The Ultimate Family Reunion
“I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Matthew 8:11
Family reunions can be fun or miserable. Whether they’re good or bad depend on you, members of your family, or both. But I want to tell you about the ultimate family reunion.
I’m speaking of what happens when Christians die. Not only do we get to be with Christ, we also get to be with those who have died in Christ before us and are enjoying the eternal family reunion in heaven—a reunion where everyone gets along. Won’t that be something! Well, it won’t be if you miss it.
The good news is that we can be sure we make the ultimate family reunion, by believing and knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. And when we step over from this life to the next, He’ll welcome us home with the greatest family we could ever imagine.
I’m looking forward to that ultimate family reunion. I hope to see you there one day.
Abolishing Death
“…there shall no longer be any death; the first things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:4
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is one of the central themes of Christianity and will be the culmination of history as we know it. Christ will establish His kingdom on earth, overcome the antichrist and the forces of evil, and bring justice and peace. The great enemy of God and man will be abolished. As written in the Word of God, “Then comes the end…He must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.”
What a great day it will be for all of Jesus’ followers! Death will be abolished. There will be no more tears, no more grief, and no more separation from loved ones. So when you say the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” you’re praying for Jesus to come again and establish His kingdom. To experience God’s will here on earth as it is in heaven means no more death. Jesus is the first to conquer death. His followers will do the same.
Faith in Action
“…when the soles of the feet…shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above shall stand in one heap.”
Joshua 3:13
Faith requires action. After 40 years, the children of Israel had been led out of the wilderness and now found themselves on the banks of a swollen Jordan River. The Promised Land was just on the other side. Oh so close, yet so far away! A huge obstacle separated them from the blessing God had promised. Standing on the bank of the raging river wringing their hands and praying would not solve their problem. They had to act. And it was not until in faith they stepped foot into the turbulent waters that the river stood on end and the people walked into the Promised Land on dry land.
Such it is with our lives today. Obstacles separate us from God’s richest blessings. To simply have faith that God will provide a way doesn’t always make a way. To stand by until God makes a way obvious may cause us to delay His blessing. It takes both faith and action to experience God’s best.
Don’t fall victim to the “paralysis of analysis”. Go for it as God leads!
Sibling Rivalry
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Genesis 4:9
Do you ever struggle with sibling rivalry with your siblings or your kids? This can be especially tough with siblings of the same sex who are close in age. The Bible is filled with great stories of sibling rivalries: Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, and David and his brothers. What can we learn?
• Sibling rivalries happen in the best of families.
• Perhaps they most commonly result from competition and jealousy.
• Parents can exasperate it by showing favoritism, comparing one child to another, or trying to manipulate God’s will for one child over another.
Sibling rivalry can be overcome when parents are fair and teach siblings to respect and love one another. They can teach siblings to forgive and seek forgiveness of one another. When that occurs, it’s like seeing the face of God.
Revenge – The Wrong Way To Pray
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Matthew 7:1,2
Do you ever wish that certain people got what you felt they deserved—especially people who have wronged you? Do some people seem to get away with murder and not face any kind of punishment or repercussion?
You may have seen the cartoon with three panels:
Panel #1: A zealous character is praying to the Almighty. He says, “God, smite my worst enemy!”
Panel #2: The man praying this prayer is struck by lightning.
Panel #3: The man groggily says, “God, let me rephrase that!”
Be careful what you pray for, because sometimes we might find that our own worst enemy is ourselves. Jesus Christ says, “Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge others you will be judged as well.”
I hope that today you won’t be so hard on others, because one day the gavel may fall down on you.
Hypocritical Preachers And Religious Leaders
“If someone says, ‘I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar.”
1 John 4:20
Don’t you just hate hypocrisy in the church? For many of you it’s a major reason why you don’t come to church. In the movie, The Apostle, starring Robert Duvall, we see a preacher who gets in trouble. He even kills a man, but he runs to a new town and continues to preach.
