Devotional stories

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329 Are You Moving The Ball?

 It’s January and once again the NFL playoffs are upon us.  It has been an exciting football season and all eyes are on the final four teams competing for the chance to go to the Superbowl championship game.  As always, there was a lot of interest in teams with flashy players who make spectacular highlight plays, but in the end, it usually comes down to teams who can consistently move the ball when it counts.

How has your Christian life been lately?  Are you still waiting to make that one big splashy impact for God?  If you had the chance, but failed, did it discourage you from trying again?  Are you punting away the seemingly insignificant opportunities while you wait for that big shot?

We are all called by Jesus to share the Gospel around the world.  We can’t do that if we are sitting on the sidelines biding our time.  Jesus calls us to move that ball now.  Sometimes, that means we will go up and face heavy opposition, whatever form it may take.  Sometimes, we will try to move forward, but get taken down for a loss.  However, we should not lose heart and lay down on the grass.  We need to get up, dust off those dirt clouds and dive back into the fray. 

We are only asked to move the ball forward.  All praise to God if we can make that occasional big play for His kingdom, but He only asks us to faithfully move forward for Him.  We are not asked to throw that 50 yard pass or to try to return the ball 95 yards, only to carry the ball in the name of Jesus.  It’s game time, and the ball is in your hands, my friend.

Bible verses to consider:

John 1:12

Nehemiah 8:8

Acts 8:30-35

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328 Happy New Year?

The presents have been opened.  The celebration and reveling is over.  Empty wine bottles and beer cans litter the ground along with all that tinsel.  Sure, the party was a blast while it lasted.  You had a great time the night before, but how do you feel today?

Are you thinking about making resolutions again for this new year?  Get in better shape?  Travel somewhere exotic?  Experience new exciting things that you never tried before?  Find that ever-so-elusive perfect partner and be in a serious relationship?  What about last year’s resolutions?

Despite all the drinking, partying, traveling to interesting places, doing all the fun things you have done in the past year, do you still feel empty inside?  Do you feel that no matter what you try to occupy yourself with at the moment, no matter all the cool things you did or saw, that you still have a feeling of emptiness inside?  Have you lived “life to the fullest” as defined by the world, yet you wish that there was something more than that?

If you are a Christian, don’t think that you’re immune to these questions that I am asking you.  These questions are pointed at you and non-believers alike.  If you a Christian, do you still feel empty inside?  You go to church every week, dutifully sing the praise songs, and patiently listen to the sermons, but you feel that you are not growing at all spiritually?  Do you feel that you are playing the role of a “good Christian” on the outside, but you feel dead and hollow on the inside still?

Friend, I tell you, regardless of your background, what you’ve done or not done, there is an answer to that emptiness.  You’ve chased all the pleasures the world has offered, but you have failed to fill that void inside of you.  What you need for this year is Jesus.

You might be scoffing at me if you are an unbeliever, or rolling your eyes if you are already a Christian.  “Whatever, don’t preach to me,” an unbeliever might answer.  “You’re preaching to the choir - I already know about Jesus, a Christian might reply.

Friend, if you are an atheist, agnostic, or otherwise an unbeliever, I am not talking down to you.  I am asking you to consider an alternative you may have not given serious thought before.  Perhaps you never gave Jesus a chance before because hypocrite Christians or angry atheists turned you off on Christianity.  Well, forget them all for just this moment.

Friend, if you a Christian who only knows about Jesus, I am asking you if you know Jesus.  Intellectual assent to truth is not the same thing as a vibrant faith.  Superficial good works is nothing compared to good works coming as a result of a living faith.

Jesus is Life.  He gave His life and died for us, just so that we could have a chance to life it fully, to live it the way God intended for us to live.  If you want to fill that emptiness with something permanent and lasting, you need to know Jesus.

How can you know Jesus for yourself?  I invite you to pick up a Bible and read it for yourself just this once.  No preconceived notions, no biases, just come in with a clean slate.  You don’t have to read it from beginning to end.  I only ask you to read one book - the book of John in the New Testament.  It is right after the book of Luke and just before the book of Acts.

If you read the book of John, and you think I am full of it, that’s okay.  You can’t say I preached down to you - I only asked you to read something.  If you like what you read, I would say go back and read the three books preceding John: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Even if you a Christian, if you took the time to slowly read the book of John again and pray to God for more understanding, you might be surprised to find things in the book you didn’t catch before.  Perhaps you may see some of those old, familiar stories in a brand new light.  When you read the book of John, you may be surprised to feel something stirring inside you spiritually again.  Something you thought was dead, but was actually dormant this whole time.

