Better Blessings.

Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazereth, walk.” Acts 3:5

My dad told me a story about when he was a young serviceman stationed in Okinawa. He had a supervisor who decided to be hard on my father because of his race. He warned him if he failed to get a perfect score he would do everything in his power to make sure dad never had the opportunity to succeed. In hindsight my dad credits this supervisor with setting him on the path to success. Christians need to aware that the best blessings might come disguised as something else.

In this passage, Peter and John were on their way to the temple for the afternoon prayer. At the entrance to the temple was a man, lame from birth, begging for coins. Peter said to him that he did not have money, but he could give him something better. Peter took him by the hand and immediately the man was no longer lame, but could walk. Some of us are praying for a job while God is preparing us for an important career. Some of us are praying for success and God is trying to give us purpose. Some are praying for wealth and God is trying to give us wisdom.

I pray today that you accept the better blessing God has for you.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Crisis Management.

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25

As the world continues to grow more dangerous, the practice of Crisis Management has grown as a response to the need for ways to cope in these perilous times. Crisis managers prepare and help guide companies through catastrophic events that occur without warning. From terrorist attacks to product recalls to malicious rumors, these professionals help organizations make the best out of bad situations. Christians have a great example of how to behave in tough situations in the biblical account of Paul and Silas in a Roman prison.

Paul and Silas were preaching in Philippi when they encountered a troubled little girl whom they healed. Her owners had made money from her condition and they took Paul and Silas before a judge and had them beaten and thrown into jail. Severely beaten and in prison placed in stocks Paul and Silas surely were encountering a crisis. It is at this point the Bible states that even at midnight they were praying and singing hymns to God and reaching the other prisoners who were listening to them. Our reaction to crisis is usually to focus on our predicament. Paul and Silas instead focused on the task they had been called to do. They continued to lead people to Christ. As Christians, the first item in our crisis management manuals needs to be to continue serving God. If we focus on him then he will dispatch of the crisis as he did for Paul and Silas so we can continue serving him.

If you find yourself confronted by a crisis today, worship your way out of it.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Mirror, Mirror.

But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?"
"I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die." Jonah 4:9

There is a joke about an older couple on a long car trip. On the way they stop to get lunch. When they get back on the road after about an hour the woman realizes she has left her glasses and tells her husband who is driving. He turns around and on the way back to the restaurant lectures her about responsibility. When they arrive back at the restaurant he says: “While you are in there can you get my hat?” As Christians, we are sometimes very quick to point out the failings of others but ignore the hypocrisy in our actions.

Jonah ran from God when instructed to go to Nineveh. After his encounter with the great fish compelled him to be obedient he did as God asked and went to Nineveh, warning them that God was going to destroy them. After Jonah warned the city as God had instructed, he became angry when God did not destroy them. God could have destroyed Jonah as soon as Jonah showed his disobedience by running away. Even after God didn’t kill Jonah for his disobedience, he could have let him drown when he hit the water after being cast into it by his shipmates. Yet, even though God spared Jonah, he became angry that God spared the inhabitants of Nineveh. So many times we stand with stones in our hands ready to throw them at others caught in sin and disgraced by public failings while our own shortcomings lay safely hidden in our upstairs closets. As Christians we must develop the discipline to consider ours shortcomings before condemning others.

Pray today to that God’s mercy extended to us will soften our attitudes towards others.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Lord's Battle.

You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you." 2 Chronicles 20:17

Have you ever stayed up late worrying about what your next steps needed to be? Thinking of ways to confront the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in your way? Have you ever gotten near the point of despair knowing that logically there was no way to avoid a bad outcome? Have you ever been pretty sure that you were in the middle of something that was going to end badly? Well, Christians always have an escape route. Read on:

In Chronicles, Jehoshaphat and his people faced not one, not two but three enemies who came up against them at the same time. The Moabites, The Ammonites and, the Bible says, even others had come to destroy them. (2 CH:20:1) His people told him that the group together had formed a great multitude and they were in route. Now Jehoshaphat was afraid so the first thing he did was go to the Lord in prayer. Stop. What? Yes! The first thing he did was go to the Lord in prayer. Now for those of us who that is the last thing we do, maybe that is why our outcomes are different than that of Jehoshaphat. God fought his battle. His enemies destroyed one another. That was a great result. As Christians this is a passage of scripture we should commit to memory.

