Red Letters: Signs – Times – Minds

Ashley and Pastor Josiah have a saying,”Eat the meat, and spit out the bones.” In other words, whatever is valid and aligns with the Word of God are meat. Keep it; chew on it. But whatever doesn’t, release. Lord, give us discernment to eat the meat and  help us to spit out the bones.

FC’s mission is to culture like Christ, and the vision is Jesus. Those are meat! Last week, Pastor Josiah reminded us about suffocating worry. What he advised was to focus on the Lord and not let the challenging circumstances overwhelm and/or immobilize you. With God as our Redeemer and Restorer, we will not be overtaken. This week we continue in our Red Letter series-the words of Jesus-and the focus is from Luke 12:48b,”When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.” (NLT)

We have been given so much. Because we live in the USA, we have an over abundance. To have running water, roofs over our heads, good transportation are all blessings. Even more as Christ followers, we have our Heavenly Father who loves us and sent His Son to die and overcome death for us. We have been redeemed. 

Pastor Josiah mentioned that John the Baptist was the last of the old covenant figures. “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11b (ESV)  John the Baptist had a unique place in history as the forerunner to Jesus, and anyone who is of the new covenant is greater than John the Baptist. The least in the kingdom of God knows of Jesus’ life and resurrection and “understands them.” (gotquestions.org) Pastor Josiah clarified that new covenant people trump old covenant people. We have been given so much.

What have you done with the much that you have been given? Do you want to look like Christ? Do you have fruit hanging from your branches? What type of fruit is it? Does it reflect the Lord and His goodness, or does it reflect the world and its self centeredness? Have you forgotten your pin code? Don’t be so dependent on the pastor that you do not have direct access to the Lord Jesus. Jesus just asks for your heart, and you have access to Him, our Provider and Restorer.

A billionaire who can’t access his bank account is the poorest man around. The funds in the bank account that are locked away from the wealthy person do the person no good. As new covenant believers, we can have His peace, deliverance, purity of mind, and so much more. But are we using these gifts, or are they locked away from us because we do not seek Him daily through His Word, prayer, and sitting at His feet? As John 10:10 states,”Satan wants to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give life, life abundantly.”  Satan does not want us to have access  to the gifts nor does he want us to spend time with the Lord. However, with someone you love, you want to spend time with him or her. Spend time with the Lord and see how much He loves you.

Pastors are not to be the only sharers of the Lord’s love. The pastors’ job is to equip us to walk maturely in our relationship with Jesus. They are to

“equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, 

the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such 

unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be 

mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete 

standard of Christ.” Ephesians 4:12-13 (NLT)

As Christ followers, we get to reflect His love, humility and grace. The pastors’ job is to encourage us to align our hearts, minds, and deeds with Christ’s heart, mind, and deeds. Don’t let the fruit of relationship with Jesus sit, locked up in the spiritual bank account.

Jesus continued in Luke 12 to tell us,

“I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already

burning! I have a terrible baptism of suffering ahead of me, and

and I am under a heavy burden until it is accomplished.” 

Luke 12:49-50 (NLT)

Jesus came to set the world on fire. He had a fiery passion evidenced in His clearing out of the Temple grounds right before Passover. That passion burned against the Pharisees’ status and selfishness. That passion burns against our sinfulness and greed.

Jesus also had a baptism of suffering, and it burdened Him until it was over. He knew of the beatings and crucifixion, but He prayed to the Lord. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 (NIV) He was willing to suffer for our sakes. To Jesus, the suffering was terrible but the reward was worth it. He sacrificed His sinless life for our lives. He did not earn the beatings or crucifixion but willing surrendered for us.

Another aspect of Jesus’ coming to the earth was evident in these words.

“Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No,

I have come to divide people against each other! From now

on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two

against-or two in favor and three against.” Luke 12:51-52 (NLT)

These words are disturbing, but Pastor Josiah shared a time when he was a youth pastor. A young man became a Christ follower, but he would be a minority in his home because his family followed Allah. The young man had to examine his belief in Christ and realize he could not deny the Lord for the sake of family unity. What would you do if everyone you knew or loved denied the Lord? May I stand strong for the Lord! He is my Rock and my Redeemer! Ground shaking persecution tends to strengthen our load bearing walls. 

The Paramount Point is See the signs of the times and make up your mind-who is God? 

What you feel does not matter. We can no longer sit on our hands and wait. We have a job to do and that is to tell of our Savior and Lord. The Word of God is truth, and the world is waiting to hear. The signs are clear. Wars and rumors of war, famines and earthquakes “are the beginning of birth pangs.” Matthew 24:8  However, “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”  1 John 4:4 (NIV)

So let’s actively align our hearts, souls, minds, and spirits with the Savior’s and be salt and light in this troubling world.

Calendar:

7/32-8/1-Jesus’ Image conference

8/3-Prayer night

8/8-8/9-Resist the Drift-marriage conference

8/15-LB/Young Adults combined potluck, worship, and speaker Britnee Lacuesta speaking

8/17-Volunteer Appreciation luncheon

8/29 Men of God Movement

9/19 LB potluck and Meet to Swap.

Submitted by

Larry and Annette Linthicum