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Luke 6:43-45 43  “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,  44  for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.  45  The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.   I have to say, there is absolutely NOTHING on this earth better than taking a bite from a fresh peach literally right off of the tree in the middle of summer. There is something about it that is just so plain perfect!   I often like to go foraging out in the woods. It has been a great hobby and opportunity to learn of the complexity and beauty of God’s Creation! There is such an abundance in nature for our benefit and enjoyment! So, imagine my excitement while I was out foraging one afternoon and came across “wild grapes.”   There were SO MANY hanging in bundles from these massive vines! I started taking them and throwing them in my bag without even a second thought! Within 10 minutes I had a bag literally filled with these “wild grapes.” After filling my bag, I decided to taste one as a “reward.”   May I just say, this is where I learned a few very valuable lessons. First is that while foraging, it is wise to confirm that you do in fact have, exactly what you think you have, before you eat it. Secondly, is to test it BEFORE you harvest it. The level of bitterness that hit my mouth was like being kicked in the face while having your mouth washed out with soap by your mother for saying something you REALLY shouldn’t have as a child.   People, it was horrible. These were not grapes at all! They LOOKED like grapes. They even smelled like grapes! Yet they weren’t. They were a bad fruit.   In the above Scripture we see Jesus tell us of the difference between a good fruit and a bad fruit. You see it is IMPERITIVE that we confirm not necessarily the fruit first, but the TREE it is grown from. Had I taken a moment to confirm a few things on the plant I was harvesting from, I would’ve avoided the intensely horrific flavor symphony that graced my mouth that day.   So too should we recognize that a BAD tree is what bears bad fruit. Church, we must strive to be connected to a “good branch” so that we may bear fruit that is fitting for God’s Kingdom! Fruit that is not of self, but of the Kingdom. Fruit that is not bitter but is sweet and fragrant to the Lord!   Our very lives and all that we do must be focused EXCLUSIVELY on HIM and ONLY HIM! We must be known by the tree that produces us, and our works and fruit! We do not wish to be confused for our origins being “of the world.” We cannot give the appearance of being worldly! We must draw people to the truth!   That the “vine of Christ” is healthy, safe, nourishing, and fulfilling beyond measure! The “vine of the world” is filled with brambles, bitterness, hardship, and toil!   Ask yourself this today, which tree are you clinging to, and is your fruit sweet or is it bitter?   SOLI DEO GLORIA!

John 6:35-37 (ESV) 35  Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.  36  But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.  37  All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.   Bread…there is something so very simple about it, but also so wonderful. There is a distinct scent it has when it is freshly baked. Its ability to fill a house is absolutely heavenly and mind blowing! How is it that something so simple can be so satisfying?   Further, its ability to fill you when you are hungry is a great comfort and enjoyment! It is also so versatile! It can be satisfying in a simple state, like a slice with a little butter spread on it. Yet it can also be grandiose! Like a spiral brioche stuffed with cheeses and herbs and meats. It can be a feast in and of itself!   I think that Christ chose the illustration of bread in the above scripture to reflect this very truth. Jesus lived a simple and humble life. He in His human side did in no way make a show. He was plain looking and plain clothed. He was of humble upbringing. Yet of His other nature, the divine nature of God the Son, was a resplendent beauty and power!   This is the truth. Faith in Christ is both simple, in that it will always leave you fulfilled and not hungry or seeking to be filled with other things. Yet it is also grand in that your very eternity is secure in Him! You will never hunger or thirst for things of the world when you are truly of Him and in Him!   It is a strong contrast to the things of the world. They will wither; they will fall to dust. They will crumble and fade away! They will NEVER leave you fulfilled. They will leave you alone and seeking more. Further, someone who is TRULY of Him will know HIM…not simply the things of God but GOD Himself in spirit and person.   The lives of those who have eaten from His table are forever changed. You wander no more. You hunger no more. You thirst no more. You are lonely no more. You are lost no more. You are empty no more. You are without purpose no more. You are broken no more.   YOU ARE MADE WHOLE! Fulfilled! Faith in the eternal living God in Christ will NEVER return void. Eat from his table through sincere and simple faith! Doing so will change your very life both in the now, but also eternally.   Join us for a seat at His table and eat from the “bread of life.”   SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

