Author: Jesse Walker

What is your greatest accomplishment?

Posted on by Jesse Walker

 

What is your greatest accomplishment?  Some interviewers love to ask this question. They want to hear from you what you believe is your greatest achievement as it relates to the position you are applying for. For a software engineer, that might be how fast they completed a software upgrade. Or the amount of money they saved their company while preventing cyber-attacks.

As a child of God what is your greatest achievement? If you’re like me, I don’t have any trophy’s setting on my desk for being some super-duper Christian. I haven’t written any books. And those sitting close by me on Sunday morning, can testify it’s not my angelic voice.  So, what does God see as our greatest achievements?  I hope it’s my love for Him. I hope it’s how much He knows I can’t live without him. And how sorry I am when I mess up.

Could it be that our greatest achievement is that we refuse to give up?  That we aren’t who we once were. After all, all of us were once like the prodigal son. We were lost but we are found, we were blind, but now we can see. Maybe our greatest achievements don’t seem like much, but maybe they are everything to God.

Because we have changed, we care more for others than we care for ourselves. We are willing to sacrifice in order that others can have what they need. We meet on Sundays to encourage others to stay in the race. We make phone calls, send cards, and make visits. Why? Because we have changed.  No, it won’t ever be printed in the local paper, but it means a lot to our Heavenly Father who calls us to be imitators of Him.

When Elijah was on the run from Queen Jezebel, God reminded him in 1 Kings 19:18 that “there were 7,000 who had not bowed their knee down to Baal”.   We don’t know these 7,000 by name, but they made a difference in the life of a struggling saint just by remaining faithful. In Judges 7:7, God told Gideon he would defeat the Midianites with just 300 of his soldiers. These 300 men made a difference. God said to Abraham in Genesis 18:32, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it”.  In Matthew 18:19-20, Jesus said, “I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” In Luke 10:1 we read that Jesus “sent them two by two”.

I pray today that you will know that you are needed. Not because you are famous or not famous, but because you are part of the family of God. You are the hands and feet of God. Your greatest achievements may seem small to some, but to God, you are one of the ones, whom Jesus said, “For as much as you have done it unto one of these, you have done it unto me.”  Can I encourage you to remain strong and to continue to serve.  And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.

Growing Pains

Posted on by Jesse Walker

Doctor’s estimate that about 40 percent of children go through some kind of growth pains. Parents often don’t know what to do. They will often rub their child’s arms and legs to help sooth them the best they can.

There is no clear answer on what causes growing pains. Some say it’s caused by bone growth. Others believe it might be discomfort caused by climbing or running throughout the day.

For the child of God, they too may have to face growing pains. In Psalm 139:23-24 it says, “23Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.24 See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”

The Psalmist cries out to God and says, Lord please take a good hard look at me.  Look deeply into my heart and see where I am lacking. And Lord, if you find anything wrong within me, test me. Wait, did I read that right? Did he say, “test me”?

I don’t know about you, but I’m not into asking God to send me trials. Are you? Isn’t there another way? I’m afraid not, to become mature in Christ we must grow up. We must experience growing pains. Paul said when I was a child, I reasoned like a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish ways. How bad do you want to become like Christ? Enough to ask God to look deep inside your heart, and to adjust as needed?

I wish I could say this is my prayer for every day of my life. But it scares me. I want to surrender, but then I read the story about Job and it scares me even more. Yes, I know in the end Job wins. But it’s the getting to the end that scares me. So how do we do it, I think we must become like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Lord, please remove this cup from me, but if there is no other way, then your will be done not mine.

Lord, hear my prayer. Please lead me in your everlasting way. Examine me and fix me so that I will grow up in Christ Jesus. Lord, I know you know what I need best, and I fully trust in you. And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.

A Wake Up Call

Posted on by Jesse Walker

What is the most difficult time you have had to face in your life?  Have you ever gone without food, clothing, or shelter?  Do you know what it means to have nothing?

In the book of Joel, Chapter 1 verses 1 -4, Joel tells the people of Judah that a great devastation is coming like never seen before.  This disaster is painted as a swarm of locusts that would eat everything in its path. There would be absolutely nothing left.

