Author: Jesse Walker

You Make This World a Better Place

Posted on by Jesse Walker

Have you ever wondered what you can do to make this world a better place? Rachel Platten in the song “Better Place” says “it’s a better place sense you came along.” What a beautiful song. Filled with so much truth. In 1 Corinthians 13:5 it says, “love keeps no record of wrongs.” Maybe God had an even better hit song called “Love Keeps No Record of Wrong”. Now that should become a golden label. It’s a better place sense you came along, singing “Love Keeps No Records of Wrong.”

Yet, I’m afraid many have become what I’m calling certified counting professionals (CCP). They keep track of every single mistake someone makes. You probably know someone like this. It might even be us. This isn’t to say that we should become door mats or to never confront them with their sins. The bible is clear, in Romans 15:1 those that are strong should help those that are weak. And in the  book of Jude, it says we are to “save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” We have an obligation to rescue those that need rescuing.

But this task will become impossible if you go around keeping a record of wrongs. Pretty soon you will refuse to help because you’ve been hurt. It becomes about you and your pain, not how you can help others. I wonder where we would be if Jesus had that attitude with us. Can you imagine Jesus saying to Peter. Peter, if you deny me one more time, I’m going to vaporize you. Or maybe when he was speaking to Thomas, he would have said, Thomas this is the last time I’m going to answer your silly questions. You better get it right this time or I’m done with you. Aren’t you glad Jesus isn’t that way with us.

Be honest, we preach grace, while keeping track of the wrongs that others do. We question if they are being sincere when they ask for forgiveness. Especially if they come forward multiple times for the same sin. Peter was good at keeping count. He even asked Jesus in Matthew 18:21 , is seven times enough to forgive someone? Jesus replied in Matthew 18:22 ,“I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Jesus was not giving Peter a number. He was telling Peter to quit counting. The number doesn’t matter. Forgive them as much as they need forgiving.

Do you want to make this world a better place? Keep singing “Love Keeps No Record of Wrong” at the top of your lungs. And this world will become a better place sense you came along.

The Inner Man

Posted on by Jesse Walker

Do you struggle with remaining faithful to God? If we’re honest, we all have good and bad days. But for some it can be a struggle to even like themselves. For others they see themselves as a failure.  Still others have been deeply hurt and can’t find the strength to move on. This may be true if you had to go through this life alone. But you don’t.  These are all lies taught by the devil and his henchmen to keep you trapped from becoming what God wants you to be. Many believe in the strength of the physical body, but they fail to see the strength of the inner man.

One of the greatest gifts given to all believers by God is the indwelling of his Holy Spirit in our inner man. In Ephesians 3:16 the Apostle Paul is on his knees praying just such a prayer. He asks the Father to reveal to all believers the ability to comprehend the power living within their inner man, namely the Holy Spirit. So they can grasp how vast Christ loves them.

According to 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, it is the Spirit that searches the deep things of God. Revealing to all believers the things which our human eyes have not seen and our ears have not heard and our mind cannot even imagine. Can you begin to see how big that makes our God? Bigger than we can dream.

You are loved so much by Christ that your human knowledge cannot fathom the love of Christ. It makes no earthly sense. Try as you may, you will never be able to measure the fulness of Christ love for you with your human mind. But there is a way. You can drop to your knees right now and read and pray. Put away your earthly knowledge of God and ask His Spirit to reveal it to you and he will. Ask and you shall receive. Draw near to me, and I will draw near to you.  I pray you will. And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.

Holy Spirit Filled Life

Posted on by Jesse Walker

The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:18 said, “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”  Earlier in Ephesians 4:29-32 he told them to control their mouths. To make sure their words are useful for building others up and not for tearing them down. And in the very middle of this subject, he goes on to say, and “do not grieve the Holy Spirit.”