1 Corinthians 12:7-9 (ESV) 7  So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,[ a ] a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.   One of the most nagging and horrible pains is when one is hiking in the woods, and walks through a patch of thorns and brambles, only to have a thorn breaks off and get lodged under your skin.   Each and every movement of the afflicted area will be painful. A constant reminder of your carelessness or misfortune. Further, I don’t know about you, but when I am out hiking I tend not to carry tweezers. So, there is absolutely NO way to remove it until you get home.   Yet, there can be a lesson learned from such maladies. This has happened to me a few times in the past. I’ll decide to go hiking out in our woods in shorts and a t-shirt. Not a wise move. How could I have avoided it? By wearing jeans and a long shirt and boots (as my wife suggested).   Now in the above Scripture, Paul is not talking simply about a literal thorn stuck in his skin. He is using a poetic language to convey a similar thought to the reader. In this case the Church of Corinth…and lessons we can learn in our modern church.  Many theologians and scholars have disagreed on what “the thorn of Paul” truly was.   In my own incredibly humble opinion, I am of the belief it is either a struggle with a current sin, or constant reminder of past sin. You see, sin itself is exactly as Paul indicates in the Scripture above. It is something that reminds us of our weakness. It is something that nags us like a thorn stuck in our skin.   Paul pleads with God to remove this ache in his mind and/or body. Yet in God’s wisdom and will, He does not. This stokes a reliance on God that prevents conceitedness! You see, if you and I never suffered “thorns”, and life was easy and carefree, then with what should be compare between the goodness of a pure and Holy God against?   God uses such struggles in our own lives to do exactly this. To remind us of our place before Him, and our sincere NEED for Him to be our strength in our weakness. Further, God will use such lessons to cause us to seek wisdom so we do not continue on “hiking through the thorns”, but to steer clear from living that would produce such pains.   Lastly, what I think is so utterly beautiful in this Scripture is something so subtle and often taken for granted. We see Paul petitioning to God to remove the thorn…the suffering…the pain. Why is this so powerful you may be thinking? It should seem logical to go to God for such a thing.   We often forget this church…..who else but God is able to remove the thorn? Who else but God is capable of relieving the pain of sin and struggle and strife?   The final lyric in one of my favorite songs, “Nobody” by Casting Crowns, will provide an answer. ” Nobody but Jesus…”   SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV) 16  Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’   I will never forget the splendor, wonder, and amazement that hit the world with the mainstream availability of a most wonderful gift from God. Three simple letters that solved so many problems and granted such a great comfort in our lives!   ”GPS”   I was working at Radio Shack (back when they still existed) at the time of this big craze! Guys it got SERIOUS. Today we all have it in our phones or built into our vehicles directly. Back in the early 2000s, however, you had to buy your own little unit to mount up on your dash or window in your vehicle. People were so divided into their own gangs and tribes!   The TomTom, Garmin, and Magellan tribes. I am not exaggerating when I say that I witnessed two old men get into a literal fist fight over an argument on whether Magellan or Garmin was superior. It still blows my mind to this day how utterly ridiculous this craze was!   Yet the culture aside…the gift that GPS was is astounding and groundbreaking. It LITERALLY guides your path from one destination to the next. You follow its instructions, and it will take you where you want to go safely! (Except for the odd out of date map that might take you to a corn field instead of to Costco).   Yet NOT following the GPS’ instructions would be met with chaos. REROUTING! REROUTING! REROUTING! YOU MISSED YOUR TURN! REROUTING!   In the above Scripture, we find Jeremiah delivering to a very disobedient ancient Israel, a stern message from God. You see time and time and time again God warned them of the path to take. Simple obedience to His instruction would have avoided the coming judgements that God levied against them. Invasions by enemy countries. Famine and sickness. Cities destroyed. Countrysides burned to the ground. Fear and chaos.   Now of course I am not relegating God’s holy direction as found in His Word to a simple GPS. Yet we find a similarity here. When we do not follow the path laid out before us, it leads to chaos and destruction. You will NOT end up where you truly need to be.   For it is ONLY the path of God Almighty that leads us to where we ought to be. Where HE desires us. What HE wants for us. When we deviate from such a path, it will always lead to strife. ALWAYS.   Follow the path He has laid out before you. You simply need to follow that path obediently, humbly, and trusting that He alone will lead you on the correct path.   SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 (ESV ) 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.   