Have you ever felt like a situation was never going to change? You wanted it to change. You prayed for it to change. But it just never seemed like change was going to happen. Or what about looking at the condition of the world, and wonder how long is God going to wait to do something about what is going on. Jesus said that many will have this opinion or feeling as we get closer and closer to the return of Jesus. Jesus puts it this way in Matthew 24:12-13, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” In these verses, Jesus shows us both sides of humanity. On the one hand, there are those whose love will grow cold, that is their love and commitment to Jesus will wane. This is because as Jesus said “lawlessness abounds.” While we might tend to think of this in terms of riots and things like we are seeing; Jesus is actually referring to the fact that people will not love and obey God. We will continue to go further and further away from the truth of God’s Word. On the other hand, those who persevere will give evidence to the truth that they are saved. The Bible teaches that those who are saved are secure in God’s grace. It’s not just that they won’t fall away in their faith, it is that they can’t fall away in their faith. This is because God’s grace is not only sufficient to save us, it is also sufficient to sustain us and keep us until the very end.

With these two truths, we must understand that more than our words, it is our actions that show our relationship with Jesus or lack there of. As Christians, we must remain faithful to God no matter what comes in life. No matter what is going on around us, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. We must follow Him. We must hold one another accountable for the life that we live. The reason that many backslide is because there is no one to encourage them and hold them accountable. This is one of the ways that the church can be a blessing to believers. The church is a reminder that you are not alone. There are others who can help you and encourage you when your walk gets difficult. Don’t let your love grow cold. The best way to prevent this is by being in the Word every day. The more I know God the more I will love God. You can’t read of God’s love, grace, and mercy and not love Him. How are you doing on reading the Bible? It’s not about reading it through in a year. It is about reading it at a pace where you can read it, meditate on it, and memorize portions of it. You do all of that so that you can obey the Bible. One of the best ways to hold yourself accountable in reading, is to read it with someone. Then meet with them either in person or digitally once a week to discuss what you are reading and what God is teaching you. Your love growing cold or not is within your control. You can either fan the flames or allow them to be extinguished.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin

Perhaps no topic has more interest among Christians, and many non-Christians as the return of Jesus. There are many theories on when He will return. Speculation on how close His return is runs rampant, especially when things in the world seem to get crazier than normal. This fascination with the return of Jesus isn’t new however. We can see in at least two places in the New Testament where the disciples were curious about Jesus’ return. In both instances, Jesus redirects their focus. I believe it is something that we should do as well. How did Jesus redirect them? Listen to what He said in Matthew 24:45-46, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.”

The context of those verses is Jesus teaching His disciples while on the Mount of Olives. This teaching/sermon covers both Matthew 24 and 25. What started the conversation was Jesus’ prediction that the Temple would be destroyed. This caused the disciples to ask Jesus what the sign of His return would be. In Matthew 24 is the famous passage of “wars and rumors of wars.” One thing we need to remember to do is read the entire context of it. Many say that a sign of Jesus’ return will be the “wars and rumors of wars along with disease, famine, and death.” However, if you read just a verse later it says that “all these things are the beginning of sorrow, but the end is not yet.” In other words, those things are not the end. They might be signaling the beginning of the end, but they are not the end in and of themselves. However, none of that was Jesus’ focal point. What was, you may be wondering. I would argue that there is one main point and it leads to one main action for us today.

The main point is that one day Jesus will return. This is something that is promised throughout the Old Testament, and it is spoken of often in the New Testament as well. Jesus hammers home the point that we don’t know when His return will be, but He makes it abundantly clear that He will return. He uses illustrations of a fig tree producing fruit and then leaves as well as lightning to show the uncertainty of the timing of His return. However, just as you would expect to see figs on a fig tree that has leaves; Jesus is going to return at some point. Along these lines, we must also remember that just because we don’t know when He will return, doesn’t mean that His return is unknown. God the Father knows the times and the seasons, and He is in control of them. There is a fixed moment in history in which Jesus will return. Of this we can be certain. From this flows the application point of our verses. The application is for the child of God to be faithfully serving the Lord until He returns. Some people would rather sit around and debate the finer points of eschatology, that is the doctrine of the end times. They want to debate the merits of will the church go through the Tribulation Period or will the church be raptured before the final seven years begins. While it is a fascinating study, and certainly worthwhile to study; it will not help us accomplish our mission. Who cares if we are right on when He returns, if we have not shared the Gospel with the lost and many millions of people go to hell? The imminency of Jesus’ return is meant to both encourage us as well as spur us to faithful service. It should encourage us, because every day brings us closer to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ for all of eternity. Every day brings us closer to the day in which sin and sickness no longer rule our lives. Jesus’ return should also spur us to be faithful, because millions of eternities hang in the balance of them hearing the Gospel, and surrendering to it in faith. While God will save those He has chosen to save, we don’t know who they are. Therefore, as a Christian, we must treat each person as both a lost sinner and the elect of God. We must share the Gospel with full assurance that God in His grace will save some. Each conversation we have, we should believe that this is a person whom God will save. Does this mean we believe that everyone will be saved? Absolutely not! The Bible makes is crystal clear that this is the case. However, we must treat each person as though they will be saved, and the way that we do this is by praying for them before we share the Gospel, then share the Gospel, and even pray for them afterwards. As long as their is breath in the body, there is hope for the soul. Therefore, we don’t grow weary and we do not give up until the Lord saves them, they die, or we die.

