Semper Fidelis

Monday, November 27, 2023

Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead.  This is the Good News I preach.  And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal.  But the word of God cannot be chained.  So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.  This is a trustworthy saying:  If we die with him, we will also live with him.  If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.  If we deny him, he will deny us.  If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.  

2 Timothy 2:8-13

United States Marines greet each other with the motto, Semper Fi, a shortened version of semper fidelis.[1]  The phrase means always faithful, and is indicative of the character of those who serve a higher guiding principle than self-interest.[2] 

Long before the assembling of U.S. fighting forces, the Apostle Paul wrote to his protégé, Timothy, an aspiring preacher of the Gospel, to encourage and admonish him to serve Christ’s Kingdom with an unswerving loyalty.  Paul described the resurrected Jesus as “faithful.”  Dying with Him, we are raised to newness of life by Him.  Enduring hardship, we will reign with him.  Denying Him, we will be judged by Him.  And, in His supreme compassion, when we are less than semper fi He is still faithful.  This could be summed-up in one short verse:

“I am the Lord, and I do not change.  Malachi 3:6a

By comparison, human beings can be remarkably un-loyal.  Our lives typically begin in one direction and, influenced by any of the seven deadly sins,[3] we change our employment, spouse, promises, gender, and a host of all other possibilities.  Despite the call to be faithful, human allegiance is usually sold to the highest bidder.  

I’m reminded of an elder statesman in the Southern Baptist tribe I met in 1981, Vance Havner, who said:  Faith that Fizzles at the Finish was Fickle from the First.  

It’s true!  Most mottos sound wonderful, even noble; most human attempts to live-up to those mottos have holes like Swiss cheese.

So what is the Rx for our Fickle Faith?

I’m glad you asked…and let me point us back to the Apostle’s opening line to Timothy: 

Always remember that Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David, was raised from the dead.  This is the Good News I preach.  2 Timothy 2:8

If there is anything that can keep us close to Jesus it is the resurrection of God’s perfect lamb, crucified for our sins, raised to conquer death and the grave.  In staying faithful to proclaim that, we also preach Good News to our own souls.

For You Today 

Find a way to proclaim His resurrection every day, in every circumstance, and, as many have said…always preach the Gospel…even use words if necessary.  What that means for each of us is:  nothing will help keep you faithful like engaging in the work of He Who is Semper Fi.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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For another post on this text read here:  Gospel Unchained

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Today’s title Image from Pixabay.com  

Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] Wikipedia

[2] See Merriam-Webster Dictionary

[3]  pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger or wrath, and sloth – see The Seven Deadly Sins - LIst

Hope Shared

Wednesday, November 15, 2023

How we thank God for you!  Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.  Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.  May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon.  And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.  

1 Thessalonians 3:9-12

Sharing our great hope in Jesus Christ with others is the main thrust of what we commonly call The Great Commission.  This was the job description Jesus gave to his followers on the day he ascended back to his Father in Heaven:

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:18-20

The “work” is really a privilege and joy.  In his letter to the Thessalonian believers Paul outlined that work in four “pillars” that hold our witness together:

Rejoicing

Apostle Paul said he thanked God for his relationship with the church at Thessalonica, and his joy was great because of their faith growing stronger. 

When the genuine joy of knowing Christ courses through your veins, sharing that blessed hope of Christ does not have to be manufactured with a memorized speech, or pamphlets; it speaks volumes of winsomeness.

Praying

Paul’s prayer life was night and day for the presence of God to grow strong in those with whom he had shared God’s love.  When you’ve taken the bold and vulnerable step of sharing the love of Christ with others, they will not slip from your mind.  You are vested in what God will do with them in His kingdom.

Hanging-out

Because of the interest in filling-in the gaps of faith many new believers might experience, you want to be with them to nurture faith at whatever point they are challenged.  Hanging-out with believers increases faith; growing joy is the wonderful result of that fellowship.

Blessing

Paul wasn’t reproducing “Paul” in these people; he was seeing the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory[1] manifested in those who had accepted Christ by faith, and were living under His Lordship.  His fatherly blessing was an act of love and prophetic hope…he was passing-along the faith once delivered to the saints[2].

