We Have a Choice

Life is full of choices. They can be as simple as what we are having for lunch or as difficult as whom we should marry or what job we should take. Each choice we make reveals something about us. When it comes to our decision for where to go to lunch, it reveals the type of food we like, or what types of restaurants we enjoy. One of my favorite places for lunch is a small restaurant in downtown Columbia called “The No Name Deli”. Their prime rib sub is probably one of the best sandwiches I have ever eaten. The choice I make to have a prime rib sub with fries reveals that I am not real concerned about my diet.

When it comes to more important things in life, not that my health is not important, our choices reveal our priorities, our attitude, our convictions and our character. Our choices reveal what we love.

1 John 2:15-17 asks what do we love? The scripture tells us we have a choice between loving the world and the things of the world or loving God. There is no middle ground, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” What is there to love about this world? Verse 16 gives us three foundational pieces to which all love for this world is found. Desires of the flesh, desires of the eyes, and the pride of life.

The desires of the flesh would include gluttony (food), alcohol, drugs, lust/sex, and anything that our bodies would crave.

The desires of the eyes would include things which we see that we believe we must have. Seeing something someone else has that we believe we must have. It can be their car, house, or even their spouse. Our eyes can make us jealous and envious so that we are never satisfied with the life we have been given.

The pride of life leads us to a place where we only think of ourselves. The central focus on pride is me and my belief that I can do this life on my own without God’s help. Pride leads to selfishness, arrogance and contempt to anyone who doesn’t think the same as you.

You might be saying that you don’t love these things or that you do not choose them every day. The scripture uses the word “loves” as a description that can be understood as a passion, a longing, even a craving. As one who is a follower of Christ, one who loves God, you have left that passion behind. Not saying that you are not tempted and fall to these things at times, but when you do it is followed by a conviction by the Holy Spirit to reveal the sin we have fallen to. Your passions and your love are for God and you desire to do His will. What is the difference? Your love for God.

Where do your passions lie? For God or the desires and passions of this world? It cannot be both.

How do you resist and turn from the things of the world? Love the Father. Make choices that you know would be pleasing to Him. Turn and run from the desires of the flesh and eyes and the pride of life. Why? Because they are passing away. The thrill, the high, the buzz, or the moment of happiness that you think they might bring will fade very fast. 1 John 1:4 talks about believers sharing the eternal, hope filled message of Christ with others so that their joy might be complete. They knew the joy of being a believer in Christ, a child of God. A joy that is eternal. A joy that gives more satisfaction than anything this world can offer.

When was the last time you evaluated your choices?

Have you taken time to ask the question, “What does my choice say about who I am or what I love?” 

I Know Him

In 26+ years of ministry in either Southern Baptist churches or denominational work, I have had the privilege of meeting many people.  People that have been members of churches I have been a part of, pastors in communities where I have served, professionals who have helped in many aspects of ministry, and various leaders across our denomination.  It seems that when conversations arise, and a resource is needed, I jokingly say “hey, I know a guy”. But thinking of the word “know”, I ask myself the question “how many people do I really know?” We can know someone because of their career, what they can do in their job. We can know someone casually, we see them in passing in the neighborhood, maybe talk for a few minutes, know the basic facts of them and their family. We can know someone personally, know about their family, job, interests, hang out socially, even talk about frustrations and problems. The true question is how many people do we know intimately, knowing what makes them tick, what brings them happiness, what their heart is feeling, what they have as dreams and goals, what they fear.


Each type of knowing someone is built on the foundation of relationships. 1 John 2:7-14 shares that the light of Christ is already shining in this world and how it can powerfully shine through believers when we love each other. Shining light in our relationships means being around that person who you know will always be honest with you, who speaks the truth in love and who has your best interest at heart. Conversely in a relationship where darkness has blinded our eyes, you might continually be concerned about what someone will say.  Will truth be spoken, or will words be in anger or deceit? In this type of relationship, you are always wondering what that person will say next, you really don’t know them or can trust them. These relationships do not have a foundation of love and will not shine the light of Christ.


Verses 12-14 describes the life of those who know Christ and His sacrifice which allows them to truly know the Father. The description found in these verses seems to describe physical age but really is focusing on the development of the believer. 