I have always loved movies that include grand battle scenes. Yeah, I’m a typical male, bite me! Movies like Braveheart, Kingdom of Heaven, The Patriot, The Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, etc.   The crescendo happening of course during the pinnacle “Charge Scene.” When both forces sprint towards the other at full speed after some uplifting and encouraging speech or cry by the noble leader!   The “good guys” had been wronged so fully by the villains of the story! It was time for pay back! It was time to get revenge! It was time for justice! Let loose the dogs of war and charge forth my brothers! For blood and glory! For terror and wrath!!! Okay I am getting a little too excited here…   Now, if only God’s church would turn that energy towards “charging forth” for the Kingdom of Christ. What kind of a world would that be?! Honestly, probably pretty horrible. You see this is where we receive a humbling wake up call.   We aren’t the ones to “get the bad guys.” We aren’t the ones to “avenge the lost.” Those roles lie in the hands of God Almighty! So why am I bringing this up after purposely amping us all up?   Look at the Scripture above…what is the opening thought?  It is a command from God Himself, as written by the Apostle Paul, that it is in HIS hands. We should seek not to repay evil for another. We are to seek to do good!   So, if it is in His hands, what part do we play in this? We are then given two commands immediately after that.  The first is to rejoice ALWAYS! Not sometimes but ALWAYS! Even in spite of the times when it appears “the bad guy is winning.” When evil is running rampant in our world it is our job to rejoice that it is not in our hands and never was. We rejoice that it is in GOD’S hands and always will be!   The second command is our pinnacle thought right now. If we are to play no part in such things, then what is it that we can actually do? We get to fight. And I know what you’re saying, “Didn’t you just say we DON’T do the fighting?” Not exactly… My dear brothers and sisters, God has given us the most powerful weapon that has ever been given as a blessing to mankind. The ability to fight with a supernatural force.   We get the privilege to fight on our knees in prayer. In this scripture we see a command to pray without ceasing. To be a constant conversation with our most wonderful Lord. To petition His will! His justice! His love! His healing! His power! His glory! FOR HIS KINGDOM!   You’re not the hero in His story. Christ is! Let Christ be the hero! Let Him lead the charge! A charge we participate in through humble and reverent prayer! You see we can storm the very gates of Hell itself with such a weapon! As we grow closer to God through the peace and joy that comes with prayer and reliance upon Him for strength…Hell grows smaller by the moment, and Heaven swells! The enemy trembles before the might of God and Heaven rejoices as more souls are saved unto Christ!   Church…how much time have you spent in prayer today? Let’s be real, not enough. Right now, in this very moment, may we all drop to our knees before a Holy King and rely upon Him. May we seek His wisdom, patience, love, power direction, and healing. Wage war against all that stands against God through such a beautiful and noble act.   So, brothers and sisters…join me in this charge!   SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

Acts 3:18-20 (ESV) 18  But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.  19  Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,  20  that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus   Guilt. A noun. The fact of having committed a specified or implied offense or crime. As Christians, we follow the Law of God. The Law is not void now that Christ reigns after His resurrection. As He Himself said, He did not come to abolish it but to fulfill it. It stands fulfilled to this day. The Law of God is what reflects the purity and perfection of God. For every sin we commit against God, it goes in contradiction to a part of His Law.So with that, each of us possesses guilt. We have all, as Apostle Paul would say, sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We have committed a crime against the Law of God, and against God Himself!   So, we are all doomed right? We will be punished for all eternity under the just wrath of a just God right?   Wrong…   What do you see in the above Scripture? Hope for the hopeless. You see a path to redemption. That Christ died to free you of the bondage to the curse of sin and death. The penalty of the law will be lifted. Repent and believe Christian! Turn away from your previous life that Christ died for and instead seek holiness!   Refreshing waters will flow over you! Of freedom and joy you will taste fully! The Christ has given you life! HOPE!   When you breathe your last breath on this earth…and close your eyes for the last time here, you will open your eyes and be before a most Holy Judge in Christ! The great accuser, Satan, will point out every single sin that you had committed throughout your fallen life.   Each and every accusation will be true. You DID do those things. You DID have those thoughts. You ARE guilty according to God’s law. There is not a commandment you upheld. There is not an area of your life that was not permeated by the sinfulness of your fallen self. There will not be a failure you have not tasted or experienced. You know what Christ will say? “I paid for them, every one. For this child has put their faith in my atoning blood and partaken of my covenant. This is one of mine and is forgiven.” Church, please read what I am about to say slowly. Meditate on each and every single word. Let it linger in your mind slowly…. you are guilty of breaking the Law of God. If you turn away from your sinful life and have faith in Christ’s Lordship and what He did on Calvary, you will forever have a seat at His table.   Child you are forgiven… SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

