Everybody Needs Jesus

 So when they were together with him, they asked, "Lord, is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

He said to them, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Acts 1:6-8

Sadly, Jews and many non-Jews are still looking for what some of Jesus' disciples were still looking for just moments before Jesus ascended back into heaven.  People whose eyes are fixated on this world continue to miss the Messiah.  

Jesus is the Messiah.  He is the Son of God.  He is the Passover Lamb whose blood saves from death and damnation.  We can be sure that Jesus is the Savior because he fulfilled every Messianic prophecy of the Old Testament.  

The Bible gives no prophecy, or promise, about God restoring the earthly kingdom of Israel.  What Jesus did say was, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so that I would not be handed over to the Jews.  But now my kingdom is not from here." (John 18:36)

This is vitally important to understand.  The kingdom of God is not an earthly physical kingdom.  It is a spiritual kingdom.  That is why Satan works so hard to keep people focused on this world.  This life.  While Jesus' kingdom is not an earthly kingdom, he has given his disciples work to do in this life.  In our physical world.  We are to be his witnesses to the world.  It is the job of every Christian to tell people about Jesus, and what he has done for them.

Don't get distracted by geopolitics and social agendas.  This world, and all the nations in this world, will pass away.  Stay focused on the mission, the commission.  Be Christ's witness.  That is going to look different for each individual because we have all been given different vocational callings, but that is still the mission nonetheless.

Notice that the Great Commission was given to all of Christ's disciples of all time.  It wasn't just given to the 11 Apostles.  Being a witness of Christ and his gospel isn't the work of just pastors and those called into the public ministry.  It is the work of every Christian.  We all have been given a mission field.  There are numerous people in your life who need to hear about Jesus.  They are on their way to hell because they don't believe in him as their Savior.  They desperately need you!  

Tell them!

Talk to them!

They are dying!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  The one who believes in him is not condemned, but the one who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God." (John 3:16-18)

Thankfully, as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit empowers us to live out this commission, this calling.  You are not alone when you witness Jesus to a family member, friend, or coworker.  The Holy Spirit will help you and guide your words.  This is also why it's so important to be in God's Word everyday.  God's Word is the means by which the Holy Spirit works.  

Know God's Word.  Speak God's Word and let the Holy Spirit work how he will.  We know that God's Word will not return to him empty.   It will accomplish its purpose.  So use it.

Now go with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit and be Christ's witness in your world.

God bless.

Jason Fredrick

Fresh Starts

The end of August and the beginning of September is often a time of fresh starts for people.

A new school year at every level is just beginning.  

The season is about to change from summer to fall.

This is one of those waypoints during the year when it makes sense to stop and think about what you're doing in life, and why you're doing it.

This is also a time to take stock of your year so far.  

How are you doing with your New Year's resolutions?

How close are you to hitting your big goals for the year?

Christmas is coming.  Have you started making plans for the holidays yet?

I don't know if you are effected by any of these things, but this year I have been.

Over the last month, my family has embraced a turning point in our lives and we are in the middle of a fresh start.

    My son has begun high school.  Not just any high school.  He is at a boarding school.  This school year he will live more than 100 miles from my wife and I.

    

    In June I accepted the call to serve as the Minister of Mission Support at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Downers Grove, IL.  That means three weeks ago my family and I picked up and moved more than a hundred miles from the area we have called home most of our lives.

Fresh starts come in all different packages.  They enter our lives for many different reasons.   They can be frustrating at times (moving certainly is).  They can be heart-breaking at times.  It's tough to put distance between yourself and people you love.

But, fresh starts can also be highly rewarding.  Fresh starts open us up to new opportunities.  Often, they are the result of taking advantage of an opportunity.  They also put us into contact with a whole new world of people.  People we would have never known had we not exercised the courage to make a fresh start.

I don't know where you're at in life, but I do know that sometimes a fresh start is exaclty what the doctor ordered.  It gets us out of our familiar zone.  It puts us in contact with an entirely new community of people.  It can help us wake to the life we are supposed to be living.  Not settling for the one we have settled for.

I won't tell you what to do with your life.  That's your responsibility.  I would encourage you, though, especially if you are frustrated with your current situation, to think about a fresh start.  

Maybe that means moving.  Maybe that means changing where you work.  Maybe it means changing your career field all together.  However, I am not talking about scrapping your marriage.  You need to fix that if that's the source of your frustration.  A fresh start could mean distancing yourself from negative and destructive relationships in your life.  

You know you.  I don't know you, or your situation.  You know what it would mean to make a fresh start in your life.  I encourage you to take the leap.  A fresh start today could make all the difference in the rest of your life.

God bless.

Jason Fredrick

Josua Defeats Jericho: They Never Saw it Coming

 

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand.  Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.”  Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

The commander of the LORD’S army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.”  And Joshua did so.

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites.  No one went out and no one came in.

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.  March around the city once with all the armed men.  Do this for six days.  Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark.  On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.  When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.”

Joshua 5:13-6:5

            It is probably safe to assume that Joshua had a plan for how he was going to approach Jericho.  It is also probably safe to assume his plan looked nothing like the plan the Lord gave him after his meeting with Jesus (the commander of the army of the LORD [5:14]).  There is no way Joshua would have ever come up with the plan the Lord gave him on his own.  There is no way Joshua could have even conceived of something like that being an option.

            As crazy as God’s plan must have seemed to Joshua and the Israelites, Joshua didn’t hesitate.  He gave the command and instructed everyone what they were to do.  He carried out God’s plan exactly as God gave it to him, and because Joshua and the Israelites completely submitted to God’s plan, they experienced a total victory.  The walls came crashing down.  The Israelites completely slaughtered all the inhabitants of Jericho, except for Rahab and her family.  They burned the whole city and “put the silver, gold, and articles of bronze and iron into the LORD’S treasury.”

