Jesus Makes All Things New

When I was a child, the man who lived across the alleyway from my family was a rather strange man who had an extraordinary gift.

We would often find him in the alley rummaging through dumpsters. He would find junk, old things that people had thrown away-broken furniture, busted electronics, tattered clothing-and he would gather up these things and bring them to his home and repair them. He then would sell the items in a yard sale.

What everybody else regarded as eccentric, this man considered a calling. He relished the opportunity to take something old, discarded, and useless and make it new again.

Isn't this what we see in Jesus?

Consider Zacchaeus. Here was a man who was quite successful in his business. He was a tax collector and apparently quite good at it. He had amassed a great fortune, but in ways that were quite shady. He had become reviled by all of his neighbors.

You remember his story. It is recorded for us in Luke 19.

One afternoon, Zacchaeus heard that Jesus was coming to town. He knew some things about Jesus. Everybody was talking about him-how he was healing people of their illnesses, giving sight to the blind, casting demons out of the possessed, even raising the dead. Zacchaeus had certainly heard about the things Jesus was saying. "Blessed are the poor, and woe to you who are rich," was certain to catch Zaccheaus's attention.

Hearing that Jesus was coming to his town, to the streets of Jericho . . . well, Zacchaeus had to make every effort to see this man. His desire belies an unease deep within Zacchaeus. Despite his wealth, his success, his powerful job, Zacchaeus wanted, no needed something more. Perhaps he had become convicted by his lack of ethics, by his shady business dealings, by the stigma attached to his profession. Zacchaeus felt compelled to see Jesus, Whatever the feelings deep down inside for in Jesus he saw a new beginning.

The scene is rather ironic. Zacchaeus, a man of powerful position was a man of short stature. The crowds thronging the route Jesus was taking through Jericho blocked Zacchaeus's view of the man he so desperately wanted, no needed to see. But he did not give up. He did not allow this obstacle to prevent him seeing Jesus, from seeking a new way in his life. No, he found a tree, a sycamore tree, and he climbed up into its branches. His efforts paid off. He saw Jesus, but more importantly, Jesus saw him.

What Jesus said to the man is extraordinary: He said, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today" (Luke 19.5). Can you imagine the look of surprise on the face of Zacchaeus?

Jesus knew the man's name, and you would have to think that Jesus knew something about the man himself. Yet, when Jesus addressed Zacchaeus, he did not see a shady, crooked, despised tax collector. No, he saw a man who had undoubtedly made some mistakes in life, who had obviously earned the ire of his neighbors, but who was desperately wanting, needing renewal.

The genuineness of Zacchaeus's heart is seen in his words. He said to Jesus, "Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much" (Luke 19.8). Zacchaeus had become a changed man. In Jesus, he found the ability to renew his heart and to humble himself. Jesus affirms his rebirth as a man: he says, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."

Indeed Jesus makes all things new.

Consider the woman who crashed the party at Simon's house. Simon was a Pharisee, a man of great respect in the community. He had invited Jesus to be his guest for dinner. We read about the occasion in Luke 7.

In the middle of the meal, something quite shocking happens. A woman bursts in. She was not on the guest list. In fact, she was a woman who would never be welcomed into Simon's home. She was a woman of the streets, a prostitute.

What brought her to Simon's home? Undoubtedly she, like Zacchaeus, had heard about Jesus. Perhaps she had witnessed one of his miracles. Perhaps she had overheard one of his powerful sermons. Perhaps she had only heard about Jesus through the reports of others.

The text tells us that she came into the room where Simon and his guests were eating, and she immediately fell at Jesus' feet. Her eyes were filled with tears. She was weeping. Her tears were for herself. The implication of the text is clear, she had become convicted of her sins and had sought out Jesus.

Her life had been a waste. We do not know the circumstances that lead her into the life she was living, but we can imagine. Perhaps it was poverty that led her to sell herself to satisfy the wanton pleasures of others. Perhaps it was abandonment of her by others that led her to choose this shameful way of life. Perhaps it was her own skewed sense of morality, or a total lack of regard for what was right and proper. Whatever the case, she had come to a breaking point, to a moment where she realized that her life was empty, that her actions were immoral. She needed a new beginning. She needed absolution. She needed God.