For those who know Him as little children, their sins are forgiven but they do not know what it means to abide in Him or to walk in faith each day. They are early in their growth as a believer, that is why we must do our best to help them grow stronger and more mature each day.


For those who know Him as young men, they are learning how to overcome temptation in their life, to grow stronger in their faith, and have to allow the Word of God to abide in their hearts.


For those who are fathers in the faith, they know him who is from the beginning. These believers have matured in their faith where they understand the power and glory of John 1:1-4. (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 4 In him was life,1 and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” ESV) They know the faithfulness of God through all generations, the power of God to protect His people, the mercy of God that gives us His salvation, and the provision of God that will give us everything that is good.


How do you know God today? Do you know Him casually, socially, or intimately?


I hope you know Him intimately, where your relationship with Him is one where you walk daily with Him, sharing your fears, your happiness, your heart. 

What Can Be Said

Have you ever been put in a position where you had to speak on behalf of someone else? Well if you have a brother or sister you probably experienced it many times. I even find myself doing it when I tell one of my kids, “you go tell your sister that I said…”. For some reason the one who is taking the message doesn’t always get the same response as if we gave the message ourselves. In ancient days couriers would carry messages on scrolls or folded paper that would be sealed with the imprint of the king’s ring, symbolizing that the king’s authority accompanied the message on that paper.


Jesus Christ came to this earth as one with the complete authority and power of God the Father. His mission was to bring to God’s creation a message of love, surrender, repentance, and faith. For those who respond in faith to His message, He becomes their advocate to God. (1 John 2:1) Jesus Christ is not only the Word of God, the source of creation and life (John 1:1-4), but He is the one who speaks on our behalf to God. (1 Timothy 2:5) He is able, as the perfect Son of God, to bring God’s message to mankind, and represent sinful man, because He is the righteous (1 John 2:1). Every part of Him displays the holiness of God. His actions, words, and heart are just and pure. Therefore, He is the only one that could satisfy God’s holy law as the payment for the penalty of our sin (propitiation).


1 John 2:1-6 challenges us with the question that if Jesus Christ is our advocate to God the Father, what is he saying about us? Am I displaying a life that has come to know Him because I am keeping His commandments? Not just the commandments found in Exodus but the commands that he gives to live a separate life from this world, to love my neighbor, to keep my mind pure, to share my faith, and so much more.  Because if we truly know Him, these things and more will be the desire, passion, and mission of our life.


So, what do we desire in our life? What are we truly passionate about? What do we wake up every morning thinking about that is our mission? The blessed promise of God in 1 John 2:5 says that if our desire, passion and mission is to keep the Word of God then truly the love of God is perfected. The message that Christ delivered to us was not to stop with us but continue to others as they see the life of Christ living through us. To abide daily in Christ, we walk in the same way He walked. (v.6)


What does that walk look like for you and me as believers?


Do we stay in daily communication with God the Father? (Mark 1:35)


Do we put our will aside to do the will of the Father? (John 4:34)


Do we stay focused on the task He sent us to do? To take His message to the lost world. (John 17:1-4)


My heart is amazed that the God of the universe thought so much of me, His creation, that He would sacrifice His Son in order to pay for my sin debt, giving me a purpose and a hope. And even more, call me to live my life as Jesus did in sacrifice, obedience and to tell others God’s message of love, surrender, repentance, and faith. It is a message that is ever so important, would you share it today?

Let it Shine

So many things come to mind when I think of the word darkness.  I think of walking into the woods when there was no moon and it was so dark that I couldn’t see the ground where I was putting my foot next. I can remember standing in my yard after a hurricane passed over, no electricity for miles, and I couldn’t see my car in the driveway. This kind of darkness brings fear and anxiety. Fear because you cannot see what could possibly hurt you or anxiety not knowing what lies around the corner.


I can also remember a different kind of darkness, one that hits you inside.  Darkness can move into our lives through sadness, anxiety, anger, and even stress. The internal darkness is a place where we feel some of the same things as physical darkness.  Fear not knowing what, or who, could hurt you next in life. Sadness, from grief, that has left uncertainty and loneliness. Anxiety because you feel you have no control. Anger because of what someone has said or done to you. And stress because you cannot see an end to your current situation.  