            It is only God who can defy the odds.  It is only God who knows what his plans are and how they are going to be realized in our world.  God’s plans usually do not make sense to us.  If they did, we would not need faith to submit to them and carry out his directives.  Like Joshua, our responsibility is to make plans and get moving.  Then, when God intervenes to give us a new direction or adjustment it is our job to listen and do what he is telling us.  Unfortunately, God does not speak to us directly like he did with Joshua.  He speaks through people.  This is why it is so important to respect and submit to the guidance of the people God has placed in our lives to give us wise council.  This is why taking a contrary approach to everything, and everybody, is actually a sinful act of defiance against the Lord. 

If we have called men as God’s representatives to give our churches spiritual guidance, why do so many of our members refuse to trust them and listen to them?  It is okay to disagree with called workers and give them push back.  It is not okay for that to be the default mode and automatic attitude of a congregation.  When Joshua revealed the Lord’s plan to the rest of the leaders and community, people just accepted what he said.  We are not told that anyone questioned Joshua or God about this plan.  That attitude displays unity and trust.  The Israelites trusted God and Joshua, so they were united in their common belief (faith).  Too many of our churches today are divided because of a lack of trust, both in God and in the church leaders.  Weak faith leads to selfish sin, rebellion, and division.  Unfortunately, the attitude of Americans today is: “Prove it!  I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Jesus already has proven his faithfulness, and he answers this demand this way: “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!  But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah” (Matthew 12:39).  Jesus fulfilled this sign on Easter morning, and he fulfills all his promises to care for us every day (Matthew 6:25-34). The last words of Jesus Matthew records for us as Jesus was ascending into heaven reaffirm this promise one more time: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).

Stop doubting and believe!

God's Ways Are Not Our Ways: Abraham

 Abraham: Faithful Obedience

“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem.  At that time the Canaanites were living in the land.  The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I give this land.”  So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

-Genesis 12:2-3, 6-7

            When Abraham received his call from God, he had no idea what God had in store for him and Sarah.  God told him to go, and he went.  He trusted God.  He trusted that God had a plan, and it would be revealed to him whenever God chose to reveal it to him.  When God told Abraham to leave his country, his people, and his family (Genesis 12:1) there is no indication that Abraham questioned God and pushed for an explanation.  We are told, “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him…” (Genesis 12:4).

            Abraham simply picked up and left, trusting God’s promises from vss.2&3.  Abraham had a lot of reasons to question God, but he did not.  Those questions would arise later when God’s promises were not being fulfilled in Abraham and Sarah’s timing, but initially Abraham obeyed God’s command and picked up and left trusting God would show him where he was to settle.

            Abraham’s life demonstrates that our timing is not God’s timing.  God revealed his plan to Abraham.  He directed Abraham throughout his life.  But God never told Abraham the timing of the fulfillment of his greatest promise: The promise of a son.  The son which was necessary for Abraham to become a great nation and through whom “all nations would be blessed”.  It is reasonable to think that Abraham would have expected Sarah to conceive shortly after God gave this promise.  After all, they were both already old and well past the age of having children: Abraham was 75 and Sarah was 65 and barren.

            It was only after Abraham and Sarah had made several mistakes trying to “help” God fulfill this promise that God revealed the timing of the fulfillment of the promise, 24 years later.  Sarah would give birth to a son one year later, when Abraham was 100 and she was 90 (Genesis 16,18,21).  God’s timing is not our timing.

            Abraham began to question God’s promise because he had placed his own arbitrary timeline and expectation on God for when this promise should be fulfilled.  This is the same mistake that we so often make.  We know that God has promised to care for us and provide for us, but we want to dictate to him how that promise should be fulfilled and what the timing of our demanded fulfillment should be.  When we place demands on God we display a lack of faith, and we demonstrate that we do not trust him to live up to his promises.

            Abraham was given an incredible promise from God.  And then he faced decades of testing before that promise would be truly fulfilled.  The time in which Abraham received his call and promise from God to its fulfillment on Mt. Moriah, where he was in the process of sacrificing Isaac to God, spanned more than 40 years. 

            Abraham lived for 175 years.  Genesis 12-25:11 tells us about ~60 years of his life.  That is a little more than 1/3 of his life; yet these six decades are clearly the defining years of Abraham’s life.  God’s plan for Abraham did not play out over days or weeks.  It took decades for everything to come together.  Abraham could only really understand God’s plan at its completion when he could look back over time and see how God worked everything out.  That is how it is for us, as well.  When we are in the beginning or middle stages of carrying out God’s plan, we cannot reasonably expect to know exactly how it will come together.  We just need to trust that God will bring it all together.

            Also, it is foolish to think that anything in life will come together in a few days, or a few weeks.  Even a few months is an unrealistic expectation in most situations.  Any worthwhile endeavor in life will take years to bring to fruition.  It is our responsibility to keep working and trust that God will bless our efforts and make them work out exactly how they need to, to bless his church and the world.

            God’s timing is not our timing!

God's Ways Are Not Our Ways- Introduction

 (The following is the introduction to an essay I am writing on patiently letting God reveal his plans in our lives. The coming weeks will feature each section of the body of that essay.)

I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.  I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?  No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.  Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

John 3:11-18

            This is God’s plan of salvation.  This is also sinful man’s great difficulty: It does not make sense.

            No human being would ever devise a plan for saving the world from sin by punishing someone who never sinned, for the sins of everyone who ever lived.  God’s plan of salvation is a plan no human being would have ever devised or even imagined.  It just does not make sense to our sinful, limited thinking and understanding.  That is why God’s plan of salvation is the perfect place to begin the conversation about how God’s ways are above our ways.

            “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

A Portrait of Peter: Leadership

 There are, then, three peaks, or highpoints, in the period of Peter's leadership of the church.  First, there was the role Peter was allowed to play in the founding of the Jewish congregation in Jerusalem at Pentecost.  Second, there is his role in establishing the important principle that Samaritans, who by a generous estimate might be called half-jews, could have a place in the church.  And finally, Peter was allowed to demonstrate that even full-blooded Gentiles  could be accepted into the Christian church. (A Portrait of Peter, Panning, p.30)

Peter's life is incredibly instructive for us today, especially for those of us in Christ's church.