And, so she came to weep at Jesus' feet. The others gathered in Simon's home were aghast at her presence, offended, even angry that she had interrupted their meal. Simon was ready to leap his feet and thrown the woman back into the streets. But, Jesus was different. He could see the tears in her eyes. He could feel the sadness in her heart. He knew the genuineness of her response, and he was compassionate.

To the great surprise of Simon and the others in his home, Jesus said, "[Simon], do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love" (Luke 7.44-47).

Jesus' response suggests the possibility of a prior encounter between himself and the woman. Perhaps it had been earlier in the day. Perhaps the woman had heard Jesus speak about the possibility of renewal, about the opportunity awarded by God to leave a shameful life and to claim a new one, about the opportunity for repentance and a changed life. In his response to Simon, Jesus seems to suggest that the woman's dramatic gesture at the meal was one of thanksgiving to Jesus for the wholeness, the newness she had found in him.

Indeed Jesus makes all things new.

Consider the fishermen we meet in Luke 5. Simon Peter, James, and John, were their names. Jesus meets them on the shores of Gennesaret, the Sea of Galilee. The men had been fishing, presumably all night. When Jesus meets them a great crowd is pressing in and around him. So, Jesus commandeers Peter's boat to use a speaking platform. We are not given the details of Jesus' message on that day, but it must have been powerful, for the hearts of three fishermen were moved.

We have no pictures of Peter, and James and John, but I imagine that they were impressive men. Their physical appearance must have been quite rugged. I can see that they were strong men and as down to earth as any men could be. They had to have been hard workers, committed to their work, with little time given to idleness and fun. They must have been serious, driven to provide for their families in the best way they knew how. The shores and waters of Gennesaret must have been where they could have been found day and night.

Yet, on this day, they meet Jesus. Perhaps they had been hearing things about him. After all, everyone seemed to be talking about this man who could heal the sick, give sight to the blind, cast out demons, and raise the dead. The text of Luke suggests that Jesus had even healed the mother-in-law of Peter, so this fisherman, at least, had already witnessed the great life-changing power of Jesus.

On this day, as Jesus finished speaking, he looked at Peter and told him, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch" (Luke 5.4). Peter protested, "But, Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing" (v. 5).

Remember, fishing is not just a hobby for Peter and the others, it was their job. Their livelihood depended upon their ability to catch fish, and when their luck ran out on the water, they needed to spend that time constructively, perhaps hiring out as a day laborer to earn money to feed their family for that day. Spending their time pursuing a catch that had already alluded them must have seemed foolish.

Yet, Jesus asked, and Peter was perceptive enough to do what he had been asked. Certainly, he had seen enough of this man to know that his words were wise and worthy of heeding. He said to Jesus, "Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets."

You remember what happens: the men catch more fish than they had ever caught. So many fish, the nets began to break and two boats were needed to haul in the catch. Peter's response? He was overcome. "He fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!'" (Luke 5.8). He declared this most emphatically. Something had convicted Peter. Was it simply the catch of fish? Or, was it a case of him putting all the pieces together? The fullness of who Jesus was was beginning to become clear to Peter. His faith was certainly not complete. He would have many more questions about Jesus. But, for the moment, he was moved by the power, the goodness of this man.

Jesus does something rather surprising. He pushes aside Peter's protest and invites the man (and his partners) to follow him. "Do not be afraid," Jesus says, "from now on you will be catching people" (Luke 5.10). And, then we read, "When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him" (v. 11).

Picture the scene, these men leave their boats, their nets, the great catch of fish-imagine the monetary value-and they follow Jesus. These are fishermen, not preachers, yet they follow Jesus into a new life. Did they have questions about how they would feed their families? Did they wonder what they next day would hold in store? They must have, it would be only human for them to do so, but these questions are not recorded in the text. They simply left everything and followed Jesus.

From being a fisherman to becoming a preacher, I can't imagine any more startling transition than that. To speak of new beginnings is an understatement. Yet, Jesus called these men to a new life, and they followed.

Indeed Jesus makes all things new.

