Bible

Get to work

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

Eph 2:10 says that God created a work for us to do. More specifically it says “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (NLT).

That is pretty awesome. First God says we are a masterpiece, something special, something more than just worthwhile, but great because of Him. That is something that takes a long time to really understand. The God of the universe, the Creator of heaven and earth. The thinker of stars and galaxies says “I have made you a masterpiece” then He goes so far as to say “I also made something for you to do.” Not only does He take great delight in the work of His hand but He says now go and do likewise.

The main point I want to get across is that while we all have a calling from God, we also have smaller works too. I think everyone will look back at their life and see an overarching work you did. Something you will be remembered for. It might be compassion, or mercy, or love, or gentleness, or passion, but whatever it is there is something you will be known for. But there are smaller works for you to do sometimes within that scope and sometimes outside of it. For example, when you leave the house today to go grocery shopping God could have it in place for you to pay for someone’s food. Maybe He will have you in place to encourage someone who is grieving. It could be as simple as just being an amazing presence in your home to show God’s goodness. Whatever it is God has a plan/work for you today and we can easily miss it.

We can miss it if we think that today is just another day. If we decide that today has no real or lasting importance we can miss our job for the day. I think that we should all take a minute (30 seconds maybe) to ask God a pointed question that can change the whole day. I think we should take just a moment to ask God if He has something He wants us to do today. After all, we call Jesus Lord and Savior. We do not just get a Savior but a Lord as well.

The lawnmower didn’t change

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

Phil 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

A while back I had not cut the grass for 3 or 4 weeks. It was due to a mix of it raining every time I did have a chance and being lazy (not sure which played a bigger part). The result was the same; the lawn was out of control. I mean it was probably 8-12 inches high in some spots. Also, I should mention I had 50% grass 50% weeds. Not to mention my front yard had a pretty decent slope. All this together created a nightmare of a time. My little walk behind had a terrible time keeping up and didn’t at times. What usually took me 30-35 minutes to cut took over an hour and then it still took me about 45-50 minutes each time after that. It drove me crazy because it was always hard to cut. I had complained a lot about my stupid mower. I could not understand why that stupid thing would not cut the grass… Then I had an epiphany. It was not the mower.

I had always cut it down to the lowest or second lowest setting. Now I was on the highest or second highest setting. Because I let it get out of control I could barely manage to keep it under control. It is a lot like our spiritual life. If we walk away from Bible Study, Prayer, Fellowship, etc. then things start to grow out of control. When we come back to it we are expecting our normal effort to produce an extraordinary result. The lawnmower did not change the request, however, did. My Bible Study, Prayer, and Fellowship has not changed after not attending to these things but the lawn I expect them to take care of has overgrown. What is then required is either a bigger tool or repetitive use of the tools.

In order to deal with the overgrowth, I would have to go back and mow the lawn a few times or I needed someone with a more powerful (and hopefully riding) mower to intercede on my behalf. If I walk too far away from Bible Study, Prayer, and Fellowship then when I come back I need either a drastic move from God or more Bible Study, Prayer, and Fellowship to help cut down the overgrowth. The same thing applies. I sometimes think that the rules of life do not apply to spiritual things but sometimes they do. We need to be diligent in dealing with our relationship to God. He has promised to not quit on us but we have a part to play in the relationship with Him. That is why it is called a relationship.

ooh Mr Kotter, Mr Kotter

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Tim 3:16

Most believers know this verse and we know that it means the Bible is the Word of God and we can and should trust Scripture, but let me drop this thought on you. If Scripture is from God then it is Holy, and if it is Holy then we must treat it as Holy, that means to set it apart. We do not drop parts of Scripture here and there pasting bits and pieces like decoupage. No we must care for it and use it in it’s proper and rightful places. Some non-believers run around throwing out Scripture bombs because they do not understand it but we have an understanding and are called to treat it properly.

I have been given the privilege to share the word with some middle school boys today and I give it as much thought and prayer as I did when I spoke in the prisons, to congregations, or in weekly Bible studies because the avenue is not of importance, but the Word is of utmost importance. It does not matter if you speak to hundreds, thousands, or 1 the Word of God is mighty and the fact that you get the privilege to read it and share it is a gift from God. Do not take it lightly.

Just a thought,
Mike

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
James 3:1

Where are you supposed to be?

/ Mike Farley / Leave a comment

I was thinking about David and Bathsheba yesterday.  Specifically about what lead up to the whole roof top, baby, and murder incidents.  There is something we can see that started this chain of events and something that also happens in your and mine.  The phrase I am referring to is “but David remained in Jerusalem.”  That one little phrase set of a chain of tragic events and devastating consequences.

If you do not know the story of these two then I recommend you read it.  There is a lot to going from understanding the story and seeing God’s great love.  But right now I want to focus on that phrase “but David remained in Jerusalem.”  This phrase is so very important because it succinctly shows how the rest of David’s life was set on a path he would have never chosen nor wanted all because he remained in Jerusalem.  You see David was supposed to be somewhere else, he had a place he was supposed to be but instead he was where he wasn’t supposed to be.  I do not like to use phrases like always, or never, but in this case I am going to.  If you remain where you are not supposed to be then you will always have some degree of trouble.  God has appointed a place for you to be.  Maybe it is locationally, emotionally, or spiritually, know this God has somewhere you are supposed to be, and if you are not there you will find trouble.

Let’s say like David, it is locational.  He was supposed to be in 20 miles east of the Jordan in Rabbath but he wasn’t there.  Instead he was in Jerusalem doing what he wanted to do.  This caused him to see something he should not have seen, and since he was already not doing what God wanted what is one more thing.  After all he thought “I am the King”.  Sorry David wrong answer.  You should have been where you belonged.  I got into heaps of trouble as a kid because I skipped school.  I was not in trouble for skipping school, it was the things that I was doing while I should have been in school that got me into the most trouble.  I was not where I belonged.

Let’s say it is emotionally.  You should have forgiven your father, brother, mother, husband, wife, son, daughter, cop, pastor, or whatever.  You should have let that burden go and moved on with your life, but you don’t.  Instead you stew on it and let it fester.  You think about it all the time.  You start to get in a good mood and then let it bring you back down.  How could they, how dare they, don’t they know, don’t they care.  You list all the reasons over and over again until finally it completely consumes you.  Guess what though…You don’t belong there.  You have somewhere you are supposed to be.  God has a place of perfect peace for you.  You are in the emotional land of Strife, but God has intended for you to be in the land of Shalom.  Shalom does not just mean peace, but peace, prosperity, completeness, and welfare.  That is where God intends for you to be.

What do I mean by spiritually though.  How can you be in the wrong place there?  Maybe you are not spending time with God.  Maybe you ignore him for whatever reason (usually something to do with the two above).  God has a place that you belong, and it’s called Relationship.  Perfect relationship actually.  Christians usually call this fellowship , but that just means spending time with and enjoying company.  God wants to spend time with you and wants you to enjoy time with Him.  Jesus did everything He did so that this could happen.  He wants you bad.  If you’re not in the right place here you will continually look for a place to be and find more and more trouble.

The tricky part of all of this is sometimes we honestly do not know where we are supposed to be.  I myself have struggled with this for years.  I am starting to get there but it is hard.  Spend time in prayer, ask God where you are supposed to be, and then go there.  Once you know where you are supposed to be it all gets better.  I am not saying you will never have trouble.  Jesus says in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in Me you will have peace.  In this world you will have trouble,  but take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  Life can always be hard and anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to sell you something.  Take heart my friend Jesus has overcome and made a place for you.

Just a thought,

Mike