Dear Christian, we have a mission given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. We only have a finite amount of time to work in this mission. So, as much fun as it is to debate the timing of Jesus’ return, it is more important for us to act as though He is coming back today. Which means, we must get busy sharing the Gospel because there are still many who have never heard, and even more who have never believed. Will you be faithful to your calling until the very end? Will you be called a good and faithful servant when Jesus returns? It is possible, but only if we obey!

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin

Can you imagine having a concern about something, and being able to walk right into the Oval Office, and meet with the President directly? Any time you wanted, for whatever reason you wanted. I would imagine that would be something pretty special. Yet, as Christians, we have something even more incredible. We have direct access to God the Father, any time for any reason. How is this possible? It is possible because of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He spent several hours giving some final instructions to the disciples. He also spent some time encouraging them, because He knew they were filled with sorrow at His announcement that He would be leaving them soon. Even though they didn’t fully understand at the time what Jesus was talking about, they knew that they didn’t want Him to go. Part of His final teachings to them was how their relationship with Him and with God the Father were going to change. As a result of His death and resurrection, Jesus told them “in that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God” (John 16:26-27).

In that verse, Jesus tells His disciples how their relationship is going to change. Up to this point, Jesus has prayed on their behalf. They haven’t prayed in Jesus’ name, because they have been with Him. However, Jesus tells them that they are going to have a direct line to God the Father after He leaves. It is because of His crucifixion and resurrection that we can be forgiven of our sins, but also that we can have access to God any time, any place. It is the faith given to them by God that makes it possible for them to believe in Jesus, and have this incredible privilege of speaking with God the Father. I want us to grasp the magnitude of what Jesus is saying. Because of what He is going to do on their behalf, and what He did on our behalf; we can come and communicate with the One who created everything and who holds it all together. We can communicate with the One who knows the end from the beginning. We don’t have to go to a person and ask them to pray to God on our behalf. If we are children of God, then we can pray and talk with God ourselves. This is the symbolism of the veil being torn top to bottom when Jesus died. When we come to God, we are not coming to Him based on our merits. Rather, we are coming before God based on the righteousness of Christ that has been given to us by Jesus. Jesus’ right standing with God the Father, gives us a right standing with God the Father. Therefore, let’s learn what the writer of Hebrews said in Hebrews 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” What is on your heart right now? What are you worrying over? What has you stressed out? Take it to the Lord in prayer. He’s there, He’s listening, and He will answer.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin

I was very fortunate to play at a somewhat high level of baseball. God gave me a talent that I was able to use for many years. After my ball playing days were over, and Diana and I had kids who were old enough to play, I got into coaching some. However, I didn’t stay in coaching too long. I quickly realized that given my position as a pastor, it wasn’t easy nor fun to look into the eyes of a mom and dad who thought their kid was the next Derek Jeter, and tell them that he wasn’t good enough. Moms and dads don’t like hearing that. For the record, it was hard for me to hear one year that one of my boys wasn’t good enough to make the all-star team. However, having been around the game and see some of the best, I and the coach who cut my son, could recognize exceptional talent. You can look at some kids and they just have it. And then you can look at others and see that baseball or whatever sport just isn’t their thing. It’s not a value judgment on them as a child by any means. It’s looking at the needs of a team, the skill set of a child, and understanding that this isn’t the right fit. Christians are meant to be like the cream of the crop in sports or any other field, they are to stand out. How do I know this? Because of what Jesus said in John 15:19, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

