Roller Coaster Ride

mbarres@dnet.net (Mike Barres) — Thu, 09 Jun 2005 02:00:00 -0500

Are you a thrill seeker?

I remember the first time I went on the roller coaster called the "Scream Machine" at Six Flags in Atlanta, Georgia. I remember going up that first steep incline. The chain pulling us made a "clickity clickity click" noise as we climbed higher and higher. I was nervous and talking a lot and loudly. I looked at my friend next to me and his eyes were closed. Just then he said, "Would you be quiet? I'm trying to pray." Many people love roller coasters because they are so thrilling. The steep climbs up and the super fast plunges down are exhilarating. I have heard of some people who travel all over the country just to ride the newest, most thrilling roller coasters. Too often, that's the way we are with life. We are so "sense-sational" that we live for the thrills and excitement of life and are bored quickly. Many people get off the ride and immediately say, "Let's go again!" The thrill is over quickly and does not satisfy. Others say, "Been there and done that, where's the next great ride?" Wouldn't it be better to do things that matter rather than just looking for more excitement? Isn't thrill seeking selfish after all? And if we are honest, when we invest ourselves in things that are lasting, don't we find lasting meaning and even a thrill or two? Jesus said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) The apostle Paul reminded us "that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting." (Ephesians 4:14) Do we need recreation? Yes. We need to have some fun. The Bible says, "A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones." (Proverbs 17:22) Fun and laughter are great and recreation can recharge our batteries, but shouldn't we be living for Jesus, seeking His Kingdom, and doing things that matter? If you don't believe that's exciting, just take a peak at the book of Acts and see all the thrills those who lived for Jesus and the Kingdom had in their day. Let's not just look for more excitement and thrills. Let's not be "saved, but selfish." Instead, let's reach out, care, pray, serve, sacrifice, share, go, forgive, bless, and do things that matter for the Kingdom of God. We'll be glad we did. Fulfilling our purposes in God are much more satisfying than the cheap passing thrills most experience. If we live for the Kingdom, we spend our time on what matters and end up finding some real - and lasting - excitement along the way. If we're Kingdom-seekers, God will make sure we have our thrills!

About the author: Mike is a pastor and writer for a number of online publications.

Nothing Significant?

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 02:00:00 -0500

So why do we discount what the Lord does through us?

"I just don't feel like I've done anything important for God. I've tried to live a good life, but I just don't see how it matters. I've done nothing important for Jesus." I cannot tell you how many times I've heard these words or words like them. What rips my heart out is that they are often spoke by people who are precious to me and to others in God's family. They do things that are sweet, sacrificial, serving, and tender to people when they need it most. Yet because their acts of service are done quietly or don't seem to be a big deal to them, they think they don't matter that much to God. Some of the most important people in any story go unnoticed and under-appreciated. Yet these people are vital to the story unfolding in the way it does. Without them, the most important things would never happen. This is true whether the story is a movie or a novel or our own personal story. This is quite often true of God's story in the Bible. One of the most amazing stories in Scripture is the conversion of Saul. Saul is the fiercest, most passionate persecutor of the early followers of Jesus (Acts 8:3; Acts 9:1-2; Acts 26:10-11; Galatians 1:13; Philippians 3:6). Of all the early problems Jesus' followers had to overcome, Saul was one of the dangerous and troubling ones. Yet in one event, Jesus turns Saul from his biggest problem into his greatest spokesman! While it took fourteen years for all the details to get completely sorted out (Galatians 2:1), the threat of Saul's violent persecutions were immediately solved and he was on his way to being the most influential follower of Jesus to ever live! However, I'm guessing you can't remember the name of one of the most significant people in the story of Saul's transformation. His name usually escapes most folks' memories. See if you can remember it! Saul of Tarsus, known later as the apostle Paul (Acts 13:9), was struck blind after an amazing encounter with Jesus on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus (Acts 9:3-9). Jesus tells him to go to the city and he will be told what to do to be saved, given a new life mission, and receive his sight again. Meanwhile, a well-known follower of Jesus from Damascus is told to find Saul and share the message of Jesus with him. His name is Ananias and he is reluctant to go because he knows Saul's mission in Damascus is to arrest and persecute people like Ananias and their families (Acts 9:15-16). Ananias is assured that Saul is repentant, and has been spending the last three days fasting from food and water, blindly praying for God's messenger to come share what he needed to do (Acts 22:10). So that is what Ananias does. He risks his life and safety to share Jesus, baptize Saul, and help Saul regain his sight (Acts 22:14-16). So who is the unknown and important player in this story? The man who opened his house for the blinded Saul to wait, pray and fast! The man who was greeted at the door by Jewish Temple soldiers and a blind Jewish man looking for a place to stay in Damascus, Syria! The man who welcomed Ananias, a Christian who was targeted for persecution, into his home to speak with Saul and then lead him to Christ. Without this man's hospitality, none of this would have happened in the beautiful way that it occurred. And the man's name? Do you remember? His name is Judas. Yeah, it is not a name we remember with fondness because of the other Judas. Only a few people to whom I've posed this question actually remembered his name. Luke describes it this way:

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"

"Yes, Lord," he answered.