For You Today 

Throughout my life many saints have poured-in strength and help as I’ve lived and grown.  Jesus said:  to whom much is given, much will be required.[3]  This speaks of our responsibility to pass along the joy with our prayers, presence, and always being a blessing – never an adversary – to those who need to know Christ.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Today’s title Image from Pixabay.com  

Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] Colossians 1:27

[2] Jude 1:3

[3] Luke 12:48

Hope Renewed

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love.  He reports that you always remember our visit with joy and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.  So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith.  It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord.  How we thank God for you!  Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.  Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.  May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon.  And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.  May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people.  Amen.  1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

A friend who, with her husband, is facing a mountain of medical problems recently shared how, even though she and her husband have faith that is strong, there are valleys of fear the enemy throws in their way.  I know how she feels, and so do you.  We can say that without shame or embarrassment, because one of the pillars of the New Testament fathers, apostle Paul, shared the same, being greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and suffering.  That encouragement came as Timothy brought news of the Thessalonian believer’s faith “standing firm” which renewed his hopes for their strong witness.  Paul said that good news was like new life.  Paul’s faith is unquestioned, yet the “wear and tear” of years on the road battling human and spiritual opposition do take their toll. 

The apostle’s reaction, having his hope renewed, led to an outburst of joy that he might soon see those dear friends and be able to contribute (filling in the gaps of their faith). 

In this we stand certain…strong faith in Christ is what renews hope in hard times.  And with hope renewed for the downtrodden, oppressed, and marginalized, the result is greater vision for a future of God’s blessing.  This is what the church stands for, not building bigger sanctuaries, larger attendances, better programs, and slicker organizations; the church stands for the hope of Christ in each of us[1], a testament to the marvelous grace extended to all who, though unworthy, are willing to bend a knee at the cross.  It is the message of forgiveness and love, born in Heaven, fleshed-out on Calvary’s hill, and celebrated with every breath in those who have received Christ.

For You Today 

If you’re facing trouble of any sort, and any size, don’t manage it by yourself.  Just as my friend shared with her community, keep engaged with those of strong faith; it is there you will be in a perfect place to find your hope renewed.  And with that hope renewed and shared to others, you just might start an explosion of faith!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO

There are about 2,600 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road library.

Today’s title Image from Pixabay.com  

Images without citation are in public domain or cited via weblinks.  

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©  

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[1] Colossians 1:27

An Invitation to the Imperfect

with much thanks to Rev. John Strother

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

Hello I’m the body of Christ, but you may know me by my other name - Church.

I'm sure you've heard a lot about me. I have no shortage of critics. Perhaps you have heard that I am...Boring, Shallow, Irrelevant, A waste of time

Maybe you've heard that I am full of:

Hypocrites, Greedy people, The self-righteous

Maybe you have visited me before and discovered:

Music you didn’t like, Passionless singing, Dry preaching, Rude congregants

Maybe you needed me and I was: Too busy, Too "righteous", Too broke, Too blind

Maybe you joined me and found I was:  Distant, Demanding, Dull, Preoccupied

Maybe you tried to serve in me but were caught off guard by:

Business meetings, Committees, Interpersonal Conflicts, Bureaucracy

Maybe you left and were surprised that nobody:

Called, Cared, Or seemed to notice, And invite you back

Perhaps your experience has driven you to:

Speak negatively of me, Swear to never come back to me,                                   Proclaim that no one needs me,

Believe you're better off without me

If this is true, I have something to say to you:

I'm sorry, I was wrong, I blew it,

I made a huge mistake

But remember, I never said my name was:

Perfect, Flawless, Complete, Arrived

 

My name is church. Or, more accurately, the Body of Christ.  At my best I welcome the:  Hypocrite, Dry, Self-righteous, Shallow

I also welcome the Sincere, Passionate, Forgiving, Selfless

I cannot shut my doors to the people who make you:

Angry, Uncomfortable, Impatient, Self-conscious

But I would remind you that we couldn't always worship in the same room

because of division between:  Gentiles, Jews, Men, Women

In order for us to all worship in the same room Christ was:

Shamed, Beaten, Killed, Resurrected

Which is far worse than being:  Bored, Uncomfortable, Embarrassed, Ignored

So why not come back to church and let all of these other sojourners:

Challenge you, Sharpen you, Strengthen you, Humble you

I can't promise you that the people will be great. This is church. It's not:

Heaven, Paradise, Beulah Land, The Celestial city or whatever else you might call the Great Beyond

But do come back, or join us for the first time.

God wants you here.  The body needs you here. 

The world needs your witness.  You belong here.

Hello, my name is church.

I miss you.    I love you.     I'm sorry.      Can't wait to see you.