Peter's leadership journey had distinct phases of prominence, influence, and anonymity.  He is the prominent apostle throughout the first twelve chapters of Acts, but even here, several chapters are already laying the foundation for the early church moving beyond him (Acts 6-9:31).

There is no doubt Peter was the rock of the early church.  His leadership was crucial in keeping the apostles together after Jesus' ascension.  It is his sermon that Luke records on the day of Pentecost.  We are told of several times that he was arrested for proclaiming the message of Christ crucified.  He was crucial to the original church in Jerusalem.

Peter also played an important role in the church's understanding that "all nations" meant Samaritans and Gentiles as well, not just Jews.  Peter's time living and serving in Joppa and Lydda, and his visit to the house of Cornelius emphatically demonstrated to the early church that Samaritan and Gentile believers were just as much a part of Christ's church as any Jew.  This may be where Peter's leadership was most important.  We are still blessed by the ripple effect of this part of Peter's ministry.  Most of you reading this are likely Gentiles.  This part of Peter's ministry opened the door for Paul's minsitry to the Gentiles to be accepted and celebrated by the early church.  Paul had an ally at the meeting of the Jerusalem council (Acts 15) in Peter making the point that the Church is made up of all who have faith in Jesus Christ as their savior, not just those who can trace their lineage back to Abraham.

Let's look at three important leadership lessons from Peter's ministry and life:

Somebody Needs to Take Responsibility

Peter stepped into this role right away.  When the all the dicsiples returned from the mount of ascension it is Peter who stands up before everyone and declares that they should appoint someone to take the spot vacated by Judas.  He recognizes this need and takes responsibility for making sure the situation is handled sooner than later, immediately.

Throughout the first chapters of Acts, Peter seems to be the one giving the infant church its organizational structure.  Luke records Peter as the one who addresses the crowd at Pentecost defending his congregation.  It is also Peter's sermon on Pentecost that Luke has recorded for us.  (Panning makes the point in his book that it is likely that all the apostles would have been preaching on Pentecost since they were each given the ability to speak in different tongues.)

Leaders Act Courageously

There are two distinct groups with whom Peter had to demonstrate courage: The Sanhedrin and his own church.

Peter continued to preach in public despite constant persecution by the Jews.  Several times Peter was arrested, flogged, and brought before the Sanhedrin.  Every time they warned him, and whoever was with him, not to preach in the name of Jesus.  Every time Peter refused to capitulate: "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God." (Acts 4:19)  Peter evevtually had to leave Jerusalem because both the Jews and King Herrod wanted to kill him.

The other group Peter had to act courageously with was his own church.  One form this took was him rebuking the sinful actions of his members: specifically Ananias and Sapphira.  That rebuke led to their immediate death and judgment.

 The other group within the church was the council.  After Peter visited Cornelius, at God's direction, members of the Jerusalem council were not happy that he had visited the house of a Gentile.  Peter had to instruct them about God's declaration that no people are unclean.  God wants all people to be saved.  

Often times, a leader's fiercest battles will be fought against people who are supposed to be on his side.  Peter was incorporating change within the church and this was a problem for the Jewish believers who had strong preconcieved notions of what the church was.  Leaders have the courage to make the changes that need to be made.  Leaders attack the status quo and long-entrenched paradigms about "this is how it's done because this is how we've always done it."

Never be suprised when you are attacked and criticized for changing the status quo.

Leaders Are Humble Enough to Pass the Torch

Yet we also notice that Peter's stature declines in direct proportion to the church's movement away from Jerusalem. (A Portrait of Peter, Panning, p.18)

This is a hard lesson for many leaders.  Sadly, many never learn this lesson and their organization pays the price.  

A leader's true job is to develop other leaders.  If that's true (which it is) then the whole purpose of leadership is to replace yourself.  If you care about the mission more than personal glory this isn't difficult.  It's what supports your long-term vision.  To me, the most tragic loss a leader can experience is the death of his organization the day after he leaves.

There is nothing in Scripture that tells us Peter ever suffered from jealousy of Paul, Philip, or any of the other apostles and early evangelists.  Peter cared about Christ's church and leading people to heaven.  He didn't seem to care whose preaching was accomplishing this work.  Peter understood team ministry.

It is sad to me that so few churches today focus on leadership development within their congregation.  Then they complain that no one will step up and take leadership positions within the church.  If the men who have held those offices for decades won't step down, and if the church is doing nothing to help its members develop their leadership skills and abilities this church will die within the next twenty years.  They probably don't really have that long.

The apostles were constantly developing the next generation of leaders as a matter of course.  They never carried out the ministry of the church alone.  Their discipleship is what prepared the next generation of pastors and church leaders.  Maybe there's a lesson in the pages of Scripture for the church today...maybe.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.- Luke 10:1

God bless

Jason Fredrick

A Portrait of Peter: Training

 From that point on [Luke 5:10] Peter was a full-time disciple, or learner.  In this training program, there were no classrooms, no formal requirements, and no written assignments with footnotes and bibliographies.  Peter and the rest of the disciples used a better method.  According to the ancient mode of education, discipleship meant personal attachment to the master. (A Portrait of Peter, Panning, p.7)

Look carefully at this description of Peter's education.  Discipleship is much more than just mentorship.  Peter didn't meet with Jesus once-a-month to check his thinking around his gameplan and results, or to get some counseling to improve his marriage.  Discipleship meant (and should still mean) walking in the footsteps of the master.  Peter spent every day with Jesus.  

Peter was privileged to be at Jesus' side everyday.  He would have seen how he interacted with people.  He had a front-row seat to how, and how often, Jesus prayed.  He witnessed many of his miracles.  He heard all his parables, and probably had Jesus explain them during the down times.  Peter didn't learn from Jesus through his lectures, books, essays, or podcasts.  Peter learned from Jesus by living life side-by-side with him every day.