Turn to each page of the Gospel, and you will see the renewal that Jesus brings to people. These three stories are but a sampling. They illustrate a remarkable truth about Jesus. In him we find newness. In him we find one who takes what is old, discarded, and useless and transforms these things into people that are new, treasured, and worthy.

From the beginning, this is a picture of God that comes repeatedly into view. The opening verses of Scripture describe God taking something that was "formless and void and filled with darkness" and creating a universe that is beautiful, whole, and filled with wondrous light. In the Exodus story, he took a people that were battered, enslaved, and without identity and forms them into a nation that is free, numerous, and his own. But, as is the case with humanity and the material world, decay and rot set in. In time, the world of beauty God created and the humanity he fashions become corrupted by evil, sin becomes master, and God's creation drifts away from him. But, God, the ultimate scavenger, reclaimer, recycler, repairer and healer, picks up the broken pieces and fashions life anew.

This is the story of the Gospel. God, in Jesus, makes all things new.

In the final verses of the book of Revelation, the Lamb of God, Jesus, says, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away. See, I am he who makes all things new. . . . I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life" (Revelation 21.3-6).

Can you relate to Zacchaeus? At a point where you recognize the shadiness of your business, the unfair treatment you've given to others, the distance between your self and your neighbors, the distance between yourself and God?

Can you relate to the woman at Simon's house? At a point where you have been convicted by your sin, the shamefulness of your actions, the despair of your life?

Can you relate to Peter and his partners? At a point where Jesus is calling you to new course in life, a new calling, a more meaningful existence, to service in his name?

Indeed Jesus can make all things new. He can take your past, whatever it is, and replace it with a new outlook, a new course, and a new promise. He can take your sin, however great, and remove it, making you clean, making you new. He can take your life, wherever you are at, and instill within you a new resolve, a truer desire and purpose.

Do not be like the rich, young man who came to Jesus searching, but rejecting what he found.

You remember his story. It is told to us in Luke 18.

He was a man of privilege, a man of status. Yet, deep within him, he knew something was lacking. He came to Jesus with a question. "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 18.18). Something within him told him that his riches and his place in society were not enough. He was seeking assurance, the way to eternal prosperity. Perhaps he simply wanted affirmation for the things he was doing. Perhaps he wanted an easy process to follow, some outward works he could accomplish. Nothing too inconvenient. Nothing too challenging.

At first, Jesus' reply was expected. It was just what the man wanted to hear. The Good Teacher said, "You know the commandments: 'You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother'" (Luke 18.20). Fantastic! The man had all these covered. Home free! The man must have been thinking.

But, not so fast! Jesus had something more to say. Something startling. Some unsettling. Jesus added, "There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me" (Luke 18.22).

Talk about earth shattering. Matthew describes the man's reaction the best. He writes, "When the man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions" (Matthew 19.22). It was too much. What Jesus asked was too great.

You see, newness comes with a price. The newness that comes from Jesus is not a free gift. It is freely offered. It is offered despite our sin, our pride, our doubt, our spitefulness of God seen in the way we have lived life and spurned his overtures. It is offered because of God's great, undying love for us. It is offered from the one who sees the brokenness of our lives and is moved to pick up the shattered pieces and create anew.

But, the free offer must be met with a response. It must be accepted with a willing heart. For, God does not force the pieces into place. He takes what he can mold, work with, that which is pliable and adjustable and responsive to his tender touch, his caring hands, his masterful skill of putting together what has been broken, cast aside, made useless.

Zacchaeus was willing. He had come to a moment of decision in his life. He chose to move forward and be transformed by the one who come to seek the lost.

The woman in Simon's house was willing. She had come to a breaking point. The shamefulness of her condition had driven her to tears and to the feet of Jesus.

Peter and those with him were willing. Addressing the mundane cares of the day were suddenly not enough. They had seen and heard Jesus, the one that could address needs much more important than the catch of the day. They saw in him an abundance never before seen in their nets. They left all to follow him.

Sadly, the rich, young man was not willing. His riches were too comforting. His status too precious. He was unwilling to give up that which Jesus asked. He went away dejected. The newness Jesus offered left unclaimed.

