An Epidemic of Smiles

There is a lot being said in the media right now about contagious illness. From flesh eating bacteria at the beach to the fear of E Bola - you name it, its out there. Now I am not mocking this but some people spend so much time worrying about catching something that they can't enjoy life.

There are other things that are contagious as well. Gossip, for one, is very contagious. One little snippet of misguided info can start a whole chain or rumors. Complaining is another one. Let me hear my co-worker say something hurts and I will have to share everything that is wrong with me. Yes, complaining is contagious.

There is something else that is contagious. Something much more positive. Laughter is contagious. We hear something funny and we have to tell it. Before you know it, the joke is all over the office. A smile can be contagious as well. We smile at someone and they may smile at someone else. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could fill our day with smiles and laughter instead of complaints.

Let's decide today that we are going to pass along a smile, a joke, a kind word, or a good deed. Who knows? It might become an epidemic.

Blessings,

Sullivan Jones 

King Solomon - The Wisest Fool

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. Ecclesiastes 1:17

Solomon is said by many to be the wisest man that ever lived. His wisdom and great wealth have become a Proverb in many cultures. Even Jesus spoke of Solomon's grandeur on several occasions. Wow, what a legacy! 

Solomon's story is unique in that God himself appeared to Solomon, not once but twice, and offered him anything he wanted. We don't see that story repeated anywhere in the Bible. We know Solomon's answer well. He made a famous prayer for God to help him guide his kingdom. He prayed, "Lord you know I don't have the wisdom to rule these people. I need your wisdom." God was so pleased that Solomon had not asked for wealth or fame that he gave him all three. He was the wisest and richest king that ever lived. In time the fame of his wealth and wisdom spread throughout the world. Who could ask for more? 

Yet Solomon, by his own admission, made a terrible mistake. He says that he "gave his heart to know wisdom" and perceived that it was all in vain. "Why?", you might ask. What is wrong with wisdom? Wasn't the Almighty pleased that Solomon asked for wisdom. He was, but Solomon let his wisdom become his downfall. He forgot the source of his wisdom and became proud of his own intellect. He forgot that it was the God he served who had blessed him with that wisdom. In time, Solomon realized that instead of pursuing wisdom he should have been pursuing a relationship with God. 

I Kings 11:1 tells us that Solomon loved many foreign women. These wives and concubines from other nations did not serve YHWH. In order to pacify his wives and girlfriends, Solomon filled Jerusalem with idols to pagan gods. He became an expert on all of the religions of the nations around him. Yet he forgot one important thing. He could not serve God and bow down to idols. God forsook Israel because of this sin and the kingdom of Solomon was torn in two after his death. For many years afterward there were two Hebrew kingdoms, Israel and Judah, that constantly fought against each other. It wasn't meant to be but came about because Solomon loved wisdom and knowledge more than he loved God. 

May I ask you a question? What are you pursuing today? Are you pursuing the knowledge and wisdom of man? It will fail. Are you pursuing riches? They too will eventually fail you. Are you pursuing pleasure and happiness. Happiness is fleeting and will eventually elude you. The one thing we should be pursuing above all else is a daily relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. If he desires he might also give us material blessings; but these blessings must always be secondary to him. We must never be like Solomon and forget that all our blessing come from God. For if we do we might one day end up like Solomon - the wisest man who became the biggest fool. 

In Pursuit of the King,

Sullivan Jones 

Let the Anger Go

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Proverbs 29:11

A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11


We humans are emotional creatures. Obviously these emotions must come from God for we are created in his image. We can see through the scriptures that God was sorrowful (he repented that he made man), he laughs, and he was angry with Israel on more than one occasion. I am sure that all of these emotions serve a purpose. But I will tell you the truth. I honestly can not think of one good thing that can come out of harboring anger. Anger causes us to react in ways that we normally would not. We say things that we don't mean and can never take back. We make rash decisions when angry that we repent of for years afterward. 