Peter went from fisherman to apostle by living a life of ministry for three years walking daily with his teacher.  This definitely was not conveyor-belt schooling.  Peter recieved a leadership education.  He could never have learned everything he needed to learn by sitting for hours in a classroom listening to a theoretical lecture on ministry.  Peter was living his lessons every day.  When Jesus taught a lesson it was relevant to the day's events and immediately applicable.  The closest thing we have to discipleship today are apprenticeships, but an apprentice doesn't live his life with his master.  Today's apprentices clock in to work for 8 or 9 hours and then go home.  Peter lived his life with Jesus.

There is coming, and very soon now, a time in which Peter will be very influential in establishing the fledgling Christian church.  Peter and the other apostles were to realize that order and discipline, not anarchy, must rule in the church under the guidance of a leader, Peter, whom Jesus had trained and prepared for that work. (A Portrait of Peter, Panning, p.13)

Peter's three years of discipleship were preparing him for Jesus' departure from the earth physically.  Peter would be the one all the other apostles and disciples would look to for leadership after Jesus ascended into heaven.  Jesus knew what was needed.  He knew who he had assigned this responsibility.  He was intentional about training and preparing Peter for his calling: 

        Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."

        So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed him.

        Luke 5:10-11

It's interesting to me that through true discipleship Peter was trained for his call, which was significant, in three years of serving alongside his master.  

Today it takes more than eight years to train men for the ministry.  Likely, because instead of serving while they're learning, they are isolated from the world they will be serving.  Spending everyday in a classroom instead of the mission field.

My dream is that one day the church will make a move back to discipleship and leave behind schooling.  The world can have its conveyor-belt schooling.  The church needs discipleship.

God bless.

Jason Fredrick

God Has Not Abandoned You

Psalm 138:6 

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever-
do not abandon the works of your hands.

Do you ever feel like you've been abandoned by the Lord?  Does it seem like God has left you to fend for yourself?

If you ever feel that way, take encouragement from this Psalm of David.  

Not only does God have a purpose for you, but he will fulfill that purpose for you.  You are not alone.  God has not abandoned you.  It may feel like it.  Your life may be crumbling down around you.  Your health may be failing.  But God has not forgotten you.

Jesus has promised, "And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

When life gets tough and everything is going against you, it can be difficult to remember this promise of Jesus.  It's so easy to get caught up in your struggles and hardships, and that's right where Satan wants you.  He wants you to take your focus off Jesus and focus all your attention on yourself.  And its so easy to do.  As sinful people, we are all naturally bent on focusing on ourselves.

This is when it's so important for you to run back to Jesus in his Word.  The harder your life is right now the more you need to be in God's Word everyday.  You will not find answers or relief in complaining about your situation.  You will only find anwers and relief in the comfort and encouragement found in Scripture.  That is where Jesus is found.

As the Psalm above says, "God's love endures forever."  Never forget it.  Never doubt it.  Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Faithfully Serve Wherever the Lord has Placed You

 Genesis 39:1-6a

Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt.  Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishamaelites who had taken him there.

The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.  When his master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant.  Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.  From the time he put him in charge of his household and all that he owned, the LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph.  The blessing of the LORD was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.  So he left in Joseph's care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

Joseph's situation was not ideal.  He had been assaulted by his brothers and then sold into slavery.  Now, a thousand miles from home, he was put to work.  It's easy to think that Joseph was bitter.  He certainly had every right to be.  You would think Joseph would be angry and resentful toward his master.  It would even make sense that Joseph would be mad at God.  After all, it was God who gave him those dreams and the ability to understand what they meant.

But the Bible tells us Joseph responded to his situation much differently than we might expect.  Nowhere are we told that Joseph prayed to God demanding an explanation for his situation.  Perhaps it's reasonable to think that on that long journey from Canaan to Egypt, Joseph had plenty of time to think through his situation.  It seems like Joseph realized that he was just as responsible for his situation as his brothers were.

Whatever the case may have been, Joseph's response teaches us an important lesson: No matter what our situation, we are to glorify God by giving our very best everyday.  Joseph had no reason to think that his faithful work would earn him a promotion.  Joseph sumbitted to the authority that God had placed over him and he faithfully served Potiphar to the best of his ability.  He was honoring God by honoring Potiphar.

Because of Jospeh's faithfulness, God blessed him and all of Potiphar's house.  There are certainly blessings that come with faithfully honoring God in all we do, and obeying his commands; but God does not promise any particular blessings for our faithfulness.  He does not promise to bless us like he blessed Joseph while he served in Potiphar's house.  Joseph's motivation for honoring and obeying God was his love for God, his faith in God's promise of salvation.  Our motivation must also be the same: A thank you to God for his gift of faith and forgiveness of sins for Jesus' sake.

Joseph didn't serve Potiphar diligently because he was trying to earn God's favor.  He served Potiphar diligently because he already had God's favor.  It was God's love for Joseph and Joseph's faith that empowered him to love God and love his neighbor- Potiphar.

This is the same for us.  As God's children, we are called to love God and love our neighbor.  This love is displayed in our lives through service.  As a response to God's love for us, we diligently work everyday to serve our neighbor- in our family, at work, in the community, and in church.  Wherever God gives us an opportunity to serve, that's where we serve each day.

We can serve in this way, every day, because Jesus has served us in the most important way: He lived the perfect life we can't live.  He died the death we deserve.  He rose from the dead to conquer death for us.  "Becasue Jesus lives, we also will live."

God bless,

Jason Fredrick

A Pastoral Vacancy

 1 Timothy 3:14-16

Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the the truth.  Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great:

God appeared in a body,

was vindicated by the Spirit,

was seen by angels,

was preached among the nations,

was believed on in the world,

was taken up in glory.

The previous thirteen verses of 1 Timothy 3 are Paul's instructions for deacons and overseers in the church.  Paul wanted to make sure churches understood how to conduct themselves in the absence of a trained pastor.  One underlying point here is that the ministry of an individual congregation can't stop because of a pastoral vacancy.  The leaders of the church have to be prepared to step up and lead.  Every member of the church has to be prepared to act on, and live out, their Great Commission calling.

