Where Your Treasure Is

About 63 years ago, while Odell was working for some Jewish business people, he came across this Scripture passage in Luke chapter 12 that really impacted his life. During that time, he was really attached to money. At that time he was working as the accountant for all the businesses they ran, and they kept him on for many years. One of these men was a very Orthodox Jew who strictly adhered to Jewish laws and customs. I'll call him Mr. H. since I'm not sure about the spelling of his name. With influence of these Jewish business men, Odell reported,

I set a goal to be a millionaire by the time I was 40. Even though that didn't really work out, I learned a lot about maneuvering money, hedging money. When money was tight with them, these Jewish folks would help one another. I saw big checks pile in. This Mr. H. would get on the phone and say, "I need a half million dollars." And it would come in! I got caught up trying to make money and made a lot of mistakes." These men knew how to make money and how to keep it. I saw money as power, and I saw myself as a success because I was thrown in with a group of people who taught me how to pocket the money and not to spend it. Through those years I really did not take my Christianity as seriously as I should. My treasure was elsewhere. It was not with my wife, my family, the church, and places it should be. In this passage in Luke 12, I learned that where your treasure is, there your heart is. Verse 34 speaks to your intentions, where you're going. I had really been headed in the wrong direction. Now I was turning around. I began to turn back toward my family, and in doing so, my finances took care of themselves. Sure there were hard times, but God took care of me. I want you to hear something here. Unless God turns the switch, nothing turns out right, unless he opens your heart up. I began to see that the most important things were my wife, my friends and my church. My wife stuck with when the sticking wouldn't stick.

Where are your treasures? Are they laid up where moth and rust do not corrupt and thieves do not break through nor steal? God has awesome blessings for us when we learn how to invest our treasure.

2010 National Day of Prayer

Perhaps we will end up thanking Judge Barbara Crabb for her "Crabby" ruling Thursday, because she may certainly end up motivating folks who haven't actively participated in the National Day of Prayer, to become involved this year. We so often fail to treasure things until it appears we might lose them. Perhaps, the threat of losing this freedom, will motivate thousands to attend prayer rallies on courthouse lawns across our nation, to join together in prayer from Colifornia to the New York Island, from the Redwood Forests to the Gulf Stream waters.

The National Day of Prayer is not the establishment of a religion, and therefore does not violate the constitution. It is a day when across our nation we join together, regardless of our church affiliations, appealing to God for His mercy on our nation. Together on this day we recognize the faith in God that united our Founders, the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of these United States of America. They were ALL men of faith. The placed their reliance on God, and often appealed to Him in prayer. May we never fail to honor God and that faith in Him that has made America great!

Forgive, Believe, Love

After the resurrection, Jesus was seen by his disciples and many others for forty days. In John's Gospel there are three specific occasions mentioned where Jesus met with his disciples. There are three powerful words that we hear from Jesus on these appearances.

First Jesus appears to the disciples who were gathered together on Sunday evening. His words to them are recorded on John 20:23:

If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.

This first powerful word is FORGIVE. Jesus appears to his disciples who have been in hiding for fear of the Jews. They had run in fear after His arrest. They scattered and left Him alone. Forgiveness was something they needed. Jesus was teaching them that forgiveness is powerful, and He was entrusting them with this awesome power to forgive. In fact, when we forgive, we liberate ourselves and others.

The second word from our Lord comes just one week later, this word is BELIEVE. Thomas wasn't at the meeting the week before, and Jesus was so aware of his need. Thomas had said, "unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." Thomas was so filled with doubt, that his story strengthens our faith. Many of us may be like Thomas. Therefore, when he sees the Lord at this second appearance, Jesus teaches us about faith. His word to Thomas in John 20:27:

Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.

Then he reaches out to all of us in verse 29 where he says:

Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

Jesus' third word comes to us as he meets the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. Here he focuses on Peter, and teaches us about LOVE. Peter had denied the Lord three times. He didn't run and hide like the others, but even though he was nearby, he was overcome by fear. The Lord knew Peter's need, and on this meeting chose to teach us about loving Him. Peter had taken several of the other disciples fishing the night before, and even though he and the sons of Zebedee were excellent fishermen they had caught nothing. Early the next morning they saw a man standing on the shore, but didn't realize it was Jesus. Then he called out and asked them if they had caught any fish. When they answered, "no," he told them to throw their net on the right side of the boat and they would find fish. Of course, they did, and they caught a great number of fish. Then John said, "It is the Lord," and Peter jumped into the water and went to Jesus. It is on the heels of this event that Jesus, teaches this love lesson to Peter. In the 21st chapter of John, verse 15:

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

This scenario is repeated similarly three times! Jesus asks, and Peter replies. Each time Peter declares, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." What we don't hear are the subtle differences.

The first two times Jesus asks the question he uses the Greek word, agape, which is that supreme love that God has for us. Peter answers with another word, not nearly as strong as agape. It is the word, phileo, which is that strong feeling we have for a friend. Peter, just could not respond that he loved the Lord with the same awesome love that God has for us. He could only say, "yes, Lord, you're my friend." The awesome word here, is that Jesus come to Peter, the third time, changing the question, using the same word that Peter has used each time. It might read, "Peter, are you really my friend?" "Yes, Lord," Peter responds, "I am your friend." Jesus says, "then feed my sheep." We are to demonstrate our love for the Lord by the way we serve others.