Why was God going to do this?  Because Judah had departed from God’s teaching. They had not obeyed his word. They had become a people who pretended to love God, while living immoral lives.

The call-in verse 5 of chapter 1 is to “wake up”.  Many need to hear this message today. All you need to do is look around and the moral decay of our country is all around us. Spiritual and physical death is rampant.  Sin is flaunted in the face of God. And guess what, Christians are not immune to this condition. When we push God out of our thinking, we replace him with something.  Everyone believes something. You are either serving God, or you are serving yourself.  The problem with most today, is I’m going to do what I want to do.

The problem with our world is not guns, it isn’t the shortage of food, it isn’t the shortage of homes. We have all the money we want for the things we want. We build bigger armies, bigger bombs, and bigger houses. The problem is the shortage of love. It’s the shortage of obedience to God.  John Stott once wrote regarding man’s sinful ways, is that the issue is  “Hardness of heart that moves to darkness of heart that moves to deadness that moves to recklessness that is unrestrained unhindered abandonment to sin.”  I’m afraid this sums up our society and our culture today.  We praise sin while we put down God.

What we need today in our land is a wakeup call.  We need God to send the locust to purge us of our sin. Yes, this does mean the innocent will suffer. Yes, it will be unbearable for many of us. But if it leads to a purging of sin, and a returning to God, will you pray for it? Or have you become comfortable living in a hard, dark hearted world? Repentance will only come with a “wake up” call.  It has always been that way.  From Genesis to Revelation. God send us a wakeup call.  And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.

The Humble King – Easily Forgotten

Posted on by Jesse Walker

When I was a teenager, I drove a 1966 Ford Mustang. It had a Boss 302 engine with a three-quarter racing cam.   It also had a 3:11 rearend and a Hersh shifter.  The only problem was that it was held together by Bondo. The winter weather in Michigan and the salty roads had eaten away the body.  It was a rust bucket. But that car won me many races. People would look at the outside and be fooled.

This got me thinking, Jesus did that one time when he rode into Jerusalem.  He came riding into town on a young donkey. This is the same Jesus who in Mark 4:39, “rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: Peace, be still. And the wind ceased: and there was made a great calm”.  I’m afraid you and I would have picked a white stallion. Or maybe even a supped-up chariot.  One that had a Cleveland 451 motor under the hood. A convertible with wide tires and dual exhaust. We might even have the Eagles playing on our 8-track cassette player.  You younger folks will have to google that one.

Well back to my story, why did Jesus choose a donkey of all animals to ride into Jerusalem. Does Jesus have something against Ford’s? No, I know Jesus loved Fords, because he walked everywhere he went.  It’s okay you’ll get it in a minute. Seriously, I’d assume Jesus choose a donkey because he is a humble King. A king that wasn’t all about outward appearances. In Matthew 11:28-29 Jesus said, “come unto me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”  When Jesus was arrested, Peter drew his sword and was ready to fight. Yet Jesus said, put your sword away. Don’t you know I could have called twelve legions of Angels and my Father would send them.  When Jesus stood before Pilate, he asked him, are you the King of the Jews. Jesus replied, “My Kingdom is not of this world”.  If it was my servants would fight.” Don’t be fooled, Jesus entered the city on a little donkey, but he contained the power to change the world.  In a few days, he would lead his captives free. He would defeat his enemies.  In Colossians 2:15 it says, When He (Jesus) had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.”  Jesus’ march to the cross was his victory over death. And that death freed his servants from a life of sin.  He may of rode a donkey that day, but he contained the supernatural power to wipe out his enemy, the devil and all his armies.

Can you picture it. Jesus is riding into town while the crowds are laying their coats and palm branches on the ground. The crowd is shouting, “Hosana to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!”  However, it wouldn’t be long, and the very same people who are shouting Hosana will shout crucify him, crucify him. They will soon forget that Jesus is the same person they just shouted “Hosana in the highest.”  They would forget that he is the King. But King of a different world. And one day the King is going to return with a loud shout, and a loud trumpet sound. And he will claim all those that are his. (Matthew 24:31).