If your interest is piqued, and you want to learn more about Jesus and where to go from here, feel free to stop by our church.  You don’t even have to come to the morning service.  I won’t force you to sing songs or listen to sermons.  You can come by in the afternoon and say just hi and hang out.  Find one of the youth leaders and let them know what you’re interested in knowing about.  They’re all friendly folk.  They even offer free Bible studies to anyone interested.

If you only make one resolution this new year, take the time to know Jesus.  You may be surprised by what may come.  No matter what you decide to do, I wish you all the best.  God bless, and may this year be a good one for you

Books to consider:

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

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327 An Under-Utilized Tool

James 5:16 – Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Last week Cory told Eric that he felt very weak and light-headed. Eric told Cory that he would pray for him. Cory thanked Eric for thinking of him.

However, Eric got busy with errands and work the rest of the week. He totally forgot about praying for Cory.

Cory’s condition worsened and he ended up at the hospital, where it was discovered he had meningitis. Unfortunately, the doctors were not able to treat Cory’s illness.

When Eric found out Cory passed away last night, the news felt like a punch in the gut. Eric felt incredibly guilty for not praying for Cory.  He fell on his knees and asked God’s forgiveness for not praying for his friend.

Would Eric’s prayer have made a difference? Perhaps. Perhaps not.  However, prayer is a powerful tool in the arsenal of a Christian. Let us not take prayer for granted!

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328 When A Pardon Is Not A Pardon

Romans 8:12-13 - Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.  For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 

A bank robber was captured in a botched heist. Three people were severely wounded. He was convicted and sentenced to execution by hanging. However, the bank robber had influential friends who begged the President of the United States to pardon him.

Remarkably, the bank robber refused the pardon, even though he was on death row. The civil authorities were confused on what to do next. Should they hang the bank robber? Should they let him go free, even though he refused the pardon?

The matter went to the Supreme Court. The court deliberated on the case and the chief justice delivered the following opinion:

“A pardon is a deed, to which the validity of which delivery is essential. And delivery is not complete without acceptance. The pardon may by rejected by the person to whom it is given. If the pardon is rejected, we have discovered no power in the court to force it upon him.”

The bank robber was hanged the next day.

We have all been given a pardon by the king of the universe.  With this pardon, we can escape the penalty of sin, which is death. However, the question is, are you and I willing to accept this pardon?

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326 Defend Your Faith

1 Peter 3:15 - But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear

Why do you believe in God?  How can Jesus save you?  Why do you go to church every week?  Why are you a Christian?  These are questions everyone who claims to be a Christian needs to ask of themselves and be able to answer. I recite 1 Peter 3:15  to myself every once in a while to remind myself that I need to be able to explain my beliefs to others.  If I cannot explain a particular church doctrine to someone, then why do I believe in that doctrine?

1 Peter 3:15 challenges me to study my Bible daily so that I can understand and be able to share my religious convictions with those who ask me.  I cannot share God’s light with others if my own internal illumination is dim.

However, 1 Peter 3:15 also reminds me that I am not here to win debates with people.  I should be able to share my belief in God and religion without being condescending or arrogant.  I cannot glorify God and lead other people to Jesus if I am swinging truth like a hammer to beat them into submission.

As Christians, we not only need to be able to defend our faith but we need to be able to lovingly share the Gospel with others and logically explain our beliefs to show that Christianity is indeed a rational religion built on the firm foundation of Christ. 7

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325 Deny Self

John 3:30 - He must increase, but I must decrease.

This is a very simple Bible verse, but it is only in the past few years that I have begun to appreciate its profoundness.  I would always hear preachers preaching “you must deny self!” when I was growing up, but I never quite understood that message.  I’m a good Christian kid, I thought to myself.  Why would I need to deny self?

It was only when I grew older and going through all the problems of life everyone eventually goes through that the message start to sink in.  As I reflect back upon my life now, all the arguments with ex-girlfriends, the conflicts at work, the difficult times in life where I felt God was so far from me - all these could have been avoided or minimized had I not been so selfish and thought about myself and my own desires first.

I may have been a “good Christian” this whole time, but it’s still not good enough.  Jesus was in my life all those years, but I left Him in the background as I tried to take on the world using my own power…and failed.  I should have gone to Jesus first and asked for His help, but I didn’t and I paid the price.