Recently, as my pastor was preaching he said this: "Sometimes you just have to let go of some things you are holding onto." So true. We can hold onto things years after we should have let them go. These memories and feelings of anger do nothing but make us miserable. When we hold onto such feelings against someone we are giving that person free rent inside our heads. Naturally, we can't help but get angry now and then. But we can help how we respond to that anger and what we do with it. 

Are there some feelings you need to let go of? It may take several sessions of prayer but if you will let the anger go you will feel so much better. Holding onto anger is a waste of energy. We need all the energy we can hold so don't waste it on trivial things. Forgive. You'll be the better person for it. 

Gratefully Forgiven,

Rev. Sullivan Jones 

A Direct Word From God

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 

Have you ever wondered what you were supposed to do about something? Just how to act or react in a certain situation? You want someone to talk to but you just can't find the words to express yourself? You just wish God himself would open up the skies and speak in an audible voice? If this is you, the answers you seek can be found in the words of scripture.

I once had a professor tell me that life doesn't come with a handbook. While life may not tell you which job to take or which car to buy, it does come with an instruction manual. There are principles in the word of God that apply to every situation. If applied, they yield such great wisdom that we often find the answers we are seeking by applying these principles to our lives.

Need an example? Proverbs says that a soft answer turns away wrath. So the next time your boss is angry just remember to speak softly and meekly. It takes restraint but it is possible. The list continues. The Bible talks about how to handle money and how to conduct oneself with the opposite sex. It gives wisdom about marriage, work, and even planning for retirement. It's all there; we just have to read it.

I have so often found the peace that my soul was craving while reading through Psalms or Proverbs. The beatitudes in Matthew 5 -7 are another great place to start. The answer may not come right away but the more we read the less direct answers we need. Something about learning the word of God helps us to grow to a point of being able to make decisions without so much hesitation. When begin to think scripturally suddenly we know what God would say about something because he has already told us in his word. We don't need a "prophetic revelation." The revelation has already been given if we would just heed it. This does not negate the need for personal prayer life. It does not negate the fact that God still speaks to us personally.However, we cheat ourselves by pondering questions that were answered long ago.

Do you need a personal word from God? Open your Bible - you might be surprised what you find.
Blessings,

Sullivan Jones 

A Mighty Man of Valor

Judges 6:14 - And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?

Remember learning about Gideon in Sunday School? He is the man who defeated an entire army with only 300 soldiers. And they weren't trained soldiers at that but just everyday farmers who were desperate for a victory. You might also remember that Gideon was terrified of his enemies. He was threshing wheat at night to feed his family, too afraid of what the enemy would do to him if he was caught.The angel of the Lord appeared to him and declared, "hail, thou mighty man of valor."

What? I can just see Gideon looking around for someone else. But no, the angel was talking to him. Gideon, who was afraid of his own shadow, was commanded by God to go and lead an army against his enemies. He questioned the orders. If your are really from God then wait until I bring you something to eat. He quickly prepared a meal and brought it to the "man." But the angel told him to lay it out on a rock. When Gideon did so the angel touched it with his staff and it burst into flame as an offering unto God. When the man vanished Gideon realized he had been talking to an angel. After such a miraculous demonstration who wouldn't be ready to fight an army? Not Gideon. He was still afraid.

He questioned God again. If I put a piece of wool on the ground let it be wet with dew but let the ground be dry. It happened. The next day he asked the opposite. Let the ground be wet and the wool be dry. The Lord honored his request. Now the Lord was ready for Gideon to do something. The Lord had already spoken to him (after the angel's visit) to go in "this thy might." Seems strange doesn't it. The man who required three signs from God before he would obey was called a man of valor (courage) and told to go in his might (strength). But God sees differently than we do.

You see, God had already put the strength in Gideon to do what he was called to do. It wasn't in Gideon's nature (or so he thought) to lead an army. But something supernatural happened to Gideon when God spoke to him. The word of the Lord was sufficient to be Gideon's might and courage. All he had to do was obey. God had the rest in control.