The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying" (Acts 9:10-11 NIV).

And here is the point I want us to get. Many of us feel that our lives don't make that big of a difference in the grand scheme of things. We are not sure we are doing anything great for God. We compare ourselves to the great Bible heroes like Moses and Esther, Mary and Peter, Joshua and Deborah. We don't consider our lives as any great contribution to the work of God. One of the reasons we do this is because we forget how important other people are to the life of someone great. Without all these other folks, their lives wouldn't have been nearly so influential. For example, where would the apostle Paul have been if Judas hadn't welcomed him into his home and then received Ananias into his home to lead him to Jesus? There are many others in Paul's life that had a dramatic influence on him and enabled him to do the great things he accomplished for the Lord.* Without them, not only would Paul's life have been greatly diminished, but Paul's work for God would have come up far short of what God had intended for him. So rather than discount your work for the Lord, remember that anything we do, when it's offered to the Lord and done for his glory, will be used to grow God's Kingdom and bless God's people. That's why the smallest things, even a cup of cool water given in the Lord's name, is not forgotten and not wasted! And most important of all, even if no one remembers what you did and can't even remember your name, there is One who remembers and will not forget!

God doesn't require attention-getting devices. He won't overlook what you are doing; he'll reward you well (Matthew 6:18 MSG).

God doesn't miss anything. He knows perfectly well all the love you've shown him by helping needy Christians, and that you keep at it (Hebrews 6:10 MSG).

Just off the top of my head I can think of...

Judas who welcomed Paul into his house in Damascus.
Ananias who risked coming to Paul to share the good news of Jesus.
Barnabas who welcomed Paul into church life and ministry in Jerusalem and later came to Tarsus and found him and called him into ministry in Antioch.
Silas who partnered with Paul after the split with Barnabas.
Lois and Eunice who let Paul take Timothy with him on the second missionary journey even though they knew it was very dangerous.
Lydia who followed Christ, opened her home to the missionary team and hosted the church.
The Philippian jailer's family who became Christians, shared a meal, and washed the wounds of Paul and Silas.
Timothy and Titus who served as Paul's apprentices.
Epaphras who served in Colossae and helped Paul minister to them.
Philemon who welcomed and helped Paul.
Onesimus, the run-away slave who because useful to Paul.
Priscilla and Acquila who partnered with Paul in Corinth, Ephesus, and Rome.
The group of people from churches who accompanied Paul on his last journey to Jerusalem to bring the contribution to needy Christians there.
Onesiphorus who searched long and hard and found Paul in prison when everyone else was abandoning him.

And on and on the list could go. In fact, if you look at the beginning and ending of Paul's letters, you will find dozens of people who blessed and influenced and enabled his ministry. Without them, his life and his ministry would have not accomplished all that God used Paul to accomplish!

About the author: Phil Ware has authored 11 years of daily devotionals, including VerseoftheDay.com, read by 500,000 people a day. He works with churches in transition with Interim Ministry Partners and for the past 21+ years, he has been editor and president of HEARTLIGHT Magazine, author of VerseoftheDay.com, God's Holy Fire (on the Holy Spirit), and aYearwithJesus.com. Phil has also authored four books, daily devotionals on each of the four gospels.

Which Kind Are You?

editor@heartlight.org (Thom Lemmons) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 02:00:00 -0500

Are there really two kinds?

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard (Romans 3:23 MSG).

"There are two kinds of people..." How many times have you heard that phrase, followed by either a pithy aphorism or a gross oversimplification? But wouldn't it be nice if humanity really could be easily divided into two neat categories? Givers and takers, haves and have-nots, winners and losers, dog people and cat people ... Usually, the arbitrary "either-or" which follows tells you more about the person choosing the classifications than about the general population she claims to be describing. Nevertheless, and with fear and trembling, I propose that there really are two kinds of people: those who reconcile their bank statements to the penny each and every month, and those who are just grateful if the overdraft notice shows up within forty-eight hours of payday. Without tipping my hand as to which category I'm in, let me just say that I'm all for accuracy, as long as it doesn't take on a life of its own. You know what I mean: the sort of uncompromising perfectionism that causes certain types to stay up until three AM trying to figure out why they're twelve cents long; those driven individuals to whom the CPA's concept of "materiality" is a sloppy excuse for inexactitude. One is governed by law. The other relies on grace. It seems to me that these opposing archetypes illustrate two different approaches to life. One is unswervingly bent on doing it right, on following the rules and reading the installation manual. The other is just as well-intentioned, perhaps, but less linear. One insists on documenting and quantifying every transaction. The other tends to be a bit hazy about cause and effect, less punctilious about balancing the equation. The one is governed by law. The other relies on grace. And maybe here's where the two sides find common ground. Because all of us - even the most rigidly analytical, the most insistent on procedure and results - all of us get overdraft notices from life. All of us know, in our deepest hearts, that human existence isn't a zero sum. Creation isn't black and white. The ledger doesn't always balance. The guilty aren't always punished, the worthy aren't always rewarded, and the distinction between the two isn't always apparent. None of us can perfectly keep the rules, even the ones we make up for ourselves. When was the last time you maintained all your New Year's resolutions for 365 consecutive days? We all need to be able to write off the difference, to say, "close enough," and to forgive others' debts as our own are forgiven. And maybe that's the toughest part: to do for others what we all - whether we admit it or not - need to have done for ourselves. As it turns out, there's only one kind of people: the flawed kind. And now, you'll have to excuse me. My bank statement just came, and I'm wondering how many checks I forgot to record...

