Consequences of Rejecting Jesus - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 29, 2023

We've spent a lot of time talking about accepting the good news that Christ is God's Son who died for us. We've also spent time learning about the need to receive and walk with the Holy Spirit who comes once we believe in Jesus. However, have we ever wondered what happens when a person rejects Jesus? Are there any consequences?

Jesus addressed this in John 12:48 - Whoever rejects Me and refuses to accept My teachings, has one who judges him; the very word that I spoke will judge and condemn him on the last day.

What does this mean? While each person has the right to choose whether they will believe in Jesus and submit to Him, failure to choose Christ means not receiving the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, we miss out on godly wisdom and strategy which keeps us out of trouble. The most dire consequence, however, is not getting into heaven. After all, we are told in John 14:6 - Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. And since the Father lives in heaven, rejecting Christ means no access to God's kingdom.

These facts are a reminder of what is at risk. A time will come when all will answer for their choices. This includes the decision to reject Jesus. Nobody, not even Christ, knows when that day will be. The moment is only known to God (Matthew 24:36). So, we must live ready, knowing that judgment will surely come like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

As we step into a new year, let us be more heaven-minded. Let us truly believe in Jesus and apply our faith by obeying His instructions. To know what those are, we need to study what He taught in the Bible. A little bit each day goes a long way. We must also let the Lord teach us how to submit to the Holy Spirit. That way, the Spirit of God will help us navigate life in a manner that pleases the King of kings. Further, we must allow God to correct us, plus show ourselves some grace when we mess up. In those instances, we must quickly and genuinely repent for sin without allowing guilt to choke out the progress we've made. All while remembering that God will get us to heaven if we cooperate with Him.

And we can't afford to be passive regarding the things of God. They cannot continue to play second-fiddle to what satisfies our fleshly desires. Jesus noted that many will claim to have served Him but yet He won't acknowledge those He classifies as false disciples (Matthew 7:21-23). Such believers are deemed lukewarm and will be rejected on the day of judgment (Revelation 3:16). None of us should risk the consequence of rejecting Jesus through lukewarmness.

As we enter a new year, may we agree with God and thereby be at peace as the word states in Job 22:21 (ESV). May we never reject Jesus no matter the pressures of the world. May we grow in obedience to the Lord our Father, to our Savior Jesus, and to the Holy Spirit, IJN Amen.

On Fear, Disobedience, & Correction - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) December 26, 2023

If there is one thing the Lord keeps teaching me as I walk with Him, it is that there is so much I don't understand and need to learn. I thank Him for the opportunity, though I wish I didn't have to make so many mistakes in the process. One such mistake occurred recently. I was running some last-minute errands with my entire family. They went to one store while I moseyed over to another shop for some window shopping.

At the back of the store, I saw something that would look great in my kitchen - a utensil holder for my cooking spoons and other knick knacks. It retails for over $50 but was on sale for $8. Now, I've learned to pray and seek guidance before purchases (this might seem like much, but it keeps me from doing what I'll later regret). So, I prayed and asked the Lord if I could have it. The response was affirmative and so, item in hand, I went to pay. Then, I recalled that I wasn't there to buy anything. Plus, given the season, I'd spent quite a bit. Since I live on a fixed budget, I really didn't want to spend on something non-essential. So I returned the utensil holder to the shelf and met up with my family so we could go to our next stop.

The following day, my thoughts occasionally returned to the item I didn't buy. There was a sense that I'd missed something about the experience. When I get that feeling, I know I need to check whether there's something God wants me to know. So, I turned off the distractions, worshipped, and let the Lord know I wanted to hear whatever He had to tell me. I was shocked by what I learned. He noted I hadn't trusted Him in that store. Color me confused! From my perspective, I thought purchasing the kitchen item was optional. The problem, however, was that I didn't purchase it because I was anxious about certain upcoming bills.

There I was thinking I had been a good steward of my resources, but in fact, my choice stemmed from fear. The Lord had to remind me that He'd promised to help me with each bill that was on the horizon. He also pointed me back to every other issue I'd faced where He'd come through with a miracle. I needed to trust that He wouldn't have me spend $8 only to leave me high and dry when the big bills came due.

All I could do was repent for allowing fear to creep into my life. It had morphed into a form I couldn't readily identify and when God tried to help me overcome it, I swatted His hand away. I put myself in His shoes, knowing it would hurt to not be trusted by someone I cared for. Someone I'd helped repeatedly. Once again, I said I was sorry and committed to do better next time.