Certainly, over the last 30 years, Hollywood has done a number on preachers and priests. And time after time they are painted in a very unflattering way, usually as hypocrites or a bunch of out-of-touch airheads, or mean, cruel sickos. If you combine all of that with the charlatan TV evangelists, well, it’s not a pretty picture.
But the truth is, all of us preachers struggle with hypocrisy and not always practicing what we preach. I sure do. But I have good news. I’ve only known one preacher in my life who had no trace of hypocrisy. And He’s alive today—His name is Jesus. All the rest of us fall short, but Jesus never does. So put your focus and your faith in Him.
Humility
“The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life.”
Proverbs 22:4
Humility. It’s the one trait that when we think we’ve got it, we’ve lost it. But humility is not a false sense of modesty. This puts other people off and insults God, our Creator, for He has given us all gifts and abilities.
So what is humility? It’s a realistic view of ourselves—knowing our strengths and weaknesses. It’s being modest about our strengths and honest about our weaknesses. It’s doing our best but not taking ourselves too seriously.
Atlanta’s Bobby Jones was perhaps the greatest golfer of all time. He faced a long term debilitating illness in the final years of his life. Herbert Warren Wind said of him, “As a young man, he was able to stand up to just about the best that life could offer, which isn’t easy, and later stood up with equal grace to just about the worst.” Now, that’s humility. Greatness with humility is greatness indeed.
More Objections To Christianity
“…that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.”
Romans 1:19
One of the objections to Christianity, is that Christ is the only way to God. That raises another objection: If Christ is the only way, what about all the people who live in remote areas of the world who have never heard of Jesus? Will they be damned to hell?
Now that’s a good question. I do know this: The Bible teaches us that we have a loving and just God. Is a just God going to condemn people who have never had the opportunity to hear of Christ? They certainly can’t help that. But in the book of Romans, chapter one, Scripture does say that every person will be accountable to God with the knowledge that they have. Let’s just trust God to be fair.
But remember, have you heard of Jesus, and because of that, you’re responsible to choose whether you’re going to follow Christ or not. And when you do choose to follow Christ, then you can join with other Christians in getting the Good News out to those who have never heard. It’s Good News all need to hear—that Christ is the way to know God.
W.W.J.D.
“…do not imitate what is evil but what is good.”
3 John 1:11
Have you thought about the current epidemic we face as parents of children in this generation? There is more violence, sex, and immorality bombarding a child’s intellect than ever before. Look at the results: We see children acting out vicious murders and killing their classmates with little regard for their actions. Obviously, they are conditioned by what they see on TV and in the movies.
Do you remember a book entitled 1984, by George Orwell? When it came out in 1949, the world was shocked because he predicted that, one day in the future, people would go to the movies and laugh at people being killed. That prediction has become reality. It’s called “the numbing of America.”
There is a remedy. As a parent, you can teach your children to make decisions based on a formula, W.W.J.D., What Would Jesus Do? Can you think of any wrong your child might learn by doing this?
W.W.J.D.. What Would Jesus Do? The Bible shows you. Teach it to your child as a formula for learning right from wrong.
How To Be Like The Devil
“Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him [the Lord] will destroy; no one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will [the Lord] endure.”
Psalm 101:5
Do you want to live like the devil? For some of us, that’s easy to do. For all of us, we come by naturally. But there are two character traits that make us most like Satan.
1. Pride: C. S. Lewis said, “The utmost evil is pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness…are mere flea bits in comparison. It was through pride that the Devil became the Devil. It is the complete anti-God state of mind.” Pride is thinking more highly of ourselves than we should—feeling we are better than others. It is arrogant conceit. Pride is most of all feeling no need for God, considering yourself self-reliant. The person filled with this kind of pride is most like the Devil himself.
2. Malicious Gossip or Slander: the Greek word for this is “diabolos,” also translated “the Devil.” People who gossip and slander others are like the Devil. In short, he’s just a big liar.