So Gideon gathers an army of  32,000 men to go against several hundred thousand. Seems pretty brave, right? Wrong! God told him to send all the men who were afraid back home. 22,000 went home. So God, I am going to defeat an army this size with 10,000 men? Wrong again. While the men are down at a river drinking water God tells him to pick all the men who lap water like a dog and set them aside. All the rest can go home. He now has just 300 men. Seems like suicide. But it doesn't matter. This wasn't Gideon's battle anyway. God had it in control.

Now is Gideon ready to fight? Not quite. He is still afraid. So God tells him to sneak into camp and listen to what his enemies are saying. The first tent he comes to, he hears a big surprise. A man is telling his neighbor about a dream. "I dreamed a loaf of bread rolled into the camp and flattened us all." His friend knows the meaning. "It is Gideon because his God has delivered all of Midian into his hand." Now Gideon is finally convinced that God is for them.

He returns and tells the men to surround the camp. They each have a pitcher with a lamp inside and a horn. They blow the horns and hold up the pitchers shouting, "The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon." And what happens next? They really don't even have to fight. The Midianties are so frightened they began to turn and fight against each other. Mass chaos breaks out in the camp. The enemy flees before him. All Gideon and his men have to do is come along and pick up the spoils.

You see, God had the end in mind from the beginning. Gideon could have gone at the first word but he needed convincing. I don't think he really doubted God. He doubted himself. And the Lord knew that. That's why He gave Gideon so many signs. But Gideon didn't have to doubt. God had already put the abilities he needed inside of him to perform the task. We don't see his men questioning him. They gladly went along. Nothing short of a miracle. He was a natural born leader and didn't know it.

What about you today? Is there something you are fearful of? Has God spoken to you about doing something for him? You have doubts right? It's only natural. But our God is a supernatural God. If he has spoken to you, He has already given you all you need to fulfill the task. You must believe not only in him but in yourself. He knew what he was doing when he called you. He knew you were the one for the job. He doesn't make mistakes. You need to believe in yourself. If you can't do that, just trust God. He has it all in control. There is a victory just over the horizon with your name on it. So Gideon, go in "thy might" without fear. God has given you your enemies.

Trusting him daily,

Sullivan Jones 

Do you talk to yourself?

I Corinthians 2: 11 - For who knows a person's thoughts expect his own spirit within him.


Much has been written about the power of words. Our words can be used to wound and to heal, to tear down relationships and to build them up. Words have been used to inspire and to discourage. Messages sent in writing have started wars. Words have separated friends and love letters have started long and happy marriages. Words are powerful and can be beautiful.


I'm convinced that the most important words we speak are the words we tell ourselves. Its the conversations that we have with ourselves in our inner most beings, where no one else but God can hear, that have the most impact on the world around us. Do we build ourselves up or tear ourselves down? Do we believe in ourselves? Do we tell ourselves that we feel well and enjoy life or do we sit and meditate on all that is wrong with the world around us? Do we try to lie to ourselves or are we honest with ourselves about our state of affairs?


Words matter. If no one else believes in us, we should believe in ourselves. We should be confident and bold. We should understand that each one of us is important in his/her own way. I may not be able to do what others can do but I have my own talents and abilities. I am my own unique person; I am who God intended me to be. When I am confident in who I am I will have no need to ever put others down. I will have no need to be jealous. I will wish only good for others around me.


Words matter. Not only the words that I speak to others but those that I speak to myself as well. Do you feel tired and discouraged? Are you enjoying life to its fullest? Are you afraid to take a risk to better yourself for fear of failing? Nothing in life is secure but there are some things worth taking a risk for. "But what if I fail?", you ask yourself. "What if you don't?", comes back the reply.


Go ahead! Listen to the positive voice. Try something new and bold. Live life as God wanted you to live. If it doesn't work you will be one step closer to knowing what does work. Above all, don't give up. Keep telling yourself that you can do this. After all, your words do matter. And who else is listening but you!


