Tag: Jacqui Stoner

JUST AS IF I NEVER….

Martin Luther’s struggle with sin and guilt tortured him for years, leading to a deep fear of God’s judgment and a desperate quest for peace. 

In the midst of terrible anguish, Job asked the most important question, “How can a man be right before God?” (Job 9:20) He already knew about God, His perfection, mightiness, and holiness. How can we stand before this perfect God? Millions of people since Job, have asked the same question. After hearing John Baptist’s fearful warnings about Gods judgments, the multitudes questioned John, “Then what shall we do?” (Luke 3:10) The rich young ruler asked Jesus, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life? (Luke 18:18) Lying blinded on the road to Damascus, Saul cried out to Jesus, “What shall I do Lord?”  (Acts 22:10) The Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (Acts 16:30) Job’s question is timeless.

VIEWED AS RIGHT BEFORE GOD

The answer comes in Romans 3:21-28: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus”. We fall desperately short of the mark of God’s holiness. G. E. Ladd writes, “The root idea in justification is the declaration of God, the righteous judge, that the man who believes in Christ, sinful though he may be, is righteous—is viewed as being righteous, because in Christ he has come into a righteous relationship with God.”

DECLARE RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE OF SOMEONE ELSE

As a child, I learned the simple saying “Justified means just as if I never sinned.” After my conversion at age 12, God looked at me as His child, as one who has been made right. Because of Christ, I entered into a right relationship with God.  I am justified; declared to have the righteousness of someone else: Jesus Christ. He declares me right and for that I will be eternally grateful.

DECLARED HOLY

This doesn’t mean I stopped sinning at age 16. Justification has to do with God’s declaration about the sinner, not any change within the sinner. That is, justification, per se, does not make anyone holy; it simply declares him to be not guilty before God and is therefore treated as holy. This is how God looks at me. I am declared holy. The working out of that holiness is an entirely different topic: sanctification.

MARTIN LUTHER’S AGONY

Martin Luther, the great theologian of Germany, was tormented by his sin prior to his conversion. His intense struggle with sin and guilt tortured him for years, leading to a deep fear of God’s judgment and a desperate quest for peace. He spent hours in confession, sometimes days, confessing every sin he could think of. Still, he remained anxious about the unknown sins he might have missed. Those who knew him feared for his total sanity. His search for relief was fruitless until he studied the Book of Romans and learned that salvation is not earned through good works or confession. It is a free gift received through faith in Jesus Christ.

A FREE GIFT?

A free gift? This is what Luther searched for during all those painful years of anguish. The key is understanding that justification has to do with God’s declaration about the sinner, not any change within the sinner. That is, justification, per se, does not make anyone holy; it simply declares him to be not guilty before God. God, therefore treats the sinner as holy. This understanding turned Luther’s life trajectory around. It eventually tumbled the religious world on its heals. It was the spark for the Protestant Reformation.

Luther learned that all people who accept Christ as their Savior, are saved only through faith. Thus, we become justified before God. “How can a man be right before God?”  Only by being justified before God through faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ. We are declared Holy before the One and only Holy God. I can become overwhelmed by my sin and my arrogance toward the things of God. At this point, I remember the beautiful gift of justification from God. “Just as if I never sinned!”

I’LL PRAISE YOU IN THE STORM

The year 2011 birthed one of the darkest points in our ministry, family, and individual lives

I was sure by now God, You would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. And once again I say, “A-men” but it’s still raining’. As the thunder rolls I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, “I’m with you”. As Your mercy falls I’ll raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away. And I’ll praise You in this storm for You are who You are, no matter where I am. Every tear I’ve cried You hold in Your hand. You never left my side, and though my heart is torn, I will praise You in this storm. (“Praise You In The Storm” by Casting Crowns)

AND THEN THE YEAR CAME…

The year 2011 birthed one of the darkest points in our ministry, family, and individual lives. Without warning, Bill was dismissed from the church he pastored due to a lack of gifts in the offering plate and infighting within the church. After forty-two years in ministry, my husband found himself without a church. Bill stumbled into crushing depression. I plummeted into the same hole; however, I was the one who hunted with all her strength a way to glue the pieces together.