Pride and malicious gossiping…lying…character traits that make us most like the Devil. Man made in the image of God looks pretty good, but when man resembles the Devil he sure is ugly. Who do you look like?
The Father’s Role In Family Values
“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?”
Galatians 1:10
The press had a field day in 1999 reporting on a new resolution about the family passed by the Southern Baptists at their convention. The statement that stirred up a hornet’s nest was, “a wife is to submit graciously to the servant leadership of her husband.”
Think for a moment about the statement in light of the husband and his call to servant leadership in the home. What does this mean? Servant leadership is not the autocratic, dictatorial leadership found in the world. True servant leadership means to lead like Jesus Christ. Men are to love their wives like Christ loves the church. Christ gave His life for the church. What woman would refuse this type of leadership?
And women who are willing to follow Christ are called to submit to their husbands, not because they deserve it (none of us do), but out of submission to Christ.
Men, are you willing to do that for your wife? For your children? Don’t focus on what you believe your wife should be doing to submit to you; she will always resent that. Instead, first submit to the Lordship of Christ in your own life. Men, you should seek to submit to Christ. Women, you should seek to submit to Christ. You should both trust His word to create marital harmony.
Do you have the courage to trust Christ and His word when it comes to His plan for your marriage? In the 21st century, that calls for a radical counter cultural faith. So who are you going to please? Christ or culture?
Discovering Your Life’s Purpose
“For I know the plans I have for you, “ declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
Why were you born? What is your life’s purpose? Can you write it down — in a phrase or a sentence? Let’s fast forward. What do you want on your tombstone? What few words would describe your priorities or your passion?
Clarity of purpose is a key to successful living:
• It guides us in our decision-making.
• It helps us to know when to say yes…and when to say no.
• It determines where we will go in life. It’s the difference in just existing and making a difference.
• Only through our Creator can we find our ultimate purpose – for you see, He has created us for a purpose. No one is here by accident. God has a plan for every life—a destiny to fulfill.
What’s yours?
I can’t answer that question for you, but the One who created you can. Get to know Him through His Son Jesus, and His ever-insightful Word in Scripture. You’ll be taking the first and most important step in discovering your life purpose.
Maximum Sex
“…the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth…she is your companion and your wife by covenant.”
Malachi 2:14
Hey, let’s talk maximum sex.
In a day and age of so much sexual misunderstanding, we need to look to the One who invented it. In this area, Hollywood constantly perpetuates myths and misunderstandings.
Psychology Today reported in a survey that 94% of television soap operas are about love between partners who are not married to each other. This is just the opposite of what the Inventor of sex had in mind. When God created mankind, He said, “…a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”
• Sex is a gift of God to be enjoyed in the context of committed love in marriage.
• Maximum sex is a by-product of a meaningful relationship with one’s spouse. You are best friends, physically attracted to one another, and committed for life.
• God’s Word goes on to warn that sex outside the context of marriage is filled with problems.
So, for maximum sex, trust the Inventor of sex! He knows what’s best!
Who Knows You?
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5
Who really knows you and the thoughts of your heart and the secret things that you intentionally keep hidden from others? Do you share your innermost thoughts with anyone?
Some may say it’s their spouse or a best friend. Yet, I suggest that even though you may think that you know yourself well and that others see the real you, no one knows you more completely that the One who created you.
God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” It only makes sense that in order to know and understand ourselves, we need a personal relationship with the One who knows us best.
The good news is that God knows us best, and He loves us more than anyone else. He knows our failings and our shortcomings and He loves us anyway. Through Jesus Christ, we have the privilege of having a personal relationship with our Creator. That relationship begins when we accept God’s love through faith. It’s a relationship that lasts forever and that’s mighty good news.
What Is Good?
“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8 (NIV)
What is your definition of being good? What would you say if asked? Years ago, a great Jewish prophet gave the answer. He said, “God has shown you what is good, to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” Let’s look at those more specifically.
