Packaging - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) December 12, 2023

It's the season to be merry and gift-giving is common at this time of the year. Often, presents are wrapped up in brightly-colored paper and a bow is placed on top.

Those colorful packages draw us in. There's something so attractive about them, right? Some of us will do almost anything to get our hands on one of them. It's the same mistake so many of us make in life. We look at someone or something and fall hook, line, and sinker for their 'packaging'. We are influenced by their look. However, Christians are commanded to see past the physical appearance of a person. John 7:24 - Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.

We examine a person's clothes, bags, home, and car and we think they've got it going on. Alas, those things are all superficial. They are not a true marker of how a person is actually doing in the physical and definitely not in the spiritual. Many have chosen to 'fake it till they make it', living a life of lies and shadows that will come crumbling down in an instant. We should not envy such people or even want their lifestyle of deception (Proverbs 24:1).

Instead, we are to focus on the fruits produced by their life. "By their fruits you will know them" (Matthew 7:20). What impact does this person have on yourself and others? Do they display godly fruit such as bringing joy to others? Or is this person the one who gets everyone gossiping or riled up? Does this person's life act as an example that God would use to highlight how you should be living or is it the opposite? As you ponder these questions, please note that the standard at issue isn't the world's. The standard to be met is God's.

As we look at other people's 'packaging', let us also be conscious of our own. Do we present a pretty box to observers while our interior is anything but? Do both our private life and public persona align with God's word? Or are we just pretending for others? Never forget what happened to Ananias and Saphira who pretended to be pious but were revealed for their deception by the Holy Spirit. Jesus taught in Luke 8:17 - For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

Praise God that through Jesus we can be the complete package - pretty on the outside and even more beautiful on the inside. Through Christ, we can produce good fruits that serve God and give Him glory. He wants this for us and when we submit our lives to Christ, we get cleansed from the sin that once made us filthy. From that point onward, the Holy Spirit helps us to live a life pleasing to God with nothing naughty hiding out of sight. This is because the blood of Jesus washes us and makes us new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17). And as we rely on the gift of the Holy Spirit, we start to live lives free from the stifling burden of sin (Romans 8:2).

Take a good look at your 'packaging' - the public face you present. Is it godly or do you think the Lord would want to change it? Ask Him to help you represent Him to the fullest in public and honor Him to the fullest privately. He will surely help you because He loves you and wants the best for you.

The Only Side That Matters - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 8, 2023

The war between Israel and the Palestinian government, Hamas, has revealed deep divisions in communities across the world.

As Christians, how are we supposed to feel about it all? Even a cursory review of the Bible reveals the foundational role of Israelites in our faith. Our Savior, Jesus, was an Israelite, after all. Scriptures have also taught us to be careful how we speak of and treat the Israelites. Yet, it is difficult to see ordinary Palestinians suffer the brutal consequences of their government's decision to attack on October 7, 2023. It is hard to hear people speak of them with derogatory language and dehumanizing concepts, ignoring that God chose to make them in His image.

While people are busy choosing sides, I want to encourage you to pick the only side that matters - God's.

Remember that Jesus submitted Himself to God's plan for His life when the end came. Following in His footsteps and submitting to God's will is a mark of genuine Christianity. Personally, I have learned that my desires must always give way to God's will. Any time I have been stubborn about this (and it's been many times, sadly), I have regretted the choice and the resulting consequences.

Therefore, please pray for God's will to be done in this conflict. Be humble enough to acknowledge that you won't know what that is unless He tells you. Each time we proclaim the Lord's Prayer, we state "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10, KJV). If you truly believe this, then ask Him to show you how to pray about the war in a way that glorifies Him. In so doing, He will give you the prayer points He wants you to lift up regarding this situation. He will also provide you with the scriptural understanding that you need. Only then will you be able to pray in alignment with His will and His word. And that will increase the effectiveness of your prayers.

Simply pray "Lord, Thy will be done. Please show me how to pray about this situation." Then wait and watch for God to teach you so that you are prayerfully working with Him and not against His will. He may instruct one person to pray for children in Gaza while telling someone else to pray for the hostages. To another, He may say, "pray for the leaders involved" while telling someone to pray for peace. The key is to allow God's Holy Spirit to direct you.

Do not take your cues from the talking heads on either side of this issue. They don't care about your immortal soul. Only God does. And if truly He is your God, then allow Him to lead and not your emotions.

God bless you and see you at noon EST for fellowship.

The Pig, The Mud & Its Nature - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) December 5, 2023

When you think of a pig, what comes to mind? I think of a pinkish creature with a little tail that curls up. Then, I immediately imagine delicious bacon with scrambled eggs and some warm toast.

Someone else might picture pigs playing in the mud. Let's imagine this picture together and consider the following scenario: there's a farm with a caretaker who picks up an excited, little pig. Known as Mr. Piggy, he got so dirty from playing in the mud that it caked in his rolls and hurt. The caretaker picks him up and reminds him that he's been told to stay clean. He nonetheless gets a nice bath and all the dirt is washed away.

Alas, it is in Mr. Piggy's nature to get dirty again. Once it rains and puddles form on the ground, he heads to the muddiest one. He rolls around and splashes mud into the air as he oinks for joy.

But then, there's Ms. Piglet. She used to love the mud but one day, after a scrub down, she saw her reflection and liked how clean she looked. Now, she completely avoids mud. She is so clean that she lives in the caretaker's home. There, she has a bowl for her food and never fights with other pigs for a meal. She also gets regular belly rubs. On rainy mornings, Ms. Piglet enjoys lying by the open door to watch the rain. She doesn't understand why Mr. Piggy always jumps into the mud.

While far from a perfect analogy, this piggly tale illustrates aspects of the Christian life. The Caretaker is Jesus, who keeps coming in to wash off our sins and make us clean whenever we genuinely repent. Yet, some see the next puddle of mud, which represents sin, and dive in without hesitation. That puddle just seems to beckon them. It's all because we humans are prone to sin.

Then there are some like Ms. Piglet who enjoy remaining mud-free. They glow instead of having their shine tarnished by sin and they are well-cared for by the Caretaker in his home instead of in a pig pen. Plus, because they live in the house, they will never end up as bacon on someone's plate someday.

Mr. Piggy doesn't realize that there are consequences to repeatedly submitting to his nature. Because he keeps rejecting that cleansing, someday, the Caretaker will stop washing him and allow him to be who he wants to be - a pig covered in muddy sin. Psalm 81:12 states, "So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices."

God wants each of us to stay away from sin's muddy puddles and enjoy being cleansed by Jesus. This brings peace, assurance, and more. The cleansing also means we gain eternal life in heaven. This is God's offer to us and it is free of charge. We just have to choose to be clean and the caretaker, Jesus, will consistently scrub us down when we sin and repent.

May we all accept and appreciate the Caretaker's loving cleansing and turn away from the muddy puddles of sin that want to keep us from living comfortably, IJMN, Amen

God bless us all.