INFECTED FESTERING WOUNDS

For years, church was closer to us than our biological family. Church supplied purpose, love and stability. I felt like a limb had been ripped off without anesthesia. The emotional and spiritual wounds became infected. They festered and clouded our vision. Now with only one income, we eventually lost our house and most of our retirement savings. Humiliation surfaced as we struggled through that first Christmas where I repurposed household items as Christmas presents. Ever present in my heart resonated my greatest fear, that we would become homeless.

THE CHOICE

As my emotional state deteriorated, I realized I had to make a choice, either to trust God or deny Him. This was not an emotional choice; it was a decision based on the facts of Who God is. I decided to draw the line in the sane and to trust God.

CHOOSING TO TRUST

How could I reinforce my choice to trust? During daily walks I began to memorize Scripture dwelling on Who God is. As I tread the sidewalks of Lancaster during lunch, I kept repeating one phrase, “I choose to trust in You.”

Did I feel warm and fuzzy? No. The time felt endless as we waited, waited, and waited for God to work both on our hearts and our circumstances. I kept repeating “I choose to trust in You.” With all my heart, I wanted God to return life to the happier, predictable, and comfortable past. God didn’t choose that direction.

I’M WITH YOU

“I was sure by now God, You would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. And once again I say, “A-men” but it’s still raining’. As the thunder rolls I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, “I’m with you”.”

IN THE END, IT IS BETTER

God all the time was at work, but I often could not see Him. He supplied our need for alternative housing. He introduced us to new friends and gave us both new careers and ministries. Nothing was like we envisioned, but in the end, it is better. And I’ll praise You in this storm for You are who You are, no matter where I am.  

LIVING IN THE SHELTER OF THE MOST HIGH

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him. (Psalm 91:1-2)

COLORING OUTSIDE THE LINES

In her well-planned life, she never considered taking a step out on faith.

While in Costco I ran into an acquaintance from our previous church. She knew Bill announced his resignation and planned to pursue another ministry. Naturally, she asked where we were going next. I replied, “I don’t know. God has not shown us.” A look of horror spread across her face. One would have thought I began speaking in tongues and dancing in the aisles of Costco. In her well-planned life, she never considered taking a step out on faith. She did not know God may choose to be creative and unconventional. God sometimes “colors outside the lines.”

PAUL’S LACK OF PLANS

In Acts 16, Paul is not positive which direction God wants them to take on their mission trip. For all of us for whom detailed planning is vital, news like this makes our stomachs queasy. Do you think the Apostle Paul’s friends wondered about Paul’s lack of plans?

WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?

The Holy Spirit told Paul’s crew where not to go: Asia. The group had just come from the east. God forbids them to go south or north. It is interesting that they do not presume the Lord is leading them to the west. They wait for His specific directions. Like the woman at Costco, some may have wondered, “What in the world are you doing?”

GOD COLORS OUTSIDE THE LINES

God chooses to color outside the lines. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Ray Stedman observes: “As we look back, across the intervening twenty centuries, we can see that this is one of the most important events of all time. It changed the whole course of Western civilization. Perhaps no single event since the cross of Christ has so affected the world as Paul’s seemingly unpretentious decision to cross a narrow neck of water.”

NOT PAUL’S NORM

The missionaries pack their bags and travel to the city of Philippi, a leading city of Macedonia. The dynamics of Philippi did not fit Paul’s norm. Usually, Paul goes to the synagogue first to share the Gospel. But there is no synagogue to be found Philippi. A quorum of at least ten Jewish men is needed to have a synagogue. No men, so what does Paul do when the Sabbath Day arrives? The crew make their way to the river where they may at least find a place of prayer.

What do they discover? A group of women led by Lydia, a worshipper of God. She is a Gentile businesswoman, not the typical audience of Paul’s. God colors outside the lines.