What about you? Do you see in Jesus the one who makes all things new? Do you find in him meaning to fill the void that is in your life? Do you find in him the healing to salve the pain and hurt you fell? To you find in him the forgiveness to remove the layers of guilt and shame that have burdened you so? Do you find him the renewal that once again can make you whole, worthy, and at peace?

The renewal found in Jesus is a blessing that continually refreshes. It is a power that we must continually commit ourselves. For, again, God does not force the pieces into place. He takes what is pliable, adjustable and responsive to his work.

One of my most treasured possessions is this quilt. It was finished by my grandmother, but it has a remarkable story. Many years ago, after my great-grandmother had passed away, my grandparents were going through her things. They discovered a box filled with quilt squares. Each square bore the image of a U. S. President.

My grandfather instantly recognized what he was looking at. When he was a child, his mother had started an ambitious project: a quilt bearing the images and signatures of all the U. S. Presidents. She invited her son, my grandfather to help her. As a child, he traced the images of each of the Presidents (who had served up until that time) and their signatures. But, for some reason the project was delayed. The squares were placed in a box, and the quilt was never completed.

That is, until, it was discovered anew by my grandparents following the passing of my great-grandmother. They took the squares and finished the quilt. My grandfather traced the remaining images (Ronald Reagan is the last image on the quilt) and signatures. My grandmother placed the images accordingly and finished the quilt.

They took what was laid aside, discarded, forgotten and fashioned something that is quite beautiful and unique. God, in Jesus, does a similar thing with our lives. He picks up the pieces and patches them together as they were originally intended to be.

Consider yourself. Where are you today? Follow the steps of Zacchaeus, making every effort to see Jesus. Come, as the woman did into Simon's home, falling at the feet of Jesus. Do as Peter did, leaving all to follow the one who makes all things new.

Renewing Your Strength

Isaiah 40:27-31, "Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

There are always those times when it seems that Satan is getting the best of us. Sometimes it's a little hard to maintain your faith and trust in God when everything is going against us and we are in the middle of one of the greatest battles of our life. It is in those times that we need the Lord more than ever. It is in those times that our faith and trust in God is really put to the test. This is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak, in our walk with the Lord.

It is easy to live for God and trust in Him when all is going well. It is not so easy to do so when the weight of the whole world is upon our shoulders. Too many Christians bail out on God as soon as the storms get rough.

If your life is in the middle of turmoil and the waves of temptation are about to swamp you, look up and put your trust in God for that is the moment that He is really putting your faith to the test to see if you will pass or fail. That is the moment when your trust is built. That is the moment that your relationship with God will really show its true depth.

Have you heard about the "gator aid" that was given to enlisted men in a Florida training camp during World War II? The daily training for those GIs included a run through an obstacle course. On the final stretch of the endurance test, they had to grab a rope and swing across a broad, shallow pool.
Under the blazing southern sun the water looked so inviting to the men that most of them soon developed a habit of making it only halfway across the pond--that is, until an enterprising lieutenant made it the new home for a large alligator. From that day on, the recruits left the ground 15 feet from the water's edge and fell sprawling in the dust on the other side.
Likewise, our behavior as Christians must sometimes be shaped by the "encouragement" of the danger of unfavorable circumstances. Without God's loving correction and faithful discipline we would never develop spiritual strength and endurance. If the Lord didn't permit threatening conditions to come into our lives, we'd soon succumb to feelings of self-sufficiency and overconfidence.
Illustration found at www.elbourne.org

We must not forget that God has promised us that we would never be tempted above what we are able to bear, but with every temptation, every trial, every test, every trouble, He will make a way for us to escape and win the victory. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

God never promised that we wouldn't have hard times. He never promised that we would sail through life without troubles. What He did promise is that He will never leave us nor forsake us. He promised that He would supply our every need. He promised in Psalms 55:22, "Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."

In the passage above, Israel had become discouraged so God had to remind them of just Who He Is. God is still in control and those who would place their trust in Him would be renewed in their strength.

I don't know about you, but there are times when my strength fails. I know that many of you do too because you are always asking for prayer for strength to stand for the Lord. There is nothing wrong with praying for strength. In fact, that's the best thing you can do. But, if you really want to have more strength, God has already laid down the pattern for you to get stronger in these verses.