What powerful words the Lord left for us before His ascension: Forgive, Believe, and Love. These awesome words are a pathway to power, because on the day of His ascension He reminds them to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the "Promise of the Father," the Power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to Forgive, Believe, and Love.

Crazy Love!

A grandmother comments, "I'm just crazy about my grand babies! I'm so blessed." A young man says to his sweetheart, "I'm crazy about you, Baby. I love you so much." Recently the phrase, "Crazy Love," has become the title of the very interesting book by first time author Francis Chan, about the awesome love of God.

God's love for us is certainly amazing! Charles Wesley's words have been sung for more than 250 years, "Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?" Jesus said "Greater Love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Jesus spoke these words to his disciples in John 15:13 just after the Last Supper and before Gethsemane. How amazing is the love of our Savior! He was going to the cross to pay a debt that wasn't His. He was going to suffer and die in our place. Why? It's not because we deserve it. We deserve death and suffering, but He took our place, suffered and died. Could we call it, "Crazy Love?" Could you say, He's crazy about you! He's crazy about me! He wants so much to rescue us from the mess we've made of our lives. This awesome love is available to you right now! Embrace this Crazy Love!

It's No Accident!

As I think about all that has happened in little more than five weeks, I am just amazed! With confidence I can declare that It certainly is NO ACCIDENT! But then, at Christian Fellowship we have learned that God is awesome in the way He works in our lives. We needed space to grow, and WOW, do we ever have plenty of space now! Are you as overwhelmed as I am by these 29 acres? And how about the fact that it's located less than a mile from our present location! It's no accident because God is in control.

If you haven't been by the property, I encourage you to check out what's happening! There's already been a lot of work, removing old mildewed carpet, tearing out water-damaged walls, and moving a lot of dirt to stop the water from getting back in. Hey things are really shaping up! We are planning a Spring "Tent" Crusade in our biggest metal building to kick off ministry there and reach folks in the Tunnel Hill area for Christ. Then this summer, we will have the biggest Vacation Bible School we've ever had! We've just never had this much room before!

Still there are lots of challenges. There is so much work to do, and it really looks huge. It looks so much bigger than we are, but then we can't forget the faith factor. God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or even think! When God's people came to the borders of the promised land, and sent the 12 spies in to check it out, they found challenges, too. It would have been easy to give up. Many of the spies reported that there were powerful warriors there, some who were descendants of a race of giants. "They will crush us," they cried. In Numbers 13:30 we hear the words of Caleb, "Let us go up at once, and posses it; for we are well able to overcome it!" You've got to be inspired by the faith of Caleb!

Don't focus on the obstacles! The problem wasn't the giants. The problem was the grasshopper perspective. "We felt like grasshoppers before them, they were so tall!" Instead we need to focus on the promises of God! God is faithful, and He will do it. Caleb understood the principle of Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." He understood the F.R.O.G. principle, Fully Rely On God! We are focused on the new opportunities we have to reach people for Christ. We are focused on how God is preparing to serve Him with increased resources. We can trust Him. He will provide! God has given us an awesome vision here at Christian Fellowship, and He is faithful. If we can only catch sight of His vision and see the land flowing with milk and honey instead of focusing on the giants, then we too are well able to overcome! When we follow God's plan and walk in His will fulfilling His purpose, It's No Accident!

He's Alive!

The Friday before Easter Sunday is celebrated by many as "Good Friday," because tradition holds that Jesus was crucified and died on the Friday before Easter Sunday. There's an old song by Carman entitled, "Sunday's on the Way." While his message is good, reminding us that when life's problems come and seem to bury us, there is hope because of the Resurrection, his words are, "It may seem like Friday night, but Sunday's on the way." Well, since we know what he means, we get the message, and it certainly is a good one. Still, that catchy line is rooted in the Good Friday tradition. While traditions can be fine, we should want our traditions to be rooted in Scripture.

In the twelfth chapter of Matthew, Jesus heals and delivers a demon-possessed man who is also blind and mute. On the heels of this miracle he is caught up in a discussion with the Pharisees. This religious group of Jews were quite caught up in tradition. They accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of "Beelzebub, the prince of demons." After Jesus eloquently explains the foolishness of their premise, they ask him for a miraculous sign, to which Jesus responds:

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.

That's a prophetic word from Jesus himself. He would be a full three days and nights in the grave. The problem with the the Friday hypothesis is that there is only a day and a half from Friday night until Sunday morning. You only have part of Friday night, all day Saturday, and Saturday night.

One piece of the puzzle is very clear. Jesus rose around dawn on Sunday.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb (Matthew 28:1)

Counting backward from the Resurrection on Sunday morning, we find that Jesus was in the grave three nights (Saturday, Friday, and Thursday) and three days (Saturday, Friday, and Thursday).

A careful reading of Matthew 27 makes it clear. In the evening after Jesus was crucified a rich man name Joseph from Arimathaea came to Pilate asking for the body of Jesus. Pilate granted his request. They take down the body of Jesus, and hurriedly prepare it because this is the week of Passover, and there are limits to what they can do. It is a time of holy convocation in which they are very limited in what work they can do. The clincher is in verses 62-64. We read here:

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day.

This is the scenario that fits with Scripture. He was three days (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) and three nights (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights).

Then Sunday morning, the stone rolled away, and Jesus rose from the grave! He's alive! Now we rejoice together with these words from Don Francisco's song, "He's Alive."

"He's alive and I'm forgiven. Heavens gates are open wide. He's alive! He's alive! He's alive!"

Happy Easter, Have a blessed Resurrection Day!