I wonder if we are any different today. Statistics say that the Sunday after Easter is the least attended worship service. The build up is amazing. Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. People flock to worship like no other Sunday except maybe Christmas. But within a few days they forget all about the King. On Monday they shout “Hosana” and a few days later they shout, “crucify him’.  Will you join me today and shout “Hosana to the Highest”.  Like the song Lead Me to Calvary says. “King of my life, I crown Thee now, Thine shall the glory be; Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow, Lead me to Calvary.”  Lord don’t let us be deceived by your humble entrance, by the passing of time, or by our busy lives.  “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” ( Psalms 51:10).  And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.

Slaying Giants

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Have you ever had to face a giant in your life?  Or are you facing one now.  A challenge that seems insurmountable.

Did you know the bible is full of giant slayers. People who have overcome what seemed like insurmountable odds. In 1 Chronicles 20:4-8 we see many giant slayers. On one occasion, when the Israelites were fighting the Philistines in a place called Gezer, Sibbecai one of Israels warriors slayed Saph who was a descendant of the giants.  On another occasion Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi, the brother of Goliath. Yet on another battle with the Philistines at Gath, they encountered a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in all, who was also a descendant of the giants. But when he defied and taunted Israel, he was killed by Jonathan, the son of David’s brother Shimea. All these Philistines were descendants of the giants of Gath, but David and his warriors killed them.

When Saul was king of Israel, there were no giant killers.  The Israelite army trembled before Goliath, until a little shepherd boy arrived on the scene.  David was so convinced that his God would fight his battle for him, that he ran into battle with a sling shot and a few pebbles.  And he was right, his God delivered a mighty victory to him that day when he defeated Goliath.  David’s victory over Goliath paved the way for those after him to become giant killers. When giants arose to fight against Israel, the Israelite warriors knew first had that giants can be defeated.  And this knowledge gave them courage to stand and fight. David’s faith in God and his willingness to fight set a powerful precedent for all of Israel’s “mighty men”.

All around us there are what seem as unsurmountable giants.  But none of these giants are “undefeatable”.  The Bible is full of examples of saints who stood their ground and routed their enemies. Let’s follow their example and set new precedents fighting the giants of our day. We too can leave a legacy of victory, inspiring our children and grandchildren to victory over the “sons of Goliath”!

Walking Worthy to your Calling

Posted on by Jesse Walker

The Apostle Paul in the first 3 chapters of Ephesians teaches that those who are in Christ Jesus has been blessed with all spiritual blessings.  He then prayed that the eyes of their heart would be open to see the power of God.  The same power that raised Christ from the grave and sat him at God’s right hand.

Paul instructs them to remember where they came from. How that they were dead. They were like zombies. Walking around with no hope. Separated from God. But God made them alive through their faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul reveals the mystery that once had been hidden for so long. That Jews and Gentiles were to become one in Christ Jesus. There would no longer be any separation. The vale had been rent from top to bottom. Something only God could do. No longer would believers be separated by their ethnicity, race, gender, or financial status. The playing field is level at the foot of the cross.

Then in Chapter 4, he moves from doctrine to application. Now that you have been made worthy, be sure to walk worthy of your calling. Paul wants them to have more than head knowledge of Jesus. He wants them to have an experiential knowledge of God. He wants them to walk worthy now that they have tasted of the goodness of God. How do believers do that?

Well Paul gives a few examples in the first few verses of Chapter 4.  Walk in humility meaning without the presence of pride. Be kind to each other and to seek unity. They were to find oneness in their common love for God. I don’t know about you, but this is something I wish we could all practice a little more. Let’s find some common ground where we can appreciate our love for Christ. Let’s fight a little less and love a lot more.

Have you tasted of the goodness of God? Are you living worthy of your calling to love your neighbor as yourself. Are you actively striving for unity. Let us be a people that never forget we have been called to one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

Forgiveness

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In Colossians 3:13 Christians are told “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Forgiveness is neither easy nor clear-cut, as many of us have found out when we are deeply hurt. I have experienced murder in my family. It is hard thing to forgive the person who took the life of your loved one. I have been abandoned by some, laughed at by others and sold short by others. Many of you have experienced the same or worse.