FIRST EUROPEAN CONVERT TO CHRISTIANITY

Paul didn’t bail on Philippi because it didn’t fit his plans. Instead, he stands on the riverbank and obeys God. Paul shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Lydia. Stedman notes, “The gospel first entered Europe through a Business and Professional Women’s Association meeting.” Lydia becomes the first European convert to Christianity.

Think of the millions who came to know Christ through the ages in Europe due to one Gentile woman worshipping God on a riverbank. At the beginning of Acts 16, there are no men. Where did the Christian brothers come from mentioned at the end of Acts 16? They resulted from Lydia and her evangelistic efforts. Lydia’s home became the first house church in Europe.

Some may look at horror regarding Paul’s lack of travel plans. He did not color within the conventional paths. The lady at Costco would not have been pleased. However, Paul waited on God and obeyed God exactly, even when things may have appeared a little wonky.

WHAT IS GOD CALLING YOU TO DO?

What is God calling you to do that is out of your comfort zone? Do you have difficulty saying “yes” while thinking of lots of reasons to say “no”? I’m so glad that years ago we said yes to God. God never abandons us, even when things may appear a little askew. He often colors outside the lines, and it is glorious!

For additional reading, click the “Great Awakening”

THE CRACKED CLAY POT

Whose power will you choose when you are weak?

Frequently, I experienced humiliation while employed as a music teacher and choral director.  Twice I fell backwards off the stage. Once I tripped on the steps while ascending the stage. There was that special outdoor concert when my music blew off the stand into the audience. Especially humbling was the occasion I gave my acapella choir the incorrect beginning note via pitch pipe. Hence, the choristers began the “Hallelujah Chorus” on notes unsustainably high on their vocal cords. 

TREASURE HIDDEN IN JARS OF CLAY

God speaks that despite our embarrassments and weaknesses, everything is ultimately in His hands. The most trying of circumstances can reveal His power when we let Him. II Corinthians 4:7-20 notes God’s take on the humbling circumstances believers encounter: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh…So we do not lose heart. 

RENEWAL DAY BY DAY

Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

CHIPPED, CRACKED AND WEAK

Bottom line is “we have this treasure (the Gospel) in jars of clay (our bodies) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”  A clay jar is not steel; it chips, cracks and becomes outwardly weaker with age.  Those close to us are quite aware of our outward and inward chips and dents. However, we can make the choice to beautifully allow God to get the glory regardless of the circumstances.  His power alone is available even amid the most painful and humbling moment(s). 

CHOICES WE MAKE

Remember this the next time you are tired (your clay jar reality). You find yourself in the midst of a conversation that can direct someone toward Christ, but you are exhausted. Whose power will you choose in your weakness?

What about the next time you get stuck in line at the store and the person you are dealing with is rude? You would like very much to “righteously” set them straight (clay jar reality). Whose power will you choose in your weakness?  

How about season(s) you feel down and alone? You become tempted to dwell on the pain regarding those who have forgotten you (your wilderness clay jar experience).  Whose power will you choose in your weakness?

DISPLAYING ALL HIS POWER WHEN WE ARE WEAK

Our God isn’t as much concerned about our own dignity and personal lack of strength as He is in displaying all His glory in the moments when we are at our weakest. “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” It is a choice to display God’s glory or to remain sadly immersed and caught up in our own weaknesses.

Are you are wondering and that memorable performance when the choir began singing the “Hallelujah Chorus” four notes too high? I stopped them after four measures. Smiling, I turned to the audience and blew the pitch pipe again (correctly this time). We resumed singing our unique version of the Hallelujah Chorus.  Praise be to God, He renewed this old clay pot. Glory to His name!

WHERE DOES EVIL GROW?

Reeling from the events of that week, I wondered what low point the writer had arrived at in implying that Charlie got what he deserved.

I made the mistake of reading a Facebook post applauded and forwarded by someone I knew. It read, “The irony cuts deep: the very movement that has excused, minimized, and even glorified violence is now recoiling from it when the cost touches home.” The writer identified as a “progressive” and referred to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. It was a very long night as those words raced around my mind. Reeling from the events of that week, I wondered what low point the writer had arrived at in implying that Charlie got what he deserved.