Did you know you can grieve the Holy Spirit? I’m afraid as Christians, many of us have all but erased him from our Christian lives. In a sense we’ve become like the TV movie, “Ghost Busters” and have all but removed him from our Christian faith. Many only associate him with charismatic worship services, speaking in tongues and healing of the sick. Yet, in these passages, Paul I believe is showing how we grieve the Spirit when we walk by the flesh and not by the Spirit. In other words, we need the Spirit to help us in our ordinary day to day living.

Many Christians’ struggle in this life because they try to do it all on their own. You cannot do it on your own. You will never defeat the ruler of this world without the help of the Holy Spirit. That is why it is so important not to downplay the importance of him. The Holy Spirit is a person. The Holy Spirit is God. No less than God the Father nor God the Son. He is God the Spirit. They are all equal. For there is only one God. Every time you place the Spirit beneath God the Father, or God the Son, you lessen his importance. The Holy Spirit has the same characteristics as God, he is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent.

My prayer for you is that you will trust enough in God to see the power of God in the person of the Holy Spirit. As he works in you making you the person God designed you to be all along. 

Born again

Posted on by Jesse Walker

Are you a child of God. Have you been born again? Have you died to yourself.? Be honest, if you have, how come so many are so easily offended? The preacher didn’t shake my hand. No one said hello to me.

Let me ask you a profoundly serious question. How did you die to yourself and have so many rights to be everything you’re not to be? If what she said he said, sets you off, makes you quit attending services, to walk away from your church family, your earthly family, a brother, a sister, a co-worker, have you really died to self?

Too many Christians think they have been saved to merely go to heaven. And they are right, but the story doesn’t end there. You were saved to be reunited with the Father. Jesus said all who come to the Father must come through me. Jesus came to show you the way back to the Father. Jesus also said, if you’ve seen me, you have seen the Father.  He went on to say, “This is eternal life that you might know him.” Jesus died so that you could be united with God. Christianity is not a church attendance.

2 Corinthians 3:18 – “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” You are saved, to be transformed back into the image you were created to be in the garden of Eden before sin entered the world.

In Colossians 3:10 we read, “and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”   You were saved, in order that the new you, armed with renewed knowledge, is once again to reflect the image of your creator. You die to self, in order that God’s Spirit can live in you. Not when you get to heaven, but now and every day, every minute and every second of your life here on earth.

Do you know what the problem is for many Christians? They are waiting to go to haven before they change. They attend services. They show up to bible class, while holding onto their rights. I don’t like this, and I don’t like that. They said this, and they said that. Dead people have only one right. And that is to surrender their life in order that they may live. Anyone who finds his life will lose it. Anyone who loses his life for the sake of Jesus, will find their life.

You were saved, so that in Christ you have all you need to shine forth the glory of God. To walk in his image. The image you were created to be from the beginning.  You were saved so you could communion again with the Father. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be open to see the immeasurable power of God’s Spirit, dwelling in you, to make you into the image of your heavenly Father.

Choices

Posted on by Jesse Walker

Many believe today that their lives are predestined by God. That no matter what they do the outcome is already determined. They quote verses like Psalms 139:13 – “For you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”  And verses like Jeremiah 29:11 – “11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” While all of this is absolutely true, you still have a part to play. God certainly wanted you born when you were born, and God definitely wants the best for your life. But you are not a puppet.  God is not sitting in heaven and pulling your strings. Proof is, If he was, there would be no evil in the world. No murder, no rape, no school shootings, no sexual abuse, no racism. However, the truth is, every one of us is given the freedom to make choices.

In Deuteronomy 30:15-16 it says – “15 “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. 16 For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.”

There are 3 steps given in Deuteronomy 30:16 that we must follow when we choose life.  The first is to “love” the Lord your God. The second is to keep his commandments, and the third is to “Walk” in his ways.

In this life, you will have to make many difficult choices. 2 Corinthians 4:17 says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” In other words, we suffer pain today, to enjoy gain tomorrow. Let me ask you a question. Are you making the hard choices today, that will one day grant you the opportunity to live with God in eternity? I pray you are.