Notice how Paul calls the church "the pillar and foundation of the truth."  The church is all of God's people united in individual congregations all over the world.  The church is not the pastor.  While it can be frustrating and scary for church members to carry out the ministry of Christ's Church without a pastor, they must.  That is what they have been called to.  Pastor or not, it is the call of every Christian church to take the gospel of Jesus Christ into their community.  While the mystery of godliness is great, the Holy Spirit empowers God's chidlren to be able to understand it a little, believe it totally, and share it generously.  That is what every Christian has been called to do.

God's grace be with you.

Jason Fredrick

Patiently Pursue Your Purpose

Luke 8:37-39

Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear.  So he got into the boat and left.

The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away saying, "Return home and tell how much God has done for you."  So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

This is the account of Jesus driving out the legion of demons from this man and sending them into a herd of pigs.  These verses, which end that account, are interesting to me for a couple of reasons:

First, the people witness this amazing miracle.  This man was so wild and out of control he was living by himself among the tombs.  The demons living in him were so powerful that when the people tried to chain him, he broke the chains.  It seems like the people of the area were terrified of him, but they had learned how to avoid him.  When Jesus drives out the demons and restores this man to being normal, the people are even more afraid of Jesus.  They recognize the power of the demons whom had taken possession of this man and realize that Jesus is even more powerful.  His power scares them so much that they ask him to leave.  Notice that Jesus doesn't argue with these people.  He just gets back in the boat to leave.  But if you notice, he isn't leaving them empty-handed.  He is leaving them with a testimony and an evangelist.

And we know that this man did his job well because the next time Jesus came to this territory, "...people recognized Jesus.  They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was" (Mark 6:54-55).  Clearly Jesus knew what he was doing when he left this formerly demon possessed man behind to proclaim his testimony about Jesus to his village.

That brings me to the second point.  Once the man was healed, he wanted to follow Jesus and be a part his ministry team.  As we have seen, Jesus had other plans.  The man was eager to follow and serve Jesus so he called him to a ministry that only he could fulfill.  The people of the Gerasenes were afraid of Jesus and asked him to leave.  They weren't afraid of this man anymore.  The people were open to his testimony.  They weren't open to hearing Jesus preach to them.  Even though Jesus gave this man a different assignment than what he was looking for, he clearly grabbed ahold of it and told everyone he came into contact with what Jesus had done for him.

This is how it is in our lives sometimes.  We get an idea about how we want to serve Jesus, or maybe we get excited about an organization we would like to be a part of, but when we try to pursue that ministry the door is closed on us.  As with the demon possessed man from Genesaret Jesus isn't rejecting us.  He just has a different plan for us.  Unfortunately, we often aren't told right away what that plan is, like this man; but we can be confident that if we are patient God's plan for us will be revealed to us.  Because just like this man we may want a ministry position right now but Jesus knows better.  He knows how we can best serve him and he will open that door when it is time.

Psalm 37:4-7

Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:

He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,

the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when men succeed in their ways,

when they carry out their wicked schemes.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

God Tests His Children

 Genesis 22:1

Some time later God tested Abraham.

Why does God test us?  Why doesn't he just talk to us like he did with Abraham?

These are good and valid questions.  Questions that all of us have asked at different times in our lives.  The answers to these questions aren't always easy, or easy to hear, but we do have the answers to these questions.

Why does God test us?

There are several reasons that God tests us:

1. It's a way to help us refocus our attention on him.
2. It's a way that he hones us to develop and grow in character, patience, wisdom, etc.
3. It's a way that he snaps us out of arrogance or apathy.
4. It's part of what he uses to help guide us on our life's journey- opening and closing opportunities.
5. It's a way that God shows us to ourselves.  A test can help us recognize what we really want and what is most important to us.

These are some of the reasons.  If you think of one that I don't have listed share it in the comments section below.

Most of God's test in life are to remind us how much we need him.  They are designed to bring us back to him and refocus on him and his Word.  Throughout my life I can look back and see that the main reason I have been tested is to snap me out of arrogance or apathy.  When life is going well, I find that I tend to bounce back and forth between these two ditches.  It's funny, because usually for me tests are an answer to prayer.  I don't pray to be tested, but I do pray for more wisdom, or courage, or boldness.  Tests are the ways that God usually answers these prayers.  

God's tests are the ways that opportunities are created to grow and develop these traits.  Tests are also the way that your marriage gets better and stronger.  Tests open doors to increase your income.  Whatever you are praying for, and about, tests are often the way those prayers get answered.  But not always.  God can answer your prayers however he chooses.  Just don't be surprised or upset when your prayers are answered with a test.  Often, the reason for the test is so that you will pray more and continue to turn to God for help to get through this test.

God may not speak directly to us like he did with Abraham, but he does still speak to us.  He has given us his Word, the Bible, so he can speak to us every day.  Prayer is how we speak to God.  The Bible is how he speaks to us.  As you look for how to navigate your test in life make sure you spend time in God's Word every day.  God's Word is what gives us the guidance we need.  God's Word is where we find answers to many of our questions.  God's Word is the way to properly understand and navigate the tests of life.

God tests you because he loves you.  He wants you to turn to him and rely on him for everything, every day.  When you are faced with tests in your life, don't get frustrated get humble.

Psalm 46:1-3, 7, 10-11

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

America: The Land of Fools

 Proverbs 20:3

It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.

In our society, there are two platforms where this Proverb is played out every day: Politics and social media.  Both of these are built on slander and strife.  Politicians need it to remain in the public eye and feed their narcissistic shallowness.  Social media whores need it to give themselves a false feeling of significance and importance.  Look at what Solomon calls both groups of people.  They are FOOLS!