To act justly means to be honest and fair with every person and seek to bring justice for those who are mistreated or taken advantage of.
To love mercy: We all mess up, and when we do we sure appreciate someone who is compassionate and forgiving. Forgiveness doesn’t mean consequences are removed. Forgiveness, though, doesn’t seek revenge. Compassion is an attitude of the heart.
Walk humbly with your God: When a person has no fear of God, that person makes themselves God and will rationalize all kinds of evil. But to live in a way to please God, Who is seen perfectly in Jesus, is a good way to live.
To act justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with God, that’s God’s answer as to what is good.
Taking Care Of Our Bodies
“…your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 6:19
In the seventies and early eighties, a new craze began to sweep across the nation. It was called the fitness craze. The number of joggers went from thousands of oddballs to millions dashing across the landscape of America. And that was a good thing, for taking care of our bodies is an important spiritual principle.
Think about the most common ways people abuse their bodies—smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of regular exercise, and of course, over and under-eating. One thing about over-eating and under-eating is it is evident to all. Certainly, preachers who rail against the evils of alcohol while standing there so fat and out of shape that they make a hog look petite, are a living display of hypocrisy; for gluttony is just as real a sin as drunkenness. So today I urge you to make a decision. Get in shape. Take care of your body. It’s an important spiritual discipline.
Aftershocks of Divorce
“For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Matthew 6:14
Those who have experienced an earthquake know it can be shocking. Yet sometimes it’s the aftershocks that send people over the edge. Divorce is very similar. The initial break is traumatic but the aftershocks can be devastating. The emotional trauma brings on grief, numbness, anger, guilt, and depression, as well as long-term negative impacts on children, financial destruction, and loneliness. These aftershocks are just some of the reasons why God hates divorce. But remember, God doesn’t hate the divorcee. God will help you overcome the aftershocks if you remember to seek His forgiveness—ask for His help to forgive yourself as well as to forgive your “ex.”
If you’re a child of divorce, remember it’s not your fault. Choose to seek God for help with forgiving your parents, and always seek the help of others when you need it. Remember, God loves you and wants you to overcome the aftershocks of divorce. Since He overcame a cross with the empty tomb, He can certainly give you victory in this area.
The Perfect Body
“For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”
1 Corinthians 15:52
In our culture today, we get hit with a lot of information about how to have the perfect body. If you watch cable TV, you’ll see for a mere $19.95 and fifteen minutes a day, some fitness machine will give you the perfect body. But I have some bad news for you. Even though some of you may come closer to the perfect body than others, no one in this life will ever permanently achieve it. For all of us, our bodies will eventually wear out.
Listen closely. One day when Jesus returns, the Christian will be given the perfect body. Jesus Christ promised we will receive a new body that never wears out. It comes with a new mind that never struggles with envy, hatred or any of life’s sins. A perfect ten of a body that never gets tired, that never wears out—man, I could sure use that!
We are to take care of our body today, even though it will wear out. But don’t miss the big picture! Live with the hope of Jesus’ promise that one day those who know Him in a personal way will receive the perfect body. A body that lasts!
Fathers and Children
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.”
Colossians 3:21
Dads, looking for a little help in being a good father? One particular verse from the Bible really helps: “Fathers, don’t provoke your children, instead bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
1. Don’t provoke your children. That means don’t make unrealistic demands. Don’t crush their spirit with being overly strict or with passive aloofness. Every child has a fragile psyche that needs to be built up and not torn down.
2. Every child needs discipline. Discipline should be fair and consistent. They need to know what the boundaries are and know there are negative consequences if they ignore them. This gives children security and it helps them know they are loved.
3. The instruction of the Lord. Discipline precedes instruction—any good teacher knows that. But discipline without instruction exasperates children. They need Dad to teach them right and wrong, and do it with love.
It’s not easy being a good dad but we sure have a great model in our Heavenly Father revealed to us through Jesus.