The first thing is that you must realize who God is and what He is doing for you right now.

To you, the trial you are facing is very personal and it seems that no one else can relate or understand but you have to realize that multitudes of people have faced and are facing the same situations that you are. Your circumstances are no surprise to God. Your troubles don't move God. He knew what was coming and He already has an answer for every one of them. We will only see victory if we do it God's way.

God is God and He is all-powerful. There is no limit to His ability to meet you need. There is no limit to His deliverance and provision for whatever you need. God never gets tired, never grows weary, and is always listening for the prayers of His children to rush to their aid.

What will we do with the trials that face us?

Will we turn to our own devices and make decisions that will cause us to have less time for God, for the church, or even for our families?
Will we forget the Word of God and become depressed because we don't have the faith that everything will really do as Paul said that it would do in Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
Will we abandon our promises made in the moments of triumph?
Will we forget our commitments to Christ that were made when all was going well?
Will we forget the times in the past that God has brought us through some rough times? Will we forget the blessings, the healings, the miracles and every good thing that God has done?
Will we overlook the fact that God has always been and will always be faithful to His promises in the Word of God? What will we do now that things are not perfect any more?

It is time we stopped our pity party, quit looking like it is the end of the world, and lift up our eyes to Hills of Glory where our help comes from. God is far above our petty troubles no matter how bad they might seem to us.

God will not allow us to fail if we will keep our trust and faith in Him.

So now the test is on - the question is not one of survival but whether you will pass or fail? If you pass, your faith and trust will grow stronger. If you fail, you will abandon the ways of righteousness, turn your back on God and put everything in your life in jeopardy, or, you will face similar trials again down the road until you learn the lesson of faith and trust. The choice to fail or pass is ours alone. God will not force our decision one way or another because He wants us to learn and to grow in Him. God will deal with our decision as a loving Father and not as a tyrannical Dictator.

...there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength

I wish I could say that I understand why God allows some things to happen. I wish I could but I can't. His ways are far above my understanding ability. I can only put my trust in Him with faith and know that somehow God will take care of everything.

God knows how to give you the power to overcome. He will take your weaknesses, your failures, your doubts and fears, and He will turn them into miracles of deliverance. In fact, God often does not move until we have given it over to Him completely because He will not share the glory of your deliverance with you. It is all of Him or none of Him. God is our source of strength. God is our source of provision. God is our source of power. God is our source for everything we need! We can't do anything within ourselves.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

We may pride ourselves in our ability to take care of ourselves. We in America, have such a pride in our freedom and independence that we hate having to admit that we need help from anyone, including God.

But this scripture tell us that no matter how strong or independent we may be, we cannot do it alone, God often has to bring us to the place where we have to stop trying, turn to Him and say, "God, that's all I can do, now it's up to you." God is waiting for those words but they often aren't said until we have exhausted our own ideas with no results.

The longer I live, the more I realize that everything is in God's hands. When I was younger I was more inclined to solve everything with my own ability. Now, after many years of trials, tests and troubles, I am just beginning to get a real glimpse of what living by faith really means.

Faith says that everything will work out when it seems that everything is crumbling around me.
Faith says that my bills will be paid when I can't see how they will in the natural sense. Faith says that God will take care of me and that I must force myself to stop being overly concerned with the future.
Faith says that I know, that I know, that I know, that somehow, God will work it all out and that when He does, I will be so greatly blessed for having faced all that is happening right now.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

This is a scripture that has been preached on so many times that I cannot count them. We quote it, we read it, we preach it, but do we really believe it?

Waiting upon the Lord requires true faith.
Waiting upon the Lord requires going through the fire sometimes and still trusting God to bring us through.
Waiting upon the Lord requires that we believe in the impossible, look for the unseen answers, hope in the times of hopelessness and know, without knowing why or how, that God will take care of us.

Baby eaglets, in their nest, can do nothing but wait until the mother eagle returns to her nest to bring the necessary food, drink or whatever else is needed to keep her eaglets alive. We must stay in the "nest" of God's house, trust in the fact that He will bring us what we need, and then accept and digest what comes because we know it’s for our own good.