LOVER OF DEBATE

Charlie Kirk loved and delighted in discussion. His vocabulary when debating was never a vile stream of four-letter words against opponents.  He went on campuses to encourage debate and to motivate students to think for themselves. Unlike others, he researched and knew what he was talking about. Charlie’s numbers grew because he was engaging and had a photographic memory. He actually gave his opponents the larger mic.

DIDN’T WANT TO BE A POLITICIAN

At the age of 18 Charlie began by wanting to influence politics in America. He was not afraid to stand up for what he believed was good for his country. Charlies didn’t do what was politically expedient in order to get votes. He didn’t want to become a career politician.

WHAT HARM IS IT TO READ THE GOSPELS?

His worldview greatly matured over the years. Charlie unabashedly stood up for his faith in Jesus Christ. Especially in his last few years, it was Christ first, politics second. He was not Christian Nationalist. Christian Nationalists contend that to be a “true” American, one must be a Christian. Charlie did invite people to investigate who Christ is. What harm is accomplished by reading the Gospels?

FORGIVENESS OUT OF OBEDIENCE

Have you listened to the speech his wife gave at his memorial service? Erika Kirk said she forgave Charlie’s killer. She agrees with Jesus: “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15; Matthew 18:21-35).

A commentator from MSNBC said, “Mr. Kirk pushed hate speech. Hateful thoughts lead to hateful words, which then lead to hateful actions.” The man implied that Charlie deserved what he got.

VIOLENCE IS WRONG

Violence, in all its forms, is wrong. Ask yourself which movement(s) and thought process excuse, minimize, and glorify violence? Mahatma Gandhi believed violence was a temporary, harmful approach, stating, “I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent”. He asserted “Non-violence is a weapon of the strong”. Nonviolence requires courage, distinguishing it from cowardice.

COWARDLY VIOLENCE

Where is the strength demonstrated in setting fires, tearing down statues, destroying businesses, and attacking citizens? This is not courage. It is cowardice.

ONLY LIGHT DRIVES OUT DARKNESS

Martin Luther King Jr. famously stated, “Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that”. 

NON-VIOLENCE: WEAPON OF THE STRONG

Remember the mobs on college campuses? Isn’t targeting an ethnic group a crime? Students threaten to hurt students on campuses because they were Jewish. What good is accomplished by threats of violence? The mobs show their moral weakness. They don’t know “non-violence is a weapon of the strong.”

THE NIGHT DEVOID OF STARS

“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars”. Who can forget the violence of October 7, 2023? More than 1,200 men, women and children, including 46 Americans and citizens of more than 30 countries, were slaughtered by Hamas – the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Girls and women were sexually assaulted. Babies were slaughtered. The depravity of the terrorists’ crimes is unspeakable. All the hostages (living or dead) still have not been released.

You posted on Facebook: “The irony cuts deep: the very movement that has excused, minimized, and even glorified violence is now recoiling from it when the cost touches home.” Please make sure you know which movement(s) and thought process have excused, minimized, and gloried violence.

WHERE EVIL COMES FROM

We can’t heal until evil is looked squarely in the face and called evil, regardless of political or ethnic affiliation. “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Evil doesn’t originate with the weapon of choice. Evil originates from the heart.

BEFORE AND AFTER LIFE

I was talking to a man who covered from head to toe with tattoos and piercings all over his body. Why was he wearing a Christian T-shirt?

I was subbing for a first-grade class. The teacher next door came over to tell me how wonderful the children were. She smiled, I smiled, and then she spoke that one little word that gave new appreciation for everything she said in the previous sentence: “but.” That one word can illustrate the difference between light and dark.

WHAT WE ALL WANT

In Ephesians 1:17-23, Paul writes one of the most encouraging prayers made over believers who embrace the name of Christ: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious father, may give you the spirit of wisdom, and revelation, so that you may know Him better”.  Wow. Isn’t that what all of us want? To “know Him better.”