John 21:3-6 (ESV) 3  Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4  Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  5  Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”  6  He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.   Thinking back across my life…I have had many leaders. Whether it be my parents, in sports in High School, jobs I have had, or places in the church. We all have been under leadership at points of our life! Someone has had some sort of authority over you!   We all can think of bad leaders….we all can think of average leaders….we all can think of great leaders! There is a myriad of experiences we all have had across all of our lives! Experience that either left us uplifted and hopeful or feeling defeated and hopeless. Each of us has had some sort of person over us that has impacted our lives in such a way. Further, it is human nature to want to follow a leader of some sort!   We are literally wired that way by God. To look to those around us to take us forward, to mentor us, guide us, provide for us, protect us, or even to give us the opportunities to lead ourselves! God has innately made you to crave leadership. My question to you is this, who are you seeking this leadership from? Looking at the Scripture today, we see a wonderful historic event in the church. When you study the whole story of John 21 you will find the “full circle of Peter’s defining point in life.” From his denial of Christ all the way to His rejoining Him on a beach next to a charcoal fire. I want us to focus on just a few of the verses here as they tell a subtle yet amazing story in and of themselves. In verse 3 you see several other disciples following Peter into a small fishing vessel to fish at night. This is odd on multiple fronts…this is a SMALL fishing boat being packed with several men. Also, who goes fishing at night like this??? I’m not expert, so I may be incorrect here, but that just doesn’t seem right. I am convinced that during this time the other disciples are looking to Peter. They are following Peter’s lead. What happens? They follow him and they come back with empty nets. Yet in just a few short verses we see Christ appear before them. Likely 100 yards or more away from the boat He directs them to lower their nets. They likely had no way of knowing it was Christ…as at the distance from the boat they wouldn’t have been able to make out who it was. They went in faith…they lowered their nets…and the catch was so utterly large they couldn’t haul it in. You see, in this story we find a contrast of what happens when you follow man, versus when you follow Christ. When you follow man you will be left disappointed time after time. Even the best leaders I have ever had were like Peter. Flawed and imperfect. They may have had their flashes of greatness that left me feeling secured or motivated…but never had I felt joy because of one of them. Contrast that against Christ. Every single time in my life that I have put my faith in His direction, He has left my nets full to the maximum. He has given me an abundant catch time after time after time after time. So, my question to you today Christian is this…who are you following?   SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

Colossians 3:1-3 (ESV) 1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  2  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  3  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. I am a millennial. Many will blame the troubles of the world on “my people.” Largely, they aren’t wrong! Millennials brought about the death of reading books on paper! I recall growing up during the days of dial up internet being “the huge thing.” When we had rotary dial phones mounted on the wall of the kitchen with a curly cord attached to the handset. NOTHING was wireless at this day and age. These were the days of interacting out in nature, reading books, playing with my GI Joe, riding bikes out in the countryside with your brothers and when you were REALLY bored, pranking the neighbors by putting frogs in their mailboxes. I LOVED going to my grandparents’ house. My grandmother would always have homemade ice cream or some sort of baked sweet for us. My grandfather would curl up next to us and open his King James Bible and read us a story or two from Scripture. At the time, it was a bit boring periodically. Yet now looking back, I can say that these were some of my best times! The evolution of technology has brought about the end of this type of interaction being the norm. Over time we saw the first cellular phones that would be mounted in cars, and it evolved to huge bag phones you would carry around. Over the years we never would’ve dreamed that we would have black rectangles with touch screens that have more technological prowess than some military mainframes from