Stacking Marbles

Galatians 6:9-10
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Sometimes life can seem like a game of marbles. As soon as we feel like we have one thing accomplished something else rolls out of place. No child quits playing with marbles because one rolls out of place. It may seem to be a simple thought but we shouldn't give up on life because one marble rolls out of place. Some people can't enjoy life because they seem to have the idea  that everything should be stress free. This is kind of like playing marbles and expecting never to loose. As we tell our children, it's not about whether you win or loose but how you play the game.

We know that life is not a game, it's a reality. Yet it can be enjoyable or grueling based on our outlook. Hard times come to everyone of us; no one is exempt. Sickness, financial difficulties, and the list goes one. If we focus only on the negatives it would be a pretty poor existence. None of us really wants to hear it when we get down but there is always something to be thankful for. And there is always someone who is worse off than we are.

Why not look around today and see someone else who is discouraged because they seem to be "loosing their marbles". Let's do what we can to encourage them to stay in the game. Yes, life has it's difficulties. But nothing ever stays the same. We've been through trials before and we made it through.  We can make it through again. As the song says, God's got it. Why not let him decide how the marbles fall? He knows all, sees all, and can fix all. But we must let him do it. Above all, don't quit playing. You might be loosing now but you never know when the tide will turn.  

One thing is for certain. If you commit your life to Jesus, not matter how many marbles  you loose, you'll still be the victor. If you never have anything in this life, don't worry. There is a better life coming. Allow me to paraphrase a parable of Jesus. "Why stack up your marbles down here where life can steal them away? It is better to stack them up in heaven where nothing can get to them. They will be there waiting on you." Eternity is a long, long time. I'd rather have my marbles then. If the pearls are big enough that one gate is made of one pearl, I wonder how big the marbles will be. I'm anxious to find out, aren't you?

Still Playing,

Sullivan Jones

Some things even a dog won't eat

The Bible tells the story in the book of I Kings about a wicked King and Queen named Jezebel. Jezebel was so wicked that her name has come to be used for a wicked woman, a witch, or even a prostitute. Yesterday, as my pastor was preaching, I realized something about her story that I have never thought of before.

At one point a prophet came and prophesied against Jezebel that the dogs would eat her up. This prophecy came to pass in II Kings chapter nine when king Jehu commanded Jezebel to be thrown from a window. Later when some men returned to bury her they found only her skull and her feet and the palms of her hands. The rest had been eaten by dogs in the time it took for King Jehu to eat lunch. When Pastor mention this a thought immediately came to mind: "some things even a dog won't eat".

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 6 that the Lord hates hands that shed innocent blood and feet that are swift in running to mischief. Jezebel's hands and feet were so polluted with the blood of Godly people she had killed that even the dogs knew not to eat them.

Can I tell you that it is the same with us when we are quick to spread gossip about people. Proverbs 18:21 says that the power of life and death is in the tongue. Most of us would never think of taking another person's life but we can quick to pass judgment or spread gossip before we know the full situation. There is nothing that can destroy a workplace, a family, or even a church like  "a piece of good, old-fashioned juicy" gossip. When we repeat things that we have heard we destroy another person's reputation.

I will admit that I have probably been the most guilty of all about such things. Yet I get mad when I learn that people have been talking about me in a negative light. I must be fair. What I give is what I'll get so I want to watch what I say. I don't want to be guilty of murdering another person's character. If the time should ever come when I am found dead in a field I don't want any one thinking of me that "not even a dog would eat his hands and feet."

Thoughtfully,

Sullivan Jones

Why God?

Corrie ten Boom, the woman who is credited with saving the lives of more than 800 Jewish men, women, and children relates a wonderful story in her book “The Hiding Place”. It took place when she was about 8 years old on a train trip with her father. She had read the word “sexsin” in school and wanted to know what it meant. When she asked her mother, she blushed and would not answer. So she asked her father. He did not answer and she wasn’t sure that he had heard her but she didn’t press for an answer.

