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”!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Many years ago, Jesus was asked, what is the greatest commandment. To which he replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30.
The Greek word for love that Jesus used is well known in the verb form of AGAPE. It is a love that is based upon choice. The child of God is to freely choose to love God and to love others. They are to delight in God’s holiness. And that love is to spread outward to others. Christians are to seek the best for others. Which means, we must be able to see the best in them.
We are living in times that can make this incredibly challenging. With the growth of social media and the usage of smart phones. Did you know in a study done in 2021, that 46% of American’s reported that they spend 5-6 hours a day on their phones. And for most it’s not just playing Candy Crush. Do you realize, for many that’s more time than they spend with their significant other. They hold their phone more than they hold their spouse. They talk to their phone more than they do their mate. Can you see where that is a problem?
As more and more Christians spend long hours online, they are easily caught up in today’s political wars. It would do Christians good to remember what the 9th Commandment says in Exodus 20:16: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” When you log online, and say something about others, are you spreading gossip? Can you be sure when you click the “like” button that it’s a true statement? When you share it, are you sharing the truth? Or is it partial truth? Is it just a little white lie? Is that okay with you? I urge you to be incredibly careful. Ask yourself honestly, how much of the news do you know to be true. I mean you heard it yourself, you seen it yourself. Were you present when what your posting, re-posting, sharing, commenting on, was said or done? Here’s an eye opener for you, (not really) you probably already know this, or should know this, all news agencies/outlets are formed to make money. Here’s a fact you should know too, controversial news makes more money. Controversial news posted online gets more clicks. Sells more adds. You get the picture. You’re not going to stand before God and say, but Fox news said, ABC news said. Jesus is going to say, I said do not commit slander. Next time you go to send out that email, to retweet that comment, you might want to listen to the word of God. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
But Lord when did I commit slander. When was I a false witness. When you reposted that article without researching thoroughly the facts. When you posted that nasty tweet about some politician you disagree with. When you sent out that email trail to all your friends making fun of someone’s disability. The rest of the story in Deuteronomy 19, is let it be done unto you about what you were hoping was done to the other person. In other words, may others tell stories about you. May they try and tear down your reputation. May they make fun of you. May you be stalked and sought out because of what your tongue so loosely spoke, or fingers so easily typed. Ouch!
What do you think God will do to those who are spreading misinformation? Is he going to wink at our failures? Is he going to give us a pass because we were so compassionate about our side of the story? Be careful, the Apostle Paul was full of conviction when he was having Christians killed. His conscience was clean. But he was dead wrong. And if he hadn’t met God, and repented of his sins, he would be rotting in hell.
But Jesus, what is the greatest commandment. “Love”. You mean it hasn’t changed in 2023. Come on Jesus, surely you know our times are different. These are drastic times that call for drastic actions. Yes, my child, you are correct. You should love even more. You should care even deeper. And remember, the greatest of these is love.
If you haven’t heard it yet today, may I be the first, I love you as a child of God is to love. I care about you. I want the best for you. Why? Because I love God, and he has told me to love my neighbor. How can I say no to that? Reminds me of Joseph in Genesis 39:9, “My master (meaning her husband) has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” The next time you’re tempted to spread that loosely typed article or make that ugly comment, ask yourself, is this done out of love? If not, how can you do such a thing and sin against God. And this is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.
Tommy was a high school jock. He broke all his high school records. He scored more points than anyone else had ever done. Tommy was on top of the world until one night he was arrested for selling drugs. Tommy had become addicted to prescription drugs, due to his sports injuries. He lost his scholarship and found himself all alone. His dreams of playing professional sports faded away. He became suicidal, depression ruled the day. He had been in and out of rehabilitation centers.
One day Tommy reached out for help. In doing so he found God. He was able to confess his sins. And with this confession came release. He was no longer held prisoner by his past. Like Tommy, many of us have done things in our past that hold us captive. We can’t find a way to forgive ourselves. Maybe we walked out on a marriage. Maybe we’ve abandoned our children. Maybe we’ve committed a serious crime.
But does this have to mean that we are without hope for the rest of our lives? In Isiah 59:1 we read, “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.” In other words, God shouts an emphatic “NO”. My grace and mercy can cover your sins. But that’s not all there is. God’s grace not only covers our sins, but it also provides us the strength to continue with life.
It doesn’t matter if your sin is coveting, lying, stealing or murder. God’s promise makes no distinction when He says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18b). The truth is, no matter how horrible your sin is, how low we sink, God’s grace will always be greater. If God has said he has forgotten your sin, then believe Him and move on. Listen to the Apostle Paul when he said, “Forget what is behind you and press on toward what lies ahead.” That’s why the front window shield is larger than the rearview mirror.