HOPE IS GREAT

He goes on to describe the hope He calls us to, the richness each of us can experience, and the great power each of us have working in our lives. He says we have all these things because Christ rose from the dead! Great encouragement! Paul then closes the chapter by saying: “And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head, over everything for the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.” That sounds great. What more needs to be added to understand this blessed life?

WHAT WE WERE LIKE

Paul begins Ephesians 2:1-7 with: “As for you.” Here he reminds believers what they used to be like.  “All of us also lived … gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts.” We by nature deserved wrath. Not desiring the spirit of wisdom and revelation, we desired to feed our hearts with sin. Ahh! Sounds like a bad memory.

TWO REALITIES

The word “but” is used by Paul as if to say, “We have a great group of kids today, but oh, how they have changed from the mess they once were.” We have two realities, not only how wonderful our new life is, but what our past was like without Christ. This is the reason Paul takes time to remind the church where they came from. He uses our past to explain our future.

A MIRACLE OF NEW LIFE

The other day I was talking to a man who covered from head to toe with tattoos and piercings all over his body.  I asked him about the Christian t-shirt he was wearing. He said he was saved just seven years ago and today he is studying to become a pastor. By sharing his past with people he meets, he deliberately opens the opportunity to tell them about his future! He doesn’t focus on his past, but he explains how great God is, and how wonderful God was to send His son to die for our sins. To understand the miracle of new life, it was necessary to understand where he came from.

Paul offers a word of hope. “Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions, it is by grace you have been saved.”  Remember, we have a wonderful life in Christ. The “BUT” before Christ and our total separation from God is a fact. However, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that makes an entire new life possible!

THE “BUT” IN YOUR STORY

Do people know the “but” in your story; both what you were before Christ and how Christ is being glorified today? I was blessed by a tattooed guy with multiple piercing to hear about the miracle of transformation. Are you blessing others with your story of before and after?

THE LURE

I am definitely not that person – the one who walks in McDonalds, talks to the clerk taking their order, and within five minutes leads the individual to Christ.

I am definitely not that person – the one who walks in McDonalds, talks to the clerk taking their order, and within five minutes leads the individual to Christ. Blessed are the people who own that gift. For years I thought there was something wrong with me; if I just had better skills, I could be that person. How can I be a fisher of men?

TOOLS OF GREAT FISHERMEN

Maybe I have a misconception regarding fishing. While visiting an antique shop, I saw tools of great fishermen, fishing lures. An entire case filled with them. Did you know there are categories of lures? The main groups are soft plastics, hard baits and jigs. Within these categories, specific lure types vary widely, such as swimbaits, spinnerbaits, spoons, and flies, each designed to mimic different prey or imitate various underwater movements to attract fish. The basic reason for all these lures is to attract and draw in the fish. The variety of the lures is astounding.

DALE’S STORY

All fishermen fish, but the lures they use vary. What type of lures can you use? Years ago, my husband worked in a machine shop while going to college. Let’s say the response to the Gospel was not overwhelmingly positive among his co-workers. Their manager had a habit of losing his temper and throwing machine parts at the employees he was angry at. What brought the negative response was that the same manager would carry gospel tracts in his pocket and leave them in the men’s bathroom for his employees to read. My husband never carried a tract with him but built a friendship with his co-workers. Bill particularly engaged in conversations with a man named Dale. During their interactions Bill would give glimpses of His relationship to Christ, but it never got into a deep interchange. It was just a natural part of Bill’s conversations. One day Dale walked up to Bill and said, “I believe, I believe what you told me.”

Of course, Bill asked, “You believe what?” That opened heaven’s doors. Dale wanted to know all about heaven and how to get to heaven. After further conversation, Dale received Christ. In God’s mercy, this was a blessing of timing. Within a year Dale died of a sudden heart attack. Bill’s fishing lure was casually and naturally interjecting Christ into conversations. He was winsome, loving, and honest, genuinely caring about getting to know Dale. God took it from there.