When it came time for them to leave the train her father asked Corrie to carry his briefcase from the train. It was heavy with the watches and things of his trade and so naturally was much too heavy for her to lift, let alone carry. When she told him it was too heavy for her he reached down, picked it up effortlessly, and taking her hand with his other hand, lead her from the train.

“Corrie”, he said. “Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older you will understand. Until then you must trust me to carry the answers for you.” It was a simple answer but Corrie was content. She knew her father was in control and that was all that mattered.

Years later Corrie and her sister Betsie stood inside their newly assigned barracks in the Scheveningen concentration camp and realized they were covered in fleas. They had been sent here for hiding Jews in their home to save them from the Nazis.

“Oh Betsie, Corrie wailed. How can we live in such a place?”

“Show us, show us how”, said Betsie.

It took Corrie a moment to realize that Betsie was praying. Corrie would later write that the dividing line between prayer and the rest of life became less and less for Betsie every day. After prayer Betsie announced to Corrie that they already had the answer. She instructed Corrie to re-read their morning Bible selection.

“I Thessalonians 5:18 – In all things give thanks.”

Betsie then began to thank God for everything about their new barracks including the fleas. At Betsie’s urging Corrie did the same. “But in my heart I knew Betsie was wrong”, she said. It was weeks later before they realized that the guards would not enter their barracks because of the fleas. This left them with complete freedom to have Bible studies with no interference from the German guards. They could not have known at the time but these fleas were the answer to their prayers for protection as they ministered God’s word.

There are times when all of us go through things we don’t understand. It may be a job loss or the sickness and death of a loved one. Maybe it is the derailment of our carefully laid plans or the disappointment of betrayal. In such times God has given us the answer if we will accept him at his word.

“Give thanks in all circumstances.”

Giving thanks in such times is never easy. It goes against our logic. The most natural question is “why God”. “Why is this happening to me?” “Haven’t I been faithful enough” is a common question. “What about all the children I’ve taught in Sunday School or the people I’ve fed at the soup kitchen downtown”? “Don’t they count for something, God?” On and on the reasoning goes …

In such moments it might be helpful to remember that this trial may not be about us at all. Jesus allowed Lazarus to get sick and die so that others could see God’s glory. He said himself, “This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God.” (John 11:4) In Corrie and Betsie’s case the fleas were not “about them”. God had purposefully put them in a place where they could minister for him unhindered. Upon careful consideration the fleas seemed a small price to pray. I’m sure that this knowledge didn’t make the flea bites any less miserable. It didn’t make their hunger go away or the cold less intense. But it did bring peace to their troubled minds; God was in control.

The hardest thing in a trial is to “let God be God.” Some would tell us not to question God or ask “why?” I assert that these are only natural questions. We are all human and our heavenly Father understands that better than anyone. His word tells us in the book of James that we can ask for wisdom without fear of being mocked. (James 1:5) This applies to questioning him about the “why” of a trial as well.

Yet the truth is, more times than we would like to admit, the answers we seek are not clear until much later. It is in these times that we must learn to praise God. It will not be easy at first. It never is. But once we learn to praise God it can become a habit. We know that though we don’t understand he will carry the knowledge for us.

Praising God may not bring the answers we seek but, as in in Corrie’s case, it will bring peace. Aren’t you thankful for a heavenly Father that is never caught off guard! Are you in a trial? Take a moment to praise him now? You will feel better, I promise.

Trusting Jesus,

Sullivan Jones 

Honesty and Integrity

Psalm 31:23 - The Lord preserves the Faithful.

It is always the right thing to do the right thing - Anonymous

While the above quote may seem simple it is not always the easiest thing to do. There are times when it might be convenient to be less than honest.The following story was told by a man who lived during WWII. During the war it was next to impossible to get new tires. The only way to fix a flat was to "retread" a tire. This man's brother was shipping overseas so he agreed to take the bus across country, pick up his sister-in-law and drive her back to their home town. His brother had just purchased a car with "new tires." When he arrived to pick up his sister-in-law he discovered that the tires were retreads. In short, he fixed fifty-two flats in the next 2 days while they drove home. At one point he admitted that he faced a temptation he almost couldn't handle. He came around a curve and there was a car lying upside down in the ditch with 4 new tires on it. But he was a man of integrity and so naturally he left the tires on that car and kept fixing flats.

