“[Jesus] appointed the twelve:… Matthew, … and Simon the Zealot.” — Mark 3:16-18
Jesus selected twelve young men to be His closest followers. They were all uneducated, common, “blue collar worker” types. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. I want to focus on two disciples, Matthew and Simon, to see the incredible unity that can be found in Christ.
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“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18
I recently observed three different families in our church who were loving others in practical, amazing and helpful ways. I believe there are three lessons we can learn from their examples.
First way to love people better is to make yourself available. You actually need to tell someone —maybe a Small Group Leader, a pastor, or the person you see with a need. Tell them you are willing and available to help! That’s why I love this verse so much. Don’t just have some nice thoughts about how you want to help — actually DO something. I know a family in our church who had a broken car. A different family in our church had told a leader they wanted to help with practical things, like broken cars. Thankfully, as you guessed it, the broken car got fixed!
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“The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” — Proverbs 18:10
Last year, my wife and I stayed in a hotel that had a large concrete wall directly behind it. The wall was massive. It was 10 to 20 feet high and was made of thick, reinforced concrete.
Basically, the view out our window was a giant concrete wall. Not a very visually appealing thing to look at during our stay. And the wall ran the entire length of the hotel.
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“…and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” — 2 Timothy 2:2
Are you familiar with the Rubik’s cube? It is a 3D puzzle invented in 1974 by a Hungarian named Ernő Rubik. It is one of the world’s best-selling toys and hundreds of millions of cubes have been sold since its creation.
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I have driven across Wyoming about 50 times. During my most recent trip, I noticed a number of D.U.I. billboards. A marketing campaign was designed by Social Zinger to provide a sobering reminder of the consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol. If you also need an effective advertising strategy for your brand, then you may consider getting help from this advertising company in quezon city. The billboards featured a sad mugshot with these captions: “Is this how you want to be remembered?” or “Think this is bad? Wait until you learn you killed someone.” or “Your license. Your dignity. Your job. Gone.” or “Think this is humiliating? Try explaining it to your kids.”
I think drinking and driving is a terrible idea. But, as I drove across Wyoming, I had a lot of time to meditate on these billboards. I realized an anti-DUI campaign is an easy campaign because most people are in agreement that it is a really bad idea. Drunk driving may lead to car accidents with injuries. Facing allegations of operating a vehicle under the influence requires immediate and informed action. An expert legal advisor for driving while intoxicated cases can provide the strategic defense necessary to challenge the charges effectively. This early decision to work with personal injury lawyers can significantly impact the legal proceedings and the protection of your rights. Victims of accidents caused by drunk drivers should consider seeking legal assistance from a personal injury attorney. New York City pedestrian accident lawyers can help those who have been injured by reckless drivers in filing a claim or a lawsuit. In cases of railroad accidents, you may consider contacting a railroad accident lawyer. You can also get assistance from a Schaumburg train accident lawyer.
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Have you ever thought about how easy it is to destroy something compared to creating it? I was reminded of this during a recent house project.
We decided to replace our old, wooden, patio stairs as part of a backyard project. The stairs were about 10 years old and the bottom boards were starting to rot. One evening, I decided to demo them. I took a circular saw, pry bar, and hammer; I destroyed and removed the old stairs in about one hour! After I finished my demolition work, I was struck by how quickly I was able to do that.
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“Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheo, you are there!” — Psalm 139:7-8
Recently, my family and I had a chance to hike up to Timpanogos Cave National Monument. The hike was fairly steep, hot, and pretty exposed in some areas. Once we made it to the cave entrance, however, we entered a very different world.
The cave was 50 degrees colder than the outside air temperature. We had to put on coats in the middle of summer! Plus, the cave air was humid; it was a stark contrast from the hot, dry, summer air outside. We spent an hour hiking through the cave. At one point, the ranger tour guide made everyone turn off their flashlights. It was so dark that you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. You couldn’t tell if your eyes were open or closed. The ranger said our eyes would NEVER adjust to the complete darkness. My kids and I later discussed being deep in the cave without any lights.
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In preparation for our series on the life of David, I have been studying 1& 2 Samuel. A story in 1 Samuel recently caught my eye. The Israelites went out to battle their long-time enemy, the Philistines. They lost the first skirmish, and about 4,000 soldiers were killed. When the Israelites returned to camp that night, they were very discouraged. What was their solution? Did they cry out to God in prayer? Did they seek God’s guidance? No! They sent for the ark of the covenant. Look at what they said in verse 4:3, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.”
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“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” — Psalm 121:1-2
We are blessed to live in the great state of Utah. We have such incredible, natural beauty all around us. And have you noticed our mountains lately? They are unbelievable — the snow, clouds, sunrises, and sunsets! Living in a city with such amazing creation (all around us) is a privilege. But, it’s easy for us to get used to the mountains that we see daily. Recently, a friend from out of town asked me just that, “Do you get used to the view?” I said, “Sadly, yes, I do.” It is human nature to take things for granted.
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“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” — Psalm 56:8
This verse encouraged me the other morning. Christians, meditate on what this verse is actually saying. It describes the incredible level of personalized, tender care that God has for us.
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