Author: kezha1

Genesis makes it very clear…man was made in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26-27) We are therefore the icons of God, creatures made with a unique capacity to mirror and reflect His likeness and character. But because of the fall of Adam & Eve, our image of God is severely tarnished. But through Jesus Christ, the restoration of the fullness of the image of God in us can be accomplished. But sadly, we still try to fill that God-shaped hole in our hearts with all things worldly…but these idols will never fully satisfy like God will. Nevertheless, we keep pursuing idols to fill the void. I Thessalonians 1:9 sums up our dilemma well, turn to God from idols to serve the only living and true God and you will finally find happiness, peace and joy.

In this passage of Acts 15:36-41, Paul and Barnabas are setting off to revisit the cities of their first missionary journey. Barnabas wants to take John Mark, his nephew along…but Paul refuses, adamant that Mark’s deserting them during their first missionary journey (Acts 13:13) was wrong in so many ways. And so we find both men not willing to budge. Barnabas, who is known as Son of Encouragement advocates to give Mark a second chance…emphasizing the importance of Christ-like grace and forgiveness. While Paul sticks to his guns, claiming Mark is unreliable and not fit for the ministry. And so they part company and go their separate ways. Now this may sound like the proclamation of the Gospel Message took a big hit…but it was otherwise. By going their separate ways, twice the amount of people were reached with the Good News than if they had continued to travel together. That’s because God’s Sovereignty can work through any conflict between Believers to achieve His ultimate plan and purpose.

The promise of prosperity and success in Scriptures have long been misunderstood and misquoted. It doesn’t necessarily refer to material wealth or worldly achievements but rather to spiritual and moral wellbeing. In II Chronicles 31:20-21, King Hezekiah prospered because of his dedication to God with integrity, faithfulness, and a servants heart towards his people. In Joshua 1:7-8, the emphases was the importance of meditating on God’s Word, speaking it out, and obeying its teachings in order that one could achieve true prosperity and success. Thus, a full and triumphant life is then not defined by “things”, but by our obedience, relationship with God, and adherence to His Word.

Yesterday we looked at the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers, with only one returning to praise God. (Luke 17:11-19) It got me wondering about the other nine. They all had joined in together crying out to Jesus for pity…they all had obeyed Jesus to “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” without question… and all ten were healed at the same time. So why was it that only one came back with thankfulness in his heart? (Colossians 3:16) Mark Twain once said, “The world owes you nothing.” But we think otherwise, especially today. The word that comes to mind is entitlement, with the mindset that I deserve this, or I have a right to this…all the while expecting others to provide and support me without any effort on my part. So we end up unappreciative, thankless, and ungrateful, alone in our self-absorbed little sphere. But Hebrews 12:28 reminds us to be thankful and worship God…for a heart full of gratitude is one that truly knows where all good things come from. (James 1:17)

Obviously, these ten lepers knew who Jesus was and were familiar with His ministry and the miracles He was performing. They called Him Master, acknowledging who He was…not asking to be healed, but rather appealing to His compassion & love for the marginalized and social outcasts of the time. But instead of healing them immediately, Jesus tested their faith by instructing them to go and show themselves to the Priest. Now, they could of indignantly balked, being offended and angry that Jesus had not healed them instantaneously…but they obeyed His command. And it says that as they went, they were healed. The next thing that happened was very telling, for only one leper returned to give thanks. Only one came back to express gratitude, only one recognized God’s mercy and blessings in his life. And Jesus was quick to see this, especially since the only one that had come back was a Samaritan. Jesus then said to the man, “Your faith has made you well.” …restoring him totally, not only physically, but spiritually as well.

This pivotal verse describes Jesus’ first miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana…and the start of His public ministry. For within this small group of friends, neighbors, and family, Jesus made Himself known to them. Allowing them to see with their own eyes His Divinity, majesty, and power. It tells us that on witnessing this miracle, His disciples put their faith in Him. But just a few verses later, Jesus is in Jerusalem performing miracles before large crowds. But the difference was, while His disciples put their faith in HIM, the crowds only believed in His NAME. (John 2:23-24) In other words, they only believed in His character, activity, and place in God’s purpose because of what they saw. This is why it says Jesus would not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all men and their superficial nature, true intentions, and desire for entertainment rather than saving faith.

For every wayward thought…every worldly concept of the mind…every daydream and fantasy, Jesus demands unquestionable obedience. For in this passage, Paul stresses the difference between the wisdom of the world and the spiritual wisdom of the Cross. He warns of being deceived by the wisdom/passions of the world, (I Corinthians 1:18-2:16, I Peter 4:2, I John 2:15-17) and that we can no longer love worldly or fleshly wisdom and Him at the same time. But rather, we need to break the bonds of every worldly idea, motive, desire, and decision and bring them all under the Will of God.

Regardless of how long you’ve been a Christian, everyday there are private, unsaid thoughts that swirl in your mind…some, that can honestly have you saying, “Where did that come from?” These musings are not only judged by God, but also the rationale and intent behind them. For every intention we have is either good or bad…thus, every underlying reason, ambition, and goal is scrutinized by God Who looks at our hearts. And I Corinthians 14:25 says just that… God’s Word lays bare the secrets of our heart. So with each thought, we need to be asking ourselves if our motives are in the right place…all the while acknowledging that God already knows what hides in our heart.

We’d be very foolish to think we could hide our thoughts from God…in fact, Psalm 94:11 tells us otherwise that, “The Lord knows the thoughts of man.” But we still find it difficult to wrangle our wayward thoughts by ourselves. Fixing your thoughts on Jesus means to consider carefully, contemplate thoroughly, and comprehend accurately His example. It calls you to focus intently on Jesus…centering your heart and mind on Him, Who is the ultimate example and source of your faith. By fixing your thoughts on Jesus, life’s distractions and challenges are weighed on the scale of eternity and thus quickly lose their importance. So when it comes to your thoughts, remember this…where your mind goes, so does your attitudes, words, and choices…therefore shaping your life. (Proverbs 4:23)

Romans 12:19 reminds us that we should never act on our desire to “get even”, for vengeance belongs to God, Who will right all wrongs in His perfect judgment and timing. For God is the only righteous judge of all, and as James 5:9 warns all, is the judge standing at the door… soon to return. Thus as Believers, our mindset cannot be on vengeance or retaliation, but rather on the focus of Psalm 31:23, “Love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.”