 Is it ever right to do wrong? Aren't there situations when it isn't wrong to lie or cheat or steal? After all life is hard, right? All kinds of excuses will come to our minds as to when it might be acceptable to "bend the rules" a little. Here are some times when we might be tempted to falsify information:

Reporting on income tax
Returning something to the store that has been used
Saying someone isn't home when we know they are
Telling a bill collector that they have the wrong number
What about if our boss asks us to do something that we know isn't honest?

There is always the excuse that "everyone else is doing it" so why not me? It isn't really wrong, is it?  Who hasn't had the thought "no one will ever know?" Yet somehow others do know when we aren't exactly honest. We gain more respect when we refuse to do what "everyone else is doing" because we know it is wrong. And let's suppose that no one does know. What about our own conscience? Somehow, no matter how hard we try, we just can't seem to fool ourselves. It goes without saying that we can't fool God.

 It may not always be popular to do right but it is always the only acceptable choice, especially for a Christian. As I heard one preacher put it, "If doing right gets you into trouble then doing right will get you out of trouble in the end".

It would be wonderful to tell you that this man went down the road and someone gave him 4 new tires. But that isn't what happened. He just kept fixing flats. Life doesn't always have a fairy tale ending. We all will endure our share of trials. But one thing is certain: The Lord knows how to preserve the righteous. I would rather have his favor than to take the easy way out, wouldn't you?

Trusting him daily,

Sullivan Jones

Hard Work versus Talent

"Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there." - John Wooden

I remember my pastor making the statement that "the problem with our young people many times is that they want to start at the top." Oh how true that statement is! Sometimes it is true of the "not-so-young" as well.

It is easy to see people who have reached a place that we call successful and be envious. What is not apparent at a first glance is the hard work it took for that person to reach the place where they are today. When we see someone with a doctorate degree we don't see the many hours of study, class time, research, and paper writing they put into that degree. It represents more than a title. It speaks of hard work.

The same can be said of a musician or a singer. When we hear a lovely recital we don't think about the long hours of practice it took for us to hear a four minute song. The person may have been born with talent but that talent had to be developed. I have know some gifted, talented young singers who flaunted their God given abilities and thought they didn't need to improve. Today they are not singing. Why? Because talent is only part of the picture. Dedication, hard work, faithfulness, and courage to continue will trump talent every time.

I am often asked, "how long will it take me to learn Spanish". The question is not an easy one to answer. It really depends on the person. Some are more linguistically gifted than others, no doubt. But the bottom line is this: How much are you willing to put into it? I have been studying and speaking Spanish since the age of 16 and I am now 36 years old. For me it has never been about "how quickly can I learn to speak." It has been a passion for learning that drove me onward. Though I will never speak like a native speaker I am comfortable with the language. Yet there will always be more to learn. I never want to feel as if I have arrived.

Is there something you'd like to be able to do? A job you want? Think about it this way. If you were given that position today, would you be able to do it well? If not, how can you prepare yourself? What skills do you need? What discipline do you lack in your life that would make you a good _______. I dare say if you prepare yourself the door will open. But one thing is certain. If you are not prepared the door will never open. I have the job I have today, not because of the education I have, but because of long hours of study and practice and making myself available to the Hispanic Community. Over the years that translated into experience that got me a job. It didn't happen overnight but it did happen.

It is God's will for us to be content and prosperous and doing what we love. If you have a desire to do something, don't hesitate. Start today and try. It may not happen over night but you never know what the end result will be.

Yours in Christ's Service,

Sullivan Jones

The Cycle of Offense

II Timothy 2:24

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient.