The Missing Bible

reprice@dragnet.com.au (Elizabeth Price) — Wed, 08 Jun 2005 02:00:00 -0500

Can you find your Bible in the list?

I opened the catalogue that is posted to me every few weeks and was mesmerized by the array of different Bibles. There were Bibles for men, so I could not read them because I am a woman. There were Bibles for surfers, but I am a strictly land-dwelling species, so I could not read those. There were Bibles for teen-agers, but they'd jail me for fraud if they caught me reading them because of my age. There were Bibles for explorers, but I am already way over the hill so I could not read them because of the mountain separating us. There were Bibles for every group one could name except ... me. I was ostracized by this Bible targeted marketing: didn't fit into a single group. I was totally excluded. Worst of all, my Bible was missing from their list, and it is not even listed as a collector's item. My Bible speaks to everybody; nobody feels left out. Perhaps it is missing because it is too good to be true. So could I make a suggestion, please? Could we just stick to the sinners' Bible? You know, the one we've had all these years. Nobody gets left out of the sinners because "all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard." (Romans 3:23) I am in it, you are in it, men are in it, and teen-agers are in it. In fact, surfers, theologians, students, explorers, and everybody else is in it! Nobody is excluded because sinners are the ones for whom Christ came: "I have come to call sinners to turn from their sins, not to spend my time with those who think they are already good enough." (Luke 5:32) They are even the ones for whom he died: "God demonstrates his love for us in this: When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ... But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:6-8) It's the sinners' Bible, because that is who the Bible is for. Jesus didn't come for anyone else or die for anybody else. In this case, one size actually does fit all! The sinners' Bible: I think it is the best Bible of all, don't you?

About the author: Elizabeth is a team writer for "Just a Minute" e-zine.

The Fred Factor

higginbotham.steve@gmail.com (Steve Higginbotham) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 02:00:00 -0500

How many opportunities will you miss today?

[You know] how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him (Acts 10:38 TNIV).

Not too long ago, I read a book by Mark Sanborn entitled, "The Fred Factor." The book is about a mailman who took his job seriously, and consistently went above and beyond the call of duty in performing it. While the book is not a "religious" book, the spiritual and biblical applications are everywhere. Consequently, I have been teaching a Wednesday night adult class on the biblical principles contained in the "Fred Factor," and I have been challenging people to go out and be a "Fred." It has been interesting to see how much excitement this class has generated. People have taken up the challenge of being a "Fred" (translated - a disciple of Jesus) and going the second mile with people. I would heartily recommend the book to you. It is an easy read, being only 112 pages long. Well, allow me to share a close encounter I had with being a "Fred" this past week. My son, Michael, and I went to the courthouse so that he could get his driving permit. As we stood in line, there was a 16 year-old girl in front of us who was bubbling over with excitement because she, too, had passed her driving permit. As she stood at the window, one of the clerks asked her if she had her birth certificate. She excitedly said, "Yes Ma'am! I sure do!" Then the clerk asked her if she had her Social Security card. Again, with exuberance, she said, "Yes Ma'am! I sure do!" Then the clerk said, "That will be $12.00." Suddenly, the girl's disposition changed. "$12.00? I don't think I have $12.00. I didn't know I had to pay anything." Well, she began digging through her wallet and could not come up with $12.00. Finally she asked, "Can I just run home real quick? I just live a few blocks away and I'll bring you the money." Well, can you guess what I did at that point? If you're thinking I gave her the $12.00 that she needed, keeping her from running home, while also making a huge impact on her life by having an absolute stranger help her out, you would be wrong! Nope, I just stood there and watched her run out of the room and off toward home. Only after she was gone did I think, "What an opportunity to make a difference! And I missed it!" I could have kicked myself. Instead of being a "Fred," I was a "Claude." In fact, with a little reflection, I think I could probably write a book entitled, "The Claude Factor." So I'll live and learn, and hopefully be more sensitive to the opportunities I have to make a difference in the lives of other people. Not because that's what "Fred" would do, but because that's what Jesus would do.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:10).

About the author: Steve Higginbotham is a native of West Virginia. His father also preached. Steve serves the Karns Church of Christ in Knoxville, TN and is an instructor in the Southeast Institute of Biblical Studies and an editor for Think Magazine. Steve & Kim have four children, Kelli, Michael, Matthew, and Anne Marie.

Featured Articles from Heartlight

Roller Coaster Ride

Nothing Significant?

Which Kind Are You?

The Missing Bible

The Fred Factor