"But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because He knew all men. And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man." (John 2:24-25 KJV) 

Can I ask you a question: Does God trust you? Does God believe in you? 

So often we think that faith in God is a one way street. We think all we have to do is "believe" and that's the end of it. However, the Bible describes that faith is a two-way street. It's not just about us saying we trust God but it's really about God trusting our trust. Ask yourself this question" Does God have faith in my faith? 

We find an example of this issue in John chapter two. Jesus is in Jerusalem at the temple during the Feast of the Passover. In v.23, it says "many believed in his name when they saw the miracles which he did." Did you get that? Everything is in the Bible for a reason. In verse 23 we see these people were believing in Jesus only "when they saw the miracles." We might think, "Well, what is wrong with that?" We learn what was wrong with that kind of faith in the verses that follow.

The word for "commit" in v.24 is the same word in the greek for "believed" in v.23. In other words, people were believing in Jesus but Jesus didn't believe in their belief! He knew that they were only trusting him for the miracles--what he could do for them. They wanted the miracles but they didn't really want Jesus.

Now the good news is that despite wrong motives, Jesus can move a person from superficial faith to a strong faith. We this in John chapter four with the healing of the nobleman's son. He came to Jesus seeking a miracle for his son but the nobleman had not yet committed himself to Jesus. Jesus still performed the miralce and the man came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible says the nobleman didn't believe in the miracle but "the word Jesus had spoken." 

The great thing about Jesus is that he knows how superficial our faith can be and he still moves in our lives despite all of that. He truly desires to move us to a strong and saving faith that is not based on what he does for us but is based upon who he is.

What would have happened if God didn't do any miracles that day in the temple? Would they have still believed? The answer is likely "no." That is why Jesus didn't have faith in their faith. The kind of faith God trusts says "Even if you don't answer my prayer Lord, I am going to trust you anyway. Even if you don't grant me a miracle I am going to love you anyway." 

So what about you? Do you have a faith that God can trust? Do you have a genuine faith in Jesus Christ? The bottom line is: Jesus knows what is in you. He knows if your faith is just based on what you want him to do for you or whether it is based on who he is.

Who is he? He is the only one who can change your life and the things you place your confidence in. The saying is true: in this life you will posses what you pursue. Pursue Jesus and you will possess a faith that cannot be moved. Pursue only what he can do for you, and you will possess a faith that God cannot trust. So why don't you start letting God trust you today? 

For the Fame of His Name,

Pastor Ryan

Isaiah 30:20-21:  "...but your eyes will see your Teacher and your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, 'This is the way, walk in it' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." (ESV)

One of the hardest things to go through as a child of God is a time of trial, a season of personal adversity allowed by the Lord. The Bible teaches us that things don't just happen randomly to God's children. Make sure you get this nailed down: God purposes and allows seasons of difficutly into the the believer's life for a specific good purpose. How you respond to those seasons will make all the difference in the world as to whether your grow better or grow bitter.

In Isaiah 30 we learn that the nation of Israel had been going through a time of adversity and affliction by the hand of the Lord. The main lesson that God is trying to teach his people is that when they are faithless, He remains faithful. God would allow Israel to go through a captivity because of their proneness to turn to other things for help instead of waiting upon the Lord. Because they consistently turned to idols and Egypt for help Isaiah calls his people to stop trusting in man and wait upon the promised coming of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. 

In verses 20-21 Isaiah proclaims that Israel's adversity had a purpose.The purpose stated in this passage is two-fold:  1) To see their Teacher (Jesus) and 2) To hear their Teacher (The Holy Spirit). As a result, they will stop trusting in things that promise a false delieverance and start trusting the only One who can give true deliverance.

In other words, I will see Jesus in my trials if I am looking and I will hear the Holy Spirit if I am listening. What I look to and what I listen to when I am eating the bread of adversity and drinking the water of affliction will make all the difference when it comes to experiencing more of the grace of God in my life. 

It's your choice: You can either believe that your trials have no purpose at all or you can start to see every trial God allows as the opportunity to see and hear from Him. You can either listen to yourself or start listening to God. How do I get through this trial? Look to Jesus--he is more than enough! And listen to the Holy Spirit guiding you through the Word. Stop looking to other things and stop listening to your own bad advice! Start looking to Jesus and listening to God, and when you are tempted to turn to the left or the right, you will hear a word behind you saying, "This is the way, walk in it." 