Blessings,


Sullivan Jones

Judge not ...

Matthew 7:12 - So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Perhaps one of the most misunderstood scriptures in the Bible is Matthew 7:12. "Judge not that ye be not judged." To many people it means that we can make no judgment at all about whether or not a person's behavior is right or wrong. However in verse 24 of the same chapter Jesus says not to judge according to appearance but "judge righteous judgment." So did Jesus contradict himself? Is there a contradiction when Paul tells us that a believer must go to court before the church and not world? (I Corinthians chapter 6) Obviously not. We must read the entire chapter of Matthew 7 to understand this verse in context. Let's look at it. Verse 2 says, "In the same way you judge others you will be judged." This is the key to understanding the whole chapter." Jesus is telling us not to judge other people with different standards than we judge ourselves. 

Our world would be in chaos if there was absolutely no judgment. If a judge and jury couldn't hear the evidence of a crime, people would literally get away with murder. (No pun intended,) If a skilled musician couldn't correct a student, the student would never become a master pianist. If a panel couldn't judge pies at the county fair, who would win the ribbon? I am glad someone judged whether or not my physician and nurses were ready to have a medical license. Someone judged that I was competent in my driving test and worthy of a license. You get the picture. 

What Jesus meant is that we should judge fairly. As the old saying goes, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Judgment in the right context is not only acceptable but necessary. It is perfectly acceptable for a father to correct his child from cursing. Now if the father is cursing but telling the child not to, this is not righteous judgment. But a father who doesn't use foul language might say this: You do not hear your mother and me use that kind of language and you will not be allowed to use that word either. If I hear you use it again you will be punished. He has taught a lesson and laid down the rules. Righteous judgment. 

The problem is that when it comes to spiritual things we can all get "preachy." It is easy to overlook our own faults and see only the faults of others. This is why we must all have accountability. We need fellowship with other Christians to remind us that we live to a higher standard than the unbeliever. We need to be inspired to do our best. And we need correction when we mess up.  We need someone that knows the word of God to be able tell us when we are doing wrong and show us how to do better. It must be done in love, yes, but it must be done. If not, how will we ever know what are and are not supposed to do? 

Many people expect the church members to be perfect. We all know better but somehow we expect it anyway. I'm glad that my fellow members are not perfect. If they were perfect I would not fit in because I am still struggling with some things. I have grown but I have a lot growth yet before I am mature (perfect). My fellow church members are patient with me and I must be patient with them as well. I do not want them to excuse my behavior. I want to be inspired, encouraged, and even compelled to do better. I will not ask them to do anything I am not willing to do. Why? Because the scales must be balanced. I must be judged with the same judgment I mete out. This is the real meaning of Judge not that ye be not judged. 

Is judgment necessary? Absolutely! But our judgment must always reflect the word of God and not our own opinions. We can all make mistakes but the word of God is perfect. So judge me preacher. Judge me, saint of God. Help me to grow but remember to do it in love. And when you need correction I will correct you in love. By doing this, we will all grow together into "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13). 

Blessings, 

Sullivan Jones 

The Power of a Smile

Proverbs 15:30  A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. (NIV)

Smiling. Have you ever noticed that it is contagious. Even the most hardened person can many times be softened with a smile. I was recently having a conversation at the gym. Basically, we were talking about body building and how some people just look mean and tough because of their physique. One of the little guys said, "man if I could just get to 200 lbs I'd feel good. Then maybe people would think I was tough." He laughed at himself and said that it wouldn't work because he is always smiling. And it's true, he is always smiling. That conversation made me think about how much I smile. I must admit that smiling is something I have had to train myself to do. I get in my own little world (lost in my own thoughts) and realize that I might look like I'm frowning or mad. In reality I am not upset but other people don't know what I am thinking. So I have determined to try and make myself smile more. Like anything else, it can become a habit that will develop into character. I can't think of a better character trait to have than to be known as someone who is always smiling. Can you?