I read several books about people who turned to God from bad lives (drugs, prostitution, gambling, pornography, etc.), self-improvement books, and books about Christian living.  Invariably, all these books had the message John 3:30 said all along - deny self and put Jesus first.  People’s lives changed due to this message and now I see this for myself with my own eyes.

There is so much more peace in my life since I decided to put Jesus completely first in my life and look towards Him.  A lot of my personal problems started getting smaller and smaller once Jesus got bigger and bigger in my life.

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” As I look to Jesus, self disappears, and His gentle hand guides me forward in life.

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324 Why Didn’t Job Become An Atheist?

Why doesn’t God answer my prayers?

Why doesn’t God prove to me that He exists?

Why isn’t God there when I need Him the most?

You may have asked yourself one or more of these questions at one time or another.  You may have wondered if God is actually out there and if your faith is in vain.  Your faith even weakened further as we hear of all these intellectual and smart people proclaiming that they do not believe in God.  Where are you going to find the answers to all these questions?  How can you know for sure that God exists, and if He does, that He actually cares for you?

As I ponder these thoughts, I think of the story of Job.  Job was a man who had everything and then had it taken away for him, seemingly for no reason at all.  He cried out to God, but no answer.  He was a good and just man, yet he suffered terribly under horrible afflictions.  He may have wondered why was this happening?  He may have agonized what did he ever do to deserve this?

It is amazing to me that Job suffered so much, yet he held onto his faith in God.  Why didn’t Job become an atheist?  His wife was pushing him to curse God and die.  His friends caused him more mental anguish by accusing him of being a great sinner.  Job had nothing left and was withering away with a horrible skin disease.  Job may have been pondering these same questions that we wrestle with.  I think most people would understand if Job decided to turn away from God.  Job did all that he was supposed to do as a follower of God, but he seemed to be rewarded with nothing.  Yet despite everything that happened to him, Job clung to God even more tightly than before, maintaining his integrity and faith in God.

One lesson we can learn from Job is that his internal faith was never tied to his external circumstances.  No matter what happened, Job trusted God to lead him like a friend to the right path.  No matter what happened, Job felt he had enough evidence that God was indeed out there and that he should continue obeying and trusting God, even though he didn’t understand why bad things were happening to him.  Job followed God, trusting that God would still lead him as a friend, no matter where that path would take him.

We just have to accept the fact that there are going to be questions that we can never answer.  If you wait for every question to be answered, then you will be waiting forever.  We will never get all the evidence in our lifetime.  However, God has given enough physical evidence in nature and spiritual evidence in the Bible that we have enough information to make an informed choice.  Take steps of obedience first before the proof comes.  God has promised that He will be found by us if we seek Him with all our heart.  Claim that promise and take that step in faith!

Bible verses to consider:

Job 19:25-26

Jeremiah 29:12-13

John 20:29

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323 Don’t Get Tired

Galatians 6:9 - And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Occasionally, I have friends and co-workers who confide in me that they get tired of trying do the right thing in life.  They trudge on without receiving recognition, while others around them lie and cheat and get praise from everyone.  “What’s the point?” they inevitably ask me.  “It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and we might as well get ours while we have the opportunity.”

If I am honest with myself, I sometimes feel the same way.  It seems that every time I make the more moral or ethical choice, I end up being either punished for my decision or fall behind others who throw morality and ethics out the window.

However, every time I am on the verge of despairing, this Bible verse somehow comes to my mind.  Why am I getting tired of doing good and looking longingly after the temporary rewards and pleasures in the world, when there is an eternity ahead of me if I do not lose heart?

Galatians 6:9 reminds me that this is not the time to get tired.  We must continue on and keep our resolve!  In the end, our character is the only thing we can take with us after all worldly things perish or fade away.  Keep doing good!

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322 Get Sharp

Proverbs 27:17 - As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

I once hung out with a “cool” group of friends when I was younger.  We would play basketball and video games together.  We would joke around with each other.  We would also look down on other people and (regrettably, as I reflect back now) even make fun of them.

I thought I was with a great group of people.  However, as we got older, they started partying harder and getting into more things that I was uncomfortable with.  However, I didn’t say anything.  I just nodded my head and rationalized it’s still okay to hang out with these guys, as long as I don’t drink or smoke myself.  They can do whatever they want.  It’s cool.

At the same time, I also found that I was slowly drifting away from God, but I didn’t quite know why.  Even though I was going to church, reading the Bible, and saying my prayers, I was getting spiritually dull.