Resolve today to take your burdens to the Lord, first.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Expect The Unexpected.

Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. John 2:11

Danny DeVito grew up in New Jersey. Diminutive, balding and round with a strong Jersey accent he became a cosmetician in his sister’s Beauty Parlor. A series of events led him to the New York stage to be a make-up artist. He was cast in the hit TV series Taxi as the unlikeable dispatcher. In spite of what seem like insurmountable odds, DeVito became a fan favorite, a Hollywood star, a director, a producer and ultimately the owner of his own film production company. As Christians, we should live a faith that constantly reassures us that anything is possible.

Wine is made from grapes. It is 80 to 85% water but that water comes from grape juice. So technically wine is mostly water even though none of us can make water into wine. Jesus took this fact and ignored the science and turned water into wine. In like manner everyone who gives their life to Christ becomes a Christian. God can take that and create every kind of success imaginable. The Christian must have the fundamental understanding that no matter what our talent or lack thereof is, God provides the increase. We must believe that he can make a profound difference in the life of the believer whether it is us or someone else, in spite of what we or they have done previously.

Pray today that you don’t fall into the trap of limiting God’s ability to transform you, the situation or others into a demonstration of God’s power and love.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Faith Help.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

The system of apprenticeship was first developed in the Middle Ages. Experienced craftsmen could employ young men (in some cases as young as fourteen). These young men would live in the household of the master craftsmen and over time learn the trade. Although some professions still employ a form of apprenticeship, in modern times we often use the internship model where during formal education young people work in a professional environment in order to gain exposure and some training. As Christians, we should seek out those who are mature in the Faith and learn the behavior and practice of living Godly lives.

The book of Hebrews is a book encouraging those who have become converted to continue in the faith. It outlines examples of faith throughout biblical history. When we feel weak. When we feel we are losing our sense of purpose. When we sense ourselves faltering in our resolve. When we start to become cynical. We can meditate on those who we have known that stood strong and endured hardships, but still kept the faith. Many of the older members of our churches have stories of perseverance and faith that we should know as these stories can help us when our faith is weak.

I pray that you would find the time to seek out a godly, wise, mature member of your church and listen to what they have to say.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Open Membership.

1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. Luke 19:1,2

Even today there are a number of private country clubs that discriminate against women and ethnic minorities. Shoal Creek famously admitted an African American member after their practices became widely known when they were trying to host the 1990 PGA Championship. Augusta, home of the Masters, still does not accept women members. It is important for Christians to note that Jesus consistently demonstrated equal treatment for all.

In our text Zacchaeus is described as being a short, wealthy tax collector. It is well-documented how disliked tax collectors were. Publicans (tax collectors) were hated by the Jews for working on behalf of the Roman Empire, the oppressors of the Jews. They were also disliked because many times they collected extra money for themselves and in doing so became rich. We find it easy to love those who love us. We even try to love those who may be difficult but are like us. But it is very hard to love those who we know mean us harm or have shown themselves to be our enemies. Jesus went to this tax collectors house and ate with him. At some point that is not covered in scripture, Jesus had such a profound effect on Zacchaeus that he turned from his wicked ways and vowed to return back what he had taken from the people four-fold! As Christians, we must believe in the transforming power of the love of Jesus Christ. We can’t fight fire with fire but instead we must love our enemies into submission.

Pray today to be open to accept all people whatever their station in life might be, knowing that God is able to change hearts and minds.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Perfect Order

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33

Ernestine Ulmer wrote “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” Life is certainly unpredictable and some of us spend our lives worrying about what’s next. We fill our days in desperate attempts to stay a step ahead of our obligations all the while rushing to enter new ones. As Christians we must be careful to spend our time seeking and sharing the goodness of God.

The warnings of the 6th Chapter of Matthew seem tailor-made for our age: Doing good deeds to be seen. Being Pious so that others might see us and trying to store our treasures here on earth. Mathew instructs us to seek the kingdom first. He admonishes us not to worry about what we are going to eat, drink or wear. How many of us can say that we really let God direct our paths? Matthew points out that the flowers of the field are magnificently dressed. This suggests that when God clothes or feeds us that it can be in a fashion beyond our wildest imaginings.