Supernatural Hope

Posted on by Jesse Walker

 

Life can be very tough. There are times when we feel all alone. The road seems long, and the burden seems extra heavy. You may be feeling that way this morning. Can I encourage you right now wherever you are, to know that in times like this you need to remind yourself of what God has said in Hebrews 13:5, “Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you.”

The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Romans 15:13 and said, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy spirit you may abound in hope.”   This is a powerful statement of what God does for his children. God provides all those who believe in Him with hope and peace as they continue to seek Him.  But this isn’t an ordinary event. No, he does it through a supernatural power, his Holy Spirit.

In challenging times, it can become easy to shrink back. To withdraw and to close the world off. Or to think that God isn’t listening, or that God doesn’t see your pain. That is a lie the devil wants you to believe. Can I encourage you today, that if you are feeling hopeless that the God of Hope and Peace is standing nearby. He is ready and willing to supply you with supernatural hope through his Holy Spirit. We are remined in Matthew 19:26, that “all things are possible with God.” And in Ephesians 3:20, that God is “able to do more than we can ask or imagine.” I pray you will lean on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you with hope and peace that is beyond this world.

Is your heart fully engaged?

Posted on by Jesse Walker

Have you ever found yourself running through the routines of life without much thought put into it? You know you hustle into class with your attention a mile away? Or with a thousand different things on your mind. You hope the preacher hasn’t prepared one of those long sermons.  You have a softball game to get to, a picnic planned, a bike ride, or an afternoon at the lake.  All good family activities.

I suppose we have all done that at one time or another.  Life can be hard to leave at the door on Sunday mornings. Our minds are cluttered with distractions. But can I challenge you to take a moment and breath, and to slow down and ask God to help you prepare. Before you head out the door, or maybe in the car, ask God to help you get ready for worship. Simply say, Lord thank you for loving me. Thank you for carrying me when I couldn’t stand. Lord, thank you for saving my marriage, and thank you for giving me my job. Father, thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for walking with me through the valley of death when my enemy was all around. Thank you for carrying the load when I couldn’t. These simple words will help you dump the things in life that aren’t really that important.  And when you arrive at the doors of the building, you will be ready to help others see what God has done for them.  If they need a shoulder to cry on, you’ll be ready. If they need someone to rejoice with, you got it.  And your Father in heaven will smile down from heaven and accept your worship as a sweet aroma. Not because of perfection or imperfections, but because of an honest heart.

No God is not seeking perfectionist. Or those who think they can do it on their own. He’s seeking an honest and pure heart.  In Matthew 15:8 we read of those whom Jesus said, “’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me”.  Church let’s check ourselves this morning, and make sure we are not just giving God lip service but that our hearts are fully engaged. Then our sacrifices will be acceptable and rise before Him as a sweet aroma. And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.

Stand Strong

Posted on by Jesse Walker

How long do you think a football player would last in a game today without a helmet or shoulder pads before getting injured?  My guess is not very long.

The same is true for a Christian who enters the game today without being properly dressed. You don’t have to do anything to enter this game. If you’re a child of God, the devil makes it his mission to seek you out and to defeat you.

So, what can you do to prevent him from succeeding?  I’m glad you asked. Like a football player you need proper equipment. In Ephesians 6:11-18 there are several things mentioned that can help us.

First, we must stand in the power of God’s might. We can never unplug from God. This is a supernatural battle, and we need supernatural power to defeat our enemy. We must put on all the armor of God. No single piece of equipment is going to win the battle for us. It will take everything God has given us to defeat the enemy. We fight with the truth. When Jesus was tempted, he fought back with the word of God when he said, “it is written”. We fight with righteousness. We have been redeemed. We are seen as righteous in the eyes of God. We are holy, a people separated unto God’s glory. Our faith shields us from the fiery darts of the devil. We know that nothing can separate us from the love of God. We fight with the Gospel of Peace. We have a peace that passes all understanding. We stay alert and we pray often.

