I love to learn from people. I met a cashier at a c-store. He was in his mid 50’s, well groomed, and pleasant. I was engaging him to get to know him and take the conversation spiritual, if I could. I found out this was his part-time job, but his full-time “job” was playing poker. Poker was the PASSION of his life. (BTW — If he was good at it, he wouldn’t need a part-time job, would he?)

Another man about the same age, with whom I’ve been dialoguing is an alcoholic. Alcohol isn’t his passion, but it is his go-to for comfort. Somehow he can hold a job, but as he put it,  “Life is real hard.” I asked him if life was hard because of bad decisions he had made. He agreed. My heart breaks for both of these men. 

How good it is to stop and take an objective look at our lives. Could some, or many, be headed for trouble just like those two men? One knows he is in trouble. The other doesn’t. They didn’t plan to be where they are now twenty or thirty years ago.  Evaluate the path you are on. If headed in a bad direction, which is not pleasing to the Lord, or is compromising, now is the time to stop. Prune the weeds out of your life. Those weeds may not be gambling or alcohol, but you probably know what it is in your life that isn’t pleasing to the Lord. Sure, it will take courage, but that is what being a man is about. We live for Him Who died for us. 

The fear of the Lord is such a good thing. At the least, it keeps us from doing stupid things. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).

Last week we considered the impact of the American male’s idol – football – on the hearts of professing Christian men. As our society spirals and you remain steadfast, be prepared to be considered peculiar if you don’t share the same idols. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:13-14). 

Will we be longing for our Lord’s return and busy about His business or having a great time while our Master is away? He gave Himself for us. Will we give ourselves for Him? The more of the “worldly stuff” we are involved in and has our hearts, the more pulled away from being steadfast in the faith we are likely to be. Paul had just warned them “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Don’t be deceived. Worldly influences will corrupt our hearts and walk. That is why Paul commanded us to be “stedfast, unmoveable,” and to do that we must always abound in the work of the Lord. 

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

What is something you look forward to and gladly exchange your precious time for, and if it didn’t happen, you would be MOST disappointed? For many Christians, an example of that occurred on Sunday evening, and I’m not referring to church. I can picture that if the rapture had happened during the big game, many would have exclaimed, “OH NO. Not right now. It isn’t over!” “But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them” (Psalms 106:35-36).

I don’t believe it isn’t because they don’t love Jesus. They would say they do love Jesus. But do they love Jesus enough to truly value and live by His commands to us? If we LOVE Jesus and are grateful for our salvation, everything else this world offers pales (stinks) in comparison. We set our affection (heart) on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, not on things of the earth (Col 3:2). 

Some might say, “Come on. God expects us to have some fun.” Really? “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). We will look at this verse in more depth next week. 

She was very personable when we met her over twenty years ago. We inquired about her car for sale and then talked for a while. Her home was on the road we traveled often, and we would observe it as we passed by. Over the years we noticed her modest home was less kept up, and trash was accumulating. Finally, last year her home looked like it was pushed up from the ground into a garbage dump. 

One day I saw her outside, pulled into her drive, and spoke to her. I said I wondered if she could use some help. I was more than happy to help her. She kindly thanked me and said her kids who lived in the Ozarks were coming up to help. Well, that never happened, and it appears now she is either in a nursing home or passed because her car is gone and a dumpster is in its place. My heart ached for that woman and her horrid living conditions. 

We don’t understand how a person could live in garbage, yet how many professing Christians do exactly that – spiritual and moral garbage that is. The internet and TV will stream filth right to your ears and eyeballs – all one could lust for and more. It might be moral filth, or Disney witchcraft, or the sensuality du jour. 

“And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:14-15). Please, please, don’t accept things the average church-going Christian embraces these days. Whether physical or spiritual hoarding, you don’t have to do anything. Garbage just happens.  Holiness takes effort and vigilance. 

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love” (Ephesians 1:4).

When you are speaking to your children, where do you want them to look at you – 

your feet, hands, chest, or your face? Of course we want them to look at our face, eye to eye. When they look us eye to eye, that is the closest we come in connecting soul to soul. Our face is our image and summary statement of who we are.

Could that be why the Lord said, “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek” (Psalms 27:8). Also, “Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore”(Psalms 105:4).

We normally would not look intently into the eyes of someone we don’t know. May we know Him by trusting in His shed blood for our sins, consuming His Word and then living it. Love Him. Abide in Him. Seek His face. Amen my Brothers?

You know the account of Jesus when he was twelve and was missing from the family when they were returning from Jerusalem.  “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). Jesus’ reply to His parents questions was, “How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? (Luke 2:49).

Jesus was always looking to His Heavenly Father and doing the Father’s will. That was Who He lived for and yes, would eventually die for. In John 5 after healing the impotent lame man on the Sabbath, he was questioned by Jews. “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (John 5:17). 

If saved, and a child of God, is that your heart’s desire as well—to always be busy about the Father’s work? Today so many professing, Christian dads are entertainment minded. They have never grown out of the child’s fun and games mentality. 

How much better to spend our time busy about the Father’s work  serving the Lord in our jobs, ministering to our families and to others as He leads, pursuing the lost around us for salvation. Be an example to your children of the joy that comes when we work for the Father. 

“We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

2023 is over, and if you noticed, the Lord didn’t return. Could it happen in 2024? Do you long for His return, or might you be happy if He doesn’t come in your lifetime? Seriously consider this. Might His return be the furthest thing from your mind, or do you have a constant awareness and desire to see Him? Do you love Him above all people and things? “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37).

You will remember my post titled “Humbling.”  The Lord graciously convicted me that I wasn’t handing out tracts regularly. I would engage and witness, but I could be more effective by carrying and giving out tracts. It has been good since I began. I can’t reclaim the lost ground over all those years, but I can be faithful with each new day He gives me. 

That is probably the only good thing I can think of for the Lord delaying His return. We can  share with more people as to why they need Jesus. “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39).

“They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption” (Psalms 49:6-9).

The dire need of families today is for husbands/fathers who are men of God and serious about living for Him Who died to purchase them. Our Savior humbled Himself by leaving the glory of Heaven to come to this world to redeem for Himself a peculiar people. Are we living for Christ, or the “gods” of this world? 

Might this time be similar to Judges 3? We are told in verse 3:1a “Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them…” Prove means to “test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test.” There were two purposes. To also teach them how to fight against evil and to see if they would obey “… to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD” (Judges 3:4b). 

They failed. In verses 5-7, we are told the children of Israel, “… dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites…took spouses for their children from them and served their gods.” In essence, they loved the world, lived like the world, and embraced their gods.  

I wonder if the Corinthian church was an example of that in Paul’s time AND what is going on in the American church as a current example. May we heed Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians.

“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:16-18).