Pray today for the ability to slow down, appreciate life and abandon our ambition for God’s perfect and timely provisions.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Straight Answers

They say unto him, Ceasar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Ceasar the things which are Ceasar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. Matthew 22:21

Martin Luther King, Jr said: “If you are called to be a street sweeper, sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, “Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” King was dealing with the flip side of an issue that confronts us every day namely the desire to be important. As Christians we must tame our desires to be important and influential at the expense of being obedient and effective.

In the 10th chapter of the Gospel of Mark, James and John ask Jesus to be seated on the left and right of Jesus as he rules. Jesus begins to explain to them that they don’t know what they are asking as he knows he is on his way to give up his life for mankind. So many Christians are ineffective as leaders because they ignore the fact that so much of leadership is actually sacrifice. Most leaders make difficult tradeoffs with time spent with family and friends. Some leaders sacrifice sleep and health. Many travel many miles and become public property and symbols instead of individuals. As Christians we need to carefully examine our ambition. Is our motivation deeply rooted in the desire to serve God whatever the cost or is it in recognition or personal gain. Think about it: the “top dog” is still living a dog’s life.

Examine yourself in prayer and meditation today. Search your heart for the motives behind your actions.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Hold It.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. James 3:9

I returned home after a business trip out-of-town. I had spent the entire day traveling. I had encountered rude service industry workers, irritated fellow travelers and been subjected to the broadcasts of public cell phone users and seat-mates who invaded my space. Before I even took off my overcoat I weighed in on my wife. The house was not clean enough. My things were moved. Errands we had agreed on were undone. Within minutes, what should have been a joyful homecoming was undone by my tongue. As Christians we must battle everyday against the desire to speak without regard to the consequences.

James takes the 3rd chapter of his epistle to outline the destructive power o f the tongue. In the 8th verse he calls it a “restless evil, full of deadly poison” Unfortunately; none of us needs James to tell us the tongue is dangerous. We have all been hurt by something someone has said to us. Likewise we have done harm with our own tongues; sometimes carelessly and other times on purpose. What we say to each other and about each other has a tremendous effect on the ability of the church to function and to be an organization capable of attracting and retaining members. We will not always be able to control our tongues. But if we follow the example of Christ and prayerfully consider all things before we speak, we’ll do a lot less harm.

Pray today to hold your thoughts until you are sure they are not destructive.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Missed Opportunity.

Io mi sono rallegrato di ciÒ che mi è stato ditto: Andiamo alla Casa del Signore. Psalm 122:1 (Italian)
I was glad when they said unto me: Come let us go into the house of the Lord. Psalm 122:1 (English)

I was a college student studying in Florence, Italy. I was homesick. I woke up Sunday morning yearning for the familiar of my church back in the states, Mount Calvary Baptist. I longed to sit in Sister Tims’s Sunday school class. What I would have given to hear the choir sing or to hear one of Rev. Kennedy’s funny stories. I missed stealing furtive glances at the Westin twins. Determined to find a sanctuary to worship in, I went to a local Italian protestant church. I was met with warm smiles and the hymns, though in Italian, had familiar melodies and the message was one of God’s love and mercy. Halfway around the world, I was at home in God’s house. As Christians, we must always keep in perspective what a wonderful opportunity it is to worship with one another.

David, in Psalm 122 is glad to go to the house of the Lord. For Christians, sometimes it is only after an illness or an unfortunate circumstance that keeps us away from church that we begin to realize how important it is to fellowship with other Christians. In a good Christian fellowship we are happy when there is good news; we support each other in sickness and distress. We help each other grieve. We bear one another’s burdens. We lift our voices together in songs and corporate prayer. We share the same ultimate goal and focus on the same Savior. Don’t miss every opportunity you have to join together in the house of the Lord.

As you share your faith remember to tell others how good it is for Christians to gather together in love.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Standing Around.