the 90s would have. With that evolution of technology came the evolution of entertainment. Social media has become both a blessing and a curse of sorts. I have watched so many wonderful sermons from fellow faithful pastors, seen so many examples of acts of spontaneous worship in public, and the Gospel being spread throughout so many avenues. I have also found the most unbelievable “addiction” that is watching goofy videos of pets doing ridiculous things. In this day and age,we call this “death scrolling.” Where you will scroll through repeated 15-30 second video clips of some entertaining or stimulating content. I was shocked one afternoon when I sat down in my chair to finish listening to a Matt Chandler sermon, when I had a little clip pop up. I figured, “it’ll only be a few seconds.” Right? Wrong….it was over 45 minutes later before I realized I had accomplished absolutely nothing. As comical and relatable as this may seem, this exhibits a VERY serious issue in culture that I am completely convinced the enemy is using against us. The Issue of Distraction. When we put such focus and use of our time on pure entertainment, instead of the things of God or the things we are supposed to be doing that are more constructive…we make an idol involuntarily. In the scripture above, Paul is addressing the Church of Colossae. We must remember, like the Christians of Colossae, to set our minds upon GOD! Our previous life is changed. We are to be in the world but not absorbed by the world. Our previous life is dead and buried! It is shrouded in the light of Christ! So why would we be so absorbed with the things of the world? Surely entertainment in and of itself is not an issue. Nor is the cell phone, laptop, tablet, etc. etc. They are all tools that can be used to glorify Him! However, when our focus is more on the mindless droning, or the intentional seeking of entertainment over the intentional seeking of doing something constructive for His Kingdom, we have a huge issue. I ask this question with humility of my own humanity…how would the world be transformed if we put down our devices and picked up a Bible? How would this world be transformed if instead of scrolling for 2 to 3 hours a day (the national average in the US by the way), we were out in our communities sharing the Gospel, feeding the hungry, praying with the hurting, and befriending the lonely? What a sobering thought…put down the distractions…pick up your cross, and get to work.   SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

Ephesians 1:4-5 (ESV) 4  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love  5  he predestined us[ a ] for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.   Growing up as a child I lived in a perpetual state of “loneliness.” For any child, there are two sources of acceptance in life. There is the acceptance at home, and then there is the acceptance of your peers at your school if you were a public-school child that is. Sadly, there was neither for me. My home was one of abuse and heavy feelings of not being appeasing to my parents. School wasn’t much better. I was the nonathletic, chubby, nerdy kid. So, I certainly wasn’t winning any popularity contests. I grew up in the church my grandfather pastored over. Even there it didn’t quite “feel right” with the exception of my grandparents themselves.I was constantly being driven to people pleasing to seek acceptance and affirmation. It haunted my until my mid-30s, without me fully even realizing it. There were times I even remembered wishing I was part of a different family. A “normal” one. Hoping that someday some random kind family would walk right up and choose me. Fast forward into a man who is now 40 (and feeling ancient), I see so fully of how God used this in my life. The above scripture stands out so profoundly on this very topic. We are CHOSEN by God Himself.Let me say that again…. GOD, the Creator of all things…the Master of Eternity…The Infinite…The Boundless…The Stunning and All-Encompassing Lord of everything we experience, has chosen me. Read that back and do it out loud!   Looking at the scripture from Ephesians, we see Paul lay it all out before the church of Ephesus both bluntly and beautifully. This is one of Paul’s Epistles, and it was written to the church in Ephesus most certainly. Yet it is also applicable to the modern church today! This is a universal truth! God Himself handpicked all members of His Church. He called you. He chose you. He changed you. He loves you. He leads you. He wants you…He wants YOU! In spite of your shortcomings. In spite of your sin. In spite of your times of disobedience. In spite of the ugly secret sins we keep hidden from others. He knows them all and He chose you. I ask myself this one-word question daily. Why? What do I have to offer such a magnificent one as God? Now let’s ask it collectively for all of us in faith in Him! What could a perfect and eternal God want to do with a bunch of dishonest, adulterous, angry, violent, thieving, deceitful, idolatrous people? You want to hear the answer? I don’t know. You know what else is so astounding? Paul didn’t either. Looking again in that Scripture we see Paul punt on that question without being asked. “According to the purpose of His will…” It is a truth! One we can cling to and one that should bring us endless hope and joy! We serve HIS will. Not the other way around. Paul didn’t lay out a specific list of qualifications by which God used. He didn’t dream of speaking as a finite man on behalf of a infinite God. No. He gave us a blanket truth as a means to say, “I don’t know”. For HIS Will. Church, I will never know why God chose us. I will never know why, long in Eternity Past, before Creation, God picked up his proverbial pen and “inked” our very existence into being. Our characteristics. What we have for lunch. What job will we have or who will we marry. The losses we would experience or the challenges we face. Yet I will say this, I am so thankful for it. When this realization hit me fully, to my very core it changed my perspective. I am no longer alone, and neither are you.   SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