Leave, Cleave, and One
“For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
Genesis 2:24
One verse on marriage appears in the Bible three times. It must be important. It goes like this: “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.” Let’s look at that:
Leave. When you get married, there needs to be an emotional withdrawal from parents and other meaningful relationships as you prioritize your spouse. Your spouse needs to be your closest friend.
Cleave. Marriage is a total commitment. A lifetime commitment. Without this commitment, divorce will often result.
One flesh. Sexual fulfillment is the result of a couple being best friends and totally committed to each other in a marital relationship. Otherwise, sex is second best. Sex is God’s idea, so trust Him on this.
Leave + cleave = one. This is God’s simple plan for a meaningful marriage.
Friendship
“But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 18:24
A real friend is one of life’s greatest blessings. In this day of temporary relationships, true friendship is rare. How can you find and develop lasting friendships? Proverbs in the Bible gives us some guidance:
To have a friend, be a friend. Go out of your way to show that you are interested. Ask questions. Be interested in their lives.
To cement a friendship, be loyal. Demonstrate your willingness to love them unconditionally, even when your friend is not lovable. Be supportive even when your friend is not popular.
To experience lasting friendship, be an encourager. A true friend is someone who tells the truth, but always with your best interests at heart.
There is someone who wants to be your friend, who is interested in you, who is loyal and supportive, and encourages you to do your best. That person is Jesus Christ. Decide today to let Him be your best friend.
Real vs Counterfeit
“Many false prophets will arise and mislead many.”
Matthew 24:11
The U.S. Treasury Department is charged with keeping our monetary supply free from counterfeit bills. Do you know how Treasury agents are trained to recognize counterfeit currency? They spend hours studying the real thing—the real notes. They become so familiar with true currency, that false ones are easily recognized.
The same principle applies in the spiritual realm. All around us are belief systems that promise to discover the God within you, or the ability to delve into psychic mysteries, or those that assure that we have innate goodness and the need for no authority beyond ourselves.
These counterfeit beliefs seek to turn our attention from the true God revealed in Jesus Christ. You can avoid being trapped by a lie. However, if you’ll spend time getting to know Christ and His teachings in Scripture, false ideas will easily be seen; because in comparison to knowing Christ, other ideas don’t even come close.
Do you know the real thing?
Peace
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives…”
John 14:27
When Israel and the PLO signed the peace treaty on the White House lawn, it was an amazing moment. Time will tell if a peace treaty works, for peace in our world is illusive and difficult to grasp.
Remember, peace is not the absence of conflict—that’s called a truce.
Peace is reconciliation between two estranged parties. Reconciliation means to become, one or to become friends, which is very different from a truce.
In that light, I propose to you that man will never find lasting peace until he finds peace within himself, and we can’t find peace within until we find peace with God. That peace is found through the person of Jesus Christ.
Christ did not come to bring peace on earth through peace treaties, but He came to reconcile sinful individuals with God–with that comes true inner peace. With inner peace comes the ability to live at peace with our fellow man.
Simple Things
“…Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8
Do you ever think that someday you will be able to do something great for God? Maybe you will write a huge check to your favorite charity or possibly fund a program to feed the hungry? Perhaps you might help a special ministry for your church.
Many people waste so much time waiting until they can do something big that they miss opportunities for service right now. This attitude is the opposite of the one that the Bible teaches. Jesus took simple things from ordinary folks and turned them into resources beyond imagination.
One day a little boy overheard the disciples of Jesus trying to figure out how they were going to feed 5,000 families. The boy offered his lunch of five loaves and two fishes to help. When Jesus received it, He multiplied it into enough food to feed 5,000 families—with leftovers.
This same Jesus can turn the simple things you bring to Him, those deeds of service day by day, and multiply them into great blessings for you, as well as for others. As small as it may seem, He is looking for people who will give Him all that they have, and trust Him to do the rest.