Don’t be fooled, the devil seeks you every minute of every day, and you need the power of God to win this battle. You can never unplug from God. He is your power source. Suit up brothers and sisters, and stand.

Finding Healing Through Forgiveness

Posted on by Jesse Walker

 

How do we forgive when we have been seriously hurt or injured by someone we love or was supposed to love us? I’m not going to lie. This is a very difficult thing to do. But there is hope. With the help of God, all things are possible. And you may need to seek professional help.

But if you hear nothing else, please hear this. You are precious in the eyes of God. You were created in God’s image. You were woven in your mother’s womb. In other words, God formed your DNA. He wanted you to be born. You are not an accident. Your parents might have had an accidental pregnancy. But you were no accident. And your value isn’t determined by other’s actions. Your value is determined by your heavenly Father. Please know that sad isn’t bad. While it is very sad that you were seriously hurt. You are not bad. You are not guilty of their mistakes.

So how do you move on? How do you release your anger and resentment? One thing that might help is to remind yourself that as a child of God you are commanded to forgive. Not only forgive them, but in other verses were told to pray for them. This may seem ridiculous at first. But if you consider that God is a God that gave his Son for you, you know how much he loves you. He’s not asking you to do this for no reason. Obviously, there must be a better reason. But what could that reason be? Could it be that God knows what you need most is to turn your pain over to him. And let him carry it for you? Could it be through prayer you can speak directly to Jesus. Who knows what it is to be innocent and to suffer, even to die, having done nothing wrong.

I think another thing we must remember is that forgiveness is not acting as if what was done is okay. Or acting as if it never happened. Forgiveness does not  remove any punishment they may have to serve for breaking the law. Forgiveness does not allow them to pull you down. It’s like trying to save someone who is drowning. If they try and drown you with them, you are not required to save them. That is not love. That is foolishness.

There is an old Chinese proverb that says, “He who seeks revenge should remember to dig two graves.” The longer you hold resentment and anger inside of you, you are burying yourself alive.  In the first chorus of “Burdens are lifted at calvary,” it says,

Days are filled with sorrow and care

Hearts are lonely and drear
Burdens are Lifted at Calvary
Jesus is very near

Remember surrendering to Jesus at calvary is where your burdens are lifted. And as you grow closer to God, he draws closer to you. Jesus becomes near. I am very sorry others didn’t see the value in you or live up to their responsibilities. But the truth is, if you don’t release it, you will end up drowning in it. And if you’re not careful, you will pass down the same guilt to your children one day. To break the curse, you must learn to forgive.

I love you mom

Posted on by Jesse Walker

If you’re listening to this short video, you have a mother.  I pray she’s as great as mine.   My mom is a quiet and gentle spirit. Many of you can say the same thing about your mother. My mother never complains. Unless it’s when her computer fails. Don’t tell her I said that. I never recall my mother being mad because she couldn’t buy herself a new dress, or fancy shoes. She was content being a mom.  In Ephesians 6:1-4 it says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” – which is the first commandment with a promise – “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

When God wanted to show his children how much he cares for them he chooses a mother’s compassion. For in Isaiah 66:13 it says, “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.” Out of all of the objects, all of the imagery God could summon up, he chose a mother’s compassion to show how He himself is compassionate. Let that sink in a minute. Your mother’s compassion is like that of God’s.

In Luke 2:19, Mary treasured all these things in her heart.  Mary quietly stood back, and watch Jesus grow from an infant to a young man.  She didn’t need to have the spotlight on her. She was meek and gentle. She wanted the best for Jesus.  Mary, like most moms, stood off in the background, quietly influencing her son to be all he could be. Watching to make sure he wasn’t hurt.  And if he was, running to his defense.

Mothers, thank you for all the endless hours you’ve sacrificed ensuring your children have what they need. Thank you for waking up in the middle of the night to calm them down when their scared from a scary movie, or a bad dream. Thank you for listening when our hearts were broken by puppy love. Lord, please shine forth your glory today on all mothers near and far.  I love you mom.  And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.