This does not mean every politician and everyone on social media are fools, but look at the qualifier- people who are quick to quarrel are fools.  They should be avoided.  Do you get sucked into arguments on social media as if you are actually convincing someone the rightness of your opinion?  I don't know if you've noticed yet, but social media is not solving problems...it is creating problems and making existing problems worse, that's what it's designed for.

By this definition, how many American politicians are honorable and how many are fools?  If it's honorable to avoid strife and quarrels then we would have to say most- the vast majority- of American politicians are fools.  In today's political environment one has to play the fool just to get elected.  The politicians are just a reflection of the people who vote for them.  That's a big reason why American politics has nothing to do with governing and solving problems.  The American people insist on their politics being nothing more than an absurd "reality" T.V. series.  Only a dumbed-down, uneducated, ignorant society would continue to elect buffoons to public office election after election.  The sad state of American politics is actually a sad commentary on the state of American society.  There is no honor among our politicians because there is no honor among our citizens.  Cry about it all you want on social media, but nothing changes until the citizens change.  An immoral citizenry will always elect immoral governors so they will legalize more immorality.  And then these same selfish and ignorant citizens will cry and whine when the immoral governors they elect turn around and take everything from them (the ignorant citizens) because they (the governors) are immoral.  There is no honor among thieves.  Immoral, selfish people will always abuse their power and authority to get everything they can for themselves.  This is why the Woke folks and Socialists are so stupid- they never get this, no matter how many times they are kicked in the crotch by it.

None of this is new.  And it certainly isn't news.  It is only new to ignorant fools who don't read and who don't study and understand history.  This is the nature of fallen, sinful man.  People who reject the God of the Bible and Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will always act this way.  It's not surprising.  It is to be expected, so there is no reason to get all angry when godless people act this way.  The big key is for you to stop acting the same way.  If you profess to be a Christian, then start acting like it.  You are called to be the salt and light of the world.  Stop acting like the world!  Stop playing the fool on social media by participating in the foolish quarreling.  Stop going through the motions of your life, and start living the life you have been called to live through the gift of faith in Jesus.  Every Christian has been given a Great Commission calling.  Yours is bigger than just living for yourself.  If you really want to make a difference in society, in the world, that is how you do it.  You aren't accomplish anything, and you aren't pleasing God, by being just another fool on social media.

This all starts by answering one simple question: Who are you living for?

If you are neglecting your Great Commission calling, then you are living for yourself.  

If you are living for others, then you are moving in the right direction, but you're not quite there yet.

If you are truly living for Jesus, then you've got it.  Jesus is more important than you.  He is more important than all the others.  Only Jesus is "the Way, the Truth, and the Life".  His plan for your life is the only one that matters.

It is time to stop playing the fool and start living your life with honor.  If you have no clue what that word means, start reading the book of Proverbs every day.  Solomon and the Holy Spirit will help you figure it out.

James 3:17-4:2

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

What causes fights and quarrels among you?  Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?  You want something but don't get it.  You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.  You quarrel and fight.  You do not have, because you do not ask God.

God bless 

Jason Fredrick

The True God is Faithful and Loving

 Exodus 17:2

So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink."

Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me?  Why do you put the LORD to the test?"

How long do you think the Israelites had been wandering in the wilderness at this point?  One year?  Five years? 20 years?  

No.  It had not been nearly that long.  Exodus 17 occurs about two-and-a-half months after they leave Egypt.  Just two-and-a-half months.  Amazingly, this isn't even the first time the people grumble against Moses, and ultimately God.  They had actually started this sinful, selfish habit immediately upon their exodus from Egypt.  They began this behavior at the Red Sea, shortly after leaving Egypt, because Pharaoh and his army started to pursue them.  This isn't even the first time they complained like little children about not having water.  The first time is just two chapters earlier, right after they crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, at the Waters of Marah.  

Yes, despite the Israelites having witnessed with their own eyes the power and love of God (the Passover, the plundering of the Egyptians, the Exodus, the parting of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire to lead them, etc.) they still grumbled and complained to Moses about just about anything and everything.  Truly these people showed themselves to be the children of Israel.

Unfortunately, as the spiritual children of Israel, we often display this same bad behavior.  We want what we want when we want it- Right Now!!  Yes, like the Israelites in Moses' day God has revealed his power and love to us; not in exactly the same ways, but he has none the less.  Actually, he has revealed it to us in a much more powerful way: Jesus.

While the earthly redemption of the Israelites in Exodus is full of symbolism that points to the coming Messiah, Jesus is the fulfillment of all of those promises.  In Jesus all people are offered eternal redemption from sin and death.  

The Israelites were saved on the night of Passover by the blood of the lamb on their doorposts.  We are saved by the blood of the Lamb of God shed on the cross.

The Israelites left a land of slavery for a land "flowing with milk and honey".  Christians will one day leave this land of slavery to sin and death for the Promised Land of heaven.

The Israelites were led by God's chosen prophet, priest, and king (Moses) to the Promised Land (Canaan).  We follow God's Prophet, Priest, and King (Jesus) to the ultimate Promised Land (heaven).

God is faithful.  He fulfills every one of his promises.  It may not always be the way we expect, or want, but he always does what he says.  He loves each of us more than we can imagine.  His ways are higher than our ways.  His understanding is higher that our understanding.  We can trust our loving God to do for us everything he has promised, because he has already fulfilled the most important promise: The promise of a Savior.  

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.- John 3:16

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Show Us a Sign

 Matthew 28:42

"He's the King of Israel!  Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe."