THE SCREAMING MAN WITH THE SIGN

When I worked downtown Lancaster, Fridays on the town square would be a man holding up a large sign featuring a Bible verse. He would yell at the people and cars passing that they were going to hell and needed to be saved. If I was an unbeliever, his lure would drive me away. The lure that might attract me would be a friendly conversation about Christ. A natural and kind interaction.

ALL FISHERMEN, BUT DIFFERENT LURES

All believers are called to be fishers of men, to attract people to Christ. Not all believers are gifted to work using the same lures. God knows this. He just wants us to make ourselves available and obedient in whatever situation we find ourselves, and to let God handle the results. You may not be that person at McDonalds, but you are a fisherman fully called to reach others for Christ. Let Him show you the tools, the lures, which will best equip you in His ministry. The world is filled with Dales, just waiting for you.

Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mark 1:16-20) That is Jesus’ promise.

UNGUARDED WORDS REVEAL THE HEART

Thousands of words flew out of people’s mouths this past week while responding to the news reports of a major assassination.

Thousands of words flew out of people’s mouths this past week while responding to the news reports of a major assassination. Feedback came from all over the world. I heard cries over the loss over a great orator, cries of his family over the loss of a husband and father, and cries from believers over the loss of a man who always made sure people knew who Jesus was. Tragically, I also heard cries of joy over a man’s death because they disagreed with Charlie Kirk. Regardless of the political dialogue he engaged in, Charlie always made sure people knew Who Christ is. Jesus was his only Savior, not politics.

THE VALUE OF LIFE

What are we when as a society citizens celebrate the assassination of human life? Every human being is created by God, regardless of their political affiliation.

A HEART REVEALED

“You see, by dint of will people can make a good showing for a time, but sooner or later there will come that unguarded moment when the “careless word” will slip out to reveal the true condition of the heart. If we are full of compassion, it will be revealed; if we are full of bitterness, that also will be revealed.” (Richard J. Foster wrote in “Celebration of Discipline”)

JESUS’ RESPONSE

The Bible tells us exactly how Jesus would respond both to the death of His worst political enemy and also to Charlie’s death. Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven… If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors (pagans) doing that?”(Matt 5:43-46) Anger and contempt are equal to murder (Matt. 5:21-22). 

REACTIONS FROM THE CROSS

Jesus did not just teach “love your enemy”, He reacted by living it. The Roman cross was the most brutal form of execution of its day. As His broken body was dying on the cross, Jesus’ heart filled with compassion. Instead of spewing hate at those torturing Him, He prayed for the people directly responsible for his death (Luke 23:34). He was filled with sadness and compassion for His enemies.

THOSE WHO LIVE DAILY UNDER THREAT OF DEATH

The purpose of the assassin’s bullet this past week is not new to this time or place. It was meant to make a point, to silence Charlie. Opposition, persecution and death have been part of God’s people’s existence from the earliest days. Today more than 350,000,000 Christians follow Jesus in parts of the world where daily they live under constant threat of death.   

BE PREPARED TO ANSWER

Jesus tells us in I Peter 3:15-16, “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” God requires us to have compassion for those who are lost and pray for them. We are even required to pray for the salvation of the assassin of Charlie Kirk, as well as the people celebrating his death. Prayers like this separate religious people from Christ followers. What thousands of words and thoughts are flowing out of your heart? How will you choose to respond?

WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

“Wait until you have Mr. Stoner as a sub; he is the best ever!”

Thy tiny 1st grader ran up to me, gave me a hug, and said, “Mrs. Stoner, you are the best substitute teacher I have ever had!” Wow what good taste this child had! Of course, it was the beginning of the school year, she may have never had a substitute teacher before, and I was only assigned to her for half a day.

I responded, “Wait until you have Mr. Stoner as a sub; he is the best ever!”

WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

This is the line of response Jesus gave His disciples when they worried about His talk of His departure. They spent up to three years living with Him. How could His departure be for their good? What could be better?

Jesus responds: But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you].  (John 16:7).

24/7 CARE

To their advantage? Yes! They would have the permanent benefit of having a constant Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener with them 24/7. An upgrade in care extending through the centuries for all believers Jesus deeply cares for.