 

We live in a world that is more full of strife than it ever has been. It seems that people are so full of anger. They are angry about things that they can not control. Life has a way of being merciless. It has well been noted that hurting people hurt other people in turn. When we are angry we can quickly spill our anger out onto someone else without realizing what we are doing. That person then carries the anger inside until the time is right to spew it out onto someone else. The cycle of offense then continues ...

 

I was in a restaurant last night where the service was pretty terrible. As we approached the restaurant our server of choice was walking up the road away from the restaurant. I don't know if she quit or what. The young lady that was serving us was having a difficult time. The people at our table kept having to ask for the rest of their food; The orders came out with items missing.  You get the picture.

 

I realized at one point that I could either create a scene or be kind. I asked the server if she was doing alright. Her response was "no" with a voice that was kind but very overwhelmed. She told me that a waitress had left and they were very short handed.  I felt my heart go out to her. Perhaps it was her fault that the food was wrong. Perhaps it was the managers fault or the cooks fault. Perhaps it was just a bad night. I don't know. But I realized that I had a choice to either make this young lady's night better or worse. We tried to be as kind as possible and eventually she got the food right. When we left we told her that she did a great job and we tried to leave a good tip.

 

The service wasn't the best but she was doing her best.  I would rather she went home feeling good about herself than even more disgusted because I was rude to her. I'm not patting myself on the back. There are plenty of times when I have not been near as gracious as I should have in similar situations. But I have asked God to help me learn to be more patient. "For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you". (Matthew 7:2)

 

Lord, help us to be more caring and not so quick to strive. The world needs all the love we can give. In Jesus name, Amen.  

 

Graciously,

 

Pastor Jones

What is a Nobleman?

Acts 10: 10-11
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews/
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

The Apostle Paul was known for starting riots everywhere that he went. It wasn't his intention, it seemed that trouble just seemed to follow him. In those days Christianity was in its infancy. There were many who wanted to snuff out this fledgling "religious movement" because they felt that it threatened their traditions. It hadn't been that long since Paul himself had changed sides. After his conversion he often found himself on the wrong side of the mob.

Thessalonica was no exception. When he came into Thessalonica he began to preach. It wasn't long before he had quite a group of believers. Acts 17:4 says that a great multitude of devout Greeks and many of the chief woman believed what he was saying. This naturally didn't sit well with the religious leaders who saw their control over the people slipping away. Before long another riot ensued and Paul and Silas had to flee by night unto Berea.

Here is where things get interesting. The Bible says of the Bereans that they were more "noble" than the people in Thessalonica  and received the word with readiness of mind searching the scriptures to see the truth in the matter. When something new is preached to us there will always be one of at least two reactions. Either we can reject the truth that we hear or we can have an open mind to search the scriptures for the truth of the matter.

The Bible calls those who will search the scriptures and accept was is written therein "noble." To be noble means to be royalty. This tells us how God views us when we are willing to accept and do our best to live by his word. One can be a pauper but if he accepts the truths of scripture, in God's eyes he is a nobleman. I want it to be said of me that I was "more noble." I want the blessings of God on my life, don't you?

 

Jesus still heals

Last night I was looking through some scriptures on healing. I looked up the word heal in my concordance and started going through every scripture listed. I found this one in Jeremiah that seemed to leap out at me.

Jeremiah 17:14 - Heal me, O Lord and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

Corrie ten Boom used to tell a story about a young lady in Germany. The young lady was very sick and her brother had spent much time in prayer for her. He was reading his Bible one day and came across Mark 16:18: "And they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." He was so excited that he went to his sister and asked her if she believed the Bible. She replied that she did. He read her the scripture and then asked again, "do you believe this." She said, "I have never heard it, but I believe it because it is in the Bible." He then laid his hands on her and prayed. God immediately healed her.

