Christian life

Moving Mountains

Posted on by Jesse Walker

In Matthew 17:20, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” I have wondered for years just exactly how little is this kind of faith? I know the mustard seed is a tiny seed. But can a small amount of faith really move mountains? Can it be enough in the darkest moments of our lives? Can it keep us strong when we’re feeling so weak and vulnerable. When it seems we can’t even stand, can this tiny faith move mountains.

But I think I may have gained a little insight into this verse over the years. You see, it has little to do with us, and everything to with God. It’s God who is able to do more than we can ask or imagine according to Ephesians 3:20-21. It’s in our moments of crushing, that God turns our weakness into power. When we can no longer rely upon ourselves, or our strength, we must turn to God. And in that moment of mustard seed faith, He acts. He moves our mountains.

Yes, I believe that’s it. What we need is enough faith to trust in God. To turn it over to him even when our faith is as tiny as a mustard seed. When we have been crushed, we cry out to Abba Father. And our daddy hears our voice. And like our earthly father, He comes along side us to comfort us. There is a beautiful picture of this faith in the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus cried out Abba Father in Mark 13:36.  While sweating drops of blood, Jesus took what faith he had, and cried out to his Father. Daddy, help me, take this cup from me. But if not, your will be done. In a sense, Jesus says to his Father, give me the strength to finish what I have begun. And He did. You talk about moving mountains. That night mountains were moved. And when the deed was done the Sky darkened, and the earth stood still. The faith of a mustard seed conquered death.

It is God, that can move mountains with the spoken word. It is God that parted the sea so his people could walk across on dry ground. It is God that gave his only begotten Son so we wouldn’t have to face the sting of death. How do we move mountains with tiny faith? Like John the Baptist said in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” We with our little faith, decrease, so God with his unlimited power can increase.

Do you have mountains in your life today that you need help with moving? Can I encourage you to take your crushing and allow God to turn it into power. Putting whatever little faith you have, into the hands of an Almighty God is the beginning of something big, like a mountain.

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.

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.

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.

Forgiveness

Posted on by Jesse Walker

 

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?

Posted on by Jesse Walker

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.