One of the things that breaks my heart in many churches is how hard we try to fit in with the world. We don’t want to be called weird or Bible-thumper or whatever other word people might use. We rationalize doing things by saying, “well we have to do this so that people will hear the Gospel.” Do we want people to hear the Gospel? Absolutely we do! However, the reason that we do some things isn’t so that people will hear the Gospel, it is so that we won’t feel weird or be ostracized by those who don’t love Jesus. It’s interesting, when our child comes to us and says that someone called them weird or they feel like they are weird, we don’t try to make them fit it. I can remember when our middle son, Noah, came to Diana and I having some problems being called names and being picked on. I didn’t tell him to go do certain things so people wouldn’t call him weird. Instead, Diana and I told him that “weird is a side effect of being awesome.” We tell kids that it is ok not to fit in. In fact, we encourage them to not always follow the crowd. Do you remember wanting to do something with your friends that you parents though wasn’t real intelligent? What did they say? “If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do that to?” For the record parents, that is a dangerous question with some kids! So, we know to tell our kids that it is ok to be different and to stand out. Yet, as adult Christians we don’t follow our own advice. We compromise in ways that will help us fit in, all while rationalizing it so that we can sleep at night. Jesus here is plainly telling His disciples that they were going to be persecuted, they were going to be hated. If we are going to live out the Gospel in our every day life, then we have to know that the world isn’t going to like it, and they are going to have something to say about it. And that is ok! We aren’t called to please them, we are called to please the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus chose us and saved us not so that we could fit in with the world He has called us out of. But so that by standing out, we could point others to Him. So, Christians, stand up and stand out. The world will never see their need for Jesus by the church trying to fit in with the world. It is only as we live differently, that the world will know that there is something different to live for than this life. Allow God to use you for His glory to stand out from the crowd, so that the world can be drawn to Him.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin

We live in a society where many want to be in leadership, but very few want to live the life of a leader. The life of a leader is hard. While many people see leadership as getting to tell others what to do, Jesus showed up that true leadership is leading the way. It is about setting the example, instead of the old adage, “do as I say, not as I do” that we see from a lot in leadership. I remember a song from many years ago now, by the group Phillips, Craig, and Dean. The song was about a father wanting to be like Jesus, because his son wanted to be like it. The last line in the chorus was, “I want to be just like You, because he wants to be just like me.” Jesus showed us that leadership is first service. We see this being demonstrated in John 13. It is the night Jesus will be betrayed. He is with His disciples, He has instituted what we call today, the Lord’s Supper, also known as the Passover meal. Jesus at the conclusion of supper does what many in the room thought to be unthinkable. He got up from the table and washed their feet. And after doing that, He sits back down and asks them, do you know what I have done to you? Not waiting for a reply Jesus then says, “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:13-14).

At the end of John 13, Jesus tells the disciples the world will know that they belong to Him by their love for one another. Combining that with what Jesus did here towards the beginning of the chapter, we see that one of the ways that we love one another is by serving one another. In order to serve one another, we must have a humble attitude. Here is the God of creation, the Son of God, the Messiah, stooping down to wash the disciples feet. He would have had every right to demand that they wash His feet. Yet, we see Jesus demonstrating the necessary humility to serve the disciples in order to set the example for them. Jesus shows us that leadership is more than a position, it is an attitude. Do you see yourself as a servant to the Lord? Do you see yourself as a servant to others? Have you demonstrated that by actually going out and serving other people? In a day and age where there is a lot of talk, true disciples of Christ first let their life do the talking for them. What message is your life saying?

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin

Have you ever been guilty of not being able to see the forest because of the trees? Sometimes we get so laser focused on what is in front of us, that we miss the bigger picture. This is something that happened in many ways with the people during Jesus’ ministry. In our today today, the people wanted Jesus to keep His friend, Lazarus, from dying. Certainly, Lazarus’ sisters believed He could have healed Lazarus. The people around them even made that statement. However, there was a bigger picture issue that Jesus was concerned about. We know this from John 11:4, “When Jesus heard that, He said, ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.'”