CONTINUAL UPGRADED BENEFIT

Because He loved them, Jesus requested of the Father to: give another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you. (John 14:16-17) A continual upgraded benefit.

The Spirit of Truth for believers. Sorely needed in the confusing world we in live in today where truth is in short supply.

RADICAL CHANGE

In “Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit” Francis Chan makes this observation: “If we read and believed these accounts, we would expect a great deal of the Holy Spirit. He would not be a mostly forgotten member of the Godhead whom we occasionally give a nod of recognition to, which is what He has become in most American churches. We would expect our new life with the Holy Spirit to look radically different from our old life without Him.”

The disciples appreciated and loved Jesus for their basic training, but Jesus wanted more for them: the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

CALLED TO BE OUR HELPER

That little first grade girl thought I was wonderful, but she had no idea that my husband thrives on being a substitute teacher. This is his calling. The calling of the Holy Spirit is to be our Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth.

Are you appreciating what God offers? He always plans greater things for us than we can imagine.

2,800 HOURS CAN ROCK THE WORLD

Many professing believers said to him, “I’ll be praying for you. I’ll be thinking about you”. None said, “I have an extra room you can stay in.”

My friend Jeff encountered a massive obstacle. Not due to any fault of his own, he faced the prospect of being homeless. The timing of this was formidable. He came out of complicated major surgery and faced release from the hospital. His heart cried out to God. Many professing believers said to him, “I’ll be praying for you. I’ll be thinking about you”. None said, “I have an extra room you can stay in.” Jeff felt very alone within his church family.

GENUINE HOSPITALITY

Where is the love described in Hebrews 13:1-3? “Let love of your fellow believers continue. Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously].”

PAGANS FLED…THE CHRISTIANS STAYED

What is the church’s role in taking care of hurting people? The earliest Christian church rose to emergencies. “Hospital” comes from the Latin word hospes, meaning “guest” or “host,”. It originally referred to a place of lodging and care for travelers or strangers. Kyle King notes: “While the pagans fled out of fear of plagues sweeping through the cities, the Christians stayed to care for the sick and the dying. Not fearing the ‘sting’ of death because of their hope in heaven, the Christians became mobile nurses of plague victims. This effort not only revealed the radical love of Christ, but it also caused the Christian movement to grow even more rapidly.”

ENTERTAINING ANGELS

Furthermore, “The hospital became a primary way for the ‘preaching of the pulpit.’ How do we care for challenging individuals God puts before us? Say, we give a low-ball estimate of 700 for adult believers at GCC who can give love which comes at a personal cost: time, effort, patience, and money. Do you number among those who immediately answer, “Yes, count me in!”? Hebrews says, “some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Have you served angels?

REMEMBER…REMEMBER

Hebrews tells us to remember.  “Remember those who are in prison, as if you were their fellow prisoner, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body [and subject to physical suffering].” This is not a suggestion; it is a command. True believers are supposed to be in the midst, caring for others when it is messy and inconvenient. This comes at a cost to our own plans and fortunes. Do you number among believers who readily offer this type of love? Was Jeff an angel who many chose to ignore?

That’s why a friend of ours anchors his ministry in Lancaster Prison. He not only ministers at the prison but also invites to GCC prisoners freshly released from the system. It can be messy and inconvenient, but God brings great blessings to his efforts.

2,800 HOURS OF CHANGING THE WORLD

Is GCC known as a safe haven, as a congregation which welcomes with open arms those who are neglected, without hope, and friendless? What would happen if every adult and teen in our congregation gave one hour a week to care for others? A low-ball estimate would total at least 700 hours of caring for believers, strangers, prisoners, and those in need of loving caring hands. One month of such ministry would mean 2,800 hours of community care. Can you imagine the impact that the Gospel could make in our county, our state, our country?

BOTH WORLD AND HEAVEN AWAIT YOU

Will it be said in your eulogy, that you “never forgot to care for the poor and miserable. He/she numbered among the more than 700 believers choosing to serve by displaying the radical love of Christ.” The world and heaven both wait for your response.