Why does God command that we forgive others. If you know anything about God, it’s for our benefit. God only wants the best for you and me. I believe one reason is, because without forgiveness you can never be fully free.  Hatred is of the devil. So, you will either choose to serve the devil or your heavenly father. The bible is clear, no man can serve two masters.

If you allow anger to build up inside of you, your enemy the devil has won. Your anger will turn to hatred, and as a result, all of humanity loses. The way a society goes will be determined largely by the grace it offers.

Forgiveness is the required step to a grace filled life.  Does this mean we forget. No. Does this mean what they did was ok. Absolutely not. Does this mean we should seek their release from prison. No.

In his book The Prisoner and the Bomb, Laurens van der Post recounts the misery of his wartime experiences in a Japanese prison camp in Java.   He writes, “The only hope for the future lay in an all-embracing attitude of forgiveness of the peoples who had been our enemies. Forgiveness, my prison experience had taught me, was not mere religious sentimentality; it was as fundamental a law of the human spirit as the law of gravity. If one broke the law of gravity one broke one’s neck; if one broke this law of forgiveness, one inflicted a mortal wound on one’s spirit and became once again a member of the chain-gang of mere cause and effect from which life has labored so long and painfully to escape.”

Why is our society so full of anger, and hatred? Why do we seem so divided? Could a large part of it be due to the lack of our willingness to forgive. Forgiveness does not come to us easily. We must work at it. It is a choice we must learn to make as painful as it can be.  We have to see the necessity of it for the greater good of society. A society that doesn’t practice grace is a society that is doomed to fail.  If the church wants to make an impact on the world, it must learn to practice forgiveness. How many of our churches have split over refusal to forgive.  Where did that practice come from?  I can surely say it did not come from God. For he commanded us to forgive. His Son dying words from the cross were “Father Forgive them”.

Will you take a step today to practice a grace filled life. A life of forgiveness. Ask God today to help you forgive. Lord, please forgive me when I allow anger and bitterness to fill my heart when I refuse to forgive someone who has hurt me. Teach me Lord to forgive as you have forgiven me.

Where are you?

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Have you ever wondered why God’s first question to Adam after he sinned, wasn’t “What have you done now”?  Or “Why can’t you stay out of trouble?”  Or maybe something like, “I hate you; I never want to see you again.”  Isn’t that sometimes how we respond when were angry?

But God’s first words to Adam were, “Where are you”.  Do you believe God didn’t know where Adam was?  I’m certain God knew exactly where Adam was. What God was indicating is, come here Adam.  I’m looking for you.  I want to talk to you. God was restoring a broken relationship.

God did a very similar thing with the second recorded sin in the bible when Cain killed his brother Abel. God said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother”.  In James 1:15 we read, “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”  Like Adam and Cain, they first desired something. For Adam it was the fruit of the tree.  For Cain it was jealousy of his brothers offering being accepted while his was rejected. The result of both their sins was spiritual death. This is true of all sin.  For in Isaiah 59:2 it says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”  Can you hear from Isiah’s words how sin destroys our relationship with God. Words like separation, removed from His presence (face) and that God will not respond (will not hear).  Friend this is a broken relationship that must be restored in order to function as it was designed.

This is why God came to Adam and said, “Where are you”, let’s restore our broken relationship. Let’s remove the separation.

In Mark 12:30-31 we learn that the greatest commandment according to Jesus is to love God with all your heart, and that the second is much like it to love others like yourself. Then Jesus sums up his teaching, and says, there are no greater commandments than these.

The kingdom of God is not made up of rules.  Nor is God seeking a bunch of rule keepers. Is obedience important.  Absolutely.  Jesus said, those who love me will keep my commandments. But loving Jesus, and doing good, is not rule keeping. It’s evidence of a loving relationship.

God is asking you and me today, “Where are you”? I pray today you will take time to mediate on this very important question, “Where are you?” And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.