There was a point in my life when I finally realized I needed to get sharper, but I didn’t quite know how.  Somehow, God put an impression in my heart that I needed to evaluate my associations.  When I thought about my “cool” group of friends, we really didn’t have anything in common beyond the superficial.  I couldn’t talk to them about serious issues, let alone religion.  If I suggested an activity that didn’t involved drinking or partying, I was always shot down.

I knew that if I stayed with this group of friends, I would never get closer to God, only grow further and further apart.  It was a hard decision, but I decided to disassociate myself from this group and find other friends - people who would draw me closer to Jesus.

Proverbs 27:17 reminds me that friends have a strong influence on my life, whether for good or for bad.  This verse also reminds me that I can either sharpen or dull my friends spiritually.  So, how sharp do you want to be?

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321 Just A Little Religious

I was reading the newspaper the other day and I came across an article in the life and style section about a woman describing her ideal match.  I normally wouldn’t have bothered to read such an article, but there was something among the laundry list of the writer’s ideal match that caught my eye:

“He should be just a little religious.  He should be religious enough to go with me to church every week, but not too religious that he gets too involved into church.”

Just a little religious.  I thought that was an interesting choice of words.  Why would the writer not want her ideal match to be either atheist or fully religious?  Why something in the middle?  As I thought about this for a minute, then it hit me.

The writer  may have grown up in a church setting and accepted Jesus as her Savior, so she would naturally seek for someone with a similar moral value set.  She would want someone who would be willing to spend an hour every week sitting in the pews with her.  However, she didn’t want to spend more time in church than that, so having a boyfriend who is actively involved in the church would be problematic.  I think she is basically looking for a boyfriend religious enough to be faithful and loving towards her, but not religious enough from cramping her style and keep her from having fun.

 If my hypothesis is correct, then it is a sad thing for me to read as a Christian.  However, I suspect this would not be an isolated case among Christians.  How many of us Christians out there are actually “just a little religious”?  Sadly, I have to admit I was like this in the past.  I would go to church once a week, pay my dues to God for an hour or two, then come home back to doing my own thing.

You really can’t be just a little religious.  The writer is trying to have her cake and eat it, too.  You really cannot claim to be a Christian and follow God when it is convenient for you.  Jesus preached that you cannot follow God and follow the world at the same time.  It would be like a man who is engaged to marry, but is still dating other women in the meantime.  Eventually, such an arrangement will end in disaster.  Yet we try to do the same thing with God.

Ask yourselves honestly - are you just a little religious?  Ultimately, being a Christian is an all-or-nothing proposition.  There are two teams that are going to play against each other in a game, and you can’t be on both sides at the same time.  You can either choose to be on Jesus’ side or on the world’s side.  How will you decide?

Bible verses to consider:

1 Kings 18:21

Matthew 22:37

John 8:23-24

2 Timothy 3:1-5

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320 100% Effort

Ecclesiastes 9:10 - Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.

There are times when I wish I were as “spiritual” and “on-fire” as some of my Christian brethren.  They seem to always doing some wonderful work - whether volunteering, singing at a nursing home, going on mission trips, or conducting individual Bible studies and bringing people to God.  I ask myself, “What can I do?  I can’t preach.  I can’t sing.  I don’t even know that much Bible.  I’m just a regular person with no exceptional skills.”

However, this Bible verse reminds me that good work for God does not have to be some great, visible work.  If I can find a small work to do (whether intentionally living a Christ-led life, sharing my testimony to someone curious about God and religion, or even being there for a friend in need), I should put in 100% effort and give it my all, even if I might not see immediate results.

Everyone wants to be like Peter, who preached one day and thousands were converted (Acts 2).  Not everyone thinks about being like Paul where he preached to Athenians and was mostly ridiculed and mocked for his efforts (Acts 17).  However, the seeds of the Gospel took root in a few, as some people wanted to hear more from Paul.

Phillip took the time to share the Gospel with only one Ethiopian eunuch, and through that eunuch the Gospel was taken into Africa.  Thousands were able to receive the Gospel message through Phillip’s act, though he did not know it at the time!

Don’t neglect a small work while waiting for the opportunity to do a great work for God.  Take advantage of every opportunity, regardless of how minor or seemingly insignificant.  You may be surprised by what 100% effort may yield!

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319 God’s Plan Of Salvation in Three Steps

John 14:1-3 - “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

I’ve read these verses many times over the years and have taken comfort in Jesus’ promises to us.  However, I never really understood the implications of these verses until recently when I heard a sermon that focused on only this short passage of Scripture.  If you read John 14:1-3 carefully, you will actually find that God’s plan of salvation is outlined in these three verses!