And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”Acts 1:10,11

In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi and soon thereafter became one of the most devastating hurricane in United Sates history. The events that unfolded over the next few weeks were devastating and emotionally draining. What became apparent was that the Army Core of Engineers and government officials, in spite of having planned and trained, were unprepared. As Christians,we can just as easily be caught flat-footed in our spiritual lives and unable to follow God’s plan for our lives

By the time Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples had spent 3 years living with Jesus. They had traveled with him, ate with him, been in the same homes and boats.They had listened to many hours of instruction. Now Jesus has fulfilled the prophecy of the scripture and he has been resurrected, appeared to the disciples and is returning to heaven. He has given them the commandment to go into the entire world and preach the gospel. Yet in spite of clear and specific directions the disciples are standing there staring heavenward. In our churches today we have heard God speak. We have listened to the songs of Zion. We have prayed the prayers of faith…and now we gather on a weekly basis gazing upward and waiting. God needs for us to hear the words of the angels as they told the disciples that there was no need to stand there and stare upward. Our communities need for us to find those in need of God’s love where they are and compel them to come and experience it with us.

Pray today to stop standing and staring and start walking and reaching.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Knew It.

Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?”Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” John 1:48

When my friend Jim’s daughter Erin was four years old she helped herself to some cookies from the cookie jar without permission. When Jim surprised her in the kitchen she tried to hide the cookies behind her back. At the time, Erin was about two and a half feet tall and Jim, who stands about 6’2” could see behind her back even while he was standing in front of her. Behind her back was not a suitable hiding place for the cookies and Erin paid the price for both stealing and lying. As Christians, a clear understanding of God’s power can help us admit to our sins and lead us towards His will for us instead of away from it.

In this passage of scripture, Jesus is choosing his disciples. He elects to share with Nathanael that he knew him before he met him. How much of what we do is trying to mask the things we think and do when away from family, friends and outside of the scrutiny of the church? How much of our true selves do we attempt to bury or keep on a shelf, like a piece of clothing only to put it on when we feel we are safely away from those who will judge us? Save your effort. What people think about us does not matter and God already knows who we are. In spite of our past and present sins, he has given us the directive and the opportunity to serve him. The fact that the Lord knows us by name and calls us to serve him should encourage us to try to live up to our calling.

Pray today to live a life that can stand up to public scrutiny.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Old Dog.

18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money 19and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Acts 8:18,19

There is an old adage that goes “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. It suggests that people who have been doing things a certain way for a long time can’t abandon their habits. When we become Christians we are forgiven of past sins but we must be cautious that we put away our old ‘nature’ and take on new habits guided by the Bible and the example of Jesus Christ.

The 8th chapter of Acts gives an account of Simon the Sorcerer’s conversion to Christianity. He claimed to be a holy man and had performed magic all over the city. He had been proclaiming to the people that he had a divine and great power. When he heard Phillip preach, he was baptized and began to follow the disciples. After seeing Peter and John pray that the new converts receive the Holy Spirit and lay hands on them, Simon asked the disciples if they would sell him that ability. The disciples rebuked him and questioned whether he had ever really experienced conversion. How often do we abandon God’s way for our own? How many times do we let our flawed and sinful thoughts drive our decision making? When we decide we need to set someone straight by confronting them instead of praying for them and for guidance to handle the situation? When we decide that we had a hard day so we need a drink instead of meditation and prayer? When we use the same backstabbing and ambitious social-climbing practiced in the world in order to better our position at church? Upon mature reflection, we must confess that we have more in common with Simon than we care to admit.

Pray today for that the Holy Spirit guide you away from your old habits and attitudes and help you embrace and internalize God’s plan for your life.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Best Defense.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

There is a saying that goes: The best defense is a good offense. The secular world believes that you should do unto others before they do unto you. This belief system mistrusts the motives of others believing that in this cruel world that everyone takes what they can and that if you are not the taker then you are the “takee” The Christian must understand that the battle is not ours but the Lord’s.