Those baby eaglets will cry, scream, flap around a lot, and generally make a real scene while they are being cared for. Does that sound like some Christians you know? When the trials come they will cry and moan and scream and let the whole world know just how bad things really are. It as though they are drowning in tears, dying in sorrow, and God has abandoned them. Where is faith in that kind of reaction? How can we say that we trust in our Almighty God to meet every need and then act as though we have no hope?

The reason so many Christians fail the fiery tests of their faith is that too many are bankrupt spiritually when the trials come and so we have no faith and trust in God in our spiritual account to draw strength from.

We haven't spent time preparing and "saving up" our blessings for the "rainy day" of trials to come.

We haven't spent time studying.
We haven't spent time praying.
We have fasted at all.
We have gone about our daily lives as though there would never come a time of trouble when we have to know that they are surely around the corner.

God won't let you stay on the mountaintop for long because it's down in the valley that your faith and strength will grow.

There is a song that I listen to every now and then that says this:

The God on the Mountain
Is still God in the valley
When things go wrong
He'll make them right
The God of the Good Times
Is still God in the Bad Times
The God of the Day
Is still God in the Night

That's the God that we serve.

Isaiah 59:1, "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:"

Some of us, if not all of us, are facing some great battles and trials. It's testing time and we are taking our final exams. God has blessed and now it's time to see if we will trust Him or not.

Though many of us have seen pictures of a huge eagle's nest high in the branches of a tree or in the crag of a cliff, few of us have gotten a glimpse inside. When a mother eagle builds her nest she starts with thorns, broken branches, sharp rocks, and a number of other items that seem entirely unsuitable for the project. But then she lines the nest with a thick padding of wool, feathers, and fur from animals she has killed, making it soft and comfortable for the eggs. By the time the growing birds reach flying age, the comfort of the nest and the luxury of free meals make them quite reluctant to leave. That's when the mother eagle begins "stirring up the nest." With her strong talons she begins pulling up the thick carpet of fur and feathers, bringing the sharp rocks and branches to the surface. As more of the bedding gets plucked up, the nest becomes more uncomfortable for the young eagles. Eventually, this and other urgings prompt the growing eagles to leave their once-comfortable abode and move on to more mature behavior.
Today in the Word, June 11, 1989

Just as that mother eagle never forgets to come back to her nest, Jesus will not forget you either. As that mother eagle is always out gathering and preparing a way for her little eaglets, so is Jesus, the Good Shepherd, gathering, preparing and protecting his sheep. Just as the mother eagle stirs her nest to force her eaglets to grow up, Jesus has to stir us up, mess up our little playhouse, if you will, and make us uncomfortable enough to mature and be more like Him.

If you are facing great trials and tests right now, then lift up your head. Look to Jesus because your answer is already on the way. Don't allow Satan do destroy your victory. Don't allow him to convince you that all is lost. Don't listen to his deceiving, lying voice. Listen to voice of the Lord and the Word of God and lift up your head for your redemption is closer than you think.

It won't be long until this world and all of its troubles will be left behind. We shall see the King in all His glory. We shall be like Him and be with Him in Heaven. What a wonderful day that will be when my Jesus I shall see; when I look upon His face and behold His grace. But until then my heart will go on singing. Until then with grace I'll carry on. Until the day that my eyes behold the Savior, I will put my faith and trust in Him and He will not fail.

Wait upon the Lord. Put your faith and trust in Him and He will let your spirit soar above this world. He will lift your spirit upon eagle's wings and you will be strengthened for the journey ahead. Only by patient waiting, placing your whole-hearted faith in Jesus and trusting in Him totally will you have your strength renewed.

God has it all under control. If you are a Child of the Most High God, then look up for your Father sees your need and your answer is already on the way!

The Golden Rule

I am sure that all of us have shopped at J.C. Penney at some time or other, but I want to tell you something that you probably did not know about Penney's. It used to be known as "the Golden Rule store". In fact, when Mr. Penney first started, his first several stores were called that.