Mary and Martha had sent someone to tell Jesus what was going on with Lazarus. Jesus does something really strange, at least in our minds. He stays where He and the disciples are for another two days. Again, we have to remember the bigger picture. In our minds, when someone is sick we want God to heal them quickly. There is another smaller picture that we see, and it is the disciples’ viewpoint. When Jesus announces to them that He is headed to Judea to Lazarus, they immediately speak up and remind Jesus that the religious leaders have wanted to kill Him lately. That was their way of asking, do you think this is the best time to go there? The two narrow visions are of Lazarus’ sisters, who both said, “Lord, if You had been here my brother wouldn’t have died; then, there are the disciples who aren’t in a hurry to die themselves, and therefore want to stay away from potential danger. Of course, we know how the story turns out. Jesus goes, calls Lazarus to come out, and a dead man comes walking out of the tomb. But that wasn’t the big picture that Jesus was talking about in verse 4. That was another “battle”, not the “war.” The big picture came later in the text in three ways. First, Jesus said all of this was going to happen so that the disciples would believe. While the disciples had some belief in who Jesus was, it wasn’t a complete belief in Him. This event was going to further strengthen their faith in Jesus. Second, we read that some who were standing around the tomb and saw Lazarus come walking out that day “believed.” This is John’s way of saying, they believed that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah promised by God. The last way is that those who God was not drawing to Himself in faith, were hardened in their unbelief. I know this is a hot button topic in Christianity; however, if we read the Bible as it is written, we see that both God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility/will work in concert with each other. God knows who will be saved. However, this doesn’t violate man’s responsibility or his/her will in anyway. The choice to believe in Jesus or to not to was equally present in those who were at the tomb that day. Some responded to the revelation of who Jesus was, and some chose to ignore it. What was the difference? The drawing of the Holy Spirit and the responsibility to respond to that drawing.

When God reveals Himself and His power to us, we have a responsibility to respond to that revelation. I will try to illustrate it. Let’s say you are traveling on the highway, you are speeding. All of the sudden, you pass a police vehicle. Immediately, the police vehicle pulls out of its spot, turns on the blue lights, and gets in behind you. In this moment, you have a choice. You can do what you know you should do, which is slow down, and pull over. Or, you can continue to drive and act like you don’t know the policeman is behind you. Let’s say you decide to continue to drive, does that mean at that moment you became a lawbreaker? No, because you were already a lawbreaker before you decided to try and elude the police. You were a lawbreaker when you started speeding. Therefore, the police did not make you break the law, it was a choice of yours. However, the blue lights alerted you to the fact you were breaking the law. This in biblical terms is conviction, an awareness of our sin. It is what we do when we feel the conviction that shows we are either responding to God or hardening ourselves to God, just like the decision to pull over or try and elude the police. We are already sinners from the time of birth because we inherited a sin nature ever since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. We prove this by making volitional choices to sin.

The bigger picture at Lazarus’ tomb that day was the glory of God. He was glorified by raising Lazarus, but also giving those who responded to Him salvation. What is the bigger picture that God is trying to do in your life? Remember, it isn’t always about the immediate circumstances. Many times, it is about the bigger picture.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin

Anyone who invests is always looking for the best possible return on their investment. No one wants to invest hard earned money into something that is going to lose money. In the same way, before we decide whether or not we want to do something, in our minds we do a calculation on what will I get in return for what is being asked of me. This is generally how we decide whether or not we want to do something. We seldom think of it this way, but we say things such as, “I want to make sure it is the right thing to do” or “I don’t want to waste my time.” Those are cost-benefit analysis statements. By the way, we should really ask ourselves those types of questions. We all have a limited time in this life, and we want to have a maximum impact. Therefore, we have to make hard decisions about what will I give my time to, and what will I not? We see this cost-benefit analysis in the life of the disciples as well. Jesus had just had a conversation with a rich young man, who was only willing to follow Jesus to the point where he was comfortable. He wasn’t willing to sacrifice what he had to follow Jesus. This leads Jesus to teach about how difficult it is for those who trust in their riches to be saved. One important note, Jesus didn’t say it was wrong to be rich. Rather, He said it is wrong to trust in those riches, especially when it comes to your eternity. Peter then declares what he and the disciples have left in order to follow Jesus. Here, Peter is essentially asking, what are we going to get for what we gave up? Jesus’ reply was, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time–houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions–and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30).

