Many are frustrated about believers in Jesus who are inconsistent and continue to fail in various areas of their lives. I’ve heard it so many times: “These people call themselves Christians?” 

That’s surely a concern, and we need not stay in the condition we were in before becoming a child of God. There’s no need for excuses. We hope that we are doing better than last week, last month, etc. 

Yet we fail to realize that those who have committed their lives to Christ have the Holy Spirit residing in them. The Spirit is busy transforming them into the image of Jesus. Paul saw the inconsistencies in the lives of the people in the Corinthian church, and reflected on the transformation of God’s people into the image of Christ. 

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Even in the Old Testament, God was focused on an internal transformation as he spoke these words through the prophet Ezekiel: 

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Thinking of the concepts in these verses, along with the rest of scripture, we can be assured that we are a work in progress. Maybe we can say we are “in the works” as the Holy Spirit within us transforms us from within to become more like Christ. 

Maybe a little better than yesterday?

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Jesus said to his disciples: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8b). He said this in the context of performing miracles for people in need.

Whenever I can, I go to different places and walk the streets and talk to people. During conversations, I listen to the people, their pain, struggles, emotions, etc. But I also listen to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, I get to minister to them.

I see this as an act of “giving” to people in need. Out of the people I have conversations with, some receive healing, prayers for peace, and most of all, a listening ear. That’s it. No promotions, no requests for photos, selfies, and certainly no posts on social media.

Amid this “giving,” some are determined to give back. People want to buy me tea. Though I prefer Coffee, I drink the tea that’s offered to me. Sometimes I’ll check if they have Coffee. But usually it’s instant and with lots of milk, which many prefer.

Most of the time, I try to pay for it, but they insist on paying. It’s part of their generosity. Or, maybe they’re returning a favor I’ve done for them. Maybe it’s generosity reversed.

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In the parable of the talents, the master rewarded those who were faithful stewards. Those who took his wealth and gained double were commended for their efforts.

But the man who received the one talent went and hid the talent, afraid of losing it. The master replied: “So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest” (Matthew 25:27). In The Message translation by Eugene H. Peterson, this verse uses the phrase “The least you could have done…”

For the master, that was not the ideal situation. Depositing it in the bank was given the least value. He valued and rewarded those who took the funds and doubled the wealth through effort, ingenuity and hard work. That was expected and rewarded.

So, what do you do with the money entrusted to you by God? Now you might say, “that’s my money.” This kind of incorrect thinking leads people to poverty or constant struggle with money.  But God says all wealth belongs to Him and we are to be wise and faithful stewards.

Again, I ask, what do you do with the money entrusted to you by God? The clear expectation by God is to invest it into businesses, do the hard work, and make it grow. This is expected by the master. That’s not just a parable about talents like singing, playing instruments, etc. It’s also about the wealth entrusted to you – whether great or small.

Don’t settle for the least you could do. Do the most with whatever wealth given to you by God. Be that good and faithful servant so he will entrust you with much more. But most importantly, the Master will be pleased, and you’ll enter into His joy.
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That’s a loaded concept. Not easy to deal with. I’ve got some thoughts about this, but not all the answers.

I think of the mind like a cluttered desk. To find something, I’ll have to take more time and effort than if things are in order. As I take more time and effort, my emotions could get out of control. Frustration levels rise, and stress increases. Inevitably, the stress impacts the body as well.

When I place things in the proper order, my mind works better. Things of greater value can be placed further away from things of less value. But if everything is mixed up in my mind, I’ve got a mess.

When I ignore things of less value for the sake of things of greater value, I’ll upset some people. And that’s ok. It’s ok only if I place such events and upset people in the same location as things of lesser value. Otherwise I’ll value their “upset” emotions more than it is worth.

I hope this simple analogy doesn’t get anyone upset. I’ve got an area for such people as well.
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It depends on which wall.

Some walls are for protection. Those walls need to be built and maintained for protection. They can be strengthened for greater safety.

The walls that need to be broken down were built for division. Some are built by others, and some built by us. These need to be torn down.

We often guard walls of division due to deep rooted animosity, hatred, and a host of other reasons. But we neglect walls of protection. No one is perfect, but guard your heart, mind, and your relationship with the Lord.
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The Bible clearly says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). But sometimes it doesn’t work. Sometimes it seems like an impossible task. So where is the key to this verse? I don’t have all the answers, but surely there are many factors.

