You Are The Engineer!
February 9, 2012
By Jere E. Hughes
Ecclesiastes 3:1 states “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:”
In the following verses, the reader is reminded that God has a time and place for everything. These verses include a person’s time for birth, death, healing, embracing, and planting. The verses also include a person’s time for silence, tearing down, loss, and morning. The one unifying theme in the verses is everything is preformed on God’s time table.
Our lives resemble a railroad train full of cars. Each car reflects family members, friends, relationships, and plans. We, as Christians, are the engineer’s of our life train’s. As engineer’s we select the tracks to run our life train on. When we are on the tracks God has prepared for us, we make good time in the progression of our lives. However, when we try to travel sections of track by our navigation, we become side tracked or derailed. When we are on God’s appointed track but try to travel faster than God intends, we run out of track and come to the end of the track thus derailing.
It is very difficult turning over our lives to God. We often question God when events occur which we have no control over, especially when these events bring sorrow. During these times we need to seek guidance from scripture and to turn to God in prayer for comfort. Remember, you are the Engineer!
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Do You Have Room?
December 20, 2011
By Jere E. Hughes
Luke 2:7 states, “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
In the preceding verses Jesus enters the world as a babe and is laid in a manger in Bethlehem, the City of David. On the preceding afternoon, Mary and Joseph had completed the 100 mile journey from Nazareth which climaxed in one last steep ascent leading into the streets of Bethlehem which laid resting twenty-three hundred feet above sea level and six miles southwest of Jerusalem. Exhausted, Joseph led Mary, heavy with the child Jesus, into the streets of Bethlehem searching for lodging by calling, “Do you have room?” Up and down the streets passed the soon to be born infant Jesus but no-one had room for him. Unfortunately, Bethlehem’s citizens reception portrayed a very sad reversal from the joyous acknowledgement from the infant in the womb of Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, who would give birth to John the Baptist.
Has the world changed since that night? In the rush of Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, and party scheduling do we hear Jesus call, “Do you have room?” As Christians, as we enjoy all the blessings God has given us this past year and fail to give him our time, do we hear Jesus call, “Do you have room?” Finally, to those who read this and cannot say Jesus is your Savior, do you hear Jesus call, “Do you have room?”
During these Holidays, remember the birth of Jesus is the reason for the season. Make Room!
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Sorry or Sorrowful?
December 6, 2011
By Jere E. Hughes
Luke 18:13 states, “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!”
In the preceding verses Jesus tells the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. The Pharisee enters into the temple, or presence of God, stands gazing upward and prays to God thankful for not being an extortioner, adulterer, or a tax collector. In other words, the Pharisee was only sorry for being a little bit of a sinner. The tax collector, standing afar, could not even lift his eyes to heaven. The only gesture the tax collector could muster was a futile beating of the chest while pleading to God for mercifulness.
The difference between the two men is observed in the difference between being sorry and being sorrowful. When I was a young man I was sorry when my father and I argued. However, since the death of my father I am sorrowful about these same arguments. The arguments did not change but the condition of my heart changed thus causing the sorry to become sorrowful. The true difference between the Pharisee and the Tax Collector were the conditions of their hearts. Only from the heart comes either sorry or sorrowful. Only from the heart comes the desire for repentance and pleas of mercy.
As we draw near to our Heavenly Father, we are always reminded of our sins. Some Christians are only sorry for being sinful while others can only gaze downward, in sorrow, pleading for mercy from God. In verse fourteen Jesus finishes the parable stating the one who exalts himself will be humbled and the one who humbles himself will be exalted. As Christians when we draw close to God and our heart speaks to us, “What will our hearts be, sorry or sorrowful?”
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“Rabbi or Rabboni?”
November 22, 2011
By Jere E. Hughes
John 20:16 states “Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!”
In the preceding verses Mary Magdalene had come to the tomb to complete matters required in the care of the dead but upon arrival had found the tomb empty. While outside the tomb crying, Mary had engaged in conversation with two angels searching for the body of Jesus. Mary, still searching for the body of Jesus, observed an individual whom she thought to be the gardener. However, it was Jesus and he questioned Mary as to why she was crying. Mary responded, still failing to recognize Jesus, pleading to be informed where Jesus’ body was. At this point Jesus called her by name, previously the term woman was utilized, and Mary recognized Jesus calling him Rabboni.
The Hebrew text interprets Rabboni as “My Teacher.” The Aramaic translation renders this as “My Lord.” The thought pattern is owner, master, or lord. What a contrast to the usage of the greeting of Rabbi, or “Teacher”, by Judas to Jesus when he greeted Jesus with a kiss identifying him to the temple guard in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here we have two individuals who were each close to Christ, received the same teachings, but saw Him differently in their hearts.
As Christians, we actively seek Christ in our lives with a passion similar to Mary Magdalene’s search that morning. However, regardless of the intensity of our efforts and sincerity of our wishes we sometimes fail to recognize Christ, or Christ-like actions, when we meet them head on. Fortunately, we serve a Master that will call out to His lost sheep in a voice which the sheep will recognize. What a comfort it is in knowing that if we seek Him, Christ will always reveal himself to us. However, when we do meet Christ face to face, will we cry Rabbi or Rabboni?
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Who’s Your Father?
November 14, 2011
By Jere E. Hughes
Mark 3:33 states “But He answered them saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, Here are My mother and brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”
In the preceding verses Mary, the mother of Jesus, has arrived with the four half-brothers of Jesus in Capernaum to bring Jesus home. Mary’s major concern was for the safety of her son which is justified in verse 6 of the same chapter in the statements documenting the joint efforts of the Pharisees and Herodians to destroy Jesus. The half-brothers of Jesus probably thought Jesus had lost control of his senses, verse 21 of the same chapter, and felt their combined number would be required to physically bring Jesus home.
However, when they sent word through the multitude of their presence Jesus responds in a manner which surprised them. Instead of complying, Jesus sets a new parameter for being a family member. Jesus stated to the crowd, and to the world today, that anyone who follows’ the will of God is of the family of Jesus, or the Son of God. In other words, upon accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and acknowledging God as our Father we become spiritually related to Christ. The second point in this passage states that following God’s will in our lives will cause dissension with our earthly family members. When these moments occur, having strong ties with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ is even more important. So, while it is important to know your earthly mother, it is of more importance to correctly answer, “Who is your Father?”
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How Is Your Sailing?
November 1, 2011
By Jere E. Hughes
Mark 4:39 states “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”
In the preceding verses the disciples are stricken with fear, uncertainty, and anxiety. They were caught in a mighty storm in a ship on the water. The waves were pitching high, with white capped tops and stomach turning drops into the troughs. The disciples, several of them veteran fisherman, were convinced their lives were about to end. Finally, the point came when the mere presence of Jesus being with them did not provide comfort; they had to cry out to him to save them. Upon being summoned, even though he was with them all along, Jesus calmed the storm tossed seas and brought peace to the situation.
As certain as the disciples experienced the storm by following Jesus into the boat that evening, it is certain today’s Christians following Jesus will face the storm tossed seas of Satan. We, as Christians, have the same ability to call on our Savior when we feel overwhelmed by the storms of life Satan sends our way. Jesus, just as he was with the disciples, is always near, ready to provide comfort and peace. When Christians follow God, they will walk into the full force of Satan. However, when Christians turn away from God, they are walking with Satan which producing calmer seas. So, how is your sailing?