Mr. Penney did not like to use the word "employee." He called those that worked for him, "Associates". He treated them just as well as he would like to be treated, too. He was able to take a general store in 1902, and build it into a multi-billion dollar business, because he actually lived the Golden Rule.

Mr. Penny tried his best to always treat people like he wanted to be treated. He treated them with love, respect, kindness, understanding and encouragement.

Do you try to treat others in your life like this - or not? Our normal instinct is to think that we would be nicer to others if they would show these attributes to us, isn't it? But, that's the Problem. Jesus didn't say, "Treat people with the same Respect that they treat you." He said, "Whatever you want men to do to you, do to them."

And for us to be able to do that, we must love our fellow man. And that is impossible unless Jesus Christ is at the center of our hearts, as it is only through Him that we find enough love to love other people.

MATTHEW 5:43-44 tells us,

"You have heard it said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' I tell you, 'Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you."

We are commanded to love everyone. That is how Jesus lived on this earth, and if we are Christians, we must strive to be like Christ. How will the world know that we are Christians?

They will not know that by reading a sign over our doors. They will only know that by the love we have in our hearts for other people.

Andrew Murray said,

"My relationship with God is part of my relationship with men. Failure in one will cause failure in the other."

John Ashcroft said,

"The most important thing my dad taught me is that there are more important things than me."

There is an old saying that goes,

"A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae away from a kick in the pants, but the results are much better."

1. HAS YOUR ATTITUDE BEEN GOLDEN LATELY?

Have you been able to show the Golden Rule in your attitude lately? Many people will say they can do that with ease, "if only" -

· If only they measure up to my standards
· If only they do things my way
· If only, if only, if only

Jesus did not say to do these things "if only" they do something for you first. He commanded us to love people, even when they didn't meet any of our high and mighty criteria.

There was a man once sitting by a tree near a creek, reading his Bible. Something caught his eye and he looked to see a scorpion caught between two roots of the tree.

The man reached over to help the scorpion loose, but each time he tried to grab it, the scorpion tried to sting him. A man who was standing nearby watching this said, "Don't you know it is the scorpion's nature to sting? Why don't you just forget it and let it die there?"

The man smiled and looked up and replied, "Should it be necessary that I change my nature to accommodate someone else's nature? The scorpion may sting, but I help, that is my nature." When God's love fills your heart, you cannot help but share it - with all things.

Jesus knew there are two ways of giving. One way is to give in hopes that you will get something out of it. That is like the man who bought his wife a ping-pong table for her birthday.

He knew she wanted it, but he expected to use it as much as she did. In effect, he didn't just give to her, he gave to her with the expectation that he would have it, too. When we give with expectations of getting something back, we aren't really giving in the first place.

The other way is to give with absolutely no expectation of getting anything back. That is what Jesus is talking about. That is the best way to show your love is to freely give, just because you want someone else to be fulfilled in some way. You sacrifice your own feelings for someone else's feelings.

What you feel on the inside of your heart determines what you show on the outside of your attitude.

In PHILIPPIANS 2:5, it says

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus."
Has your attitude towards others been golden lately?

2. DO YOU HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF SUCCESS?

Jesus made a statement that is perhaps the most important Key to Success that you will ever encounter. It is so basic that even a child can understand it, yet it is so profound that none of us can live up to it without the power of Jesus.

What is the statement that Jesus made? It is the one that most of us learned as children. It is in MATTHEW 7:12.

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sum's up the law and the Prophets."

Jesus' whole ministry was one of seeking the blessings of God. But right in the middle of it, He seems to have thrown us a curve ball. Now, not only do we have to live in right standing with Him, but we also have to live in right standing with other people. He is basically telling us that if we treat others as good as we want to be treated, we will receive God's blessings for doing that.

We are evaluated by God, and rewarded in direct proportion to the way we treat and feel about other people. That is scary, isn't it? But to be successful as Christians, we must do this.

There is a story of a young boy who had been invited to attend a friend's birthday party and was eagerly awaiting the day he could go. On that day, however, there was a near blizzard outside, and his father thought it was too dangerous for him to walk the short 3 blocks to his friends house, and it was much too dangerous to drive the boy.