God Cried

Posted on by Jesse Walker

How do we (mortal humanity) obtain Intimacy with an all-powerful God? I surely do not have the definitive answer. But for me, it helps to see Christ as my father. I know how a father loves his children. Especially since I am a dad. I know how much I love my children. How I would do anything for them. And how it hurts when they rebel.

God is not a force. He is a person. Jesus the Son of God in John 14:8-10 when asked by Phillip to show them the Father replied, Philip if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. Do you not know that I am in the Father and He is in me. Jesus also said in John 5:19, I can only do what the Father is doing. In a true sense, what Jesus was saying is that me and my Father are a mirror image. In John chapter 7, when Jesus saw Mary and the Jews weeping over the death of Mary’s brother Lazarus, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And then in verse 35, it says “Jesus Wept”.  How can mortal man cause an Almighty God to weep? To be grieved in the spirit, and to be troubled. Because He cares. He desires the best for us, and he wants to be with us.

Then in 1 John 4:29, we learn that God loved us before we ever loved him. It’s as if he walked into the orphanage and picked me out as the best kid. I know he picked us all. But it’s personal, God picked me, and he picked you. He is your father and my father.

God is not seeking religiosity. What he is seeking is a relationship. The entire reason God created man was to be with him. To commune with him. God came looking for Adam. And he is looking for you as well. As unfathomable it is to me, God loves us and wants to be with us. He picked us to be on his team when others did not want us. It makes no earthly sense. We are full of flaws and wrinkles. Yet God loved us when we were unlovable. Will you join me today and thank God for selecting you to be a part of His family. I pray you will. And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood, Church of Christ.

See The Sermon

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In his book called “The Jesus Style”, Gayle D. Erwin has a chapter titled “I’d Rather See a Sermon.”  Gayle mentions a time when his family was lost and needed someone to guide them to their destination. I remember a time in my life when I found myself in the very same situation. I had just been transferred to a new Navy base in New Orleans, Louisiana. And during my first visit I found myself lost at night in the New Orleans downtown district. Most of the stores were closed, and the few gas stations I found had bars on the windows.  The attendants tried to give me directions through the glass windows, but I could not find my way out of the city.  Finally, several hours later, I met a man who was delivering newspapers to local hotels. Do they even do that anymore?  But he told me to follow him, and he led me to my destination. He was like a bright and shinning start to me that day, for I was lost, and he helped me find my way.

A good leader is someone who not only talks the talk but walks the walk.  They are willing to roll up their sleeves and lead by example. The same is true for good Christian leaders. As you work with your church family, do you ask them to do something you have never done or are unwilling to do yourself?  Will you sweep the floor or is that below you?  Do you need a title, a parking space or special clothing to show your place of honor?

In Matthew 23 Jesus told his disciples and the crowd to obey their religious leaders, but don’t do like they do. For they do not practice what they preach. They make it hard on others and never offer to help them with their heavy load.  Jesus’ approach was totally opposite. He said, “come follow me” and I’ll make you fishers of men. I’ll not only teach you, but I’ll demonstrate it to you.

While we can all point fingers at poor church leadership. We must also recognize our role. One thing to remember from Matthew 23 is that Jesus doesn’t say you don’t have to obey just because you have bad leaders. Excuses will not lessen our responsibility to become what God designed us to be.

Another thought to remember is that Christians are to be the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. How can a light be of any good if it is hidden under a basket. Or how can salt be of any use if it has lost its saltiness? If your light falls under the pew and never gets outside the building what good is it? Isn’t that like the leaders who refuse to lift a finger to help the lost?

Do you know what the best way is to teach your children to follow in the footsteps of Jesus is? It’s to let them see you on your knees in prayer to God as you hold their hand. To carry them with you, when possible, to see the sick. To work beside you in a homeless shelter. You can tell them all you want about it but letting them “see” the sermon is so much more powerful.

As I close, let me ask, could this be the problem with the church today? Could it be that we preach some very good sermons, and teach some awesome bible classes, but all along make it harder for those to come to know God because we refuse to lift a finger to help them. Have our assemblies become more important than our involvement? And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.