The young lady went to her pastor on the next Sunday and told him what happened. She asked him if he had known that scripture was in the Bible. His reply stunned her. "My dear lady", he said. "I'm sorry to have to tell you but that verse is not part of original scripture. It was added centuries after the original was written." She was shocked for a moment and didn't know what to think. Then she looked at him and replied. "Oh what a magnificent book the Bible is that even an added verse has such power that I am healed."

I want to tell you today that there is power in the name of Jesus Christ to heal. God still does miracles. He has not changed because he is the same yesterday, today and forever. That being the case, what he did before he can and will do again. If you need healing today it is yours for the asking. God is a healer of ever physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional illness.

You don't have to say some magic words, have the atmosphere just right or anything else. He is ready and waiting to heal you. If you or someone you know needs healing claim this promise today. Call on the name of Jesus. Praise him for being the healer in your life. He is not only drawn to your needs but he inhabits your praise. (Psalm 22:3) Praise him for the healing and victory you need and he will be there right on time.

James 5:14 says we can call the elders of the church to lay hands on us and pray and we will be healed. If you need a miracle and you have prayed without results it is time for you to obey the scripture. Call for Godly elders who believe in the power of prayer. Let them pray with you, for you, and see what God will do.

I know we have all seen people who believed God and didn't get healed. We know there is a time for everyone to die. We can't avoid that. But the sickness you are in now does not have to be the one that takes you out. And you don't have to be sick when you do die. It is not God's will for you to suffer. He wants to heal because He is a healer by his very nature. Call on Jesus today. Let him show you his power. His able.

Jesus still heals!

Trusting in Jesus,

Sullivan Jones

The Most Important Things

Luke 10:38-42

³⁸ Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
⁴⁰ But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
⁴² But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

The gospel of Luke tells us a story about Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus. Perhaps you've heard of Lazarus? He is famous because Jesus raised him from the dead. In Luke chapter 10, however, the emphasis is on Martha and Mary. You see it was Martha who received Jesus into her house.  If it had not been for Martha, Lazarus would not have been raised from the dead. Why? Because Jesus would not have been welcomed into this home. He would not have been around to raise Lazarus from the dead; the friendship would not have existed. Verse 38 makes is clear to us that it was Martha who received (invited?) Jesus into her home. Yet it was Martha who received the strongest rebuke from Jesus.

At first glance it doesn't seem to be right. Martha was cooking and cleaning while Mary was in the living room (probably with the men) listening to Jesus talk. Martha simply asked Jesus to tell Mary that she was needed in the kitchen. It seemed a reasonable request. But instead of sending Mary to the kitchen Jesus invites Martha to the living room to sit and hear him teach. I know I'm using my imagination to fill in the gaps but bear with me. Mary is so desirous to hear Jesus words that she is literally sitting on the floor at his feet. Martha is concerned with feeding the crowd in her home. While this may have seemed like a noble cause it was not the most important thing. She had the king of kings in her home yet she was worried about cleaning the drapes.

Our lives in 2013 are so busy. It seems to take all day at times to get one task accomplished. We start off in the morning with good intentions to accomplish much yet at the end of the day we are bone tired and feeling as if we got nothing done. I'm sure this was how Martha was feeling. She was a conscientious worker, no doubt, and wanted to get all her tasks in order. Yet Jesus was asking her to reevaluate her priorities.

I believe there are two lessons to be learned from this story. Number one, Jesus must always have the number one spot in our lives. We can get so busy doing the things of life that we don't take time for him. We can be so busy doing things for him ( church work, etc.) that we neglect our personal devotion time with him. In the end all these things will not matter if we don't know Jesus.

Number two is the importance of family and friendships. There is a principle here that we often miss. Relationship building. The relationships that we build in life are more important than the tasks we accomplish. While Martha was busy cooking and cleaning Mary was developing a friendship with the One who would later raise her brother from the dead.