The little boy reacted tearfully and begged his father to let him go. Finally, the father recanted and gave his permission. The boy bundled himself up started walking down the street. The wind and snow blew so hard against him that what should have only taken 10 minutes took nearly an hour.

Finally, the boy got to the house. As he rang the doorbell, he looked back to see the shadowy figure of his father disappearing into the snow. His father had followed every footstep to make sure the boy was safe.

It is all about sacrifice, isn't it? When we are able to sacrifice what we want; what we need; what we think; so that we can freely give to someone else what they want or need, we have proven ourselves successful as a Christian.

Has your attitude been one of success in Christ lately?

3. HOW DO YOU NORMALLY TREAT OTHERS?

A brother and sister were in the attic looking through the letters their parents had written to each other many years ago. The boy asked, "Are you sure these belong to mom and dad?" The sister assured him that they did. He then told her, "That's not the names they call each other now!"
Did you know that each time you talk negative to your spouse, you are actually robbing him or her of some of their self-worth? Yet, how many times do we come home very tired or get busy concentrating on something just to snap at the other?

In those situations, we would never think about saying that we didn't love them, so why are we talking to them in such a way that says it to them?
The marriage counselor told the husband to start being more attentive to the wife and start treating her with more love. So, one day he comes home a little early with a dozen roses in one hand and a box of chocolates in the other.

His wife opens the door, sees him and burst into tears. In between sobs, she says, "Little Johnny threw up, your parents called and said they were coming over for dinner, and to top it all off, you come home drunk!"
This describes too many people today. Now, if we cannot treat our families better than that, how are we going to be able to treat other people better than that?

In PHILIPPIANS 2:4-5, we are told how our attitudes are supposed to be.
'Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.'

IN CONCLUSION

A farmer must sow his seeds before he is able to reap a crop. Likewise, we must sow our seeds before we can reap our crops. The difference is the seed a farmer uses might be corn or wheat. The seeds we sow are the seeds of love from our hearts, and the crop we reap are the rewards of God's love for us.

It is a process that begins in our thoughts. What we think about becomes our primary focus. Our primary focus will soon seep into our words and very quickly, our words reinforces that focus into our actions.

There is a quicker way of saying it: Garbage in - Garbage out. And, it works every single time.

Someone once said, "If you will cheat in practice, you will cheat in the game. If you cheat other people, you will cheat God. And when you cheat God, you really cheat yourself."

Another person said, "Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap your eternity."
The farmer cannot expect to reap a crop of corn if he plants the seed of wheat. You reap what you sow. What have you been sowing for the Lord lately?

Little Chad was in 2nd grade. He was a little slower than the other children and that made them shun Chad.

A couple of weeks before Valentines' Day, Chad came home and told his mother that he wanted to make cards for everyone in his class. She knew how they treated her son, but she helped him make 35 cards.

On Valentine's Day, she waited by the curb for the school bus to bring him home. When it got there, she saw all the kids laughing and getting off the bus, and then she saw Chad walking by himself near the back of the bus.
When he got off the bus, he was very happy, and told his mother that he didn't forget a single classmate, that he remembered them all. They still shunned Chad, but he remembered each one of them with a card.

Will the VICTORY SINGERS please come back on stage?

We have shunned Jesus Christ from the very beginning, too, but He has remembered each one of us in His love. And He wants us to show that love to other people, too, just like Chad did - for the sake of loving, not for the purpose of receiving anything back.

Obedience is not always easy. His classmates were not treating that little boy very well. But he treated them the way he wanted to be treated, no the way he was being treated. That little boy was living the Golden Rule. How many of us can say the same thing?

If this lost and hurting world is going to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, it will not be from some epiphany of sorts. It will be from people like you and me showing the love of Christ to others from our hearts.

I spoke this morning about the necessity of being in church. We must be careful, though, because there is a lie sweeping our nation that says,
"I accepted Jesus years ago and was baptized, so I am still saved today." Let us be very careful with how we choose to believe that lie. And, let us be just as careful with having the absolute knowledge that we are saved rather than thinking we are.

Do you remember the man I told you about who tried to free that scorpion so it could live? Jesus came to earth in hopes of freeing us so that we might also live.