In Romans the eighth chapter, the 28th through the 39th verses offer one of the Bible’s most encouraging passages. They outline the profound love that God has for us, assuring us that all things work together for good for those that love the Lord (Rom 8:28) and declaring that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:39) This passage paints a great visual in our key verse by reminding us that if God is for us then no one can stand against us (Rom 8:31). This is a powerful reminder as we face life’s challenges. You might feel overwhelmed today. You might be facing what looks like a sure defeat. In the song The Lord is my Banner and Shield the first verse goes:

My enemies have surfaced,
They’re too numerous to count.
They sound the call to arms,
Thinking I have no way out.
But instead of retreat,
I raise the flag of victory.
My battle is the Lord’s,
He’s the one who fights for me.

Pray today for the quiet peace and strength in the assurance that God will be your defense today.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Stand.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! Revelation 3:15

There is nothing like a cold glass of water on a hot and steamy day. Similarly, nothing beats a steaming hot beverage or cup of soup on a cold, snowy morning. A warm glass of water or a cold cup of soup not only falls short of satisfying us, but also make us mad that it is not what it is intended to be and therefore doesn’t fulfill its purpose. Likewise, Christians who can’t make up their minds to serve the Lord with their whole hearts are displeasing to God.

The Church at Laodecia was suffering from lack of zeal. They were simply going through the motions. How often does that describe the modern church? How often does that describe us? We are slow to start and always ready to be finished. The doors of the church are opened and closed, but the mouth of the church seems to always be open. As Christians, we should constantly remind ourselves that God calls us to be fervent workers; working with purpose, determination and an understanding of the brevity of our existence. It is day now. But night comes quickly.

Pray for zeal and the desire to serve God today.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Wrong.

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Acts 8:3

New York City and the Atlanta airport are my favorite places to people-watch. From these two nexus of human interaction one can observe every shape and size of human being and an encyclopedia of behaviors. It is at such places that we are confronted by our nature to judge people and to draw conclusions from little more than appearance. We can’t really tell a sinner from a saint, a rich man from a poor one; but we believe we can. As Christians we must guard against bringing our tendencies to try and convict people in our minds into the church.

Saul believing he was right persecuted Christians with determination and dedication. He worked with local authorities to make sure he had free reign to pursue, catch and convict those guilty of following Christ. As Christians, we need to take some serious time to reflect how we interact with each other as the “Church”. Too often, we pursue each other and are quick to hurl harmful accusations, share negative half-truths and attempt to assassinate each others character. What we need to realize is that when we do these things we are often acting as enemies of the church. The good news of the gospel is that Christ calls for us to live together in harmony promising that when He comes he will separate the wheat from the tares (Matthew 13:30)

Be truthful today about the things you may be doing and saying that are hurting the household of faith. Pray for forgiveness and work to build rather than tear down.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Stop It.

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves Matthew 21:12

A company called LifeCall had a famous commercial in which a woman says, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”. When we are lost in sin, God has mercy on us. He does not want us to stay in this condition - - he wants to give us salvation. But once saved, we have to be careful we don’t keep others from seeing the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The Christian must guard against impeding the work of God with his creation. We sometimes inadvertently or on purpose find ourselves opposing or just getting in the way of the work of the Lord.

In our text, as the faithful went in to make their sacrifices, a group of money changers and merchants had set up in the church and made themselves obstacles to those attempting to be obedient to God’s commandments. Jesus, angered, physically drove them out of the temple. When Paul was on his way to persecute more Christians, God intervened, stopped him in his tracks and demanded to know why Paul was doing what he was doing. As Christians, we spend a lot of time focused on ourselves. We would be wise to consider that God is not pleased when we get in the way of His work and His purpose. We must remember Mark 9:42 “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.” God loves us and wants us to enjoy his salvation, grace and mercy. But make no mistake about it; there is no wiggle room for those who are in the way of His desire for all men to be saved. You might not be in agreement with one of the church leaders. You might not like someone in the church or dislike one of the churches programs. You might just like to laugh at the expense of others. These are not harmless acts without consequences. If you have issues, you can deal with them directly and permanently, but you don’t want to find yourself pulling in the wrong direction.

