Why?

Matthew 12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

When terrible things happen, we must ask why? Why do children and school staff die by the hands of a deranged woman in a private Christian school? When these tragedies happen, people start blaming—blame the politicians, blame law enforcement, blame the system, blame the school, blame the church, blame Christians, blame God… It seems the blame goes in every direction except where it is deserved.

Why did this tragedy happen? Scripture makes it clear; there are evil people in the world who do evil things. This past week a woman with evil in her heart committed an evil act against innocent people, and she deserves the blame. She had a choice. She could have stored up good treasures in her heart and brought forth good things. Instead, she harbored evil treasures in her heart and committed cold blooded murder. Her act was well thought out and premeditated by hatred. Her life was filled with the works and teachings of this crooked and perverse generation, and as scripture promises, “He who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.” (Proverbs 11:19) This woman was like Cain “who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.” (1 John 3:12)

Why did this terrible thing happen? Because this woman loved darkness rather than the light and her deeds were evil. (John 3:19)

How do we respond to that? Do we rage and repay evil with evil? No, we overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:21)

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

(This post has been edited to reflect what I now understand to be the shooter’s God given biological gender. The original reports were confusing.)

Church—Definition and Purpose

2 Corinthians 5:18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation…

Often people make references to the Church as being a community that serves the community. Those words sound nice, but the word “community” cannot be found anywhere in the New Testament writings. The Bible never defines the Church in reference to “community.”

So, what is the Church. The Greek word that is translated “church” in our Bibles is ecclesia, and it means a gathering of people who have something in common. In the case of the Church, we are a gathering of people who share a true belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. That is the Biblical definition of a Church.

But that leads to another question. What is the purpose for that gathering? Scripture is clear. The Church gathers for three reasons: to worship our Lord, to be taught His word, and to fellowship with like-minded believers who will encourage us. Those are the primary purposes of the gathered Church.

But what is the Church’s purpose outside the gathering? Many would say it is community service: feeding the hungry, providing clothes and shelter… Others would say it is solidifying a moral political agenda for the community around us. Still, others would say our purpose is to promote social justice. None of those are Biblically correct.

The Church has one primary purpose outside its doors. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Our purpose is to reconcile people to God by leading them to saving faith in Jesus Christ. When a church makes its purpose anything other than worship, teaching and learning, fellowship, and evangelism that church has lost its purpose and really isn’t a church at all. So let us be the Church we are supposed to be.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Growing

Ephesians 4:14-15 …we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ…

As Spring approaches I’m reminded that the growing season will soon be upon us. In a short time, seeds will be planted in the fields and gardens in hopes of growing a crop. Growth is simply a part of life. Plants grow, animals grow, children grow…all living things grow. I’ve heard that, “If it’s not growing it’s dying,” and there’s some truth to that. Growth is important.

It’s no different with our spiritual life. If you aren’t growing spiritually, then your faith might be dying. We can’t remain spiritual infants forever. Scripture says we need to stop drinking spiritual milk and sink our teeth into spiritual meat. We need to grow up.

In the verses above Paul implies that spiritual immaturity will result in a Christian who gets tossed around when it comes to doctrinal matters. If you don’t grow spiritually, you’ll be tricked into believing every deceitful lie that comes down the pipe regarding matters of faith. You need to know and understand the truth of Scripture, and you need to know it so well that you can lovingly speak that truth into the lives of other people. In that way, Paul says, you will grow in all things into the image of the one who saved you from your sins, Jesus Christ.

Have a God Filled Week,

Brother Donnie

Stuff

Luke 12:15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

Scripture warns us over and over about covetousness. In fact, one of the Ten Commandments tells us, “Thou shalt not covet.” (Exodus 20:17) Specifically, that Commandment tells us not to covet anything that belongs to our neighbor. Now, some people hear that and think to covet is simply to desire something that belongs to someone else, but the sin of covetousness is more than that.

To covet is to desire, to want, to long for something. Covetousness consists of greed, materialism, and gluttony. Sure, to covet is to desire what someone else has, but it also means to desire what the world has. When Jesus spoke the words above, He was warning His disciples about greed. He says life doesn’t consist of owning a bunch of stuff; there’s much more to life than that. Jesus followed those words with a parable about a man who had accumulated so much stuff he wanted to tear down his perfectly good barns so he could build bigger ones to put all his stuff in.

You might be asking, what’s so bad about having a lot of stuff? Well, the problem isn’t necessarily having stuff so much as it is trusting in your stuff rather than God. That’s what happened in the parable Jesus told about the man and his barns. That man told his soul to kick back and relax because he had enough stuff to last a long time, and God said he was foolish for doing that. (Luke 12:16-21)

Jesus follows all this by saying, “But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Luke 12:31)

Put God and His Kingdom first, and God will take care of the other stuff.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Legacy

Proverbs 10:7 The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot.

There’s a Contemporary Christian song I like that asks the question, “What are they gonna say about me when I’m gone?” It’s a good question. Some people would answer that by saying, “I don’t care what people say about me after I’m dead; it doesn’t matter,” but that’s not true. The legacy you leave behind is of great benefit to God. When people remember a righteous person they will be blessed by that memory, but when they remember an evil person that memory brings decay.

Your witness for Christ can continue for generations after you’re dead. Just imagine what a blessing it would be if someone were to come to saving faith in Jesus because they remembered your righteousness. Paul once made a reference to people who are baptized because of the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:29) Some people come to saving faith in Jesus and get baptized because of the influence someone who passed away had in their life.