This is what the Pharisees said to mock Jesus as he hung on the cross.  Their rejection of the Savior was complete.  Throughout Jesus' ministry the Pharisees kept demanding that he show them a sign, even though when he did perform miracles they got angry at him.  These men were so blinded by Satan that they didn't even understand what was happening despite knowing the Old Testament Scriptures as well as anyone in their day.  Jesus had even connected the dots for them many times.  Revealing to everyone how he was fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah.  Jesus had even promised them one grand sign that they would not be able to deny, even though they did: The Sign of Jonah-

        

        "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign!  But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.  For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

- Matthew 12:39-40

This is the same sign that has been given to our generation.  As you know, we are living amongst a "wicked and adulterous generation".  People today still demand signs and "proof", even though the only sign needed has been given to us in God's Word.  All the proof needed to know the Bible is true is all around us.  Including the natural knowledge of God that exists inside every human being, even atheists.  Think about it.  If atheists really believed that there is no God, why would they spend their whole lives trying to convince you of that?  Why would they care?  They care because they are trying to purge the natural knowledge of God from their own hearts, but they can't.  So instead they join with Satan and attack God and his people

The reality is that Jesus is who said he is: the Son of God.  He proved that by being born of a virgin (True Man), living the perfect life that we can't live, dying on a cross to take the punishment for every sin (the punishment that we deserve), and then raising from the dead on the third day.  Jesus has given the Pharisees and us the Sign of Jonah.  His entire life is the only proof needed that he is the Savior of the world.  He has graciously revealed this truth to us in His Word, the Holy Bible.  You can reject it.  You can ignore it.  And all who do suffer the same judgment as the Pharisees: eternal death in hell.  

That's not what Jesus wants.  "He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)  Jesus paid the price for the sins of all people.  He wants everyone to be saved.  He wants you to be saved.

At Pentecost, when Peter preached his sermon in Acts 2 the people asked, "Brothers, what shall we do?"

Peter responded, "Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

This is what Jesus wants.  He wants everyone to repent and be baptized so they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  That gift is the faith to be able to believe in Jesus as your Savior.  Jesus died for you.  He wants you to be saved.  He loves you.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Stay Focused on Your Calling

 Matthew 17:25-26

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak.  "What do you think, Simon?" he asked.  "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes--from their own sons or from others?"

"From others," Peter answered.

"Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him.

In this short section, Jesus is making an observation about earthly governments that still exists today:  When government is involved, there will be special deals for select groups of people.  It may be worse today than it has ever been, but it certainly is nothing new.  Historically the most obvious special deals were for the family of the ruler, or the ruling class.  Today, in the United Stated and elsewhere, it certainly extends beyond just the ruler's family.

Today the additions to the families of the ruling class that benefit from favoritism are Special Interest groups.  These groups include, but are not limited to, Planned Parenthood, Black Lives Matter, and the LGBTQ.  (I'm sure you can think of a dozen others.)  Notice just in these examples that these groups don't add any value to society, instead that are constantly working to undermine and destroy society.  I will let you decide what their motivation for that would be, but the reality is that that is what Special Interest groups do.  They lobby and fight for government favor to fund their personal, political, and social agendas.

In this section of Matthew we once again see Jesus honoring the ruling authority by paying taxes.  When the Bible tells us to honor the governing authorities (Romans 13:1-7) it doesn't give conditions of when this applies.  It  always applies, even if your government is evil and oppressive.  We are commanded to honor those in authority, because there is no authority on earth which God has not established (Romans 13:1).  

The Bible doesn't say we have to like our political situation.  It doesn't even say we have to like the current rulers.  But it does say that we must honor them.

Jesus and St. Paul were very well acquainted with oppressive rulers and ruling classes.  They were both tortured and killed by the ruling class of their time.  If Jesus willingly submitted himself to an oppressive ruling class, then you have no excuse for not doing the same.  It is not our responsibility to determine who should be ruling where.  God already has a plan for that.  It is our responsibility to submit to the governing authority and carry out our Great Commission calling no matter what the political environment may be.  All we have to do is trust God's plan and his faithfulness.  Nothing that we go through is a surprise to him.  He already has it worked out how our trials and challenges are going to work out for our good.

God is faithful.  He never forgets his children.  He already has his plan all worked out.  You can rest assured that the evil things in our society that make you angry, make him angrier.  Lets let God be the judge, and we can focus on doing the work which he has called each of us to: the proclamation of the gospel to all nations (Mark 16:15-16).

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of faith.  Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.  In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.  To him be honor and might forever.  Amen. -1 Timothy 6:11-16

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

 Are you familiar with this saying?  I don't know how much people use it anymore, but it is still a relevant "proverb".  It was also true in Jesus' day:

Matthew 13:57

"Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."

Jesus said this after he was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth.  The problem the people there had was that they knew him.  Many had known Jesus since he was a small boy.  They knew his whole family.  As far as they were concerned Jesus was just the poor son of a carpenter.  Who was he to have wisdom, this great teaching ability, and the ability to perform miracles?  The people who thought they knew him best had already written the script for his life.  They weren't interested in him changing that script.

This is often true in our lives.  People we grew up with have already defined in their minds who we are, and who we are going to be.  Sadly, those people too often are family members or people who were once close friends.  Typically, the people in our lives who most want us to be bound by how they have defined us are people who aren't doing anything with their lives.  They aren't learning and growing daily.  They aren't chasing their dreams.  They aren't living the life that they want.  Often, the people who are looking to place limitations on your life, hate theirs.  Sadly, because those people in Nazareth were so interested in Jesus living down to their predetermined script they missed it when he revealed his true identity to them.  They rejected him.  They rejected the Son God, the promised Messiah.

This is the danger of "familiarity breeding contempt".  When we are too familiar with someone, it can be easy to miss who they really are.  We are blinded by our vision of who they have always been.  This is one reason why it is so difficult to maintain life-long friendships and to stay married until "death do us part".  Because when we know people well, we know all of their shortcomings, all of their negative traits, and even many of their failures.

There is a solution to help battle contempt:  Love, Respect, and Appreciation.

Love people unconditionally.  Give them the benefit of the doubt.  Encourage them in every way.  This is the quickest way to break the old lenses that you view people through.

Respect everyone as a special creation of God.  Realize that everyone has the ability to learn, grow, and change...even if you're not.  You don't have to agree with all the choices that people make, but you do need to respect everyone who makes choices.  We need to maintain, at least, a basic level of respect for people who make bad or evil choices.  How can we share Jesus with someone whom we don't respect or care about?  2 Peter 3:9 makes it clear that God wants all men to be saved and to come to repentance.  All men even means the most evil of men.  Those people that make our blood boil.  Jesus died for them too.

