One Won One - Blog

Wick

9/28/2020

When a lit match is held to a candlewick, there is a point where the wick takes the flame as its own and then becomes a source of flame that can be used to light other things. This is how our faith walk should be. We accept the Light of the World into our hearts, and then we become a light in this world.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15)

Are we holding up our light for everyone to see? Are we not meant to chase away the darkness of this sinful world we reside in?

Lift up the burning fire of Jesus with prayer and thanksgiving that we might see the flame of faith ignite for those around us!

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)

#LoveMatters

Humility

9/24/2020

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. (John 13:1)

In John 13, we read what in my opinion is one of the most amazing accounts or our Lord Jesus. This is the night before He was crucified, and He bent down to wash the feet of His chosen disciples. How could the Lord of all the earth submit Himself in this way? I believe it is because Jesus knew who He was.

Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. (John 13:3)

When we know who we are and to whom we belong, it provides a viewpoint that will drive whether we are self-ish or self-less. The right choice allows us an ability to display an unearthly humility. Notice that right after we are told Jesus knew who He was and what He came for, this follows:

So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. (John 13:4-5)

Jesus knew who He was and instead of sitting on an earthly throne our King chose to stoop in front of dirty feet. When we in turn know who we are it should also cause us to display this unworldly humility. I think this pushes us to answer these two questions:

Question #1: Who am I?

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered! (Psalm 139:15-17)

I am human, I am precious in my Creator’s eyes, and I am fearfully and wonderfully made by the very One who gave His Life for mine.

Question #2: Whose am I?

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

There are two and only two answers for this. I am my own or I belong to Another. 1 Corinthians tells us we are not our own, but are actually vessels for a Holy God. Our Creator has built us with a hole that only He can fill. When we recognize this, we are no longer centered in ourselves, but centered on the One who fills our center.

Knowing this gives us the ability to see our position next to Jesus, and follow where He leads - even if it's stooping before our brothers and sisters.

#LoveMatters

Trust the Plan

9/21/2020

In John 11 we read that Jesus is told His friend Lazarus was sick. Jesus did not rush immediately to His side or speak a word and immediately heal Lazarus… even though He certainly could and had done so previously. This was because God had a bigger plan in motion.

So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days. (John 11:5-6)

Jesus loves you and I, as well. Just because He doesn’t immediately move to ‘fix’ your problem does not mean He isn’t aware of it. In fact, sometimes what we consider a problem that needs fixing may be something we badly need to go through to fulfill a greater purpose – whether in our own lives or the life of another.

Lazarus was dead and in the grave for 4 days before Jesus called him out.

But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” (John 11:39)

There are times when it is necessary for us to dwell in the stench of sorrow and loss; to wallow in a pit of despair and shame; to suffer through trials and tribulations that are beyond our ability to conquer. But when the long dark journey through the darkness ends and we are called into the light of day to shake off our grave-clothes and walk anew in the fresh morning air of salvation, the seemingly endless tribulation that is past is only a memory of the greatness of our Lord.

When that day comes and we slowly rise and walk away from the valley, there will be no doubt to ourselves or anyone watching that it was accomplished not by our power, but by God. All who witness such a miracle cannot stay silent!

Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. (John 12:17)

#LoveMatters

The Clean Air of Freedom

9/17/2020

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free." (John 8:34-36)

“Everyone who sins is a slave to sin”, and everyone sins, right?

Yes - each of us is a slave to sin. This is why we have to continually shake off the chains of slavery by asking Jesus to forgive us. Every time we sin, it’s like writing our mistakes and failures on a chalkboard.

When we confess our sins and ask Jesus to forgive us, it’s like taking the eraser to the board and wiping it clean. Now we are able to ‘be holy, for the Lord is holy’. Our lives and prayers take on a new power when the slate is clean!

But another day comes and sadly, we too often pick up the chalk and defile the board once again. And again we must recognize our sin, ask forgiveness and let Jesus wipe the slate clean.

This is why we must pick up our cross DAILY and follow Him. Only when the Son sets us free can we ever truly walk away from the chains of our slavery to sin.

Wipe the slate clean, and breathe in the clean air of freedom!

#LoveMatters

Proper Worship

9/14/2020

They worshiped worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. (2 Kings 17:15)

To worship someone or something, we are effectively placing what we worship above us – 'on a pedestal', as it were. It stands to reason then that we place ourselves ‘lower than’ that which we worship.

The Lord made humans to be above all else in His creation, so we should not worship those things that God has already placed below us. If we worship things that have no eternal worth – sex, money, celebrity, fame – we cannot ourselves then be found ‘worthy’ of the eternal.

"Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.'" (Genesis 1:26)

Additionally, since all humans are made in the likeness of God we should not worship another human - thereby placing ourselves ‘lower than’ one of our own kind. Rather, we should only and always worship the true and perfect One who created us all.

Only through proper worship of Another can we find our own worth – it is found in Jesus, the perfect Lamb who was slain for our sins. He alone is worthy of our praise and honor!

#LoveMatters

Larger than Life

9/10/2020

You clean me with Your Blood my God, even as my flesh longs for the filth of this world. You show me Your Light, yet my sinfulness continues to pursue the darkness.

Knowing You and even loving You will not remove this thorn in my flesh. Yet your Grace covers me, refreshing my spirit as you show me new life from the inside.

And yet the stench of death continues to cling to my shell.

The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” (Matthew 19:25-26)

Only Jesus is truly larger than life. He defeated death and the grave, and He offers us the new life He created for us. Through Him we have no fear, and only through Him can we hope to finally discard this flesh that is continuously striving for the grave.

But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. (Luke 12:5)

Thank you, Jesus! Because of what You have done, even when I’m at my worst You are always there prodding me like the stubborn and foolish sheep that I am to follow You to greener pastures.

#LoveMatters

Notoriety

9/7/2020

“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32)

Do you understand God is happy to give us His Kingdom? What He asks in return is for us to give Him our ‘kingdom’ on this earth. But what is our kingdom?

When we agree to pick up our cross and follow Him, we must first lay down what we are currently holding. Is it your family, job, or material things? Perhaps it is your pride, or even anger – many people seem to go through life looking for things to be outraged by.

Ultimately, your kingdom is where your worth is found. If my worth is found anywhere other than in the One who is truly worthy, then I need to be prepared to lay it down.

The other thing to consider in what we value is whether it is an immediate but temporary desire or something of eternal value. Many in this life chase after the temporary and miss out on what really matters, which is why Jesus reminds us:

“And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.” (Luke 13:30)

The person who gives everything away now for the Kingdom to come will not likely find notoriety in this life. But know this – the Kingdom is rejoicing even now for the one who empties their hands and frees them up for the Father’s work.

#LoveMatters

Who is Your Lazarus?

9/3/2020

Who is right outside your door? Maybe Jesus is knocking, as we read in Revelation 3:20:

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Or maybe outside your door is a Lazarus needing help, as Jesus talks about in Luke:

“At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.” (Luke 16:20-21)

If you won’t share your blessings here with those in need, you may sadly find that there won’t be blessings for you to share later:

“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.” (Luke 16:25)

The rich man had every material blessing – but his heart was void of mercy and compassion for the poor beggar right outside his door. Lazarus had nothing in this world except faith, hope, and love – yet he had true life in eternity while the rich man suffered.

Jesus is reminding us to keep our priorities straight! When it’s all said and done, if all you have left is faith in the Lord, hope for a better day ahead, and love for those you encounter, then you truly have everything you need.

#LoveMatters