My Sheep Know My Voice

John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

What do we listen to the most? Are we a sports junkie – listening to 105.7 or 106.7 all day long – listening to sport’s news from Baltimore or Washington – or ESPN or other sports channels? Are we country music junkies – listening to 98.7 or 93.1 country radio? Are we a soft rock junkie – listening to oldies channels on the radio or on XM radio? Do we like classical music – listening to it at home or at work or in the car?

What do we listen to the most? Can we remember the lyrics to our favorite songs – current on even from our youth? There are radio contests where people are asked to guess what song is playing – simply by listening to a short piece from the song or even the opening chord.

What do we listen to the most? as a married couple – can you finish your partner’s sentences – because you have listened to the so long – you know how they think – or what they would say in a given situation?

Being Jesus’ Disciple

Matthew 16:24

Then Jesus said to his disciples, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Sunday past – we preached about Letting Go and letting God take control of our lives. We were reminded that God wants total control of our lives. God wants to be Lord of our lives and that unless He is Lord – He cannot be our Savior. That doesn’t mean we are perfect or never sin – but it means that we intentionally – and purposefully – yield control of our lives to Jesus. You can listen to the message in the service link here.

Remember – we’re told Jesus responded to the request for the greatest commandment with these words. Mark 12:30 – Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. We’re to love God with our all and al – not just on Sunday mornings or a few times a week or even daily during our devotional time. We are to love God with our everything – all the time.

Jesus was speaking to His disciples and told them that in order to be His disciples – they needed to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Him. Here is today’s passage in partial context. Matthew 16:24–27 – ²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Does The Church Need to Change with the Times?

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Have you ever heard this statement – the church needs to change with the times? For me – this is a mixed message with some truths and some falsehoods mixed together. I can see ways the church should change and ways they cannot change – because if they do – they cease to be the Body of Christ – the church – and they end up being a socially influenced group.

I believe that the church should change society – the society should not change the church. Yet – there are changes that can be made. As I search Scripture – I often ask myself – is this something that is timeless or is this a cultural thing meant for that time and place?

My father and grandfather were both Methodist pastors. I have some of their sermons. I have read some of their sermons. There are Biblical truths in their sermons that are timeless. I could use and have used some of them. I had to change some of the cultural references – and use examples that were relevant to my congregation – but – the essential truths of the messages were the same.

The Lord’s Will

Ephesians 5:17

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Growing up – I often wrestled with what was right and what was wrong. Like many of us – especially young people dealing with peer pressure – I often came to my dad to ask if something were right or wrong. Often – dad would give me this guidance – if you have to ask son – it is probably wrong. I used that with my daughters too. If our spirit is uneasy with something – it is probably not something we should be doing. If we are raised right – and have a moral base – our hearts will reveal to us right and wrong.

Another way of understanding right from wrong – at least another name for it – is understanding the Lord’s will. I’ve often told people – the way to understand God’s will is to deepen your walk with Jesus. In Romans 12:2 we read – Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

I often use the example of a glass of water. The glass represents our lives – the water in the glass – let’s safe half-full – represents the things of God in our lives. The air in the glass will represent the things of the world or the things of Satan or sin. The way to remove the sins in our lives (the air in the glass) – the way to understand God’s will for our lives – is to add more of the things of God (water). As we add the things of God to our lives (the glass) – the air naturally is replaced with the water we add.

The Sinful Nature Within Us!

Romans 7:18

For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

The sinful nature within us! Where do we struggle the most in our lives? Have we ever felt one way and yet ended up going another way? Silly question – right? We are all human – and most know the right thing to do but at times have succumbed to the wrong way. We often know the right way – and yet yield to the wrong way. We fight temptations and evil – but at times we fail in our struggle. I know I have – more times than I wish to remember. And I keep trying to find a way to be faithful to what I know to be right.

The sinful nature within us! Where do we struggle the most in our lives? For some – it is with what we put into our bodies. That could mean drugs – or alcohol – or it could mean overeating. Anything we do to excess – and the things that can be harmful to us. We know certain things are wrong and harmful – yet some of us continue to abuse our bodies with what we put into them. We try diets – we try to be sober – we try to walk the steps – but – at times – we succumb to what is harmful for us. Again – I have a mirror up as I type this devotional seeing myself!

The sinful nature within us! Where do we struggle the most in our lives? For some – it is our behavior. Some of us have trouble with interpersonal relationships. Some have tempers – some use foul language – some have faithfulness issues – some are gossips – some see most things from a negative point of view – and more. We probably know we should do better – and may even desire to do better – but the flesh is weak it seems.