Appreciation helps us focus on people's good traits.  It helps us see the limitless possibilities for people.  When we appreciate how gifted people are, we can easily see how they can accomplish all the big dreams they are telling us about.  It isn't that hard to imagine them growing significantly from the person we knew years ago.  Appreciation is what keeps our attitude right towards other people.  It helps us avoid the trap of being judgmental and closed-minded towards them.

In Matthew 13:53-58 you can see how the people in Nazareth lacked these three attitudes toward Jesus.  Sadly, if they would have embodied each, or even one, of these attitudes their life would have been significantly different.  Verse 58 tells us because they all lacked faith, he didn't do many miracles there.  What did they miss out on because of their fixed mindset?  Ultimately, many of them have probably missed out on heaven.  We can't know for sure because some may have come to faith after his resurrection, but look at the danger their fixed mindset about Jesus put them in.

This is the same danger that so many people face today.  They have already made up their mind about who Jesus is, and have therefore rejected him.  Sadly, because of their lack of faith like those people in Nazareth, they will end up in hell for all eternity.  To reject Jesus is to reject salvation.  No one comes to the Father except through Jesus.  Leave your sinful notions of who Jesus is at the door, and come to him (in his Word) with an open mind and an open heart.

God bless 

Jason Fredrick

Are You a Closet Christian?

 Matthew 10:32-33

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.  But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven."

This is part of Jesus' sermon when he was sending out the twelve.  This comes toward the end, after Jesus had gone through many warnings that people would reject the disciples because of him.  He was preparing them for the rejection they would face by many because of their attachment to Jesus.  This warning, however, is for the disciples- all of his disciples, of all time.

This warning is still just as relevant for us today as it was for the disciples 2000 years ago.  Jesus doesn't want us to just "be Christians" on Sundays.  He doesn't want timid disciples who are more afraid of what the world thinks of them than what their Heavenly Father thinks of them.  Who's opinion matters more:  God's or the world's?  "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)

The Great Commission doesn't say anything about making disciples only when it's comfortable, or when it's convenient, or when you feel like it.  God's Word doesn't give us that out.  In fact it says the opposite, just look at the verses above.

Here's how Paul says it:

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. -Romans 1:16

Fear of the world is a great temptation.  Everyone wants to be cool, to fit in.  No one wants to made fun of and persecuted.  But the reality is that when you value the world's opinion over God's, you have made the world your god.  You have broken the 1st Commandment.  The world has become your idol.  The irony is that when you disown God to try to fit in with the world, the world will still hate you.  Without Jesus, no one is truly capable of love.  The world will still hate you, because hate is the by-product of sin.  Those who are still dead in their sins are not capable of love, despite how much they mouth platitudes of love and equality.  Their ideas of love and equality are hating and persecuting anyone who disagrees with them and their worldview.

That's the world you trying to please and fit into when you disown Jesus for their approval.  The reality is that if you are truly a Christian the world is going to hate you because you are no longer of this world.  The world hates Jesus, so it's going to hate you for following him.  This is not a justification to be a "closet Christian", but it is the knowledge that should empower you to boldly live out your faith in the light.  Shining Jesus into the world in everything you do and say.  

For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." -Romans 1:17.

Jesus love you.  He saved you through his death and resurrection.  He wants all people to be saved by coming to faith in him.  Let us share that good news everyday, in everything we do and say.

God bless.

Jason Fredrick

What's Your Theme for 2021

 Do you make New Year's resolutions?  If you do, what are yours for 2021?  Are they similar to your 2020 resolutions?

I have stopped making New Year's resolutions.  A better approach is to set your goals for the new year and then develop a game plan for each goal and focus that way.  But I haven't done that this year either.  Instead I have come up with a theme for myself for 2021:

Deny Yourself

If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.

-Luke 9:23

To make the changes I need to make this year, all my choices are going to be run up against this theme.  This is how I will make better choices for my health and fitness.  This is how I will make better choices in my relationships, especially in my marriage.  This is how I will make better choices in my education and personal growth.  This theme is going to be my guide to making better choices in 2021.

So what's your theme for 2021?  Really think about this.  Don't make it some cliché catch-phrase.  Really think about it, and come up with a theme that will guide your choices and actions this year to get you where you want to be.  Still set goals for 2021, but come up with your theme first.  Then set goals that are in line with what you ultimately want this year to look like.  Throughout the year your goals may change a little, but your theme should not.  Once you choose a theme stick with it all year.

If you're not sure what your theme for the year should be, start reading your Bible.  When you find a verse or a passage that really resonates with you meditate on it for a few days.  Let God's Word guide you for the entire year.

Your words are a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. -Psalm 119:105

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Jesus Came to Save Everyone

 Matthew 4:25

Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

This is the very beginning of Jesus' ministry when he was living in Capernaum.  Jesus did begin by preaching to the Jews, but the news of the miracles he was performing couldn't be contained.  News about him spread all over the region surrounding Galilee.  This shouldn't surprise us.  From the beginning of Jesus' human life we see Jews and Gentiles worshipping him.

On the night he was born shepherds from Bethlehem came and worshipped him.  Some time later, maybe as much as eighteen months later, a group of noblemen from the east (probably from Persia or Babylon) came to worship him. These men were not Jews.

From Jesus' life and ministry, we see very clearly that he came to redeem all people from all their sins, not just a select few.  He came to fulfill God's promise to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through him.  Through faith in Jesus we are all Abraham's children.  Through faith in Jesus, we are all God's children.

That is the great Christmas present that our Heavenly Father has given all of us: Redemption from our sins.  Receive it gladly and say, "Thank you."  Don't damn yourself by rejecting his gift because it's not exactly what you had in mind.  God wants all to be saved.  He loves you!  Your life matters.

God bless.

Jason Fredrick