Now that you know the liberating freedom that comes from confessing your sins and trusting in God. Can I ask you to help others who are struggling with their past sins. Will you pay it forward? This is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.
What do you think about when you hear the word jealousy? In our culture this normally indicates bad behavior. Behavior we’ve all seen when someone flies off the handle. Have you ever gotten jealous over your friends who live in a bigger house or drive a nicer car?
But did you know that jealousy doesn’t always have to be bad. If it motivates us to do better. For example, to study harder so we can get a better job. Or to work harder so we can get promoted, that isn’t always bad.
Did you know that God is a jealous God? In fact, in Exodus 20:3-5, God tells his people they shall have no other God’s before him because he is a jealous God. Again, in Deuteronomy 24:4 it says, For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. How can God be a loving God and a jealous God? The simplest answer is, God does not get jealous like man does. His jealousy is not driven by emotions. He doesn’t change because of how he feels that day. God is the same today, tomorrow, and forever. God is a jealous God because of his commitment to love you and me. God will not allow you or me to cheapen our relationship with him. In 2 Cor 11:2 the apostle Paul wrote, “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.” God expects his people to be committed to him like a husband and wife are to be committed to each other. You might say for richer or poorer, through sickness and health, through good or bad.
God’s jealousy is a divine jealousy. A commitment to his people. And it’s this commitment that led him to offer his greatest gift himself. Yes, God is a jealous God because he paid a great price for you and me. But God’s jealousy doesn’t end there, his commitment to you and me, never ends. It is God who gives us every good and perfect gift. His jealousy for us is why he gives us all things that pertain to life and Godliness. God is committed to no one else, like he is committed to his bride the church. And one day his Son, Jesus is coming back for his bride. Will you join me today in praising God for loving us like no other one else has ever done. I pray you will.
The expression of gratitude is a commendable trait and one which is divinely approved (Phil. 4:6-7). An examination of the New Testament reveals several contexts in which thanksgiving was freely exercised.
Thanksgiving may be expressed in contexts dealing with spirituality, including our spiritual warfare within (Rom. 7:23-25), our knowledge of others’ godly life (Eph. 1:16), or remembering the fellowship of other Christians (Phil. 1:3-5). Or, it may be expressed as we experience anxiety in life (Phil. 4:6), as we are being built up in Christ (Col. 2:7), or as we realize anew the manifestation of God in creation (Rom. 1:20-21).
Thanksgiving may be expressed in contexts dealing with religious observances. Such was done as Christ ate His last Passover meal with the disciples (Mt. 26:18-20) and in the church’s assembly (1 Co. 14:16-17).
Thanksgiving may be expressed in teaching contexts. The parable of the Pharisee and the publican included the expression of thanks (Luke 18:9-14). The Apostle Paul expressed thanksgiving as he penned the Roman epistle (Rom. 1:8) and as he discussed the act of speaking in tongues (1Co. 14:18). He also expressed thanks as he discussed fainting not in the ministry (2 Co. 4:15).
Thanksgiving may be expressed in contexts involving persecution. The apostle Paul expressed thanks as he faced false accusations before Felix (Acts 24:1-3), as he was about to be become shipwrecked (Acts 27:27-44), and as he journeyed closer to Rome (Acts 28:14-15). One may express thanks as another endangers his life for fellow Christians (Rom. 16:3-4) and as one is persecuted as a child of God (2 Co. 1:11).
Thanksgiving may be expressed even amidst congregational division. Such was done amidst judgmental differences (Rom. 14:6), concerning spiritual leaders in the congregation (1 Co. 1:4, 14), and as some were able to conscientiously partake of food offered unto idols (1 Co. 10:30).
Thanksgiving may also be expressed as we feed the hungry (Mt. 15:36), as we help needy saints (2 Co. 9:11-12), as we receive healing (Luke 17:11ff), and in contexts of life and death (John 11:41).
Thanksgiving can be expressed in a multitude of situations. Things don’t always have to be good or easy in our life for us to be thankful. We have the choice and ability to always see the best in any situation we may face. The reason we may find it easy to do at times, is because we have God. No matter how good or bad things go in our life, God will always be there for us. Even at the end of all things for our lives we can be thankful that God will take us home with for eternity. If you find it hard to be thankful for anything in your life, maybe you have not yet become a child of the one that brings ultimate joy. If choose to follow Him, no matter the good or bad that may come, your life can have joy and peace and that is something outstanding to be thankful for.