Proverbs 12:1 (ESV) 1   Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. Back in fifth grade, I had an absolutely amazing teacher. Her name was Mrs. Koehler. I always loved going to school during fifth grade because I knew she was going to greet me there! I was engaged during my classes there in this little rural school in the middle of Southern Illinois. She was so encouraging, engaging, and friendly and kind to everyone in her class! Likely most of us have memories of such teachers we cherished and valued. However, what stood out the most about her is that she was challenging. She wouldn’t let you rest on your laurels, as I painfully discovered one day. During my fifth-grade year I was considered “top of the class” so to speak. As much as a fifth grader can be that is hahaha! However, that mentality gave way to arrogance. One day during our algebra lessons, I started doodling and daydreaming. My teacher noticed this was not the norm for me and asked me to stay after for a moment. She asked me what was going on and if I was alright? In my arrogance I responded, “This stuff is too easy for me, I don’t need to listen to get another A.” She very gently, but also very firmly reminded me of something that to this day I will never forget. “Nobody will want to teach you, if you will never want to learn.”, she warned me. What a profound thought now that I am 40…back when I was 10 I brushed it off with a smile and said, “Yeah you’re right.” The next few days I continued to blow the lessons off. Then came our typical Friday workshop. We would put everything we learned that week to the test. The tests came across our desks, and I started working. I realized very quickly I had made a huge mistake. I had no idea what was on this paper, while all of my classmates had their pencils moving at what seemed like light speed. I sheepishly took the paper up to ask questions of the teacher, as she would typically allow. This time the outcome was different. “Well, you already know how to do this so why don’t you go sit back down and finish it up?”, she said with a warm and also knowing smile. I can still see the look in her eyes while she gave me that smile. I failed that test. My first ever “F” grade on an assignment in my life. All because of my unteachability and arrogance. In the scripture above we are given a very short, but also very pointed reminder from God. If you do not love to be brought correction and what we would call “critical feedback” …you don’t love knowledge and truth. Those who are against it are “stupid.” How often have you been in a scenario similar to the above? Where you “knew what to do” only to have it catastrophically blow up in your face in a most grand way? Each of us likely has several memories that stand out. This is why it is SO critical to nurture a teachable spirit in your own heart. Let me be lovingly blunt, as my fifth-grade teacher was to me…YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS!!! You are like a mere speck in the grand orchestrations of our God and His Kingdom. Surely you are loved and cherished as His Child if you are in Christ…yet let me be clear. Your singular life is miniscule in the grand scheme of things. So why would we think that the fraction of a fraction of a fraction of knowledge we have is anything of consequence? It isn’t! This is a humbling reminder that God as our primary teacher, will sometimes bring people to us that will also bring healthy feedback and instruction.                                                          If you are unwilling to even hear them out and look at this scenario from their perspective, you might very well be as the Scripture says…. stupid. Hey, don’t get mad at me…God said it, I’m just writing it down here. Don’t Be Stupid!  ;) SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

