What’s Your Role?

While you may hear farmers brag about the harvest they had in a particular year, you willl seldom hear them claim responsibility for the crop’s growth. You may hear some talk about working harder or smarter by picking the best variety of seed for their region, supplying additional nutrients with fertilizer or irrigation, or using a variety of methods to suppress the growth of weeds. At the end of the crop year, the farmer is ultimately dependent on a power higher than himself to make the harvest plentiful.

The same can be said about evangelism. We are told in 1st Corinthians 3:5-8 “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

The parable of the four soils (Luke 8:4-18) tells us that the farmer went out to sow his seed (the word of God) and that the type of soil (heart of the person) it fell on determined what would happen to the seed. Whether you are a sower/planter or a waterer to family and friends this Christmas season, the results are not in your hands. God has given each of us a job to do and has told us to give it all, including the glory of a bountiful harvest, to God. The question is do you trust God enough to leave it in His hands?

Temples and Palaces

The Dallas Cowboys played their first regular season game in Cowboys Stadium last Sunday. The stadium, which cost over 1 billion dollars to build, is such a marvel that many sportscasters are calling it the “Palace in Dallas”. It is reportedly the largest domed structure in the world with the largest sliding glass doors and the largest video screen to ever hang over a sporting event.

God had the King Solomon and the Israelites build a well known building back in the day known as the temple. Solomon had 70,000 people carrying materials and 80,000 cutting stone with another 3,600 serving as foremen (2 Chronicles 2:18). The foundation, main hall, ceiling beams, doorframes, walls, and doors were all overlaid with gold (2 Chronicles 3-4). The amount of gold to overlay the Most Holy Place was about 21 metric tons (42,000 pounds) of gold. The sea God had Solomon create for the temple held 17,500 gallons of water. There are many other amazing features of the temple, yet God’s people were separated from the Most Holy Place by a curtain of blue, purple, and crimson yarn and fine linen.

A woman said to Jesus “Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place we must worship is Jerusalem.” Jesus replied to the woman saying “A time is coming when you will worship your Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.” He also told her that “God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4-20-23) After Christ died on the cross for our sins God ripped the temple curtain from top to bottom...symbolizing a new era where God’s people have direct access to Him (Mark 15:38). We are told “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) God has given us as Christians the privilege of being temples for the Holy Spirit. Is the next decision you are about to make going to bring honor to God and His temple or desecrate His temple?

Letting Go of Your Clunker

Today, it was reported that approximately 700,000 clunkers were traded in for new vehicles during the government’s “Cash for Clunkers” program. People who brought their clunkers into dealerships as trade-in value for a new vehicle knew they were giving their vehicles up to be destroyed and that they would never be able to get them back. How then can we as Christians better get rid of the “clunker” aspects of our old life and grasp the new creation we are in Christ? (2nd Corinthians 5:17)

One thing we can do is to turn our focus to God. We are reminded that “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe” (Proverbs 29:25). Jesus also told us “...do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him” (Luke 12:4-5).

Focusing on God also allows us to let go of worry when we believe God’s promises for us. Jesus told us “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34).

We need to let go of the “clunkers” in our life on a moment by moment basis. Focusing on fearing God more than man and remembering His promises are the keys to doing this. We have a great God who declares “For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). Are you ready to give up your “clunker” for God’s hope and future for you?