When I was teaching, the first days of school were focused on teaching rules of the classroom. After introducing the classroom rules I would model the expected behavior and then ask a student to model the same behavior. As weeks passed, I corrected a few students who did not follow the classroom expectations. These students were quick to rebut that I did not correct another student's behavior or I was not following the same  rule - they had observed me chewing gum one afternoon.

In Paul's first letter to the church at Thessalonia, he praised them for "modeling your lives after ours just as we are modeling ours after the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 1:6 The Voice) As ones who belong to the body of Christ - the Church, the behaviors we model reflect who we are modeling. As I reflect on verse 6, I am challenged to model a behavior that is represented of Christ rather than my own. I must be considerate of how I talk to my wife. Do my sons see me modeling a behavior of love, mercy, kindness, and compassion or something else?

Modeling is a powerful tool. The media and entertainment knows this very well and so should we. As we live our daily lives outside our weekly church meetings, we must continue to model our "faith toward God [so that wherever we go nothing else needs to be said]." (1Thessalonians 1:8 NASB)

Hi everyone. This week's reading is John 6. I suggest reading the entire chapter in one sitting, regardless if it sinks in or not. After your cursory reading, spend about 3 to 5 minutes pondering over anything that grabbed your attention. Take notes if you like.

Then throughout the week read the chapter in chunks. Many bibles have verses in sections that are subtitled. Try reading a section a day. Dig deep into the sections, ask questions, jot down thoughts, or share insights on this post. Since your readings are in sections, you will spend no more than 5 minutes reading and more time talking and listening to Christ. Try to set a specific time aside for you and Jesus. Don't worry about the length. Just do it.

Once you have completed going through reading the entire chapter by chunks, spend sometime on Saturday or Sunday  (or your day off) reading the chapter through its entirety and spend time tarrying with the Lord.

Have an awesome time reading and delving into God's word. 

"I’ll restore your health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord.“ (Jeremiah 30:17 GWT)

After about a year in Babylonian captivity, the Lord instructed Jeremiah to tell Israel that He will free them from captivity and restore them. While most of us have not experienced being in captivity, we do experience our own spiritual captivities. Generally, the root to our spiritual captivity is the weakness of our flesh. Believe me when I say I know what it is like to struggle with the desires of the flesh, the pride in my heart, and the stubbornness of my mind.
As I watched the boys play on their XBox one day, I noticed their charcters were reseted when they were killed or their health restored after a few seconds when they rested. I started wishing life could be reseted or I restored the same way. But I realized God sent His Son to restore us. All we have to do is stop and reset at the foot of the cross. We cannot restore ourselves. No self-help, no medication, no program can reset and restore you. A complete surrender of ALL of YOURSELF is the only way to be restored. It is a choice you have to make. It is a decision you have to make daily. Listen, we do not know what lies ahead in the morrow. Don't wait until the end when you can't hit that reset button-you may never get a chance to do so. The struggles with fleshly desires, pride, and stubbornness weakens our ability to serve the Lord in His fullness. You cannot fully serve Christ if you continue to serve yourself. Matthew 6:24 says that we cannot serve two masters.
When the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed the words the Lord instructed him to say, God gave a promise of full restoration from the hurts and struggles endured during captivity. The promise extends to us today. So get rid of the pride. Humble yourselves. Stop your self-destructive ways. Go to Jesus. Surrender. Reset your spirit and get restored so that you can be used mightily for the kingdom of God and not the selfdom of you.

There isn’t any temptation that you have experienced which is unusual for humans. God, who faithfully keeps his promises, will not allow you to be tempted beyond your power to resist. But when you are tempted, he will also give you the ability to endure the temptation as your way of escape. (1 Corinthians 10:13 GWT)

Schools all over the world practice fire drills to train children how to escape the building during a fire. Unfortunately over the years the drills have changed for an active shooter in progress. Instead of lining up in a single file and walking the predetermined routes to a meeting place, teachers gather their students into their classrooms, huddle in a corner away from the doors, and lock themselves in the classroom. If there are windows, they may escape through them if safe. If not, then they wait in the rooms until the threat is gone. At least with a fire, we know where it is. There is also a science to how fire spreads, so escape routes can be planned. However, with an active shooter you don't know where he is or what he is thinking.