In response to Peter’s question about what would they receive in return for following Jesus, Jesus gives him an incredible return on investment promise. Jesus is saying, you really won’t be giving up anything of real value, instead you will be gaining an inheritance and a whole new family. Now, to be fair, Jesus did also warn the disciples here that it wouldn’t all be a bed of roses. He said that for following Him they would receive persecutions. However, in light of what they are receiving, even the persecutions are worth it. We can hold on to the things that we have in this life, and one day lose them as well as our eternity. Or, we can hold on loosely to the things of this life, and cling tightly to eternity with Jesus and gain both now and in eternity. No, these verses are not proof of the prosperity Gospel, which says God wants you always to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. Again, Jesus said this was going to cost the disciples, as well as you and I something. So, when we choose to follow Jesus what do we get that is greater than anything we could have on this earth? We get Him! We become a child of God, with His power living inside of us, His presence always with us, and assurance of all the promises He has given to us. What makes following Jesus worth everything in this life is Him. There is nothing we can do on our own to deserve a relationship with Him. There is nothing we can do to earn it. It is something given to us by His grace, and it is something that we can never lose. All the things in this earth are here today and gone tomorrow. However, as God’s child, we will always have Him and that is something that money, fame, education, or good works can never buy. That makes it the most valuable thing in the world.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin

I am a huge fan on baseball. I played many years, I have done some coaching, but now I am just a fan. There has been a lot about the game that has changed, especially recently. Change sometimes ruffles the feathers of some. One change in baseball that has ruffled feathers is the showmanship of some players. I tend to chalk it up to a different culture and youthful exuberance. I won’t say that I like it all, but I will say that seeing these players personalities and their love for the game is enjoyable. Two nights ago, we saw a change that has happened and immediately the “unwritten rules of the game” argument was thrown out to tamp down the way a particular player plays the game. For the record, I think some of these “unwritten rules” are ridiculous, and the one supposedly violated by Fernando Tatis, Jr. is one of those I classify as ridiculous. I won’t bore you with the details of it, but Tatis, Jr. simply did what he is paid to do. Immediately people were calling him out, including his manager after the game. Tatis, Jr. handled himself very well in the press conference calling it a learning moment and promising he will do better. While I respect him for respecting his manager, I’m saddened to see a youthful player’s excitement for the game tamped down.

In today’s text, there was a man who was blind. He was sitting by the road, probably like he did every day, trying to beg for money or food just to survive. On this particular day, he hears more of a crowd, more of a buzz being generated. When he asks a passerby about what is happening, he is informed that Jesus is walking down the road. Immediately, this man begins to shout, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” To the crowd this was undignified, and so we see an exchange between the man and someone in the crowd recorded in Luke 18:39, “Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!'” The crowd thought that Jesus wouldn’t have time for blind beggars, so they wanted to silence him. However, this man would not be silenced. Even though this man couldn’t see, he saw Jesus’ true identity while many who could see what Jesus was doing missed who Jesus truly was. The title “Son of David” is an Old Testament reference to the covenant God made with David that the true ruler of Israel would come from the line of David. This blind beggar was saying that Jesus was the promised Messiah sent from God. He never saw the miracles Jesus performed, up to this point He never heard a sermon that Jesus preached; yet this man knew who Jesus was. This verse is one of many that show that those that God calls will respond to Him.

I wonder if we see ourselves as this blind beggar, as someone who desperately needs Jesus? Do we know that without Jesus’ healing and help, we are in a dire situation? Are we willing to act in a way that some consider undignified in order to praise our Lord and Savior? For far too long, people have been told in church to keep their problems to themselves. I grew up in the era when the two things you never talked about were religion and politics. I understand how both can ruffle feathers, and cause contention. However, it is only as we admit our need that we will receive the help we desperately need. By sharing our weaknesses, it also opens up the door to publicly praise the Lord Jesus when He answers our desperate cries for help. This world doesn’t need Christians who act like they have it all together. This world needs to see Christians who admit their weaknesses, cry out to Jesus, and then praise God for His goodness, grace, and mercy. Don’t let people discourage you from admitting your weaknesses. Just make sure that you are just as vocal about telling how God has worked in your life as you are in talking about your need for God to work in your life. In our weakness, God’s strength is revealed, and God can be glorified. That is what we desire. Therefore, let us shout, “I need Thee every hour” and shout how Jesus has answered our cries and been our ever-present help in time of need.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin

Years ago, Lay’s potato chips can’t out with a genus slogan, “Bet you can’t eat just one.” It was genius because it throws down somewhat of a challenge of our willpower, but it is also brilliant because they are stating how good they believe their product is without being in your face about it. The truth is, Lay’s is right, we can’t eat just one. I know there is scientific evidence that shows that because potato chips are a dry food, it takes more of them to fill us up. That is why we start out saying we are just going to eat a few, and then when we finish taking out hand out of the bag, half the bag is gone. They are so good, and just a few won’t do, so we keep going not realizing what we are doing. There is something else that is that seductive. It is sin. Jesus in Luke 16, speaks of a particular sin. He speaks of the sin of unfaithfulness. Luke 16:10 says, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.”

