manners and civility.

But that’s not the only thing that we find in this wonderful letter to Philemon. In verses 12 through 14—and I am paraphrasing—Paul says: “I would like to keep Onesimus with me. He is so helpful to me while I am here in prison—but I don’t want to do anything without your consent.”

Wow! The Apostle Paul could teach all of us something about manners and civility.

Even Daniel had manners. Let me explain what I mean. In Daniel 1, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his officials to bring Israelites of noble birth to Babylon. They were to be trained in the language and customs of the Babylonians. They were to be trained for three years. They were even given Babylonians names—names that had a strong connection with the false gods of the Babylonians.

This was religious and cultural brainwashing. The Bible never tells us that Daniel and his friends made a big fuss of this attempt at cultural brainwashing.

Daniel made just one request. It had to do with his diet. Daniel requested—not demanded—that he could bypass the Babylonian diet. He wanted to only eat vegetables and drink water, and not drink the king’s wine, nor eat the king’s food.

The king’s official was worried. If Daniel and his friends didn’t eat the king’s food and drink the king’s wine, they might lose weight and look like they were having some major health problems.

So Daniel said, “Let’s give it a try for ten days. Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. After that compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food and drink the king’s wine. Then, let’s see how we look.”

I want you to notice that Daniel didn’t demand this. It was just a suggestion.

Now the Bible tells us that after ten days these Hebrew boys looked healthier and happier than any of the other young men who ate the royal food and drank the king’s wine.

Daniel was an amazing man. He worked within the system, without being corrupted by the system. That’s something like modern America. Modern America is a very pluralistic society. But, God put us here. And God doesn’t make any mistakes.

There are some Christians who think that if we are going to be faithful to the Lord we have to be abrasive, caustic and mean-spirited. You’ve seen the type—they roll up their sleeves and come out punching!

Even Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—Daniel’s three friends—respected the king. In Daniel 3, they politely refused to bow down before the king’s statue. They even addressed Nebuchadnezzar as “O King.” They never said: “You pagan creep—you are going to burn in Hell!”

Christians need to be loving, kind, and gracious. We need to be sweet as honey, not as bitter as vinegar. First Peter 3:15 tells us that we are always to be ready to tell people why we love Jesus, and the Bible tells us to do that with gentleness and respect. Sounds to me like God wants us to have good manners. And to respect other people.

We all need to be considerate of others. But in order to be considerate, we need to pay attention. Let me give you a simple example.

Several fifth graders were running down the school hallway, laughing and giggling and just having a great time. Boy—they were making lots of noise and running—not a good idea! But then, one of the girls noticed that there was a class of junior high kids taking an exam. And she told her friends—SSShhhh! Be quiet. They are taking a test!”

That’s good manners and civility. She was considerate, and she was paying attention.

I would like to share a few simple rules of civility.

  • Here’s the first one: Be considerate. Take your shoes off before you walk into the living room and mess up that nice carpet.
  • Here’s number two: Pay attention and don’t just think of yourself. Ouch! That’s hard one. If you take ice out of the ice-maker and you notice there is no more ice, do what’s necessary to get more ice. If there is just one piece of pie left in the pie plate, before you spear it with your fork, ask if anyone else would like it.
  • Here’s another important rule of civility: Acknowledge others. That means remembering a person’s name and paying a thoughtful compliment. If you read Romans 16, you will read all the names of the Apostle Paul’s friends. He knew lots of people by name, and he remembered some of the nice things that all these people had done for him, and how they had helped him.
  • Here’s another rule of civility: Don’t be generous with other people’s time. If you have an appointment, keep your appointment, and show up on time. If you’ve been delayed for some reason, be sure to call. Ephesians 5:16 says that we are to redeem the time because the days are evil. You shouldn’t waste your time, and you shouldn’t waste other people’s time.
  • Here’s another rule of civility—and it’s really an important one: Bridle your tongue. James 3 says the tongue is like a spark that starts a mighty forest fire. Before you say something, it’s helpful to ask three questions: Is it true? Is it necessary? and, Is it kind? Something may be true, but if it is not necessary for you to say it, don’t.

All right. Time to wrap it up. I hope you have been helped by this devotional on manners and civility. Whether we like it or not, we are wax upon which others can leave their mark. And we, too, can affect others in a similar way. No action, or non-action, is without consequences for others.

Jesus Was No Celebrity

Famous people always have great crowds following them. These famous people are called celebrities.

We’ve all seen special awards given to actors and actresses. They wear fancy clothing, eat fancy food, and drive around in fancy cars. And they get special awards.

Today in America we have a lot of celebrities. Some of the big-name athletes are celebrities. Sometimes, these celebrities promote a special product, like a nutritious cereal, or maybe they wear a particular brand of sneaker.

The idea is the people will want to eat that cereal, and wear that sneaker because a celebrity does—and everyone wants to identify with a celebrity.

Advertisers know that if you can get a celebrity to advertise your product, you will be more likely to sell your product.

But Jesus was not a celebrity and He didn’t want to be treated like one.

In Matthew 8:19–20 we read: “And a certain scribe came and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee withersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him,  The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”

Now let’s stop here for a moment. This teacher of the law admired Jesus. He thought very highly of Jesus. He promised to follow Jesus wherever Jesus went.

That’s like a man coming up to a politician and saying to the politician: “I’m going to vote for you and support you in whatever you do.”

Jesus was being guaranteed this man’s support: “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

How did Jesus respond? Did Jesus promise this man all kinds of nice things? Did Jesus say, “Friend, I am so glad to hear that. I am going to take care of you and make sure you have a good life with everything you could ever want”?

No, Jesus told him that foxes and birds have places to live, but Jesus didn’t even have a pillow for His head.

Jesus reminded the man what following Him really meant. “You might not have a hole in the ground to live in. You might not even be as comfortable as a little bird who has a nice nest way up in a tree.”

Of course, Jesus didn’t see Himself as a celebrity and He wasn’t looking for a big crowd. He was looking for committed disciples.

Politicians are not always truthful. They tell people what they want to hear. But Jesus tells people what they NEED to hear.

If you are going to make a difference in today’s world you need to be a committed disciple.

Too many Christians today are not willing to be committed disciples. They want to be celebrities. They want the applause of men. They want to be joined to the rich and famous.

How about you? Are you really willing to follow Jesus?

He Died Once for All

We are all so blessed because of Jesus. He is worthy. I think our devotional will bring this out.

You know, there are a lot of things that we have to do on a regular basis. We have to eat, sleep, shower and brush our teeth on a regular basis.

Let’s take eating as an example. Can you imagine eating one meal for your whole life that is such a special meal, with such special food, that you would never have to eat again?

Even if you live for one hundred years, you would only have to eat just one meal.

But, of course, we know that there is no such food. We need to eat every day.

But, there was something God did about two thousand years ago that never has to be repeated again. It only needed to be done once for all. That’s all—just one time for ALL time.

Do you know what that was?

It was the death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Calvary’s Cross. He only had to die once.

The Book of Hebrews reminds us of the power of the blood of Christ. It tells us that before Jesus died on the cross, the people had to sacrifice animals over, and over, and over again.

It tells us that the Jewish priests had to enter the holy sanctuary over and over and over again, to sacrifice those animals. But it also tells us that the blood of all those animals could never take away our sins. Animal blood cannot cleanse the conscience, but listen to what it says about the death of Jesus Christ: “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest, entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then he must often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now ONCE in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:24–26).

Jesus died ONE time, but with continuing good results. When Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30) He really meant it. He did the hard part. You provide the faith.