Life sometimes feels as if we are in an active shooter situation, and see no way out. But God promises that He will give endurance during the temptations in life, and He will always provide an escape route. Be encouraged, do not cower, and give up hope during temptations Satan throws at you. Satan wants you to feel trapped and fall into sin, but God has an escape route for you. Learn the escape routes and practice them always, so that you can escape in confidence and meet God at a safe place.

To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are saved and among those who are dying.  To some people we are a deadly fragrance, while to others we are a life-giving fragrance. Who is qualified to tell about Christ? (2 Corinthians 2:15, 16 GWT)

As I see it, God has placed us apostles last in line, like people condemned to die. We have become a spectacle for people and angels to look at. We have given up our wisdom for Christ, but you have insight because of Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are honored, but we are dishonored. To this moment, we are hungry, thirsty, poorly dressed, roughly treated, and homeless. We wear ourselves out doing physical labor. When people verbally abuse us, we bless them. When people persecute us, we endure it. When our reputations are attacked, we remain courteous. Right now we have become garbage in the eyes of the world and trash in the sight of all people. I’m not writing this to make you feel ashamed but to instruct you as my dear children. (1 Corinthians 4:9-14 GWT)

As Pastor Glenn leads us ushers us into the new year though the challenge of being humble, we must also learn how to put on humility as leaders in the church. We are not only observed by our church family, but also carefully observed by those who do not YET believe. The more and more I want to serve Jesus, the more I realize that I must always share and preach the gospel. I also realized that witnessing is not and will not be in words alone.

It is easy to share the love of Christ when others are attentive and respectful to us, but how do you react and respond to those who are rude, harsh, and spiteful? Our fragrance must always emit the aroma of Christ. Our godly scent should be constant and never change and match the stench of pride when we our reputations are attacked, verbally abused, or persecuted. The fragrance of Christ should overpower the odor of man.

When you interact with people in any situation, what fragrance will you emit - that of Christ or the pride to one-up the person to whom you interact? Remember, the moment you engage with anyone you are witnessing to him or her the love of Christ.

God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10 GWT)

Our 4th grader came home today sharing what he learned in school today. He informed us about genes, what recessive and dominant traits were, and why he had "puffy hair" like me. He reminded me about a study that discovered that amidst the vast number of people who walked this world, a strand of mitochondrial DNA was common in all humans trace "to a single common female" referred to as Mitochondrial Eve. When I read the article about the marvelous discovery, I could not help to chuckle. As a child of God, it was a no brainer to know that we shared DNA. The Bible tells us that men and women are created in God's image (Genesis 1:27). 

When we were born again (John 3:1-8, 1 Peter 1:23), God gave us spiritual DNA. He created us to serve Him and one another. Have you discovered your spiritual DNA yet? If not, pray and ask the One who created you. And of course, you can contact me and I can pray and talk with you about your spiritual DNA more.

Below is the article about the research.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/evolution/female-ancestor.htm/printable

Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 GWT)

Have you heard people say that "all roads lead to God" and don't know how to respond? One of the most difficult times I have when I am sharing my testimony and the Gospel is when someone utters "all roads lead to God." They then pour their hearts out to you and share what they have been experiencing in their lives. I then think to myself, "How can I burst their bubble?" I say nothing. My silence can be interpreted as my agreement in their belief that all roads lead to God.

Actually, I had also thought the statement to be true long ago. But the more I thought about the statement, the more I realized how untrue it is. For instance, there is only one road that leads right to my house. While there are different routes you can take to my street, Virginia Avenue is the only road to my driveway. Thus the reason why my address is Virginia Avenue.

While we may walk different paths in life, there s only one way to salvation - through Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6a) He continues to say that no one can go to God the Father without Him. Paul reminds us, "No one else can save us. Indeed, we can be saved only by the power of the one named Jesus and not by any other person.” (Acts 4:12 GWT)

As we prepare to minister to people, we must stay confident and bold in knowing that there is only one way to God, and the Way is Jesus. I would never tell you any other way to get to my house than Virginia Avenue, so why should I let others believe there are other ways to God other than Jesus? 