If upon reflection you find you have been blocking the progress of the church or in the way of someone seeing the saving power of Jesus, I pray that you God give you the courage and the power to stop it today.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Free Lunch.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Ephesians 2:8

We have a serious problem with things that are free. We will, of course, accept them. We just don’t value them. My firm worked very hard a few years ago developing a marketing program for a national non-profit agency and we gave it to them at no charge. It cost us a significant amount of time and money to develop. They gratefully accepted and began to use it. A few months later, another, more prestigious firm offered to work with them and they abandoned our work and began using the work prepared by the new firm. We learned from that situation and now we send an invoice, showing the full value and marked “Paid in Full. As Christians, we must grasp the idea that we have been given a priceless gift. It was an expensive gift. A gift we could never afford. Nevertheless, it was given to us, for free.

In Ephesians, Paul outlines for the Christian an important reason. If we could be granted salvation for our works (our service), we could boast that we earned it. The fact is, mankind was hopelessly lost and the only chance we had at redemption was Jesus Christ. Now that we are followers of Christ, Paul continues, we are his workmanship and therefore will do good works because that is the way of and the nature of Christ.

So, in spite of our skepticism of free things, we must come to grips with the fact that the most valuable thing in the world, salvation, has been given to us free. Not free to God, put “Paid in Full” for us. And this priceless gift should govern the way we live everyday.

Let God’s free gift make you a grateful servant today.

Deacon Larry Woodard

The Right Time.

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. Luke: 5:5

One of life’s true pleasures is to hear a live musical performance. In person you witness firsthand the fact that some musicians produce beautiful tones out of their instruments and others have certain trademark riffs or phrasing but they all share the one thing that separates most great musicians from the rest of us – impeccable timing. As Christians, we all desire to do God’s will and to have our work bear fruit, but it is only when we are in step with the Master that our activity yields impressive results.

Simon and the other fishermen in the area had been fishing all night to no avail. Their livelihood was fishing. There is no doubt they knew the waters they were fishing in. Simon was successful enough to have his own boat. He was a confident fisherman. He and the others had made the assessment there were no fish to be had. They had brought their boats in and were washing their nets. Jesus asks Simon to return to the water and drop their nets. The catch was so great the others had to come and assist. Jesus tells us that the harvest is plentiful. He knows they are a great many in our community that are in need of salvation and will come. He asks us to be workers and also to pray for workers. As in the scripture, we must follow His lead to cast our nets where he leads us, so that men might be saved.

Pray today to be obedient to our Lord and be ready to cast your net.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Press On.

“For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.” Matthew 9:21

There is a saying that goes “when the world says, Give up,” Hope whispers, “Try it one more time.” In our information rich world there is the temptation to believe there is a clear understanding of many of life’s problems. Conventional wisdom will bring pressure on us to come to the conclusion that it may be time to throw in the towel and give up on the prospect of success or healing or achievement. As Christians we must ignore the deafening roar of the crowd and trust in God through whom all things are possible.

In our scripture we visit the mind of a woman in a crowd. She has been suffering for years with a serious illness. She believes she can be healed if she just touches the hem of the garment Jesus is wearing. According to the text, this is what she is thinking as she presses through the crowd. In other words, her determination is based on her faith. We need to draw strength from this passage of scripture. As we face circumstances that cause us to carry around heavy burdens, we need to know that we need to press on with prayer and faith, believing there is relief at the feet of Jesus. There is no problem too great for God to completely resolve.

After you pray to increase your faith today, press on.

Deacon Larry Woodard

Double Trouble.

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

In one of his sermons, Martin Luther King, Jr. explains “The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?" Every day we are faced with situations that require us to choose between ourselves and our own interests or the needs of others. There is no debate, our own issues are weighty and it takes no effort at all to spend all of our time trying to take care of personal problems. But, as Christians we are summoned by the Bible to the service of others.

In the Old Testament book of Genesis, Cain kills his brother Abel and then when asked where his brother is responds, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The New Testament answers this question over and over again. We are to serve one another (Gal 5:13), forgive one another (Eph 4:32), exhort one another (Heb 3:12), be hospitable to one another (1 Pet 4:8-10); and even put others and their safety above our own as described in detail by Jesus in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). As the Christian understands and begins to live a life of service to others, God’s blessings become a constant reminder that He is pleased with the way we give.

Today, consider someone else and make an effort to lighten their load. Instead of “double trouble” may you experience a double portion of God’s goodness.

Deacon Larry Woodard