Lord, help me to look beyond the tasks of the day and be sensitive to the people in my life. Each of them is important. Perhaps you've placed them around me so that I can minister to them. Don't let me be so caught up in serving the physical needs that I neglect the spiritual. Though I will not neglect my duties, let me like Mary choose to put my energy into the most important things. Amen



Sincerely,

Sullivan Jones

 

Attitude

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

A man was battling cancer when he ran into a minister friend in the store. The minister, whose wife was critically ill, spent time asking about his friends condition. Though his wife was critically ill, he still took time to let his friend know that he cared. Over a year later the two again met in the store. In the year the ministers wife had died. Again his concern was for his friend. He spent time asking about his condition and was happy to hear that he was doing well.

Does it ever seem to puzzle you how two different people can see the world so differently? What one person sees as a setback another sees as an opportunity. The difference is attitude. Our attitude in life makes all the difference in the world. Helen Keller, who was blind her whole life, said "Keep your face to the sun and you will not see the shadows." What a way to look at life. Corrie ten Boom, a holocaust survivor, suffered several strokes before she died. While she was bedridden friends from around the world came to visit her in her California retirement home. They all testified that, though they came to encourage her, they were the ones who left encouraged. You see, Corrie had learned the secret to a positive life long before; "Just keep your face to the Son and you won't feel the shadows."

I'm convinced that those people who take life as it comes enjoy it much more. There is always something to complain about in life. But there is always something to be thankful for as well. Some people are just born with sunny dispositions. They are the people magnets who always see the glass half full. Others have to work hard at being cheerful. We can, however, train ourselves to see the good. It make take a little practice but it is worth the effort. The more we speak positive things the better we feel. When we don't feel well it helps to find someone else who is having a struggle and do our best to encourage them. We can either have a pity part together or we can have a praise fest together.

It is much more fun to praise God for his blessings than to curse life for its troubles. Next time you are tempted to tell someone how bad you have it why not tell them how good you have it instead. If you haven't counted your blessings in a while it may be difficult at first. But the more you do it the easier it becomes. Just try it. Make someone's day. Speak life instead of death. What have you got to lose?

Thankfully,

Sullivan Jones
 

Common Sense

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

There is a much used phrase that I find to be a misnomer. The phrase? Common sense. Most people would define common sense as the sense that all of should have. I have even heard it referred to as God given common sense. But most of what we think of as common sense is actually learned behavior. It is what is common to us because we have experienced it before with one of the five senses, thus the phrase "common sense."  "Common sense" might be common among a certain group but that which is common to one lifestyle would be totally foreign to another.

Need an example? Most of us would say that it is common sense to figure out how to flush a toilet, use the elevator, or work a vending machine. These things are actually learned behavior to those of us who live in the modern world. I remember once having to show a native in Central America how to flush the toilet. He had always lived where the common facilities where an outhouse. When he did have a "flushable" toilet it usually required scooping water from a barrel beside the toilet and pouring it in to make it flush. The thought of a toilet that flushed itself was not common and so his "common sense" couldn't figure it out. Did this mean he was less intelligent? No, of course not. Most of us would be equally lost in his world.

Common sense has much to do with the way we perceive and understand faith. It is hard to get someone to accept something that goes against his logic or "common sense." Yet everything about faith defies logic. It defies logic to think that a man walked on water, healed the sick, and arose from the dead of his own accord. It doesn't make sense to think that the laying on of hands with anointing oil can heal the sick. I can't explain how sins are washed away through a prayer of repentance and baptism. I certainly can't explain how speaking in tongues works? Why? These things go way beyond my idea of what makes sense.

Common sense is made up of the things that we have experienced with our five senses. If I haven't experienced it before then it defies what is common to my senses. This usually results in me not believing in it. This kind of common sense definitely has its merit and can keep us from looking like fools. But when it comes to spiritually things my senses will never be enough. God sees all, knows all, and understands all. What is to God common sense (because he can see it) is quite foreign to me. When he asks me to do something that defies my logic, like simply trust him, I have to remember that he can see what I can't see. He knows what I can't know ahead of time. And there is nothing that he doesn't understand.

When my common sense isn't enough I can trust him. After all, HE IS.

Trusting in Jesus,

Sullivan Jones