Romans 11:22-23 (ESV)  22  Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you too will be cut off.  23  And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.   Here is a crazy thought…when you are in Christ, you are like an alien. You may be thinking, “what an absurd and odd thing to say?!” “Aren’t we made in His image?!” The answer to that question is an overwhelming YES!   Imago Dei as it is called in the theology world is a core principle of our very existence! We are made in His likeness and expected to live in His law and commands for all of our days! Yet obviously, we are grossly incapable of doing that! Heck, I get lost in my own neighborhood (true story) sometimes…how could I expect to navigate through life in accordance with His commands without fail?! This right here is what alienates us from Him. Going back to the fall of man, and the introduction of sin in the Garden of Eden, man was cut off from Him. We were cast out of His purely good graces. However, in His infinite mercy and love, He has given us a simple plan for redemption! Faith and Repentance! When we submit to the Lordship of Christ and the sacrifice He made, while turning away from our previously sinful lives, we are welcomed to the family of God! And welcomed with open arms! The sojourner is a sojourner no more! The lost is found! The lonely are never alone! We become a branch in the vine of Christ’s Kingdom! And like any branch on a vine, we are expected to bear good fruit!   The above scripture in Romans is a great representation of this. The Apostle Paul uses wonderful language to describe the horticultural and agricultural practice of “grafting”. This is a practice that takes branches or vines from OTHER plants and connects them to a healthy vine or tree and ties them down until the point of grafting heals. In his example he uses a fruit bearing olive tree! Those grafted vines or branches will be able to bear fruit now whereas previously they may not have at all or bore bad fruit! When we make that transition from our old sinful life into the new resplendent life, we undergo such a grafting! From the vines of our previous life, producing no good fruit, we are grafted into the eternal and abundant vine of Christ! Through this action not only is our soul secured to be a part of that vine for all eternity, but we are equipped and made ready to make good fruit! What a wonderful God it is that gives such blessings and gifts out of adoration to His children! It is beyond understanding that He loves His Church so much and so fully that He offers this wonderful gift not only freely, but eternally! No sin you can commit in your past, present, or future will rot away the grafting of the vine! Any and all who desire rest may find it in His arms…and His alone. What kind of mercy and love is that?! SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!

James 5:19-20 (ESV) 19  My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,  20  let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.   If we think and meditate through the years of our lives, likely we can think of plenty of examples in which we knew what we were supposed to be doing, but we sought our own path. We turned away from the correct choice, whether through avoidance of consequences, arrogance, ignorance, or even out of curiosity. Not me though! I’m a pillar of obedience and virtue and innocence!!!     In seriousness, people “want stuff.” Whether those things are material things, like money, houses, cars, fine clothes or jewelry or electronics…or immaterial like companionship, superior jobs, etc. Each of us was created in the image of God Himself! Both in the physical sense, but also in the spiritual. Yet, there is one caveat to that. You see, several thousand years ago, our predecessors Adam and Eve were deceived by the devil. This introduction of sin separated mankind from God. We were at one point, complete and made whole! Then after this fall, the souls of men and women fractured. The fracture runs so deep that the most critical aspect of our existence “fell out”, leaving a gaping hole. Whether mankind realizes it or not, we try to fill that void. Whether it be with “stuff”, people, thoughts, experiences, or anything else in between. Yet there is only ONE thing, or in this case, person, who can fill that void. That being the Triune God! The fracture can certainly be filled. The broken made whole! Praise God for this! However, unfortunately, mankind is prone to wander even after we have been made whole. Nothing is ever enough for our carnal hearts. So even after being transformed and made right with God, we are still very able to stray from Him and what is good and right. Many a believer has fallen back into sin. Whether old ones or new ones…there will always be temptation. We often times are led by our human heart, instead of our regenerated heart from God. Doing so will lead you back to a wandering pattern that will cause you to continue to seek for something to fill the void that is already filled! Therein lies the biggest and most difficult battle of each of our lives. The battle between the old self and the new self. The sinful one and the godly one. In the Scripture above, James writes such a strong warning, paired with such a beautiful reminder. We are not only capable of wandering but some of us WILL deviate. Praise God He has not left us alone to face this battle. You see, God has given us fellow men and women to draw close to! To rely upon in addition to relying on Him! God, so fully adoring when a soul is brought to Him, further celebrates when one flawed human brings another flawed human back towards God and away from the world! That same world that CANNOT fill the void they seek to have filled. Some of us may be in this pattern right now. We don’t feel whole…or we feel “out of sorts.” We are seeking and wandering. My brothers and sisters, draw close to God. Draw close to others! If you are not part of one yet, seek a godly and love filled church and find others to walk with! Remain with God and do not deviate! There is nothing out there that can satisfy as God does. Wanderer, wander no more. SOLI DEO GLORIA!!!!