“But now, Father, I’m coming back to you. I say these things while I’m still in the world so that they will have the same joy that I have. I have given them your message. But the world has hated them because they don’t belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one. They don’t belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Use the truth to make them holy. Your words are truth. I have sent them into the world the same way you sent me into the world. I’m dedicating myself to this holy work I’m doing for them so that they, too, will use the truth to be holy. I’m not praying only for them. I’m also praying for those who will believe in me through their message." (John 17:13-20 GWT)

In football, one the purposes of the offensive line is to keep the defense from getting to the quarterback so he can pass the ball. The other duty is to create a path and protect a player to run the run the ball down the field.

In addition to the line, there is sometimes a player who is assigned to guard the quarterback from defensive players who have broken past the offensive line. That player provides the final pass protection for the quarterback.

A good offensive line will not only protect the quarterback or running backs, but create opportunities for them to get that ball downfield and into the end zone.

As I watched the playoff games this past weekend, I noticed the aggressive behaviors of the defensive players to stop that ball (the player with the ball). They were fierce and relentless. There were times when the opposing players would get into a shoving match. It was if they hated one another. The behaviors and play schemes reminded me of our spiritual warfares with the evil one.

Satan will try anything and everything to keep you from passing on the Message. Unlike the referees in the game to officiate the rules of the game, our gridiron battle with Satan''s forces has no rules. But Jesus asked and provided the best pass protection. 

Jesus handed us the ball - His Message - to pass on or hand off to others. Don't be timid with the Message because Satan will tackle you fiercely and relentlessly. Trust the ultimate guards of our offensive line - God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, and pass or hand off the Message with confidence so that others can know the Truth and become part of God's team.

And Jesus cried out and said,  "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me." (John 12:44-50 NASB)

Jesus declared us to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16) and to share the gospel of Truth (Matthew 24:14). As we go out into our communities, we are salt and light to them. Whether we speak words or not we bear witness about Jesus to others. The Holy Spirit dwells in us (2 Timothy 1:14), so without saying anything to others how do they know that you are a light for Jesus? How would others hear Jesus' voice through you? 

The answer lies within today's scripture. Jesus said He came to save the world and not judge it by being seen, heard, and believed. Yet many Christians represent Jesus as lights of judgement instead of lights of salvation. People will not believe in Jesus as the One who saves if they see and hear judgement from us. Be a light, share the gospel, and love others. If they reject what you share about Jesus, there is already "one who judges [them]." 

We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Then he received the highest position in heaven, the one next to the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2 GWT)

Before I went into the Marine Corps I had only shot a gun once. With no experience or training, my friend's father told me to just point and shoot at the target - jug. I missed.

Years later in Marine boot camp, I learned that basics of marksmanship. Like many others, I thought that the target had to be clear and focused. But I learned that was not the case. Basic marksmanship teaches that you must have good sight alignment and good sight picture. Sight alignment is when the front sight post of the gun is centered in the rear sight post vertically and horizontally, and centered on your target. Good sight picture is when the front sight post is clear and focused. When you have good sight alignment and good sight picture, you will hit the center of your target. Without good sight alignment and good sight picture, well, you miss the mark.

We often miss the mark in life. We do so because we focus incorrectly. For example, we may be witnessing to someone and focus on getting him saved rather than a true relationship with Jesus. Or we may be focused on what pleases us and others instead of focusing on pleasing Jesus. If you cannot see Jesus clearly in any circumstance, you will miss the mark.

Focusing on Christ will give you a perfect sight alignment and sight picture of you are supposed to do for Him. So if you have a target of praying healing over someone, your focus is not on healing but on Jesus. If Jesus puts a target of leading someone to Him, the focus is not the witnessing to him but on Jesus. With a clear focus on Jesus your faith assures you that you will hit center mark. 

Do not just point and shoot, like I did as a kid, and hope you hit the target. Focus on Jesus and get a bull''s eye.