Blessings Upon Blessings,

Pastor Ryan

Luke 21: 14-15:  "Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditiate beforehand how to answer for I will give you a mouth of wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict."  (ESV) 

One of the hardest things to go through as a follower of Jesus Christ and a minister of the Gospel is dealing with what I call "friendly-fire." 

Did you know he U.S Army reports that during WW II the percentage of friendly-fire casualties was something like 12-14 percent? That is astounding when you think about it. But did you also know that according to recent Army reports the percentage of friendly fire incidents for the War in Iraq is around 0.78 percent? That means friendly-fire incidents have decreased for the U.S. Army by a drastic number and that is something to thank God for, amen? 

However, the Bible says that in the last days friendly-fire incidents against Christians will not decrease but increase. Let me set up the context of this passage just for a moment, ok? 

In Luke 21 Jesus is predicting that the temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed, false prophets and Messiah's will arrive predicting the end is actually here, that there will be wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and pestilences, and that some of the disciples will face persecution and stand before synagogues, kings, and governors for the name of Jesus Christ (v.1-12).

He goes on to say in v.13 that when persecuted it will be an opportunity to "bear witness" for him. Now I believe Jesus is not only predicting persecution for the disciples, but that persecution for all true Christians will increase in the last days and that is why he says, "you will be hated by all for my name sake" (v.17). So, if you are holding high the flag for Jesus, realize someone may try to take you out with their words or worse!

Then, in v.18 and v.19 he gives us assurance that if we stand firm for Jesus until the end and do not forsake him when the temperature rises, then we will have heaven to look forward to! Jesus is saying persection is going to come and it is going to increase. People are even going to hate you for standing firm for Christ. It will happen.

But then he says something else that is astounding. He also says in v.16, "You will be delivered up even by parents, and brothers, and relatives, and friends and some of you they will put to death." 

Wow! Jesus just predicted that friendly-fire incidents were going to increase for Christians in the last days, not decrease and they will be people we know! Matthew 24:12 confirms this, "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold." That means unfortunately Christians will come under attack from people they live with and even from people they go to church with.

And if you don't think that can happen at church then you haven't been paying attention to the battle. All too often I have seen Christian friendly-fire incidents. Christians attacking other Christians over things that are so trivial, so small, and have nothing to do with matters of eternity. Even as a pastor, one of the hardest times in ministry is when someone engages in a friendly-fire incident. How do do you deal with it? What do you say? What do you do? 

Well, I must admit that all too often I have let friendly-fire incidents rock me to the core. They have caused me many sleepless nights, much anxiety, and even in some cases, depression. I have dealt with this so much that I even have contemplated leaving ministry and the church all together. I even find myself anticipating the next friendly-fire incident before it even comes! As a result I mull over and over in my mind "what to say" and "how" to say it. While it can be a good thing to think before you speak, it is not good to allow anxious thoughts to stay active in your mind. I have learned that type of thinking doesn't do anything good for me, at all.

So how do you get prepared for the next time? Jesus gives us perfect instruction and a promise:

First he says, "Settle it in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer." In other words, do not mull over and over in your mind the anticipation of persecution from someone who is not right with God and how to answer them. Trust me not you. Stop thinking about them and the how because it will only make you more anxious, fearful, and tempted to say something you shouldn't or cause you to not say something you should." 

Next he gives a huge promise, "For I will give you a mouth of wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict." My paraphrase would be: "I will give you the words to say and it will be my wisdom that deals with these people, not yours." That is awesome! 

Now, does that mean you won't get persecuted again by the same person or that the friendly-fire incidents will decrease or that you won't have to to make the choice: Stand firm or fall away? No. But it does mean that Jesus himself will give you a mouth of wisdom to deal with the people who lash out at you, even when it is other Christians.

So remember to combat the anxiety of friendly-fire with the Word of God and trust Jesus' way to deal with the problem and the person. He will give you what you need in the moment as you look to him! (Luke 12:10-11) . And make sure you memorize v.14-15 so that you will remind yourself to properly deal with the next friendly-fire incident on the field of battle! 

