YOU WEREN'T VERY GOOD

A few years ago while preaching in a seminar in the panhandle of Oklahoma it was my privilege to become acquainted with a fine young boy.  After the first night of the seminar, he approached me and stuck out his hand. He told me his name, then he said, “Are you the one who preached tonight?” I responded by saying, “Yes I am, and I’m glad to meet you.”  He said, “You sure do talk a lot!”  I said, “I’ll try not to talk so much next time.”  Following the seminar the next night, this fine young boy approached me, and I asked him if I talked too much this time. He said, “You didn’t talk as much, but you weren't very good” You never know what people are going to say when you speak! Right, Preachers? Especially children, they can be brutally honest.

This would seem like the perfect opportunity to quote some familiar, obligatory scripture. Such as, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?” (Galatians 1:10)  Or how about this one? “But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by {any} human court” (1 Corinthians 4:3) “But, Jeff, it was just a child!”  And the fact is, he was probably right.  Often, our initial reaction to perceived criticism is a quick rush to our own defense, or worse, a counter-strike.  You know, it’s okay to say something critical about someone if they say something critical about me.  But let’s not forget the words that Paul spoke in Ephesians 4:32-33, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”  

The bottom line in all of our lives is that we are not very good without Jesus.  Without Him we are, “strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12). Without HIm we are not very good husbands/wives, parents/grandparents, brothers/sisters, employees/employers, friends, or even Christians.  But with Jesus on our side, we become the “poetry” of God, created in and by Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10).  Without Him we are in darkness, with Jesus we enter the light (John 12:46). Without Jesus we live in unrighteousness (Romans 1:29), but in Christ we become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).  

Father, we thank You that because of Jesus, we who are not good, can share in Your Goodness!

A COUPLE OF UPDATES

To everyone at Lewisville who is a part of our Bible study that meets in the Fellowship Center we hope you will join us this Sunday at 9:00 as we study, “The Blessing of Forgiving Others.”  Our class has gotten off to a great start. Also, remember that this Sunday night the Brother’s Keeper’s group will meet in the home of Clyde & Jinger Brown following the evening worship.

It will be a tremendous blessing next week for me to be a part of the Annual Preacher’s Retreat at Pettijohn Springs Christian Camp near Madill, Oklahoma. Other speakers will be, Don Vinzant, Russ Dyer, Tommy Haynes, Phil Sanders, and Dan Fredman.  My assigned topics are, “Scriptures That Remind Me of Who I Am,” and “Scriptures That Encourage Me.”  It will be thrilling to be able to see and spend time with some wonderful friends.  Please pray for us that we might encourage the preachers who are present.