One character trait in humans that can either be good or bad is ambition. Ambition can drive us to work hard, and to strive to achieve things that most people won’t even attempt. However, ambition can also lead people to cut corners and take unnecessary risks that bring great harm. Speaking as a pastor, I don’t know a single pastor that doesn’t want to see the church they lead grow. There is nothing wrong with desiring God to bless the fruits of ministry as long as we understand it is His church, not ours, and we go about seeking the growth in God-honoring ways. The problem in the business world can also be a problem in ministry, in that you are judged by outward success, and in a desire to be seen as successful you may give in to the temptation to cut some corners to get the results. However, in doing that you are truly cheating yourself. You are missing out on seeing the faithfulness of God move in your life and give life to the church you lead. There’s a reason that God put a prohibition on a pastor of not being a new convert. Pride can very subtly creep in and derail a ministry and the minister. I heard Pastor Robby Gallaty say one time, “the only ability God is looking for in you is your availability.” It’s not about the size of ministry that you lead, it is about your faithfulness to God, your calling, and your family in the ministry you are called to lead. I had a professor say, “the assignment God gives you will match your character.” You may be tempted to think, “I don’t lead a ministry so this doesn’t apply to me.” However, I would say that you are very, very wrong. Pride and ambition are two things that lurk just below the surface in all of us. We must constantly ask God to check our hearts and reveal any unholiness in us. Whatever God is calling you to do in your life is no small task. You may never write a book or speak at a conference, but it doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter. Our faithfulness to God and His calling is a matter of stewardship. How are we using what He has given us to glorify Him and point others to Him? Don’t focus on where you want to be or think you should be. Start with where you are, and ask God to help you be faithful to Him right there, and then trust Him to move you if and when He desires to.

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin

Have you ever been doing a task and felt like you were missing something? You couldn’t figure it out, but something just felt or seemed off? This is how a rich young ruler felt who came to Jesus one day. The young man comes to Jesus and asks Him, “what must I do to have eternal life?” That seems like a good question to start off with doesn’t it? Unfortunately, it gives us a window into the young man’s heart. He thought salvation was about what he could do. To expose this, Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. When he asks which ones, Jesus gives him what are known as the horizontal commandments. The horizontal commandments speak of the Ten Commandments that deal with our relationship with other people. Here was the young man’s response, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” The young man’s response is very telling isn’t it? He was saying how he was treating people the way he was supposed to. If salvation was about what we do, shouldn’t he have felt secure in his salvation? But he doesn’t. He is saying, “I’m doing all those things but I still feel like something is missing. That was Jesus’ point. The young man didn’t love others the way he claimed he did. Proof of that was in that when Jesus told him to sell what he had, give it to the poor, and follow Him, the young man was unwilling to do it. Jesus exposed something in this young man that unfortunately is true for many people.

This young man “loved” Jesus right up to the point that it was going to cost him something. My guess is you have been in a relationship with someone like this. They “love” you, and everything is great until they have to sacrifice something for the relationship. Then what happens? They give up and walk away. That is exactly what this young man did. True love requires sacrifice. We know this because of Jesus’ example and His teaching. Our love for Jesus should mirror Jesus’ love for us. It requires us dying to our own desires, and instead desiring to do Jesus’ will. Our love for Jesus requires us to sacrifice our comfort to fulfill His commands. By the way, it’s not a sacrifice if it doesn’t cost you something. If we are honest, we change Isaiah’s words around. The prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 6 is having a vision of God in His glory and on His throne. Isaiah says that he hears the voice of the Lord saying, who shall go for us? Isaiah says, “Here am I, send me.” However, a lot of times our response is, “Here am I, send them.” We are ok with following God up to the point that He asks us to do something hard or something that we don’t want to do. Yet, true love sacrifices for those we love. Our love for God is also seen in our mindset of being a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we submit ourselves to God, we are relinquishing all control over our life. In this, God is glorified and our love is demonstrated. Is something missing in your walk with God? How is God asking you to demonstrate your love and obedience to Him today? What is stopping you from doing it?

By His grace and for His glory,

Pastor Justin