Taking the Fire With You,

Pastor Ryan

James 1:1 "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ..." (ESV)

A question I have been thinking alot about lately in my life is: Am I thinking and behaving like a servant of Christ? In other words, when people look at me, when they hear what I say, and see how I respond to things, do they encounter someone who is a servant or someone who wants to be served? Do they see me as person who has surrendered his rights to God or a person who exalting his rights over others? Do I come across as someone who is into himself, only concerned about his own comfort or do I come across like Jesus, as someone who is willing to sacrifice for others? 

Jesus said, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:35).  A few verses earlier the Bible says, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master" (Mark 10:24). The word Jesus uses for "servant" is from the Greek word "doulos" and it literally means "bondslave." It is the same word the half-brother of Jesus uses in James 1:1. James called himself a "bondslave" of Jesus Christ. Think about that for a moment. James was there when Jesus healed and ministered to people. He was there when Jesus washed the disciples feet! He heard Jesus say things like, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me' (Matthew 16:24) . And James was also there when Jesus died on the brutally on the cross for the sins of many. James knew by his Lord's example what a true servant was all about. As a result he modeled his life and his attitude after Jesus.

Hang with me for a moment. The POSB Commentary has a great description of the word "servant" in James 1:1. It says: 

a.  The slave was owned by his master; he was totally possessed by his master. This is what James meant. James was purchased and possessed by Christ, the Son of the living God. Christ had looked upon him and had seen his rebellious and needful condition. And when Christ looked, the most wonderful thing happened: Christ loved him and bought him; therefore, he was now the possession of Christ.

b.  The slave existed for his master and he had no other reason for existence. He had no personal rights whatsoever. The same was true with James: he existed only for Christ. His rights were the rights of Christ only.

c.  The slave served his master and he existed only for the purpose of service. He was at the master's disposal any hour of the day. So it was with James: he lived only to serve Christ—hour by hour and day by day.

d.  The slave's will belonged to his master. He was allowed no will and no ambition other than the will and ambition of the master. He was completely subservient to the master and owed total obedience to the will of the master. James belonged to Christ. In fact, he fought and struggled to bring "every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:3-5, esp. 2 Cor. 10:5).

(Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Hebrew, James.) 

Wow! Now that sheds light on what Jesus and James meant when they used the word "servant." But this word is not just to be understood in the mind, it is also to be practiced in the attitude and the life of every Christian.

Time for some real honesty: Do you know how many times I have heard other Christians say, "Well, I don't have time to serve. I am just too busy." Or  "I hope someone else will take over this job so I can just relax for awhile." Or  "I have put in my time, it is time for someone else to step up to the plate." Or  "I just don't have enough energy to serve right now"? This excuse or a variety I have heard or felt more times than I can keep track, for sure.

Sadly, when it comes to serving the Lord, many Christians are just passing the buck and expecting someone else to do the work. Many are just sitting in the pews Sunday after Sunday expecting to be served instead of serving Christ and others. Many Christians come up with all the excuses "why" they can't do something but they fail to give at least one reason why they should do something, which is: "I am a doulos, a bondslave of Christ." 

A Christian should not expect to be served but should expect to roll up their sleeves and get to work for Jesus Christ. What a shame that we can work for money, but we fail to work even more diligently for eternity. What a shame that we miss the blessing of making an impact in someone else's life because we are more concerned about who is making an impact in ours.

So my challenge to you is this: Inspect your heart. Have you been thinking and behaving like a servant? Or have you adopted a "sit and soak" mentality with God? Are you at the Master's disposal or are you serving another master? Have you started complaining and withdrawing from serving? In what ways at your local church are you working for Jesus? And will you give this matter serious consideration and find some ways you can get to work at your church? 

Serving Christ is hard work. It is not easy. But think about all they ways you spend your time and energy! Most of us are reaping more than we sow, longer than we sow, and harder than we sow. Why not sow some "doulos" for Christ instead of spending all the energy on you and other things? 

Only when we begin to have the servant's heart of Jesus will we experience more of God's will and blessing in our lives. So please, think about this issue, meditate upon the Word, and then get to work, in Jesus Name! You won't regret being a slave for Him! 