Is the clue in the “when he is old” part? Do you have to wait till old age for them to turn to the Lord? I’ve seen that in some people. They lived life on their own terms and made a wreck of their lives, families and others around them. Finally, they decided their only option is to turn to the Lord. Nice, but sad to see the mess they left behind.

Some focus on the phrase: “in the way he should go,” implying that there was something flawed with the training given to the children. And that’s not so simple. Each person and their families have their own way. What seems right to one doesn’t seem to fit with others.

Still others focus on the “train up” part, implying that there are many parents who don’t take an active role in the training of their children. They leave it to the school or to the church and Sunday school.

When it comes to their personal faith, I’ve heard two views. One says that parents should allow the children to choose. They suggest parents should not be too pushy about salvation, baptism, church attendance, etc. Still others insist that parents need to take an active role in these matters. It is suggested that if children are left to “wander” in their faith, someone else will step in and provide another path.

What do you think?
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The idea of people “giving” anything to God is quite difficult to grasp. Who are we and what do we have that is our own except what was given to us?

But the idea of giving to God is quite prevalent throughout the scriptures. Somehow, God gives us the privilege of “owning” what is given to us. Or, we could see this in the context of being stewards of what God entrusted to us. Although a steward acts on behalf of the master, they are given the authority to act independently on behalf of the master. But, stewards also provide for their own needs from that same wealth. Thus, when a steward makes a living from the master’s wealth, it “sort” of becomes theirs.

When Hannah asked the Lord for a child, she promised to give the child to God. Some translations use the word “loan” instead of give. The concept of a “loan” to God is even more surprising. The concepts in 1 Samuel 1:11,28 and 2:20 are certainly surprising.

As a steward of what God has given, what will you give to God?
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Friendships provide fellowship, encouragement, and motivation (among many other benefits). We look forward to spending time with friends for the sake of all these good benefits we provide each other. That’s the way friendship ought to be.

But Paul speaks of a different kind of fellowship. It’s not the kind that we’re used to, but it’s the kind Jesus calls us to. He advocates for “the fellowship of His sufferings” (Philippians 3:10), where that suffering leads to a deeper experiential knowledge of Jesus. There seems to be some connection with pain and intimacy with the Lord. Suffering seems to unite us more closely with Christ.

So, should we look for and desire a life of suffering? Some people take on that notion that we should not only desire suffering, but that we should arrange our lives toward suffering. Maybe that’s a bit extreme. We don’t need to look for suffering and trouble. Just wait…it’s part of life.

I think the key is not looking for suffering, but looking to Jesus in the midst of our suffering. In every painful situation, think about how Jesus suffered so much for our sins. Imagine that you are in fellowship with Christ – in this painful situation as well. This is true fellowship, a fellowship of a different kind.
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There is a growing trend among members of para-church organizations and specialized movements: a subtle, and maybe an unintentional devaluation of the local church.
They’re convinced that the movements they’re part of are the answer for the next generation. “The local church,” They’ll say, “can’t accomplish what we can do.” But they’ll always approach the local church when they need youths for their camps, or people for their next event.

The pastors are doing their best to minister to their congregation and to the church. The local church is the “incubator” producing the resources needed for these movements to take root and survive. But when their work is devalued by people in such movements, the members of the church will be confused.

Youth movements, sports movements, and all other movements are good, but we’re complicating things. These movements need to supplement the local church. Otherwise, they’ll do more long term damage than good. Or, another option is for these movements to get people who are not connected to the local church.
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It’s a skill you’ve got to develop. As you listen to people, learn to listen simultaneously to the Holy Spirit.

When praying for the sick, listen intentively to the person. Note their emotions, fears, doubts, etc.  As you pray for the sickness or their condition, be mindful of their emotions. They give a certain level of clues to focus your prayers. Along with this, listen to the Holy Spirit. He will guide you how to pray for the person.

This same perspective is important as you share the Gospel with others. Don’t be so busy sharing all the information you have and want to share. Learn the art of listening. Listen to their emotions, fears, doubts, etc. At the same time, listen to the Holy Spirit. He will direct your words and actions to make that interaction meaningful and effective.

Horizontal (the person) and Vertical (Holy Spirit) listening is essential for effectiveness. The same concept can be used as you pray for the sick as well as you share the Good News.
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