Verse 1 outlines Jesus’ mission on earth.  He showed us that the way to salvation is through Him only.  Jesus lived a perfect life and died for the cross in our place as a perfect sacrifice.

Verse 2 outlines Jesus’ work in the heavenly Sanctuary.  After Jesus, was resurrected and exalted, He went to heaven and is now ministering in the Sanctuary as the High Priest interceding to the Father on our behalf.

Verse 3 outlines the Second Coming.  Jesus is going to come back for His people at the end of time and take them to heaven to be with Him!

I was floored by the revelation.  These verses now have so much more meaning as I read them now.  I also realize that as I read my Bible there are many more verses that take on such a more significant meaning when I consider those verses in the light of God’s plan of salvation for us.

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318 I’m Not A Pastor

I was sharing with a friend the other day about some of the activities that the youth have at my church, such as singing at a local nursing home and going door-to-door to pass out religious literature.  Upon hearing all the activities and ministries we are working on, he looked a little wistful.  I asked my friend if there was a problem and he told me that he sometimes wishes that he was really into church like me and the youth at my church.

I asked him what was stopping him.  He could start doing things for God right now.  He looked me in the eye and told me, “I wish I could share [the Gospel] with some of my friends, but I’m not a pastor.”

Not a pastor?  There was something about the resignation in my friend’s voice that really bothered me.  I immediately protested and told him there were plenty of things he could do as a Christian, things that are not limited to only pastors.  However, I am not sure I got through to my friend.

I do not fault my friend for thinking this way, but it made me wonder, how many more Christians out there believe that only ordained ministers can effectively preach and share the Gospel message to people?

Is it enough for good Christians to sit in the pews, sing some songs, do some prayer, and listen to a sermon every week?  I believe the answer is no.  Jesus called on His disciples to preach the Gospel message to the entire world.  The Apostle Paul exhorted his Christian brethren to do likewise.

If you read through the Bible, God called upon people of all types of backgrounds to do His work, not just individuals well-trained in religious doctrine.  God used sheepherders, fishermen, slaves, and even a pagan king!  It didn’t matter whether they were men, women, children, or the very old – God called on upon them all.

God has given us all at least one talent which we can use to glorify Him.  All our talents will vary.  Not all of us will be able to host evangelical meetings, but we may have other ways to aid in the spreading of the Gospel message.  Even if you have no musical talent, even if you are too shy to speak to people or go door-to-door, you have one thing that you can share – that is your testimony.  No one, not even those who scoff at religion in general, can take that away from you.  You can share with your friends why you become a Christian, why you believe in Jesus, and why you have a hope the world might not understand.

Share the Gospel!  Even if you are not a pastor – no, especially if you are not a pastor, share the Gospel!

Bible verses to consider:

Deuteronomy 4:9

Matthew 5:14-16

2 Timothy 4:2

1 Peter 3:15

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317 Yours, Just For The Asking

Psalms 21:4-5 - He asked life from You, and You gave it to him– length of days forever and ever. His glory is great in Your salvation; honor and majesty You have placed upon him.

All Christians, even nominal ones, probably know John 3:16 by heart: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  Even secular sports fans are familiar in passing with John 3:16 as that verse has been seen on placards hoisted by fans at many sporting events around the country.  However, have you ever given serious thought to what that verse meant?

I will have to admit I, too, took John 3:16 for granted until I came across Psalms 21:4-5.  What is eternal life?  How can we obtain it?  John 3:16 promises that we can have eternal life if we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  However, this verse seems to take on a new, more deeper meaning for me when I read it again in light of Psalms 21:4-5.

Eternal life is length of days forever and ever.  It is hard to even begin to fathom such a concept.  We as humans only live to about 80, 90, maybe 100 years if we are lucky.  But to live to 1,000?  10,000?  A million years?

Psalms 21:4-5 only hints at the honor and majesty we would be blessed if we had the opportunity to live in the presence of God for all of eternity.  How do we get such an infinitely priceless gift?  It is ours for free only if we ask it!

This concept boggles my mind.  How many millions, if not billions would the wealthiest people in the world be willing to pay to merely extend their lives for another 100 years?  I think it would be safe to say that there are many people out there who would be willing to give up everything they have for a chance to live another 100 years.  But to be able to live forever?  No amount of wealth amassed from the richest people in the history of mankind from the beginning to now could even begin to pay for something like that!