Blessings,

Sullivan Jones 

What is Faith?

Hebrews 11: 6 - But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

Faith is what gives us the courage to obey God even when we don't understand him. Perhaps you have a dream to do something for him but don't know how it will work out. Maybe it involves finances you don't have or talents and abilities you are not skilled in. The good news is, if God spoke it to your heart, he has the details worked out but he only shows us one step at a time.  Sure it takes courage to step out on faith. But our faith is THE GOD. The God who created the universe and formed man from the dust of the ground. He is the God of angel armies who has never lost a battle. This isn't just any God we are believing in but we are trusting in the great I AM. Perhaps you don't feel like you have enough faith to believe God for what you need? Well, allow me to ask you a question. Are you trying to have faith in your faith or in God. Your faith will never be big enough but God is always enough. If God has spoken to you, just leave the details to him. He has it all worked out. 

Living by Faith,

Rev. Sullivan Jones 

Abundant Life

I Corinthians 15:45 - So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 

I Corinthians 15:22 - For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

Did you know that we are all destined to die? That's right. And its all because of one man's sin. It may not seem fair but we are all under the curse of sin and death because of one man and woman and their wrong choices. But that isn't the end of the story. There is a way to trade this curse of death for the blessing of life. How? By being born again in Jesus Christ. 

The first Adam (the one in Eden) was made a living being. He was alive but because of his sin he took death unto himself and passed death on to his descendants. (That's you and me.) The second Adam is Jesus Christ. He not only was made a living being but a life-giving spirit. The difference between the first and second Adam is this. While the first Adam traded life for death the second Adam gave his life to conquer death. The first Adam was alive but once he lost life he could not regain it. He was destined to die. But the second Adam gave his life and shed his blood to conquer death once and for all. So even though all must die because of Adam's sin, in Jesus Christ all can be made a alive because of his righteousness. Jesus Christ not only has life himself but he has the power and authority to grant eternal life to others. That is why he is a LIFE-GIVING spirit. 

Do you feel like the curse of sin and death is on your life? Nothing seem to go right? You've made all the wrong choices? Perhaps you've been diagnosed with a terrible disease or know someone who has. You can find life in Jesus for he is a life-giving spirit. He came that we could have life, and not just any life, but life more abundantly (John 10:10). All the life you need is available in Jesus.

For as many as received him to them gave he power to become the children of God. John 1:12.

Living Abundantly,

Sullivan Jones 

What does life consist of?

Luke 12:15 - Man's life does not consist of the abundance of things that he possesses. 

May I ask you a question?  If life is not made up of possessions, just what is it made up of?

I believe there are several answers. Relationships with family and friends should be near the top. What good are the possessions if there is no one to share them with?  Career is also important. All of us have to work. If you are going to spend all your time doing something why not get the skills to do a job you enjoy. It will make life much more enjoyable. Where we live and how we live are all important. But they still don't provide the most important ingredient to life.

Jesus said he came to give us life. Not just any life, but life more abundantly? He said that if we believe in him then rivers of living water would flow out of our inner most beings. This was a prophecy of the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This is the truly abundant life. A life without the Spirit of God is empty and will always lack meaning. A life filled with the Spirit of God will overflow with joy. Yes, there will still be heartaches; There always are. Financial problems and sickness still cause us stress, even as Christians. But the Christian who is filled with God's spirit knows that this present life is not all there is. There is a spiritual realm to which I can enter everyday in prayer that makes life truly worth living.

Just what does true life consist of? What is the main ingredient? It is a relationship with Jesus Christ. When one has Jesus, everything else is secondary. It is nice to have things in this life. I would rather have money than be without out it. It makes life easier to have a little extra cash in one's pockets.  But at the end of the day the only thing of lasting value in my life is my relationship with Jesus. He has blessed me with a good job, a good home, and many friends. May I never forget that without him everything else is meaningless! He is the meaning of life because he is life itself.

Loving Jesus,

Sullivan Jones