So don’t ever sell the influence your legacy has on others short. Memories of your past life can lead to blessings or decay. It all depends on what kind of legacy you leave behind. What people say about you when you’re gone matters. So, do everything in your power to leave a legacy of righteousness.

Proverbs 3:35 The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the legacy of fools.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Among You

Mark 10:43 Yet it shall not be so among you…

All through the New Testament writings we hear the words “among you” used in reference to believers, to Christians; and usually that term is used in negative terms. Don’t let this happen among you; don’t let this be said about you; don’t let this be named among you…

In telling us these things the Bible is saying we Christians should be different than the rest of the world. The world might accept certain things; the culture might uphold a set of human values, standards, and beliefs, but not you. As Christians, we are to be different.

It seems in these modern times the church has fallen for the lie that the more we look, think, and act like the world—the more we allow human standards of morality and justice to come into the church—the more we will be accepted by the world and the greater our influence we will be over them. But the word of God doesn’t teach us that. God’s word says, “…it shall not be so among you…” We can’t win the world for Christ by being like the world. We must come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. (2 Corinthians 6:17)

Ephesians 5:3-4 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

Let things be different among you.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Stirred Up

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Christians are commanded to assemble together—to gather on a regular basis as a church. Christians who don’t regularly attend church are disobedient to the Lord’s command, but they’re also missing out on some great blessings. One of the reasons we go to church is to stir up love.

Look, it’s hard to stir yourself to love when you’re sitting at home on Sunday mornings, even if you’re assembled with friends and family. But when Christians gather for church we stir up love.

Now, you might be asking, “What kind of love can the assembled church stir up in me that I can’t get at home from my family and friends?”

The short answer is, “Love for Jesus Christ.” When you sit at home and gather in non-church settings it’s easy to forget how much you love Jesus, but when you assemble with other Christians at church your love for Christ will be stirred up by your fellow Christians and the result will be good works. So go to church and get stirred up.

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

Weary

2 Thessalonians 3:13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.

It may seem an odd statement, but there are times when a Christian might feel tempted to throw up their hands and say, “I’m tired of doing good. I’m tired of always being expected to do the right thing and say the right thing and think the right thing. I’m tired of fighting the good fight. I just want to give up.”

It’s true that some people are just plain lazy, too lazy to do good. Prior to this verse Paul addresses them by saying, “If anyone won’t work, neither should he eat,” but that’s not the case here. In this verse Paul’s talking about a person who is just bone-tired, worn out from doing good.

It’s when we’re weary that we’re at our weakest. When we’re worn down and worn out that’s when the devil attacks the hardest because he knows our exhaustion might cause us to give up and quit, but Paul exhorts us not to do that.

Paul’s not talking to the spiritually lazy in this verse; he’s speaking to the brethren, to the true believers, to brothers and sisters in Christ. He tells us, don’t quit just because you’re tired. Don’t give in. Don’t back down. Don’t grow weary in doing what’s right and saying what’s right and thinking what’s right.

As tempted as you might be to throw in the towel because you’re tired and fatigued—don’t. Don’t give in to your exhaustion. Don’t give in to your weakness.

“As for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.”

Have a God Filled Week,

Brother Donnie

Pieces of the Puzzle

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

The past few weeks my wife and I have been putting together a jigsaw puzzle, and it isn’t easy. It’s difficult to get all the pieces joined together in the right places. The creator of the puzzle made them to be perfectly joined, but it seems they have a mind of their own. They just don’t want to cooperate.

The Church is no different. The Lord designed His Church to be made up of various pieces—people who were created to fit together perfectly to form one body. When Christians join together they complete a picture of Jesus Christ called the Church. Unfortunately, some of the pieces don’t want to cooperate. They refuse to be joined together with the other pieces.

The puzzle Beverly and I are putting together has the potential to be beautiful, but right now there are gaping holes in it because pieces are missing. There are even a few pieces that might have been jammed in the wrong place. There are so many loose pieces scattered over the table you can’t see the picture.

The Church of Jesus Christ has the potential to be a beautiful picture, but when the Church is missing pieces, when pieces are in the wrong places, when unattached pieces are scattered all around; then it’s difficult for the world to see the image of Christ in His Church.

Don’t be a missing piece of the puzzle. You are an important part of the Church. Isn’t it time for you to be perfectly joined together with like-minded believers? Isn’t it time for you to join the Church?

Have a God Filled Week,
Brother Donnie

New Creations

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Many people are change resistant; they simply don’t want to change, but change is a part of what it means to be in Christ—to be a truly saved believer. If you have truly placed your faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, it will happen; you will be changed.

If you profess to believe in Jesus—to be saved from your sin by the grace of God through your faith in Jesus Christ—there will be changes in the way you think, the way you talk, and the way you act. Things that were once in the foreground will fade into the background, and new things will take their place. Sinful living will be replaced by righteous living, and greed will be replaced by generosity. Anger will be replaced by peace, and hate will be replaced by love. The changes that salvation demands might be subtle, or they might be dynamic, but they will come.

So, as Scripture commands, examine yourselves. Have you noticed changes in your life since you became a Christian? Have you forsaken past sins and perused righteousness? Do you love like Jesus? Has a desire to please Jesus become the highest priority for you? If you truly are saved, the evidence will be there. The changes in your life might be small at first, maybe even miniscule; but they will happen, and they will continue through the rest of your life as you are transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into the perfect image of Christ. For the truly saved believer in Jesus Christ change is not an option.

Have a God Filled Week,

Brother Donnie