Can you imagine this?  God is willing to extend us eternity if we simply ask life from Him, if we believe in His Son Jesus Christ.  Would you be willing to ask for life?

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316 The Time To Act Is Now

2 Corinthians 6:2 - For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

I remember an old song from when I young about a boy who kept asking his father to spend time with him, but the father was always working and was too busy for him.  Years would pass by and the father kept puting work ahead of his son.  When the father finally realized he should have spent more time with his son, he then finds that his son is now too busy to spend time with him.  The father sadly realizes far too late that his son has become just like him.

This Bible verse reminds me that the time to make the decision for Jesus is now.  I have friends and acquaintances that are interested in Christianity, but want to spend a little more time in the world first before coming to Jesus.  However, this is a very dangerous attitude, as there may be a point where it is too late to accept the priceless gift of salvation God offers us through His Son Jesus.

There was a preacher over a century who was giving Bible studies to a group of young men and women.  He felt that some of them were close to making a commitment to Jesus, but he didn’t push the issue and ask them.  He thought he could wait another week and ask them at the next Bible study.  However, the preacher never saw those young men and women again, as a great earthquake and fire tragically occurred the day before the next Bible study, killing hundreds, perhaps even thousands of people. 

Who knows what tomorrow will bring?  Why put off such an important issue?  If you are not a Christian, have you considered and investigated for yourself the claims of Jesus and the Bible?  If you are a Christian, have you committed yourself completely to following Jesus?  I pray that you do not delay on this matter, else you find yourself in the same shoes as the father in that song.

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315 Fierce Witnesses And Difficult Questions

Psalms 35:11-12 - Fierce witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul.

There will be times where your faith in God will be tested.  Not everyone you meet will joyfully receive the Good News that you share with them.  In fact, if it has not already happened to you, there will be people who react with hostility to the hope that you have in you.  They will ask difficult questions that you may not know the answers to.  They may even cause you to doubt the goodness or even the existence of God.

These verses remind me to expect such trials in life.  We cannot win every debate with atheists or skeptics, nor should we try to.  As Christians, we need to focus on speaking of God’s righteousness and continually giving Him praise. 

Though we may not have all the answers, we should be able to rationally explain our beliefs with meekness and fear.  We should be able to point to passages in the Bible to support our beliefs.  Most importantly, we need to tell others the great sacrifice Jesus made at Calvary for all of us - even those who do not believe in Him.

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314 Lessons From Old Olive Trees

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” –Thomas Jefferson

This is an old favorite quote of mine when I was young.  I had not thought of it for many years until I went to the Garden of Gethsemane in Israel.  In the midst of the garden were several gnarled olive trees.  Our tour guide explained to us that that these trees were over 2000 years and were the very same trees Jesus saw in His days on earth.  The tour guide went on and pointed out that the Romans chopped the olive trees down and set them on fire to try to destroy them.  However, the Romans failed as the roots of the trees were too deep.  In fact, new living branches were growing out of old stumps as I listened to the tour guide’s story.

The tour guide also shared that olive trees must have survived the great flood in the time of Noah as the dove Noah sent out to see if the flood water receded brought back a freshly plucked olive leaf (Genesis 8:11).

I have to tell you I was struck by the unbelievable resilience of those olive trees.  To be able to survive things like cataclysmic flood waters, getting chopped down to the trunk, and even being set on fire.  Not even just survive, but to be able to thrive thousands of years later?

Listening to these stories about the olives trees in Gethsemane made me remember that old Jefferson quote.  For some reason, at that moment, I imagined myself in a flowing river.  Could I stand tall and firm like a rock in the middle of the river?  If I faced adverse conditions, could I stick to my Christian principles and stay true to God?  If I faced a torrent of adversity, would I be able to stand my ground or be carried away by popular opinion?

As I looked upon those craggly olive trees, I pondered how despite everything, they persevered and were able to stand still.  The only reason they were able to stand was because their roots grew so deeply.  These olive trees made me think of my relationship with God.  Do I have a deep-rooted relationship with God that I always turn to Him first for everything, whether in praise during the good times or in sorrow or comfort during the bad times?  Do I look to Him as my Rock to keep me on firm ground no matter what fiery trials or struggles I contend with in this life?  Am I always looking to grow spiritually each day and not merely survive as a Christian, but to thrive and share the Gospel?

As our tour group walked away to the next site, I look back at those olive trees one last time, a silent yet visible reminder to stand firm with God.