For You Today 

This is evangelism, reconciliation between siblings, and the humility Christ offered to each of us.  This is what the church (all of us) needs to offer to the world today.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  

 

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from NLT^©   

 

There's No Place Like Home

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood.  So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore.  For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.  Hebrews 13:12-14

Most of us are familiar with Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.  She found herself in a strange land, and desired nothing more than to go back home.  Glenda, the “good witch” outfits Dorothy with magic red slippers and tells her to close her eyes, click her heels three times, and say the phrase over and over, there’s no place like home; there’s no place like home.

For some people a church is much like the ancient temple, or even the tabernacle in the wilderness…a building…hardly a home.  The writer to the Hebrews makes the point that fellowship with an eternal God is not a static issue.  Human beings are mobile, growing or dying, a soul never entombed  Buildings stay where they’re constructed.  We can be lost, in the sense of losing our way, or living in disobedience, in the far country, away from God’s fellowship.  

We can be unready for dwelling in our permanent home, a house not made by human hands. That unreadiness is born of an unwillingness to “bear the disgrace” of the One who saves us.  It may not be beligerance, but rather holding-back from totally giving oneself to Christ as a witness.  It can be described as coming to a worship service as a spectator, rather than a participating member of the team. 

Spectators have little invested in church, other than an hour of time in any given week; by contrast, worshippers are there to offer God praise, and all they have.  They come with open, empty hands, willing (even eager) to have God fill those hands with whatever task, blessing, challenge, or mountain to climb, God may pick-out for us.  It is this willingness, to leave the building and enter the harvest field, which describes worship…not merely singing a few songs and listening to the preacher’s words; that describes enduring ritual – hardly worship.

Before I turned two years old Mom and Dad left the bustle of New York City for the serenity of a little hamlet (a “hamlet” is not breakfast food, or one of Shakespeare’s characters, but rather a community, a bit smaller than a village or town).  

We had dirt roads, an old two-story house for a school district, and a town that had managed to stay very small since its founding in the 17^th century. The place was named Hauppauge, which is a Native American word translated “sweet water”.  

My parents weren’t interested in becoming land barons; they were concerned with raising two boys to be men..  The tiny 4-room house on Long Island was surrounded by tall oaks, elms and whatever scrub brush could eak-out a living in the sand.  Dad cleared most of our yard with a hand axe, and a lot of sweat.  Whether you’re raised in a big city, or a rural backwater, commitment to what life God gives you is what teaches you there’s no place like home.

For You Today 

The only thing left to say is:  When you join a church, make sure you make a commitment to the home part…otherwise the building is just a house!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper explore some of these:   Restless  and  Which One?                                          

Title Image:  Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

The HEART - Good or ....

Monday, April 17, 2023

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?  Jeremiah 17:9

I was passing a church sign the other day and, being a “church-a-holic”, I could not help myself; I had to read the message on their sign.  

Being quite familiar with Jeremiah’s verse about the desperately wicked heart, I immediately thought WHAT?

I tried to give a benefit of the doubt to the one who handles their signboard.  Perhaps the meaning was that we all know what’s in our hearts, where we hide all those secrets that we’d be ashamed to let others know.  But what kind of “Christian message” would that be….unleash all your doubts and sins on whoever will listen?  Perhaps the sign referred to a saved person, living a life of following Jesus, opening his or her heart of love, so it will let out a testimony of faith…how Jesus saved a lost sinner? 

Honestly, in kindness, I would love to have stretched until I found a suitable Biblical match for that signboard’s message, but came to the conclusion that dog would not hunt!  The signboard custodian may have meant well, but the theology is so Hallmark, not Christian.  It reeks of I’m OK; You’re OK, and that is NOT OK if you care at all about an honest interpretation of either God’s Word, or that which is our human nature, a deceitful and desperately-wicked heart.  If you care what Jeremiah actually said about the human heart, it matters.

A better message, especially in a world run amuck with sin and darkness would be:  

Open Your Heart and Let He Who IS Truth Come In

For You Today 

If you’re a church signboard-keeper, this bit of sniping I’ve aimed at poorly-thought-out messages could make you mad.  I hope not…it’s designed to be a wake-up call that your job is important…you’re representing Christ to the many who drive by every day.  Do that job well!

If you are not a signboard custodian, let’s not waste this thought:  Your life, and how you live it, is also representing Christ to a lost and dying world as the only hope.  The world has enough darkness…let your life’s light shine brighter than the noonday sun!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

Go to VIDEO (read by author)

There are about 2,500 devotional posts and 400 sermons in the Rocky Road Devotions library.  To dig deeper explore some of these:   Following the Leader  and  A Light Shines in My Heart  

Title Image:  via Pixabay.com   Images without citation are in public domain.

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©