Blessings Upon Serving,

Pastor Ryan

P.S.  No doubt, to know me you have to know the order of my Christian life is: Jesus first, then family, then church. Please get the order right, but please don't use it as an excuse for not serving! 

2 Kings 4:6:  "When the vessels were full, she said to her son, 'Bring me another vessel.' And he said to her, 'There is not one vessel more.' And the oil stopped." (NASB)

Can I ask you a question? Do you feel like you are running on empty? Have you been going through a time of adversity and trial and it has just left you depleted? Have you been going through a time of desperate need and you are just at the end of rope and it feels like you are without any emotional or spiritual energy left in the tank? Or maybe you have been struggling with some sin that so easily entangles you and you feel like you are in a dry, parched, and lifeless desert spiritually with no hope of victory and you can't go one step further with the Lord? 

If you are feeling that way, then let me give you some encouragement from God's Word: We all face times of desperate need. Whether we bring these feelings of emptiness upon ourselves through sin or if it is because we are facing some difficulty we didn't ask for, here's the thing: we all face desperate times of need. It's ok, the first step in admitting your're empty is to come to the point of saying, "I am in a desperate place and I don't know what to do God." God knows, God sees, and God understands your pain. The thing is: You have to first be willing to admit your need and give it to Him.

In 1 Kings 4:1-7 we find a woman who was running on empty as a result of a desperate time in her life. Her husband had died, unexpectadly no doubt, and the creditors were coming to take away her two children to be slaves. As a result she does the only thing she knows how to do, admit her desperate need to Elisha the prophet.  Elisha then asks her two important questions in verse two:  1) What shall I do for you? and.... 2) What do you have in the house? 

Notice, the woman doesn't even answer the first question. What about you? Have you ever been at a point of desperate need and not even know what to say or what someone could do for you? This woman didn't even know how to answer the question. And I can say I've been there too. As a matter of fact, I am there right now. I have been running in so many different directions that I don't know which way is up and I have been negelcting some key areas in my life in this past year and it has left me feeling depleted, empty, and grasping for straws--running on empty. "I don't know God, I don't know why this is happening or what I can do." Yeah, I feel her desperation, do you? 

Notice, she does answer the second question at the end of the verse: "I have nothing....except this jar of oil." See, the woman thought and felt she had nothing but she had much more than she knew. She had way more, and God was going to use what she already had to stretch her faith. We have a tendency like this woman when something is seriously wrong in our lives, to say: "I have nothing!" But the truth is we have more than we think! As believers we have God's word, we have prayer, we have Christian brothers and sisters who love us, and most importantly--we have Christ! Are you at a time of desperate need? You do what you can and let God do what you can't. Let God use what you already have to move you to the place you want to be. 

Next, Elisha instructs the woman to go and collect empty oil jars door-to-door and bring them back for God to fill them. She offers up all the empty vessels she collected and then God filled them big time! Pay attention: As long as she kept bringing vessels God filled them. But when she stopped bringing vessels, God stopped filling and "the oil stopped" (v.6).

There is a deep spiritual principle here that would take way too long here to deeply discover but God's Word is saturated with it: God fills only what I offer. I believe that if the woman would have kept collecting the empty vessels and kept offering them up, God would have kept filling. Bottom line: God filled only what she offered.

So the real question is: What are your empty vessels that you are offering up to God? What is your desperate need that you stopped believing God for and stopped offering up to Him? What are the empty places in your life you need God to fill? Remember: God fills only what you offer.

Maybe you're like me and you need him to fill your empty heart. You are not as passionate about Jesus and His Word like you used to be and it feels like you are in a dry spritual desert. Great news: What you offer, God will fill! The Bible goes on to say in verse seven that the woman had enough oil to sell, pay off her debts, and live off the rest.

If you are running on empty God will fill the empty places of your life again. You have to remember to do what you can with what he has given you-- get into his Word, get on your knees in prayer, and get around God's people. Then, offer up your empty vessels and your deperate need to God and let Him do the rest! Let the Holy Spirit of God fill the empty places of your life by admitting when you are empty and coming to the everlasting well of living water in Jesus Christ. He can take your empty tank and refill it like never before!

Struggling With You,

Pastor Ryan