The opposite of darkness is light.  Some definitions of darkness say that it is an absence of light. Recently, we installed new lighting in the parking lot of the office building where I work, and it is amazing some of the responses we received. Comments like, “it’s so bright it’s like a stadium”, “I feel so much safer knowing I can see everything around me”.  Having the ability to see clearly brings calmness and a sense of security.


1 John 1:5-10 gives insight about light for life. In verse 5 it says that God is light. As light, God reveals truth about life, nothing can be hidden, all is revealed, nothing is unseen. God’s light reveals the truth that His love for us is greater than the hurt that comes from others. God’s light reveals the truth that He never leaves us and comforts us when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. (Psalm 23:4) God’s light reveals the truth that the purpose of the Lord will stand (Proverbs 19:21) when the life around us feels out of control. And God’s light will reveal the truth of people’s actions toward us and that He knows the hurt in our heart.


God’s light also reveals something deeper in our heart. Often our fear is because we do not trust God with what is going on in our life. We feel we can handle things on our own without God’s help, which is pride, or we have yet to go before God and earnestly seek His direction for the next step in life.


Does His light reveal that the anxiety and stress is coming from a life not surrendered to His will and purpose? Has a deep desire to be satisfied with the things of this world left no room for the peace and contentment that only God can give?


As God’s light reveals these areas of life it is a blessing to know that when I find myself in a place where I have allowed darkness into my life that I can go to God through the blood of Jesus Christ.  v.9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God deeply desires for us to have fellowship with Him and with one another as fellow believers. He wants us to live in truth not in darkness. Truth that tells us not to be deceived by the lies of our enemy the devil.


What do you need to confess to God today? Is it pride? Is it a lack of trust in God? Is it a lack of satisfaction?


What do you need to ask God for today? Direction? Contentment? Peace?


Praise Him for His light that reveals truth and promises to give us hope and peace.

Complete Joy

Each day brings a certain measure of uncertainty that can cause the hearts of people to experience multiple emotions within that same day.  Emotions of fear, anxiety, sadness, happiness, pride and so much more can all happen within the same day.  But when we are at the end of the day, no matter what the circumstance do we find joy? Joy is not an emotion, or a feeling. It is not something we give ourselves or can purchase with any amount of money.  Joy is not imposed on us by others. So, in comparison to our emotions, joy is not influenced by circumstances brought on by the issues of life.  Our work cannot change joy. Our health cannot change joy. Our job cannot change joy. People cannot change joy.  Joy is eternal, never changing, always faithful. 

1 John 1:1-4 tells us about true joy.  In verse 1 we see that joy comes from, “That which was from the beginning,”. The one who created life itself is the one who can give us true joy.  God created us, he knows what our body, mind and spirit need for each day.  He understands the pain, sadness, and fear that we experience each day of life.  That is why he sent to mankind “the word of life”.  Jesus Christ, the son of God came so that we might know joy.  

We have been given the opportunity to hear the message of Christ and the sacrifice of His life to pay for the penalty of our sin.  We can see how He has transformed lives with His forgiveness which gives, everyone who believes, true joy. And for those who have heard the message, seen and know His forgiveness, it is now out of the overflow of our relationship with Him that we proclaim it to all.

Why do we proclaim this message? As we understand that we have received undeserved forgiveness because of the sacrifice of the son of God, our hearts should be filled with compassion for those who have not yet heard. 

Is your life filled with the joy of knowing that every day, from now into eternity, is in the protective hands of our almighty God? No matter what the uncertainties of this earthly life will bring, our hope is in the one who is the “word of life”.

Are you ready to share what you have seen and heard so that others may have that same joy?

1 John 1:3-4 (ESV) – that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Complete joy, seeing and hearing how the love and forgiveness of God has transformed the lives of others.  Complete joy is touching the lives of others with the word of live so that we have the commonality of knowing the savior. Complete joy is knowing we have been obedient to God’s call in our life to proclaim His message of hope.

Who can you share joy with today?

What voices can you tune out so that the voice of God can be clear in your heart?

How will you proclaim the word of life with today?