'Next time' came sooner than I expected. As the day wound down, the Lord told me to return to the store. This came as a surprise because I thought the issue ended with my repentance. Alas, it didn't. I soon understood that I needed to go buy the utensil holder. I confess that I got a bit stubborn and had numerous excuses for why I should stay home. One, it was cold and dreary outside. Two, I still had things to do. Three, I had planned to stay home until after Christmas so I could avoid last-minute shoppers. And four, surely, the kitchen item was long gone. Nobody would have walked away from such a deal. Yet, the more I tried to rationalize things, the more the Lord gently insisted I should get in the car. Then, I recalled my promise to obey and knew this was not the time to repeat my error. I threw on my coat, grabbed my bag, and started the drive. When doubt made me wonder whether the utensil holder was still in the store, I resisted and said out loud, "My God will prove Himself."

The store was crowded but I weaved through focused shoppers to the clearance section. "Lord, will I find this thing?" I wondered as I walked to the back of the store. And there it was! Exactly where I'd left it! How had nobody seen it? Without wasting time, I snatched it up and got in line.

Here are the lessons I learned from this experience. Firstly, the spirit of fear can mask itself in a way you might not readily comprehend. When this happens, we could end up disobeying God. In my case, I truly believed I was being fiscally responsible until God shifted my understanding so I could see from His perspective. Secondly, God is very merciful. Despite my disbelief that the item would be waiting, there it was. He proved Himself despite all my disobedience, fear, and unbelief. Thirdly, He is the God of the second chance. God will provide an opportunity to rectify a failure on our part. In such moments, it is crucial to cooperate and obey.

The Lord was kind in teaching me these things and I am grateful for His patience. He is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11) and therefore, He will be just as kind and patient with the rest of His people who submit to correction and training. Never forget that God will only discipline those who belong to Him (Hebrews 12:10) so we must be willing to receive such correction. I plead with you to simply obey Him at the first instance. Do not make a mistake similar to mine. However, if you do, repent, let Him discipline you, and allow Him to guide you on the do-over. My prayer for everyone reading this message is that God will do all this and more in your life. I pray that God's faithfulness, lessons, and miracles will be a constant fixture for you, IJMN, Amen.

Continue In God's Kindness - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 22, 2023

Let us look at Romans 11:22. It states - Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. The part of that verse that sticks out to me is where it warns that God will show kindness to those who "continue in his kindness" and for those who fail to do so, they will no longer enjoy the privilege.

What a stark yet straightforward instruction this is. God's kindness is conditional. We need to keep doing the things that trigger His continued kindness because if we don't we won't experience that aspect of Him. Instead, we'll see the stern side of the Lord. And that is something we don't want for Hebrews 10:31 warns, It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Several people in the Bible experienced God's sternness. The Pharaoh who repeatedly refused to free the Israelites immediately is an example. He ended up drowning along with his army (Exodus 14). The Israelites themselves witnessed the stern side of God when they didn't trust God to usher them into the Promised Land. They remained in the wilderness for an additional 40 years until everyone who doubted God's capacity in that situation had died out (Numbers 14). They again experienced His sternness when they turned to idolatry, divination, fortune-telling, and the worship of false gods. The Lord allowed them to be captured and taken from the land that was their inheritance.

God's kindness was equally reflected in the Bible. In the New Testament, there was the Canaanite woman who refused to be rebuffed by Jesus when she needed healing for her daughter. Though He insisted His miracles were only for the Jews, she in turn insisted she wanted whatever He would grant her and He was impressed by her faith (Matthew 15:21-28). Her daughter was healed as a result. There was also the experience of Martha and Mary (John 11). Their brother, Lazarus, died and Jesus, moved by their sorrow, wept with them. However, He also showed them kindness by raising Lazarus from the dead.

Just as the Savior showed kindness to these people while He walked the earth, He continues to show kindness by working miracles out for ordinary people like you and me in this age. He doesn't intend to only solve one problem. His goal is to consistently and continuously right wrongs and turn around all challenges. The issue is whether we live lives that provoke continued kindness or trigger the sternness of God.

We need not fear that it is impossible to continue in His kindness. Instead, we need only know that once we give our lives over to Christ, He will grant the Holy Spirit to help us in everything we face. And as long as we remember to yield to the guidance of the Spirit of God, we will be able to continue in God's kindness, never seeing His stern side. And if for some reason, we do experience God's stern side, it is crucial to genuinely repent by taking steps to turn away from the things we do that hurt Him. We must choose not to knowingly sin and rely upon the Holy Spirit to keep us from succumbing to the devil's snares.

The Lord is our Shepherd. He will surely lead us to green pastures and keep us on His path of righteousness, IJMN, Amen.